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Recipe of the Month
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Chinese Chicken Fried Rice
Submitted By:
LISA TOURVILLE
Prep Time:
5 Minutes
Cook Time:
10 Minutes
Ready In:
15 Minutes
Servings: 3
" Cooked egg is shredded and mixed with a stir fry of chicken, rice and onion in soy sauce in this fundamental Chinese dish."
INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked white rice, cold
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken meat
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, beat egg with water. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add egg and leave flat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and cut into shreds.
2. Heat oil in same skillet; add onion and saute until soft. Then add rice, soy sauce, pepper and chicken. Stir fry together for about 5 minutes, then stir in egg. Serve hot.
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Plumbing
Fun Facts
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Water pipes used to be made from Lead. In fact, the word Plumbing (and plumb, and plumber) actually derive from the Latin word for Lead, plumbum. (Incidentally, the periodic table element label for lead, Pb, is based on the same word).
Pipes haven't always been made of metal. In the 1800s, both Boston and Montreal used wooden pipes; they were logs that were hollowed out and tapered at the ends.
Lead solder was used even after lead was found to be harmful to humans, all the way through the 1980s. It was believed that the amount of lead that could potentially leach into the water was too small to matter. We've since then smartened up.
There are actually two common types of plungers - a toilet plunger and a sink/shower plunger. Toilet plungers narrow at the bottom to fit into the toilet drain, while sink and shower plungers have a flat rim.
Sir John "the john" Herrington is credited with inventing the flushable toilet in 1596. He called it the "Ajax" a shortened version of "a jakes." "Jakes" was a common old slang for toilet at that time. . Unfortunately, Sir John's designation for the flusable toilet didn't stick, but his name did.
The most recognized video game character in the world is a plumber. Nintendo's Mario (of Super Mario Brothers fame) was created by Shigeru Miyamoto, and has appeared in more than 200 games.
In Japan, some urinals have voice-activated flush mechanisms.
According to wikipedia, these urinals respond to as many as 30 different languages and several terms, including "fire."
In 1929, a series of sewer explosions occurred in Ottawa, Canada. Contrary to initial reactions, it likely wasn't caused by Methane gas, but rather by shop owners pouring flamable oils down drains as the still-unregulated automobile industry took off.
There are more than 10 different types of common end-user plumbed-in fixtures. Can you name them? They include, at least, toilets, urinals, drinking fountains, sinks, bathtubs, showers, ice makers, humidifiers, plumbed-in coffee pots, eye wash stations, washers, dishwashers, and fountains.
The Chicago Water Tower was one of the only buildings to survive the Great Chicago fire of 1871. Now a historical site, It is the only building from this time still standing in the area.
The fire sprinkler was invented in 1864 by Henry Parmelee to protect his piano factory. He patented the idea, but by 1883 had only successfully had the system installed in 10 factories.
At 140 degrees, it takes 5 seconds for water to burn skin. At 160 degrees, it takes only 1/2 of a second. Home hot water systems should be set to no hotter than 120 degrees.
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Electrical
Fun facts
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| Electricity travels at the speed of light more than 186,000 miles per second!
If you had a light bulb on the moon connected to a switch in your bedroom, it would take only 1.26 seconds for that bulb to light up, 238,857 miles away.
If you traveled as fast as electricity, (about 300,000 kilometers = 186,411.358 miles per second the speed of light), you could go around the world 8 times in the time it takes to turn on a light switch.
A spark of static electricity can measure up to three thousand (3,000) volts.
Electrocution is one of the top five causes of workplace deaths.
The first use of water to generate electricity was in 1882 on the Fox river, in the USA, which produced enough power to light two paper mills and a house.
10 percent of total US generating capacity is fueled by natural gas, about the same as hydropower. More than half of US capacity is coal-fired, with nuclear accounting for 20 percent.
$212 billion in electrical bills paid by US customers each year.
An electric oven uses one kilowatt-hour of electricity in about 20 minutes, but one kilowatt-hour will power a TV for 3 hours, run a 100-watt bulb for 12 hours, and keep an electric clock ticking for 3 months.
An Electric eel can produce an electric shock of up to 650 volts at one ampere.
Currents of approximately 0.2 A are potentially fatal, because they can make the heart fibrillate, or beat in an uncontrolled manner.
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May 2010
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Dear ,
I don't know about you, but I'm beginning to think that there must be something to the old saying "April showers bring May flowers". indeed, my Roddies are in full bloom and I'm seeing colorful blooms everywhere!
No doubt, spring has not only arrived but it will soon be going right into summer. And we all have our carefully prepared spring / summer plans ready for implementation, right? Unfortunately, most of us will just wing it for things like home maintenance and end up completely stressed out. I'm going to offer you some tips to avoid these stresses and have a better plan.
If you're anything like me, you've noticed a number of home maintenance issues last winter and at least in the back of your mind, told yourself "I'll have to deal with this soon". For me, it was my garage. The paint, or lack thereof, has become an eyesore. So right now, without anymore procrastination, I am getting the work scheduled. And now is an excellent time to schedule home maintenance. Work has been slow for most contractors and I am sure to get a great deal. And a quick FYI, a great deal is usually not the cheapest bid. The best deal for me is a job done with the best preparations and materials available with warranties that will afford me at least 10 years of worry free maintenance.
How about your maintenance issues? You know you have them. And if they involve plumbing or electrical, I'd love to talk to you. We deliver the kind of quality that will give you the peace of mind you want in your home's plumbing and electrical systems. Also, be sure to check out last month's Newsletter for some fantastic extended specials.
If you have any questions or if I can be a help in any way, please don't hesitate to call me. My number is 971-563-9418.
Thanks again for your patronage,
Bill Casey / GM
Casey's Plumbing Inc
Rooter n Drains
Metro's Best Electric
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UNDER PRESSURE TO GET THAT PROJECT DONE?
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 Reasons to not procrastinate
that project any longer
We've all heard the old phrase "When Momma Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy".
I know this doesn't apply to everyone but let me tell you, if I have been putting off important home projects in my house, my lovely wife temporarily doesn't look so lovely! So clearly, an upset spouse can be a strong motivator to get that project completed.
Less expensive now than waiting until prices go up. Right now because of our slow economy, there are a lot of good deals out there. Indeed, Casey's Plumbing has posted some huge savings for water heater installations, whole house re-pipes, etc.
Depending on the project, you may actually end up doing some damage by putting off the project. For example, all water heaters made between 1992 and 1997, have a defective dip tube in them. Without going into what a dip tube is, I'll just say that it is a plastic tube inside your water heater; just about all water heaters have them. During these years, all the manufacturers got their plastics from the same source. The plastic is defective, it dissolves. So, if you have one of these water heaters, it's not a question of will mine become a problem? The only question is, how much damage will occur? Left in place, ultimately this plastic will begin to clog anything and everything that uses hot water. In a worse case scenario we've seen every fixture in the house, including the dishwasher and clothes washer, completely clogged with dip tube debris. So, this is just one of many examples as to how important it can be to do it now, rather that later.
Last but not least, isn't always better to get these annoying projects done on your time table rather than waiting for them to turn into emergencies?
So what are you waiting for? I'm scheduling my spring projects now, how about you?
And for your plumbing needs, of course we're always there for you. If you just want a little advice, give us a call. We'll be glad to help in any way we can.
 503-620-9111
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MONTHLY DO IT YOURSELF TIP
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 Outlets Out?
Here's a real money saving tip when you suddenly find that one or several outlets have no power. After you check your circuit panel only to find that all the breakers are in the on position and yet you still have some outlets not working, check to see if there is a GFCI outlet near the problem spot.
Many times, there are one or more outlets tied into a GFCI outlet. If this is the case, you want to test to see if the GFCI outlet is tripped. Just push the "TEST" button and then the "RESET" button. If this was the problem, your power should now be restored.
These Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters are sensitive to power surges. So when turning on an appliance such as a vacuum cleaner, etc, the sudden power drop can trip one of these protected outlets thus turning off the power to it and any other outlet attached to it. So, they can be a nuisance I know, but they do offer the added protection of shutting off the power when water is present.
Hopefully, this solves your problem - it often does. If it doesn't, you'd better get Metro's Best Electric out there and have a professional look at it.
if you need help with this or any other electrical project, just give us a call. We're always there for you, "keeping The Lights On".
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Natural Drain Opener
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Drains in a house get clogged, either from debris that has been flushed or from tree roots that have grown into the main line of the household sewage system. Regardless of the severity of the clog, homemade drain cleaner can be made easily and tried first before resorting to more expensive means.
Why Drains Get Clogged
Sometimes a drain will become clogged because too much grease or fatty debris has been poured down the drain and the grease has congealed once it has cooled. Other times a drain becomes clogged because debris has bunched up in the pipe or in the case of main sewer lines, tree roots may have grown into the pipes, causing blockages.
Simple Steps to Unclog a Blocked Drain
It is wise and time saving to start with the easiest way to unblock a clogged drain first. Pour boiled water down the drain. If the blockage is due to congealed grease, boiled water should be enough to take care of the blocked drain. Boiled water is hot enough to melt congealed grease and it is a simple, cheap way to take care of a drain that is blocked by fatty materials.
If the drain is still clogged after several kettles of boiled water, pour a cup of vinegar down the drain and wait about 30 minutes. The acidity of vinegar may break up materials that are clogging the drain without the need for any further chemicals.
Homemade Drain Cleaner is Simple to Make
If boiled water and vinegar do not unclog a blocked drain, a simple solution made of vinegar and baking soda is the next step to take to break up the blockage.
Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain followed quickly with two cups of vinegar. The solution will create a significant number of bubbles that will travel down the drain to the clog. The acidic solution created by the mixture of vinegar and baking soda will attack the debris clogged in the drain and should be the last step needed to take care of the problem.
If all of this is just too much, call Rooter n Drains. We'll get that drain open in a hurry! Rooter n Drains makes no promises about the effectiveness of the above natural solutions but we will say this...any natural solution is always better than the store bought acids that can and often do, damage pipes.
If you would like more information or need to schedule a plumber to come out, just call...
503-643-4433
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A Word from The Owner
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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 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.
Many
contractors in the home services
business do not bother to practice such stringent policies... But
that's what distinguishes us from the rest. Indeed, recently when
screening applicants to fill an opening we had for a journeyman
plumber, only a very small percentage passed the drug screening. And these people are now
working for someone!?
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.
Thanks
your continued patronage.
Sincerely,
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COUPONS NOT GOOD WITH OTHER OFFERS
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