Author: James Martin
Vinyl has been on a resurgence for some time, and the pandemic somehow only accelerated that. It’s got many out there looking to upgrade from a cheap Crosley turntable and build out their first HiFi system. Of course, there are multiple pieces that go into building a decent stereo, but perhaps the most important is the speakers. If your speakers don’t sound good, it basically doesn’t matter what you connect them to. Active vs. Passive Speakers This is understandably the part of their setup that people likely spend the most time researching. And you have to make a number of…
Households looking for a new mortgage deal have been warned to expect 5%-plus fixed-rate deals in the coming weeks, after Wednesday’s inflation figures sent the money markets back into turmoil. Nick Mendes, the mortgage technical manager at the broker John Charcol, said on Thursday that he doubts that there will be any two-year fixed-rate mortgages and probably few five-year deals priced at less than 5% in the coming weeks, as lenders are forced to reprice their mortgages upwards. Within hours of his comments, one of the UK’s biggest lenders, the Nationwide, said it was increasing selected fixed and tracker rates…
Comment With the debt ceiling deadline dwindling to a matter of days, talks between the White House and congressional Republicans are moving very slowly, with no certain path to avoiding a calamitous default before the government runs out of money. Going into the holiday weekend, a familiar rhythm had set in on Capitol Hill. Talks never imploded or paused altogether, as they did the week before. Rather, negotiators appeared to trudge from one meeting to the next, without indicating much concrete progress. Even as the need to find agreement intensified, House Republicans and the White House remained at odds over…
The second-gen Apple Pencil is one of the around, especially for those who do creative work or like to write out notes on their tablet. Best of all, it’s once again on sale. You can . That matches a record low and it’s $44 off the regular price. Apple The stylus has a double-tap feature that enables you to quickly switch between tools. Low latency is useful as well, especially if you’re trying to quickly sketch out an idea. Other functions include tilt capabilities and pressure sensitivity. If you have the , you’ll also be able to take advantage of…
The Princess of Wales looked effortlessly elegant in a pretty pink suit for a visit to the Foundling Museum today as part of her early years work. Kate Middleton, 41, is patron of the central London museum which tells the history of the Foundling Hospital that in the mid 18th century began caring for children abandoned by their mothers who could not look after them. The royal wore an Alexander McQueen three piece for the outing, in which she met people who have lived in the care system, with foster carers or adoptive parents. When the princess arrived, a lone…
Ministers have appointed external commissioners to in effect take control of a Surrey council with debts expected to reach £2.4bn – 100 times its annual net income – after spending heavily on commercial property. Woking borough council, which spends £14m a year and has an annual net income of £24m, now has a total debt of £1.9bn. But it is forecast to hit nearly £2.4bn by 2024/5, a written statement from Lee Rowley, the junior levelling up minister, said. The council, described by Rowley as the most indebted council in England compared with its financial resources, risks effective insolvency after…
I do not envy the players, staff and fans of the three clubs fighting for Premier League survival on the final day but as a neutral it is very exciting. One of the reasons why we love football is the jeopardy involved with promotion and relegation – it adds drama to the spectacle – but Sunday will be 90 minutes of emotional turmoil for Everton, Leeds and Leicester supporters. I feel quite nostalgic for the days of crackly handheld radios in the crowd, with people desperately trying to find out what was happening in other matches when survival was at…
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is expected to make changes and update its guidance in relation to its list of notifiable eye conditions. According to the Association of Optometrists (AOP), the DVLA confirmed it would introduce new guidance after discussions last year. The AOP raised serious concerns about a DVLA list of eye conditions which could have applied to any driver who went for an eye test. It offered to work with the DVLA to create a list which would keep motorists safe and function alongside the DVLA’s medical panel. The new list is believed to detail which…
After the winter months, patios may have green and even black stains on them. Green or black debris on patios may be mould, mildew or moss which needs to be removed. Mould, mildew and moss usually grow in damp and moist conditions and can cause surfaces to be slippery and dangerous. With this in mind, fans of cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch, whose full name is Sophie Hinchliffe, have shared their simple solution for cleaning patios so they come up “cleaner” and “brighter”. Mrs Hinch has more than 4.6 million followers on Instagram and often shares her garden and home tips…
You no longer have to live in one of a handful of countries to try the official option for Android games on Windows. The Google Play Games beta has expanded to over 40 European countries (including the UK) and New Zealand. The additions now make the platform available in 56 countries total, up from just 13 as of November. Google Play Games currently offers more than 100 Android titles. You might not recognize all of them, but better-known releases like Asphalt 9, Homescapes and Last Fortress are included. Google routinely adds new games to the service, and promises access in…