Something went right this week

This past week I experienced something that stunned me. In one city, a supplier skipped over the glaziers and quoted direct to a developer/GC. Initially no one wanted to make a fuss and so the supplier was going to be able to pull this off. But then something happened. Maybe because it’s slower than normal out there or maybe people just came to their senses. But the glazing community actually stepped up and pressured the supplier to walk from the job… and they did. Reason I am stunned is pretty much everyday people buy from their competition in one way or another. Yet no one seemed to care. Maybe that worm is turning.


Elsewhere....


-- Speaking of worms turning… months ago I predicted $4 a gallon gas. I am so thankful that I was/am wrong. Hate that the economy sucks and that’s part of the reason gas is low, but glad it is as there’s so much pressure on families these days as it is- $4 gas would be awful.


-- A tremendous and bold post by David Walker over at Glassblog (click here) on the Health care bill and its possible effects. No matter your party or your preference you need to check the post and really get familiar with this possible legislation, because it will be game changing.


-- I hate to always be so alarmist here, but there’s so much happening out there with repercussions to your business life, I have to. Another one is a transportation bill that is poking around Washington right now. This bill is basically a roadmap to figure out how to pay for the updates to our roads. And of course the way that will happen is probably taxes as well as new rules for over the road drivers and of course the “environmental” angle. And while we need to keep up on the repairs needed for the roads, something tells me this bill will be so much more and it will cost everyone a lot more in the future.

-- On my last blog Paul DeGray left me a comment that said I have been sounding down in the dumps lately. I am trying not to, but man there’s so many goofy things going on, it’s overwhelming me. But he’s right. Gotta work harder to get back to a lighter time. Thanks for the note Paul!


-- The story that USGNN linked to from Boston was a good read- but check out the comments. That’s where it gets interesting with all of the spontaneous breakage going on and how people dealt with it. I would love to know how much of that came from China… I am betting 85% of those comments.

-- A must read right here from one of my all time favorites, Dr. Helen Sanders of Sage. She does a nice job explaining some of the adventures our industry is facing. Especially note page 2, that page was brilliant.


-- Was asked why I don’t attend NFRC events but yet I still pick on them. And basically it was not worth the money and expense. We sent people for years but they were ignored and downplayed. Hell when you have lopsided votes (and some were very lopsided) but then the board just overturns it any way, what’s the point? Furthermore, aside from the juicy CMA stuff, those meetings were painfully boring. And those who go know that (and even have slept through it!)


-- Football training camps start like next week… and its already fall weather too! (well the fall weather part sucks.. but football season is awesome!)

To the LINKS…


-- Vanity Fair had this great read on the AIG situation… long piece but very interesting. The issues at AIG were not as simple as they appeared.

-- And keeping the “Wall Street” theme, the “link chick” checks in with a story on Goldman Sachs biting the hand that fed it.

-- Another thing from our past going bye bye… the big blue Mail Box….

Pictures of the week


You may have seen these already but this is a building in China… that fell over…. Yep keep ordering stuff from over there… it won’t fail ya… (like the tires or drywall too!) Seriously it looks fake but the entire building just fell over!!

























Video of the Week

You may have heard that world class soccer player David Beckham is not too happy playing here in the States… well evidently the fans of his team aren’t happy either. This is amazing as just 2 years ago the guy was the “savior” of American soccer… and now…not so much.