Mold & Mildew

Mold and Mildew

Molds and mildew grow in damp, darkplaces. Molds and mildew can cause lung problems – especially in people whohave allergies or asthma. You can prevent the growth of molds and mildew inyour home by controlling humidity.

Tipson mold and mildew:

• Control moisture. Use a dehumidifier during the summer. Use an exhaust fan in the kitchen and bathroom. Vent the clothes dryer to the outdoors and make sure the vent pipe is not clogged.

• Fix plumbing leaks before mold grows.

• Don’t store firewood inside. Bark contains millions of mold spores.

• More on molds and mildew.

Tips On Somoke & Monoxide

Health Problems

The quality of the air in your home canaffect your family’s comfort and health. The temperature and humidity should becontrolled. Air should be clean and free of harmful chemicals and smoke. Poorair quality can cause a stuffy nose, sore throat, burning eyes, headache, andsleepiness. People who have asthma, allergies or lung disease are affected morethan others.

Carbon monoxide from faulty home heatingsystems cause about 200 deaths a year in the United States.  Carbonmonoxide can also come from using portable generators inappropriately.  Ifyou can not vent the exhaust from your portable generator safely, do not use it! 

Tipson smoke and carbon monoxide:

• Ban tobacco smoke from your home.

• Install a carbon monoxide detector near bedrooms.

• Inspect your gas appliances and chimney every year. Replace furnace filters every month or two during periods of use. Make sure your gas dryer, furnace and water heater are vented to the outdoors.

• Keep fireplaces and wood stoves well vented to the outdoors. 

• Burn only clean, untreated wood.

• Never let a car or any gas engine idle in a garage or carport.

• Never use a charcoal grill indoors or in a closed area like a garage.

Cylinder Using

• Be sure all connections are tight. Use soapy water to locate leaks.

• Keep cylinders valves, regulators, couplings, hose and apparatus clean and free of oil and grease.

• Keep cylinders away from open flames and sources of heat.

• Safety devices and valves shall not be tampered with, nor repairs attempted.

• Use flashback arrestors and reverse-flow check valves to prevent flashback when using oxy-fuel systems.

• Regulators shall be removed when moving cylinders, when work is completed, and when cylinders are empty.

• Cylinders shall be used and stored in an upright position.

• The cylinder valve should always be opened slowly. Always stand away from the face and back of the gauge when opening the cylinder valve.

• When a special wrench is required to open a cylinder or manifold valve, the wrench shall be left in place on the valve stem when in use; this precaution is taken so the gas supply can be shut off quickly in case of an emergency; and that nothing shall be placed on top of a cylinder that may damage the safety device or interfere with the quick closing of the valve.

• Fire extinguishing equipment should be readily available when combustible materials can be exposed to welding or cutting operations using compressed cylinder gases.

Things Not ToDo

• Never roll a cylinder to move it.

• Never carry a cylinder by the valve.

• Never leave an open cylinder unattended.

• Never leave a cylinder unsecured.

• Never force improper attachments on to the wrong cylinder.

• Never grease or oil the regulator, valve, or fittings of an oxygen cylinder.

• Never refill a cylinder.

• Never use a flame to locate gas leaks.

• Never attempt to mix gases in a cylinder.

• Never discard pressurized cylinders in the normal trash.

Cylinder Marking

• Cylinders must be properly labeled, including the gas identity and appropriate hazards (e.g., health, flammability, reactivity).

• Cylinders have several stamped markings. The top mark is either a DOT or an ICC marking indicating pertinent regulations for that cylinder. The second mark is the serial number. Under the serial number is the symbol of the manufacturer, user, or purchaser. Of the remaining marks the numbers represent the date of manufacture, and retest date (month and year). A (+) sign indicates the cylinder may be 10% overcharged, and a star indicates a ten year test interval.

Drinking Water Safety

Know Your WaterSupply

• Whether for drinking, cooking, bathing, or doing laundry, a supply of clean water is important to a healthy home. Know where your water comes from.

Tips for AllWater Users

• Install devices to prevent garden hose water from flowing backwards into your drinking water.

• Consult your local building code office before making major repairs or changes to your plumbing system.

• Conserve water because clean water is precious. Don’t waste it, instead, use water-saving toilets, and showerheads. Repair plumbing leaks right away.

Water SupplyProblems

Bacteria andViruses

• The most common problem in private well water is bacteria. If bacteria are found, it means that human or animal wastes may be entering your water. Some bacteria can cause stomach upset or diarrhea.

Chemicals

• Harmful chemicals such as gasoline, solvents, and pesticides can get into drinking water. Natural chemicals like arsenic, manganese, iron, and radon can also get into your drinking water.

Water QualityTesting

• Public water supplies are tested for more than 100 chemicals. If you use public water you can call the water utility for information about your drinking water.

• All private wells and many public water supplies use groundwater. Groundwater is water held in underground soils and rock.  Several communities use water from nearby lakes, like Lake Winnebago, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior.

Tips for Peoplewho use Public Water Supplies

• Find out where your water comes from. Contact your water utility if you have questions about your water supply.

• Protect your water supply. Follow any water-use warnings. Dispose of pesticides, motor oil, and other chemicals properly. Reduce your use of lawn and garden chemicals since these chemicals may seep into drinking water.

• Call your water utility if you have questions or if you notice a change in the taste, odor, smell or color of your water.

• If you own a private well, be sure your water supply is safe. Yearly testing and maintenance will help protect your water supply. Call your local Department of Natural Resources (DNR) office for more information.

Tips for Peoplewho use Private Wells

• Find out the age and depth of your well and the length of its casing (the pipe inside the drilled hole). Learn about the types of soil, bedrock and water supply problems in your area.

• Find out when your drinking water was last tested. Know what tests were run, and the results. Keep records of any tests or repairs that you make.

• Test at least once a year for bacteria. Several labs in Wisconsin can do these tests. Check the yellow pages in your phone book for a lab near you.

• Test for nitrate. This is especially important if there is a pregnant woman or infant in your home. Nitrates come from fertilizer use, barnyard runoff, and septic systems. A high nitrate level may mean that your water also has bacteria or farm chemicals.

• You may want to do other tests. Talk to a regional water supply expert at your local DNR office to find out if arsenic or radon are common in your area. If your well is near an old landfill, gas station, or buried fuel tank you might want to test for volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). If your well is near an orchard or farm field, a test for pesticides might be advised.

• Have your water tested if you notice a change in its taste, odor, or color. Some tests are expensive and may be hard to do. Contact your well driller, local DNR office, or your local health department for help.

• If your water contains bacteria or chemicals find out the source of the problem. Fix it and test the water again to be sure it is safe.

• Keep chemicals, septic tanks, and animal waste away from your well. Dispose of chemicals and motor oil properly. Don’t put waste chemicals in your septic system. Limit your use of lawn and garden chemicals. Keep the area around your well clean.

Panasonic's MFTS camera

12 MP Lumix GF1 adopts the Micro Four Thirds System standard

My experience with DSLR cameras isn't extensive since I'm a point-and-shoot kind of girl but I think it helped me look at the Panasonic Lumix GF1 from a more casual perspective. 

 Here's a techy introduction from Panasonic for its Micro Four Thirds camera:

 The GF1 adopts the Micro Four Thirds System standard, which was developed as an extended version of the Four Thirds System standard for digital camera systems. By using this standard and developing a camera body that eliminates the mirror box and optical viewfinder unit, LUMIX was able to achieve a dramatic reduction in both size and weight compared with conventional digital SLR cameras, to create a new-generation system camera that features Full-time Live View, high-speed, high-precision Contrast AF, HD movie recording, and more.

To put that in plain speak, it boldly goes where other professional cameras haven't gone in a long long time - a ladies handbag.  And this 12MP digital camera comes with a handy intelligent auto mode so you don't have to don your professional photographer hat to get it to do awesome things.

The fixed focal lens (20mm) means you can't really zoom and get really into the close shot you want, and it can get a bit shaky if you're not sure of what you're doing (ahem). Features like face recognition, the intelligent auto mode and AF Tracking (that lets you keep a subject in focus even if it's moving until you press the shutter) means that the GF1 also appeals to a more mainstream audience.

I've yet to find a professional photographer that would make it their weapon of choice. It's somewhere in the middle of being a regular point-and-shoot camera and a DSLR, but can't fully match either. It really doesn't need to though because it's another alternative and having options is good from any perspective.

Tips Of Asbestos

Asbestos

Asbestos is used in heating insulation, pipe wrap,floor tiles, slate siding, slate shingles, and ceiling tiles. Asbestos isharmful when it is damaged and fibers enter the air. Breathing air thatcontains asbestos fibers over several years can increase your risk of lungcancer.

Tips onAsbestos:

• If you think you may have asbestos in your home, contact a certified asbestos inspector to find out what actions are needed.

• Don’t try to remove asbestos by yourself. Only trained professionals should do this work.

• If asbestos is present and in good condition, it may be best to manage it without removal.

Maluku preparing for sail Banda 2010

Aftera successful Sail Bunaken 2009 in Manado, North Sulawesi, the Maritime Affairsand Fisheries Ministry will organize a similar international event in Banda,Central Maluku, next year.

To be called Sail Banda 2010, the event would be the brainchild of Maritime andFisheries Minister Freddy Numberi, Alex Retraubun, director general of coastalarea and small island affairs at the maritime and fisheries ministry, said.

"The Banda Islands are known worldwide for their historical significanceand undersea natural beauty, and therefore Maluku will host Sail Banda2010," Retraubun said in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon recently.

Banda is known as the original and only source of the once precious spices,nutmeg and mace, trade commodities that had a significant impact on worlddevelopments in the 15th century.

Early European reports described the tropical Banda Islands as a jewel-likecluster surrounded by crystal waters and brilliant coral reefs, and the mostbeautiful cluster of islands in Maluku.

Banda is made up of eleven small volcanic islands namely
Neira, Gunung Api, Banda Besar, Rhun, Ai, Hatta, Karaka, Manukan, Nailaka,Syahrir and Batu Kapal.

Syahrir island or formerly known as Pisang Island, and Batu Kapal Island whichcombine well for a morning dive, a picnic on the beach, and an afternoon diveare just 20 minutes by boat from the hotels on the town of Banda Neira.

All those Banda islands offer stunning tropical scenery, a remarkable history,friendly villages, and some of the globe`s most pristine, biologically diversecorral reefs which are good for that international event later next year.

Therefore members of Sail Banda 2010 international committee from variousmaritime countries will soon arrive to survey three locations in Maluku forconsideration as the event`s venue.

Maluku provincial administration`s communication and information spokesman,Bakrie Lumbessy said in Ambon recently that the committee members would in thenear future survey three locations, namely Lucipara islands in the Banda Sea,Banda Islands, and a diving site in Southwest Maluku district.

"Soon the international committee of Sail Banda 2010 will visit Maluku tosurvey the three locations in the province," Lumbessy said.

He said the same committee had successfully organized the Sail Bunaken event in
North Sulawesi which was participated in by hundreds of sail boats and yachtsfrom various countries last August.

According to Lumbessy, all the three locations for the Sail Banda 2010 offerundersea panoramas featuring many coral reefs and ornamental fish.

"Especially for an undersea flag raising ceremony, it will be conducted inone of the outlying islands in Southwest Maluku district," Lumbessy saidreferring to Wetar, Kisar, Romang, or Maupora islands.

He said Sail Banda 2010 was scheduled to run from July 27 to August 28, 2010and to be participated in by hundreds of sail boats and yachts from variouscountries around the world.

The Banda Sea which is known to have the deepest basin in the world also hadareas abounding in colorful coral reefs and ornamental fish on which visitorscould feast their eyes.

Banda islands also had various cultural tourist spots and famous historic sitesthat had been named by UNESCO as one of the world`s cultural heritages.

The Maluku provincial administration`s information and communication office hadalso asked for the active role of the press in the province and all elements ofthe public to jointly make Sail Banda 2010 a success.

Meanwhile, the national shipping company PT Pelni is also ready to help makethe Sail Banda 2010 event a success by putting more ships into service on itsroute to the Banda Islands in Central Maluku, a spokesman said.

Bachtiar, head of PT Pelni`s Ambon branch office, said in Ambon that thenational shipping company felt it bore the moral responsibility to support theinternational maritime event in Banda.

"The exact date of Sail Banda 2010 has actually yet to be confirmed but weat PT Pelni are ready to help make the event a success," Bachtiar said.

He said the company was currently operating MV Ciremai and MV Kelimutu on itsroute to Banda in Central Maluku, Tual in Southeast Maluku, and a number ofports in West Papua and Papua.

Asked if the number of ships for Banda would be increased in the runup to SailBanda 2010, Bachtiar said it was the responsibility of PT Pelni`s head officeto decide.

"But because Sail Banda 2010 is an international event, I think there willbe a good coordination between the transportation ministry and PT Pelni toincrease the number of ships sailing to Banda," Bachtiar said.

Meanwhile, Maluku Culture and Tourism Office spokesperson Florence Sahusilawanesaid Sail Banda 2010 is expected to reflect an international shippingexpedition.

She said the international event is being designed by adopting the past periodof "hongitochten", punitive expeditions conducted by the Dutch tosuppress uprisings in Seram, particularly in the clove-rich peninsula ofHoamoal and nearby islands with traditional boats.

Therefore, Sahusilawane called on villages across Maluku which have typicaltraditional boats to take part in and liven up the Sail Banda 2010.

She said the promotion of Sail Banda 2010 would not be very difficult becauseBanda islands had been known worldwide since the past as spice islands, andeven UNESCO has named the islands one of the world heritages.

Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said recently that some 150 sail boatsfrom
various countries had been registered to take part in Sail Banda 2010.

"I met Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik in Jakarta recently and hesaid about 150 sail boats have signed up for the international maritime eventin Maluku next year," the governor said.

LG feeds us more chocolate

 LG Chocolate BL40 is the fourth handset in its Black Label series

The generous 'Real VGA' touchscreen display comes with a 21:9 aspect ratio and I haven't seen anything quite like it. It's intuitive so you can flip easily from landscape to portrait, but the display size means that interface elements jumps from taking over the entire screen to being squished to the top when the phone's vertical again. It's not really a massive downside but it can take some getting used to. Watching videos on this beaut helps ease that worry considerably. 

 Sticking with the topic of usability, it can get a bit tiresome searching for applications. There's a funky rotating 3D cube that displays some, a shortcut menu that has a few others, and a full-length line dancing version that I found myself going straight for. I really think LG needn't have tried so hard.

The one thing that does stand out in this phone is its 5MP camera and a panoramic mode that stitches different shots together. It also comes with autofocus and an LED flash, taking crisp photos regardless of lighting. The battery life is also not bad for its range but if you forget to charge it at night, it'll definitely die on you early the next morn.

The one thing I can't get over is its size. It's like I'm walking around with a classy remote control. I had to get into an in-depth discussion with my two year old niece, convincing her that it couldn't operate the TV or play cartoons. She did pick up on the word ‘chocolate' though...and then tried to bite it.

Tips On Chemical

Chemicals can enter the air in your home when youpaint, use cleaning solvents, install pressed wood, install new carpets and usenew fabrics. These chemicals can irritate your eyes, throat, and nose. High levelscan give you a headache or make you feel dizzy.

Tips onchemicals:

• Make sure your home has lots of fresh air.

• Use safe paints, cleaners and other products. Look for those with the fewest warnings.

• Read labels. Some chemicals should only be used in well-vented spaces. The label may tell you if the chemicals can cause cancer or other health problems.

Factsheets of common toxic chemicals

Tips Of Asthma

Asthma

For a comprehensive report on asthma inWisconsin, see the recently released:

• Asthma is an illness that causes wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing. More than 3,000 young people are hospitalized every year in Wisconsin with asthma. Pets, molds, pollen, and cockroaches can trigger asthma. Smoke, chemicals, ozone, and exhaust fumes can also trigger asthma.  More information on asthma in Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Asthma Program at the Department of Health Services can be found at the “new” asthma website. 

Tipsfor People with Asthma:

• If a person with asthma is allergic to cats or dogs, the family pet may need to be removed from the home. At least keep pets out of the person’s bedroom.

• Consider adding a high efficiency air filter to your heating system.

• Control humidity. Keep the humidity below 50% and fix moisture problems. This will reduce dust mites, molds and mildew.

• Reduce air pollutants like smoke, solvents, and pollen in your home.

• Get rid of cockroaches by carefully cleaning (especially in the kitchen) and removing trash every day. Use pesticides as a last resort.

• Damp mop, damp dust, and vacuum often. Use mattress and pillow covers. Remove carpets, drapes, books, stuffed animals, and feather or down pillows and covers from the bedroom. Wash bedding once a week using hot water to kill dust mites.