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After a decade of litigation, more than 1,800Florida homeowners who bought homes made unlivable by drywall manufactured in China will be sharing in a $248 million settlement.

Defective drywall that caused damage to property and health concerns hit people in 44 states, estimated at as many as 20,000 homes. Florida had the most. The drywall materials reacted to produce fumes that corroded fixtures. The gas smelled of sulfur and raised health concerns.

The settlement approved by a federal judge in New Orleans last month resolves two suits and potentially more than 3,000 claims filed against Taishan Gypsum Ltd., the China-owned company that sold much ofthe defective drywall in the United States, beginning in 2009.

The Biltz family, Shane, Darlene and their son Vincent, 1, pose for a portrait at their home, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, in Golden Gate Estates. The couple had to delay starting a family because of health issues caused by exposure to fumes created by drywall made in China that was used to build their home.(Photo: Jon Austria/Naples Daily News USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA)

Victims includeShane and Darlene Biltzof Collier County, who thought they had found the perfect home to raise a family,a 3,300-square-foot residence in Golden Gate Estates.

Darlene Biltz said the discovery was heart-breaking.

"When we bought the house, we bought it as a forever home, we wanted to raise our children in that home, we wanted to have our animals in that home, we wanted to bring our family together in that home," she said."I mean its a beautiful home but its not one that we could have been in forever because of health issues."

More: How to file a claim to be part of the $248 million Chinese drywall settlement

Drywall installation became big business in Florida between 2004 and 2006. Abuilding boomspiked demand for drywall.Then, extensive repair and replacement damage tobuildings in Gulf Coast states inflicted by hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005 added to the pressure on supplies.

With domestic inventory tight, builders and suppliers turned to China. Slowly, tales began to emerge of an odor of sulphur in the homes and unexplainable corrosion to fixtures.

The Biltz family home is pictured, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, in Golden Gate Estates. The home was built using Chinese dry wall.(Photo: Jon Austria/Naples Daily News USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA)

The gas began to cause damage to the homes and raise fears that the contaminated air was a threatto the health of residents.

Government scientists blamed the drywallfor damaging buildings and causing health problems after its internal parts reacted and produced dangerous gasses.

As the housing boom was replaced by the Great Recession, homes that had lost much of their value were abandoned. Crashing property values made walking away the choice for many.

Previous coverage in The News-Press

More than individual homeowners were affected.

Lennar Corp., a major homebuilder in the state, said in a government filing that it had found the faulty drywall in hundreds of homes that it had builtand put $40 million aside to fix it, while pursuing legal action against subcontractors who used the drywall.

WCI Communities Inc. of Bonita Springs, a prodigious builder of luxury homes in Southwest Florida,filed for bankruptcy in 2008 as claims against it mounted. The company cited the bottom falling out of the housing market in Lee County.WCI eventually discharged billions of dollars in debt, as well as its obligation for at least 100 homes with the drywall problem in a bankruptcy reorganization. Secured creditors took control of the company and sold it toLennar for more than $640 million.

Worker removes China-manufactured drywall from a Southwest Florida home. The drywall is blamed for emitting hazardous fumes that made people sick and buildings uninhabitable. A federal lawsuit over the drywall has been settled.(Photo: News-Press file phoeo)

Edwardo and Carmen Amorin filed suit in U.S. District Court in Miami in July 2009.Stephen and Diane Brookefiled suit inVirginia in 2015. Both cases were against Taishan.

The cases were assigned to the federal court system's multi-district litigation docket, and were all overseen by a single judge in U.S. District Court in New Orleans.

The victims will be notified of their settlement amounts by a court-appointed expert who will use factors such asthe size of the property and which of multiple class action suits the individual property owners joined in determining what they will be paid.

Individuals who are covered in the Amorin suit may receive higher payouts because that suit was filed earlier. The judge's settlement decision said a lot more groundwork for the case was done in the class action led by the Amorins than the suit initiated by the Brookes

As the case churned through the preliminaries toward potential trial, scientific evidence of health and safety issues raised by the drywall mounted.

The Florida Department ofHealth had reported in 2009 that the fumes led to corrosion of evaporator coils in air conditioning units as well as corrosion of electrical connectors, copper wires and chrome-plated fixtures.

A 2014 reportfrom the federal Agency for Toxic Substances found health issues caused by exposure to sulfuric gasses andhydrogen sulfide released by drywall imported from China. The report suggests the emissions were highest in drywall manufactured between 2006-2009.

Exposure made some existing conditions worse, such as eye, ear, nose and throat problems. Some people who came in close contact withthe material sufferedrespiratory discomfort, and general malaise, the reportsaid.

As the drywall plague deepened, theU.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission called for replacement of problem drywall, and warned that the fumes couldeven damage smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, electrical switches and circuit breakers, even some types of fire protection sprinkler heads.

Drywall made in China and imported to Southwest Florida during the building boom of the early 2000s was blamed for medical issues. A federal lawsuit over the use of the drywall has been settled.(Photo: New-Press file photo)

Last month, U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon approved the settlement for people who sued in the cases started by theAmorins and the Brookes. Litigants said the settlement avoids the risk of long and costly trials with an uncertain outcome.

Others think the lawyers could have done a lot better.

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Cape Coral resident Russell Moody, in an-email to The News-Press, was critical of the judge for approving thenegotiated settlement.

Moodyargues that in his case, it will pay only a fraction of the estimated $163,000 it would cost to remove the offending drywall and its effects from his home.He is among the people who sued that have not removed the drywall.

"It is a cleverly worded rationale, obfuscated in legalese and based on faulty and mischaracterized information, for approving a settlement that deprives over a hundred SW Florida residents of hundreds of thousands of settlement dollars that they are legally entitled to," Moody said.

Moody filed his objection to the settlement in November and claimed that the handling of the case was procedurally flawed and claimed that some representations by lawyers on the case were false.

Judge Fallonoverruled the objections of Moody and 26 others in finding that the settlement was "fair, reasonable and adequate."He ordered payment of nearly $50 million in attorneys' fees and costs from the settlement proceeds.

Attorney Pete Albanis, of Orlando-based Morgan & Morgan, said the ultimate decision to recommend settlement was based on weighing the risk and expense of further litigation against the chance of getting more money in a case that had been in court for more than a decade.

Even winning a judgment had no guarantee ofsuccess.

The Biltz family, Shane, Darlene and their son Vincent, 1, pose for a portrait at their home, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, in Golden Gate Estates.(Photo: Jon Austria/Naples Daily News USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA)

If we were to continue the case, meaning there would be no settlement and peoples cases would proceed to trial, there would be some serious concerns and potential problems that homeowners would face with respect to collecting in China, Albanis said. This is one of the most difficult class actions that has been ever been pursued.

Ultimately, the victims of the Chinese drywall will be paid pennies on the dollar for the damage to their homes and possibly to their health. The emotional strain of a decade lost will not be compensated.

The Biltzesdecision to move out was based on the expense of fixing their home. Instead, they disclosed the issues with the house and found a tenant who would rent it.

The couple'splans to start a family had to beput on hold, on the advice of Darlene's doctor, because of the uncertain effect drywall fumes might have on an unborn child.

"They said no, you may want to give yourself time to have your body detox, they didnt know what kindof effects it might have on a baby," she said. "We finally have a one-year-old son,he is healthy and happy."

A federal judge has issued a final order in the$248 million drywall settlement thatincludes a master list of more than 3,000 drywall victims.

If you're not on the list, thejudge has set Wednesday as thedeadlineto file a claim to be eligible for any money. Visit chinesedrywallsettlement.com for more information.

The idea that youll save money buying a fixer-upper doesnt always hold true. Buzz60s Sean Dowling has more. Buzz60

Read or Share this story: https://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/2020/02/11/chinese-drywall-settlement-unlikely-make-all-florida-victims-happy/4557473002/

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Defective drywall lawsuit reaches settlement, a decade after Chinese product forced many from their homes - News-Press

ELK GROVE (CBS13) What toilet do you have? Its a question Nafisa Neabkhail wishes shed known to ask.

When Neabkhail and her family returned home after a vacation, they walked into a nightmare.

I hear water everywhere, said the wife and mother of three.

The house was flooding. Light fixtures rained onto the carpet below, the alarm was squealing, the ceilings peeling.

As if this whole house is a waterfall. My whole rug was floating on the water said Naebkhail.

The result was $190,000 in damage to the familys Elk Grove home.

You would never think something like this would happen. That flood is still running in my mind, said Naebkhail.

READ:Newborn Charged $10,000 For Hospital Room And Board

Her family of five was forced out of their home for more than five months, and their house has been torn down to the studs.

They took out everything because of the water damage, she said.

The flood was caused by a toilet in their second-story master bathroom. A steady stream of water poured through the crack in the tank of their Vortens toilet.

No family deserves this, Naebkhail said.

Weve learned the same model is failing in homes across the country including California, Texas, Louisiana and Florida.

Texas resident Amy Etchberger says her Vortens model cracked in 2016.

It was coming out and just dripping out the bottom. Its a faulty product on their part, and I think they should take responsibility, Etchberger said.

ALSO:Roseville Mom Says Valet Gave Car To Crook Who Almost Burglarized Her Home

Anne Altz says her cracked Vortens toilet caused $20,000 in damage.

They know theyre going to fail. said Altz.

The manufacturer has admitted Some tanks made in 2011 with model numbers 3464 and 3412 may have been affected by technical issues that allegedly caused the fractures.

Sure enough one of those numbers, 3464, is etched in Nafisas toilet tank, but the company never recalled them. Nafisa said no one even warned them of the problem; not the toilet manufacturer nor the builder who installed the toilet in 2012.

Thats what were really, really upset about, she said.

How many of these toilets remain in homes in Naebkhails neighborhood and in homes across America? Vortens would not say. The company tells us, to date, all claims received have been addressed or are in the process of being addressed. Vortens full statement is included below.

ALSO:Elk Grove Woman Claims Hospital Mistake Killed Her Mother, But No Attorney Will Take Her Case

After a class-action lawsuit, Vortens has agreed to pay up to $300 to replace the toilet and, if theres flooding, up to $4,000 to help cover insurance deductibles.

I just want it to be over, Naebkhail said.

Nafisas insurance is covering the damage. Now living with relatives during the rebuild, she says this has turned her familys lives upside down.

Im thinking after everything is fixed Im putting the house back on the market, she said. Because I cannot see myself living here anymore.

The Naebkhails think it will be at least another month and a half before their house is done. They plan to sue over the inconvenience. After we reached out to the builder, Taylor Morrison, they sent letters to all homeowners in the Elk Grove, Franklin Crossings community. The letter, below, alerts homeowners to the issues with Vortens toilets and directs them to the class action settlement.

Oct 9, 2019

Dear Homeowners,

It was recently brought to our attention that some homes in the [Franklin Crossings] community may have been built with a particular model of toilet tank manufactured by Vortens between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. The enclosed 10-page Notice was downloaded from the website link https://vortenssettlement.com/Content/Documents/Notice.pdf. The Notice provides a good explanation of the issue and what steps can be taken by affected homeowners. While Taylor Morrison has no involvement in the class action settlement, you may wish to inspect your toilet tank to see if it is one of the affected tanks, and if so, take the appropriate steps to address it.

We asked Taylor Morrison how many of these toilets they installed across the county. They havent answered. Vortens statement, the models affected and a link to the settlement website are below.

Vortens complete statement:

In the past, Vortens acknowledged that some of our tank models #3464 and #3412 manufactured in 2011 may have been affected by certain manufacturing issues.

To date, all claims received have been addressed or are in the process of being addressed to the satisfaction of our customers.

Pursuant to a class action settlement being administered by a Texas court involving these tank models manufactured in 2011, we have established a program for certain remedies which include product replacement, reimbursement of certain costs, and in some cases, extended warranties. For more details the claims that are covered, the remedies available, and the process for pursuing claims, please reference the claims website at: https://www.vortenssettlement.com

For other Vortens matters regarding issues not related to the settlement program mentioned above, customers may contact us directly at 866-821-2811 or via e-mail to claims@vortens.com.

Vortens is committed to generating value for its consumers and offering the best experience possible, as our customers are at the center of everything we do. Solving any complaints and receiving suggestions is a priority for us. For these purposes, we may be contacted at customerservices@vortens.com

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Cracked Toilet Causes $190K Of Damage, Investigation Reveals Models Have Been Failing For Years - CBS Pittsburgh

It is being brought forward by the innovative modern house builder House by Urban Splash, a new company backed by regeneration specialists Urban Splash, Homes England and Japans biggest house builder, Sekisui House.

Inholm comprises a total of 406 modular homes sitting within the context of Northstowes masterplan and is inspired by the areas rich history and previous settlements. The new neighbourhood quarter will be defined by a perimeter of landscapes; country park, sustainable drainage swales, ecological zones and an education campus.

Proctor & Matthews Architects is the lead architect and master planner of the site. The village will encompass a range of housing typologies, later living homes and mixed-use buildings. The modular homes will include designs by architects shedkm, which can be configured by the buyer to their own design before being built in a factory and delivered to site.

With this expansion of Northstowe, House by Urban Splash is bringing its skill and expertise in world-class manufacturing to the East of England, choosing Cambridgeshire as its first location to deliver the homes on a new site. The majority of homes will be manufactured in the House factory in Alfreton, East Midlands.

Mark Latham, Regeneration Director at House says:

We are delighted to launch our first homes in this part of the country and are excited about the opportunities ahead at Northstowe as we contribute to this emerging town.

We want to break new ground and surprise people using the latest building methods combined with bespoke designs. We are offering a range of customisable homes and apartments to suit a wide range of modern families, lifestyles and budgets. We cant wait to get going.

Stephen Kinsella, Chief Land and Development Officer at Homes England, said:

Im delighted that planning permission has been granted for the first homes to be built on Homes England land at Northstowe, which is a significant step forward for the new town and an important milestone for our joint venture with Urban Splash and Sekisui House.

This is a really ambitious proposal for 406 homes using modern methods of construction, and the quality design of these homes really reflects our ambition to deliver outstanding places.

Stephen Proctor, founder of Proctor & Matthews Architects says:

As master planner and lead architect we are delighted to have secured planning permission for phase 2A of the Northstowe community. Our design for this contemporary mixed-use residential quarter is inspired by the form of traditional edge-of-fenland settlements and recent archaeological discoveries within the locality.

Innovative clusters of homes employing offsite modular construction will help to deliver a visually distinctive narrative creating a new Inholm village for the 21st Century.

Ian Killick, Director at shedkm commented:

We are thrilled that the full range of our customisable, factory-built homes is soon coming to Northstowe. The Inholm urban village will feature the most up to date versions of our house and apartment designs, incorporating new technologies and Cambridgeshire inspired materials and details.

Were working with a great team and have high hopes of creating an exemplar neighbourhood that sets a new benchmark for the use of modern methods of construction.

The customisable homes will be launching officially late Spring/ early Summer 2020. For more information visit the Urban Splash website.

Bidwells have been appointed as a local agent acting on behalf of House by Urban Splash and will be handling all initial sales enquiries.

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Second phase of Northstowe and one of the UK's largest modular neighbourhoods gets the green light - Famagusta Gazette

Wood has been the concrete contractors formwork of choice for years. Its relatively inexpensive and easy to understand, light weight, can be easily cut to size, and easy to replace and dismantle.

However, lumber formwork also has its disadvantages. It has limited usage and cannot be reused on one job to the next. Wooden formwork also been known to absorb water from concrete when dry, reducing the strength in concrete structure. On the other hand, lumber with too much moisture can compress wet concrete and cause cracks when shrinking occurs.

These challenges have resulted in hundreds of formwork alternatives from steel, aluminum, manufactured timber, plywood, plastics and fabricthat claim to offer the trifecta: saved time, labor and money.

Formwork is a crucial element to concrete construction, though, so selecting the right formwork is essential to any job. In fact, the right choice can greatly affect the schedule, labor requirements, quality and total cost of a project, says Michael Schaeffer, senior U.S. product manager with Doka USA.

Formwork, the temporary or permanent molds used to hold wet concrete until it sets, is a crucial element in concrete construction. Just as important is selection of the right formwork, Schaeffer notes. Over the years, formwork molds have evolved from traditional job-built timber to pre-engineered systems composed of a combination of steel, aluminum, manufactured timber, plywood and plastics. These advancements in formwork molds have led to increased jobsite production and safety, with less labor, while producing a better-finished product.

But with so many options, how can contractors choose the right one. Schaeffer suggests the following tips to consider when choosing a formwork system:

Now lets look at a few of the newest formwork alternatives on the market:

The Rapid Form Bracket from Innovative Concrete was designed to take the place of lumber supports in the construction of elevated slabs. The bracket is commonly used for work on foundations around a building, when constructing loading docks, or any job involving vertical work.

Made of steel and then powder-coated to keep away rust, the brackets inventor Bob Kalbach says it eliminates the labor and costs involved in purchasing, layout, measuring, cutting, constructing and cleaning up after stripping of wood supports. He estimates that the traditional process takes about three times longer than the bracket does.

When a slab is designed to turn down on top of a wall, you have to form the outer edges so that concrete doesnt go over the top of the wall. Traditionally, this is done by cutting two by fours that hold the form against wall. The pieces are layered on top of each other, the form is attached and then everything is braced. Once the concrete is poured, the supports then are removed and thrown away. Made of steel, the Rapid Form Bracket takes the place of lumber supports in the construction of elevated slabs.Innovative Concrete

Why are we paying $1,200 for a pallet of wood, cutting it all up and taking these pieces and throwing them away when were done. Not just that, but you have to collect all of that. Hundreds of pieces collected and then thrown in the dumpster, asks Kalbach.

The bracket was recently used during the construction of a four-story office building for LifeQuest, totaling 3,675 lineal feet of slab form. The project called for 925 brackets, which saved the company approximately 720 two by fours at a cost of $4,800. In addition, the contractor estimates a labor savings of $26,800.

The use of fabric formwork began in the early 20th century with concrete architectural structures. Today, the formwork alternative is slowly gaining momentum in the construction industry as the publics focus on sustainability grows. The industry is increasingly being asked to address and lower its carbon footprint. While the use of wood and/or metal is not completely eliminated by using fabric, it can be reduced to essential components thereby saving natural resources.

Using fabric formwork, such as a geotextile, offers several additional advantages, according to an article by Robert P. Schmitz, a registered professional engineer, with more than 35-years experience in architecture and structural engineering. Those benefits include:

Schmitz notes that fabric formwork does have its disadvantages though. Those include:

However, until new fabrics are developed, the benefits of using geotextiles far outweighs any disadvantages, Schmitz writes. In addition, unless standards and guidelines for use in precast and cast-in-place forming systems are developed, this method of forming concrete will remain a niche market exploited only by those brave and bold enough to challenge the status quo. To be of practical use to the design community, some standardization of systems and guidance are needed for contractors to feel comfortable using flexible formworks.Made of high-density polyethylene fabric, Fab-Forms markets its products as a green replacement of lumber and plywood for forming concrete footings.Fab-Form Industries

Leading the charge for adoption in the construction industry, Richard Fearn, owner and founder of Fab-Form Industries, Ltd., has developed several fabric forming products, including Fastfoot for continuous and spread footings, Fastbag for spread footings, and Fast-Tube for piers and columns.

Made of high-density polyethylene fabric, Fab-Forms markets its products as a green replacement of lumber and plywood for forming concrete footings.

Force Concrete & Masonry Corporation of Piscataway, New Jersey, has been working with Fab-Form for nearly a decade. They recently used the Fastfoot product to form the footings of Rutgers Universitys new Health & Athletic Performance Center.

The project had a tight deadlinejust six months. Because Force Concrete & Masonry was able to setup huge amounts of formwork before the pour took place, they were able to pour all the concrete in one day, keeping the project on track. In addition, because the fabric prevents the concrete from touching the lumber framework, the lumber framework can be reused and easily stripped, further increasing labor productivity.

When you strip [the forms], you only remove the lumber framework, explains Bill Pavlic of Force Concrete & Masonry. The fabric conforms to the uneven ground, which makes it a lot easier. If youre using regular forms, you have to go back and patch in the bottom or other spaces.

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are not a new technology, but they are seeing a resurgence in popularity. In fact, before the collapse of the housing industry in 2008, many homes were built with ICFsa type of permanent concrete formwork that create the external wall envelope of a building. The alternative formwork has regained some of that traction in recent year, though, as the popularity of energy efficient and disaster resistant homes and buildings grows.

In the past, single family residential accounted for about 70% of ICF construction compared to about 30% for commercial or multifamily uses, according to a report by the Portland Cement Association. (PCA). But, use in larger commercial buildings appears to be a growing market for several reasons. Chief among them is the potential for reducing energy to heat and cool the building.Shown here are Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms, which meet the demands of today's buildings, offering an energy efficient and eco-friendly construction option.Nudura

According to the PCA report, some estimates place the savings at 20 percent or more. The R-value for a typical ICF is about 20, and the walls can often have high air tightness 10-30% better than frame-with compatible windows, doors and roof. As a result, assuming a 100-year service life, PCA estimates one single-family ICF home has the potential to save about 110 tons of CO2 compared to a traditional wood frame home.

This more than offsets the CO2 associated with the production of the cement used to make the concrete, the report adds.

In addition, ICF save natural resources by eliminating the structures wood frame. The forms also often contain recycled materials.

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Concrete Formwork Alternatives Save Time, Money and Labor - ForConstructionPros.com

Plastics ban

The federal government says it plans to ban many single-use plastics in 2021. Be careful what you wish for. Many of the items banned could affect you more than you realize. I agree that a lot of waste is the result of plastic products. But do we need to ban everything? Maybe we should rethink how we use these products.

Steve WhinesBrantford

Re: Trailer park residents fear for their future (Jan. 29)

I am the executive director of the Manufactured Home Park Owners Alliance of B.C., a non-profit business association serving, educating, and representing the owners and managers of manufactured home communities. About 45 per cent of British Columbias 900 communities are members of our association.

Your article refers to trailer parks and trailers. While the story is a sad one and unfortunately not unique our industry is constantly working to remove these terms, particularly from lexicon of the media and politicians.

The days of trailers and trailer parks are gone. Todays manufactured homes are built to a national building code. They have strong frames and roofs, 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 construction, insulation, Gyproc walls, etc. They dont have wheels or hitches any more.

Most important manufactured home living is a desirable and affordable housing alternative for people looking to own their homes, but who dont have the $500,000 to $1 million to buy a fixed house.

We would really appreciate your help in getting rid of the old stereotype by referring to manufactured homes and manufactured home communities or parks in any future articles.

Al Kemp,Manufactured Home Park Owners Alliance of B.C.

Why is there so much controversy over the teachers contract?

The education of our youth should be our No. 1 priority, if the children are the future.

Im a retired registered nurse. I volunteer in the elementary school to help children learn to read, the basis for all learning. The classes now that are inclusive do not benefit the students, the teachers or the students with special needs.

Some top bureaucrats at Queens Park have enjoyed a 14 per cent increase in pay. This raise does not help our students when money is needed for education funding. The next generation will not have the tools to participate in the future.

I totally support the teachers. In Brant, teachers work very hard with the limited resources they get from the government. I would encourage any retired person or person with some time to volunteer and see first hand the caring teachers at work in the classroom.

Now is the time for the tired old Tories to elect someone new who has no ties to the regime. Well, Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis fits that bill; she is a person of colour, female and has a lot to offer. She speaks her mind and is extremely well educated. I sincerely hope she gets on the ballot, she would give Peter MacKay a run for his money. Besides MacKay will not beat Trudeau, but she would clean his clock.

Stephen FlanaganOttawa

I remember when I used to look to the Oscars now it is just a bunch of actors who think they have something to say politically. First diversity, not enough women directors, etc., not enough people of colour. Both have some merit, but isnt it about the person that does the best job on a film? Listening to people Sunday night like Joaquin Phoenix was so cringeworthy I had to mute it. The best part was the director ofParasite with limited English, he was amazing. For my wife and me, the best part was the pre-show and interviews. It is no wonder the ratings keep dropping. Time to stop talking about diversity, etc. and get on with show. These actors are not politicians, just very rich privileged people who think we give a rats behind about their limited view of the world.

Jon GrosvenorBurlington

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Letters to the editor - Brantford Expositor

Check the caulking around the windowBroken or missing caulking will allow water and the wind to penetrate the walls and cause moisture damage and rotting over time. Caulking acts as the first line of defense against water penetration into the wall structure.

Look for signs of worn weatherstrippingIn slider and hung windows, weatherstripping is a crucial element in preventing drafts and heat loss. As the window gets older, the weatherstripping wears out and deteriorates. Most weatherstripping today is peel and stick, and you can replace it yourself.

Check your window for sealed unit failureA chipped or cracked glass pane may seem like a visual nuisance, but the problem may be much bigger than meets the eye. If your glass panes are put together in a sealed unit, there is a good chance there may be a gas fill between the glass panes to improve the windows efficiency. If the glass pane is cracked, the seal in the window may be broken causing the gas to leak and your home to lose heat. It is often possible to change just the sealed unit in the window without having to replace the whole window.

Monitor air humidity in your homeBecause warm air contains more moisture than cold air, it is common for windows to form condensation on the glass. If left to stand this condensation can cause mold growth on windows or be absorbed into wood window components, eventually leading to rotting. Some people resort to buying dehumidifiers for their homes, but lowering the thermostat a couple of degrees or simply ventilating the room can reduce the levels of humidity significantly.

Dont wait to replace problem windows or doors. Save yourself money on your energy bill and beat mold and wood rot to the punch. Speak with the experts at R&L Contractors and Amazing Windows and Doors today!

5512 S Winland DriveGillette, WY(307) 682-7598

Originally posted here:
Why Replace Windows and Doors in Winter? - County 17

The Massachusetts School Building Authoritys board of directors on Thursday approved four school roof replacements in Worcester and four other projects in the region.

In Worcester, Tatnuck Magnet School, Vernon Hill School and Worcester East Middle School will receive funding from the MSBA to fully replace their roofs, while Burncoat Street Preparatory School got the OK for a partial roof replacement.

In addition, the board approved a boiler replacement at Lincoln Street School.

Combined, those five projects are expected to cost close to $10 million; the MSBA will cover about 75% of that total.

Elsewhere in the region, the MSBA directors also on Thursday approved $2.3 million of an expected $3.1 million needed to replace part of the roof and boiler at Fitchburgs South Street Elementary School; $751,188 for a $1.5 million partial roof replacement at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School; and $365,276 of the $1.2 million required to replace the boiler at Southboros Mary E. Finn Elementary School.

All of those projects are to be completed through the MSBAs Accelerated Repair Program, which is intended to help pay for roof, boiler, and window and door replacements in a relatively quick time frame.

"The Accelerated Repair Program allows us to make critical repairs to more schools in less time," state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, whose office oversees the MSBA, said in a statement, adding that the projects "make schools more energy efficient and generate significant cost savings."

Worcester in particular has benefited from the program, submitting and getting approved for around four projects a year over the last decade. This year, the district has shifted its focus from window and door replacements to upgrading roofs; according to the school departments budget book last year, it planned to submit 15 school roof replacements to the MSBA for approval from 2019 through 2023.

While almost all of those schools are elementary schools, one of the exceptions is Worcester East Middle, a nearly century-old school that has regularly been on the districts submission list to the MSBA for a more comprehensive replacement or renovation.

But school officials decided the roof project couldnt wait for the school to be accepted into the authoritys core project pipeline. Worcester East Middle currently sits behind Burncoat High School as the districts No. 2 priority for replacement/renovation, meaning it could be years or even a decade before the school is rebuilt or renovated, given the MSBAs lengthy approval process for comprehensive building projects.

While Worcester East Middle is in the MSBAs Accelerated Repair Program, it wont be able to be submitted as a core project, according to Brian Allen, the districts chief financial and operations officer. Typically, Accelerated Repair Projects are completed in a year and a half.

"But once the roof is completed, we still intend to submit for full renovation under the core program," Allen said, adding the district still sees it as the second most pressing school construction project behind Burncoat.

Scott OConnell can be reached at Scott.OConnell@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottOConnellTG

The rest is here:
State board approves school roof replacements in Worcester, other projects in region - Worcester Telegram

Windows 10 is experiencing a spectacularly bad run of faulty updates recently, and if youve had enough, then Windows 12 Lite is promising to fix those issues.

Now, we should say straight away that this is not an official release from Microsoft. Instead, it appears to be a modified version of the Linux Lite 4.8 LTS distro made to look like Windows 10 with the default background wallpaper and custom icons.

Windows 12 Lite was spotted by a reddit user at a local computer sale, and according to the documentation that comes with the software (which is actually a crudely-printed sheet of A4), using Windows 12 Lite means No upgrading when ever you want to work. No upgrades that fail so you cannot upgrade clearly referencing Windows 10s recent travails.

It also makes the bold claim that there are no virus or ransomware as Windows 12 is immune from these nasties.

It also says that Windows 12 Lite is more than three times faster than Windows 10 and boots in about 15 seconds.

As well as the badly-printed out manual, there is also a rather ropey-looking website, which at least is honest about it being Linux Lite 4.8 LTS made to look like Windows 10.

Apparently, the seller was offering DVDs of Windows 12 Lite for 15 (around $20, AU$30) at the computer sale and while thats certainly cheaper than a Windows 10 licence you should never buy random software like that and you should never pay to use free Linux distros like Linux Lite.

While Windows 12 Lite is clearly not going to replace Windows 10, it does raise some interesting points about how Linux could be a good alternative for people who are getting sick of Microsofts mishandling of Windows 10.

There are many lightweight distros out there that run much faster than Windows 10 especially on older hardware, and because not as many people use Linux versus Windows, there are fewer viruses and malware threats as well.

And, as Windows 12 Lite shows, you can configure Linux to look and behave very similar to Windows. Check out our pick of the best Linux distros for beginners for better choices for replacing Windows 10 with Linux.

Via Liliputing

Original post:
Sick of Windows 10? Linux-based Windows 12 Lite promises to be three times faster - TechRadar

You can make audio or video calls from a smart device or computer using Skype. You can also host personal or business calls on the app.

Like any other application, Skype receives frequent updates, allowing for better user experience and even new features.

The process for checking which Skype version you're using on Mac versus PC is slightly different, but the process for updating to the latest version is basically the same on both devices.

Here's how to manually update Skype on your Mac or PC or download the latest version.

If you're using a PC running Windows 7 or 8, you can update Skype directly in the app. Here's how:

1. Turn on your PC and launch the Skype application on your computer. Sign in if needed.

2. Click on the "Help" button. If you don't see the "Help" option, hold the "ALT '' key on your keyboard and a menu will appear.

3. Click "Check for updates manually."

If you're running Windows 10, you'll have to update your Skype version through the Microsoft Store.

1. Launch and sign in to Skype.

2. Click "Skype" in the top toolbar.

3. Click "Check for updates" and select the update if available.

1. Open your browser and navigate to https://www.skype.com/en/get-skype/ to download the latest version of Skype.

2. Click the blue button in the middle of the box on the left hand side of the screen.

Click the blue button. Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

3. Select "Get Skype for Windows," or one of the other options, depending on which operating system you're using.

Click "Get Skype for Windows." Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

4. The file should begin downloading, double click on it once it's fully downloaded.

5. Follow the prompts, and choose to replace the old Skype application on your computer with the newer version, if prompted.

1. Open your browser and navigate to https://www.skype.com/en/get-skype/ to download the latest version of Skype.

2. Click the blue button in the middle of the box on the left hand side of the screen.

3. Select "Get Skype for Mac."

Click "Get Skype for Mac." Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

4.The file will begin to download at the bottom of your screen. Once finished downloading double click it.

5. In the pop-up window, drag the Skype icon on the left side over to the Applications folder on the right side using your mouse.

Drag the Skype icon into the Applications folder. Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

6. A pop-up window will appear asking you if you'd like to replace the version of Skype currently on your computer with the new one. Click "Replace."

Click "Replace." Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

7. Double click the Skype icon to open it.

8. A pop-up window may appear asking you if you'd like to open Skype. Click "Open." The latest version of Skype should now open on your computer.

Click "Open" to open the latest version of Skype. Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

See more here:
How to update your Skype version on your PC or Mac computer - Business Insider - Business Insider

Transfers to replace injured Adam Forshaw at Leeds United in January were not considered because of the cost and level of midfielder required.

Head coach Marcelo Bielsa addressed the matter of Forshaws hip surgery in Thursdays press conference after it had been announced the midfielders season was over.

Forshaw went under the knife on Thursday in Colorado and will now look to return to action in pre-season ahead of 2020/21.

One of the main tenets of Bielsas tenure at Elland Road has been his refusal to run with anything other than a small squad.

When a key cog in that unit is ruled out, their absence is keenly felt. Furthermore, when their season is prematurely ended less than two weeks after the latest transfer window ends, there are question marks around contingency plans.

Elia Caprile, Ian Poveda and Jean-Kevin Augustin were the only three additions last month. Forshaw, despite his aborted attempts to return, was not directly replaced.

Bielsa explained why and acknowledged it is troubling to have planned a campaign for an 18-man squad and then lose a regular starter permanently.

I would like to count on Forshaw, he said. We resolve this situation with [Kalvin] Phillips, with [Mateusz] Klich, but when you plan one season with 18 players it is not the same as when you have to struggle with less players.

If we bring in another player, always we have to bring in a better player and better means, in every sense, not just in skills, resources, if not one player who can compete right now.

We can bring one player like that paying a lot of money.

Augustins status in the squad has already been discussed at length by Bielsa, who has repeatedly pointed to the Frenchmans limited minutes across the past 12 months and inadequate fitness for his system.

Evidently, this need to hit the ground running also played on Bielsas mind when it came to any proposed Forshaw replacement.

Also, it is understood the Whites do not have a sizeable space in their Profit and Sustainability projections to accommodate such an investment.

Continue reading here:
Why Leeds United did not sign an Adam Forshaw replacement in the January transfer window - Leeds Live