Luke Judge

To me, there’s nothing worse than someone whose “scent” is so overpowering that it clings to my clothing after a brief hug and lingers in a noxious cloud long after they’ve left the room. I’ve never been big on perfumes or artificially scented products of any kind, so pretty much every day is “Fragrance Free Day” in my home.

Chemical perfumes can be toxic.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), chemical fragrances found in air fresheners, candles, detergents and household cleaners, are one of the leading contributors to poor indoor air quality. Exposure to chemical fragrances has been linked to everything from asthma and skin irritation to cancer. They are particularly dangerous to pets that are closer to the floor and other surfaces, since they have smaller lungs and speedier metabolisms so fragrance chemicals move through their bodies faster than they do in people.

In the first study of its kind, Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that American pets are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic industrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people, including newborns. just as children ingest pollutants in tap water, play on lawns with pesticide residues or breathe in an array of indoor air contaminants, so do our pets. but with their compressed lifespans, pets develop health problems from exposures much more rapidly.

Pets are exposed to toxic chemicals by inhaling indoor air with contaminated dust, walking in industrial urban neighborhoods, drinking tap water full of disinfection byproducts, eating pet food laden with chemicals, and coming in contact with a variety of house and garden products, from herbicides to flame retardants. as a result of these multiple exposures, pet cats have 23 times higher levels of brominated flame retardants (polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs) in their blood compared to humans, while dogs are contaminated with perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) at levels 2.4 times higher than typical amounts found in people.

EWG found that dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people, according to its study of plastics and food packaging chemicals, heavy metals, fire retardants, and stain-proofing chemicals in samples of blood and urine from 20 dogs and 37 cats collected at a Virginia veterinary clinic.

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Natural scents are best for pets and people.

As cats meticulously groom themselves, they can lick off accumulated dust that studies show can be contaminated with neurotoxic fire retardants PBDEs and reproductive toxins called phthalates. a dog eating scraps from the floor may also swallow dirt and dust tracked in from the outdoors and contaminated with heavy metals and pesticides. Dogs and cats often eat food processing and packaging chemicals that contaminate their food, day after day and year after year, resulting in cumulative exposures with unknown health risks. in addition, some chew toys contain plastic softeners, while some foam beds are infused or coated with fire retardants and stain-proofing chemicals and certain brands of plastic water bowls leach hormone disruptors.

Our current system of public health protections allow many industrial chemicals on the market with no mandatory safety testing. Chemical companies do not have to prove products are safe before they are sold, or understand how much of their chemicals end up in people let alone pets. There are few standards that limit chemical contamination in pet food, pet toys and other products for our companion animals. Health problems in pets span high rates of cancer in dogs and skyrocketing incidence of hyperthyroidism in cats Scientists believe that chemical exposures play a role.

What you can do:

• Read all food and packaging labels carefully
• Clean your home with natural, non-toxic cleaners such as vinegar and simple soaps
• choose eco-friendly paints and floor-coverings
• Don’t assume a chemical or product is safe just because you bought it at Whole Foods; do your homework!
• Contact your representative to insist on greater health protections for both humans and companion animals as well as more stringent approval processes for chemical manufacturers.

Here is a short list of common chemicals to avoid:

• asbestos
• insecticides and herbicides, including 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)
• tobacco smoke
• brominated flame retardants (polybrominated biphenyls or PBDEs)
• lead
• olytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE (a common coating on non-stick cookware)
• melamine and cyanuric acid (which has been found in imported wheat gluten used for pet food production)

Posted By: Amelia Glynn (Email, Facebook) | August 11 2011 at 01:40 PM

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If you want to feel pity for a planet, forget about Pluto and turn your sympathy toward Mercury.

Pluto is now an astronomical sweetheart, the subject of books and poems, T-shirts and coffee mugs. you can register your support for Pluto at plutoisaplanet.com and saveplutotoday.com. you can plaster your car with “Honk if Pluto is a planet” and “I miss Pluto” stickers. you can buy the “It’s okay, Pluto, I’m not a planet either” junior tank top in blue, pink or lemon.

Poor Mercury. All it has is a discontinued car.

Why no love for Mercury? most people think of Mercury as a dead rock. a very hot (up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit), very cold (down to minus-300 degrees), very small (barely bigger than Earth’s moon), very dead rock. But if Mercury ever had a chance to crack the astronomical A-list, this is it. because, late last month, Mercury got its very own orbiter: Messenger.

Until recently, most of what we knew about Mercury — and there wasn’t much — came from the Mariner 10 spacecraft, which flew by the planet in the mid-1970s. Mercury wouldn’t get another visitor until 2008, when Messenger made its first flyby. Messenger made two more flybys in 2008 and 2009, using Mercury’s gravity to get into position to enter orbit.

Messenger finally began orbiting Mercury on March 17. it will now circle the planet every 12 hours in an unusually elongated orbit that will have it grazing just 124 miles above the surface before scaling its way back up to a point more than 9,000 miles into space. This roller-coaster orbit will keep Messenger from being cooked by Mercury’s scorching surface like a (tofu) steak on a grill.

Messenger’s measurements will be our first extended look at this world of extremes. Mariner 10 imaged only half of the planet’s surface; the Messenger flybys have already boosted that number to close to 100 percent of the surface. now, Messenger’s extended stay in orbit will give it time to map features in Mercury’s dramatic craters, plains and raised ridges as small as a quarter kilometer.

Planetary scientists hope that Messenger will also reveal why Mercury is so heavy for its size. Only an enormous metal core, making up more than 60 percent of the mass of the planet, can account for this extreme density. yet the cores of Mercury’s fellow rocky planets, Earth, Venus and Mars, make up only half as much of their planets’ mass. if the planets were plums, you wouldn’t want to take a bite out of Mercury: It’s all pit and no fruit. But why?

Messenger will also be examining the thin layer of particles that passes for an atmosphere on Mercury. This “exosphere” is stocked with hydrogen, helium, oxygen, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. But where are the gas molecules coming from? some may be replenished by a steady stream from the sun; others may come from a hail of micrometeoroids or even from rocks on Mercury itself.

But Messenger’s best discoveries won’t be answers to these known questions; for a planet as mysterious as Mercury, the best part will be the new questions that we had not even thought to ask. Finally, the last of the “wanderers” — the five planets visible to the unaided eye, and known for millennia — has a mission all its own. Maybe Mercury doesn’t need our sympathy after all.

Kate Becker is a science writer living in Boston. Contact her at spacecrafty.com, or connect via Facebook (facebook.com/katembecker) or Twitter (@kmbecker).

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STORIES THAT CHANGED OUR LANDSCAPE

Mark Dayton was elected the first Democratic-Farmer-Labor governor in 20 years after a monthlong recount. Republicans took control of both houses of the Legislature for the first time in 38 years. the departing DFL Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty plugged a $3 billion hole in the state budget — but left a $6 billion mess for the next governor and Legislature to clean up. And Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar lost his 36-year hold on the 8th Congressional District seat in an upset almost no one saw coming. (November)

Controversies and progress continue to characterize the most ambitious — and expensive — public works project ever attempted in St. Paul, if not the state: the Central Corridor light-rail line. from a civil rights lawsuit to construction headaches, the saga lasted all year and will continue into 2011: the project awaits official federal approval — and funding. (All year)

More than 20 churches are slated to close and dozens more will share pastors in a restructuring of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. the move by Archbishop John C. Nienstedt was brought on by financial and demographic changes in the archdiocese. (October)

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman took the oath for a second term. His challenges: Falling revenues from the state and no increase to the city’s property tax levy. Matt Bostrom, a St. Paul police commander, unseated longtime Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher, while department veteran Thomas Smith became St. Paul police chief in June following John Harrington’s retirement. Valeria Silva became St. Paul public schools’ new superintendant, and Eric Kaler was chosen to become the University of Minnesota’s 16th president.

In February, the last of Taste of Minnesota co-founder and personality extraordinaire Ron Maddox’s self-described nine lives expired. the festival’s new owners put on their second July 4 event. Soon it was clear that Event Marketing LLC couldn’t pay its bills to vendors, talent or even the city. Creditors forced the operation into bankruptcy, and the future of Taste is uncertain. (All year)

Minnesota gained its first large state park in more than three decades when the state completed a land deal with U.S. Steel transferring about 3,000 acres along the east side of Lake Vermilion.

CAUSED a CONTROVERSY

Imprisoned Toyota driver Koua Fong Lee won his freedom after attorneys — alerted by a Pioneer Press story — argued that a 2006 accident that killed three people in St. Paul was caused by “sudden unintended acceleration.” End result: a Ramsey County judge threw out Lee’s conviction for criminal vehicular homicide, and the county attorney said she would not re-try him. he was released that day after more than two years in prison. (August)

More than three years after law enforcement launched an investigation into Republican National Convention protest activities, the cases of the “RNC 8″ were resolved. one of the eight members of the “RNC Welcoming Committee” pleaded guilty of a gross misdemeanor and was sentenced to 91 days in jail. four others pleaded to gross misdemeanor charges but served no additional time. (October)

Bethany Morton breastfed her child twice in public in early April and a scene erupted each time when she was asked to cover up. In the most serious case — at a Maplewood Old Country Buffet — police were called. “They’re within their rights to ask me, but I don’t have to comply,” she said. Morton eventually led a “feed in” on the steps of the buffet. (April)

An icestorm and snowstorm around Christmas 2009 left western portions of the city with fouled-up roads, prompting some city council members to give a tongue-lashing to public works higher-ups, including Director Bruce Beese. In the spring, Beese came under fire again — and was forced to step down — after KSTP-TV cameras documented what appeared to be pothole-patching workers loafing on the job while roads remained rutty. Rich Lallier took over as public works director, and months later one of the largest snowstorms in Minnesota history struck the Twin Cities, burying some streets for days.

Fallout from the Metro Gang Strike Force continued. Lawsuits were settled, including one for $3 million. Federal prosecutors investigated the unit but charged only one member in 2010 — a former Minneapolis police officer accused of violating a teen’s civil rights by kicking him. a jury acquitted the officer. (November)

The Minneapolis police officer who gained notoriety for his 2006 shooting of Fong Lee spent more time in a courtroom in 2010 than he did on the beat. Jason Andersen’s travails included a federal criminal trial on a civil rights charge (he was acquitted); challenging his 2009 firing by Chief Tim Dolan (an arbitrator ordered he be reinstated); an order by superiors to take a drug test (a state judge stepped in and said there was no justification for the test); and a fight with the city over whether he could collect unemployment benefits (a judge ruled he was eligible). (All year)

Progress on building a $668 million bridge across the St. Croix River stalled in October when the National Park Service — reversing an opinion issued five years ago — said the bridge should not be allowed because the river is protected by the U.S. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. (March)

MADE US TALK

A former assistant Hennepin County attorney was charged with six felony counts of promoting prostitution, and pleaded guilty of three counts, in an operation that set up supposed “nice guy” customers for prostitutes. John Paul St. Marie, 66, of Minneapolis received free or reduced-price sex in exchange for his services, prosecutors said. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 20. Seven men who were allegedly customers — arrested during a police sting at the Hotel Minneapolis — face gross misdemeanor charges. (July)

Longtime Washington County Commissioner Myra Peterson’s bid for re-election was upset by 20-something Autumn Lehrke, who has no political experience. Peterson, also a former mayor, looks ahead to her first break from government service in 17 years. Lehrke, a gas station manager and graduate student, starts her new job in January. (November)

There were three fatal officer-involved shootings in 2010 in Washington County, on the heels of a fourth that happened in December 2009. Jeffrey Lee Clausen, 33, of St. Paul Park, was shot during a traffic stop as part of an ongoing weapons investigation. Robert “Bobby” Wilson, 27, was shot during a traffic stop after dragging an officer caught in the vehicle as Wilson attempted to get away. Timothy Hanson, 55, shot at officers as they responded to a domestic-disturbance call, wounding one before being shot and killed in return. And Gerald Propps fatally shot his wife in Stillwater and fired at a responding officer, who returned fire and killed him. (All year)

MADE US PROUD

When Donna Mae Larson handed her high school sweetheart a journal, she didn’t know it was against military regulations. Or that the tiny, 60-page book would sail the South China Sea, nearly sink to the bottom of the ocean, presumably get lost forever — and be returned anonymously and land in the Library of Congress, where it is a treasured item. Dale Reishus left his diary behind on the destroyer where he spent four years during World War II. Donna and Dale were married for 57 years. After Dale died, Donna gave the diary to the Library of Congress’ Veterans’ History Project, where it is held up as an example of stories the project hopes to preserve. (October)

Carol Beggs, who owned a modest home, had few visible assets and led a humble lifestyle, left $2.5 million to Hamline University when she died. the former 3M chemist graduated in 1966, pinched pennies and invested wisely. Her gift was the fifth-largest in the school’s history. Friends said Beggs hoped a Hamline student would someday find a cure for cancer, the disease that ended her life at 62. (October)

No amount of political pressure could get Betty Lou Adelmann to sell Adelmann’s Farm Market at Minnesota 13 and Shawnee Road in Eagan. Adelmann, who opened her old-fashioned vegetable stand with her husband in the 1950s, employed generations of Eagan residents and refused to budge when the Metropolitan Council attempted to acquire the acre beneath her worn greenhouse for a bus garage. In October 2003, she told the Pioneer Press, “All I can do is what I can do. … Someday, I will be gone, but I will be here as long as I can wiggle.” After 11 years of pickling and canning while on kidney dialysis, she died in February at 73. Her family-run stand closed at the end of October.

Downtown Stillwater was the site of the weighing of the world-record 1,810.5-pound pumpkin in October. the pumpkin, grown over the summer by Chris Stevens of New Richmond, Wis., set the world record at Stillwater’s Harvest Fest on Oct. 9, appeared a few days later on “Live with Regis and Kelly” and was displayed at the New York Botanical Garden. (October)

A hunter in the Fish Lake Wildlife Area south of Grantsburg, Wis., found a trumpeter swan bleeding from a shotgun wound. the bird had difficulty flying and it was believed to have only days to live. It was rehabbed at a local animal clinic and released back into the wild. Weeks later, it reunited with its mate. (October)

Thousands of Minnesotans — from lone individuals to churches, organizations, corporations and aid groups — rushed to dispatch aid after an earthquake demolished poverty-stricken Haiti. (January)

MADE US MAD

Maplewood police Sgt. Joseph Bergeron was in his squad car, still wearing his seatbelt, when Jason J. Jones reached in the door and fatally shot the 49-year-old in the head May 1. Bergeron had come into St. Paul looking for carjacking suspects and encountered them on the Bruce Vento Trail. Joshua Michael Martin later admitted to trying to distract Bergeron while Jones approached. St. Paul police officer Dave Longbehn fatally shot Jones during a scuffle later that night, and Martin was sentenced to more than 35 years in prison. (May through August)

Even after reports surfaced that his foreign investment accounts were shaky, Trevor Cook convinced dozens of hopeful clients to trust him and his Minneapolis-based firms with their savings. Pat Kiley of Burnsville trumpeted Cook’s supposedly foolproof schemes through the syndicated faith-and-finance radio program “Follow the Money.” In the end, Cook, 38, of Apple Valley, lost $158 million of his investors’ $191 million in what prosecutors called one of the largest frauds in state history. Cook was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, the final prison term handed down by U.S. District Judge James Rosenbaum, who reminded Cook’s defense attorney at the time “what a jerk he had for a client.” more than 900 investors lost money in the fraud, and most are expected to recoup pennies on the dollar. (August)

Sean Fitzpatrick, 18, of Woodbury was sitting in the back seat of a friend’s Pontiac G6 when it was rear-ended by a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Edward T. Jaworski. Jaworksi, 38, of Mahtomedi, was charged with driving while intoxicated; court records showed he had been charged with driving while intoxicated four times since 1997. After spending the past two months recovering, Sean returned to East Ridge High School in Woodbury — half days. Fellow students at the school plan to lobby the Legislature this spring to tighten drunken-driving laws. (August)

SHOCKED US

Two Lakeland ninth-graders were found dead in a wooded clearing in Lakeland one chilly fall evening. the medical examiner ruled that Jacob Campbell, 14, shot Lisa Grijalva, 15, before turning the shotgun on himself. (October)

The masked robber who stuck up banks, convenience stores, coffee shops and even a woman at a bus stop wasn’t your typical bandit. the 29-year-old Rosemount man was a military-trained Minneapolis cop and a member of the police department’s hard-charging SWAT, or special operations, force. Timothy Carson was sentenced to eight years in federal prison. (August)

Fire raced through a 98-year-old Minneapolis building that housed McMahon’s Irish Pub, killing six people, including the pub’s bartender and three young children who were living with him. (April)

Less than a month after Sabrina Schumacher got her driver’s license, she was involved in a two-vehicle crash in Cambridge that claimed the lives of her four passengers and both occupants of the other car. She was the lone survivor. (April)

Bilha Omare lived in fear of her husband. Justus Ogendi Kebabe had beaten her unconscious in the past and threatened to kill her numerous times, she told a sheriff’s deputy nearly two years ago. Finally, in October, deputies found the bodies of Omare and the couple’s 9-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son in their Vadnais Heights apartment. Kebabe later admitted to the killings. (October)

Patrick McHugh strangled himself in the Ramsey County jail after being charged with fatally shooting his sister, Mary Malicki; her husband, Clyde Malicki; and Mary and Clyde’s daughter, Kristy Malicki, in Highland Park where McHugh resided with his mother. McHugh’s sister, Kathleen Dorgan, 56, was shot but survived. the mother was in the home but was not shot. (August)

The dangers of living with a violent spouse are well publicized, but not as much is written about the dangers women face after their relationships end. In August, Svetlana and Charles Hanson were shot to death through the living room window of their Eagan home by Svetlana Hanson’s ex-husband, who was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in their yard. In April, Minneapolis tattoo artist Trace Maxwell crisscrossed the metro, killing former girlfriend Amy Terborg of Eagan, Excel Manufacturing co-founder Bryan Andrew Fisher of Inver Grove Heights and roofing contractor Jason Rand of Brooklyn Park before taking his own life during a police chase. In March, Joel Munt of Burnsville rammed his ex-wife’s car with his SUV and shot Svetlana Munt to death in a Mankato park as their three young children looked on. (All year)

Two masked marauders entered the Seward Market & Halal Meat on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis and within seconds, three people had been shot dead in a robbery gone bad. Two teens, Mahdi Hassan Ali and Ahmed Shire Ali, were later charged with first-degree murder in the case. Although Ahmed Ali eventually pleaded guilty in a plea bargain, the attorney for Mahdi Ali contested the state’s claim that his client was old enough to be tried as an adult. a judge later ruled he was old enough to stand trial as an adult, and that trial is scheduled to begin in January. (January)

… AND, OF COURSE, THE WEATHER

The fifth-worst snowstorm in Minnesota history dumped 17 to 20 inches on the Twin Cites metro area over a single weekend. City officials in St. Paul struggled for days to clear city streets, irritating some residents who had no easy egress from their homes. (December)

One chilly night in November, ice-coated roads and sidewalks wreaked havoc across central and southern Minnesota, resulting in hundreds of crashes and hospitals filled with patients injured from slips and falls. Two people died, including a 12-year-old girl in Stearns County, and one trio of elderly friends were trapped in their car for nine hours. they passed the time chatting and hung out even longer in front of the television eating ham sandwiches when they finally reached one’s home, having gone just over a dozen miles in nine hours.

Over the summer, 104 tornadoes spun through Minnesota, shattering the state record of 74 in 2001. That number gives Minnesota the highest tornado count in the nation. And although some areas of the country could see more tornadoes this year, Minnesota is on track to be 2010′s top twister state for the first time. (All year)

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The Z-Lift Notebook Desk Stand is the only notebook desk stand that lifts and inclines a notebook into dozens if not hundreds of positions. It can raise the notebook up to a maximum height of 9.5″ without tightening any knobs or adjusting any fixtures. the unit supports the weight of the heaviest notebook up to 17 Lbs. by suspending it in mid air in virtually any incline or elevation.

The Z-Lift supporting mechanism works through tension locking clamps located in each of the four joints. These locking clamps have been tested up to 5,000 operations. this means if the unit is expanded and contracted every day it would have a life expectancy of 13.69 years.

The Z-Lift has a fold-out support shelf that supports the notebook and prevents it from sliding off the platform. the support arm has variable height adjustments depending on the notebook’s thickness. It has a starting height of 7/8″ but can be expanded to 1-1/4″.

The Z-Lift has a built-in cooling fan with a unique fan exhaust design that swirls air 360º under the notebook. the fan is set into a recess channel that creates an air space for the air to circulate and force out hot air that is radiating from the bottom of the notebook. the Z-Lift has a built-in 4-port USB hub and a hard-wired USB cable for connecting to the notebook.

This product has a smooth shiny finish of gray and black

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Car Accessories – For Comfort and Luxury

Car accessories can be divided mainly in car accessories car internal and external accessories. Things like seat covers, dash cover, floor mats, the smell of the air from car interior accessories while the fog lights and light fittings, snow and ice accessories, gas caps, spoilers, wheels for automobiles , body covers etc. belong to the category of exterior car accessories. 

You can spend or invest as much as you want to make your car comfortable and attractive. When you bring the car in the showroom, the first place you visit is a car accessory shop. Some customers like to buy original accessories only from the car showroom car from where it was purchased, while some retailers as normal to get a cheaper and more choices. But it is essential to decorate your car no matter where you buy accessories. 

Car Accessories can also be grouped into essential supplements, apart from classified into indoor and outdoor accessories. Add-on accessories can enhance the performance of a car while the interior / exterior accessories can only enhance the look and comfort of the car. Exterior Accessories can attract the attention of passersby. 

Car Accessories may be simply regarded as the products needed to give your car a new and better look and also make your ride even and comfortable. This aspect of the importance of accessories should not be ignored and must include a significant part in the preparation of the annual costs of maintaining your vehicle. 

Car Accessories should always be purchased at major retailers and major manufacturers. An enhancement of low quality can adversely affect the performance of your car and on the other side you can empty your wallet because you may have to get it replaced frequently. If you buy branded accessories you may need to spend more initially, but ultimately prove to be cheaper than adding accessories, standard and low quality. 

You should take some pain to do research on the internet, advice from friends and family while planning to fit your car with accessories. Internet is faster and better way of finding sources of car accessories but not a defect that cannot actually see the products. You can see many sellers of these accessories for you to compare prices and you can get more features and options. You can still order products suitable as vendors offer good return policy with full refund of your money if the product delivered is defective or not according to specifications. 

Prepare a list of car accessories you want to buy and classify them as internal and external. Make a plan to buy the accessories you’re looking for. Find great products available at competitive prices. If you feel satisfied and secure in buying products online. Nice accessories can make the driving experience a pleasure while improving the performance of your car. Search for most popular accessories of automobiles sold in the market to get people to your car. 

Formula 4 is an online retail site that specializes in 4×4 accessories. With everything from wheels and tires, to detect light and stabilizer bars, there’s something for all 4×4 owners out there who want to personalize your vehicle.

Carpartskey is the best online portal for car parts, car accessories like:acura cl car cover, car seat cover, car head light, <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=carpartskey.com>car cover</a>,  car sunshield, car deck cover.  For more information visit our website: <a href =”carpartskey.com” >carpartskey.com</a>

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When you don’t have the right key, lock picking is a great way to open just about any lock out there.  Normally, picking locks is something we associate with crime and illegal activities, although crime isn’t always the case.  There are a lot of instances where locking picking skills can come in real handy.  Take for instance a lost house key or locking your car keys inside your car.  Even though you could always break a window, calling a professional locksmith is the best to go — it can save you a lot of money in repairs, and get the lock open fast.

To properly pick a lock, you’ll need the right tool kit.  Even the most basic lock picking kit will contain a lock pin and a tension wrench.  If you have an emergency, you can normally replace the lock pin with a hair pin.  Professional locking picking kits on the other hand will normally include a variety of tension wrenches in several different shapes and sizes, covering several different styles of lock pins.  Some include a locking picking gun, which uses vibration to push all the lock pins up at the same time.

When picking a lock is necessary, the first thing to do is to insert the tension wrench into the keyhole and attempt to turn the cylinder.  Next, you can use the lock pin and gently pry up on the pins.  Once the pins reach the normal opening position, you’ll hear a clicking noise, letting you know that the pins are in the right place — and the lock is open.

There is also another technique to lock picking, which is known as racking.  Racking uses a lower precision level, and uses a special pick known as a rake.  To use the rake, simply insert it into the keyhole until it reaches the back of the cylinder, then quickly pull it out so that it hits all of the pins when it comes out.  A tension wrench is also used as well, to turn the cylinder.

The hardest lock out there to pick are master locks.  They offer an excellent protection system, and aren’t as susceptible to picking as other types of locks.  Master locks were invented by Henry Soref in 1921, introducing the first lock to use laminated layers of solid steel.  Although master locks use the same picking system as other types of locks, those that are in combined format will require a locksmith with a lot of patience — and skill.

To learn more about lock picking, there are several books and illustrations that you can buy, which will show you the techniques step by step.  Often times, a video or Cd is included that will show you the techniques in action.  Several books and videos were made by true locksmiths, although others are more directed for people who just want to learn a bit more on the subject.  If you want to become a locksmith or a professional at lock picking, you can also find books and videos out there that will help you become proficient at picking locks.

Anytime you buy a lock, you should always keep in mind that just about any lock can be picked.  Although most locks can be picked, there are some that take a bit more time and patience than others.  When you buy a lock, you should always think in terms of safety and select one that you know it isn’t to penetrate.  This way, you can have a sense of security in your lock — and know that you are safe and protected.

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About Us

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That’s what it takes to be a watchmaker, said Jon Little, who practices the craft at Albert F. Rhodes Jewelers, 1325 Floral Parkway.

He must have those qualities and more. In August, Little was awarded the title of 21st Century Certified Watchmaker by the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute.

The certification is especially meaningful because only 206 people in the country have won the certification – and only eight in North Carolina.

With that kind of certification, you can be assured this job is more than replacing batteries.

“I repair all kinds of watches – heirlooms, your boss’s nicest, finest Swiss timepieces” like Cyma, Omega, Tag Heuer, Baume & Mercier, Citizen, Seiko, even old Hamiltons and Elgins.

But most of his work is on Rolexes.

To provide a full servicing of a Rolex, he said, “You tear it down. You check it for any worn parts, repair any issues, clean it, put it back together, oil it and grease it, regulate it, refinish the case and bracelet, replace all the case gaskets and put it together properly to pass a pressure test,” Little explained. The pressure test makes sure that the watch is water-resistant according to its rating.

It’s not a short process. It takes four to six weeks for some repairs, but he plans to lower that to three to four weeks in the coming months, now that he’s not going to school.

School began in 2003, when he received his diploma from Gem City College in Quincy, Ill.

“I’ve apprenticed with two individuals in High Point, then opened my own shop in Salisbury,” Little said. But after about a year and a half he was hired away by a Raleigh jeweler, where he worked as an apprentice under its watchmaker.

“As an apprentice, you have to work odd jobs” to make ends meet.

But now it’s a full-time job as he and his wife, Amber, raise their 2-year-old girl, with another on the way.

“I’ve been at Rhodes for three years this November,” Little said.

To achieve his high certification, he studied for six to seven weeks for the watchmakers institute exam. In 2009, he went to Rolex, in Pennsylvania, for a week for after-sales service training. “You become more versed in their watches, learn to do it their way,” he said.

To keep his certification he must do 40 hours of continuing education every three to five years.

Repair often includes restoring parts, getting new ones, or even having them made.

“Rust always presents a good challenge,” Little said. “Usually the balance and the hairspring (balance) area gives more trouble than anything.

“The older the watch and wear, the harder it is to repair,” he said.

That includes the oldest watch he’s worked on – an early European pocketwatch, a cylinder escapement from around 1850.. Escapement refers to a device to control movement, he said. To see one in action, go to abbeyclock.com/bcyl.html.

It also was one of the lengthiest repairs he has done, he said. “I worked on it for six months and had to have parts made for it.”

Little thinks he has good job security because there is a shortage of watchmakers, he said.

And he remains a rarity for another reason.

The average age of watchmakers in North Carolina is 70-plus, said Little, who is 27.

Wayne Faulkner: 343-2320

On Twitter.com: @bizniznews

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LA Sport certainly needs no introduction. The franchise is well known all over South Africa and the Namibian branch is one of the current 18 branches. In January 2010, LA Sport moved into their new upmarket showroom in Lazarett Street. Owner, Jaco Stassen, made certain that all outdoor lovers will visit his store sooner or later, but be prepared… you will not leave empty handed. Even going there purely for this article`s purpose, I ended up buying a couple of items.
Jaco stated that instead of gadgets and trimmings, he would rather be known as a serious 4-wheel drive equipment megastore and LA Sport is therefore the home brand for the TJM range which include TJM XGS suspensions, including the new range of gold edition shock absorbers, Airtec snorkels and full bumper replacement bull bars with integrated winch plates, for most makes of 4×4’s. Initially the TJM Brand was relatively unknown but they succeeded in changing it into a household name.
They also have the Front Runner series of accessories, roof racks and long range tanks in stock. You name it, they’ve got it and in the event that they might not have it, they`ll get it for their customers. They also stock 12-volt fridges, Oz Tent ranges, chairs and stretchers, Conqueror off-road trailers and caravans, recovery equipment like kinetic straps, spots, winches, seat covers, etc. LA Sport`s technical team is well trained to install everything they sell and can also adjust systems to accommodate the customer`s needs.
The term “outdoor” does not purely mean you are supposed to own a 4×4 vehicle, they also carry a variety of portable barbecue`s like Cobb. This is why Jaco and his team would like to invite all enthusiasts enjoying 4×4 trips, camping, outdoor loving and for that matter having a good old braai at home or in the bush. 
Go visit the store and see what is new.Your visit to LA Sport will be an experience, visit them and share experiences or ask for good advice.

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1 oz BURGUNDY Micro Metal Flake .004 Auto/Car Paint-Hot-Retail —-! Sale Only $9.95!

September 9, 2010

Compare Prices on 1 oz BURGUNDY Micro Metal Flake .004 Auto/Car Paint-Hot

KUSTOM SHOP offers you Most Extensive Line-Up of Flakes on the Planet! MICRO FLAKE can be sprayed through most medium tip sized Airbrushes and Full and Detail Sized Spray Guns with a 1.3 nozzle set-up or larger. KUSTOM SHOP FLAKE FEATURES AND BENEFITS: + BUILT WITH THE FINEST QUALITY ULTRA-THIN AUTOMOTIVE GRADE POLYESTER WITH A UV COATING, WHICH PROVIDES YOU THE ULTIMATE IN DURABILITY: Kustom Shop Flakes are proudly made in the USA, unlike many of the inferior flake products available that are made in India. Kustom Shop Flakes are automotive grade polyester; a non-automotive grade may degrade and fade very rapidly in sunlight. + EASY TO APPLY OR SPRAY, AND WILL EASILY LAY DOWN: Hundreds of custom painters have used Kustom Shop Flake and loved their performance and ease of application. They also can’t believe the number of colors available, and size of packaging options. + SOLVENT RESISTANT AND CAN BE MIXED WITH ANY AUTOMOTIVE, WATERBORNE OR MARINE PAINT SYSTEM: Kustom Shop Flakes can be mixed in mid-coats like Kustom Shop UBC825, PPG DBC500 or House of Kolor SG100, as well as all Clears and Candies. They work excellent in PPG, House of Kolor, Dupont, Kustom Shop, Restoration Shop, Etc. Paints. + FLAKE VOLUME VS. WEIGHT: Kustom Shop Flake is sold in ounces by actual weight and not by volume, and a 4 ounce fluid volume bottle can only hold 2-1/2 ounces of flake when measured by weight. Our 2 ounce size by weight nearly fills a 4 ounce fluid volume container and our 1 Ounce size nearly fills a 2 ounce fluid volume container, so be sure you are getting what’s advertised. + PET SOLVENT RESISTANT BOTTLES WITH FLIP TOP POUR SPOUT: Our PET solvent resistant bottle is the best way to manage your flake usage and storage. Bottles feature an easy to control flip top pour spout for getting a small amount of flake without making a mess of your shop. + OUR 48 COLOR KUSTOM SHOP FLAKE CHART IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON. Chart includes User Guide and Application Flow Chart on the Backside.

• Brand: Kustom Shop
• Dimensions: .30 pounds

Features

• MICRO FLAKE COLOR: MF30 BURGUNDY, SIZE: .004 x .004 Hex Cut, BOTTLE: 1 Ounce (60 Grams)
• (MF) is a extremely brilliant and has the appearance of being a much larger flake without its’ flash
• Applies easy by Airbrush or Spray Gun. Has reduced surface roughness so it’s easier to finish with clear
• MADE IN THE USA and Built with the Finest Quality Ultra-Thin UV Coated Automotive Grade Polyester
• Flakes are Solvent Resistant and can be mixed with any Automotive, Waterborne or Marine Paint System

Entry Filed under: Automotive. Tags: 1 oz BURGUNDY Micro Metal Flake .004 Auto/Car Paint-Hot, 1 oz BURGUNDY Micro Metal Flake .004 Auto/Car Paint-Hot-Retail —-! Sale Only $9.95!, Automotive, B001BM7UZE.

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Sullivan Election Commission wants to ban campaign trailers from lot

BLOUNTVILLE — The Sullivan County Election Commission wants Sullivan County Mayor Steve Godsey to ban the use of unhitched trailers as campaign advertisements in the county-owned parking lot many voters will begin using Friday to get to the polling place.

Two trailers have been left in the parking lot for several days — both covered with campaign material for two particular Republican candidates for countywide offices on the ballot Aug. 5.

Early voting for those and other offices begins Friday.

Sullivan County Administrator of Elections Jason Booher — chairman of the Sullivan County Republican Party prior to his appointment as administrator last year by the then newly Republican-controlled Sullivan County Election Commission — said his office has no control over campaigning past a 100-foot boundary imposed by state law.

The Election Office is located within the Sullivan County Office Building at the intersection of State Route 126 and Blountville Boulevard. It is one of three early voting locations in the county for races on the ballot on Aug. 5 and is a voting precinct on election day.

Booher said the Election Commission, in a bipartisan effort, voted Tuesday to ask Godsey to impose restrictions on the section of the taxpayer-owned building’s parking lot past the 100-foot boundary.

Specifically, Booher said, the Election Commission wants the county to ban placement of anything in the parking lot that can’t be moved easily and quickly — for example, an unhitched trailer.

Such displays are prohibited already by local regulations at the two other early voting locations for county voters: the Kingsport Civic Auditorium and the Bristol YWCA.

Booher said of the two campaign trailers parked in the county parking lot Wednesday, an open-bed utility trailer advertising Peggy Bridgeman Campbell’s campaign arrived first, and the much larger semi-type trailer advertising Bart Long’s campaign arrived later.

Both Campbell and Long are Republicans attempting to unseat longtime Democrats — in a year in which some GOP candidates have said that is reason enough to run.

Booher said during discussion of the situation on Tuesday, Election Commission Chairman James Holmes — a Republican himself — cited concern that the public would think the placement of campaign trailers for Republican candidates is linked to the party having gained control of the Election Office last year.

Campbell, like her husband, is an employee of the Sullivan County Highway Department. She seeks to unseat Sullivan County Trustee Frances Harrell.

Long, a half-term Sullivan County commissioner from the Bristol area, seeks to unseat longtime Register of Deeds Mary Lou Duncan, whose 36 years in office include having been named 2008 Outstanding Register of Deeds in the state by the Tennessee County Officials Association.

Earlier in the campaign, Long was the most vocal proponent of the call for the County Commission to ban campaigning from county properties.

At the time, Long said county residents should be able to come to county offices to conduct business without being forced to see campaign materials.

Long told the Times-News then that the public shouldn’t have to endure having it “crammed down their throats” and that exhibition of partisan campaign materials in county offices “challenges the beliefs” of county residents loyal to an opposing party — and citizens shouldn’t have to tolerate that in order to conduct their business with the county.

Asked if he objected to employees wearing campaign buttons on their person — even if that is viewed as a personal expression — Long said absolutely.

The parking lot where Long’s campaign trailer has been parked this week is also home to a Sullivan County clerk’s office — where county residents go to, among other things, get car tags.

Booher said his office (323-6444) had received only a few telephone calls regarding the two campaign trailers in the parking lot.

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