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News & Notes
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Hewson Landscape, Inc.
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March 2015
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 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
We are back from Tampa, Florida, from the National LICA conference, and the temperatures were a little chilly. High 30-40 degrees in the morning, warming up to mid to high 60's in the afternoon. Seemed like a heat wave compared to what New Jersey has experienced. This month we are participating in the NJ LICA winter conference, to be held at the Holiday Inn in Clinton, NJ on March 13-14th. The seminar line up is a great one: OSHA 10 hour, OSHA Competent person, Advanced Treatment Systems, Prevailing Wage overview, Equipment panel discussion on buying, selling or leasing, and concrete and asphalt recycling for the small to mid size contractor, are just a few of the highlights. We have launched our new software called Hindsite and so far so good. We'll be doing a test run with the tablets before we start the season, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm looking forward to spring, with the clocks springing forward, I love when it's lighter later. The temperatures are changing and the grass is starting to show.
Shelly Hewson
President, Hewson Landscape Inc.
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 Petrocon Award Winner At this winter's National LICA conference in Tampa, we were awarded the Petrocon Elite Member of the Year! This is awarded to the company who demonstrates good practices in conservation of our nation's natural resources in addition to protecting the environment. Petrocon offers members purchasing power for many commodities such as tires, lubricants, rubber tracks, gas and electric rate reductions, and waste management,to name a few. Membership is $2500 per year, unless you are a LICA member, then the fee is waived. Membership does have its privileges. For more info, click on the lin k to Petrocon's Website or to become a NJLICA member Click here. Joe Gioviannazzo, President Petrocon, Rick Hewson, VP Hewson Landscape, Dan Miscky, President PA LICA, Joe Melnik, Conoco Phillips, Shelly Hewson, President Hewson Landscape, Joan Miscky, Executive Director PA LICA
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Smart phones. Smart people creating them. Society has been embracing all the technological advances that are making our lives simpler. Everything keeps getting smarter. And smaller. In the mid to early 80's personal computers were for the very well off, because you had to have a huge house to accommodate it! Now, our mobile phones are basically the equivalent to a personal computer and capable of so much more.
Computers are incredible. They can record data, track, monitor, make decisions and run businesses all with very little human interaction. Also, without humans knowing they are present.
So if technology can shrink mammoth sized computers to fit in the palm of our hand, it would only make sense that computers can be squeezed into just about any small space, like our cars.
If you have purchased a brand new car within the last 2 years, there is a 96% chance it came equipped with a "black box", similar to the ones we have heard about on airplanes. And I am pretty sure it was not listed on the window sticker as one of the features, and it was not an optional upgrade. The black boxes are being installed on personal vehicles and are becoming mandated by the government. This is not the motherboard that monitors all the electronic components in the vehicles for diagnostic purposes either.
The black box is a data recorder used to collect data such as speed, brake use, if a seat belt was on during times of impact, airbag release time and steering wheel position. It collects data every half a second and re-writes itself. If a car is involved in a collision with impact, the black box takes a snap shot of speed, throttle position, brake position and so on. And all of this information is admissible in the court of law. Witness statements are still taken, but along with the other evidence collected in serious accidents that require an investigation, especially if there are fatalities, the black box data is retrieved.
This information has been used in hundreds of court cases resulting in convictions and for insurance purposes. Other data is also continuously collected and used by car manufacturers to make cars more practical. When a vehicle is taken in for service and hooked up to the diagnostic computer, the information is collected, and transmitted to the manufacturer.
Some states have taken measures to create laws surrounding privacy measures for those who have access to the information being collected and how it is used. Car manufacturers have the necessary hardware needed to retrieve such data, and anyone else would need a third party to access it, or a court order.
Big brother is always watching in some way shape or form. In this case, driving is a privilege, and accidents can happen so quickly, I think it is comforting to know that information is being collected that does not come from someone's memory. Hmmmm.... this could be good and bad.
Drive safely!
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 Helpful Hints for Preventing the Flu 1. Stay Healthy-A healthy body equals a strong immune system that fights off infection. Eat a balanced diet, get enough rest, schedule your exercise, drink plenty of fluids and quit smoking! 2. Hand Wash Frequently-Soap and water or an alcohol based sanitizer can help prevent the spread of infection. Remember to wash your hands before handling food (your lunch break) or when touching your nose, mouth or eyelids (itchy when driving). 3. Practice proper Respiratory Hygiene-Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and throw away the tissue immediately. Or, cough and sneeze into your elbow.
4. Surface Cleaning-Disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work, or when traveling, especially when someone is ill. It's also helpful to carry the travel size clorox wipes. I use these on hotel/office door knobs, remote controls, food shopping carts and airplane tray tables. It's no fun being sick in your hotel room on vacation!
5. Air Cleaners-Remember to change your furnace filters frequently, especially if you have a wood stove, or if it's high allergy season. This will help remove dust, dander, pollen and other irritants circulating throughout the building.
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Waste Oil Wanted
If you or anyone you know has any WASTE OIL that they would like to dispose of, please let us know. We will put it to good use in our waste oil furnace to heat our shop.
Call (908) 222-3616 to make arrangements.
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Farmers Almanac Update!
Back in January I did a piece on the Farmers Almanac and their abilities to accurately forecast the weather in advance.
They predicted that the Northeast would have a snow storm February 7-9. They did not mention Snow-Mageddon! You know the blizzard that never was on January 26? While NJ has seen some snow spread out, it was not a huge event, nothing us New Jersyans couldn't handle. As for the event they predicted over the course of Feb. 7-9 - we did see some precipitation in the form of ICING conditions Sunday February 8 into the 9th. Preliminary forecasts were calling for anywhere from 5 to 8 inches of snow over the course of 3 days, but, a warming trend due to El Nino turned the snow into a rainy/freezing rain/sleet mix that coated most of Central New Jersey in ice.
Something to look forward to however, is they are calling for a warmer April and May, they say it is going to be drier than usual though. So maybe it would be wise to schedule your irrigation start up sooner than later this year.
Here's to warm thoughts, from the one always watching the weather!
Nicole
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St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
The way we celebrate St. Patrick actually has very little to do with his legacy. March 17 is believed to be the day St. Patrick died. In Ireland. St. Patrick's day is a religious holiday, that falls during lent. Down to the corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread, mostly the entire day of March 17 has been Americanized. In fact, St. Patrick himself, was not even an Irishman.
The St. Patrick's Day parade, was the most mainstream celebration in the United States and was created as a show of solidarity and pride for Irish immigrants who were looked down upon due to their funny accents and odd language. It began with a parade through New York city March 17, 1762 full of Irish soldiers who were serving in the English military. They marched along and played traditional Irish music, showed their pride and re-connected to their roots. The parade became and annual tradition and over the years incorporated many Irish society associations and adopted many traditions that thousands flock to be a part of every year.
St. Patrick grew up in Britain, part of a wealthy family, his father a Christian Deacon - but there are no details on his actual nationality. His family's estate was attacked by Irish raiders and he was kidnapped as a teenager and brought to Ireland where he was kept hostage. While in captivity he was a shepherd who was kept away from people. Lonely and afraid he turned to his religion and became a devout Christian. After 6 years of being in captivity, St. Patrick claims he heard the voice of God in a dream and that prompted him to escape and leave Ireland. He walked over 200 miles and made his way back to Britain where he eventually had a second revelation - he was to return to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick became a Priest and was sent back to Ireland after he was ordained - 15 years later, to minister the Christians and convert the Irish to Christianity.
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
May your troubles be less and your blessings more...
And nothing but happiness come through your door.
-Irish Blessing
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Stay Connected
 
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Office 908-222-3616
Fax 908-222-3617
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