Consumer Survival Kit; 408; Smoking/Solar Energy/Antiques

Consumer survival kit show number 4 0 8 smoking solar energy antiques. The Maryland Center for Public Broadcasting. We. Are going public with. Antiques. The experts say that even the best antique collections have fakes in them. So we took a tour through a special exhibit which puts fakes UP AGAINST THE REAL MCCOYS. And let's see how good you are at spotting a face smoking. Fifty three million people do it in spite of the dangers. Many people want to stop and a whole new industry wants to help them. But which devices or techniques work best. Solar energy

we hear a lot about it but exactly what does it promise consumers. And is the cost worth it. These stories and more next on consumer survival get you. Hello I'm Larry Lohmann. George Allen reify can Brenda Holmes on the consumer survival kit staff have been digging up ways to help you survive as a consumer to start things off. I like to call your attention to a simple fact. More cigarettes were consumed last year than ever in the history of smoking. Yet despite these record sales A recent study found that two thirds of the general public find it annoying to be around someone who smokes including one third of those who smoke themselves. Kind of makes you wonder how it got to be so popular in the first place doesn't it.

Love to run a mile he drew back. Yes smiley when he's not running off at the mouth is running off. Greetings from the new new world. Nothing but bombs full of bugs idea and what have you been up to Walter. Establishing a new colony just about every night I brought you a gift. Again for me I want to see tobacco agree not to my how unusual What do I do with that water. Why you smoke at a low point is really rather cute. Want to. Do is you dry the leaves until they turn brown and then you crush them and roll them up in like manner.

I'm pretty you know. Then you set fire to it. Thus then oh. Hugh then once it's lit you breathe deep of their own. Would you like a drag queen. What did you drink pottery at once. Oh I still enjoy warned me about you and you may have a flaw in your star as. Your sign can set your Majesty. You may not think cancer is your sign but if you smoke it's a lot more likely to be in fact the Federal Trade Commission is asking Congress to strengthen the warnings on cigarette packs from cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health to something like cigarette smoking may result in death. But you've heard it all before so let's talk about quitting. A number of your letters to us have indicated that you want to know the best ways to quit smoking. Statistics tell us that

more than half of all smokers have made at least one serious attempt at quitting. And nine out of 10 want to quit. So we sent out Brenda Holmes to look into the best ways to do it. Right now what have you found. Well before we go any further I want to report two facts. OK fact one out of three persons who tries to quit only one succeeds. Back to. 95 percent of the people who do manage to quit do so on their own without help. Now if you try to give up and failed Don't despair. One expert we talked to said that most smokers have to try at least three times before they managed to quit for good. But there are alternatives to quitting on your own. For instance there are the stop smoking clinics. Like any service clinics vary in their approach and effectiveness. One of the best known programs is smoke indoors. We attended one of their sessions in Maryland. Smoking goes off as a series of nine weekly sessions for a fee of about

$175. The sessions try to guide smokers to an understanding of why they smoke. Session leaders also try to answer some common questions about smoking and quitting. No. Do you have any questions about anything that we've covered so far. Anybody listen. I've seen other people stop smoking gain pants in pants and I certainly don't want that to happen. You see people start smoking again a lot of weight because they stop cold turkey or through one of these crash programs and they have this sense of being denied something when they stop smoking. Something's being taken from them. Their whole body and so they have to compensate for this feeling of loss and they compensate by eating and they gain weight of course. There Any other questions out. If I smoke low tar low nicotine cigarettes isn't that almost say well of course every cigarette safe until you light it up. None of them are. And one of the big problems with low tar low nicotine cigarettes is our body because we're addicted to nicotine it will demand a certain level and if we go to the low tar low nicotine

cigarettes we're paying more or paying the same price for less tobacco and will be smoking more or we'll smoke them a lot shorter or we'll inhale them deeper in order to get the nicotine that we require so oh in the long run it's not important. Smoking is a profit making clinic which may work for you or it may not. Most profit making clinics tend to be expensive. But because. This can be a motivating device if you're willing to pay to quit. You may be more likely to go through with it. The most expensive clinics we've found are the California based ship clinics. They tried to $450 or five one hour sessions plus attend group sessions. They use mild electric shocks and other techniques to build up an aversion to smoking. The Seven Day Adventists run a clinic called the five day plan to stop smoking. The American Cancer Society also runs clinics through their local chapters. The Avengers and the Cancer Society. Many times a nominal $10 fee for materials. The success rate for clinics in general

isn't all that good. Only one in three people who attend them manage to quit. However you can increase your odds of success by carefully selecting the clinic you attend. One study found that the smaller the clinic the greater your chances of success. Another thing to look for in a clinic is some form of follow up postcards or phone calls or even some form of buddy system with another smoker who's quitting. Such follow ups can increase your chances of staying off cigarettes. After you left the clinic hypnosis to end your smoking habit has a lot of appeal. It seems effortless and effective. Well first it's not quite effortless when done properly. Hypnosis requires commitment and repeated effort on the part of the subject. That may involve just as much effort as any other stop smoking method as well as effectiveness is concerned our researchers have found that about 1 in 3 people manage to quit through hypnosis. Making it as

effective as a stop smoking clinic. When it comes to stop smoking devices the air is a bit hazy. The best device is a series of four graduated filters made by water pik and called a one step at a time system. The idea is that you gradually taper off by using filters it passes less and less tar and nicotine to you. After two months you're supposed to be able to already supposed the last filter and ready to quit. But how many people really do. According to the company only about 15 percent quit while an additional 40 percent keep on using the last filter still hooked on smoking. Now this isn't all bad because a small commuter who uses a graduated filters is consuming less tar and nicotine than a smoker who doesn't use them to help you cut down or stop smoking entirely. The U.S. Public Health Service has developed a self testing kit. It will help you find out

why you smoke and whether you have the motivation to stop smoking. To get a free copy of the smoker self testing kit. Write to the Center for Disease Control Atlanta Georgia. The reason are 0 3 3 3. That smoker self-testing kit Center for Disease Control Atlanta Georgia. The reason are 0 3 3 3 now in the final analysis. If you smoke and want to quit. There are programs and products that can help. But most. People who quit do so on their own with little more than willpower to help them. Good luck in kicking the habit Larry. Brenda last year I quit smoking and since then I've discovered that cigarettes aren't regulated. One vertical good for you. And secondly it's due to the tobacco lobby and the tobacco lobby has fought successfully to keep cigarettes from being regulated as a hazardous substance. The examples are in the for instance the Consumer

Product Safety Commission is by law prevented from considering tobacco even as a consumer product. Now after LATE a court decision they were allowed to regulate cigarettes under the federal hazardous substance act. Then Congress came in and changed the commission's charter to prevent and close out every loophole that would allow regulation of cigarettes. By that agency. What about the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms they can say nothing about what goes into cigarettes about the Federal Trade Commission. They can't regulate what goes into cigarettes either. There is one thing there there's an a group called Action for Smoking and Health and they are putting in a petition to try and get it regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Interestingly enough that group is headed by a man named John bandsaw and he is a classic consumer activist and he's a person also responsible for banning cigarette advertising from television. So we'll be watching very closely to see if there are any significant results from that petition. But it seems like there's some hope for the people who oppose cigarettes.

But is there any hope for a consumer as confused as this one. Oh hi. Was I supposed to tell you it was relative not drunk. Oh smoking that's it. I'm going to stop smoking clinic it really works great. Well it did work great until the radiator spring a leak in the basement drowned my mother in laws and take Chippendale chair and she didn't like me before that happened. Oh it's really all my husband's fault. I had been telling him for months that we ought to get so worried so worried. You know use the sun. But I know all he can say is what happens when the sun goes down. I said they pipe heat in from the other side of the world. These people are scientists they're working on this stuff. We've also been working and here's George Allen with his report on so you know Larry using solar energy to heat houses just isn't in you is we all like to think of it. In 1939 a solar heated house was built in Massachusetts. The House a solar heating system worked very well. In fact it even pioneered components that are used in today's solar

homes. So what works so well then why are we all living in solar homes now. Very simple because until now we couldn't afford solar energy. That 1939 solar home was a technological success All right. But it was an economic failure with cheap fuel burn. Who needed to invest in solar energy. But now that utility costs are spiraling upward at the rate of 8 to 10 percent every year and with no letup in sight. Solar Home heating is now becoming a viable alternative. It's all a matter of economics. One study made for Congress found that solar can be more economical than electric heat. You know over half the continental United States right now it's not competitive with natural gas or oil. However that's likely to change of gas and oil prices keep going up. Solar water heating is even more feasible than house heating compared to electric water heating. Solar comes out the clear winner would you believe in every state in the continental United States except one. That's Washington which has lots of water power with which to make cheap hydro electricity. Whether or not solar heating is cheaper for you will depend on your exact

circumstances. Generally all it is needed to make an economical or high utility rates and clear skies. But solar economics can work in strange ways. For instance solar heating is actually more economical in colder northern states like New York than it is in warm Southern states like Texas. That's because what New York likes and sunshine it more than makes up for in high utility rates. Well what about the mechanics of solar heating. This is a model of a solar home mounted on its roof with a solar collector. If you couldn't put the collector on your roof you could put it in your back yard just so long as it faces within 15 degrees of you so that's necessary for the collector to get as much sunlight as possible throughout the year. The collector works like a little greenhouse. The sun's rays shine through the pane of glass and are absorbed by the black metal plate air water is circulated through the metal plate to collect the heat. This heated air water is then piped down to a tank where the heat is stored until it's needed. Solar heating is so new that firm prices are hard to quote. But the Department of Housing and Urban

Development told us that solar heating for a home can cost anywhere from a low $3000 to a high of 20000 for a highly customized system. HUD says the average price is usually between 10 and $12000. Water heating costs are a little easier to pin down because the systems are more standardized. HUD says that solar hot water systems cost between twelve hundred and two thousand dollars. This solar water heating system is being installed in a Maryland home. It cost just under fourteen hundred dollars plus about $600 to install it. The system is designed to serve a family of four and it's expected the current electric rates to pay for itself in seven or eight years. You're generally considered a good candidate for solar heating. If you have a roof that faces south then you also have a forced air heating system. Both make solar heating more economical but a lot of other factors also need to be considered. So to get a really firm cost estimate you should consult the building contractor who specializes in solar heating. A good solar

contractor will employ a consulting engineer who can analyze your home's heating needs and design a system to meet those needs. Some contractors and engineers will put together an energy package. It usually will include a detailed analysis of your home's heating needs. The impact of improved insulation and heating bills and a custom designed solar heating system. A good package will also include an estimate of how long it will take solar heating system to pay for itself. A typical charge with a designer package is around $100. When you look for your solar contractor make sure he's left happy customers behind him. This is a very new field and the only calling card we're looking at is a red record of satisfactory installations to help you figure out the cost of solar heating for your house. The government will sell you a computer analysis called Song cost. If you or your contractor will fill out some of the forms in this booklet and pay a 30 to 40 dollar fee you'll get back a computer estimate of what sort of heat will cost you and what it'll save you. You can get the sole cost booklet from the National Solar heating and cooling Information Center.

They can also give you the names of solar equipment distributors and solar contractors in your state. They operate a toll free hotline staffed with people who can answer most of your questions about solar energy. Their number is 800 5 2 3 2 9 2 9. Again that's 800 5 to 3 2 9 2 9 in Pennsylvania only it's 800 4 6 2 4 9 8 3 Larry. We've got more information for you on solar energy in this week's survival kit. We just talked about the feasibility of solar energy. But why aren't we making greater use of it. This article explains four popular misconceptions. And if you've got more questions on solar energy this article is an excellent directory to that particular expert who can answer you specifically. But solar isn't the only way you can cope with high utility bills. Something as simple as monitoring your gas and electric consumption can help keep bills down. This article shows you how to read your meters. If you're wondering where all the electricity you

buy goes. This chart will tell you. And if you think you're being mistreated by your power company. An article by Herbert Dunn and Berg tells you how to apply consumer clout to get results. Ralph Nader contributes some advice on fighting rising utility rates at home and in your community. Another article takes a comprehensive look at the why ever increasing utility rates. And you can find out about another possible energy saver. The heat pump for heating your home. As usual there's a selected reading list and lots more for your survival kit. Send $1 to cover the cost of reproduction and postage in hand like two energy box 1078 Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7 Maryland residents. Please add 5 percent for sales tax. Again that's energy box 1078 Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. Please allow 3 to 4 weeks for delivery. Two years ago we presented a program on hearing. Since then the Food and Drug Administration has issued

regulations to protect people who buy hearing aids such protection is long overdue. Studies show that over 40 percent of people sold hearing aids could not benefit from them. So now before you buy a hearing aid you must have a statement from a doctor saying that a hearing aid can help your hearing loss. A buyer has the option of waiving the doctor's statement by signing this but the hearing aid sales person is barred from encouraging the buyer to sign this waiver. These regulations are being challenged as too weak by the American Speech and Hearing Association. They say people who have hearing problems should be examined only by a doctor who is an ear specialist. If the doctor decides a hearing aid could help the degree of loss would be evaluated by a hearing specialist. An audiologist. Such an approach makes sense since hearing loss is a complex medical problem. Ear specialists audiologists and hearing aids are all expensive. However many states will pay all or part of the cost of getting a hearing aid to see if you are

eligible. Contact your state vocational rehabilitation division or your local health department. People spend a lot of money on art and antiques. Often more money than the piece itself is worth. Not long ago this chest was advertised in antiques magazine as a superb example of Newport craftsmanship circa 1760 1770. It was valued at close to eighty thousand dollars. As it turns out it's a fake. It's now part of Yale University's art collection. We filmed it in a special exhibit at Yale called the eye of the beholder. Fakes replicas and alterations in American art were if I can went to Yale to speak with assistant curator Jerry Ward. Tell me exactly what is the idea behind the show. Well the idea behind our exhibition is to encourage people to look closely at works of art so that they may distinguish between the various types of objects between real and reproduction between real and fake and so forth. It's done through a series of about 60 comparisons one of which are these three bureau tables here

to view a table. Chest of drawers. Can you tell which is the real and which is the fake and which is that your production is very tough. I think that is the reproduction I think of this one is the fake and that one is the real one. No other way around. This is the real one. This is a new port blocking the shell bureau table the mid 18th century of a style that is the most perhaps the most beautiful and the most eagerly sought after America I thought it was just too good. Well it is too good a way out. It has great carved shells on the top. In comparison the fakes on the left is the scale is somewhat smaller. The carving of the shells on. On top of the block fronts lacks the spontaneity and creativity of these shells here. I really can see that you know where you are and furthermore even though this is made of old wood. That has a large hall where the inside shows up in the logical places for example

or here that's quite worn and you wouldn't expect it to be worn there whereas you'd expected a lot here. If the door slides into over the years which indicates that this piece was probably used in another another piece of furniture and that the whole thing is is a fake. In contrast to the chest. The doors on the left is an authentic reproduction made by the kittens or company a very meticulous copy of an existing original. They've labeled it and there's no intention on their part of doing anything. Well are many people fooled by reproductions. Well most reproductions are made quite honestly and above board but you can be fooled by them especially if the reproduction itself has some aged to 170 or hundred years. I know you are doing. One particular expert can be deceived later can be fooled into questions of deception are involved. Every collector and every collection has at least one fake in

this area would gather together many different examples of the different types of fakes that there are. How does someone go about making an object. Well you can do nearly anything. You can alter the signature on a painting you can change the dates on something. You could bury a piece of glass or a piece of iron to discolored giving it signs of age or as in this case the figure took an inexpensive colored printer Chrome OS. The graph and painted over it to create an original oil painting by Albert beer stuff of course is much more valuable and desirable. Lots of people here in Silver Can you think that. Sure. Silvers think quite frequently particularly the work of famous silversmith such as Paul Revere for example someone took this little cream Hot Yam and stamped reveres mark on to the base of it which you can see if you look closely that the mark lacks the dirt and tarnish that would accumulate through the

ages it's very shallow on the edges of the letters are very irregular. Well I do think you get detected eventually. Well hopefully that's that's the idea. Many are detected through the use of new. Scientific scientific testing devices. Others are deter. Through stylistic analysis every faker injects something of his own time into his creation usually unconsciously and as the years pass the elements of his own time become apparent. Future generations. At least in most cases. What about modern art. How do you estimate its value. In the development of modern processing techniques in art often raises the question of what constitutes an original work of art. For example we have two works here by Klaus Oldenburg one a crayon and watercolor which you see sign down here in the corner and the other is a copy of this watercolor done photographically mechanically without the direct participation of all the

birds. But he nevertheless went ahead and signed it in pencil in the middle of the bottom there as if it were a traditional original print. So somebody could pay a couple hundred dollars for what amounts to a cheap poster with the artist's signature I really think that's outrageous. None of this is original art This one's an instant original and the point is buy what you like but know what you're getting. Certainly good advice no matter what you get. And if your program will go into how to buy antiques at auction and how to deal with dealers This is also the logical time to remind you that we have a kit on antiques and you've just seen an interview with Jerry Ward of Yale University. Our kit includes an article by him on fakes. This article on literary collectibles will help you sort out the worthy from the worthless. It will also explain how to preserve your literary treasures after you've found them. The kits beginners guide to buying antiques could save you costly mistakes when you buy any empty. We've also included articles for the experienced collector selected

reading list and much more. To get your copy send $1 to antiques box 1078 Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7 0 1 and residents please add 5 percent sales tax. Now meet our survivor of the week. Dennis Miller of Boston Massachusetts. Dennis writes I read in this book about the phone company that if you talked to two different service representatives you'd get two different answers on paying a deposit. I moved into a new apartment and called the phone company. The first woman I talked to said I'd have to pay a $30 deposit. I called back a week later and talked to a different woman. She didn't ask for a deposit. That is his experience with phone deposits is typical. The book he read was an exposé called the phone book by a former AT&T employee. The phone company's service representatives have some independence when it comes to asking you avoid deposit. They usually ask for enough to cover two months of phone bills but the amount is negotiable and sometimes as in Genesis case you can get

away without paying any deposit at all. We'll be covering ways to negotiate a deposit and other money saving hints in a future program on the phone. If you found an ingenious solution to a consumer problem and would like to share it write us. We can't respond to all your letters but we'd like to hear how you solve your consumer problem. Our address is Survivor consumer survival kit Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. Next week we look at your rights as a patient especially when you're in a hospital. Most hospitals won't inform you of these rights but it will show you how to use them to avoid that cold feeling of just being another body. We'll continue our high flying series on air travel snafu including bumping and lost luggage. You actually have more power in these situations than you probably realize. Then we'll touch down for a look at a common misery the cold. Should you stuff yourself with over-the-counter drugs. Well we'll tell you what works and what doesn't. In treating this malady for George Allen Ray if I can and Brenda

Holmes I'm Larry Lemon. We'll see you next week on consumer survival kit. Consumer survival kit was produced by the No.1 Center for Public Broadcasting which is so responsible for its content funding for consumers revival it has been provided by this station and by other public television stations.