Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Chinese Drywall


Imported Drywall, A Toxic Situation
By, JR Hafer

Very few people outside of the drywall industry actually realize how huge the toxic drywall affair really is. For the most part, government studies are ongoing and the builders involved continue with a wait and see mindset.
The truth of the matter is; certainly, no one knows what to do about the problem of defective toxic imported drywall.The circling lawyers overhead can certainly smell the money when a potential lawsuit presents itself.
This toxic poisonous drywall situation will involve more than a few thousand people who now find they are having health problems with unpleasant living conditions in a mere 100,000 homes built with the contaminated noxious materials in southern Florida.
Homeowners should be aware of any signs of potential problems that may “run up red flags”, not only those who built new homes from 2004 to 2007, but also those who have added living area, remodeled, refurbished or made repairs and used any type of drywall between 2001 and 2009.
There are many tell tale signs that may indicate toxic drywall problems. Are your mirrors turning darker? Is your jewelry tarnished more than usual? Are you having electrical and air conditioning problems? Are your electric switches getting warmer than they should be? How about sparking of light fixtures? Is there a “rotten egg” aroma in the air or smoke alarms going off? Is the copper wiring in your house getting darker and darker and bath fixtures becoming more and more tarnished? These are but a few indications of potential problems.Additionally, serious health problems can be caused by the defective toxic drywall, such as reoccurring nosebleeds, asthma-like symptoms, lung damage, stroke, and neurological damage causing palsy.
The sulfur “rotten egg” smell and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are also known to cause skin irritation and various lung problems. These are all things to be cautious of. No one has yet formulated a viable plan. However, I can tell you if you suspect that your house has defective drywall, you should get out of your home until you get your drywall tested. Just like breathing bleach and ammonia, it can damage your lungs permanently. Naturally occurring sulfur compounds are emitted when the heat and humidity levels rise in your house.There has been no deaths, as of yet, confirmed. But I suspect it will be a lot like the asbestos problem, it took a long time for health concerns to become evident. I predict the health risks will be ever increasing and the toxic drywall problem will remain with us for a very long time.Abandoned houses and foreclosed homes with toxic drywall will continue to be on the rise in the near future and most likely a good number of them will be remarketed, perhaps, increasing exposure to toxic drywall.
Recently, builders have considered replacing the toxic drywall in affected houses. However, the replacing of the drywall, electrical wiring, plumbing and fixtures isn’t enough. Builders are now discovering that the wood in the houses is certain to have absorbed the toxic gaseous materials, as well. There is also evidence of radioactive emissions from these materials. Where does it stop?
Builders and suppliers, along with government agencies, are going to find out along with the public, that this imported Chinese toxic drywall may be a greater more complicated deal than they ever expected. Remediation of the toxic drywall will be most difficult. Health problems and lawsuits are surely to follow.It will indeed be a problem of great proportion with multi-culpability attached to it.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Smoke and MIrror Politics

Smoke and MIrror Politics
Anyone who knows me knows I am not an alarmist or a trouble maker, but they will also tell you that I am someone who will speak my mind too.

Perhaps this is not the way to do it, but I am going to stand up and shout about an issue which has been so obvious and nobody else sees it or will say anything about it. Am I the only one who sees this travisty happening?

I doubt it will it will make a difference, nobody reads this thing anyway, and I am off my meds too, that’s my excuse.
The health of the American economy is directly tied to the real estate market. The real estate market supported and propped up the economy for six years, even though indicators said the health of the economy was in a slump the real estate market was artificially inflated and on fire.
While the “Tail wagged the dog”, the last administration showed the world that the president of the United States can lie and lead America down the outhouse trail to dine, without questions or too much of a challenge.

Although I didn’t vote for him, I had hopes that the Obama group would bring a whole new persepective and realism within the capital beltway. The politicians in Washington all live in a bubble and have absolutely no idea what is happening in the real world.

Show me ONE honest poor politician, just one... and I'll show you a politician who I will believe to have the common man's interest at heart.

The US congress and the administration claim to be aware of this fact, and promise to do something. After all, isn't that what we elected them to do?

We are being fed a bunch of smoke and mirror deception. The United States Government, Wall Street and the major Banks are defrauding America. We are letting them lie to us for their self-serving professional political and greedy reasons.

One of the largest Banks who has been gobbling up other banks and financial institutions over America over the last few years, bit off more than they could chew when they bought out the largest mortgage lender who was under investigation for making so many fradulent and misrepresented subprime loans. Now the Giant “Gobbler” is taking money from Government “handouts” while lying about making mortgage loans.

The truth is this Bank is only making enough loans to say they are doing so. That is a joke. So, what’s going on? Are we going to continue to believe this smoke and mirrors? Yeah Probably…

Helloooooo, anybody out there? .............
Anybody else have anything to say about it? email me: jrhafer@yahoo.com

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Keeping it Simple

Keeping it simple: Removed By request of writer

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Kiss Method

The Kiss Method
What ever happen to the 'good ole’ kiss method ‘keep it simple stupid’? From my perspective, if you keep things simple and straightforward and there is no room for misunderstanding.
Now, I may not be ‘the brightest candle in the arbor’, but I can tell you this, when folks start complicating things, they’re doing two things. First, they are trying to prove how smart they are. Secondly, they have a reason to create “loop holes”. Oops, did I just describe a politician?

No one asked me but in my opinion, for what it’s worth, when there are arguments over the interpretation of something, it is needlessly too complicated anyway, why wasn’t it written in simple everyday English in the first place, so everyone can understand it?
Perhaps, Shakespeare was right, maybe they should hang all the Lawyers. It sounds to me, the simpleton I am, it may be a tad self-serving, for those who write laws to be only ones who can understand the blame things. Remember the Latin phrase: “Caveat Emptor” (let the buyer beware), we might aught to think about that.
We have the “Fox guarding the Hen House” No wonder the country is in an uproar over health care reform, No one really understands it. When the Washington insiders talk about things they use the ‘code Jargon’ of the trade, and not the simple language of the ordinary citizen. But they really don't understand all of it either. Just watch them argue... That is why the grand leaders of our country can’t seem to agree on anything. Looks like to me, in Washington, their first priority is self-serving partisan politics. Should not their first priority be for the good of the country?
Maybe the subject is too complicated and they should explain it all to us, simply... There's no wonder we get so many different versions, perhaps, they don't understand it either.
My Daddy always told me, ‘opinions are like Belly buttons’, everybody has one”!
Am I the only one, who thinks we should go to the “Kiss Method” and keep it simple? After all it's a complicated world and it's madness to allow all these complex laws and bills to be so incomprehensible, don’t you think so?
Thank God we have Honest, politicians, with integrity and traditional values, who are our mentors... Oops, sorry Joe, (before you yell out, "He Lies")!
Hello… hello… is anyone listening?
(jrhafer.com 9/14/2009)

Positive Outlook

Positive Outlook
It is time to look forward to all things hoped for, goals set to achieve. If we remember and linger on the past, it may, or may not, be fondly encased in our psyche. Therefore, perhaps it is time to forge toward our future… If for nothing else, it gives us a stable and positive outlook.
What-cha-think?

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

God Bless America, Fly the Flag on 9-11

God Bless the USA
By JR Hafer
On Friday, September 11th, 2009, we will be memorializing a great tragedy, one that could have brought this great nation to its knees.

The blood of those who lost their lives that day cry to our hearts and plead to us; not to succumb to mediocrity and indifference regarding acts of violence against America. A plead for Americans to rise up stronger than before, with greater resolve, to protect and defend our great nation.

America is a beacon of freedom to the world. We are bound to the memory of those who lost their lives on 9-11- 2001… To protect America from those who hold adverse ideologies and dogmas and to stand and defend her from those who swear oaths against the very existence of America. Listen to that cry, listen and take heed, fellow Americans.

On Friday the eighth year of remembrance, we shall stand tall with broken hearts and tears in our eyes. We have the responsibility as Americans to fly “Old Glory” our national banner, as we listen to that agonizing cry while the buildings fall to the ground once again. Listen to the united cry from those who we remember: “The price of freedom that we have paid is now your responsibility to preserve”.

This day, American flags should be displayed on the doorstep of every home, apartment, office, and storefront on American soil. Let it be a symbol to every citizen of the world that we, do indeed, remember as a matter of pride and patriotism, the attacks against our right to achieve and exist.
Every American should see it as their duty to display an American flag on the anniversary of our country's worst tragedies. We should never let time heal our hearts. We also should not allow the attack on America at Pearl Harbor fade into the background of our minds. All should be collectively remembered on this day.

We do this to honor those who lost their lives, their families and friends who continue to remember with pride, those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, The Red, White and Blue of American flags mourned the incredible losses. We proudly stood shoulder-to-shoulder and rallied against terrorism. Let’s not let those flags disappear. Our patriotism pulled us together in those times. Let the memory of 9/11 galvanize us in united solidarity again and again for ever. Amen…

Our American flag is stained Red with the blood, White with the purity of sacred faith and the Blue steely resolve of us who have tasted freedom and cherish it so dearly. Indeed, freedom is stitched into the fabric of our nation and the pride of knowing Americans can triumph over terrorism. Good over evil is always honorable.
Remember how we all felt Tuesday morning September 11, 2001 when we lost many in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in the rolling meadows of Pennsylvania.

Join us and fly the American flag on this Friday September 11th.

God Bless the United States of America!

Friday, September 4, 2009

Imported Toxic Drywall

Imported Drywall, A Toxic Situation
By, JR Hafer
Very few people outside of the drywall industry actually realize how huge the toxic drywall affair really is. For the most part, government studies are ongoing and the builders involved continue with a wait and see mindset. The truth of the matter is; certainly, no one knows what to do about the problem of defective toxic imported drywall.

The circling lawyers overhead can certainly smell the money when a potential lawsuit presents itself. This toxic poisonous drywall situation will involve more than a few thousand people who now find they are having health problems with unpleasant living conditions in a mere 100,000 homes built with the contaminated noxious materials in southern Florida.

Homeowners should be aware of any signs of potential problems that may “run up red flags”, not only those who built new homes from 2004 to 2007, but also those who have added living area, remodeled, refurbished or made repairs and used any type of drywall between 2001 and 2009.

There are many tell tale signs that may indicate toxic drywall problems. Are your mirrors turning darker? Is your jewelry tarnished more than usual? Are you having electrical and air conditioning problems? Are your electric switches getting warmer than they should be? How about sparking of light fixtures? Is there a “rotten egg” aroma in the air or smoke alarms going off? Is the copper wiring in your house getting darker and darker and bath fixtures becoming more and more tarnished? These are but a few indications of potential problems.

Additionally, serious health problems can be caused by the defective toxic drywall, such as reoccurring nosebleeds, asthma-like symptoms, lung damage, stroke, and neurological damage causing palsy. The sulfur “rotten egg” smell and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are also known to cause skin irritation and various lung problems. These are all things to be cautious of.

No one has yet formulated a viable plan. However, I can tell you if you suspect that your house has defective drywall, you should get out of your home until you get your drywall tested. Just like breathing bleach and ammonia, it can damage your lungs permanently. Naturally occurring sulfur compounds are emitted when the heat and humidity levels rise in your house.

There has been no deaths, as of yet, confirmed. But I suspect it will be a lot like the asbestos problem, it took a long time for health concerns to become evident. I predict the health risks will be ever increasing and the toxic drywall problem will remain with us for a very long time.
Abandoned houses and foreclosed homes with toxic drywall will continue to be on the rise in the near future and most likely a good number of them will be remarketed, perhaps, increasing exposure to toxic drywall.

Recently, builders have considered replacing the toxic drywall in affected houses. However, the replacing of the drywall, electrical wiring, plumbing and fixtures isn’t enough. Builders are now discovering that the wood in the houses is certain to have absorbed the toxic gaseous materials, as well. There is also evidence of radioactive emissions from these materials.

Where does it stop? Builders and suppliers, along with government agencies, are going to find out along with the public, that this imported Chinese toxic drywall may be a greater more complicated deal than they ever expected. Remediation of the toxic drywall will be most difficult. Health problems and lawsuits are surely to follow.
It will indeed be a problem of great proportion with multi-culpability attached to it.