Artist Turns Garden Hoses, Toilet Plungers, Rain Spouts Into "Suburban Angst" Art

Artist Lynn Aldrich likes to quote a short story from writer Flannery O'Connor as a source of creative wisdom. "She said, 'You must find your own country,'" says Aldrich, "meaning that instead of searching for something you think is way cooler than what you've got, your best art will come out of what is purely your connection to the world."Aldrich, who lives in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale, took O'Connor's advice to heart when she found backyard inspiration in the form of the humble garden hose."A garden hose has a mind of its own," Aldrich says. "Anybody who struggles with them in their garden knows it's difficult material, so I just go with what the hose wants to do."The resulting sculptures,oil hose featured in the "Lynn Aldrich: Un/Common Objects" exhibition opening October 11 at Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery, are intended to embody the artist's sense of "suburban angst," as she wryly describes it.

Aldrich rounded up her raw materials on shopping trips to warehouse outlets and hardware stores. "As I collected these beautiful garden hoses I thought about how, through a slight shift, I could make this material resonate with some kind of meaning that transcends its ordinary use."Aldrich, who earned an MFA at Art Center College of Design and taught there for 12 years, uses razor-equipped shears to clip hoses into segments that can be manipulated as if they're pigments. She explains, "I'm like a painter in a way: I have a palette and pick up different colors that I put them next to each other so they have an artistic relationship."

"Un/Common Objects" also showcases rain-gutter sculptures and reef-like constructions assembled from sponges, oven mitts, toilet plungers,onshore hose and other hyper-vibrant cleaning products. She traces her fascination with biomorphic consumer products to her childhood. "My fantasy growing up was to be a marine biologist so now I'm kind of doing that by going around to 99-cent stores and high-end hardware outlets to buy cleaning implements that can become like sea anemones," Aldrich says. "The plungers look kind of like suction cups that grip the ocean floor."Citing the late "Land Artist" Robert Smithson as a key influence, Aldrich operates at the intersection of culture and nature, deliberately avoiding "found objects" in favor of store-bought items.

Hose Play

It also takes quite a financial investment for distributors not already marketing industrial hose. Mika estimated startup costs of $250,000 for initial inventory for hose and couplings, along with first-year operating cost and having a sizable amount of available warehouse space. Successful industrial hose distributors also typically have staff dedicated to that part of the business."If you're going to put in part-time focus, you're going to get part-time results," he said. "You're either in the industrial hose business or you're not. You have to stock common products, and you have to make the commitment for the people and the resources to make sure they are properly trained."Buzz Hooper of Rubber & Accessories Inc. said he started in the business with a manufacturer and got to visit distributors all over the U.S.

"I saw what a good distributor was and what a bad distributor was," he said. "It's a very good business to be in, but just make sure you're ready to make that commitment because you can't be in industrial hose half way."Eaton also provides support to its distributors by making sure that both outside and inside sales staff are trained on new products. The firm also works with either NAHAD or coupling manufacturer partners to ensure proper training on couplings is provided.Its first choice in looking to add industrial hose distributors is to work with established Eaton distributors, according to Mika. The company has established Aeroquip and Weatherhead distributors for hydraulic lines, and the goal is to get them to convert to Eaton industrial hose if they currently sell another brand or to teach those not in the business what it takes to enter the sector.

Ed Fabacher of Fabacher Inc. said for those in the fluid conveyance industry, it is easy to incorporate industrial hose into the business. "I encourage you to do so because I think you'd find the profitability would be very astounding."Southern Regional Medical Center emergency room technician Doug Shenker and registered nurse Kathleen Peak try out the hospital's new deluge kit fire hose during a disaster preparedness drill Wednesday. Bottlenose is offering a deeper and visual look into what's trending in the global Twitter fire hose with Sonar Solo.

Hose and Sommer named Fire Safety Drill Champions

Push the button again, and five seconds later the water stops. Push the retract button and the machine reels in hose at an almost perfect walking pace. It's the civilized way to spray water around your property.The Great Stuff RoboReel Water Management System makes good on its promise to deliver a truly better garden hose experience, but we can't help wondering who this product is really for. Anyone willing to drop $700 on a hose probably has enough money to hire others to take care of his lawn, so the only remaining customer base we can think of is the obsessive, price-is-no-object lawn enthusiast who insists on taking care of his own turf. Great Stuff had better hope there are enough of those people out there are willing to buy the RoboReel.

After testing the local schools last week on their readiness and efficiency during a fire drill,Grain oil hoses suppliers the Crawfordsville Fire Department announced the winners of the 2014 Fire Safety Drill at the two winning schools Wednesday afternoon.The Fire Safety program in the area schools is part of Fire Prevention Week.Chief Inspector Brian Bechtel and Crawfordsville Professional Firefighters Local 4143 Vice President Dustin Harris presented a trophy to the principal of Hose Elementary and then at Sommer Elementary in front of their respective student bodies."We have four or five guys that come out and grade each school during their drills. We look for things like a sense of urgency but not tripping over each other, are they holding doors open for each other, if a student was left behind, then what part of the building they would be in," Bechtel said. "Just the basics of a fire drill, but really important things during a real emergency."

Bechtel said each principal and their faculties deserve a lot of credit for organizing their students as well as they did."We are really excited. We worked hard for this award, preparing our staff and students in case of an emergency Tank truck hoses suppliers," Hose Principal Carol Starlin said. "It's time to have the trophy at Hose for another year."Sommer Principal Suzi Gephart echoed that thought."Last year we went under a huge safety evaluation and really reworked a lot of the procedures," Gephart said, accepting the trophy for the first time at Sommer. "This award proves we're really doing the right thing here."

Does the Flex-Able Hose still work after six months?

Still, Nancy is hesitant to say that she would buy the hose. She says for her gardening purposes it won't always work because she often likes to deep soak her plants. The Flex-Able Hose only works with the spray attachment, so she doesn't have that option. Also, Nancy says she isn't sure that it will withstand the Phoenix sun. Nancy said she will keep us posted and we will let you know what she says.The Flex-Able Hose comes in different sizes and costs about $28 including online shipping.In March we tested the FlexAble Hose and the manufacturers of this product claim it expands from the size of the palm of your hand up to 25 feet or 50 feet , depending on which size you purchase.

In addition the hose claims it will have no kinks or tangles. When we tested it back in March, the hose did what the manufacturers claimed and we gave it a thumbs up. We tested the hose out for more than a week and it performed as claimed. We wondered though how it would do over time. Nancy from Phoenix was one of our testers and she recently emailed us to share that one of the FlexAble Hoses she purchased sprung a leak.She stated she went back to the store and they replaced it, but yet again it she got another leak.I did some research and not only does the FlexAble Hose get a lot of bad reviews for leaking or just bursting but similar hoses, including the Pocket Hose, had very similar, negative reviews.

The Pet Collective is once again decimating the nation's productiveness with a recent video of golden retriever puppies squeezing themselves under a garden hose. It's impossible to answer emails or return calls when these fuzzy, chubby blond dogs are inexplicably tunneling under a water hose in a big fluffy pile. What are they up to? How many of them are there? Do we need a puppy? Can we stop home on the way from work at a local shelter and maybe find a little dog to take home? Pet Collective is holding more things up right now than the government shutdown with their cute puppies. We should probably say "shame on you," but we need to go watch this video again.

Head to Hose to Handbags: Celebrity Fall Fashions for Less

One of the best parts of fall is being able to show off your cooler weather faves without being forced to cover it all up. (Clearly, this rule applies to everyone but Miley Cyrus). So to kick the season into high gear,Accessories suppliers here are some of the more covetable celebrity worthy accessories of the season—and their affordable counterparts.If you choose one notable accessory this season, make it a really great hat. And since hats add warmth, rescue you from a bad hair day, and make you look effortlessly chic, they're wise investment pieces that can be worn for years. Aside from Zooey Deschanel's weird encounter with a hot dog hat recently, you almost can never go wrong with a clever chapeau. Katie Holmes was spotted out and about recently in a fall-appropriate fedora see above. These hats aren't only for celebrities!

Eric Javits, Jr., the president and designer for Eric Javits Inc., a luxe hats and accessories company, told me that everyone can wear hats."If you're nervous about trying the trend, start with a smaller shape in a neutral tone. This way the hat can be worn with a variety of items that are already in your closet," he said. "This type of hat will become a wardrobe staple, and build your confidence, which will lead to trying brighter colors and bolder shapes."According to Javits, the hat of the season is a wide brim fedora "It complements fall's menswear inspired outerwear, chubby sweaters and tall boots.". And for the record, Javits also adds that felt hats have even more character once they are broken in.

San Diego Hat Company Floppy fedora. A cute basic fedora to try out the trend.Eric Javits Kim hand blocked wool fedora with grosgrain trim in charcoal.Definitely a go to classic, you'll be wearing this one for years to come.Eric Javits Tracy hand blocked fur felt velour fedora with a rakish tilt in royal. Probably one of the more universally flattering hats I've ever seen. And if you're a hat aficionado like me pvc suction hose pipe, you invest in a hat for an occassion and then punctuate your fall wardrobe with your new go-to piece. Very expensive, but very Duchess Kate.Lace, brights, leggings, texture, stripes, fishnet, solids—there is no wrong way to wear accent hose this season.

Hose Suppliers Australia Introduces an All-Inclusive Range of Hose Fitting and Supplies for All Industries

Hose Suppliers Australia introduces an all-inclusive range of hose fitting and supplies for all industries. They have a range of plumbing fitting for plumbing applications, specialized in meeting the requirements of various types of pipes, materials and applications. Their range of air fittings offers the best fitting style and material for any sort of residential application, ensuring a leak-free connection.When it comes to ensuring leak proof systems, it requires the right kind of fitting, made of the right material and last but not the least, it should be installed properly. Hose Suppliers Australia has the largest range of fittings to connect straight sections of pipes or change the direction of pipes. Their plumbing fittings offer adequate strength and corrosion resistance capability to safely handle the high pressure characteristic of hydraulic systems.

Their plumbing fitting range has fitting made up of materials like steel, brass having higher resistance to corrosion. Their long-lasting strength and durability, make them the most suitable fitting option for hydraulic systems. With plumbing fitting options in so many sizes and for such a diverse fitting requirement, one can have a fitting for any sort of plumbing job.Stainless steel fittings have the strength and durability of steel while also providing excellent corrosion resistance, making it the most suitable fitting material for plumbing applications where the surrounding environment is corrosive. Their brass fitting offers moderate strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance capability with great ductility.

Hose Suppliers Australia provides specialist servicing to the industrial, hose fittings, vee belt and marine markets. They stock a complete range of products for all industrial and marine applications and maintain an extensive reseller network. With two major service centers in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, Hose Suppliers Australia provides technical support second to none. Their product specialists have over 100 years of combined industrial experience.What I love most about the hot topic of hose is that it never ends and the debate rages on. Each year in late summer and early fall I get questions from women about hose and if they should be worn. Three readers have asked me about hose just in the last week.

Blue Hose frustrated by narrow setback

Furman's 21-20 win against Presbyterian College came down to a blocked 23-yard field goal with the clock winding down.It left the Blue Hose with a bad taste in their mouths, as if they'd been chewing on Furman's new synthetic turf."It's a hard one to swallow," said Harold Nichols, Presbyterian's fifth-year coach. "You feel like your kids played hard and did everything they needed to do to win the game. We came up one play short."I think we played it the right way. A field goal wins the game. We got down to the 5-yard line, they were running out of timeouts,China Fuel and Oil hosess manufacturers and I didn't want to give them another possession."

"They made the play and deserved to win because of it," Nichols said later.Nichols said he placed no blame on his place-kicker, freshman Brett Wilson."Whether you win or lose a football game isn't one person's fault," Nichols said. "There are a lot of plays in the course of a game that go into winning or losing."Both Nichols and Presbyterian quarterback Kaleb Griffin praised the Blue Hose defense, which held the Paladins to 182 yards total offense."Our defense played great," said Griffin, who completed 15 of 18 passes for 135 yards. "We came out and played a good first half. But we had too many turnovers. That was the real difference in the game."

Presbyterian hasn't beaten Furman since 1979, but the school has been chipping away at Furman's dominance in the last couple of years.The Blue Hose lost by 10 points in 2012 in Clinton, coming back from a 24-0 deficit at halftime.On Saturday, they matched the Paladins with 59 plays but compiled 96 more yards total offense China Chemical hosess manufacturers. The Blue Hose also had possession roughly five minutes longer than the Paladins."We expected them to play hard. Everybody was fired up," Furman running back Hank McCloud said. "They had a big win last week, and we wanted to get our first win at home."

Charlotte 49ers go back to basics, beat Presbyterian Blue Hose 45-21

Quarterback Matt Johnson could tell there was something different about his Charlotte 49ers teammates last week.Coming off a second consecutive loss, Johnson felt a sense of purpose from the 49ers as they began their week of preparation for Saturday's game at Presbyterian."Monday morning, with how we started studying film, started practice, everything we do, it was amazing to see," Johnson said after the 49ers beat the Blue Hose 45-21 at Bailey Memorial Stadium. "We had to get back to the basics, and that's what we did."

After opening the first football season in school history with victories against overmatched Campbell and Chowan, the 49ers were outclassed in successive losses against established FCS programs N.C. Central and James Madison.Charlotte was able to bounce back with authority against the Big South's Blue Hose. Spotting Presbyterian an early lead, the 49ers scored 38 unanswered points during one stretch.The 49ers got a balanced attack rushing for a season-high 236 yards, passing for 269 on their way to 505 total yards. Johnson completed 15 of 24 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown, a 53-yarder to Mikel Hunter during a second quarter in which Charlotte outscored Presbyterian 21-0.

Charlotte's rushing attack, with Alan Barnwell 88 yards, one touchdown and Kalif Phillips 79 yards, two scores leading the way, wore down a Blue Hose defense that struggled to keep up with the 49ers' spread, no-huddle offense."A lot of that was our offensive line," Lambert said. "I think our strength program really showed today."After trailing 14-7 midway through the first quarter, the 49ers shut down the Blue Hose the rest of the way, scoring 38 consecutive points during one stretch and setting up a game against 25th-ranked Gardner-Webb next Saturday at Richardson Field.