 NEWS YOU CAN USE!
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Casey's Plumbing Incorporated  503-620-9111 May 2009
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ECONOMY MAKES HUGE REBOUND!
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Dear
Well, are you ready for some great news? OUR ECONOMY IS ON A HUGE REBOUND!
How do I come up with this, you are probably asking?
Consider the following...
- Over 90% of Americans who want to work are in fact working.
- Banks are not only lending, they are doing so at rates not seen for 40 years!
- Construction has picked up in many parts of the country.
- Gasoline prices are leveling out.
- State and National politicians all say that we are on the cusp of a big re-bound.
- Recent polls suggest that the majority of Americans "feel good about their future."
- Local testing has revealed that our air quality has dramatically improved since November 2008.
- Alaska
recently reported that their once threatened Polar bear has bonded with
the local communities and doesn't feel threatened anymore.
- The sun has come out over the ocean looking brighter and more beautiful than ever been before.
- And finally, last night I observed birds flying over head as all my neighbors were seen holding hands in the street singing Kumbaya.
Consider this...
Isn't
it true that the media began their non stop assault on the economy
last January 2008, well before the big stock market crash? Haven't the majority of us really become products of our media and environment?
Isn't it also true that we are "the economy"?
The point is, if you would like to be a part of a booming economy, do this...
IGNORE THE MEDIA / TURN THEM OFF!
IF YOU HAVE A JOB, THANK THE LORD AND PRAY TO KEEP IT.
FINALLY, IF YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES ALLOW IT, PARTICIPATE IN THIS ECONOMY.
Once the majority of us do these things, our economy will indeed be on a huge rebound!
Your friend,
Bill Casey
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MAY, A TIME FOR REMODELS AND/OR DO-IT YOUR-SELFERS.
Now that spring is in full swing, many of we "do-it-yourselfers" are getting the itch to begin that remodel or repair job that's been on the back burner for a long time (you know which one I'm referring to, just ask your spouse).
Let's look at a kitchen remodel. Whether you are going to do it your self or sub it out to the professionals, this is what it should look like...
- To begin, you will need to do a lay out on paper to decide what cabinets and features you want where. Many of the do-it-yourself type outlets that sell cabinetry can help you with this.
- You will need a small dumpster that will accommodate your counter tops and cabinets. If you are doing it yourself, make sure that you have unplugged your garbage disposal, turned off the circuit breaker to it and the dishwasher and completely disconnected the plumbing.
- During your lay out, you should have determined what electrical outlets you will need and what if any plumbing changes will be needed. For your plumbing, it is a very good idea to take the opportunity to have the plumbing in the wall upgraded before installing cabinets over them again. This and any outlet upgrading should be done before you bring in your new cabinets.
- After your plumbing and electrical upgrades have been done, now you can repair / finish the walls and floor.
- Now your new kitchen is really beginning to look great. You now can begin installing your cabinets. This is one chore that you will need some help with. Especially the wall cabinets. If you are doing this yourself, be sure that you are securing them to solid 2x's in the wall and that they are level.
- I don't recommend doing your own counter tops but if you insist, please do your homework. There are a number of products out there and most of them can be ordered pre-manufactured to fit your layout.
- And finally, the finish. You should have cut an opening in your new countertop for your sink and now will be the time to install it. Last but not least, your electrical outlets and switches can be installed and trimmed out.
And walla! There it is; your brand new kitchen. Keep in mind that there many steps involved in a remodel like this that usually requires licensed professionals. While it is true that you can do your own plumbing and electrical in your own home, don't attempt it unless you are confident that it will be done to todays' standards and local codes. Many sellers have found out the hard way during an inspection, that the work they had done earlier would have to be done over as it didn't meet code requirements.
If you do decide to use sub contractors, please do the following...
Talk to a few of their previous customers to see if they were treated well and were happy with the work performed.
Check out your contractor on Angie's List. This is a great resource as it not only allows consumers to rate the contractors but also allows for the contractors to respond. Other than that, go for it! Even if you decide to not do your own work you can still save by being your own General Contractor. And if you need any professional advise concerning the plumbing or electrical work, give Casey's Plumbing or Metro's Best Electric a call and we will be glad to help.
Best of Luck!
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SPRING RAIN DRAIN AND GUTTER MAINTENANCE
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After our bruising winter,
there likely to be some drainage issues from your roof into your down
spouts. There are some simple things you can do you your self to be
prepared for more stormy weather next winter.
- Clean out your gutters. Be sure to use an OSHA approved ladder and and make sure
your are on solid ground before going up the ladder. You can either use
a little gardening trowel or your hand (in a rubber glove of course) to
scoop out the debris from the gutter. I usually use a small bucket and keep it emptied..
- Once you have done this, use a garden hose to to flush and clean out the gutters thoroughly.
- Next,
using the same garden hose, introduce the end into one of your down
spout inlets and push down a ways. Then turn the water on full blast.
If it starts to back up, work the garden hose in and out making an
effort to get down into the drain pipe further. If there is a clog, it
is often close to the entrance and may be flushed open using this
process. If not, then you will probably need some professional help
that would include the use of high pressure water jetters.
Once
your gutters and down spouts are flowing free, you may want to consider
getting a gutter guard of some kind to keep tree leaves and needles
from getting into your rain drains. Although, I can't recommend anyone
at this time, there are several to be found locally.
For professional help with your drains, please call...
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ELECTRICAL UPGRADING AND SAFETY
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Are you considering selling your home or maybe, doing some remodeling? There are a few important things to consider in both circumstances.
If you are adding to your electrical load with a kitchen remodel or other addition, you'll need to have enough capacity in your electrical panel. For example, kitchens today use as much electricity as an entire home built in the 1960's. The most common size electrical service today is 200 amp. If you are unsure, check with a licensed electrician before getting too far into your remodel. A new kitchen would be great but without the needed outlets and appliances, it would be a disappointment.
Now a word about safety. There are some situations that would require major work if the following issues are present...
 
Aluminum wiring. Many homes built in the 1970's were wired with aluminum wiring. This was done because copper was expensive and aluminum was plentiful. It didn't take long, however, to discover that aluminum was indeed an unsafe product that led to fires and even loss of life. Expansion and arcing at the connections will cause over heating and this of course could lead to disasters. If you have aluminum wiring, you should replace it with copper wiring. These items were included here not to scare anyone but to educate the unsuspecting. There are a number of contractors out there who are great at providing things you can see, ie walls, cabinets, etc, but when they attempt the electrical and plumbing themselves, disaster may result. So for safety and re-sale, don't take chances with your electrical system. If you have any of the above conditions, get a licensed electrician to take care of it for you.
"Keeping the lights on"
For more information, please call... 503-643-8843
CCB 147298
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Grilled Asparagus with Roasted Garlic Toast and Balsamic Vinaigrette
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4 Servings
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 medium head garlic, unpeeled
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 pounds thick stemmed asparagus
4 slices sourdough bread
WHAT TO DRINK?
Sauvignon Blanc
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Coat the head of garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and roast 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Once the garlic is roasted, cut the head in half horizontally, exposing all the cloves. Squeeze both halves into a bowl, discarding any skin. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
While the garlic is roasting, place the minced shallot in a bowl with the balsamic and red wine vinegars for about 30 minutes to let the flavors blend. Whisk in remaining olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place asparagus spears in the mixture until ready to grill.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
Place asparagus in a large skillet or directly on the grill. Grill the asparagus, turning over once, until tender, about 10 minutes. While asparagus is grilling, spread the roasted garlic mixture on the bread. Grill bread until toasted. Arrange the bread and asparagus on a plate, and drizzle with the remaining shallot and vinegar mixture.
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A TRIBUTE TO MEMORIAL DAY |
 
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.
There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen
cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day.
There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were
decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in
1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried
the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the
Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920).
While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial
Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove
conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many
separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or
spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's
tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed
honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving
his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very
first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial
Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about
coming together to honor those who gave their all.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]
Memorial
Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan,
national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11,
and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the
graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National
Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New
York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states.
The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on
separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from
honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring
Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost
every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the
National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day
weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an
additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January
19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi;
May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in
Louisiana and Tennessee.
In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on
Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war.
She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and
co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a
Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of
this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France,
made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children
and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921,
the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to
benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year
later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before
Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to
nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program
was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the
US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National
Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.
Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years.
Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of
Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are
increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the
proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities
that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in
decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead,
and not just those fallen in service to our country.
There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50's on the
Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S.
Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000
gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a
day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In
1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on
the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual
Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently,
beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial
Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of
approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg
and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye's Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.
To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance"
resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time,
for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own
way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are
doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."
The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning
the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the
original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the
nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have
given their all in service to their country.
But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit
back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of
observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day
weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the
easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the
day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the
date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very
meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the
general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."
On January 19, 1999 Senator Inouye introduced bill S 189 to the Senate
which proposes to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial
Day back to May 30th instead of "the last Monday in May". On April 19,
1999 Representative Gibbons introduced the bill to the House (H.R.
1474). The bills were referred the Committee on the Judiciary and the
Committee on Government Reform.
To read the entire article and for credits, please go to Memorial Day.
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It's getting to be a real problem in our world today. Innocent homeowners call contractors looking to have work performed on their home. A service person shows up, and the homeowner doesn't think twice about letting that person into their home. They presume that person is honest and coming to help them with their problem. All too often these seemingly innocent calls turn tragic.
Not long ago, I read about a Florida woman who was killed by a registered sex offender who was performing work in her home. In another instance, a service technician in the Minneapolis area was convicted on several counts for stealing from customers' homes. In yet another story, an unsuspecting housewife in Missouri hired a contractor only to have him call back two weeks later and make lewd remarks over the telephone. What if this guy had done more than just make telephone calls? You don't think about this possibly happening until it's too late.
You and your family deserve to feel comfortable and safe in your own home; to live life without fear. Women home alone with small children, the elderly, or the disabled shouldn't have to be wary of their security when calling a contractor. As a person who's been in this industry for years, it sickens me that this has become an issue... but it has.
Knowing this, we have made a commitment to you and all of our loyal customers. You will never have to worry about a person from our company that enters your home or be concerned about their true intentions. As a service to you, every single one of our employees is background checked and regularly drug tested. No criminal or drug addict will ever wear one of our uniforms. We have one of the most difficult hiring processes around, and only people of high moral character are given the opportunity to be employed by us. We then take these hard working people and provide them with the best technical and communication training offered in the country. So, you'll know that when one of our people shows up, they're upstanding citizens who are eager and able to help you with any and all of your home's needs.
Now, many contractors in the home services business do not bother to practice such stringent policies... But that's what distinguishes us from the rest. When you call Casey's Plumbing, Rooter n Drains or Metro's Best Electric, you know you're dealing with professionals who care about your personal safety, the safety of your family, and the well-being and security of your home. We feel that's the least we can do for you.
Sincerely,
William Casey - Owner and GM
Rooter n Drains
Metro's Best Electric
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Great Savings With All 3 Companies
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OUR PLUMBERS AND ELECTRICIANS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS
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DISCLAIMERS
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Helpful tips provided in this newsletter are for educational purposes only and Casey's Plumbing, Metro's Best Electric and
Rooter n Drains are not responsible for any potential damage or injuries that results from using them.
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