Window Cleaning News

Residents in Moab, Utah have started a petition to have Negro Bill Canyon renamed because they are embarrassed by the name.

Utah man starts online petition to change name of Negro Bill Canyon (Salt Lake City) - Moab resident Louis Williams (pictured) cringes every time he tells visitors the name of the canyon with the great hike to a stunning arch: Negro Bill Canyon. Williams, a window cleaner who has lived in Moab for 14 years, is leading a renewed campaign to change the name of the Southern Utah canyon that he and others believe is inappropriate. He has posted an online petition that has garnered more than 600 signatures and plans to submit a formal renaming application to the U.S. Board of Geographic Names. "People cringe when we have to tell the name of it. The looks on their face is: 'What did you just say?'" Williams said. "People ask. 'Why is it named that?' They don't ask who he is." 

He wants it to bear the last name of the black cowboy who ran cattle there in the 1870s, William Granstaff. The canyon name has already been changed in the 1960s to "Negro Bill Canyon" from a name that featured a derogatory word. He said he has dug up history that shows Granstaff's name was actually spelled with a "d'' after the "n." That's why he wants it renamed as Grandstaff Canyon. "Most of the places and streets and trails that were named after settlers just used their last names," Williams said. "That is what we should do for him."
Even though efforts in the late 1990s and 2000s to change the canyon name were met by resistance from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Williams is optimistic the idea will gain more traction this time. His campaign is one of dozens across the country to rename canyons, reservoirs, lakes and other places still bearing names deemed derogatory. There are 757 places with "negro" in the name from Alaska to Florida and Maine to California, according to an analysis of government records. But the president of the NAACP's Salt Lake City chapter, Jeanetta Williams, said her organization opposes the name change just as it did when others tried to make the switch.

Condominium corporations in Ontario are not permitted to fine owners who breach the condominium documents. Fines are, however, permitted in many U.S. states and also in British Columbia. A recent case in British Columbia, Strata Plan LMS4255 v. Steven Newell, illustrates that fines may not be effective in getting a unit owner to cease breaching the condominium documents. In this case, the unit owner of a penthouse suite with an exclusive use balcony and roof deck above the unit, spent more than $800,000 on renovations, which included the installation of a hot tub, barbecue and entertainment system (TV and wall-mounted speakers) on his exclusive-use deck. Sounds like one of those bachelor pads that many of us have seen in the movies. After completing the renovations, the owner hosted many noisy parties that lasted until the wee hours of the morning.

In addition to the noise issues, the Strata Corporation took the position that the installation of the hot tub was an unauthorized installation and thus, should be removed. (The owner had previously asked for consent to install the hot tub, which was declined by the Corporation. Despite this, the hot tub was installed.) The Strata Corporation had failed its fall protection equipment inspection, as the location of the hot tub impeded the usage of two anchors required for proper window washing procedures. The Strata Corporation brought an application against the unit owner, as well as John Doe and Jane Doe and other persons unknown. This was done so that any court order would also be binding on all the attendees at the unit owner’s parties.

Cronin: 5 million jobs on track (South Africa): Public Works Deputy Minister Jeremy Cronin believes the government is on track to meet its target of creating five million job opportunities by 2014. According to Cronin, the government has created 2.6 million job opportunities in the past three and a half years through infrastructure projects. Cronin was addressing delegates at the department’s third Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) summit in Pretoria. Gauteng MEC for Economic Development Qedani Mahlangu urged other municipalities to look at Tshwane as an example of how jobs could be created while also creating a clean environment for the benefit of residents and communities.

She suggested that such jobs should be expanded to include window-cleaning and the upkeep of buildings in city centres – a model in use in countries in Europe and Asia. “We should look at creating these jobs but, more important, we should help those getting the jobs… to create co-operatives and manage and run the cleaning projects. “I’m urging municipalities to ensure that locals are employed in the projects, and not have a situation where a contractor comes into a province but has employed people from elsewhere.” A requirement for awarding the contracts should be the employment of locals, as should buying building materials from local hardware stores. “This way the money comes into the local community,” said Mahlangu.

Jobs Few People Want - High-Rise Window Washer: A job that is definitely not for the faint of heart that has an abundance of openings is high-rise window washer. Finding solid applicants for this position is not as simple as a retail or office job. The applicant must be comfortable working at staggering heights, deal with inclement weather and feel secure in a job where a lot of accidents occur. According to an article released by thefiscaltimes.com, eight people are injured every year in New York City alone, and 75 high rise window washers have died between the years 1983 and 2008. While the risks are clear, the benefits come in the form of a solid salary. High-rise window washers make on average $14 to $19 an hour. However, this can increase depending on your contract bids. Window washers make bids on contracts for various companies and they can accept as many or as few as they'd like. By being an independent contractor, high-rise window washers can determine the amount they want to bring in.

A new online tool from the soda giant tells you precisely how much exercise or housework it will take to work off that sugary beverage you just drank. Get ready: You’re going to be vacuuming for a while. Since the enactment of Obamacare, we’ve become used to calorie counts (restaurant chains with more than 20 outlets must have them). But Coke’s Calculator goes further. Not only do you get the counts, you also get a read-out on the exercise you’ll need to do afterwards to wash away the effects of the calories you’ve consumed.

A classic red-and-white can (139 calories) equates to 51 minutes of vacuuming, 21 minutes of lawn-mowing, 34 minutes of table tennis, or 17 minutes of Zumba. A 12-ounce regular soda contains 8 teaspoons of sugar.

If Sprite’s your thing (144 calories) you’ll need 13 minutes of circuit training, 41 minutes of window cleaning, or 33 minutes of pilates. And so on. There are even suggestions for when you drink a Slimline Tonic (no mention of the gin), or one of Glaceau’s "enhanced" waters (12 minutes of ping pong for a "Vitamin Water Power C"). The calculator is currently only on Coca Cola’s U.K. site--though, presumably, the calculations apply wherever its products are sold, and wherever there’s window-cleaning to be done.

Massachusetts-based All Access Equipment, the North American distributor of CMC Narrow Access Compact Crawler Lifts, has opened a new facility. Marketed and sold under Crawerlifts, the facility is located at 891 Woburn St., Wilmington, MA. It offers customers the ability to view all Crawlerlifts models available from All Access and receive demonstrations of the equipment in action. The new facility also provides extra space for training, servicing and a full warehouse of in-stock parts to meet the demands of the lift industry.

The company chose to combine its office and warehouse into a larger single facility to better serve their customers, and the new location’s close proximity to major highways provides for speed and convenience in sales and service, the company said in a statement. In a statement, the company said, "Crawlerlifts are the next generation narrow access lifts, built heavy duty and rugged for demanding industries such as tree services, window cleaning, painters, electricians, roofing, facilities maintenance and rental stores. Available popular lift sizes range from 50 to 105 feet working height. Crawlerlifts are light and nimble, and capable of entering 36-inch doors and gates."

Dubai-bound Leeds duo putting work first: Both men have had to take a week off work to fulfil their 7s commitments – Steve Morton from his role as an enforcement officer for Leeds City Council and Chris Peach (pictured right) taking a break from his window cleaning business, which he runs alongside cousin David Peach, also 35. He, too, was a Dubai 7s candidate until injury struck, something Peach knows all too well about having broken his neck during his playing days. “My cousin played in the trial game and broke his leg, otherwise he’d have been in with a shout of going over as well,” said Peach.“He’s just come out of the pot,” But they insist that their upcoming venture to the Dubai Rugby 7s is no holiday, well, almost. Morton, of Bramley, and Peach, of Morley, are the sole Leeds representatives selected to play for the British Amateur Rugby League Association’s BARLA Bulldogs international veterans squad.

Healthy young nursery worker has double mastectomy after finding she has breast cancer gene: Fiona Luscombe, 23, had the operation after discovering she has the gene that killed her mother and grandfather. Fiona Luscombe has had a double mastectomy after both her mother and grandfather died following a battle with breast cancer. The 23-year-old had elective surgery to remove both breasts after discovering she had the hereditary BRCA2 cancer gene. The abnormal gene is passed from parent to child and caused Fiona’s mother, Brenda, and grandfather, Frank, to develop breast cancer. Fiona revealed: “It went really well but it was really daunting. Both breasts were removed at the same time. They removed all the tissue and put the implants in." She said she had already spoken to her fiancé Chris Warn, a window cleaner, about the operation before she took the test. Fiona said: “He was around when my mum died as well and so he knew about my family. He was very supportive - just saying 'I'm happy as long as you're happy'.”

Is it the end of the line for cash? Cashless societies could become the norm but much will depend on consumer confidence in the available options and the level of security. Getting rid of cash has long been on the agenda of credit card providers, which trade on the fact that they can provide transaction data to the retailers they service. But now a new wave of virtual ways to pay means that consumers could soon be using new currencies Bitcoin and Ven to pay for goods too. Meanwhile, the UK’s three largest mobile networks got together earlier this month to work with retailers on consistent technology that will allow people to pay via a mobile ‘wallet’.

Digital payment solutions iZettle and credit card payment system Square, created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, have introduced technology that allows everyone to accept card payments. Small traders, for example taxi-drivers, window cleaners and plumbers, and those retailers that do not have card acceptance in place can attach a dongle to smartphones and tablets to accept payment. This means the barrier for entry into cashless options is lowered and it is possible for those traders that were cash-only to accept cards.

Coastal Bend residents dream of winning $550 million Powerball jackpot, discuss plans for huge payday. In Corpus Christi it’s the $550 million question. What would you do if those six numbers matched the ones on your Powerball ticket? Surely there’s a unique answer for each person who bought into the dream of beating the 175 million to 1 odds to win Wednesday’s record-breaking lottery jackpot. But after buying nine tickets from Stripes at Water Street and Interstate 37 on Wednesday, Victor Acosta summed up the most likely sentiment. “I’d quit my job,” said Acosta, a window cleaner from San Antonio. If you’re looking for better odds than Powerball — it’s a safe bet to say most people would do the same. But what comes after the initial urge to free yourself from the ranks of your current job? Acosta said he’d also like to travel the world, specifically to Acapulco, Mexico. His choice of transportation for the trip would be a new yacht. Two lucky ticket holders — one in Arizona and another in Missouri — are waking up Thursday to new lives as multimillionaires after the largest Powerball jackpot drawing ever. The numbers drawn for Wednesday night, for the second-highest jackpot in U.S. lottery history, are: 5, 16, 22, 23, 29 and Powerball of 6.

Louth tradesmen angry over warning letters about parking while doing their jobs: A council employee, market traders and local tradespeople have all received warning letters about parking while undergoing their jobs. In preparation for new civil parking enforcement by Lincolnshire County Council which comes into force on Monday, wardens have been patrolling towns and issuing warning notices to drivers who are parked illegally. But Louth Area Committee heard that local tradespeople and market employees have also received warning notices whilst they are undergoing their work. Councillor George Horton said: "Common sense is a big factor. I was collared by a window cleaner who was doing his job who was told he could not park his van there because it is illegal. "Louth is a thriving town. Things like this do not do anything for the cause."

Man sentenced following distraction burglaries: On Saturday September 1 Nathan Lee Makey, aged 35, from Longley in Sheffield called at the home of an 80-year-old woman in the Longley area pretending to be canvassing work for a cleaning company. After gaining her confidence he asked to use the toilet. He then went onto steal jewellery, which was of huge sentimental value as it was a present from her late husband. The following weekend, on Sunday 9 September, Makey pretended to be a window cleaner when he attended at an address in the Southey area of Sheffield - the home of an 82-year-old woman. He entered the house uninvited and engaged the elderly woman in a conversation. During his short stay he went onto steal her handbag, money and other personal items. “Both elderly victims have been informed that Nathan Makey is now serving a lengthy prison sentence. They commented that it was excellent news and they were over the moon” he said.

A knifeman who terrorised a nurse on a disused railway track in the early hours, has been jailed for six months. Burnley Crown Court heard how drunken David Harrington (pictured), 24, had earlier been attacked on a night out and had armed himself with two knives and set off to find his assailants. But his victim, a slightly built man in his 50s, walking home from a night out with his wife, was an innocent, total stranger and had nothing to do with what had happened. Harrington wrapped his arm around the man’s neck from behind and held one of the six inch bladed weapons just inches from his face, leaving him petrified. Harrington, then a Padiham window cleaner, fought back tears in the dock as Judge Jonathan Gibson told him: “Given the circumstances and the widespread concern about the carrying and use of knives, I'm afraid an immediate custodial sentence is inevitable.” The defendant, a father-to-be, of Milton Street, Padiham, had admitted common assault and two counts of having an offensive weapon and had been committed for sentence by Pennine magistrates. He had two previous convictions. Judge Gibson said: “I’m afraid what you did was truly dreadful and you accept that by demonstrating remorse, it seems to me, to the court. “Your victim was, not surprisingly, terrified and what happened has had a significant psychological effect upon him.”

Knockout for Motor Neurone Disease: Terri Reddy (pictured) a 44-year-old will trade punches with another girl as part of the ‘Pavilion Punch Up’ White Collar Boxing night in Leopardstown in order to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA). Terri’s husband Tom Byrne, 58, was diagnosed with the degenerative disease last November. In just one year, the 6ft 21/2 in rugby player, who worked as a carpenter by trade, has lost much of his mobility and struggles to walk.

For the last eight weeks, window cleaner Terri has been put through her paces at the National Stadium gym, training ground of our Olympic boxing heroes, by top coach Eddie Bolger, who trains Irish light-heavyweight champ Joe Ward. And this weekend she will stride into the ring to the theme tune of boxing movie ‘Rocky 6’ to try and outpunch her opponent for the charity.

The plucky Athy woman, who will fight under the moniker “Lights Out”, says she’s looking forward to the fight night, even though she doesn’t know yet who her opponent will be. “I’ll fight anyone, I don’t care at this stage!” she said. Some 30 supporters will be yelling her on on the night - a few, she suspects, who want to see the feisty fighter ship a few punches. “A few people will think it’s been a long time coming,” she joked. “People are very good, and are getting behind both me and the cause. Because we’re from a small town, everyone knows both of us.”

Coun Tarren Randle, left, and Hayley Johnson, general manager of Fever cleaning the outside of the premises.

Workers in Eastgate Street, alongside councillors and volunteers, grabbed the scrubbing brushes yesterday to take part in a big clean-up of the area. The call to arms was made as an incentive to help brighten up mucky shop fronts and empty buildings.  Other areas around the bowling green and Aviation Gardens were also given a spruce-up by young volunteers. It is hoped the deep clean will help draw in visitors. Councillor Jennie Dallimore, cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods, said: "We have been working with volunteers from local businesses as well as our partners to undertake a deep clean of the Eastgate area. "We hope this will improve the area's appearance and encourage footfall from more shoppers. The council has been working with its partners Enterprise to undertake a deep clean, and Gloucestershire Highways have been performing gulley maintenance. Businesses and volunteers have been joining together to tidy the frontages. "Businesses such as Asda and Wilkinson's have also been supporting the day by donating volunteers and equipment."

More Window Cleaning News

Plea for help: Chris Morris of "Reflection Window Cleaning" is calling out for donations no matter how small for his partner participating in a 10 mile midnight walk in aid of a local hospice that his step daughter Danielle goes too. The Chestnut Tree House serves when a child develops a life-limiting illness. Not just for the child but for their loved ones as well. The aim at Chestnut Tree House is to provide the care and support these families so desperately need, whether practical, physical or emotional. If you can help - any amount will do - please consider in helping a fellow window cleaner out. The target has been reached, but more would be greatly appreciated. As an incentive a free 14" & 18" Wagtail Whirlwind will be given away in a lottery for donators. Please go here to donate.
Read more from Chris here.

Protecting Those Who Are Cleaning Our Windows: How often do you look up and marvel at those people who go up the skyscrapers and clean the windows? I am fascinated to watch when I happen to be on the inside and suddenly the platform comes down and they go to work. Think about the wind and the cold up there. It makes sense that we should all also be concerned about their safety. The Minnesota legislature was looking at HF 3824. Basically, to create a task force looking at making things safer. As Workday Minnesota reported:
The taskforce will develop training, education, and licenser standards for both companies and workers while coordinating any initiatives with OSHA regulations. "Window cleaners need to have the equipment and training to do their jobs safely. In the past two years three workers have lost their lives. We must not allow one more death to occur," said Dino Crandall, a window cleaner and member of SEIU Local 26.
In the past three years, three workers have been killed in the Twin Cities. The SEIU rally about the issue is worth watching and learning from. Hopefully, by continuing to shine a light on the issue, we will see better protections for these workers. It is really quite a spectacular job to observe.

Part time business gets busy! Nice! My father, Jim Gamage Sr., has been cleaning windows for the last few years for a few ladies and gents at Highland Park in Camden. He has just recently expanded somewhat and has picked up numerous window cleaning jobs plus offering some inside houshold cleaning as well. His number is 594-2476 or 706-6114. Call him up. He'll clean your windows, skylights, vehicle or inside of your house. Ask him about his references. He has great references. All his customers are very happy. In fact they keep getting him to do other things. Dependable, reliable, honest and trustworthy. What more could you ask for? His tagline says it all. "You can SEE the difference" Give him a call anytime.

Story of the day: "Imagining LeBron James Through the Lens of an Edward Hopper Painting" by Bryan Harvey. LeBron James just spent the last six hours altering his destiny, crossing out every appointment and meeting on his calendar from now until July, making each box of the week into a transparent window, as if time were now transparent and of little consequence–only, how can the moments of our lives be of little consequence? Read more...

But running a supermarket with volunteers, however keen, is just not the same as having an army of paid workers, and Potts Dawson, who has opened two London restaurants, knows it. "Hmm," he says, as I rather ineffectually start to clean a window. "I always say that a volunteer takes about three times as long as a professional will to manage a job." I stand back from the window and survey a large area of smears.

Suicide jumper kills passer-by: A suicide resulted in another death when a woman who jumped from a tall building landed on a cleaning lady below. Josefina Venizela jumped from the window of the 12th floor of a building in northern Chile. She landed on 56-year-old Luisa Almendares, who happened to be taking out the rubbish in the patio of the building next door. The mother of four was just 40 minutes from finishing her shift. Police say both women died instantly.

A lovesick thug besotted with an older woman murdered a man who joked with her about having sex. Blair Campbell, 17, knifed window cleaner John Miller (pictured) 13 times after the dad held up a Viagra tablet and said he'd have all-night sex with Lisa Hunter, 24. The monster's face "turned bright red" after he heard the quip and he rushed home to grab a large kitchen knife, a court heard. After returning he sneaked up behind dad-of-two John, 37, and launched the frenzied attack in front of his pals. Campbell plunged the blade through John's skull. Another blow fatally severed the main blood vessel coming from John's heart. Campbell then calmly walked home and told his dad: "I've just stabbed somebody." He added: "You can expect the police coming." Yesterday killer Campbell was jailed for at least 12 years for the "wicked" crime.

Cleaning co. exec. buys in University City: Nathan J. Merrick and his wife, Catherine, bought a two-bedroom, 1.5-bath home at 7600 Delmar Blvd. in University City from Family Fleming Trust for $298,900 on May 4. The 1,671-square-foot home was built in 1926 in University City Central. It is located in the Delmar Heights subdivision. Mr. Merrick is vice president of franchise development at Fish Window Cleaning Services Inc., a St. Louis-based window cleaning company. He joined the company in May 2001 as a staff member in the operations department and has served as its Northeastern district manager. He earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Missouri Baptist University. Ms. Merrick is a legal assistant at Carey and Danis LLC in Clayton. She holds a B.A. in French from Truman State University. According to BlockShopper.com, there have been 647 home sales in University City during the past 12 months, with a median sales price of $140,000.

Don Marsh to run for City Commission seat: Don Marsh, the conservative whose bid to become Gainesville's mayor came up 42 votes short this spring, signed up this week to run for an at-large City Commission seat next year. Soon after losing the mayoral contest, Marsh said he would be going after an at-large or District 2 seat in April 2011. On Friday he said he decided to run for what he considers the more difficult contest, calling the District 2 race - in which Lauren Poe would be the incumbent - "easy pickins." "I just got done with an at-large race," he said. "I darn near won." While he's never held public office, Marsh, 51, a registered Republican who runs a window-cleaning business, will be running his third political campaign.
In 2002, he ran for an Alachua County Commission seat, getting 33.67 percent of the vote in a loss to Cynthia Chestnut, a Democrat. In March, he finished second in the mayoral race to city Commissioner Craig Lowe, and a month later, in the runoff election, he lost by a handful of votes. For now, Marsh is the only candidate signed up to contend for the at-large seat now held by Thomas Hawkins, a registered Democrat. On Friday, Hawkins said that he intends to run for re-election. But, Hawkins added, "I'm not ready to start campaigning yet." Hawkins said Marsh's decision to enter the race might force him to sign up early so he can start fundraising. Marsh said fundraising was a big reason he signed up so early, some nine months before the election.
When he ran for mayor, Marsh only had 90 days to put together his campaign, he said, so now he will have time to get organized. While he said running against Poe might be a less daunting task, he thinks he can take down Hawkins. This year he said there were plenty of people who told him he had no chance to win. "I didn't buy any of it," Marsh said. "I still don't buy it."

Window Cleaning Snippets

Steve Little, of Steve's Window Cleaning of Rutland, had the perfect day to clean off the windows at Maplefields in Manchester on a warm spring day Thursday. Click picture to enlarge.

New Services for Float Glass Quality Concerns and Cold-End Processes: Safety Glass Experts International Ltd is widening the range of expert services available. From the beginning of March 2010 company has started offering independent and objective expert services for float glass cold-end production and float quality related projects. The new float glass expert services are targeted for float glass producers and safety glass processors requiring assistance in their daily activities or problem shooting situations. Producing flawless quality float glass requires versatile quality inspection programs. Although efficient qualitycontrol activities defects in float glass are sometimes recognized. These defects can be extrem ely painful for the glass processor. Commonly safety glass processors do not hold required knowhow to inspect and evaluate float glass defects. Newly started or older float glass producers require training to improve and update their production and quality control procedures - This is where Safety Glass Experts comes in. Float Glass production cold end Expert Service’s available:
Safety Glass Processors:
Evaluation and Examination of sub-supplier float glass quality
Evaluation and Examination of suspected float defects causing processing failures
Consulting to develop internal quality requirements and specific Customer Specifications for float glass subsuppliers
Float Glass Processors:
Present state evaluation
Consulting services for qu ality control activity update projects
Training Services for cold end processes

Mr. Lee’s journey to a CrossFit trainer and business owner began as a teenager when his mother bought him a plastic weight set. Always an active child, he took to the weights and continued lifting through high school. He moved to Nantucket after high school and took to body weight workouts like pushups, sit ups, and pull-ups. But eventually exercise started getting monotonous. He moved to Cape Cod, but continued commuting to Nantucket to keep up his window- and power-washing business. He fell out of shape. One day he started having heart palpitations and felt dizzy. He went to the doctor. The experience scared him back into shape. He started training for and com peting in triathlons, which he stuck with for a few years. He took a second job as a trainer in a country club gym, back on Nantucket. Then he was working out with a friend from New York who told him about this new fitness model that some other friends were doing that was taking them “to the next level.” He did some research about CrossFit and decided he wanted to get into it. He took to it, sold his cleaning business on Nantu cket, moved to Mashpee about a year and a half ago and started CrossFit Cape Cod, which is affiliated with the national program. Ms. Lee picked it up, too, and got her certification as a trainer. Mr. Lee’s dedication to CrossFit and exercise is quickly apparent.

In a case expected to hinge on the testimony of doctors, 53-year-old Allen Grabe’s fate will be decided by how the jury answers a two-pronged question. Was he, under state law, “diseased or defective of the mind” in September 2008 when, as authorities allege, he fired nine shots at close range, killing his 13-year-old son as the boy was asleep in his bed? An d was the Pear Park father capable of discerning right from wrong at the time? Jury selection starts Monday in Allen Grabe’s murder trial. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the death of his son, Jacob, an eighth-grader at Grand Mesa Middle School who had been treated for a neurological disorder similar to autism.
Jurors are expected to hear testimony suggesting Allen Grabe, who operated a window-washing business with clients up and down Main Street in Grand Junction and beyond, was under increasing financial stress after the loss of cleaning contracts in the fall of 2008. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Grabe entered his son’s bedroom the night of Sept. 11, 2008, opened fire, then stopped and told his wife, Jaquette, “I had to kill him because you were ruining him.” Grabe returned to the boy’s room and fired more shots, the affidavit said.

Samurai sword attack nearly killed me: A father has told how he believed he w as going to die when he was brutally attacked by a man wielding a Samurai sword while drinking in a city pub.
Window cleaner Greg Cook (pictured below) suffered three "slice marks" on the top of his head in an assault by "psychotic" Keith Giles (pictured left). Mr Cook grabbed a table to shield himself and other pub customers bravely leapt in to tackle Giles and pin him to the floor. Mr Cook, 45, said, had it not been for the table and the courage of other people in the pub, he would have been killed. He said: "He (Giles) was psychotic. I didn't have time to think then because of the shock of it all but I could have died that day." Detective Constable Adam Suett, who investigated the attack, said Mr Cook was lucky to be alive. He said: "Mr Cook suffered three slice marks to the top of his head. During this completely unprovoked attack, he was hit at least three times with the sword. "He is lucky that the other people in the pub at the time were able to overpower Giles and pin him to the ground until the police arrived. Had they not done that and had he not been able to help protect himself with the table, I think he would have died." The attack happened at the London Midland Railway Recreational Club Association.

Seattle Center may replace Fun Forest with 44,000-square-foot “glass house” & Dale Chihuly exhibit: The Seattle Center has been debating what to do with 68,000 square feet of empty space left after half of the Fun Forest was cleared out back in January. Originally the space was meant to be used to showcase new vendors and temporary projects on a trial basis while the Center searched for mor e permanent ideas to implement into the Century 21 Master Plan, a $570 million, 20-year investment in the revitalization of Seattle Center and in homage of the 1962 World’s Fair that gave the Center its start. However, according to a report by our news partner, the Seattle Times, after receiving project ideas for the space that left the Center “disappointed,” they decided to consider a proposal to build a 44,000-square-foot “glass house” that would house artist Dale Chihuly’s work. Many consider this proposed project an “extraordinary opportunity” for the Center.

Small Business Snapshot: Premier Residential Services.
Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; Saturday, Sunday and after hours scheduled upon request.
General manager: Susan Lovato
Date founded: 1959.
Description of business: Residential, co mmercial and concierge services. The services include housekeeping, window washing, handyman repairs, home-watch inspections, janitorial cleaning, summer home care and property management.
Number of employees: 65
Projected revenues: $5 million
Cost of startup: “Too many years ago to remember.”
Source of startup financing: Internal.
Did you write a business plan? “Yes, there was an initial business plan; however as times change and opportunities arise, the plan is constantly modified.”
Marketing budget: $18,000.
Recipe for success: “Staff selection, training and performance are the key elements to our success.”
Personal motto or mantra: “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”
Where do you seek advice? Key staff associates, current clients and members of our preferred vendor network.

Has anyone seen Scott? He's the tubby man who came to our house on Saturday, offering to clean the windows. Busy fellow. He had a whole team of people in the street. Naturally, I'm not one to be taken in, so I told him to come back in an hour and then forgot about it. There he was again, just before his men were due to reach the Citizen's Advice Bureau on the corner. Having produced the money, I could then only agree that it would be very convenient if he returned in a month's time. If I paid in advance, we wouldn't even need to be in. And so Scott and I walked to the cashpoint together, having what was to me an insightful conversation about the world of a window-cleaning entrepreneur.
Since then, strangely, our windows have not been cleaned. Nor, I suspect, have anyone else's. I've been trying to look on the £80 of which I'm now short as a charitable donation. In an attempt to recoup some of the money, I didn't lash out on a white loaf to make bread sauce that evening, but, instead , used some stale hotcross buns. Many of the greatest cuisines of the world are born out of the peasant need to economise. What chance of my bread sauce becoming a classic?

NAGPUR: In an excellent example of reverse engineering accompanied with innovation, the department of applied physics at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) has developed a 'radiation resistant glass or RRG', opening the doors of self reliance for all atomic research centres which use this glass in the hot cell of their reactors.

There just aren’t enough opportunities in life to take full advantage of a window scrim. This handy item, incase you’ve no t come across it before, will give your windows a smear-free finish. It could be a handy implement in a house with three children, lots of windows, several mirrors and a glass panelled kitchen door. The mysteries of the scrim have been revealed to me via a catalogue dropped through the door encouraging me to recall that it’s the season for spring cleaning. Inside the catalogue, there’s a nifty static duster set (do they mean anti-static?) and a purple chenille mitt which might look quite fetching whilst scrubbing away. But, while cleanliness is close to godliness it is also, like beauty, all in the eye of the beholder. The catalogue, full of handy hints to create the image that I am indeed a domestic goddess, makes wonderful bedroom reading. “Darling, do you know you can clean baths with lemon juice?” is a comment sure to prevent insomnia.

Angler catches second perch over the magical 5lb barrier: A low-resistance set-up was key to Clive Logsdon’s capture of this enormous 5lb 1oz perch from record-holding venue Stream Valley Lakes. Steering clear of more conventional baits such as maggots and worms, the window cleaner from Kent offered a bright red legered king prawn that had been soaked in Dynamite Baits Predator Plus liquid to tempt his prize. Click picture to enlarge.

Bikers set for fuel protests: Bikers are planning their biggest-ever motorway protest against the increasing cost of fuel. Organisers want thousands of drivers to join a go-slow convoy along the M62. They are aiming to beat the turn-out two years ago when more than 1,500 bikers joined the first protest, causing huge delays to traffic. More than 400 also joined last year's ride held in July. Protest organiser 'Maverick' said this time they were turning out on a Saturday rather than a weekday, to minimise disruption. “A lot of us are self-employed so every penny makes a difference. Prices are slowly creeping back up again, while a barrel of crude oil is a third of the price cheaper than a year ago.”
Riders will meet at 9am on May 1 at Hartshead Moor Services before joining a second convoy at Birch Services. They plan to take up all lanes at speeds no greater than 25mph. The AA has said petrol prices could hit a record high of 128p per litre just after Easter with a wholesale rise and fuel duty increase set to hit motorists over the next few weeks. Maverick added: “We're doing it on a shopping day so people from all walks of life can come and air their grievances. “Prices are still so high and are affecting everyone. One of our lads is a self-employed window cleaner and for someone like him making a living is very difficult.

A former taxi driver who set up a window cleaning business has received funding after winning a Dragons’ Denstyle event. Paul Wallace won £2,500 for his business Wallace and Sons Cleaning Services, after taking part in the City of Sunderland College’s annual entrepreneurial event. Mr Wallace, who is in the final year of an HND business and management course at East Durham College, established his business in August, and will take it full time from May. He will use his prize money to buy equipment. Mr Wallace said: “I really enjoyed being a taxi driver, but the long and often unsociable hours meant I spent a lot of time away from home. Running my own business allows me to be more flexible and I’m getting a great sense of achievement. “I’m thrilled to have won the contest. “The new equipment is environmentally- friendly, so I won’t be using detergents or harsh chemicals.”

Faye Bossman, 54, died Monday, March 15, 2010, at the Iowa River Hospice House in Marshalltown, Iowa, after a 9-month battle with appendiceal cancer. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, March 22, at the Center Street Baptist Church in Marshalltown. Burial will follow in the Woodlawn Cemetery at Toledo. In 1990, Faye and her husband began home schooling their three daughters, subsequently being blessed with the opportunity to provide 13 years of Christ centered instruction. Faye and her husband were also involved in a number of home business ventures, including custom woodworking and a window washing service.

Knife Attack on Window Cleaner

Steven Parez was standing outside his apartment Monday night when his neighbors' fighting got too much to take. Thomas Callahan, 42, was fighting with his girlfriend of five months when he pulled out a pocket knife and told her: "Are you happy now…? Now you are gonna get it," according to a police report. That's when the girlfriend screamed for help. So Parez got involved, though not quite in the way he expected. "I don't want to wake up today and have her come out with a black eye or something," he said. Parez, a 32-year-old window-washer supervisor, said he told Callahan to cool it and go back in his apartment. "Who's got something to say?" Parez said Callahan responded. Then Callahan came up to confront him face-to-face.
"He had his right hand behind his back and I knew he had something so I kind of got sideways," Parez said. "As soon as his arm come around I swung and hit him with a straight jab. I think I broke his nose." The two men tussled in the parking lot outside the Longbranch Apartments at 2175 62nd St. N in Largo. Police said Callahan stabbed Parez. Parez said he was cut several times, including on his thumb and slashes on the back. The crowd standing around the two men eventually tackled Callahan. When police arrived they arrested him.
Callahan is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse and domestic abuse. He was being held at the Pinellas County Jail Tuesday without bail.
Parez was treated at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg and released. Despite his injuries, he said he would be back to work on Thursday because he needs the money. He's just glad that the fight didn't turn into something worse. "I don't know what I was thinking at the moment," he said. "I was just trying not to let that escalate into something stupid."