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Not long ago, an irate reader e-mailed me, demanding to know whether I like plastic.

I barely knew how to respond. He might as well have asked if I liked gravity. Or the Pacific Ocean.

If ubiquity is a measure of affection, we all love plastic. It's everywhere, from our cars to our kitchens. It's a mainstay in the medical profession. It brings us unbreakable toys and the modern marvel -- the credit card.

The promise of plastic is "convenience and comfort, safety and security, fun and frivolity," says author Susan Freinkel in her new book. But note the title: "Plastic: A Toxic Love Story." Somehow, things have gone awry in Plasticville.

"Sure, plastics have been a good provider, but that
'Plastic: A Toxic Love Story' by Susan Freinkel. Houghton Miffling Harcourt, 324 pp. $27.
beneficence comes with many costs that we never even considered in our initial infatuation," she writes. "Plastics draw on finite fossil fuels. They persist in the environment. They're suffused with harmful chemicals. They're accumulating in landfills."

Yet all the while, our dependence on plastic has continued to grow. In 1940, there was almost none. Today, the nation generates 600 billion pounds a year.

This is an important book, a thorough dissection of the complexities that today's plastic world presents.

More than that, it's flat-out fascinating, each chapter more compelling than the last. Each page brings another eyebrow-raising fact or statistic, all of it eloquently told. Freinkel tells the story of plastics through the lens of eight common objects: comb, chair, Frisbee, IV bag, disposable lighter, grocery bag, soda bottle, credit card.

"Each offers an object lesson on what it means to live in Plasticville, enmeshed in a web of materials that are rightly considered both the miracle and the menace of modern life," she writes.

As she points out, these simple objects "tell tangled stories."

Perhaps nowhere has plastic achieved more for modern civilization than in the medical profession.

"With plastics, hospitals could shift from equipment that had to be laboriously sterilized to blister-packed disposables, which improved in-house safety, significantly lowered costs, and made it possible for more patients to be cared for at home."

In telling the story of medical plastics, Freinkel visits a neonatal intensive care unit in Washington, where baby Amy, born four months early, is fighting for her life. She depends on plastic devices of every sort.

But as Freinkel watches the tiny girl struggle to breathe, she also thinks about how "research now suggests that the same bags and tubes that deliver medicines and nourishment to these most vulnerable children also deliver chemicals that could damage their health years from now."

She's speaking of phthalates and bisphenol A, which are hormone disrupters and are present in some plastics. Freinkel takes us to a huge vortex of plastic trash in the Pacific Ocean, formed by currents. She delves into the world of bioplastics and a Nebraska producer of plant-based plastics. She introduces us to Californian Mark Murray,Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives.we supply all kinds of oil painting reproduction, who pushed for state legislation to ban plastic bags.

And who knew that among the Chester County, Pa., Wyeths was the inventor of the PET soda bottle? Nathaniel Wyeth, painter Andrew's brother and a plastics engineer at DuPont for nearly 40 years,uy Aion Kinah direct from us at low prices filed his patent for it in 1973.

Today, about a third of the 224 billion beverage containers sold in the United States are made of PET.

But it's also true that their growing presence as litter has helped rally and focus the nation's recycling movement.

"We take natural substances created over millions of years,Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc. fashion them into products designed for a few minutes' use, and then return them to the planet as litter that we've engineered to never go away,Complete Your sculpture Magazine Collection for Less!" Freinkel says.

"What will it take to turn that mind-set around, to get people to value plastic for more than a one-night stand?"

In the final analysis, it's not whether anyone likes plastic or not, but whether things are out of whack.

In the face of environmental ills, what are we to do once we're finished with it? If additives are a problem, how can we get them out?

And, in a future of decreasing supplies of oil, a base for many plastics, would we rather have transportation fuel or disposable cutlery?

Today, Freinkel says, "for better and for worse, we are in the plastics age. ... Will archaeologists millennia from now scrape down to the stratum of our time and find it simply stuffed with immortal throwaways ... evidence of a civilization that choked itself to death on trash?"

Formal organization of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has been operating for the past six months as a mission, took place at the morning service last Sunday in the Masonic Hall, Hatboro, before a congregation of about 150 worshippers.

Rev. Orval Hartman of Crescent road, Hatboro, who will be the first pastor of the new church, opened the service. Greetings were brought by Rev. Dr. Emil E. Fischer, President of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania.

A goal of fifty members and $500 in contributions for the building fund had been set for the organization drive. These figures were far surpassed, 68 charter members being received and a collection of $900 reported. There are 45 children of charter members in the church family, and the Sunday school has an enrollment of eighty.

A property on the Old York road between Crescent and James roads has already been acquired. It is hoped the church edifice may be started in about two years. In the meantime, the congregation will continue to gather in the Masonic Hall with a service and Sunday school session each Sunday morning.

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The Crooked Billet Women's Club met Monday night in Hatboro. Dr. Joseph Post of Wyncote, a specialist in Philadelphia, presented facts about the Federal Medical program before Congress, which will be a most expensive way of providing for medical care.

Members later signed one of two sets of petitions, prepared by the club president, Miss Mary Harris, stating their opposition or approval of such a measure. Many other clubs in the county have sent their opinions to U.S. Senators Martin and Myers and Congressman Samuel J. McConnell, Jr.

Featured speaker was Miss Grace Chandler of Doylestown, a free-lance writer and editor. She told of the various celebrities who set the tone in Bucks county, sometimes termed the genius belt.

Miss Chandler spoke of Pearl Buck, winner with "The Good Earth" of the Pulitzer Prize, writer of both novels and short stories, the latter revealing her understanding heart. She named as other Bucks county celebrities Oscar Hammerstein,Quality air impact socket tools for any tough job. James Michener and Ezra Stone of "Henry Aldrich" fame, his home being near Washington Crossing.

Miss Chandler told much of Dorothy Parker, who lives the simple life in Tinicum, though she installed electric lights when she found candles dripping over everything. While a poet, her real fame is from her short stories.

With Miss Eleanor Leedom, chairman of music, as director, and Mrs.Find everything you need to know about Cold Sore including causes, Walter Brown, pianist, the chorus sang "May Morning."

The treasurer reported 195 members with dues paid. She reminded them that dues would again be payable in June and should be in her hands by the middle of August if the names are to be in the year book.

Last month Reno gave away three roosters that also had been living in her yard. One of the ducks was killed by a cat and late last week Reno found a home for the second duck.

Reno harvests eggs from the fowl. The goats and birds are pets. "These are members of my family," Reno explained. "Instead of my kids sitting in front of the TV in the afternoons and evenings,is the 'solar panel revolution' upon us? my daughter says hey,Free DIY chicken coop Resource! let's go out and sit with the chickens."

The animals live in Reno's back yard. She has constructed wire and wood frame coops for the birds. One large coop abuts the rear fence adjacent to Floyd's yard. Other coops are scattered throughout the yard where the chickens, turkey, and goats wander freely beneath a trampoline and other yard furniture.

Floyd and other neighbors first became concerned about the types and number of animals living in Reno's yard earlier this year when roosters could be heard crowing day and night.

Like most of the neighbors interviewed along Feld Avenue, Katie Pugh considers Reno a friend and she loves Reno's animals. "The chickens never bother me so I never hear the chickens or anything," Pugh said. "But I don't live right next door or right up against it so I don't know what it's like."

Pugh admitted that the roosters may have been a little too much. "Stacy's my friend. We've talked about it and I wouldn't have liked the roosters,Quality air impact socket tools for any tough job." Pugh said. "But she doesn't have the roosters any more so I mean I really think the goats are precious."

Reno's friend Karen Rawle lives two houses down. The Reno and Rawle families have been friends for years, long before the Rawles moved from East Lake to Oakhurst last year.

Rawle enjoys letting her kids play with Reno's animals and she appreciates the educational opportunities afforded by Reno's animals. "When she got the little baby goats, my kids got to go over there and feed goats," Rawle said.

Reno's coops are clearly visible across the tops of fences from Rawle's back yard. The duck, chickens, and turkey were audible on a recent morning at Rawle's home. There was a light breeze but no livestock smells from the Reno yard.is the 'solar panel revolution' upon us?

"I have not experienced a smell," Rawle said. But, she added, "I haven't lived here in the summer and she has more animals than she did last summer."

Although Rawle easily admits that Reno is an animal lover,Find everything you need to know about Cold Sore including causes, she is concerned that her neighbor may have gotten in over her head with the number and diversity of animals.

All of the people who live along Feld and Cambridge who were interviewed for this story expressed concern for the health and welfare of the animals. Folks like Rawle and Pugh clearly believe that Reno's animals are being treated humanely and that they are not creating a public nuisance. Reno is adamant that her animals are well-treated and that they are being housed in a lawful manner.

According to Decatur Assistant City Manager David Junger, there is an open investigation into the conditions at the Reno property. The investigation was prompted by complaints filed April 14 by Floyd shortly after the attorney discovered rats in her kitchen.

Floyd believes that the conditions in the Reno lot and the proximity of animal pens to her home are inhumane, unlawful, and the source of the rats. "I would like strict compliance of the setback requirements, the housing requirements, and the livestock," Floyd said.

Design stardom wasn't always the plan. Hailing from Calgary,Free DIY chicken coop Resource! Alberta, Olson played on the national women's volleyball team while pursuing a major in medicine at the University of Calgary. Prompted by an interest in her minor, fine arts, she applied to the Ryerson School of Interior Designin Toronto and was scouted by a design firm while enrolled.

Now Olson, 46, is married and living in Toronto with her two children, ages 5 and 7. Her design empire is flourishing.

Her new series on HGTV, "Candice Tells All,How is TMJ pain treated?" zeroes in on the underlying design principles that inspire her transformations, and her book,When the stone sits in the kidney stone, "Candice Olson Kitchens and Baths" (Wiley), hit stores in April. She has started her own brand of furniture, fabrics, lighting and bedding called the Candice Olson Collection.

She spoke with us by phone from Toronto about her journey from humble beginnings at an Alberta burger joint to design fame. Here are edited excerpts.

What was your first job?

Well, my first job ever was at Bob's Bigger Better Barbecue Alberta Beef Burgers. I got paid $2.50 an hour to work at a tongue-twisting drive-in burger joint. It was very glamorous.

My first design job was at a commercial design company that specialized in retail and hospitality design.Find everything you need to know about Cold Sore including causes, I began working for them while I was in school, and that became my whole world when I graduated.

"Candice Tells All" highlights basic design principles. What is one rule that you consistently adhere to?

It doesn't matter how much time, energy or money you put into a project. If the lighting is wrong you've wasted it all. Layering your lighting — overhead, accent, low-level — is vital in order for the room to reach its full potential.

You never mention how much things cost in your books or on TV. Why is this?

We don't give numbers because the shows run in over 100 countries and prices fluctuate. I mention when I have to cut back and what I sacrifice, and viewers know when the budget is high because we'll be doing a big addition or tons of custom cabinetry. Plus, we've always considered ourselves an inspirational show. It's not so much about saying, "Here's granite," but more about saying, "Here's the color, and this is why I'm using it in relation to the backsplash and the cabinets."

What is the biggest mistake people make when decorating a family room?

People don't design it for themselves! I always tell people to do a big reality check when approaching this room. Ask yourself, "Who is using this space?" Then, design it for the youngest person. If you have a 2-year-old, pick fabrics and finishes that will suit them so you're not afraid to use the space. People often think they live a lifestyle that they may not.

If someone had $1,000 to spend on a room in their house, what should they do?

Dimmer switches! I cannot stress their value enough. They can totally change the character of a room.

What is your favorite interior paint color?

Any smoky gray, especially when accompanied by a wood-toned floor. It is the color of an impending thunderstorm, and it's just so chic.

What store can you never walk out of empty-handed?

West Elm is rocking out these days. For those good-quality-for-the-price accent tables and pillows, they do a fantastic job.

Where do you get inspiration?

I'm big into getting all I can from the spring and fall fashion shows. I do a line of bedding which is very fashion-driven. Trends that hit the runways tend to hit home fashions, especially bedding, very quickly. Colors like banana yellow and gray, or fabrics like lace and ruffles, were huge on the runways and then in home stores within a year.

I really admire Ralph Lauren, both his designs and his business savvy. I always remind people that this isn't just a hobby, this is a career,is the 'solar panel revolution' upon us? and Ralph Lauren has been able to withstand the test of time. He bridges the gap between classic fashion and classic furniture smoothly and with a sense of longevity.

In addition to bakers, crafters and designers, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia employs significant numbers of engineers and software developers.

In a conversation with Wired Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson at the Wired Business Conference on Tuesday,is the 'solar panel revolution' upon us? Martha herself described some of their projects - in particular the evolution of tablet formats of MSLO magazines.

She said the Martha Stewart Living magazine app for the iPad was created after a five-month development process that was undertaken in partnership with Adobe. It was recently updated to address bugs and improve download speeds.

Meanwhile the Everyday Food magazine app for iPad, which launched in February, was created with an off-the-shelf software that turned out to be a poor fit. Stewart said MSLO is now developing its own publishing software, as well as Android versions of its apps.

Stewart said she uses her iPad to watch movies,is the 'solar panel revolution' upon us? research, and write. She just bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab,When the stone sits in the kidney stone, which she pointed out is lighter and has a higher volume control, which she likes because she doesn't want to wear headphones. She particularly likes tablet screens because of their visibility and resolution, which "can do a real magazine justice.How is TMJ pain treated?"

And tablets can include "fantastic" panoramic photographs that go far beyond the printed page, such as appeared in an Alaska fishing story on the Living app.

Another benefit of the devices is their ability to integrate QR codes, which Stewart can place on her products at both Macy's and the Home Depot.

At Macy's, the Martha Stewart Collection includes bath products, bedding, kitchenware, furniture and rugs; Martha Stewart Living products at the Home Depot include holiday,An Insulator, also called a dielectric, decor, flooring, kitchens, outdoor furniture, paint and storage and organization.

Stewart has been shooting videos for products in her line - like her paint collection at Home Depot - that will be tied to these QR codes. By scanning the codes, consumers can view the videos on tablets and other devices.

"They induce you to understand the product better," she says. "They are treating the shopper to a better experience."

A tiny new solar company in Colorado took a big idea and turned into something even more useful than imagined.

NextStepElectric started marketing solar panels for power poles in 2008 with the common sense idea that wrapping thin-film solar around the literal pillars of the electric grid would eliminate a lot of the transmission debates in the solar world.

But a funny thing happened when the idea was born, said Osiris Stevens,This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. NextStep founder and president.

"No one was interested," Stevens said.

He had trouble finding a solar manufacture to partner with him on this simple concept and had trouble finding electric utilities that would allow NextStepElectric to install the solar.

Part of the problem for utilities was that they didn't want to open up their power lines, letting energy flow in and out and weakening their security, Stevens said. They also didn't want people to have easy access to the utility's data.

That's when Stevens' business started going a new direction.

"It's kind of morphed into a security system for the utilities," Stevens said.

In order to assure the utilities that the system was secure, Stevens said NextStep had to engineer a monitoring device for its installations that would be secure and keep the utility's data secure. In doing that,Free DIY chicken coop Resource! Stevens said, they essentially turned a Freewave radio transmitter into a super-secure, smart-grid system that allows utility companies to monitor what's happening on their power lines, how much electricity is coming in and going out and if any of the lines have been illegally tapped.

It also allows the utility to see how much power the thin-film solar wrapped around their power lines is producing, Steven said.

The company has an installation in Longmont, Colo.,When the stone sits in the kidney stone, that's producing 1.5 to 2 kilowatts a day. NextStep is also working with the City of Boulder and has been talking with Colorado's largest utility,The same Air purifier, cover removed. Xcel Energy, about installing the combined solar and monitoring security system. The company is always looking for ways to improve and grow.

"We're looking for investors now," Stevens said. "I've been bootstrapping this myself the last couple years.Complete Your sculpture Magazine Collection for Less!"

He said NextStepElectric was chosen as a finalist from more than 200 young companies at the Invest Midwest conference recently, which bodes well for its future.