SubStandard Glass A Killer

A resident of Tianjin, China, injured by glass shards following a massive chemical explosion in the city's port area on Aug. 12. 

Substandard Window Glass Increased the Injury Count in Tianjin’s Harbor Explosion: While over a hundred are confirmed dead and possibly thousands wounded in the conflagration and shockwave associated with the massive industrial explosions that struck the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Aug. 12, Chinese media are reporting that shoddily-built window glass in nearby residential buildings is the cause behind a large number of avoidable casualties.

An insider in the real estate business told Haixia Photography News that many developers cut corners in meeting state regulations. It is an open secret in the industry that windows claimed to be made of safety glass or double-layered glass are often, in fact made of plain materials.

Chinese construction ordinance promulgated starting 2004 stipulates that residences constructed that year and after must use safety glass for sizable windows and in public entrances and lobbies.

Upon impact, safety glass disintegrates into small, relatively harmless pieces, while conventional glass breaks up into dangerous shards. The safety risks went unnoticed until the disaster, which has killed at least 112 people, according to official estimates.

Fire and smoke rise from the site of a series of explosions in Tianjin, China, early on Aug. 13, 2015.

Many lives could have been saved had safety glass been installed in the affected housing blocs, according to Haixia Photography News, which published a photo essay and explanation to its WeChat account. HPN is a subsidiary of the Shangbang Media Group based in Fujian Province. Its WeChat account is not a formal news agency, but acts similarly to one.

The insider told an HPN reporter that while it is possible that some of the buildings in the New Binhai Area, where the blast took place, may have been constructed before the regulation came into effect, this is unlikely since the area was the site of heavy land development beginning only in 2005.

Many of the identified dead are firefighters. Initially dispatched to put out a blaze in the Tianjin harbor area, their efforts are believed to have triggered one or more chemical explosions, the fires from which are still being mopped up by a chemical warfare unit sent from Beijing. Official Chinese figures put the force of the blasts at 24 tons’ equivalent of TNT, but according to Sina, a Chinese online news portal, expert opinion says that the explosion was in fact in excess of 1 kiloton, hundreds of times the official figure.

According to professor Cheng Kang of Wuhan University of Technology’s school of civil engineering and architecture, a 1 kiloton-airburst will shatter glass 1640 feet away. In the Tianjin explosions, even windows located outside a 2,625 feet radius were damaged by the shockwave.

A residential building located near the site of the massive chemical explosion that leveled part of an industrial zone in Tianjin, a northern Chinese port city.

Jia Jia, a widely-read Chinese blogger, wrote in an essay that “Many people who lived near the Tianjin explosions were injured by the flying glass from their shattered windows. But if builders had used secure glass that conformed to safety regulations, these injuries could have been entirely avoided.”

Jia’s essay, entitled “You’ve Got Candles, I’ve Got a Whip,” was later posted on China Change, a website that features translations of Chinese-language texts from independent sources.

On Aug. 16, the state-run Beijing News reported that hundreds of residents in Binhai had gathered to demand compensation from the authorities for their damaged and destroyed property. The area is densely populated and was home to more than 5,600 households located within 3,280 feet of the blast site.

Escaped Killer Found Cleaning Windows + News

Escaped killer found cleaning windows: A sadistic murderer who went on the run from jail has been found in Blackpool working as a window cleaner. Neighbours in Marton today spoke of their shock after discovering killer Matthew Taylor living on their street. The 25-year-old tortured and stabbed a man to death during a sickening robbery 10 years ago. He had been serving time at Kirkham Prison, but went on the run in March after failing to return to the open jail following home leave. Taylor was finally caught on Thursday when police found him at his partner's home in Cleves Court, Marton (pictured). He has now been sent back to prison to complete his 10 year sentence.
Taylor was just 16 when he, together with accomplice 17-year-old Christopher Pownall, was found guilty of the murder and robbery of Simon Bailey. The 39-year-old victim was beaten and had bleach poured over him before he was stabbed to death in his Stockport home. Residents on Cleves Court today said they were horrified to learn Taylor was living in a flat on their street. One neighbour, who saw last week's arrest, said: "There were loads of police everywhere wearing riot gear. "It's worrying – what if he comes back? It's pretty shocking to think he was living here and it was six months before he was found."
The killer, who formerly lived in Stockport, pleaded guilty to remaining at large from prison at Blackpool Magistrates Court. The court added 125 days to his sentence. Taylor will now serve at least another year in prison. He told the court he had packed his bag to surrender himself at a police station the day of his arrest. Angela Shelmerdine, defending, said her client failed to return to the prison because he was scared as his parole was coming up. She said: "After he failed to return to prison he committed no offences. "He started work, getting cash-in-hand jobs from friends, involving gardening and mechanical work. He also got a window cleaning round.



That's Smart, Kid-Friendly Glass: With these glass panels, doodling on the walls isn't discouraged - it's required. Looking for a way to let your kids make their mark on your walls without, well, destroying your home in the process? Check out this brilliant new product from Skyline Design, a company dedicated to providing eco-friendly decorative glass for the home. The Kids Glass collection combines color and imagination in the form of clear panels of safety glass (the same glass used in car windows, designed to withstand shattering) with patterns printed on the back. Originally designed to entertain kids in hospitals and day cares, Kids Glass can be drawn on with regular marker, which then cleans up easily with window cleaner or a chalkboard eraser.

Doggie drool remover: The current pet travel safety drive being spearheaded by Toyota to ensure that all pets are properly restrained in moving vehicles means that dogs are more likely to fog up car windows if they aren’t allowed to ride with their heads outside. Yecch is a special window cleaner to remove doggie drool from any glass surfaces in the car. Made by Bissell, the special formulation is applied with a soft brush to loosen the sticky goo and has a squeegee to remove the slobber and restore visibility. Available in specialty pet stores countrywide.
Bringing your pet along for a trip involves more then just getting them into the car and hitting the open road. You need to consider your pet's safety on the long ride. Does your pet get carsick? Do you have a restraint in place for its safety? Is your pet too skittish for car travel? We've put together our top five safety tips designed to help make traveling with a pet in the car a more enjoyable experience for everyone. Keep reading to find out how to get to your destination without any pet-related incidents.



Windoro stays vertical using neodymium magnets: Called Windoro, the robot consists of two separate modules that clean the window by spraying detergent and scrubbing away with a series of spinning pads. Unlike the Stickybot we looked at recently that mimicked gecko biology to scale surfaces including glass, Windoro relies on neodymium magnets that pull the two modules on either side of the window together with enough force to allow it to stay vertical. The researchers chose this method instead of vacuum power because they found it wasn’t as safe or reliable and would require the vacuum to be on at all times just to keep the robot in place.
With the magnets, Windoro will stay on a window from 10 - 25mm (0.39 - 0.98-in) thick, even when powered down. Once in place, Windoro uses distance measuring sensors, attitude determination and collision detection to stay on track as it performs its window washing magic. The robot reportedly took around 300 million KRW (approx. US$258,500) to develop and the PIRO team plans to release it commercially next year targeted for use in high-rise buildings. Now that the floor and windows are covered we’re awaiting a vacuuming robot that clings to the ceiling to banish those hard to reach cobwebs. See previous blog here.

It was decided two weeks ago to send the Large Yacht Code 2 to consultation for three months. It includes new regulations regarding submarines, helicopters, radio and window cleaning, Towner said. Apparently, the practice of hanging off sailboat tracks meant for masts and rigging can be unsafe, so the MCA is writing some regulations about it. The Large Yacht Passenger Code, 1336 Code, is being written by the Cayman Islands and he said he thought it might be announced at METS in Amsterdam in November. The Maritime Labor Convention is being discussed this week in Geneva and it is still unclear how it will impact the yachting industry.



Installation of protective bird netting will soon be completed at Scarborough’s Grand Hotel thanks to abseiling workers. The netting will prevent birds, specifically seagulls, from building nests on the 143-year-old hotel. Hotel manager David Ayllo said: “The programme began in May but then some kittiwakes built a nest. They are a protected species due to their declining numbers, so the installation had to wait to be completed.” It is necessary to prevent the gulls, which are regarded a nuisance in some parts of town, from disturbing hotel guests with their mating calls. Their droppings are also responsible for a significant proportion of the hotel’s cleaning expenses. Mr Ayllot said: “The seagulls can play havoc for the hotel and have disturbed guests. This should make all the difference. “It has been a huge success and it will really make a massive difference to the guest experience.” Planning permission was required to install the protective netting and it is expected to be effective for around five years.

Court hears Norfolk Four appeal in Richmond: Derek Tice's applications when they spotted his criminal record. After searching for six months, he landed a job as a window washer, his first employment since leaving prison. As a convicted felon and registered sex offender, Tice has severe limits on his career and his life, said his father, Larry Tice. On Tuesday, lawyers argued whether Derek Tice should remain under close legal supervision or have convictions for rape and murder erased from his record. A three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond questioned lawyers about the case and the legal strategy used during Tice's original two trials. Tice was part of a group of sailors, known as the Norfolk Four, convicted in the 1997 rape and murder of Michelle Moore-Bosko. William Bosko, an enlisted sailor, returned from a deployment and found his wife dead in their Ocean View apartment.

“Taste Napa Valley,” a wine tasting scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 14 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., Oklahoma City. The tasting will be a come-and-go event benefiting the museum. A silent auction also will take place. Participating restaurants will be at the Petroleum Club. Silent auction donors include Crystal Clear Window Cleaning.

Because here's the reality: doing something new is much harder than saying it. A new job that's in your field is itself a massive change. You might think I'm being a bit pessimistic, and that I just need a little belief in myself to get something off the ground. But really, that's not the problem--I believe in myself, but I know better that it really is that simple. People don't seem to realize that whatever job they suggest, IT'S ALREADY TAKEN. And there are 50 people on a waiting list when the position of window washer or lawn mower opens up. Those who haven't been poor for a while would do well to remember that it takes more than a month to get back on your feet after a huge economic setback, and it will take more than washing windows to do it. Most people in my position are not averse to any sort of work they can do to make ends meet, but in this arena, there are one million gladiators too many.