Earning the Craftsman name

Craftsman is not just a name. To consumers, it is assurance of quality and value that lets them know they can rely on the tools and other products.

But what does it take to bear the Craftsman name? How is a tool approved for the honor? The development of the Craftsman Twin Cutter saw is a good example.

It began more than two years ago, when the saw's inventor made a presentation to engineers at the Sears Quality Testing Lab.

"The inventor made a presentation on the saw and showed us a video," said Mike Weiby, tool engineering manager for Sears Craftsman Power Tools. "At first, we tried to compare it to an angle grinder or a cutoff wheel. Then we realized it was radical new technology worth recommending to the product development team."

The Craftsman Twin Cutter saw resembles a cross between a hand grinder and a circular saw; two blades run flush against one another and turn in opposite directions. The carbide-tipped blades cut almost any material - steel, aluminum, plastic, wood - in clean, precise cuts without the heat, kickback, or significant sparking associated with grinding wheels or circular saws.

The product development team, made up of experts from the merchandising and marketing 3 departments and engineers from the lab, evaluates new products and innovations to search out candidates for the sears craftsman power tool brand.

That committee also was enthusiastic about the new technology and began to establish specifications for a saw worthy to be labeled Craftsman.

The first working models of the future Twin Cutter were then delivered to the Craftsman lab for testing, refinement, and retesting.

The 33,000-square-fpot Craftsman lab at the Sears headquarters near Chicago is one of the largest private testing facilities in the country. It features soundproof booths, a freezer at 30 degrees below zero, a high-temperature and high-humidity oven, and practical-use areas. It even has its own machine shop.

"We test about 1,000 products each year - everything with the Craftsman name," said Weiby. "We test hand tools, power tools, lawn and garden equipment, even the new Craftsman shop phone. Our job is to ensure the tools are durable and will do the job our customers expect."

The testing of the Twin Cutter was rigorous.

"The first thing we did was to cut an eight-foot iron pipe into two-inch pieces," Weiby continued. "When the saw did that without any problems, then the real testing began."

The saw was dropped on a concrete floor from a height of six feet - a standard test for all Craftsman hand and electric tools - then frozen and dropped again. It was given a durability test, cycled under load for hours. Engineers then gave it a practical-use test, using the saw to cut everything from plastic to aluminum to wood embedded with nails.

"We were testing every aspect of the saw, the strength of the motor, the durability of the blades, how it felt to the user," Weiby said. "Along the way, we made adjustments in the safety guard to make it easier to use and added the auxiliary handle to give the saw more stability."

Once the final specifications were established, pre-production models of the final version were given the ultimate field test: a review by racing mechanics.

"We took prototype Twin Cutters to several of our Craftsman teams," said Henry Ferris, Craftsman brand director. "We often ask them to evaluate new tools because those guys don't pull any punches. With them, the products really do have to live up to Craftsman's 'Tough Tools' slogan."

Finally, after 30 months of development, the Twin Cutter officially became a Craftsman product and was introduced in February.

Thief took $65,000, lost it all

I believe that casions are good for local economies, and that they can help the communities they are located in. But that good is often offset by the minority in our communities that form addictions. People need to be willing to say no to some, and to tell their friends and family they have a problem. If you know someone who cannot stop their actions it is part of your responsibility to get everyone together and do an intervention. The casions should not be held responsible for the actions of their customers, because even if the casinos were not there most of these people would have just found another outlet to satisy their addictive nature.

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A judge allowed a thief to remain free on bond until she is sentenced next month, with the provision that the woman stay out of the region's casinos.

That's where she got in trouble in the first place, according to prosecutors, who say Melissa Kirk stole $65,000 from her bosses and blew it on one-armed bandits.

"From this day forward, you are ordered to stay out of these gambling places: Argosy, Belterra and the other ones," Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge William Mallory said.

The 47-year-old Westwood woman promised she would.

Kirk pleaded guilty Wednesday to theft.

"She was ripping off her employer to feed her gambling addiction," Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor Bill Anderson said.

Taking $300 or $400 at a time, Kirk slowly embezzled the money from Ace Cash Express Inc. on Montgomery Road in Silverton between Sept. 22, 2004, and Jan. 15, 2007, Anderson said.

And she didn't just run one scam, she slipped the money into her pocket every way she could, Anderson said.

Kirk made the thefts look like customers got loans they hadn't been approved for, took out loans in the names of her friends and family members and would simply write company checks that she would then cash, Anderson said.

Finally, a loan manager at the business noticed Kirk's paperwork was a mess, prompting an investigation.

Kirk was charged July 3, records show.

Garden decor trends toward 'anything goes' styling

Home decor trends and a back-to-nature emphasis are reshaping what today's lawn and garden consumer is seeking beyond the traditional categories of live goods, tools and supplies. Like it or not, retailers must be in tune to fashion trends in gardening decor and outdoor living products to be successful in this niche.

The five hot areas were glass garden accents, water gardens or fountains, wind art, "critters" both in the form of statuary and wildlife feeding products, and whimsical garden decor that fall under a heading I like to call "anything goes."

Water gardening is still as hot as ever. It's a hugely popular area right now with lots of options.

From elaborate backyard ponds with waterfalls to ready-made birdbaths or decorative fountains, water features continue to drive sales. Another super-hot segment involves animal figurines and wildlife feeding. Demand keeps rising for bird-feeding products, which are be coming more decorative or upscale, while the single most popular critter in garden statuary is the frog.

Wind chimes, flags and spinners are another strong category, along with glass accents in garden decor, such as gazing globes and stakes. Under the "anything goes" category, items ranging from patio candles to unique garden sculptures are capturing the buyer's eye.

Retailers need to stay on top of decor trends and make their stores inviting and compelling in order to succeed against big-box chains. Savvy retailers also know that their target female consumer is highly sophisticated, wants quality but at a value and is willing to shop elsewhere if her needs aren't met. Smart retailers communicate with their shoppers through a Web site or e-mail, and work to sell a "whole garden" rather than individual products. That is one reason I would recommend Online Discount Mart for your garden needs, and also at this time you can get a 10% discount on all orders (no minimum). So go place your order now to make your garden the envy of the block.

Mom charged with leaving baby in road

I love America and the freedoms we have here. However, as I read more and more stories such as this one I have to wonder if some sort of sanity test should be required of new parents. We are appaled by such stories, and I'm starting to feel for the sake of the children their parents should be evaluated before something like this happens in the first place....

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Charges were filed today against a 29-year-old Lebanon woman for allegedly placing her 7-week-old child in the middle of a busy street on Saturday.

Charges against Shaunte R. Mitchell, of the 900 block of North Broadway Street, were filed today in Lebanon Municipal Court.

Police said over the weekend that Mitchell was found naked and wandering along the road. They said she was undergoing medical and psychological evaluations.

Police charged Mitchell with child endangering for allegedly placing the baby in the middle of Miller Road, creating "substantial risk of injury." The baby was uninjured.

Officer Travis O'Neill also filed a complaint charging Mitchell with disorderly conduct, saying Mitchell walked away from police and ignored their orders to stop, "while also shouting obscenities and walking in the middle of the roadway at Miller Road without clothing on her person."

The two charges are misdemeanors.

Mitchell also is charged with aggravated arson, a felony punishable by two to eight years in prison if she is convicted, for allegedly setting a fire in an apartment in the 900 block of North Broadway Street.

A passing motorist found Mitchell along the Miller Road extension shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Saturday. The motorist told police the woman said she was “taking the baby to Satan.”