Shop | Leading Ways To Receive Auto Insurance Personal Savings
To discover affordable car insurance, you will need to do a little investigative work. Put simply, you will need to shop around a bit and apply for a numerous quotes. For all those not familiar with insurance estimates, what they entail is you comprehensive an educational form (virtually all are available online right now) from an unique insurance provider then you will receive a dollar figure more than a quote with regards for your request.
When you last but not least locate an insurance company that gives great safety for less, which company could facilitate the seamless transfer from your enterprise to them. It’s speedy, it’s easy, as well as it’s likely you’ll ponder why you in no way did a comparison shop just just before instead of putting good money down the drain.
A particular advantage of working with an immediate car insurance firm is that the vendor that is in handle of the bill will know the private personally in order that any troubles or difficulty can be released directly to them to handle. If people buy car insurance coverage online with out needing a broker, they have to take care of issues by by themselves and have to go to the third get jointly who does not know their own case exclusively and may struggle to efficiently take care of their circumstance.
There are many methods other than a blog site to get a motor insurance price guide. One way is to get in touch with an insurance agent. There are a pair of different types of brokers on the market. One utilizes one particular insurer and therefore is more biased in their opinion in the company, wanting to sell by which companies insurance protection. However, these agents may also be knowledgeable about the specific competitors available on the market and will be in a position to offer individuals an automobile insurance charge guide that will shows exactly how their firm is better than the other individuals on the market. Another sort of agent may sell options independently, and therefore they will market policies via different insurance plan providers, not being related to just one of these. This type of broker will be able to present you with a better rounded picture of the car insurance marketplace and that policy may be more likely to meet the needs of the individual that is searching.
As an individual drives an auto they need to make certain that they are operating that auto responsibly. That accountability includes getting automobile insurance on a monthly foundation or paying out up to 6 months at a time for insurance coverage.
No matter the prevailing average vehicle insurance policy rate, numerous folks are still detest to pay much more for their car insurance plan than is totally necessary and so they are the ones that make maximum effort in finding out and about how to get the most cost effective car insurance rates. It means doing battle with car insurance policy companies which generally run on a profit creating basis and who will usually quote an increased rate to be able to maximize their earnings.
Perhaps you have realized, it definitely does not have to be challenging to get auto insurance quotes. In just a matter of an hour you are going to uncover the right firm, obtain car insurance, and be able to head out on the road inside of your vehicle. You will not only be going following things in the correct way by getting auto insurance, nevertheless as well you will feel much more at ease and relaxed and are unlikely to be tense inside the wheel and getting directly into crashes.
Wooden Toybox | Guidecraft Little Farmhouse Wooden Table Toybox Lamp Clothe
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Melissa And Doug Toys | Melissa And Doug Toys
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Toy Companies | Toy Tooling ‘miraculously Saved’
Here’s a scenario that gives molders (and OEMs) an ulcer: A toy molder shipped out a tool out to be reconditioned, and someone ended up trying to sell it.
Cast-a-Way Toys LLC of Shawnee, Kan., wrote about the experience on its blog , and Action Figure Insider picked up the report — where it was spotted by Plastics News senior reporter Frank Esposito.
“On April 19th moulds and tooling owned by Cast-a-Way Toys was offered for sale from unauthorized agents in China and Singapore,” the company’s David Lee wrote. “Cast-a-Way Toys was miraculously made aware of this attempt by two separate, highly trusted and, successful toy companies here in the United States.
“When questioned about the attempted sale, the management company, whom Cast-a-Way Toys had previously authorized to move their moulds, admitted to this attempted sale. The reasoning was for the recuperation of costs of mould conditioning and cost associated with production.”
Now Cast-a-Way is concerned that someone may have molded toys with the tools while they were out of the company’s control. So the company is using the blog to let toy makers and molders know that any attempted sale is not authorized.
I don’t know the legal details behind the dispute, but it’s interesting that this company is using soclal media tools to alert others to the problem.
Educational Toy | Plantoys Wooden Toy Educational Toy 6308 Forklift
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Shopping | Being Safe When Shopping Online
The online shopping industry continues to grow. A lot have been turning towards shopping online instead of the conventional way. Because of this, the number and variety of products that can be bought online have also grown. You can shop for items ranging from fruits to CD’s to clothes , and the items, which you want, could be bought and delivered in literally one click. Now that is convenient and hassle-free shopping.
However, you would need to consider a couple of pointers if you are planning to land the greatest deals and find the best online stores. You would also have to be extremely cautious when doing business online due to the issues concerning security. Here are some fairly simple tips in order to make your overall shopping experience online fun, practical and safe.
First, you would need to purchase from a reputable company whose online business has been experienced by a substantial number of people. A lot of the larger companies have also begun selling their products online, and so if you would be purchasing from these bigger companies, the risks for fraud or receiving items of poor quality are definitely lower.
You might also want to opt for a secure server as you shop online using your credit card. Make sure that you are using an
Toy Chests | Toy Safety – Corrugation Texture – PVC Accessory System
Potential hazards
Small toys may be swallowed by children, such as this electronic button seen in the stomach. Toys stuck in the esophagus or too large to pass through the stomach may need to be removed with endoscopes.
Common scenarios include:
Choking or aspiration of small parts
Cuts by sharp parts of the toy
Injury by projectiles
Motor vehicle incidents involving toys
Lead Paint
Accident frequency
Accidents involving toys are quite common, with 40,000 happening each year in the United Kingdom (according to 1998 figures – data has not been collected in the UK since 2003), accounting for less than 1% of annual accidents. In 2005 in the U.S., 20 children under 15 years of age died in incidents associated with toys, and an estimated 202,300 children under 15 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with toys, according to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. In the European Union, no fatal accidents have been reported in the European Injury Database since 2002.
Safety standards
Distinction must be drawn between regulations and voluntary safety standards. From the table below, it can be seen that many regions model their safety standards on the EU’s EN 71 standard, either directly, or through adoption of the ISO 8124 standard which itself is modelled on EN 71.
Standard(s) and Regulations
ISO 8124-1:2000 Safety aspects relating to mechanical and physical properties
ISO 8124-2: 1994 Flammability
ISO 8124-3: 1997 Migration of certain elements
ISO 8098: 1989 Cycles safety requirements for bicycles for young children
Instituto Argentino de Racionalization de Materials 3583:
Parte 1: 1986 Seguridad de los juguetes, marcado, rotulasdo y embalaje
Parte 2: 1988 Propiedades mecanicas y fisicas
Parte 3: 1988 Inflammabilidad
Parte 4: 1991 Requisitos toxicologicos
Parte 5: 1996 Juegos de experimentos quimicos y actividades relacionadas
AS/NZS ISO 8124.1-2002 Safety of toys (safety requirements) Part 1: Mechanical and physical property requirements
AS/NZS ISO 8124 2-2003 Safety of toys (safety requirements) Part 2: Flammability requirements
AS/NZS ISO 8124.3-2003 Safety of toys (safety requirements) Part 3 Migration of certain elements requirements
AS 8124.4-2003 Safety of toys: (safety requirements) Part 4: Experimental sets for chemistry requirements
AS 8124.5-2003 Safety of toys (safety requirements) Part 5: Chemical requirements
AS 8124.7-2003
Safety of toys – finger paints – requirements and test methods
ABNT (Brazilian Association of Technical Standards)
NBR 11786/1998 – Toy Safety
Technical Standards Safety Act and Upholstered and Stuffed Articles Regulation
Hazardous Products Act R.S. c. H-3
Hazardous Products (Toys) Regulations C.R.C., c. 931
Hazardous Products (Pacifiers) Regulations: “Knob-Like” Pacifiers Policy
Regulations Respecting the Advertising, Sale and Importation of Hazardous Products (Pacifiers) under Hazardous Products Act
A Guide to Safety Requirements for Toys
Toys: Age Classification Guidelines
ISO 8124.1:2002 Safety of Toys – Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties
GB 9832-93 Safety and Quality of Sewn, Plush and Cloth Toys
GB 5296.5-96
Labeling and Instructions for Toys
Chinese Taipei
Chinese National Standard CNS 4797, 4798 Toy Safety Standard
Chinese National Standard CNS 12940 for Strollers and Carriages
Toy Goods Labeling Criteria
European Union
EN 71-1:2005+A8:2009 Safety of toys: Mechanical and physical properties
EN 71-2:2006+A1:2007 Flammability requirements
EN 71-3:1994/AC:2002, Specification for migration of certain elements
EN 71-4:1990/A3:2007 Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities
EN 71-5:1993, Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets
EN 71-6:1994 Graphical symbols for age warning labeling
EN 71-7: 2002 Finger paints Requirements and test methods
EN 71-8:2003 Safety of toys – Outdoor activity toys
EN 71-9: 2005 Organic chemical compounds
EN 62115:2005 Safety of electric toys
Council Directive (88/378/EEC) Approximation of the laws of the member states concerning the safety of toys
Council Directive (2009/48/EC)on the Safety of Toys
Council Directive (87/357/EEC) Dangerous imitations directive
Council Directive (93/68/EEC) Rules for the affixing and use of the CE conformity marking
Hong Kong
Toys and Children’s Products Safety Regulation (in compliance with ASTM F963, ICTI or EN-71)
JS 90:1983 Jamaican Standard Specification for Safety of toys and playthings
The Japan Toy Association Toy Safety Standard
Part 1 – Mechanical and Physical Properties
Part 2 – Flammability
Part 3 – Chemical Properties
Safety of Toys
MS EN71 Part 1:1995 (P) Mechanical and Physical Properties
MS ISO 8124-2:1999 Flammability
MS EN71 Part 3: 1998 Migration of Certain Elements
MS EN71 Part 4:1998 Experimental Sets for Chemistry and Related Activities
MS EN71 Part 5: 1998
Chemical Toys (Sets) Other than Experimental Sets
NOM 015/10-SCFI/SSA-1994
Toy Safety and Commercial Information – Toy and School Material Safety. Limits on the Bioavailability of Metals used on Articles with Paints and Dyes. Chemical Specifications and Test Methods.
New Zealand
AS/NZS ISO 8124.1:2002 Safety of Toys – Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties (ISO 8124.1:2000, MOD)
AS/NZS ISO 8124.2:2003 Safety of Toys – Flammability (ISO 8124.2: 1994, MOD)
AS/NZS ISO 8124.3:2003 Safety of toys – Migration of certain elements
Saudi Arabia
SSA 765-1994 Playground Equipment Part I: General Safety Requirements
SSA 1063-1994
Toys and General Safety Requirements
SSA 1064-1995 Method of Testing Part 1: Mechanical and Chemical Tests
SSA 1065-1995 Method of Testing Toys Part 2: Flammability
SSA 1322-1997 Low Power Radio Frequency Devices
Safety of Toys:
SS 474 PT. 1:2000 Part 1: Mechanical and Physical Properties
SS 474 PT. 2: 2000 Part 2: Flammability
SS 474 PT. 3: 2000 Part 3: Migration of Certain Elements
SS 474 PT. 4: 2000 Part 4: Experimental Sets for Chemistry and Related Activities
SS 474 PT. 5: 2000 Part 5: Chemical Toys (sets) Other Than Experimental Sets
SS 474 PT. 6: 2000 Part 6: Graphical Symbol for Age Warning labelling
South Africa
SABS ISO 8124-1:2000 Safety of Toys – Part 1: Safety Aspects Related to Mechanical and Physical Properties
SABS ISO 8124-2:1994 Flammability
SABS ISO 8124-3:1997
Migration of Certain Elements
Thai Industrial Standard for Toys TIS 685-2540 Part 1: General Requirements (1997)
Compulsory Stnd.
Part 2: Packages and Labeling (1997)
Part 3: Methods of Test & Analysis(1997)
United States
Mandatory Toy Safety Standard:
Code of Federal Regulations, Commercial Practices 16, Part 1000 to End (16CFR)
Title 15 -Commerce and Foreign Trade Chapter XI – Technology Administration, Department of Commerce Part 1150 – Marking of Toy, Look-alike and Imitation Firearms
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Engineering Test Manual for Rattles
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Engineering Test Manual for Pacifiers
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Labeling Requirements for Art Materials Presenting Chronic Hazards (LHAMA)
U.S. Child Safety Protection Act, Small Parts Hazard Warning Rule and Rules for Reporting Choking Incidents
Age Determination Guidelines: Relating Children’s Ages to Toy Characteristics and Play Behavior (September 2002)
Voluntary Toy Safety Standard:
ASTM F963-07e1 Standard Consumer Safety Specification on Toy Safety
ASTM F734-84 (89/94) Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Chests
ASTM F1148-97a Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Home Playground Equipment
ASTM F1313-90 Standard Specification for Volatile N-Nitrosamine Levels in Rubber Nipples on Pacifiers
ANSI Z315.1-1996 American National Standard for Tricycles – Safety Requirements
ANSI/UL 696, Ninth Edition Standard for Safety Electric Toys
(Source: ICTI Toy Safety Standards)
In Europe toys must meet the criteria set by the EC Toy Safety Directive (essentially that a toy be safe, which may be addressed by testing to European Standard EN71) in order for them to carry the CE mark. All European Union member states have transposed this directive into law – for example, the UK’s Toy (Safety) Regulations 1995. Trading Standards Officers in the UK, similarly to appropriate authorities in the other EU member states, have the power to immediately demand the withdrawal of a toy product from sale on safety grounds via the RAPEX recall notification system (used for all products subject to European safety legislation). In Canada the government department Health Canada has the responsibility of ensuring product safety, just as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) does in the United States. Australian and New Zealand toy safety standards (following the approximate model of the European Toy Safety Standard) have been adopted by the ISO as International Standard ISO 8124. Toy safety standards are continually
Appropriate age
Age warning symbol specified in the European standard EN_71-6.
Manufacturers often display information about the intended age of the children who will play with the toy. In the U.S. this label is sometimes mandated by the CPSC, especially for toys which may present a choking hazard for children under three years of age. In most countries the intended age is either shown as a minimum age or as an age range. While one reason for this is the complexity of the toy and how much it will interest or challenge children of different ages, another is to highlight that it may be unsafe for younger children. While a toy might be suitable for children of one age, and thus this is the age recommended on the product, there may be safety hazards associated with use by a lower age group, necessitating a mandatory warning. Some manufacturers also explain the specific dangers next to the advised age (as is mandated by European and International toy safety standards EN71 and ISO 8124 respectively, but not US standard ASTM 963). Some accidents occur when babies play with toys intended for older children.
United States regulations
In August 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed, which restricts the amount of lead and phthalates that may be contained in children’s toys (ages 12 and under). Some observers are of the opinion that this new law imposes the toughest toy-making standard in the world.
European regulations
In Europe, the comprehensive legislation addressing toy safety is the Toy Safety Directive of the European Union (EU), (Council Directive 88/378/EEC). This directive is a list of requirements toys must comply with, and is interpreted in the laws of each member state of the EU in their respective Toy Safety Regulations (e.g.: the UK’s Toys (Safety) Regulations 1995 (Statutory Instrument 1995 No. 204)). This directive has been superseded by Council Directive 2009/48/EC which will apply to toy imports into the EU as of 20th July 2011 except for the chemical requirements of Annex II which apply as of 20th July 2013. During these periods the corresponding requirements of the previous directive will continue to apply. Compliance with both directives leads to a CE Mark, which is a mandatory requirement denoting conformity with all applicable directives. Some items specifically excluded from this legislation are: fashion jewellery for children, Christmas decorations, and sports equipment. Official guidance on the classification of toys in the EU has been provided by the EU Commission. Where products are not classified as toys they will still be governed by the General Product Safety Directive. The toy safety directive provides for harmonised EU-wide standards on physical and mechanical properties, flammability, chemical properties and electrical properties but it should be noted that certain essential safety aspects of the directives are not governed by safety standards e.g. hygiene and radioactivity. The Toys Safety Directive (and subsequent Member State regulations) also calls for the closest applicable national or international standards to be applied where a standard is not specified in the Directive. This interpretive clause is present to ensure that new and innovative toys are safe before being placed on the market. The EN71 Toy Safety Standard has been harmonised by the EC as the default standard which toys must meet. If a toy is found to be unsafe (by breaching one of the specified standards, or by a manifest risk of injury not specified in standards) then the producer (the manufacturer, or the first importer into the EU of the product unit in question) is held to be guilty of an offence under the Toys (Safety) Regulations (or equivalent EU state law). The principle of due diligence (whereby the producer argues that all reasonable steps were taken to ensure the safety of the consumer with regards to the toy) may be used (in the UK) by the producer to avoid prosecution, fines and possible imprisonment. The unsafe toy is withdrawn from the EU market, with all member states’ authorities being notified by means of the RAPEX alert system.
Chinese Regulations
China’s toy industry has been regulated since early 2007 by the expansion of the nation’s compulsory certification system to include toy products. Regulations require a manufacturers to apply for China Compulsory Certification (CCC) from the nation’s Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA). From March 1, toy producers in China have been able to apply to three certification agencies nominated by the CNCA to certify their products. Toys are subject to inspection and certification review. Since June 1, 2007, no toy products without CCCs has been be allowed to leave factories, be sold or be imported into China. It is hoped this measure will mitigate the increasing international pressure on environmental protection, as well as further expand the nation’s toy export market. This increase in scrutiny was introduced before the 2007 Chinese export recalls.
International commerce
International commerce plays a big role in toy safety. In the first four months of 2006, China exported US$4 billion worth of toys. The United States contributed 70 percent of the global market by exporting US$15.2 billion in toys in 2005. The European Union accounts for 75% of the final disposition of these toys. From January 2005 through September 2006, products originating in China were responsible for about 48 percent of product recalls in the U.S., and a similar percentage of notifications in the EU. Lack of process control in sub-contracted vendors has been a contributing factor in recent high-profile cases.
Moves Toward Global Standards
Although an international toy safety standard exists, nations around the world still create their own legislation and standards to address the issue. Current toy safety standards focus on design principles and rely on batch testing of samples to assure safety. As has been seen in the large scale recalls of 2007, sample testing can miss non-conforming product. A design may be conceptually safe, but without control of the production, the design may not be met by the manufacturer. Similarly, the applicable toy safety standards to which a toy is tested by a laboratory may not discover a hazard in a product: in the case of 2007′s magnetic toy recalls and the Bindeez recall, the products in question met the requirements laid down in the applicable safety standard, yet were found to present an inherent risk. Proposed process and quality control standards, similar to the ISO 9000 systems, seek to eliminate production errors and control materials to avoid deviation from the design. The creation of manufacturing quality standards for toys will help ensure consistency of production. Using a continual improvement model, production can be subject to constant scrutiny, rather than assuming the compliance of all production by testing random samples. In October and November 2007, mandatory third party testing was proposed by regulators in the EU and US, to a (possibly new) international standard, requiring a new safety mark. There is no indication that the proposals will address manufacturing control.
Product recalls and safety hazards
The ability to recall a product from the market is a necessary part of any safety legislation. If existing quality and safety checks fail to detect an issue prior to sale, a systematic method of notifying the public and removing potentially hazardous products from the market is needed. Some toys have been discovered to have been unsafe after they have been placed on the market. Before the introduction of safety monitoring organisations the toys were simply stopped being manufactured if any action was taken at all[citation needed], but since then there have been many toys that have been recalled by their manufacturer. In some notable cases the problem has only been found after the injury or even death of a person that purchased the product.
Examples
Bindeez
Batches of Bindeez were recalled in November 2007 when, after several children swallowed beads and were adversely affected. Upon ingestion, a chemical used in the product metabolized in the stomach into the so-called “date-rape drug,” GHB. The design called for a different, non-toxic chemical, but this had been substituted with an alternative chemical, which had approximately the same functional properties.
Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids
The Cabbage Patch Kids dolls were very popular in the 1980s across North America and many parts of Europe. The “Cabbage Patch Kids Snacktime Kids” line of dolls was an early 1990s incarnation designed to “eat” plastic snacks. The mechanism was a pair of one-way metal rollers behind a plastic slot and rubber lips, and there were 35 reported incidents where a child’s hair or finger was caught in the mouths. On 31 December 1996, after 700,000 dolls were distributed in the United States in just five months, the CPSC along with manufacturers Mattel announced that they would place warning information labels on all unsold dolls. A week later, in January 1997, CPSC and Mattel announced that all Cabbage Patch Kids Snacktime Kids Dolls were being removed from the market.
Lawn darts
A safety warning given out by the CPSC.
Lawn darts are large, weighted darts intended to be tossed underhand towards a horizontal ground target. On 19 December 1988, all lawn darts were banned from sale in the United States by the Consumer Product Safety Commission after they were responsible for the deaths of three children.
Magnetix
One death and four serious injuries led to the recall of 3.8 million Magnetix building sets in March 2006. The magnets inside the plastic building pieces could fall out and be swallowed or aspirated. MEGA Brands since then has implemented design enhancements to Magnetix, including sonic welding of panels, 100% inspection, gluing magnets into rods, elimination of 3+ labeling in favor of 6+ labeling after it assumed operational control of Rose Art on Jan. 1, 2006. Only safe and improved products are currently on store shelves[citation needed].
Polly Pocket
In November 2006 4.4 million Polly Pocket play sets were recalled by Mattel after children in the United States swallowed loose magnetic parts. The toys had been sold around the world commencing three years previous.
Statistics
Using the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ( figures the number of annual reported child toy-related deaths and injuries, compared with CPSC expenditure and total toy sales in the US by year are tabulated below.
Injuries (US $000)
Deaths (age <15)
CPSC toy safety funding
(US$ Millions)
Toy sales
(US $ Billions)
202 (estimate)
20 (estimate)
no data
no data
no data
It has been contended the rise after 1999 in injuries may be in part due to increased imports from China and a decreasing CPSC budget.[citation needed] Notice that the amount allocated to CPSC for Reducing Children’s Hazards by year has annually decreased since 1999.
mount no longer given but combined with other categories — this is sometimes done to give an agency added flexibility; however, at times this is done to falsely show an increase in funding when there is no way to assess how much will be spent for a specific task.[citation needed]
References
^ a b c The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, March 2001. “Toy Safety Factsheet”. Accessed 8 January 2007.
^ Department of Trade and Industry, 2000 (using 1998 data). “Home Accident Surveillance System, 22nd Annual report”.
^ European Injury database
^ CSPC, 5 October 2006. “Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries, Calendar Year 2005″. Accessed 10 January 2007.
^
^ “The Toy (Safety) Regulations 1995″. Accessed 7 January 2006.
^ EUROPA – Consumer Affairs – Safe Products
^ Harmonised EU toy safety standards
^ Toy Safety Regulations – BERR
^ “”Bush signs bill banning lead from children’s toys; toughest standard in the world”". Associated Press. 2008-08-14. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
^ Directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys
^ Official guidance on the classification of toys
^ People’s Daily Online – Toy industry gets improved regulation
^ China Economic Review, January 2007. “REPORTS / Better safe than sorry”. Accessed 10 January 2007.
^ Toy Safety Standards Around the World
^ Quality management principles
^ ANSI: Toy Safety Takes High Priority with Standards Developers
^
^ KidSource, 31 December 1996. “CPSC and Mattel Announce Warning for Cabbage Patch Doll”. Accessed 5 January 2006.
^ Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 6 January 1997. “Mattel and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Announce Voluntary Refund Program for Cabbage Patch Kids & Snacktime Kids Dolls”. Nowadays, some sites in the Internet said that the dolls were “weird” and eat human flesh. They were also said to be one of the 20 things you can’t put under a Christmas tree. Nowadays, some websites on the Internet say that the dolls are evil and eat human flesh. another website, www.thetoyzone.com, said that it’s one of the things that you never want to see on a Christmas tree. Accessed 15 January 2007.
^ Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). “CPSC Bans Lawn Darts”. Accessed 5 January 2006.
^ Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 31 March 2006. “Child Death Prompts Replacement Program of Magnetic Building Sets”. Accessed 8 January 2006.
^ The Scotsman, 22 November 2006. “Toy recall over magnet hazard”. Accessed 8 January 2006.
External links
Product safety recalls (in the United Kingdom, not limited to toys) at Trading Standards Institute
Toy Hazard Recalls (in the United States) at the Consumer Product Safety Commission
New EU toy directive published on June, 30th 2009
Toy Trucks | National Weather Service Confirms EF-3 Tornado In Washington Co.
The National Weather Service confirmed it was an EF-3 tornado that hit Washington County in and around the town of Glade Spring early Thursday morning, killing three people and injuring 50 others. Wind speeds reached up to 130 MPH.
The strongest amount of damage was centered around Exit 29 of Interstate 81, where the tornado tossed 18 wheelers like toy trucks and crippled several businesses and buildings.
At least two neighborhoods were also hit in the town and on the outskirts of town in Washington County.
Emergency officials said one person died in a house, another died when a car wash collapsed, and officials declined to reveal details on the third death.
Officials also declined to release the names of each victim.
At least two shelters opened in nearby Abingdon and the Virginia State Police said they would enforce a curfew in Glade Spring from 8 PM to 6 AM.
The National Weather Service also confirmed an EF-2 tornado hit across the Washington County line in Smyth County’s town of Chilhowie.
There were few reported injuries and no deaths in that tornado.
Gadgets | Batman The Superhero
The Origins of Batman
Batman is one of the most infamous superheroes of all time. His only competition in this regard is Superman, and it’s a toss-up between the two of them as to which one is more instantly recognizable. As his name suggests, Batman’s motif is that he dresses and behaves like a bat as he fights crime. Given that he has no superpowers, he utilizes his own superior intelligence and his vast array of gadgets that reside in the utility belt of his superhero costume to take care of business.
Batman was created by comic-book artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger in the late 1930s. The first comic book he appeared in was Detective Comics #27. He and his Batman Costume gained popularity quickly. Something about his Fancy dress caught fire with the public’s imagination, and along with Superman he was one of the few superheroes to continue to be written about through the 1950s when interest in comic books was on the wane.
Batman’s superhero costume consists of a black cape and a cowl with pointy ears, which is perhaps the most recognizable aspect of it. He has been depicted in many different ways over the years, but the cowl is the most consistent feature of the Batman Costume as a whole. His public persona, Bruce Wayne, is a billionaire playboy who is no stranger himself to Fancy dress, and he uses his vast monetary resources to fund his nighttime activities.
In 1940, Batman’s partner-in-crime-fighting was introduced. Robin is a younger male who tags along with Batman and provides assistance. The Robin Costume is more colorful than Batman’s, derived as it is from Robin’s history as a circus performer. He is usually depicted as wearing a bright red vest with a yellow cape and green boots, the garishness of which serves as a distraction to the criminals he means to take out. There have been many incarnations of Robin over the years, but they all have a similar Robin Costume.
In the 1960s, the first Batman movie appeared. It was a slapstick action movie with a lot of corny humor and silly villains spouting goofy one-liners, a far cry from the character’s dark beginnings. This spawned a TV show that was in a similar vein. The Batman and Robin cotumes remained the same, but the tone of the story was mostly silly and cartoonish. Eventually people tired of the gimmicks, and Batman became essentially a joke, until the 1980s when comic-artist Frank Miller reinvented the character with his two seminal series, Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Year One presented a new origin story for the character of Batman, returning the character to its dark and nihilistic roots. Much like the original character, this dark version was a hit, and it was only a few years until a new movie was made.
The Tim Burton Batman film, released in 1989, was a dark vision that yet retained some of the campiness inherent to the character, but presented it in a serious manner. Unfortunately, after Tim Burton left, the next two films brought the character back to joke territory, even going so far as to add strange nipples to the Batman and Robin cotumes, until the character’s recent reinvention by Christopher Nolan. Now Batman is back, and better than ever.
Blanket Chest | Quality Blanket Chests
The styles and sizes of blanket chests are more diverse than other types of furniture. The reason for this is because these wooden chests have been created by not only by wood artisans who create them for a living, but also by the relatives of young women and young couples who wished to handcraft a special piece of furniture for them. This meant that since these thoughtful relatives,who were not in the habit of creating furniture, made the style and size that they thought would be suitable. Along with that there are countless blanket chest plans offered on the Internet and elsewhere, usually by wood workers who just enjoy making these plans available. Once again, all of these hope chest plans are not of a ‘standard’ size.
One similar factor of blanket chest design is that the construction techniques used are of superior quality. This is due to the fact that when people decide to craft a blanket chest, they are looking to make a special piece of furniture. Whether it is for a a couple with a wedding in the near future, for a fiancee, a birthday present or as a wedding gift, this present will have special meaning for the person on the receiving end forever. Since these wooden chests will be well loved for generations, the wood craftsmen take great pride in creating finely constructed hope chest furniture using the best joinery methods.
Mortise and tenon joinery is a form of wood construction that has been in use for the last four centuries and possibly longer. The wood worker is able to join the sides of the blanket box without the use of screws or nails with this technique. The addition of glue creates a superior bond that makes the joint as strong as the wood itself in the opinion many wood workers. This method ensures that the hope chest will never split apart, loosen over time or create wood splits like the use of nails and screws ensures. There are a few different styles of this joinery type which allows the pieces of wood to to be joined in an interlocking way. The edges have a smooth looking appearance when the piece is finished also. This makes for a quality looking fine piece of furniture.
Another joinery method that is very popular is dovetail joinery. Many wood artisans prefer this style since the wood edges have more interlocking edges than the mortise and tenon joinery style. This style also shows off the skill of the wood crafter a little more since the interlocking edges are fully visible and all of the wood cuts need to be perfect in order for this method to work. The interlocking sides can be made so that they are visible from the front view or from the side view. This is also a usual wood working method for the joinery of drawers since it creates such a strong bond between the pieces of wood.
There are wood artisans who create blanket chests which are exact replicas of those made centuries ago. They use either of these joinery styles, mortise and tenon or dovetail, along with the original stain or paint colors. Many of these hope chests were painted with beautiful designs while others had engraved designs. The hinges were created using hand forged iron. These wooden chests would not have been made with cedar linings as are the modern styles of blanket chests. People at this point in time would have placed a small bag of dried herbs or cedar chips inside their hope chests to keep it smelling fresh. Many of these older wood chests were inscribed with the name of the person and the date of presentation. Antique chests were also made a little taller than many that are constructed today. These taller blanket chests were set in the front rooms of homes, rather than the bedroom, with the family Bible placed on the top along with a crocheted doily or runner and candlesticks.
Finding quality blanket chest furniture for your home is easy. Blanket Chest Heirlooms.com offers many different styles and sizes of hope chests made from beautiful hardwoods. All wood chests are constructed with either mortise and tenon or dovetail joinery for lasting heirloom quality.