Friday Window Cleaning Update

Window cleaner tricksters make off with watches worth thousands: A gang of bogus window cleaners who trick their way into people's homes before stealing jewellery worth thousands of pounds may have struck again. In April, two men disguised as window cleaners duped a nanny into letting them into a home in Poets Road, Highbury, where they stole £2,000 of diamonds. Now it has emerged a near identical crime happened just days later in nearby St Paul Street, Islington, where raiders made off with valuables worth even more. At about 1pm on April 28, three men knocked on the door of a residential address in St Paul Street, offering their services as window cleaners. The victim, a 35-year-old woman, invited them in. After a while they claimed they needed access to the top floor from inside the house, as their ladder was not long enough.
After cleaning a few of the windows from the inside, one of the men asked the victim for a glass of water. When she returned with the water, he drank it and said he was going outside. The other two men followed him shortly after, claiming they would be back to finish the work later on in the day. The owner then discovered that a vintage 1944 Omega watch worth £2,200 and a Rolex watch worth £1,000 had vanished. She had paid the thieves £30 for their "work".
Trainee Detective Constable Conrad Trotman, of Islington police, warned residents to be on guard. He said: "Members of the public should always ensure that tradesmen and people from utility companies who knock on their doors show appropriate identification. Genuine tradesmen should carry an identification card with their photograph on."
The officer continued: "If you are unsure, telephone the company the caller claims to represent. If you are not convinced of the identity of the caller, don't let them in." The first suspect was white, six feet tall and slim with dark brown hair. He wore glasses, work trousers splattered in blue paint and a blue sweater. The second was white, 5ft 4ins tall, of medium build with a round face and short dark brown hair. He wore a blue sweater, blue tracksuit bottoms and white trainers. The third crook was a dark-skinned white man with green eyes and short dark hair. He wore either a pink or yellow shirt and light trousers. Anyone with information should call police on 020 7421 0371.

Vermont Soapworks has been raising the bar on natural and organic soap quality and innovation since 1992, and their latest breakthrough is the first certified organic shampoo base for the Private Label Industry. Larry Plesent started Vermont Soapworks in 1992 after experiencing severe skin problems from the cleaning chemicals used by his window washing company. He began researching healthy alternatives for himself and the many people like him that are sensitive to detergents and other synthetic ingredients. Vermont Soapworks has grown from a two person operation in 1992 to the largest manufacturer of handmade organic bar soap in North America, selling products in more than 2,500 stores nationwide. “We think of ourselves as molecule herders, rather than molecule torturers,” says Plesent. “Our job is to help the molecules follow their nature and that is what makes us a different kind of company.” Vermont Soapworks also operates a Discount Factory Outlet Store that features an Antique Soap Museum, factory tours and demonstrations.
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Trump's towering toothpick; In the New York tabloids, this would be the headline: "The Donald's top flops!" And they wouldn't be targeting Donald Trump's comb-over. The subject instead is the just-completed spire atop the 92-story Trump International Hotel & Tower, the tallest American skyscraper since the 1974 completion of Sears Tower. You and I are going to be looking at this prominent pinprick for a very long time. Unfortunately, it's a one-star piece of skyline stagecraft, a Kmart accessory for an Hermes suit. The spire is too skinny, too short, and looks vaguely plastic, like something you'd buy in the toy aisle. And we have two very famous, very powerful people to blame for it: Mayor Richard Daley, who told Trump to build the spire, and Trump himself, who didn't carry out his assignment with the necessary gusto. The tower's chief designer, Adrian Smith, and his former firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, also must share responsibility. True, it is too early for a wholesale evaluation of this hotel and condominium skyscraper, whose walls of glass and stainless steel can be dazzlingly luminous and whose still-under-construction riverfront plaza promises to be a vibrant public space. Scaffolding still must be removed from the tower's south face. But the much-anticipated spire, all 227 feet and 8 inches of it, is done and therefore fair game. The exterior is wrapped in walls of glass and fins of stainless steel that, at their best, beautifully catch and reflect sunlight. The glass can turn from blue to white in the late afternoon sun and stop you in your tracks as you watch the reflection of a puffy white cloud amble slowly across it. The final fault comes in an elongated drumlike extension of the tower, covered in glass, that serves as a penthouse for window-washing equipment. It sits atop the skyscraper like a hat, failing to interlock with either the tower beneath it or the spire above it.

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When I'm Cleaning Windows: In the wake of the accident at the Microsoft campus where a window cleaner George Payne was rushed to hospital in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft have acquired the copyright of an up-to-date version of George Formby's song "When I'm Cleaning Windows" which Mr Payne had adapted for himself. Mr. Payne likes George Formby's songs and reworded many of them for himself, but an official at Microsoft heard someone reciting the song with Mr. Payne's words and decided that with the use of Microsoft's brands in his song it would be better if Microsoft owned the copyright and made Mr. Payne a substantial offer - but would not disclose how much. Microsoft were so overwhelmed with Mr. Payne's version they did what they could do obtain copyright and used the use of the company's brand as an excuse to support their side. The reworded song still had the Formby touch but is quite appropriate with today's technology. Mr. Payne agreed and can now retire from being a window cleaner and spend more time rewording lyrics from other comedians he likes.
Now I go cleaning Windows To earn an honest bob For a computer whiz kid It's an interestin' job Now it's a job that just suits me A Windows cleaner you would be If you saw what's on a PC When I'm cleaning Windows
Windows XP, Vista too You'll have seen them nothing new You'd be surprised what PCs do When I'm cleaning Windows
Chorus: In my profession I'll work hard But I'll never stop Protecting users from fraudsters Who try to stay on top
The user dating on the Net Looking for it you can bet I'd rather have that than a pet When I'm cleaning Windows
The web designer has a thought A new domain he has just bought Sticks his USB in the port When I'm cleaning Windows
I know a fella, such a fool He wastes his time, that's his rule While he's about he looks so cool When I'm cleaning Windows
DVDs lyin' side by side Sexy ladies I have spied I've often seen what goes inside When I'm cleaning Windows
------ banjo ------
A female screensaver's been seen She looks a flapper on the screen It's more like flashing but it's clean When I'm cleaning Windows
She pulls the clothes off down behind Then pulls off her... never mind It's amazing what rubbish I'll find When I'm cleaning Windows
Chorus: An old maid's profile goes online She's so fed up, but that is fine She's happy once she has seen mine When I'm cleaning Windows
When I'm cleaning Windows

Students Send Window-Washing Wakeup Call to Ohio Utility: Yesterday morning, the Ohio Student Environmental Coalition held a protest outside of the American Municipal Power headquarters in Columbus. The plan was to wash AMP’s windows to help them “See the Light” while holding murals depicting Ohio’s future with AMP’s proposed coal-fired power plant versus Ohio’s future with renewable energy. However, when the group arrived there were two police cars and a paddy wagon parked outside the headquarters. Outside, the rest of the group held up the murals and banners and chanted to keep spirits up. After the meeting, the students continued chanting as they marched away, knowing this was merely the first action in a series.

Problems When Dealing With Window Cleaning Companies: When you windows need to be cleaned, most of the times homeowners just pick up the phonebook when trying to find a company. And unfortunately, most people just choose whoever they see first.Well I would like to give you some great advice on how to pick a window cleaning company. This is going to be advice coming from my years of experience as a San Diego Window cleaning company. Now you may be thinking, what’s the big deal when hiring a window washing company. Well for starters, there are a lot of companies out there who will just hire anybody to clean windows for them. They do this without a background check.Well you do realize, these people are going to have access going in and out of your house.With that being the situation, don’t you want to make sure it is a reputable company you are dealing with. It could mean the difference between not just a good cleaning job, but it could also mean the difference in items being lost or stolen from your home.
So what must you do to screen for a good company? Well to start, you check to see if the employees are professional, clean, and uniformed. If they are not, this could be a sign of a company that goes through new employees every week without much screening. Second, you want to make sure the company is bonded and insured. Accidents can happen, and if they do, you want to be protected as much as possible. Third, are they using professional equipment.This does help you in seeing if the company is professional in their work and if it is quality work. Fourth, you are going to want to check to see how long their business has been around.Like most things, longevity says a lot and shows you that you are dealing with a very reputable company.
Finally, you will want to have them provide you past references of past clients. Nothing is better validation on how good their work is than a company’s previous customers.This is going to allow you to know how well they have done in their past performances. There you go. Some quick tips you can use to find the best window cleaning company around.

Pontypool man's jobless 'silver lining': AN unemployed man from Pontypool has set up his own gardening and window cleaning business thanks to support from Jobcentre Plus project Want2Work. Kevin Williams, 46, set up Cut-n-Clean in December 2008 after his phone company employer was forced to lay off staff because of the recession. Instead of looking at the move negatively, Mr WIlliams found a silver lining. He said: "Once you've been stuck in a factory environment for more than 28 years, the need to get out there and do something different was actually a blessing in disguise." Mr Williams had always wanted to run his own business and helped family and friends with their gardens as a hobby. After becoming unemployed he was referred to the Want2Work project which helped him take his ideas forward. Cut-n-Clean opened for business just before Christmas and proved an instant success with Mr Williams gardening and cleaning windows. He is hoping to be in a position to employ other people in 18 months.

Almost 100 exhibitors filled the Castine Center Wednesday at the St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce’s 17th annual EXPO. The EXPO had about 950 visitors throughout the day. Many of the exhibitors said they are optimistic about the future, and although business was slow in February, business started increasing in March. Another business experiencing growth and success includes A-1 Window Washers, the largest window cleaning service in the parish. Charlie Laurie, the business’ owner, said they are picking up new customers and are very busy. Many booths held drawings for free products or services as well as providing everything from water to wine and popcorn to quesadillas. Other marketing tools, such as koozies and magnets, were distributed along with business cards to booth visitors.
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Massachusetts firefighters get special training in rope rescue skills to be able to protect the public. Earlier this week the Southern Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team rappelled off a 40-foot tower, suspended by multi-colored ropes. "They use these same skills for confined space acts and tunnel rescues, where rope is an essential part of getting a person and the victims, out safely," said George Drees of the Baltimore Fire Department. Firefighters from Framingham, Ashland, Hopkinton, Milford and Southborough came to sharpen their rope rescue skills, preparing for the worst, such as rescuing a window washer in peril. "They'll get 'em on to your line and then cut them away from their line so they can be lowered down safely," said one firefighter. The skills are also tested during cliff and cave rescues and the groups must work as a team. "We are like an insurance policy. No one ever really knows what their insurance policy covers, but when they need it, they want full coverage out of these guys," said another firefighter.
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Dieter Brummer (pictured)has fallen back on his day job as a high-rise window cleaner after a brief stint back in the limelight on Underbelly II. Brummer told ninemsn his appearance as a corrupt cop on the popular crime drama series had so far failed to rekindle his acting career. "It would be great to get stuck straight back into something but … there's not a hell of a lot going on," he said. Brummer, 33, rocketed to fame in the early 1990s as teen heartthrob Shane Parish in Home and Away, even winning two Logie awards for most popular actor. But since leaving Summer Bay, Brummer virtually disappeared from the small screen, instead setting up a career for himself as an "industrial rope access technician". Brummer said there were certain advantages to spending the day hanging off Sydney's skyrise offices. "It kind of puts you in a position where you don't necessarily have to deal with too many questions, like, 'Didn't you used to be in Home and Away?'" he said. But Brummer, who has since hooked up with an old agent from his soapie days, said he was still hopeful for a second chance at stardom. "You've gotta do what you've got to do to pay the bills at the end of the day. "And it's not necessarily a bad thing, but you always hold hope that the next big thing is just around the corner."