Google buys Zagat

I bought this laptop online in an e-commerce site, I have mobile broadband, I got all 48 tracks of the Well-Tempered Clavier off iTunes, all my recent book purchases from amazon. But I draw the line when it comes to food.

Here is when I go downstairs to get a motley cup of fresh nuts for my midday snack (you're not getting me to buy those pre-packaged trail mixes on supermarket shelves!). You might say I'm a nut aggregator.

And a Luddite when it comes to food.

What suddenly brought on this harangue was the news that Google, the giant aggregating machine, had acquired Zagat, a New-York based guide to local restaurants, with authentic original content from hundreds of thousands of local foodie reviewers in the US and 24 countries.

Google doesn't only want you to walk under its cloud, it wants to move into your neighbourhood. To do that, it is no longer content with linking you to content, it wants to go into the business of content. So it moved to buy Yelp last year for $500 million.

Yelp had said no, because it wasn't right. But Zagat, which I personally prefer to Yelp, said yes. And for way less money.

With its maps, hotel finder, and flight search, Google is with me in the car, in bed in some strange city, and in my head. Now it wants to be in my food.

I like what Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman said about the need for 'preserving the ecosystem. And what journalism professor Jeff Jarvis said about 'channel conflict' and 'conflict of interest.' And what FairSearch.org said about 'unbiased search' and 'net neutrality.' And that OpenTable investors were 'queasy' about the deal. And that broad stuff asked, 'Who's eating whose lunch?'

Like I said, Yelp said no, because it wasn't right; but Zagat went to Google and asked, oh now, why not us instead?

And I don't understand it and still don't have words of my own to describe what I feel about it.

Water Damage Restoration Facts to Consider

When you use water damage restoration you are basically eliminating the need to end up reconstructing at a much higher range after water emergencies happen. What is really important is to respond as fast as possible. We highly recommend that you work with the best possible mold removal Atlanta companies because of the fact that they have enough experience to do the work that has to be done. Remember that you should fight every part that was damaged and counter the apparition of much more than just mold.

Most people are going to simply try to take out the water as fast as possible and then they will wait for the affected rooms to dry up. This is definitely something that you should never do. Your fast response is the most important thing to consider. The water can cause structural damage and you might end up with a really high bill at the end of the day. We can say that the most important fact that you will have to consider when looking at water damage restoration is speed.

The reason why we have to recommend the use of a professional company is the fact that they really know what they are doing. You will simply call them and in around 48 hours the entire area will be dried. The mold removal Atlanta firms will use the best possible technology and substances in order to protect everything. Remember that different substances should be used for different areas.

For instance, the best working substances for carpet cleaning are different than those that you will need to use when trying to protect and dry wood. Always work with those companies that have the best possible track record and that are recommended by as many people as possible. This is basically a guarantee that everything will be handled properly.

The importance of Lead Paint testing

One of the problems that you would face with an old house is that the walls would have paint that contains lead in it. If that is the case, then you need to ensure that you remove the paint as quickly as possible. The reason behind this is the fact that the lead is very dangerous to the health of the people that are living in the house. Therefore, the best thing to would be to get a professional company that would be able to do the Lead Paint testing and give you the results accordingly.

Lead was used in paint previously so that it would stay on the wall for a long time. That is the reason why you would find that the paint that was applied quite a few years back still looks fresh. The maximum that would have been done is that new paint would have been applied on the existing one. So, in such cases, you would not really know when the last time that the paint was actually applied was. In such cases, the best thing to do would be to get Lead Paint testing done. You would know the situation once the results come in.

Once you get the Lead Paint testing done and get the results, you can take a decision based on whether it is positive or negative. If there is no lead paint, then you would not have to worry at all. But if there is, then you would have to take measures to ensure that you get rid of it. If you think that you can do it by yourself, then you are wrong. You definitely need an expert as only he would be able to ensure that no scraps of the old paint still remain in the house that you are in.

Lead paint removal a priority for renovations

One of the major issues that people have to deal with when renovating their homes or running an annual maintenance ritual is of lead paint removal. This is a major problem because home owners cannot remove lead paint on their own; it requires the intervention of experts and skilled professionals to do the task. The services of a lead paint removing company can be invaluable to such home owners.

A lead paint removal service will test the home air quality and detect presence of hazardous elements, it investigates the source of these elements, tests the air for presence of lead and removes these lead based components from the wall, these services also scrub the air, clean surfaces and sanitize and deodorize the air for better living conditions to prevail. Lead paint removal can also prove invaluable to ensure that owners get better deals when it comes to home sales, legal settlements, and lease and rental agreements.

Professionals use a lot of techniques such as dry ice blasting, sandblasting, solvents, glass bead blasting, hydro blasting and a lot of other methods to ensure that lead is removed from surfaces under treatment. The choice of the method of removal depends entirely on the nature and severity of the problem identified.

Lead paint removal is an important aspect of renovating a household because presence of lead and lead related components in the home atmosphere can seriously harm well being of the residents. The harmful fumes emitted by the lead paint can cause impairments in the nervous system, reproductive issues, stunted growth, delayed development, kidney problems and many other such complications. It is critical to free a home from lead based paint in a professional manner in order to ensure a clean and safe environment for all residents.

Chinese Drywall Testing And The Importance Of Getting It Done

Every home owner wants his house to be in its best condition for the comfort of their family members. That’s why they do their best to keep any unwanted elements away. But what happens when something hazardous is already present in the house and cause problems to your loved ones and also your belongings? Huge amounts of Chinese drywall made into people’s homes a few years ago and as we understand now, it was defective. Hence it has become imperative that you get Chinese Drywall Testing done in your house.

Don’t ignore symptoms like smell of rotten eggs or burnt matches, which quite simply is Sulfur odor, which is emitted from defective drywall. Skin and eye irritation, persistent headaches are other common symptoms; however the full extent of the damage that can be done is not yet known. And you just don’t want to take that kind of risk with the health of your loved ones, which is why Chinese Drywall Testing is a must. Moreover today many health and environmental organizations are making these tests mandatory, given the impact it can have; not only on your health but the environment too.

Defective Chinese drywall has been considered to be the cause behind failure of new air conditioning systems in houses. That’s because the emissions are known to corrode the copper wiring in your house, which can cost you a fortune to replace. If you have bought your house with an eye on the future and market, you will realize that getting Chinese Drywall Testing will add to the value of your house. Potential buyers are likely to ask if your house has been tested for Chinese drywall and there’s only one answer to that question; it’s important that you get it right.