Escaped Killer Found Cleaning Windows + News

Escaped killer found cleaning windows: A sadistic murderer who went on the run from jail has been found in Blackpool working as a window cleaner. Neighbours in Marton today spoke of their shock after discovering killer Matthew Taylor living on their street. The 25-year-old tortured and stabbed a man to death during a sickening robbery 10 years ago. He had been serving time at Kirkham Prison, but went on the run in March after failing to return to the open jail following home leave. Taylor was finally caught on Thursday when police found him at his partner's home in Cleves Court, Marton (pictured). He has now been sent back to prison to complete his 10 year sentence.
Taylor was just 16 when he, together with accomplice 17-year-old Christopher Pownall, was found guilty of the murder and robbery of Simon Bailey. The 39-year-old victim was beaten and had bleach poured over him before he was stabbed to death in his Stockport home. Residents on Cleves Court today said they were horrified to learn Taylor was living in a flat on their street. One neighbour, who saw last week's arrest, said: "There were loads of police everywhere wearing riot gear. "It's worrying – what if he comes back? It's pretty shocking to think he was living here and it was six months before he was found."
The killer, who formerly lived in Stockport, pleaded guilty to remaining at large from prison at Blackpool Magistrates Court. The court added 125 days to his sentence. Taylor will now serve at least another year in prison. He told the court he had packed his bag to surrender himself at a police station the day of his arrest. Angela Shelmerdine, defending, said her client failed to return to the prison because he was scared as his parole was coming up. She said: "After he failed to return to prison he committed no offences. "He started work, getting cash-in-hand jobs from friends, involving gardening and mechanical work. He also got a window cleaning round.



That's Smart, Kid-Friendly Glass: With these glass panels, doodling on the walls isn't discouraged - it's required. Looking for a way to let your kids make their mark on your walls without, well, destroying your home in the process? Check out this brilliant new product from Skyline Design, a company dedicated to providing eco-friendly decorative glass for the home. The Kids Glass collection combines color and imagination in the form of clear panels of safety glass (the same glass used in car windows, designed to withstand shattering) with patterns printed on the back. Originally designed to entertain kids in hospitals and day cares, Kids Glass can be drawn on with regular marker, which then cleans up easily with window cleaner or a chalkboard eraser.

Doggie drool remover: The current pet travel safety drive being spearheaded by Toyota to ensure that all pets are properly restrained in moving vehicles means that dogs are more likely to fog up car windows if they aren’t allowed to ride with their heads outside. Yecch is a special window cleaner to remove doggie drool from any glass surfaces in the car. Made by Bissell, the special formulation is applied with a soft brush to loosen the sticky goo and has a squeegee to remove the slobber and restore visibility. Available in specialty pet stores countrywide.
Bringing your pet along for a trip involves more then just getting them into the car and hitting the open road. You need to consider your pet's safety on the long ride. Does your pet get carsick? Do you have a restraint in place for its safety? Is your pet too skittish for car travel? We've put together our top five safety tips designed to help make traveling with a pet in the car a more enjoyable experience for everyone. Keep reading to find out how to get to your destination without any pet-related incidents.



Windoro stays vertical using neodymium magnets: Called Windoro, the robot consists of two separate modules that clean the window by spraying detergent and scrubbing away with a series of spinning pads. Unlike the Stickybot we looked at recently that mimicked gecko biology to scale surfaces including glass, Windoro relies on neodymium magnets that pull the two modules on either side of the window together with enough force to allow it to stay vertical. The researchers chose this method instead of vacuum power because they found it wasn’t as safe or reliable and would require the vacuum to be on at all times just to keep the robot in place.
With the magnets, Windoro will stay on a window from 10 - 25mm (0.39 - 0.98-in) thick, even when powered down. Once in place, Windoro uses distance measuring sensors, attitude determination and collision detection to stay on track as it performs its window washing magic. The robot reportedly took around 300 million KRW (approx. US$258,500) to develop and the PIRO team plans to release it commercially next year targeted for use in high-rise buildings. Now that the floor and windows are covered we’re awaiting a vacuuming robot that clings to the ceiling to banish those hard to reach cobwebs. See previous blog here.

It was decided two weeks ago to send the Large Yacht Code 2 to consultation for three months. It includes new regulations regarding submarines, helicopters, radio and window cleaning, Towner said. Apparently, the practice of hanging off sailboat tracks meant for masts and rigging can be unsafe, so the MCA is writing some regulations about it. The Large Yacht Passenger Code, 1336 Code, is being written by the Cayman Islands and he said he thought it might be announced at METS in Amsterdam in November. The Maritime Labor Convention is being discussed this week in Geneva and it is still unclear how it will impact the yachting industry.



Installation of protective bird netting will soon be completed at Scarborough’s Grand Hotel thanks to abseiling workers. The netting will prevent birds, specifically seagulls, from building nests on the 143-year-old hotel. Hotel manager David Ayllo said: “The programme began in May but then some kittiwakes built a nest. They are a protected species due to their declining numbers, so the installation had to wait to be completed.” It is necessary to prevent the gulls, which are regarded a nuisance in some parts of town, from disturbing hotel guests with their mating calls. Their droppings are also responsible for a significant proportion of the hotel’s cleaning expenses. Mr Ayllot said: “The seagulls can play havoc for the hotel and have disturbed guests. This should make all the difference. “It has been a huge success and it will really make a massive difference to the guest experience.” Planning permission was required to install the protective netting and it is expected to be effective for around five years.

Court hears Norfolk Four appeal in Richmond: Derek Tice's applications when they spotted his criminal record. After searching for six months, he landed a job as a window washer, his first employment since leaving prison. As a convicted felon and registered sex offender, Tice has severe limits on his career and his life, said his father, Larry Tice. On Tuesday, lawyers argued whether Derek Tice should remain under close legal supervision or have convictions for rape and murder erased from his record. A three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond questioned lawyers about the case and the legal strategy used during Tice's original two trials. Tice was part of a group of sailors, known as the Norfolk Four, convicted in the 1997 rape and murder of Michelle Moore-Bosko. William Bosko, an enlisted sailor, returned from a deployment and found his wife dead in their Ocean View apartment.

“Taste Napa Valley,” a wine tasting scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 14 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., Oklahoma City. The tasting will be a come-and-go event benefiting the museum. A silent auction also will take place. Participating restaurants will be at the Petroleum Club. Silent auction donors include Crystal Clear Window Cleaning.

Because here's the reality: doing something new is much harder than saying it. A new job that's in your field is itself a massive change. You might think I'm being a bit pessimistic, and that I just need a little belief in myself to get something off the ground. But really, that's not the problem--I believe in myself, but I know better that it really is that simple. People don't seem to realize that whatever job they suggest, IT'S ALREADY TAKEN. And there are 50 people on a waiting list when the position of window washer or lawn mower opens up. Those who haven't been poor for a while would do well to remember that it takes more than a month to get back on your feet after a huge economic setback, and it will take more than washing windows to do it. Most people in my position are not averse to any sort of work they can do to make ends meet, but in this arena, there are one million gladiators too many.

Window Cleaners Rattled By Canadian Earthquake - R.I.P. Jose Herrera

Quake in Ottawa, Canada — Books and bottles rattled off shelves; bricks came loose from some buildings; downtown highrises were evacuated; and several Ottawa schools were examined for structural concerns. But other than some limited property damage — and a few minor injuries — Ottawa escaped relatively unscathed Wednesday from what scientists describe as a “moderate” earthquake, centred in nearby Val-des-Bois, Que. The quake did unnerve the nation’s capital and could be felt across much of eastern North America, from Montreal to Chicago, Illinois. The quake struck at 1:41 p.m. with a magnitude of 5.0 and lasted between 20 and 30 seconds, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It was centred an estimated 20 kilometres underground. Dan Galipeau, who owns a window cleaning company in Ottawa, said his workers were on a scaffold at the Lester B. Pearson Building on Sussex Drive when the quake hit. “My guys, they freaked,” Galipeau said. “They stopped cleaning immediately, went down, and called me.”
Window washers Steve Moore and Jon Martin were hanging outside an office building in downtown Kitchener, but somehow didn’t feel a thing when the ground shook 10 storeys below their suspended platform. “We’re on cables, so we’re always moving up there anyway,” Moore said after obliviously finishing the job and getting his feet back on firm ground about half an hour later. “If I felt an earthquake, I would have been the first person down,” Martin said. “Those are grounds for going home, right?” The partners had a birds-eye view as area buildings emptied out, but figured there must have been a fire or some other mishap.
Once here on Prince of Wales Drive, the 27-floor Château Royale was swaying from side to side and many people were seen carrying elderly people down the stairs. Once outside, we realized that the whole city was being affected as we could hear sirens everywhere. An interesting sight to see was the window-washing crew suspended in the air holding on for dear life 15 storeys in the air across the street.
John Carone was in his home office, on Courtland Drive. He could feel a shudder under his desk. Then his chair moved. "I got up, and I thought, 'I'm nuts,'" said Carone, an accountant. He looked outside. His wife, Robin, was standing on a chair, washing a window. "I'm watching her, and I'm still feeling this shake," he said. "I thought, 'Wow, she's pretty strong.'" The tremors probably wobbled off a fault line that runs under Lake Erie, said Scott McKenzie, a geology instructor at Mercyhurst College. He felt them at his home in Millcreek Township.

Man injured in Orinda electrical accident dies: SAN JOSE — One of the two men severely injured in an electrical accident in Orinda this month has died, Santa Clara County officials said. Jose Herrera, 51, died early Wednesday morning at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, according to Santa Clara County Public Health Department spokeswoman Joy Alexiou. Information regarding the cause of death was not released because of privacy reasons. Members of Herrera's family have declined interview requests. The condition of the other man injured in the accident, Eduardo Guerra, 30, has improved from critical to serious, Alexiou said. Herrera and Guerra suffered second- and third-degree burns over most of their bodies when their cherry picker came into contact with high-voltage electrical lines the morning of June 5. An employee of Santa Clara-based Delta Window Cleaning, for which the two men worked, said Herrera had been employed there for 25 years. Window Cleaners Electrocuted in California.

Aqua-Dapter: Water Fed Pole Control - Following on from the previous blog on Steve Jones's "Aqua-Dapter." Please check out the new website that has been greatly improved from the old one including a 3D view of the new producct & mechanism. The "Aqua-dapter" is fitted to the top section of your pole, and connected to your brush. The control mechanism is operated from the handle, by pulling the hose to switch the water flow on and off. The tap can also be turned manually if you are working on ground level windows.

Take Your Dog to Work Day: Take Your Dog to Work Day simple Dos and Don’ts:
DO: - Bring a leash, a pillow, a water dish, food and all other amenities your dog may need throughout the day. Walk him often. No one scores big office points for a dog that pees, or worse, on corporate carpet. Make sure your job is OK with it in advance. Some coworkers may be allergic, highly fearful or the company, if it’s incredibly draconian, may not even allow dogs in the workplace at all. These are the same types of companies that may not allow your own bathroom breaks or maternity leave. Clean up any messes immediately, preferably not using your coworker’s favorite scarf.
DON’T: - Make everyone pet your dog. Yes, we know, he’s rightly the center of your world, but, alas, not everyone in that world out there happens to be an animal lover. Leave him unattended. This is a tough one, but a necessary one. Even the sweetest of pooches can act up when the proverbial mouse is away. Bring him to a job that is just dumb to bring a dog to. This includes window washing, restaurant kitchen work and along for the ride if you happen to specialize in roadkill pickup. Also know your dog and warn others of some of your pooch’s quirky behavior.

New lead paint rules cut risks - at a cost. Houses built before 1978 could contain the toxic metal - The Foxcroft two-story home looks like a scene from a sci-fi thriller: Yellow tape blocks the entryway, onlookers are warned away by a big "CAUTION" sign at the walk, and worker wearing what looks like a white hazmat suit plus mask pushes through two layers of plastic screening to get inside. Alien germs? A crime scene? Try replacement windows.
The plastic-swathed south Charlotte house is a glimpse into the future of some renovations to older homes. Workers who renovate homes built before 1978 now must be certified in how to contain the paint containing lead, a toxic metal. For the Foxcroft renovation, Dgien estimates the new rules added about 15 percent, to cover materials, labor and cleanup. On smaller jobs, the extra steps may not add as much. John Marino, owner of Window World and Siding and Carolina Cabinet Refacing, said the new rules are adding maybe $100 to $150 to his jobs for extra time. Responsible contractors, he said, are going to talk to customers in older homes and not give in to pressure to cut corners. "If they say 'Listen, I don't care about the lead test, we're going to look the other way,' we're going to test anyway," he said.
Rick Bainbridge, CEO of Bainbridge Crew in Charlotte, said the rules will likely add 10 to 15 percent to the cost of the home renovations his company does. Customers may balk, he acknowledged. "They have to realize the costs are part of the law," Bainbridge said. Homeowners need to avoid the temptation to go cheap, he said. "Right now you've got everybody in the remodeling business that's jumped in it, from custom builders to commercial contractors.... Every consumer, when they're having work done, should look to see if that contractor is a certified lead renovator. If not, run for the hills." See previous content here.


You can’t be afraid of heights if you’re part of San Diego fire’s Heavy Rescue 4. Sometimes nicknamed the SWAT team of firefighters, this is the crew that is called when window washers are stranded on the side of skyscrapers. While that has happened only four times in the past two years, the unit trains much more frequently, as members did Tuesday alongside a crew of Chula Vista firefighters. With a “Good luck, buddy!” shouted his way, San Diego firefighter Oscar Rodriguez rappelled down the side of downtown’s 480-foot Vantage Pointe condominium tower to a window-washer box.

Here's a view of Trump International Hotel & Tower that I bet you've never seen--unless you happen to be a helicopter pilot. Nevertheless, this aerial perspective nicely shows off the skyscraper's taut, elegantly-detailed curtain wall. And it's fun to peer down on Trump's outdoor terraces and their tiny swaths of shrubbrery. Oh yes-we also see the racetrack-like circuit for the skyscraper's clunky-looking, window-washing contraption. Reminds me of an oil well-except, of course, it's more than 1,000 feet above the sidewalks of Chicago.

“My best assignments are when no one can get in somewhere and the public needs to know,” says longtime photographer George Gongora, who is pictured rooftop at the Caller-Times this week and in a 1968 portrait at left. Gongora retires today after four decades with the newspaper. George Gongora climbed trees, crossed police lines and even dangled from the top of a high-rise building to capture images. It was all part of a relentless commitment to tell the story of his community. Gongora retires Thursday after nearly 44 years as a Caller-Times staff photographer. One Saturday when the two were working Gongora was sent to find a candid photograph around town for the next day’s paper. Hours later Gongora returned. He went straight to the dark room, developed a print and then handed it to Jimenez for review. The photo was of a window washer working on the side of a tall building. It was not taken from the ground. Jimenez asked Gongora how he got it. Gongora told him he took the elevator to the top where he convinced a maintenance worker to tie a rope around his waist and lower him two stories so he could get a photo. “I told him whatever you do, don’t do that again,” Jimenez said. “I was just astounded.”

Manitoba, Canada - Culex Tarsalis mosquitos are hatching across the Central Plains but the question is how many, and do they carry the West Nile virus. Dr. Tim Hilderman, Medical Officer with Manitoba Health, says no one knows for sure. He does note there's been a variation in numbers since 2003, when the first case of West Nile was diagnosed in Manitoba. Although precipitation plays a role, Hilderman says it's temperature that's the big determinant. He notes where there's heat, there's most likely Culex Tarsalis Mosquitoes. Every Manitoban can reduce their risk of infection by limiting time spent outdoors during the peak biting hours of dusk and dawn, using repellent, wearing light coloured loose fitting clothing, and making sure door and window screens fit properly, and are free of holes. Apart from decreasing your risk of being bitten, you can also make it less hospitable for mosquitoes in and around your home. This includes reducing standing water, cleaning eaves troughs, emptying bird baths, pool covers, barbeque pits, and covering rain barrels, and old tires. So far, Hilderman says only a small amount of Culex Tarsalis mosquitoes have emerged in the province. Most importantly, he adds none of the mosquito pools collected have tested positive for West Nile.

Water Fed Polers be aware: The North West of England faces a possible hosepipe ban to conserve water supplies in the face of a drought. Water company United Utilities will seek permission from the Environment Agency on Friday to draw more water from lakes and rivers. Following the driest start to the year in the region since 1929, many reservoirs have fallen to below half their capacity. A radio and newspaper campaign to use water wisely has been running throughout the region since last week. "It's been an unprecedented period of dry weather since December 2009, and we need to take action now so we can tap into available water resources if the dry weather continues," said John Sanders, United Utilities' Water Regulation and Strategy Manager. "We're monitoring the situation day by day but if we don't have any significant rainfall by the end of this month we will need a hosepipe ban to help conserve essential supplies," he added.
Last month, rainfall was just 38 percent of the long term average for the region. Haweswater reservoir in Cumbria has fallen to 61 percent capacity, nearly 20 percent below normal for this time of year. The firm will ask to increase the amount of water taken from Ennerdale reservoir in the Lake District to supply the Whitehaven area of West Cumbria. The possibility of more applications to take more water from both the Windermere and Longdendale Valley reservoirs is being discussed. Trevor Bishop, Head of Water Resources at the Environment Agency, said: "We are working closely with United Utilities to make sure they are doing everything they can to secure water supplies, manage customer demand and tackle leakage."

Southwall Technologies Inc., the worldwide innovator of high performance, energy-saving films and glass products, has been awarded a $1.43 million stimulus grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop advanced technologies aimed at making homes and buildings more energy efficient. Southwall will use the funding to accelerate development of higher performance and lower cost Heat Mirror low-emissivity and solar-reflective films and multi-cavity, suspended-film insulating glass technology to enable the broad commercialization of "super-insulating" R-10 windows.
According to DOE, the nation's 114 million homes and 74 million square feet of commercial floor space account for 40 percent of US total energy consumption and 39 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions. Because windows are the energy-efficiency weak link in homes and buildings, DOE is focusing grant funding on the development of innovative technologies that can create energy-saving windows that insulate like walls.
"The designation of Southwall as a DOE grant recipient recognizes our leadership in developing lightweight, multi-cavity insulating glass technology that promises to drive the performance of a new generation of cost-effective and energy-efficient windows," said Dennis Capovilla, Southwall chief executive officer. "We are pleased that DOE is working closely with industry to accelerate disruptive technology innovation that can dramatically reduce our nation's energy use." Southwall is one of seven California-based companies, including National Semiconductor and Applied Materials, to receive a coveted DOE grant for advanced energy-efficient building technology projects.

Day in Pictures, June 23: A reflection of a highrise is cast under a window washer Wednesday, June 23, 2010, in downtown Cleveland.

PawSafe - Cleaning Windows For Pets

Bow Wow! NEW PawSafe(TM) Household Cleaners Make Cleaning the House Safe for Pets, and Kids Too: Many consumers are unaware of the harmful effects traditional household cleaners can pose to their pets. Dogs and cats that pad across a freshly mopped kitchen floor, then lick their paws, may consume chemicals like ammonia. Those animals that press their noses against or even lick a window can ingest chemical cleaner residue. Dogs that drink out of the toilet may be ingesting cleaning chemicals like chorine. Any of these can cause rashes, respiratory irritation and other health issues. Indeed, the ASPCA lists household cleaners in the top 10 of poison calls handled by their poison control center.

PawSafe Household Cleaners are formulated without harsh chemicals, using natural plant-based ingredients like deionized water, vegetable derived surfactants, citric acid, emulsifiers, fragrance and organic pigments. All are safe and just as effective as traditional cleaners at cutting through grease and grime, limescale and soap scum, without leaving dangerous chemical residues behind. PawSafe Household Cleaners earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for safety and cleaning effectiveness. "With PawSafe there is no need for warning labels that read 'hazardous to humans and domestic animals' that you may find on traditional household cleaners," said Amber Zable, Brand Manager. "PawSafe Household Cleaners deliver a safe, powerful clean for pet parents and moms alike who are concerned about the health of their dogs, cats and kids. We've formulated six cleaning products that rival leading household cleaners on performance, ease of use and safety."

BENEFITS

• Removes nose prints and other dirt and grime for a streak free shine
• Spray on any window, door, or other glass surface
• Natural cleansing agents leave no chemical residue

Ingredients: Deionized water, vegetable-derived surfactants, ethanol, emulsifiers, fragrance and organic pigment.