We have all seen images of the ancient cavemen, with the group standing around a roaring fire while some brave soul holds a skewered piece of mastodon meat and tries to get the perfect grill lines. Heat is important when living in a cold environment such as Chicago. While my SoCal, Caribbean and desert friends don’t usually have this problem, I can assure you that when the heat fails in Chicago during January, not only does the family get upset, but serious consequences can occur, including broken water pipes and marital tension.

I am back to buying lottery tickets. The debut of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat has stimulated my muscle car genes from years gone by.

Qolsys updated its IQ Panel, which includes support for Dual-Path Connectivity, an improved and sleeker user interface, expanded home automation support and a robust dealer diagnostic toolkit enhancing remote service to the IQ Panel.

After determining that the switch only closes a circuit, and that the fireplace is in no way connected to AC power, a simple paper clip provided the closure needed to turn on the warmth. Later I replaced the defective switch and now I have my alternate heat pump rocking when needed.

Powerline Control Systems, the Northridge, Calif., manufacturer of PulseWorx lighting control for residential and light commercial applications, and inventor of universal powerline bus technology, entered into a strategic alliance with Jacksonville, Ore., Global Caché, an independent manufacturer of IP and Wi-Fi connectivity products for the control and automation market.