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August 2005
This
just in --- and this 
An interesting news item came across my desk recently
and a rather lighthearted report came to my attention in an e-mail a couple
of days ago.
The first pointed out that high tech advances can make a difference
in even a low tech area of the business world.
The second can be seen as something of a tongue in check sequel to
my November
2004 newsletter about the value of the White House.
Both seem worth passing on. After all, we don't have to stay
serious all the time, do we?
We're out of
paper towels!
Among the day to day concerns of property management people is the
need to keep washrooms clean and stocked with tissues and towels.
Regularly scheduled inspection visits by store, plaza, hotel, or office/apartment building
maintenance staff can achieve some results. However, washroom usage
is not only unpredictable but also implies a relatively unwelcome
expense if it's to be monitored on a continuing basis.
Admittedly, in some high end establishments, especially in parts of
the U.K. and Europe, there are attendants in place, but there is then an
accompanying above average rental or overnight accommodation charge that
helps pay for it all.
Enter, therefore, Cognos Systems, a Californian firm that offers an
answer by way of wireless and electronic controls.
Their website -- http://www.cognos-systems.com/ --
explains that their primary concern is with monitoring cross contamination
in the foodstuffs, medical, and other industries that can inadvertently
spread harmful or dangerous bacteria. The emphasis is therefore
on ensuring compliance with hygiene protocol and preventing unauthorized
entry into secure areas such as clean rooms. As part of the system,
though, remote devices are employed to issues signals when towel and other
dispensers become empty.
By extension, installations are available for commercial buildings
so that maintenance staff can be instantly made aware that more towels,
soap, tissues, and the like are required.
The website doesn't give much indication of the cost of installing
the wireless devices -- and that seemingly is the design of them -- but
it's likely to be less than the fulltime wage bills that are otherwise
going to be involved.
In any case, however, the gain in profile has to count for something,
doesn't it?
Those of us who do much travelling or driving around know how much
displeasure we experience if we have to make a "pit stop" and find the
place unfit for use.
Hey, just think of all the gas stations, fast food outlets,and shopping
plazas, not to mention the small hotels, motels, and other wayside establishments
that could make up a whole new market for this high/low tech application!
Psst, wanna buy a deed to the White House?
You could say it's a good example of Only in
Canada, but David Jenneson, a Vancouver novelist, brought me up to date
last week regarding his fun foray into the Title Search aspect of real
estate.
Planning a novel about a Canadian realtor who sells the White House,
David discovered that the U.S. Government doesn't in fact have a deed that
records ownership of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He discovered that
George Washington, who ordered the purchase of a building site from one
David Burnes, didn't end up with any duly signed and recorded transfer
of the property in the early 1790s. This is borne out by the official reply to
an enquiry David made to the Archives people.
Armed with this knowledge, David decided to offer to sell a Quit Claim
deed for the White House via e-Bay, but the venture was very short lived.
Within a day, his ad was removed, as per the wording that can be seen at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4401373494.
You can read a few more
of the details -- and place an order for his book -- on David's
website at http://nightoftherealtors.com/index.htm.
Hey, who says we don't
have a sense of humour in Canada, eh?
And, as I've said/implied
on other occasions, the real estate business does have its interesting
moments, doesn't it?
Duncan Pollock, Real Estate Broker,
427 Gate Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake,
Ontario, Canada L0S 1J0
Tel: 905-468-3154 Fax: 905-468-3812
Cellular: 905-704-9037
email: duncanpollock@sympatico.ca
Note: E-mail
addressed changed as above on Nov 3 2007
website: http://www.duncanpollock.com
PS. One
of my web pages provides a list of the other newsletters I've sent
out. If you choose to go to it, you can click on any title to bring
up its full text.
PPS. I've recently been invited and encouraged to create a second
website, one that deals with my approach to the industrial, commercial,
and investment real estate market. You can reach it, if you're so
inclined, at http://www.iciniagara.com.
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