Royal Enfield Motorcycles – To India and Back
Through necessity, and in common with most other engineering companies of the day, Enfield didn’t restrict themselves to one line. They also made lawnmowers, bicycles and rifle parts for a Small Arms factory in Enfield. A clue lies in their logo which depicts a cannon, which I have to say, is infinitely better than a lawn mower. Their motto of ‘Made like a gun, Goes like a bullet’ is also evidence of their military involvement. In 1907, the company joined forces with a business with the unlikely name of ‘Alldays & Onions’, to produce the Enfield-Allday automobile. Fortunately, the onion was dropped. These cars remained in production until 1925.Royal Enfield produced their first motorised vehicle in 1898, a vehicle that would today be described as a ‘Quad’. This early effort had a De Dion-Bouton 2.75 hp engine. As the 20th century dawned, a bicycle with a 150cc engine mounted above the front wheel was introduced. The year after in 1902, a similar machine was fitted with a 239cc Enfield engine. The famous V-Twins appeared in 1910, primarily fitted with a Motosacoche 344cc engine, but later superseded by Enfield’s own power unit. The first small, two stroke engines saw the light of day in 1915 with the 200model.With the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914, Royal Enfield was requested to furnish the British armed forces with machine gun-carrying combinations and stretcher-bearing motorcycles. The company also won a contract to supply machines to the Russians. In 1917, when most able bodied men were at war in Europe, a police force made up of women was issued with 600cc Royal Enfield motorcycles.The time between the wars saw a boom in the popularity of sidecars, and in 1924 a combination using a 350cc single was launched. In 1928, saddle tanks and centre-spring, girder front forks were used. Royal Enfield bikes now took on a more contemporary appearance, and despite the economic gloom of the depression years, sales kept steady. A 488cc machine with a four speed gearbox was offered in 1927 and a side-valve 225cc in 1928. It seemed that the company could do no wrong, and during the thirties, Royal Enfield’s catalogue featured thirteen models. This is the time that the famous single cylinder ‘Bullet’ was born.As the world once again fell into war, Royal Enfield rose to the occasion to produce a series of motorcycles for military use, the most famous of these being a 125cc bike called the ‘Flying Flea’. It was also known as the ‘Airborne’ because of its capability of being dropped by parachute. Special instruments for war use were also manufactured at this time.In the fifties, Enfield of India began building machines with parts shipped from Britain, but in 1962 were producing complete motorcycles. Unfortunately, the factory in Redditch, England ceased production in 1970, with the Chennau plant in India still operating. Denomination rights were purchased by the Indians and the name lived on, which today enables Royal Enfield to claim the title of ‘The world’s oldest motorcycle model’. The bullet is in fact the model with the longest production run.Between 1955 and 1960, Royal Enfield’s were sold in the USA as ‘Indian Motorcycles’. This of course had nothing to do with India in the Asian context. The famous Indian motorcycle company had experienced troubles of its own, and this was just another chapter in their particular history. The Americans weren’t too keen on badged motorcycles, and when the business agreement expired, Floyd Clymer, who had controversially claimed the ‘Indian rights’, sought other sources for his venture.It appears that the ‘Enfield’ name has plenty of life in it yet. Enfield India continues making motorcycles and is indeed flourishing. In 1986, a civil servant from Britain named Raja Narayan went back to India to create an export arm for Royal Enfield, so in the same way that Raja had returned to his roots, so had the Bullet, which is now marketed in Britain.Despite production moving from Redditch to India, the marque can claim to be the only one to span three centuries, and who knows, it may even reach a fourth. Whilst the Indian plant goes from strength to strength, the few buildings that remain from the Redditch glory days have been swallowed up by the Enfield Industrial Estate.
Web Hosting Comments – Should You Take Notice?
There is a temptation to look at web hosting comments, see a few negative items relating to a particular host and dismiss them but this can be a mistake. When reading web hosting comments it is useful to bear in mind the following:
The services provided by hosting companies do differ. There is no point in complaining about lack of support for a particular technology if this was never promised in the first place.
Users will generally complain more readily than they will praise so it would be surprising if there were no negative web hosting comments about a host.
The bigger the hosting company the more negative comments you would expect to see.
Many negative web hosting comments would not have been necessary if users had read the Terms of Service (although some hosts could make the key terms clearer on their web sites).
When looking at web hosting comments about the major hosting companies I was struck by how many are about financial, contractual and support issues rather than technical issues. These can be:Cancellations: Sometimes there is a procedure to follow which is set-out in the TOS. Not following this results in delays.Domain Names (and cancellations): When a domain name is included in the package it has to be paid for if you cancel, even under a money back guarantee. This is spelt out in the TOS but the website may only say that the money back guarantee relates to hosting costs and the implication of this is lost on some users. Failure to get a full refund generates some of the more angry web hosting comments.Renewals: Most hosts issue coupons/offer discounts but these apply to new customers only. Renewals are charged at the host’s standard rates, some websites do not make this clear.Definition of “Unlimited”: Most hosts offer unlimited bandwidth, storage, databases etc. but whilst it clearly cannot be taken literally, definitions of “Unlimited” are vague. The use of unlimited does keep things simple and hosting companies know that most users will only use a small amount of resources. However we are talking about shared hosting so if a site does get busy it cannot be allowed to take resources to the detriment of other users. At this point you have to rely on the hosting company to deal with this reasonably. Of course users in this position will see the host as unreasonable and will probably post negative web hosting comments.Backups: Hosting companies usually state that backups are the responsibility of the user. Whilst they do generally backup their shared servers periodically they do not accept any liability for lost data (not unreasonable given the low costs of hosting). Clearly anyone can suffer a hardware failure so you could be unlucky with any host.To make sure you do not end up writing negative web hosting comments I suggest reading the TOS of your host thoroughly and taking your own regular backups.
Seven Beauty Make-Over Tips to Be a Beautiful Mother of the Bride
As the mother of the bride and second most special woman on the big day, it is important to include yourself and your appearance in the wedding planning. Needless to say, wedding planning can be extensive and all but overwhelming with the millions of details to attend, so it’s imperative to include appointments and activities during this special timeline for yourself.The following are seven beauty tips to help you as you get through the maze of things to do in perfect time and look beautiful on the wedding day.1. Elegant DressWhat defines the perfect mother of the bride dress? An elegant dress that you feel both comfortable and beautiful in is the first step in becoming a beautiful mother of the bride.A dress that coordinates with the formality of the wedding, the wedding colors and with the mother of the groom is also important. These wedding criteria are also referred to as the “wedding dress code”.A dress that looks good on YOU (both the color and the fit) and not just looks good in the wedding is of the utmost consideration. You can never go wrong with a tea length dress for the wedding, but it is nice to be able to show off a pretty long gown if the wedding is a formal affair.It is highly recommended that the mother of the bride select her dress at least four months in advance. (or as soon as the bride has picked out her dress and the bridesmaid dresses.) That leaves enough time for the mother of the groom to pick out her dress and follow suit. Traditionally, the mother of the bride sets the outfit trend and tone of dress for the two.2. Beautiful Hair While many magazines show the mother of the bride wearing her hair in a formal style such as an elaborate up-do or sprayed, curled and set, this can often be aging. If this look is your desire and makes you feel gorgeous, then by all means, wear your hair that way.If an up-do isn’t “you”, however, it’s a wonderful idea to wear your hair more ‘casual’. Looser, flowing hair can definitely look more youthful.3. Updated MakeupThink about the last time you updated your makeup. If it’s been a while, now is a great time and reason to do so. You can get this done at your beauty salon or at your favorite department store beauty counter.Let the makeup artist know if the wedding is a daytime or evening affair. Watch carefully and have her explain the techniques and products as she does your make-over. Also, be sure to let her know the color of your dress. This is really important for the best blush color and lip color. If you already have your dress, you could even take it with you in order to pick out the most complimentary colors.If you plan to have a makeup artist apply your makeup on the wedding day, be sure to have it done once prior to the wedding so that you get it exactly the way you envision and like it. The wedding day is not a day for makeup surprises.4. Perfect ManicureStudies show that next to your face, people look at your hands secondly. Our hands transmit our emotions and thoughts as well as our own well-being to others.Have your manicure done the morning of the rehearsal dinner (if the rehearsal dinner is the evening before the wedding) and be sure to buy the exact color to keep on hand for any last minute touch ups for the wedding.A subtle manicure is best and also the most youthful.5. White SmileA white smile can make you look 10 years younger! With today’s cosmetic dentistry options, a white smile is more possible than ever.If you have front bridges or crowns, however, it’s a little more difficult and time consuming to achieve a brighter whiteness, so you’ll need to start well in advance of the wedding date to get the white smile perfect for you. It can be a true gift to yourself and can greatly add to your self confidence. A beautiful smile is nature’s most perfect accessory and can go far in creating a beautiful mother of the bride impression.6. Physical FitnessMost brides plan their weddings at least six months in advance, if not twelve to fourteen months. (12-14 months is the average wedding planning timeline.)Most any woman can ‘get fit’, meet reasonable weight loss goals and look her best with six to twelve month’s notice. So – if you don’t feel fit and beautiful upon the announcement of your daughter’s wedding plans, start your fitness program that day! You can make huge strides in fitness and in beauty with that much time.A simple program of walking a few miles a day and counting calories will result in weight loss and a more fit body. And, it’s free! It’s up to you what you do during the pre-wedding days, but the investment of time in yourself will pay off in big dividends if you’ve been neglecting any of the fitness and/or beauty areas of your life.Do it now. Start today and can rejoice that you did when you walk down the aisle during the ceremony and greet the wedding guests at the reception. Your gain in fitness will also be noticeable to you since your stamina will increase by being more fit. It will take you through the day with ease and grace!7. Self Confidence The feeling that comes from within once you look your best AND feel your best are two of the greatest confidence builders there are. Confidence and beauty (both inner and outer beauty) will enable you to focus more on others as the hostess of the wedding instead of being self-conscious or worrying about what others are saying and thinking about you (when you don’t look and feel your best). This inner self assurance that you can achieve by the wedding date will also be present in your life long after the special day is over. Go for it!Treat yourself to the beauty and fitness plan in these seven steps during the wedding planning days. Once you do, the results will be fabulous for the big day and not only show in the loads of photos that will be taken, but will also show for many years to come.
How Much Do You Really Know About a Home Entertainment Center?
Over the years the standard designs of entertainment centers has evolved. This is due to the never ending upgrades in technology. TVs are being designed as large as ever and are even being custom made. Entertainment centers require knowledge, skills and expertise in order to create the perfect experience.After the initial design is created then the specifics are discussed such as the size of the TV, the lighting, and the kind of surround sound that should be installed, along with furniture that compliments the entertainment center. People are now buying new furniture each time they upgrade their digital equipment just to keep up with technology.Entertainment centers are usually designed to fit a specific TV so in the event that one has to upgrade their television set then chances are that they may have to do some modification to their center. Entertainment centers usually cost a pretty penny and sometimes cannot be afforded on a normal budget however some persons desire these so bad that they try their utmost to include it in their budget. It is recommended though that before one tries to take up this expense they need to ensure that all their priorities are taken care of firstly. The mortgage, utilities, groceries, the kids and all other necessities should be taken care of and if there are funds remaining then you can consider getting an entertainment center that is designed for your budget.These are usually constructed from the highest quality material and does not allow for self installation. This installation process should be completed by skilled professionals trained in handling these issues. One aspect to consider as well when investing in entertainment centers is to find a manufacturer or distributor who is legitimate and reputable. It also helps to find on that offers flexible payment options, this will allow for payments to go easy on the pocket. One should research these companies before deciding which to engage in business with. You should also seek to compare prices and ensure that you get the maximum value for your money. After this is completed and a selection is made then your family now has the benefits of enjoying the best home entertainment center. This is usually a chick magnet for teenage boys and for friends who just want to hang out it is ideal too. Invest in one today, it may just be that key factor that prevents your husband or wife going out for that girls/guys night out and keep the kids from wanting to hang out all night at the theater. At home they will be able to enjoy the luxury of a theatre without having to pay for admittance to the movies.