Window Cleaning Video News Revisited

Facelift van gets an appearance in the background.

55 stone man turns life around: A jobless man has started up his own window cleaning business because he said his weight made him unemployable. Gerald Ash used to weigh 55 stone, but even after losing 20 stone he says it's still hard to get work. So, he's set himself up as a window cleaner and is donating some of his earnings to charity. Ken Goodwin reports. See the original blog here.

No peeking, It even says so on their shirts.

Company features men washing windows in kilts (Boston) - A new business in the Boston area may turn a few heads, because it includes men who are skirting around town washing windows in kilts. They are the kind of window washers where wind could be a problem. "Yesterday was actually really nice really sunny warm so kept the kilt down, no breezes," said Chris Murphy, Men in Kilts. The business is called Men in Kilts. The name says it all; they wash windows, pressure wash homes, and clean gutters in traditional Scottish garb -- and they don't seem to mind. "If you don't look down, it feels like you're wearing shorts,” Murphy said. "Nope, I’m Scottish so I don't mind it at all, paying tribute to my heritage," said Shane Ross. 

The franchise started in Vancouver with only $500. Now, there's one in Holliston which serves the Boston area. People seem to like the idea already. "I got a good thumbs up from everybody. They liked it, they liked the idea of the kilt," Ross said. It's not a job for the bashful; the men have to climb ladders, giving many on the street a view. But, their motto? No peeking. It even says so on their shirts. They’ve already had to remind some people about that rule. "We did a photo shoot last week in Boston. My son was up on the second floor and the women were walking down the street and instead of going around the ladder, they'd go under the ladder. And he just politely said, ‘no peeking,’" said Judy Briggs, franchise owner. And when asked what they wear under those kilts? "You’re going to have to hire us to find out. So, I can't tell," said Murphy. See original blog here.

Sacramento firefighters recover a man's body Monday from the 16th-floor level of a high-rise at 12th and K Street. A rope had constricted his breathing.

Suspected 'extreme graffiti' vandal in Sacramento is identified: The Sacramento County coroner on Tuesday identified a man who died nine stories up an office building in what appeared to be an attempt at producing what's sometimes called "extreme graffiti."Craig Fugate of Vancouver, Wash., was found dead hanging outside the downtown Sacramento building Monday. Police said he appeared to be attempting to vandalize the facade of the building; a spray-paint bottle and a tool for etching glass were found on the roof of the building. Police have been targeting daredevil taggers, who have vandalized such landmarks as freeway signs and the walls of the L.A. River. Earlier this year, a tagger was killed trying to vandalize a freeway sign in the Sacramento area.

In 2006, "Buket," the daredevil tagger who gained Internet notoriety for his brazen, daylight tagging of a sign over the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles and vandalism of a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus, was sentenced to three years and eight months in state prison. Cyrus Yazdani, 26, became something of an Internet sensation when he plastered his "Buket" tag 20 feet above the freeway -- vandalism that was captured on videotape and posted with a rap soundtrack on YouTube and numerous tagger-related blogs.

In the Sacramento case,  Fugate allegedly used rope to tie himself in a seated position like a rappeller, authorities said. The rope was tied off with a window washing anchor, and fire officials believe that that anchor could have held his weight. But they don't think he was a window washer. The Sacramento Bee reported that the man had two pieces of rope looped around his body in a style used by rock climbers. Battalion Chief Marc Bentovoja told the Bee the Fire Department had no reason to believe the man's death was a suicide. "It looks like accidental more than anything else," Bentovoja said. According to Fox 40, a door was found propped open on the roof of the building at 12th and K Streets, suggesting the man was planning on going back down the stairs.

Man found dead on high-rise not known for graffiti, his uncle says: An uncle of the man who police suspect was in the act of tagging when he accidentally asphyxiated himself outside the 16th floor of a downtown office tower said Tuesday that he never knew his nephew to deface any property with graffiti. "I have never known for him to do that before," Joseph Fugate said of his nephew, Craig Michael Fugate, 30, who was discovered Monday morning as office workers arrived at the high-rise at 1201 K St., just blocks from the Capitol. "He is an artist. I know that," Fugate said. He said his nephew was adept at artwork on T-shirts, including silk-screening.

Sacramento police spokeswoman Michele Gigante said Fugate apparently died accidentally while trying to tag the building's exterior. She said markers, etching tools that could be used to deface glass, and spray paint were found at the scene. Officers also found a stencil. Craig Fugate grew up in Concord and was recently living in Vancouver, Wash. He had told his uncle that he planned to move to the Sacramento area. His uncle said he had been discharged from the Navy on a disability. "He was a really sweet kid," Joseph Fugate said. "He went out of his way to do things with others even though he didn't have the means. He seemed to gravitate toward those who were down-and-out and tried his best to help them."

The Sacramento County coroner's website lists Fugate's cause of death as undetermined. A Sacramento Fire Department official said he had accidentally asphyxiated himself. The rope that Fugate had used to lower himself down the building's facade had looped around his chest and legs, constricting him and pulling him into a fetal position when the rope cinched up. Sacramento police said Tuesday that Fugate had entered the building Sunday. Police said he entered the stairwell and tried to pry open locked doors. Eventually, Fugate reached the top of the 19-story high-rise, which is known locally as the "Ban Roll-on" building. Using rope left by window washers, the man employed an antiquated mountaineering technique to descend to a 17th-floor landing, the Fire Department official said. Then, after retying the rope, he descended to the 16th floor, where he became stuck. See original blog here.

Window Cleaning News Revisited

John Lockwood knows who’s who and what’s what in the hood.

Keeping it real with some old friends: John Lockwood is a neighborhood character who I have known and photographed many times over the years. Anyone who has spent any time on Avenue A is familiar with John. He makes his living washing windows. He owns and runs his own company, Rose Window & Awning Cleaning. John is getting to be one of the last of the old school, independent, go-to street guys who knows who is who, and what is what, as far as the goings-on in the hood. That said, he is not a gossip, but if there is a need to know, good chance John can give an insider’s tip. John earns his money, is hard-working, honest and a stand-up guy. Remember this Harlem Window Cleaner who turned his life around?

Groupon under fire in Germany over bad deals: Groupon recently launched in Austria from America but in Germany the company has been panned. A German man and his family made the first complaint when he bought a Groupon voucher online for the "Great China" restaurant in Hamburg. The man named as Marc W., 21, paid 147.60 Euro instead of 200 for the voucher but as it turned out the restaurant does not except any vouchers. Since then Marc is trying to contact Groupon to get his money back but said he had had no reaction since then.

Another woman Katrin Wege (44), the owner of the "Blaue Blume", lost about 10,000 due a Groupon deal. The offer for her restaurant in Hamburg was supposed to be online for 24 hours but actually was available for 48 hours, she said. Some 700 vouchers were sold for 14,50 each with an original value of 30 Euro. Groupon keeps about half of the price for themselves with the rest going to the firm. Martin Harneit, pictured (33) who owns a window-cleaning service and was hoping for some advertising through Groupon also suffered, with a similar story to Katrin Wege. Groupon also sold more vouchers than he agreed on, and still owes him 800 Euro. Now, the small business of his is under threat of being bankrupt if they do not get the money back. Similar blogs here & here.

The Salary poll:  The results of the Sunday Province's poll on managerial and executive wages are in. More than 1,000 of you voted on whether 20 different Lower Mainland salaries were too high or too low. Unsurprisingly, the overwhelming response for nearly every job was "too high." Only highrise window washers, teachers and the manager of Stanley Park were seen as underpaid by the public, according to the online survey. One surprise was the mayor of Vancouver - the voting was split 50/50. $31,200 Highrise window washer -

 96% said UNDERPAID & said 4% OVERPAID 

"Are you kidding me? I make decent money but you couldn't pay me enough to do that job. Maybe not skilled labour, but how dangerous is that? Without these guys, the CEOs would not have a beautiful corner office view." - Brian Z., Agassi. Another blog on window cleaners salary here & here.

Don't moralise on tax, Gauke: Oh dear! David Gauke has made himself look a right wally by telling the British public that paying people cash-in-hand is 'morally wrong'. Last week exchequer secretary to the Treasury Gauke lambasted members of the British public who pay cash to tradesmen, cleaners, window cleaners and anyone else who may ask for cash payment. He trilled that cash-in-hand payments have left a £2 billion black hole in the economy and proceeded to judge the moral standing of those that pay cash – but what he failed to add is that paying someone cash is perfectly legal.

You can pay everyone in cash if you wish, it's up to the person you pay cash to, to declare their income, including the cash payments. It's not up to any customer to ensure the person or company they purchase an item or service from is paying the correct amount of tax.

What Gauke seemed to want to say, but couldn't, is that he thinks tradesmen and others who rely on cash are dodging tax and he doesn't like it. This is all a bit rich from the man who used to make a living out of helping the wealthy avoid tax. Gauke was a solicitor at Macfarlanes, a company which specialises in tax structuring – which translates as helping rich people pay less tax. Research last year showed tax avoidance costs the UK economy £69.9 billion a year, putting the £2 billion lost to cash-in-hand operations into perspective. Gauke looks like a fool. While he judges those who pay labourers and cleaners, people who are typically on low wages and may be struggling hard to pay bills and find enough work, his own governmental department, the Treasury, strikes deals to allow companies to escape millions of pounds of tax. Original blog here.

Bungling burglar jailed after being recognised by unique tattoo: A man’s distinctive neck tattoo helped police identify him as a bungling burglar who pretended to be a window cleaner and hooked a handbag inside a house with his broom. Neil Simpson (24), of Francis Gardens, Peterborough, had asked a woman if she wanted to have her windows cleaned on June 15. Later that day, the woman saw him feed a broom through her window and try to steal her handbag by hooking it with the stick. The would-be-burglar was caught in the act by the homeowner, and fled the property empty-handed. She called the police and told them of the distinctive tattoo on his neck, which was a large black symbol.

Simpson was then arrested for another matter the following day, and was immediately linked to the burglary when officers saw a large black tattoo on his neck. He pleaded guilty to burglary and six other break-ins across New England and Dogsthorpe at Peterborough Crown Court on Monday, July 23. Simpson has been sentenced to two years in prison. Detective Constable Tom Rowe said: “Simpson was a serial burglar and we are committed to ensure we catch those responsible for such offences. “I hope this sends out a strong message to others that we will bring offenders to justice.” Also see here: UK Window Cleaner Filmed Stealing Credit Card.