Window Cleaners: New Rule In California + Other News

The California Air Resources Board on Thursday voted to reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which produce toxic, smog-forming emissions, from 11 different categories of consumer products, including common household cleaning products such as window cleaners and countertop sprays. Three toxic chemicals — methylene chloride, perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene — are now prohibited from use in several products included in the regulation. “We were very happy about this regulation,” said Luis Cabrales, deputy director of campaigns for the nonprofit advocacy group Coalition for Clean Air. “It will have very positive effects on air quality in the state, and specifically indoor air quality.”
Cabrales said he applauds CARB for setting “groundbreaking regulations that others can emulate throughout the nation.” The regulations target about 2,500 different products on the market, most of which are consumer products that are used indoors for cleaning, he said. The cumulative use of these products by more than 39 million Californians results in significant emissions, according to CARB. When the regulations are fully implemented in 2014, emissions from VOCs will be cut by 6.7 tons a day, or the equivalent of taking 500,000 cars off the road, according to CARB. The reduction in VOCs is just one of many steps CARB has taken in its effort to achieve a national ambient air quality standard for ozone by 2014. More here & here.

Carla Takemoto, manager of the air board’s technical evaluation section, said manufacturers are expected to shift to surfactants to replace the VOCs. Found in soaps and shampoos, surfactants are compounds that reduce surface tension when mixed with water, allowing water to do much of the cleaning without strong solvents. They are large molecules, so they have low volatility and don’t contribute to smog, she said. “We expect to see increased use of surfactant technologies, which we think is a very viable option,” Takemoto said. “Surfactants tend to be more expensive chemicals than some of the other solvents. But because you use such a small amount of them, it’s still pretty cost-effective to use them.” For some products, however, surfactants don’t work well. A representative of Stoner Inc., which manufactures a product called Invisible Glass, said surfactants leave streaks and haze on windows. Air board officials are concerned that some manufacturers of glass and floor cleaners may switch to glycol ethers, which are linked to asthma and allergies in children. Meeting the new standards “will not be easy,” but the company supported them, saying they “reflect the state of technology for years to come.”

Chris Evans faces Canary Wharf stunt for Children in Need: Viewers will see tonight how TV presenter Chris Evans (pictured) coped with cleaning Britain’s tallest tower. The One Show host cleaned the windows yesterday outside One Canada Square in Canary Wharf as part of a ‘grin and bear it’ stunt for Children in Need. People were asked to vote for one of the presenters - Evans, Jason Manford or Alex Jones - to do a job out of their comfort zone, with the idea raising more than £100,000 for the cause. The film of how the Radio 2 DJ got on as a window cleaner will be shown on Children in Need’s live show from 7pm on BBC One, with Evans admitting he was “petrified”. He tweeted: “Couldn’t tweet while I was up there, no loose objects allowed and no signal! Should be a great film,I was properly ******* myself,” adding before the stunt: “All for the kids. That’s what I keep telling myself at least.”

A junior doctor’s online market place to make it easier for people to get everyday tasks done has been shortlisted for a national business award. Florence Iwuoha (pictured), a doctor at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, came up with the idea for My- TaskAngel when struggling to order food from her favourite restaurant. The website, which will start operating in January, will have a database of local businesses and skilled individuals willing to carry out everyday tasks, such as window cleaning, dog walking, food shopping, picking up takeaways, ironing or jumpstarting a car, as well as businesses such as plumbers, removal men and builders. MyTaskAngel has now been shortlisted as one of three finalists in the business plan of the year category at the national Startups Awards.

Dr Iwuoha said: “I got the idea to start the business while in my final year of medical school. “Prior to this, I ran an online niche DVD sale business and realised I was actually interested in business as well, so I took a business course. “The idea for MyTaskAngel was born during a discussion with a friend while studying for exams. “We wondered why we had to go all the way to our local Nando’s restaurant to get hold of our favourite takeaway, as they do not offer a delivery service. “This irritation led me to envision a website where people could post tasks and have others execute them for a fee.” Dr Iwuoha believed the website, which will be started at a local level, with plans to extend it nationally, will offer an affordable means of getting day-to-day things done.

Individuals registering to carry out tasks will undergo criminal record checks, and businesses will also be checked for legitimacy. Dr Iwuoha said: “I can see there being quite a market and sometimes some tasks can be done by people who are already doing them. “If someone is already doing shopping it might not take them much extra effort to do that for someone else. “And with the cost of driving to the shops or getting public transport there, it might actually be cheaper for someone else to do it for them.” Judges at the Startups Awards, which recognise UK entrepreneurial talent, include Toni Mascolo, chief executive of hairdressers Toni & Guy and Julie Meyer, chief executive of Ariadne Capital.

It’s not often that an anonymous window washer provides the impetus to take up a hobby, but that’s just what happened to Rick Shelman. “I had a lot of model airplanes in my office,” he explained. “The guy washing my windows noticed them and asked if I was a pilot.” Rick told his wife, Mary Anne, about the conversation and she asked him why he didn’t go ahead and become one. That was the only encouragement he needed. He booked his first lesson the next day and officially soloed on May 6, 2006, a date etched in his memory.

TO THE EDITOR: I took the time this past Tuesday, the 9th, to attend our County Board of Supervisors Building Committee meeting. I was surprised and dismayed at the ease and lack of foresight with which this committee dispenses with our shared resources. During the process of finalizing a project to retrofit the courthouse and county offices with new windows, a nearly $400,000 project which may or may not be necessary, the committee determined that it was a good use of county funds to purchase $30,000 worth of titanium window treatments, which is supposed to “eliminate” the need for washing these new windows. Even the representative of the engineering firm consulting on the project said almost none of their clients choose this option. Is this a wise use of our county funds? Are there not other more important uses for these funds? I ask, “When local residents are tightening their belts, would it not be better to have a local window cleaning company clean these windows every few years or so, which keeps this money in our county rather than giving $30,000 to some mining and chemical company?”

Window Cleaners - Go to work in a bow-tie: With his time as Harry Potter coming to a close, 21-year-old Daniel Radcliffe is already looking to a future without the boy wizard in it. In fact, Dan is returning to Broadway to star in the musical, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. His character is a bow-tie wearing window cleaner who works his way up in the corporate world at the World Wide Wicket Company thanks to a self-help book. OK, I lied about the title link.

As Arizona prepares to become the 15th state allowing the medicinal use of marijuana, Valley business owners are having mixed feelings about dispensaries opening near their stores.Entrepreneur Mike Wells is a partial owner in a window washing company and in a horticulture product supply company, and said he plans to open his own medical marijuana dispensary because it benefits patients and is an untapped market. “We’re contacting construction companies, marketing companies, lighting companies, security companies, glass companies, all sorts of companies that any person who would be starting a business would have to reach out to,” Wells said. “It’s benefiting everyone economically.” He said dispensary owners, marijuana cultivators and caregivers will be in need of the various products that go along with owning a business. “This industry, especially in Arizona … will help support this economy and it will put us back on our feet,” he said. “There is money to be made because it’s an untapped market.”

Downtown buildings' owner misses loan's $154M balloon payment. A window washer rappels down the side of Metropolitan Park East. Loan servicer ING Clarion said Walton Street has defaulted on its loan for the Denny Triangle building. Twenty-story Metropolitan Park East and 18-story Metropolitan Park West, nicknamed the "Twin Toasters," were built in the 1980s just off Interstate 5 by longtime Seattle developer Martin Selig. Click to enlarge.

At the start of his trial today at Luton Crown Court, the jury heard Obih admit the killing of PC Henry but deny his murder. He also denies the attempted murder of two window cleaners, Stephen Chamberlain and David Knight, on the same morning and charges of aggravated burglary and assault, in a separate incident on the same day. Prosecutor Richard Latham QC told the court the run-up to the tragic death of PC Henry started on George Street, Luton, at around 7am in the morning. Obih, of Luton, got involved in an argument with Stephen Chamberlain after he refused to move as the window cleaner tried to park his car.  As Mr Chamberlain tried to get him to move, Obih punched the passenger door of the car. Another witness intervened and asked Obih to calm down but he grabbed the passenger door and tried to pull it off its hinges, the court heard.

Mr Latham said: "The defendant for the first time spoke and in a raised voice said something along the lines of: 'Don't you know who I am?"' Police were called and a number of officers were sent, including PC Henry, who had started his shift at 7am that morning. Mr Latham said: "It was at about this time that Chamberlain, standing at the driver's door to his car and facing away from the defendant, was struck in the middle of his back between his shoulder blades by the defendant with his right fist. "Mr Chamberlain reached to his back where he had been hit and discovered that he was bleeding." Obih, who was armed with a knife, left Mr Chamberlain bleeding in a doorway and walked off.

Mr Knight, who had heard the commotion, armed himself with an extendable window cleaning pole and followed Obih who shouted at him: "Take another step and see what follows, I'll stab you". The court heard Obih threw a beer bottle at Mr Knight, narrowly missing him. Police officers arrived at the scene and tried to confront Obih, who refused to drop the knife. Attempts to spray him with CS gas were unsuccessful, the court heard. PC Henry was one of a second pair of officers to arrive and tried to approach Obih from behind. "At this point the defendant draws his attention towards Constable Henry and suddenly he rushed at him and lunged at him, stabbing him in the upper chest area," Mr Latham said.

Illegal workers nabbed: Securitymen affiliated to Kuwait International Airport arrested eight laborers for overstaying in the country during a campaign against residence law violators. The laborers were reportedly working for a cleaning company which was offering services at the airport. The laborers were referred to authorities for further action.

Widower escapes jail after window cleaner caught him viewing child porn: A pensioner who was caught viewing child porn by the window cleaner has been spared jail. Now detectives are urging anyone who has been affected by Simon Mountford's (pictured) behaviour to come forward. It comes after the Mail received a letter claiming he had allegedly committed further crimes. Mountford, 68, of Preston, was found guilty by a jury at Hull Crown Court of downloading and viewing indecent images and movies of children, some of the films and images were at the worst level. He was caught after his window cleaner spotted him viewing the sick images.

Detective Sergeant Rebecca Handley, from Humberside Police, said: "This investigation was long and arduous at times, requiring court orders to assist us with obtaining encrypted files held on his computer when he failed to help us. "It is possible there will be other victims of Mountford's criminal behaviour who have not reported the offences to the police. "I am aware an anonymous letter was written to the Mail in relation to possible further offending and I would urge the author of this letter or anyone who feels they may have been a victim of this man to contact me in confidence." During his trial, Mountford denied downloading the images and blamed hackers for putting them on his computer.

The honorary Recorder of Hull and the East Riding Judge Michael Mettyear said Mountford had come close to being sent to prison. He said: "The offences justify an inevitable prison sentence. I have been very tempted to lock you up immediately." He has been sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years. He has been ordered to attend the Northumbria Sex Offenders Treatment programme and pay £2,200 court costs. The widower had been arrested by police in November 2008 after a window cleaner was polishing his bungalow's kitchen window and saw him looking at child porn.

In England the real celebration is Boxing Day, which falls on December 26, the Feast Day of Saint Stephen the first Christian martyr. Some historians believe that this very British holiday dates back as early as 400 AD, but its roots can definitely be traced to 1500 AD. During the Middle Ages, wealthy merchants filled boxes with food left over from their great Christmas feasts and distributed them to their servants and the less fortunate. Apprentices used earthenware boxes to collect money door to door from their master's clients, and after church services the "Poor Boxes" were opened and money was distributed to the needy."As December twenty-fifth was a working day for people in service to the great houses in Britain, so the next day was theirs to celebrate and to receive gifts and money from their employers. Boxing Day was then and still is a day of appreciation and thanks. When I was a girl in England, I remembered the postman, the milkman, the dustman, and the window cleaner coming to our door the day after Christmas to drink a glass of sherry and receive their Christmas Box and an envelope with money discreetly slipped into their hand at the front door on their way out."

Former deputy prime minister John Prescott (pictured) denies being informed of the details of the contracts with a services company. With a penchant for playing croquet and driving Jaguars, Lord Prescott has always enjoyed the high life. During his time as deputy prime minister, the former Hull East MP was often presented as the link to the working classes. But documents seen by the Mail show he was demanding silver service dining and ordering "only top brands" be stocked in his department's vending machines. Indoor gardeners were told to maintain "healthy and vigorous plants" with a "weed-free" appearance. Taxpayers paid more than £3.5 million over six years for catering, cleaning and building services in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which Lord Prescott held while he was Deputy Prime Minister. Mr Prescott denies being informed of the details of the contracts, which he said were drawn up by civil servants. It also specifies window cleaners must leave "no evidence of run marks, verdigris, stains or finger marks on glass, window ledges, sills, paintwork or surrounds".

TREA awards scholarship to Jackson resident: Taylor Wellinsky, a resident of Jackson, New Jersey, is attending Pennsylvania State University. He is a sophomore Business Administration major. Taylor graduated from Jackson Memorial High School and displayed the makings of a business man, while in high school. He started his own business, TSW Window Washing, while a junior in high school. In addition to achieving academically, Taylor is enthusiastic about exploring his independence and personal growth in college.