What A Different A Century Years Makes!
It’s a brand New Year and before we start trying to keep our New Years resolutions, I thought it would be fun to go back and look at what our country was like in 1909. Please note that this was only 100 short years ago and be prepared to have your mind blown! Here are some 1909 statistics:
- The average life expectancy was only 47 years.
- Only 14 percent of homes had a bathtub.
- Only 8 percent of homes had a telephone.
- There were no refrigerators, radios or television sets.
- There were only 8,000 cars and we only had 144 miles of paved roads in the whole country!
- Fuel for cars was purchased only in drug stores!
- The speed limit in most cities was only 10 mph!
- The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
- The average American worker earned 22¢ per hour.
- Good accountants earned $2,000 per year, dentist earned $2,500 per year, veterinarians earned $1,500 to $4,000 per year and mechanical engineers made about $5,000 per year.
- 95% of births took place in homes!
- 90% of doctors had no college education! Back then, they attended medical schools and many of those schools were condemned by the government as substandard.
- Sugar was 4 cents per pound.
- Eggs were 14 cents a dozen.
- Coffee was 15 cents per pound!
- Most women washed their hair only once per month and used borax or egg yolks.
- The five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke - Our American flag had only 45 stars.
- Las Vegas had a population of only 30 people!
- Only 80% of adults could read or write.
- Only 6% of Americans graduated from high school!
- The entire USA reported only about 230 murders!
- Marijuana, heroin and morphine were all available at local drugstores. Pharmacist were know to say that heroin was good to clear your complexion, give buoyancy to your mind, keep your bowels regular and was a “perfect guardian of your health.”
- 18% of households had at least one full time servant or domestic help.
- 95% of the taxes we have now did not exist in 1909! Wow, we’ve really come a long way! Can you imagine what our country will be like in another 100 years? We’ve got a lot to cover in this month’s issue, so let’s get started!
Wow! The best decision I made this year. Termite Terry and his entire staff were amazing! I had to have my house tented and wood repairs needed to be made. The workmanship and professionalism was superior. Not only were they highly professional and hard workers but they actually took the time to educate me on termites and fumigation. I hardly ever recommend people but Termite Terry did such an excellent job that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to my neighbors, friends and family. If you need pest control, this is the company to turn to. They will take good care of you!
-Lisa Mahdad, Huntington Beach.
I recently had an inspection followed by extensive wood repairs and a fumigation. My situation was a bit more tricky than normal because I work in Asia for months at a time and had to arrange everything sight-unseen. Nevertheless, after speaking with Joe Johnston, I felt confident that we could manage the process remotely. Indeed, he did an excellent job of follow-up and kept me informed (with emails, calls and pictures) during each step along the way. I don’t normally arrange house repairs unless I can be present, but Joe communicated consistently, delivered on his promises and got the job done to my satisfaction.”
-James Clarke, Tokyo Japan.
Orange County Homeowners Plagued By Rats
Our phones have been ringing off the hook with calls from homeowners that are having problems with rats. We’re not exactly sure why this is happening, however, the cold weather is probably a major factor. The most common complaint we hear is that the rats are keeping people awake at night because they make a lot of noise as they scurry around in attics and walls. Another huge complaint we hear is when homeowners are literally stunk out of their homes by dead rats.
The good news is that many of these problems can be prevented and that is why we would like to give you
10 Tips To Keep YourHome Rodent Free!
- 1. Store garbage in sound, metal containers with tight lids.
- 2. Store food in rodent-proof containers. In the case of pet food, only put out what pets will eat and don’t leave any food exposed overnight.
- 3. Regularly inspect food stocks, quickly clean up any food spills and dispose of any packages which have been penetrated by rodents.
- 4. Seal holes leading to wall voids and pick up any long-term clutter or debris to reduce nesting opportunities for rodents.
- 5. Store firewood, boxes, etc. 18 inches off the ground and at least 1 foot from walls to reduce cover or nest sites for rodents.
- 6. Discourage rodents living too close to your home by trimming or removing vegetation around foundations and moving bird feeders and kennels further from the building.
- 7. Fit tightly closing exterior doors and keep all doors closed when not in use, including garage doors.
- 8. Cover exterior vents with 20-guage wire screen of 1/4 inch mesh to exclude rodents.
- 9. Patch any holes in exterior walls with concrete. Wire mesh can be rammed into small holes as a temporary measure to exclude rodents.
- 10. Check any incoming supplies, particularly boxes which have been stored in garages and outbuildings, to prevent hidden rodents being carried indoors.
Got Rats? How Can You Get Rid Of Them?
- 1. Make sure that you have completed the 10 steps listed above, first. There are a lot of rats in Orange County and there’s no way you’ll ever catch them all. You’ve got to do these steps, first, or you’ll drive yourself crazy!
- 2. Do not use poisonous baits on the inside of your home! I know, I know – The guys at the hardware store always tell you to put out some of their magic rat bait and once the rats eat it, they will get thirsty and go outside to die. But . . . We have to go out to a lot of homes and businesses to remove rats that have been poisoned. Ask anyone that has had to endure the foul odor of a dead rat and they will all tell you – Don’t use poison baits on the inside!
- 3. Use “old fashioned” snap traps! These will take a bit more effort but they are well worth it. The secret to good trapping is to put the traps in a runway where the rats frequent. Remember, rats have very poor vision and always follow walls and surfaces with their whiskers. So, if you place the trap away from their pathway, they may never even see it, much less step on it.
- 4. You may place rodent bait stations on the exterior to control the rat population. But, make sure that your home is rodent proofed, first!
Need help with rodent control? Call our office at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form and we’ll be glad to assist.
“Termite” Terry’s Trip To The Redwood Forest
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Termite Terry and his wife Pam, went up to visit their daughter Marcia. She lives in Petaluma, which is about 40 minutes north of San Francisco. That’s a beautiful part of our state where they have wine vineyards as far as the eye can see. But, if you go further north, only about 30 minutes more, you can also visit the Armstrong Redwood State Natural Reserve. Termite Terry loves trees and when asked where he wanted to go first, he asked to go to see the redwood forest.
The Armstrong Redwoods preserves magnificent “Sequoia sempervirens”, commonly known as the “coast redwood”. These trees are truly a testament to the wonders of the natural world. The ancient redwood is the tallest living thing on our planet. They live to be 500-1,000 years old, grow to a diameter of 12-16 feet in diameter and stand 200-250 feet tall.
The park has some very nice hiking trails and once you get started through the forest, the first thing you notice is that it is very quiet there. The grove is so well shaded that few plants can grow that would offer food or shelter for animals. That’s why there are only a few birds and an occasional scolding squirrel that may be heard now and then.
One of the highlights to see at the grove is the “Parson Jones Tree”. It measures more than 310 feet tall That’s longer than a football field!
The oldest tree is the “Colonel Armstrong Tree”. It is estimated to be over 1,400 years old! The tree was named after Colonel James Boydston Armstrong, a Civil War veteran who was an early Sonoma County landowner. He was a lumber man and conservationist with a dream of turning his grove of ancient redwoods into public property forever. Colonel Armstrong died in 1891 and in 1917, Sonoma County purchased the land for $80,000. In 1934, the county offered it to the state as a public park.
The thing that really moved Termite Terry was when he saw where an old fallen tree had been cut in half. This tree must have been about 14 feet in diameter and you could see the many growth rings, which represent years of growth. This tree was over 1,400 years old. The growth rings on this tree were marked with dates showing many of the world’s major events. There were events dating back to around 600ad. They marked the spot that showed when Leif Ericson landed in North America in 995ad. And, way out near the edge, you could see the year of 1620 when the Pilgrims landed on our shores! It’s very hard to imagine that this tree was standing for that many years!
Termite Terry highly recommends the Armstrong Redwoods as a great place to visit. There is a lot to see and you can easily spend a whole day there. It’s especially great for families because they’ve got miles of hiking trails, horseback riding, picnic areas, restrooms and admission is FREE! You can camp at the Austin Creek Recreation Area, located next to the park. It’s an experience that you and your family will never forget!
January Is National Glaucoma Awareness Month
Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. From infants to seniors, everyone is vulnerable. It is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans and Hispanics.
They estimate that over 3 million Americans and close to 70 million people worldwide have this disease. Unfortunately, nearly half of them are not even aware that they have it. When you consider our aging population, it’s easy to predict an epidemic of blindness looming if we don’t raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations to preserve vision.
“Primary open glaucoma” is the most common type and it is hereditary. So, if you have glaucoma, it is important to let your family members know that they are at increased risk.
The best way to protect your vision from this disease is to get a thorough eye examination. If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, then you need to start treatments immediately.
The mainstay of glaucoma treatment is to lower eye pressure with eye drops or surgery. Progression of visual field defects can be practically halted if eye pressure is lowered to correct levels.
A number of strategies for glaucoma management are being investigated and someday they hope to find a cure.
One particularly interesting strategy in controlling this diseases is “exercise”. According to the University of Illinois, eye pressure can be lowered by exercise that raises the pulse just 20-25%. That could be as simple as taking a brisk walk for 20 minutes, four times a week! Or, maybe you’d rather ride your bike, jog, swim, take aerobic classes or cross country ski. Exercise may not cure everyone, but it might make all the difference in the world. Best of all, it’s cheap and it has great side effects!
74 Year Old Woman Mauled By A Pack Of Raccoons!
A 74 year old woman was viciously attacked by a pack of raccoons in her front yard. She saw the raccoons in her front yard and went out to shew them away. But, in moments they were all over her. They knocked her down and she hit her head. Neighbors heard her screams for help and rushed to her aid. Witnesses say that she was taken to the hospital, covered with blood and in “rough shape”. Her legs were “filleted”, her face badly scarred and her back and chest were covered with scratches.
Animal control officers spent the entire day trying to trap the animals, baiting them with cat food and sardines. They believe that the attack may have been caused because someone in the neighborhood has been feeding the animals and that now, this woman is suffering with severe injuries due to someone’s “misguided” kindness to animals.
“Termite” Terry strongly recommends that you should never feed these animals. Besides being dangerous to your family and pets, they are also serious vectors of disease. It’s also very important that you don’t leave pet food dishes out after dark and that you keep all trash cans tightly covered so that you don’t attract them to your home.
Have a problem with raccoons or other animals at your home? Call us for a free pest audit at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form and we’ll be glad to assist.