How we became our own bosses: Starting your own business is said to be one of the most stressful and rewarding things you can do. While it brings you all the freedom to be your own boss, it also leaves you worrying about the balance sheet at the end of every month. We spoke to four entrepreneurs in Norwich who have recently launched new businesses about what they think it takes to succeed. Norman Straight spent the past five-years on the dole before starting his own window and cleaning business. He is a perfect example that the best ideas are sometimes just in front of you.He said: “It originally came from my mate. He was a window cleaner and he said it's good hours and you can work whenever you want. One day I just bought a set of ladders and a bucket and started walking round my estate.“It's a people business. With a lot of customers it's more about your conversation skills more than anything else.” Since starting the business a year ago the 31-year-old from Costessey has built up 60 private clients and landed two major contracts including an office and an old people's home.A huge leap came in March when he passed his driving test after just two months tuition meaning he can vastly expand his clients.
Families not home after Mold gas blast: Some families have still not been allowed home following the gas explosion in Stanley Street, Mold. Health and Safety Executive officials were yesterday still investigating what caused the gas blast which blew out windows at No 21, brought a ceiling crashing down and cracked the front walls of the terraced house. David Roberts, 41, a local window cleaner, suffered minor injuries when he lit a cigarette in the front room of his parents home on Monday morning. His parents escaped injury but were very shocked. 
Yesterday police still had the street cordoned off and were patrolling while experts locate the cause of the problem. A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said some stabilisation work had been needed on the damaged house. People who were evacuated were able to use the nearby Glanrafon community centre yesterday. Don Norris, Flintshire’s Civil Contingencies Manager, said last night: “We expect three families will not be able to return to their properties this evening. Arrangements for their accommodation are being made as appropriate.”
Internet warning ‘a waste of time’: An internet warning about rogue traders operating in a Neath community could be a waste of time – because those most vulnerable do not know how to use a computer. The claim was made by Coun Doreen Jones, chair of Blaenhonddan Community Council which, at its November meeting, was warned about criminals preying on the area’s residents. Sergeant Dave Williams told councillors that residents should be on their guard when approached by strangers offering to do around-the-home jobs. It was suggested that the warning be included on the council’s recently-launched website, but Coun Jones said: “The majority of people being conned by this do not even know how to use a computer.” The officer’s warning came during the section of the meeting devoted to discussing Blaenhonddan’s crime figures. Regarding burglary, he said: “Be alert. We have had issues with people coming round offering services like window cleaning and gardening. Some of these people we are aware of and we believe some of these people are involved in these crimes.
NETHERLANDS - Pensions provider Cordares has been chosen as the new administrator for the €1.35bn industry-wide pension fund for the cleaning and window cleaning sector. Cordares will also become responsible for board support and carrying out the scheme’s early retirement arrangements of Vut once the contract takes effect from 1 January 2010, said Franck Erkens, spokesman for both parties. With 600,000 participants, the window cleaners’ scheme, known as Stichting Bedrijfstakpensioenfonds voor het Schoonmaak en Glazenwassersbedrijf, is among the 10 largest schemes in the Netherlands.
University students take home award for automated window-cleaning robot: A team of four engineering students from Michigan State University have created — and won an award for — an automated window cleaner that requires a human to do no more than push a button to get it started. Called the Winboni, the 'bot runs off of AA batteries and adheres to the window using a suction fan, cleaning it with felt pads. Felt pads don't sound like they'd clean a window as well as a professional washer would, but the Winboni would be able to tirelessly work on both home and office buildings, just like a robotic vacuum cleaner. If the design was improved upon, we could very well see a successor of the Winboni cleaning every office building in the future. Teammates Emily Duszynski, Kyle Koepf, Jonathan Luckhardt and Joshua Thomet took first place in the International Student Design Competition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Check out the video above to see how they did it. Also here.
This has to be one of the best productions I have seen at the Little Angel. The venue’s puppet shows are generally of a high standard but writer Tim Kane and director/designer Peter O’Rourke have excelled themselves with a joyful adaptation of an enchanting Roald Dahl tale. 
When young Billy meets Giraffe, Pelly (a pelican) and Monkey, they are desperate to get their business (the Ladderless Window Cleaning Company) up and running so they can earn some money for food. When the Duke of Hampshire requires their services - his house has 677 windows - the adventures really begin. What is particularly impressive about this interpretation is that the creative team has retained the uniqueness of the original and yet also made it their own. Part of this can be seen in the puppets themselves which are reminiscent of the original Quentin Blake drawings and yet are also very much the product of O’Rourke’s imagination.
Yet on this particular St Andrew's Day it is worth looking to the future, for two years hence, on November 30, 2010, the Government intends to hold a national referendum on independence. In just 24 months, the Scottish people will have the opportunity to make a decision that will shape our lives to come and that of Scots not yet born. Will we vote to separate from the United Kingdom? Or will we prefer to give the devolved Scottish Parliament greater powers? David Steel is a window cleaner and organiser of the Loony Dook, an annual event which, on January 1, sees Scots plunging into the freezing Forth. He favours independence because he feels Scotland doesn't get as much investment as it ought to from Westminster. "But I don't think that independence is 100% necessary to achieve what we want. Long term maybe, but the SNP have proved they can work within the current framework."
The Burgesses live with their four children in a mobile home just outside Peoria's city limits. Their living room is already decorated for the season, with a white Christmas tree in one corner and their four kids' stockings on the wall. Lists for Santa Claus are in their stockings waiting for St. Nick to take a look. Michelle cautioned her, "don't count on it." Michelle wrote the letter because she knew her children wouldn't have much of a holiday without help. "I want my kids to have a Christmas," she said. "They will be thankful for anything." It's been particularly rough for the Burgess family this year because of the economy, Michelle said. Michael used to clean windows for corporate offices downtown, but since the economy has taken a turn for the worst he's lost a lot of work. "Window cleaners are always the first thing to go," Michelle said. "Because its not really needed." Their struggling business has been put on hold for now, and both Michael and Michelle's paychecks - she works as a cashier for Tony's Market and he's a fork lift driver for G&D - go toward bills, with little leftover for extras. Despite the uncertainty of what this Christmas will bring for her kids, Michelle also plans to give what she can. She and sisters and their daughters plan to bake cookies to deliver to area nursing homes for Christmas, and her children are looking forward to shopping for their relatives.
The Mardyke Entertainment Complex was awarded the Best Pub Front in the Cork Better Buildings Awards, a Cork Marketing Partnership initiative, in association with Cork City Council. The Cork Better Building Awards aim to raise awareness of - and applaud the effort that goes into - the good design, maintenance, conservation and presentation of Cork buildings.These Awards also seek to recognise and acknowledge staff, managers, property owners, developers, architects and designers for high standards in design, conservation and creativity and salute the window cleaners, painters and maintenance staff on their good practice in the presentation and upkeep of Cork's buildings. The Award was presented to Eddie Nicholson, Managing Director of the Mardyke, at an awards ceremony in The Imperial Hotel recently.
Previous Cork Better Building Award winners include Beamish & Crawford and the Classic Bar.
Officials target lead poisoning, Connecticut: A child suffers headaches, eats little and becomes irritable. He's tired often, can't maintain focus and has stomachaches. His muscles are weak, and he shows aggressive behavior.The child may have lead poisoning. But if state legislators and health professionals succeed, the problem will affect fewer children next year, and eventually vanish as a public health concern.Beginning in January, a state law will require health care providers to screen children for lead poisoning annually up to 36 months while lowering the amount of lead in blood needed to trigger official action. The new law will lower the threshold for a home visit from 20 to 15 micrograms per deciliter in two samples taken more than 90 days apart, placing additional pressure on local health workers to handle more cases with limited resources in a time of budget tightening. Polito and colleagues interview families and inspect homes. They test the walls and the windows. They wipe for dust and collect water and soil samples. They evaluate parents' hobbies and activities to determine where a child is getting the lead.Polito said they often find old windows are the culprits."When you open a window and you have old chipping paint, it creates a frictional surface that creates chalking and dust," she said. "Most people don't think about cleaning their window out. We can go in and usually look and know immediately it's those windows."The new standards will require an on-site inspection but not a full investigation and risk assessment for children testing between 15 and 20 micrograms per deciliter. 
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