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.
- 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
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| 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.
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| 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.
