“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live.  I rejoice in life for its own sake.  Life is no brief candle to me.  It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”-George Bernard Shaw  This quote is one by which Hy Goldman lives.

Whether by association to the torch and the carrying of light, these words are powerful and reminiscent of a work ethic that elevates life to divine heights.

Hy Goldman celebrates his birthday at Benvenuti Ristorante in East Hanover. Pictured here with treasured friend, Gloria Schwartz, grand-daughter of the late Ethel Lebersfeld.  Ethel Lebersfeld hired Hy on June 1, 1941.  He has worked for Capitol Lighting ever since.

In this day and age of the perpetual search for an easier life, more leisure time and the latest frivolity, we hold dear to the depth of character and bright quality of a life that continues to sustain a great worker and humble man who lights up our lives.

Hy Goldman celebrates family and an outstanding career.  He said he will retire on his 100th birthday this Saturday August 17, 2013, but time will tell!  We intend to keep him shining brighter than a Capitol chandelier.

Hy with Donna Costello, a recently “retired” Capitol Lighting star.   Donna Costello remains close in spirit to all who have been blessed to work with her.

Hy Goldman celebrates with friends and family.  Pictured with Adele Lebersfeld (standing), Max Lebersfeld (standing), Moya Goldman and  Stanley Goldman.

His family, son Stanley and daughter-in-law Moya, say that “Hy” is stubborn.  He stubbornly holds unto the values that keep him strong, and this may be the key to his longevity.  He wastes nothing and appreciates everything. “Every day is a gift,” he says with a smile and a quiet graciousness that uplifts the spirits of all who come to greet him.

Hy with Carol Saggiammo.  Carol recently celebrated her outstanding career with Capitol Lighting, and she is still going strong.

Governor Chris Christie officially acknowledges Herman “Hy” Goldman’s 100th birthday…

Hy Goldman at work:

He may be moving a bit slower than when he was 20, but he is at the top of his game in creativity and spirit!

Check out the latest “Hy Original Re-creations”…

A stunning crystal lamp brilliantly designed and reworked and wired into a magnificent one-of-a-kind piece.

The Tree of Light and Glass.  He has customers, as well as co-workers competing for his original works of art.

A power surge is an increase in voltage flowing through your electrical units that rise above the standard voltage levels (120 Volts). These surges can be caused by lightning, high-powered electrical devices (elevators, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc), faulty wiring or even problems with your utility company’s equipment. Inevitably, these are all occurrences that we cannot prevent ourselves, so how can you protect your home and equipment from these damaging power surges?

Surge Protector

A simple solution is plugging in your electronics into a surge protector. A surge protector is a device used to protect your electronics from damaging power surges. However, many people use this tool for a much more obvious function, to plug in multiple components into one outlet, not knowing its protective capabilities. You most likely use at least one surge protector in your home already. But how does it work? How do you know that you are providing the top quality protection for your important devices?

How it Works

As you know, your surge protector pulls electrical currents from one outlet and passes them through all the electrical devices plugged into the surge protector. This aside, the more important feature of this device is its metal oxide varistor (MOV) component, which diverts extra voltage and preventing it from damaging your electronics. This MOV acts in different ways depending on the voltage flow to provide your devices consistent access to adequate levels of power. If the MOV indicates high levels of voltage, it will reduce the resistance and if the voltages are low it will create a higher resistance. However, it is important to be aware that these MOV’s can also burn out. By investing in a power surge with an indicator light you will always be able to determine whether or not it’s functioning appropriately.

In our next blog, Power Surge Protection: What to Look For, we will be discussing how and where to use your surge protector and purchasing tips for finding a quality protector. For more information on power surges and how to protect your equipment, contact the experts at Expert Electric. 604-681-8338

The short answer to this question is no one can be certain of the reason without a professional inspection. If you notice sparking or electrical arcing in any appliance, electrical outlet, or switch, you should call a qualified professional electrician immediately. Bryant Electric Service can dispatch a licensed electrician capable and experienced to make these inspections.

Please call Bryant Electric Service at at 512-402-8587 with any concerns you have about sparking or electrical arcing of any kind.

Maciej Winiarcyzk using more than two thousand digital photographs just over a month ago.

I have never had the privilege of seeing the northern lights in real life, but my sister lives in northern Canada and has told me about them. (She’s a pretty credible source: She even named her daughter Aurora.) After asking her, “What ARE the northern lights,” several times, I now understand the aurora borealis to be a visual effect of the collision of solar wind and magnetospheric charged particles with the thermosphere. Can you see why I had to ask what the northern lights were more than once? The northern lights are most spectacular near the North Pole and during spring and autumn equinoxes. (And, by the way, no. The northern lights are not Santa’s off-season hobby.) But the northern lights, if there are some geomagnetic storms a-brewin’, can be seen closer to home, too, visible occasionally as far south as Chicago or New York.

Anyway, this guy Winiarcyzk is an astronomy enthusiast who lives in Caithness, which is at the tippy top of Scotland. There’s isn’t much light pollution way up there, so it’s a good place for such a sky-minded person to live and enjoy his hobby. Wonderfully, with this time lapse video of the northern lights, we get to enjoy his hobby, too.

Take a look. Have you ever seen anything more lovely occurring in nature? You know, with all this solar wind, magnetospheric particles, thermospheres, and geomagnetic storms, it sure seems like there is a lot more going on in nature than we can readily sense.

By Clarissa Allison | December 11th, 2015

If you are lucky enough to have a large family room or “great room”, you may encounter some exciting challenges when choosing home decor and lighting that complements and balances your space. A great room is a large room typically found in modern homes that combines the features of a living room with those of a dining room or family room.

Large, open spaces are very common to find in floorplans these days. The dining room incorporates the kitchen, which is part of the living room and leads into the den, etc.  This trend sees walls to separate activity spaces removed. You’ll find that the kitchen is no longer segregated from the rest of the home but may easily become a main focal point. As you’ll see, the key to lighting these types of spaces is variety. You’ll want to utilize ambient, task, wall, and spot lighting to eliminate a “cave-like” atmosphere and maintain a feeling of spaciousness and height.

Read on for tips on how to set up the perfect lighting scheme for functionality, elegance and entertaining.

Update Your Kitchen Island As An Activity Space