Burns asks her clients.

Ms. Burns has set up a small business, Order In The Home , to de-clutter people's living spaces so they "can redeem time and live wisely''; watch the sun set every night, or spend more time with your family, for example. "Most people work nine to five, get home, houseclean, cook and eat and then go to bed,'' she said, noting a lot of time is wasted dusting, cleaning and maintaining ornaments, gadgets and appliances -- people have phones and TVs in every room, such things as dust-collecting silk flowers and china ornaments, and appliances that no longer even work. "Bermudians are great consumers, but that means exchanging life's energy and time for things,'' she said.

"Many of us really are possessed by our possessions.'' She says in trying to rid people's homes of time-wasting possessions, she operates using the acronym OUTS, O-offer to others, U-use and enjoy, T-trash and S-sell in housesale.

Ms. Burns, who is currently writing a book on the subject, charges a one-time $50 consultation fee followed by fees starting at $20 an hour for decluttering people's homes and "purging their living environments''.

She can be reached at 297-1624 for an appointment.

BCB RAISES INTEREST RATES BUC BCB raises interest rates Bermuda Commercial Bank yesterday raised the interest rate on its Call Account by 25 basis points (0.25 percent) to 3 percent. The move comes in the wake of similar moves by the Island's two larger banks in the past few days.

Gregory Summers , assistant manager for corporate treasury, said the rate increase follows a similar interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve Board on August 24.

"That rate increase will probably be the last we see prior to the next meeting of the Fed in October,'' Mr. Summers said, adding that he expects Alan Greenspan and the other members of the Federal Reserve to monitor market activity following the August rate increase, before deciding on what action to take in October.

"There is a sentiment that rates may increase by a further 25 basis points in October,'' Mr. Summers said, "but we will wait and see.'' Interest rates remain a powerful tool for managing economies, Mr. Summer said.

"Although the old rules about the effect of rate increases on the market appear to have gone out of the window, as rules do in changing markets,'' he said.

BCB's Call account is used by individuals and corporate customers.

Since the bank is not a lender, it does not have a base rate as such; rate adjustments are made to the call Account instead.

NEW HOME MAG HITS NEWSTAND NJ New home mag hits newstands A new local publication will go on sale tomorrow, touted as a monthly guide to real estate, home improvement and gardening/landscaping. Called on the homefront , this free mini-magazine is published by Harris & Mitchell Associates and is the brainchild of the marketing agency's executives Terri Durrant , Peter Hebberd and Emma Mitchell .

"On the homefront hopes to fill a need in the publications market for a more expansive look at the local real estate scene,'' a statement from Harris & Mitchell said.

"It will feature real estate currently on the market and will keep homeowners informed about renovation, repairs and refurbishment issues.

"The publishers intend to include lots of practical editorial, common sense information and advertising appropriate to the readers of this publication.'' BLDC ANNOUNCES TWO CONTRACTS GVT BUC BLDC announces two contracts The Bermuda Land Development Company has issued two site development contracts as part of its ongoing efforts to expand Southside industrial opportunities.

Island Construction Limited will demolish five dilapidated tin sheds by the eastern airfield fence which were left behind by the US Navy.

And East End Asphalt Company Limited will do site preparation work at Southside's main industrial sector between Ships Wharf and the airport fence.

This will see the installation of telecommunications, water and electrical systems, new street lighting and upgrades to storm water and sanitary sewers on the individual lots which make up a 15-acre parcel of land alongside the airport fence.

Other work in the area will include the removal of asphalt, the construction of concrete pads for new buildings, the resurfacing of roads, the installation of curbing and landscaping improvements.

This work will support 38,000 square feet of planned new industrial space, including industrial buildings relocated from the Clearwater Beach area.

BLDC spokesman Don Grearson said: "This work will create the foundation for a new commercial hub that can provide businesses with warehousing, work yards, on-site parking, office space and even shared support services.

"More generally it illustrates our ongoing efforts to develop Southside's potential to meet the needs of local businesses.'' JOURNALIST-LAWYER STARTS OWN FIRM BUC Journalist-lawyer starts own firm Lawyer Duncan Hall has packed away his wig and gown to start his own company, Access Communications , which is aimed at serving Bermuda's legal and business community's freelance/ghost writing, promotional supplements and marketing materials needs. Among his first clients are the Bermuda International Business Association and his former law firm Appleby Spurling & Kempe, for which he worked from 1996 up until earlier this year.

"I've always wanted my own business, and with my legal training and journalistic background, clients know I can effectively communicate and understand their business.

Mr. Hall, a former chief reporter and sub-editor at The Royal Gazette , said he eventually hopes to get into producing in-house newsletters. Access can be contacted at 297-2991.

SEPT. 9 IS EARLY TEST OF Y2K BUC Sept. 9 is early test of Y2K Government agencies, banks, electric utilities and other companies will be watching closely for Y2K-like computer trouble next week when the date 9-9-99 arrives. The fear is that some computers may translate September 9, 1999, as a "9999'' stop-programme command. Few Y2K planners expect major disruptions such as widespread electrical outages next Thursday. But no one is ruling out the possibility of glitches.

Y2K planners and some industries are taking advantage of the situation to test their readiness and backup systems for New Year's Day, when the real Year 2000 bug may hit.

"It's good to run through any complicated exercise like that so people aren't seeing this kind of deployment for the first time in December,'' said Gerry Cauley, Year 2000 program manager for the North American Electric Reliability Council.

Easy does it : Sandra Wade, popular bus driver, gives visitors a smooth ride.

New publication: Terri Durrant