Bridgwater couple thank Mercury

5:00pm Friday 10th January 2014 in News By Joe Dempsey

A COUPLE in their 80s have thanked the Mercury for helping them to get a hole in their ceiling fixed.

George Slade of Bridgwater had solar panels fitted on the roof of his two-bedroom bungalow but during the installation the roof was damaged causing a hole in the lounge ceiling.

Mr Slade reported the damage on November 6 to Anesco, the company contracted to repair the damage.

But after waiting six weeks and getting nowhere with his phone calls, Mr Slade came to the Mercury offices with his story.

The hole was in their lounge ceiling so Mr Slade and his wife, Jill, were unable to put up their Christmas tree.

At the time George said: I keep having to go up into the roof space when it rains to empty buckets of water and bring them down again. It spoiled our Christmas.

Mr Slade got in touch with us on December 12 and after our calls to the company, Anesco contacted the Slades later that day saying the repairs would be done on January 6.

He said: When I got the call I said to my wife 'I bet the Bridgwater Mercury got in touch with them'.

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Bridgwater couple thank Mercury

Phare No. 1-9, by London based Dutch designer Simon Heijdens. The installation was commissioned by Perrier-Jout for Design Miami.

My practice is about countering the perpetual nature of architecture, said Simon Heijdens, a London-based designer. His hypnotic installation, consisting of nine glass vessels hung from the ceiling of a 600-square-foot booth, was a hit of the Design Miami fairand one of many temporary engagements with architecture on display during Art Basel week.

Photo Architectural Record

Garrett Ricciardi, of formlessfinder, in front of the firm's entry pavilion for Design Miami.

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Heijdenss vessels operate like high tech lava lamps: electronic pulses dissolve dye in the water to form ripple patterns, which are based on data recorded by wind sensors outside the building. He spent a year creating the installation, which he said was on the border between graphics and sculpture, under the sponsorship of the champagne company Perrier-Jout. Next week, the piece will be in storage.

But whos to say the temporary installation isnt architecture? Outside the fairs massive tent, an entry pavilion by the young Brooklyn firm formlessfinderarchitects whose name is a kind of manifestoused a sand pile as ballast to support a roof on aluminum trusses. Below the roof were aluminum formlessfinder benches that Design Miami founder Craig Robins said he had decided to transplant to his Design District, where new buildings by the likes of Sou Fujimoto, Aranda/Lasch, Johnston Marklee, and Keenen Riley are under construction. Robins has the golden touch when it comes to picking architects: Aranda/Lasch, David Adjaye, and Snarkitecture have created Design Miami pavilions before going on to bigger things.

As a proving ground, the annual pavilion commission has come to resemble the Young Architects Program sponsored by MoMA PS1, the Museum of Modern Arts contemporary art space in Queens, New York. But if the Young Architects creationspavilions in the PS1 courtyardare aimed mostly at 20-somethings, Design Miami attracts an older, well-heeled crowd (including, this year, architectural grandees Jean Nouvel, Richard Meier, and Norman Foster).

Meanwhile, in a corner of the Design Miami tent, a show organized by Terence Riley, the former MoMA curator of architecture and design, featured detailed plans for an apartment complex in Coconut Grove, designed by OMA, as well as the losing designs of Nouvel, Christian de Portzamparc, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. (Riley ran an informal competition on the developers behalf.) It will take time, and hard work, Riley said, for the slick models and renderings to become real buildings. Heijdenss installation will have come and gone before OMAs complex breaks ground.

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Design Miami Dispatch: Temporary Architecture Against a Background of Big Building

Jan. 6, 2014 at 2:14 PM ET

Kaley Cuoco clearly did not want a traditional wedding.

Not only did the Big Bang Theory star ditch the white dress and go for a pink Vera Wang gown for her New Years Eve nuptials to Ryan Sweeting, but she also decided to turn her wedding cake upside down too.

TY to #thebutterend for creating our magical chandelier cake. Literally hanging above us. EPIC, Cuoco wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of the six-tiered cake dangling from a chandelier behind the newlyweds.

The cake was created by Kimberly Bailey, owner of The Butter End Cakery in Santa Monica, Calif., who cancelled her holiday vacation to Australia to produce the over-the-top creation.

When Kaley told me there were going to be chandeliers all over the place, I had a vision, Bailey told TODAY.com. Originally she thought of putting the cake on top of the chandelier, but later began thinking about the cake acting as an extension of the chandelier below.

PHOTOS: Celebrity weddings 2013

I told Kaley what I was thinking and she kind of lost her mind, Bailey said. It was one of those times where you say something, then think What did I just do?

To construct the cake, Bailey ran a pole through the center which attached to the chandelier, and added planks to each tier to keep them from pressing against each other. She then attached sandbags to the chandelier to help it hold the weight of the cake.

PHOTOS: Big Bang Theory stars -- before they were famous

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Cake on the ceiling! The story behind Kaley Cuoco's wedding treat

PHILADELPHIA When David Norse first stepped into the Broad Street Ministry on Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts and spotted the art installation of a dozen tilting metal windmills and glimpsed the flocks of origami birds suspended from the ceiling, he felt a connection.

"This is the place," he recalled thinking a few years ago when he first visited the church across the street from the Kimmel Center. "I'm home."

On Sunday, Norse, 27, was ordained at Broad Street Ministry as Philadelphia's first openly gay male minister in a Presbyterian church.

Norse's proud parents, Rachel and Richard, flew in from Portland, Ore., along with the Rev. Ken Evers-Hood, Norse's hometown minister and mentor. The joyful service featured an eclectic musical mix, with sing-alongs of "This Little Light of Mine," an anthem from the civil rights movement, and a rousing rendition of Sister Sledge's pop classic "We are Family."

The Rev. Bill Golderer, Broad Street's pastor, said the ordination of Norse, who recently earned a master's degree from the Princeton Theological Seminary, marked "an unleashing of David's gifts to the world."

In an earlier interview, Golderer said Norse's ordination reflected the Center City ministry's commitment to serving a diverse Christian community. The ministry has a large outreach program for the homeless and strong ties with the local arts community.

"While David's sexual orientation is an important part of his identity, he sees himself first and foremost as someone called to pastor God's people," said Golderer, who was tapped in 2005 to establish the alternative church. "He is very much into this being a dimension of who he is, but not the sum total."

"Broad Street has always been a place that welcomes people," said Norse, who worshipped at the church while at Princeton and who has been a pastoral associate since September.

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Broad Street Ministry ordains Phila.'s 1st openly gay minister

A California judge is being criticized for giving a plea deal to a German architect whose design flaws in a Los Angeles mansion led to the death of a firefighter.

The Los Angeles Times reports 49-year-old Gerhard Beckers trial was preempted Friday after Superior Court Judge Robert Perry unilaterally agreed to a six-month prison sentence for the German national and renowned architect in exchange for Becker pleading no contest to the charges.

In striking the deal, Perry reportedly reasoned a Los Angeles building and safety inspector who signed off on the mansion after its construction shared some of the blame for the firefighters death.

There are serious issues of proof for responsibility of the loss of life, Perry reportedly said, adding that he believed the role of inspector Brad Bescos would lead to a hung jury.

- Deputy District Attorney Sean Carney

But Deputy District Attorney Sean Carney hammered Perry for his decision, reportedly saying, It is a sentence that undermines any deterrent effect that says they can blame it on city bureaucracy's negligence.

The Times also quoted retired firefighter Kevin Mulvehill of the agreement, I don't think six months in jail is worth what all these guys went through. Everyone who responded has a life sentence."

Firefighter Glenn Allen, 61, a 37-year department veteran, reportedly died during a 2011 blaze at the West Hollywood mansion that Becker intended as his primary residence.

Prosecutors contended Becker sloughed local building codes in installing a pebble-filled fire pit in the mansions living room that was reportedly surrounded by wood and drywall, rather than non-flammable materials.

Authorities reportedly contended that Beckers cost for the fire pit's installation would have been 10 times higher had he done it properly -- and up to municipal code.

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Judge hit for plea deal that gives architect 6 months in blaze that killed firefighter

UPPER FRUITLAND The happiness from World War II veteran Paul Anderson's face could not be erased as he walked into his kitchen Monday.

Anderson, 93, built his house, located in Upper Fruitland off of Old Navajo 36, approximately 60 years ago. But a fire on Dec. 14 left a large hole in the kitchen ceiling, exposing electrical wires and charring insulation and roof trusses.

Katherine Charley, Anderson's daughter, contacted The Daily Times about the situation and asked the public for help to repair the house.

The San Juan County Fire Department determined the fire started when a stove pipe in the roof failed. The pipe either grew too hot, had been the wrong type or had deteriorated over the years because of use, explained San Juan County Fire Chief Doug Hatfield.

After The Daily Times story was published Dec. 19, Ireke Cooper, president of Cooper Fire Protection Services Inc., contacted Charley to learn about the situation and to inspect the damage.

Cooper then organized a group of volunteers from inside and outside his company to repair the house in time for Christmas.

"It's our opportunity to say thanks in a meaningful way because there are not many World War II veterans left," Cooper said, adding that both of his grandfathers were veterans.

His company donated materials, equipment and construction labor, and he also contacted area businesses to see if they could donate materials and time to complete the repairs.

That call for help was answered by Central Flood Management, which loaned equipment and helped with project planning, coordination and construction labor.

Castle Rock Builder Services helped with material procurement and construction labor. Construction labor was also provided by Tattoos with Luster. Valencia Insulation donated insulation, Westates Supply donated a new water heater and installation accessories and Kwall Paint gave discounted paint.

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Volunteers repair veteran's house in Upper Fruitland before the new year

Los Angeles prosecutors charged that Becker built a Hollywood Hills West mansion with such disregard for public safety and building codes that he should be held criminally liable for the death of a Los Angeles firefighter who was crushed by a thousand pounds of ceiling while battling a blaze there in 2011.

Becker, 49, was set to go on trial for involuntary manslaughter and faced up to four years in jail. But on Friday, the case came to an abrupt end with a judge agreeing to a deal that will keep the architect in jail for a total of only six months in exchange for a no-contest plea.

Prosecutors, the victim's family and firefighters opposed the resolution, saying Becker deserved more punishment. About 15 uniformed firefighters attended the court hearing Friday to lend their support. More than 400 firefighters submitted letters to the court.

In offering the deal, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Perry questioned the strength of the prosecution's case. He suggested that a Los Angeles building and safety inspector who reviewed Becker's home may share some of the blame.

The inspector, Brad Bescos, signed off on the house three months before the fire, according to court records. During an interview with investigators and then in his testimony at a preliminary hearing in 2012, Bescos offered conflicting accounts about whether he saw some of the building code violations or whether Becker might have hidden them during an inspection. The confusion damaged the inspector's credibility in the eyes of the judge.

"There are serious issues of proof for responsibility of the loss of life," Perry said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Sean Carney, who had offered Becker a plea deal of two years in jail, criticized the judge's offer Friday, saying it missed an opportunity to send a stronger message to architects who might be considering skirting the rules.

"It is a sentence that undermines any deterrent effect that says they can blame it on city bureaucracy's negligence," Carney said outside the courtroom, flanked by firefighters.

"I don't think six months in jail is worth what all these guys went through," retired firefighter Kevin Mulvehill tearfully told reporters. "Everyone who responded has a life sentence."

After 11 years of designing massive villas on a Spanish island, Becker had set his sights on a new challenge: a lot on Viewsite Terrace straddling a hillside a mile up from West Hollywood's ritzy Sunset Plaza.

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Architect reaches plea deal in L.A. firefighter's death

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) December 31, 2013

Hangman Products' new Elephant Hook, named for its distinctive shape, is so clean and contemporary in its design, it will change how you think about what you can hang from the ceiling, and how you organize your home. Depending on the model, it will hold between 20 and 50 pounds in drywall or plaster, or up to 100 pounds in a solid wood beam.

The Elephant Hook requires only two simple steps for installation. Using either a Hangman double-headed Bear Claw wood screw, or double-headed machine screw for anchors, install the screw or bolt, click and lock the Elephant Hook, done. The Elephant Hook will swivel, but locks under tension.

The Elephant Hook is available in white, nickel, or bronze to match any decor.

The Elephant Hook joins the might of Hangmans powerful line of hanging products, including its innovative and award-winning line of TV mounts, picture hangers, mirror hangers, and safety products.

About Hangman Products: Hangman Products creates hardware solutions for everyday needs. The multiple-patented Hangman Systems are carefully engineered to guarantee a safe and sturdy installation while promising to hang it level every time. Hangmans products range from Hanging Pictures, Hanging Mirrors, Hanging Framed Art, TV/Stereo Mounts and Safety to Garage/Slat Wall and Organization. They are designed to meet the installation requirements for retailers, consumers and manufacturers. Hangman's ever-expanding line of products can handle even the most difficult projects.

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Hangman Products Has Re-Invented Ceiling Hooks With Their New Innovative Elephant Hook

Ceiling insulation provides essential sound control between floors in your home. Properly insulating the ceilings will make your home a more peaceful and quiet place because it will ensure that footsteps and other sounds do not migrate to other rooms.

When ceiling insulation is installed at the same time as wall insulation, which is usually the case in new construction, it is installed up from underneath, before drywall is put in.

Follow the installation tips below to ensure that you do a professional job. It's a good idea to wear a work helmet when you're installing ceiling insulation. This can help you avoid injuring yourself on exposed framing members such as ceiling joists, exposed nails and other hazards. Refer to our complete list of Safety Tips for more important ways to protect yourself while installing insulation.

Make sure you are using insulation with the most appropriate R-value. Our R-value Estimator in the Site Toolbox can guide you. Click on the product links below to learn more about the JM insulation products you can use in ceilings.

JM Spider custom insulation sprays-in filling all gaps and voids in your walls, significantly improving energy efficiency, sound control and family comfort.

ComfortTherm insulation is a lightweight, thermal and acoustical insulation made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with an acrylic thermosetting Formaldehyde-free binder.

MR Faced Batts are a lightweight thermal and acoustical fiber glass insulation made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with an acrylic thermosetting Formaldehyde-free binder.

JM's Kraft-Faced Batts & Rolls are made of naturally white, Formaldehyde-free fiber glass, reducing environmental concerns including the risks of poor indoor air quality and the effects of manufacturing on the environment.

JM's Unfaced Insulation is a lightweight thermal and acoustical fiber glass insulation made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with an acrylic thermosetting resin made without formaldehyde.

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Insulating Ceilings | How to Install Ceiling Insulation | JM

Posted: Friday, December 27, 2013 6:09 pm

House of the Week 12/28/13 By Landmark Designs Leader-Telegram |

Contemporary with accents of brick and wood, the Ogden house plan is a spacious three-bedroom design.

That includes its three-car garage, which has a workbench and an adjacent workshop.

The house has three bathrooms - two that have a shower stall and a master bath complete that has an oversized tub.

Ceiling fans are intended for installation in all bedrooms, the home office, living room and shop.

On the rear of the house is a covered sun deck with skylights.

House ofthe Week

For a study plan of this home, send $25 to Landmark Designs, P.O. Box 5625 Eugene, OR 97405. Specify Ogden, plan 408-04 LT54. Allow two weeks for delivery. For faster service, call 800-562-1151 or go to landmarkdesigns.com.

Dimensions: 68' by 72'

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House of the Week 12/28/13