Is That Tree Watered?

Although estimates of deaths and injuries related to Christmas tree and candle fires are down, there are still an alarming number of incidents. Live trees or other evergreen decorations that have dried out burn fast and hot in a matter of seconds if they come in contact with an open flame or an unprotected heat source. It’s so easy to forget about keeping your tree fresh AFTER Christmas day.

Ladders

Are you the type that just loves to have a light on every gutter? A bulb on every bush and tree limb? Just be careful when scaling ladders in cold or snowy weather. For some of us this may be the only physical exercise that takes place all year long and without some practice during the year it may be all too easy to take a nasty spill from 8 to 12 feet.; a possible ticket to the hospital…not how you want to spend the holidays. Don’t forget to wear gloves, boots and a hat so you stay warm while decorating the house.

Here are a Few Other Tips to Stay Safe for This Holiday Season

Trees and Decorations

1. Buying live trees, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, its needles are hard to pull from branches, and its needles do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin and, when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
2. Setting up a tree at home, place it away from heat sources, such as fireplaces, vents, and radiators. Because heated rooms rapidly dry out live trees, be sure to monitor water levels daily and keep the tree stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic, and do not block doorways with the tree.
3. Buying an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean that the tree will not catch fire, it does indicate that the tree is more resistant to catching fire.
4. Decorating a tree in homes with small children, take special care to avoid sharp, weighted, or breakable decorations. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children who could swallow or inhale small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.

Candles

1. Keep burning candles within sight. Extinguish all candles before you go to bed, leave the room, or leave the house.
2. Keep candles on a stable, heat-resistant surface where kids and pets cannot reach them or knock them over. Lighted candles should be placed away from items that can catch fire and burn easily, such as trees, other evergreens, decorations, curtains and furniture.

Lights

1. Use only lights that have been tested for safety by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as UL. Lights for both indoor and outdoor usage must meet strict requirements that testing laboratories are able to verify. On most decorative lights available in stores, UL’s red holographic label signifies that the product meets safety requirements for indoor and outdoor usage. UL’s holographic label, with the green UL Mark, signifies it meets requirements for only indoor usage.
2. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets and do not use electric lights on a metallic tree.
3. Check each extension cord to make sure it is rated for the intended use.
4. Check outdoor lights for labels showing that the lights have been certified for outdoor use, and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)-protected receptacle or a portable GFCI.

Fireplaces

1. Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if swallowed. Keep them away from children.
2. Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

Your friends at World Hyundai Matteson.

Tips provided by CPSC

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DETROIT — More good news for Hyundai fans. The 2012 Hyundai Elantra has been named a finalist for the North American Car of the Year Award. Other finalists are: The Ford Focus and Volkswagen Passat. Both admirable competitors, but as Hyundai enthusiasts know, they don’t hold a candle to the 2012 Elantra. It has been an amazing year for Hyundai and having the Elantra selected as a finalist for this prestigious award continues to showcase the efforts that Hyundai has made in their quest for quality, affordability, safety, and styling.

The finalists were announced today at a meeting of the Automotive Press Association.

Winners of the 19th annual competition will be named on Jan. 9, prior to the opening of the Detroit auto show. Hyundai fans will all have their fingers crossed.

The awards for new or substantially redesigned vehicles are judged by 50 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. Criteria include general design, safety, fuel economy, handling and roadworthiness, performance, comfort, quality, functionality, innovation, driver satisfaction, price and value. Last year the Hyundai Sonata was edged out by the Chevy Volt in what some have considered a politically motivated move.

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Cubs fans rejoice!

Theo Epstein 37, the boy wonder of the Boston Red Sox, who appears to have magical powers when it comes to draft selections, is now the President of Baseball Operations of the Chicago Cubs.

With Epstein at the helm, the Red Sox ended an 86-year World Series championship drought in 2004 and won the title again in 2007. He was also at the helm of this years’ incredible season ending meltdown.

Cubs fans can only hope he will bring some of that magic to  the North Side where the Cubs are looking for their first title since 1908. Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts fired GM Jim Hendry in July after another disappointing season, although Hendry stayed on the job for an extra month. Epstein will have to deal with a variety of negative situations in the Cubs’ organization starting with Carlos Zambrano. After giving up 5 home runs to Atlanta late in the year, Zambrano cleaned out his locker and spoke of retirement. Then GM Jim Hendry, summarily suspended him for 30 days, effectively ending his season. It’s hard to believe, even with a year left on his contract that Zambrano would be back in a Cubs’ uniform.

Epstein has been praised for several moves including the acquisition of stars such as David Ortiz, Curt Schilling, Jason Bay and Adrian Gonzalez, though he also will be remembered for bringing in high-priced players who fell short, including Edgar Renteria, Daisuke Matsuzaka, John Lackey. This season it was Carl Crawford who didn’t meet expectations after signing a fat contract. But give him a break as Crawford has never been exposed to the pressures of a city like Boston, as he spent his career in a much smaller and forgiving market like Tampa.

Regardless of past performance, Cubs fans will be looking to Epstein to bring the city what it has been longing for…a World Series Championship.

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This is Queensland Australia…and this is what a flood looks like in pictures.

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Humans are visual beings. It’s a fact that the majority of the information we glean about our surroundings — and the decisions we make based on that information — comes from things we see. And sometimes, unfortunately from things we didn’t see.

That’s why it is vitally important that we do everything possible to keep our vision clear inside our vehicles. After all, you probably want to see that dark silhouetted 18-wheeler hurtling toward you on the highway in a downpour. And the best way to do that is to make sure your wiper blades are in perfect working order. All while the kids are quietly sitting where they belong, not distracting you.

The majority of wiper blades are constructed with a rubber wiping element, which provides maximum friction to clear glass of water and moisture that appears and builds up. Because rubber is a natural compound, it breaks down for a variety of reasons:

• Ozone in the atmosphere (especially prominent in high-traffic urban and suburban areas) can oxidize the rubber and create cracks in its surface; as these cracks propagate and grow, they will allow water to pass through, creating streaks on the windshield. The more streaks that occur, the less visual clarity a driver will have through the windshield. It is interesting to note that blades may last longer in the country than in the city.
• Heat is a killer. On a hot summer day, the windshield of a vehicle can reach temperatures up to 145° F, which slowly “cooks” the rubber wiper blades until they lose their flexibility and crack. This too will cause streaking or “chattering.” We’ve all seen that old rubber ball that Spot still chases even after it has been left outside for 6 months. It’s not so pretty. It might be ok for Spot, but not for your car.
• Cold temperatures also contribute to a wiper’s demise; as the rubber gets harder in cold temps and loses its flexibility, it allows water to leak under the rubber surface, “smearing” the surface of the windshield instead of wiping it cleanly away.
• While there’s no set industry standard, most wiper manufacturers recommend replacing blades every six to nine months based on how the wipers are performing and local conditions. Even a tiny streak during a test can become a major impairment to your vision during a rainstorm. We’ve all been there for sure.
• Most drivers are familiar with the traditional frame-style wipers. These use a metal frame to stretch a piece of rubber across the windshield, a design largely unchanged since the early 1900s. The last decade, however, has seen the advent of “beam” or “flat” wipers, the first revolutionary change in wiper blade design in more than a century.

Flat blades are made from a single piece of curved plastic that suspends the rubber wiping element. The benefit?
“Flat blades were designed to provide almost uniform pressure distribution across a windshield,” said Shawn Subramaniam, technical manager with Shell Oil. “Instead of the ‘hill and valley’ pressure points you get with a traditional wiper, points that can allow water to streak or smear, flat blades provide a more uniform wipe.”
In addition to providing superior wiping, flat blades are also smaller and more streamlined than traditional wipers, making them more aesthetically pleasing to many drivers and generating less wind noise. Many models are also designed with a built-in “spoiler” that keeps the blade in close contact with the windshield even at highway speeds.



The best part about flat blades? Thanks to adapters found in many blade sets, even vehicles not factory-equipped with these new blades can be retrofitted with them, giving all drivers the opportunity to experience the maximum in windshield wiping performance—and allowing them to see better in rainy or wet conditions.

Keeping you safe this winter is why we share these tidbits of info. Let World Hyundai Matteson’s service department insect your blades to see if you may need a quick upgrade.

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It doesn’t matter how comfortable your bed usually is; it will become distressing the minute you try to prop yourself up into a work-accomplishing position. Same goes for airport terminals, most guest rooms, and outdoor parks in any season.

Stop trying to locate your office supplies in your pillows. Instead, try out (or at least be inspired by) one of these nine nifty portable office solutions.

1. Kruikantoor

Netherlands-based designer, Tim Vinke created this foam wheelbarrow office. Entrepreneurs can easily roll from workspace to workspace with two chairs, a table and a light. There’s even storage space for files.

2. BALT Fold-N-Go Workstation

If your office doubles as a guest room, dining room or living room — or if you happen to live in a bootstrapped-startup-sized apartment, this fold-up office is for you. When open, the desk has a space for your computer, printer and keyboard. When folded, the workstation is only 4 1/2 inches wide and can easily slip under the bed or in a closet. “No assembly required” makes the deal even sweeter.

3. Planet 3 Studios’ Out-of-Box Workstation

This module is not one portable office, but two. Designed by a team from Mumbai, the 4x4x16 module wheels into place and unfolds using a single key. One desk with a keyboard tray and drawers pops out from each side of the box. You can get the design details from this YouTube video.

4. Hip Office

This desk might not relate to every definition of the word “hip,” but it’s a pretty creative solution for people who want to work 100% of the time. The desk is actually not intended for workaholics, but as an ergonomic solution to the health problems sitting in a desk all day can cause. Two pieces create a snug fit that allows the user to sit, stand or walk without leaving his or her work.

5. Cart Desk

What could be cooler than a roller backpack for adults? How about a roller backpack that doubles as a workstation?

Despite dubious coolness, Cart Desk is indisputably practical for frequent air travelers. The cart is actually designed to fit through airplane aisles and fit in the overhead bins.

6. Armoire Box Office

Sadly MyFab no longer seems to sell this compact office by designer Toshihiko Hazama, but we’re hoping that somebody is inspired by the concept soon. Relatively affordable at $1,800, the cubicle and chair folded small enough to roll into a closet.

7. I-Trunk

This office in a box by Pinel & Pinel is delivered with a 20-inch iMac, a Creature Sound System and a color printer. Four drawers hold pens, paper and 10 leather files. If that’s not fancy enough for you, consider the 51 color options for the trunk’s all-leather exterior and its “nickeled massive brass” (we’re not sure what that is, but it sounds fancy).

8. Louis Vuitton Office Trunk

The designer-obsessed need not fret. There is a portable office for you, too. This trunk by Louis Vuitton includes a coffee maker, TV and DVD player. All electronics work off of the grid — the coffee pot is powered by a petrol can and the other electronics by a solar panel. This could come in handy if you ever take your Louis Vuitton office trunk on a camping trip.

Register Hardware reports that the trunk was commissioned by an unknown customer from China.

9. IKEA PS Laptop Worktation

If the Louis Vuitton version is a bit excessive for your taste, you might consider the IKEA version. The box stores laptops with up to a 17-inch wide screen, locks for security (though it is a pretty portable box — even when locked), and includes an elastic laptop strap for safety. That said, the $60 box is probably better as a space saver than a travel companion.

See the article at Mashable

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For those of you who are always trying to track down the next great restaurant, especially Italian, you “southsiders” won’t have to travel far.

Roccos Little Italy in Tinley Park may not be new to all of you, but if you have not eaten there it is a must try location.

I have probably eaten just about every entree on the menu and most of everything else too, and I can say that I have never had a bad meal. Nor bad service. Under the watchful eye of the family who owns the restaurant, the service will never disappoint. I don’t think the food will either.

My favorite appetizers are the breadcrumb smothered baked clams, the stuffed artichoke (and it is truly stuffed with breadcrumbs and garlic, swimming in a pool of butter and oil), and the plump baked shrimp. For your main course I would suggest any veal dish and the chicken picatta (or chicken limone as I call it). It comes on a bed of capellini with capers in a white wine butter sauce. If you have been craving lasagna your time has come. Stacked high and firm on the plate, mom never served this so good. Get a meatball or two to top this off. And for a real pasta challenge I would recommend the Gorgonzola raviolis. These are raviolis smothered in a Gorgonzola cheese sauce that may require you to take an extra cholesterol or blood pressure pill when you are finished. If you have to “go”, and we all do, this may be one of my choices on how it happens to me (with a Belvedere up and blue cheese olives of course). If it sounds like too much to eat, order as an appetizer so you can try something else on the menu.

Visit them at www.roccoslittleitaly.net

Feel free to tell them Scott sent you…I may already be there though.

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SOURCE-AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Hyundai Motor Co. needs more factory capacity in the United States and will announce plans to expand production within the next month or so, John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America, said today.

The automaker’s plant in Alabama, which makes the Sonata sedan and Santa Fe crossover, is running at maximum overtime right now and still struggling to meet sales demands, Krafcik said at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars here.

He declined to say what shape the new U.S. production would take, but said, “We know we have to grow U.S. production.”

Hyundai set a U.S. sales record for July, with 54,106 units sold – up 19 percent from a year ago. It was the fourth month ever that Hyundai’s U.S. sales topped 50,000 units.

The automaker’s year-to-date U.S. sales are up 24 percent to 309,888 units, in an overall market that is up 15 percent.

Hyundai had a 37-days supply of cars and trucks on hand on Aug. 1, down from 41 days on July 1, and well below the industry normal of 60-days supply.

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What a beautiful night it was this Friday as the Joliet Jackhammers opened their 2010 season. World Hyundai is proud to be a community supporter of Joliet and the Official car dealer of the Jackhammers baseball team for the 2010 season. Our season long campaign, “Seats to the Suites” kicked off in grand fashion as 20 participants were invited to trade their seats in the stands for our seats in the suite by becoming a fan of World Hyundai on facebook! World Hyundai provided everyone with hot dogs and soda and some gifts as well. A fantastic time was had by all as you can see from the caption above.

Don’t be left out of the fun…all season we will be giving away tickets and other fan experience opportunities such as the chance to throw out the first pitch, take batting practice with the team, be a bat boy or bat girl,  or win a suite for your whole family. The summer is fast approaching and we want it to be your best one yet-hopefully with a new Hyundai from World and a trip to Joliet Jackhammer field for some great fun. If you haven’t already done so, log on to facebook and become a fan today so you have a chance to win.

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World Hyundai, a Matteson, Illinois based automotive dealership, announced today its corporate sponsorship of the Joliet Jackhammers, the professional baseball team of the Northern League located in Joliet, Illinois. The newly formed alliance builds on World Hyundai’s commitment to being a steward of community involvement, development and growth as well as their support for America’s favorite past time in a family friendly, easily accessible and affordable atmosphere. “World Hyundai is excited about supporting the vital communities of Joliet and the surrounding area,” said Scott Falcone, managing partner of World Hyundai. “It is our goal to support the customers who support us by being involved at the local level. We look forward to building loyalty within the community and thanking our valued customers through these types of grass roots endeavors.”

The mission of World Hyundai through this partnership with the Joliet Jackhammers is to offer an incredible free entertainment opportunity to local individuals, little leagues, churches, youth groups and other organizations. Throughout the season, World Hyundai will be providing these organizations approximately 100 tickets as well as suite upgrades. As part of its partnership with the Joliet Jackhammers, World Hyundai is sponsoring A Night for St. Marks Church, an evening of food, fun, and baseball for congregation members and their families. “Since we opened our doors in 2006, we’ve believed in taking a hands on approach and building our business via community relationships,” explained Mr. Falcone. “With partners like the Joliet Jackhammers, we can continue to grow our business, support other local businesses and the individuals so essential to our success.”

About World Hyundai

Located in Matteson, Illinois, in the Matteson Auto Mall, World Hyundai has been a leading automotive retailer since 2006. They sell and service Hyundai vehicles as well as pre-owned vehicles. World Hyundai employs about sixty employees and are heavily involved in many Chicago Southland communities.

About the Joliet Jackhammers

The Joliet JackHammers are a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois, in the United States. The JackHammers are a member of the Northern League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2002 season to the present, the JackHammers have played their home games at Silver Cross Field in Joliet, Illinois.

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