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A million pieces of stainless steel toy parts assembled into a nearly seven-story model skyscraper glimmered under the hot sun in New York on Tuesday, in American artist Chris Burden's latest project. The 16,000-pound (7,250-kg) "poetic interpretation" of the 30 Rock Building at Rockefeller Center was made of replicated Erector set pieces from the toy created by A.C. Gilbert in 1912, Burden said."He was inspired by the buildings to build this toy system and I used this toy system to build a building," Burden said."It's a poetic interpretation of 30 Rock, it's not a model of it. It references all the tall buildings in Manhattan," Burden said, standing near his 65-foot (20-metre) tower.The project, assembled by 20 to 30 people using screwdrivers, began in late 2006 and was put together in Los Angeles County and trucked across the country in two parts."It's very reflective, sort of like a faceted jewel, really picks up the light," Burden said.The exhibit, titled "What my dad gave me," will be on display through July 19 at Rockefeller Center.Burden, who lives in Los Angeles, was born in Boston in 1946. He received attention as a performance artist in 1971 when he was shot in the arm for the sake of art in a performance called "Shoot."

For toy enthusiasts, it was almost like Christmas in June. The Marx Toy Museum in Erie began selling off much of its collection this weekend after permanently closing its doors two months ago.About 75 people had lined up by 10 a.m. Saturday for their chance to purchase toys like Penny the Poodle, the Great Garloo and the Green Machine—some of the hundreds of toys produced in Erie's Marx manufacturing plants from the early 1930s until 1975. "This is all a part of Erie's history," said museum co-founder Betty Portenier as shoppers swirled around her. The 8-year-old museum closed because of a lack of funding, volunteers and public support. About 1,000 people came through the museum each year. Despite offers of cash from philanthropists—and offers to display the collection from the Erie Manufacturers' Association and Erie County—the museum's board of directors decided to sell much of its inventory. Portenier said the proceeds will be used to pay the museum's bills, though she would not discuss how much is owed. Portenier and board member Judy Emling said the museum might someday reopen if enough funding can be acquired. Some collections remain in storage. "We need $50,000 at least," Emling said. "No museum can function well without a full-time director, and we need a paid director to keep going." Mark Starocci, 53, of Erie, had both nostalgia and investment in mind as he shopped for toys. His top prize included the Great Garloo, a green monster marked at $295. It sold for $17.98 in 1961. "I want to recapture things I once had," Starocci said. "I used to play with these toys. But I'll also keep it as a financial investment for the future."

Motorola announced two new Bluetooth-enabled headsets, the H620 and H560. Both headsets feature noise reduction and echo cancellation technology as well as automatic volume reduction that adjust to the level of noise surrounding the users. In addition these headsets employ TrueComfort design which also helps in reducing background noise when calling. And most importantly the H620 and H560 headsets use the EasyPair technology which enables easy connection/pairing with more than 200 Bluetooth-enabled handsets. Both handsets also feature a three-color battery indicator light which tells users of the headset’s remaining battery life. We expect to see both H620 and H560 hitting the market sometime in Q3 2008. If you’re planning to get one of these Bluetooth headsets, you can either get the H620 which is geared more for in-car use and comes with dashboard headset holder and rapid in-car charger or the H560 which you can take along with you anywhere.

Most new cellphones feature integrated Bluetooth technology. If your phone offers stereo Bluetooth (also referred to as A2DP for Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), you can listen to your music wirelessly with a pair of compatible Bluetooth headphones. For example, the comfortable Cardo S-2 ($99.99) behind-the-neck wireless headphones can play your favorite songs while your phone is tucked in your pocket, purse, briefcase or backpack. When a call comes in, the music is automatically muted so you can chat using the S-2's built-in microphone. Buttons on the right earpiece also let you pause, change tracks or adjust volume. Battery life is about 7.5 hours for music and talk and up to 150 hours for standby time. A similar product, the iLuv i222 Bluetooth phone headset ($149.99), has an optional adapter (for $89.99) that snaps into any portable media player, such as an iPod, so you can also use these wireless headphones with it.

The Flip Mino, the third version of the popular Flip video camera, launched today to a torrent of well orchestrated press coverage. We’ve been a little harsh on the Flip in the past, so I was pleased when they reached out to us under embargo to write about the new launch. The only problem was, they wouldn’t send a test unit until after the embargo was over. We declined. But I noted that nearly all of the press coverage today dutifully followed the suggestive comments given in the press information. The WSJ writer frankly sounded like she wanted to quit and go work for the company.So I haven’t actually tried out the new Flip Mino. But I’ve spoken with people who have, and I used the Flip Ultra, which launched late last year, for a while before abandoning it. And I just can’t figure out why people like this thing.None of the reviews compared the Flip to it’s core competition: normal digital cameras. Instead everyone focuses on the fact that Flip has sold nearly a million units, saying that’s 15-20% of the camcorder market.

Samsung today announced two environment-friendly mobile handsets, W510 and F268 at World IT Show in Seoul. W510 is Samsung's first mobile phone with 'bio-plastic' made from natural material extracted from corns. Moreover, when producing W510, Samsung did not use any heavy metals, such as Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium, and applied water-soluble coating. Samsung F268 with all the accessories including charger and headset does not contain BFRs(Brominated Flame Retardant) or PVC. Samsung F268 has an alarm function to encourage users to unplug their charger when the devices are fully charged.Samsung has been making an effort to develop more renewable and eco-friendly material compared with common plastic produced from petroleum. Both Samsung W510 for the Korean market and F268 for the Chinese market will be launched in June.

 Cement Sheet This money is urgently needed to radically reform the Mombasa-basedport, operated by the Kenya Ports Authority, which has been starvedof cash for upgrading and expansion. This guarantee also points to a bolder strategy by the Governmentin financing huge infrastructure projects planned in the currentfinancial year by offering guarantees to parastatals with strongbalance sheets like KPA to borrow directly in the internationalmarkets. KPA is one of the few parastatals that regularly pays thegovernment a sizeable dividend. The Treasury is also expected to enter into the local and globaldebt markets to sell infrastructure bonds and Eurobonds. Among the projects expected to be implemented is raising money toimplement the Nairobi Metropolitan Authority plan. This financingplan is expected to be in the form of a possible central governmentguarantee to raise billions of shillings through municipal bondsand syndicated loans. Entry point The Mombasa port has particularly received attention, because itserves as an entry for goods into Kenya and five neighbouringcountries. Its poor state has been a major obstacle to the competitiveness of the local and regionaleconomies. If the port is fixed as envisaged by the five-year goalsunder the Vision 2030 development strategy, Mombasa will play asignificant role in the regional trade routes. The proposal comes as the strategic role of the Mombasa port comesunder threat from new projects-one of them a transcontinentalrailway stretching from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Dar essalaam that could substantially shift the route for consignmentsentering the Great Lake's region. The guarantee is however, likely to raise questions over how theTreasury will hedge the foreign currency and interest rate risksthat this loan is likely to pose to the balance sheet of KPA andthe exposure that taxpayers must face if things don't go accordingto plan. This is because such guarantees have in the past forced thegovernment to divert funds to rescue state-owned enterprises thatran into trouble. This is especially in the 90s when suchguarantees were abused by parastatals like the Kenya MeatCommission and Nzoia Sugar, which almost brought the lenderNational Bank of Kenya to its knees. However, KPA's guarantee is likely to have high resonance with thebusiness community, which for almost a decade have been calling forthe port to be fixed because it had made Kenya an expensivemanufacturing location due to a slow flow of goods. Delays in clearing cargo at the port and surcharges on importersfor overstayed goods all count in arriving at the retail price ofgoods either imported as finished products or made from rawmaterials passing through the port. The government has already allocated Sh430 million for starting theport expansion project, while awaiting Parliament to approve thesessional paper. The first phase of the expansion of the port willbe ready in five years while the final phase will end in 2015. "We expect the implementation of this project to significantlyreduce the dwell time in handling port cargo and bring our portoperations in line with international standards. This and other reforms will also position the port of Mombasa as aregional service hub and generate increased trade andemployment," said Finance Minister Amos Kimunya when he readthe budget speech for the financial year starting next month. The Sh16.18 billion loan will be used to redesign the port tohandle two million containers annually from the current 600,000containers and position the port as a regional service hub.

 USB Band Singapore, 17th June 2008 - For people on the move keeping in touchvia the internet with colleagues, clients, friends and family is anecessity. Now Sony Ericsson gives users the speed they need in astylish way with its two new modems complete with HSPA technology.Users can receive 7.2Mb/s in download and up to 2.0Mb/s in uploadspeeds. This means that sending attachments via email such asimages or video content can be sent up to five times faster thanbefore. "The MD400 and MD400g are high performance and stylish devices thatenable you to have all your essentials at hand even when you areout of reach from broadband at home or in the office. The USBs aresimple, quick to install and the multiple technologies guaranteeinternet access every time," said Johan Tysklind, marketingdirector mobile computing at Sony Ericsson. "The combined M2 MemoryStick Micro(TM) and the microSD(TM) slot really makes theseproducts stand out from the crowd and the MD400g even includes aGPS receiver." Sony Ericsson MD400/MD400g - the world on the move * HSPA technology - up to 7.2Mb/s download and 2.0Mb/s upload *First USB modem with combined M2 Memory Stick Micro(TM) andmicroSD(TM) slot * In-built antenna complemented with an additionalswivel 'Diversity' antenna maximizes reception performance andboosts data transmission * Innovative mechanical design allows theswivel antenna to also protect the retractable USB connector whenthe modem is not in use * USB modem - can be used in any PC, laptopor desktop * In-built GPS receiver and GPS utility (MD400g) whichcan link directly in to Google Maps(TM) and mark current location *PlayNow shortcut link - just a click away from entertainment *Auto-install * Auto configuration So whether you are a professional that needs internet accessanytime of the day, a student away from the library or even someonetaking advantage of nice weather in the park the MD400/MD400g rangecan give you the broadband access you need from any mobilelocation. - ENDS - At a glance MD400 Mobile Broadband USB Modem Product Name MD400g MobileBroadband GPS USB Modem Form USB Modem Size Compact size, 70 x 28 x15 mm (open) Weight 28g Dual antenna solution featuring Receiver Diversityoptimisation which ensures highest possible data Antenna rates. theUSB connector retracts when the swivel antenna is folded.Completely closed it covers the port Memory Slot Combo M2 MemoryStick Micro(TM) and microSD(TM) slot GPS (MD400g) Integrated GPSreceiver (NMEA 2.0 interface) HSPA Up to 7.2 Mb/s, downlink Up to2.0 Mb/s, uplink HSPA/UMTS Triple band 850/1900/2100 MHz EDGE/GPRSQuad band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz Operating Systems MS Windows(R)2000, XP, Vista, MAC-OS X supported Sony Ericsson Wireless ManagerAuto-installation and auto-configuration Multi color LEDillumination indicating communication status (and GPS status - MD400g) Features/Enablers 25 supported languages Sony Ericsson updateservices Combo M2 Memory Stick Micro(TM) and microSD(TM) slotIn-built GPS receiver inc. GPS utility (MD400g) PlayNow(TM) icon -a click away from entertainment Colours Exquisite Ebony LustrousWhite Availability Globally available Q4 2008 Legal 1) Facts and features may vary depending on local variant. 2)Talk, standby and video call times are affected by networkpreferences, type of SIM card, connected accessories and variousactivities e.g. games. Kit contents and color options may differfrom market to market. The full range of accessories may not beavailable in every market. (C) Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, 2008. The Liquid Identity logo, BestPic, PlayNow and TrackID aretrademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Ericsson MobileCommunications AB. Sony, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Micro and M2are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Corporation.Ericsson is the trademark or registered trademark ofTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson. Bluetooth is a trademark orregistered trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc. Java and all Java-basedtrademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sunicrosystems, Inc. Google and Google Maps are trademark orregistered trademarks of Google Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be thetrademarks of their respective owners. Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved. Subject tochange without prior notice. Having sold over 100 million phones in 2007, Sony Ericsson iscurrently one of the five largest mobile phone manufacturers in theworld. An important industry player operating in over 80 countries,our phones, accessories and PC cards are synonymous with innovationand style. With R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China, India andNorth America, diversity is one of the core strengths of thecompany. Sony Ericsson was established as a 50:50 joint venture bySony and Ericsson in October 2001, with global corporate functionslocated in London. For more information about Sony Ericsson pleasevisit www.sonyericsson.com FOR MEDIA INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Sony Ericsson GlobalCommunications & PR Mattias Holm: +44 208 762 6065 GeneralPress: +44 208 762 5858 E-mail: press.global@SonyEricsson.comProduct images: www.sonyericsson.com/press

 Component To Video Avocent Corporation (NASDAQ: AVCT) today introduced a new model of theEmerge? MPX extender, the MPX1500T high-definition (HD)multipoint extender transmitter, which wirelessly distributes HDcontent from a source to multiple destinations. Avocent's wirelessHD video distribution system is changing the way digital signagesystems are being deployed. In the rapidly growing digital signagemarket, speed of network deployment has been a key advantage formany strategic partners. Avocent's MPX system improves the valueproposition for both the end-user and the integrator. For theend-user, wireless digital signage minimizes business disruption bynot requiring new wiring and minimizing installation time. For theintegrator, wireless video distribution allows a turn-key system tobe developed, pre-staged, and then dropped into place at thecustomer's site. "Basically, the Avocent wireless system works like a long rangevideo splitter without wires. It just works. The audio videoquality and system reliability has far exceeded our expectations,"said Mike Reese of Ultimate AV. "In addition, Avocent's web basedmanagement has saved us thousands of dollars by allowing us totroubleshoot issues over the Internet without needing to physicallygo to the customer's site." Emerge MPX extenders can be deployed for a variety of professionalvideo applications, such as digital signage -- providing panelswith live content, entertainment and advertising in retail outlets,theaters, restaurants, airports, gas stations, and other venues.The MPX1500T transmitter has added new functionality for centrallymanaging the MPX extender and attached devices over the Internet,such as turning displays on or off. The AV infrastructure createdby the MPX extenders can be centrally accessed and controlledthrough a Web management interface. This latest version of the MPXextender expands the status information available, enabling notonly general troubleshooting of connections, but more specificdetails to ensure uptime and reliability. AV and IT managers cannow connect to each individual transmitter and receiver to reboot,update, adjust the luminance and chrominance, change the frequencythe radio transmits, and various other tuning parameters. For awidely dispersed digital signage network, this minimizes the needto send technical staff onsite for troubleshooting and maintenance. "Being able to drop in a complete system in a matter of minutes hasbeen a key to the build out of our digital signage network. WithoutAvocent's wireless system, installation normally could take hoursor even days to deploy a single site," said Ethen Cheramie ofPetroTV. "The Avocent MPX has been extremely reliable even in ourcustomers' harsh outdoor environments." The MPX1500T transmitter has a universal media port based upon adigital video interface (DVI) connector. Supporting both digitaland analog video signals allows the MPX to use DVI, HDMI, or VGAsignals. The product can even perform a VGA to DVI conversion ifyour source is a computer and your display needs to be digital. TheMPX system works like a video splitter and a video extender bywirelessly delivering audio and video to multiple displays up to1000 feet away. The new MPX extender is dramatically smaller thanthe previous version allowing for more flexible and convenientmounting options. "When it comes to wireless HD video distribution, Avocent leads theindustry," said Mitch Friend, senior vice president and generalmanager of Avocent. "With the introduction of the new MPX1500T,we've added a number of features to make it easier for integratorsto use and centrally manage highly distributed systems withoutleaving their desk." Demonstrations of Avocent's new MPX1500T transmitter will takeplace at the InfoComm 2008 tradeshow, Avocent Booth #N6925 in LasVegas, Nevada June 18 - 20, 2008. Additional details about theMPX1500T and the entire Emerge MPX family can be found at www.avocent.com/proav . The MPX1500T is now available and priced at a MSRP of $995 USD. About Avocent Professional A/V Products The Avocent connectivity and control business unit offers managedAV infrastructure solutions for professional audio/video andbroadcast markets. Our Emerge product family allows industryprofessionals to deliver innovative wired and wireless solutionsfor AV and KVM extension, switching, distribution, and signalprocessing needs. For additional information visit: www.connectivity.avocent.com About Avocent Corporation Avocent delivers IT infrastructure management solutions that reduceoperating costs, simplify management and increase the availabilityof critical, "always on" IT environments via integrated,centralized in-band and out-of-band hardware and software.Additional information is available at: www.avocent.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that are forward-lookingstatements as defined within the U.S. Private Securities LitigationReform Act of 1995. These include statements regarding marketopportunity, product development, engineering and designactivities, and product availability and operability. Theseforward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertaintiesthat could cause actual results to differ materially from thestatements made, including the risks associated with generaleconomic conditions, risks attributable to future product demand,sales, and expenses, risks associated with product design effortsand the introduction of new products and technologies, risksassociated with reliance on a limited number of component suppliersand single source components, and risk associated with obtainingand protecting intellectual property rights. Other factors thatcould cause operating and financial results to differ are describedin Avocent's reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q filed with the U.S.Securities and Exchange Commission. Avocent, the Avocent logo and Emerge are registered trademarks ofAvocent Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and othercountries. All other marks are the property of their respectiveowners. ? 2008 Avocent Corporation.

Steel Ceiling A federal labor agency has levied a fine against Niagara FallsMemorial Medical Center for failing to adequately protectconstruction workers from asbestos exposure during a renovationproject last year. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration ordered the medical facility to pay $110,000 infines for failing to provide proper employee safeguards during aDecember renovation project in which workers handled materialscontaining asbestos. Following up on a complaint from a hospital employee, OSHA’sinvestigation of the project determined that hospital workersremoved material that contained asbestos from a steel ceiling beamwithout wearing respirators or proper protective clothing. Theagency’s investigation also determined that workers on theproject were not adequately informed about the hazardous nature oftheir work, nor did the medical facility do an adequate job ofdecontaminating workers’ clothing, monitoring asbestos levelson-site or disposing of materials containing asbestos. Prolongedexposure to asbestos can lead to lung diseases, including lungcancer and mesothelioma. “There was a breakdown of essential precautions before,during and after this work and the sizable fines proposed herereflect the gravity of the hazard,” said Arthur Dube,OSHA’s area director in Buffalo. “The medicalcenter’s failure to supply and ensure these basic andrequired safeguards placed these employees at risk of debilitatingillness.” OSHA issued the medical center 17 “serious” citations,carrying $85,000 in proposed fines for failing to monitor asbestosexposure levels during the work, not using designated asbestoscontrol methods, failing to provide employees with protectiveclothing and respirators, improper disposal of materials containingasbestos and other work-site deficiencies. In addition, the agency cited the medical center for one“repeat citation” for failing to notify employees ofthe presence, location and amount of asbestos-containing orpotentially asbestos-containing materials in the work area. OSHAhad cited the facility for a similar violation in April of 2006.“Repeat citations” carry fines of up to $25,000. The hospital has 15 days from receipt of the citations to requestand participate in an informal conference with OSHA or to contestthem before the independent Occupational Safety and Health ReviewCommission. In a statement released Monday, Memorial Medical Center officialssaid they do plan to request an informal conference with OSHArepresentatives to present information they believe will“support an adjustment to the citations and proposedpenalties.” “The medical center is committed to providing a safe andhealthy workplace for all of its employees,” the hospitalsaid in a statement released by spokesman Patrick Bradley.“Therefore, we cooperated fully with OSHA during the courseof its investigation and began making the corrections suggested bythat agency as soon as they brought this matter to our attention. “In addition, we have enacted a number of measures to promotea more cohesive and comprehensive approach to employee safety onfuture projects.” 

 Steel Welded Pipe You must be a subscriber or take a free web trial to accessarticles or prices on this site. Not a current subscriber? Click here to start a free one week trial to the Metal Bulletin website. Or click here to start your Metal Bulletin subscription today! Aimed at professionals like you - from mines to manufacturers,traders to wholesalers and retailers - Metal Bulletin is your invaluable source of up-to-date market intelligencecovering the global industry. As a subscriber, you'll benefit from a comprehensive package ofnews, expert market commentary, reference prices and statistics -as well an impressive archive of articles and price data. Allseamlessly delivered through a weekly magazine, daily email serviceand constantly updated website. Quite simply, no other information service can offer you the samefrequency, breadth and depth of market intelligence as Metal Bulletin . Subscribe today and benefit from: The latest breaking global metals and steel news - FIRST - Metal Bulletin frequently leads the market and its stories are later picked up byother news sources including national dailies; The best deals when trading - Metal Bulletin provides globally accepted reference prices for free market metalsand steel and includes most other world prices (622 in total); The most comprehensive news coverage - from global metal inventories; mergers & acquisitions; jointventures; IPO's; amalgamation news; international investmentopportunities; emerging markets; company financial results;government regulations affecting the metal trade - Metal Bulletin covers all your business intelligence needs; Understand the effects of international events on your business - with expert market commentary from the industry's most respectededitorial team; Be your own researcher - Metal Bulletin's archive service is an essential source for anyone who needs tochart price trends or keep track of stories as they develop. If youneed to find out anything about the market, from tracking acompany's history, to tracking a market, or a price, the archive isthe answer. As an investment decision, this is one of the best you could makeall year. Subscribe now and become one of the continually better informed.

 Steel Floor Tiles "It's one of a kind; we couldn't pass it up," said Chris Sizemore."Not only is there nothing else like it around — it sits on ahalf acre inside the city limits." Whittier Mill Village is located just inside I-285 in the northwestpart of Atlanta near Vinings. The couple were living in the nearby Riverside neighborhood whenthey found the former clinic on the market. "I had a vision forwhat I wanted to do with it," recalled Chris Sizemore, who hasadded two pergolas and a patio onto the rear and side of the house. The house stopped being a health center years ago and had been aprivate residence when the Sizemores bought it. But it needed work.They redid the electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems and in thecourse of their renovations, came across the building's originalblueprints. "They were left in an old electrical closet off a back room," saidChris Sizemore. "We had them framed and put them up, because theyshow something very unique about this building: There were 'white'waiting rooms and a 'colored' waiting room marked on the plans, asthere would have been in the 1950s. It's a weird piece of historythat I would never have thought about." From the front door, guests enter the living room with a trayceiling and large windows spanning the front wall. The couple hasmodernized it with a flat-screen TV, bookcases and a sectionalsofa. Hardwood floors stretch back to the three bedrooms and ahallway that holds a built-in fire extinguisher box. The kitchen has a red-and-black block linoleum floor that inspiredthe couple to add red to their color scheme. A glass-topped tableis surrounded by gray suede chairs, black counter tops and ablack-topped island with three black, backless stools; the wallsare red with black trim around wood cabinets and a stainless steelsink. The wall behind the stove is lined with black, red and yellowtiles. Four large windows line the breakfast area. Twoindustrial-looking white lamps over the eating area are believed tobe original to the building. The adjoining laundry and powder room area lead to the game room, aspacious back room where the couple installed a marble-topped bar,bead-board moldings and a comfortable seating area around a pooltable. The hallway, lined with the framed blueprints, leads to the masterbedroom which the Sizemores faux-painted in cocoa colors. Anold-fashioned half-glass door opens to a home office. The floor ofthe guest bath is tiled with tiny black and white squares; blacktile trim lines the walls around a white pedestal sink. A secondbedroom has two large windows and a picture ledge below theceiling. The couple was not only attracted to the building's past. It's asolidly built structure that measures up to the "they don't buildthem like they used to" saying. "The walls are solid," said Jennifer Sizemore. "It's a bear to hanganything. But we've told people if they need someplace to go duringa tornado, come here." Have a cottage, condo, loft or mansion you want to brag about? Call MetroHome at 404-514-6162 or email hm_cauley@yahoo.com. ? Photos 

 Heat Insulation Quick stats ￡1,044 Average annual gas and electricity bill for a family living in athree-bedroom house, according to Ofgem 51% Amount by which gas and electricity bills have risen over the pastfive years (Ofgem) 47% Proportion of households that have never switched their energysupplier (University of East Anglia) Simple saver Up to ￡250 Do a free home energy check at energysavingtrust.org.uk and you'll receive a report telling you how you can save up to￡250 a year on your household energy bills. If you wouldrather have a paper copy to complete, call 0800 512 012 and speakto your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre. Advanced saving tips 1. Switch suppliers If you've never switched your gas or electricity supplier, youcould save ￡100 a year on average, according to the fuelregulator Ofgem. The exact amount you'll save by switching dependson the suppliers you're with now, how much fuel you use and how youpay your bills. Energywatch, the independent watchdog for gas and electricityconsumers, offers free information and advice on how to switchsuppliers at energywatch.org.uk or on its helpline 08459 060708. Once you've got that advice, goto one of the comparison websites to work out which suppliers wouldbe best for you and how cash much you'd save by switching. Websitesthat are worth checking out include: theenergyshop.com , uswitch.com , moneysupermarket.com and energyhelpline.com 2. Upgrade your heating and hot water system A new, high-efficiency condensing boiler with heating controlscould save you up to ￡200 a year. Compare the efficiency ofdifferent boilers at boilers.org.uk . Heating controls including a programmer and thermostatic radiatorvalves will keep your home at a comfortable temperature, making itwarm when you want it but switching off when you don't. 3. Reduce your heating bills Turn your room heating thermostat down by 1°C and cut yourheating bills by up to 10%; this simple measure could save youaround ￡40 per year. Other simple ways to cut your heating bills include closing yourcurtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows. Andkeep furniture away from radiators if possible - an upholsteredsofa will block the heat, stopping it getting into the room. Also, don't forget to open internal doors to rooms that get themost sun - after all, the sun is the cheapest form of energy.Opening doors to sunny rooms mean that the warm air circulatesthroughout the house rather than remaining trapped in one room. Don't crank up your domestic water to a scalding temperature -setting your cylinder thermostat to 60°C/140°F should beadequate. Fix dripping taps and turn them off properly - a dripping hot watertap wastes energy and enough hot water in one week to fill half abath. If you're not filling up your washing machine, tumble dryer ordishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme. And use thewashing machine's 30°C wash if possible, saving you up tothree-quarters the cost of the hottest cycle. In the kitchen, onlyboil as much water as you need. 4. Choose energy-efficient appliances The "Energy Saving Recommended" logo guarantees that products havemet strict criteria on energy efficiency and will cost less to run."A" is the most efficient energy rating, "G" the least;refrigeration products now go up to A++. Search for products usingthe Energy Saving Recommended database at energysavingtrust.org.uk 5. And don't waste electricity Use energy-saving light bulbs - just one can save you ￡60over the lifetime of the bulb as they last up to 10 times longerthan ordinary lightbulbs. Only use the heat and light appliances you really need. Switchlights off when you leave a room. Don't leave TVs, DVD players andcomputers on standby and don't leave appliances like mobile phonesand toothbrushes on charge unnecessarily. 6. Draught-proof your house In a typical home, 20% of all heat-loss is through poor ventilationand draughts. This is easily remedied with foams and sealantsavailable at most DIY stores, and you should save around ￡20a year on your heating bills. Products should conform to thestandard BS 7386. 7. Insulate your loft ... Without loft insulation, which acts as a blanket trapping heatrising from the house below, you could be losing as much as 15% ofyour heating costs through your roof. Insulating your loft, whichyou can do yourself, is an effective way to reduce your heatingbills. If you currently have no loft insulation and you install therecommended 270mm depth, you could save around ￡110 a year onyour bills. Lag your pipes and water tank at the same time for optimumefficiency - fitting a British Standard jacket around your hotwater cylinder will cut heat loss by over 75%. A new 80mm thickjacket costing around ￡12 will save you ￡20 a year onyour fuel bill. 8. Your walls ... Around a third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home is lostthrough the walls. If your home has unfilled cavity walls,insulating them could cut your heating costs by 15% and save youaround ￡90 a year on fuel bills. It will take a professionaltwo to three hours to carry out the insulation work in a three-bedsemi-detached house and cost around ￡500. If your home has solid walls, heat loss can be reduced byinsulating them on the inside or the outside. External wallinsulation is more expensive than cavity wall insulation, but cansave you around ￡300 a year on your energy bills. Internalwall insulation is cheaper and again can save around ￡300 ayear on your bills. 9. And your floors Timber floors can be insulated by lifting the floorboards andlaying mineral wool insulation supported by netting between thejoists. Doing this on the ground floor will save around ￡40 ayear on heating bills. Using a silicon sealant to fill gaps betweenfloorboards and skirting boards to stop draughts will save you afurther ￡15 a year - but don't block under-floor airbricks inyour outside walls, as floorboards will rot without adequateventilation. 10. Install double glazing Fitting double glazing - which is a professional job, not reallyfor the DIY enthusiast - can cut heat-loss through windows by halfand can save between ￡80 and ￡100 a year on yourheating bills. Costs vary considerably so the payback period willalso vary. Look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo whenchoosing windows. 11. Get your boiler serviced regularly Getting your boiler fixed in an emergency can be expensive, withcall-out charges plus VAT and parts running to hundreds of pounds -especially if your boiler dies on a weekend or a holiday, as theyinevitably do. Get it serviced regularly instead and catch problemsbefore they become crises. Planet saver Generate your own power. Renewable energy technologies such assolar panels, wind turbines and biomass heaters are becomingincreasingly popular. Solar PV (photovoltaic), for example, usesenergy from the sun to create electricity to run appliances andlighting. For the average domestic system, costs can be between￡5,000 and ￡8,000 per kWp installed, with most domesticsystems usually between 1.5 and 3kWp. Installing a system couldsave between ￡150 and ￡200 a year, according to theEnergy Saving Trust. Grab a grant, too. The government's low-carbon buildings programmeprovides grants of up to ￡2,500 for installing renewableenergy technologies in the home. Apply online at lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/home . You can find out about grants by using the EST's online searchfacility.

Iron Pipes The Prairie Grove City Council voted unanimously at its meetingMonday to become a part of the authority, which will pursue fundingsources such as sales taxes and toll roads to try to help completeseveral transportation projects in Northwest Arkansas. The passed ordinance allows Prairie Grove a spot on the authority'sadvisory board. Five other Washington County cities - Fayetteville, Farmington,Lincoln, Springdale and West Fork - seven cities in Benton Countyand two in Madison County will have a member on the board, saidMike Malone, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Council,which has worked to establish the authority. "As a region, we're going to have to figure out where we're going(with transportation )," Malone said. A fact sheet provided by Malone stated that the authority mightmove along projects like a Springdale northern bypass, a westernbeltway and Interstate 540 upgrades. The authority will be a new government entity but will notinterfere with state and federal transportation departments, Malonesaid. Also Monday, the City Council saw how bad its cast-iron water pipeproblem really is. City Business Manager Larry Oelrich showed the council seven toeight miles of the rusty pipes that carries water mostly throughthe central area of town. "I think it's clear to see that we're not talking about a quickfix," he told aldermen once they saw the layout of the pipes on acomputer screen. The main problem with the pipes is they leak water and whensomething, like a fire hydrant being opened, stirs the pipes somewater customers receive a reddish discharge from all the rust inthe older pipes. Oelrich told the council that few of the pipes are slated to bereplaced in the city's five-year water and sewer line improvementplan. He has said in the past that it would take about $ 3 millionto replace all the cast-iron pipes in the city's system. The council also talked Monday about redrawing the city's wards toredistribute some of the higher-populated districts. Mayor SonnyHudson expected to look at a newly drawn map by the July 21meeting. Additionally, the group passed a resolution to allow people toshoot off fireworks within the city limits from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.on July 4. Bottle and stick rockets will be prohibited.

 Fiberglass Materials Chuck Tutterow, chief financial officer of JPS Industries, said theGreenville-based company would use the proceeds from the sale ofits Stevens Roofing and Geomembrane unit to The Dow Chemical Co. topay down debt and invest in its two remaining businesses. Those are Stevens Urethane, which employs about 90 people inEasthampton, Mass., and JPS Composite Materials Corp., whichemploys about 900 people at plants in Slater, Anderson andStatesville, N.C. JPS Industries bought the Anderson andStatesville plants last year from Hexcel Corp. "We may also consider other acquisitions," Tutterow said. Sale of the roofing business to Dow Building Solutions, a unit ofDow Chemical, is scheduled to close in about 30 days. Terms werenot disclosed. The business has locations in Holyoke, Mass., andWestfield, N.C., and employs about 160 people making single-plyroofing for commercial buildings. With the sale, Stevens Roofing goes into the hands of amultinational company that will be able to bring it to its fullpotential and JPS Industries is free to focus on the "significant"growth opportunities of Stevens Urethane and JPS CompositeMaterials Corp., Tutterow said. For JPS Composite Materials Corp., which makes aramid andfiberglass substrates, those growth opportunities are in themarkets for vehicle armor and filtration products, he said.

 covering material Starting this fall, people hauling gravel, bark or other loosematerial in Canyon and Ada counties could face a $50 fine if theydon't securely cover their loads. And local leaders later hope to make the rule statewide by lobbyingthe Legislature to pass a covered-load law next session. For now, the Treasure Valley Partnership - elected officialsthroughout the Valley - are focusing on establishing consistentlocal covered-load laws in Ada and Canyon counties. About ahalf-dozen of those officials gathered in Caldwell on Monday tounveil the proposed ordinance and invite area residents to weighin. The ordinance effort got off to a positive start later Monday whenthe Nampa City Council voted 2-1 to proceed toward adopting theordinance for Nampa. The vote, with Stephen Kren dissenting,followed a public hearing that drew no opposition. "This is an issue of public safety and fiscal responsibility," saidAda County Commissioner Paul Woods, who initiated the effort abouta year ago. "The danger to the motoring public caused by unsecuredloads, combined with the cost to taxpayers for sweeping andmaintaining area roadways, can be greatly diminished by thisuniform ordinance." Because uncovered loads release dust into the area, and much roaddebris ends up in gutters, covering loads also would help reduceair and water pollution, officials said. Carol McKee, chairwoman of the Ada County Highway DistrictCommission, said half of her agency's budget is spent on roadmaintenance, including street sweeping. "The amount of gravel that spews all over our roads isastronomical," McKee said. "It goes into the bike lanes and theninto the gutters." Bicyclists frequently complain about gravel in the county's bikelanes, she said, and many Valley residents have windshields pockedby stray rocks. "I'm hoping the car insurance companies will get behind this,"McKee said. "They're the ones paying for all those windshields." The ordinance won't cover the ubiquitous farm trucks hauling onionsor beets down the road - local governments don't have thatauthority under state law, Woods said. But it would apply to trucksand trailers hauling sand, dirt and other loose material. Previous Treasure Valley Partnership efforts produced Valleywideefforts to crack down on illegal fireworks and regulate the sale ofpseudoephedrine, a common cold-medicine ingredient used to makemethamphetamine. "I think it's great that all the municipalities can work togetheron consistent ordinances that affect us all," Canyon CountyCommission Chairman David Ferdinand said.

 Embroidery Material You may use a factory in downtown Saigon with impeccably observedworking regulations to make your “vintage” cottondress, but how can you be sure that the factory doesn't subcontractproduction of its buttons to another factory 600 miles away whereconditions are a living hell? And what, as a CEO once askedrhetorically, constitutes a child, anyway? In Europe it's anyoneunder the age of 16. But in India a family might depend on thewages of its 8, 10 and 12-year-olds - and if the 8, 10 and12-year-olds can't get jobs sewing on buttons or gluing gladiatorsandals, who knows what other kind of work they might be forcedinto. So it's complex, right? Well, yes, obviously it's complex. But complexity should not makean issue immune from constant, proper scrutiny. It may beunrealistic to expect EU working conditions in parts of thedeveloping world but, deep down, most of us know what is acceptableand what isn't. While child labour is probably the most emotive andwidely publicised abuse, it is just one of many issues with whichconsumers are increasingly confronted. What about the toxicpesticides in some cottons that, according to the World HealthOrganisation, kill 20,000 farmers a year, or the dyes pollutingwater supplies, or the animals skinned alive in China? Follow this line of thinking for more than five minutes and theentire transaction of shopping slides from therapy to guilt trip.Meanwhile, the mid-Noughties craze for bargain-hunting looksincreasingly less like harmless frugality and more like a grubbybrush with shopping bulimia. No wonder many of us settle for the“it's complex” argument - it's the retail equivalent ofa get-out-of-jail-free card . But it's one that is rapidly losingany validity. Surely we have all had a pretty good inkling, forsome time now, that buying something “ridiculously”cheap has hidden costs. Weirdly, fashion could actually lead us to a higher path. Becausewhile there used to be kudos in saying that you'd bought somethingin Primark for two quid when it was still a relatively unknownbrand, there isn't much any more. The opening of a“flagship” on Oxford Street last year, with the ensuingcash till “riots” and the unedifying sight of touristbuses stopping outside the store to disgorge yet more consumershungry to load up with bagfuls of clothes that they may or may notend up wearing, has seen to that. Of course we don't need all this stuff. It's not making us happieror better dressed. Weaning ourselves off super-cheap clothes - andit is an addiction - is a start, but it is only part of the answerbecause there are offenders at all levels of the market. Until weget full disclosure about how and where our clothes are made, wewill all be able to fall back on the “it's complex”mantra. We should all be campaigning for informative clothinglabels, similar to the ones on food. If Primark's claim about its “robust and very effectivesystem of audits” is accurate, then it probably was unluckywith these rogue factories. Keeping tabs on every stage involved inthe manufacturing of anything that requires more than two or threeprocedures inevitably gets complicated and murky. Until yesterday,I bet most of us accepted the “we're trying our hardest butit's tough out there” contrition that seems to be thestandard response of any business caught with its ethical pantsdown. I'm equally convinced that the whole remorseful line iswearing a little thin. If it's so damn difficult to establishaccountability, then how do BBC reporters keep managing to do so?And isn't that what these ethical teams are supposed to be doing?Or does the ethical team consist largely of an ethicalspokesperson, there to look contrite when trouble hits? Actually, that is unfair. When we tried to contact many of theseethical spokespeople yesterday, they didn't sound contrite. Theydidn't sound anything - because most were not available. Scrupulous stores: where it's safe to shop Marks & Spencer “As we are 100 per cent own-brand we have great control overour supply chain. We know and audit all the factories we sourcefrom. These audits check that our standards are being met, whichinclude: no child labour, no forced labour, no unauthorisedsubcontracting, workers must be paid at least the local minimumwage, and all overtime is paid and voluntary.” American Apparel “Clothing manufacturing is a very tough job, but we havealways tried to do things differently. It comes down to this: notblindly outsourcing, but knowing the faces of our workers andproviding them with the opportunity to make a fair wage. The average sewer with experience at American Apparel is makingabout $25,000 (￡12,740) a year - that is, $12 (￡6) anhour - well over twice the federal minimum. This can be higher insome cases. We guarantee job security and full-time employment;this is an anomaly in the garment industry, which historically hasbeen dominated by seasonal work.” H&M “We say no to child labour. As a business we have aresponsibility to the employees of our suppliers. H&M does notown any of the factories that manufacture our products. We workwith around 800 suppliers, mainly in Asia and Europe.” Arcadia Group (includes Topshop, Burton, Miss Selfridge, Wallis,Dorothy Perkins) “We make it clear at the beginning of our relationship with asupplier that we will not work with any factory that employschildren. To work with us, suppliers must agree to employ workerswho meet the minimum legal age requirement in that country or theminimum age in our code, whichever is higher. We support theprinciple of a living wage. In 2007 we established the FashionFootprint Group to align our social responsibilities with those ofour business activities.” Gap “We do not own any of the factories that we buy from. If afactory chooses to subcontract or outsource any production, weinsist that it also adheres to our code of conduct, which includesthe prohibition of child labour, adherence to local labour laws,assurance of workers' freedom of association and no forcedlabour.” Adili.com “All the products Adili stocks tackle at least one of theenvironmental and social issues involved in making, transportingand selling clothes. We assess the brand and the product againstethical frameworks covering environmental impact, workingconditions and fair trade. These cover the whole supply chain for aproduct.” People Tree “We are a very active member of IFAT, the International FairTrade Association. We support 50 Fair Trade producer groups in 15developing countries.” Research: Carolyn Asome, Nicola Copping and Alice Olins Ethical clothes shopping: how to buy responsibly Ask if the store has signed up to the Ethical Trading Initiative(ethicaltrade.org). If not, why not? The shopfloor staff may not have this information,but don't be embarrassed to ask if they could find out from themanager. It is this kind of pestering - even if fellow shopperssmirk - that will send the message that consumers want retailers totake responsibility for the way that clothes are made. To armyourself with appropriate info and questions, read Labour Behindthe Label's 2007 report Let's Clean Up Fashion (go tolabourbehindthelabel.org/resources). Don't assume that expensive means ethical. Unless you are prepared to blow your monthly budget on hand-craftedgoods that cost thousands of pounds, there is not always aconnection between prices and labour conditions, says MartinHearson, Labour Behind the Label's campaigns co-ordinator. Garmentsat the high and low end of the high street could have been made inthe same factory in China. This doesn't mean that price is no indication of low quality. A ￡5 outfit that is shoddily put together will not haveticked ethical boxes during the production process. Somewhere downthe line - probably all the way along it - those producing it willhave been paid a poor wage, and possibly treated badly. Keep abreast of the latest fashion scandals. Then you'll know to avoid Uzbek cotton, and leather fromBangladesh. The latter is the focus of a report in this month'sedition of The Ecologist magazine, which looks at ill-healthresulting from chemicals used in the tanning process. Cottonproduction in Uzbekistan was revealed last year to involve childrenbeing forced to work in the fields, enabling the country to be thesecond largest cotton exporter in the world (the largest is China). The more information given about a garment, either on the label orin the shop, the be tter. If your favourite high street store can't tell you where its rawmaterials come from - often it will state the country where thegarment was assembled but not the source of the raw material - thisis a sign that it may be washing its hands of the early stages ofthe sourcing process. Buy less but better. Aim for a slim, manageable wardrobe containing good-quality itemsthat will last, rather than an overflowing dressing-up box ofpoor-quality clothes. By doing this, you will reduce yourcontribution to the 900,000 tonnes of textile waste that we createin the UK every year, and limit your role in the energy needed tomake textiles. Become an active consumer rather than a passive one. Just as we have become better-informed consumers of food, so weshould follow a similar path with fashion, demanding to know whereour clothes come from and the methods used to get them to us. Thismeans asking questions, doing your homework, supporting shops thatimpress you and, sometimes, holding back for the sake of yourprinciples. Check out ethical alternatives. You may be surprised at the improvement in styles since you lastlooked, and the increasing affordability of organic and fair-tradefashion. Try Adili.com, which showcases the best of ethicalfashion; browse the gorgeous summer dresses made by LaLesso(lalesso.com) and, if you live in the capital, pop into Equa,London's only eco boutique (equaclothing.com).