The final details: A construction worker, top left, installs one of the last panels on the front of the Fredericton Convention Centre on Tuesday as employees of Capital Window Cleaners clean the glass.
Window washer, Rick Carney, owner and operator of
Pane Doctor Professional Window Cleaning Company, is sharing some of his success with Fort Worth and surrounding Texas communities. It’s his way of saying thanks for a great year. “While we are very excited about the success of Pane Doctor, we believe in giving back to the community,” says owner Rick Carney. “Pane Doctor has donated free exterior window cleanings for charitable auctions to assist in raising funds for area charities and churches. Arlington Heights UMC, Fort Worth, and White's Chapel UMC, Southlake, are two churches that have auctioned the Pane Doctor’s cleaning services to raise funds for charity.”
‘No one likes to clean windows.’ Everyone has heard it said a million times and everyone can probably relate. No one that is, except for Rick Carney the Pane Doctor. For Rick, it is the therapeutic nature of being outside and making life just a little clearer for someone else that makes him so good at what he does. Rick enjoys summer outdoor fun with his wife and four children, so working outside and meeting new people is a bonus for him in the window washing industry.
Pane Doctor Professional Window Cleaning is ready to help clear customers’ views from the inside out all around Fort Worth and surrounding communities. Summer is the time that the shades are pulled up and kids are playing in the back yard. It only makes sense to keep the view sparkling clean. Pane Doctor, as any true professional window washer should do prior to creating a clear view for summer, offers customers a free estimate before ever raising a squeegee or hoisting a ladder. This gives customers peace of mind prior to the cleaning and an understanding of what will be included to achieve an outlook worth having.
Picture this...a window washer on 29th story of a Naples condo gets stuck. Who saves him? The City of Naples firefighters put on a training exercise for high rise situations like this, and WINK News got first hand practice. "A window washer is the most common. They go over the side of this building, and they start cleaning the windows, and they have a medical emergency or their equipment fails we can come and set up this kind of repel. Repel down to them, pick them up, put them on our safety lines and lower them down," Naples Battalion Chief Pete DiMaria explains of today's training exercise.
Naples Fire does this type of training often, but the buildings usually don't go over three stories. Today, crews have the added risk of descending down one of Naples' highest condos, the Enclave at 29 stories high. The last time they got to practice on a building this tall was three years ago. In an emergency situation, rescuers have to get all rigs and harnesses set up, and start repelling to their victim in as little as 20 minutes. But, the scarier part may be the decent. Sometimes rescue workers have to get down in under 30 seconds. Thankfully, Naples Fire hasn't had to put this training to use on anyone, but they're ready when and if the time comes. Video at link.
This week, Doris Clayton passed from this world much like she lived in it - surrounded by bluegrass music and those who loved her. Doris relished her role as wife, mother and owner of a window-cleaning business that, even during all her chemo treatments, she continued to physically maintain. But those who knew Doris best say there was never a day - even when the cancer spread throughout her body - she didn’t live life to the fullest. “She never gave up hope,” says longtime friend Joe Warnelis, nor did she let the disease define her. “From the moment I met her, I never once heard her complain or feel sorry for herself,” adds Jim Clayton, who married Doris in May of 2007, at a time when the cancer was in remission. “I always knew it could come back. So did she. But she was always upbeat, positive, and always thinking of others instead of herself.” Then there was her music.
Previous news blog here.
Bohannon killer gets 8-16 years: Evanston, Wyoming. The killer of an Evanston woman who died in 2006 was sentenced to eight to 16 years in prison Friday, authorities said. Lee Allen Michaels — whose real name is Edwin Lee Norton — was arrested in Houston in April on first-degree murder charges in the death of 41-year-old Shannon Bohannon of Evanston. Michaels had pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced during a hearing in Uinta County District Court. Bohannon's plastic-wrapped body was found by a hiker on June 11, 2006, on public lands north of Evanston. An autopsy revealed no obvious cause of death. Investigators determined that Bohannon had been living with Michaels, a drifter and self-employed window washer at the time.
Love at first sight is still going strong 50 years on: A golden couple who fell in love the second they laid eyes on each other are today celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss. Sheila and Barrie Baker, both 67, of Ivy Lodge Close, Stapenhill, met at the former Alexander Cafe near Station Bridge, shortly after leaving school when they were 15 years old. The couple courted for two years before they tied the knot at Burton Town Hall in 1961. Mr Baker, a keen golfer, started his working life as a butcher at the age of 13 and, after school, went full-time until he was 21. He then worked at Drakelow Power Station and set up his own part-time window cleaning business, which he still runs to this day. The couple were celebrating the milestone anniversary with a big party at their home with family and friends today. They will also be treating themselves to a Caribbean cruise later in the year.
Buyout Loans in Europe Set to Climb to 3 Year High in January: ISS Scrapped - Apax Partners LLP abandoned its bid for ISS Holding A/S, the world’s largest provider of cleaning services last week, scrapping plans to raise at least 3 billion euros of financing, people with knowledge of the deal said Jan. 7
Buying services (window cleaners, hairdressers, etc) is better than buying imported electrical goods or foreign-made clothes, and that might favour the older spenders. But the Neets – not in employment, education or training – youngsters deprived of jobs are receiving social-security benefits. Give them a job and the state no longer has to make those payments. The older group do not lose their pensions because they are also working. So the country is better off if the jobs go to the young.
Easy to clean windows: Independence Home Improvement was founded under the idea that home improvement doesn't have to always be so difficult. Take windows for example - cleaning them really can be painless and simple. David Magazu, Owner of Independence Home Improvement shows us exactly how. What's unique about these windows is that the glass in them was made in a special way that allows you to clean them without using anything but cold water and a paper towel. Anyone that's worn glasses can remember that 10, 15 years ago when you took off your glasses you could use your shirt to wipe them clean because the glass was made optically clear. Plastic lenses are difficult to clean and you need soap and water. This glass is made in the same fashion as your eyeglasses used to be made so you end up with a glass very, very easy to clean. This is a great window system made by paradigm.
Soundbite: If you’ve experienced a devastating fall in the workplace or a car accident which left you hospitalized, one of the most daunting tasks — besides paying a mammoth hospital bill — has to be the search for the right lawyer. Unless you have a friend of the family who practices law, many “regular folks” simply do not have a lawyer in mind when tragedy strikes. If you work in conditions where accidents are bound to happen (construction, rafting, telephone poll worker or window washer come to mind), then keep in mind a few workplace lawyers.
All insulated glass unit (IGU) windows will eventually begin to fog due to seal failure. Window glass replacement is simpler and far less expensive than full window replacement, restoring your thermal double pane windows can save you up to 70 percent off the cost of regular window replacement. Nearly all windows are designed to have the glass units replaceable and can be fixed by simply changing out the failed glass unit with a new factory sealed glass unit. This is an easy and economical solution to making your windows look newwithout replacing the whole window. Wincapaw started into the business when he moved to Fayette County from Southern Florida in 2005. He is a one man operation and gives his customers one-on-one personal attention from start to finish. Capitol Glass, Inc. has earned an outstanding reputation as an affordable and reliable company you can trust. “Family owned and operated, we really care about our customers and believe in an honest value for high quality products done right the first time,” Wincapaw stated.
Daylighting, Biophelia and Lighting Controls: One strong belief is that people are happiest and most productive with good "daylighting." Provide them with windows and the ability to control the level of their task lighting and our intuition tells us this may contribute to the satisfaction of their work environment. After all, when an executive receives that coveted promotion, what often comes with it? The corner office – with views of the outdoors. When you walk into your hotel room, throw down your bags, what is the first thing you usually do? Do you head to the window to check out the view, and if there is a terrace, squeal in delight (well, perhaps only I squeal)? Humans tend to gravitate toward this touch with nature. But what does science tell us?
In a landmark study published in 1984 by Roger Ulrich, Ph.D., patients recovered from gall bladder surgery more quickly (2.5 days sooner, on average) and required less pain medication if they had a view of trees outside their window, verses the view of a brick wall. Views of nature appear to reduce our pain levels, likely through stress reduction, distraction, and the elevation of serotonin. Sunlight exposure increases the body's stores of serotonin – a neurotransmitter that inhibits pain pathways in the central nervous system (think "feel good, happy juice".)
We also see increased school performance in LEED-certified schools. The average school today is 42 years old, built during the time when some believed that windows would be distracting to students. Proper daylighting (without glare), however, has shown to actually increase students' attention and performance. The Heschong Mahone Group, Inc. in its most recent study of daylighting in schools, found statistically significant evidence that access to views through windows in classrooms improves student performance by 5 – 10%. Add an improvement in acoustics, and tests scores improve an average of 18%.
According to the Green School Initiative, "The study by the Heschong Mahone Group, covering more than 2,000 classrooms in three school districts, indicated that students with the most classroom daylight progressed 20% faster in one year on math tests and 26% faster on reading tests than those students who learned in environments that received the least amount of natural light."
Hell, he could break up MY relationship and I doubt I'd mind: The plot of Heartbreaker seems like a cruel one when looked at from a broad orbit. A man is paid to break up relationships by seducing the women involved therein. It's wise, then, that additional ground rules are laid down within minutes of the film's opening: Alex (Romain Duris) only intervenes when relationships are unhappy, he never sleeps with the women, and he never interferes for religious or political reasons. It's an engaging premise to the film, which wisely starts out with a quick, funny montage of Alex's previous successes in the field, as he engages in numerous vocations one being a window-washer to get close to his targets.
Leather Window Frames by Tonin: Italian company Tonin isn’t leaving luxury at the door, so to speak. These chic leather doors and leather window frames add some oomph to your decor with their unexpected look and feel, vibrant colors and luscious finish. The supple leather is sourced from top Italian suppliers, created by the likes of glass designer Sera Valentina and jewelry brand Swarovski. Murano glass and crystal embellishments are the perfect complement to leather finishes like Ostrich, Crocodile Skin, Eel and Python, available in any color of the rainbow – pink, blue, brown, ochre, green, the classic black and white, fiery red, metallics, the options are endless. Say “goodbye” to boring windows and predictable doors, and welcome some real art into your home.
On football pitches up and down the country magic of a very different nature was occurring. It was FA Cup third round weekend; one of the most exciting three days of the English footballing calendar. It is a time and place where non-league, part-time clubs can lock horns with their multi-million corporation counterparts from the Premier League. A level playing field which could pitch a milkman, a maths teacher and a window cleaner against the pampered egos of top flight football. It is very much David vs. Goliath.
The Last Gasp of Australian Tennis’s Golden Era: Mark Edmondson, who was ranked No. 212 at the time and had been mopping floors at a hospital just weeks before, seized his opportunity, beating John Newcombe in the final. Thirty-five years later, he remains the lowest-ranked men’s player to win a major and the last native son to win the Australian Open, which begins Monday in Melbourne.
“My sister was a nurse at the time, and she said, ‘We’re always looking for cleaners and window washers at the hospital,’ ” Edmondson said in a phone interview from his home near Sydney. “I was doing some floor polishing and window cleaning, but then like seven days into it, I got the call from Tennis Australia.” He traded in his mop and bucket for the chance to play, and seized the opportunity by winning the Tasmanian Open, which catapulted him into the main draw of the Australian Open.
Massachusetts legislators are filing a bill this week to protect children, families and workers from harmful chemicals found in everyday household products from window cleaner to shampoo. For years, environmentalists have pushed for stricter laws governing chemicals, especially as a series of government and other studies have found increasing amounts of chemicals in people bodies, including pregnant women. The legislation, called The Safer Alternatives Bill, would require businesses to replace toxic chemicals with safer ones if there are ones available. It also sets up a review system for other chemicals. This is the 6th year the bill will be filed in Massachusetts, but despite the budget woes of the state, environmentalists say they expect to make headway.
The legislation comes as 71 chemical safety laws have been passed in the last eight years by bipartisan state legislators across the country and bills in 30 other states are filed are will be filed this year. Some bills include bans on Bisphenol A, a chemical used in a wide variety of products that has been partially banned in Massachusetts, hazardous flame retardants, requirements that children’s product manufacturers use only the safest chemicals; and resolutions urging Congress to overhaul the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) – the federal law that allows dangerous and untested chemicals to be used in everyday products and materials.
"Planned Companies" going green in Newark: Parsippany - Planned Companies' Green School Cleaning Initiative will visit Newark on Jan. 26 to take part in a beautification project at Lafayette Street Annex School.
Approximately 40 Planned employees, along with President & CEO Robert Francis, will participate in the project within Newark's oldest school, using environmentally sensitive cleaning products. Established in Newark in 1898, Planned grew from a company of window cleaners and janitors into a real estate service business serving more than 250 commercial and residential properties across the Eastern Seaboard, providing security, janitorial, concierge and other essential personnel.
Revealed for the first time, the defiant French stained glass window portraying Hitler as King Herod: Adolf Hitler was portrayed as a blood-thirsty King Herod killing a Jew in a church stained glass window created in France at the height of the Nazi Occupation, it emerged today. The extraordinary ecclesiastical work of art remained unnoticed for a full 70 years at the St Jacques Church in Montgeron, south of Paris. If it had been pointed out at the time of its inauguration – in July 1941 – it would have meant almost certain death for those who created it. Third Reich soldiers were running France with fierce brutality at the time, and anything attacking the German Fuhrer would have been destroyed immediately.
As it was, the colourful window clearly depicts a black fringed Hitler as Herod, the infamous biblical King renowned for slaughtering children. ‘The figure has Hitler’s hair, but his moustache has been hidden behind his arm to avoid serious trouble,’ said Father Dominique Guerin, pastor of the parish. Now the window is being viewed as a brave symbol of French Resistance during the Occupation of 1940 to 1944. It was spotted by a journalist earlier this month, and then highlighted by the church authorities. In the window, Herod is slaughtering St Jacques – French for St James – who represents the Jewish people, using a broadsword. ‘Very few people have noticed it over the years,’ said local historian Renaud Arpin. ‘This ignorance would have been entirely understandable – if you’d known what it depicted during the war you would have been in a great deal of trouble.’ Click picture to enlarge.
Small business proprietors dread demise of the cheque: Almost three-quarters of Brian Martel’s customers pay their milk bill by cheque. Smaller businesses fear trade could suffer if cheques are phased out. Window cleaners, milkmen and newsagents are among those who are concerned about losing the payment method. Brendan Le Moigne, who owns Scott’s Window Cleaning Services, said most of his customers paid by cheque.
Stensrud, a small-business owner, is a newcomer to state politics. He and wife Wendy have raised their family of three children in Eden Prairie for 23 years and have been active in Wooddale Church. Stensrud has never shied away from transitions, though. Early in his career, he worked in medical sales, constantly traveling the country and dealing with turnover in the industry. “It seemed like you’d be working for one company and your worst competitor would buy out your company,” he noted. Back in 2002, Stensrud made a decision: “Maybe I’ll go for some control in my destiny.” He ended up looking into buying a franchise and became the owner of Fish Window Cleaning. The transition from salesman in a constantly changing industry to business-owner in a very old-school line of work turned out to be the right choice. “There’s not going to be a new technology that comes out that will get rid of the need for window cleaning and that’s a good thing,” he noted.
Where have all the whistlers gone? Walking through the middle of town the other lunchtime I picked up on a sound I'd not heard in a long, long while. Its audio presence was heightened by the fact that the shopping centre was ominously quiet as befitting a nation in sombre mood. Yet this melodious offering lifted the atmosphere. What was it? Well, it wasn't a busker. No, this was an ordinary bloke, weighed down with carrier bags, obviously out shopping with his other half, who was whistling a tune. That's when it dawned on me that it had been ages since I had actually heard anyone break into a whistle, let alone one that constituted a proper song.
When I was a kid every grown-up bloke seemed to whistle; every adolescent, too. Even some of my primary school mates. I was very envious as it's a knack which has always eluded me. Try as I might, my attempts at whistling sound like a cross between a balloon deflating and a budgerigar croaking its last chirp. Back then, and a bit before, everyone whistled while they worked. Milkmen. Postmen. Delivery drivers. Builders. Window cleaners. By the seventies, though, it was in decline. Nothing happened to arrest its fall from grace throughout the eighties and nineties, either. Now, firmly embedded as we are in the bottom half of the 21st century, it's about as dead as a dodo.
Ever seen a window cleaner trying to clean windows up on the 50th floor of some metropolitan skyscraper? My legs would snap off if I was the one wiping glass that high. Have no fear, the Roomba of windows is here: the Windoro. Lazy as we are, someone invented a robot that automatically wipes glass with the press of a button. Using special microfiber pads and detergent attached to one side of the Windoro, the bot slides back and forth in a zigzag formation, gently cleaning windows. The Windoro charges up in two to three hours and will work for up to an hour and a half on a full charge. So if you're a window cleaner and you're thinking about cheating your boss to go on an extended lunch break, you better get more than one of these cleaning bots. Piro Windoro (iwindoro) also has a window-cleaning robot. Windoro sets the length of the working path at 1 metre for cleaning "efficiently". The robot recognises the initial spot where the cleaning began. To reduce power consumption, a timed power-off function is set. It uses permanent magnets to stay safe on the window even after it turns off.
When a company is hard to find, so is customer satisfaction: When you hire a company to do some work around the house you should look for some basic things. The first is an address of the company doing the work. You may find this difficult to believe, but there are companies out there that don't list a mailing or street address on any of their documents - even on advertisements and sales receipts. As you might imagine, this makes it exceedingly difficult to recover a settlement if there's a problem later on. Another thing to look for is a local telephone number. When the company only has a toll-free number listed, an alarm bell should ring inside your skull. For all you know, the company could be headquartered in the hold of a rusty garbage scow tied up at Pago Pago.
This brings us to the sad story of a client, who, last summer hired CGS Cleaning. The cleaning technician, she said, made no effort to test the fabric in an inconspicuous location, as recommended on the tags. "It has been a nightmare for me. The furniture is completely ruined," Bitzer said. "It took a private investigator to figure out who the owner is." She told us that she didn't get a work order until the work was completed, and when she did see the contract there was no name, no address, no local telephone number, no e-mail address, no website - in short, no contact information whatsoever.
Now, if she did get a chance to look at the work order, she would have backed out then and there, because it has statements that pretty much leave CGS off the hook for just about everything, including accidently burning down your house. It states: "CGS will not be responsible for conditions existing prior to cleaning, nor will CGS be responsible for any damage to fabrics cleaned."
It also says: "Liability shall not exceed the cost of service." But for the record, the work order also states: "It feels so good to have the very best." True, this sounds like the usual boilerplate contract, but it does give the company a fair amount of leverage in court. It also suggests the company has little interest in making its customers happy and in owning up to mistakes.
What can I plant that won’t grow up past my windows? Many newer homes have front windows about 2 feet off the ground. You may not want a plant to grow too tall there, but it’s OK to see tops of shrubs -- especially ones with flowers -- through the windows. Shrubs you can keep about 2 feet tall include Red Ruffle azalea (blooms on and off all year), dwarf ixora, Blue Pacific juniper, Emerald Goddess liriope and foxtail fern. You might place little pockets of color there with perennials such as pentas or lantana, mixed with annuals, if you like. For regular-height windows, use plants underneath you can keep about 3 feet such as Gold Mound duranta, Burfordii holly, Schillings holly, Xanadu philodendron and many croton varieties. How far away from the foundation should I plant? My general rule of thumb is 2-3 feet out for shrubs (depending on mature size), 1-2 feet for perennials and annuals. Leave yourself enough room for house maintenance and window washing.
