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Protect your house from sewer backups

Don’t let clogged sewers wreak havoc on your home Backed up sewers can cause thousands of dollars in damage to floors, electrical systems, walls, furniture and other belongings. Learn about causes of sewer backups, what you as a homeowner are responsible for maintaining and steps you can take to protect your home against sewer problems Homeowners’ responsibility for sewer maintenance Most homeowners may not realize that they are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their house or sewer lateral—that is, the pipeline between the city sanitary sewer main (which is usually located in the street) and the building. The sewer lateral is owned and maintained by the property owner and the homeowners responsibility includes any part of the lateral that extends into the street or public right of way. A cracked or deteriorated lateral or one filled with tree roots can allow groundwater to seep into the system, contributing to the problem. For homeowners who want to insure themselves against sewer backups, coverage is available from most providers for a nominal cost. Causes of sewer backups While most basement water problems are not caused by sewer backups, the Civil Engineering Research Foundation reports that the number of backed up sewers is increasing at an alarming rate of about 3 percent annually. There are a number of causes of sewer backups—here are some of the most common. Aging sewer systems ‒ The American Society of Civil Engineers indicates that the nation’s 500,000-plus miles of sewer lines are on average over thirty years old. The increase in the number of homes connected to already aging sewage systems has also contributed to rapid increases in sanitary sewer backups, flooded basements and overflows. Combined pipelines ‒ Problems arise in systems that combine storm water and raw sewage into the same pipeline. During many rain storms, the systems are exposed to more volume than they can handle, and the result is a sewage backup situation that allows sewage to spew out into basements and other low lying drains. Tree roots ‒ Seeking moisture, small roots of trees and shrubs make their way into sewer line cracks and service pipe joints, and can cause extensive damage or blockages as they grow larger. The cost of the clean-up will fall to the problem tree’s owner. When the issue is a result of a combination of city and private trees, the costs are sometimes split between the city and the property owner. Sanitary main blockages ‒ A blockage can occur in a city sanitary main. If the blockage is not detected in time, sewage from the main can back up into homes and businesses through floor drains. Usually this happens slowly and there are early indications of a problem. If you see seepage at the floor drains, call a licensed plumber to assess the situation and the damage. If water is entering into your basement at a rapid rate, call the city public works office and report the problem immediately. How to prevent backups in your sewer lateral and in the city main Properly dispose of grease. Cooking oil should be poured into a heat-resistant container and disposed of properly after it cools off, not in the drain. Washing grease down the drain with hot water is unsatisfactory. As the grease cools off, it will solidify either in the drain, the property owner’s line, or in the main sewer causing the line to constrict and eventually clog. Properly dispose of paper products. Paper towels, disposable (and cloth) diapers, hygienic wipes and feminine products do not deteriorate quickly and can cause a great deal of trouble in the property owner’s lateral as well as in the city main. Periodically cut tree roots. If you have continuing problems with tree roots in your lateral, you may have to regularly have the roots cut by a professional. Replace your line with new plastic pipe. Plastic pipe will prevent tree roots from entering your line is to replace your line and tap with new plastic pipe. Correct illegal plumbing connections. Do not connect French drains, sump pumps and other flood control systems to your sanitary sewer. It is illegal to do so, and debris and silt will clog your line. Consult a plumber to correct any pre-existing illegal connections. Install a backwater prevention valve, which is a fixture installed into a sewer line (and sometimes into a drain line) in the basement of your home or business to prevent sewer backflows. A properly installed and maintained backwater valve allows sewage to go out, but not to come back in. Be sure to use a qualified plumber. What to do if you experience a sewer backup A sewer backup can lead to disease, destruction of your valuables, damage to your house or business, and can even result in electrical malfunctions. Prompt cleanup of affected property can help minimize the inconvenience and prevent mold or further damage. If you experience a sewer backup situation, immediately arrange for the cleanup of your property. This should include: Wet-vacuuming or removal of spillage Mopping floors and wiping walls with soap and disinfectant Flushing out and disinfecting plumbing fixtures Steam cleaning or removing wet carpets or drapes Repairing or removing damaged wallboard or wall covering Cleanup of ductwork To facilitate a sewer backup claim, take “before” photos of your basement (or any area likely to be affected) and create a home inventory. If you have an incident, be sure to take “after” photos of the affected areas and itemize any property losses. Save all receipts related to repair, cleaning or damages and contact your insurance professional as soon as possible.
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Ukraine takes the Eurovision Song Contest spotlight as the weirdest show on earth returns

It tells you plenty about the Eurovision Song Contest that Norway’s participants — two grown men in wolf costumes who sing about bananas and the imminent consumption of their grandparents — are flying relatively under the radar this year. The continent’s garish and much-loved singing competition returns to Turin, Italy on Saturday, but only one group is commanding the spotlight in the build-up: Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra. The folk-rap group are runaway favorites in the betting markets and their presence at the tournament has captured the imagination of fans from every competing country. “As we speak, our country and our culture are under threat. But we want to show that we are alive, Ukrainian culture is alive, it is unique, diverse, and beautiful,” Oleg Psyuk, the band’s frontman, told CNN. “This is our way to be useful to our country,” he said. At first sight, the six-piece group seems to slot in comfortably with dozens of their more eccentric Eurovision brethren. Most members wear elaborate national dress, with rapper Psyuk also sporting a pink bucket hat. One member is so submerged by patterned embroidery that only his mouth is visible, while the group’s double bassist comes dressed as a ball of yarn. But getting Kalush Orchestra to the Eurovision stage took some doing, and their journey is deeply interwoven with the war at home. The band initially finished second in Ukraine’s national selection competition, but they were elevated after it emerged the winner had previously traveled to Russian-annexed Crimea. They were unveiled as the country’s entry on February 22, two days before Russian troops invaded Ukraine. “All members of the group are somehow involved in the country’s defense,” Psyuk told CNN via email. A member of the team’s media team joined the territorial defense and is fighting on the front line, leaving the group shorthanded in Turin. Psyuk volunteers to find internally displaced Ukrainians shelter and organize the transportation of food and medicines. The backdrop of conflict complicated preparations for Eurovision. The group was forced to rehearse virtually until they were finally able to meet in Lviv after weeks of the war. And their song has taken on new meaning. “Stefania,” sung in Ukrainian, is a tribute to Psyuk’s mother, who still lives in the western city of Kalush from which the band takes its name. “On some days there are rockets flying over people’s houses and it is like a lottery – no one knows where it will hit,” Psyuk told CNN. Organizers banned Russia from the contest in February, 24 hours after an initial, widely criticized decision to allow it to take part. The European Broadcasting Union concluded that the country’s presence “would bring the competition into disrepute.” Belarus, which aided Moscow’s invasion, had already been suspended due to the suppression of media freedom in the country. Kalush, meanwhile, sailed through Tuesday’s semifinal and elicited wild cheers from the crowd when they came on stage. Eurovision is notoriously difficult to predict, given its point system relies both on jury verdicts and public voting from dozens of countries, but Kalush seems a safe bet to take this year’s crown. A Ukrainian victory would mean the country had the right to host next year’s contest — but it is far from certain that such an event would be possible in Ukraine next May. Psyuk, though, is optimistic. “We believe in our song … it has become a song about the motherland,” he said. “If it turns out that we will win, Eurovision 2023 will be held in Ukraine. In a new, integral Ukraine … a rebuilt, prosperous, happy country.” Read more
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Kelly Clarkson has filed to legally change her name in wake of divorce from Brandon Blackstock

‘My new name more fully reflects who I am: Kelly Clarkson seeks to change her name to Kelly Brianne in wake of divorce By Adam S. Levy For Dailymail.com Published: 04:04 GMT, 18 February 2022 | Updated: 04:04 GMT, 18 February 2022 Kelly Clarkson has filed to legally change her name to Kelly Brianne. The entertainer, 39, on Monday said she desired to make the name change – which is her first and middle names – as her ‘new name more fully reflects who’ she is, according to court docs reviewed by US Weekly. Another hearing on the matter is slated for March 28, the outlet reported. The latest: Kelly Clarkson, 39, has filed to legally change her name to Kelly Brianne, as she said her ‘new name more fully reflects who’ she is. The singer was snapped last month The Fort Worth, Texas-born star has spent more than a year and a half working through her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, 45, with whom she shares daughter River Rose, seven, and son Remington Alexander, five. Prior to the breakup, she was also the stepmother of his two kids with ex-wife Melissa Ashworth, Savannah, 19, and Seth, 14. The Kelly Clarkson Show host initially filed for divorce from Blackstock in June of 2020 saying there were ‘irreconcilable differences’ in the marriage, which began when the couple wed in October of 2013. In court, last month, the A Moment Like This songstress conceded 5.12 percent of the $17.8 million Montana ranch they lived on to Blackstock, which is worth around $908,800, according to the outlet. The My Life Would Suck Without You artist was court-ordered to pay Blackstock $150,000 in monthly spousal support, with an extra $45,601 earmarked toward their children. The Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) performer, who shares joint physical and legal custody of her two kids with Blackstock, told Extra last fall that she and Blackstock had ‘a lot of help as far as therapists or child psychologists’ for their children because they want to do it right,’ adding, ‘Everyone’s sad and it’s OK to be sad.’ ‘I know with me and Brandon, it’s just a difficult thing because we’re in different places,’ she said. ‘And it’s like, we both agree on the main things, but it’s a hard thing when you’re not together all the time, for me personally. ‘As long as you make sure it’s about the children and their best interests, then we’re both on board.’ Read more at DailyMail.co.uk
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The History of Coffee

No one knows exactly how or when coffee was discovered, though there are many legends about its origin. An Ethiopian Legend GoatsCoffee grown worldwide can trace its heritage back centuries to the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau. There, legend says the goat herder Kaldi first discovered the potential of these beloved beans. The story goes that that Kaldi discovered coffee after he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night. Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the berries and found that it kept him alert through the long hours of evening prayer. The abbot shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery, and knowledge of the energizing berries began to spread. As word moved east and coffee reached the Arabian peninsula, it began a journey that would bring these beans across the globe. The Arabian Peninsula Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula. By the 15th century, coffee was being grown in the Yemeni district of Arabia and by the 16th century, it was known in Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey. Coffee was not only enjoyed in homes, but also in the many public coffee houses — called qahveh khaneh — which began to appear in cities across the Near East. The popularity of the coffee houses was unequaled and people frequented them for all kinds of social activity. Not only did the patrons drink coffee and engage in conversation, but they also listened to music, watched performers, played chess, and kept current on the news. Coffee houses quickly became such an important center for the exchange of information that they were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise.” With thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy city of Mecca each year from all over the world, knowledge of this “wine of Araby” began to spread. Coffee Comes to Europe European travelers to the Near East brought back stories of an unusual dark black beverage. By the 17th century, coffee had made its way to Europe and was becoming popular across the continent. Some people reacted to this new beverage with suspicion or fear, calling it the “bitter invention of Satan.” The local clergy condemned coffee when it came to Venice in 1615. The controversy was so great that Pope Clement VIII was asked to intervene. He decided to taste the beverage for himself before making a decision and found the drink so satisfying that he gave it papal approval. Despite such controversy, coffee houses were quickly becoming centers of social activity and communication in the major cities of England, Austria, France, Germany, and Holland. In England “penny universities” sprang up, so-called because for the price of a penny one could purchase a cup of coffee and engage in stimulating conversation. Coffee began to replace the common breakfast drink beverages of the time — beer and wine. Those who drank coffee instead of alcohol began the day alert and energized, and not surprisingly, the quality of their work was greatly improved. (We like to think of this a precursor to the modern office coffee service.) By the mid-17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London, many of which attracted like-minded patrons, including merchants, shippers, brokers, and artists. Many businesses grew out of these specialized coffee houses. Lloyd’s of London, for example, came into existence at Edward Lloyd’s Coffee House. The New World In the mid-1600s, coffee was brought to New Amsterdam, later called New York by the British. Though coffee houses rapidly began to appear, tea continued to be the favored drink in the New World until 1773, when the colonists revolted against a heavy tax on tea imposed by King George III. The revolt, known as the Boston Tea Party, would forever change the American drinking preference for coffee. Plantations Around the World As demand for the beverage continued to spread, there was fierce competition to cultivate coffee outside of Arabia. The Dutch finally got seedlings in the latter half of the 17th century. Their first attempts to plant them in India failed, but they were successful with their efforts in Batavia, on the island of Java in what is now Indonesia. The plants thrived and soon the Dutch had a productive and growing trade in coffee. They then expanded the cultivation of coffee trees to the islands of Sumatra and Celebes. Coming to the Americas In 1714, the Mayor of Amsterdam presented a gift of a young coffee plant to King Louis XIV of France. The King ordered it to be planted in the Royal Botanical Garden in Paris. In 1723, a young naval officer, Gabriel de Clieu obtained a seedling from the King’s plant. Despite a challenging voyage — complete with horrendous weather, a saboteur who tried to destroy the seedling, and a pirate attack — he managed to transport it safely to Martinique. Once planted, the seedling not only thrived but it’s credited with the spread of over 18 million coffee trees on the island of Martinique in the next 50 years. Even more incredible is that this seedling was the parent of all coffee trees throughout the Caribbean, South and Central America. The famed Brazilian coffee owes its existence to Francisco de Mello Palheta, who was sent by the emperor to French Guiana to get coffee seedlings. The French were not willing to share, but the French Governor’s wife, captivated by his good looks, gave him a large bouquet of flowers before he left— buried inside were enough coffee seeds to begin what is today a billion-dollar industry. Missionaries and travelers, traders, and colonists continued to carry coffee seeds to new lands, and coffee trees were planted worldwide. Plantations were established in magnificent tropical forests and on rugged mountain highlands. Some crops flourished, while others were short-lived. New nations were established on coffee economies. Fortunes were made and lost. By >>Read more
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Choosing an insurance company

There are many insurance companies, so choosing between them can be a challenge. Here are the main points to keep in mind when selecting an insurance company: 1. Licensing Not every company is licensed to operate in each state. As a general rule, you should buy from a company licensed in your state, because then can you rely on your state insurance department to help if there’s a problem. To find out which companies are licensed in your state, contact the state insurance department. 2. Price Many companies sell insurance policies and prices vary greatly from one to another, so it really pays to shop around. Get at least three price quotes from companies, agents and from the Internet. Your state insurance department may publish a guide that shows what insurers charge for different policies in various parts of your state. 3. Financial Solidity You buy insurance to protect you financially and provide peace of mind. Select a company that is likely to be financially sound for many years, by using ratings from independent rating agencies. 4. Service Your insurance company and its representatives should answer your questions and handle your claims fairly, efficiently and quickly. You can get a feel for whether this is the case by talking to other customers who have used a particular company or agent. You may also want to check a national claims database to see what complaint information it has on a company. Also, your state insurance department will be able to tell you if the insurance company you are considering doing business with had many consumer complaints about its service relative to the number of policies it sold. 5. Comfort You should feel comfortable with your insurance purchase, whether you buy it from a local agent, directly from the company over the phone, or over the Internet. Make sure that the agent or company will be easy to reach if you have a question or need to file a claim.
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