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Friday, January 31, 2014

Moldy Homes Don't All Have Water Leaks...

My elderly mother spent
a lifetime keeping her windows and drapes closed and the AC and heater
at a barely comfortable setting. She often had a drippy nose that
perpetually bothered her. I tried to tell her that she had a mold
allergy caused by the musty smelling house. She lived northwest of
Houston where humidity is a factor. She refused to believe me.

A year ago, I moved her into assisted living. After we had her moved in,
her drippy nose slowed down, but we could still smell some of the
mustiness from her possessions. So, I gradually got rid of all her
clothing and the mattress and bedding. After it was all gone, her
problem was almost over. Now, it's only on days with an atmospheric high
mold count that her nose ever drips (a reminder of past foolishness).

The following link helps explain:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/discover-how-the-smell-of-your-home-could-be-making-you-sick.27591/

Julie Rehmeyer (formerly an ME patient and now close to fully recovered
subsequent to mold avoidance and detox) reports on the findings of a new
study in PNAS showing that the VOC's made by mold in homes can result
in neurological symptoms.

Julie was recently made a contributing editor for Discover.

>Joan Bennett didn’t believe in sick building syndrome. As a specialist in
mold toxins, she had even testified in trials in support of insurance
companies denying claims to homeowners who claimed that they had been
sickened by toxins from their moldy houses.

>Then Hurricane Katrina struck, Bennett’s home was flooded, and she evacuated. “A month
later, as a form of psychological sublimation, I decided to travel back
and sample my home for mold,” she said. Her house smelled horrendous,
worse than any mold she’d ever smelled. She donned a mask and gloves
and protective gear, but even so, she felt awful – dizziness, headache,
malaise. She walked outside and felt better. Then it struck her: “I
think there’s something in this terrible mold I’m smelling.”

>Ironically, even though sick building syndrome is what drew her to this work,
Bennett says that she’s not planning to emphasize that aspect of her
work in the future, because it’s so unpopular at the National Institutes
of Health, upon which she is dependent for funding. “I am convinced
that there is something real there,” she says. “I wish I could convince
some funding agencies.”

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/c...r-home-could-be-making-you-sick/#.UtYe2ShAs23

Note: The above original article was originally published by the Discover magazine.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/11/rutgers_researchers_mold_can_cause_symptoms_that_mimic_parkinsons.html

http://m.nydailynews.com/1.1514655

Poor Driving Habits Yields Poor Fuel Economy

The biggest cause of poor fuel economy on the highway is poor driving habits. There is a 41% decrease in fuel economy from 50 mph to 80. That is like paying $1.38 more per gallon of gasoline.

The faster you go above 50 mph, the incrementally worse your miles per gallon is. Also, the harder you accelerate, the more fuel you waste.

When I bought my first car, I installed a vacuum gauge on the engine. This reflected the amount of fuel that was being sucked up in through the intake manifold. I soon learned how to keep the needle in the green (reflected optimal fuel efficiency).
My rules:
1) stay below 55mph (if traffic flow permits);
2) accelerate slowly and steadily (avoid racing to get to the next traffic stop -- leave that to those drivers who don't look or think ahead);
3) ease up on the throttle going downhill while also picking up as much speed as is safe / if traffic flow permits, gradually allow your speed to decrease a bit going uphill.
4) drive with your windows up to reduce wind drag

I, also, organize my life so that I save time and money by minimizing the number of trips I make. And because I live in a metropolis, I plot my route to make as few left turns as possible. And if you have access to INRIX traffic app, then check it as you are departing.

Other gas mileage tips:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/