Are we wasting more $$$

So last week I defended my positivity, amazingly this week I start off with a little bit of a negative edge. There are just some items that set me off and this is truly one of them. Readers of this blog know that I have never really been a fan of the Department of Energy. I have found them weak, feckless, and usually smitten with one side of the story with no desire whatsoever to learn the other. Lately the DOE has been in the news thanks to adventures in the solar world and loan guarantees gone bad, and this week, they yet again made the wrong kind of news. Evidently the DOE started a contest for “app” developers to create programs for consumers to measure how much energy they use. This contest offers over 100K in cash prizes available. The problem? There’s no need for the contest! There are already several apps out there! In addition, do we really need to spend 100K on something so frivolous? It just boggles the mind. Meanwhile the DOE blows off legitimate products that could use a bump of cash and support, but a contest to create something already created makes the cut. Unreal.


Elsewhere…

-- A pretty wild story this week on Serious Energy and the adventures that may or may not be happening over there. Here’s the link, an interesting piece to say the least and with a title like “Serious Energy in Serious Trouble” yeah I think that may be worth a read.

 -- A few major personnel moves from this week… Dan Plotnick has joined Guardian in the Asia Pacific region. A great grab for the guys at Guardian, Dan is a super talented guy and he’s one person brave enough to read my stuff in China. Bob Larsen has hooked on at Premier Glass Products. A good group just got better. I have known Bob a long time dating back to us sharing a board of director assignment together and they just don’t make em much better than him.

 -- Also Consolidated Glass Holding Group named its CEO with the announcement of Tom Ryan. Welcome to the wild and wooly glass and glazing industry Mr. Ryan. -- If you missed it last week Rod Van Buskirk had his debut blog and I have to say it was a great maiden effort. Rod’s work looks to be a “must read” every time out and considering it will only come quarterly, there’s surely no excuse to miss it.

-- And speaking of “missing it” if you haven’t checked out the latest issue of Glass Magazine, you need to. Seriously one of the best all around issues I have seen. From cover to cover, great articles, information and advertisements. Congrats to Jenni Chase and the team at Glass Magazine on a job well done.

-- A job well done to the folks at Technical Glass Products- they launched a new website and it is simply super. Clean, sharp and tons of info. Plus it looks to feature a great social concept including a blog from Jeff Razwick that I am holding out high hopes for.

-- Last this week… NHL hockey hits playoff season… I have been warned I am not allowed to pick the Canucks, Capitals or Penguins. Fans of those teams have demanded I don’t jinx them. Sadly (especially being a Pens fan) I wasn't picking those teams anyway as I am going with a Cup Final of Chicago vs. Boston… for the Hawks I think Patrick Kane carries this team and Bruins are a solid, well coached team and I think they are going to repeat and hoist the Cup again.

LINKS of the WEEK

-- The date on this one should be April 1, because it reads like a joke. A 28 year old college student sues her school because they won’t allow her to keep a guinea pig as a pet in the dorm. My goodness.

-- An awesome, awesome link… if Twitter was invented in the 80’s. Someone very creative with A LOT of time on their hands created this masterpiece.

 -- This article is mind blowing for the story and the writing. The story is crazy and the writing makes my blog look like a Pulitzer winner.

VIDEO of the WEEK

One of the best parts of the just passed NCAA Basketball tournament is the showing of “One Shining Moment” after the final. But because the game runs so late, many people don’t get to see it. However in case you missed it, I grabbed it for your enjoyment. And yes, the mighty, mighty Bobcats make 3 appearances in the video.