A WINDOW cleaner has been sentenced for a burglary he committed in 2006

  Law catches up with thief years later

A WINDOW cleaner has finally been sentenced for a burglary he committed nearly five years ago after he failed to answer his bail.

Karl Jones stole a vacuum cleaner from the warehouse at Aldi, Kidsgrove, in January 2006.
He admitted the charge and was due to be sentenced on March 31, 2006. But he did not attend court and has remained at large ever since.
Jones, aged 34, of Gordon Road, Goldenhill, pleaded guilty to failing to surrender to the custody of the court when he appeared at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Prosecutor Lynn Warrington said Jones had entered Aldi as a customer on January 30, 2006 but then went into the warehouse area and stole the vacuum cleaner, worth £34.99.
He left through a fire exit and activated an alarm.
The store manager studied the CCTV and recognised Jones.
The court was told the vacuum cleaner was never recovered.
Paul Hyatt, defending, said Jones committed the burglary because of his drug dependency but had now turned his life around.
He said: "He was on heroin at the time. He was a heroin addict for 10 years. But he lives with his brother and since 2006 he has worked as a window cleaner.
"He has kept out of trouble for five years and is off drugs."
Magistrates sentenced Jones to a 12-month community order with 120 hours' unpaid work and ordered him to pay £34.99 compensation to Aldi and £85 prosecution costs.

Source:http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Law-catches-thief-years-later/article-3053107-detail/article.html

An Introduction To The Window Cleaning Rates

Establishing you own cleaning service requires many price preparation. There are many of considerations to make in the pricing process before you can land your first clientele. You have to decide whether you’ll charge per hour or per window, along with that depending on size of the window too. How you charge will also depend on the dimensions of the house. Do you want to also charge additional for elaborate window cleaning services? It is crucial that you have thought about each and every important aspect of pricing before launching your service to the public, said a plumber who used to help people with water blasting and roof clean as well.

Determine the window cleaning rates. There are two pricing general techniques, the by hour and by foot. Residential window cleanings are charged on an hourly basis than by the foot. Most of the time non commercial clientele request that windows from a single room be washed. So if the area is small, not much profit can be created from it. You need to take full advantage of the gains whenever you can so if you are going to service a residential client, charge on an hourly basis.

Analyze the house of your client. If the home is a luxurious one and covers many square feet you’ll be able to ask for higher window cleaning fees. Since the house is bigger your client are able to afford a much higher price. On the other hand, don’t bring up the rates to a really extreme rate that will get your clients surprised and turn the other way around. Most people are instinctive and they can tell whether they are being taken for a spin. Bring up your price competitively although not to the point that you are overcharging the clients.

Consider what sort of cleaning service the customer is seeking. Does the client want a full house window cleaning? Suppose your client is asking for full house cleaning which include garage, lawn, and carpet washing? If these aren’t included into your pricing rates, you are able to charge additional reasonably. Clarify to them well that these services are not included in your full home cleaning package, and if they would like these services performed, additional charges will be applied. If your client is fair enough they are going to understand and spend the additional fee, with no hassle.

Article written by: ezines

Source:http://ezinearticles.cz.cc/an-introduction-to-the-window-cleaning-rates/

Charles Fox the son of a NYC Window Cleaner Performs At UCLA

Posted by Tommy Garrett on Jan 31, 2011 - 8:46:48 PM

WESTWOOD—Charles Fox’s Lament and Prayer—an oratorio based on the words of Pope John Paul II, placed on the Western Wall in Jerusalem—will receive its U.S. Premiere at UCLA’S Royce Hall on January 30, by the American Youth Symphony. Hailed as one of the nation’s leading youth orchestras, the American Youth Symphony is dedicated to the artistic and professional development of outstanding musicians. Activities are designed to enhance their musical education through performance experience. Led by Music Director Alexander Treger, the orchestra enriches the cultural life of Los Angeles by offering admission-free concerts at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

Americans have been inviting Emmy & Grammy winning composer Charles Fox into their homes for years via their television sets. He has created many of the greatest theme songs in TV history including “The Brady Bunch,” “Happy Days,” “Wonder Woman,” “The Love Boat,” “Love, American Style,” as well as “Monday Night Football” and “The Wide World of Sports,” to name only a few. In fact, Charles Fox is the only artist to have had three TV songs in the Top 40. This year the Smithsonian Institute has requested his and the only copy of the “Happy Days” record used in the opening scene of the hit TV Series to be inducted into the archive as part of the newly created permanent Entertainment History Exhibit. It is the composers hope and understanding that the record and music will be put on display with one of the public's favorite items: Fonzie’s Jacket. “I will be donating the vinyl 45 to the Smithsonian this year, Tommy, for their American Music new wing at the museum," said Fox.

Having composed for more than 100 motion picture and iconic television scores, the twice Academy Award® nominated, two-time Emmy and Grammy winning composer and songwriter, Smithsonian and Bronx Hall of Fame inductee has written “Killing Me Softly: My Life in Music” with a foreword by Roberta Flack that details a legacy of music, working with some of the greatest names in entertainment, film, television and records. In the book, Fox recounts his studies under the tutelage of the most renowned music composition teacher of the 20^th century, Nadia Boulanger, whose influence, Fox carried throughout his entire professional career. “There were times when she was teaching me, that I didn’t have food to eat, and that would be her first and foremost concern. She never charged me a fee once. She knew that my father, a NYC window washer, who had survived the holocaust, did not have much money to send me other than for food. My time under her tutelage is always uplifting and poignant for me,” said Fox.

In addition, his recently released film, entitled “100 Voices - A Journey Home,” premiered last fall in 500 theaters to critical acclaim. For more information about the film go to thenews.pl/culture/artykul127010_100-voices---a-journey-home.html.

Also, Charles Fox and Hal David have been commissioned to write the official Beverly Hills theme song called, “90210 Beverly Hills,” that was released on September 2, by the city. “In writing my book, Tommy, I wanted to recount every aspect of my personal and professional lives. I felt inspired to tell every story, even those that did not always work out well for me. I thought telling it all was much more important than just glossing over the high points of my life and career,” said the composer.

High praise for Fox comes from Hollywood legends. Director, writer, producer and actor Garry Marshall has said, “I have known Charles Fox since his theme song for 'Love, American Style' was a hit in primetime. He went on to write some wonderful music, many more hits including the theme songs for my TV shows 'Happy Days,' 'Laverne & Shirley' and 'Angie.' His music is a great part of Americana.” While icon and music mogul Quincy Jones has said, “Charles Fox and I both studied with the same extraordinary composition teacher in Paris, Nadia Boulanger, and her influence on his life and music resonates through this book and his songs. ‘Killing Me Softly’ is one of the greatest pop songs ever written.”

This past summer, Charles conducted a new work that he was commissioned to write by the Polish Government commemorating the 200^th birthday of Chopin. The concert featured one of the great Polish pianists, Leszek Mozdzer, and the great American Clarinetist, Eddie Daniels, plus a chamber orchestra. Over 16,000 people attended this concert, which was part of a celebration of Solidarity and is called, “A Solidarity Of the Arts Festival” and was held in Gdansk. “Knowing that my father grew up just minutes from the location of the concert really touched me. He lost his entire family and was the only survivor of the holocaust from his family right there in Gdansk. I will never forget the night there, over 16,000 people attended,” concluded Fox.

Source:http://www.canyon-news.com/artman2/publish/LA_Music_Scene_46/Exclusive_Interview_Charles_Fox_Performs_At_UCLA.php

Safety rules ignored in Window cleaner’s fatal fall

A window cleaner who fell to his death while working at a government building did not have social insurance and safety rules had not been followed, the Labor Inspectorate confirmed yesterday without giving details about what action would be taken against the contractor that employed the father of four.

Asiz Emad, an Egyptian immigrant, died on December 19 died after losing his balance and falling from the third floor of the Labor Ministry’s general administration building. His death only came to light when Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) MP Michalis Kritsotakis tabled a question in Parliament on December 23 about the incident.

In its first official statement on the subject, the Labor Inspectorate, which is responsible for ensuring labor laws and safety regulations are adhered to, said yesterday that in Emad’s case, the rules had not been followed.

“According to initial information, the deceased fell from the third floor to the ground due to the lack of safety measures… which indicates a breach in health and safety regulations,” the inspectorate said. It also confirmed that Emad’s social security contributions were not being paid by the contractor employing him. The Labor Inspectorate did not name the company involved but said that it had notified it to give its version of events. Legal action will be launched after that.

“The responsibility of the contractor is great and it needs to be punished swiftly and strictly,” said New Democracy MP Yiannis Vroutsis, who is the party’s labor and social insurance spokesman. “But the responsibilities of the Labor Ministry are also great.”

The Attica Union of Cleaners (PEKOP) is demanding that the government explain why Emad was working on a Sunday when the contract with the ministry stipulated the cleaning would take place on weekdays. PEKOP also wants to know why no record was kept of the cleaners’ presence in the building and why Emad had no social insurance.

Source:http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100009_29/12/2010_122019

Window cleaning robot

Windoro is a flat, autonmous window cleaning robot that uses water, detergent and rotating pads to clean glass while navigating with obstacle sensors. Windoro consists of two parts held together by neodymium magnets, which simultaneously clean both sides of a window pane.

Cleaners to protest ministry for window cleaner death

Members of a cleaners’ union are due to protest outside the Labor Ministry on Korai Street in central Athens at 6 p.m. today to demand answers from the government about the circumstances in which a father of four died while cleaning the building’s windows earlier this month.

Asiz Emad, an Egyptian immigrant, died on December 19 died after losing his balance and falling from the third floor of the Labor Ministry. His death only came to light when Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) MP Michalis Kritsotakis tabled a question in Parliament on December 23 about the window cleaner’s death. The Labor Inspectorate, which operates under the auspices of the Labor Ministry, told Kathimerini yesterday that it did not make an announcement at the time because the employee who would have dealt with the matter was on vacation.

The Labor Inspectorate said that legal action had been launched against the contractor responsible for cleaning the building. If found guilty of breaking the law, the company would be excluded from bidding for state contracts for the next three years.

However, the Attica Union of Cleaners (PEKOP) is demanding that the government explain why Emad was working on a Sunday when the contract with the ministry stipulated the cleaning would take place on weekdays between 4 and 9 p.m. Also, the ministry building is officially kept closed on the weekend, so the unionists are asking for information about who let the cleaners in. PEKOP also wants to know why no record was kept of the cleaners’ presence in the building and why Emad had no social insurance.

Constantina Kuneva, the Bulgarian cleaner disfigured in an acid attack in December 2008, was PEKOP’s general secretary at the time. Her plight had highlighted the operation of several cleaning companies who employ mostly immigrants without abiding by labor laws or paying their social security contributions.

Source:http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100010_28/12/2010_121996

Florida couple's home runs on solar energy

Monday, December 27, 2010 at 8:58:54 AM - by Danny Vo

After routinely paying monthly electric bills of as much as $200, Jerry and Elli Million were more than happy to flaunt their most recent charge for a month’s consumption: $13.

According to Tampa Bay online, the Sebring, Florida couple has a home almost entirely sustained by solar power. Two solar panels that prepare the home’s hot water were installed 15 years ago and their hot water supply has never depleted, nor has it lost its heat. A local company installed 22 panels on the rear of the roof in June 2009. And they have plans to install 12 more.

"It was such a good deal, I think," Jerry Million said of the hot water panels that cost $650 apiece when he bought them. "They pay for themselves every three years."

When the panels generate electricity, the home’s electric meter pushes backward. When the home consumes electricity, the meter runs forward. Their monthly bill is the difference of the two. They believe the 12 state-of-the-art panels they plan to install will be so modern and efficient that they might even be able to make money off solar power.

"My thinking was, quite honestly, we're getting to run out of oil and it won't be too many years and then what the heck is mankind going to do?" said Jerry. 

 

Source:http://solar.coolerplanet.com/News/800313102-florida-couples-home-runs-on-solar-energy.aspx

Solar-powered pants are now on the market

Is that a solar panel in your pants, or are you just happy to see . . . oh. It is a solar panel. Why do you need one?
It's a good question. Solar panels are generally used to heat, electrify, or move something. Pants are best if they don't run off on their own. In the cold, a warm lower body might be nice, but usually there isn't too much sun in cold weather. And no one wants to electrify their pants.
Nevertheless, pants with solar panels in the pockets are available from Silvr Lining. They are listed as 'cargo pants' but look more like pajama bottoms with pockets. The solar panels are installed on each of the pockets, which are big and extremely roomy. The size of the pockets not only accomodates the panels, but helps to carry some of the many gadgets that most people walk around with at all times. When the gadgets run low after a long day of wearing orange bright enough to blend in with a highway trash removal crew, the wearer can simply plug their phone into their pocket.
While many, or all, aspects of these pants can be considered ridiculous - including the thousand dollar price tag - it's nice that Silvr Lining is trying to alleviate the environmental impact of personal technology. Might I recommend for the future something in a sturdy shoe? There are already sidewalks and dance floors that use the impact of people's stomping feet to generate power. Shoes would be useful in all weather, and could be used even indoors by chronic foot-tappers. Overall, they're more reliable and less consipicuous than walking around in pajamas and presenting one's thighs to the sun.


Source:http://io9.com/5719135/solar+powered-pants-are-now-on-the-market

How to Fix Pella Window Gaskets

 How to Repair Window Washer Bella

Use X - knife, trim off the O Tujia square glass panels / putty along both sides of the window. Care must be taken not to damage the piece of glass wall and window frame to avoid depression or scratches.

The withdrawal of the exterior glass, followed by glass of the Interior.

Removed from the window frame using a putty knife Putty rest; careful not to over-use of force, you had to break the window. If the putty is very difficult to eliminate by the heat gun or other heating tools can be used to ease, and then delete it.

Remove any type of fasteners along the window the current window. If necessary to smooth any rough areas of window frames.

Apply with a thin layer of linseed oil brush and let it soak in completely. Thin smear of putty (1 / 16 "thick) layer (or plan to use any type of seal) on the window frame.

Insert a new glass, and press firmly against the window, while still holding the glass, and the application of the framework Glazers points, or clips on both sides of the appropriate type in the window. Remove the hands and the application periods of 3-6 months the rest of the clips inch frame.

Completed applications, such as putty, and paint in the context of communication, such as window glass.

Written by Author: Rob Wilman, PhD. from Copious Systems

Source: http://zpromed-100rccshps.copious-systems.com/articles/4d187bc71a8efc1e37000d41/

Caring For Solar Panels

Caring For Solar Panels

One of the most unidentified facts about solar photovoltaic panel ownership is the insufficient knowledge about care or cleaning. Do they require it? Sure they do, occasionally that is, due to the airborne particles in the atmosphere.

This subject usually isn’t discussed too often by the solar panel retailers that sell industrial and residential photovoltaic solar panels. Why? This is due to the fact that solar panel cleaning may be a robust and expensive job. The acquisition of photovoltaic panels represents a big outlay. Allowing a solar panel to become dirty due to airborne particles and droppings for instance could potentially reduce your photovoltaic panel output, which means that you don’t get the performance that you may have previously being receiving.

Today the most common method of cleaning photovoltaic solar panels has been to use dish washing detergent or commercial cleaning detergents. In contrast to dish washing in your sink, the dish washing detergents or commercial cleaning detergent products you spray on your solar panel will no doubt end up trickling off of your roof, on to your lawn or on to your decking. Cleaning detergent or water from your roof may stain in the long run.

Source:http://articlesupport.com/2010/12/23/solar-panels-and-solar-panel-installers-advice/

It's Miracle that window-washer survives crash that sheered off top of his truck

Kenton Miller of Loma reflects about how he survived a wreck that sheered off the cab of his truck.

By Mike Wiggins
Thursday, December 23, 2010

Kenton Miller knew something had gone horribly wrong as he hurtled down the country road, unable to slow or stop his truck.
He just didn’t know exactly what.
The 66-year-old owner of a window-washing business saw a single headlight approaching as he neared the intersection of 21 and L roads on the evening of Dec. 14. Then, as he passed the headlight, there was a loud collision.
Miller was temporarily blinded. The steering wheel jammed into his pelvis and pinned his legs, preventing him from pressing on the brake. His westbound 1993 GMC blew through the intersection and sped ahead for a third of a mile before plunging into a cornfield and sinking into the mud.
Dazed and struggling to gather his thoughts, a picture of what happened began to come into focus when he looked up.
“There’s no roof over my head. I can see the stars in the sky,” he said.
He turned in his seat to look behind him. The cab of his truck was gone.
A tractor pulling a piece of farm machinery known as a creaser was headed eastbound on L Road, one of its arms extending into the westbound lanes about four feet above the ground. With no lights or reflectors on the creaser, Miller had no clue what was barreling toward him.
The creaser’s arm sheared off the top of Miller’s truck, popping it open like a tuna can.
How the creaser didn’t decapitate Miller is a mystery to just about everyone who has seen what’s left of the truck. Miller can only think of one explanation.
“I don’t have an answer for that except that God protected me,” he said.
Miller’s wife, Joan, and daughter, Megan, part of a deeply spiritual family, agree.
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh, miracles are for the olden days,’” Joan Miller said. “God is still a miracle-working God.”
There definitely was a miracle following Kenton Miller that night. The man who spotted debris in the road, waded through the cornstalks to check on him and called 911?
Jason Miracle.
It took emergency crews about an hour to extract Miller from his truck. He spent a few hours at St. Mary’s Hospital that night but, as part of his faith, refused pain-relieving drugs. The accident badly skinned his left shin, bruised his left knee and left him with two black eyes and scrapes in several places.
Miller returned to work Thursday, just nine days after an accident that, by all accounts, should easily have killed him.
The man driving the tractor, 32-year-old Ward Studt of Grand Junction, fled the scene and ditched the creaser at a farm two miles away, according to the Colorado State Patrol. He called the State Patrol the next day to turn himself in.
Public records show Studt has been cited or arrested in Mesa County 14 times since 1998, with most of the offenses relating to speeding and seat-belt infractions. For the Dec. 14 accident, he was ticketed for failing to notify police of an accident, failing to remain at the scene of an accident, failing to provide proof of insurance and failing to equip an implement of husbandry with lamps.
Reached by phone Thursday, Studt acknowledged he “didn’t do the right thing” by leaving the scene. But he said he panicked because he thought he had killed the man in the truck. He claimed he returned and saw help had arrived.
The remains of Miller’s truck now sit in the field of a next-door neighbor. Corn husks are jammed into the grill. A cob of corn sits in the passenger seat. Miller said he’ll salvage the tires and try to sell what he can as scrap metal.
After the accident, Miller’s family removed his belongings from the truck. But Miller knew something had been left behind. As the sun faded behind Colorado National Monument, he reached through the driver’s side door toward the dashboard and pulled it out: a crisp $20 bill. Cash he carries around, just in case he needs it.
Consider it the latest miracle in a line that began 10 nights ago.

Source:http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/man_survives_crash_that_sheere/

Window washers rescued after scaffolding broke in Tulsa

TULSA - Two men are safe after begin stuck high in the air Wednesday night.
Officials tell 2NEWS the men were washing windows at the Exchange Building near 45th and Garnett.
They say their scaffolding unit broke 80 feet in the air.
The men were stuck on the side of the building for about 20 minutes.
Firefighters had to use their ladder to get them down

Source:http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/window-washers-rescued-after-scaffolding-broke-in-tulsa

A Day in the Life of a Window Cleaner

Advances in technology have given rise to two types of window cleaners; traditional and water fed pole window cleaners. Most window cleaners start out using the traditional method, as it requires a minimum amount of equipment and a smaller initial outlay.

Traditional window cleaning

is done with ladders and a bucket whereas the newer water fed pole window cleaners use a specialist piece of kit attached to a water supply that is operated from the ground. This is still fairly new in the trade and the majority of domestic window cleaners still use the old method on their daily round.

A traditional window cleaner's kit consists of several essential items plus a few that are optional depending on personal preference. This is all loaded onto a car or van before setting off for the day's round. Ladders, bucket, cleaning solution, water, t-bar applicator, squeegee and clean cloths are the basic tools of the trade. The window cleaner usually brings his own water, but some customers are quite happy to top up their supply if asked.

A window cleaner's round is usually concentrated into a small area each day so that the maximum number of customers can have their windows cleaned without too much time being wasted travelling between properties. Therefore each day will be devoted to a different area and one day of the week devoted to paperwork and administration such as chasing up payments and writing up the accounts.

Once the window cleaner arrives at the first property he sets about cleaning the upstairs windows first, accessed by a ladder using a mixture of the cleaning solution and water in the bucket. This is either a specialist cleaner or washing up liquid. Most window cleaners prefer washing up liquid as it is just as efficient as more expensive solutions, but again, it comes down to personal preference.

The window cleaning solution is applied using a t-bar applicator or sponge so that it covers the whole of the window pane. Any stubborn deposits can be removed with a scraper before the remaining solution is removed with a squeegee by pulling it across the glass horizontally and drying it on a cloth in between strokes to avoid streaking. Detailing is the final part of the cleaning process where a dry cloth is used to catch any water drips left by the squeegee in the corners or around the window pane edges.

Most window cleaners also give the sill and frame a wipe over as well because a lot of dirt gathers there and many customers expect the whole window to be cleaned, not just the glass.

The downstairs windows are always cleaned after upstairs to prevent dirty water splashing down onto freshly cleaned windows below. After all the required windows have been cleaned the window cleaner either knocks to be paid or leaves a card detailing the date that the windows were cleaned and when he will be calling back, keeping a record in a customer payment book.

A lot of windows cleaners choose to go back later the same day when people are more likely to be home from work so that they can collect their money efficiently without making multiple visits, others prefer to collect payment on a weekend

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/shopping-articles/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-window-cleaner-3893620.html#ixzz18uS0QHsl

Grand Emporium. LEGO 10211

LEGO Exclusive set, Grand Emporium. LEGO 10211 is a 2010 release and comes with 2182 pieces and 7 mini figures including a boy, window washer (male), 2 mannequins (male/female), 1 female shopper, 1 male shopper (with no pants) and an Emporium worker.

Source:http://www.brickshow.com/episode150-10211

Mistledole: Habitat for Humanity Store

Habitat Window Washer: Craig Illman, a volunteer at the Habitat for Humanity Store, cleans a window for resale. Photography bu J.M. Simpson

DONATE TO A LOCAL CHARITY >>>

There's no better way to support your community than supporting your neighbors in need, especially during the holiday season. We'll feature local charities on Spew throughout this holiday season with links to donate your money, supplies and time.

Give the karmic wheel a spin for today's charity focus:
Habitat for Humanity "Store"

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
505 Puyallup Ave., Tacoma
253.779.8149

The notion that hope begins with picking up a hammer permeates the attitude one meets at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

"I would use the word ‘hope' to describe what we do here," commented Karen Roice, the store's general manager.

But with that hope comes a bit of history.

Karen Roice

Many individuals know of the Habitat for Humanity program.  Former president Jimmy Carter highlighted the program during the mid-1980s due to his volunteer work in building houses for families which otherwise could not afford to own a home without community support.
Simply put, the Habitat for Humanity program is designed to make it possible for low income families in substandard housing to own their own homes, purchased with a combination of "sweat equity," volunteer time and donated materials and labor to lower the costs of constructing a house.
Founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller and his wife, Linda, Habitat for Humanity is a nondenominational Christian ministry the meets the universal need of all people for decent shelter.
The Fullers called their vision "the theology of the hammer."
Since its inception, Habitat has built more than 350,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.75 million people in 3000 communities with safe, decent and affordable shelter.
But in order for the hammer to do the work of building hope for a better future here in the Tacoma/Pierce County area, a Habitat for Humanity Store provides the means of making the dream of home ownership a reality.
"This is where I was meant to be," continued Roice as she walked through the downtown Tacoma store, talking with some of the volunteer staff members.
"This is where prayer has led me."
The Tacoma Habitat for Humanity Store recycles overstocked, discontinued, new and gently used items donated by manufacturers, stores, contractors and individuals.  These items are sold to the public or used in Habitat for Humanity home construction.
Revenue from sales helps the local Habitat affiliate in support of its home building program.
Not surprisingly, the Tacoma Habitat for Humanity Store has a short but powerful history.
Asked in 2005 to start a store with an eye to funding Habitat for Humanity's construction, Robert Estrada took his 1997 Dodge pick-up truck and a donated 10 by 5 trailer and when to work.
"I liked the challenge of starting the store," he said as he stood in the spacious showroom.
Estrada said the store began in a donated building near St. Joseph Hospital.
"There was no heat, but we used it for about 15 months before moving here," he said.
Robert Estrada

Now located at 505 Puyallup Ave. near the Tacoma Dome, the brightly painted storefront offers customers a wide variety of home improvement products.
"Everything is accepted - including the proverbial kitchen sink," added Roice.
Donated items are cleaned up by volunteers and then sold at drastically reduced prices. The proceeds from the store help the Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity program buy the materials to build decent, affordable housing.
Everything from dining room furniture and lighting fixtures to plumbing, paint and appliance is available.
Funds from the store have helped the local Habitat reach its 2010 goal of building 15 to 20 homes.
As an added benefit, the store's ability to save, sell or reuse unwanted materials keeps unwanted items out of local landfills.
"Every dollar spent here keeps a pound of waste out of local landfills," commented Roice.
As Roice and Estrada went about their duties, volunteer Mac MacKinen put prices on donated items.
"We're kind of a box of chocolates here; you never know what you'll get," said MacKinen with a smile.
The Habitat for Humanity Store is a 501c (3) non-profit organization, so donations are tax deductible.
The store is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.  Donations are welcome; pick-up
Donations are welcome; pick-up is available. And yes, volunteers are always needed.

Source:http://www.weeklyvolcano.com/entertainment/spew-blog/2010/12/mistledole-tacoma-pierce-county-habitat-for-humanity-restore/

LEGO – Window Washer

Source:http://www.officesnapshots.com/2010/12/17/lego-moscow-office/

Don't Leave your Ropes out in the Rain! (Mudcat Poetry Corner)

From: harpgirl

Don't Leave your Ropes out in the Rain!


The high rise window washer sways
Amidst the birds, on sunny days!
A speed break locks around his cable
And this keeps vittles on his table
I watch him Sqeegeeing the fixtures
with vinegar and ammonia mixtures
Hanging, seemingly suspended,
by fragile ropes and lines untended!
I marvel at thee window washer!
Within my office, low and posher!
Perhaps I'd offer reassurance,
If I didn't sell insurance!


inspired by a window washer friend in Arkansas who plays fiddle....hg

Source:http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=56732&messages=507

Signs of recovery for window cleaner Simon Hill

A Telford window cleaner who was left fighting for his life after falling from a ladder has begun to show some signs of recovery, his family said today.

Father-of-eight Simon Hill suffered serious head injuries when he fell while cleaning windows at a house in Ketley on November 13.
The 45-year-old was flown to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire for a life-saving operation after suffering a serious head injury.
Mr Hill and his wife Lizz, both 45, who live in Leegomery, have been married for 25 years and have eight children.
Mr Hill, who has been cleaning windows in Telford since the 1980s, was only discovered after a boy spotted him lying on the grass of his client’s front garden.
Today his mother Mary Hill said he has been moved to Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital for rehabilitation.
“Simon’s wife and family would like to thank his customers, neighbours and friends who have sent cards and good wishes to Simon,” said Mrs Hill. “They are greatly appreciated.
“Simon is showing small signs of recovery but is not yet able to make any decisions regarding his business.
“It is realised that his customers will need to take on another window cleaner in the meantime. It is hoped, however, when Simon is able to return to his business that they will continue to show him their loyalty.
“Simon will be depending on the goodwill of his fellow window cleaners to hand back the work on his return.”
Mr Hill’s wife, who is a teacher at New College in Wellington, said her family were left devastated after hearing of the accident.
By Jason Lavan

Read more: http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2010/12/16/signs-of-recovery-for-window-cleaner-simon-hill/#ixzz18LJcLAey

YouTube - Window Washer!

Men in Kilts' is Window Cleanig franchise based business that is Generating a Viral Buzz

 Men in Kilts' Bold Brand Generates a Viral Buzz and Elicits Interest in Franchise Business

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Dec. 13, 2010) - A new franchise based business is breathing fresh air into the often stagnant world of North American franchising. Men In Kilts, a window cleaning, pressure washing and gutter cleaning company, is shaking up the franchise landscape with their bold brand and viral approach to marketing.
Rather than going through the usual motions of traditional marketing, the company is leveraging their signature kilts to promote the eye-catching brand virally. From their famed roadside jigs to attention-grabbing shopping centre strolls, the kilted servicemen evoke interest and excitement from onlookers.
The theory behind the eye-catching kilt? The kilt is memorable, recognizable and worn by top-notch brand ambassadors - the employees themselves.
According to CEO and franchising professional, Tressa Wood (Wood is credited with helping propel 1-800-GOT-JUNK? from pulling in $15 million to over $130 million in revenue), it is this differential approach that is garnering Men In Kilts such phenomenal interest in the brand and the business model.
To Wood, "Nowadays, we are so inundated with marketing and advertising that in order get our attention it is critical to be bold and think outside the box. Having an eye-catching brand takes the complexity out of marketing and generates organic interest and excitement."
Men In Kilts currently operates two franchises in BC and is expanding across Canada and into the US in 2011.
For more information on Men In Kilts please visit http://www.meninkilts.com.

Source:http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Men-Kilts-Bold-Brand-Generates-Viral-Buzz-Elicits-Interest-Franchise-Business-1368070.htm

HIGH-RISE WINDOW WASHER WINS LOTTERY

HIGH-RISE WINDOW WASHER SAYS WINNING LOTTERY IS JUST LIKE BUNGEE JUMPING

SEATTLE: James Smith is a high-rise window washer, a bungee jumper and a self-proclaimed “adrenaline junky” from Issaquah. Still, he says that winning $200,000 from Washington’s Lottery is the biggest adrenaline rush he’s had in a while. So much so that when he saw the prize on his Scratch ticket on Friday afternoon, he couldn’t go back to work. He said, “I wanted to jump on my ropes, but I was so hyper and distracted that I decided I’d better not.”

James was working that day at Westlake Center in downtown Seattle. Around noon, he went to lunch with a coworker and decided to pick up a couple of Scratch tickets at a gas station. He scratched the first ticket, and it was a $20 winner. “[My coworker] said, ‘there’s no way that next one is a winner too.” He started to scratch the second ticket and accidentally revealed some of the prize section before the game section. “All I could see was the ‘undred,’” he said. He scratched on and found that the ticket was a winner, thinking he’d won $100, he finished revealing the prize to find that it said “two-hundred thousand dollars!”

“My coworker was going nuts!” James said.

James said the adrenaline rush he got from the win was comparable to bungee jumping and was more exciting than rappelling down a 57 story building, which is the height of the tallest tower he’s worked on.

James plans to use the money to take care of some family, buy a new car, take a trip and invest the rest. He called his sister on his way to the Lottery regional office in Federal Way to give her the good news. He said she didn’t believe him at first.

James bought his $200,000 “Hot Streak” Scratch ticket at Sandhu’s Arco AM/PM in Seattle.

Source:http://www.walottery.com/MediaCenter/MediaCenter.aspx?id=526

Company fined over Orinda window cleaning accident

Company fined over Orinda window cleaning accident

A Santa Clara-based window washing company has been fined $17,550 for an Orinda electrical accident that killed one employee and injured another.
The state Department of Occupational Safety and Health issued three citations Thursday against the Delta Window Cleaning Company stemming from the June 5 accident.
Jose Herrera and Eduardo Guerra were severely burned when the bucket of their cherry picker came into contact with high-voltage transmission lines over downtown Orinda. Herrera died of his injuries nearly three weeks later.
The most serious citation says that Herrera and Guerra came within one foot of the power lines despite regulations mandating they be at least 13 feet away.

Source:http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_16819813?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Seeking Veteran-Owned Small Businesses for WC Job in Brooklyn, New York & St. Albans Campuses

Sources Sought Notice only. This is not a request for quotes or proposals. No formal solicitation document exists at this time. Seeking Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB),

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), or other small businesses for all Campus Window Washing Service. Vendor shall provide all labor and materials necessary for window washing for the New York Harbor Healthcare System (Brooklyn, New York & St. Albans Campuses). St. Albans Campus - 179-00 Linden Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11425 - (718) 526-1000 3 buildings (Main, Security Gate House & Textile Processing Facility) Extended Care Center that provides long and short term skilled nursing and rehabilitation with 231 beds (181 nursing home beds, 50 psychosocial domiciliary program beds); also outpatient primary care services. Approximately 2,020 windows. Brooklyn Campus - 800 Poly Place Brooklyn, NY 11209 - (718) 836-6600 4 buildings (#4, #15, #2 & Regional Counsel); Medical, surgical and psychiatric facility with 153 operating beds and outpatient clinics. Fixed and horizontal slides, 44 double hung, 24 fixed and pivoted, 16 horizontal slides, 3088 double hung and fixed, 402 casement and fixed, 240 casement, fixed horizontal slides, 185 hopper and fixed, 170 fixed (including front entrance, first floor lobby windows). Horizontal slides, 18 fixed and horizontal 216 casement fixed, horizontal, 35 casement fixed 70 hopper. 138 casement and fixed, 8 horizontal slide, 4 fixed and horizontal, 840 casement and pivotal, 635 fixed, 10 hopper and 158 fixed windows. 150 double fixed/hinged windows integral blinds, 8 sections of skylights. New York Campus - 423 East 23rd Street New York, NY 10010 - (212) 686-7500 1 building; Referral level 2 tertiary care facility with 166 operating beds and outpatient clinics. Main Building Floors 7 through 18; consisting of 280 windows, windows per floor. 6th floor 220 windows, 5th floor 280, 4th floor 270, 3rd floor 270, 2nd floor 270, 1st floor 270, ground floor 40 Window skylights 22 panes, crosswalks with glass, 18 lobby area windows 276. 28 windows on the 2nd floor, 1st floor 32 windows, ground 16 windows crosswalks with glass 26 skylight with glass. Each section containing 32 fixed panels, 2 canopies and walkways main landings 144 panels, walkways 58 panels, 2nd flooring 108 panes. labor, Materials, tools and equipment to clean the interior and exterior windows in buildings and trailers. work will be accomplished between 8:00AM and 4:30PM, Monday through Friday. Contractor will report to the Environmental Management Service office at each campus respectively prior to commencing job. Work should be completed within 30 days of contract being awarded. Contractor will exercise safety precautions in the performance of job. Special care must be taken not to damage windows, personal or work related items in offices nor damage to any other structure. Removal and the reinstallation of all window locks and replacing screens to the original location of the frame.

The requirement will be at NY Campus VA NY Harbor Healthcare System which includes the Brooklyn Campus, Manhattan Campus & St. Albans Campus. The NAICS code is 561720 and the small business size standard is $16.5 million. Responses to this notice should include the following: Name & address of company/provider (phone number & email of point of contact); indicate whether or not they are a small business and whether or not the contractor falls into any of the following socioeconomic categories - 8(a), HUBZone, Women Owned, Veteran Owned and /or Service-Disable Veteran Owned; contractor's experience in providing window cleaning and contractor's ability to meet the above requirement. All responses shall be submitted in writing no later that the close of business (3PM EST) December 23, 2010 to Greg Vogt, Contract Specialist, Bronx VA Medical Center, 130 West Kingsbridge Rd., Bronx, NY, NY 10468. Fax number is 718-741-4722. E-mail address: gregory.vogt@va.gov. if you have questions or need additional information, please contact me at 718-741-4321 or by e-mailto the address above.


Source: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=dad971eb6845682776efcdee4e069561&tab=core&_cview=0

ABM Industries' Undercover Boss, Henrik Slipsager, Revisits 9/11

By Lisa Johnson Mandell, Posted Dec 3rd 2010 @ 4:04PM

There are not many adults in the United States who can't recall exactly where they were when the planes flew into the World Trade Center on 9/11. President and CEO of ABM Industries Henrik Slipsager, this week's Undercover Boss, was in San Francisco, desperately trying to contact his family at home in New York. Two of the workers who participated with him in an 'Undercover Boss' segment were at Ground Zero.

Talking to them about their experiences on that fateful day was the hardest part of Slipsager's 'Undercover Boss' experience. "No matter who you are, it's in your system," he said. "It's digging deep, and it hurts. The most difficult part was not being able to reveal my identity and ask them the questions I really wanted to ask."

A total of 17 ABM employees died on 9/11. Hundreds worked at the World Trade Center when the towers fell, but many were on different shifts.

Recovery time

The employees who were there were given time to recover from the experience, and when they were ready, ABM found them work in other buildings. Slipsager worked with a freight elevator operator who had been with ABM for 26 years, and was cleaning outside the World Trade Center when the planes hit. He said he was grateful for how they were treated by ABM during such a difficult and emotional time.

Maria, another employee with whom Slipsager worked on janitorial duties, lost her 27-year-old nephew on 9/11. He was a foreman for ABM and was working on the 96th floor of one of the towers. Although Slipsager was not great at cleaning the toilets and glass walls under her supervision, he found great dignity and commitment in the way his employees performed their housekeeping duties.

"My goal for being an Undercover Boss, although I'm quite shy, was to show how proud and focused our employees are, and what a good job they're doing," he said. "I believe we accomplished that."

So what, exactly is ABM?

ABM may not be a household name, but chances are you've been in a building that's been serviced by them. ABM stands for American Building Maintenance, which was founded more than 100 years ago and has over 90,000 employees. It's one of the nation's largest facilities services contractors, offering janitorial, engineering, parking and security services for thousands of clients. Slipsager, a Danish immigrant, has been President and CEO since the year 2000.

His cover was that he was an immigrant from Holland or the Czech Republic (let's face it, few Americans can identify a Danish accent) competing with another, younger candidate for a job in the United States. His disguise left a lasting impression: He had "virgin" hair that had never been dyed before, and when he tried to wash the color out, it remained orange for months.

Slipsager's first job for the 'Undercover Boss' episode was at the Tampa airport, working as shuttle operator for Ampco System Parking, a division of ABM. He was too slow at helping people with their luggage, and too fast driving. When he cursed his own ineptitude, that was the final straw for Kenny, the driver who was training him. Slipsager was promptly relieved of his duties. "It was brutal," he said. "But Kenny is such a good kid."

The most dangerous job to date

Next up was the most dangerous job an Undercover Boss has had to do yet. Slipsager worked with a commercial window washing supervisor, a Polish immigrant from Krakow, who required him to attach scaffold cables to the top of a building and wear a harness to go up many floors to clean windows. This was one of Slipsager's worst nightmares, since he's afraid of heights. "If you look closely, you'll see my left hand squeezing the scaffold -- it was cramping I was holding on so tight," he said. When the supervisor told him they had to go higher, Slipsager said he'd had enough and ended that assignment right then and there.

Slipsager is sure that when people see how brave, dedicated and proud ABM workers are, they will have a newfound respect and appreciation of the janitors, cleaners and other service workers that make their lives more comfortable on a daily basis. "People's perception changes when they see these people have interesting lives and names," he said. "'Undercover Boss' gave me the opportunity to show this."

AOL Jobs Asks
Undercover Boss Henrik Slipsager
5 Quick Questions

1. What was your first job? Summer landscaping at age 14.
2. What inspires you? Anything to do with tomorrow.
3. What is the most important trait needed to succeed? Pride in what you do.
4. What is your biggest challenge? Balancing home life with work.
5. What is the best career advice you ever received? Take it! (offered by a colleague when Slipsager had just settled with his family back in Denmark, and he was offered the ABM job, which would require a move back to New York.)

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/12/03/abm-industries-undercover-boss-henrik-slipsager-revisits-9-11/

Out of control window washing platform repeatedly smashes a building's windows.

Window Cleaner was cleared of illegally having a lock knife

Dec 3 2010 by Colin Rutherford, Kilmarnock Standard

A FORMER window cleaner was last week cleared of illegally having a lock knife after a sheriff accepted that he used it for his work.
Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard that the knife was found when 40-year-old Graeme Ritchie was searched after being approached by plain clothes police as he sat in his car, with two other men, in the Tesco car park in Glasgow Road.
Ritchie, of John Kennedy Place, Kilmarnock, claimed that he used the knife – which he had in his pocket – for cutting rubber cleaning blades and ropes he used to secure his ladders.
Constable Mark McInnes said that he and his colleague first followed Ritchie’s vehicle in August 2009 because they suspected that he was another man who was a disqualified driver.

The PC said that afterwards, he had then decided to search Ritchie for drugs because of his agitated manner.
He said: “When he did come out of the vehicle, he immediately put his hands into his pockets. I immediately asked him to remove his hands which he refused to do.”
He said that, asked about the knife, Ritchie responded: “It’s just a pocket knife.”
Cross-examined by Sandy Currie, defending, PC McInness accepted that there were ladders on the roof of the car, buckets and other cleaning equipment inside and that Ritchie had said that he was a window cleaner.
He also admitted that the man had later said that he used the knife “for cutting ropes or rubber”.
Giving evidence, Ritchie said that, at the time, he had been working as a window cleaner for only around two weeks.
He admitted that he did not have a council licence to clean windows and was claiming benefits.
Ritchie told the court that the knife was in his pocket because he used it while up his ladder to cut sections of rope and cleaning blades.
He also said that when police approached him he knew that they were looking for someone else as he had been stopped three times in the preceding weeks by officers on the look-out for another individual who drove a similar car.
Sheriff Robert Vaughan – who earlier rejected a legal submission by Mr Currie – said: “The Crown has produced a case to answer. It has been answered to a sufficient extent.
“I accept the defence of good reason.”
He found Ritchie not guilty.

http://www.kilmarnockstandard.co.uk/ayrshire-news/news-east-ayrshire/kilmarnock-news/2010/12/03/window-cleaner-beats-knife-rap-81430-27750005/

Window cleaners die after scaffolding fall beside Burj

Two men died yesterday after falling from the 27th floor of a building under construction next to the Burj Khalifa.
Dubai Police confirmed that the men were installing glass when their cradle malfunctioned at around 4pm and plummeted to the ground. An anonymous source said the side-winch of their cradle had failed.
Picture evidence of the accident scene distributed by the police today shows that both men were wearing safety harnesses.
According to a security guard at the building site, the men were both from India.

 http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/window-cleaners-die-after-dubai-scaffolding-fall