| Copper thefts continue in Valley
On the rooftop of a strip mall near Hollenbeck Street and the 10 Freeway, burglars stripped six air conditioners of their copper coils in recent weeks. Then they returned to pull apart three more air conditioning units. Although the thieves may have made about $900 for two nights' work, businesses like World Gym, Dental Fun Zone and several others were left sweltering - and facing an estimated $100,000 in damage, said one expert called in by the West Covina police. "We have a rash of copper thefts - and not just in our city," said Cpl. Rudy Lopez. Thefts of copper, aluminum and other metals have increased in recent years as the materials' value has soared, but their worth to the burglars is still far less than the damage done to the victims, authorities said. The nighttime game lights are dead at Little League fields in Montclair and Hacienda Heights because of copper stolen in the past two weeks.
Topping 2008 List of New Year's Resolutions: Go Green at Home
VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- This year many homeowners are adding a new commitment to their list of New Year's Resolutions: go green at home. Alongside pledges to quit smoking, exercise more, and spend more time with friends and family, fostering eco-friendly homes is a positive step for families' health and finances. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, buildings in the United States account for 71 percent of the nation's electricity consumption, 39 percent of energy use, 36 percent of all greenhouse emissions, 12.2 percent of potable water consumption, and 40 percent of global raw materials use. "Americans realize that all buildings, even their own homes, impact our environment. People are now doing what they can to help improve the health of our planet and are choosing materials and remodeling projects that make homes healthier, comfortable and longer lasting," says Stanley Gatland, Manager of Building Science Technology for CertainTeed.
Soundbooth CS3
Soundbooth CS3, Adobe's new Intel-only audio-editing program, was created with videographers in mind. With a design that video producers will likely find more familiar than traditional audio tools, Soundbooth makes it easy for multimedia creatives—including Flash developers and motion-graphics artists—to fix common audio problems. However, the program may be too limited for sound specialists, professional musicians, or videographers who face complex audio troubles. Familiar face Soundbooth looks very much like other CS3 programs—it features tabbed panels, a central work area, and a collection of tools for performing common operations. Rather than offering countless ways to tweak or add effects to audio waveforms, Soundbooth includes a focused set of tools for performing the kinds of tasks designers most need for their video projects—removing noise, performing basic cuts and fades, and adjusting volume, pitch, and time; adding effects; and automatically generating background music tracks.
Take it step by step
On the downside, you have to take care of all your own maintenance and improvements, so you have to be able to cover not just the monthly mortgage payment but insurance and repairs and upkeep. - 3. If you've got a great low rent deal, or you think you might get laid off or relocated in the near future, it might be better to continue to rent. If your credit is really bad, you should probably wait until you can get it improved so you'll have a much better mortgage deal. Check out the "Buy vs. Rent Calculator" at ginniemae.gov to get a good idea of the long-term advantages and disadvantages of each. YOU'RE READY TO BUY. NOW WHAT? The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has some great tips for getting ready to buy your first house.
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