I worked at a dry cleaning business that had no dry cleaning equipment. It had two clothing racks, a counter and a cash register; nothing else. The business was located in the roughest section of Newport, Kentucky, which was one of the most economically depressed cities in America.
My bookmaker father said that "gypsies, tramps and thieves" was an accurate description of the neighborhood.
I witnessed armed robberies, streetwalkers, numerous fist fights and a carjacking. I watched a woman run over her soon-to-be ex-husband with a car.
A house of prostitution operated a few doors away. I never wanted sex bad enough to do business with the women who worked there. One offered me her services in return for a carton of cigarettes. Even though cigarettes were only four dollars a carton, it would have been a bad deal.
Their pimp did not fit the pimp stereotype. He was a pot-bellied, redneck, steel worker who drove a 15-year-old station wagon. He used a clothes hanger as his car radio antenna. He had a second job faking illnesses and going to doctors for pain medicine. He sold the pills until an unhappy customer decided to shoot him.
There was a diverse mixture of cultures and personalities in that neighborhood. None of them seem concerned about owning neatly pressed, dry-cleaned clothes. They bore no resemblance to the people who lived in the suburb that I lived in.
There was one factor that made the dry cleaners a smart business decision. In its back room, there was a bookmaking operation and an ongoing card game.
The back room had far more traffic than the dry cleaners ever did.
I was the "manager" of the dry cleaning section. Since I was the only employee, there was not a lot to manage. However, the experience at the dry cleaners was a better lesson in business than studying for an MBA.
I learned business techniques that were far ahead of their time:
1. Outsourcing. Once or twice a week, someone would wander in, actually wanting their clothes dry cleaned. I would take their clothes to a real dry cleaner and have them cleaned. Since we charged a markup for the service, prices were outrageously high and we had few repeat customers.
We did the marketing and someone else did the work. It is a model that many businesses follow.
2. Locating in a business-friendly location. In Joe Nocera's book, A Piece of the Action, he wrote about credit card companies locating in South Dakota because that state looked favorably upon the credit card business at a time when other states were heavily regulating it.
Picking a "business-friendly" climate is a key to business success. That is what large companies shop for: lax regulatory environments and economic incentives.
Since bookmaking was against the law, Newport was a favorable business environment for the dry cleaning and gambling operation.
With far more serious crime taking place, enforcing gambling laws was not a high priority for the neighborhood's law enforcement community. Policemen would occasionally visit the dry cleaners to place bets. On one occasion they went flying out of our building, guns blazing, when an armed robbery was attempted across the street. It was like watching a real life version of Kojak.
3. Long hours, low wages. I worked in the dry cleaners 72 hours a week during the summer and over 40 a week during the school year. I had no benefits, pension, or paid vacations, and they "forgot" to pay me overtime.
Many businesses use this "long hours, low wages, no benefits model" today.
4. Keeping operating expenses low. The dry cleaning business did not have equipment and was located in a low rent district. I was the only employee, and I was paid minimum wage.
Everyone involved in the dry cleaners is now dead. Their lifestyles as "gypsies, tramps, and thieves" cut into any chance they had to live to an old age.
None of them were well-educated, but every night when the men would come around; they had plenty of money to lay down. More information about the program is available on the web site at aulaundry.
2013年6月30日 星期日
2013年6月27日 星期四
Seven Things I Thought I'd Outgrow by 50
Apparently, I'm still growing. Thankfully, some of the crucial
insights of adulthood have stuck. I now know that mixing peppermint
schnapps with blackberry brandy -- or really anything -- is just gross. I
understand that staying home on a Saturday night (or a whole weekend)
is so not a form of punishment. And I never, ever, ever complain about
having to take a nap. But despite my completely idealistic youthful
beliefs that I would one day feel entirely grown up, there are still a
few things I'm waiting to either let go of or outgrow:
Adolescence: Here's the fantasy: that I'd be done with Clearasil when I got to Oil of Olay. Here's the reality: that Oxy 10, Clinique 1, and SPF 50 have made my face a paint-by-numbers project. Extra points for shopping in the adolescent and anti-aging sections at the same time. Ha ha, Mother Nature.
Hair fixations: Frizz fears of my youth led my husband to suggest 26 years ago that we get married in a meat locker. He was only half kidding. Nearly three decades later, my hair still tortures me. I've become used to friends asking why I'd ever blow out my curls, as if what's been hiding beneath my flattened, plastered tresses all these years is the equivalent of wide-plank wood beneath 70s shag carpet. But I can assure you that what's actually under there is neither Julianna Margulies...nor even Howard Stern. It's Albert Einstein (at least I was spared the mustache). And despite being certain that by age 40, I would have cut off my hair and embraced my inner poodle, I still hold on to the security of a ponytail in August and plan important life events around the dew point.
Quarter hoarding: I haven't used a coin-operated laundry machine since 1986. Fun fact -- since 1987, I've actually had my very own washer and my very own dryer in my very own house that I've been able to go to at any time without having to either buy a pizza or pay respects to my dorm's self-appointed Quarter Master. But memories of bartering for the all-powerful 25 cent coin remain so vivid that I covet quarters as if their absence will lead me to have to go back in time and rifle through my laundry bag for either a pair of dirty Gloria Vanderbilt jeans or my Wednesday underwear on Saturday. This pointless fixation (lots of parking meters don't even take change anymore) means not only that I am irrationally satisfied when the $5.07 for my coffee and bagel nets me 93 cents in change (three quarters!), it also ensures that my purse is always heavy enough to be used either as a weapon of self-defense...or a boat anchor.
Happy dancing on snow days: My last blizzard reprieve was during the disco era (Blizzard of '78! No math test!), but I still get an inexplicable sense of relief at the words, "No school." I also feel strangely compelled to watch cartoons.
Over packing: Unlike all the ultra-efficient women who've learned how to fit everything they need for two weeks into a purse, I still pack like I'm heading to camp...with a trunk. The process always optimistically begins with a tiny pile of miniature expectations ("Let's see, for three days in Florida, I'll need a pair of shorts, a couple of shirts, a bathing suit, sneakers...") until I start heaping on "necessary" items (contingency formalwear -- because you never know when you'll be unexpectedly invited to a ball by a visiting Duke) and generally packing as if Disney World is a developing nation. Click on their website www.aulaundry.com for more information.
Adolescence: Here's the fantasy: that I'd be done with Clearasil when I got to Oil of Olay. Here's the reality: that Oxy 10, Clinique 1, and SPF 50 have made my face a paint-by-numbers project. Extra points for shopping in the adolescent and anti-aging sections at the same time. Ha ha, Mother Nature.
Hair fixations: Frizz fears of my youth led my husband to suggest 26 years ago that we get married in a meat locker. He was only half kidding. Nearly three decades later, my hair still tortures me. I've become used to friends asking why I'd ever blow out my curls, as if what's been hiding beneath my flattened, plastered tresses all these years is the equivalent of wide-plank wood beneath 70s shag carpet. But I can assure you that what's actually under there is neither Julianna Margulies...nor even Howard Stern. It's Albert Einstein (at least I was spared the mustache). And despite being certain that by age 40, I would have cut off my hair and embraced my inner poodle, I still hold on to the security of a ponytail in August and plan important life events around the dew point.
Quarter hoarding: I haven't used a coin-operated laundry machine since 1986. Fun fact -- since 1987, I've actually had my very own washer and my very own dryer in my very own house that I've been able to go to at any time without having to either buy a pizza or pay respects to my dorm's self-appointed Quarter Master. But memories of bartering for the all-powerful 25 cent coin remain so vivid that I covet quarters as if their absence will lead me to have to go back in time and rifle through my laundry bag for either a pair of dirty Gloria Vanderbilt jeans or my Wednesday underwear on Saturday. This pointless fixation (lots of parking meters don't even take change anymore) means not only that I am irrationally satisfied when the $5.07 for my coffee and bagel nets me 93 cents in change (three quarters!), it also ensures that my purse is always heavy enough to be used either as a weapon of self-defense...or a boat anchor.
Happy dancing on snow days: My last blizzard reprieve was during the disco era (Blizzard of '78! No math test!), but I still get an inexplicable sense of relief at the words, "No school." I also feel strangely compelled to watch cartoons.
Over packing: Unlike all the ultra-efficient women who've learned how to fit everything they need for two weeks into a purse, I still pack like I'm heading to camp...with a trunk. The process always optimistically begins with a tiny pile of miniature expectations ("Let's see, for three days in Florida, I'll need a pair of shorts, a couple of shirts, a bathing suit, sneakers...") until I start heaping on "necessary" items (contingency formalwear -- because you never know when you'll be unexpectedly invited to a ball by a visiting Duke) and generally packing as if Disney World is a developing nation. Click on their website www.aulaundry.com for more information.
2013年6月26日 星期三
What to pack
One of cruising's biggest advantages is that you only have to unpack once, even if you are visiting several countries. No need to live out of your suitcase. But storage space is somewhat limited in ship cabins and most airlines now charge for checked baggage — and hit you with overcharges if your bags are heavy.
The golden rule: pack light
That's not as difficult as you might think. People often freak out about what to pack for a cruise, but the reality is you probably already have everything you need. If for some reason you forget something it's likely to be easily at hand in the ship's store — or at shops in the ports.
The two biggest considerations when packing for your cruise? Where you're cruising and on what ship you're sailing.
Shipboard Dress Codes:
The good news is that most cruise line dress codes have gotten decisively more casual in recent years. During the day anything goes — T-shirts, shorts, jeans, bathing suits (with cover-ups) — pretty much anywhere on the ship (except if you decide to do a sit-down lunch in the main dining room, where there may be restrictions). On the luxury lines this relaxed ambience may translate to polos and khakis, sundresses and designer-wear, but the casual concept is the same.
What you wear at night varies by ship and where you want to dine — the rules apply to the main dining room and dress-?up alternative restaurants, but not more casual eateries. Formal nights, held twice on many but not all weeklong itineraries, are not strictly formal — more like semiformal. Men can get away with a dark suit and women a cocktail dress, but check your cruise brochure for advice. Some of the ultraluxury lines still stick to the formal tradition, men in tuxes and women in either long or short finery. For those who want to dress to the hilt (you won't be alone), say to pose for a family photo, many of the bigger cruise lines still offer tuxedo rental (and there's nothing wrong with being overdressed), which you can arrange through your travel agent or once you get onboard. Conversely, even on formal nights you can choose the option of dining more casually at the ship's buffet, where a Hawaiian shirt is suitable day and night.
Sundries:
Most ships offer laundry service and some also have dry cleaning, with about a 24-hour turnaround. There will be a price list in your cabin. Expect to pay about $1.50 per pair of socks, $3 per T-shirt (it's not cheap), and $7 to dry clean a shirt. Many big ship lines also offer self-service industrial washing machine and dryers.
Your cabin will have soap, shampoo, and often conditioner and lotion but quality varies (you may, for instance, only have liquid soap). If you're fussy about products, bring your own. Most ships will sell you anything you forget — toothbrushes, razors, sunscreen, etcand so on. If you like a powerful hairdryer you may want to pack your own, as those in cabins tend to be weak.
All American-operated ships are equipped with 110 AC current (both 110 and 220 on many). But if you are traveling internationally, on a non-American cruise line, you may want to check if you need an adapter for your electronic devices (cell phone, laptop, et al). Note that most cruise cabins have only a couple of outlets, so if you're bringing numerous electronic devices, you might want to bring along a small power strip.
The golden rule: pack light
That's not as difficult as you might think. People often freak out about what to pack for a cruise, but the reality is you probably already have everything you need. If for some reason you forget something it's likely to be easily at hand in the ship's store — or at shops in the ports.
The two biggest considerations when packing for your cruise? Where you're cruising and on what ship you're sailing.
Shipboard Dress Codes:
The good news is that most cruise line dress codes have gotten decisively more casual in recent years. During the day anything goes — T-shirts, shorts, jeans, bathing suits (with cover-ups) — pretty much anywhere on the ship (except if you decide to do a sit-down lunch in the main dining room, where there may be restrictions). On the luxury lines this relaxed ambience may translate to polos and khakis, sundresses and designer-wear, but the casual concept is the same.
What you wear at night varies by ship and where you want to dine — the rules apply to the main dining room and dress-?up alternative restaurants, but not more casual eateries. Formal nights, held twice on many but not all weeklong itineraries, are not strictly formal — more like semiformal. Men can get away with a dark suit and women a cocktail dress, but check your cruise brochure for advice. Some of the ultraluxury lines still stick to the formal tradition, men in tuxes and women in either long or short finery. For those who want to dress to the hilt (you won't be alone), say to pose for a family photo, many of the bigger cruise lines still offer tuxedo rental (and there's nothing wrong with being overdressed), which you can arrange through your travel agent or once you get onboard. Conversely, even on formal nights you can choose the option of dining more casually at the ship's buffet, where a Hawaiian shirt is suitable day and night.
Sundries:
Most ships offer laundry service and some also have dry cleaning, with about a 24-hour turnaround. There will be a price list in your cabin. Expect to pay about $1.50 per pair of socks, $3 per T-shirt (it's not cheap), and $7 to dry clean a shirt. Many big ship lines also offer self-service industrial washing machine and dryers.
Your cabin will have soap, shampoo, and often conditioner and lotion but quality varies (you may, for instance, only have liquid soap). If you're fussy about products, bring your own. Most ships will sell you anything you forget — toothbrushes, razors, sunscreen, etcand so on. If you like a powerful hairdryer you may want to pack your own, as those in cabins tend to be weak.
All American-operated ships are equipped with 110 AC current (both 110 and 220 on many). But if you are traveling internationally, on a non-American cruise line, you may want to check if you need an adapter for your electronic devices (cell phone, laptop, et al). Note that most cruise cabins have only a couple of outlets, so if you're bringing numerous electronic devices, you might want to bring along a small power strip.
2013年6月25日 星期二
Flying Scotsman Graeme Obree returns
In an era when British cycling is sufficiently part of the
establishment to boast several knights, many people may never have heard
of Graeme Obree.
But the Scottish rider, who remains revered within cycling, is back and doing what he does best: going for world records on innovative, self-built bikes. Obree, described as a genius by Sir Chris Hoy, possessed huge natural talent and drive, but a series of factors – not least his refusal to touch the drugs then prevalent in the sport – cut short his career in the 1990s and he slipped into relative obscurity and intermittent depression.
Now at 47, he plans to try for the world human-powered land speed record on a machine which he rides head first, just above the ground. If that wasn't enough, the bike was almost entirely built in his kitchen from recycled parts, including metal from an old saucepan.
The idea that a self-built steel-framed creation, which Obree estimates cost around 1,000 to build, could tackle the 82.8 mph record set in 2009 by a Canadian rider using a computer-modelled, carbon fibre-shelled recumbent machine, seems ludicrous. But this is well-trodden ground for Obree, one of the more creative, bloody-minded and enigmatic characters in British sport.
The Ayrshire-based rider achieved fame from seemingly nowhere in July 1993 when he broke the world one-hour cycle distance record at a Norwegian velodrome, using a self-built bike, Old Faithful. This incorporated a self-created, highly aerodynamic tuck position as well as, famously, ballbearings borrowed from a washing machine.
Obree retook his record the following year, also winning a track world championship title on Old Faithful. When cycling's governing body, the UCI, outlawed the tuck stance, Obree came back with an equally creative alternative, the stretched out "Superman" position, to win another world title.
That was where it ended. It is arguably paradoxical to describe a man whose autobiography, The Flying Scotsman, was made into a film staring Jonny Lee Miller, as an unsung hero, but Obree never notched up the titles and fame of his peers, such as Chris Boardman.
Obree's sole Olympics, in 1996, saw him exit in the preliminary rounds. His career with a French professional road cycling team lasted one day. Obree has always maintained he was sacked when he made it clear he would not use drugs.
He has endured a turbulent personal life, affected by self-criticism and depression, eventually diagnosed as bipolar disorder. Obree came out as gay a couple of years ago, something he says has contributed to his happiness. His decision to do so is still relatively unusual in professional sport.
He reinvented himself as an author and a speaker, and just over two years ago began plotting an attempt at the human-powered bike speed record. Rather than adapt one of the feet-first recumbent bikes traditionally used for such bids, Obree, typically, started from scratch.
The result is the Beastie, in which the rider lies face down and head forward, with his or her feet powering a pair of narrower push-pull levers rather than conventional pedals. Read the full story at www.aulaundry.com web.
But the Scottish rider, who remains revered within cycling, is back and doing what he does best: going for world records on innovative, self-built bikes. Obree, described as a genius by Sir Chris Hoy, possessed huge natural talent and drive, but a series of factors – not least his refusal to touch the drugs then prevalent in the sport – cut short his career in the 1990s and he slipped into relative obscurity and intermittent depression.
Now at 47, he plans to try for the world human-powered land speed record on a machine which he rides head first, just above the ground. If that wasn't enough, the bike was almost entirely built in his kitchen from recycled parts, including metal from an old saucepan.
The idea that a self-built steel-framed creation, which Obree estimates cost around 1,000 to build, could tackle the 82.8 mph record set in 2009 by a Canadian rider using a computer-modelled, carbon fibre-shelled recumbent machine, seems ludicrous. But this is well-trodden ground for Obree, one of the more creative, bloody-minded and enigmatic characters in British sport.
The Ayrshire-based rider achieved fame from seemingly nowhere in July 1993 when he broke the world one-hour cycle distance record at a Norwegian velodrome, using a self-built bike, Old Faithful. This incorporated a self-created, highly aerodynamic tuck position as well as, famously, ballbearings borrowed from a washing machine.
Obree retook his record the following year, also winning a track world championship title on Old Faithful. When cycling's governing body, the UCI, outlawed the tuck stance, Obree came back with an equally creative alternative, the stretched out "Superman" position, to win another world title.
That was where it ended. It is arguably paradoxical to describe a man whose autobiography, The Flying Scotsman, was made into a film staring Jonny Lee Miller, as an unsung hero, but Obree never notched up the titles and fame of his peers, such as Chris Boardman.
Obree's sole Olympics, in 1996, saw him exit in the preliminary rounds. His career with a French professional road cycling team lasted one day. Obree has always maintained he was sacked when he made it clear he would not use drugs.
He has endured a turbulent personal life, affected by self-criticism and depression, eventually diagnosed as bipolar disorder. Obree came out as gay a couple of years ago, something he says has contributed to his happiness. His decision to do so is still relatively unusual in professional sport.
He reinvented himself as an author and a speaker, and just over two years ago began plotting an attempt at the human-powered bike speed record. Rather than adapt one of the feet-first recumbent bikes traditionally used for such bids, Obree, typically, started from scratch.
The result is the Beastie, in which the rider lies face down and head forward, with his or her feet powering a pair of narrower push-pull levers rather than conventional pedals. Read the full story at www.aulaundry.com web.
2013年6月24日 星期一
Foothills Cleaners comes to Yadkinville
Yadkinville residents now have a new place to have their special wardrobe items cleaned with care. Foothills Cleaners opened earlier this month and offers a full service dry cleaning business.
The business is run by Winston-Salem residents Dan Dempsey and his business partners John and Florence Collins. It is located at 108 Sharon Dr. in Yadkinville in the former Mutual Medical location.
“John and I and had looked at a couple places on Highway 601 but it just never worked out and he had noticed this place and so I came and checked it out and called him on it,” Dempsey said. “He liked it and since real estate is his specialty we moved on it.”
Dempsey said that he has been in the cleaners business since 2000. He and his former wife ran Twin City Cleaners in Winston-Salem for 10 years before the declining economy forced them to close in 2009.
Foothills Cleaner will provide Yadkin County with a full priced cleaner that offers a full range of services.
“We are a full priced cleaner, we do alterations, dry cleaning machine, wash, dry and fold and we are a wedding gown and formal wear specialist,” Dempsey said.
Dempsey said that the Yadkinville location does not offer a same day service because the clothes are delivered to one of his and John’s other locations.
“The clothes are cleaned at another of our cleaning locations and it does not lend itself to same day service for now, which doesn’t seem to be an issue in today’s times,” Dempsey said. “I pick the clothes up from this store and transport them to the other store three days a week. We maintain control of the clothes the entire time.”
Dempsey said that the average cleaning job has a three day turnaround. The business also hopes to push one of its specialties; wedding gown and formal wear cleaning.
Dempsey said that people put a large dollar amount into wedding gowns and formal wear so he thinks it’s important to offer a service to preserve that investment. He and his staff make sure that their customers understand the care and upkeep of these items instead of just cleaning them and handing them back.
Dempsey said that he will bring a service that he offered at Twin City Cleaners to the new Yadkinville location. It’s called Enchanted Memories and it allows high school students a chance at an affordable prom dress and accessories.
“We collect prom dresses and clean them at no charge and hold them until the first or second week of March,” Dempsey said. “Girls from the high schools can come and get a prom dress at no cost to them except for the alterations.”
Dempsey said that there is no application or financial requirement for girls who’d like to get a prom dress but they do require a valid driver’s license.
“Each girl gets a dress, a pair of shoes, a purse and one item of jewelry,” Dempsey said. “The only thing we ask the girls pay for is any alterations that are necessary and we’ll do those at a reduced rate. I think most girls spent $25 for their alterations.”
The business is run by Winston-Salem residents Dan Dempsey and his business partners John and Florence Collins. It is located at 108 Sharon Dr. in Yadkinville in the former Mutual Medical location.
“John and I and had looked at a couple places on Highway 601 but it just never worked out and he had noticed this place and so I came and checked it out and called him on it,” Dempsey said. “He liked it and since real estate is his specialty we moved on it.”
Dempsey said that he has been in the cleaners business since 2000. He and his former wife ran Twin City Cleaners in Winston-Salem for 10 years before the declining economy forced them to close in 2009.
Foothills Cleaner will provide Yadkin County with a full priced cleaner that offers a full range of services.
“We are a full priced cleaner, we do alterations, dry cleaning machine, wash, dry and fold and we are a wedding gown and formal wear specialist,” Dempsey said.
Dempsey said that the Yadkinville location does not offer a same day service because the clothes are delivered to one of his and John’s other locations.
“The clothes are cleaned at another of our cleaning locations and it does not lend itself to same day service for now, which doesn’t seem to be an issue in today’s times,” Dempsey said. “I pick the clothes up from this store and transport them to the other store three days a week. We maintain control of the clothes the entire time.”
Dempsey said that the average cleaning job has a three day turnaround. The business also hopes to push one of its specialties; wedding gown and formal wear cleaning.
Dempsey said that people put a large dollar amount into wedding gowns and formal wear so he thinks it’s important to offer a service to preserve that investment. He and his staff make sure that their customers understand the care and upkeep of these items instead of just cleaning them and handing them back.
Dempsey said that he will bring a service that he offered at Twin City Cleaners to the new Yadkinville location. It’s called Enchanted Memories and it allows high school students a chance at an affordable prom dress and accessories.
“We collect prom dresses and clean them at no charge and hold them until the first or second week of March,” Dempsey said. “Girls from the high schools can come and get a prom dress at no cost to them except for the alterations.”
Dempsey said that there is no application or financial requirement for girls who’d like to get a prom dress but they do require a valid driver’s license.
“Each girl gets a dress, a pair of shoes, a purse and one item of jewelry,” Dempsey said. “The only thing we ask the girls pay for is any alterations that are necessary and we’ll do those at a reduced rate. I think most girls spent $25 for their alterations.”
2013年6月23日 星期日
Clubhouse attendant makes ballplayers more comfortable
It’s all part of his job as the visiting team clubhouse attendant for Frederick Keys.
The Keys will play Lynchburg this night and the game will start at 7 p.m. The players will be long gone by the time the 65-year-old Buckingham finishes up his work.
“It’s not a hard job, but a long job,” said Buckingham, who has been the visiting clubhouse attendant since 2006. He began working for the Keys in 2001 as an assistant clubhouse attendant.
Buckingham taught sixth grade for 30 years, 12 at South Frederick Elementary school and 18 at West Frederick Middle School. He compares what he does now to that.
“They are like grown-up sixth-graders, I still get to watch over them, still get to clean up after them,” he said.
But he added he enjoys the job.
“He is very reliable and it was an easy transition for him because he’s used to being around young people,” said Branden McGee, the Keys assistant general manager and Buckingham’s immediate boss. “It’s a great job for someone that is retired and wants to be around the game.”
“Wayne is very respected in the (Carolina) league by the visiting teams,” Keys General Manager Dave Ziedelis said. “He is very accommodating, assists the umpires and has a very good demeanor.”
Buckingham took the job when he retired from teaching at 52.
“I had 30 years of teaching in and wanted to leave while I still enjoyed it,” he said.
But he wanted to stay active in someway. He liked baseball and went to a Keys job fair. He was looking for a job that would allow him to be around the players.
At the time the Keys needed an assistant clubhouse attendant to help longtime home clubhouse attendant, the late George Bell.
“The first thing he asked me was, ‘How old are you?’” Buckingham recalled. “He said he didn’t want any young bucks.”
He came in for an interview and was hired.
Bell retired in 2008, but Buckingham said he wasn’t interested in that job because it was full-time. He likes the idea of working 70 home games a year. Aaron Boone is now the home clubhouse attendant.
Most of Buckingham’s time is spent around the visiting players. He rarely gets to know the Keys.
“Most of the players are easy to deal with,” he said. “It’s neat to see the camaraderie among them,” he said. “It’s also like teaching because of all of the different personalities.”
Most of the time it’s a quiet job. But he does remember once when a pitcher was quite upset after getting taken out of the game.
“He came in here and threw his glove and his hat and turned a table over,” he said. “He took a stool and threw it against the locker. Then after a few minutes he said he would clean it up and he did.”
The Lynchburg team involved a little more work for Buckingham because it is the only team that has a meal before batting practice, after batting practice and after the game. Most teams don’t have the first meal.
On this particular day he had a variety of fruit on the table by 2 p.m. The meal after batting practice is usually cold cuts or chicken or tuna salad. Peanut butter and jelly, which he called a staple, is also available.
He usually prepares something early for the coaches, managers and umpires to make sure there is food left from them.
The players pay $8 each for the food and the money comes out of dues they get from their club.
He also helps make sure the batting practice and game uniforms are washed and dried. He has to take the dirty uniforms over the to the home clubhouse because there is no folding machine in the visitors’ clubhouse.
The Keys will play Lynchburg this night and the game will start at 7 p.m. The players will be long gone by the time the 65-year-old Buckingham finishes up his work.
“It’s not a hard job, but a long job,” said Buckingham, who has been the visiting clubhouse attendant since 2006. He began working for the Keys in 2001 as an assistant clubhouse attendant.
Buckingham taught sixth grade for 30 years, 12 at South Frederick Elementary school and 18 at West Frederick Middle School. He compares what he does now to that.
“They are like grown-up sixth-graders, I still get to watch over them, still get to clean up after them,” he said.
But he added he enjoys the job.
“He is very reliable and it was an easy transition for him because he’s used to being around young people,” said Branden McGee, the Keys assistant general manager and Buckingham’s immediate boss. “It’s a great job for someone that is retired and wants to be around the game.”
“Wayne is very respected in the (Carolina) league by the visiting teams,” Keys General Manager Dave Ziedelis said. “He is very accommodating, assists the umpires and has a very good demeanor.”
Buckingham took the job when he retired from teaching at 52.
“I had 30 years of teaching in and wanted to leave while I still enjoyed it,” he said.
But he wanted to stay active in someway. He liked baseball and went to a Keys job fair. He was looking for a job that would allow him to be around the players.
At the time the Keys needed an assistant clubhouse attendant to help longtime home clubhouse attendant, the late George Bell.
“The first thing he asked me was, ‘How old are you?’” Buckingham recalled. “He said he didn’t want any young bucks.”
He came in for an interview and was hired.
Bell retired in 2008, but Buckingham said he wasn’t interested in that job because it was full-time. He likes the idea of working 70 home games a year. Aaron Boone is now the home clubhouse attendant.
Most of Buckingham’s time is spent around the visiting players. He rarely gets to know the Keys.
“Most of the players are easy to deal with,” he said. “It’s neat to see the camaraderie among them,” he said. “It’s also like teaching because of all of the different personalities.”
Most of the time it’s a quiet job. But he does remember once when a pitcher was quite upset after getting taken out of the game.
“He came in here and threw his glove and his hat and turned a table over,” he said. “He took a stool and threw it against the locker. Then after a few minutes he said he would clean it up and he did.”
The Lynchburg team involved a little more work for Buckingham because it is the only team that has a meal before batting practice, after batting practice and after the game. Most teams don’t have the first meal.
On this particular day he had a variety of fruit on the table by 2 p.m. The meal after batting practice is usually cold cuts or chicken or tuna salad. Peanut butter and jelly, which he called a staple, is also available.
He usually prepares something early for the coaches, managers and umpires to make sure there is food left from them.
The players pay $8 each for the food and the money comes out of dues they get from their club.
He also helps make sure the batting practice and game uniforms are washed and dried. He has to take the dirty uniforms over the to the home clubhouse because there is no folding machine in the visitors’ clubhouse.
2013年6月20日 星期四
Taking care of your chores
For those Kochiites for whom time is a premium, and trifling matters such as doing the laundry and paying the bills have become a major chore, fear not, help is at hand. Now a mere phone call is enough for assistance to arrive at your doorstep. Three youngsters from the suburbs of Kochi have been utilising their leisure time for a good cause over the last one year with commitment and determination. Sreekanth G. Bhat, Vengedesh K.R and Vishnu Rajiv, a trio based at Karanakkodam near Vytilla, are the saviours in question. They run a laundry-cum-bill payment centre named ‘City Laundry’ at Karanakkodam, where people can hand over clothes and household bills that need to be remitted.
“We collect clothes from households for washing, dry-cleaning and ironing. After the process they are returned to their respective doorsteps. Similarly we remit the electricity, water and telephone bills of our clients,” explains Vengedesh. Sreekanth is a priest at Sree Venkatachalapathy Temple, Karanakkodam, Vengedesh works as an insurance agent and Vishnu works with a Chartered Accountant’s firm. The common interest that binds them together is the importance they give to the dignity of labour.
“Since it involves huge investment and man power, the laundry process is done at a friend’s unit. The unit, named ‘Cochin White House’, is based at Elamakkara with a mechanised unit at Manjummel. The delivery van from the unit collects the clothes from various points of the city including our centre,” says Vengedesh.
“We have regular clients who are always busy and therefore forget to remit water, electricity and telephone bills on time. Sometimes we pay their expenses from our own pockets and seek reimbursement later,” says Vishnu . The group charges a meagre commission for paying the bills. “We remit the bills at their respective offices and not at ‘Friends Janasevanakendram’ in order to avoid any problems,” adds Sreekanth.
Vengedesh is the one who usually spares time to collect clothes from households on his two wheeler. . The three youths in their late twenties first started the service of remitting bills and later chose the unique field of laundry service, with the latest facility being door step delivery . “A service that collects soiled clothes from customers and delivers them back to their doorsteps after laundry is quite rare. This is what prompted us to start offering the facility a year ago,” explains the trio.
“At present we have 100-odd clients for whom we do the service of remitting their electricity, telephone and water bills. We charge Rs.10 as commission for bills mounting up to Rs.1,000. An additional Rs.5 is charged for the bills exceeding Rs.1,000,” says Sreekanth. He has to cover 30 households for collecting bills.
“I go to remit the bills on Saturday as I have been engaged by a Chartered Accountant's firm. We started the service among our friends and relatives in the beginning. Later it was extended to others also,” adds Vishnu .
Standing before deities and performing poojas is not the only ‘karma’ for Sreekanth . “I mainly go to offices to pay the bills of clients while Vengedesh handles the collection of clothes from households,” he explains. “I attain ‘moksha’ not only when I perform rituals as a priest in the temple but also when I serve humanity through these actions,” he adds .
The trio get bulk laundry orders from film and television serial units too. From the tinsel world, apart from dresses, curtains and appurtenances are also sent for laundering. They charge two rupees per article that is home delivered . For the whole process of washing / dry cleaning and ironing the rate is Rs.25 for pants, Rs.45 for cotton saris and Rs.50 for silk saris. At present the service is available in Vytilla, Thammanam, Palarivattom and Kaloor. The farthest destination for collection of clothes is Chembumukku, Thrikkakara. Read the full story at www.aulaundry.com web.
“We collect clothes from households for washing, dry-cleaning and ironing. After the process they are returned to their respective doorsteps. Similarly we remit the electricity, water and telephone bills of our clients,” explains Vengedesh. Sreekanth is a priest at Sree Venkatachalapathy Temple, Karanakkodam, Vengedesh works as an insurance agent and Vishnu works with a Chartered Accountant’s firm. The common interest that binds them together is the importance they give to the dignity of labour.
“Since it involves huge investment and man power, the laundry process is done at a friend’s unit. The unit, named ‘Cochin White House’, is based at Elamakkara with a mechanised unit at Manjummel. The delivery van from the unit collects the clothes from various points of the city including our centre,” says Vengedesh.
“We have regular clients who are always busy and therefore forget to remit water, electricity and telephone bills on time. Sometimes we pay their expenses from our own pockets and seek reimbursement later,” says Vishnu . The group charges a meagre commission for paying the bills. “We remit the bills at their respective offices and not at ‘Friends Janasevanakendram’ in order to avoid any problems,” adds Sreekanth.
Vengedesh is the one who usually spares time to collect clothes from households on his two wheeler. . The three youths in their late twenties first started the service of remitting bills and later chose the unique field of laundry service, with the latest facility being door step delivery . “A service that collects soiled clothes from customers and delivers them back to their doorsteps after laundry is quite rare. This is what prompted us to start offering the facility a year ago,” explains the trio.
“At present we have 100-odd clients for whom we do the service of remitting their electricity, telephone and water bills. We charge Rs.10 as commission for bills mounting up to Rs.1,000. An additional Rs.5 is charged for the bills exceeding Rs.1,000,” says Sreekanth. He has to cover 30 households for collecting bills.
“I go to remit the bills on Saturday as I have been engaged by a Chartered Accountant's firm. We started the service among our friends and relatives in the beginning. Later it was extended to others also,” adds Vishnu .
Standing before deities and performing poojas is not the only ‘karma’ for Sreekanth . “I mainly go to offices to pay the bills of clients while Vengedesh handles the collection of clothes from households,” he explains. “I attain ‘moksha’ not only when I perform rituals as a priest in the temple but also when I serve humanity through these actions,” he adds .
The trio get bulk laundry orders from film and television serial units too. From the tinsel world, apart from dresses, curtains and appurtenances are also sent for laundering. They charge two rupees per article that is home delivered . For the whole process of washing / dry cleaning and ironing the rate is Rs.25 for pants, Rs.45 for cotton saris and Rs.50 for silk saris. At present the service is available in Vytilla, Thammanam, Palarivattom and Kaloor. The farthest destination for collection of clothes is Chembumukku, Thrikkakara. Read the full story at www.aulaundry.com web.
2013年6月19日 星期三
Saving on electricity this summer
As much as possible, we keep the air conditioning during the summer set between 76 and 78 degrees. While this seems really warm to some (including my husband sometimes) the fact is that older houses with older air conditioner units can run almost non-stop during the summer as they struggle to cool down under the intense heat.
Changing filters and even paying for a tune-up on the unit can sometimes save you more than what you would normally spend on air conditioner electricity consumption during the summer.
Another way to reduce the amount of energy your air conditioner uses is to do whatever you can to hang onto that cool air! Sealing up the doors and windows is important during the summer, too, not just during the winterizing process.
Keeping heat sources to a minimum in your house during the summer will also keep you feeling cooler and reduce the amount of energy required to cool your home.
Begin by washing and drying your clothing when it is cooler -- early in the morning or late in the evening. With a family as large as ours, this can be a real challenge.
I often say the washer and dryer are the most overworked and under-appreciated appliances in my house.
When it’s mealtime, consider cooking outdoors. Grilling is a popular activity for families during the summer, not just because it takes place in the outdoors, but also because the more you cook outside, the cooler your kitchen stays.
In my opinion, a darker room is almost always a cooler room. After you have sealed up the cracks and sills around your windows, consider heavy drapes or curtains.
If you do not have the money to invest in heavy curtains, grab a tension rod and some sheets or even a blanket and throw them up there behind the regular curtain. This will help insulate your windows slightly while providing a temporary solution.
If company is coming and you are worried about appearances, just yank those temporary curtains down and hide them until the company leaves! Remember that lighter colors will reflect the light and heat back out, while dark colored drapes will absorb and hold in the heat you are seeking to eliminate.
There are obvious ways to save on keeping your house cooler. Reducing the number of times your doors are opened and closed will reduce the hot air coming into the house and prevent your cool (and costly) air from escaping.
Keeping the laundry room door closed will help contain the heat from the washer extractor in one room instead of having it heat other rooms in the house.
Turning off appliances and lights that are unnecessary and unplugging anything that is not in use in your house can provide at least a little bit of savings on your monthly bill.
If despite all these tips and reasonable ways to save, your bill is astronomical, talk with your electric provider. There are ways to spread out your payments or even get registered for an “average” bill throughout the year, which will help you avoid the spikes in electric costs during the summer.
Changing filters and even paying for a tune-up on the unit can sometimes save you more than what you would normally spend on air conditioner electricity consumption during the summer.
Another way to reduce the amount of energy your air conditioner uses is to do whatever you can to hang onto that cool air! Sealing up the doors and windows is important during the summer, too, not just during the winterizing process.
Keeping heat sources to a minimum in your house during the summer will also keep you feeling cooler and reduce the amount of energy required to cool your home.
Begin by washing and drying your clothing when it is cooler -- early in the morning or late in the evening. With a family as large as ours, this can be a real challenge.
I often say the washer and dryer are the most overworked and under-appreciated appliances in my house.
When it’s mealtime, consider cooking outdoors. Grilling is a popular activity for families during the summer, not just because it takes place in the outdoors, but also because the more you cook outside, the cooler your kitchen stays.
In my opinion, a darker room is almost always a cooler room. After you have sealed up the cracks and sills around your windows, consider heavy drapes or curtains.
If you do not have the money to invest in heavy curtains, grab a tension rod and some sheets or even a blanket and throw them up there behind the regular curtain. This will help insulate your windows slightly while providing a temporary solution.
If company is coming and you are worried about appearances, just yank those temporary curtains down and hide them until the company leaves! Remember that lighter colors will reflect the light and heat back out, while dark colored drapes will absorb and hold in the heat you are seeking to eliminate.
There are obvious ways to save on keeping your house cooler. Reducing the number of times your doors are opened and closed will reduce the hot air coming into the house and prevent your cool (and costly) air from escaping.
Keeping the laundry room door closed will help contain the heat from the washer extractor in one room instead of having it heat other rooms in the house.
Turning off appliances and lights that are unnecessary and unplugging anything that is not in use in your house can provide at least a little bit of savings on your monthly bill.
If despite all these tips and reasonable ways to save, your bill is astronomical, talk with your electric provider. There are ways to spread out your payments or even get registered for an “average” bill throughout the year, which will help you avoid the spikes in electric costs during the summer.
2013年6月18日 星期二
Mother questioned over washing machine death
The mother of a toddler found unconscious in a washing machine with his dead pet cat had a history of animal cruelty and would rip the heads off dolls as a child.
The West Australian coroner is investigating the death of three-year-old Sean Murphy, who was found in a machine on the afternoon of September 20, 2010, after his mother, Kerry, claimed she overslept.
Dianne Murphy, who adopted Kerry when she was three-years-old, told the West Australian Coroner's Court on Tuesday her daughter had been diagnosed with borderline personality order.
She said her daughter had a history of animal cruelty as a child, which a psychiatrist explained was a result of her traumatic childhood in the UK.
Murphy said her daughter had killed a frog and would often rip the heads off dolls. "She took her anger out on her toys," Murphy said.
Constable Adam Clue testified when Sean died he overheard Ms Murphy on the phone say: "He (Sean) does this all the time. He's a little troublemaker."
He also heard Murphy say it was not her fault and she was probably asleep.
"They're treating me as a murder suspect," he allegedly heard Murphy say. "This day just goes from bad to worse."
Constable Clue said Murphy wanted to see her son in hospital but police said she had to wait.
Neighbour Daniel Charles Dickerson testified he heard the toddler crying and Murphy telling him off in the hours before Sean was discovered in the machine.
Dickerson, who admitted being a cannabis user and being upset Murphy had put a restraining order on his son, said he had not told police what he heard because he did not want to "get involved".
But he said he had witnessed Murphy being "nasty" to her son and on one occasion, Murphy called Sean a "little bastard" when he was playing too close to a car, saying: "That car is worth more than your life."
When Sean died, Murphy told Dickerson: "I didn't kill him. It was an accident."
Dickerson denied his version of events was a figment of his imagination.
He also said he was upset the Department of Child Protection (DCP) had investigated him and had not looked at Murphy's behaviour, so he made a complaint over the counter a year before Sean's death.
The DCP's Emma White said there was no record of Dickerson's complaint and said it was not common practice to take complaints over the counter.
But White said Murphy had approached the DCP about Sean's "diabolical" behaviour, complaining Sean was like a "hurricane leaving a mess in his wake".
Coroner Alistair Hope is investigating how the boy could have accessed the machine and whether washing machine safety standards need improving. Read the full story at www.aulaundry.com web.
The West Australian coroner is investigating the death of three-year-old Sean Murphy, who was found in a machine on the afternoon of September 20, 2010, after his mother, Kerry, claimed she overslept.
Dianne Murphy, who adopted Kerry when she was three-years-old, told the West Australian Coroner's Court on Tuesday her daughter had been diagnosed with borderline personality order.
She said her daughter had a history of animal cruelty as a child, which a psychiatrist explained was a result of her traumatic childhood in the UK.
Murphy said her daughter had killed a frog and would often rip the heads off dolls. "She took her anger out on her toys," Murphy said.
Constable Adam Clue testified when Sean died he overheard Ms Murphy on the phone say: "He (Sean) does this all the time. He's a little troublemaker."
He also heard Murphy say it was not her fault and she was probably asleep.
"They're treating me as a murder suspect," he allegedly heard Murphy say. "This day just goes from bad to worse."
Constable Clue said Murphy wanted to see her son in hospital but police said she had to wait.
Neighbour Daniel Charles Dickerson testified he heard the toddler crying and Murphy telling him off in the hours before Sean was discovered in the machine.
Dickerson, who admitted being a cannabis user and being upset Murphy had put a restraining order on his son, said he had not told police what he heard because he did not want to "get involved".
But he said he had witnessed Murphy being "nasty" to her son and on one occasion, Murphy called Sean a "little bastard" when he was playing too close to a car, saying: "That car is worth more than your life."
When Sean died, Murphy told Dickerson: "I didn't kill him. It was an accident."
Dickerson denied his version of events was a figment of his imagination.
He also said he was upset the Department of Child Protection (DCP) had investigated him and had not looked at Murphy's behaviour, so he made a complaint over the counter a year before Sean's death.
The DCP's Emma White said there was no record of Dickerson's complaint and said it was not common practice to take complaints over the counter.
But White said Murphy had approached the DCP about Sean's "diabolical" behaviour, complaining Sean was like a "hurricane leaving a mess in his wake".
Coroner Alistair Hope is investigating how the boy could have accessed the machine and whether washing machine safety standards need improving. Read the full story at www.aulaundry.com web.
2013年6月12日 星期三
What's an opossum doing in my washing machine?
I had a puzzling situation on Memorial Day morning. I was awakened by
a loud call from my wife, who was going to do a load of laundry. Our
washing machine and dryer are in our garage.
Her voice was filled with either shock or fright. I ran downstairs not knowing what I was going to find, and there she was, pointing to the washer saying there was a dead rat or gopher or mole or something that looked like that in the machine.
I asked her if it was a trick -- I thought something was going to jump out and chew on my face. I slowly opened the lid and laying inside was a young opossum doing his best playing-dead act.
He looked to be 8 to 9 inches long from pointy nose to rump. His -- or her -- tail was about 6 inches long. I later did research and my guess was he was 4 to 5 months old.
My two big questions are: How did he get into our garage, which we never leave open except to drive our vehicle in or out, and how did he climb into our washer, which also always is closed, and end up inside?
What was this little guy looking for? Water? A good hiding place?
My daughter came in through the garage the previous night and she said she hadn't seen anything. We live near a marsh area in Antioch and there's an open field across the street. We see raccoons, skunks and the occasional opossum running around at night.
We kept him in our laundry basket with the lid taped shut until night, then I let him out in the middle of the field across the street. I hope he makes it. I don't know if he is old enough to be on his own or if he got separated and lost. Any information you can provide is cheerfully appreciated.
I have to say this is the funniest and oddest question that I've come across in my 10 or so months of writing this column. I checked with my sources to see if they had ever heard of such a thing, and none had, so we are left with theories.
My original thought was maybe he was small enough to have crawled in through the washer drain, but that seems very unlikely. Opossums just don't hang out in such places. But they are excellent climbers and can squeeze in through tight quarters. They aren't as adept at it as rats, but this guy may have been able to get through a wide space under a door, or got in while the garage door was open.
The next hurdle would be in getting into the washer. One obvious thought is that he was hiding in the laundry and your wife unknowingly picked him up with the clothes.
Most likely, I believe, he went to the back of the washer where there are cords and hoses, and climbed up there. Then, if your washer is like most, there is a slight recess where you open the lid. The opossum could have nosed his way in there and dropped into the washer, the lid slamming behind him.
He may have gone looking for food or water, but probably he was just looking for a dark place to hang out -- not a wise move on his part, but he didn't know that.
I did an Internet search and found a handful of news accounts about people finding opossums in their washing machines with no clue as to how they got there, so opossums may have a washer fixation.
Your little guy probably did just fine after his escape from the rinse and spin cycles. Judging by his size, he was old enough to be on his own. Let's just hope he learned his lesson, and I'll be checking my machine in the future. More information about the program is available on the web site at www.aulaundry.com.
Her voice was filled with either shock or fright. I ran downstairs not knowing what I was going to find, and there she was, pointing to the washer saying there was a dead rat or gopher or mole or something that looked like that in the machine.
I asked her if it was a trick -- I thought something was going to jump out and chew on my face. I slowly opened the lid and laying inside was a young opossum doing his best playing-dead act.
He looked to be 8 to 9 inches long from pointy nose to rump. His -- or her -- tail was about 6 inches long. I later did research and my guess was he was 4 to 5 months old.
My two big questions are: How did he get into our garage, which we never leave open except to drive our vehicle in or out, and how did he climb into our washer, which also always is closed, and end up inside?
What was this little guy looking for? Water? A good hiding place?
My daughter came in through the garage the previous night and she said she hadn't seen anything. We live near a marsh area in Antioch and there's an open field across the street. We see raccoons, skunks and the occasional opossum running around at night.
We kept him in our laundry basket with the lid taped shut until night, then I let him out in the middle of the field across the street. I hope he makes it. I don't know if he is old enough to be on his own or if he got separated and lost. Any information you can provide is cheerfully appreciated.
I have to say this is the funniest and oddest question that I've come across in my 10 or so months of writing this column. I checked with my sources to see if they had ever heard of such a thing, and none had, so we are left with theories.
My original thought was maybe he was small enough to have crawled in through the washer drain, but that seems very unlikely. Opossums just don't hang out in such places. But they are excellent climbers and can squeeze in through tight quarters. They aren't as adept at it as rats, but this guy may have been able to get through a wide space under a door, or got in while the garage door was open.
The next hurdle would be in getting into the washer. One obvious thought is that he was hiding in the laundry and your wife unknowingly picked him up with the clothes.
Most likely, I believe, he went to the back of the washer where there are cords and hoses, and climbed up there. Then, if your washer is like most, there is a slight recess where you open the lid. The opossum could have nosed his way in there and dropped into the washer, the lid slamming behind him.
He may have gone looking for food or water, but probably he was just looking for a dark place to hang out -- not a wise move on his part, but he didn't know that.
I did an Internet search and found a handful of news accounts about people finding opossums in their washing machines with no clue as to how they got there, so opossums may have a washer fixation.
Your little guy probably did just fine after his escape from the rinse and spin cycles. Judging by his size, he was old enough to be on his own. Let's just hope he learned his lesson, and I'll be checking my machine in the future. More information about the program is available on the web site at www.aulaundry.com.
2013年6月8日 星期六
New Tech Will Use Wi-Fi For Gesture Control
Imagine gesturing with your hands in the shower or in the kitchen and you could turn on or off your music system or your washing machine. Well, this seems to be a possibility now as new research known as WiSee, published by the University of Washington's computer science department is said to be able to do just that using variations in Wi-Fi signals. This indeed means that the setup should be possible without the necessity of investing into expensive additional hardware including cameras and other sensors in your home.
The technology makes use of the Doppler effect, which is traditionally applied to sound waves. As per Doppler effect, the wavelength of sound emanating from a moving object gets reduced (compressed) as the object moves towards an observer and increases (expands) as it moves away. The amount of reduction or increase of wavelength (increase or reduction of frequency respectively), depends on the speed of the object relative to the observer. This phenomenon is commonly noticed as the pitch of a train horn increases as it approaches and decreases as it retreats. A similar phenomenon occurs with Wi-Fi signals disrupted by hand gestures and the same principle has been applied by the researchers to interpret them.
The wireless router can be used to detect changes in Wi-Fi signals as they are reflected off a moving human body in a similar way. The team of researchers including Shyam Gollakota have managed to record 94% accuracy in identification of gestures in this way including situations where the user was in a different room as the Wi-Fi router and the waves had to pass through walls before the gestures got detected.
Acknowledging the risk that anyone could gain access to such a system, unintended or for hacking, the researchers have devised a password system that would involve the user repeating a gesture sequence four times to activate the system and put it in a mode ready to accept gesture commands. The system is said to work with up to 5 people, but requires multiple antennas for that. It is also noted that the accuracy of the system decreases as the number of users increases. The group has also set up a website to publicise WiSee, possibly to attract commercial sponsors. If it does take off, the technology could be applied in various scenarios such as controlling gadgets and appliances at home or even in gaming. While it appears to be an attractive proposition because you don't have to invest in expensive hardware such as Kinect, Leap Motion, or MYO, it remains to be seen if even commonly available Wi-Fi routers can be effectively used to detect gestures.
It would be rare and pretty offensive to have women portrayed on-screen as bumbling fools that don't know how to cook a dinner (thankfully no one has brought a TV version of me to life). But men are fair game. Oh how we laugh at them valiantly trying to cook a romantic supper for their girlfriend, or kids, or puzzling over the secrets of the industrial washing machine. As for seeing a man with a cleaning product in his hand - forget it. Paintbrush, yes, toilet brush, no. Come to think of it, maybe that part's accurate.
What is it with people too busy for breakfast? Ad after ad shows a suit-clad exec dashing about looking for keys, before they run out the door with a slice of buttered toast in hand. Now, I have conducted extensive market research and I can categorically say I have never seen anyone in the street with toast. Then for the people who are just too busy to even travel with their toast, comes a special "breakfast biscuit" (from the breakfast biscuit aisle of your supermarket, according to Brand Power), which they can eat on the train. I have a radical solution to this malaise - get up earlier.
The technology makes use of the Doppler effect, which is traditionally applied to sound waves. As per Doppler effect, the wavelength of sound emanating from a moving object gets reduced (compressed) as the object moves towards an observer and increases (expands) as it moves away. The amount of reduction or increase of wavelength (increase or reduction of frequency respectively), depends on the speed of the object relative to the observer. This phenomenon is commonly noticed as the pitch of a train horn increases as it approaches and decreases as it retreats. A similar phenomenon occurs with Wi-Fi signals disrupted by hand gestures and the same principle has been applied by the researchers to interpret them.
The wireless router can be used to detect changes in Wi-Fi signals as they are reflected off a moving human body in a similar way. The team of researchers including Shyam Gollakota have managed to record 94% accuracy in identification of gestures in this way including situations where the user was in a different room as the Wi-Fi router and the waves had to pass through walls before the gestures got detected.
Acknowledging the risk that anyone could gain access to such a system, unintended or for hacking, the researchers have devised a password system that would involve the user repeating a gesture sequence four times to activate the system and put it in a mode ready to accept gesture commands. The system is said to work with up to 5 people, but requires multiple antennas for that. It is also noted that the accuracy of the system decreases as the number of users increases. The group has also set up a website to publicise WiSee, possibly to attract commercial sponsors. If it does take off, the technology could be applied in various scenarios such as controlling gadgets and appliances at home or even in gaming. While it appears to be an attractive proposition because you don't have to invest in expensive hardware such as Kinect, Leap Motion, or MYO, it remains to be seen if even commonly available Wi-Fi routers can be effectively used to detect gestures.
It would be rare and pretty offensive to have women portrayed on-screen as bumbling fools that don't know how to cook a dinner (thankfully no one has brought a TV version of me to life). But men are fair game. Oh how we laugh at them valiantly trying to cook a romantic supper for their girlfriend, or kids, or puzzling over the secrets of the industrial washing machine. As for seeing a man with a cleaning product in his hand - forget it. Paintbrush, yes, toilet brush, no. Come to think of it, maybe that part's accurate.
What is it with people too busy for breakfast? Ad after ad shows a suit-clad exec dashing about looking for keys, before they run out the door with a slice of buttered toast in hand. Now, I have conducted extensive market research and I can categorically say I have never seen anyone in the street with toast. Then for the people who are just too busy to even travel with their toast, comes a special "breakfast biscuit" (from the breakfast biscuit aisle of your supermarket, according to Brand Power), which they can eat on the train. I have a radical solution to this malaise - get up earlier.
2013年6月7日 星期五
Fantasy Costume closing its doors
Battle Creek’s only year-round costume shop and dry cleaning service
will close in a month. Debra Wondergem, the owner of Fantasy Costume on
East Emmett Street, said the need for costumes and dry cleaning services
isn’t as great as it used to be.
Wondergem began working for Baker Brother’s Fine Dry Cleaning 30 years ago when her husband asked for her help. Five years later she opened the year-round costume store.
“We had two bedrooms and one feather and we stuck it in every hat,” said Wondergem. “In the early days I didn’t advertise because I didn’t think we had enough to offer.”
Now, her store is full of accessories, wigs, make-up, masks and costumes to fulfill any customer’s dream, or at least get it started. And it’s all on sale.
“We could have Halloween here tomorrow we’re so stocked,” she said. “If I don’t have it, I’ll get it.”
Wondergem grew up in a family of seamstresses and her mother was a milliner. From them, she learned how to sew.
The costume shop’s owner also joined the National Costumers Association and began attending regional meetings. There, she met other costumers and has been taking classes every year for 20 years to enhance her skills. She is hoping some of her friends from the association will be able to take the larger costumes off her hands.
Originally from East Detroit, Wondergem said her career was hard work, but she had a lot of fun.
“It’s kind of hard to sum up in a moment,” said the owner. “There are too many memories, too many people.”
Wondergem and her team have designed, created, and cleaned costumes for companies as big as Macy’s, while still selling retail costumes for every price range. Her shop has cleaned the Tony the Tiger suit for years and recently supplied the make-up and wigs for Marshall’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
She said the cleaning aspect of her business has been the strongest part of the operation.
“We were able to produce the finest finished product,” said Wondergem.
Though her store is more than just a Halloween costume shop, Wondergem said by the time she gets to Halloween, she’s almost glad it’s over because she’s so exhausted. But that doesn’t stop the fun.
She’s often invited to numerous parties and is often asked to judge costume contests.
“I love seeing what people like to create,” she said.
Wondergem said Internet sales, 30-day discount Halloween stores and the recession have made things more difficult for her.
“The 30-day stores are not costume shops. They sell inexpensive costumes in bags,” she said. “We sell quality costumes; we have fabulous costumes and award-winning costumes.”
“That’s why we’re here year-round; we’re not just a Halloween store. Some (costumes) take months to make.” Read the full story at www.aulaundry.com web.
Wondergem has welcomed frantic mothers and teachers who need last-minute costumes and gotten tall orders from people as far away as California. She said she hopes she helped and inspired creativity to them all.
Wondergem began working for Baker Brother’s Fine Dry Cleaning 30 years ago when her husband asked for her help. Five years later she opened the year-round costume store.
“We had two bedrooms and one feather and we stuck it in every hat,” said Wondergem. “In the early days I didn’t advertise because I didn’t think we had enough to offer.”
Now, her store is full of accessories, wigs, make-up, masks and costumes to fulfill any customer’s dream, or at least get it started. And it’s all on sale.
“We could have Halloween here tomorrow we’re so stocked,” she said. “If I don’t have it, I’ll get it.”
Wondergem grew up in a family of seamstresses and her mother was a milliner. From them, she learned how to sew.
The costume shop’s owner also joined the National Costumers Association and began attending regional meetings. There, she met other costumers and has been taking classes every year for 20 years to enhance her skills. She is hoping some of her friends from the association will be able to take the larger costumes off her hands.
Originally from East Detroit, Wondergem said her career was hard work, but she had a lot of fun.
“It’s kind of hard to sum up in a moment,” said the owner. “There are too many memories, too many people.”
Wondergem and her team have designed, created, and cleaned costumes for companies as big as Macy’s, while still selling retail costumes for every price range. Her shop has cleaned the Tony the Tiger suit for years and recently supplied the make-up and wigs for Marshall’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
She said the cleaning aspect of her business has been the strongest part of the operation.
“We were able to produce the finest finished product,” said Wondergem.
Though her store is more than just a Halloween costume shop, Wondergem said by the time she gets to Halloween, she’s almost glad it’s over because she’s so exhausted. But that doesn’t stop the fun.
She’s often invited to numerous parties and is often asked to judge costume contests.
“I love seeing what people like to create,” she said.
Wondergem said Internet sales, 30-day discount Halloween stores and the recession have made things more difficult for her.
“The 30-day stores are not costume shops. They sell inexpensive costumes in bags,” she said. “We sell quality costumes; we have fabulous costumes and award-winning costumes.”
“That’s why we’re here year-round; we’re not just a Halloween store. Some (costumes) take months to make.” Read the full story at www.aulaundry.com web.
Wondergem has welcomed frantic mothers and teachers who need last-minute costumes and gotten tall orders from people as far away as California. She said she hopes she helped and inspired creativity to them all.
2013年6月6日 星期四
Washing one’s dirty linen in public
In India, the dhobi or laundryman was the go-to guy who kept us immaculately dressed. Whites remained white and cotton clothes were starched so stiff that you could almost hear them creak as you moved.
This was especially true living in army residential areas where every element of one’s uniform had to be in perfect order. Seeing our fathers splendidly turned out day after day helped inculcate in us a sense of pride in how we dressed. And to help us in our turn-out was the laundryman who was often the most awaited man in the household. Every item of clothing and linen was entrusted to his care and they usually returned in immaculate condition, stains mysteriously vanished, creases dealt with a firm hand and the art of folding as intricate as origami.
Their prices were reasonable and they came home every day sometimes, or at least twice or thrice a week. So, one could toss clothes around with gay abandon and know that there was someone who would put things right.
Then something strange happened. All of a sudden, these laundry dryer workers started becoming difficult to find. The reason was simple. Their children didn’t want to follow in their parents’ footsteps. And the few who did stick to the business did so reluctantly for want of opportunity. This showed in their work. The clothes that we received were no longer works of art. They were limp apologies and, although the dhobi swore that he had starched the cotton sari or the uniform, you knew that you were fighting a losing battle. Suddenly, more and more items of clothing went missing as the service deteriorated.
I’ve devoted a significant portion of my life to my family’s dry-cleaning business, so it pleased me to see the underdogs from less politically flashy industries get credit on the editorial page. “Here’s to the Dry Cleaner” (Editorial, May 30) hit Tax-Free NY right on the head.
With Tax-Free NY, Gov. Cuomo establishes in-state tax shelters for his preferred businesses to set up shop at state and private colleges across New York. The problem with this plan is that mom-and-pop stores don’t have lobbyists in thousand-dollar suits pitching ideas to the governor. We do have grit, determination and a desire to live the American dream.
Instead of creating a two-tier business society where those who can afford lobbyists swoop in and take advantage of our laws, why not help the people who really need it? The answer isn’t in focus-group-tested names, ribbon-cutting ceremonies and campaign donations. The answer is simple: Embrace free-market ideology in its entirety and give everyone with a dream a shot to succeed. Let’s make the American dream a reality for everyone.
This was especially true living in army residential areas where every element of one’s uniform had to be in perfect order. Seeing our fathers splendidly turned out day after day helped inculcate in us a sense of pride in how we dressed. And to help us in our turn-out was the laundryman who was often the most awaited man in the household. Every item of clothing and linen was entrusted to his care and they usually returned in immaculate condition, stains mysteriously vanished, creases dealt with a firm hand and the art of folding as intricate as origami.
Their prices were reasonable and they came home every day sometimes, or at least twice or thrice a week. So, one could toss clothes around with gay abandon and know that there was someone who would put things right.
Then something strange happened. All of a sudden, these laundry dryer workers started becoming difficult to find. The reason was simple. Their children didn’t want to follow in their parents’ footsteps. And the few who did stick to the business did so reluctantly for want of opportunity. This showed in their work. The clothes that we received were no longer works of art. They were limp apologies and, although the dhobi swore that he had starched the cotton sari or the uniform, you knew that you were fighting a losing battle. Suddenly, more and more items of clothing went missing as the service deteriorated.
I’ve devoted a significant portion of my life to my family’s dry-cleaning business, so it pleased me to see the underdogs from less politically flashy industries get credit on the editorial page. “Here’s to the Dry Cleaner” (Editorial, May 30) hit Tax-Free NY right on the head.
With Tax-Free NY, Gov. Cuomo establishes in-state tax shelters for his preferred businesses to set up shop at state and private colleges across New York. The problem with this plan is that mom-and-pop stores don’t have lobbyists in thousand-dollar suits pitching ideas to the governor. We do have grit, determination and a desire to live the American dream.
Instead of creating a two-tier business society where those who can afford lobbyists swoop in and take advantage of our laws, why not help the people who really need it? The answer isn’t in focus-group-tested names, ribbon-cutting ceremonies and campaign donations. The answer is simple: Embrace free-market ideology in its entirety and give everyone with a dream a shot to succeed. Let’s make the American dream a reality for everyone.
2013年6月4日 星期二
Clarendon Hills cleaner presses on
“I can just look at something and tell if it can be cleaned,” she said. “Ninety percent of wedding dresses are dry clean only. They’re just like any other fancy dress. You put them in the delicate cycle and they come out beautiful.”
As owner of Clare-Hills Cleaners and Shirt Laundry, Foreman has found even ornately beaded wedding dresses are no problem.
She also knows her customers, and their garments.
“Eighty-five percent of my customers are regulars or repeat customers,” Foreman said.
Foreman inherited the company from her father-in-law, who originally founded the business in 1955. It started out as a coin laundry, taking in commercial laundry for supplemental income. The laundry obtained its first dry cleaning machine in the 1980s. Kathy Foreman started working there in 1989.
“I just happened to marry into the business. It was a beautiful part-time job,” she said.
It’s no longer a part time job. Foreman’s day generally starts when the shop opens at 6:30 a.m., although she likes to leave by about 2 p.m. She averages about 70 to 80 hours per week operating the shop with the assistance of her sister-in-law and her niece. Her son also helps out whenever he’s home on a break from school, and her husband does repair and maintenance work.
“I am the company. I am the business,” said Foreman.
Being located across from the Clarendon Hills Metra station guarantees a lot of business from commuters.
“I get a lot of traffic in the morning,” she said.
Foreman is careful about following the cleaning instructions on a garment’s label. However, if something goes wrong and a garment is ruined, Foreman’s reputation makes it easier for customers to obtain compensation if and when it is needed.
“Any good store will give you a store credit or be nice about it,” she said. “They have the receipt and they know me so it’s no problem getting an exchange.”
Foreman also takes aim at a complaint at many cleaning establishments: that women are routinely charged more. At Clare-Hill Cleaners and Shirt Laundry, fees are dictated by whether the shirt fits on the press or whether Foreman has to press the shirt by hand.
“If a woman’s shirt fits on the press, I charge the same price as a man’s shirt,” she said. “On the other hand, I get a lot of boys’ shirts this time of year because of graduation, and those shirts don’t fit on the press.”
Foreman has invested in top of the line equipment, including her present dry cleaning machine, which is a high end model and only two years old. The fact that she owns the building makes it easier to run the business as she chooses.
“There’s no rent and there’s no hassle. You can walk into my shop and see my press,” she said.
As owner of Clare-Hills Cleaners and Shirt Laundry, Foreman has found even ornately beaded wedding dresses are no problem.
She also knows her customers, and their garments.
“Eighty-five percent of my customers are regulars or repeat customers,” Foreman said.
Foreman inherited the company from her father-in-law, who originally founded the business in 1955. It started out as a coin laundry, taking in commercial laundry for supplemental income. The laundry obtained its first dry cleaning machine in the 1980s. Kathy Foreman started working there in 1989.
“I just happened to marry into the business. It was a beautiful part-time job,” she said.
It’s no longer a part time job. Foreman’s day generally starts when the shop opens at 6:30 a.m., although she likes to leave by about 2 p.m. She averages about 70 to 80 hours per week operating the shop with the assistance of her sister-in-law and her niece. Her son also helps out whenever he’s home on a break from school, and her husband does repair and maintenance work.
“I am the company. I am the business,” said Foreman.
Being located across from the Clarendon Hills Metra station guarantees a lot of business from commuters.
“I get a lot of traffic in the morning,” she said.
Foreman is careful about following the cleaning instructions on a garment’s label. However, if something goes wrong and a garment is ruined, Foreman’s reputation makes it easier for customers to obtain compensation if and when it is needed.
“Any good store will give you a store credit or be nice about it,” she said. “They have the receipt and they know me so it’s no problem getting an exchange.”
Foreman also takes aim at a complaint at many cleaning establishments: that women are routinely charged more. At Clare-Hill Cleaners and Shirt Laundry, fees are dictated by whether the shirt fits on the press or whether Foreman has to press the shirt by hand.
“If a woman’s shirt fits on the press, I charge the same price as a man’s shirt,” she said. “On the other hand, I get a lot of boys’ shirts this time of year because of graduation, and those shirts don’t fit on the press.”
Foreman has invested in top of the line equipment, including her present dry cleaning machine, which is a high end model and only two years old. The fact that she owns the building makes it easier to run the business as she chooses.
“There’s no rent and there’s no hassle. You can walk into my shop and see my press,” she said.
Emptying of Brainerd shelter forces look ahead
Clutching clear plastic bags that contained all the possessions they could carry, the residents of Patten Towers waited in clusters under a hastily erected Red Cross tent. It was time to evacuate.
They were careful not to lose the wristbands that identified them as actual residents of Patten Towers, rather than any one of an unknowable number of hangers-on and transients who loitered among the refugees from a Tuesday night electrical fire.
"Everyone must have a form of ID to be assessed," shouted a PK Management official above the din of residents left behind in the Brainerd Recreational Complex.
For the sick, disabled and elderly evacuees outside, the square scrap of paper with a letter written on it entitled them to board the bus that would take them away.
Away from standing in line for lunch from a truck. Away from sleeping on a military-style cot in a Brainerd basketball gym with 100 other people. Away from the nagging uncertainty of not knowing what tomorrow holds, how to get medicine or when this nightmare will end.
The residents weren't told where they'd be going. They couldn't immediately tell friends, family and others where to reach them. Those who weren't on the list were turned away. Some of the girlfriends, grandmothers and drifters who form part of the larger Patten Towers community but don't pay rent got into cars to follow the buses. The convoys drafted the buses through red lights and down Interstate 24, tracking them all the way to the downtown hotels that will serve as temporary homes for the next few days.
Initially, 241 residents fled the Tuesday night fire. Many found a couch or an extra bed in the home of a friend or family member for what they thought would be just a few days. Just over 100 remained stuck at the Brainerd Recreational Complex overnight on Sunday, including a group that was moved there from the East Brainerd Church of Christ.
But the news that residents would receive vouchers for hotels brought dozens streaming back into the shelter for a chance at a golden ticket, creating a logistical nightmare.
Contradictory and confusing lists of names left many residents frustrated, waiting in lines that went nowhere as workers from PK Management struggled to understand who would be allowed to board a CARTA bus to the La Quinta Inn or the Staybridge Suites.
Some residents' ID cards remained behind in Patten Towers. Those residents waited while workers figured out how to identify them.
Dotsay Poole pumped her fist when her name was called and leapt to her feet to grab the piece of paper that represented a seven-day vacation from the noise and smell of an emergency shelter. As the gym slowly emptied, Red Cross workers pulled the cots out a rear door, brushed off the crumbs and lined them up in the grass out back. The cots will need to be disinfected before they can be used again. Workers will throw away the piles of emergency towels and blankets that were scattered across the building. It costs more to wash them than it does to simply replace them.
At a cost of more than $80,000 in donated funds, workers from the Salvation Army and Red Cross served more than 12,000 meals during the week, supplied 11,000 blankets and towels, conducted more than 600 medical checkups and treated two cats. More information about the program is available on the web site at www.aulaundry.com.
A team from Oak Street Baptist Church brought a trailer filled with laundry machines to wash clothes. Goodwill Chattanooga distributed two outfits of clothes to each resident. Hamilton County and Chattanooga police officers split up security duties.
They were careful not to lose the wristbands that identified them as actual residents of Patten Towers, rather than any one of an unknowable number of hangers-on and transients who loitered among the refugees from a Tuesday night electrical fire.
"Everyone must have a form of ID to be assessed," shouted a PK Management official above the din of residents left behind in the Brainerd Recreational Complex.
For the sick, disabled and elderly evacuees outside, the square scrap of paper with a letter written on it entitled them to board the bus that would take them away.
Away from standing in line for lunch from a truck. Away from sleeping on a military-style cot in a Brainerd basketball gym with 100 other people. Away from the nagging uncertainty of not knowing what tomorrow holds, how to get medicine or when this nightmare will end.
The residents weren't told where they'd be going. They couldn't immediately tell friends, family and others where to reach them. Those who weren't on the list were turned away. Some of the girlfriends, grandmothers and drifters who form part of the larger Patten Towers community but don't pay rent got into cars to follow the buses. The convoys drafted the buses through red lights and down Interstate 24, tracking them all the way to the downtown hotels that will serve as temporary homes for the next few days.
Initially, 241 residents fled the Tuesday night fire. Many found a couch or an extra bed in the home of a friend or family member for what they thought would be just a few days. Just over 100 remained stuck at the Brainerd Recreational Complex overnight on Sunday, including a group that was moved there from the East Brainerd Church of Christ.
But the news that residents would receive vouchers for hotels brought dozens streaming back into the shelter for a chance at a golden ticket, creating a logistical nightmare.
Contradictory and confusing lists of names left many residents frustrated, waiting in lines that went nowhere as workers from PK Management struggled to understand who would be allowed to board a CARTA bus to the La Quinta Inn or the Staybridge Suites.
Some residents' ID cards remained behind in Patten Towers. Those residents waited while workers figured out how to identify them.
Dotsay Poole pumped her fist when her name was called and leapt to her feet to grab the piece of paper that represented a seven-day vacation from the noise and smell of an emergency shelter. As the gym slowly emptied, Red Cross workers pulled the cots out a rear door, brushed off the crumbs and lined them up in the grass out back. The cots will need to be disinfected before they can be used again. Workers will throw away the piles of emergency towels and blankets that were scattered across the building. It costs more to wash them than it does to simply replace them.
At a cost of more than $80,000 in donated funds, workers from the Salvation Army and Red Cross served more than 12,000 meals during the week, supplied 11,000 blankets and towels, conducted more than 600 medical checkups and treated two cats. More information about the program is available on the web site at www.aulaundry.com.
A team from Oak Street Baptist Church brought a trailer filled with laundry machines to wash clothes. Goodwill Chattanooga distributed two outfits of clothes to each resident. Hamilton County and Chattanooga police officers split up security duties.
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