Question of the week...

Are we there yet? If you have kids and ever did a road trip with them, those are 4 words you surely heard… a lot. Now I hear them from customers and suppliers in various regions and segments of our industry as it pertains to the economy and our industry. Some locales and specialties are doing better than others but the folks that are suffering are constantly asking if we hit bottom yet. Are we there yet? No, in my opinion not yet. But I believe we are close. The residential industry is starting to see positive signs (and don’t tell me it’s because of 30/30 either… it may be from the stimulus, but that inane plan actually did a ton more damage than help) and with some new energy related technology gaining traction, we may be “there” hopefully sooner than later…

Elsewhere…

-- The latest Greg Carney update is very promising. Greg is actually up and around and has even talked with some of the folks at GANA. Pretty dang awesome if I do say so myself… We’ll know for sure when he is recovered when he starts reading blogs again… in any case the news has been good and that means the good, solid positive thoughts and prayers that went to Greg were answered!

-- Saw that the GICC announced some new folks into their version of a “Hall of Fame”- a major congrats to those guys… but it makes even more excited for when USGlass brings back the “Hall of Fame” for our industry. We have so many great candidates and really people that deserve the honor, recognition and credit due them for their efforts and impact on the industry.

-- USGNN ran a story last week on a survey done by PPG of architects and their desires. One of the fascinating areas was that the need for ENERGY STAR compliance was high on the list. Which leads to the following questions: Were these folks residential architects? Were they confusing the question when it comes to ENERGY STAR? (maybe thinking of washers and dryers?) Could they really not know that there’s no commercial ENERGY STAR? See that last one is the rub… if an architect thinks that there’s a commercial window version of ENERGY STAR, well that’s pretty scary… It’s coming, you can be assured of that… because someone at DOE will be awake long enough to try and get that program going. But as of now it does not exist- so the fact that an architect may consider a program that does not exist yet an “important attribute” is downright frightening. Oh and the self serving part of the survey… it was funny when they noted that PPG was recognized as the green leader by 33% over its nearest competitor. Of course they would since they have the name recognition (especially since most architects still spec things like Polar Pane and Spectrum etc..) but I’d have to wonder if Viracon and Kawneer were listed as options, no way would that total bear out. Hell I think some architects spec those guys to put in toilets they love them so much.

-- Man summer is weak for TV…. I wish they’d save Survivor or Amazing Race for summer…

-- Stanley Cup is coming around the corner and hopefully my beloved Penguins will be there again… and if it’s a rematch with the Red Wings, I will once again be an enemy in my neighborhood and my house will be subject to all of the great abuse from the Detroit fans… hopefully though this year the Pens will pull it off… Still as I write this both Pittsburgh and Detroit need to clinch and hopefully I have not jinxed them.

-- Hope everyone had a good Memorial Day and hopefully everyone took a little time to pay a thought to the incredible men and women who have protected us from evil. Every current member of the forces and every veteran deserve your respect and good thoughts. Without them, we would never have the freedom to do all we do…

Off to the LINKS…

-- Living in Michigan is good for a few things… the weather for 3 months out of the year is awesome… and the bizarre Detroit City Council is always good for laughs… this week.. a City Council member only paying $68 in taxes on her house… and saying she did it because why would she question a bill like that? Story is here and it’s pretty comical…

-- Beware the evils of texting… the New York Times takes a look…

-- The “Link Chick” checks in with an awesome and cool one… check out these pictures that look seriously photoshopped… but they are not… wow.

Book of the WEEK…
“Bust” by Adam Resnick… the story of a very sick compulsive gambler and one that ended up losing millions and going to jail because of his addiction. Pretty riveting read and while some of the story you would say “no way” the author sells it well. It is a true story by the way. Thanks to my brother for lending the book.

Video of the WEEK…
A very huge hockey hit that blows up the glass… always fun to see when you are in the business… but oddly did you know that at the United Center (home of the Blackhawks) that they use PLASTIC for their “Glass” along the boards? What’s going on there? Are there no tempered suppliers there? I mean that’s sacrilegious!

And yet another thing to worry about...

Folks once again I am here to sound the alarm and this time on the list is the Cap and Trade provision that is currently working through congress. This bill will be a massive disaster to our industry (and not to mention all of us personally- but that’s another story for another time.) Basically this bill will hurt the primary glass guys badly, even the “beloved” Cardinal (who always seems to get their way). Cap and Trade has not been successful and Europe and it won’t be here either. What it will do is run industries like ours into even bigger issues than we all already deal with. I am no expert, but do some research, check out the info GANA has on it and you will agree (if you have logic) that is not good. And once again I expect to be skewered for being a puppet of the primaries (even though most of them can’t stand me either.)


Elsewhere….


-- By the way follow all of the Energy stuff on GANA’s incredible Energy page that can be found by clicking HERE.

-- Greg Carney update… according to the last note I received not much has changed with Greg but he did make what was termed a “baby step” in the right direction. Let’s keep the thoughts and prayers going his way, the man deserves that much.


-- This week the 30/30 disaster was back in the news again via USGNN and a story on how this provision makes no sense from the skylight side of business. So yet another angle appears that wasn’t thought of by the brain surgeons on Senator Olympia Snowe’s payroll. (That makes like 112 so far…) The funniest part of the story was this line: "Collins' office said they are working to change it while Snowe's office sent a form letter, which didn't address any of our issues," said Magnuson. WOW what a stunner, you mean the person that slipped this idiotic provision in with a 3AM discussion did not reply? Color me shocked. Hopefully the folks of Maine have an option when Snowe runs for re-election because she needs to go.


-- And by the way, Gas went up again this week and Oil is at $60 per gallon… sorry I have to do this, its my therapy… talk it out and hope I am oh so wrong.


-- 24 ended and if you did not watch it, skip this paragraph… I did not like the finale… you invest 22 hours in something and then the end is a let down… that pretty much sucks. Still a bad Jack Bauer is better than no Jack Bauer! All in all I just thought they should’ve ended it with more of a 24-like shock and less of a skittish soap opera obvious cliffhanger.


-- I just finished my next column for USGlass (on newsstands where the best magazines are sold) and one angle I hit was this… are you surprised that in this slowing economy everyone is still standing? Or do you like many others think that it’s just a matter of time when companies will start to fall off? To me that is the story to watch for the 2nd half of the year.


Off to the LINKS…


-- A solar house in Michigan… good idea right? Well not when the pipes freeze… oh boy… methinks there’s still a lot of technology that has to be figured here before we all live this way.


-- Fewer people are flying this summer but travel will still suck according to this article. But you know what sucks… people who use up the overhead space for their laptop case/purse/briefcase. THAT’S FOR BENEATH THE SEAT MORON… I swear one day you’ll read about me getting tossed off of a flight for that. Major pet peeve.


From the always awesome “link chick”… who is unlike me… positive and happy…


-- Rewarding stores who adopt green policies… I like it…


-- Interesting story on how people in Indonesia beat traffic… by using Carpool jockeys…


BOOK OF THE WEEK:


You may have heard about the two girls who were involved in a major car accident 2 years ago and the folks at the scene mis-identified the girls and for five weeks one family believed their daughter was dead and the other family sat bedside with a girl that they “thought” was their daughter. Now the whole story of that time is being told in a book by both families called “Mistaken Identity” Great read and your heart just goes out to everyone involved. It also makes you want to hug your kids and not let go.


VIDEO OF THE WEEK:


Former KC Royal great George Brett goes off on the media… and you have to love his passion… but his choice of golf slacks has got to go.

Greg Carney on my mind

No question the biggest news of the week was the release from GANA on Greg Carney’s health. As you may know by now, Greg is fighting very serious health issues and as an industry we all need to keep Greg in our thoughts and prayers. It is no secret that I am huge Greg Carney fan. He has done so much for this industry… he has stood up and fought for what is right, he has helped develop technical documents and he has brought people from various backgrounds together for the good of the industry. Bottom line is Greg Carney is a class act and good man and now all of us need to send as much positivity as we can as he fights on.

Elsewhere…

-- By the way I am sure Greg would’ve preferred that no one know what he is going through, but he has touched so many people that it would be unfair to not spread the word and let people know that their friend and cohort is fighting. The more people who can send prayers and thoughts his way- the better.

-- I know I was not the only one who was sickened on the puff piece the Las Vegas Sun did on Chinese company Zetian. Journalism took a beating with that one sided piece that’s for sure… (It should be titled “Advertorial”) heck I am surprised that it’s not in there that Zetian can cure cancer too. I have already gone on and on with this issue but it just sucks that sometimes angles like this get justified when in my mind (and I think many others) they do not deserve to be.

-- Postage stamp rates are up to .44 now… but I saw you can buy “forever” stamps now at .44 and use them forever no matter what the price is then… and you buy these at no premium whatsoever… I guess the bizarre way our industry prices stuff is not that unique afterall…

-- Gas went up again this week… more than .20 on average nationally. I’m telling you we’re barreling towards $4 per gallon again and that is depressing.

-- And on that same depressing note… Downsizing the “Big 3” autos has a pretty severe trickledown… dealerships… closing… yikes… check out this story on an empty stomach.

-- The BIM push is back with a few releases in the last week propping it back up. As you remember last year BIM was smoking hot- USGlass had some tremendous stuff on it and basically everyone was planning on it… then BAM the trail went cold…until the few days… basically it was a combination of items that scared people off… the costs were high, and probably higher now that BimWorld was bought out, and there’s still a major question of usage by architects. So in times where you are tightening your belt, do you really want to spend money on a program that may not be used mainstream for a few years? Evidently a few companies do…

-- I am bumming that 24 is making Jack Bauer look stupid going into the finale next Monday… hopefully the end of the show swerve this week is just that and all will be right with the world come next Monday night!

-- Great blog post from Jim Plavecsky over at the DWM site. (Post is HERE) He writes about the explosion of social networking tools… amen Jim, amen…. I can deal with a LinkedIn but if you see me “twittering” it has to be an imposter….

Off to the LINKS!

Yes after a few weeks break, the Link Chick is back… hooray!

-- As someone who wears glasses, they can drive me crazy… but this idea to have “pierced” glasses is simply insane…

-- A great story on a very good deed…

-- Something I think you will more of in the future… instead of letting a house sit forever empty… tearing it down… its happening in California..

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Marg Webb sent me this one a few weeks back… if you have not heard of the singing sensation that is Susan Boyle, check out this video… an amazing back story to go along with an incredible voice. Thanks Marg for the video!

Better than expected

Well I admit it… I was wrong… Yep I missed my mark on the prediction that the AIA show last week would be a disaster. Amazingly it went a ton better than I thought. Now attendance was not great and I heard from many exhibitors that the floor was not kind to them (the show floor was perhaps the most stupid yet- which is saying something), but the big reason I mark this as a success is the fact that the tone of the attendee changed. The average architect in the past was usually detached and arrogant at these gatherings, now they had a focus. They were more friendly and engaging. Maybe being slow and seeing their careers and livelihoods in danger changed them. Who knows maybe this was an aberration and next year in Miami the snooty, distant designers will return. But for 3 days in crazy San Francisco it was not evident.

Elsewhere…

-- The AIA floor was a mess- 3 halls and in 2 buildings… I wonder how many exhibitors were like me and felt the bait and switch with that goofy layout?

-- USGNN did a tremendous job, as always, of covering the event. Props to Megan, Ellen and Drew for a job well done. By the way, Drew was the guy holding the camera… most people (guys especially) probably paid him no mind with Megan and Ellen (talented as always!) around but Drew does a tremendous job and deserves props too.

-- Big part of the show? The push of the BIPV products- and full disclosure… I had one in our booth that was well received (people can and do abuse me for being a “self promoter” but in this case, the BIPV was a big item at the show and there’s no way I can ignore it or the involvement by the company I work for when it was a big part of the show) and I am sure that the others that showed this product probably had some solid interest too. No doubt that this is a line that has the interest of the design community.

-- Bummer of the show? No Starship Enterprise. Damn.

-- Seen on the floor… I stopped by Sage and saw the gang there… had to give them congrats on a tremendous new ad that they have out. They were able to explain “value” in an ad better than anyone had done it previous. Good work!

-- Speaking of ads I did get to meet the brains behind Glassopolis. You may remember them for their fantastic ad from a few months ago… anyway they promised a new and even better ad is coming. Can’t wait. Seriously the Sage ad should win an award for 09, same as the Glassopolis one should’ve gotten for 08.

-- Of course the Walker Texture guys were there and once again dressed to kill. These guys never disappoint and this year at the show they did take on a charity case- see the results below. As always old faves Pilkington (with the fine folks from W&W and TGP) Zeledyne, Guardian and Viracon were in place and always nice to see the folks from all of those places. I know many others were there but unfortunately because of the crappy layout of the show and the traffic at my booth, I never got around the last 2 days. But I did see Jim Benney and Tom Herron from NFRC…. Many people would not expect me to do that… (they actually stopped by my booth first- then I went to there’s) but while I disagree with the actions, I like and respect Jim (just met Tom for the first time.) So no fireworks there sorry…

Other stories…

-- Last week’s lead on “selling your way” out of a crisis really hit some nerves… I got a ton of e-mail on that… most good but a few telling me that I am calling the kettle black… and I responded to those accordingly. Bottom line is that strategy will not work for the long term.. and as someone noted on the comments that in the Office episode, Michael ended up OK, in a way he did not… and that was surely not reality…

-- Get ready… did you notice over the last few days gas prices are on the rise… and Oil is starting to go up too… somehow I have this sick, sick feeling that gas will be heading towards the $4.00 mark again this summer… seriously depressing folks… and by the way I noticed Natural Gas is on the up too… yeesh.

-- Did you see the IRS delayed the implementation of the bogus 30/30 rule to June 1? The thing should be completely abolished but at least I enjoyed the rebuke of the idiots that pushed this through. Still I want explained how this benefits homeowners in Phoenix or Miami? It doesn’t because it’s bogus.

-- LAST but least… April set another traffic record for this site… and for that I must say THANK YOU! I truly appreciate you joining on my weekly therapy sessions!

-- The link chick is back, but I am going to stockpile them for next week…

Instead of a video this week… leftovers from AIA… with pictures… the craziness of San Francisco! I swear that city was surely a new experience for this sheltered country boy. Major thanks to the Cajun Legend JD for the pics!

This guy was NOT an architect… but read that sign- isn’t that what we all deal with everyday?

Amazing what the police force was doing… a bum who did his “business” in the corner and he gets a ticket! Yep I am sure he has the funds to pay for that.

A Dog, with a Cat and a Rat… yep. Amazing eh? And people were giving this guy money... what I am missing here?

And thanks to the guys at Walker Glass, I got an extreme makeover… I wish!! Great suit… sadly if I tried to pull that outfit off in real life it would not be pretty... but I can dream right?