Gizmodo blogs about USB batteries, an idea whose time has come, but isn’t quite ready for prime-time.

Moixa USBCELL batteries can be charged using a regular charging station as well as the USB port in your PC, laptop, Xbox 360, or USB car charger.

Power and longetivity still need work, but I still remember brick-sized cellphones and have faith that we’ll get there.

I’m dreaming of a day when the tangle of transformers and cords and poorly-configured power strips are replaced by a USB bank and all power jacks for cellphones, PDAs and other electronics are replaced with USB inputs.

When USB outlets are ubiquitous in airplanes, cars, hotels, schools and businesses, we’ll pretty much always be juiced or within easy juicing distance.

In the meantime, we’ll have to make do…

Hat tip: IFOC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 21, 2006
Release #06-239
CPSC Media Contact: Scott Wolfson
(301) 504-7051
* Statements from the Commission attached

CPSC Approves NPR Proposing New Warning Label for Portable Generators

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an effort to reduce the rising death toll from carbon monoxide poisoning associated with consumer use of portable generators, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously (2-0) to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR).

The proposed standard would require manufacturers to place a new warning label on portable generators.

The label includes pictograms and statements warning consumers that a generator’s exhaust contains poisonous carbon monoxide and that a generator should NEVER be used inside the home or in partially enclosed areas such as garages.

CPSC has reports of 64 people who died last year from carbon monoxide poisoning associated with portable generators. Many of the deaths occurred after hurricanes and major storms.

Later this year, CPSC staff will be providing the Commission with information on other potential regulatory and non-regulatory options to reduce deaths and injuries caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from generators.

The public has 75 days to comment to the Commission about the NPR. Comments can be submitted to CPSC’s Office of the Secretary at tstevenson@cpsc.gov

STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE NANCY A. NORD ACTING CHAIRMAN, U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING FOR PORTABLE GENERATORS

August 15, 2006

Today I am voting to publish for comment a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) that would require all portable generators sold to consumers in the United States bear a specific warning label. The purpose of the proposed rule is to better warn consumers about the very real danger of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning posed by the use of a portable generator in or near a home.

The demand by consumers for portable generators has increased in recent years. Portable generators can be extremely useful machines, particularly after the loss of electricity in the wake of a storm or for some other reason. However, as the number of portable generators in use has increased, so too have the number of people who have been killed or sickened by CO poisoning from those generators. The amount of CO emitted >from a portable generator can be up to several hundred times that released by a modern car’s exhaust and can kill consumers in a very short period of time, especially while they sleep, as several recent, tragic incidents have demonstrated.

In addition to the proposed warning label requirement, I anticipate that the Commission will soon receive a staff package outlining other regulatory options the Commission might consider regarding portable generators. I look forward to receiving that package as well as the public’s comments on this NPR, and to continuing to work with all of our stakeholders on this important issue.

STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE THOMAS H. MOORE COMMISSIONER, U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION ON THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING REGARDING LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR PORTABLE GENERATORS

August 15, 2006

In the six year period from 2000 through 2005, CPSC staff is aware of at least 222 deaths related to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning associated with portable generators. Far too many of the deaths associated with the use of portable generators predictably occur following severe weather events that typically cause power outages. Consumers, unknowingly, expose themselves and others to lethal CO gas while using the portable generator as a substitute power source often during times of high stress and anxiety.
…
As mentioned above, our staff is conducting a thorough review of the existing portable generator safety measures. While improvements to warnings are important, warning labels, by themselves, may be insufficient as a sole means of addressing the CO poisoning hazard. From our experience, we know that simple awareness of a possible hazard will not in every instance dissuade a consumer from behavior that leads to exposure to the hazard. Therefore, in the very near future, our staff will be providing to the Commission a briefing package that will contain a comprehensive discussion on additional regulatory and non-regulatory alternatives which could be used to further reduce CO related deaths and injuries associated with the use of portable generators.

To see the full release on CPSC’s Web site, including a picture of the proposed warning label, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06239.html

Remember avocado green appliances? I believe they were popular in the 1960’s and 1970’s . Last fall, my mother decided that this was the year that her almost forty- year- old refrigerator had to go. The green didn’t bother her, and it was working just fine, but she thought that at about forty years, she was pushing her luck that it would continue to work well. She felt should replace it now while she had the ability to shop around and make the best choice without being rushed because she was without a fridge.

So after learning that Amana, which was the brand she had and liked very much is now owned by Maytag and that the Amana models did not come in the larger size she preferred, my mother bought the Maytag model #MTB2195AEW on February 3, 2006. It is traditional in style with the freezer on top and has no accessories such as an icemaker or water dispenser. The refrigerator was delivered with a large dent in the front door and had to be returned for another one. The second one seemed fine and was installed. It has not been seven months yet and she has had five service calls and one more is scheduled for next week. Six service calls in six months!

The first call was for help with the installation of the shelves in the freezer. The instruction manual did not make it clear (and it does seem counterintuitive) that small pieces of plastic must be broken in order to make the shelves fit in the freezer. The serviceman helped with the shelves and ordered a new set of clips to hold the kickplate that was loose because of a broken clip. (It seems it was broken at the time of delivery.) We should have seen what was coming…

Call number two was regarding the freezer icing up. There were icicles in the freezer because the door was out of alignment. The hinges were replaced. Soon after this the bottom shelf in the refrigerator and the crisper began freezing. This brought about service call number three. These visits had all been with the local company that works with the store where the purchase was made. The repairman said he was unable to fix it although he thought the problem might be the thermostat. He referred her to Maytag and left an 800 number for her to call.

My mother called Maytag right away and was told that the soonest appointment would be two and a half weeks later. She waited and was rewarded at this, her fourth service call, by having the damper replaced. Within two days everything was freezing again on the bottom shelf and in the crispers. ( For those who don’t know, crispers are the bottom drawers in the fridge used for storing fruits and vegetables.) She called the Maytag folks again who told her she would need to wait another two and half weeks for service. When the repairman arrived for this fifth call, he looked at the fridge, told her that she should not place canned foods on the bottom shelf and that the crisper is supposed to freeze things. She suggested that she should just return it, to which he replied “You do that.” and he left.

One more call has been placed – to the store where she purchased this malfunctioning Maytag. They want another shot at fixing it. She is waiting yet another week for the service call and we all hope that they don’t send the repairman who referred her to Maytag customer service three calls ago because it seems that Maytag has no intention of offering service to this new ( and possibly former) customer.

This all makes me wonder why the old green fridge, which had almost no problems in it’s nearly forty years, lasted so long. Was the old Amana a better made appliance? Is Maytag, which has been known in the past for it’s high quality, losing its edge? Or does avocado green have a special effect on appliances?

It’s tempting to spend a few dollars at Amazon.com for some paint…

As the summer comes to an end and used exercise equipment appears more frequently on EBAY and Craigslist, there are other things that require calesthenics to keep in proper shape. Kitchen appliances. This will be the first in a series of easy maintenance tips designed to extend the life of your essential appliances.

Rosie Romero of the Arizona Republic writes:

The two most common types of garbage disposers are continuous feed and batch feed.

Continuous feed is the most popular. To operate, you just push the food down, then turn on the disposer while running water.

The batch feed is not as popular, but it’s great for homes with small children. The stopper must be on and locked in place before the disposer will turn on. This eliminates curious fingers from being hurt if the disposer is turned on accidentally.

The majority of disposers have 1/3 to 1 horsepower and last about 10 years.

A chamber of stainless steel (which is stronger than other materials and corrosion-resistant) with a 3/4-hp motor works well for most homeowners. (see pictured In-Sink-Erator)
…
Expect to pay $70 to $250 for a new unit. The more expensive models have higher horsepower, meaning they can chop through more materials, even small bones, and some can reduce noise. Also consider a disposer with an auto-reverse mode, which allows the blades to go in the opposite direction to clear jams.

This is a lot safer than using a fork or your hand, which I never would recommend.

The key tips:

• Run the garbage disposal unit for 30 seconds when using, giving it plenty of time to chop up the food.
• Always run water while using the disposer. This helps maintain the integrity of the blades while washing food particles out of the unit. Cold water should be used. This will coagulate any grease inside and make it easier for the disposer to chop.
• You should continue to run water for a while after the unit is turned off to clear debris.
• Occasionally add vinegar or citrus peels to maintain your disposer and keep gunk from building up. Citric acid is a natural cleaning agent and works well as a deodorizer.
• Some chemicals, such as drain cleaners and bleach, can do more harm than good
• It’s best to throw larger amounts of food into the garbage than down the drain.