Remembrance of those who are gone and thanks for those who remain.

I was supposed to be at one of the buildings at the World Trade Center on that terrible day. I had an appointment with someone but it was not yet time for me to leave when my wife called me to tell me to stay home. I hadn't turned the tv or radio on that morning so I had no idea what had happened until her call. Unfortunately, she was sitting at a traffic light waiting for it to change on Northern Blvd. in Long Island City on her way to work and was looking at the WTC and then started watching a plane flying overhead. She kept watching that plane until she watched it disappeared into the north tower. She has told me that she still sees it in her mind and that she will probably never be able to go to Ground Zero. Two of her friends were there and both made it out safely. I'm glad I didn't see what she saw and I can't and won't try to imagine what the people who lost friends and family went through and are to this day, still going through.

Thank you to all the people from the FDNY, NYPD, PANYNJ, ambulances, hospitals and those who just helped. Your sacrifice is without a doubt the most heroic of all deeds.

To those who have lost, our hearts and thoughts are always with you.

Everyone is remembered.

It's Finally Here!

Summer finally arrived. That was the longest Spring I can remember. It's hard to believe that it took until the second week of August for us to hit the 90 degree mark. By now we've usually had about 30 of them! Think about it, in roughly two months, it'll be Fall already. That would be the absolutely perfect time to get your furnace cleaned up for the Winter season.

Yes, I know you are probably wondering why bother but remember what I said earlier? One day soon you are going to realize that it got chilly rather quickly and your wife is going to ask for the heat to be turned on. What are you going to do when you flip that switch and nothing happens?

Want another reason to take care of it now? The parts that might be needed are cheaper now than on a day where it's below 60 outside. But you might not need parts. You might just need a cleaning and a tune-up.

Always take care of your heating and/or cooling units during their down season. Its easier on you and easier on me too! Who wants to work in a hot attic? Or in a cold basement when it's 15 degrees outside! Doing the job off season will make you happier in the long run so call now.

Happy Birthday Nikola Tesla!

When it comes to electricity, everyone knows the names Edison and Westinghouse. But there is another important name, Nikola Tesla. Without him, life would have been much different today.

Induction motors, alternating current, polyphase alternating current systems, the rotating magnetic field, bladeless steam turbines, all invented by Tesla.

The inventor of alternating current. Mr. Tesla's invention lights the entire world today. He also created the device that converts the electricity to mechanical power so we can use all of the equipmnt us have. He also created the first hydroelectric plant up in Niagra Falls, NY. The US Supreme Court deemed that Marconi's patent for wireless technology was invalid, the contribution to it's creation made by Tesla being greater.

The remains of Tesla's Wardenclyffe lab, built by JP Morgan and designed by Stanford White, is here on Long Island in Shoreham, near the now decommissioned nuclear power plant of the same name.

Happy Birthday Nikola Tesla, and thank you.

Thank you to the Tesla Society for a wonderful website which you can see at http://www.teslasociety.com/biography.htm for a detailed history of Mr. Tesla and his genius.

Rain Rain Go Away!

OK, enough is enough already. This weather is beyond ridiculous. I don’t remember the last time we had so much rain! I think we are at double the amount for the month and we still have a week to go. I’m sitting at the dining room table watching more of the most incredible looking rain clouds heading in this direction. Oh well. I did want to remind you to make sure you clear any standing water around your home. I know whatever it is will probably fill up again but don’t wait. There’s enough to worry about with swine flu, we don’t need to worry about the mosquitoes and West Nile. Also remember to watch for ticks on both you and any pets. Traipsing around the yard can be a bit of an obstacle course. I have my own private pond where one never existed. Before this all started, all I had to do was dig down about a foot and the hole would start filling with water. Now, the ground is so saturated that I’m surprised we haven’t gone sliding into the bay across the street! I’m one step away from being a houseboat with all this water!

UPDATE: I just looked through newsday.com and about half an hour ago an article was posted which refers exactly to what I was saying. But here's the rub.....a fine for the homeowner who doesn't clear standing water...... here''s the link to the article.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-linile2412911478jun23,0,1405065.story

Reverse Thinking

It's finally here......summer. We're pulling out the grills and barbeques, cleaning off the patio furniture, sprucing up the yard and getting ready for some fun.

You know what else it's time for? It's time to start working on your heating system. Yes, that's right, your heating system. Now I know you're wondering what I'm talking about but believe me, now it the time to start. Think about it for a minute. That system ran its heart out keeping you warm all winter long. The inside got dirty (you oil people out there know what I mean!) and all you did was shut off the unit when it started to warm up outside. You don't put clothes away when they are dirty. You don't put tools away when they are dirty. The same thing goes for your heating system. It needs to be worked on every year to keep it performing properly and cost effectively.


Prices for heating parts are lower, now, in the summer months (and air conditioning parts are cheaper in winter). Every year around this time, I tear apart my own oil-fired system and clean it up, change the filters, flush the lines and perform all the other preventive maintenance necessary. Since I have a gas water heater, I only have to run the heat for about 4 months. That also means cleaning out the chimney every other year. For those of you who have to run the burner year round, clean that chimney once a year. But by taking the proper care of my oil burner I spent less than $600 last winter to heat my home. And my 100 year old home is drafty! The south shore of Long Island can get really cold and windy. Sometimes we can even see the curtains move in the breeze.


Besides, when the wife flips that switch to the on position that first really chilly day come September, you want your heating system to work so she's warm and comfortable, not annoyed at you because you didn't have the unit checked.