The New Web Accountability

It was the best of times. It was the dodgiest of times. I’m
sorry Mr Dickens but the birth pains of the web revolution, as
with the French one, also require expression in the superlative.
It was unbelievable, unaccountable, indefinable and dodgy as
Hell. Good money following bad through the S-bend of e-commerce.
Those were the days, but have they changed for the better?

It was around about this time at the dawn of the new Century
that I first heard the phrase Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
Although back then it was unsophisticated and tended to mean
little more than keyword stuffing in page meta tags. This meta
information being the initial lines of HTML code that serve to
define and describe web page function and format. This early SEO
was more geared towards getting eyeballs to the site at all
costs rather than pre qualifying referrals. It was the era of
dot com companies going to market with inflated values based
upon artificially boosted traffic figures. When the snake oil
salesmen could reel off estimates of $100 per online member, and
still keep a straight face.

In the race to IPO things got swept under the carpet. Rules got
bent. Ethics got twisted. It was not uncommon to type a high
profile company name or brand into a search engine and be
presented with a selection of competitors and porn sites as
rival webmasters tried to manipulate the system with keyword
spamming. Traffic was God. Big numbers meant big valuations. Get
to float, cash in then get the Hell out of Dodge.

The metrics were flawed as well. The money managers failed to
grasp the technology and were taken for a ride. Advertising
revenue was based on easily manipulated statistics and was duly
exploited. The biggest rort was the use of hits as a measuring
stick. Even today people who should know better still refer to
hits as being somehow meaningful in terms of judging a site
performance without realizing what it actually means. A hit is
recorded every time the host server is “hit” with a request for
a specific element. Most web pages display a range of components
so that for any given page display the server will be hit
multiple times. It is therefore quite simple for a sneaky web
master to deliberately distort this figure.

I can still remember analyzing a competitor’s site to find that
their nice big header image had been sliced into 100 pieces and
so registered at least 100 hits every time it was loaded,
distorting the performance figures and hence advertising revenue
for their banner ads. Other techniques involved using
transparent gifs and JavaScript code to continually refresh page
elements. The creative agencies either did not know or turned a
blind eye as the cash rolled in until it all hit the fan in mid
2000. A lot of the slick talkers went back to selling Gold Coast
swamp land but in many ways the reputation of the industry never
fully recovered.

That truism about damned lies and statistics could have been
written specifically for the web. If it can be measured it can
be tricked. Stats mean everything and nothing. The only stat
that matters for a web business is the effect on the bottom
line. Either your website is saving you money or it is bringing
it in either directly or indirectly. Intangibles such as
branding are nice spin offs but if this is the only reason you
are online then you are in trouble. The web is a pull technology
not a push one. Find out what people are looking for in your
space and then target these keywords. It is not just about
getting traffic it is about getting the right traffic.
Attracting people who are in a frame of mind to buy and
directing them to your sales team. It is about building specific
calls to action into your site and then tracking these.

The trick is that times have changed. It is now not just about
stuffing your meta tags with every key term you think might
relate to your business. Internet search has grown up and
evolved as have the search engines. Search companies reacted
against the tide of SEO spamming by moving towards relevance
listings. Google came out of nowhere and blindsided the industry
to dominate search. If you weren’t in Google you didn’t exist.
The old rules no longer applied, or at least, not as much as
they used to. The cataloguing and ranking techniques were
shrouded in mystique and marketers were subtly pushed towards
paid listings. First it was Google and Yahoo then the other
search companies went “me too” and jumped on board. It is a
trend that continues to define the market.

The Internet has grown up as well. It is no longer the side show
of the late nineties. It has infiltrated everywhere and
increasingly everyone. According to Netcraft (www.netcraft.com), who run
regular surveys of web server usage on the Internet, in February
2000 there were at least 10 million web sites in operation (a
conservative estimate). In its May 2004 report this result has
grown significantly to over 50 million sites. It is little
wonder that on the web you can be lost in the crowd and the
search engines are very quick to have their hands out for your
hard earned lucre.

Looking at the main players, Google has Adwords and Yahoo has
Overture. New kids on the block Sensis are making noises on the
fringes. There is money to be made in paid search listings.
Every day more and more people are making purchasing decisions
through their mouse and keyboard, whether at work or at home.
You might have the best products or services but are you getting
this message to them before your competitor? Paid listings can
help at least get you on the same page, even if it is in a small
advertisement on the side or above the main listings.

The key is however to choose the right horses for each course. A
smart marketer should choose wisely. Paid listings are not the
be all and end all of Search Engine Optimisation. A good
“natural” listing will always generate better results than a
contrived paid one, however obtaining good rankings are an
ongoing process. The paid links are ads and look like ads,
however they are at least contextual to the search term rather
than the splatter gun approach of other forms of Internet
advertising. Anecdotal evidence suggests that people are still
hesitant about clicking on these advertisements in the side bars
however the Google and Overture statistics (that word again)
indicate that a significant number of users of search engines
do. It would be silly to ignore this technique entirely however
it is equally folly to limit the exploration of search engine
marketing to the paid services.

The nature of pay per click means that you are in a bidding war
for your chosen keywords from the outset. The system works easy
enough allowing you to set bid limits and play a range of
keyword combinations. How much you will have to pay to secure a
top listing will depend upon the popularity of the term. Want to
nail down top spot for Tractor Maintenance and it could cost you
only $0.10US per click. Try for something competitive like Web
Design and you will be stung around $2.54US. Top of the scale is
Mesotheliona, that nasty cancer you get from asbestos dust.
Fuelled by litigation payouts the top bid is currently $100US
per click on Overture (www.overture.com). Unbelievably four US
law firms are paying this price. According to Overture 36,695
searches were done for this term in June 2004, not to mention
the other possible keyword combinations. Expensive stuff if you
get the clicks, it all boils down to how much a click through is
worth to your business. That difficult concept for old school
web marketers, return on investment.

Running a paid campaign will help boost your overall site
ranking in the search engines. Doing this alone, however is
unlikely to get you the prized top spots for your chosen keyword
string. That is, unless you have chosen a very niche term with
little competition. In which case you could probably have got
there without pay per click.

Another key component in this process is to make sure that when
choosing the target keyword combination (known as a string) that
you are realistic. If you are a small shoe store based in outer
suburban Melbourne don’t shoot for a highly singular generic
term like “Shoes” by itself. Be more specific regarding product
and location. The type of person that will respond to any online
pitch is likely to know how to use a search engine and use
keyword combinations to narrow their search results. Better to
target “Ladies Shoes Melbourne” or similar combinations thereof
to make better use of your paid listing spending. It is no point
boxing out of your division on a global scale if you are
targeting local business.

Accountable web marketing is achievable, however you do get what
you pay for. After the crash when the bottom fell out of the
market companies retreated in-house or farmed out work to back
yarders that were prepared to work for food. Cutting corners and
scrimping delivered cheap sites and even cheaper results. The
web site became a necessary evil rather than a valuable tool,
the thunder box out the back rather than the en-suite. When it
failed to work miracles it was fobbed off as a white elephant.

It became a classic Catch 22 situation. Content is and always
was king, but once bitten and several times shy the marketing
managers, who could have made best use of the technology,
refused to spend their budgets on updates. So, at the very time
when the search engines started rewarding context and content,
the corporate world retreated into safe static options or the
short term fix of high profile flash dynamics. Two extremes,
neither of which deliver good long term search engine
performance. If your site is not optimized then you have no
alternative but to pay for referrals. If your content is stale
and boring then who is going to buy from you. The site is
hamstrung from the start and destined to fail. So the cycle
continues.

You get what you pay for. That is the e-marketing lesson. That
doesn’t mean you should throw bucket loads of cash at the
nearest pony tailed web designer bouncing on his Pilates ball.
What it does mean is that you should make a realistic online
plan complete with goals and targets and exit strategy and then
commit to it. If you are going to dabble in pay per click then
be prepared to fight for a first page listing. If you are number
22 on Google Adwords for your primary key term then your half
hearted listing will deliver half hearted results at best. More
dollars round the S- bend. Use the tool aggressively. Do not
expect miracles from token outlays.

Mostly, however the lesson is to use multi channels. The
starting point should always be your site. The mistake of the
late nineties was that companies tried to trick search engines
to deliver traffic. The task now is not to fool Google but to
work with it. Search engines continually espouse the virtues of
their technology in producing relevant results so work to make
your site as relevant to your target key terms as you can. A
keyword spammer will soon be exposed for what they are but a
site tailored to reinforce its core contextual message will
prevail. The key to this is content and it is important to
realize that content imbedded in images and flash movies cannot
be read by search engines. It might be painful but some surgery
may be required.

A good URL is also important but it requires a user to be
already exposed to your branding. This is no problem if you are
Coca Cola but a worry if you are Fred’s Smash Repairs. New
business is unlikely to come directly through your URL. Think
holistically.

Developing an effective website is a balancing act between four
competing elements, Design, Usability, Bandwidth and Search
Engine Optimisation. Try too hard on one and you will impact on
another. Jacob Neilsen is often held up as the guru of web site
usability however anyone who has been to his site (www.useit.com) and implemented
his suggestions without question will soon recognise that he is
to design what Dr Pritican is to Christmas dinner. On the flip
side how many times have you been frustrated by the inability to
print off a key piece of information from the funky flash site
that you just stumbled upon, or left in frustration whilst that
self indulgent animated splash screen took forever to load on
your dial up connection. Similarly a perfectly optimised web
site for search engines would consist of nothing but ugly easily
searched and catalogued plain HTML text. The art is therefore a
balancing act in determining the level of compromise to suit
your business needs.

This then is the key question. What is your core business
requirement from your website? Unless your site achieves this
you will not be satisfied so define it and then tailor your site
to achieving it. Return on Investment for a website is not just
about “paying for the bloody thing.” It is about sustaining it
at a level that maximises its effectiveness. Set and forget is a
recipe for failure and different businesses will have different
capacities for achieving this quickly. The specific goals may
vary depending on the industry and the individual business
concerned.

A few points to consider…

• Put specific calls to action on your site. The best measure of
success for a website is tangible client contacts. Encourage
visitors to use the website contact information by offering web
only deals or other incentives.

• Target your primary selling points and products in your
keyword strings and cover appropriate cultural/market
terminology variations. (For example Mobile Phone in Australia,
Cell Phone in US, and Hand Phone in Japan; or Crayfish in
Victoria and Lobster in NSW)

• Don’t put too much information on your site. People use the
web increasingly for research. Put enough content up to convince
them of your credentials then encourage visitors to contact you
directly for more information and make it as easy as possible to
do so. Put your phone number on the site. Monitor and respond to
email enquiries immediately.

• Set realistic review periods. Different search engines have
differing lead times to catalogue new sites and index. A new
site can often take up to three months to fully make its way
through the system. Be patient … to a point.

• Monitor frequently. Search engines and their listing criteria
change frequently and often arbitrarily. Tweaks and changes will
be required sooner or later. Have a plan in place with your web
developer for reacting to any sizeable position drops. Sooner or
later your competitors will react and you have to be ready

About the Author

Tim Giles is a
Pre Marketing

Consultant for
Enedia
(www.enedia.com). Enedia’s
client’s include Ansearch (www.ansearch.com.au), an
Australian search engine and directory.

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Why There Are So Many Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Asbestos is a naturally-occuring fibrous mineral of metamorpic hydrous magnesium silicate. The term “metamorphic” is used to describe a process of extreme heat and pressure which creates specific secondary patterns of minerals with new chemical and/or physical properties. As the primary rock is heated and recooled, silicate crystals align in long rows of mineral fibers, which easily separate into tiny shards thinner than a human hair. Asbestos fibers are not a health risk as long as they are undisturbed. However, when asbestos is undergoes natural weathering, or is mined and processed, the microscopic particles waft into the air and cause disease if they are inhaled.

Asbestosis occurs when an inhaled asbestos particle irritates the body’s natural defence mechanisms, causing inflammation and scarring which eventually restricts lung function. Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the membranes surrounding the heart, lungs and abdominal cavity. Asbestos can also cause cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, stomach, lung and lymphoid tissue.

Asbestos exposure can also cause non-fatal illnesses such as asbestos warts, caused when asbestos fibers are lodged in the skin, causing lumps of scar tissue to form around the irritant in the same manner as they do in the lungs to cause asbestosis; pleural plaques, discrete, sometimes calcified fibrous lesions which can be seen on X-rays but are too small to cause breathing impairment; and diffuse pleural thickening, which can cause breathing impairment if it is extensive.

Due to its fire resistant properties, asbestos has been used historically for household and industrial purposes. It has been found woven into burial cloths in ancient Egypt, and Charlemagne reportedly had a tablecloth made of asbestos which he would throw into a fire to clean.

In World War II asbestos was considered so important by the War Department that it was considered a strategic material, and many American workers were exposed in the World War II boom in shipbuilding. After the war, it was widely used in the construction industry.

In modern Western society, it was used for such diverse purposes as lamp wicks, brake shoes, oven insulation, electrical hotplate wiring and home insulation, roofing and flooring. For instance, some kinds of vermiculite used in home insulation into the 1970s contained asbestos. The EPA banned this product in 1977.

When a home owner discovers asbestos in an old home, it should not be a cause for immediate panic. If the asbestos looks intact and is not pulverized, it is best to leave it alone. However, because of legal liability, schools and businesses containing asbestos usually must undergo a costly removal process, hazardous in itself because disturbing the stable asbestos product causes fibers to fill the air. Special equipment must be used to insure that the removal process does not cause health problems where non existed before.

Most industrialized nations have reduced or banned the use of asbestos for at least 30 years and now use fiberglass or woven ceramic fiber as a substitute, but since asbestos-caused disease has a latency period of up to 50 years, patients are still presenting with these illness today. Every year in America, approximately 3000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed, and 550 deaths occurs due to asbestosis. According to the March 1991 Report of the Judicial Conference Ad Hoc Committee on Asbestos Litigation, asbestos exposure has caused the deaths of approximately 200,000 to 265,000 Americans.

Asbestos use peaked in the United States in 1973, when 1 million tons of the material were used. The EPA attempted to institute a complete legal ban on the use of asbestos products in 1989; however, this ban was largely eviscerated by the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in 1991, and some restricted use of asbestos, albeit in fewer products than than before, resumed. Therefor, even today some workers are being exposed to this toxic material.

Asbestos is a serious continuing concern to the Environmental Protection Agency, and their website has detailed information on asbestos and its removal.

Concerns about the health risks of asbestos exposure date back to 1898, when the Chief Inspector of Factories of the United Kingdom reported to Parliament in his Annual Report about the “evil effects of asbestos dust”. He noted that the “sharp, glass like nature of the particles” when allowed to remain suspended in the air, “have been found to be injurious, as might have been expected”. In 1906 a British Parliamentary Commission confirmed the first cases of asbestos-related deaths in Bristish factories and called for improved ventilation and other safety measures. In 1918 an American insurance company produced a study showing premature deaths in the asbestos industry in the United States and in 1926 the Massachusetts Industrial Accidents Board processed the first successful compensation claim by a sick asbestos worker.

Today, lawsuits claiming compensation for asbestos-related illnesses are a growth industry in the legal profession. An internet search of “mesothelioma lawyer” yields 1,910,000 results. The original manufacturers of asbestos products have long since been driven into Chapter 11 bankruptcy; plaintiffs have now turned to suing corporations with peripheral connections to asbestos products. More than 70 American corporations have filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in due to asbestos liability claims.

Since the 1970’s, approximateley 6% of all lawsuits filed in American courts have been asbestos-related. The lawsuits now facing the courts have been described as “an elephantine mass” by the US Supreme Court, and are expected to cost between 200 to 275 billion dollars to settle. Asbestos liability is one of the largest issues facing the global insurance industry today.

Most epidemiological studies expected the number of lawsuits to peak in the 1990s, but this has not occurred, either because of the long latency period of asbestos-related diseases, or because legal action is becoming more popular among asbestos-exposed members of the public due to high-profile legal cases and widespread advertising by attorneys who specialize in such cases.

Many complaints have been made by representatives of industries facing lawsuits and the insurance companies who will be expected to pay them that the asbestos-lawsuit industry is rife with fraud, with less that half of all payouts reaching the plaintiffs. Aggressive, ambulance-chasing lawyers are said to exaggerate medical disability and coach clients on their testimony.

The group of plaintiffs includes not only ill people, but also those who have merely have a history of asbestos exposure and want compensation for potential future health risks. According to the American Academy of Acturaries Mass Tort Work Group, more than 100 million Americans have been exposed to asbestos in their workplace during the past century.

About the Author

J Shipper is interested in Mesothelioma Life Extension Anxiety

Mesothelioma Latency Period

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My house was built in 1986 and I want to remove the popcorn ceiling. Should I get an asbestos test first?

YES – Have it tested. It would be stupid not to.

Scraping Popcorn

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]]> How do I remove Vermiculite from the attic without it costing so much?

Buying a house and we love it! One problem there is vermiculite in the attic used for insulation. It is now said that it has a 50% chance of having asbestos. How do i remove it safely?

NEVER disturb the vermiculite. You must assume that it contains asbestos until it is proven that it does not. There is really no need to remove it, cover it with cellulose insulation to achieve the desired R value

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Better Things for Better Living (part-ii)

Dangers of Asbestos and its Replacements

 

In the recent past asbestos siding was regarded as an excellent product and houses were sided with it. These same siding panels are still on the houses and have needed no repair or upkeep. Besides making the houses resistant to fire for all these years, they look as good as new. Interestingly, in the beginning, no one had the idea that when inhaled asbestos becomes deadly. However, it is only when asbestos is disturbed that it becomes a health threat to human beings.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring material with unusual qualities that was used commonly in buildings for insulation. It is strong enough to resist high temperatures, chemical attack and wear. A poor conductor, it insulates well against heat and electricity. Asbestos crystals become long, flexible, silky fibres, so it can be made into a wide variety of forms. It can be spun into yarn, woven into cloth or braided into rope. Asbestos can also be added to materials as diverse as cotton and cement. This combination of properties gives asbestos performance capabilities that are difficult to match.

Asbestos is commonly found in ceiling tiles, flooring and pipes. Asbestos becomes a danger only when it is disturbed, causing the fibers to become airborne. This is commonly referred to as friable asbestos, while intact asbestos is referred to as Non-friable asbestos. Friable asbestos becomes airborne and the human lungs are susceptible to it while breathing in the airborne fibers. While research has yet to determine a safe level of exposure to asbestos, one thing is for certain; the more prolonged the exposure, the greater the risk becomes for developing an asbestos- related disease.

 

Doctors often compare the dangers associated with asbestos to those of smoking cigarettes. The more cigarettes one smokes, the greater becomes the danger for developing lung cancer. Similarly, the more one is exposed to asbestos, the greater becomes the chance for developing an asbestos- related disease. This is why asbestos poisoning is often called an occupational hazard disease, because the people who commonly work with the material are the most at risk for developing an asbestos -related disease.

 

Generally, there are three diseases that are triggered by inhaling asbestos fibers: asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Asbestosis is caused when asbestos fibers are inhaled and become trapped in the lungs. In response, the body tries to dissolve the fibers by producing an acid which besides destroying the fibers, serves to scar the lung tissues too. Eventually the scarring can become so severe that the lungs may become unable to function. The time from exposure to the manifestation of asbestosis in most patients is between 25 to 40 years. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the outside tissue of the lungs. This cancer is solely linked to asbestos. The time from exposure to manifestation of mesothelioma is from 15 to 35 years. Cancer of the lungs can also be caused by exposure to asbestos. However, the chances of developing lung cancer from asbestos are greatly increased with smoking. The exposure to manifestation period for lung cancer from asbestos exposure is also from 15 to 35 years.

 

Despite many common myths, initial exposure cannot be detected by medical x-rays or physiological symptoms. Asbestos exposure does not cause headaches, fever, or muscle aches. The symptoms of exposure go unnoticed for at least 15 years. However, at the time of manifestation, doctors can determine asbestos exposure. The risk of being exposed to asbestos is increased by its presence in construction material. Work on ceilings and flooring can cause the asbestos to become friable. This is why non-friable asbestos is often recommended to be left intact instead of getting it removed as Asbestos does not just chip away or decomposes; it must be physically disturbed to pose a threat to human health.

 

When asbestos is required to be removed, either before or during a construction project, or due to an accidental disturbance, state laws require that certain precautions and procedures be followed. These regulations aim to ensure that the appropriate steps are taken during an abatement procedure, and all health and safety-related precautions are taken. Here a good argument can be made that well-maintained asbestos objects can safely be left in place, but the invisible hazard of asbestos is so worrisome that even tight-fisted school Boards are paying large sums of money to remove old asbestos wherever they find it.

 

Amazingly, while we hear nowadays a lot about aluminum, which is widely used in siding, we do not talk much about “vinyl” which is usually polyvinyl chloride (PVC),a  polymer of vinyl chloride, CH2 = CHCl having hundreds of vinyl chloride monomers in each molecule of the polymer. In addition to its use in siding and flooring, it is widely used in pipes used in plumbing and many other articles of daily use. However, both these substitutes of asbestos are not free from drawbacks and hazards. While aluminium ions have been correlated to onset of Alzimer’s disease, in case of a fire, PVC besides adding fuel to fire, releases HCl gas, which is dangerous. Hence both the aluminium articles and the monomer vinyl chloride must be handled carefully and cautiously because aluminum is neuro-toxic and PVC is a severe carcinogen and has been blamed for several deaths.

Even though aluminum is not considered to be a heavy metal like Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead, it becomes toxic in excessive amounts and even in small amounts if it is deposited in the brain. Many of the symptoms of aluminum toxicity mimic those of Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis. Colic, rickets, gastrointestinal problems, interference with the metabolism of calcium, extreme nervousness, anemia, headaches, decreased liver and kidney function, memory loss, speech problems, softening of the bones, and aching muscles can all be caused by aluminum toxicity.

 

Aluminum is excreted by the kidneys; therefore toxic amounts can impair kidney function. Aluminum can also accumulate in the brain causing seizures and reduced mental alertness. The brain is normally protected by a blood-brain barrier, which filters the blood before it reaches it. Elemental aluminum does not pass easily through this barrier, but certain compounds contained within aluminum, such as aluminum fluoride do. Interestingly, many municipal water supplies are treated with both aluminum sulfate and aluminum fluoride. These two chemicals can also combine easily in the blood. Aluminum fluoride is also poorly excreted in the urine.

 

When there is a high level of absorption of aluminum and silicon, the combination can result in an accumulation of certain compounds in the cerebral cortex and can prevent nerve impulses being carried to and from the brain properly. Long term calcium deficiency can further aggravate the condition. Workers in aluminum smelting plants on a long term basis have been known to experience dizziness, poor coordination, balance problems and tiredness. It has been claimed that the accumulation of aluminum in the brain could be a possible cause for these issues.

It is estimated that the normal person takes in between 3 and 10 milligrams of aluminum per day. Aluminum is the most abundant metallic element produced by the earth. It can be absorbed into the body through the digestive tract, the lungs and the skin, and is also absorbed by and accumulates in the bodies tissues. Aluminum is found naturally in our air, water and soil. It is also used in the process of making cooking pots and pans, utensils and foil. Other items such as over the counter pain killers, anti-inflammatory products, and douche preparations can also contain aluminum. Aluminum is also an additive in most baking powders, is used in food processing, and is present in antiperspirants, toothpaste, dental amalgams, bleached flour, grated cheese, table salt, and beer, (especially when the beer is in aluminum cans). The biggest source of aluminum, however, comes from our municipal water supplies. Excessive use of antacids is also a common cause of aluminum toxicity, especially for those who have kidney problems. Many antacids contain amounts of aluminum hydroxide that may be too much for the kidneys to handle properly.

 

Here one may ask as to what we can do to prevent aluminum toxicity from happening to ourselves and our families.

1. Eat a diet that is high in fiber and includes apple pectin.
2. Use stainless steel, glass, or iron cookware. Stainless steel is the best choice.
3. Beware of any product containing aluminum or dihydroxyaluminum.
4. A hair analysis can be used to determine levels of aluminum in the body.
5. Research has shown that the longer you cook food in aluminum pots, the more they corrode, and the more aluminum is absorbed into the food and hence into the body. Aluminum is more readily dissolved by acid forming foods, such as coffee, cheese, meat, black and green tea, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, turnips, spinach and radishes.

6. Acid rain leeches aluminum out of the soil and into drinking water.

 
Whereas smells of some new fragrant chemicals, kept in cars bring happiness to the users and people like it so much, that the manufacturers have even come out with an “air freshener”, which harnesses its scent, but consumers don’t even know what they are inhaling. They rarely know that the new car scent is a mixture of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) that are off-gassing from the plastics inside. Just about everything inside a car is made from fabric or plastic; which is held together by some sort of adhesive these items off-gas or out-gas as some would say, are a big non-visible but highly odorous cloud of VOC’s.

Volatile Organic Compounds are a combination of gases that are emitted into the air. Individually these gases may not pose such a health risk, but collectively and cumulatively they can cause headaches, nausea, and sore throats. Many of the symptoms of “Sick Building Syndrome” can be linked to high levels of VOC’s inside a structure. Most commonly in paint, carpets, cleaning supplies, car exhaust fumes, upholstery, adhesives, and all sorts of plastics. Even the new car scent that is so adored is the off-gassing of the PVC (polyvinyl chloride). When we open the plastic packaging of our new shower curtain, that smells too, it is the off-gassing of the PVC.

PVC plastic or vinyl is one of the worst environmental and health offenders, yet it’s the most widely used material. What makes this plastic so abhorred is the highly toxic chemical it creates and releases called dioxin. PVC is also difficult to recycle and hence much of it ends up in our landfills; but perhaps the greatest danger of PVC is the phthalates that are added to it to make it softer and more pliable. Children’s toys use the soft version of this PVC. The phthalates are well known endocrine disruptors that can cause harm to the reproductive system of both males and females.

Fortunately, the knowledge that PVC is dangerous is spreading rapidly. It has hit the corporate mainstream and the companies dealing with production of PVC have begun to phase it out of their products. Consumers are not only waking up to the dangers of PVC but also are putting the pressure on other companies to begin the phase-out process as well. One of the best ways we can do as individuals is to educate our friends and through them the society and its friends, the NGOs, about this top most and other environmental issues. Besides we must remember that the only way to stop PVC from getting into our homes is to cut it off at its source and that’s with you, me and we all both individually and collectively.

 

 

About the Author

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Mesothelioma – Is Cancer Hibernating in You?

Imagine a disease that lays eggs inside your lungs. These eggs
do not produce discomfort or coughing, they don’t cause
outbreaks or rashes or anything of the sort. In fact these eggs
don’t do anything except sit in your lungs and germinate for 30
to 40 years. After this time you begin to have a slight cough, a
fever, maybe some cold sweats. You write it off as the flu and
continue as usual until it goes away. 3 weeks later the flu is
back but this time you’re coughing up blood. You visit your
doctor and hope he can prescribe something to kick this crazy
flu. Your doctor runs a few tests and sends you home. A week
later your brought into his office and he lays the devastating
news on you…you have Mesothelioma a cancer of the lungs.

This is the reality for roughly 2000 men and women residing here
in the United States every year. These are people who often time
have lead healthy lives. In the article, “Mesothelioma Victims -
Survival Stories” Kathleen writes:

“At 42, I never thought that I would be facing a terminal
illness, especially one relating to the lungs. I’ve never smoked
and have lead a relatively healthy life. I have two beautiful
daughters who will be heading to college soon – and I may not be
alive to see their graduation.”

The primary cause of mesothelioma cancer is linked to exposure
to asbestos fibers which are breathed into the lungs or
swallowed. Asbestos is a material that was used heavily for many
years in hundreds of products. Asbestos was primarily used due
to the fact that it is strong, resists fire and corrosion, and
has very effective properties for insulation.

In modern day, asbestos has many uses such as thermal pipe and
boiler insulation, floor coverings, ceiling tiles, spray-applied
fire proofing and sound proofing, roofing materials and
“transite” pipe and sheeting. Though major public use was
discontinued in the late 70s, asbestos continues to be a
material used in countries outside of the U.S., and due to the
fact that we trade for many of these countries goods it is
necessary that we educate ourselves as to the materials used in
production of the products and items we use daily.

Many more cases of mesothelioma, due to asbestos exposure, are
beginning to surface today. First, because our understanding and
ability to recognize the disease has increased by leaps and
bounds over the years, and second, because this particular
cancer lays dormant within the carriers system for 30 to 40
years. With the widespread use of asbestos during the 20th
century we are starting to see the consequences of exposure to
this toxic material.

Due to the fact that asbestos was in heavy concentration in the
industrial and building trades during the mid 1900s, most
carriers of mesothelioma cancer are men who where working around
asbestos during that time. However, mesothelioma has been
reported not only in cases of direct exposure, but also
indirect, such as the families of these men, as they often
returned home with asbestos fibers on their clothing. Even in
today’s day and age where asbestos has been all but removed from
our lives, it is still possible to be diagnosed with
mesothelioma as cases of this cancer have been diagnosed without
the presence of asbestos exposure.

It is also important to note that smokers who have been exposed
to asbestos carry a far greater risk of mesothelioma. Some
figures suggest as much as 3 times the percentage of a
non-smoker with the same level of exposure. If you feel that you
have been exposed to asbestos set an appointment with your
physician to go over your chances of mesothelioma developing.
The best thing a mesothelioma patient can do is to detect the
presence of this disease early on, as it will increase your
chances considerably.

To find out the symptoms of mesothelioma and get more
information about this deadly form of respiratory cancer visit:
Mesotheliom
a Cancer

About the Author

Mike Andrews is a research specialist who writes informative and
news worthy articles focused on providing the public with
unbiased views and quality information. These articles stand to
improve public relations and branding for the businesses they
are associated with.

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Can I use duct tape to cover asbestos tape until I can afford to have it removed professionally?

The asbestos is currently attached to an old fashioned “octopuss” (gravity based heating system). In particular, the arms or “runs” that stem from the main unit are covered (or insulated) in asbestos. I was wondering…would it be safe to cover the asbestos tape with duct tape just to prevent particles from becoming airborne in the basement? Will the duct tape melt or otherwise become toxic by doing this? I’m trying to find a middle of the way solution until I can afford the $6,000 cost of having it removed by a professional asbestos removal service. Thank you very much for your input! It is very appreciated:)

be care full what ever u do. is your life really worth $6000?
the tape solution would work, for a short time.
if u try anything on your own u must buy a pair of disposable coveralls, good gloves, boots u don’t mind throwing out and a mask (don’t skimp here spend some money, have it fitted by a pro)
use the duct tape to tape the cuffs of the coveralls to your gloves and boots. ventilate the basement well, and make sure u throw out everything when u are done(keep the mask throw out the filters)

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Your Household May Be The Cause of Mesothelioma Cancer

Asbestos is a group of minerals resistant to fire and has long been used throughout history for various purposes. It was found in the burial clothes of the ancient Egyptians. Asbestos is mined from metamorphic rocks. When this material is used in materials to increase their resistance of fire, it is often mixed with cement and woven into clothes and fabric.

Asbestos is everywhere in your household, from your brake shoes, in your electric oven, and hot plate wiring, it is in the insulation of your house. It is resistant to chemicals, it is flexible, a material easy to use and very much in demand. However, the inhalation of asbestos is the cause of various serious illnesses.

Therefore, the use of this material has been banned in many countries due to its cancer causing quality. In the US, chrysolite has been widely used in various products such as texture and mud coats, sheeting, adhesives and ceiling tiles, plasters, roofing tars, siding, pipes, fireproofing, and the list continues for long.

Naturally, asbestos is in small quantity in the air we breathe and the water we drink. Studies have shown that members of population, who are not exposed to high asbestos exposure, have around hundreds of thousands of asbestos fibres in every single gram of their dry lung tissue.

Cancer mesothelioma is almost in every cases caused by exposure to asbestos. The mesothelium is a layer of special cells that form a membrane around certain body cavities. This tissue produces a fluid that protects the organs. These organs are enabled to move by the help of this tissue. It is mainly in the pleura, and the outer lining of the lungs.

Most people who develop mesothelioma cancer have previously been employed in a place where they inhaled asbestos, or have been washing the clothes of people working with asbestos. Developing it shows no relation to smoking.

Diagnosing it is often difficult as symptoms may not occur up to 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, coughing, and pain in the chest are signs of cancer mesothelioma. The latter is due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, which are the membrane around the lungs. Symptoms include weight loss, weakness, fatigue, and anorexia. Abdominal swelling, anemia, and fever are also indicators of the tumor as well.

If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, the mesothelium symptoms will include pain or trouble swallowing, or facial or neck swelling. In severe cases, other signs will show, including blood clots in the veins that may be the cause of thrombophlebitis, severe bleeding in many body organs, and jaundice, in which the skin and the eyes turn yellow. The sugar level of the blood can drop significantly, and pulmonary emboli can develop, which is when blood clots form in the arteries of the lungs.

Mesothelioma cancer does not normally spread to the brain or bones. Pleaural tumors are usually found on one side only of the lungs.

Treatment of mesothelioma cancer with conventional therapies have not proved successful, and patients have a survival time span of 6-12 months only. This fact is mainly due to the slow forming of the tumors after the long exposure to asbestos. Surgery has not proved helpful at all in most of the cases. Only 10% of the patients who have been operated have lived for up to 5 years after the surgery.

Radiation has proved to be useful in relieve symptoms, although, the tumours are highly resistant to radiotherapy. Most successful of the treatments is Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy which helps the drugs to enter more efficiently into the abdominal and pelvic tissues by way of heating the fluid agent.

There are various societies and organisations which can help you identify the risk of asbestos exposure in your household, and they can provide you with guidance on how to eliminate the risk.

About the Author

For more information on cancer try visiting http://www.cancercondition.com – a website that specializes in providing cancer related information and resources including information on mesothelioma cancer.

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]]> Rosetta Genomics Announces Publication of Study on MicroRNA Expression for Lung Tumor Classification
REHOVOT, Israel & PHILADELPHIA—-Rosetta Genomics, Ltd. , a leading developer and provider of microRNA-based molecular diagnostic tests, announces the publication of a study showing microRNA expression differentiates between primary lung tumors and metastases to the lung.
Mesothelioma Lawyer, Asbestos Attorney – Lawsuit Litigation

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Is there anything important I should know when putting up a ceiling?

I have found out that the ceiling artex has a small amount of asbestos in so I want to cover with plasterboard and have it plastered over so looks nice and new. The original plasterboard though seems to be sinking only slightly so you can see the joins of the joints in the original ceiling. I want to know if my idea would be ok as can’t afford to remove asbestos and don’t want reminder of it being there,
serious answers please.
Please don’t tell me how serious asbestos is or that I should get rid of it. I have done my research and spk to the professionals and it is best to contain

If you put up new sheetrock, you need to tape and mud the joints now. Go to the heardware store and get a bucket of mud, a roll of tape and a trowel. Put on the tape cover with the mud and fan the mud out 3-4 inches on each side, sand and repeat 2 more time. Make sure the mud dries at leat 8 hours between coats

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How to tell the difference between slate and asbestos?

We are having a small part of our roof replaced…we believed it was slate, but the contractor said it might be asbestos because it is coming off dusty and crumbly…The tiles are 1 x 2 feet and about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. It’s a really old house, so we don’t exactly know when they were put on. They generally break in layers, and a thin piece will be shaved off the top and fall down in a storm, but as they are taking them down it seems like they are crumbly/dusty around the edges and break easy. Could this just be poor quality slate, or is it asbestos and how can I tell for sure?
Color is a smooth charcoal gray. Roofer said the nails look like something from the 1930’s if that helps any.

Take a small piece and send it to our office with your contact information and we can get u results in about a week. We will have it analyzed, and it is relatively cheap a couple of bucks to get it analyzed.

Badlands Environmental
1006 E. Central Ave.
Bismarck ND 58501

but i would say that it is slate from what you defined…
charcoal gray is the color though of typical Transite board which contains asbestos.
If it smooth, glossy or shiny i’d definately say it is slate

but transite asbestos can also have the texture of say like a chalkboard in a school or can be coarse…

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people say that houses roofed using asbestos pose a grave danger to the people. what is this danger?

can the danger be avoided.

Asbestosis. Small particles get into the lungs & eventually kill you. If you want it removed from your roof, it MUST be done professionaly.

Poison fears as blaze destroys factory- Auckland NZ

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