50 Animals Squashed Against Glass - You know what’s funny? When someone presses their face against a pane of glass. (Ed. Note: Except when you've just cleaned it.) You know what’s much more hilarious? When animals do the same thing. This post is mostly inspired by the work of a California basset hound named Mr. Hambleypants, and his owner Susan, who takes endless amounts of genius photographs of Hambley furiously licking the backdoor of their home in an effort to be let inside. Thanks to the two of them, I spent the better part of hundreds of hours scouring the internet for the 50 best photographs of animals distorting their faces against panes of glass. And I bring them to you here, in a list I’m calling 50 Animals Squashed Against Glass. You’ll notice that lil’ Hambley P makes more than a single appearance… Feel free to add him as your Myspace friend. See the rest here.
Oops! Why did the other guy get the job? By Jim Mastin Sr: Have you ever tried to land a contract for a window cleaning job, only to be passed by and you could not figure out why? There seemed to be no reason you shouldn’t have gotten that project instead of the other guy. What is the difference in me and him that he got the job instead of me? I have lived long enough to see a couple of generations of contractors and customers go by. I can tell you for sure, you can’t do business today like we did 30, 20, or even 10 years ago. The customer is a different breed than in the past. The information age changed all that for us. For instance, if a home owner wants to make an improvement to their home, they don’t start by calling the local contractor and ask for ideas. Their first contact is “Google”. They search the web and begin gathering information on cabinets, counter tops, appliances, flooring, etc.
We have passed the days when you as a contractor could walk in with a few samples of vinyl flooring and a ring of samples of Formica, and two cabinet doors to choose from. A customer with a laptop and some time can learn more than the average contractor knew a few years ago. They will know about current products, current trends, and in some cases, pretty close to what costs should be, even before looking for a contractor to do the project. The bar has been raised for the contractor, to meet the expectations of the customer. So, the contractor needs to prepare themselves to meet the challenge. So, how do you do that? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Stay on the cutting edge of your trade. Know all you can about the evolving process in your work. Whether you are in landscaping and need to know the latest weed killer or a roofer that needs to be an expert on the many different types of roof coverings available today. Read trade magazines. Search the web. Be a part of contractor forums and see what’s going on. Go to home shows in your area and visit the booths in your trade venue to see what’s going on.
2. Present yourself well. Contractors of the past were “good ole boys” and got along fine. Today we deal with a younger home owner who is more business savvy and expects first class service. They want to get it done, done right, and done as soon as possible. They want an agreement in writing that resembles an actual contract.
3. Join a lead referral service that offers pre-certification for their contractors. This will throw a great deal of weight your direction as far as credibility.
4. Have the required license for your trade and make it available to the customer.
5. Have a printed list of previous customers they can contact for a referral. Better yet, have a short paragraph from several of them on the same sheet
6. Have a copy of your insurance policy for the customer to look over if they wish.
7. So, which one of these did the “other guy” have that you don’t have that got them the job? The answer is to be as prepared in every possible area to present yourself as a reputable, reliable, honest, trustworthy, qualified, and fair contractor. Good luck becoming “the other guy”.
Dutch Window Cleaning Software: "ItsClean" is a complete solution for the cleaning industry including a specialization for the window cleaners. With "ItsClean," AaRiverside offers a software package that is designed from the ground and is distinguished from other packets by its simplicity, practicality and flexibility. The program consists of several modules - by clicking on a module, it will enter a short description of the client. The work is automatically billed per job, per week, per month etc.. There may also be billed based on actual costs. The hours worked are simply imported and then included in the invoice. The automatically generated invoices are processed in the integrated financial administration part of the program. The scheduled tasks are displayed in a graphical planner. The work will be shown with compact information about the project and the employee. If the cursor is placed on the job, some of the data appears as compact as possible (such as the planned hours, address and phone numbers). By a double-click a task, the project opens and all data is visible.
On May 18, 2011 is the ninth edition of the Wall Glazenwassers handlers and Trade Fair held in the Nieuwegein Business Center, Nieuwegein. "AaRiverside ItsClean" will attend this fair. If you interested in the (latest) "ItsClean" features, visit us on the façade and Glazenwassers Cleaners Trade Fair between 9.30 hours and 17.00 hours. On the Tuesday (May 17) at the G & G Trade Fair, for the third time the National Championships hold window cleaning events. AaRiverside sponsors this event. If you are in possession of a diploma SVS, you can show your qualities and perhaps defeat the winner of 2009? This year there is a new initiative: the Speed-Wash competition. Anyone who thinks quickly and can clean to a streak-free standard may participate.
Already imagining―in vivid detail―how you'll spend that tax refund? Let us guess: new roof, window cleaning service, maybe some spiffed-up landscaping. If things are tight until the actual check arrives, take a look at the below deals around town. One of them does fall into the Home Improvement category, while the others are sure to add a little frugal cheer to the first real spring-like week all year long. (Remember to check with the merchant for additional conditions.)
OXO cleans up with a squeegee for every occasion: Take the strain out of your spring cleaning with OXO's versatile collection of squeegees, guaranteed to make household glass sparkle and shine. The large, oval handle of OXO's original household squeegee nestles comfortably in the palm of your hand while the flexible silicone blade whips over flat or curved surfaces in a flash. Perfect for ensuring windows are smudge free everytime, the household squeegee also removes limescale and grime from your bathroom tiles or shower screen. Price: £8.68. Classy cleaners are sure to love OXO's stainless steel squeegee - with its cool contemporary styling you can add a touch of glamour to those household chores. Lightweight and easy to use thanks to its low profile design, the squeegee comes with a suction cup holder so you can neatly store it away or leave it proudly out on display in the bathroom.
The brushed stainless steel finish is extremely easy to maintain unlike highly polished versions, offering classic good looks all year round. And best of all, the stainless steel squeegee is a snip at just £10.21. OXO's mini squeegee really comes into its own when tackling small panes of glass, leaving surfaces gleaming and spot free. Its cute, compact size makes it ideal for cleaning French doors, mirrors and highly polished granite worktops, and works wonders on car windscreens and windows too. Store it in a kitchen drawer or hang it inside your cupboard door with its suction cup. Price: £4.60. Designed to make everyday living that little bit easier, the OXO Good Grips range offers over 200 stylish, yet practical tools for the home including kitchenware, organisational tools, bathroom and cleaning products. The company has also now extended into the nursery with the launch of OXO Tot, an exciting new collection of baby equipment including essential feeding and weaning tools, highchairs and bathing products. The OXO range is widely available from a selection of national retailers.
Automated Window Cleaning System offers optional fan package. Able to clean windows, frames, and exterior of buildings at rate of 17,000-35,000 ft²/hr, Sky Pro® Window Cleaning System has optional dual fan package designed to push brushes against building to optimize scrubbing pressure. Fan package can eliminate need for counterweight arm and is recommended for use on buildings over 30 stories tall, in windy areas, or on buildings subject to unexpected wind gusts. For Green cleaning, Sky Pro uses only filtered water without chemicals or soaps.
Questions about Dawn® Dish Soap: Can I use Dawn to clean things other than dishes? Dawn is so effective in cutting grease on dishes that over the years, consumers have used Dawn on other greasy messes around their homes, from cleaning kitchen messes like grease build up on the stove range hood to oily spots in the garage. Dawn is not recommended for window cleaning, car washing, body wash or washing hair.
Amazing miniature art is a Lilliputian gallery: Quirky photographer Vincent Bousserez loves creating funny inch-idents and you always need to take a second look at his work. He's become an internet sensation, with websites showcasing his collection of 80 photographs which sell for up to £1,800 each. The amusing vignettes show tiny folk sledging on a toilet roll, mowing a stubble lawn, washing windows, quarrying cake and putting out fires. 'They have made me quite famous,' said the Frenchman.
What is Thumbtack? Why can you go online right now and buy any product you want but you can't do the same for tutors, handymen, dog walkers, or other local services? Thumbtack is changing that. Thumbtack isn't like typical local search directories that simply return business listings with ratings and reviews, leaving you no better off than the paper Yellow Pages. Instead, Thumbtack gives you the ability to vet, contact and book service professionals the moment you find them. At Thumbtack, we understand that hiring service professionals requires a high degree of trust. This is why we go out of our way to make sure that our community is held to the highest standards and that you have all the tools you need to feel comfortable hiring someone online. Thumbtack helps you get the job done at the time and place you want, with someone you know you can trust.
In other business, this week, the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners approved a $3,280 contract for window cleaning services from Moses Window Cleaning Services, also on Culman’s recommendation.
Q. When I raised the shades at 7:34 a.m. It was -7 degrees outside and 61 degrees inside at the window (42 percent relative humidity). At 8 a.m., you can see that the condensation had largely evaporated so there was no moisture that reached the sill. Not sure why the internal temperature dropped to 57 degrees, perhaps from the cold coming from the window. I have some concerns about the moisture that sits between the glass and the sash. (You can see it if you zoom in on the photo.) Do you have any ideas on this?
The reason the temperature is 61 degrees at the window when you raised the shade is that the shade kept the ambient temperature warmer while the air caught between the shade and the glass cooled overnight, causing condensation. As soon as you raised the shade, the room air was able to absorb the condensation, but that caused the ambient air at the window to drop a few degrees because the cold air could escape. To prevent damage to the wood sashes, keep a tight paint seal at the glass/wood joint and wipe the moisture as soon as the shades are raised.
Q. Do you have any suggestions to help me wash my windows and not end up with streaks?
A. Professional window washers use a squeegee to remove most of the cleaning fluid and follow it up by wiping with newspapers. What a way to recycle newsprint, and they can be put in your compost bin. (!!!)
Real Estate Sales Heat Up: The exact peak of this period tends to vary each year due to weather, interest rates, and Wall Street bonuses. Many buyers will try to make a purchase in April-May-June which would allow them to close and move June and July and be ready for school in September. One of the busiest closing days is June 30. The next active buying and selling period is mid-September through Thanksgiving. The market then slows down for the holidays and the next cycle begins again after Super Bowl. If a homeowner is an avid sports fan, they really do not want to leave their home and flat screen TV for a public open house or a buyer showing appointment on a Sunday in January. Hence, we tend to go from touchdowns and chili to staging, window cleaning and listing homes for sale as we start the Spring Market all over again.
A man in his 60s was airlifted to hospital after falling more than 30 feet through a glass roof at industrial premises in Park Street, Kidderminster. The incident happened just after 1.45pm yesterday afternoon. One ambulance and the Midlands Air Ambulance based at Cosford attended the scene. A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: A man in his 60s sustained head and shoulder injuries after falling 30 feethrough a glass roof at premises in Park Street, Kidderminster. “The condition of the man was stablised by ambulance staff at the scene and he was placed on a spinal board with a neck collar as a precaution.” The casualty was later airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for further assessment and treatment.
Drive-Thru Large Dead Window: You’re busy – you got plenty of things on the go. The last thing you have time for is to pay your respects when someone passes. But what is a busy mourner to do? You can ask to have the recently deceased displayed in an open casket in the drive-thru display window of Robert L. Adams Mortuary in Compton. In business since 1974, Adams funeral parlor brings the dead to the drive-thru and convenience to the living. There are a few of these parlors running in the US, but this is the only one in Southern California. The drive-thru is located off of the main entrance, is 12 feet wide and features a long glass display window that you can see from the street. “It’s a unique feature that sets us aside from other funeral parlors,” said owner Scott Adams. “You can come by after work, you don’t need to deal with parking, you can sign the book outside and the family knows that you paid your respects.”
Beginning next week, the remaining section of SE Pioneer Way in the downtown area will permanently convert to an eastbound one-way street. The first section of roadway, from City Beach to Dock Street, was converted to a one-way in March when road crews began pulverizing the street. Work on phase two, from Dock Street to Midway Boulevard, is scheduled to begin Monday morning. To combat dusty conditions, Strider will have a water truck on hand. Also, the city has doormats available for businesses and has arranged to begin periodic exterior window cleaning.
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