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Single Pane Glass! A good do-it your self project?

There is still plenty of single pane windows scattered throughout the country and with the current economic times people are getting their hands “dirty” and fixing many more things themselves to save money. Some things make sense, like lawn care, and window washing to save money, but single pane replacement is not one of those things!

Hands down, replacing glass is DANGEROUS; you can seriously injure yourself working with glass. People that have been handling glass for years are still hurt while handling this precarious product. Single Pane Glass should always be replaced by a seasoned professional.

Its true replacing single pane glass is expensive but cutting corners could cost you a lot more! The average replacement cost is around $125.00 start to finish if you compare this to a potential hospital bill from seriously cutting yourself there is no comparison. I know of a recent accident by a professional in the business where the hospital bill was over $8,000 by getting cut by single pane glass.

It’s why the do-it your selfer can not find sheet glass in stores like Ace, or Home Depot, it’s so dangerous they will not stock it. A typical home owner can not buy sheet glass in the open market unless they have a source and there is a reason for this, liability issues!

Glass is just one of those things that it’s best to leave to the professionals and have your glass replaced with peace of mind and avoiding any serious injuries that could be life-long. Arizona Glass Repair is one such company that you can depend on for all your single glass repair projects. Our mobile service is valley-wide and we do same day replacement.


Jay S. Catena
Arizona Glass Repair

North Korea, a country in transition!

The death of Kim Jong-II, the infamous North Korean dictator has fueled speculation on where the country is headed. The successor to power has been his son Kim Jong-un, a 29 year old man with the weight of his countrymen on his shoulders. Conventional thinking would dictate no “real” change will occur in how things are done in North Korea. The wheels of power, the military will dictate its current path to self-destruction.

But Kim Jong-un has a unique opportunity in rewriting history for his isolated and impoverished nation. The raw facts are that North Korea is failing economically and that most of its people live in divert poverty. The North Koreans are alienated from the outside world and live in a glass house.

Does Kim Jong-un have the character and willingness to address the “real” needs of his people? At age 29 I doubt he would have such wisdom but one could hope that this man is special and will adopt radical change for the benefit of his nation. This is idealized thinking of course since the truth more closely fits with established norms one could hope for such a change!

For this to happen there will have to be a power struggle one between the established military leaders and Kim Jong-un himself. Can a man of just 29 years be strong enough to accomplish such a feat? If one looks at the devotion of the masses for their leader one can clearly see Kim Jong-un has the people’s support in advancing the country in any direction he chooses with or without the blessing of the military leadership. Conventional wisdom tells us the ones in power; the military will not give up their power willingly.

Kim Jong-un could be the face of change, a change for the better for not only North Koreans but for the world at large to set an example of how a focus on humanity can bring life long results. This is all theoretical of course, being the norm will be for the young man to be heavily influenced by those around him who have been indoctrinated their entire lives to live an act a certain way!

I pray that Kim Jong-un is such a special man that he will awaken the true potential of his people who love their leader and will follow him anywhere he leads them. The North Koreans need such a leader in their time of need; they have suffered enough and have always shown true devotion to their country even in the face of poverty and death.

I wish the best for North Korea and truly hope that progressive change for the good of the people will find its way to the heart and mind of its new leader, Kim Jong-un. Bless this country and its people for the challenging years to come.


Jay S. Catena
Arizona Glass Repair

Hard currency is gradually giving place to technologies. However, technologies have consistently failed to entirely replace hard currency. Nevertheless, there is some hope that technologies will finally win the battle, and iPad and iPhones further reinforce this belief. Mobile gadgets equipped with NFC technologies will soon begin to replace cash. Professionals suggest that, starting in 2011, hard currency will gradually surrender its positions to technologies. Technologies will replace cash and everything from credit cards to train and bus tickets!! This idea is gradually becoming a reality: for example, in Prague, you no longer have to buy a bus ticket – all you need is to send a text message to the required number and you are free to take a bus to the desired location!! NFC mobile devices provide vast purchasing opportunities – you can use your mobile phone to sign up for loyalty programs or access the latest traveling information. You no longer need dozens of cards to participate in loyalty programs. You will not be lost in papers or keys to handle your transport problems. You only need to have a small mobile device with multiple functions. It sounds so easy!
However, what about security? Having all functions in one and the same mobile device is virtually the same as having all your private information stored in one and the same location. Technology professionals claim that these mobile devices are extremely secure. However, a recent case with stealing private information about 77 million of PlayStation consumers suggests that not everything is perfect with technologies. Even if technologies replace hard currency, it is difficult to imagine that they can be as secure as cash transactions.

Jay S. Catena
Arizona Glass Companies

Despite the growing amount of information about volcanoes, the exact number of active volcanoes on the Earth remains unknown. One possible reason for this is that there is no single definition of a volcano. One may talk about one single volcano or imply the meaning of volcanic fields that comprise hundreds of separate eruption centers like maars or conder cones. All these natural systems can be counted as volcanoes. At different times, thousands of volcanoes have been active on the earth. Probably, millions of volcanoes have emerged and slowly disappeared during the earth’s lifespan. Over the past 10,000 years, more than 1,500 volcanoes were known to have been active on the planet. The number of active submarine volcanoes remains unknown. Even the rapid advancement of technologies and science does not help to estimate the exact number of active volcanoes on the planet. However, about 600 volcanoes are known to have had eruptions during the recorded history. Each year, between 50 and 70 volcanoes demonstrate their activity. On average 20 volcanoes are erupting at any given time.
It goes without saying that volcanic activity has far-reaching implications for the human population. Active volcanoes are well-known for their hazards, but the extent to which a volcano is dangerous depends upon its proximity to human settlements. In 1990, an estimated 8.8% of the international population was believed to be at risk of volcanic eruptions. 12% of the human population lives in the near proximity to volcanoes that have been active during the last 10,000 years. However, the distribution of the world population around active volcanoes is highly uneven. Whether or not people choose to live near active volcanoes always depends upon the climate. Volcanoes at lower latitudes are densely populated. In tropical areas, active volcanoes provide considerable agricultural benefits and attract local populations with their fertile soils. In temperate climates, population density increases with distance from volcanoes, possibly, because the climatic advantages of living next to active volcanoes are not so explicit.


Jay S. Catena
Arizona Glass Companies

That plastic does not exist in nature is a well-known fact. Plastics are materials produced by synthesis. Today, 99% of plastics used around the globe are made from oil and natural gas. So-called heavy petrol, which is obtained in the process of refining crude oil and separating it by means of fractional distillation, is used to manufacture modern plastics. Heavy petrol undergoes heat treatment, which is also called stream-cracking. Under high temperature, heavy petrol breaks down into heavy hydrocarbons which contain only a few atoms of carbon; these magical compounds later conglomerate into gigantic molecules called “polymers”. The latter shape a material, widely known as “plastics”.
Whether or not the future is colored with plastics is difficult to predict. In the 1960s, plastics were a fantasy and a symbol of the technocratic future. Today, plastics are widely used in all industries. Most probably, plastics will remain a definitive feature of the technological development in the coming years. Just recently, several companies have announced the development of a dramatically new method of creating and forming plastics. Normally, plastics are produced under extremely high temperatures, but new methods allow shaping plastics under room temperatures. 3D printing as a relatively new method of molding plastics under low temperatures expands manufacturing and technological frontiers. Plastics are gradually replacing the materials that were previously considered as dangerous. They offer convenience and are easy to recycle. Unfortunately, plastics are among the main causes of environmental pollution: neither wind nor waters can destroy them. While technological progress facilitates manufacturing of plastics, new methods must help to define how to recycle plastic products and reduce their negative effects on the environment.


Jay S. Catena
Arizona Glass Companies

Barter is the process by which individuals and firms trade goods, services, and products for other goods, services, and products. It is a relatively simple method of transaction which does not involve the use of money. Barter is a frequent method of international transactions and a popular instrument of exchange between nations and corporations. In the tough economic conditions, barter can become a relevant support to nations and companies in the midst of a crisis. Actually, it is during an economic crisis that nations and companies turn to the millennia-old barter relations and systems. Unpaid loans and bounced checks create unprecedented pressures on businesses, leading to stress and making it difficult for companies to cope with their financial obligations. During economic crises, bartering becomes the best alternative to traditional payment systems. It helps to alleviate financial difficulties and monetary concerns and promote temporary financial reliefs. Barter networks allow companies to obtain necessary goods without being overloaded with credit and reduce the risks that loans or bounced checks will go unpaid. It would be fair to say that barter is a good guarantor for sellers and buyers: if any of them goes into bankruptcy, it will incur little to no difficulties on both parties of the transaction.
At times of the crises, sales decrease significantly and firms seek to increase their sales by all possible means. Many of them lack resources needed to invest in broad advertising campaigns. The shortage of cash imposes new demands on relationships in business. In this situation, the barter system facilitates product and service transactions in domestic economies. For example, the construction sector in Turkey used bartering for advertising, by trading apartment flats. Apparently, bartering can become the source of numerous benefits at times of crises. Firms should consider barter as an alternative method of business transactions with their partners.


Jay S. Catena
Arizona Glass Companies

Digitization of economy is the distinctive feature of globalized reality. Nevertheless, paper money and coins remain the basic instruments of trade and exchange. When economies want to simplify their trade and facilitate exchange processes, the main question is whether coins are still necessary. Unfortunately, there is no definite answer. On the one hand, coins are no longer needed in today’s economy; moreover, coins burden the economy and create serious financial difficulties. Coins are overproduced. They attract considerable manufacturing resources. Today, the cost of copper and nickel exceeds the real cost of pennies, which makes their production extremely problematic. As a result, coins should not be used any longer, to help economies save additional financial resources, which could be used to support and sponsor other government programs, e.g. education.
On the other hand, modern monetary systems are decimal-based, which means that elimination of coins will pose serious economic and financial difficulties. Coins are relevant means of exchange in America. Any time you use cash and need change, coins become a real savior. Paper money is not always appropriate or relevant. It would be fair to assume that coins are important elements of the U.S.’s economic and cultural image. Tourists want to have a couple of pennies when they are leaving the United States after their trips. However, given the rapid development of economies and globalization, coins may soon become obsolete. It is possible that, at some point of economic development, cash be finally replaced with digital money. Simultaneously, coins may still play an important role in the American culture. The U.S. may continue using coins as a souvenir, sold for their true cost and made of nickel or copper. This is, probably, the best way to preserve economic individuality and benefit from the use of coins in economic and cultural terms.


Jay S. Catena
Arizona Glass Companies