A Cautionary Tale: Identity Theft on the Internet

Things are not what they appear to be on internet blogs. I send you over to Nicolette's, "Comfort and Joy" Blog, to read her eye opening experience.

Of Scruples, Scams, Divas, and My Evil Twin

"Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive!"

Sir Walter Scott, Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17.

Scottish author & novelist (1771 - 1832)

photo credit: Daniel Rozin's Weave Mirror

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A new design app for your phone.

Who knew that phones would be able to do so much? Now you can have a personal design assistant right at your fingertips. Created by interior designer Mark Lewison, Mark On Call™ for the Apple® iPhone and iPod Touch, lets the interior design professional, their clients—and do-it-yourselfers alike—plan, preview and carry out their design visions while staying organized and within budget.

So many convenient apps, I may have to say goodbye to my crackberry.

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Viking Range Corporation Recalls Built-In Refrigerators Due to Injury Hazard; Doors Can Detach

This just in from the CPSC.

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs

Washington, DC 20207

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 16, 2009 Release # 09-242

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (888) 345-2650 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Viking Range Corporation Recalls Built-In Refrigerators Due to Injury Hazard; Doors Can Detach

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Viking Built-In Side-by-Side Refrigerator/Freezers and Refrigerators with Bottom Freezers

Units: About 45,000

Manufacturer: Viking Range Corporation, of Greenwood, Miss.

Hazard: The refrigerator’s doors can detach, posing an injury hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Viking has received about 57 reports of doors detaching, including four reports of injuries involving bruises, broken toes/fingers, and strains. Also, several incidents of minor damage to floors and counters have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Viking built-in 48-inch wide side-by-side refrigerator/freezers and the built-in 36-inch wide refrigerators with bottom freezers with model and serial numbers with date codes listed below. The refrigerators come in stainless steel and various colors and wood finishes and are built into the kitchen cabinetry. "Viking" is written on the front of the refrigerator. The model and serial numbers are located either behind the produce drawer or on the ceiling of the interior of the refrigerators. The 42-inch wide or freestanding refrigerators are not included in this recall.

Model Numbers Starting With	Date Codes
VCSB481, VCSB482, DDSB482, DFSB482 DTSB482, DDBB362, VCBB360, VCBB362 DFBB362, DTBB362, DTBB363	All units
VCSB483, DDSB483, DFSB483, DTSB483	Date codes before 030104
VCSB483D, DDSB483D, DFSB483D	Date codes before 030105
VCBB363	Date codes before 102005
DDBB363	Date codes before 112305
DFBB363	Date codes before 041006

The first six numbers in the serial number are the manufacture date of the unit in [mm][dd][yy] format, e.g., serial number 051903G0000000375 was manufactured on May 19, 2003 and serial number F01250210170 was manufactured on January 25, 2002.

Sold by: Appliance and specialty retailers nationwide from July 1999 through April 2006 for between $4,725 and $6,400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers with recalled refrigerators should contact Viking immediately to schedule a free in-home repair. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled refrigerator if the door isn’t sealing properly, is sagging, or fails to open and close properly. If the door is functioning properly, consumers may continue to use the refrigerator until it has been repaired.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Viking toll-free at (888) 345-2650 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit Viking's Web site at www.vikingrange.com

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

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#1 Cause of Fire in the Home

Stove top fires are the #1 cause of fire in the home. In just minutes a house can go up in flames. We have all been guilty of leaving the stove top, coffee pot or other electric appliance unattended. Prevention seems so simple, but with so many distractions in our daily lives we probably have all been guilty in one way or another.

This is a subject near and dear to my heart. My Mum is an active senior citizen who loves to multi-task. More than once I have come into her house and smelled a horrific melt down on the cook top. While it's good for her to want to stay busy, it is another thing when she gets busy and leaves the stove unattended with a pan becoming a fire hazard on the stove. While she thinks I have become overly neurotic about fire prevention and waives me away, I would rather error on the side of caution rather than see her life become part of the statistics. Having a fire extinguisher (dry chemical type) handy is essential for putting out the fire and while a smoke alarm blares the warning when smoke has finally reached it, I needed a product that would provide first hand fire protection before a fire starts!

The stove top is the number one cause of household fires in North America.

According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA):

• A kitchen fire occurs every 8 minutes in the United States
• Unattended cooking is responsible for 70% of these fires
• Over 53% of Americans admit to walking away from the kitchen while cooking.
• Seniors are the highest risk group in North America
  
  • More than 1,200 Americans over the age of 65 die as a result of fire and more than 3,000 are injured due to residential fires
  • Seniors between the age of 65 and 75 have a fire death rate twice that of the national average
  • And adults between 75 and 85 are four times as likely to die from fire
  
  
• 43% of people who have died in cooking fires were asleep at the time
• Cooking accounts for 42% of all apartment fires
• Cooking is the leading cause of fire on college campuses
• Approximately 12.3 million cooking fires each year are unreported

Source: NFPA.

Statistics show we need more safety features built right into cooking appliances.

Appliance Manufacturers: If consumers are looking for more safety features, why not just include them in the new appliances? We need these sensor features, provide the options and people will buy them.

Kind of reminds us when the auto industry was slow to act in including seat belts as a standard feature in cars. It seams obvious to us now, I don't know why it should be so hard for appliance manufacturers to give us what we need to prevent the most common cause of residential fire starting at the cook top.

To convince industry that a technological solution could be developed that would significantly reduce unattended stove top fires, Consumer Reports reported the CPSC developed an experimental range that would throttle back the heat before ignition of food cooking in a pan could occur. But stiff opposition from appliance manufacturers killed the effort. Source: Consumer Reports.

Safety features are not just for the elderly.
Forgetfulness and carelessness has no age limit.

Anecdotal stories of caution from my kitchen clients.

1. Beware the power of the pro series burners: one client was so excited to test out the new pro-series cook top, the client ignored common sense and my warning and the appliance installer's warning not to use their new cook top till the vent hood was installed. The hood was back ordered, nonetheless they threw caution to the wind and had a cook top fire the very first time they used it. Quickly the lesson was learned about the roaring power of 18,000 BTU's that boils water in a minute. Before they knew it, Burnt Food! Smoke! Flames! Fire! The powerful BTU output was a far cry from the 30 year old stove. Fortunately, they reacted quickly to put out the fire and prevent it from traveling up the walls or worse. Sheepish explanations were offered "we had a little problem with the new cook top and we need a paint touch up" when the painter was called back.

But don't let a smaller BTU output of 400 mislead the seriousness of a fire igniting in a forgotten pan on the stove.

2. An unusual habit of re-heating pizza in the pizza box...in the oven. In her 25 year old oven, one client found old habits die hard. She would place the pizza box in the old oven and turn it on low heat to keep the pizza warm. We had just completed the remodel, had our final sign off from the building inspector, and she used her oven for the very first time. Lo and behold she quickly realized the power of the new electric oven when the pizza box caught on fire and she came running back into the kitchen after dosing off in the living room. There were flames inside the oven! Fortunately only the oven interior was scorched. The pizza was history.

3. Your home is a construction zone and be mindful of your habits till the work is done.
Living through a remodel people tend to forget the dangers involved. Your home is a construction zone and safety has to be considered. Larger remodel projects may mean your smoke alarms are temporarily disconnected. Before cooking in your new kitchen, make sure your smoke detectors are hooked up again and tested. Your kitchen may be fully functional but keep in mind that your local building inspector will not sign off or provide your Certificate of Occupancy until your smoke alarms are installed. And during construction be sure to keep a chemical based fire extinguisher handy in your temporary kitchen. Most people keep a hot plate and a toaster oven in the temporary kitchen during a remodel and there is just as much of a chance of having a fire on your hot plate or toaster oven as there is on your kitchen.

These homeowners were lucky they were not burned and that their homes did not burn. The NFPA statistics collected between 2002-2005 show that 90% of fire injuries and emergency room treated burns involving cooking equipment emanated from the range or oven. Cooking fact sheet.

So besides smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, what else can the public do to add additional safety features right at the source? I found a new product that has a safety feature that will work with both gas and electric cook tops.

Stove Alarm SA100. Attached to the range hood with magnets, the Stove Alarm emits a warning signal if the stove becomes too hot, or if an empty hotplate is left on. The Stove Alarm emits a warning signal long before any damage occurs. Battery life around 10 years. Click here for the brochure.
Suits all kinds of stoves, electric or gas, everywhere in the world. (not available for purchase in the United States as of this date). For ordering information and additional products,go to Paras Scandic International










I became aware of another new product last year reported through Peggy Deras's blog, Appliance Notes, where she reported on an article, Lower the Risk of Appliance Fires, from ConsumerReports.Org. Stove Guard is a devise that shuts off power to electric elements, minimizing accidental fires. Stove Guard retails in the US for $359.95.

New on the market from Stove Guard is the Pro-09-Gas for Gas Cook tops. The PRO-09-GAS model is a safety device for use with gas cooktops. It turns the gas cooktop OFF when you forget by using the advanced technology found in security monitoring devices and a specially programmed micro-controller.

The PRO-09-GAS model controls the stove’s gas supply system to help prevent food and pots from burning, as well as reducing the risk of fire caused by unattended cooking.

It has an additional feature that got my attention at my mother's house where I have come over to notice she has left a gas burner on all day and she does not smell the gas in the house. The added gas sensor will turn off the main gas valve if it senses an unsafe level of gas in the kitchen. This could be caused by a gas leak or an element flame that has gone out allowing the gas to continue to escape into the room causing the potential of a serious explosion or fire.
It retails for about $429.95 and in my opinion worth every penny!


Another product that offers safety features right at the source of fire is the Safe-T-element™. (STE), a new cooking system that can be installed on the average electric stove for under $200. The new cooking system allows the user of the stove to cook or fry as usual, but with one difference: burners cycle on and off so that food in pots and pans never becomes hot enough to catch fire. For more information about the Safe-T-element fire prevention cooking system, visit www.safetelement.com.

Are you looking at these products and thinking, well these all look clunky and will detract from the pretty new appliances? Burns look worse. Forget looks and go with safety features, especially if you have an elderly parent who may be getting more forgetful or a college student out on their own and looking after themselves for the first time.

If you have an old vent hood, consider buying a newer model that has a heat sentry for automatic heat detection and speed adjustment. Also called Auto-Start Heat Sensor. It is not to be used in place of a smoke alarm, but in conjunction with other fire prevention measure.

Basics DO's and DONT's for kitchen fire prevention in every kitchen as reported from the Consumer's Report Article, Deaths in Charlotte A Reminder of the Dangers of Kitchen Fires:

• Keep a UL-listed all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby and be familiar with how to use it.
• If you can't quickly extinguish the fire, evacuate the house and either call the fire department from your cell phone or ask a neighbor to call.
• Never douse a grease fire with water, which makes flames spread. Instead, smother it with a lid or baking soda.
• Stop an oven fire by closing the door and turning off the power.

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Dacor Makes Energy Savings a Priority

This spring, Dacor introduces new Epicure and Integrated 36” Freestanding Bottom Freezer Refrigerators that meet the 2008 ENERGYSTAR® guidelines with a 20% energy efficient compressor, use less energy than a 60-watt light bulb, saving energy in your home and reduce your carbon footprint. These new models brilliantly merge accessibility and functionality with an innovative modular design system that allows you to customize each model to fit your personal style, and an easy-to-use control panel, which helps monitor the internal temperatures of the multi-zone system.


Available in a sleek stainless steel finish or fitted with an overlay to match existing cabinetry, with a convenient French door that provides full access to the interior, the storage units feature a slide-out hanging deli drawer and two crisper drawers with individual adjustable temperature/humidity controls that help maintain the ideal preservation environment to guarantee optimum freshness of produce and meat.

Shown below with optional top grill for a built- in look.

*Add 2 1/2” (635 mm) for the optional top trim kit.

Cool New Features

Temp Alarm

The temperature alarm system will alert you if the freezer or fresh food temperatures exceed normal

operating temperatures due to a power outage or other event. When activated, the TEMP ALARM light will illuminate.

If the freezer or fresh food temperatures have exceeded these limits, the display will alternately show the current compartment temperatures and the highest compartment temperatures reached when the power was out. An audible alarm will sound repeatedly.

Door Alarm

Press the DOOR ALARM key to activate or deactivate the door alarm. The door alarm is active when the indicator above the DOOR ALARM key is lit.

The door alarm alerts you when one of the doors has been left open for five continuous minutes. An audible alarm will sound

every few seconds until the door is closed, or the door alarm is deactivated.

The door alarm maybe a great idea to prevent you or your spouse from that midnight snack attack.

Specifications

Interior Capacity:

• Refrigerator: 14.4 ft³
• Freezer: 5.4 ft³

Overall Dimensions:

• Width: 35 5/8"
• Height: 70 1/8"
• Depth (without handles): 27 1/8"
• Depth (without door): 24"

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ASID Members Resort to Mudslinging.

A small group of pro-legislation designers in Florida are resorting to mudslinging tactics and name calling on their new blog. In a desperate attempt to gain support it looks like they will alienate more members. Whining about outside interference from other states objecting to Florida’s anti-competitive and unconstitutional law, in an illiterate rant the authors of this anonymous blog have resorted to defamation and character assassination against Patti Morrow, the Executive Director of the Interior Design Protection Council. The IDPC is the only national association of interior designers exclusively dedicated to the task of protecting the livelihoods and rights to practice interior design.

You can read a copy of their unprofessional attack and a response from Patti Morrow at Interior Design Protection Council Blog. Please post your comments there. If one cannot defend his position intelligently and finds his only recourse in name calling and character assassination, proves his argument has no weight and has nothing left to offer in his defense but to throw personal attacks at his opponents. Further, the "writer", (cough), coward of the attack chooses to remain anonymous.

If this is an example of the leadership within the ASID, it is no wonder why more and more interior designers are disgusted with ASID and resigning as members The resignation of allied partners, vendors and even former ASID chapter officers proves ASID is losing support over useless legislation that negatively impacts the industry at large and places the burden on the American taxpayer.

Why is this important?

While Florida is one of only three states with a practice act , a minority of ASID designers have a personal stake in limiting competition under “consumer safety” in all states and are continuing to lobby for government intervention though practice acts and title acts asking that individual States give a select few a competitive and economic advantage over others, including kitchen and bath designers.

What is their evidence?

Not a shred of evidence has ever been presented to warrant a conclusion that the unregulated practice of interior design places the public in any form of jeopardy.

Further, interior design title and practice act legislation is not being advocated by the public through consumer advocacy groups, attorneys general offices or divisions of consumer affairs.

In fact, 12 government agencies have looked into this issue and concluded that interior design licensing does nothing to protect the public beyond the processes already in place. Click here for a list and access to all 12 government reports, including the 1999 Florida report recommending that the profession of interior design be deregulated.

Proving they have no evidence, even the leadership within ASID publicly admits that there are no known cases where an unlicensed interior designer created a safety hazard. Interior Designers Rallying for Rights.

With building codes in place for all local jurisdictions and building inspectors to verify that specific standards and materials are used in accordance to the local building and safety codes, the public’s health, safety and welfare is protected.

All states have very strict building codes in effect. In addition, there are codes that individual counties might impose above and beyond the state codes. Anyone practicing interior design (licensed or not) must adhere to these codes. Commercial buildings must be inspected and pass inspection by law on a regular basis. If a designer (licensed or not) specifies furniture, fabric, finishes, equipment or installations that aren’t up to code, the inspection will discover it. Any designer (licensed or not) that continually makes mistakes in this area will soon find themselves not getting work.

Alabama previously had a practice act. In 2007, the Supreme Court of the state of Alabama struck down their Interior Design Practice Act. In his opinion, Justice Parker stated: “Nor should this Court embrace the paternalistic notion that the average citizen is incapable of choosing a competent interior designer without the State’s help. The economic liberty of contract remains a protected right in Alabama, especially in a field like interior design that involves expressive activity.”

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