Snow-Covered Air Vents To Blame for a Sudden Rise in Carbon Monoxide Poisonings

In Boston, a mother returned home around midnight on January 28th to find her husband and two children “incapacitated and sleepy” due to carbon monoxide buildup in the house. The father and two children all had to be hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning.

In Portland, Maine, a man woke around 7 a.m. on February 4th to find that he was too dizzy to stand, and was having trouble staying conscious. When emergency crews came to his house, according to the Portland Press Herald, they found the carbon monoxide levels in his bedroom to be about 1,000 ppm (parts per million) — only 35 ppm is required to set off a carbon monoxide detector (which he did not have).

And in Wisconsin, on February 2nd, an entire business warehouse in Wauwatosa had to be evacuated after the fire department responded to an alarm — which employees reportedly ignored at first, thinking that the warehouse couldn’t possibly fill up with enough carbon monoxide to make them sick.

The one connecting factor in all of these cases is that the carbon monoxide buildup was caused by snow drifts that had blocked exterior air vents. The first thing everyone wants to do when it starts snowing outside is to crank up the furnace as much as possible — but as many homeowners have discovered, furnaces and home heating systems do not get along well with piles of snow.

Even homeowners who live in cold regions where snow is common, like the Northeast and Midwest, find that they forget about how the weather might affect their HVAC systems. Most people are primarily concerned that freezing temperatures could cause furnaces and pipes to freeze up and stop working, but the possibility of a blocked air vent can be even more dangerous. As all three of the recent cases show, carbon monoxide poisoning happens very quickly and the victims usually aren’t even aware, since the gas is undetectable in taste, smell, and appearance.

“The flues have to be open to the house. Also when it gets colder, the furnace runs longer and people should make sure that their filters are changed on a regular basis and have it maintenanced at least once a year,” said Teri Boennighausen, office manager at Comfort Experts Inc.

they should just make sure that their filters are changed on a regular basis and have it maintenanced at least once a year when they’re running a long time and with the cold — have a humidifier.”

The first signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are a headache, nausea, and confusion. Health experts advise anyone who may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning to seek fresh air if possible, and to call 911 for immediate medical attention.

Study: E-Cigarettes May Weaken Immune Response in the Lungs

Electronic cigarettes may not be the healthy alternative smokers think they are, according to new research conducted on laboratory mice.

E-cigarettes and vaporizers have become extremely popular in the U.S. They’re battery operated and can be easily charged using a wall charger or USB device, and many people believe they’re less dangerous than tobacco cigarettes.

But according to researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, e-cigarettes may not be the downside-free solution that smokers have been searching for. They contain some of the same harmful chemicals used in tobacco cigarettes, and they may even weaken the immune system in the lungs.

“We have observed that [e-cigarettes] increase the susceptibility to respiratory infections in the mouse models,” Shyam Biswal, a professor of environmental health sciences and the study’s senior author said in a release.

Some of the mice in the study were exposed to the scaled-down equivalent of a human’s exposure to e-cigarette vapor over the course of two weeks, while the control group was exposed to air.

Both groups were then exposed to virus-causing bacteria. The e-cigarette group were much more likely to display weakened immune responses, and some died.

“This warrants further study in susceptible individuals, such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients who have switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes or to new users of e-cigarettes who may have never used cigarettes,” Biswal added.

The study specified that though animal tests may not apply to humans, they still raise the possibility that e-cigarette smokers may be more susceptible to lung infections. The study could result in increased regulations for e-cigarettes in the future.

The study, which was published on Feb. 4 in PLoS One, also discovered that the actual nicotine intake from e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes is about the same, even though the nicotine content was lower in e-cigarettes.

Why Your Kids’ and Pets’ Dental Health Matters This Month

February is a big month for dental health. Not only does the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsor National Children’s Dental Health Month this month, but it’s also National Pet Dental Health Month.

According to the Culpeper Star Exponent, veterinarians use the month of February to stress the importance of pet dental health and help combat the numbers of cats and dogs that suffer from dental disease and complications. The American Veterinary Dental Society says that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats display signs of oral disease by the time they reach three years of age.

Because of these statistics, veterinarians encourage pet owners to check their cats and dogs for signs of oral disease. Ideally, your pet should have white teeth, light-pink gums and fresh breath. If your pet’s teeth don’t display these features, you should visit the veterinarian for a pet dental cleaning.

Keeping your pet’s teeth in good condition isn’t just a matter of keeping “doggie breath” at bay — poor dental health can have a significant impact on your pet’s quality of life. The Star Exponent reports that dogs and cats can feel toothaches just like we can. In addition, regular dental care can allow your pet to live two to five years longer.

Children’s dental health is also grossly overlooked. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a stunning one of every five children age five to 11 has one or more untreated dental cavity.

To help combat tooth decay in children, the ADA has named February National Children’s Dental Health Month. By encouraging participation from parents, teachers and caregivers, the ADA’s program works to teach millions of children across the country about the benefits of good dental health.

When an amazing 75% of people have reported feeling that an unattractive smile harms one’s chances for a successful career, it’s extremely important to make sure your children receive the best dental care and develop good dental hygiene habits early on in life.

And even if you’re neither a child nor a pet, you can still observe good dental hygiene throughout the month of February — enjoy your Valentine’s sweets in moderation, and always brush and floss your teeth!

Above-Ground Oil Storage Tanks the Center of Debates in Mobile, AL

Mobile, AL has long considered itself a hub of industry, where shipbuilding, chemical manufacturing and other industrial activities can all find a home along the city’s Gulf of Mexico waterfront.

But now, the city has become the center stage of a debate over regulations on the energy sector — in particular, regulations regarding above-ground oil storage tanks. Seven of these storage tank facilities sit along the Mobile River, a January 29 AL.com article reports. These facilities play a sizable role in the local economy, employing some 1,800 Mobile County residents in 2013.

Above-ground storage tanks are typically subject to a number of regulations, from the federal level to the state and local levels. Many of Mobile’s residents, economic developers and businesses have become concerned about how new oil storage tanks will be constructed ever since a planned 32-tank construction project fell through before the Mobile Planning Commission.

The one problem? None of these groups can agree with each other, each wanting to influence Mobile County’s storage tank regulations in their own way, AL.com reports.

Last week, Mobile residents gathered at the commission chambers at Government Plaza, offering their own ideas on above-ground oil storage regulations to a city committee . Their concerns for increased oil storage tanks involve public health, quality of life and safety matters, such as the impact of tank explosions and leaks on residents. Local businesses are, somewhat predictably, concerned with the economic impact of these storage tanks, while environmental groups are seeking to make county regulations stricter on the tanks’ effect on the Mobile River, its fish and the wildlife that depends upon these fish.

Another public meeting took place on Tuesday, February 3. The city committee will eventually make recommendations based on these meetings with residents and other groups to a full planning commission, which will vote on whether or not to change current county storage tank regulations.

Man Tries to Jump the New Fence Around the White House’s Main Fence

Fences are meant to protect the property they surround — not only keeping young children and animals inside the perimeter, but keeping unwanted parties outside — but what if the barrier became the way in to a protected property?

On February 1, the Secret Service arrested a man as he tried to climb a waist-high, temporary barrier set up on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House’s main fence. Agents were able to apprehend him before he made it over, charging him with unlawful entry. Officials eventually turned him over to D.C. police.

No information about any motive the man may have had has been released, but Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary said that an effort would be made to speak to him. It was also unclear whether there had been any previous arrests in connection with attempts to jump the auxiliary fence.

The Washington Post reports that the man was trying to climb an auxiliary barrier, which is composed of interlocking metal barriers that look like bike racks. Reuters, however, reports that it was a bicycle rack that the man tried to jump.

This second barrier was put in place days following the notorious fence jumper incident of 2014, in which the Secret Service failed to stop a man wielding a knife from jumping the fence, making it across the lawn, into the White House, past the stairway leading to the first family’s living quarters, and into the East Room, where an agent was able to tackle him.

The incident not only led to the new barrier, but also to a shakeup in Secret Service management. However, there continue to be security foibles despite the agency’s attempt to tighten things up. On January 26 — only a couple of weeks ago — a small drone operated by a U.S. spy agency employee did crash on the White House grounds.

Neutral Colors Make a Comeback in Home Renovations for 2015

Marble, quartz, and honed granite, in addition to neutral colors and design patterns, are en vogue for 2015 home design, especially come selling time, according to experts.

The shift in tastes comes at a time when homeowners are spending more on home renovations (including kitchen remodels), thanks to a recovering economy and a rise in home prices.

According to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, home renovation spending was on track for a record-breaking year in 2014. In fact, home and kitchen remodels were expected to exceed the $145 billion tallied in 2006 — just before the housing crash.

However, while spending on home renovation projects is increasing, new styles and trends are replacing the excessive and lavish aesthetic that became popular in recent years. Expensive, restaurant-quality, customized kitchens have now become passé.

“I think there is a decrease in excitement about granite everywhere,” said James Roche, chief executive of Houseplans.com, which monitors building design trends across the U.S. “The idea of covering everything in granite is equated with the Baby Boom McMansion phase. I don’t think people like that aesthetic.”

Homeowners who went to town designing over-the-top custom kitchens during the 1990s and 2000s are learning the hard way, as new homeowners often gut the entire kitchen and start from scratch, according to Neda Vander Stoep, a top agent at the Back Bay office of Coldwell Banker Residential Mortgage.

Examples of this excessive aesthetic include “crazy ornate backsplashes, black appliances, ornate floor tiles, custom cabinets with ornate detail and overly customized cabinet hardware,” Vander Stoep said. While homeowners still want beautiful kitchens, they also want to ensure they’re making a smart investment, she added.

Vander Stoep sees a shift from bold, bright colors towards more neutral shades of grays and whites with on occasional pop of color throughout the home to create a cohesive look. Wallpaper is also making a comeback, as it creates subtle variety without being gaudy.

“By going more neutral, you are bound to appeal to a larger pool despite varying tastes,” Vander Stoep said. “Overly customized renovations are out and I am personally seeing less and less of them.”

In Response to Dangers of Forklift Operation, a Renewed Move Toward Improved Safety Practices

A near-death incident involving a forklift truck has prompted the need for improved safety technology to keep personnel safe.

On January 21, a Fort Worth man operating a forklift escaped with his life when the forklift turned over on top of him. According to CBS Dallas-Fort Worth, the contract employee had placed material atop the forklift which caused it to tip over.

To get the man out from under the forklift, Fort Worth’s Rescue-14 crew had to gingerly lift the forklift by inflating several air-filled bladders beneath the truck. An ambulance then transported the man, in stable condition, to the hospital. Fort Worth Fire Department Capt. J.W. Brunson said the man suffered a serious leg injury during the incident.

This incident is proof that even though personnel must be educated on the proper safety procedures when handling lift truck battery equipment and operating the lift trucks themselves, accidents still happen — and these accidents lead to devastating injury, even fatality. Each year, forklift accidents cost American companies approximately $3.7 billion and result in 20,000 serious injuries and 100 deaths.

That’s why companies like Q-Track are working to improve safety technology used in everyday forklift operation.

According to a January 14 WebWire article, Q-Track is looking to help reduce the damage done by forklift accidents with a collision avoidance system called SafeSpot. The SafeSpot technology employs electromagnetic ranging and location systems to send out low-frequency, long-range signals to detect objects and personnel obstructing the forklift’s path.

By allowing the forklift to differentiate between personnel and other forklifts, the SafeSpot system eliminates false positives and prevents the forklift from colliding with objects and people.

And with technologies like the SafeSpot system in place, operating forklifts can be a little safer for everyone involved, and the risk of using forklifts for everyday operations can be greatly reduced for companies across the country.

Can’t Get a Flight to the Superbowl? Win Your Way Through the Alaska Airlines Sweepstakes

After the incredible Seattle Seahawks comeback this week, Seahawks fans from Seattle, and Patriots fans from Boston, are scrambling for plane tickets to Phoenix, AZ for the big game. As a result, Alaska Airlines is opening a sweepstakes to get fans to Phoenix.

Sweepstakes winners will receive a flight to and from Phoenix, a room near the game, and a game day party sponsored by Alaska Airlines.

Though many sweepstakes are used as cost-effective advertising, this sweepstakes is offered through Alaska’s “Chief Football Officer” Russell Wilson’s “Fan Flight II: Strong Against Cancer.” The airline will also donate a dollar to Wilson’s cause for every person who enters the sweepstakes, capping at $50,000.

The sweepstakes might be the only way to get to Phoenix soon. Alaska Airlines announced that flights for Friday, Jan. 30 and Monday, Feb. 2 are already sold out. Additional flights will be added to accommodate air traffic to Phoenix. Fans willing to go earlier and stay longer may still be able to find regular tickets.

Alaska Airlines isn’t the only airline struggling to keep up with Superbowl traffic. U.S. Airlines will add dozens of new flights and some temporary routes to get fans to Super Bowl XLIX. Delta, United, Jetblue and Southwest have also announced expanded flight schedules. United alone is adding 55 extra flights to Phoenix and switching to larger planes for regularly scheduled flights.

Most of the added flights will connect Phoenix to Seattle and Boston, since fans from both teams will be coming from those locations. The extra flights are primarily on the Friday before the Super Bowl and the Sunday following the Super Bowl, though there are a few other dates as well.

Much of the focus is on Alaska Airlines, which runs the biggest hub in Seattle. The Alaska Airlines sweepstakes will provide 56 sports fans with the chance to get to and from Phoenix for free, but there’s a catch: the sweepstakes is only open to members of the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan living in Oregon, Washington and Alaska. Other sports fans will just have to try to catch one of the added flights.

Jobs Report: Unemployment Falls, Wages Rise for U.S. Workers

So far, 2015 has been a year of better-than-predicted drops in the unemployment rate as well as steadily rising wages across several job sectors, signalling more good news for U.S. workers and consumers.

According to a January 13 Fiscal Times article, the unemployment rate has now reached 5.6%, which is closer than ever to the Federal Reserve’s ideal range of long-term unemployment, 5.2 to 5.5%. With the Congressional Budget Office’s natural rate of unemployment at 5.5%, the current unemployment rate seems to show good signs for the economy.

But if unemployment continues to drop at its current pace, the U.S. jobless rate will easily fall to just 5% by the summer — the Federal Reserve’s goal for the end of 2016. By the end of this 2015, it could fall as low as 4.7%.

Lower unemployment is good for everyone, right? Not necessarily.

These faster-than-expected drops in the jobless rate could place pressure on the Feds to raise interest rates sooner and more aggressively than the market is equipped to handle.

However, this hiccup of a tightening labor market might ultimately be absorbed without issue — as payrolls continue to dole out more attractive wages to U.S. workers. According to the Fiscal Times, inflation-adjusted take home pay, or the amount of money one has left over after taxes are taken from a paycheck, surged forth in a big way last month.

If this trend continues, it could give middle-class Americans a much-needed financial respite, and would increase their spending power to levels not seen since before the recession hit.

For example, the average managerial accountant can usually expect to earn between $77,000 and $101,500 per year. With “real payroll income growth” — an aggregate measure of job creation, hours worked and hourly wages — rising at a current annual rate of 4.5%, it’s safe to say that the salary for these accountants would get a major boost in disposable income and spending power.

So while the Federal Reserve could soon come under unexpected pressure due to greater-than-expected job creation, the American worker won’t feel much of that impact in 2015.

Target Executives Announce Decision To Stop Operations in Canada, Shutting Down 133 Stores

In a recent announcement that shook the international retail industry to its core, representatives for the U.S.-based chain store Target announced that the company would be closing all of its Canadian locations. Even though the company has only operated in Canada for less than two years, financial reports have shown that the Canadian stores experienced losses for the majority of that time, totaling about $2 billion collectively.

With 133 store locations spread across the country, Target’s decision will leave an estimated 17,600 people without jobs. Target officials state that the company is trying to create a funding plan worth $70 million in order to provide its employees with 16 weeks’ worth of pay after stores close (although it’s unlikely that Target’s senior executives will earn the full $160,000 paycheck that Canadian financial executives often receive per year).

The company has already stated that it has filed for — and received — legal protection under the federal Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) regarding outstanding debts. Under this legislation, Target will be given time for restructuring before lenders can begin demanding repayments.

Analysts estimate that it will cost the company between $500 million and $600 million to shut down its Canadian stores, but because the company is already facing billions of dollars worth of sales losses, the total cost of shutting down operations could be as much as $5.4 billion.

The decision has come as a bit of a shock to many Americans. It’s no secret that Target has struggled with management in its Canadian stores, but many consumers and retailers alike forget although the two countries may share a border, that doesn’t ensure that they’ll share consumer tastes and overall success.

Target is now joining retail clothing companies Maxx, Smart Set, and Jacob, which have already closed their Canadian stores due to poor sales.

According to chairman and CEO Brian Cornell, Target is hopeful that the closings of Canadian locations will allow the company to concentrate more on the future success of its American stores.