Sunday, September 25, 2011

Good news in the middle of the mess

Lost in the massive malaise of the depressing run on Wall Street last week, along with the continued pathetic performances coming from Washington DC, the AIA released some positive news with the Architectural Building Index. The ABI actually bounced back, shocking analysts and on lookers alike. The biggest surprise was the leap in new projects on the board. There’s two ways to look at that- one it’s about time, we were due for this and it does mean next summer the building segment will be strong. The other is that these projects are pie in the sky efforts that will never get the financing and the study is skewed. My opinion is it’s a little of both. I do think better times are ahead and I continue to discount the ABI for the most part, but I also don’t think massive jumps are in the offing. A steady positive run will be the play here. Bottom line, this was some good news to grab ahold of in the middle of a very volatile week.

Elsewhere…

-- Last week’s blog by the brilliant Bill Evans to me shows that he is a great voice of the glass shop and glazier. He is pure money and I am in awe. When I met Bill at GlassBuild he mentioned he was amazed I write my blog 52 weeks a year, and how do I come up with stuff. I told him what I do and write about is nowhere near the weight and importance that he brings and last week proved that point. Bill’ s work was a tremendous and powerful read and it’s an honor to share a page with him.

-- Was honored yet again to return to Colorado and speak at the Colorado Glazing Contractors Association. I have been a huge fan of the CGCA for years and consider it the model that every regional trade group should follow. Rebecca Kaspari, along with this year’s President Marty Richardson of Metro Glass just do an awesome job.

-- By the way comically when I got to the hotel at the CGCA event was at, I asked the front desk where they were having the speech. They sent me to a room where I started to set up but I recognized no one. I was really spooked; I mean I figured I’d see the ultra classy Cameron Scripture of Viracon at a minimum- and no Rebecca or Marty? What was going on here? So I’m quietly trying to get organized when I asked someone there if this was the CGCA meeting…. And I was then told it was a benefit for orphaned animals in Rwanda. The funny thing is no one there was stopping me from setting up….I should’ve spoken there too!

-- Time for a list… recently Trust in America came out with the “Fattest States” list and here is your top 10…

10. Michigan- Wow we can’t even win this one. But we are fattest in the North!
9. Arkansas
8. South Carolina
7. Oklahoma
6. Kentucky
5. Louisiana
4. Tennessee
3. West Virginia
2. Alabama
1. Mississippi

Amazing comparison, Mississippi a few months ago was noted as the “unhappiest” state by another poll. So that doesn’t jive for me, isn’t the term “Fat and Happy”?

-- The fight in Vegas over the Harmon building at CityCenter rolls on. I’m telling you some day someone will do a book on the entire process, from the birth and concept of that structure, to construction mode with all of its issues, through the lawsuits and eventual conclusion. It will be riveting.

-- Last this week, the Dynamic Glass world surely did get positive momentum with the marketing agreement between PPG and Pleotint. PPG putting its credibility behind a product brings a lot of value and I believe this move benefits all of the technologies in that segment. End of the day new technology in our industry will be the difference maker we need going forward.

LINKS of the WEEK:

-- Wild story on a fake pilot trying to beat security at an airport. A dumb prank with deep repercussions.

-- Well since I live in the 10th fattest state and I myself am in a fat state right now, maybe this amazing new mp3 imbedded jogging suit is my next purchase!

-- Ah forget it, I’d rather eat these triple stack deep fried Oreos… I’m sure they’re low fat! LOL

VIDEO of the WEEK

Well may as keep with the Fat and workout theme, with a comical video of a treadmill FAIL. Wonder what the guy was planning on doing in taping himself on there….

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