Robinson-Solutions Professional Window Cleaning

Stained Glass Windows With A Difference

2012-01-30T17:38:00.000+01:00

Transparent Stained Glass Prints Hang in the Church of Geek: You don’t have to be religious at all to enjoy these fantasy prints designed to look like stained glass windows. Created by Marissa Garner of Fay Productions, they incorporate a variety of entertaining subjects from Batman to My Little Pony. Despite just being ink on transparency paper, they’re designed to be taped up to your window or a light box to create a cool stained glass effect.

Characters from the Batman comic book universe.

Or if you fancy the original X-Men, you can get Iceman, Miss Marvel/Jean Grey, Cyclops, Angel and Beast to hang up too. You’ve gotta love Professor Xavier filling everyone’s minds from the center.

Wales’ finest stained glass gets window online: Anyone interested in church history can now view and research more than 2,000 stained glass windows from hundreds of churches in Wales online. From medieval to modern, the windows have been photographed and catalogued in a project by the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. The website allows all the windows to be searched thematically by date, artist or location. The project was initiated by the artist and photographer Martin Crampin. “Stained glass is part of the visual vocabulary of many of our churches, and a pictorial manifestation of the church’s faith and tradition,” he said. “Yet often little is known of the artists or studios that made them, and sometimes the meaning of the windows is unclear to those that worship in their midst today.” The catalogue covers stained glass from medieval times up to the present day, including the fine collections of medieval glass, imported continental glass, work by the large Victorian firms and artists of the arts and crafts movement, as well as more recent windows by artists trained and based in Wales from the second half of the 20th century up to the present day.

Window Cleaning News

2012-01-29T18:37:00.000+01:00

Click to enlarge.

‘They delivered what they promised’ - With an impressive business portfolio including a restaurant, retail operations and hotels, experienced entrepreneur Ali Khandokar quickly recognised the huge potential that commercial cleaning franchise, Totally Clean Solution, had to offer. Having owned and operated a variety of businesses over the years, Ali Khandokar was eager to find a new challenge that would allow him to utilise his management experience and offer him financial security. It was during his visit to a franchise exhibition in 2010, that Ali first discovered commercial cleaning franchise, Totally Clean Solution (TCS).

"Having researched the franchise industry extensively, I felt that franchising offered a more secure route to success," he explains. "I connected well with the TCS management team and their philosophy on business." Upon joining TCS, franchise owners are provided with a minimum of £7,500 worth of cleaning contracts for their first month of trading and a team of cleaners – so you can have your business up and running from day one. Also, as TCS has a dedicated sales team to secure your contracts, there will be no door knocking for you.

Since launching his Brixton-based franchise, Ali has been very impressed with the training and ongoing support the TCS management team has provided. "TCS have delivered what they promised, the training has been excellent," he enthuses. "The support has been very good, particularly the monthly review, which has been useful for keeping track of my business performance against my business plan."

TCS franchise owners and their staff are fully trained in the skills they need, as well as customer appreciation and service. As a fully trained TCS franchise owner, you will offer the following services: contract cleaning, one-off cleans, window cleaning and hotel and housekeeping services. Ali has thoroughly enjoyed being his own boss and is pleased to say that the only challenge he has faced is trying to keep up with the customer demand.

"Quite honestly there haven't been many challenges, but explaining the TCS franchise format to clients has been difficult as they can't believe we can deliver such great services for the contract price," he enthuses. "Learning new skills and meeting new people from all backgrounds and levels has really boosted my confidence. My plan for the future is to build my business to a point where my family and I are financially secure."

Totally Clean Solution (TCS)

Summary of Operation: A ready made commercial cleaning business staffed and operating from day one.. A recession proof business. Training in all aspects of running your business is included. We do the selling - no door knocking for you.
Ideal Franchise Owner Profile: Self-motivated, good sound management background, with the ambition to run own business.
Cost of Franchise: £33,000 + VAT
Year Company Established: 2010
Year of First Franchise Owner: 2010
Training Provided: Operationally to achieve brand standards delivery as well as cleaning standards delivery. Financially with regards to cash flow and profit and loss. Anyone can be a busy fool. Ethically to treat people legally and with the respect they deserve.
Support Services Provided: All invoicing, account collection, sales, full call centre and logisitcs back up. You will receive assistance from the senior management team which has over 70 years of franchise experience. Our operational support system is 'Best in Class'. Financial support that means growth is always affordable – earn your way to a successful business.

Karren Brady, 42, became the youngest managing director of a public company when Birmingham City Football Club floated on the London Stock Exchange. She was also the first woman to hold such a post in the top flight of English football when the club was promoted to the Premier League in 2002. Now vice chairman of West Ham United, she is also a columnist, author and Lord Sugar's sidekick on The Apprentice. She lives in Birmingham with her husband, Paul Peschisolido, 42, and their children Sophia, 15, and Paolo, 13. How do you separate responsibility for financial decisions with your husband? Who takes a stronger role? I do it all. Some years ago a window cleaner was touting for business down our road and knocked at our door when I was out. Paul later told me the quote had seemed a bit expensive – £500. I couldn't believe anyone would charge so much so I asked him to tell me more and it turns out the guy said "five" and Paul, assuming no one would clean windows for £5, had thought he meant £500. He hasn't a clue about money.

From Corporal to Captain: While Johnson is no stranger to aggressive policing tactics, his initial attraction to law enforcement was the potential it offered for helping others. "That's my main goal," he said, "I like to help people." A graduate of the Franklin Learning Center, Johnson signed on to the PPD in 1988 after serving three years of active duty in the Marine Corps as a bulk fuel specialist. In 1992, Johnson was involved in a highly publicized police shooting known as the "Window Washing Charlie shooting," in which a West Philadelphia resident was shot 22 times by police after he pointed what turned out to be an empty gun at them, according to archived reports. He considered leaving the police department, and took classes in nursing at the Community College of Philadelphia.

People Are Strange - Betting Tips for Normal People. He reminded me of my sister's window cleaner who realised he was scared of heights one afternoon. Unfortunately, this epiphany occurred when he was up a ladder throwing a cloth over some dirty panes two storeys up. The fire brigade suggested a change of career.

Patch sits down with the state senator for Southwest Minneapolis and Richfield. What bills will you be introducing this session? Kelash: I’ll be introducing a bill related to window-washer safety and another one supporting the extension of the Mall of America’s Tax Increment Financing district (for infrastructure improvements). There’s great economic development potential there. Also, the jobs bill that the governor is promoting will wind up in my committee.

More Kentucky schools may go green to clean: More Kentucky schools could start using environmentally friendly cleaning products if a bill making its way through the state legislature succeeds. House Bill 146, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Carl Rollins, would direct the Kentucky Department of Education to promote “green cleaning” programs. It sailed through Rollins’ House Education Committee Tuesday morning. Cleaning products are considered “green” when a third-party has determined they are nontoxic and meet standards for health and the environment. Local school officials say they are already using cleaning supplies that are safe for the environment, students and employees. Assistant Superintendent Charley Preston says Franklin County Public Schools buys green cleaning products whenever possible. Supplies are bought at the district level and distributed to each school.

Preston says the products cost about the same amount as conventional cleaners, or a little more. The cost has come down over the last several years, as they have gained in popularity, he said. HB 146 stipulates that the Kentucky’s education officials publish an annual list of preferred green cleaning supplies, including all-purpose cleaners, bathroom cleaners, window and glass cleaners, carpet cleaners, floor care products and hand soaps. The bill directs state education officials to consult with the Department for Environmental Protection and the Kentucky chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council to promote the program and recommend cleaning procedures, local policies and ideas for staff training. Schools that participate would see their names on a statewide list.

Bridport: At last! Peter gets his pineapple: Peter Pinker, a semi-retired window cleaner, persevered in spite of suffering many a horticultural setback over the quarter-century. “All the other ones I’ve grown I’ve over-watered and they rotted, or I’ve left them outside and a cold spell killed them off. But I’m pleased to say that after 25 years of trying I’ve finally got one to bear fruit,” he said. He decided to give it a go back in the Eighties when he read about pineapples in a gardening magazine. In spite of the 15 or so failed attempts, his ‘never say die’ spirit has finally been rewarded with a fruit currently the size of a small aubergine. He grew the plant by cutting the top off a supermarket pineapple and simply planting it in a pot in his conservatory. Tending the plant required just a little water and some tomato fertilizer once a month. But getting it to fruit proved trickier until his wife, Jan, intervened. “She kept getting stabbed by the sharp leaves and told me that either it went or she did,” he joked. “So I cut back the leaves and shortly afterwards the fruit came.” Mr Pinker, who has also grown sweet peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes in his conservatory, has no intention of eating his prize specimen just yet. “I’ll wait and see how big it grows and then I’ll eat it” he said. But he acknowledged that Mrs Pinker might be looking forward to the day it’s gone. “She says I think more of my pineapple than I do her,” he laughed.

Meet the new guy: Ald. Will Burns isn’t a complete stranger to South Loop. Between 2008 and 2010, he represented the 26th District in the Illinois General Assembly, a district that stretched from Gold Coast to South Shore neighborhoods, moving through South Loop along the thin sliver of land east of Michigan Avenue. As an alderman, Burns joined the Reform Caucus his predecessor helped to establish and sponsored a number of reform initiatives. Those include: The Responsible Bidder in Service Contracts ordinance, which would increase scrutiny over bidders for city janitorial, security and window washing contracts. As of this writing, those ordinances are either being held in committee or await City Council vote.

Michael William Sarback: Michael William Sarback, 95, of Stratford, husband of Isabelle Irene Barrett Sarback, died Jan. 20. He was born in Bridgeport to the late William and Mary Sherbatiuk Sarback. Mr. Sarback was the proprietor of Central Window Cleaning, retiring at 88. He was a member of the PAL Cadet Drum Corp, vice commander of the Corp and director of PAL Thunderbird Color Guard. He was an avid UConn, NY Mets, Giants and Rangers fan. One of his favorite pastimes was woodworking where he spent countless hours in his workshop creating items nothing less than beautiful, his family said.

Is this the best husband ever? The man who combines his workout with housekeeping: Housekeeping and exercise are both chores that, though essential, can be tedious to carry out on a regular basis. But one man believes he has found a solution that is both time-effective and fun: combining the two to create a cleaning regime that doubles as a workout. Steve Markovich, 57, from Crescent Springs, Kentucky, has perfected his hybrid routine over the past 16 years. Marrying popular resistance-training methods with day-to-day housework, it comprises vacuum lunges, window-cleaning squats, sofa-lifting and even kitchen karate kicks.

Modified bath salts now appearing under new labels: Drugs similar to recently banned bath salts are back in some convenience stores in the Upstate, now packaged as glass cleaner. Bath salts were banned in South Carolina in October, but the bans failed to include modified drugs in the same chemical family. State Rep. Anne Thayer of Belton has filed a bill that would extend the ban to similar stimulants. Thayer says the bill will likely make it to the House floor on Tuesday. Bath salts, the term for powdery, paranoia-inducing drugs, were sold in gas stations and some head shops before bans at the federal, state, county and municipal levels last year. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration deemed mephedrone, methylone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone or MDPV, three common stimulants found in bath salts, as controlled substances in October. The same ban included synthetic marijuana. According to a forensic chemist, there are 45 modified versions of stimulants found in bath salts. This week the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office discovered a package marketed as glass cleaner. A December seizure by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office of $39,000 worth of bath salts at Randy’s Smoke ‘n Holes in Anderson included several packages labeled glass cleaner, spokesman Chad McBride said. Manufacturers of the stimulants are skirting the law, marketing stimulants as harmful as the original three banned for the DEA. The stimulants are being sold not only as glass cleaner but also as window cleaner, plant food and axle grease.

Lawmakers also discussed legislative plans to ban synthetic drugs. Lundberg said he “went into a head shop” to find out what it’s like to buy the synthetic drug known as “bath salts.” “I said ‘I would like to buy some bath salts,’ and they said ‘We don’t sell bath salts,’” Lundberg said of the experience. “(They said) ‘We sell window cleaner.’ I said ‘OK where do I get the window cleaner?’ He opened up a strongbox and brought up a little vial. ... I said ‘OK, I’m not going to get through many windows with that.’” State Rep. Tony Shipley, who is advancing legislation to create new felonies for manufacturing, distributing and selling synthetic drugs, described a meeting he had with school students to discuss the issue.

Brighter, bigger, wider: interior design using glass: Lang believes glass is the simplest method to attain an open living area. He uses glass not only as a window to the outside world but also as a form of furnishing, as a stair, as a floor-window or as a sliding door. Glass was first used to divide up space in offices and businesses. Only later did it find a wider use in homes. 'It's mostly used to allow light to enter the interior from the building's facade. Sometimes it's used to allow light to pass from room to room,' says Johannes Berschneider, an interior designer. Glass can also play a role in energy-saving such as by using a skylight to allow natural light into a walk-in wardrobe. Glass partitions are gaining in popularity. 'What people often want today is more flexible use of space,' says Berschneider. If you want a clear view from the dining table, through the kitchen and into your living room, then glass is the best why to get it. On the other hand a glass partition can instantly give an open plan area a more private atmosphere. But how can transparent glass generate an intimate and private feeling? 'You can make the surface of glass translucent or matt by sand-blasting it or using acid,' says Jochen Groenegraes from Germany's Bundesverband Flachglas, an umbrella organisation that represents the glass manufacturing and retail sector in the country. Translucent glass has given architects more scope for design. 'Glass gets really interesting when it's used in an artistic way,' says Lang. That arty look can be achieved by using especially clear Optiwhite glass or reflective glass, which is often used in spa areas to mirror water. Translucent glass for home use does not need to be exclusively matt or enamelled but can also be printed with photographs and patterns. Varnished glass can be used as a floor covering or as an alternative to tiling on walls. When using glass on floors and walls safety aspects begin to play a major role. 'You must use safety glass in the home,' advises Groenegraes. Only use laminated safety glass in flooring or as an overhead window. Laminated glass consists of two layers of glass bonded together by a middle layer of plastic resin to prevent it from shattering. For other uses in the home, tempered glass will usually provide an adequate standard of safety. If safety is your top consideration then you can rest assured that glass can find a place in the home. But even the experts think glass is not suitable for every application. 'Glass is not a material that a person will feel most comfortable in,' says Berschneider. 'Glass steps always feel smooth and I hate it when a ceramic coffee cup clatters on a glass table surface.'

Window size: The size of the house windows determine whether it will be cool or not. The bigger the windows, the cooler the house will be. Large windows allow in a lot of cool air and allow hot air out easily. However, for this purpose to be fully served, Pagril says the size of the fraction of the window that opens has a part to play. “In the case of sliding windows, they might be big but because its only one fraction of the window that opens, it limits the air coming in and out whereas in the case of shutters, because both windows open, they will allow in more cool air,” he says. Pagril adds that with the new way of construction, most people have the tendency of having the ventilators fixed with the windows. In this case, when you place the curtains, they will end up covering the ventilators thus limiting the aeration in the house. So it is important that when constructing, people consider the old style of constructing by having the ventilators above the window because these contribute towards the air circulation in the house.

Firm's weather products create storm of interest: It's handiwork can be found all over the globe, from the depths of the Amazon jungle to top of soaring Asian skyscrapers. And now a small North East firm, whose success shows that Britain is not the only weather-obsessed nation, is preparing to break into the vast US market. North Shields-based Environmental Measurements Limited (EML), and its team of six, supplies rain and wind gauges to markets across the world, including China, Russia, Turkey and Korea. Closer to home, on top of the towering Milburn Stand at St James’ Park, EML’s wind gauges are used to determine whether or not conditions are safe for window cleaners to go to work on the glass exterior of the stadium. The company produces wind,speed and direction sensors, aerodynamic rain gauges, data-loggers and automatic weather stations.

Man jailed for burglary and drug-related offences: A young man who targeted maisonettes and flats in Bukit Batok and Jurong West to break in was packed off to jail for 42 months on Friday for burglary and drug-related offences. Adam Jamaluddin's crime spree lasted about five months before he was caught by the police at his home on Nov 18 last year. The total amount of property he stole was worth approximately $37,500 of which $8,110 worth of goods had been recovered. The 21-year-old former window cleaner, who faced 23 charges, pleaded guilty to six charges of housebreaking and theft and one each of heroin possession and consumption.

Vinyl windows: Vinyl windows should get a yearly inspection. Clean window tracks of debris, says Burt Harold, a rep for Pella Windows. Make sure weatherstripping is sound and making proper contact. Replace as needed. When cleaning, never use abrasives, which can damage the window's vinyl skin. If you need to lubricate a track, use pure silicone spray, not WD-40. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for caulking. When washing windows, be aware that bleach can discolor dark vinyl colors. And, remember, window films can void your warranty.

Looking Up & Drugs Killed This Window Cleaner

2012-01-28T22:30:00.000+01:00

Window washer Winnipegger Wayne Hamilton suffered a fatal heart attack and stroke in September 2004 after taking Vioxx for nearly two years. Hamilton's widow claimed the drug caused his death, and Wilder's firm filed the man's suit barely a week after Vioxx was pulled from the market.

Millions to be paid out in heart attack drug settlement: A few hundred Manitobans could be eligible for part of a settlement that was recently reached in one of the largest and most complex pharmaceutical lawsuits in Canadian history. Late last week, pharmaceutical giant Merck reached a settlement with thousands of Canadians involved in a class-action lawsuit with the company over its former Vioxx drug, which was pulled off the market in September 2004.

The company has agreed to pay between $21.8 million and $36.9 million to a pool of eligible claimants whose family members took Vioxx then suffered heart attacks, sudden cardiac deaths or strokes. At least 200 Manitobans and 1,300 other Canadians will likely be eligible, with the potential for more, said Sam Wilder, a senior partner with the Winnipeg law firm Wilder Wilder & Langtry, which was among the first in Canada to file suit against the drug-maker in the fall of 2004.

"Some families have been waiting more than seven years, so people are very happy to see the end of this," Wilder said. "In Canada it's quite a large settlement for a pharmaceutical case. It was a difficult case because every individual has a different result (depending on their medical history and other factors). It was probably one of the most complex pieces of litigation in any pharma-related case in Canada." Merck issued a statement last week saying the settlement "does not constitute any admission of liability."

According to the statement, Merck "continues to believe that the evidence shows the company acted responsibly with Vioxx, from the careful study in clinical trials involving about 10,000 patients before its approval by regulatory authorities around the world, through the careful safety monitoring while Vioxx was on the market, right up through the decision to voluntarily withdraw the medicine." Wilder said the settlement was reached "on the basis of scientific evidence," noting the evidence was strongest with respect to people suffering heart attacks within 60 days of taking Vioxx.

Winnipegger Wayne Hamilton suffered a fatal heart attack and stroke in September 2004 after taking Vioxx for nearly two years. “He was a window washer and took Vioxx simply because he had neck problems from looking up,” Wilder said. Hamilton’s widow claimed the drug caused his death, and Wilder’s firm filed the man’s suit barely a week after Vioxx was pulled from the market. It was among the first in Canada, but similar suits quickly followed, leading to a class action that was certified in Ontario a few years ago.

Courts in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Quebec must now approve the settlement, after which anyone wishing to join the claim will have four months to do so. After that the settlement — minus $9.5 million for legal costs, administration and payments to provincial governments — will be divided up among the successful claimants. The individual amounts will be based on a points system that depends on medical history, age, habits, and circumstances of the case.

Still believe that Pharmaceutical Industries are only it in for your health? ...

Magnetic Soap Could Revolutionise Cleaning

2012-01-27T20:39:00.000+01:00

A droplet containing the soap is attracted to the magnet at left.

Magnetic soap could help in oil spill clean-ups: An international team of scientists has demonstrated the first soap that responds to magnets. This means the soap and the materials that it dissolves can be removed easily by applying a magnetic field. Experts say that with further development, it could find applications in cleaning up oil spills and waste water.

Details of the new soap, which contains iron atoms, are reported in the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie. It is similar to ordinary soap, but the atoms of iron help form tiny particles that are easily removed magnetically. "If you'd have said about 10 years ago to a chemist: 'Let's have some soap that responds to magnets', they'd have looked at you with a very blank face," said co-author Julian Eastoe of the University of Bristol. He told BBC News: "We were interested to see, if you went back to the chemical drawing board with the tool-kit of modern synthetic chemistry, if you could...design one."

Soap is made of long molecules with ends that behave differently: One end of the molecule is attracted to water and the other is repelled by it. The "detergent" action of soap comes from its ability to attach to oily, grimy surfaces, with the "water-hating" end breaking up molecules at that surface. The soap molecules then gather up into droplets in which all the "water-loving" ends face outward. Prof Eastoe and his team started with detergent molecules that he said were "very similar to what you'd find in your kitchen or bathroom" - one of which can be found in mouthwash. The team found a way to simply add iron atoms into the molecules. The droplets that the soap formed were attracted to a magnet, just as iron filings would be.

The soap could make for a far easier means of gathering oil from spills.

But single iron atoms would not behave as tiny individual magnets, so some other process had to be at work. To get a look at what was going on in the chemical process required a view at the molecular level. So the team sent their samples to the Institute Laue Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, France, where an intense beam of the sub-atomic particles known as neutrons shed light on the matter. They saw that the iron particles were clumping neatly together into iron nanoparticles, tiny clumps of iron that could in fact respond to a magnetic field.

Prof Eastoe said the research was still at the laboratory stages but was already the subject of discussion. "The research at the University of Bristol in this field is about how we can take the ordinary and give it extraordinary properties by chemical design," he said. "We have uncovered the principle by which you can generate this kind of material and now it's back to the drawing board to make it better."

Scientists Produce World's First Magnetic Soap: Scientists from Bristol University have developed a soap, composed of iron rich salts dissolved in water, that responds to a magnetic field when placed in solution. The soap’s magnetic properties were shown with neutrons at the Institut Laue-Langevin to result from tiny iron-rich clumps that sit within the watery solution. The generation of this property in a fully functional soap could calm concerns over the use of soaps in oil-spill clean ups and revolutionise industrial cleaning products.

Scientists have long been searching for a way to control soaps (or surfactants as they are known in industry) once they are in solution to increase their ability to dissolve oils in water and then remove them from a system. The team at Bristol University have previously worked on soaps sensitive to light, carbon dioxide or changes in pH, temperature or pressure. Their latest breakthrough, reported in Angewandte Chemie, is the world’s first soap sensitive to a magnetic field.

Ionic liquid surfactants, composed mostly of water with some transition metal complexes (heavy metals like iron bound to halides such as bromine or chlorine) have been suggested as potentially controllable by magnets for some time, but it had always been assumed that their metallic centres were too isolated within the solution, preventing the long-range interactions required to be magnetically active.

The team at Bristol, lead by Professor Julian Eastoe produced their magnetic soap by dissolving iron in a range of inert surfactant materials composed of chloride and bromide ions, very similar to those found in everyday mouthwash or fabric conditioner. The addition of the iron creates metallic centres within the soap particles.

To test its properties, the team introduced a magnet to a test tube containing their new soap lying beneath a less dense organic solution. When the magnet was introduced the iron-rich soap overcame both gravity and surface tension between the water and oil, to levitate through the organic solvent and reach the source of the magnetic energy, proving its magnetic properties.

Once the surfactant was developed and shown to be magnetic, Prof Eastoe’s team took it to the Institut Laue-Langevin, the world’s flagship centre for neutron science, and home to the world’s most intense neutron source, to investigate the science behind its remarkable property.

When surfactants are added to water they are known to form tiny clumps (particles called micelles). Scientists at ILL used a technique called “small angle neutron scattering (SANS)” to confirm that it was this clumping of the iron-rich surfactant that brought about its magnetic properties.

Dr Isabelle Grillo, responsible of the Chemistry Laboratories at ILL: “The particles of surfactant in solution are small and thus difficult to see using light but are easily revealed by SANS which we use to investigate the structure and behaviour of all types of materials with typical sizes ranging from the nanometer to the tenth of micrometer.”

Up, up and away: This photo shows the magnetic soap rising up through the test tube.

The potential applications of magnetic surfactants are huge. Their responsiveness to external stimuli allows a range of properties, such as their electrical conductivity, melting point, the size and shape of aggregates and how readily its dissolves in water to be altered by a simple magnetic on and off switch. Traditionally these factors, which are key to the effective application of soaps in a variety of industrial settings, could only be controlled by adding an electric charge or changing the pH, temperature or pressure of the system, all changes that irreversibly alter the system composition and cost money to remediate.

Its magnetic properties also makes it easier to round up and remove from a system once it has been added, suggesting further applications in environmental clean ups and water treatment. Scientific experiments which require precise control of liquid droplets could also be made easier with the addition of this surfactant and a magnetic field.

Professor Julian Eastoe, University of Bristol: “As most magnets are metals, from a purely scientific point of view these ionic liquid surfactants are highly unusual, making them a particularly interesting discovery. From a commercial point of view, though these exact liquids aren’t yet ready to appear in any household product, by proving that magnetic soaps can be developed, future work can reproduce the same phenomenon in more commercially viable liquids for a range of applications from water treatment to industrial cleaning products.”

Peter Dowding an industrial chemist, not involved in the research: “Any systems which act only when responding to an outside stimulus that has no effect on its composition is a major breakthrough as you can create products which only work when they are needed to. Also the ability to remove the surfactant after it has been added widens the potential applications to environmentally sensitive areas like oil spill clean ups where in the past concerns have been raised.”

Kansas Kauffman Klean

2012-01-26T17:47:00.000+01:00

Click to enlarge all pictures in this series.

Jeremy Lamb, of Excelsior Springs, uses high-pressure hot water to clean the exterior of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Kansas City on Wednesday, Jan. 25. Lamb, a 20-year- veteran of high-rise window washing, uses a main line and a safety line to dangle from the center. Lamb, a supervisor with Shawnee Mission-based MTB Services, has been working on cleaning the interior and the exterior and the exterior of the building for about a month. He plans to be finished by this weekend.

What began as a sketch on a napkin has become an architectural icon and home for the performing arts in Kansas City. The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts has changed Kansas City’s skyline, as well as the experiences of artists and audiences throughout the region. Designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the building’s most distinctive features are the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Theatre, Helzberg Hall, Brandmeyer Great Hall, its acoustical design and accessibility.

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts being built.

Each space contains dramatic eye- and ear- catching design that combines sophisticated aesthetics, acoustics and technology with the intimacy of a smaller space and the comforts of home.

The building Features nearly 285,000-square-foot facility with two main performance halls. Exterior surfaces include glass, pre-cast concrete and bead-blasted stainless steel. 27 cables are anchored by the weight of the pre-cast walls and hold up the glass in the lobby. It also has 196 public restroom stalls in the building!

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Click to enlarge.

The Day's Best: A window washer works on the side of a hotel, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Atlanta.

Energy Efficient Windows Melting Houses & Cars

2012-01-25T20:17:00.000+01:00

Energy Efficient Windows Melt Vinyl Siding: Boston - Deb Vincequere's home in Worcester, Mass., is a mess because her vinyl siding is melting. "It's so upsetting I could cry. I'm not kidding you. I cry all the time. It's buckling, it's lifting off the house, it's curling up, it's just totally ruined," Vincequere told Team 5.

Carolyn Dillon of Watertown, Mass., is also upset with the way her home looks. "I'm horrified. I think it was almost a $10,000 job," said Dillon, who installed different vinyl siding but experienced the same melting problem. "About 15-16 pieces have dents or rolling areas in them." In both cases, local building inspectors said the damage was caused by sunlight bouncing off double-pane energy efficient windows on nearby homes.

Windows called low-e glass or low-emittance are energy efficient and even required by some building codes. But they can also warp inward and act like a magnifying glass, concentrating too much heat on nearby homes. Gerry Brady from Infrared New England recently studied Vincequere's house. "This looks like someone took a blow torch to it."

Normal vinyl siding begins to be soften and distort at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. "We had temperatures that were 248 degrees Fahrenheit," reported Brady. Both the Vinyl Siding Institute and the National Association of Home Builders acknowledge the problem, but say it is not widespread and the siding and windows are not defective.

A recent study by the association found that a combination of contributing factors must be present before the effect occurs, including concavity in the double glass panes, a low angle of sunlight and close proximity to adjacent homes. Any double-pane window can cause this effect, but the group reported that double pane low-e windows are more likely to cause the problem. "My home is ruined and at no fault of mine whatsoever," said Vincequere.

Vincequere's warranty has expired and Dillon's warranty specifically excludes damage caused by heat or reflection from windows. "I was shocked," said Dillon. Both Vincequere and Dillon told Team 5 they were shocked that no one is warning homeowners melting siding can occur. "They're not doing anything about it and that's what really bothers me," said Vincequere. A state spokesman for the state Board of Building Regulations and Standards told Team 5 Investigates they are researching the problem and their responsibility to homeowners and will discuss both at a meeting next month.

Woman Claims Neighbor’s Energy Efficient Windows Are Melting Her Toyota Prius: A SoCal woman says the energy efficient window installed in a neighbor’s condominium is melting the plastic components on cars parked in her carport. Heather Patron of Studio City was dealing with a mystery regarding her Toyota Prius. “The side view mirrors were melting,” says Patron. “Anything that was plastic on the car was melting.”

Toyota told Patron nothing was wrong with the car. After having the mirrors replaced, she noticed the mirrors on the car parked next to hers were also melting. Patron then observed a powerful beam of light that was reflecting off the window of a next door condominium, casting a concentrated beam over her carport. CBS2’s Randy Paige placed a thermometer in the pathway of the beam on a partially cloudy day. The temperature registered over 120 degrees in less than five minutes. “I’m positive that this window is what is causing the damage to my car,” says Patron.

Patron is not alone. Reports across the country have alleged damages brought on by concentrated sunlight reflected off of energy efficient windows. The National Association of Home Builders is now conducting a study on the matter. “I just don’t feel like it’s fair,” says Patron. “I feel like it needs to be known that this is happening. And a lot of people probably have damage out there, that they aren’t aware that it’s the windows that are causing this.”

The Los Angeles City Department of Building and Safety says even if the window is the source of the damage, there are no code violations involved. The department says it’s not against the law to install a window that reflects sunlight.

Energy-efficient windows intensify fire: South Buffalo, N.Y. - Firefighters were right around the corner when fire broke out in South Buffalo Tuesday night. They made two searches of a burning Seneca Street house, but learned none of the three residents were inside. Division Chief John Mogavero says improvements to the house actually intensified the fire.

"Energy-efficient windows are fantastic, but the trouble is, not only do they keep the cold out, they keep the heat in. And when you have a fire like this, it keeps the smoke contained, the heat contained, it's an oven effect almost," explained Mogavero. The fire left $75,000 in damage to the house.

Low E Glass - A quick guide (Previous blog).

The New Aqua-dapter® Mk3 WFP Controller

2012-01-24T19:58:00.000+01:00

The Aqua-dapter® Mk3 is here! Available for immediate despatch, the Aqua-dapter® Mk3…
is lighter, easier to fit, doesn’t need a Clamp & comes in a choice of colour (Silver, Blue, Red, Gold)

Click to enlarge.

We’ve continued to work on making the Aqua-dapter lighter, without sacrificing it’s durability and robustness. Here’s more information about the main differences:

Now 180g – 35g lighter than a Mk2 with End Screw Adapter and Push Fit Straight Connector
The design no longer includes the Aluminium pipe, so the Aqua-dapter is faster and easier to fit… feed the hose through the pole and out of the top, push the hose into the connector, screw the No.1 section of the pole into the Aqua-dapter® – that’s it!
The Aqua-dapter now has an integral screw thread so it fits directly onto most poles with the need for an End Screw Adapter or Clamp – no clamp to get caught on cills (or anything else) and fitting is easier.
A robust push-fit connector is now fitted inside the body of the Aqua-dapter®; protected from any knocks or bangs when fitting or in use, so increasing durability (and no Aluminium pipe needed).
Available in new anodized colours: Silver, Blue, Red and Gold.

Buy your Mk3 Aqua-dapter direct from www.aqua-dapter.co.uk or from your favourite Stockist. (USA here). see previous blogs on Aqua-adapter here.

Technicolor Window Cleaning - A Glass Act

2012-01-23T19:53:00.000+01:00

Technicolor videos & groovy sounds from "A Glass Act" in Spokane, WA.

Highrise Window Ninja on South Tower One with David the veteran.

The best of the best on the Chronicle Building with Mark R, Mark M, Micheal, Johnny, and David.

Highrise window washer on death's corner with Mark doing a 21 story corner drop.

Professional Window cleaning in Spokane Valley: 28 windows, with 7 anodized lower panels also, in just five minutes eight seconds... high detail.

How To Recharge DI Resin

2012-01-22T16:31:00.000+01:00

How to Recharge DI resin by David Sanders: Before starting, I would like to mention that some information available on the web would have you believe that a full body hazmat suit is needed to safely use the two chemicals necessary to recharge de-ionizing resin (DI). If common sense is used, you'll be safe. Most homes have had these chemicals to some extent in the cupboards below the sink. Acids like muriatic or hydrochloride are used to remove scale from showers and toilets. Lye has been used to clear drains and cut grease for years. Your grandparent may have used lye soap also. The muriatic acid is stronger than packaged bathroom cleaners. I did get small amounts on my skin and it felt like a mosquito bite. When I realized that it was not, I washed my hands and all was good. Some chlorine gas comes out of the bottle and when it is mixed, so don't sniff the bottle. I mention this because those without common sense should not attempt this project.

A little more than a year ago I was poking around on the web, I found a few companies that regenerated DI resin. I began to look for a way to do it myself. I ran across an article on reefs.org that explained what I was looking for. Although their finished result was the same as what we do, their canister had a drain. The drain allows the resin to be regenerated in the canisters. Most canisters on the market do not have this drain, so another solution was needed.

First gather up the products needed. The chemicals can be found at Lowe's and the tools at Wal-Mart. The lye is found at Lowe's in the pluming section. It is used for clearing drains and made by a company called Roebic, and is 100% sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), listed as lye on the back of the bottle. The muriatic acid is found in the paint department. The mixing bottles must hold 16 oz. of fluid. I now use an old lye bottle; it is sturdy and holds up to the heat. The two containers used to separate the resins came from Wal-Mart and hold 64 oz. each. I also needed a large colander, window sheer as a filter, a stir stick, 5 oz. measuring cup (large shot glass), two 32 oz. tumblers, and two 5 gallon buckets. When I first did this process I used a turkey baster and coffee filters. The turkey baster was used to separate the resin, and the coffee filters where used to filter the resin. I will show both processes. Obviously, you need a decent amount of used DI resin. During the recharging process, a little bit of resin will be lost, so it is best to have a few cartridges of resin saved up. Read the full process with pictures here.

Use these instructions at your own risk. The chemicals used in this procedure are very dangerous and must be used with a great deal of caution. It is recommended that you wear protective gloves and goggles when performing the following procedure.

12 ounce can of Red Devil Pure Lye (good for 2-3 recharges) ~$2
One gallon Muriatic acid (good for about 20 recharges) ~$3
Turkey baster
Plastic container, 1/2 gallon or so... a deep bowl will work
Plastic bottle - needs to be fairly tough. Use one that holds atleast 12 fluid ounces, marked measurements are a bonus
Measuring cup, 24 fluid ounce or larger
Glass or plastic stirring rod
About 5 gallons DI water (tap water will suffice) for rinsing resins
5 gallon bucket
Activated filter carbon
Rubber gloves/goggles, just in case

How to Clean DI Resin: Deionized resin, or DI resin, is an essential component in the deionization process. The resin is able to bind to and filter out mineral salts, including sodium and copper, thus cleaning water. The filtration process is used anywhere people require high-purity water, including laboratories and fish aquariums. With use, the DI resin will eventually become exhausted and dirty. However, you can recharge and clean your DI resin with chemical baths.

Pour 11 oz. of reverse-osmosis deionized water into a 16 oz. glass bottle. Add 3 oz. of lye. Make sure to pour the water in the bottle first, before the lye, to avoid unwanted splashing of the chemical. Seal the bottle with its lid.
Place the glass bottle holding the solution into a bucket of ice-cold water. Gently shake the glass bottle and its solution to ensure that the lye doesn't settle on the bottom. Mixing lye and water creates heat, so this step will ensure it's cool enough to work with. Leave the bottle in the ice water for 15 minutes.
Put the dirty DI resin you wish to clean in a 64 oz. glass container. Pour the cooled lye solution into this container.
Stir the resin and the lye solution together using a plastic or wooden stick. The lye should be evenly dispersed among the resin. Let the mixture sit for five minutes. The DI resins will separate, with the cleaned and charged resins floating to the top. The completely exhausted and dirty resin, which can no longer be used in this state, will sink to the bottom.
Collect the cleaned and charged resin from the surface of the solution using a turkey baster.
Put the cleaned resin into a coffee filter. Run RO/DI water over the resin to completely remove the lye solution. It is now ready for use. Store it in a secure glass container and put it aside.
Separate the exhausted resin from the lye solution using a turkey baster. Place it in a coffee filter and thoroughly wash off any lye solution. Place the cleaned resin in a 64 oz. glass bottle.
Mix 6 oz. of muriatic acid with 6 ounce of RO/DI water in a 16 oz. glass bottle.
Pour the acid solution into the 64 oz. bottle holding the exhausted resin. Mix it with a stirring stick. Let the solution sit for one hour. The color of the DI resin should change to purple, meaning that it's recharged and clean.
Collect the newly-cleaned DI resin from the bottle. Wash the resin with RO/DI water in a coffee filter to ensure you remove all of the acid solution. This resin is now clean and ready for use. Store it in a secure container until you're ready to use it.

Samsungs Smart Window: Part Window, Part Touch Screen

2012-01-21T19:42:00.000+01:00

Samsung's Smart Window: Part-window, part-touch screen. Cue the Minority Report references. A “smart window” from Samsung took away the award for innovation at CES this year. What’s a smart window, and why do you need one right away?

There’s a bit of uncertainty around the term, it seems. When we introduced to you “smart windows” from Soladigm in August of 2010, we were referring to “tunable” windows that ran an electric current to adjust the amount of light that was let in. Here was a smart window like a smart meter, designed to save energy.

Samsung’s concept of a smart window is very different: basically, it would turn your window into something a lot more like an iPad. If windows and touchscreens had offspring, Samsung’s product would be it. The inevitable references to Minority Report abound.

The device is really a transparent touchscreen LCD that can be fitted to any window, so long as it’s no longer than some 46 inches. Resolution is 1366 x 768 pixels, reportedly. During the day, illumination is provided from outside. At night, built-in lights kick in. A video from Samsung video gives a nice overview:

At first glance, the window, while cool, isn’t necessarily innovative: it just brings all the apps and widgets we’ve come to love to your window. But Samsung has included a few unique touches. My favorite is the “blinds” feature, where with the swipe of your finger, you can open and close virtual blinds that will actually blot out the light.

A video report from MobileNations says that mass production will begin “in the coming months.” Samsung has indicated an intention to put the thing out by the end of the year. No word on price yet.

Aren’t there privacy concerns, as windows become devices for browsing, tweeting, and watching TV? Samsung assures that your neighbors won’t be able to see what you’re doing; the glass works like a one-way mirror when viewed from the outside.

Here’s the main problem with Samsung’s “smart window” concept, though: touchscreens, as Steve Jobs said, “don’t want to be vertical”--holding your arm out to fiddle with them just plain doesn’t feel nice, as I addressed in a post earlier in the week. Does that mean the only suitable market for a Samsung smart window is a glass-bottom boat? Maybe the "smarter" windows are Soladigm's after all.

Fun With Interactive Back Seat Windows: When I was kid, back seat entertainment on long car rides consisted of this: watching rain drops drag race down the window and fogging up the glass with my breath so I could draw lightning bolts on it with my finger. We've come a long way since then. DVD players, video game consoles and LCD monitors embedded into the head rests are now considered the vanguard of automotive babysitting. Furrow-browed parents yelling, "Quiet down back there!" have all but evaporated into the past.

Now, GM is developing a way to kids looking out the window again. Or at least, at it. The automaker basically handed over the reins to some researchers and students from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Israel to design applications that would run on back passenger seat windows. The "Windows of Opportunity" project (WOO takes advantage of electrically charged "smart glass" technology, which can reflect projected images but is still transparent.

The students produced a fully functional, full-scaled prototype on which they demoed their apps. Eye Click's motion and optical sensors equipped the window with multi-touch and gesture-sensing capabilities. Ironically, some of the ideas students came up with were quite similar to the pre-tech back seat window games of yore. For example, the Foofu app. It's essentially identical to fogging up the window with your breath and finger drawing, only with colored "condensation."

The Otto app also nods to an old favorite I remember achieving while holding a Superman action figure up to the window. The app features an animated character that is projected over passing scenery on the window, giving users the impression that the character is flying over the horizon as it responds in real time to the car's speed, weather and landscape.

Occupational Safety & Sleep

2012-01-20T21:02:00.000+01:00

High-rise window cleaner Alan Chavez with his 11-month-old daughter Luanna.

Exhausted new fathers face greater safety risk at work: Alan Chavez usually thinks nothing of abseiling down a 30-storey building to clean the windows. But after his daughter Luanna was born 11 months ago, the ''rope access technician'' became a bit concerned.

The trouble was fatigue caused by too little sleep. After a broken night, he had to get up at 5am to go to work. ''It's potentially dangerous work but if you do things in a good way and concentrate you'll be fine,'' he said. ''That's pretty hard to do when you're really tired.'' A lot of fathers of infants are suffering fatigue, a new study shows, and it can have ramifications for workplace safety, especially for men who are doing physically demanding work or handling machinery.

The study's lead author, Gary Mellor, a senior lecturer in the school of health and human sciences at Southern Cross University, has called for employers to be more aware of and sympathetic to the fatigue experienced by men during early fatherhood and do what they can to help. ''This is secret men's business,'' he said. ''They usually keep it to themselves.'' Dr Mellor has also asked fathers to consider negotiating different ways of taking leave - a week or two taken straight after the birth is not necessarily the best option because fatigue worsens over time.

The study of 241 fathers was taken at two points during their babies' first three months and found the more fatigued they were, the less they complied with safety practices. Fathers who reported fatigue were 36 per cent more likely to have ''near misses'' at work. The vast majority experienced broken sleep when their babies were six weeks old. On average, they were woken two to three times a night and slept 5½ hours.

At 12 weeks, the fathers managed a bit more sleep yet, paradoxically, were likely to feel worse. By then, three-quarters suffered from fatigue at least ''some of the time'' compared with 65 per cent at the six-week period. This is a dramatically higher rate than for the general population, where fatigue is a problem for 20 to 30 per cent of people, the study says. Dr Mellor said fatigue accumulated because the men were never able to recover. ''Fathers might benefit from using leave by working fewer days a week, having later start or earlier finish times, or long weekends,'' he said.

If mothers are rolling their eyes in mock sympathy at this tale, Dr Mellor reminds them the men in the study - not a randomised sample - were working, on average, 49 hours a week. This is more than the national average of 43 hours but indicative of the long work hours of fathers facing greater financial needs. A high proportion worked at physically demanding jobs, especially in trade construction and manufacturing. As for notorious short sleepers, such as Kevin Rudd or Margaret Thatcher, who ran a country on much less than six hours, Dr Mellor says they are helped by an entourage and can delegate.

The findings, part of a larger study, are published in the American Journal of Men's Health. Mr Chavez said the most difficult time was a few months after his daughter's birth, but he had not made any mistakes at work. ''I felt like going back home to bed but the bills come first,'' he said. ''I'm not the only one in the world to go through this.''

Window Cleaning News

2012-01-19T23:01:00.001+01:00

GUILTY: John Flynn admitted working with no licence as a window cleaner in Aberdeen.

Drunk Aberdeen window cleaner worked without licence: An illegal window cleaner who was often drunk while working has been warned he could face jail. John Flynn worked as an unlicensed window cleaner in the Rosemount area of Aberdeen for more than 18 months before being caught. Police inquiries uncovered that he had frequently worked drunkenly and at least one customer was forced to ask him to leave due to his inebriated state. Flynn, 56, whose address was given in court papers as 12c Rosemount Place, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to working without a licence at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, and will be sentenced next month.

A video has emerged which appears to show a ghostly-looking figure resembling Princess Diana in a stained glass window. The video was shot by Chinese tourists in Scotland and has been described by paranormal writer Michael Cohen - who was sent the video - as one of the "clearest" paranormal images he has come across. It is understood the footage was taken inside a church in Glasgow, which some who have seen the video say might be significant, as the Princess of Wales' mother spent a lot her life in Scotland, passing away there in 2004. The video-takers did not notice Diana when they took the footage but saw the image when they played their holiday video back when they got home. Michael Cohen said: "The footage is currently being examined by myself and other researchers to ascertain if it is a genuine ghost capture. It might be a bizarre optical illusion, but then again, it could be a ghost - possibly Princess Diana's. "Ghosts often appear in places connected to their lives and families. Ghosts might appear to warn individuals, groups and even entire nations of possible impending danger." The footage is being used in an upcoming TV series on Paranormal mysteries.

Mr. Tightwad’s money-saving tip: Ditch that expensive window cleaner - If you haven’t already discovered the magic of microfiber cloths, here’s another reason you should be using them. Instead of using that expensive window cleaner, dip a microfiber cloth in warm water, wring it out and wipe down your window. Then, take a second microfiber cloth (which needs to be dry) and wipe the window until it’s dry. You’ll have a sparkling clean window and best of all, those cloths can be used over and over again.

Where there’s muck, there’s money for Alan: A mucky job led to a new business for Alan Brown, who has set up a bin cleaning company. Alan, 49, of Whitecross Lane, Shanklin, was cleaning inside a wheelie bin at the Fighting Cocks pub, where he used to work, when landlords Phil Mew and Micala White said they would be prepared to pay someone to do it on a regular basis. Alan did some research and it led to him setting up his family business, The Island Wide Bin Cleaning Company. Alan, who will donate a percentage of the profits to the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, said: "I got absolutely covered in muck cleaning that bin and I thought not many people would want to do that. "When Micala mentioned about paying someone, I thought why don’t I go for it."

Alan bought a purpose-built vehicle, which lifts the bin into a wash position before it is disinfected and deodorised with high-pressure washers inside the van. Four hundred litres of water are stored on the van and Alan has a special licence to dispose of it safely. Customers can have their bins cleaned on a weekly, fortnightly, monthly or period basis, timed around the days their refuse is collected. One-off cleans are also available.

Alan, whose wife, Clare, 51, three sons, Oli, 23, Harry, 17, and Ryan, 17, are involved in the business, compared it to a window cleaning service. He said: "The job only takes a few minutes but we hope it is something people find really valuable to them." Ten pence for every domestic wheelie bin and 20p for a commercial bin cleaned will be donated to the hospice and Alan has set a £2,000 target for the first year.

Teenage job-creators make their own opportunity: That’s exactly the lesson to draw from the responses to my letter last week, after which dozens of people wrote in with stories of young Americans who are learning early that hard work pays off. I enjoyed your story about that young entrepreneur - that is what this country needs. Plus a government that will help not hinder him as he tries to make this into a successful business and brand. It reminds me of my own story...I started with a window cleaning company at 16 and now I am 35 and we have grown into a multi-million dollar home improvement company serving SE Michigan.

This is Part I of our tribute to legends of Bay Area TV news. I grew up enjoying most of these broadcasters. Then, when I moved away for college and work, I learned how good we really had it. The worst news team in San Francisco was twice as good as the best in Los Angeles. I’m focusing on television anchors and reporters who worked 1990 or earlier. DENNIS RICHMOND (May 1987): I never thought I'd see Richmond anywhere except acting completely serious in the anchor chair. He's working as a high-rise window washer here during a KTVU 5-part sweeps month series called "Risky Business."

GLOUCESTER CITY — NEST International is cleaning up. Rob Almond (pictured) is the chief operating officer of NEST International, which is headquartered in Gloucester City. The company swept up $42 million in 2011 maintaining stores for such retailers as Target, Walgreens and Petco, a 25 percent hike over 2010 revenues. That translated to a $4,000 bonus for every one of NEST’s growing roster of full-time employees, who are encouraged to contribute ideas on ways to boost profits or cut costs. Part-timers got $2,000. “Employees are very careful about how we spend money when the bottom line impacts them personally,” says Rob Almond, vice president of operations. “They come to us with ideas that are wow.” In the past year, NEST doubled its payroll, growing from 59 full-timers to 128. The company added space at its Klemm Avenue headquarters for 25 employees who work the phones, calling retailers daily to keep track of windows that need washing, carpets due for shampooing, walls that would benefit from touch up.

Clementi says handing the headaches to NEST and their network of vetted vendors is more efficient. “Like most businesses, we are looking for ways to do more with less,” she says. “Managing up to 15 vendors for various maintenance duties takes a tremendous amount of time, so we benefit from having NEST do that for us.” Last year, NEST was ranked 2,593 on Inc. Magazine’s list of fastest-growing companies. A second office opened in Florida. Employees in Texas and California work from home. At the local office, NEST has run out of room. Visitors try to schedule appointments during the lunch hour in order to get a spot in the parking lot. “We are looking for more space, either a second building or a bigger building where we can continue to grow,” D’Andrea says.

NEST’s expansion strategy includes enhanced accessibility. The call center is open from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week. Remote workers field calls during off hours. There is no phone tree. Each call is answered live. “We used to be available from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a guy with a laptop and a BlackBerry filling in after that,” Almond says. “It was not enough.” Bob Almond, Rob’s dad, and Phil Dwyer founded the business in 1994. The elder Almond and Dwyer now work out of the Florida office. Showing appreciation for workers has been part of the corporate culture from the start. At the root of the company’s prosperity is a willingness to get down to the nitty gritty. When floods damaged 15 stores at King of Prussia Mall in October 2010, NEST had cleanup crews on the ground within hours. The company forecasts another healthy boost in profits this year as more retailers address deferred maintenance. “We know that a clean store enhances the shopping experience,” D’Andrea says. “We are here to solve problems — and we are ready for the next opportunity.”

Conman told victim was easy target: A callous conman targeted a vulnerable pensioner after being told by another cruel scamster he was an “easy target”. David Morris (pictured) was snared by a neighbour after fleecing his victim of £35 by claiming he was owed the cash for cleaning his windows. Remarkably, Norris, 30, who has 31 convictions for 50 offences, walked free from court despite magistrates being tole he went to his victim’s home after being tole he was easy prey. Today the victim’s family have revealed that 67-year-old has been repeatedly targeted by conmen who have fleeced him out of thousands of pounds. In one such con, bogus builders persuaded him to hand over almost £2,000 to have a garden wall at his home in Seaton Carew repaired - but the work was never done. He was targeted so many times, his family had to install CCTV cameras in his home.

But after this latest scam his family are now looking to rehouse the pensioner in sheltered accommodation to protect him. Hartlepool Magistrates’s Court heard how Morris, of Ilkley Grove, Hartlepool, was cornered when he tried to target the pensioner on December 29 last year by a suspicious neighbour who contacted relatives. He was still being detained when the victim’s brother-in-law arrived - and brazenly tried to front out his scam by telling them he was owed £35 for five weeks worth of window cleaning. But police were called and he was arrested. Lynne Dalton, prosecuting, told the court: “in police interview Morris said ‘I was told if you go to this address and ask for money for cleaning windows he pays you’. She added: “He visited a friend who informed him that the victim was an easy target and you could get money out of without any bother.”

Mitigating, Neil Taylor said: “This is a fairly unhappy case all round - without a shadow of a doubt this gentleman has been targeted.” He said Morris had been “encouraged” to go to the address. Mr Taylor added: “It won’t come as a surprise, probably to the court but certainly to the police, that my client has gone round and done it at the behest or certainly of another the person.” He added there was no confrontation with the victim, the money was recovered and Morris had shown remorse. Recovering heroin addict Morris, who had a £10-a-day habit, amazingly walked free from court after admitting fraud.

Hartlepool magistrates sentenced him to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, with an 18-month community order and 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement after conceding his involvement was a single incident. Chairman of the magistrates’ bench Keith Kitching said: “This gentleman was targeted by yourself and, we begin to understand, by others, so much so that his family have had to install CCTV to his house. “He was targeted by yourself and he was a vulnerable victim.” Speaking after the hearing, one of the victim’s family slammed the sentence. He said; “This person is the lowest of the low. To target vulnerable people like this, he should have gone to prison. “He is 67-year-old, he lives on his own and he is vulnerable. He is very trusting and believes what people say to him. “He has obviously been seen as an easy touch by these people who have targeted him. “As a family, we cannot keep an eye on him 24/7, but we feel there is no other option but to get him into sheltered accommodation where he will be safer. “But to have to take his independence away from him is shocking, it really is.”

Tuition rebate excludes those who need it most: I am no longer eligible for student loans that lead to years and years of payments and deprivation - and I no longer want them. They are toxic to anyone starting out in life. However, those who make the rules bring about a promise to help and then discriminate against those who behold this glorious gift. I bet the households with a combined $160,000 income had presents under their tree. It sickens me that I make six times less than the criteria income and I am deemed ineligible for the tuition grant given to those who I consider wealthy. If anyone has extra work around their homes - painting, window washing - I will be trying to earn money for the rest of my schooling since the government thinks I already have enough to get by and pay our province's tuition fees.

Willmar, Minn., police requests to the council’s Labor Relations Committee: Also, the committee approved a request from Stevens to seek proposals from private companies to assist the current two custodians with cleaning the community center, the old wastewater treatment plant, new wastewater treatment plant, the Public Works garage, airport and fire department. The service is being requested after the council Dec. 19 defeated a motion to hire a third custodian to clean city buildings. Also, Stevens will seek requests from companies to clean carpets and floors from four times per year to once a year and requests for proposals to perform exterior window cleaning twice a year.

Smart Window pushes your home into the future: A new device at CES 2012 will really brighten some technophile homes. Samsung's "Smart Window" technology uses an OLED display and a touchscreen to turn a normal window into a computer. The Smart Window can do anything a current tablet can do, all while seeing what's going on in the neighborhood. At night, special lights allow for the screen to be used despite the lack of natural backlighting. Another great function of the Smart Window is that it is on one-way glass, so neighbors won't be able to check out what you are watching.

I receive a lot of questions about foggy windows in the winter. Apparently, I'm not the only one. "We often get calls from homeowners who are concerned that their windows are 'sweating' or leaking either inside or outside the home because they see moisture on the glass," said Christopher Burk, technical product manager at Simonton Windows in Columbus, Ohio. That's simply not the case. "While condensation may collect on the interior or exterior of energy-efficient windows, the units are really doing their job by helping serve as a barrier in the home," Burk said. Windows don't cause condensation. They just prevent the moisture in the home from escaping to the outside. "If the inside glass surface on double- or triple-glazed windows show excessive moisture, you can be reasonably sure that the moisture is also collecting on your walls and ceilings," Burk said. "This means you should take steps to reduce the humidity level in your home by using exhaust fans and dehumidifiers." To help control the condensation in the home, experts at Simonton Windows recommend these tips:

♦ Use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans.

♦ If you have a humidifier, set it to the correct outside temperature.

♦ If your home is overly humid, or if you have a damp basement, use a dehumidifier.

♦ Properly vent clothes dryers, gas appliances and stoves.

♦ Open a window in the bathroom.

♦ Make sure your attic, basement and crawl spaces are well-ventilated and free from obstructions.

♦ Store firewood outside. Even well-seasoned firewood generally has a 20 percent to 25 percent moisture content.

♦ Open curtains and blinds to allow more air circulation around your windows.

Burk also recommends knowing the difference between condensation on the glass and between the glass panes of the window.

"If you see moisture, fogging or cloudiness between the panes of glass in your window, this indicates that the seal of your window has failed and it's time to get a new window," Burk said.

Police have fined more Victorians (Australia) for pedestrian offences than they have nabbed for serious crimes such as stealing cars. More than 5800 fines worth $357,313 were issued to pedestrians by Victoria Police in the 2010/11 financial year. They include Institute of Public Affairs review editor James Paterson, who slammed the police for fining jaywalkers, saying it was a waste of the authorities' resources and time. "I think this is crazy. As an individual if you cross when the little green man is not flashing you hold the responsibility and pay the cost," Mr Paterson said. "We should be deploying police to solve rapes and robberies, not to fine people for walking across a road. "This is a complete waste of police resources." The most common offence that resulted in a fine was failing to obey traffic lights and signs. Other charges included meandering on the road and walking on bike paths. 298 hitchhikers and window cleaners were fined worth $17,880.

SmarterShade proprietary smart glass technology is 50% more cost effective than current solutions and will disrupt the $5 billion market. Its smart glass allows varying levels of light to enter through a window based on user controls. SmarterShade received the $100,000 Kleiner Perkins Clean Tech Prize at the 2011 Rice University Business Plan Competition.

Snowmass Village needs a chamber of commerce: Snowmass Village's challenges go beyond the mere commercial and into the heart of community. A true chamber of commerce could provide an energetic gathering place for many constituencies ranging from the new window-washing company to the school district. As a safe and informal idea exchange, consider the creative problem-solving potential of a chamber of commerce. Contrast the dynamic of a lively “business after hours” event with a public hearing.

Parents’ heartache after baby dies from meningitis: When one-week-old William would not feed and had trouble breathing, parents Amy Bevis and Richard Fraser instinctively knew something was wrong. The engaged couple from Sarisbury Green were distraught after William Fraser died at 19 days old from pneumococcal meningitis – an aggressive form of the brain bug. Richard, a window cleaner, said: “We want something good to come from his life and draw as many positives from it as we can.” Now Amy, 28, and Richard, 25, are backing Meningitis UK’s Trust Your Instincts campaign and will be fundraising in the Western Wards for the cause.

SACRAMENTO— A piece of glass has fallen from at least eight stories up at a building downtown Sacramento, smashing on the sidewalk and reminding employees of prior incidents. The decorative piece of glass fell Wednesday morning from the Board of Equalization Building along N & 5th Streets. It shattered on the sidewalk along 5th Street, at a location where employees tell FOX40 some usually take their smoke breaks. As FOX40's crew was at the building, another piece of glass fell to the ground, startling employees and other gawkers. No one was hurt, and drivers are being moved over a lane to allow crews to clean up the glass. This didn’t surprise many, who remember a streak of falling glass back in 2005 from the same building. Over the summer of 2005, there were repeated incidents of glass falling or becoming dangerously cracked at the 24-story Board of Equalization Building. At the time, forensic architects looked at the building and said the heatwave of that year created stress on the windows, causing them to break.

SALEM — Local small business owners and vendors were given a chance to meet and mingle with representatives for some of Salem County’s heavy-hitters in business during an event held here Wednesday. Bill Morgan, owner of Natural Windows, a window cleaning service based in Pedricktown, said any savvy business owner should jump at such an opportunity. “As a small business, who’d want to miss an opportunity to meet with Mannington or PSEG? It’s a place to jump start right into a larger customer base,” said Morgan. “It’s a terrific advantage for small business owners, and it’s also a good networking event to meet other small business owners. You never know what something like this might lead in to.”

High Rise Window Cleaner Stabbed & Murdered In San Francisco

2012-01-18T20:33:00.000+01:00

The first San Francisco homicide victim of the year had just moved to the Bay Area hoping for a better life after being portrayed as the villain in a 2010 reality TV show about drug addiction. Joseph Minozzi, 30, who appeared in the tenth season of A&E’s “Intervention,” was found lying near the corner of Sixth and Stevenson streets just south of Market Street about 2:30 a.m. Thursday. He died about an hour later at the hospital, police said. Minozzi grappled with drug addiction. He had recently moved to the Bay Area from Los Angeles and earned a job as a high-rise window washer. “He had a rough life, but he was a very good person,” said Tiffany Johnson, a receptionist at WWC Services Inc., the company that employed him for about two months. “He just wanted to do better and improve his life.”

The area where his body was found is plagued with violence, thefts, gang activity and drug dealing, and it has been targeted by The City for an economic overhaul. San Francisco police said Minozzi had been stabbed in the torso. No arrests have been made in the homicide case and cops are hoping witnesses will come forward with information, police Office Albie Esparza said. Minozzi’s struggles with drugs were displayed nationwide when he appeared on an episode of “Intervention.”

The episode focused on Minozzi’s 21-year-old former girlfriend Rachel Coccio, who lived as a junkie panhandler in New York. Minozzi was portrayed in the show as an abusive boyfriend and drug-addicted criminal who tried to talk Coccio out of entering rehab. After Coccio finally accepted rehab, Minozzi served five months in prison on an assault charge before also checking into a drug facility, according to the show.

Those who knew him in San Francisco described his character as “completely different” from how he appeared on the show, Johnson said. Attempts to reach Coccio before press time Tuesday were not successful. But a late Thursday post on Coccio’s Facebook page paid tribute to Minozzi: “i love you babyboy. always and forever. NO MATTER WHAT.”

Joseph Minozzi's body was found on the corner of Sixth and Stevenson Streets in San Francisco.

Window Cleaning Company Move To Dry Land

2012-01-17T20:10:00.000+01:00

The offices of S&G Cleaning Services were submerged under 12 feet of flood water.

S&G Cleaning Services Makes New Home in Hillsborough: Flood-ravaged S&G Cleaning Services, forced to move out of Manville following the aftermath of Hurricane Irene back in August, has found a new home in Hillsborough. The business, owned and operated by Shirley Perlinsky and her husband, Gary, seems to be doing better than ever after a post-Irene transition that saw the business operate out of the couple’s Somerville home before moving into town in December.

“When we heard we were going to get hit hard by Irene, we just got our computers and took to my house in Somerville,” said Perlinsky. “I set up my office temporarily in there, and we took the cars out of Manville—most of them—so we could continue working the next day. On Monday, we were already servicing customers from my house.”

S&G Cleaning Services currently boasts a fleet of 18 workers and eight cars that travel anywhere from Short Hills to Frenchtown to provide carpet and window cleaning, post-construction and maid services to customers. In addition, the aftermath of Irene was useful in one way, as it helped the business add water damage restoration and mold remediation to its repertoire of services.

“We were basically forced to lean about water damage restoration after all the floods that we had in Manville to help ourselves and to help some other clients that need help with the damage,” said Perlinsky. “We are getting a certification on mold remediation, which is another thing that happens when you get dirty water in your house.” Besides giving us an opportunity to move to Hillsborough, one other good thing came with Irene, says Perlinsky. It inspired us to become certified in water damage cleanup

Clearly, the business has come a long way from the cleaning lady service begun by Perlinsky’s mother in 1987. Since buying the business in 2000, Perlinsky and her employees have become one of the most well-known and trusted cleaning services in the state. “We provide (our employees) with company cars, uniforms, insurance and everything that they need, all the supplies and everything, to clean people’s homes,” said Perlinsky. “They are all background checks. They’re family, too; we hired people that we really trust and have recommendations.”

Shirley Perlinsky, owner of S&G Cleaning Services. Perlinsky operated from her home for four months while awaiting assistance from FEMA.

In addition, all S&G Cleaning Services employees are trained in all aspects of the business with books and classes from the House Cleaning Association to ensure that they are knowledgeable about all aspects of their craft. “Even for window cleaning, I send people out to get trained,” said Perlinsky. “I care about the customers, and I care about their safety as well.”

Its own sense of community helps S&G Cleaning Services become involved in the surrounding community, as well. Perlinsky told Patch that the business has involved itself in many charitable causes, including local school fundraisers, Habitat for Humanity Fundraisers and Cleaning for a Reason, which offers free cleaning services to women affected by cancer. “(Community service) is a big deal for us; we love to do that,” said Perlinsky.

S&G Cleaning Services also offers discounts to seniors, while showing the courtesy and care that Perlinsky aims to continually establish as the calling card of her business. “We treat them like they are our grandfather and grandmother,” said Perlinsky. Due to all of these factors, Perlinsky hopes that S&G Cleaning Services is here to stay in Hillsborough. “It’s all about excitement,” said Perlinsky. “We should be able to work more professionally and more organized, and be able to serve the new demand that we have here.”

Daylight Robbery & How Window Cleaning Has Changed

2012-01-16T19:09:00.000+01:00

A local documentary about window cleaning in Birmingham, UK in the 1950s including an interview with Dennis H Bayley, founder of Sheldon Industrial (Holdings) Limited and George Drew one of his window cleaners.

These days, Sheldon Industrial (Holdings) Limited has expanded their services to a complete service company. Sheldon’s has even provided water decontamination services in civilian and military nuclear reactors, including nuclear submarines.

"Draper Drew receiving you" says the driver. Six teams with twelve radio controlled vans once took seventy men to Glasgow for three weeks on one contract alone. Dennis Bayley talks about how he started the window cleaning firm with just a ladder & bucket. Insurance charges were so high that it wasn't worth servicing private houses.

Finally Sam, a two man operator talks about tax dodging & how to "make a pile." "Private houses don't pay," he says but he doesn't want to grow too big. A remarkable insight into window cleaning where "there is room for the little man & scope for the big one," says the smarmy interviewer.

Window Tax: The window tax was a property tax based on the number of windows in a house. It was a significant social, cultural, and architectural force in England, France and Scotland during the 18th and 19th centuries. To avoid the tax some houses from the period can be seen to have bricked-up window-spaces (ready to be glazed at a later date), as a result of the tax.

The tax was introduced in England and Wales under the Act of Making Good the Deficiency of the Clipped Money in 1696 under King William III and was designed to impose tax relative to the prosperity of the taxpayer, but without the controversy that then surrounded the idea of income tax. At that time, many people in Britain opposed income tax, on principle, because they believed that the disclosure of personal income represented an unacceptable governmental intrusion into private matters, and a potential threat to personal liberty. In fact the first permanent British income tax was not introduced until 1842, and the issue remained intensely controversial well into the 20th century.

When the window tax was introduced, it consisted of two parts: a flat-rate house tax of 2 shillings per house (£11.12 as of 2012), and a variable tax for the number of windows above ten windows in the house. Properties with between ten and twenty windows paid a total of four shillings (£22.25 as of 2012), and those above twenty windows paid eight shillings (£44.5 as of 2012). The number of windows that incurred tax was changed to seven in 1766 and eight in 1825. The flat-rate tax was changed to a variable rate, dependent on the property value, in 1778. People who were exempt from paying church or poor rates, for reasons of poverty, were exempt from the window tax. Window tax was relatively unintrusive and easy to assess. The bigger the house, the more windows it was likely to have, and the more tax the occupants would pay. Nevertheless, the tax was unpopular, because it was seen by some as a tax on "light and air".

Blocked-up windows in Edinburgh: In Scotland a Window Tax was imposed after 1748. A house had to have at least seven windows or a rent of at least £5 to be taxed. A similar tax existed in France from 1798 to 1926, the Doors And Windows Tax. There was a strong agitation in England in favour of the abolition of the tax during the winter of 1850–1851, and it was accordingly repealed on 24 July 1851, and a tax on inhabited houses substituted.

Daylight robbery: The term "daylight robbery" is thought to have originated from the window tax as it was described by some as a "tax on light". However, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the phrase daylight robbery was first recorded in 1949, many years after the "window tax", which places doubt upon the claim. However, the phrase originates from at least 1916, when it was mentioned in Harold Brighouse’s play Hobson's Choice. It should be remembered that the OED records only the first provable written instance of the phrase that its etymologists can find, so the phrase might have been used in everyday speech beforehand, or even in published writing.

Do Window Cleaners Appeal To Mums?

2012-01-15T20:09:00.000+01:00

Women control $13 trillion in consumer spending. But most of the assumptions you make about them in your marketing are way off.

Marketing to Moms: You’re Doing It All Wrong (By Jeff Haden) - Want to grow your business? Try marketing differently to women. “Women make the majority of purchase decisions for almost every product category in the marketplace, and that includes automotive, electronics, and insurance,” says Kat Gordon, founder and Creative Director of Maternal Instinct, a marketing agency focused on helping brands connect with the mom market. “In fact, only three online purchase categories are driven more by men than women: music, auctions, and computer hardware. “Even so, research tells us 71 percent of women feel brands only consider them for beauty and cleaning products. If your company sells something other than ‘mops and makeup,’ you’ve got a tremendous opportunity to catapult your brand to new places.” How big is that opportunity? According to Gordon, women currently control $13 trillion of the world’s $18.4 trillion in consumer spending. And with more women working and an ever-narrowing wage gap, women’s influence over shopping decisions should continue to increase. Here’s Gordon’s advice on how any business can better reach, appeal, and retain female customers: How to reach women:

Skate where the puck is. Women are already online in droves, especially on Facebook. Find a community where your customer hangs out and sponsor or enable it. Don’t build a new community and expect her to change her habits. She’s too busy to bother.
Make it mobile. If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, make that your first priority. Moms in particular conduct a lot of business from their phones, and no wonder—research shows they spend 17 days a year in the car with their kids.
Video, video, and more video. Women are heavy video users; the average woman watches over 90 minutes of YouTube videos each month. Over 80 percent of moms look for online videos to see a product in action. If your product does something, find a way to show, don’t tell.
How to appeal to women: Don’t “enter talking.” Earn the right to a conversation with a female consumer by making your opening line one of recognition, not sales. Gordon calls this a “bridge thought.” Think about what you would say to greet a friend, not to woo a prospect.
Do a humor check. Humor can be a remarkably effective way to connect with women, but only if it’s the right humor. What’s funny to men is often mystifying, or worse, insulting, to women. Before you run a new marketing campaign run it past as many women as you can.
Show diversity. Only 4 percent of households fit the June Cleaver blueprint: working father, stay-at-home mom, and kids under 18. Revisit the text and images on your website and expand how you depict women—and especially the assumptions you make about her life.
Run female-created work. When you hire an ad agency, chances are your campaigns will originate from a male sensibility since only 3 percent of creative directors are women. You’re paying the bill, so you call the shots. Demand female representation on your account.
Give back. When price and quality are equal, 82 percent of women report they are more likely to buy from companies that support a charitable cause they care about. Women also report they will try a product or switch brands if they feel doing so will help others. Find a cause you believe in that aligns with your brand, then highlight your donation, especially at touch points where you ask for a sale.
How to retain female customers: Thank her. Few companies take the time to express genuine appreciation for a sale or referral. Be the exception. A sincere “thank you” is like catnip to women.
Offer outstanding service. List your phone number on every page of your website and never subject women to phone tree hell. Answer your phones and respond to emails and tweets. She will not just stay a customer—she will tell everyone she knows.
Practice story-selling. The more you put a human face on your organization, the more invested a female consumer will be in your success. Practice “story-selling” in your consumer communications, sharing rich details about your employees, community, and any lore around the creation of your products.
Ask for feedback. The most valuable insight about your product or service is yours for the asking. So ask. She’ll tell you.

2012 IWCA Magazine - Professional Window Cleaner

2012-01-14T23:15:00.000+01:00

Click to read the magazine.

In this issue:

No longer just a mans game: Throughout the window cleaning profession, more women are taking to to the male-dominated-industry.
The road to success: IWCA points attendees in the right direction with education & networking.
Family values: Running a window cleaning business is in the blood of Tim Schmitd's family.
Tips on towel: Though towels are low tech, towels are a critical part of any window cleaners tool kit.
This time for sure - Economic recovery in 2012: Last year didn't turn out as expected, so cross your fingers for this year.

Plus much, much more. The magazine is produced by the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA). Last issue here.

The Worst Of The Window Cleaning News

2012-01-13T20:13:00.000+01:00

Five months for bogus caller who took cash from pensioners: A bogus window cleaner who “preyed on” a vulnerable, elderly couple has been jailed for what a district judge described as a “despicable” offence. Luke Brewster, 27, of Leeds Road, Shipley, was yesterday found guilty of fraud by making a false representation after he turned up at the Thackley home of Eric and Alma Ross, asking for money. Prosecutor Mark Haigh said Brewster was “notorious” for posing as a window cleaner, with eight previous convictions dating back to 2010 for similar offences in the Idle and Shipley areas. Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court was told 87-year-old Mr Ross answered the door to a man on the evening of August 6 last year, who said he was there to collect window cleaning money.
Giving evidence Mr Ross said he had not recognised the man and thought he was up to date with his window cleaning payments. He gave the man £20, who then he said he would return with the change but the couple did not see him again. Mr Ross said: “To be honest, I went back and realised I’d been conned. The whole set-up made me realise I should have thought about it more than I did.” Mrs Ross identified Brewster as having been the man who came to the door after she was shown photographs by police. She told the court she had felt “fairly sure” Brewster was the culprit.
Finding him guilty of the offence and sentencing him to five months in prison District Judge Joanne Hirst said: “This is a despicable offence, you preyed on a vulnerable and elderly couple.” She said he had not learned his lesson by previous sentences and custody was inevitable. In his defence Brewster told the court he had not been involved in the crime. He said he had been threatened by a group of window cleaners and there had been rumours about him in the area. “This time I have not done it,” he said.
Speaking after the hearing Mrs Ross said: “You feel vulnerable. We both feel sorry for the guy. We think what’s brought him to that? “We are both Christians and we usually give people the benefit of the doubt. “We were brought up in a different era, when you could trust people. “People should be more careful these days, Don’t let anyone cross your threshold if you don’t know them, you can’t be too careful.”

Drinkers hit by 10p rise in price of pint: Sheffield landlords today branded a price hike of up to 10p on a pint of beer as another ‘blow’ for struggling pubs. Brewers have announced increases in the cost of popular beers, such as Carlsberg. Roger Davies, landlord of The Rosegarth freehouse pub in Aston, has put up prices by 10p. A pint of Guinness now costs £3 and Carling £2.80. He said: “It is another blow for pubs. People have been put off coming for a drink with a while now with the supermarkets being so cheap.” Carslberg UK blamed its 7p increase on rising costs of raw materials, energy and fuel. Window cleaner Martin Hill, 45, of Ecclesfield, said: “I don’t drink that much, probably ten pints a week, so it’s only going up by £1. It will put other people off, though.”

A window cleaner was arrested after checks found he was not inside his home when he was supposed to be. Joseph O’Donohue, 44, of Canberra Way, Warton, near Kirkham, admitted breaching bail. Blackpool magistrates agreed to rebail him. Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said O’Donohue had been bailed on the condition he kept an electronically tagged curfew inside his home between 8pm and 6am. On January 11 the electronic system monitoring the curfew registered that O’Donohue was not inside his home at 8.06pm. When arrested O’Donohue said he had only been half-an-hour later for his curfew.

London searches as part of £450,000 Lisburn drugs probe: Searches have taken place in London as part of a widening investigation into a £450,000 drugs find in County Antrim, the High Court has heard. Addresses in the north of the city were targeted on Wednesday. Detectives are probing a suspected crime gang allegedly importing and supplying drugs in Northern Ireland. Details were disclosed as bail was refused to one of four people charged over a cocaine and cannabis seizure in Lisburn two days before Christmas.

Mark McAleese, 35, of Johnston Way in the city, faces charges of possessing and being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, and concealing criminal property. He is alleged to have been at the home of two co-accused when police uncovered the haul. A cocaine press and two suspected Taser stun-guns were also found at that property. Follow-up searches at Mr McAleese's home led to the discovery of more than 28,000 euros and £11,000 sterling, the court was told. Phone records were alleged to show contact with Pakistan, Holland and the Republic of Ireland.

Kate McKay, prosecuting, said receipts were found for purchases of expensive furniture and pointed out that Mr McAleese was an unemployed window cleaner. "Police believe this is an organised drugs crime gang responsible for the supply of significant amounts of cocaine and cannabis into Northern Ireland," she said. Mrs McKay described the ongoing investigation as "a spider's web" which has now spread beyond Northern Ireland.

A PSNI detective was said to have joined Metropolitan Police in carrying out a number of searches in north London on Wednesday which led to the arrest of two Chinese nationals and the seizure of £120,000 in cash. Mr McAleese claims, however, that the money found at his home came from business ventures linked to the sale of Ugg boots and Viagra tablets. His barrister said he had admitted making a lot of money through importing the pills over the last three years. It was also stressed that Mr McAleese was just visiting the house where the drugs and equipment were recovered. "He has maintained his innocence," the defence lawyer added. But Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan refused his application for bail due to the risk of disruption to continuing police inquiries.

Much Loved Window Cleaner Dies From Seizure

2012-01-12T20:57:00.000+01:00

Town mourns for its much-loved lost son: Tributes have been pouring in for Ben Guest, the town’s beloved window cleaner, who tragically passed away aged 35 last week. The popular Thame figure, who was a familiar face in the High Street, died on Wednesday evening after suffering from a seizure. Close personal friend and landlord of the Cross Keys pub Peter Lambert said: “He was one of the first people we met in Thame when we moved here. “He was really kind to us. He got involved with everything and always wanted to help. “All he wanted to do was please people. “He was always there and always used to jump behind the bar and collect glasses and lend a hand. He was that sort of person. “Ben was always coming up with ideas of ways to raise money for charity. He was so generous. “It’s such a shame he was taken so early.”

Ben’s funeral takes place at St Mary’s Church at 1.30pm Friday. Ben’s family would like to ask those attending to wear blue ties rather than black, as Ben always liked blue. The window cleaner was an extremely popular figure in Thame and the shock of his passing has led to countless people expressing their condolences. Several people have voiced their grief on the The Thame Gazette website. Chrissie Butler said: “The good always die young, Thame will never be the same now without Ben, RIP.” Vikki Crane said: “Everyone has a story to tell about Ben, he was so kind-hearted and always eager to help anyone. “He was our ‘here to help hero’ of Thame. So going to miss him. “Thame will never be the same without Ben popping up here, there and everywhere. Our thoughts are with his family at this tragic time. RIP Benny Boy XX.”

Yorick and Penny said: “We are both still reeling from the news about Ben, it hasn’t really sunk in. Our thoughts are with his family. Ben was a good man with a good heart and Thame will not be the same without him.” Baldy and Angie said: “So sad to hear this news. Ben always had time for people and was a cheeky, chirpy, chap. “You will be missed mate. Our thoughts to the family and take some comfort that in a short time he made a big impression. “Ben was well liked by Thame folk, a true star RIP.”

On Facebook people have been leaving messages of support and grief on Ben’s profile. Some of these said: “So sorry to hear of your (our) loss. Will remember Ben as the happy young man who it was always a pleasure to run into and say hi.” Another said: “Ben always had a smile and a chat whenever we met, he will be so sadly missed thoughts and prayers to his family, RIP Ben.” Another mournful friend wrote: “A wonderful young man he will be sorely missed by all who knew him ...”

Ben obviously touched a lot of people’s hearts, one couple posted together: “I have lost a dear friend, I am devastated, Our deepest condolences to Marie and Terry (Ben’s parents). “Ben may your soul rest in eternal peace you will always be in our hearts and thoughts” Someone else wrote: “So sorry to hear the news and many condolences. I shall always see Ben grinning as we played the open mics at the Swan. RIP Ben, smiling, happy and always wanting to chat about whatever. A light in a sometimes gloomy world.” Another mourner said: “Cheerio Ben mate, I will seriously miss your enthusiasm, Thame has become just a little bit poorer for your premature departure.”

Unger, Kilts, Nigerians & Some Losers

2012-01-11T19:14:00.001+01:00

Just like meeting Dave in real life!

Unger appoints Rogers to European role: Professional cleaning systems specialist Unger has appointed its UK general manager - Dave Rogers - to the new role of European sales manager. Rogers will now be responsible for increasing revenues across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia - managing Unger's sales force and building customer relationships. Commenting on the move Torsten Deutzmann, general manager of Unger's European headquarters in Germany said: "We are delighted to welcome Dave to our European team. His relentless energy and drive coupled with an extensive knowledge of the industry will further strengthen our position in the marketplace." Rogers added: "Having worked with Unger for well over a decade I am looking forward to rising to the challenges this new role will present. The idea of pioneering new markets particularly appeals to me."

The New Year Brings New Heights for Canadian Window Cleaning Franchise. Men In Kilts announces major expansion into Canadian and U.S. markets (Vancouver): Men In Kilts, a window and exterior cleaning company, has announced today they'll be opening four more franchises in three months, adding to three franchises currently in operation. Alberta and Oregon are next on the list, with B.C. and Washington already in business. The company was founded in 2002, with the first Vancouver franchise opening its doors in 2010. Since then, the franchise model has taken off.

"We've been deliberate about our growth," says CEO Tressa Wood. "We needed to test the franchise model before opening up the market. The addition of these latest franchises will make us Canada's largest window and exterior cleaning company. Our goal is to be in every major metro in North America by 2017." Wood, a franchising expert who helped build companies like 1-800-GOT-JUNK? from $15 million to over $130 million in revenue, comments on the Men In Kilts' advantage, "The kilts are fun and they help differentiate us, but we're delivering a professional experience and building a national brand.

That's what separates us from the competition; and what generates the buzz and growth we've experienced." Men In Kilts' commercial and residential services include: Window cleaning Gutter cleaning Pressure washing Exterior building cleaning Snow removal services will be available in colder markets later this year Men In Kilts plans for fast expansion into all major cities across North America, including Toronto, San Francisco, LA, and Denver. The company projects a 300 percent increase in system-wide revenue in 2012.

"We've had a lot of great feedback on our brand. It's unique, cheeky, and stands out; which isn't easy to do these days," laughs Wood. Men In Kilts was started in 2002 by Nicholas Brand with $500, a squeegee and a hand-sewn kilt. The first franchise was opened in 2010 in Vancouver, B.C., with Fraser Valley, B.C., and Seattle, Wash., soon to follow. Scheduled to open in the first half of 2012 are Victoria, B.C., Portland, Ore., Edmonton, Alta. and Calgary, Alta.

For many Nigerians, starting a small business is their dream. Owning a business can be an exciting and rewarding experience and offers some advantages, like being one’s boss. There are several businesses, which offer opportunities to earn good profits. They fit every interest and budget and provide a platform for entrepreneurship. They can be done full-time or part time. One can start from home to test the waters. One can use spare bedrooms, garages, dining rooms and even the kitchen table. Determine the fees or costs for your service or product by analysing what your particular market should be. Cleaning Services: You can make money providing cleaning services to households. For a start, you just invest in the cleaning equipment. Offer services such as window cleaning, vacuuming, yard cleaning, parking cleaning to households. Once you start getting more work or want to enter into commercial cleaning, hire a few more people to take up assignments on your company’s behalf.

Single dad jailed for dealing cocaine: A single parent was jailed despite saying he had turned his back on drugs after an arrest for dealing cocaine. Iain MacDonald had given up dealing following his December 2010 arrest, when police found £1,400 worth of cocaine in a raid on his Barton home, a judge was told. When police raided the 27-year-old’s Bayswater Road home they found 35.7g of cocaine, deal bags, scales and a ‘tick list’ of customers’ orders. A separate amount of cocaine, weighing 184 milligrammes, was also found.

Nigel Daly, defending at Oxford Crown Court, said his client was a “devoted father” who is the sole carer of his seven-year-old son. He said MacDonald’s drug use ended after his arrest, adding: “He set up his own business as a window cleaner. “It doesn’t bring in much money but it fits in with his duties as a single parent. He has done everything he can to put this behind him.” He was sentenced on Friday having earlier admitted possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply on the basis he was only dealing to acquaintances, and possessing a Class A drug.

Police said the case took so long to come to court due to ongoing investigations into other dealers in the area. Prosecutor Jane Malcolm said officers searched the defendant’s home on December 7, 2010, and found the items in kitchen cupboards and his bedroom. She said the larger amount of cocaine was 10 per cent pure and the smaller stash had a purity of 15 per cent. Cash totalling £3,420 in £10 and £20 notes was also found, but MacDonald said these were savings payments made by his girlfriend. Whether that cash can be seized or not is to be the subject of a hearing at the magistrates’ court, Miss Malcolm said.

She said the street value of the bulk of the cocaine was £1,440. Judge Mary Jane Mowat jailed MacDonald for 30 months and said: “I’m acutely aware of the fact you have been looking after your son since he was four and he’s now seven, and you are described as a very good father, but that boy does have a mother who can take him on in your absence.”

Jail for window-cleaner carrying knife: A Southampton window-cleaner has been jailed for carrying a knife when he went in search of a mystery man following an argument, a court heard. Lee Wookey, 34, had been smoking outside his house when neighbours saw him arguing with a stranger. Wookey went back inside and the man, who has never been traced, tried to follow him, breaking a pane of glass in Wookey’s door. Later, Wookey was seen walking down the road with a bread knife. Prosecutor Simon Privett told Southampton Crown Court that Wookey’s neighbours persuaded him to come back to his house, but he then turned on the couple. He threatened to pour petrol through their door if they did not tell him the other man’s address – despite the couple not knowing who the stranger was.

In mitigation, defence barrister Daniel Riley said Wookey had originally been trying to walk away from the argument, which happened in September last year. The court also heard that, despite 21 previous convictions, Wookey had stayed out of trouble between 2001 and 2008 and set up a window-cleaning business. Wookey, of Ludlow Road, had pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in December. He was jailed for eight months, to run consecutively with a 13-month sentence he was already serving.

More Window Cleaning News

2012-01-10T20:16:00.000+01:00

David Orozco of Heart of America Window Cleaning stood atop the pane of glass he was cleaning Wednesday afternoon on the overhang at the entrance to the Marriott Muehlebach Tower at 12th and Wyandotte streets. He was among area folks happy to see warmer than usual temperatures this week, for work or pleasure. Click to enlarge.

Guardian Fall Protection expands into Texas: The holiday season is over and before anyone realizes it, the spring will be here and more construction jobs, window washing and other high rise jobs will increase. It is important for the people who work in this industry to be able to trust their equipment to prevent them from experiencing falls that could be deadly. This is the protection that Guardian Fall Protection can provide. Guardian Fall Protection is America’s fastest growing Fall Protection Manufacturer. They boast a constantly improving and evolving product line that is derived from hands-on product focus. “I can tell you that with the revamped economy harness, the Velocity Harness, and the redesigned Cyclone, both regular and construction and now with tool bags, we will beat anyone's harness quality and pricing for like-in-kind. In addition, we have several revamped and new retractables coming to market along with one of the largest selection of lanyards available,” said Guardian Fall Protection’s President Ed Marquardt.

A tax break that’s bad for business (Canada): Their dirty windows were blocked with drab sheets or cardboard. The glass in places was broken. Their tattered awnings were folded in unevenly, like broken pigeon wings. Many didn’t even muster a “for rent sign.” The block I was walking was on the east end of the Danforth, a few subway stops from the bustle of Greektown. But, it could well be a slice from Gerrard Street E., Queen Street, or Bloor St. W. You could blame it on the lousy economy — the retail business is cutthroat in the best of times. But some of these spaces have been empty since I moved into the area seven years ago. You’d assume the greedy hands of Adam Smith were rubbing together and local landlords were gleefully signing out leases left, right and centre. Instead, one real estate agent told me some building owners refused to show him their empty properties. “They didn’t want to discuss it any further,” said Sultan Jaffer. “They didn’t want me to come inside.

Why wouldn’t you want to make the revenue?” That’s a question city councillor Mike Layton has also been pondering, walking by the empty storefronts on Bloor St. in his ward. He figured it was real estate speculators just waiting for prices to go higher. The “crazy expensive” rents they were offering supported his theory, he said, “$4,000 to $6,000 a month for tiny little storefronts.” And then he discovered the city’s tax rebate program, set up to ease the punch of recessions on big commercial building owners which instead rewards speculators for keeping their little commercial nest egg empty. It works like this: Since 2002, the city has given commercial property owners a 30 per cent break on their taxes for space that has been vacant for 90 days or more.

At first glance I thought it was a window washer, but now I'm not so sure. That's a broom on the front of the cargo bike and another instrument. Whatever the case, a little snowstorm and a mean headwind isn't stopping him. There is, however, an interesting detail that reflects the utility-minded Danish relationship to bikes. This chap has spent about 15,000 kroner (€2000/€2600) on a cargo bike - probably a bit more with that box with a lid - and yet look at the fenders. He hasn't bothered to peel off the blue, protective film. It's a good bike, an expensive bike, a useful and practical bike but hey... it's just a bike. Click to enlarge.

Photos of the year with Ryan Pfeiffer: Most of the pictures we take throughout the year are for specific assignments but every now and then I will see something that catches my eye and try to make a good image out of it. I was on my way to the library for a shoot when I drove past a couple of window washers working on a building with mirror-like windows. I stopped for a few minutes to grab some shots but they weren't in a good spot on the building. I shot my job at the library and returned to the building and made this image. This picture wouldn't have worked without the clouds in the sky, and in fact the clouds were moving so quickly this scene didn't present itself for very long. Overall I am happy with the work I produced this year. I think we all go through ups and downs with our jobs but every year when I go back through my work I can't think of anything else I would rather do.

BBC local radio: has the BBC scored an own goal with its cuts plans? Central procurement is another issue, with local stations tied into BBC-wide deals. As Daniel Kawczynski, the Tory MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, puts it: "Radio Shropshire is not even allowed to procure its own window cleaners. That is done centrally from London. The BBC in London sends window cleaners from Lancashire to clean the windows in Shropshire."

Vinyl windows: Vinyl windows are tough, and extremely popular. They should get a yearly inspection. Clean window tracks of debris, says Burt Harold, a rep for Pella Windows. Make sure weather stripping is sound and making proper contact. Replace as needed. When cleaning, never use abrasives. That can damage the vinyl skin of the window. If you need to lubricate a track, use pure silicone spray, not WD-40. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for caulking. When washing windows, be cautioned that bleach can discolor dark vinyl colors. And, remember, window films can void your window warranty.

A Comprehensive Study Of The UK Window Cleaning Services Market In 2010, Rating & Valuing Each Of The 123 Companies That Operate In Today's Market: The Plimsoll Analysis provides you with the most up to date and comprehensive analysis of the top 9 companies operating the market. It is ideal for anyone wanting to.

Benchmark their own business’s financial performance
Identify under performing companies for acquisition
Seek out successful companies to partner or do business with
Understand the key movers and shakers in today’s market

Each company receives the following unique features: A 5 year performance appraisal using the Plimsoll Model - an instant graphical and written analysis that tells you everything you need to know about that company and its strengths and weaknesses. An individual valuation of detailing what it is currently worth. An Acquisition Rating” on outlining its attractiveness as a company to acquire

A “future year” outlining the steps needed to improve its health and increase its value. In addition, the report also includes a 100 page overview of the latest developments in the market including:

A 10 year trend analysis detailing changes in the market
A list of exceptional performers in over 15 categories
A breakdown of the industry’s KPI’s from sales growth to profitability, etc

Should every window cleaner carry one in case he gets locked out on the balcony?

China's Buses Include DIY Emergency Exits Disguised as Bricks: In case of emergency, brick glass? Goodbye, yellow brick, road? Have brick, will travel? The puns come fast & furious when attempting to explain a low-tech safety measure found on Chinese passenger buses: yellow-painted, window-breaking bricks. Just in case their purpose is misconstrued, the yellow-painted bricks feature Chinese characters that translate to “for emergency use,” painted in bright red. The Harbin Public Transport Company in the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang has retrofitted around 300 of their 700 bus fleet with two bricks each, stored under the driver's seat and under one of the rear seats.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol: (The world's most expensive window cleaner) - Other than that the film is great and the action scenes are incredible. There is one scene that shows Tom Cruise scaling the world’s tallest building like a window washer who watched too many Jackie Chan films. Also a little bit of trivia but Cruise did that scene HIMSELF and WITHOUT A STUNT DOUBLE! Next time you complain about going to work or actors being too pampered, why don’t you plop yourself down and watch the white knuckle scene where Tom Cruise tries to be Spider-Man.

Meryl Wheeler, a non-physician expert at the University of Calgary's Acute Knee Injury Clinic, checks window cleaner Jason Ronald's injured joint.

Knee clinic earns impressive track record - U of C facility seeing injury sufferers in days instead of months: Jason Ronald heard the sickening pop before he registered any pain. Mid-stride on a sprint to reach a soccer ball, Ronald caught sight of two players from the opposing team hurtling toward him in his peripheral vision. The players collided, falling together in a heap and knocking Ronald off his feet. A moment later he was in excruciating pain, his knee rapidly swelling to the size of a grapefruit. In the space of a few seconds, Ronald had torn crucial stabilizing ligaments on both sides of his left knee, and the force of the collision had left a hairline fracture in his shin bone. "It destroyed my knee," said Ronald, who had to be carried off the soccer field. "I saw my whole knee sag without the ligaments there to keep it aligned. It was gross."

But now, less than three months after his injury, Ronald is on the mend and able to return part time to his physically demanding job as a window washer. And Ronald is crediting his speedy recovery to a University of Calgary clinic that is poised to change the way acute knee injuries are treated in Alberta. One year into its operation, the Acute Knee Injury Clinic has received its first report card and the results are impressive. The clinic is clocking less than eight days from the moment a patient is injured to their first appointment. That's an incredible feat, considering that patients in the rest of the system can wait up to seven months for care.

Remember when Marcus Browning's equaliser silenced Villa Park? It may have been almost 19 years ago, but Marcus Browning still remembers it vividly – and with good reason. It was the day the up-and-coming 21-year-old silenced most of a 27,000 crowd at Villa Park by scoring the goal which earned Bristol Rovers a third round replay in their FA Cup clash at Aston Villa. Browning, who now runs a window-cleaning business in the Bournemouth area, is still involved in football and coaches the Cherries' under-13 and under-16s sides. And he doesn't rule out his old club giving Villa another run for their money this time around. "Villa aren't having a great season and won't be used to somewhere like the Memorial Stadium. The pressure will be on them because the whole country will be expecting them to win," he said. "I know Rovers haven't had a great time either so far. "But it's amazing how one good cup result against a bigger club can help to turn your season around."

In Years Past: In 1912, one man was fatally injured and another was suffering from severe injuries as a result of a window cleaner falling four stories to the sidewalk in Buffalo two afternoons ago. William Page was cleaning windows on the outside of the Ellicott Square building when he lost his balance and fell. He landed on top of Charles Lund who was waiting for a street car. Both men were knocked to the pavement. Page died of a fracture of the skull and severe internal injuries. Such an accident would have been impossible had the windows been installed with the window cleaning device recently perfected by Milo Harris of Jamestown and on which patents were pending. It was one of the greatest labor saving devices ever invented.

Ann Romney's relatives in Britain help Mitt play the Welsh card: Edward Davies went on to live the classic "American dream" immigrant success story. Mr Davies co-founded Jered Industries to service the car industry in 1946 after serving in the naval engineering corps in the Second World War. Under his direction, the company rapidly expanded beyond the motor business. He worked on a docking simulator for the Gemini space capsule's first flight in 1965 and designed several key mechanical systems that are still used on US aircraft carriers today. Ever the inventor, Mr Davies also developed products and registered patents for, among other things, automated window washing systems for high rise offices, fin stabilisers for yachts, a high performance golf cart, an underwater fishing spear gun and a lawn sprinkler system.

Experts call to narrow risk in windows: ABU DHABI - Windows that open wide at the bottom are popular in the UAE, but they can be dangerous for children if preventative measures are not taken, experts say. After a spate of accidents in which children have fallen to their deaths from windows, home-safety experts and builders said this week that top-hung windows, which swing open at the bottom, should not be allowed to open more than 10 centimetres. Also called awning windows, they are common on the glass-facade buildings that dominate the country's skylines. But the size of the openings is not regulated. "Top-hung windows can be safe even without a lot of investment," said Markus Erhardt, the tendering manager for Folcra Beach, a maker of aluminium architectural facades, doors and windows in Abu Dhabi. "In fact, normally the top-hung window is not as dangerous as a side-hung window because the opening should be regulated. Surely there is a need for making stricter regulations."

This week, the Government announced it would begin enforcing new building codes early next year that will require windows open only to the internationally recommended 10cm. Mr Erhardt said the prevalence of top-hung windows could be attributed to the local preference for smooth facades. "It's mostly an aesthetic choice," he said. "What I've realised in my many years here is that people prefer to see only glass. Also, whatever sticks out of a facade will gather dust on it. "No one wants something that will always look dirty." The Department of Municipal Affairs is working to implement rules for property owners that will require flats with occupants younger than 10 to have window locks installed. Five children have fallen to their deaths from high-rise buildings in the past three weeks, all in Sharjah.

Dads' efforts to baby proof their houses spawn a million dollar business: A lot of people go through the ritual of babyproofing their homes. But for St. Louis fathers Tim Barklage and Kevin Tibbs, comparing notes on where to keep household chemicals turned into a wider-ranging idea. The result of those discussions was Better Life, an eco-friendly cleaning products company they founded in 2008 with a lot of science, a fair amount of social consciousness and a dash of groan-inducingly bad puns. (Their window cleaner is named "I Can See Clearly. Wow!" while their wood polish goes by the moniker "Oak-y Dokey.") Whimsicality aside, Better Life is serious business. The enterprise has expanded from four product lines at its inception to 15 and is featured in about 2,000 or so stores in 49 states. The business has more than doubled in size just this year and now grosses over a million dollars annually.

Home cleaning the healthy way: When Cornell residents Steve (left) and Patricia Hess first experimented with making handmade home cleaning products they weren’t in it for the business. “We were just tired of locking cabinets to keep our kids and pets safe, and concerned with polluting the air and water with toxins. Commercial cleaning products are labeled natural or are marketed as ‘green,’ but still contain dyes, chemical fragrances, and other unnatural ingredients,” said Steve Hess, a retired engineer and an active environmentalist with several local organizations. “It took us three years to formulate a cleaner that’s tough on dirt yet gentle on everything else.” Martin Centeno, owner of The Travelling Mop Shop in Agoura Hills, says, “Terra Firma spray cleaner is the best window and glass cleaner I have ever used.” The couple, who launched EarthScents early this year, believe the company can be successful while being socially and environmentally responsible. EarthScents cleaners are made from locally-sourced ingredients and sold in recyclable packaging.

Norman Frederic Rowe, of Gold Beach, Ore., passed away December 19, 2011. He was born June 17, 1945, in Boston, Mass., to Henry A. Rowe and Elizabeth Docksey Rowe. A "jack of all trades," Norman was self-employed as a music teacher over the years in Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, California, and New Mexico. He was also a minister/elder with various Church of God organizations since 1975. Norman owned Talent Music Store, Talent Music Publishers, and Norm's Window Washing Service.

Recall of one million cars: A Japanese car company was forced to initiate a worldwide recall of over one million vehicles affected by a design flaw allowing residue from window cleaners to accumulate, which can degrade the switch's electrical contacts and potentially cause a fire over time. This recall followed a global 2.5 million recall by the same company due to design flaws that allowed vehicles to shift out of park and engine stalls.

2012 Motivation Lesson from Window Cleaner, Simon Arthur

2012-01-09T18:09:00.000+01:00

Simon Arthur with wife, Steph and son, William.

Courageous Simon’s cancer battle is over: A man who defied a rare and crippling form of cancer to raise thousands for charity has died just two days after his 31st birthday. Simon Arthur, formerly of Lockerley, passed away at his home in Bristol, where he lived with his wife, Stephanie and three-year-old son, William. In November, 2009, Simon, who had been suffering migraines, was told he had astrocytoma, a spider’s web of cancer growing across his brain. The condition was inoperable and he had three years to live. From then he decided to “be positive and enjoy what life I do have left” he told the Advertiser in March, 2010.

Simon’s father, Colin, said he was immensely proud of the way his son had coped with his condition. “He was so brave and so positive. Even when he did get down, he would soon pick himself up,” said Colin. “He said he would live life to the full and that’s just what he did. I didn’t realise he had that sort of courage in him.” Simon organised a number of charity events and even though the condition made it difficult for him to walk, he completed the Bristol half-marathon with the aid of Stephanie.

In 2010, he helped raise £6,000 which was shared between Macmillan Cancer, the Willow Foundation and Sherfield English Recreation Project. Last year, he organised a charity walk between Lockerley and Awbridge primary schools for the Starlight Foundation, which grants wishes for seriously and terminally ill children. Colin said that his son had drawn strength from the fact that he had no chance of recovery. “He would say: ‘I know what the outcome is and I’ve got no false hope.’”

Colin said that his son’s condition had deteriorated rapidly over the last month as the cancer began to grow again, but he had held on to see Christmas with his family and then his wedding anniversary, on December 29, and his birthday on January 2. He praised and thanked the care Stephanie and Simon’s mother-in-law, Diane Mead, had given Simon.

Simon’s life began in dramatic fashion when was born two months premature, weighing just 4lbs and spent the first two weeks of his life in an incubator at Salisbury District Hospital. He was brought up in Lockerley and went to the village primary school and then attended Test Valley School, in Stockbridge. After school, he trained as a chef and then worked as a builder and ran then his own window-cleaning business.

A New Site For Window Cleaners That Mean Business!

2012-01-08T21:01:00.001+01:00

A new site for Window Cleaners that mean business! - The first hundred window cleaners to register will receive a FREE FEATURED LISTING on the #1 ranking Window Cleaner Directory worth £36.00. The aim of this revolutionary new website is to provide you with the knowledge and power to make a success of your window cleaning business. This is a website for window cleaning business professionals.

Three Reasons why registering on this site will improve your business

1. Informative articles
A wealth of informative articles have been prepared and will continue to be added to this site with the purpose of helping you to develop and improve your business. Industry experts are invited to submit their knowledge and experience on a wide range of subjects, such as marketing tips and business development ideas as well as the latest press releases.

2. Networking
Networking is good for business. Trade shows are a good way of networking, meeting suppliers, manufacturers and other window cleaners. Think of this site as a permanent trade show, a kind of shopping mall for window cleaners where you can browse, shop and meet others in the trade. Ask questions and share your knowledge in the ‘Yahoo Answers’ style ‘WCR Answers‘. Comment on and rate videos in the extensive Video Library.

3. WCR Newsletter*
Keep up to date with the latest industry developments, new innovative products on the market, useful tips and advice and even discounts on products.

*This is an opt in service and you are not obligated to receive the newsletter.

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Shinn - The War Veteran Window Cleaner

2012-01-07T22:04:00.000+01:00

Introducing "SHINN" Veteran of Foreign War Hero: He was born in Oklahoma and moved to California as a child when his family was forced, economically, to sell their property and livestock. They joined relatives in the southern part of the state and he attended high school in Bell, California. His full name is Jennings Hazen Shinn Jr. He is named after his father, who died one week before he was born due to a blood clot in his leg. “Shinn” became his nickname in middle school, when last names were printed on the student’s gym shorts. He’s been called “Shinn” by friends and family ever since. It is the only name you see on his C&S Window Washing business card, which I will mention again later. And the only name he uses when being introduced.

When I asked him about his parents, he shared that his mother was the best of the best. “I know a lot of people think that their mom is the best, but my mom actually wins that contest,” he said, smiling. He also described her as, “very tolerant and very kind unless you got on her bad side. You had to work at getting on her bad side, but when you did, that was it.” His mother remarried, and Shinn was raised also by his step-father, who he considers and refers to as his dad. Duane Campbell was in the Army, he told me, and “escorted the then-General Dwight Eisenhower in Paris, France. He was also awarded the Legion of Honor by French President Charles De Gaulle.”

My favorite father/son story is the one Shinn shared about his dad and the poppies: “I was about eight years old,” he told me, “and I watched my dad give this man five dollars for a poppy. Five dollars was a lot of money back then. ‘Why are you giving that man so much money?’ I asked him, and he told me, ‘because he’s a veteran.’ I said to him, ‘You’re a veteran. Why doesn’t he give you five dollars?’ And my dad told me, ‘those who can work should always help those who can’t.’ And that has stuck with me all these years.” He recalled also how his dad never talked much about World War II itself, but spoke with great affection about the beautiful women, cute children, and the magic of Paris, which he called the city of lights and love.

Shinn is one of four children. He has already said goodbye to his one and only sister who was 6 years older. She was shot and killed in 1979 by a boyfriend in Houston, Texas. The boyfriend was never convicted, but “he went missing,” Shinn explained. And then he eluded to the idea justice may have been served in some vigilante style way, because “this was Texas, after all...in the 70s.” He has two brothers, one four years older, living in Missouri, and one two years younger, living in San Bernadino County.

Shinn married at age 18, “the neighborhood girl.” Linda Gibson was 16 at the time and encouraged by her mother to marry Shinn before he went overseas. They had two children, one boy and one girl. His grown son, Ron Shinn, is married with three children and lives in Sacramento. His grown daughter, Karen Richards, is married, also has three children and lives in Pleasant Hill. Shinn and Linda were married for 10 years, separated for four and ultimately divorced.

Shinn did follow somewhat in his father’s military footsteps by joining the Marines in 1964. “After Kennedy was killed,” he explained, “a bunch of us just joined up.” He became a sergeant in under four years. It was during a tour near DaNang, Vietnam, in 1965, that he was surprise-attacked and hit with a hand grenade. His platoon, Point for “E” Company 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines, was in the process of carrying out an operation that required them to move from the north valley to the south end of a village, but before they had a chance to get into position, “I caught two men hiding. We were walking into ambush, I assaulted their position.” One threw the grenade that claimed Shinn’s left leg. “This set off the battle early before we were in place for attack,” he said, “And then all hell broke loose.”

He went on to explain how he was cut off from his platoon. “The sergeant was the first one to get to me. And Jack Bradley, my best friend, next to my riffle - he was hit too. The grenade went through me and hit him too.” The helicopter was under fire when it came in to air-lift Shinn out. “Jack wouldn’t go,” Shinn told me. He stayed behind despite his injuries and vowed to “get those son of a b**ches for you Shinn.”

Shinn was transported safely to DaNang Air Base, then spent one month in the Philippines before arriving at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. His left leg was amputated from the knee down, and his right leg had been hit with four pieces of shrapnel. “The nurse handed them to me in a plastic bag, and told me I had a souvenir for my grandchildren,” he said shaking his head in a type of disbelief. “I just threw it away.”

When it came to talks about medals and awards, Shinn said to me, with great humility, his only real interest was in receiving the good conduct medal. But you can see from his military papers and the pictures included here, he is the recipient of far more than that. Shinn has been awarded not only a Good Conduct Medal, but an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, two Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Ribbons, a National Defense Service Medal, a Purple Heart, and I learned from Dave Ham that he’s been recommended for a Silver Star, which Judge Walter and Congressman Jerry McNerney confirmed with Shinn.

I liked learning also, from Shinn, that while this coffee and donut social hour at the Veteran’s Hall does offer veterans a safe place to discuss war tragedies and the rare opportunity to feel understood, most of the time, these conversations don’t take place. “We’ve all been in combat. We’ve lived it. We know. We don’t necessarily need to talk about it.” Shinn explained. And that makes perfect sense to me. There is a shared silent knowing that bonds these veterans. They seem much more interested in contributing and serving today than revisiting their past.

Shinn has one grandson, Steve Lull, that has served two tours in Iraq and is currently back safe and sound on United States soil. “I didn’t catch him in time,” Shinn said, “but I would have discouraged it. This war is like another Vietnam. If you really want to help people, you should become a police officer,” he said. That advice was not lost on Chris Thompson. Chris is the son of Shinn’s former girlfriend, who considered at one time joining the military but is today a police officer here in Livermore. “I can’t take credit for what he accomplished in the academy or anything like that, but I did tell him that was the best way to help people.”

Chris, in fact, inspired the “C” on Shinn’s C&S business card. He named the business after his former girlfriend's two children, Chris and Shauna. While family conflicts prevented their relationship from succeeding, Shinn still feels great affection for Chris and Shauna. C&S Window Washing was Shinn’s primary business for some twenty years. No doubt you’ve spotted him, like I did, in his baseball cap and jeans, washing windows here or there up and down Main Street and all around Pleasanton.

And in that 20 years, he has only taken one true, one-week vacation, which he spent in Yosemite. I am happy to share in closing then that our favorite veteran of foreign war hero and Tri-Valley window washer officially retired the day before we finally, and at last, sat down together at Tully’s. The very last windows he washed was as Café Ali — one of his favorite clients. He has plans now to hop in an RV and travel throughout California and Nevada.

Window Cleaning News

2012-01-06T22:03:00.000+01:00

Recently I came across these pictures taken by Father Ted Bobosh, an Orthodox Priest who visited Bellevue last Fall. What he captured gave a somber and sometimes lonely look of the city we see day in and day out. I was struck by the amount of feeling there was in each shot, despite the fact that the subject matter seemed detached from the world around it. Maybe he showed up at just the right time; as a visitor to our city he was able to see Bellevue from a different perspective, and during some weather conditions that occur less often than rain. Fr. Ted also captured a window washer plying his trade. Backed by mirrors and metal, the worker simply stood out

A grieving mum has been hit with a £250,000 lawsuit over the accident which killed the father of her two young sons. Wendy Smith has been served with court papers more than three years after her window cleaner partner Eddy Kostka lost his life. Eddy, 30, died in a head-on crash in Ballingry, Fife, in June 2008, leaving Wendy to bring up sons Kevin, 10, and seven-year-old Korrare, alone. The car he was driving ploughed into care worker Claire King, 29, leaving her with a broken leg and arm – but Eddy was not insured. Wendy, 33, of Glenrothes, Fife, said: “I got such a shock when sheriff officers served me the papers. It brought back the whole nightmare – losing Eddy, having to tell our little boys that their dad wasn’t coming home. “Eddy and I weren’t married. He had no will, no insurance and little more than the clothes he stood in.

A volunteer who goes the extra mile to support his community has been recognised with an award. Chris Miles, from Sherburn, was presented with the Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator of the Year Award, sponsored by Safer Ryedale, after being described as always enthusiastic and willing to be involved in any matters which benefit the community of Sherburn. The award was presented by Assistant Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police Sue Cross at the Neighbourhood Watch annual general meeting in Malton. Chris, who is a self-employed window cleaner, is the co-ordinator for the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in Sherburn. Steve Law, lead co-ordinator, said: “It is accepted that crime levels reduce when there is an active scheme in place and the fear of crime improves when people know what is going on in their area and how to seek help and support.”

Quake-weary couple moving north: Christchurch couple Carmel and Max Ellis who have recently bought their dream home in Mahana in rural Tasman, were back in Christchurch yesterday tying up loose ends before relocating permanently. Mrs Ellis said just seconds before the second large quake hit at around 3.19pm yesterday, they were sick of what was happening and were among many broken-spirited people who just wanted to get out. "We all thought we were over this. We thought life would go on." Mrs Ellis said the first quake – an 8km deep magnitude 5.8 shake centred 20km northeast of Lyttelton which struck at 1.58pm, went on for a long time and "shook quite a bit". Mrs Ellis, who had been working in a school office in Papanui, said she did not have a job to come to but her husband planned to re-establish the window-cleaning business he was now winding up in Christchurch. "Unless you've experienced something like this you've no idea how bad it is." The Ellises planned to be set up in their new home in Mahana by February.

Christchurch Police are again urging residents to look out for suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods - and check the authenticity of contractors or officials knocking on their door. Southern Area Commander Inspector Malcolm Johnston says the holiday season often brings with it an increase in reports of suspicious activity. "Sadly, we're continuing to see examples of people preying on the vulnerability of others and taking advantage of the difficult circumstances many people find themselves in." Recent incidents reported to Police include possible bogus contractors and earthquake repair officials, as well as reports of people visiting households on phony pretexts. "In the past couple of weeks we've had reports of a resident who took two men through their house before realising they probably weren't the earthquake repair officials they were expecting. "On another occasion two men in high-vis vests were seen inspecting a property which had previously been fully assessed. The resident did the right things and contacted EQC who said they didn't have any inspectors in the area." Inspector Johnston says residents should remember that a high-vis vest is no guarantee of authenticity. "Don't be afraid to ask people for ID - if they're genuine they will be more than happy to provide this. "And if you're not sure whether callers are genuine, follow up with the organisation - give them a call and ask for verification that the people are who they say they are."

Inspector Johnston says bogus contractors can also cause concern for residents and Police. "Most contractors are genuine and we have no issues with them. But there's a minority of dodgy contractors who do cause problems - these could be tree surgeons, lawn mowing contractors, window washers and the like. "Problems include residents being intimidated and bullied into agreeing to have work carried out, contractors who over-charge for services or bill for services not carried out. "And in some cases, criminals may be using contracting enquiries as a front for casing a property. "Our advice to residents is don't hesitate to say 'no' to contractors who come knocking on your door, and if you suspect dishonest or criminal activity then call the police immediately." Other reports from residents include strangers knocking on doors and making unexpected enquiries about items for sale, lost pets or children. "A common tactic is for a person to ask if Joe Smith, or some other dubious name, is home, or if this is where they live. "Another approach is for people to knock on the door and ask the resident if this address is number such-and-such, when it's in fact a different number. "In most of these types of cases the caller is bogus - what they're doing is checking to see if anyone is home, and identifying the house as a potential burglary target.

When Hurricane Irene struck Manville in August, the offices of S&G Cleaning Services were submerged under 12 feet of flood water. We lost just about everything, says Shirley Perlinsky, who operates the family owned business specializing in home and office cleaning and maid service. Determined to continue the business she had worked so hard to establish and expand, Perlinsky operated from her home for four months while awaiting assistance from FEMA. Finally, on December 6, S&G Cleaning Services moved into new offices on Ilene Court in Hillsborough.

We were devastated when the floods destroyed our offices in Manville, says Perlinsky. But now we are thrilled and excited to be located in Hillsborough and looking forward to serving the community. S&G Cleaning Services uses only environmentally friendly green cleaning products and serves clients throughout Somerset, Hunterdon, Middlesex and Union Counties, providing commercial office cleaning and construction cleanup services as well as residential cleaning. The company offers a variety of services, including window cleaning, carpet cleaning, floor stripping, waxing and buffing, post construction cleanup and cleanouts.

Besides giving us an opportunity to move to Hillsborough, one other good thing came with Irene, says Perlinsky. It inspired us to become certified in water damage cleanup, so we can now offer help to other victims of the flooding. The company has a strong tradition of giving back to the community. S&G Cleaning Services is an active member of the Cleaning For A Reason Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing the gift of a clean home to women undergoing treatment for cancer, says Perlinsky. We provide free cleaning services through the Foundation once a month for four months. We have a passion for our jobs.

Nightmare neighbours could lose more than £500 a year in benefits under a pioneering council plan. More than 23,000 people in Westminster have been warned their council tax benefit in future is likely to be linked to how they act. The central London council is the first to consider reducing or taking away benefits from those causing a nuisance to society. More local authorities are expected to draw up similar plans to tackle anti-social behaviour as they prepare to take full control of council tax benefit from 2013. Under the Westminster plan, an average household could see its benefit reduced by anything between £56 and £560, depending on the seriousness of any misbehaviour. Westminster is also considering docking the council tax benefits of people who are not making an effort to get a job. Cllr Roe said that for every Westminster resident on council tax benefits, there were 'seven vacancies in low-skilled jobs like shelf-stacking, waitressing and window cleaning'.

The sole trader: I'm a sole trader who runs a window cleaning business, and many of my customers pay me by cheque. What am I going to do?

Miles Brignall: This group is expected to see the biggest impact when cheques disappear in 2018, not least because many won't be able to invest in the technology the industry is relying on taking over from cheques. Sole traders tend to take cheques from individuals they may not see from one year to the next, and while their younger customers will probably be happy to adopt alternative forms of payment, their older clients will struggle after 2018.
Credit card company Visa Europe says it is working on a mobile-to-mobile payment system. Users could either pre-load their phones with a cash balance, or pre-register it to their debit or credit card. If you need to pay a window cleaner after he has finished doing the house, simply send him a text, and the money instantly moves from your account and into his. Great for those who have mobiles, but not so good for those who don't, who will have to pay in cash, or ring up their bank to make money transfer.
It's a similar story with the internet. PayPal already lets individuals move money via the email system. A PayPal customer sending a friend (or window cleaner) the money simply logs on the PayPal site, and, two clicks of a mouse later, the money arrives in his account.
Movements from a PayPal account linked to a bank account incur no charge, while those registered to a credit card face a 3.4% charge, plus 20p. If the window cleaner wanted to set up a PayPal business account, he would pick up the transaction charges, which fall in size, as the number of transactions grows. However, it will probably cost less than operating a business bank account, which charge businesses to deposit cheques.
For example, HSBC's fee-free business direct account lets holders pay in up to 20 cheques a month, after that they cost 75p each. Other business accounts charge anywhere between 30p and 60p, but these incur monthly charges.

TA soldier who shot suspected Taliban bomber in murder investigation: When Fusilier Duane Knott volunteered to serve with the Territorial Army in Afghanistan at the age of 24, it was the fulfilment of a boyhood dream. He had spent years working in a factory and cleaning windows in Caerphilly, south Wales, while undergoing training at weekends so that he could fight in the war. But 15 months after his return from Afghanistan he faces a possible murder charge over the shooting of a suspected Taliban bomber. Fusilier Knott has spent most of his life in Caerphilly. His real ambition was to be a soldier. After leaving college he joined the regular army in 2005 but dropped out after four-and-a-half months of basic training – a decision he describes as “the biggest mistake of my life”. He waited a year before joining the TA and then spent years working in a factory and as a window cleaner before passing his initial training.

NJ cop beaten in brawl caught on tape after Winter Classic hockey game: The fight was recorded on a cell phone and initially put on YouTube, but later taken down because it was considered too shocking and violent, reports CBS Philadelphia. However, Philadelphia police on Wednesday released an edited version of the video, which ends with a Rangers fan lying stunned on the street. Police say the brawl began with some Flyers fans stopping a window-washer who happened to be passing by, reports CBS Philadelphia. Capt. Laurence Nodiff with the Philadelphia Police Department reportedly explained that they, "Gave him a couple bucks and said, 'Hey go over to those Rangers fans and squirt some water in their faces.' Apparently, he goes over and squirts some water and they jump up and the guy runs away."

Don Aslett, who founded the Museum of Clean in Pocatello, Idaho, is shown at a window-washing exhibit. Among the items in the $6 million museum are a horse-drawn vacuum dating to 1902 and a 1,600-year-old bronze pick used to clean teeth. Don Aslett may be more than a half century into his fight against dirt and clutter, but he still can't take a stroll without bending to pick up litter from the sidewalk. Aslett started speaking publicly and writing cleaning handbooks with titles such as, "Is There Life After Housework?" and "Clutter's Last Stand." His personal monikers have included the Dean of Clean, the Sultan of Shine and, who could ever forget, Don Juan of the John. More on Don here.

During a recent tour, Aslett stopped to clean a window display inside a children's play area. His squeegee glided across glass in a quick flurry of sweeping strokes, like an artist painting a canvas. "That's how the professionals do it," Aslett said, leaning back to admire his work. He would know. Aslett first marketed himself as professional cleaner when he was 19 and attending Idaho State University in the 1950s. He charged $1.25 an hour and recalls that his first job cleaning around a furnace took him 56 minutes. He was paid $1.18, an amount of money he keeps framed on his office wall. "I thought, it's going to be a tough road after this," Aslett said. But by the time he graduated, Aslett had launched a construction, facility-services and janitorial company that employed about 500 and had branches in three states. Varsity Contractors now boasts annual sales of $100 million.

Man Lift Manufacturing Co., a Cudahy manufacturer of mobile hydraulic equipment for specialty markets and hazardous environments, has named Phil Sprio president and CEO effective immediately. Sprio succeeds Jeff Bailey, who founded the company in 2000. Bailey will continue his involvement in the design and engineering of custom lifts for Man Lift’s worldwide customers. Universal Manufacturing acquired Man Lift in December 2010. Man Lift serves customers in the aerospace, defense, aircraft manufacture, aircraft maintenance, food, chemical, tree care, window cleaning, and oil and gas industries.

Chicago-based The Millard Group, a national leader in the janitorial services industry, announced today that it has acquired Preferred Landscape and Lighting of San Antonio, Texas. The two companies have complementary customer bases and service niches, and with the addition of Preferred's capabilities to its core business offering, The Millard Group will integrate services in both horizontal and vertical platforms to strategically grow its business. Preferred Landscape and Lighting employs 80 people and is well-recognized throughout Texas for its commercial landscape maintenance, lighting and holiday decorating services. The Millard Group provides janitorial, window cleaning, and architectural metal and stone maintenance services to commercial clients throughout the US.

A countrywide handyman and gardening service will be officially launched this week. The Age UK Northumberland service has been building steadily since July, but will be formally opened tomorrow by Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery. The scheme aims to offer quality workmanship and value for money to enable customers to feel safe and be able to report a number of jobs to a single contact. Services offered include painting, window cleaning, high pressure cleaning, laying of patios, drain unblocking, path clearance, basic home security, lawn mowing, erecting fencing, changing lightbulbs and assembling flat-pack furniture. Age UK Northumberland Day Services Development Manager Elizabeth Simpson said: “We are very excited about the prospects for our handyman and gardening service. “Feedback we have received so far in the few months that it has been operating has been excellent. “Customers like the idea of getting a service from a well-respected name that they can trust and from staff who they know have been fully trained and checked.

Young vandals ordered to put Somerset factory damage right: A gang of youths who broke into a Castle Cary factory have been ordered to make amends by washing site windows and picking up rubbish by a restorative justice panel. A three-month police campaign which tracked down 14 children involved with causing £1,000 of damage to the Torbay Road factory ended last month.

Los Angeles Times ran a tribute written by Joe Saltzman of the USC Annenberg School for Ted Tajima, a high school teacher who encouraged Saltzman to attend USC, even after a counselor told Saltzman he was destined to be a window cleaner. "He came back and told me that together, we would work to get me into the best school of journalism on the West Coast -- the University of Southern California -- and with a scholarship as well," Saltzman wrote. "And he made it happen."

Glasgow MSPs spent one third of a million pounds in expenses last year, according to the latest figures. Taxi trips of half a mile, window cleaning bills of £1800, and minibus hire at almost £5000 feature in the claims. The four highest expenses claimants were Labour MSPs who all lost their seats at the last election, while the four lowest either held their seats or won a constituency after being a list MSP. Claims from Glasgow politicians ranged from a low of £14,700 to a high of £27,782. The Parliament was billed for hotel stays in Edinburgh , rail tickets and taxi fares among other things. One MSP claimed £150 a month for window cleaning.

Maintenance firm Greenscape has won a £190,000 contract to look after the grounds of 125 housing estates in the West Midlands and Shropshire. The estates are managed by Birmingham-based Mercian Housing Association, which provides more than 3,400 affordable homes to families across the region. Greenscape, based in Wednesbury, West Midlands, provides a range of services to not-for-profit organisations and private firms across the west Midlands. Its services range from window cleaning, gardening and landscaping to repairs and maintenance. The company is the estate services division of Accord Housing Association, and offers its services to other housing associations, commercial enterprises, community associations, local authorities and individuals. The firm employs 50 people and turned over more than £1 million for the first time since it was formed 26 years ago.

Mark Sheppard has endured 11 operations this year since being diagnosed with a life-threatening tumour in January. And though it’s not cancerous, the growth, has left him in almost constant pain and with a shunt in his head to drain fluid from his skull. Dad Chris Benny, 26, said: “We are trying to make Christmas special. He deserves.” Mum Michelle Gallagher, 25, said: “We don’t know what the future holds for Mark. “We are hoping they will tell us the tumour has shrunk but it could have grown. “We’ve had a hard year. Every day is a bonus.” Chris, a window cleaner, said: “I felt as if my world collapsed. I should be here to protect him, and there’s nothing I can do except support him. “We asked what his life expectancy is and they said they don’t know.” St Monica’s Primary pupil Mark was rushed to the Southern General by ambulance, and went into theatre within hours. But surgeons were unable to remove more than 10% of the tumour, which was the size of a melon, on his pituitary gland, which controls hormones and sits just behind the nose. The operation lasted for nine hours and Mark almost died after suffering a haemorrhage from a burst blood vessel. He pulled through – though spent months in hospital. Mark has needed 10 further ops to install and replace a ‘shunt’ in his head to drain the fluid from a related condition called hydrocephalus, which means water on the brain.

A dad has told of his toddler daughter's incredible courage after she was struck by a rare cancer. Proud Kurt Boyce praised three-year-old Millie, saying that despite losing her sight: "She is the happiest little girl I've ever known." Both of Millie's eyes had to be removed to save her life. But window cleaner Kurt, 24, said: "Millie has been absolutely amazing throughout the whole thing — she has been very brave." And her mum Steph, 21, added at their home in Weoley Castle, Birmingham: "Despite everything she is very positive about the future.

She is determined to have a fulfilled life and smiles all the time." Millie was born healthy but was diagnosed as a baby with bilateral retinoblastoma, a tumour of the retina. The condition, which affects just 40 to 50 children in Britain each year, was first noticed when she developed a squint at three months. Later she began to walk into walls and have trouble finding her toys.

Soon her right eye began to resemble a transparent ball and despite chemotherapy, which left her sick and withdrawn, it was too late to save her sight. Both her eyes have now been replaced with prosthetic ones the same shade of blue. Steph added: "If I could have one wish it would be for Millie to be able to see again, even for an hour. "She would have loved seeing all the bright lights and shiny gift wrapping at Christmas."

Thame mourns for Ben the window cleaner: The town is today mourning the sad passing of one of its favourite sons. Ben Guest died on Wednesday evening after suffering from a seizure. Ben, who worked as a window cleaner, was a familiar and much-loved Thame man best known for his work fundraising for charity. He was a regular sight on the high street with his bucket and ladder and cheery countenance. Ben will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with his friends and family at this sad time.

Door explosion shock for Market Bosworth woman: An elderly woman has been left shaken by the inexplicable explosion of her glass shower door. Edna Lord and her daughter Heather Henson didn’t know what was happening when a loud blast and the sound of shattering glass filled their home. The pair from Market Bosworth had been watching TV in the room next to Edna’s annexe when the bizarre explosion happened, causing the family to think the house had been attacked. But when they went in search of a smashed window, they couldn’t believe what they were seeing - the glass shower door had exploded, covering all of the bathroom’s surfaces and floor with sharp chunks of glass. The bizarre incident happened four years after the shower screen was installed in the bathroom and was made by a company that no longer exists.

Although rare, there are frightening examples of this happening around the world and instances where people have been badly cut by the shattering glass. Heather added: “I didn’t understand what I was seeing at first, it was quite a shock. “We’re just relieved that no-one has been hurt but people do need to be aware that these glass doors can explode for no reason.” Reasons that have been attributed to shower screens smashing in the past include the panels not being correctly installed, cracks and damage caused by opening and closing the door.

I am firing the help. The lawn guy, the pool guy, the gutter guy, the tree-trimming guy, the window-cleaning guy and the cleaning lady all buy us time, but to do what? Too often, it's to grab another beer and play Angry Birds. Yet as Tom Sawyer knew, home maintenance can be entertaining as well as a good workout if we trick ourselves into thinking it's fun.

A self-employed window washer too embarrassed to have his name in the paper said he can't afford salt for his driveway - and can't afford to fall. After two knee replacements, the 62-year-old said he wasn't able to earn enough this summer to cover his winter bills. "I try to live on what I saved during the year," he said. "This year I ain't got it. It just ain't there." He worries he won't be able to heat his mobile home, though he's reluctant to apply for heating assistance.

Ventura author gives life to Melvin Beederman Superhero: The Ventura resident grew up in a family with all boys and while he loved movies, it wasn't a literary household. "I was a lifelong nonreader," said Trine, the author of a successful children's book series called Melvin Beederman Superhero. "I didn't really pick it up until after college." Trine, 53, was in Camarillo last weekend signing copies of the eight Melvin Beederman books at Mrs. Figs' Bookworm on Daily Drive. His story is an unlikely one. Picking up writing almost as an afterthought, he started writing short fiction and pitching it to children's and teen magazines such as Highlights, among others. "There were 12 years of rejection in there," said Trine. "I did a novel, but that didn't work out." A window cleaner by trade, the CSU Northridge graduate found writing children's stories more appealing.

Discount scheme offers savings: More than 60 businesses have signed up for a new customer discount scheme in East Northamptonshire and Wellingborough. The Local Discount Network offers savings on a variety of products and services, from restaurants and hairdressers to florists, car repairs estate agents, printing, photography, driving instructors, window cleaners and carpet fitters. A spokesman for the scheme said: “The Local Discount Network has been created to reward people for their community loyalty. Just show your discount card to take advantages of some amazing deals and offers throughout your local shops and businesses. “Right now what we’re hearing from families all around the local community is that almost everybody’s household budget is under pressure and everybody would like a little help with everyday living essentials and some affordable treats.” Businesses which sign up for the scheme receive free advertising in return for offering local discount network card holders a special rate or an offer that save them a bit of money. A £1 donation is made to the Irthlingborough animal sanctuary Nanna for every discount card sold.

Jerry Davich: ‘Resume 101’ workshop finally a reality: Finally, after several weeks of delays, logistical problems and, ahem, laziness on my part, I have nailed down a date and location for my “Resume 101” workshop. The free workshop is for anyone who’s unemployed, underemployed or simply looking to upgrade their career status or boost their resume and job-seeking skills. These days, such criteria describe thousands of Northwest Indiana residents, from what I hear. This workshop stems from my Labor Day column, which attempted to find jobs for a handful of unemployed readers. And it worked, for a few of them, partly because of the help they received to improve their woeful resumes. Miriam Williams, a career counselor at Indiana University Northwest, has generously offered to host the workshop. She is the same person who helped review the Labor Day job candidates’ resumes and provide feedback for their search. Also taking part in the workshop, from an employer’s perspective, will be Don Markovich, owner of Bren-Mark Window Cleaning Service in Valparaiso, and Candy Smith, the company’s operations manager. They will offer expert — and no-nonsense — advice on what they look for when going through hundreds of job applications and face-to-face interviews each year. This feedback should be invaluable for job-seekers who often leave a job interview wondering what employers thought of them.

Remembering those who passed in 2011 - A window-cleaning business started at Wroxham by Charles Bizley, 95, became one of the country’s largest specialist contractors. He started cleaning windows in April 1946 and within 30 years was employing 1,500 staff across East Anglia.

Occupy UC Davis Cleanup & Repair Cost $8,500: In a Dec. 11 article, The Davis Enterprise quoted Bernie Goldsmith, described as a local attorney active with the protesters, as saying the occupiers would “broom-clean” the building and hire a professional window cleaner. But the window cleaning apparently never happened, Carmichael said, leaving Facilities Management with the task of removing all the tape that the occupiers had used to hang up posters.

Trouble sleeping and issues with noise irritation emerged as two of the factors that led a 77-year-old Ham man to take his own life, a coroner has heard. Trevor Morgan, of Cavendish House, Ham Close, was found dead at the bottom of his split level flat’s stairs on Wednesday, September 23, after his son became worried after not hearing from him for several days. At an inquest into Mr Morgan’s death on Thursday, December 8, a coroner ruled the retired window cleaner had taken his own life. Mr Morgan was found in his flat by police. There were empty blister packets of sleeping pill Zopiclone, Paracetamol and brandy found in the flat, as well as a suicide note. The note, addressed to his son Paul, read: “I leave all to my son Paul Morgan who is in Hollesley, Suffolk. Sorry son I cannot stand no more music from [a neighbouring flat]. “You know where everything is. Love dad.”

The impressive career of a designer from Rickmansworth has been recognised with an MBE in the New Years Honours list for his services to Architectural Stained Glass. Alfred Fisher, of The Highland, has created windows for Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey during his 61 years in the trade. The 78-year-old said: “I was astonished - the award came completely out of the blue and had never entered my wildest dreams. “It is so nice to be recognised - I just try to do the best I can.” Despite being told by his colleagues that he wouldn’t last two weeks in the industry aged 17, the talented designer stuck to it and quickly fell in love with the skill.

Scotland’s Maryhill Burgh Hall with World’s First Ever Interactive Stained Glass Window: Maryhill Burgh Halls, Glasgow reveals the world’s first ever interactive stained glass window. You can scan the 2D barcode in the window using a smartphone, and you are taken to a webpage explaining the designs and given information about the glass. While the new glass is as modern as it can be, stained glass in Maryhill has a long history to narrate. It was in 1878, the then Burgh commissioned twenty stained glass windows to showcase the trades and industries of Maryhill. They were designed by the artist Stephen Adam, and have become known as the crown jewels of Maryhill. The Scotish Tours to the area can get you into the detailed historic experience of Maryhill Burgh Hall and around.

Door-to-door sales: Each year a variety of unscrupulous door-to-door salespeople use high pressure sales tactics to frighten people into purchasing expensive, substandard – often unneeded products and services. Be wary of overly aggressive sales people selling everything from alarm systems to vacuums and air purifiers, as well as roofing, paving, window washing, painting, plumbing, heating, repair and landscaping services. QUICK TIP: Don’t give in to high pressure sales tactics. If you feel threatened by an aggressive salesperson, ask them to leave your property. If they refuse, call the police. Before making any purchase, do your due diligence, getting the name and location of the company and ensuring all details and verbal promises are included in a contract.

Warmer Weather Helps This Window Cleaner

2012-01-05T17:52:00.000+01:00

Warm weather not sunny for snowpack levels: Summit County - In his efforts to do his part to make the world a brighter place, Bryn Hinvman with Fish Window Cleaning has been very successful getting a lot of windows clean. "Just cleaning windows," Hinvman said. These days, he is making good time thanks to plenty of sunshine along with dry, warm weather. Manager Tim Satterly says the days are perfect for window washing. "You know, that sun comes out, it heats things up, and the windows are easier to clean," Satterly said.

It's the kind of weather that's helped them clean more windows making December business spotless with a 20 percent increase over last December. The problem is, it's making for some terrible snow conditions. Statewide, the snowpack is around 33 percent below average. It's 42 percent below average in the Colorado Basin, where many ski areas are located. With grass still showing in some spots, residents in Summit County, like Michelle Renner, say it's a far cry from last year. "This time last year it was probably 9 degrees and we had several, several feet of snow on the ground," Renner said.

The good news is that State Water Commissioners are saying the long-term forecast shows an El Nina pattern setting up. That produces more snow after January and means that and the end of the snow season, the state's snowpack will be close to average. If it works out that way, it will mean Hinvman's pleasant window cleaning weather will be wiped clean, making things more difficult. "If it's dumping, you can't always work," Hinvman said. Still, he says he'll be out there wiping away the grim in sun or snow. "Someone's got to do it," he said.

Window Cleaner Dies From Blood Clot After Breaking Ankles

2012-01-04T19:48:00.000+01:00

Blood clots killed window cleaner after ankle breaks: Policy over advice given to patients at risk of blood clots has been changed following the death of a 39-year-old man two months after surgery to mend two broken ankles. Brian Cairns, of Carn Drive, Newtownabbey, died on January 16, 2009 after blood clots which had formed in his legs travelled to his heart and lungs. Obesity was also given by Northern Ireland state pathologist Jack Crane as a contributing factor. The inquest was told that Mr Cairns weighed 102.2kgs, around 16 stone, but was not told his height. His wife, Julieann, agreed with a description of her husband as a large man. But the father-of-two was described by his friend Philip Douglas as being “fit as a fiddle”.
He worked around the Newtownabbey area as a window cleaner, and had been working with Mr Douglas on November 26, 2008 when he fell from his ladder, landing on his feet on concrete. “I was up one side of the house, Brian was up the other side, his ladder slipped and down he went. I just knew he had seriously damaged himself, his ankle had completely turned around,” Mr Douglas said. Mrs Cairns said her husband broke both ankles in the accident. He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital where he had two operations. While in hospital he was given a prophylaxis treatment to prevent deadly blood clots, known as pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis. However, this treatment was not continued when he left hospital.
The inquest heard that patients at risk of these conditions are now given written advice when they leave hospital. Mrs Cairns said her husband had complained of breathlessness the week before he died in January 2009. She said he had been attending physiotherapy sessions and carrying out exercises they had given him. Physiotherapist Sarah Beattie confirmed that Mr Cairns had been a willing patient. On January 16, Mr Cairns suddenly took ill and was taken to Antrim Area Hospital by ambulance, but he could not be saved.
Professor Crane carried out the post-mortem examination. He said blood clots had formed in Mr Cairns’ lower legs and travelled to his heart and lungs, causing a blockage. He said an inquiry, or surgery, as well as immobility, were causes of blood clots. A lawyer on behalf of the Belfast Trust also offered condolences to the Cairns family. Coroner Brian Sherrard found that Mr Cairns died from a pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis which was due to bilateral ankle fractures against a background of obesity. “While deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis was provided to Mr Cairns while he was an inpatient, unfortunately it was not provided after discharge,” he said. However, Mr Sherrard said he would not make any recommendations because of the changes that have been implemented by the Belfast Trust following Mr Cairns’ death.

Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

Clot killed window cleaner who broke both ankles in fall: A window cleaner died from a blood clot seven weeks after he fell from his ladder and broke both ankles, an inquest has heard. The sitting at Mays Chambers in Belfast also heard how Brian Cairns had complained about a shortness of breath and back pain in the week prior to his death, but had not sought medical help. "I asked him if I should get the doctor but he said 'no'. He wasn't one for fuss," his widow Julianne told the court yesterday.

Mr Cairns, a 42-year-old father-of-two from Carn Drive in Newtownabbey, fell about 10ft when his ladder slipped while he was working on November 26, 2008. Family friend Philip Douglas, who had been with him at the time of the accident, said: "The ladder slipped and he went down. You just knew he had seriously hurt himself ... one of his ankles had completely turned around. "But he was fit as a fiddle before that happened."

Mr Cairns underwent two operations at the Royal Victoria Hospital before being discharged. He was wheelchair-bound and attended five physiotherapy sessions before his death on January 16, 2009. According to Sarah Beattie, the lead physio at Musgrave Park Hospital, he had been making good progress towards a full recovery. Ms Beattie told the court if he had indicated that he was suffering from breathlessness her team would have sought assistance from medics.

State Pathologist Jack Crane determined the cause of death as pulmonary embolism due to deep venous thrombosis (DVT), due to bilateral ankle fractures. The court also heard how the Belfast Trust has reviewed protocol on discharging fracture patients and now prescribes DVT prophylaxis and written information on the risks of pulmonary embolism and thrombosis.

Coroner Brian Sherrard described Mr Cairns' unexpected death as a "terrible loss". The coroner urged Mrs Cairns to take some comfort from the fact that a change of policy means medical patients will not now find themselves in the same tragic situation as her husband. The family were too distressed to speak after the hearing.