Dishwasher. - periodical reviews

Washing dishes is one of the country's least esteemed professions, ranked in opinion polls only slightly above drug pushing and prostitution. But Dishwasher -- the self-published zine created by Dishwasher Pete -- creates a different picture from the drudgery usually associated with the work. Dishwasher Pete (who does not use his last name) is a twelve-year veteran who travels restaurant to restaurant, state to state.

Each issue of Dishwasher is brimming with cartoons and handwritten stories about the colorful characters who populate restaurant kitchens. It also makes some political points. In an essay called "The Slave Wage," Pete rails against the unlivable pittance the grunts receive and recommends they take over the means of production themselves and share the wealth.In his spare time, Dishwasher Pete frequents university libraries to research dishwashing labor history and collects stories, books, and newspaper and magazine clippings to review in the zine.Although Pete doesn't make money off his publishing efforts, Dishwasher does manage to break even. He says his dream is to offset-print the entire zine. Right now he prints only the cover and mimeos the inside pages wherever he can find a copy machine. His growing reputation means more copyshop employees are willing to give him unofficial discounts. He says the latest issue required between 6,000 and 7,000 copies. Alternative bookstores distribute about half He sells the rest himself.Problem: You've been breaking a lot of dishes at work. Solution: What's the problem? Broken dishes are not your problem, though they can be the solution to your problems. Be it stress, boredom, or revenge, there's no easier way to enlighten a mood than by "accidentally" dropping a wad of twenty plates. "OOPS!" Now don't you feel better? The glorious sounds of crashing dishware have long been known as a therapeutic cure for any dishwasher's ailment (even the flu). And his very same sound never fails to make any boss cringe. Always an added bonus is to commit your "drop" while the boss is present so you can enjoy the pained expression on the old sourpuss's face.To order a copy of Dishwasher, send $1 to Dishwasher Pete, P.O. Box 8213, Portland, OR 97207.COMMON DISHWASHER PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONSWhile it's wildly irreverent, Dishwasher's class consciousness may inspire kitchen employees to organize -- or, at the very least, grab a free bite now and then. Dishwasher Pete has published lists of all the food he eats or takes home from restaurant kitchens. He implores zine readers not to ash on their plates so employees can eat the leftovers from the bus tubs.Pete says he's in no hurry to complete his U.S. tour. And after he reaches his goal of washing dishes in all fifty states, he says he may move on to Europe. Or he may to organize dishwashers into unions. "One thing about being a union organizer is it's about being flexible and transient," he says.Dishwasher Pete hopes to wash dishes in all fifty states. So far, he has made it to twenty-three. He says he likes his profession because of the freedom it affords him. "The one thing about my job is that my mind is free. They're buying my time and labor but not my mind," he says.

Please note the cardinal rule to dishbreaking: Break the dirty dishes! You don't wanna break dishes you just labored to clean; you wanna break the dirty ones so you don't have to clean 'em.

Painting by Numbers: Komar and Melamid's Scientific Guide to Art. - book reviews

There should be a warning on the cover of Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid's Painting by Numbers: Komar and Melamid's Scientific Guide to Art: This is not a book. From the opening page, which offers "America's most wanted" painting (dishwasher-size, as preferred by 67 percent of the representative sample), the reader becomes a participant in a radical happening, '90s-style, complete with polls, global travel, and practical jokes. Komar and Melamid, two emigre artists who launched their American career in 1979 with a project of buying and selling souls, have now taken on the nature of art, democracy ("the people's choice"), and artistic authority. What is the universal language of the '90s: painting or numbers? Is there any universal language of beauty at all or do we now fully inhabit a postmodern multitude of taste? Who is the author or coauthor of popular fantasies?

Besides collaborating with each other, Komar and Melamid have collaborated with elephants, with history (in the project "What Is to be Done with Monumental Propaganda"), and with Stalin (in the remaking of Lenin's mausoleum). This time, they are collaborating with the silent majority of the democratic state. The subtitle - "Komar and Melamid's Scientific Guide to Art" - evokes two ideas of scientific truth: the Soviet Marxist-Leninist, and the American. Komar and Melamid do not parody either of these ideas. Instead, they dramatize their implications. If their fellow ex-Soviet artist Ilya Kabakov builds his installations on the threshold of individual obsessions and aesthetic dreams, Komar and Melamid build on the dream of the collective - from communist utopia to virtual democracy - and its grotesque distortion.Each of the paintings in the book seems thoroughly quotational, often citing from a national tradition. The triangles in Russia;s Least Wanted resemble those of El Lissitzky or Wassily Kandinsky, while the mother's unclad breasts in France's Most Wanted vaguely evoke Delacroix or Manet (as well as some amateur pictures from the beach in Normandy). None of the blue landscapes, however, was executed en plein air. Instead, an ideal landscape based on the work of Italian painter Domenichino was used as a template. The blue landscape, then, does not depict anyone's native soil, but rather a paradise within, a nostalgia for freedom. "Making people hermits for a second - maybe that is the basic idea of art," writes Komar.Komar and Melamid's coauthorship is dialectical; it reflects a desire for belonging to the people, to history, to the majority, as well as an emigre estrangement - at once a mental ghetto and a vantage point. For instance, even the world's favorite color does not represent universal serenity for these artists. Their blue is "different-looking." Komar associates blue with his first encounter with the West. On board the Boeing that carried him to the United States, he visited the toilet, flushed, and got the greatest surprise of his life: dark blue, the color of freedom, the color of the artificial heaven of consumer goods. It is from this resident-alien perspective that Komar and Melamid search for the people's choice, and a universal language.The dream of a universal language was the dream of modernism. According to Melamid, people believed that the square was what could unite people, that it was truly universal. But the blue landscape is what is really universal, maybe to all mankind. The Russian Futurist movement began with a manifesto entitled "A Slap in the Face of Public Taste." At first glance, it might appear that Komar and Melamid's project is a defense of public taste, a slap in the face of modernism and the art establishment. Yet the specter of modernism haunts the post-Communist artists.Komar and Melamid pledged to create "painting for the people," thus fulfilling the promise of both Socialist Realist art and capitalist advertisement. After conducting the first scientific poll of artistic tastes from Kenya to China, they made a shocking discovery. The most wanted painting, regardless of race, class, and gender, turned out to be a realistic, rather than (as the poll phrased it) "different-looking" landscape, dominated by the world's favorite color, blue, and featuring several people in the foreground - some famous, some ordinary (fully clothed was the preference in the United States, partially nude in France). The least wanted painting was invariably done in the style of geometric abstraction. Whether the results stemmed from a prejudice against nonrepresentational styles or a suspicion of anything "different-looking" remains unclear. Of the American poll results, Komar comments, "In a society famous for freedom of expression, freedom of individual, our poll revealed sameness of majority. Having destroyed communism's utopian illusion, we collided with democracy's virtual reality."Yet the citational texture of the paintings does not suggest a post-modernist multiplicity of narratives. The ironic artists take their blue landscapes seriously. It may be an artistic cliche, but for many people the blue landscape represents a moment of disinterested contemplation of almost Kantian beauty in everyday life. What is common to those polled is not so much their attachment to nature as their shared everyday dream of the beautiful. The kitschy, partially clad humans and animals that seem to come from international calendar art only deepen the strangeness of the background's haunting blue.For there is trouble in the paradise of the blue landscape. In America's Most Wanted, the eyes of the wandering George Washington never meet the gaze of the contemporary vacationers. in Russia's Most Wanted, the Jesus Christ look-alike seems to turn his gaze away from the laboring youth. They inhabit the same painting, but seem to exist on different planes. The smooth surface of these paintings is deceptive. Like Total cereal, the paintings have an extra helping of everything the people want without any interrelationship among the ingredients. Something is deliberately out of joint. In fact, the seamless surface is a collage.It has often been suggested that in contemporary society, polls have replaced politics and polity. Even though the pollsters and statistics professors openly acknowledge that theirs is a limited science, it has been made to function as the true representation of the people's choice and is repeatedly manipulated by politicians, businessmen, and journalists. Seemingly the most democratic tool, statistical analysis is frequently used as the most authoritarian one. It doesn't describe a demand, but constructs it. Komar and Melamid, however, take the polls at face value. This literal-mindedness, coupled with fantastic technology, is characteristic of much of American media culture. The artists reveal its absurdity. The "most wanted," calculated with the help of the polls, is what nobody wants - except those who order the poll.In his essay "Can it be the 'Most Wanted Painting' even if nobody wants it?" Arthur C. Danto writes that "Komar and Melamid are postmodern artists who yearn, as in a way we all do, for the sweet innocence of premodern art." In my view, if there is any nostalgia here, it is a nostalgia for the modernist belief in the role of art in society and in the possibility of any kind of aesthetic universal language, not necessarily that of abstraction. Komar, dissenting for a moment from his coauthor, confesses his hope that people who come to see the "Most Wanted" series "will become so horrified that their tastes will gradually change." Is their project a perverse defense of aesthetics via negativa?

It has often been suggested that in contemporary society, polls have replaced politics and polity. Even though the pollsters and statistics professors openly acknowledge that theirs is a limited science, it has been made to function as the true representation of the people's choice and is repeatedly manipulated by politicians, businessmen, and journalists. Seemingly the most democratic tool, statistical analysis is frequently used as the most authoritarian one. It doesn't describe a demand, but constructs it. Komar and Melamid, however, take the polls at face value. This literal-mindedness, coupled with fantastic technology, is characteristic of much of American media culture. The artists reveal its absurdity. The "most wanted," calculated with the help of the polls, is what nobody wants - except those who order the poll.

Between Craft and Science: Technical Work in U.S. Settings. - Review - book reviews

Stephen R. Barley and Julian E. Orr, eds. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1997. 264 pp. $45.00, cloth; $19.95, paper.

A final theme I will note explicitly (there are others) is the tension between the presumed utility of professional (credentialed) knowledge as opposed to experiential knowledge. Technicians find themselves relying on a knowledge of practice developed by themselves and their fellows, while for a variety of reasons, the management emphasizes credentials and academic training. Here again is a source of conflict resident in a more natural horizontal structure of expertise and the preferred vertical structure of authority.Several themes or "problematics" appear throughout these chapters. One is the ambiguous social position of the technical worker. While the relative importance of technical workers (and their numbers) has increased dramatically over recent decades, there has been no such increase in wages or organizational status. Technicians seem more to resemble non-technical workers than professionals in areas such as job satisfaction and organizational allegiance. This seems surprising, given the educational and experience requirements of technical work. Another, related theme is the ambiguity of the organizational position of technicians. To use the book's language, technicians can be typified as either "buffers" or "brokers," essentially as either assistants to professionals or largely independent practitioners mediating between a professional community of knowledge and non-technical end users of the knowledge. While both groups have to negotiate an identity in an organization in which their efforts are peripheral, this is especially true for the brokers. Who are they? To what community do they belong: the community of knowledge, that of the organization, or neither?I find that this book offers to anyone seriously interested in organizational studies an opportunity to get involved in an area of work that is certain to become even more important in the future. Questions are posed here that can fuel dozens of interesting research agendas. The editors and authors are to be complimented for organizing their chapters into a reasonably coherent whole, with issues being raised and developed in the quite various studies presented. Only one minor quibble from me. Is it really too much to ask to have a concluding chapter that summarizes the issues presented in an edited volume? Just asking.R. Richard Ritti Professor Emeritus of Administration of Justice and Sociology The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802Some years ago I spotted in the New York Times Business Section a picture Roland Barthes would have loved. Behind a huge console, covered with all sorts of dials and buttons, sat a lone technician. Before him was a large window affording a panoramic view of the entire G.E. dishwasher assembly floor below. One technician and hundreds of machine servants. The article was about the "new manufacturing." This book is about the person behind that console and his near and distant kin. The title says it well, it's about those whose labors are neither craft - skilled but learned from practice - nor professional - prepared for their work by a lengthy process of technical education. The work of these technicians has four attributes: (1) the centrality of a complex technology to the work, (2) the importance of contextual knowledge or skill, (3) the importance of theories or abstract representations of phenomena, and (4) the existence of a community of practice that serves as a distributed repository for knowledge of relevance to practitioners (p. 12). The book comprises an introductory chapter and three parts, given over respectively to (1) the position of the technician in the social and organizational order, the cultural ambiguities in disparities between a natural "horizontal" organization of technical specialties and the prevailing vertical organization preferred by employing firms, (2) in-depth descriptions of a group of technical occupations from an ethnographic perspective, and (3) some policy implications flowing from these considerations.

R. Richard Ritti Professor Emeritus of Administration of Justice and Sociology The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802

Will Jini Be the Technology Behind "Smart" Toasters? - Review

Will Jini radically alter our use of computer networks? Countless developers think so. Jini may turn out to be one of the technologies that allow for truly location-independent computing. Jini may also be the power behind "smart" appliances and gadgets. Sun is betting that when your fridge talks to your dishwasher, Jini will be what makes that conversation happen. Want to dump photos from a friend's digital camera onto your Palmpilot, and from there beam them to a printer? Jini could be the answer.

FMI: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/jininut/noframes.htmlChapter 4, Basic Jini Programming, is available online free at: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/jininut/chapter/ch04.html"As more and more devices are capable of interacting and being deployed in new, dynamic environments, programmers of the services for those devices need a computing platform that can handle these impromptu communities in a robust manner. And developers need a simple way to write and deploy these services," says Oakes. "Jini is addresses some fundamental needs within distributed computing."The Sun Jini page can be found at: http://www.sun.com/jini/Jini is a simple set of Java classes and services that allows devices (i.e., printers, storage devices, speakers) and services (i.e., printing) to seamlessly interact with each other without device driver. "Right now, we have lots of text-driven services on a big network -- HTML, XML, whatever -- on the Internet. That's great," says Scott Oakes, co-author of the just-released "Jini in a Nutshell" (O'Reilly, $29.95) "but it's only a first step. In the future, we can have lots of new services targeted towards any device; these services can come and go, as can the clients. Jini is what can make this possible."

The Sun Jini page can be found at: http://www.sun.com/jini/

HydroMaid Signs Disclosure Agreement with Major Appliance Company

Business Editors

"If the decision is made to move forward with the concept, HydroMaid will likely enter into a license agreement providing the appliance company with worldwide rights to manufacture and distribute dishwashers with proprietary technology."Culley W. Davis, chief executive officer of HydroMaid said, "I am pleased with the progress made in developing the initial prototypes since our first meeting and believe the results of the initial tests demonstrate the viability of using the HydroMaid technology to process food waste in a dishwasher.In such instances, actual results could differ materially as a result of a variety of factors including the risks associated with the effect of changing economic conditions at home and abroad, local and regional policies and regulations in the planned target areas, trends in the market for the company's products, variations in the company's cash flow and/or ability to effectively distribute its product, availability of sufficient working capital to manufacture and market HydroMaid units, technical development risks, seasonality and other risk factors detailed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.Prototype dishwashers incorporating the HydroMaid technology have already been assembled by the appliance company and testing is underway. The prototype product is scheduled for review by the appliance company's marketing managers in January 2001, and a final decision regarding commercializing the prototype is expected to be made later that month.Davis also stated, "The use of the HydroMaid technology for an appliance other than a garbage disposal represents a significant expansion of the potential for HydroMaid's success."HydroMaid International Inc. manufactures, markets, and distributes the HydroMaid(TM) disposal -- the only garbage disposal system powered exclusively by water pressure. HydroMaid's patented servomechanism conserves energy while reducing the potential damage to silverware accidentally dropped into a disposal.HydroMaid International Inc. (OTCBB: HYII) Monday announced that it has entered into an agreement with one of the largest appliance companies in the world providing for confidential disclosure of HydroMaid's patented technology to allow the appliance company to test the use of the technology in dishwashers.Certain of the statements herein may be forward-looking that involve risks and uncertainties.Additional information regarding any proposed relationship with the appliance company will be forthcoming; however, no further announcements are expected to be made for several weeks, and HydroMaid has no assurance that any agreement will be reached.The HydroMaid carries an unprecedented lifetime warranty on the housing and the stainless steel blades, and a 10-year parts and labor warranty on all remaining components, reflecting HydroMaid's confidence in its product's simple design and sturdy construction.DRAPER, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2000

In such instances, actual results could differ materially as a result of a variety of factors including the risks associated with the effect of changing economic conditions at home and abroad, local and regional policies and regulations in the planned target areas, trends in the market for the company's products, variations in the company's cash flow and/or ability to effectively distribute its product, availability of sufficient working capital to manufacture and market HydroMaid units, technical development risks, seasonality and other risk factors detailed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

HydroMaid International Inc. Announces Special Stockholders' Meeting Report

Business Editors

Certain of the statements herein may be forward-looking that involve risks and uncertainties. In such instances, actual results could differ materially as a result of a variety of factors, including the risks associated with the effect of changing economic conditions and other risk factors detailed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.Culley W. Davis, the company's president, reviewed the company's progress in its joint development efforts with Electrolux for a dishwasher that incorporates the HydroMaid blade system.HydroMaid International Inc. (OTCBB: HYII) Friday announced at a Special Meeting of Stockholders, held on Thursday, July 26, 2001, that the stockholders approved an amendment to the company's Articles of Incorporation to increase the authorized number of shares from 30 million to 40 million.Davis also reported that (1) the company is still in discussions with a national homebuilder that has an interest in installing the HydroMaid in its new homes, (2) several large appliance companies are assessing the HydroMaid for potential distribution, and (3) negotiations are underway with a potential distribution partner in Japan.DRAPER, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 27, 2001The company plans to meet with Electrolux in the near future to negotiate licensing terms, and anticipates that production of dishwashers utilizing HydroMaid's technology will likely occur within 12 to 18 months if an agreement is reached.

Certain of the statements herein may be forward-looking that involve risks and uncertainties. In such instances, actual results could differ materially as a result of a variety of factors, including the risks associated with the effect of changing economic conditions and other risk factors detailed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Really Useful: The Origins of Everyday Things - Book Review

JOEL LEVY

In the morning, you get up, take a hot shower, drink a cup of coffee, make a couple slices of toast, and put the dishes in the dishwasher, yet you probably never consider what objects make those activities possible. Levy challenges you to stop and smell the coffee as he explores the history of more than 100 objects used in daily life, from air conditioners to zippers. For instance, coffee comes from Turkey and dates to A.D. 575. The Greeks had plumbing systems that would spray water onto bathers. This technology faded, however, and was not seen again until victorian times. Sliced bread, on the other hand, is a newer invention. A bread slicer was introduced in 1912, but it was flawed. The inventor first used hairpins to keep the slices together before conceiving a wrapping system. Levy shares these and hundreds of other tidbits in this engaging look at everyday things. Firefly, 2002, 240 p., color photos, paperback, $24.95.

Design review and equipment startup checklist kitchen and dishwasher exhaust fans

Equipment type: Kithen hood exhaust fan and dishwasher exhaust fan

* 2003 ASHRAE Handbook--Applications, Chapter 3 ("Restaurants/Cafeterias").* Refer to the December 2002 "HVACR Designer Tips" column for more detailed drawing, design, and value engineering tips for kitchen hood exhaust systems.NOTE* Attach associated contract detail drawing to checklist.* Confirm there will not be short-circuiting of exhaust air into air intakes and/or other building openings.* Confirm duct routing, construction, and insulation because of the types of systems being inspected (kitchen exhaust/grease and dishwasher exhaust/wet).Equipment designation: EF-1 and EF-2REFERENCE

* 2004 ASHRAE Handbook--Systems & Equipment.* Attach equipment schedule and design criteria to checklist.DESIGN REVIEW / TRICKS OF THE TRADE* Attach sequence of operation to checklist.* Confirm there is safe access to the equipment.Bar code designation: #######* Spot-check total fan static (and velocity pressure) for excessive/inadequate pressure drop.

* Refer to the December 2002 "HVACR Designer Tips" column for more detailed drawing, design, and value engineering tips for kitchen hood exhaust systems.

Engineering Data

Specialty Chemicals for Consumer Products

www.parker.com/skinnerRosedale Products, Inc.A new material properties guide offers a comprehensive review of VICTREX PEEK brand of polyaryletherketone, a high-performance polymer with a unique combination of properties, including high temperature, chemical and wear resistance, low toxicity, and more. The 26-page brochure includes a foldout data table listing the polymer's properties for each grade discussed, and is illustrated with charts and graphs depicting performance under specific conditions. Mechanical properties are documented with data and graphs illustrating the flexural, creep, creep rupture, fatigue and impact properties. A section on tribologoy highlights wear, friction, limiting pressure and velocity, gas permeation, hydrolysis and chemical resistance.Simulated distillation (SIMDIS) incorporates gas chromatographic (GC) analysis to provide the true boiling points of crude oil and petroleum fractions. This 8-page brochure features the company's SIMDIS hardware and software, reporting options, quality control, and features and benefits.www.victrex.comSevere-Duty MotorsBaldor Electric Co.www.baldor.comVictrex USA Inc.Testing and Measurement Instrumentswww.grievecorp.comwww.rosedaleproducts.comBoiling Point Data via SIMDISwww.simdis.comwww.solvay.comwww.ultrasci.comParker Hannifin Corp., Parker Fluid Control Div.A capabilities brochure provides information on the company's full line of fluid system components, custom solutions, e-business services, and worldwide network of sales and services representatives. Included are: descriptions of valves, fittings, pumps, regulators, pressure gages, orbital welding systems, tubing, and quick-connects; highlights of innovative products; and descriptions of value-added services, such as onsite third-party inspection and searchable online documentation.www.swagelok.com/industry/bioGas and Flame MonitoringThe Grieve Corp.The Model 600-9FS thermal mass inline-flow-switch for liquids and gases is the subject of new literature. The device has no moving parts and a non-invasive flow path, is manufactured from Type 316 stainless steel, Hastalloy C, Monel, Inconel, titanium or other exotic materials for corrosion resistance, and has an adjustable setpoint and alarm.Filtration Products and SystemsAnalytical StandardsAn expanded 100-page full-color catalog features over 400 standard ovens, including all types of laboratory, industrial, Class 100 cleanroom and pharmaceutical units for heat processing applications. Dozens of standard furnaces with operating temperatures to 2,200°F are described in detail. Custom heat processing and heat treating equipment capabilities are also covered, as well as a "virtual tour" of the company's plant. The catalog provides complete specifications, with workspace dimensions, temperature ranges, air-flow-circulation diagrams, and optional equipment.Motors designed for the rugged conditions of heavy process industries are featured in a new 40-page, four-color brochure. The literature provides an exploded view of a severe-duty motor with call-outs describing internal and external features. Performance data, dimensions and connection diagrams are given, as well as catalog numbers, horsepower ratings and efficiencies.Ovens and Furnaceswww.ogdenmfg.comwww.transcat.comSolenoid ValvesThe 700 page 2005 Master Catalog covers over 25,000 calibrator, test and measurement products for the process, utility and pharmaceutical industries, among others. It includes such brands as Fluke, Transmation, AEMC, Agilent, Altek, Megger, GE Druck, Hart-Scientific, and new this year, Tektronix. A key feature of the catalog, the Value Incentive Packages, are the company's top-selling products bundled with free accessories. A 13-page new product showcase at the front of the catalog provides a comprehensive overview of the 257 new products added since last year.The "Guide to Gas and Flame Monitoring" offers comprehensive product and applications information designed to help engineers safeguard employees, equipment and facilities from the dangers of combustible, flammable and toxic environments. Included is a suite of gas and flame detection products and systems designed for precision sensing, alarming, emergency shutdown and incident suppression."Master Catalog Edition 4" covers the complete line of liquid filtration products, including filter housings, custom-designed process industry systems, membrane cartridges and high-capacity pre-filters. New to this edition are: membrane filter cartridges as fine as 0.3 µm; RCO Model 8, a low-cost OEM filter; OT Model 8, an over-the-top filter housing; custom skid filter-systems with valves, pumps and other components; Emerald Series high-capacity oil-absorption cartridges; T and in-line sanitary cartridge-filter housings; X-tend filter bags, with double the surface area of a standard bag; the AWRS water reclamation system; the SRF separator skid for HVAC applications; and lock-top filter bags.Tube CleaningFlow SwitchSwagelok Biopharm Services Co.AC Analytical Controls BVNearly 70 pages of product information have been added to the new and expanded product catalog, which still includes a wealth of technical data and reference tools to help engineers make informed purchasing decisions. The publication begins with a full-color overview of the features and applications of each product line. Detailed sections for each product line follow: flexible and band heaters, insertion heaters, process electric heaters, strip and mini-tubular heaters, and radiant heaters, as well as controls, sensors and other accessories.Solvay Chemicals, Inc.www.generalmonitors.comGeneral MonitorsConco Systems, Inc.www.thermalinstrument.comThis new 345-page catalog features certified organic and inorganic solution standards manufactured and verified in the company's ISO 17025 accredited laboratory. It lists products in various categories, including standards for ICP, AA, EPA methods, PCBs and araclors, blind QC samples, CLP (GC/MS) methods, neat standards, state underground storage tank methods, pesticides, international norm standards, and more.ULTRA ScientificPolyaryletherketoneHeaters and AccessoriesTRANSCATEquipment and services covered in this new general product catalog include tube cleaners, tube-cleaning equipment and accessories, and tube-cleaning services that solve deposit problems ranging from microbiological to manganese and iron, calcium carbonate scale, or anything in between. Also included are tube plugs, air-cooled condenser cleaning systems, hydrodrilling services, leak-detection equipment and services, eddy-current testing services, and support services.Skinner and Gold Ring solenoid valves are the subjects of the new 24/7 Catalog, which offers every product for shipment within 24 to 48 h of order placement Monday through Friday. The catalog includes product information, specifications, and ordering instructions. The Skinner and Gold Ring lines are suitable for a variety of applications in the process control, industrial equipment, and sterilizing equipment industries, among others.Thermal Instrument Co.Ogden Manufacturing Co.Sanitary System Components and Services

Conco Systems, Inc.

Cafeteria Central AHU with kitchen and dishwasher exhaust system: commissioning and project closeout checklist

Equipment type: Central AHU and roof exhaust fans

* 0 to 10 score, with 10 being excellent and 0 being poor or not applicable* Review trade contractor's punchlist.[check] PROJECT CLOSEOUT* Confirm equipment and terminals are barcoded.SPECIFICATION REVIEWThe analysis and selection of the optimum HVAC system for a specific project can be determined through energy and life-cycle system analysis software program studies. This assessment should be part of optimizing energy performance when pursuing LEED[TM] project certification and/or other high-performance grant programs.The design of intent of this variable-volume application is to separate the cafeteria space into one HVAC zone with zone a2 being fine kitchen work area and zone #3 an area located off the kitchen where the dishwashing occurs. This month's "Back to Basics" focuses on the building/energy management portion of the system application while this month's "HVACR Designer Tips" focuses on project closeout.* Complete final commissioning report.* Transfer CAD-layered facility management drawings.** Design intent document;* Confirm equipment and distribution complies with standard details.* Post electrical one-line diagram (laminated) in equipment room.* Based on 5,000 sq ft of cafeteria space* Review water balancing report data-to-actual performance (e.g., pressure gauge readings, flow meter readings, etc.).If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions regarding this designer checklist, contact Amanda McKew at amckew@rdkengineers.com This column is meant to provide some basic guidelines for good design. Always consult all necessary codes and resources relevant to each particular project.* Transfer barcoded equipment database.* Review building automation points list checkout.* Transfer recommended operating budget.Barcode designation: 1111111Equipment location: Equipment room 101 and roof* Review air balancing report data-to-actual performance (e.g., static pressure, exhaust and makeup air).* Complete recommissioning manual.* Transfer CAD-layered record drawings.* Confirm Division 16 electrical requirements have been met.* Post AHU-1, EF-1, and EF-2 flow diagrams (laminated) in equipment room and also post within EF unit enclosures.* Transfer barcode scanner.The approach is based in part on the 2004 ASHRAE Handbook--Systems and Equipment, Chapter 1, "System Analysis And Selection Process. in addition, our scoring is based on our own design, construction, commissioning, and building management experience, as well as the use of the "Intelli-Hood Control" system (www.melinkcorp.com) for variable volume kitchen hood exhaust system. Scoring may differ based on project location, current costs, and local engineering experience.* Transfer recommissioning manual.[] TERMINAL EQUIPMENT AND SPACEEquipment designation: AHU-1, EF-1, and EF-2Total HVAC system application score is 246 points out of a possible 320 points, for a rating of 77%.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions regarding this application checklist, contact Amanda McKew at amckew@rdkengineers.com.* Based on 3,000 cfm kitchen hood exhaust at maximum flow* Confirm Division 1 mechanical requirements (O&M manuals, record drawings, etc., have been submitted).DOCUMENTATION TO BUILDING MANAGERApplication ChecklistBUILDING SYSTEM DEMONSTRATION* Transfer recommended organization chart.* Transfer planned maintenance workorders.* Document noise levels in cafeteria, kitchen, and fans on roof.* Based on 1,200 cfm dishwasher exhaustLEED[TM] CERTIFICATION COMPLIANCE* Spot check system training during the functional performance tests.* Transfer final commissioning report including:Area served: 5,000-sq-ft cafeteria/kitchen facilityDRAWING REVIEW** Meeting minutes; and** "Scrubbed" functional performance test narratives for future use;The following system analysis and analytical scorecard can be used to assess the constant volume HVAC system to serve a cafeteria and associated constant volume kitchen hood and dishwasher exhaust systems vs. variable air volume HVAC system, VAV kitchen hood exhaust system, and constant volume dishwasher exhaust system.* Confirm 10-month warranty meeting to revisit site and discuss "lessons learned," etc.* Confirm LEED measuring and verification is programmed and is trending.** Project photograph log and associated photographs.[] CENTRAL EQUIPMENT** Prefunctional performance test checklists;* Review contractor startup sheets.* Maintain corrective action log and necessary retesting.* Transfer CMMS software with/or equipment database.Application Notes* Confirm LEED[TM] energy optimization software and associated system simulation (from cogeneration application) is programmed and is trending.* Confirm Division 15 mechanical requirements have been met.Cafeteria Central AHU with Kitchen and Dishwasher Exhaust System Application* Spot check O&M manuals during the functional performance tests.* Confirm equipment complies with shop drawing submittal.* Complete equipment room inspection punchlist.* Commissioning engineer facilitates functional performance tests.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions regarding this designer checklist, contact Amanda McKew at amckew@rdkengineers.com This column is meant to provide some basic guidelines for good design. Always consult all necessary codes and resources relevant to each particular project.

I Shay passes inspection with no observations noted

I Shay Cosmetics, Hawthorne, CA, Irvine, CA, District

* Hire a consultant prior to manufacturing OTC drugs;I Shay Cosmetics, Hawthorne, CA, 2/5-9/04, Doc. 109824M, $3 plus retrieval.* Update pest control program to address types of insecticides used and segregation;"I also suggested he review 21 CFR part 210 and 211, as well as visit the FDA website before making any OTC drug products to ensure the firm can manufacture them according to GMPs," the report stated.* Identify, segregate and discard unused, expired and old raw materials;During the close out meeting, Gonzalez also made the following recommendations:Gonzalez reviewed the following procedures, the EIR stated: compounding, sanitizing, packaging, shipping, receiving and laboratory. No objectionable conditions were noted, although Gonzalez did suggest to President Mehdi Ehsan that he approve procedures, as none had approving signatures and dates.Ehsan told Gonzalez that he did not have a complaint-handling procedure "because he has never had a complaint with any products. Ehsan agreed with FDA's suggestion to develop written procedure, written recall procedure and refer to 21 CFR 211 before making any OTC drug products.* Validate equipment; and* Approve all procedures.No 483 observations were noted in an initial inspection of I Shay Cosmetics, Hawthorne, CA, but investigator John Gonzalez from the Irvine, CA, District Office reminded management to review all guidance and GMPs regarding the manufacture of OTC drug products.Regarding manufacturing codes, Ehsan said the firm "assigns a unique manufacturing code and three-year expiration date to finished products." However, the FDAer noted, the company lacked a system to assign the code and no stability studies were on-hand for finished product. "Ehsan promised to develop a system for assigning a unique code to all products and look into the stability issue," the report stated.The EIR noted that I Shay is a custom manufacturer and private labeler of cosmetics and own label distributor of industrial detergents. Products it manufactures include lotions, skin creams, light detergents, dishwashing liquids, car wash products and shampoos, according to FDA records.

I Shay Cosmetics, Hawthorne, CA, 2/5-9/04, Doc. 109824M, $3 plus retrieval.

The Women's Daily Irony Supplement

Work Title: The Women's Daily Irony Supplement

That is the kind of witty observation Gruen makes in her newest book, and one that millions of baby boomer parents, especially moms, will certainly identity with. Gruen is the creator and host of the blog Off My Noodle in which she riffs on parenthood, friendship, family life, and being a woman in the new millennium. This book is a compilation of nearly sixty of her favorite columns.Work Author(s): Judy GruenHer children are older than in her earlier books, and she realizes there's now a wider range of possibilities to embarrass them.Creative Minds PressA graduate of the University of California-Berkeley and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Gruen is the author of two previous books; both humorous looks at timely topics: Carpool Tunnel Syndrome: Motherhood as Shuttle Diplomacy and Till We Eat Again: Confessions of a Diet Dropout.She's the mother of four (two teens and two almost-teens) with a solid marriage of nearly twenty years under her belt, so she writes what she knows. After a neighbor sells Gruen on a new skin care system, she notices the name of each anti-aging product begins with the letters "Re," "a prefix that essentially means 'Do over.'"As Gruen points out, women need to take care of themselves, before they come to a certain point---as she did when her friends called, inviting her to go with them to a club: "Sam's Club or Wal-Mart?" she inquired.When humorist Judy Gruen's husband presented her with a visit to a spa for her birthday, she realized, "This was the first time I ever had a facial steam treatment other than when I opened the dishwasher in the middle of a load."There are some laugh-out-loud moments as readers see their own families reflected in ordinary life transitions such as teens learning how to drive. Gruen remarks on the irony that the same kids who "can't even remember to close a refrigerator door when they leave the kitchen" shoulder the enormous responsibility "of navigating our 3,000 pound minivan down city streets."For example, the whole family goes camping and Mom suggests singing around the campfire. Suddenly, it's just Gruen and her husband. "The kids had vanished, but I spied one hiding behind a nearby tree. I had warned him that he would one day regret choosing fire engine red sneakers, but of course he didn't listen," she writes.The book is divided into five parts (Part I is "A Woman's Home is Her Hassle") with like topics organized together. The articles are usually a couple of pages in length, making for a fairly quick read, a plus for busy boomer moms who will see a bit of themselves in Gruen's stories and travails.Humor251 pages, Softcover $14.95ISBN: 9780974961040

As Gruen points out, women need to take care of themselves, before they come to a certain point---as she did when her friends called, inviting her to go with them to a club: "Sam's Club or Wal-Mart?" she inquired.

Cascade Dishwasher Detergent - What You Need To Know

Clean dishes are about more than just the dishwasher. It's about the detergent too! And with so many on the market we decided to tell you about our favorite - Cascade Dishwasher Detergent - here's what you need to know.

Now I love Dawn as a dishwashing detergent so the logical deduction would be that I would like the Cascade dishwasher version. And of course I was right.It's a good idea to make sure your hands are dry before grabbing the pouches since they could become squishy and start to dissolve in your hands.The packaging that holds the pouches is easy to open. Use your scissors, cut the top, and then it reseals with a zip lock style top. In fact Cascade has gone as far as including a diagram of a pair of scissors at the top. The reseal holds well and since the pouches are water soluble that's important!The tablets are rather intriguing to look at. The plastic casing will dissolve with the water and inside the pouch is Dawn dishwashing liquid and Cascade dishwashing powder. That's it. And just in case you might forget whose product you have in bold red letters on the bottom you'll discover the word Cascade.Cascade two in one has been a real hit and I think it goes beyond the great job it does. When you open the package you see these wonderful little bright blue and spring green bubble. They are rather refreshing on their own.Both of the scents that are available are nice but if you don't like fragrance or are sensitive to it stick with the original blue. No matter which you choose the strong smell of the dishwasher soap can still be smelled.There are actually two varieties that you can choose from. The Original blue Dawn or the new Citrus Breeze scented orange Dawn. What will you do with two choices?You can buy a pack of 20 pouches for around $4.00 so that works out to about 20 cents a cleaning. Shop on line and you can even save more. I think It's a great buy and with all that cleaning power how can you go wrong?Now let's talk about performance. On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give this product a 10. It works well, cuts grease, no streaks, no spots, and no fogging. The Action Pac works great! There's no reason to rinse the dishes. It cuts through grease without hesitation. And it's easy and convenient to use.They are a breeze to use. No unwrapping, no pouring, no puncturing. Just take the pouch out of the bag, pop it into the dishwasher's soap dispenser, close the door and start the dishwasher. That's it - how simple is that? No fuss no muss!

You can buy a pack of 20 pouches for around $4.00 so that works out to about 20 cents a cleaning. Shop on line and you can even save more. I think It's a great buy and with all that cleaning power how can you go wrong?

The Time Is Right For The Kidco BabySteps Electric Food Mill

Hey, Wayne Baker here.

Researching products has led me to see a common comment with some inexpensive food mills, that the motor wears out after two or three uses and that they don't make enough food at once to be useful.People who would benefit the most from purchasing the KidCo BabySteps Electric Food Mill are parents who are interested in the best for their baby's health without going to a lot of extra hassle. This device is so easy to use and clean that it really doesn't require a lot of extra work to provide your baby with the best possible nutrition at a very reasonable price.The KidCo BabySteps Electric Food Mill is worth every penny of its cost.The only thing that might be nice would be the addition of a recipe book, although this is certainly a minor complaint, and one could certainly upgrade to the KidCo BabySteps Basic Natural Feeding System, which includes a book.With a new baby in the house approaching six months of age, we have started to think about solid foods. With our previous two children, we simply used commercially available processed foods. This time around, we want to do something better.With the expense of and difficulty in obtaining commercially available organic foods, a viable alternative seems to be to make our own.And you're reading my uncensored review of what I really thought about the Kidco BabySteps Electric Food Mill. Why am I writing this? Well, when I was thinking of buying the Kidco BabySteps Electric Food Mill, there weren't many real reviews around. So, I thought I'd do a quick write-up to help any of you who are in the same position I was.One of the things that I hate the most is cleaning. I am familiar with food processing and blender type devices that typically require careful cleaning of the motor since it cannot be immersed in water. The KidCo food mill has been ingeniously designed so that the five parts that need to be cleaned can all be simply put in the top rack of a dishwasher, while the motor is completely isolated and does not require cleaning at all. Very nice.This system consists of an electric food mill with a two-cup capacity bowl, a very nice size for preparing adequate food for several days.Many pediatricians recommend organic foods until the age of three. During this time babies are especially susceptible to the effects of environmental toxins, due to the fact that their cells are reproducing very rapidly.A very nice system that I have found is the KidCo BabySteps Electric Food Mill.

The KidCo BabySteps Electric Food Mill is worth every penny of its cost.

Make Money Online By Selling Information

The Internet has been dubbed The Information Superhighway and it certainly lives up to the name. Everyday, millions of people use the Internet and the World Wide Web to seek out information; whether it's reviews of a new dishwasher, cheapest deals on package holidays, what's on at the local theatre or tracking down old friends. Chances are, if you're looking for information, it can be found somewhere online.

Whilst a lot of information is freely available online, it's widely accepted that the age of the commercial Internet has arrived. Some may argue that there shouldn't be any cost associated with information and whilst you may be able to find the same information at no cost somewhere on the Internet, often the time saved and the convenience of getting exactly what you want is considered worthy of the expense. As an example, you could try and borrow someone's copy of a newspaper or you could pay to access the latest breaking news from the comfort of your own desk. Unsurprisingly, a large number of people chose the latter when the New York Times switched to a subscription model back in 2003.Whether or not you actually make a sale is another matter. Just like most other purchasing decisions, if the consumer considers the value of your offer as being greater than its cost (or the pain of not purchasing) then you're likely to make a sale. Get the balance wrong and they'll likely move on.Despite the hype about making money quickly, easily, out of thin air or the dot com boom there is money to be made on the Internet. It's a simplification of the process, but if you're someone with the capability to meet some of this demand for information then you have an opportunity to make money online. As a supplier of information, you have the ability to help make the Internet more useful for the consumer by delivering what they want, when they want it. You can, of course, charge a fee for providing this convenience.There's a great demand for information online. If you're one of the people who can supply to this demand, especially if the information is specialist or niche, then there's little to stop you from charging for your services. With a suitable marketplace to pitch your offer, there's nothing to hold you back from trying is there?

There's a great demand for information online. If you're one of the people who can supply to this demand, especially if the information is specialist or niche, then there's little to stop you from charging for your services. With a suitable marketplace to pitch your offer, there's nothing to hold you back from trying is there?

Another Reason To Support Direct Mail-It's Green

Additional data is needed to pinpoint mail's true environmental impact, but it's in the range of 50 grams of C02 per piece, according to the first study ever on the issue. The new research demonstrates that leisure and other everyday activities - watching television, taking a trip, or running a clothes dryer, dishwasher, or refrigerator - account for most of a consumers' total carbon footprint.

In the study, initial estimates of C02 per mail piece are used to compare mail with everyday household activities. How does mail stack up? Consider this: running a single refrigerator for a year is equivalent to the creation and delivery of 5,000 letters; taking a two-minute shower is equivalent to receiving 40 letters; running an electric water heater for a year is about the same as 20,000 letters received; and the list goes on.The Environmental Impact of Mail: A Baseline, published by Pitney Bowes, is a comprehensive review of existing or published data on the value chain of mail from a variety of sources including regulatory agencies, not-for-profits, and U.S. and international postal services. Using these sources, it establishes a baseline of mail's environmental impact, compares it with the C02 output of everyday human activities, and recommends a set of key "next steps" for the mailing industry to be even more environmentally responsible.* Identify opportunities to maximize the utilization of the vast infrastructure of the posts and private carriers and suppliers to benefit the environment.The importance and value of mail as a critical service and communications provider, as well as its interdependency with national and state economies, makes mail's sustainability an important and relevant issue, not just for the industry, but for the well-being of today's society. With this new research, the facts on mail's true environmental impact are available www.pb.com/mailimpact and should be considered in discussing the future state of the mailing industry.The mailing industry is also pursuing many initiatives to further reduce the carbon footprint associated with the production and delivery of mail. Among the activities currently being undertaken are using more environmentally responsible mailing materials, better address quality efforts that will reduce Undeliverable-As-Addressed mail, increased recycling, and energy and fuel conservation initiatives for buildings and vehicles.According to the study, the life cycle of letter mail can be divided into six stages: mail design; manufacturing the writing paper and envelopes; production of the letter; distribution of the letter; use; and the disposal of the letter. All six of these stages should be examined in the calculation of mail's environmental impact. Although this study examines the C02 emissions of mail across all six of these dimensions, the primary focus is in the fourth stage of mail's life cycle, which is the post's responsibility to collect, sort, and deliver mail to customers.* Establish mechanisms to share best practices and establish standards for the industry.* Continue to study C02 emissions and other environmental impacts of mail.The ramifications of this registry - which would eliminate approximately 8.4 million jobs nationwide and halt the $1 trillion economic activity of the mailing and printing industry - have not been considered. This new research by Pitney Bowes enables individuals, companies, and industry associations to have a public dialogue based on fact, rather than perception. It contributes to a centralized and standardized set of data that is necessary to calculate mail's environmental impact.In 2005, 36 percent of direct mail in the United States was recycled, increasing by about 8 percent in 2006 to 39 percent. The recycling of mail not only reduces landfill waste, but also potentially reduces energy requirements and emissions at paper mills. Increasing the percentage of recycled direct mail and reducing the amount of waste mail created are important considerations for the mailing industry.This new study on mail is published at a time when all industries are under intense pressure to take more action on climate change and lessen their environmental impact. The individual impact of mail on the environment has been inflated by misguided environmentalist groups and proponents of a Do Not Mail registry, which aims to dismantle how and which types of mail are delivered to consumer's doorsteps.Facility resources include the postal retail and mail handling facilities, and sorting equipment, primarily in the form of heat and electricity. Transportation resources include the fuel emissions associated with the collection, inter-postal facility transportation, and final transportation to the customer. The importance of minimizing carbon emissions in these areas are reinforced as global posts are currently working toward improved efficiency in vehicle fleets and buildings. The U.S. Postal Service is also working on a comprehensive Life Cycle Inventory that will introduce new data on the carbon footprint of mail.* Further educate mailers and consumers regarding the relative environmental impacts of mail (versus other activities) to correct uninformed and inaccurate perceptions.Other InitiativesOverall, the mailing industry has adopted many initiatives to reduce mail's carbon footprint, but must expand and collaborate on environmentally responsible efforts to further reduce the environmental impact associated with all six life cycle stages of letter mail. Some key steps to follow for the mailing industry in this area include:In addition to mail's small environmental impact, it is made from an increasingly renewable resource, trees, and can be recycled. In fact, sustainable forests and their related products are increasing in developed countries, despite growth in population and economic activity.Paul Robbertz is the vice president of Environment Health and Safety for Pitney Bowes Inc.There are two areas within the post's C02 emissions that are crucial to measuring and understanding their carbon footprints: facility resources, and transportation resources.* Address consumer behavior as a need to improve recycling and the understanding of sustainable forestry.The Environmental Impact of Mail: A Baseline, is a starting point for further research. It will be continuously updated and refined as the mailing industry continues its progress in the area of environmental responsibility.

Paul Robbertz is the vice president of Environment Health and Safety for Pitney Bowes Inc.

This Mother's Day, Give the Moms in Your Life the Gift of Style With Smart Mom's Teething Bling(R)

If necessity is the mother of invention, then
she would love Smart Mom's Teething Bling ( www.smartmomjewelry.com ). Smart
Mom co-founder Kendra LaDuca came up with the idea for fashionable teething
accessories while her daughter was chewing on her leather watchband.
Investing four years' time and over $60,000, she and co-founder Amy Maurer
Creel created a line of soft silicone accessories that are easy to keep
track of, food safe and phthalate-free, and dishwasher safe for easy
disinfecting. Now, seven years after they founded the company, they have a
genuine hit on their hands. Smart Mom's Teething Bling has been spotted on
celebrity moms like Tori Spelling and Angela Bassett and has earned rave
reviews from thousands of moms across the nation.

Contact: Amy Maurer Creel 1-301-774-6981 Email ContactFounded in 2002 as a way to promote pretty and practical products for real
Moms, Smart Mom has created the successful Teething Bling® line of
fashionable teething accessories and is actively developing other products.
Smart Mom donates a percentage of all retail sales to CureSearch and Dress
For Success.Teething Bling is affordable and easy to accessorize with. There are dozens
of colors and several styles, for moms who like to wear bangles or funky
necklaces or ones who just want something to hang off a chain in their baby
bag. Teething Bling can match or contrast any style, and a sassy pendant or
bracelet handy to capture teething toddlers' attention gives moms a reason
to wear jewelry again.Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to NewsvineAbout Smart Mom, LLC

Contact: Amy Maurer Creel 1-301-774-6981 Email Contact

U.S. District Court, Western District of New York Case Summaries:

U.S. District Court, Western District of New York

Judge TelescaDisqualification of CounselJudge FoschioRuling: Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment is granted. The court finds that the Redland policy unambiguously and permissibly excludes Gibraltar from coverage. Accordingly, Gibraltar has failed to establish that it was considered "insured" under the policy. The court also finds that Redland has no duty to indemnify Washington for his injuries.Anthony J. Piazza, of Hiscock & Barclay LLP, for the plaintiff and Leonard D. Zaccagnino, of Shaw & Shaw, P.C., for defendant WashingtonPlaintiff asserts defendants' failure to timely treat plaintiff and provide reasonable accommodations for his handicap violates plaintiff's rights under Title II of the Americans with Disability Act. As to certain of the defendants, plaintiff raises Eighth Amendment claims of deliberate indifference to a medical need. Defendants now move to disqualify Duke Holzman. Defendants contend that disqualification is warranted based on the possibility that Dr. Christopher Ritter, an ECMC orthopedic surgeon who treated plaintiff at ECMC, and as a brother of a member of the Duke Holzman firm, may be called to testify as a fact witness, and that such testimony would be more favorable to plaintiff than would otherwise be the case.In denying plaintiff's application for disability benefits, defendant determined plaintiff has the severe impairments of tendonitis and poly-peripheral neuropathy, but does not have an impairment or combination of impairments that meets or medically equals one of the listed impairments. Defendant also determined that although plaintiff's limitations diminish her ability to perform a full range of light work, plaintiff had the residual functional capacity to perform the representative occupations of bench assembler, packager, charge account clerk and order clerk within twelve months of the alleged onset date. The plaintiff was found to be not entirely credible.Marullo v. Astrue, 08-CV-818Amanda R. Jordan, of the Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, for the plaintiff and Kevin D. Robinson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, for the defendantBackground: Judge Foschio issued a report and recommendation on the disposition of this case, which is now before Judge Arcara. The plaintiff is seeking judicial review of an administrative denial of benefits. Specifically, plaintiff Mary E. Marullo seeks review of the defendant's decision denying her Supplemental Security Income under Title XVI of the Social Security Act. Plaintiff, was born on May 17, 1980, has a high school education, one year of college and has previously worked briefly as a dishwasher and nursing home aide, but has no past relevant work experience relative to her disability claim benefits.The court denies the motion for disqualification on the basis that it is mere speculation and it observes that "it is unlikely that Dr. Ritter's probable loyalty to his employer, ECMC, would be overridden by any familial bond with his brother whose firm is serving as pro bono counsel to a prisoner such as Plaintiff. If anything, it is Plaintiff who may need to be concerned with the possibility that any favorable testimony, particularly opinion testimony by Dr. Ritter supporting Plaintiff's claims, could be subject to a credibility challenge based on Dr. Ritter's relationship to Plaintiff's assigned law firm."Ruling: The court notes that defendants did not point to any provision of the New York Rules of Professional Conduct implicated by the relationship at issue here; the court's "perusal of the Rules reveals no provision that directly or indirectly supports Defendants' theory of disqualification." However, cases have held that a sibling relationship between a prosecutor and a prospective witness in a criminal case was insufficient to require disqualification and appointment of a special, i.e., different, prosecutor.Bernadette J. Clor, of Duke Holzman Photiadis & Gresens, LLP, for the plaintiff and Kim S. Murphy, Assistant NYS Attorney General, for the defendantsRedland contends that based on its insurance policy issued to Anstrom, it has no duty to defend any person or entity against liability for bodily injury or property damage arising out of the accident, and asks this court to award it costs of suit and attorney's fees. Redland moves for summary judgment on the grounds that there are no material issues of fact in dispute, and that it is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. Defendants Anstrom, Gibraltar and Washington do not oppose plaintiff's motion for summary judgment.Judge ArcaraWashington brought a personal injury action in New York State Supreme Court against Anstrom and Gibraltar for injuries he allegedly sustained in an accident at Gibraltar's facilities while delivering a load of steel coils for Anstrom. When Washington brought the load to Buffalo, Gibraltar employees unloaded the coils from the flatbed truck with a crane as Washington watched from the back of the truck. As the crane was lifting the last of the coils from the flatbed, the Gibraltar employee dropped the coil back onto the flatbed. As a result of the impact, Washington was thrown into the air and then back onto the trailer's surface causing him to suffer bodily injury.Ruling: Judge Foschio recommended that the defendant's motion to dismiss the complaint be granted as the ALJ's decision was based upon substantial evidence. Now, Judge Arcara adopts those recommendations and grants the defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings thereby dismissing the complaint.Background: In this prisoner pro se case, plaintiff alleges, beginning in March 2008, deliberate indifference to his serious physical problems stemming from defendants' failure to treat a wound to plaintiff's left thigh and complications associated with the amputation of plaintiff's left leg below the knee and use of a prosthetic device. The pleadings do not reveal whether the amputation and left thigh wound occurred while plaintiff was incarcerated, rather, plaintiff alleges Defendants Greco and Bangsil, while serving as physicians at the Gowanda Correctional facility, failed to treat plaintiff's wound and complications associated with his prosthetic device such as pain, sores, excess drainage, infection and other injuries.Adams v. McNamara, 08-CV-832Background: In this declaratory judgment action, plaintiff Redland Insurance Co. seeks a determination that it is not obligated to defend against liability or indemnify defendants Anstrom Cartage Co., its insured, Gibraltar Steel Corp., a third party to which Anstrom provided delivery services, and Willie Washington, a truck driver for Anstrom.InsuranceRedland Select Insurance Co. v. Washington, 08-CV-6222

Bernadette J. Clor, of Duke Holzman Photiadis & Gresens, LLP, for the plaintiff and Kim S. Murphy, Assistant NYS Attorney General, for the defendants

Home Improvement (Season 1) DVD Review

Nominated for 9 Golden Globes and 34 Emmys, including 2 for Outstanding Comedy Series, Home Improvement was the number one family-friendly comedy for most of the 1990's decade. Created by three writers who worked on wide range of sitcoms, such as The Cosby Show (1984) and Roseanne (1988), Home Improvement is one of a number of 1990's smash hit sitcoms built around a lead character who stars as a stand-up comic in real life. Some of the other series include Seinfeld (1990), The Drew Carey Show (1995), Everybody Loves Raymond (1996), and King Of Queens (1998) among others. One of the trailblazers in this area, Home Improvement ranked in the Top 10 among Nielsen-rated shows for seven of its eight seasons (it ranked #11 in Season 7). One notable tidbit of trivia is that Sears was approached to sponsor the show which would've put Craftsman tools in the hands of Tim "The Toolman" Taylor (as opposed to the fictional "Binford" brand), but Sears rejected the offer because they feared Tim Allen's prior conviction on a drug charge might be interpreted as unfriendly to families (funny, since Home Improvement later fell under the moniker of the Walt Disney Company)�

Episode 4 (Satellite on a Hot Tim's Roof) Air Date: 10-08-1991Episode 8 (Flying Sauces) Air Date: 11-05-1991Episode 15 (Forever Jung) Air Date: 02-04-1992Episode 7 (Nothing More Than Feelings) Air Date: 10-29-1991The Home Improvement DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere in which Jill goes to a job interview after telling Tim not to mess with the dishwasher. But Tim inevitably ruins the dishwasher when his attempt to super-charge it goes awry. When the job interviewers pass her over, Jill returns home dejected, and Tim only makes things worse - leaving room for a bit of Wilson advice to save the day for Tim� Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Flying Sauces" in which the K&B Construction guys show off their jobsite cooking skills on Tool Time while Tim and Jill plot revenge on their eldest boys, and "What About Bob?" in which Tim cheats in a Tool Time trivia contest in order to beat guest Bob Vila�Episode 13 (Up Your Alley) Air Date: 01-07-1992Episode 18 (Baby, It's Cold Outside) Air Date: 02-18-1992Episode 2 (Mow Better Blues) Air Date: 09-26-1991Below is a list of episodes included on the Home Improvement (Season 1) DVD:Episode 24 (Stereo-Typical) Air Date: 05-05-1992Episode 21 (A Battle of Wheels) Air Date: 03-17-1992Episode 3 (Off Sides) Air Date: 10-01-1991Episode 6 (Adventures in Fine Dining) Air Date: 10-22-1991Episode 22 (Luck Be a Taylor Tonight) Air Date: 04-07-1992Episode 9 (Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble) Air Date: 11-19-1991Episode 14 (For Whom the Belch Tolls) Air Date: 01-14-1992Episode 5 (Wild Kingdom) Air Date: 10-15-1991Episode 12 (Yule Better Watch Out) Air Date: 12-17-1991Episode 17 (What About Bob?) Air Date: 02-11-1992Home Improvement centers around the life of Tim Taylor (Tim Allen), a home improvement expert who hosts his own local TV show "Tool Time" on cable access. Tim and his wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) live in a house in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan with their three boys Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), and Mark (Taran Noah Smith). On "Tool Time," Tim is flanked by the flannel-clad, easy-going Al Borland (Richard Karn) who is often the butt of Tim's jokes and harbors a neurotic tendency toward perfectionism. At home, Tim's numerous domestic missteps lead him to continuously seek the advice of his well-traveled, near-perfect neighbor Wilson (Earl Hindman), whose lower face is never seen (only his eyes)� Marked by Tim's abundant clumsiness as a home improvement guru and his inept ability to display sensitivity toward his wife, Home Improvement is a classic sitcom that relies on formulaic episodes of slapstick humor and zinging one-liners. It's a formula that works, but grows tiresome as the show progresses�Episode 23 (Al's Fair in Love and War) Air Date: 04-28-1992Episode 16 (Jill's Birthday) Air Date: 02-04-1992Episode 20 (Birds of a Feather Flock to Taylor) Air Date: 03-03-1992Episode 19 (Unchained Malady) Air Date: 02-25-1992Episode 11 (Look Who's Not Talking) Air Date: 12-10-1991Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 09-17-1991

Episode 24 (Stereo-Typical) Air Date: 05-05-1992