4/1/2011 Envirofleet Offers HVAC Units in Three Styles

Envirofleet of Kent, Ohio, now offers three styles of stand-alone HVAC units for truck sleeper cabs for reduced idle time.

Each unit has a 110-volt compressor and can be run using diesel, gasoline or electricity. A sealed box design uses no hoses and never needs to be recharged. With an on-board generator, there are no time limits for HVAC use, allowing climate control during an entire 34-hour turnaround.

The Envirofleet HVAC is available in rooftop, backwall and underbunk configurations. Rooftop models one and two produce 13,500 and 15,000 BTU of air conditioning respectively with 5,600 BTU of heat each. Backwall mounts are available with 9,400 and 13,000 BTU of A/C. The Underbunk model comes in 9,400 and 14,000 BTU. Backwall and underbunk units both produce 8,000 BTU of heat.

HVAC purchases also include a one-year warranty with a five-year expected lifetime.

It's Time for the Entire County to be Tidied Up

This year's Columbia-wide cleanup event proved to be a shining example of people getting together to better their community, organizers say.

And in about two weeks, residents around Howard County will be asked to use 20 minutes of their day for tidying up the areas in which they live and work.

Twenty minutes might not seem like much, but county government staff believe that little bit of time can go a long way.

"We can all do a little bit," said Joshua Feldmark, director of the county's office of environmental sustainability. "These 20 minutes are meant to sort of bolster some of the other cleanup programs that we have. If everyone cleans up what’s right around them, that’s the best way to get folks involved."

This will be the second year for the county's "20-Minute Cleanup," which is scheduled for Thursday, April 14.

Last year, more than 1,000 residents went outside and gathered trash.

"Springtime is sort of a perfect time," Feldmark said. "We're coming out of winter, and the early spring rain just flushes all this trash out into the open. This is a good time to take a moment and clean this place up."

County staff suggest that people look around their offices, schools and neighborhoods. Any trash that is gathered will only be collected during the regular garbage pick-up time. They also recommend people recycle as much as possible.

VASCO Data Security International, Inc. (NASDAQ: VDSI), Zevotek, Inc., (OTCBB: ZVTK), Broadwind Energy, Inc

VASCO Data Security Will Be Prominently Present at Infosecurity UK 2011, April 19-21 OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. and ZURICH, March 29, 2011 -- VASCO Data Security International, Inc. a leading software security company specializing in strong authentication products, today announced that it will be prominently present at the Infosecurity tradeshow, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, UK ( booth C21).The company will showcase its leading offerings for mobile and the cloud including DIGIPASS Nano and its groundbreaking DIGIPASS as a Service platform.
"VASCO is investing strongly in its presence at Infosecurity UK for two reasons. First of all, as a market leader in the field of Internet Security VASCO's presence at one of the world's greatest security tradeshows is a necessity. Secondly, the UK market is a strategic important market for VASCO. In that perspective we support our local customers, partners and prospects with our presence," declares Jan Valcke, President and COO of VASCO Data Security.

Forward Looking Statements: Statements made in this news release that relate to future plans, events or performances are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements (1) are identified by use of terms and phrases such as "expect", "believe", "will", "anticipate", "emerging", "intend", "plan", "could", "may", "estimate", "should", "objective" and "goal", "possible", "potential", and similar words and expressions, but such words and phrases are not the exclusive means of identifying them, and (2) are subject to risks and uncertainties and represent our present expectations or beliefs concerning future events. VASCO cautions that the forward-looking statements are qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors have been described in greater detail in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and include, but are not limited to, (a) risks of general market conditions, including currency fluctuations and the uncertainties in world economic and financial markets, (b) risks inherent to the computer and network security industry, including rapidly changing technology, evolving industry standards, increasing numbers of patent infringement claims, changes in customer requirements, price competitive bidding, and changing government regulations, and (c) risks specific to VASCO, including, demand for our products and services, competition from more established firms and others, pressures on price levels and our historical dependence on relatively few products, certain suppliers and certain key customers. Reference is made to VASCO's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for further information regarding VASCO and its operations.

Tiercel Technology Corp. Acquires Second Wind Air Purifier

Tiercel Technology Corp. is pleased to announce the acquisition of Second Wind Air Purifier, Company of Medina, New York.   

Since 1990, Second Wind Air Purifier has been the recognized leader in ultraviolet air purification equipment across residential, commercial and medical applications. Second Wind was the first to introduce dual-wave length lamp technology, significantly enhancing ultraviolet air purification.

"This is an exciting opportunity for us to continue to evolve the Second Wind Air Purifier product design and functionality as well as the markets served" states Tom Wilson, President of Second Wind Air Purifier.

"This acquisition is strategic for Tiercel Technology Corp. to manufacture an FDA class 2 medical device and globally expand the marketing initiatives" states Bruce Seeley, President of Tiercel Technology Corp. "In order to better serve the growing international markets of the Second Wind product, manufacturing will be expanded from the current Medina, New York facility to our ISO registered manufacturing facility in Brant County, Ontario".

About Tiercel Technology Corp.
Tiercel is a privately held company with an exclusive focus on enabling manufacturing companies and technologies. Tiercel is constantly searching for opportunities in Contract manufacturing, private-label and contract equipment build, clean technology and green technology enablement.

Rural market is more sensitive to brands

My predecessor MB Shin has been a great leader and has created incredible benchmarks for us in LG India. I look forward to adding to that legacy and taking the company to newer heights. I will work on enhancing our position as the premium brand in the market. Hence, we will focus on investing in R&D to create products with smart technology and stylish design. We will also be investing Rs 800 crores this year to ramp up our manufacturing.

The mobile business has been a weak point for LG Electronics both globally and in India. What will be your strategy to strengthen the mobile vertical? Currently what is the contribution of India's mobile business to the overall global mobile segment at LG Corp? Is their any renewed target for India keeping in mind the 3G services?

We have launched products like Optimus 2 X 3D phone in the Consumer Electronics Show and Mobile World Congress. The response has been very good till now. Our focus is now going to be smart phones. In India we are planning to launch six smart phone brands on Optimus platform in 2011. Also we are planning to set up a new production line for the product next year at our greenfield facility in Pune. Already we have 12 models of 3G in our present line up and will be launching 16 more 3G models this year.

Do you see the entry-level barrier coming down in the smart phone categories?

Our Optimus One is a perfect example for the same — Android 2.2 at Rs 12,000 is the perfect choice for smart phone users. Optimus One is one of the best selling model for LG in both global and India markets.

India, as your first managing director KR Kim says, India is not one country but it is like 29 countries in one.

India is a vast country and it is fascinating to see its vast geography and how the dialects of people change after every 100 kilometres. I will be travelling across the country to understand the culture and meet our trade partners. It is critical to understand consumers. I will be meeting trade partners and consumers to understand the environment and strategise for the company accordingly.

In 2010, LGEIL conducted research of the rural and urban markets, based on which it was supposed to come out with a new doctrine… Can you share key findings?

Rural market is more sensitive to brands. It looks for reliability more than urban market and for this, they are ready to pay more. We have a rural insight team in place to understand the needs and demands of the rural customers. It has completed its first round of survey and preparing for the second round. These findings will certainly help us in customising the product according to the requirements of the rural customers. We would then narrow down to one or two critical features on the basis of the survey findings, which will go into our products and marketed with the right communication.

Which are the new product categories LG in getting into this year?

India is a key market for LG and we are certainly looking forward for the best of flagship products across categories. We started the year with more than 51new models of air conditioners in January. Now, we will focus on our home entertainment segment and new products under home appliances as well. Our lineup for flat panel display, in terms of technology, looks promising this year. Globally, we have started launching the new 3D models and the response is overwhelming enough for us to replicate in India. We will focus on smart TV and 3D TV this year. For LG, 2011 is all about smart products including smart TV.

In your previous role, you were responsible for the company's growing revenues and building LG Business Solutions Company as a leading supplier. to businesses. Do we see you repeating the same in India?

We have been successful in consumer business and the enterprise segment is also promising. We have an entire range of computing products, security surveillance equipments, projectors, digital signage solutions and other appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, air purifiers and air conditioners customised for small and medium businesses.

You are in close competition with Samsung and in certain segments, they are ahead of you as in LCD and they also intend to beat LG in other segments such as washing machine, air-conditioners and refrigerators. How do you see the competition and what will be your strategy?

LG is already the market leader in various categories and the sale of premium products is growing much faster than that of entry-level products. We are targeting 100 per cent growth in our flat panel display business over this year.

With a growing economy and increase in disposable incomes, we are optimistic that there will be huge demand for smart appliances as consumers are looking for products enhancing their lifestyle.

Going In-House and the Effect on Work/Life Balance

I remember when I was in high school, and dreamed of being elected president of a particular organization.

I assumed that if I won, my life would be irrevocably changed for the better. Food would taste better, my studies would be easier, and the air itself would be clearer. Well, I did win, but very little changed. Food tasted the same, school was still challenging, and the air was clearer, but only because my stepmother bought an air purifier.

Fast forward 18 years, and I was a senior associate at an Am Law 25 firm. Nothing summed up the job like the fact that I was completely thrilled when I left the office at 9 p.m. Because I often worked until 1 a.m., leaving with even a fraction of the day left felt like slipping out early.

My girlfriend at the time told me my perspective was, to be diplomatic, rather warped, and, agreeing with her, I decided to look for a better work/life balance. At this point, life as an in-house attorney beckoned.

Now, this was not going to be an easy transition.

Big Law associates everywhere covet the opportunity to go in-house. While you do take a significant pay cut, you are often much happier with your lot in life because many in-house lawyers usually leave work between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day, and rarely work on the weekends.

Also, being employed by a major corporation means a host of non-cash compensation and generous benefits that are rarely offered at law firms, such as stock options, stock-based bonuses, pensions, on-site gyms and commissaries, tuition reimbursement, business education, and superior health insurance.

For these reasons, it's quite common for hundreds of people to apply for only one such highly attractive in-house position, and I assume it's even worse now coming off the recent economic crisis. Luckily, a former client called and mentioned that they were hiring. We seemed to be a good match, and after a long round of interviews, I accepted their offer.

What was it like? Well, I would separate the experience into two different areas: (1) quality of life, and (2) quality of practicing law.

Homeowners can do some work to clean air ducts

I see all these ads for getting ducts cleaned. Is there anything homeowners can do

themselves, and how would they go about doing it?



The air within your home is typically more polluted than the air outside your home. Homes

built over the past 30 years have been sealed more tightly with improved window and door

construction to prevent drafts. As a result, dust, moisture, pet hair and household chemicals

remain within the structure and can even cause mold.



If you have not had the ductwork cleaned within the past five to six years, or if you own a

pet, or if you notice mold at one of the vents or someone within the home has allergies, then

you might want to consider having your ducts cleaned. Remember the last time you changed your

furnace filter and noted all the dirt trapped by it? The rest of it is still in your

ductwork.



You will get the best results by having a contractor who is certified by the National Air

Duct Cleaners Association perform this task. They use special equipment that includes air

forced through your system at a high velocity, HEPA filters and a whip that can work its way

through your entire system.

That said, there are some things that you can do to maintain the ducts and improve the

quality of the air within your home. Start with regularly changing your furnace filters. The

inexpensive spun glass filters will protect your system but do absolutely nothing to clean

the air. Using a HEPA filter will reduce the amount of pollutants within the home.

Next, clean or replace every vent on your walls, floors and ceilings. Every time your furnace

or air conditioner kicks on, hair and dust are being trapped within the grill. Use a

screwdriver to remove the vent cover. Lay the vent on a piece of newspaper, brush off the

heavy dust and thoroughly clean both sides with a household cleaner.



Use the extension hose on your vacuum to remove dust and dirt from inside your vents. First,

use duct tape to securely fasten the hose and any attachments. This will keep the attachment

from falling off into the ductwork. Then, hose the sides as far you can reach. After

vacuuming out as much debris as you can, wipe down the inside of the vent with a sponge and

mixture of warm water and household cleaner.

Finally, consider the purchase of an indoor air purifier. There are many different sizes and

models on the market. The key is to purchase equipment suitable for the square footage of the

room, uses a HEPA filter and uses a high-speed fan to exchange more air through the unit.

A Superhero Scrubs the Air: The Mighty Houseplant

The humble houseplant is on the attack. Building on NASA experiments for air purification in

space, scientists are pinpointing plant species—from the peace lily to the asparagus fern—

that are particularly skillful at cleaning indoor air of pollutants that can cause a range of

health problems.


A growing body of global research is showing plants can reduce dust particles and

contaminants, such as formaldehyde and benzene, that come from cigarette smoke, paint,

furniture, building materials and other sources. Big growers such as Costa Farms, based in

Goulds, Fla., and retailers Lowe's and Home Depot now sell plants with tags promoting their

air-cleaning abilities.

"The advantage of plants is you can sometimes solve your problem with $100 of plants or

propagate your own," says Stanley J. Kays, a horticulture professor at the University of

Georgia, which is spearheading plant research with scientists in South Korea. In addition to

studying existing plants, researchers there are trying to see if certain species could be

bred to create super-efficient air cleaners.

Interest in plants as air purifiers—what's called "phytoremediation"—comes amid mounting

concerns about the quality of indoor air. People spend more than 90% of their time inside,

where levels of a dozen common organic pollutants can be two to five times higher than

outside, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Associated health problems range

from headaches and asthma to respiratory diseases and cancer. The agency says it is

particularly concerned about air quality in homes that have taken steps to be more energy-

efficient by adding insulation and other weatherization techniques.

That said, plants aren't yet recognized as a mainstream air-filtration tool. The EPA says

"there is currently no evidence … that a reasonable number of houseplants can remove

significant quantities of pollutants in homes and offices." The U.S. Green Building Council,

which certifies buildings based on environmental standards, says while "using plants to help

clean air is a great strategy…we've had difficulty quantifying the results."

That could be changing. Studies conducted over the past five years by the University of

Technology, Sydney found that small groups of the Janet Craig and Sweet Chico plants placed

in offices with high airborne concentrations of volatile organic compounds consistently

reduced total VOC levels by up to 75%. Reductions to negligible levels were maintained over

the course of five- to 12-week periods studied. "Potted plants can provide an efficient,

self-regulating, low-cost, sustainable bioremediation system for indoor air pollution,"

researchers concluded.

In another study at Washington State University, dust was reduced as much as 20% when a

number of plants were placed around the perimeter of computer lab and small office for one

week.

Margaret Burchett, a professor who led the Sydney studies, estimates that six or more plants

in a 1,200- to 1,500-square-foot house could achieve noteworthy contaminant reductions. At

work, "if you have a couple of nice plants sitting on your desk, it will help purify the air

you breathe," says Bill Wolverton, author of the new book "Plants: Why You Can't Live Without

Them," and one of the NASA scientists who studied plants.

Indoor-air pollutants come in two primary forms: particle pollution, such as dust, pollen,

animal dander and smoke, and gaseous pollutants such as VOCs that are emitted from sources

such as building materials, dry-cleaned clothing and aerosol sprays.

Plants clean the air, researchers say, primarily by absorbing pollution through small leaf

pores called stomata, and via microorganisms living in the potting soil or medium that

metabolize contaminants. Scientists believe plants can begin removing pollution the moment

they're placed in a room and can be particularly useful in spaces where there's little

outside ventilation.

Pinpointing specific air quality problems can be tricky. Do-it-yourself kits and

environmental companies can conduct air-quality tests at consumers' homes. But interpretation

of the results can be confusing because there's no universal national standard for acceptable

levels of many VOCs, according to the EPA.

As for remedies, ventilation often works best, but not every climate is suitable for open

windows and doors. Mechanical ventilation units that remove stale air from a home and provide

fresh outdoor air can cost $600 to upwards of $2,500, not including installation. Indoor air

-cleaning devices using HEPA and activated carbon or ultraviolet-light technology have some

limitations and may require filter changes.

That's why researchers see opportunity for indoor plants, which are inexpensive and

relatively easy to find and maintain. In 2009, UGA scientists identified five "super

ornamentals"—plants that showed high rates of contaminant removal when exposed in gas-tight

glass jars to common household VOCs, such as benzene (present in cigarette smoke) and toluene

(emitted from paints and varnishes). They are: the purple waffle plant, English ivy,

asparagus fern, purple heart plant, variegated wax plant.

Air Purifiers And Indoor Air Quality

More and more people appear to be suffering from allergies in the West. It is uncertain

exactly why people are becoming so sensitive to common items, which only troubled a very

small percentage of mankind for tens of thousands of years. Some people say it is because our

world is so clean, so clinical, that our bodies have forgotten how to deal with a bit of dirt

and others point to the increased amount of air pollution. So could air purifiers be the

solution?

If you have an allergic reaction, the first thing to do is to work out which substance you

are allergic to. This is not easy to do alone, so you will probably need some professional

medical assistance. Or you could begin by trying to eliminate dust from your house and see if

that helps. You would start to do this by cleaning or replacing any filters you already have

on the air conditioning and central heating and then turning the appropriate one on. Clean

the vacuum cleaner’s filter too and replace the bag, if it has one. Then vacuum the house

carefully from top to bottom.

If this does not work, you may be allergic to pollen, mold or tobacco smoke, if there is a

smoker in the house, or maybe environmental pollution from cars or and near-by industry. Try

installing an electrostatic furnace filter and running your heating or cooling system 24

hours a day to see if that clears it up. The filters can eliminate 90% of household dust and

some other allergens.

The majority of airborne mold particles can be removed from your air by the use of specialist

air purifiers. These air purifiers usually raise the ozone levels too, which has the effect

of clearing up smells and killing some bacteria. However, for a longterm answer, you will

need to seek advice from a professional to clear up the source of the mold, which is usually

dampness caused by leaking pipes or damp brickwork, caused by a bridged cavity wall.

Second-hand tobacco smoke is unpleasant enough, but it can cause an allergic reaction too. If

this is the cause of your problem, you could try one of the liquid air purifiers. This type

of air purifier is very effective at its job. Some air purifiers purport to kill viruses too,

but beware of such claims. The assertion is normally based on the use of ultraviolet light,

but any UV light producing less than 24,000 microwatts of UVGI is unlikely to be effective.

Unfortunately, there is no one total solution to the problem of air pollution, because there

are so many types of substances that cause allergies. Carpets can be a major cause of

allergens, as can all fabrics, particularly if you keep pets. Fleas, their larvae and house

mites love carpets, curtains and upholstery, so you need to steam clean these at least once a

year and spray them with a long-lasting insecticide containing permethrin or remove the

carpets altogether and get leather furniture.

It is best to know which allergy you are fighting, but if you carry out the cleaning methods

mentioned above and use one of the ozone producing air purifiers, you will have gone a very

long way to cleaning the air in your home and defeating allergies.

Air Filters: My Advice For Getting The Best

If you have any form of air purification system installed in your house or office,

you will have to change the air filters at some time or another. I am not only

talking about dedicated equipment that only purifies the air here, but also air

conditioning units such as you would find at home, in the office or even in the car.

The principle is the same for all.

So, you may be operating an air purifier without even realizing it, but in that

situation, especially if it is an older one, it could be doing you more harm than

good. This is because a dirty filter will be blowing uncleaned air into the room at

best, but in the worst case scenario, it might even be blowing contaminated air at

you. Modern air filters do not only stop flies or even pollen from entering the

system through the air intake, they go as far as attempting to obstruct common germs

too.

So, you have two options. If you have never replaced or cleaned your air filter or if

you did not even know you had one and the air conditioner or air purifying apparatus

is over a year old, you should do something about it right away. Start by reading the

instruction manual. If you do not have one go on line and look to see if there is any

information on your model at the maker's website or even just anywhere on the

Internet. If on the other hand, you have been cleaning and replacing your filter

methodically, consider getting a better quality filter next time.

You can go about finding the best brands of air filters for your particular type of

unit by writing down any serial numbers and identification numbers and names. The

brand and model are very handy too. You have two choices here too. If you like going

around the shops, take this information with you and ask about the best filters in

several stores A large DIY or department store could probably assist here. Write

every name and detail they give you down on paper and take it home. I prefer to go on

the Internet first and take that information around the shops.

Check everything they have told you on the Internet. Check it with the manufacturer's

web site and compare prices. Decide what you want to buy and where from. Get a year's

supply in one go, it saves a lot of bother. Three or four units should last a year,

if they are cleanable.

A high quality air filter will perform better than a cheaper one. It will trap more

pollutants, including smoke and fumes – even some microorganisms, if it has been

impregnated with a germicide. Many come with a long-lasting mild air freshener too,

which will save you buying sprays.

Better quality air filters will save you money and bother by lasting longer in good

serviceable condition. Cheaper ones may say they last as long, but the germicide and

the air freshener may have evaporated within a week or two. Try to get a filter that

is cleanable. The best ones can be cleaned two of three times before they have to be

changed. If it is three times then it will last four months, meaning that you only

need three a year at most.

If you have purchased an unknown make of air conditioner or purifier, there is a good

chance that it was still made by one of the big names or it a copy of a famous name,

in which case a better filter may still fit into it. In this situation, take your old

filter to the shop with you to get it compared.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently

involved with central air conditioning systems. If you are interested in Home Air

Conditioning Systems, please click through to our site.

Childproof knife block and other award-winning home safety designs on display in Chicago

The student design competition is sponsored by the International Housewares

Association (IHA) and has a different theme each year. This year students were tasked

with designing products that help children and disabled people live healthier and

safer lives. In 2011 the competition attracted 165 entries from 23 design schools

across North America and Europe. the winning designs were chosen by a jury of industry

professionals and retailers.

The winning entry, announced in February, was the Illumine - The Pathway to Safety

which was designed by Welsey York at the University of Southern Illinois. The Illumine

is an emergency lighting system which illuminates the floor and guides those inside to

safety via a series of LEDs.

Second prize was jointly awarded to Chet Larrow from the University of Cincinnati for

the Barnacle Air Purifier and Katyln Ross from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and

Design for her first aid system Quick Fix.

With the aid of a battery-powered motor the Barnacle Air Purifier extracts dirty air,

removes pollutants and re-circulates clean air into the home, while the Quick Fix

First Aid System organizes the contents of a first aid kit into smaller sections

complete with simple instructions - the designer claims this allows first aid

decisions to be made faster and the correct supplies easier to access.

Third place was awarded to three candidates, Brendan Joyce from Purdue University,

Kevin Wu from the University of Illinois and Yu Zou from Arizona State University.

Joyce designed the Safe Guardian, a rubbish disposal unit that automatically shuts

down when metallic objects are dropped in it, Wu designed the Eiffel, a single-serve

coffee brewer that rests over a cup and Zou designed The Block a knife block with a

safety lock which prevents children removing knives.

The latest home accessories and housewares will also be on display later in the year

at the Hong Kong Houseware Fair at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from

April 20-23.