Posted by Richard on Thursday, 28 October 2010
Tags: garage door – garage doors – garage door opener – garage door repair – garage door replacement – garage door installation – garage door service – garage door prices
Most everyday there are news reports about a new Techno Toy or widget. Recently, Apple has had reports that it will be offering iPhones through Verizon as well as for ATT wireless networks. Other tech companies offer their versions of “smart phones” such as the Android from Google. The smart phones have legions of developers working to develop “Apps” that run on the phones in question that do most every task that is done on a PC or Mac.
There are also “tablet computers” such as the iPad that are a bit of the intermediary between a full blown desk top or lap top computer but seem to offer a little more ease of use and are a little larger than the various smart phones. Many software companies offer tablet versions of their best selling desktop applications for use on the tablets. New functions for the smart phones come every day. Smart phone users are surfing the internet as they go about their business just as if they were sittng at a desk in the office or at home.
As fast and furious as the smart phone and tablet applications come along, there do appear to be some functions that have not yet made it to these pieces of technology. So far, there are only a couple applications available that will allow the smart phone or tablet to operate as an automatic garage door opener for example. However, setup is complex, and so far the apps are particularly problematic. Although it is possible that these applications have in fact been created and publicized but have already been replaced in the news by another new application that starts the coffee pot in the morning or one that changes the baby’s diaper when necessary.
There do seem to be a few problems that might make it a little more difficult to create phone apps that function as automatic garage door openers. For example, most automatic garage door openers operate using radio frequency or some other form of electronic pulse, radio wave, or microwave so any phone application would have to be able to generate the proper frequency and style of signal in order for the garage door to open or close properly.
Beyond that, once the smart phone application is set up to be an automatic garage door opener, what does the homeowner do in case of a problem? Does he call the garage door repairman or does he take the phone into the phone company technician to do the repair? Or does he just download a software patch for the app online?
So as smart as the smart phones are becoming, it is still probably sometime in the future before they can perform ALL functions around the home and replace all the other little technical devices in use.
Posted by Richard on Thursday, 28 October 2010
Tags: garage door – garage doors – garage door opener – garage door repair – garage door replacement – garage door installation – garage door service – garage door prices
Most everyone who has a personal computer of some sort has had corresponding computer problems. Depending on the type of machine used the problems may be minor or easily solved just by closing a browser. This solves most of the problems Macintosh users experience, assuming they are exercising care in the downloading and installation of applications.
Things get a bit trickier for those folks who use the Windows based operating system from Microsoft. Windows is still the leader in the operating system wars although the Apple Computer Macintosh operating system and the open source Linux operating system maintain a solid base of users.
Because of the wide spread nature of Windows operating system PCs the creators of viruses, spyware, and other malware tend to concentrate more on overcoming the defenses and protections on PCs than they do Mac and Linux machines. After all, the more users means a wider universe of people who might not be keeping up with the latest virus protection software.
It’s rather like how the neighborhood thieves might try to find the homeowner who keeps the automatic garage door wide open by mistake. Far easier to break into a home through a wide open garage door than it is where the homeowner remembers to use the automatic garage door opener to close the garage door as they drive off in the morning. People intent on causing harm to others, whether through using software to steal information or cause damage to a computer or people breaking into homes, are all about taking the path of least resistance or they wouldn’t be doing the bad things they are doing.
Just as the best way, of course, to keep people from walking through the open garage door is to close it, so is it the best way to protect an individual computer is to make sure the anti-virus and anti-spyware software is up to date. If however, an individual’s computer has been running slow and sluggish for a while, it is possible to have any bad software removed by the folks at the local computer maintenance shop. Just as sometimes the automatic garage door needs to be serviced by a garage door repairman, so does the individual computer need to be serviced by the computer repair person.
A good garage door repairman can help to extend the life of a garage door by assuring that the automatic garage door opener is working correctly and the garage door is still on track and in much the same way, a computer repair person can extend the life of the computer, just be checking and removing any malware that might have snuck in while the user wasn’t paying attention.
Posted by Nicole on Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Tags: garage door – garage doors – garage door opener – garage door repair – garage door replacement – garage door installation – garage door service – garage door prices
Holidays are important to society. They build a sense of community as everybody acknowledges the same great thing at the same time. Many holidays are considered major holidays by religions and nations. Yom Kippur is a major holiday for Jewish people and the nation of Israel acknowledges Yom Kippur as a national holiday. Similarly, the melting pot that is the United States officially recognizes the Christian Christmas as a national holiday. Many people celebrate Valentine’s Day, though government offices don’t close for it. Then there are days like Columbus Day, for which certain agencies such as the postal service and banks might be closed, but they are just normal days for most people. Sadly, there is as yet no Garage Door Repair Technician’s Day.
October 16 is Boss’s Day. Do bosses actually expect to receive anything for Boss’s Day? The Hallmark Company sure thinks so. According to Hallmark, people do acknowledge Boss’s Day and Hallmark stock of Boss’s Day cards and gifts expands every year. But don’t run out and start shopping. Rules of etiquette state that the gift should be a group gift from everybody who works under the boss. Otherwise those who do acknowledge Boss’s Day are likely to look like kiss ups, while other employees look uncaring.
Boss’s Day was originally registered with the United States Chamber of Commerce in 1958. The registrant and creator of Boss’s Day, Patricia Bays Haroski, did so as a means to remember her father’s birthday. As it turns out, her father was her boss at State Farm Insurance in Deerfield, IL.
Boss’s Day was not formally proclaimed until 1962 when the Illinois governor, Otto Kerner, approved the registration and made a proclamation that October 16 should henceforth forever be known as Boss’s Day. Thanks to international companies, such as Hallmark, Boss’s Day is now dreaded and enjoyed all over the globe. Though in all fairness, Hallmark did not sell Boss’s Day cards until 1979.
Bosses who are lucky enough to receive gifts for Boss’s Day must be careful not to forget Secretary’s Day. Now known as Administrative Professionals Day, this holiday was created in by a publicist in 1952 to encourage people to enter the administrative fields. Administrative Professional’s Day is held annually on the last Wednesday of April. It is not at internationally recognized as Boss’s Day.
Yes, even the seemingly meaningless holidays have value to society. They are part of our culture and help define us as a nation. Boss’s Day and Administrative Professional’s Day might seem goofy, but at least they offer a touch of hilarity to the often bleak workplace landscape. Perhaps there should be a Garage Door Service Professional’s Day?
Posted by Nicole on Monday, 25 October 2010
Tags: : garage door – garage doors – garage door opener – garage door repair – garage door replacement – garage door installation – garage door service – garage door prices
Banks are usually in the business of making money by lending money for interest and fees. These bank loans take the form of mortgages that help people buy their own garages with garage doors, or home equity loans that help people make home improvements like garage door replacement. But TD Ameritrade and sister company TD Bank spent the summer raising money for the Special Olympics, this time to give it out rather than lend it for interest and fees.
The Special Olympics provide Olympic sports for differently-abled persons to compete. Competing in the Special Olympics instead of the regular Olympics helps even the playing field. The Special Olympics is a non-profit charitable foundation designed to run the games. It relies on donations, corporate sponsorship, and volunteers to survive.
TD Bank and TD Ameritrade recognized the need for support and funding that the Special Olympics constantly struggles with and spent the summer trying to raise more than $1 million United States Dollars (USD). The financial institutions encouraged employees to donate, and encouraged clients to donate as well. Employees also signed up to work the upcoming Special Olympics, providing a badly needed volunteer team to help pull the whole thing off. At the end of the drive, TD Bank and TD Ameritrade had raised well over the goal of $1 million USD.
This is actually the second annual TD Bank and TD Ameritrade fundraiser for the Special Olympics. The fundraiser is titled “Be a Fan!” and both institutions sold bracelets at their brick and mortar locations. The proceeds from the bracelet sales go to the Special Olympics.
Some may argue that the sister companies are only raising money for charity to get the positive PR in a time when banks and other financial institutions are viewed unfavorably by the general public. True charity vaunteth not itself, but does it really matter what the reason behind the fundraiser and volunteer drive is? Over $1 million USD was given, and over 2600 volunteers donated time and energy. That’s impressive charity work, regardless of what the motives might be.
For the employees who donated time and money, and the clients who purchased bracelets and put money in cans, as well as for the people whom the Special Olympics serves, the motive is pure and true. Helping people enjoy lifetime achievements while furthering a cause for research is not a bad thing. True, all that good PR is not a bad thing either. It likely has driven more business to the bank, allowing it to lend out more money at lower interest rates for more people to buy their own garage doors.
Posted by Richard on Thursday, 21 October 2010
Tags: garage door – garage doors – garage door opener – garage door repair – garage door replacement – garage door installation – garage door service – garage door prices
The baseball season is winding down to the playoffs. College and professional football are in full swing. Professional hockey and basketball have started their training camps. It’s time to talk about the Man Cave.
Man caves take many forms and locations. Maybe the den has been converted to a man cave, complete with big screen digital television or maybe the basement has been converted to a man cave with pool table to go with the television.
Many times, it is the garage that gets converted. It might have started with the tools and woodworking equipment lining the walls. Then the small refrigerator gets added in then the small television. After a while, the garage man cave has expanded to fill up one side of the two car garage so that only one car can fit. Even with automatic garage door openers, when one side is filled with the man cave, that garage door doesn’t get opened that much. Of course, it also means that the older car is probably the one that doesn’t get the protection of the garage anymore but that’s a small sacrifice for the thrill of the man cave.
So what other types of frills might go into the man cave? Well there obviously need to be comfortable chairs for watching the sports on the television. And maybe, instead of a small, thirteen-inch television, the man cave creator should add the large screen digital television complete with TiVo or some other digital recorder for playback of the best plays of whichever sporting event is the game of the day.
Now most garages probably do not have heat or air conditioning so that becomes a consideration, depending on where in the country this man cave is being set up. Having to bundle up in a parka in order to watch the sports on the big screen out in the garage when it is an unheated garage in the winter or sitting in a garage sauna in the middle of the summer makes it a not very positive type of man cave for guests. Now space heaters can help to warm the garage man cave during the winter (assuming the man cave owner remembers to turn them off when leaving each night) but that still leaves the sauna in the summertime. One recommendation for potential behind the garage door man cave owners though – try not to set things up so that the garage door needs to be kept open with all the man cave toys on full display. Just to keep from tempting folks who might have bad ideas of course.
