SAN'A, Yemen — Yemeni police arrested a woman on suspicion of mailing a pair of bombs powerful enough to take down airplanes, officials said Saturday as details emerged about a terrorist plot aimed at the U.S. that exploited security gaps in the worldwide shipping system.
Investigators were hunting Yemen for more suspects tied to al-Qaida and several U.S. officials identified the terrorist group's top explosives expert in Yemen as the most likely bombmaker.
The explosives, addressed to Chicago-area synagogues, were pulled off airplanes in England and the United Arab Emirates early Friday morning, touching off a tense search for other devices.
It still wasn't clear whether the bombs, which officials said were wired to cell phones, timers and power supplies, could have been detonated remotely while the planes were in the air, or when the packages were halfway around the world in the U.S. But the fact that they made it onto airplanes showed that nearly a decade since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, terrorists continue to probe and find security vulnerabilities.
The packages were addressed to two synagogues in the Chicago area. But British Prime Minister David Cameron said Saturday that he believes the explosive device found at the East Midlands Airport in central England was intended to detonate aboard the plane.
British Home Secretary Theresa May added that the bomb was powerful enough to take down the plane. A U.S. official said authorities believe a second device found in Dubai was similarly potent.
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh told reporters that the United States and United Arab Emirates had provided intelligence that helped identify the woman suspected of mailing the packages.
A Yemeni security official said the young woman was a medical student and that her mother also was detained.
The police action was part of a widening manhunt for suspects believed to have used forged documents and ID cards, Yemeni officials said. One member of Yemen's anti-terrorism unit said the other suspects had been tied to al-Qaida.
AdvertisementThe officials, like many in the U.S., spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation unfolding on three continents.
Al-Qaida's Yemen branch, known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, took credit for a failed bombing aboard a Detroit-bound airliner last Christmas. The bomb used in that attack contained PETN, an industrial explosive that was also used in the mail bombs found Friday.
The suspected bombmaker behind the Christmas Day attack, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, is also the prime suspect in the mail bomb plot, several U.S. officials said. Al-Asiri also helped make another PETN device for a failed suicide attempt against a top Saudi counterterrorism official last year. The official survived, but his attacker died in the blast.
"The forensic analysis is under way," Obama's counterterror chief John Brennan said Friday. "Clearly from the initial observation, the initial analysis that was done, the materials that were found in the device that was uncovered was intended to do harm."
Officials said the plot was discovered thanks to intelligence passed from Saudi Arabia. Without that tip, it's unclear whether anyone would have discovered the bombs before they were airborne – or on U.S. soil.
The U.S. already had been on the lookout for a such a plot, having received indications that the Yemeni-based al-Qaida faction was interested in "exploring an operation involving cargo planes," a U.S. counterterrorism official said.
U.S. authorities then acted quickly after receiving a tip "that suspicious packages may be en route to the U.S" – specifically Chicago – the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.
Currently, American officials do not get details about the contents of a U.S.-bound cargo plane until four hours before it's scheduled to land. In the case of long distance flights, those planes would already be airborne. Once a plane lands, officials screen packages that they feel warrant a closer look.
The failed attack should be a "wake up call" that the U.S. needs to step up security on cargo planes, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Kit Bond, said.
U.S. officials were still cobbling together details about the packages but one official briefed on the investigation said authorities believed the plotters may have been associated with two institutions called "Yemen American Institute (for) Languages-Computer-Management" or the "American Center for Training and Development."
It was not immediately clear whether those institutions even exist or whether that information came from false documents or fake addresses.
The U.S. temporarily banned all incoming cargo and mail from Yemen. A UPS employee in Yemen said the office has temporarily halted receiving any packages for delivery.
In Chicago, the leader of a North Side synagogue told members of his congregation at weekend services that a smaller congregation that uses their building was one of the targets of the plot.
Rabbi Michael Zedek of Emmanuel Congregation said he was told by a Jewish leader in Chicago that the smaller Or Chadash congregation was one of the targets. The FBI did not confirm that, and both Zedek and Chadash Rabbi Larry Edwards said they had not spoken to law enforcement.
Or Chadash members took the news calmly, Edwards said. The synagogue has about 100 members, and serves Jews in the gay community and their families.
The White House said Brennan called Yemen's president and made clear that the U.S. is ready to help the Yemeni government in the fight against al-Qaida. The U.S. already assists Yemen with airstrikes and other counterterrorism support.
Yemen's al-Qaida branch is the most active of the terrorist group's affiliates and has increasingly become the face of its recruitment efforts in the West. The country is home to radical U.S.-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. He has been linked in the Christmas attack and has inspired other terrorists with his violent message.
Also hiding in Yemen is Samir Khan, an American who declared himself a traitor and helps produce al-Qaida propaganda.
The Homeland Security Department said it was stepping up airline security, but White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Americans did not need to change their travel plans.
___
Apuzzo reported from Washington. Eileen Sullivan, Adam Goldman and Kimberly Dozier in Washington, Raphael G. Satter in London, Adam Schreck in Dubai and Carla K. Johnson and Karen Hawkins in Chicago contributed to this report.
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Saturday, October 30, 2010
Terror Investigators Examine More Packages
Rally To Restore Sanity LIVE: Video, Updates From The Jon Stewart Rally In DC
Great day for the not insane.
Friday, October 29, 2010
'Unicorn' Whales Track Arctic Temperatures : Discovery News
It's no secret that the proverbial canary in the climate change mine is the Arctic. As National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) administrator Jane Lubchenco noted when her organization launched its annual Arctic Report Card last week,“To quote one of my NOAA colleagues, ‘whatever is going to happen in the rest of the world happens first, and to the greatest extent, in the Arctic.’”
SEE ALSO: Warmer Arctic Spells Colder Winters
But, even as the Arctic warms, seemingly irrevocably, it is still a formidable environment in which to operate, particularly in the winter. The coasts of Greenland, in particular, act as pathways for ice from the Arctic Ocean, as a result of which winter research expeditions can require icebreaking vessels that cost millions of dollars to charter.
Consequently, in some areas, such as Baffin Bay, a large area between northeast Canada and southwest Greenland, winter data have been scarce -- or, in the words of Mike Steele of the University of Washington, "there was this gigantic, embarrassing hole."
Narwhal_satellite That hole is now being filled - thanks to narwhals, medium-size whales, endemic to the Arctic, known as unicorns of the seas because of the single, spiralling tusk found in males.
In a paper just published in the Journal of Geophysical Research -Oceans, Steele and other researchers, led by Kristin Laidre, also of the University of Washington, described tagging narwhals with satellite sensors that recorded ocean depths and temperatures during feeding dives from the surface pack ice to the seafloor, as deep as 1,773 meters, or more than a mile.
SEE ALSO: Arctic Ice Is Younger, Thinner, and Disappearing
In total, 14 adult narwhals were tagged with sensors. The data were automatically sent to a satellite when the narwhals surfaced for air between cracks in the sea ice. Tagging was carried out in accordance with the University of Washington’s Animal Care Guidelines and a permit issued by the Government of Greenland. Each sensor tag provided up to seven months of data before falling off.
WATCH: Arctic Melt Caught on Tape
Previously, winter temperature estimates in Baffin Bay were based on climatology data gathered from small settlements on both coasts. That data provided an estimated average winter temperature in southern Baffin Bay of about 3.3 degrees C (37.9 F). Data from the narwhals, however, showed that the temperatures in the bay were in fact warmer -- between 4 and 4.6 degrees C (39.2 - 40.3 degrees F).
“Narwhals proved to be highly efficient and cost-effective ‘biological oceanographers,’ providing wintertime data to fill gaps in our understanding of this important ocean area,” said Laidre.
"It's always nice to fill in a gap," added Steele, who said that the new data, and data collected from possible future narwhal-centric missions, may help make future climate models of the region more accurate.
Top Image: Narwhals breaching through a polynya, or hole in the sea ice. Glenn Williams/National Institute of Standards and Technology. Lower Image: Narwhal being affixed with a satellite transmitter. Kristin Laidre/NOAA
UN Biodiversity Convention Delegates Reach Agreement To Protect 17% Land, 10% Oceans By 2020
TOKYO — Representatives to a U.N. conference on biodiversity agreed early Saturday to expand protected areas on land and at sea in the hopes of slowing the rate of extinction of the world's animals and plants and preventing further damage to its ecosystems.
After marathon negotiations that stretched hours past the designated time, delegates also managed to overcome divisions between rich and poor countries to agree to share access to and the benefits of genetic resources such as plants whose extracts have been developed into medicines – a key sticking point that had threatened to doom the entire two-week meeting in Nagoya, southwest of Tokyo.
Scientists estimate that the Earth is losing species 100 to 1,000 times the historical average, pushing the planet toward the greatest extinction age since the dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago. They warn that unless action is taken to prevent biodiversity loss, extinctions will spike and the intricately interconnected natural world could collapse with devastating consequences, from plunging fish stocks to less access to clean water.
Delegates from 193 countries at the U.N. Convention on Biodiversity agreed to protect 17 percent of the world's land areas and 10 percent of oceans by 2020. Those gains will be difficult to ensure, however, since there is no way to enforce these agreements, and many poor nations lack the funds to manage reserves properly.
Currently, 13 percent of the world's land areas and less than 1 percent of marine areas are protected – which can range from natural parks or marine sanctuaries to areas where there is sustainable fishing or land use.
The series of agreements – which each required a consensus – squeaked through after hours of debate, relieving many delegates who feared the conference would suffer the kind of collapse that befell U.N. climate talks last year. Participants stood and cheered when it was announced that agreements had been reached in all areas, attendees said.
"We are very glad for this, very happy with the outcome," said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Brazil's Secretary for Biodiversity and Forests. "We had some doubts, but in the end we were confident we would get results."
Some developing countries balked at how to pay for larger protected areas, and delegates agreed to set up a fund from developed nations and other donors by the convention's next meeting in India in 2012, Dias said.
Eager to make the meeting a success, host Japan on Thursday offered $2 billion to help developing nations reach the goals set by the conference.
AdvertisementEnvironmental groups welcomed the agreement, but said many of the targets were not bold enough.
"At a certain point in the evening, it looked like it was all going to fall apart, so this is good news," said Nathalie Rey, an oceans policy adviser with Greenpeace International. "I would've liked to have seen more ambitious targets, especially on protected areas."
Japan proposed a compromise text Friday to break a logjam in the prickly area of sharing genetic resources, called access and benefits-sharing, or ABS, in U.N. parlance.
Developing nations and indigenous peoples argue they haven't benefited from the bounty of their resources, such as native plants, that have been developed into drugs by wealthy Western pharmaceutical companies. But in the end, delegates reached an agreement to set up a system that seeks to share these profits and benefits more equitably.
Some 193 governments have joined the biodiversity convention. Only three have not: the United States, Andorra and the Holy See.
____
Online:
Nagoya meeting site: http://www.cbd.int/cop10/
Convention on Biological Diversity site: http://www.cbd.int/
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US navy completes successful test on boat powered by algae | Environment | The Guardian
It looked like a pretty ordinary day on the water at the US naval base in Norfolk, Virginia: a few short bursts of speed, a nice tail wind, some test manoeuvres against an enemy boat.
But the 49ft gunboat had algae-based fuel in the tank in a test hailed by the navy yesterday as a milestone in its creation of a new, energy-saving strike force.
The experimental boat, intended for use in rivers and marshes and eventually destined for oil installations in the Middle East, operated on a 50/50 mix of algae-based fuel and diesel. "It ran just fine," said Rear Admiral Philip Cullom, who directs the navy's sustainability division.
The tests, conducted on Friday, are part of a broader drive within the navy to run 50% of its fleet on a mix of renewable fuels and nuclear power by 2020. The navy currently meets about 16% of its energy and fuel needs from nuclear power, with the rest from conventional sources.
The navy plans to roll out its first green strike force, a group of about 10 ships, submarines and planes running on a mix of biofuels and nuclear power, in 2012, with deployment in the field scheduled for 2016.
The green trend runs across all military services. The air force has been testing jet engines on a mix of conventional fuels and camelina, a crop similar to flax, and the Marine Corps recently sent a company to Afghanistan's Helmand province equipped with portable solar panels and solar chargers for their radio equipment.
Fuels made from algae oil burn more cleanly than fossil fuel, but preventing climate change is not a major factor in the Pentagon's calculations. "Our programme to go green is about combat capability, first and foremost," Cullom said. "We no longer want to be held hostage by one form of energy such as petroleum."
Over the last year, the Pentagon has become increasingly vocal about the burden of running oil convoys in battle zones. Fossil fuel is the number one import to US troops in Afghanistan, and the slow and lumbering convoys of oil tankers are an obvious target for enemy combatants.
Fossil fuels are also horrendously expensive. By the time it reaches a war zone, the true cost of a gallon of petrol is well over $400.
In theory, biofuels can be produced wherever the raw materials are available, possibly even in the combat zone. However, Cullom admitted that, as of today, algae-based fuels are no bargain. The current cost of a gallon of algae-diesel mix is $424 a gallon. "Any time you are an early adopter, it's not going to be $3 a gallon," he said.
The early versions of algae-based fuels had a short shelf life, with the fuel separating in the tank, sprouting, or even corroding engines. "They had some not very good characteristics at the end of the day," he admitted.
But the navy appears committed. Last month it placed an order for 150,000 gallons of algae-based fuel from a San Francisco firm.
Mold Removal Santa Monica
Wed 27 Oct 2010
Mold Removal – How It Works
Posted by admin under How Mold Removal Works (edit this)
No CommentsLiving in a mold infested home can be detrimental to one’s health. Even in Santa Monica‘s relatively dry climate, mold can and does grow in houses when there is sufficient moisture present from a leaky roof or plumbing, or a build up of humidity due to inadequate ventilation. In many cases, mold can develop in an unseen location, for instance, inside a wall.
Mold can trigger an allergic reaction in many individuals, symptoms of which may include watery or itchy eyes, sinus problems, difficulty breathing, a chronic cough, tiredness, or rashes. Over-exposure to mold can play havoc with the immune system. Prolonged, intense exposure can lead to mold growth in the oral cavity which can cause death by asphyxiation. And one variety of mold called stachybotrys chartarum – commonly known as black mold – produces myotoxins which, as their name suggests, are toxic.
Besides health concerns, such as toxic mold syndrome, mold is basically problematic. Mold damages whatever surface it grows on because that is its source of food, not to mention the fact that mold and mildew usually give your house an unpleasant, musty odor.
The one thing that is critical in order for mold and mildew to thrive is moisture. Where there is moisture, fungi can grow–which is why locker room are such a hospitable environment for athlete’s foot. Therefore, the first step to permanent mold eradication is locating the source of moisture. You have to identify and eliminate the source of accumulated water otherwise fungal growth will continue to occur. If any room in the house (such as the basement) has a humidity level of 55 percent or higher, you should consider purchasing a dehumidifier to prevent mold growth. A room’s humidity can be determined with a device called a hygrometer.
After identifying the moisture source, the next step is to eliminate it, and thoroughly dry the area. Move wet items away from walls and off the floors as well. When you are done sealing off the area, it’s time for you to clean and disinfect the mold growth. Make sure you choose a disinfectant that’s proven to kill mold spores.
Mold removal is only effective if all the infected components are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to prevent a re-contamination. The application anti-microbial chemicals may be necessary to completely eradicate the mold.
It is possible to do this mold removal as a D.I.Y. project as there are many different mold removal products available on the market today and they are fairly easy to use. If you undertake this task on your own, make sure you wear proper clothing and don’t forget your respirator or filter dust mask. If you are unsure about the correct procedures for removing mold you can of course hire a professional to do it for you.
-->
Wed 27 Oct 2010
Black Mold Remediation
Posted by admin under Black Mold Remediation (edit this)
No Comments
People are getting more concerned and aware about the health hazards of black mold. The so-called “toxic mold” is not actually toxic itself, but sometimes releases airborne spores called mycotoxins that can cause a long list of maladies, ranging from chronic bronchitis to permanent, debilitating damage to the brain and immune system.
No specific standards or regulations for black mold remediation, or mold removal in general, have been put in place as opinion on the matter varies, which means it is still an unregulated field. Since black mold thrives in areas where there is sufficient moisture or wetness, the first thing you have to do is to isolate and remove all possible sources of moisture. When I say all possible sources, I mean just that. Mold can grow on hidden surfaces like the backside of dry wall, wallpaper, top of ceiling tiles or the underside of carpets. Check the pipe chases and utility channels, acoustic liners inside ductwork and roof materials that are above the ceiling tile as well.
If moisture is not present, mold can not grow. It sounds simple but actually is not because it can be very difficult to target the source of moisture. It can come from many different sources such as water in the basement, leaking pipes, condensation and humidity levels among others.
After pinpointing and rectifying the main source of moisture in the area, the next order of business is to remove any objects that have been contaminated by toxic mold. Again, this is easier said than done. Everything that has been infected with black mold for 72 hours or longer should be taken away and destroyed.
You’ll need some effective moldicides and other chemical sprays that are powerful enough to kill any potential remaining infestation. If you are not certain about the correct procedures to follow in killing mold, you can always call a professional to do it for you.
The most important thing that you have to remember is to keep moisture at bay all the times. If you don’t, the mold will return. Control the moisture in your home before it controls you.
-->
Wed 27 Oct 2010
What Is Toxic Mold Syndrome?
Posted by admin under Toxic Mold Syndrome (edit this)
No CommentsToxic Mold Syndrome, an allergy spread by mold spores, is often compared and linked to Sick Building Syndrome. It can potentially lead to chronic fatigue syndrome, particularly for people who live or work in an environment in which they experience a high rate of exposure to toxic black mold. What is black mold? This type of mold produces toxic airborne spores that can cause vexing health problems and discomfort when inhaled. To eliminate this cause of poor I.A.Q. (indoor air quality), it is imperative to undertake effective mold removal procedures.
Toxic mold can be found growing in areas that have been exposed to water or where there is too much moisture such as the basement or bathroom. It can also grows as a result of water damage caused by a flood, plumbing problems or roof leaks which allow moisture to get into the walls. When a bathroom is not well ventilated, it also has the tendency to develop some black or toxic molds.
Sometimes a home or building can become infested without the occupants being aware of it. The problem with toxic mold syndrome is that it is hard to recognize and diagnose because the symptoms can also be attributed to a host of common illnesses. It difficult for doctors to distinguish between toxic mold syndrome and common allergies because the symptoms are often identical. Also, the mildness or severity of symptoms vary quite a lot depending on the particular individual exposed to toxic mold. Watery eyes, nausea, fever and shortness of breath are just some of the most common symptoms of this disease. Although the effects of toxic mold syndrome are most often not permanently debilitating, in some cases they are. It is certainly advisable to see a doctor before your symptoms become severe.
If you notice symptoms like unusual memory loss, anxiety, abdominal pain, unexplained hair loss, rashes, numbness in hands and feet, frequent sinus problems, frequent throat problems, bleeding in the rectal area, unexplained fatigue or unexplained pain or soreness throughout the body, you should see a doctor immediately to determine whether you are infected with toxic mold syndrome or not.
-->
Site on mold removal for Santa Monica residents.
Halliburton Cited By Oil Spill Commission For Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Blowout
WASHINGTON — Tests performed before the deadly blowout of BP's oil well in the Gulf of Mexico should have raised doubts about the cement used to seal the well, but the company and its cementing contractor used it anyway, investigators with the president's oil spill commission said Thursday.
It's the first finding from the commission looking into the causes of the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers and led to the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. And it appears to conflict with statements made by Halliburton Co., which has said its tests showed the cement mix was stable. The company instead has said BP's well design and operations were responsible for the disaster.
The cement mix's failure to prevent oil and gas from entering the well has been identified by BP and others as one of the causes of the accident.
BP and Halliburton decided to use a foam slurry created by injecting nitrogen into cement to secure the bottom of the well, a decision outside experts have criticized.
The panel said that of four tests done in February and April by Halliburton, only one – the last – showed the mix would hold. But the results of that single successful test were not shared with BP, and may not have reached Halliburton, before the cement was pumped, according to a letter sent to commissioners Thursday by chief investigative counsel Fred H. Bartlit Jr.
BP had in hand at the time of the blowout the results of only one of the tests – a February analysis sent to BP by Halliburton in a March 8 e-mail that indicated the cement could fail. The slurry tested in that case was a slightly different blend, and assumed a slightly different well design, but there is no indication that Halliburton flagged the problem for BP, or that BP had concerns, the letter said.
"Halliburton (and perhaps BP) should have considered redesigning the foam slurry before pumping it at the Macondo well," Bartlit wrote.
Independent tests conducted for the commission by Chevron on a nearly identical mixture were also released Thursday. The results concluded that the cement mix was unstable, raising questions about the validity of Halliburton's final test.
BP, as part of its internal investigation, also conducted independent tests that showed the cement mix was flawed, but its analysis was criticized by Halliburton, which said it was not the correct formula. BP's report also mentioned a cement test Halliburton performed in mid-April, but it appears BP obtained the results after the accident and considered its methods flawed.
AdvertisementBy contrast, the commission obtained proprietary additives from Halliburton as well as a recipe to re-create the slurry that was used on the well. One and a half gallons of the actual mix used on the rig remain, but it is being held as evidence in criminal and civil investigations.
A spokeswoman for Halliburton said the company was reviewing the findings. BP said it would not have a comment on the panel's conclusions Thursday.
Halliburton shares dropped from near $34 to below $30 in New York trading in the half hour after the commission released its finding. The shares recovered a bit, and closed at $31.68, down $2.74, or 8 percent. BP shares rose from $40.38 to $41.28, then quickly reversed course and fell to $40.28. The shares finished trading with a gain of 49 cents at $40.59.
In testimony before the joint Coast Guard-Bureau of Ocean Energy Management investigative panel, Halliburton engineer Jesse Gagliano, when asked if he would pour the same cement again, said he would. Thomas Roth, a vice president at the company, said before a panel assembled by the National Academy of Engineering in September that Halliburton had used foam cement on 1,000 jobs, including 279 wells at 15,000 feet or deeper.
Roth faulted BP's well design and BP's decision not to run a test to confirm the cement had set properly. He also said Halliburton's cement could have been contaminated by the oil-based muds BP used to drill the well. Such contamination can form channels in the cement through which oil and gas can escape.
The independent investigators do not address other decisions that could have contributed to the cement's failure and the eventual blowout, such as BP's decision to use fewer centralizers than recommended by Halliburton. Centralizers make sure the well's piping is centered inside the well so the cement bonds correctly.
BP has also been criticized for not performing a cement bond long, a test that checks after the cement is pumped down whether it is secure. There are also questions about whether BP pumped down enough cement to seal off the bottom of the well, which was located more than three miles below sea level.
___
Associated Press writer Harry R. Weber in Atlanta contributed to this report.
___
Online:
Presidential Oil Spill Commission: http://www.oilspillcommission.gov
Get HuffPost Green On Twitter, Facebook, and Google Buzz! Know something we don't? E-mail us at Huffpostgreen@huffingtonpost.com
Halliburton's execs should be tarred and feathered.
Mold Removal Santa Barbara
Wed 27 Oct 2010
Mold Removal – How It Works
Posted by admin under How Mold Removal Works (edit this)
No CommentsLiving in a mold infested home can be detrimental to one’s health. Even in Santa Barbara‘s relatively dry climate, mold can and does grow in houses when there is sufficient moisture present from a leaky roof or plumbing, or a build up of humidity due to inadequate ventilation. In many cases, mold can develop in an unseen location, for instance, inside a wall.
Besides health concerns such as toxic mold syndrome, mold is basically problematic. Mold damages whatever surface it grows on because that is its source of food, not to mention the fact that mold and mildew usually give your house an unpleasant, musty odor.
The one thing that is critical in order for mold and mildew to thrive is moisture. Where there is moisture, fungi can grow–which is why locker room are such a hospitable environment for athlete’s foot. Therefore, the first step to permanent mold eradication is locating the source of moisture. You have to identify and eliminate the source of accumulated water otherwise fungal growth will continue to occur. If any room in the house (such as the basement) has a humidity level of 55 percent or higher, you should consider purchasing a dehumidifier to prevent mold growth. A room’s humidity can be determined with a device called a hygrometer.
After identifying the moisture source, the next step is to eliminate it, and thoroughly dry the area. Move wet items away from walls and off the floors as well. When you are done sealing off the area, it’s time for you to clean and disinfect the mold growth. Make sure you choose a disinfectant that’s proven to kill mold spores.
Mold removal is only effective if all the infected components are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to prevent a re-contamination. The application anti-microbial chemicals may be necessary to completely eradicate the mold.
It is possible to do this mold removal as a D.I.Y. project as there are many different mold removal products available on the market today and they are fairly easy to use. If you undertake this task on your own, make sure you wear proper clothing and don’t forget your respirator or filter dust mask. If you are unsure about the correct procedures for removing mold you can of course hire a professional to do it for you.
-->
Wed 27 Oct 2010
Black Mold Remediation
Posted by admin under Black Mold Remediation (edit this)
[2] Comments
No specific standards or regulations for black mold remediation, or mold removal in general, have been put in place as opinion on the matter varies, which means it is still an unregulated field. Since black mold thrives in areas where there is sufficient moisture or wetness, the first thing you have to do is to isolate and remove all possible sources of moisture. When I say all possible sources, I mean just that. Mold can grow on hidden surfaces like the backside of dry wall, wallpaper, top of ceiling tiles or the underside of carpets. Check the pipe chases and utility channels, acoustic liners inside ductwork and roof materials that are above the ceiling tile as well.
If moisture is not present, mold can not grow. It sounds simple but actually is not because it can be very difficult to target the source of moisture. It can come from many different sources such as water in the basement, leaking pipes, condensation and humidity levels among others.
You’ll need some effective moldicides and other chemical sprays that are powerful enough to kill any potential remaining infestation. If you are not certain about the correct procedures to follow in killing mold, you can always call a professional to do it for you.
The most important thing that you have to remember is to keep moisture at bay all the times. If you don’t, the mold will return. Control the moisture in your home before it controls you.
-->
Wed 27 Oct 2010
What Is Toxic Mold Syndrome?
Posted by admin under Toxic Mold Syndrome (edit this)
No CommentsToxic Mold Syndrome, an allergy spread by mold spores, is often compared and linked to Sick Building Syndrome. It can potentially lead to chronic fatigue syndrome, particularly for people who live or work in an environment in which they experience a high rate of exposure to toxic black mold. What is black mold? This type of mold produces toxic airborne spores that can cause vexing health problems and discomfort when inhaled. To eliminate this cause of poor I.A.Q. (indoor air quality), it is imperative to undertake effective mold removal procedures.
Sometimes a home or building can become infested without the occupants being aware of it. The problem with toxic mold syndrome is that it is hard to recognize and diagnose because the symptoms can also be attributed to a host of common illnesses. It difficult for doctors to distinguish between toxic mold syndrome and common allergies because the symptoms are often identical. Also, the mildness or severity of symptoms vary quite a lot depending on the particular individual exposed to toxic mold. Watery eyes, nausea, fever and shortness of breath are just some of the most common symptoms of this disease. Although the effects of toxic mold syndrome are most often not permanently debilitating, in some cases they are. It is certainly advisable to see a doctor before your symptoms become severe.
If you notice symptoms like unusual memory loss, anxiety, abdominal pain, unexplained hair loss, rashes, numbness in hands and feet, frequent sinus problems, frequent throat problems, bleeding in the rectal area, unexplained fatigue or unexplained pain or soreness throughout the body, you should see a doctor immediately to determine whether you are infected with toxic mold syndrome or not.
-->
Mold removal site for Santa Barbara residents.
Tancredo: Barack Obama Is A Greater Threat To The U.S. Than Al Qaeda
DENVER — Tom Tancredo is quick to admit he brings plenty of baggage to the Colorado governor's race.
Like the time he called Miami a "Third World country." Or when he got thrown out of the White House for suggesting then-President George W. Bush was soft on illegal immigration. Or when he refused to take part in a presidential debate because it was on a Spanish-language network.
This week, he added more fuel to the fire when he said President Barack Obama is a bigger threat to the United States than al-Qaida or terrorism.
But despite all the baggage, the immigration hard-liner is running a solid campaign for governor as a third-party candidate and is within the margin of error in several recent polls.
Tancredo has successfully courted tea party groups, capitalized on anti-incumbent anger and parlayed his trademark blunt talk on the issues to become the de facto Republican candidate. Tancredo has also taken advantage of the collapse of GOP nominee Dan Maes, who is polling in single digits amid a series of character issues and campaign gaffes.
Tancredo is a former Republican lawmaker who left Congress in 2008 to mount a longshot White House bid that was largely based on an anti-immigration platform. He quit the GOP this year after saying that the Republicans in the governor's race couldn't win.
He got on the ballot as the American Constitution Party candidate – and has been surging in the polls ever since.
Democrat John Hickenlooper, the popular mayor of Denver, remains the favorite and a formidable candidate given his fundraising lead, but he has never made it above 50 percent in most polls.
The Canon City Daily Record reported that Tancredo told a coffee shop crowd Tuesday that Obama posed a threat to the Constitution, saying: "It's not al-Qaida, it's the guy sitting in the White House."
AdvertisementTancredo also said he believes Obama and Hickenlooper are "kindred spirits."
Tancredo has said Hickenlooper, a former brewpub owner, raised taxes by $290 million in Denver. He also criticized the Denver mayor for opposing state laws on illegal immigration.
"I'm fed up with elitist politicians who trash our values and jeopardize our economic future," Tancredo said.
Although he refuses to attack Tancredo personally, Hickenlooper has sought to portray Tancredo's policies as radical, including proposals to cut government regulation on issues such as oil and gas drilling.
"We need predictability, not volatility," Hickenlooper said.
Tancredo, who frequently rides around on a Harley-Davidson, recently suggested that drivers on the main east-west highway in Colorado pay tolls – an idea that flies in the face of his low-tax mantra.
Tancredo also drew gasps from a business crowd when he apologized during a speech if their lunch was cold. He joked that half the wait and kitchen staff usually leaves when he walks into a room because of his immigration stance.
Tancredo owes his rise to several bizarre developments involving the Republican candidates in the race.
Former Rep. Scott McInnis was favored to win the primary, but became engulfed in a plagiarism scandal and lost to Maes. Maes then became dogged by campaign finance violations and ridiculed for his views on U.N. global warming conspiracies involving bicycles in Denver, among other gaffes. He also made questionable claims about his shadowy record as a policeman in Kansas.
Tancredo swooped in and focused on his signature issue: immigration.
He repeatedly accuses Hickenlooper of running a "sanctuary city" in Denver. One unsavory Tancredo ad cites the case of an illegal immigrant who drove into a suburban Denver ice cream shop, killing a 3-year-old boy. The boy's father asks Hickenlooper how he can sleep at night.
Tancredo promises to sign an Arizona-style law that requires police to check immigration status. Hickenlooper vows to veto it. Tancredo wants to require proof of citizenship to enroll in public schools. Hickenlooper opposes it. Tancredo wants limits on federal stimulus spending. Hickenlooper supports more federal spending and points to federal money providing broadband to rural areas.
Tancredo appeals to voters like Frank DeFilippo, a registered Republican. He said this year's gubernatorial race has been "the craziest I've ever seen," resulting in odd political alliances.
"I don't feel I'm violating my Republican loyalties, I support other Republican candidates," he said.
Proof of Tancredo's resurgence came with the last financial reports, when he collected $220,000 – 10 times more than Maes – for a total $304,000. Tancredo said much of his support comes from opponents of illegal immigration across the nation.
Hickenlooper raised $387,000 from Sept. 30 to Oct. 13, bringing his total to $3.7 million.
Tancredo spokesman Cliff Dodge said anything can happen in a three-way race.
"Now we have Tom and Hickenlooper neck and neck and we've got a horse race," Dodge said.
"So much for baggage."
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This guy is unbelievable. It would be a travesty if he got elected.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Home Security Santa Monica
Mon 25 Oct 2010
Home Alarm Systems- How To Determine Your Security Needs
Posted by admin under Home Alarm Systems (edit this)
No Comments4.22% of Santa Monica‘s residents are affected by the 3,552 property crimes committed annually in the city. That’s higher than the rates for Los Angeles and California overall – 3.48% and 3.54% respectively. On average, there are 752 burglaries committed in Santa Monica each year.
So if you reside in Santa Monica, you do have to live with the risk of somebody breaking in your home at one time or another. Of course there are ways on how to minimize the chance of becoming a victim of burglars and other home intruders. As a homeowner, you feel that it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of every person who lives in your house. The best way to do this, in terms of both cost and efficacy, is by installing a security system. Home alarm systems can be very complicated and pricey but as long as you know what your security needs are and where to look, evaluating what to do about ensuring that your home is secure becomes much easier.
Determining your security needs mostly comes down to surveying your home and counting the number of windows and doors you want to be integrated into the home security system. You should of course consider and include all possible points of entry. Your next task is to identify all possible locations for the control panel and keypads. Most people find it convenient to place a keypad close to the front door and close to the bedrooms as well. The control panel is what commands the alarm system and the keypad enables you to program the system’s on and off settings.
The third step is to measure how far away your windows and doors are from the control panel. This will help you determine exactly how far wires must be routed should you opt for a wired alarm system, or at what distance wireless alarm systems need to communicate with sensors. For added safety, you can choose to have your security system monitored 24 hours a day. This comes with a monthly fee, but most people feel that it’s worth every penny. If you want a cheaper alternative, you can opt for a basic sensor system that comes with a dialer accessory that connects the system to your phone lines and dials pre-selected numbers if your home’s security has been breached.
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Mon 25 Oct 2010
Security Systems – How To Compare
Posted by admin under Security Systems - How to Compare (edit this)
[3] CommentsWith the high rate of home theft crimes, a lot of us have come to see the prudence of having home security systems. I for one would never take a chance on my family’s safety, therefore I realize how important it is to choose an alarm system best suited to my security needs. However, choosing an alarm system can be a difficult and daunting task since there is such an enormous selection of security devices available on the market today. Choosing among the monitored, unmonitored and wireless auto-dial home security systems is difficult because it’s hard to gauge which one is really worth spending your money on, and which one will really keep your family safe.
One good strategy is to read customer reviews in order to get an unbiased view of the strengths and weaknesses of various brands and products. There are plenty of product reviews available online. Amazon.com is a good resource for product reviews. When reading customer reviews, check whether the customers find the alarm system easy to operate. Ease of use is one of the things I always look for in a system. It is also a good idea to find professional reviews and see how experts rate the device.
You can start your comparison by sorting the list of home security systems depending on whether they have enough sensors to cover your entire house. Some home security systems only cover the front and back entrance ways. If you think this is adequate then that’s fine, but if you feel you need more security, you should opt for a system in which you can place sensors near windows or at any other point around the home. Personally, I’d go for an alarm system that can cover every entry point in my home for added peace of mind.
Don’t forget to review and look at the keypad of the home security systems you have your eye on. Check if they are easy to operate and handle. List down all the features and see which ones will add better security to your home. Newer home security systems already include carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. You want to make your final decision by matching your home security needs with the features and reliability of the alarm system you want to purchase. Needless to say, you also have to look for something which best suits your budget.
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Mon 25 Oct 2010
Types of Home Security Systems
Posted by admin under Types of Home Security Systems (edit this)
[2] CommentsInvesting in a home security system is one of the best things you can do to protect your family. Did you know that a burglary takes place every 15.4 seconds? I got shivers when I heard that statistic and immediately thought about my family’s safety. Fortunately, there is a wide range of security systems to choose from.
There are two basic types of home security systems: indoor and outdoor. How do indoor systems work? They check for doors and windows being opened and signs of movement inside the house. The system can detect movements by using motion sensors. With the indoor system, you have to enter a special code into the control set and this will let you set your alarm whenever you need to, of course you can turn it off before you enter your house. What about the outdoor system? It monitors your grounds and most of these systems are use motion detectors to turn on flood lights at the slightest hint of movement on your grounds. The latest models already have the ability to check the size and weight of the intruder before setting off the alarm. The result? Fewer false alarms! Now you can stop blaming your neighbor’s cat for ruining your sleep every night. Some outdoor systems also include driveway alarms so you can keep carnappers at bay.
You also have to decide whether you want an electric or battery-powered alarm system. Although battery-powered are considered to be more reliable because they are not vulnerable to power outages, you have to check the batteries on a regular basis, which is not necessary with the electric alarm.
If you have money to spare, why not go for a sophisticated, state-of-the-art security system? You can opt for the added security of CCTV and wireless video surveillance. These systems usually consist of numerous transmitters and one receiver that are connected to your TV or VCR. For added peace of mind, you can choose an alarm or security system that comes with a built-in smoke detector. Always remember though that we cannot entirely depend on home security systems because we have to do our part as well. Invest in sturdy doors and windows that you can bolt and lock. Place grills on your windows so that a criminal will not be able to break in by means of cutting or smashing the window glass. Lastly, make sure you have adequate lighting around the house. As they always say, nothing discourages a would-be intruder better than a bright light.
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Great info about home security in Santa Monica California.
Monday, October 25, 2010
The Huge Costs of Economic Inequality | Nick Gier
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The Huge Costs of Economic Inequality
By Nick Gier, Unfiltered 3-02-10
Among the new objects that attracted my attention during my stay in the United States, none struck me with greater force than the equality of conditions. I easily perceived the enormous influence that this primary fact exercises on the workings of the society.
--Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America
Richard Wilkinson, professor emeritus at the University of Nottingham Medical School, and Kate Pickett, an epidemiologist at the York University, have just published a book entitled "The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger."
The authors studied levels of trust, mental illness, life expectancy, infant mortality, educational achievement, teen births, homicides, and incarceration rates. They found that the US performed the worst on all nine problems, and that the most consistent predictor of these problems is economic inequality.
Drawing insights and conclusions from 396 books and articles, Wilkinson and Pickett demonstrate in graph after graph how the nine problems correlate strongly with income inequality.
Aggregating the data for all nine issues, health and social maladies were worse for unequal USA, Portugal, the UK, and New Zealand, but much better in more equal Japan, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands.
One of the areas in which economic inequality expresses itself is as a general lack of trust. When people were given the statement “Most people can be trusted,” over 60 percent of the Scandinavians and the Dutch agreed while only 10 percent of the Portuguese, 30 percent of the British, and 38 percent of Americans agreed.
At this point one might say that racial and ethnic tension is the main reason for the lack of trust in the UK and America’s Southern States. In 1960, however, 60 percent of Americans thought that most people could be trusted. This was a time of higher income equality, but there was of course much more racial tension between blacks and whites.
Wilkinson and Pickett cite a study of a Chicago ghetto over time, which showed that, even though Poles, blacks, and Hispanics had lived there in succession, the same health and social problems existed there. The common denominator was income disparity in relation to the rest of the city.
Using an index combining forty different indicators of child well being, the authors graph it against income inequality. The more equal Swedish, Dutch, Finnish, and Norwegian children do far better than the less equal British, New Zealander, Israeli, and American children.
Critics will say that correlations, even those that are very strong and even those that change in tandem over time, do not prove causation, but Wilkinson and Pickett have answered them with good arguments.
There are a number of controlled primate and human studies involving social status, a major way in which income disparity expresses itself, that prove causality. Space does not permit listing them all, but a test in India demonstrated that students do equally well on solving puzzles until the caste status of each student is announced.
With their famous motto French Revolutionaries introduced the three enduring values of modern political philosophy: liberty, equality, and community. I substitute “community” (which includes traditional values) for “fraternity” as a corrective to the 1792 French mistake of thinking that they could create everything anew.
I would argue that today’s libertarians destroy this fragile political trinity by emphasizing liberty too much, while conservatives tend to threaten both liberty and equality by insisting on traditional positions that are no longer valid. Communist totalitarians of course destroyed everything in their obsession for complete equality.
Wilkinson and Pickett’s book makes it even more clear the essential role that equality plays in preserving both liberty and community. They propose that “equality [is] the precondition for getting [liberty and community] right. Not only do large inequalities produce all the problems associated with social differences, but it also weakens community life, reduces trust, and increases violence.”
The Reagan Revolution has proved to be disaster for America. From 1950-80 high progressive taxes were in place and unions had their largest membership. During that same period household incomes rose along with steady economic growth.
From 1980 onwards incomes for ordinary Americans have stagnated and economic inequality has increased dramatically. The nine health and social problems also have become worse.
Wilkinson and Pickett have shown that improving economic equality can have a powerful counter effect working its “enormous influence,” as DeToqueville observed 190 years ago, “on the workings of [American] society.”
With sufficient political will based on overwhelming evidence, Americans could once again impress distinguished foreign visitors with a firm recommitment to equality.
Nick Gier taught philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years. Listen to or read all of his columns at www.NickGier.com
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Comments
By Mickey Garcia, 3-03-10
Class distinctions underlie and exacerbate all other forms of discrimination whether race, religion or sex. It has always been about class. The wealthy use their wealth to protect their privileges pretty effectively while the poor are left to struggle in a corrupt political system based on wealth. Money rules. The Devil and the wretched take the hindmost!By Your Friend Fairpay, 3-08-10
Yes, as this article and the book point out, to let the devil take the hindmost = the devil takes us all.Overpay is overpower is tyranny-slavery is violence pollution that gets to everyone. And overpay has nowhere to come from but from underpay, because the pool of wealth is finite. (We mustn't confuse potential growth with actual finity at any time.)
The human species is going to rid itself of the genosadistic idea to allow unlimited personal fortunes or we will succumb to the results of having the next and the next and the next wealthpower giants, ad infinitum.
Murder the idea to allow unlimited personal fortunes. It's the only revolution worth having, it's the only peaceful, lasting revolution.
Economic Justice is the non-negotiable price of survival and safety and happiness.
By Mickey Garcia, 3-08-10
The significant increase in inequality since 1980 is due to the implementation of the "conservative" philosophy of trickle down economics. The Idea being is that reducing personal taxes on the upper income brackets will unleash a torrent of jobs and wealth that will flow down to the undeserving, lazy peons and make them happy campers once again. Trouble is the peons are being peed on an exploited by the wealthy as usual. You're damn right its class warfare and the wealthy keep winning.
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A Wood-Fired Hot Tub for an Old-Style Soak
While some wood-fired hot tubs are installed in urban areas — Dutchtubs, in particular, have landed in backyards in Brooklyn; Oakland, Calif.; Los Angeles; Austin; and Montreal — they may be best suited to those with easy access to plentiful wood, like Frank Rudy Schaeffer, 58, a fifth-grade teacher from Cambridge, Mass.
The Schaeffer family’s second home is set on 17 forested acres in Phillipston, Mass., 65 miles west of Boston, and he bought his first wood-fired hot tub for that property in 1987, based on a magazine ad.
“I got it sight unseen, just knowing it was going to be a great pleasure,” he said. After years of steady use, he upgraded to the latest model of Snorkel hot tub last spring. Unlike conventional hot tubs, his has virtually no operating costs, he said. “I have my own water and my own wood,” said Mr. Schaeffer, whose tub sits on a fir deck overlooking a trout stream. Besides the low-to-no operating cost, he said, “the power can go out and I don’t care.”
Many owners of wood-fired tubs also point out that they do not burn fossil fuels or pour sanitizing chemicals in their water. Generally, they explain, the water in wood-burning tubs is used for a short time and then drained, while in conventional spas the water remains for months. Moreover, they say, the water in conventional tubs is usually kept continuously warm — a practice they liken to keeping a car idling in the garage in case someone might want to go for a drive.
But others say wood-fired tubs are not all that green. Although wood is a renewable resource, its smoke does contribute to air pollution. And Kirstin Pires, a spokeswoman for the pool and spa association, noted that conventional tubs had become far more energy efficient because of consumer demand and new public standards, like those mandated by the California Energy Commission in 2006.
The owners of wood-fired hot tubs also concede that they are deprived of one of the chief pleasures of a conventional tub: spontaneity.
“Sometimes I come home from work and it’s the kind of wet, bone cold you get here, and I want to take a hot tub, but by the time I get the fire going, it’ll be too late and I’ll want to go to bed,” Mr. Picco admitted. “In those situations, it would be nice if it was just hot.”
But others relish the ritual. Charles von Simson, 42, a lawyer who lives in Buffalo, bought a Dutchtub four years ago for his family’s weekend home in the Finger Lakes region. He thoroughly enjoys what he calls his twice-yearly “wood cut production” — chopping a couple of wheelbarrows’ worth of logs, cutting them into six-inch discs with a chain saw, and splitting those chunks into smaller pieces with an ax.
“You have to be somebody who likes the process,” Mr. von Simson said.
Bruce and Judy Tarin certainly fit that description. The couple had wanted a wood-burning hot tub for years, but did not buy one until they retired from their jobs — he as a social worker and she as a casino worker — and believed that they had time to enjoy it.
When the $3,000 Snorkel tub arrived at their home in Port Elizabeth, N.J., last December, they planted it in their yard facing the placid Manumuskin Creek and quickly incorporated it into their daily routine. Mr. Tarin, 60, would wake at dawn, light kindling and a log in the firebox, read the newspaper and go for a run. By the time he returned, the water in the cinnamon-colored cedar tub was toasty enough for a morning soak. The total cost for using it throughout last winter was $50, for one-third of a cord of wood.
On a bright Monday earlier this month with a trace of autumn chill in the air, the two prepared the hot tub for an early-season dip. Smoke curled out of the stovepipe and the air was suffused with a rich cedar perfume. Mr. Tarin shifted a log in the firebox and peered at the water thermometer.
“Ninety degrees,” he announced. “Almost there.”
“It just seems so natural,” said Mrs. Tarin, 64. “ ‘Hot tub’ sounds like something electric with jets, so we tell people this is our ‘Japanese soaking tub.’ ”
Mr. Tarin stirred the tub with an orange kayak paddle to even the temperature throughout. “This,” he said, gesturing at the paddle, “is the only jet we need.”