The first crack in the wall....

Lost in all of the stories about the weakening economy was the one about the Echelon Casino in Las Vegas putting a halt to the work on their new building. Why is this news? Well this is this not just a little strip mall… this is a huge casino and it’s a signal that the economic pressures are real. It’s also the first noticeable crack in wall that is Vegas. Las Vegas has been build, build, build- and recently they have been doing it in record speeds… and to hit a bump like this is truly significant. The delay on this project will surely have a domino effect, hurting a lot of people along the way. Aside from the suppliers who now are stuck with finished or semi-finished product, this casino was slated to employ 10,000 people. So this is NOT your run of the mill building or delay. For more info on this CLICK HERE. Thanks to BGO for the initial heads up on this.

Elsewhere….

-- Our industry made national news last week, but for the wrong reasons thanks to the tragic plane crash that happened in Minnesota . Two executives from Atlantic Plate Glass along with folks also involved on a major casino project passed away. Its’ times like this that make you aware of your mortality and allows you to give thanks for each day you have on earth. The saying is “Life is short” and in reality it truly is. Our condolences go out to the families and everyone who was touched by this awful turn of events.

-- Also condolences to the family of Peter Hurd. Peter also passed away last week. He was known very well in the decorative and obscure glass industry and his insight and abilities will be sorely missed.

-- On the NFRC beat… I owe someone lunch… after putting out the below challenge, I got a great e-mail- the whole transcript:

I don’t know you have given away the free lunch yet or not but I have the “answer”…
(From Max’s blog) “Before I continue... Lunch on me to the first person who can tell me how NFRC can be a consensus when the groups and committees vote overwhelmingly in one direction but the board overturns it? How is that "consensus" based? Seriously?”
At the “open” board meeting Garrett Stone provided it for me “…at the NFRC the board is last consensus vote..” so there you see it is really quite simple. I just have to note that this comment came a day after the group voted 19-5 to lower the number of IA reviews for a manufacturers ACE to match that of a certified laboratory. He did not like the results so he recommended that the board review this decision in the closed session and Tom Culp basically said here we go again, Garrett did not like the results (of which he missed the discussion and vote because he, Gary Curtis, and other prominent board members fly in the afternoon of the last day and then go to the board meeting the next day, because even they know that what happens the previous three days does not matter) so he recommends that the board take a serious look at this and decide in private, as usual after an NFRC meeting I have no idea what the outcome was…

Yep I would love to send this blurb out to the folks that are buying that NFRC is a consensus.. because they are NOT! Send it to the IECC, send it to the DOE (though they are so cluelessly blinded by NFRC that we’d have to read it to them… real slow. ) and send it to anyone and everyone who may even think this group has any interests except their own. This stuff happens… EVERYTIME… and ALL THE TIME. It’s pathetic.
And seriously I am sure the NFRC would spin that this is their way of “consensus” (damn- drink) and that the board for the good of the 501c3 (drink) makes it necessary… but the bottom line is that these processes get bandied about, discussed, worked, and hustled for months if not years, and then at the last moment- without warning, crap like this happens. And usually its someone with something to gain. And you wonder why people get mad….

-- Oh and on that note, the Benney video Q&A where he states manufacturers should speak up has elicited a ton of reaction. The best comment was the following:

See Jim wants the manufacturers to embrace it and just offer “tweaks” What he doesn’t realize that the only tweaks that should happen should be nuclear. Keep up the fight!

OK enough NFRC for now, ½ of my audience just clicked to another site.

-- Don’t forget Fall Conference for GANA- registration is open now… well worth the time folks.

-- The Olympics start this weekend and as I have noted before I am very excited for the events.. not so much for the venue. I do expect there to be massive problems- whether it’s the smog (Don’t worry they are shooting smog “pellets” to break up the smog- seriously) or the military or just the overall lack of care by the communist hosts. Jim Fairley summed it up really good on the USG Message Boards… why did they ever get this honor?
On the Olympics itself- watching Michael Phelps go for 7 or 8 gold medals surely will be “must see TV”

-- Also starting full scale this weekend… football… ah… and while that is great it does pretty much mean summer is over. And that’s a bummer.

ON TO THE LINKS….

-- A blow to the communist Chinese is the cost of shipping. This article here puts it into some perspective. Will this stop the flow? No way, but it could slow it or even the playing field some- which is only fair.

-- In Denver they are using wasted beer to run the cars… Now that could really be an option!

-- Feel sorry for those of you on US Air… now even water costs money… and just a matter of time before everyone else follows suit…


VIDEO of the Week:

Thanks again to Larry (man you have been clutch!) for the video… a little graphic but its kinda like a real life karma lesson…