Glass IS good...

When Architect Magazine recently ran a story about the future of glass in buildings it surely hit a nerve for many in our industry. Glass for whatever reason suffers from some sort of inferiority complex, brought on by many factors. However I see the winds of change coming and our industry is getting stronger because our trade groups are better and we are making incredible strides from the technology side. I have always felt our technology has been under-rated, and while the misconception out there is "all glass is the same", it really isn’t and hasn’t been for a long time. Add into the dynamics, PV’s, thermo-reflectives, high efficiency low e’s, exotic coatings and tints and this is not your (or my) father’s industry anymore. So while some may say glass is in trouble, I believe end of the day that building will be clamoring for glass thanks to the products out now and in the pipeline.

Elsewhere…

-- When I mention better trade groups, I mean it as in the fact that the trades are now working together for the best interests of the industry like never before. It truly is momentous and clutch with the timing. Hopefully this new approach will keep the leeches off of us and as an industry we can keep growing the products and technology like listed above.

-- If you don’t get a knot in your stomach reading about the last glass to come off the line at Zeledyne, then you must not have any feelings at all. Very sad. Thoughts are with all of the people that are now jobless after the shutdown. In addition I know that a few of the Zeledyne sales and architectural people are still out there pounding the pavement and I am stunned no one has snapped them up. Some serious talent available folks… I know the economy is a nightmare as is our overall business model these days but someone smart is going to grab these folks and be very happy when the results come in.

-- It’s March Madness! This year takes special turn as my alma mater, the Bobcats of Ohio University have actually made the big dance… they play Thursday night vs the vaunted Hoyas of Georgetown… an upset there would be insanely epic.

-- By now your brackets should be filled out… here are my choices for the final four, so now you will know who WON’T win it (as my friends in Louisiana and Mississippi can attest to)… Final Four… Syracuse, Ohio State, Kentucky and Duke… with Duke beating Ohio State in the final… (and right now Jayhawk fan Carol Land is singing Hallelujah since I did pick her beloved Kansas squad )

-- Does it worry you that when congress needs to take draconian measures to pass a bill that maybe said bill isn’t good? Isn’t there some karmic law out there that we can point to? (yes I am talking about healthcare and if it is so bad that it can get passed through normal or traditional measures why go through these steps?)

-- Last, look for more news coming on “Bird Safe” buildings… yep with all we have to worry about, the safety of birds now is headed towards a specified item. I’ll never forget a few years ago when Julie Schimmelpenningh sent me a note on it- I thought it was an April Fools Day joke, but evidently it’s a serious problem and one that will soon be in front of all of us….

Off to the links…

Link chick really is a superwoman, she has a baby and never misses a beat… I get a hangnail and I want workmans comp and bed rest for 6 months…

-- Classic “take my ball home and not play” scenario here as Continental Airlines CEO says he’ll cancel flights instead of facing possible fines for delaying flights… ugh… this could be bad.

-- This is actually a very interesting story on the battle between “Exit” signs… trust me- worth the read…

-- A Pringles Can is a way to get Wi Fi… that alone would be interesting but now at least at one place, this odd combination is also illegal… surely bizarre…

Video of the Week:

Ok, I’ll be the only who cares about this week’s video… but it’s from the last time Ohio won a game in the NCAA’s.. 1983… Robert Tatum hits a buzzer beater… awesome baby!
Go Ohio..

O-H-I-O!

Oh goodie.. more of the same...

Short post this week…

More feedback coming back on the new Building Star program and it’s not good… looks like once again our government is being led down the path by special interests who have no clue what a commercial structure needs. I believe many of the best industry trades are mobilizing and hopefully they will get this program to a point where it’s fair for all, instead of its current format where one group gets all they desire. The other angle is that it’s pretty frustrating when the folks in the Senate don’t go to organizations like NGA or GANA when they need glass/glazing insight but to people who have absolutely no idea what goes into the process of glazing. There will surely be more on this in the coming weeks…

Elsewhere…

-- Talked with Greg Carney this week and he updated me on his process… Greg’s new consulting venture is off to a solid start- which makes me happy. No doubt in tougher times when overhead is important, you may not have the person in house to get the details or questions answered, so hiring a guy like Greg on a consulting basis is huge. He really can be a life and profit saver for your company. And yes this may sound like an ad, but it’s more of an endorsement that if you need tech assistance, Greg’s number should be at the top of the list.

-- A hearty welcome to the Window and Door Dealers Alliance. This group surely looks to be heaven sent for those window and door guys that have felt left out or quite frankly misrepresented by other groups. The work the WDDA is doing on the whole Lead Paint debacle is incredible and should be commended. For more info on this group click HERE.

-- A major set of Congratulations must go out to the gang at SAGE. This past week they got great news that funding is coming their way to build a brand new high volume manufacturing plant. SAGE has tremendous people who I respect immensely and I know they have worked tirelessly over the years spreading the gospel of their product line, so I am happy when good news hits. There is no question that technology like the stuff SAGE brings is our future and I'm glad it’s been recognized!

-- Last, the board of directors of this website is looking to send me… the CEO of this website to India to recruit some smart ass people to blog about the Indian version of NFRC…. (Speaking of NFRC and CEO, am I the only one who gets a kick out of that title for Jim Benney? Probably... but it’s comical that a group like that now has a CEO and COO… but don’t worry there just there to protect the public…. )

Off to the links….

Link Chick blew off the family leave act and is still pumping the links out….

-- Did you hear about the kid playing air traffic controller? If not here’s the story…

-- How about this, modular homes are not just for small dwellings anymore… now they are doing 7,200 sq ft mansions!

-- Sick people of the week… letting their real baby starve, while they took care of their virtual baby…insane.

Video of the week:

In hockey a penalty shot is usually a very exciting play… this one is not… this shot is actually hilarious for its failure… and as a Pens fan who does not like the Capitals, I really enjoyed it.. check it out, Penalty Shot Fail…

They need no help...

I had to laugh when I saw the story yesterday on the Vinyl Institute asking for the industry for help in opposing some of the goings on at USGBC/LEED. The Vinyl lobby has been very powerful and for those of us who deal in aluminum know they are not exactly our friends. While I feel their pain in trying to protect their interests, I wouldn’t consider them a helpless little waif in this battle. They are strong and I am sure they will get their points across and most likely win. What’s sad is I wish that folks in our industry would’ve taken the same approach when it came to NFRC. People who find out about it now ask why “nothing” was done, but we tried- unfortunately we didn’t have the bullhorn the size of the Vinyl guys.

Elsewhere…

-- So the President announces the “Cash for Caulkers” program and helps the residential remodel business. So yet another program goes to the residential side, while the commercial side gets to deal with a nightmarish seemingly never ending credit crunch and predictions of terrible markets through 2011. Wonderful….

-- On the flip side of the sarcastic “wonderful” above, something that truly was great was the Gold Medal hockey this past Sunday. Congrats to my many friends in Canada who I know are STILL on cloud 9. For me it was very conflicting… obviously I wanted the US to win, but the fact that my favorite player- Sid Crosby scored to win it, lessened the blow. End of the day the hockey was tremendous.

-- Saw 2/3rds of the residents of Canada watched that game… that is incredible. The other 1/3 were obviously here on my blog catching up on back issues.

-- I’ve written here many times for my admiration of many of the folks that work at Solutia- seriously good people. Now a prop for the entire company as Solutia made a tremendous move in the solar world by grabbing Etimex. There’s no doubt that the folks at Solutia really have it all together- congrats!

-- And while we are handing out props, congrats to Deron Patterson of PPG on his latest accomplishment- becoming a LEED Associate-Accredited. I met Deron a few years ago at an open house in Houston, TX and the guy epitomized class. We’ve exchanged a couple e-mails over the years and it’s usually something that Deron points out to me to think on a little harder. I am thrilled he’s getting good pub for a very big accomplishment.

-- Is Winter over? It was almost 40 degrees and sunny today in Detroit and I was ready to find a swimming pool…. I am sure the folks in the east are surely ready for spring to sprung.

-- BEC and Glassweek… don’t forget… if you haven’t signed up, I am sure you still can….

-- Last, from the “I can’t believe I admit this” file… I actually watch the TV show "The Bachelor" with my wife. (24 has been so awful- why not) Anyway this year’s guy went in playing the “I’m always the nice guy and girls don’t want the nice guy” role. So after going through 25 women did he pick the nice girl (so nice that people on the show said she dreams in Disney characters) or the divorced Hooters Waitress? Yep… Hooters girl… reality TV at its finest….

From the Links…

An update, Link Chick is home, and from all accounts doing great… so is Baby Link Chick… here’s this week’s offerings…

Wrapping up the Olympics…

-- Good piece here on the “winners” and “losers” of the games…

-- Neat story here on the greatest Olympian you probably have never heard of…

-- And last heads are rolling in Russia after a substandard games for them… you just have to wonder if those heads are rolling literally or figuratively.

Video of the Week:

I have 2 great dogs at home and if they could do this, it would be a riot… Dogs that snowboard… classic stuff here… getting in shape for some sort of Doggie Olympics I guess… If that happens my dogs will be shoe-ins to win any sort of sleeping on the couch contest…

Quiet on all fronts...

Was it me or was this a really quiet week? No major rumblings or goings on in the industry, all very mellow with Glassweek and BEC a few weeks away, so it really does seem to be the calm before the storm. Also the brutal winter weather has continued to wreak havoc on so much of this country and our industry that I think everyone is just battening down the hatches and holding on for dear life. In any case with all that said we’re going with a shorter than usual blog this week…

Elsewhere…

-- Gotta love it when the glass industry has a hero… major props to Robin DeHaven of Binswanger in Austin, Texas. He’s the fella that helped save several people when a plane crashed into a building in Texas last week. Now that’s a guy who should get an award from NGA or GANA for his efforts and portraying our industry in a good light. An American hero no doubt!

-- If you want a very even handed read on the NFRC CMA issue, giving both sides, then go check out the Division 8 report (Click Here). In 2 posts just added this week, JC does a great job with the pros and cons and he does it without the conspiracy theory stuff you get from me. I know I have been pimping that blog quite a bit but it really is solid and a breath of fresh air.

-- By the way, check out the next US Hockey game in the Olympics if you can... these guys are playing their hearts out. Plus let's root for the Canadians in their quest to get a rematch with the American's in the Gold Medal game... a rematch for the Gold would be simply awesome.

-- Last week I wrote about the Stimulus and for some reason there was a problem with the comment fields and so this comment, which I found very interesting was sent to me direct… check it out:
Max,
I read an interesting article that gauged what economists thought of how the stimulus was doing. Apparently at three of them thought that a) it did stop the panic (which was no small task around that elusive animal that is consumer confidence) so even though all the money isn't out there, it did it's first job and b) they were really afraid that there was so much worry over all the debt, that with the change in congress that some of it would be repealed before it could accomplish the overall goal.
What I particularly remember is that they felt that was what kept Japan in a decade long downturn. That when Japan initial hit the skids, a stimulus package was passed but then repealed about 2 years in. That sent the entire economy in to a deeper spiral that they are still not out of. I really wish I had kept that link - I know you would be interested
The other thing, to play devil's advocate (which you know I love to do with you) is to note that while it may be taking so much time to get out, it's the very fact that we are democratic country that is hindering implementation. If the government wanted to get stuff out the door, they would just pick people. Can you imagine the onslaught of calls to representatives if people didn't have the chance to bid on these projects? That open process takes time in the best of time - now, all of the bureaucratic workers that I talk to are so incredibly buried and overburdened - they want it off their desk but there is too much to move. And you can't hire someone new to deal with the overflow because it's all temporary.
Such is the nature of our country.

Off to the LINKS!

Well first off CONGRATS to the awesome Link Chick who just added to her family… very lucky kid to get a mom so cool (not to mention a great Dad and Brother!) And so to prepare for her time off thanks to the family leave act.. (and I don’t have to pay her for 12 weeks…lol) she loaded me down with some very cool linkage and here goes..

-- Remember the world’s tallest building in Dubai? We covered it here and even had a video suggested by Brian Pitman of GANA. Well it’s having some issues and it got shut down last week… yikes…

-- I don’t think the Link Chick had to have her baby in these conditions but this Pennsylvania couple braved a middle of the night blizzard to get to the hospital to give birth… wild!

-- On somewhat of the same level of greatness as Mr DeHaven above is this guy who found $72,000 and returned it all to its rightful owner. Fantastic.

Video of the Week…

March Madness right around the corner and this should get you fired up… Murray State Freshman Isaiah Canaan hits a beauty of a buzzer beater!!

But really is it working?

Thanks for finding me again… on the mind this week…

There was an article yesterday about the Stimulus and the fact that one economist felt it was working. All I can say is I hope he is right because it surely doesn’t feel like it to me at this point. In a way if you throw 787 billion at something you have to have a trickle down right? But maybe the question isn’t the Stimulus “working” but has it been properly effective and efficient. And there’s the deal… this stimulus with a few of its plusses have been woefully outclassed by its poor execution. End of the day I hope we can look back and say it really did “save” us but I’m not seeing that right now…

Elsewhere…

-- Reminder #1 … BEC is coming up and if you have not signed up, please do so. Believe me I know this economy sucks (but yes the stimulus is working!) and a trip to Vegas is frowned upon, but this show/conference is truly worth it. If you’ve written it off, give it a 2nd thought…

-- Reminder #2 … the NGA is doing a webinar on March 2nd on Solar Glazing. This is one that if you want to be ahead of the game and be diversified, that you need to check out. I hear all the time how people want to know more about this stuff, so here’s a great chance. Go HERE for more info. And a special thanks to the gang at Guardian for sponsoring the event.

-- I am loving the Olympics so far… I have to ask though… the Mogul skiing… how does that not destroy your knees? Also if you love or just like Hockey- these teams are awesome. A USA victory would be another miracle when you see how stacked the Canadians, Russians, and Swedes are. (Not to mention my pick- Finland) Plus Lindsay Vonn is pretty dang amazing… (though I know link chick is tired of her- not me)

-- According to Reed Construction the hottest economy in Canada is in Saskatoon. Considering that this winter in the east has been Saskatoon-like maybe that’s where I’ll move. I wonder if they have high speed internet there…

-- Speaking of weather, pitchers and catchers report to Spring training…. That for sure means spring is coming! I am guessing a certain Mr. Bieber is pretty happy given his love for America’s pastime.

-- Funny… on the NFRC Blog there was a note that the Window Film people LOVE the NFRC… well that’s great… can you leave us alone and you guys can love each other all you want? Please?

-- Speaking of the NFRC blog, I always chuckle when I go there because I know that many of the folks in the NFRC elite hated (or still hate) my blog and used to make snide comments about it. Especially on how quick the info from meetings can go from the meeting to the blog… and now by blog is the way NFRC does a majority of its communication. I wonder if they are still wasting 6 figures yearly on Potomac when they can get the word out so quick and easy. Anyway in the end it’s funny that they do what I had been doing and they were so dismissive of it.

To the links we go…. Olympic style…

Link Chick has been all over these games… NBC should hire her as a researcher… or actually she should be doing live blogs of the events- that would be great reading.

-- The games may come off smooth on TV but evidently there’s been A LOT of problems….

-- Last week we had some winter Olympians from odd countries… this week we have a skier… from Iran… never knew they skied there…

-- Depending on when you read this… Tonight (Weds) Shaun White is going for gold… also known as the “Flying Tomato” he is surely a guy not to miss… if you missed it… sorry.. (and I probably jinxed him!)

Video of the week

John Wall is one of the best college basketball players in the country (Kentucky) and he is responsible for this hot new dance… evidently it’s taken the world by storm and if I am ever allowed back in the state of Kentucky, I am doing that dance… check it out… very cool… the video explains it all!

What's the deal...

Ok to clear up confusion… I am not ending my blog (or leaving my current job either)- this will continue and to find it you need to either bookmark it as a “favorite” or click that little orange button up in the top right hand corner to get it as a feed. (If you use Outlook- the feeds are great) It’s just time to move on from the past and start fresh. And for the conspiracy theorist out there (and normally I am one of you- see NFRC) I made this call after the business issues in my life were done and this move has nothing to do with that. Simple as that… Anyway I hope those of you who enjoy this weekly banter keep with it and those who don’t, thanks for reading when you did. At the end of the day this will always be therapy for me, no matter the venue.

Elsewhere…

-- Speaking of therapy… I probably need real professional therapy for bantering on message boards… man it’s just too easy and inviting. Gotta quit giving voices to those who can’t stand behind it… to me the bottom line is we all have skeletons of some sort in our closets- some of us choose to deal with it and others like to toss stones run hurriedly away.

-- Major Congrats to Dr. Helen Sanders of SAGE. She just got a new job at SAGE that will continue to utilize her talents well. One of the big reasons I respect Helen and SAGE for that matter is they care a ton for this industry. They could easily stick their noses up and let us all battle away, but they’ve stepped in and added a tremendous dimension to our presentations and perception out there. You want a company like that to do well because they are truly golden in trying to protect and further our industry.

-- Did you see the Green Police commercial during the Super Bowl? Any thoughts? I have seen all sides hitting it from all angles- right, left, green, anti green- and there’s no clear path. I thought it was cute- I like Cheap Trick (and not surprised they sold out for a paycheck- they probably need it) and I did not read too much into it.

-- To me the best commercial though is below in my video of the week.

-- Unless I am missing something I LOVE the changes to the Buy American Act to include Canada. What happened on the World Trade Center was criminal to me and comparing a Canadian company to a Chinese one is just plain wrong.

-- Still bumming on the Zeledyne deal. I know the job market is tough but there's some serious talent that is or will be available because of it... hopefully everyone will land in some good spots.

-- If you didn’t get a chance to check out the Division8report.com blog, do so HERE. The insight on NFRC was very interesting especially the part where it’s noting its struggles. As been mentioned here many times, this process could’ve been done so much better but that was never in the plans. (and as noted here I believe if John Lewis came on a few years earlier- it woulda been better). This week I heard from several people frustrated and confused because they have no idea what needs to be done. It’s sad that this process came into being the way it did and the havoc it will wreak for years to come.

-- This winter has been bizarre… when Washington DC and surrounding get 50 inches of snow that is odd… (or what our friends in Minnesota call.. “spring”)… Amazing also is that when massive storms hit DC or NY they get a cool name like “Snowmageddon” or “Snowacane” while when we’d get it in Detroit or Buffalo the name is Tuesday. Anyway if you live in DC and you had a snow blower at the ready you are looking really good right now…

Off to the links…

Not sure if Link Chick is following me on my new start and path- hope she does but considering that I haven’t told her yet, I have no idea. Plus I think like the rest of north she's snowed in too I think…
It’s the Olympic edition of the Links.. I love the Winter Games… Speed Skating, Skiing and of course some seriously epic Hockey…

-- Here are 21 reasons why you should watch…

-- Awesome story about a skier from Ethiopia… see again it’s this sort of stuff (like the Jamaican Bobsled team and Eddie the Eagle) that make the Winter games great…

-- Speaking of Bobsled… how about a team from down under? Australian Bobsledders… wow.

-- They are trucking snow into the games since Vancouver is not getting the snow they need… there’s no truth to the rumor that the latest truckload of snow came directly from Kim Mann’s driveway…

Video of the Week

A lot of solid commercials this year during the Super Bowl… but to me this one was the best… I love the whole concept, but sadly I enjoyed the commercial so much that when someone asked me what it promoted, I had no idea… (also note growing in Pennsylvania this whole ceremony was HUGE- so I loved the take off on it)

Check this out

Great blog out there called Division 8 Report....

You can find it HERE.

Interesting take on NFRC and other subjects that affect our industry.

Please give it a whirl and add it to your favorites...

No post this week

Hey gang...

No regular post this week...

Just a pretty humorous/comical joke below... we'll be back next week to recap the Colts big win and the performance by "The Who" at halftime... and yeah whatever news there is in our fine industry.

Have a good week all...


Q . What is an Economic Stimulus payment?
A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.
Q. Where will the government get this money?
A. From taxpayers....
Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
A. Only a smidgen.
Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
A. The plan is for you to use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.
Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of Asia ?
A. Shut up or you don't get your check..

Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by spending your stimulus check wisely:

1. If you spend the stimulus money at Wal-Mart, your money will go to China ..
2. If you spend it on gasoline, your money will go to Saudi Arabia ..
3. If you purchase a computer, it will go to India .
4. If you purchase fruit and vegetables, it will go to Mexico, Honduras or Guatemala ..
5. If you buy a car, it will go to Japan or Korea .
6. If you purchase useless plastic stuff, it will go to Taiwan ..
7. If you pay off your credit cards, or buy stock, it will go to pay management bonuses and be hidden in offshore accounts.

Or , you can keep the money in America by :
1. spending it at yard sales or flea markets, or
2. going to baseball or football games, or
3. hiring prostitutes, or
4. buying cheap beer or
5. getting tattoos.
These are the only wholly-American-owned businesses still operating in the US ..

Conclusion :
The best way to stimulate the economy is to go to a ball game with a prostitute that you met at a yard sale and drink beer all day until you're drunk enough to go get tattooed ..

Tough Day

The news out about Zeledyne exiting the commercial business surely was depressing. It’s another sign of how rough things are out there that’s for sure. The toughest thing for me is the folks that have been with Zeledyne’s previous incarnates (Ford Glass, Visteon, ACH) have handled so much thrown at them with pure style and class don't get to see this though. The move to Zeledyne was to me supposed to be the pinnacle. No longer a semi forgotten business unit as a part of a gigantic group, this company was ready to thrive, but unfortunately that black cloud of the economy beat them to it. Those folks, led by Joe Staffileno will all end up somewhere good I’m sure. Just too much talent to go away from our industry. In any case thoughts go out to everyone there affected by this.

Elsewhere

-- Now the stark reality of it (and we don’t need an analyst to opine on this incoherently for 10 paragraphs) is that a price increase is surely coming from the primary guys. They weren’t making money (domestically) before, and now with one less competitor it’s only realistic to see prices rise.

-- Meanwhile the industry continues to battle on the ASHRAE front. Despite an incredible and unprecedented united showing, our side still fell short at the recent hearings. There’s detailed info on line on what happened but the positive takeaways are that the industry is united and fighting for something good and one day that will pay dividends. It may not save this issue but it will hopefully save us from more punitive attacks down the line.

-- Funny how many e mails I am getting from Saints fans begging me to pick the Colts in the Super Bowl… (they know I am the “Mush”) well whether it’s good or bad news for you, I love the Colts in the big game… Peyton Manning is just too good… Colts will win big.

-- By the way my heart goes out to my Minnesota friends. It really sucks...but hopefully the nucleaus will bring them to the big game next year. At least you won't be like my favorite baseball team- the Pirates and be out of it for 17 years and counting- I am sure of that.

-- The effort by our world to help in Haiti is incredible. But does it not make you wonder how the massive amounts of money will be spent? I mean we are talking millions upon millions are being raised… I just hope that it all goes to the good of trying to take care of and rebuild that country. I guess I watch too many CNBC documentaries about people getting ripped off that makes me worry that the money won’t get used as the donators intended.

-- A couple more Zeledyne thoughts… they just recently brought back the living legend Lowell Rager. And now he’ll be on the sidelines again… what a tremendously good man… Zeledyne should’ve dusted off the best name of a glass product ever… “Jade Ice”… that coulda been a game changer…

-- Great letters to the editor after the NYT story on domestic glass making…. Was it me or did the original article seem to just end way to early… you know like there was a lot more to discuss?

-- Last, I am baffled by the fascination by the media with Karen Davidson’s decisions to sell parts of her empire. You know it’s like everyone wants to find some sort of smoking gun. I just don’t get it, corporations and people of her stature buy and sell all the time, with less coverage. I also wonder if her husband was still alive, would be people be questioning his intentions? Just no clue why people are jumping on this one at all as it seems completely in the norm without a red flag anywhere in sight.

Off to the Links…

Link Chick is still plugging away, bringing the best of the internet to the thousands of you who click this page weekly…

-- Great story here in the New York Times about how people are still using very simple passwords on line… check it out… and if your password is 12345, time to change it.

-- Evidently scientists had an idea in 2008 that an Earthquake would hit Haiti… but even with that knowledge how do you prepare for it?

-- According to this study, an average NFL game only brings about 11 minutes of real “action”… That is amazing to me… I guess that’s why the remote and the Sunday Ticket is such a must for the true football fan…

Video of the Week:

Cops in Indy at the Colts-Jets game act to me very hastily in arresting a Jet fan… the language is not safe for work as the officer comes out of his car hurling the “F” word and bam handcuffs and eventually tasers come out. A little extreme if you ask me…

Real News

The big story this week was underplayed pretty big in my opinion. The back and forth between the Fox Business network and the folks at Serious Materials should’ve garnered big coverage. You had major accusations in flight and volleys being returned. The whole story had a very soap opera like appeal along with the classic “he said/she said” portion. Basically Fox said that Serious is involved in cronyism with close governmental connections, while Serious shoots back with a rebuttal steeped in dates and other evidence that supports their case. The entire scenario was very interesting and basically was due to happen because Serious has been so prominently featured nationally and politically that it was a matter of time before folks took shots. Unless something comes back around it looks like the whole story is dying off, and we’ll never know whose story is more real. But end of day this was fascinating stuff no doubt.

Elsewhere

-- Shame that we couldn’t get a consultant to opine on this and we could write a long piece that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Dang.

-- Very weird for me to NOT be at the International Builders show… I usually go and unfortunately this year I could not. It’s usually a great bellwether for the year ahead based on the mood of the floor. Supposedly this year’s show is smaller but optimism is high. And that is what most people feel for the residential side- a comeback of such in 2010. The big things will continue to be the banks and their lending strategy but also the many governmental programs that will push money into the system for things like weatherization improvements and so on.

-- And now some analysts are saying improvements on the commercial side (I hate when they call it “non-residential” it’s so demeaning to those of us in the industry. Do they call professionals “non-amateurs”)The improvements are due late 2010… again we will see… it is a mixed bag really some are saying nothing good til 2011. End of the day no one really knows for sure…

-- When I picked the Chargers/Cowboys Superbowl, I heard from my friends who are Viking and Saint fans to ask me why… I told them the best thing for them is for me NOT to pick their teams…. And it turned out that way… So now I have to choose between the two… ouch… it’s a tough call but I’m going with Vikes… something about the Brett Favre karma has me leaning that way… meanwhile on the otherside the Colts will win big over the Jets… Peyton Manning is way too cool, composed and in charge to let the Jets rattle him.

-- California just enacted a “Green” Building code. It’s for every new building that goes up after 1/1/11. But what about the older structures? Like noted last week, and I stand in agreement with so many out there that the priority should be in fixing the structures already up.

-- Congrats to Rob Struble and his group at PPG for their latest honor as their new blue tinted glass was named as a product of the year in 2009. Personally I think one of the reasons it won was the brilliant marketing campaign that had the glass samples sent out in CD cases playing off the cool “blues” musical theme. Well done and congrats to all involved there.

-- Last, not sure what my fellow 24 lovers think, but I for one am disappointed in the show this year. I know last year I had some issues but compared to the start this year, it’s no contest. Too predictable for me and just not enough to care about yet… 20 more hours Jack… c’mon brother I need that jump from reality in my life.

Off to the links…

The “Link Chick” back in the saddle this week with some good ones…

-- A big time investor sees the bubble about to burst… in CHINA!

-- This would be the definition of “Cold Case”… how about the Chicago Police investigating a murder from 1939…

-- Upsetting story here… H&M and Wal Mart are trashing unsold goods… this is crazy given the poverty in our world.

Video of the Week

College basketball and March Madness will be here before you know it… and if this shot was made in March we’d see it a million times… but since it happened now… well this maybe your only shot… game winner courtesy of Chandler Parsons…

Go Retro

Had an interesting conversation with a fellow industry member this week. We talked about the fact that our industry and world would be better served if we could get the codes to focus on the huge retrofit market instead of trying to limit and hightail us on new projects. Basically upgrading the millions of existing structures with old technology… the irony here is that we live in such a disposable society anymore. If your microwave breaks, you toss and buy a new one. But if you are in a 25 year old building that has drafts that could chill a room, you put on a sweater. (or break out the Snugglie!) The point is that Washington and the code folks are missing the ball yet again and the focus should be on improvements to existing structures. Heck with the amount of extra inventory building wise out there, that could be all the business that’s left!

Elsewhere…

-- I have to come clean… those 4 incredible years as BEC Chair… where the conference grew and grew and grew? Well the fact is that I did not do it the right way… I was on steroids… yep it’s true… I’ll be doing exclusive interviews all week…. (Sorry had to mock Mark McGwire there)

-- Speaking of BEC, on my swing through the great state of Texas last week I talked to many folks about the event and hopefully they will give it a shot. I heard the statement “I hear it’s great, just never could pull it off” a few times. Well if you are on the fence, hop on off… it’s worth it.

-- Rest in Peace Joe Kellman.

-- Speaking of the truly legendary Mr. Kellman, it brings me back to the idea that we really need to fire up the Glass Hall of Fame again. I don’t think you need a big ole banquet but I think a virtual honoring would at least be good- maybe a glowing profile in a magazine too. The point is there are many folks still out there that deserve the honor and should be recognized for their incredible efforts in this industry.

-- Snow in Orlando and freezing temps in Florida for the last 10 days plus…. Pretty crazy huh? Get ready for orange juice that you may have to take a mortgage out on… that is if the banks even do mortgages anymore.

-- Funny after a big time hyping all over (me included) BIM had disappeared for a while off the front pages of the news… now in the last week or so it came back with some stories… wonder if this wave will be the one that sticks and moves that technology forward or will we watch it drop below the surface once again.

-- Creative business card? Last week saw an architectural firm and their business cards had their pictures on the back. Finally a great way to keep the face with the name. Really nice when you’re talking to 7 or 8 people and trying to remember afterwards who said what. And with that may be the first compliment I’ve given an architect in a while… wow turning over a new leaf! (Seriously the folks I saw last week were amazing, they could heal my frustration with their entire sector!)

Off to the Links!

Some link chick and some from me… now since she’s linking “for two” I have to be patient…

-- Scary yet interesting article on the “Disposable Worker” trend that’s hitting our country right now. Yeesh.

-- Riding the baggage belt at the airport looks like fun… and this toddler did it!

-- I have jury duty coming up… wonder if they’ll be a cat on the panel with me… like this feline called to duty in Boston.

Book of the Week:

Thanks to my Mom and Sister (mom’s idea, sister pulled the trigger) I got a Kindle E reader for the holidays. It’s awesome and weird at the same time reading a book on a tablet like machine. But its been great. First book I read was very good too… it’s the inside story of the world of Off Shore betting parlors called “Bets, Drugs and Rock n Roll” by Steve Budin. The language is crass in parts but the book is very interesting especially if you’ve laid down a bet with a bookie or on line before. Amazing how gigantic that business is too!

Video of the Week:

IT’S BACK!! Yes this weekend hour number 8 of 24… time to rejoice as Jack Bauer will be back in our lives again!!! Here’s the preview of the show… I CAN NOT WAIT….

A ton of good people about

Happy New Year… In the most recent issue of USGlass I gave out awards for some of the good things we have going on in our industry and also recognized some very good people who deserved some props. And after doing it I realized a few things… the biggest being I should’ve named the top 30 or 40 people who deserve some limelight… not just 10. The moral for me is there are some seriously good people in our world. Folks with ethics and morals, class and style, that are professional to the core. Too many times we miss all of that in the daily pitter patter of our industry and I hope to keep bringing to light the names of people who fit that description. So for those of you, who I forgot, be prepared… I’m coming after ya…

Elsewhere…

-- Obviously I saw the International Aluminum announcement and as I noted a few weeks back, unfortunately more of this stuff was due to come and I hope that the folks there can do what needs to be done to work through it all. My heart and support goes out to them.

-- WEBCAST ALERT… GANA is doing another VERY helpful webcast scheduled for January 28th at 12PM EST. This one will be on the new rules from the Consumer Products Safety Commision (CPSC). While you may not recognize the name, it is a very important update on how the labeling and certification will go for glazing in “hazardous” locations. More info can be found HERE, so check it out. The other bonus that none other than the legend Kim Mann will do the presenting, that alone is worth it. Seriously take a sec, click the link and check it out.

-- Speaking of Kim Mann, I almost needed a lawyer of his high grade this week… See in the last 10 months, I went on an epic stress eating binge… some people drink.. I eat… anyway I have gained a ton of weight… then over the holidays I grew a beard at the urging of my daughter… so needless to say I look like a jewish and balding version of Grizzly Adams… So I go to the airport to fly to the great state of Texas and when I give my license to the TSA, he looks me up and down and says “This is not you”… Now I should’ve been thinking since security was going to be tougher but I wasn’t… so I stammered that I just grew the beard and I am much bigger than I appear in the license… he looked again and let me pass… then he cracked “That picture must’ve been when you were at your fighting weight!”…. yep… gotta by a razor and start Isagenix… yee ha…

-- Football playoffs… early Superbowl choice… Chargers vs Cowboys….

-- Saw that good ole Gary Curtis is back on the board of the NFRC…. He replaces Roland Temple who retired… which is depressing. Gary has never been a fan of our industry and was one of the ringleaders trying to jam the process down our throats… he also was the one who gave the various excuses in the past… (most famous one- “it’s in the codes!” which it wasn’t this was after we proved it WASN’T a congressional mandate either) so its old home week at NFRC and the gains by hiring a guy like John Lewis surely just got minimized there. The Titanic is now back on course… icebergs straight ahead!

-- I got to see a LEED job that I must’ve filled out a mountain of paperwork for today… and the job was smaller than a broom closet…. It killed me… I killed a forest of trees and probably a ton of computer energy filling out forms and writing letters for a building that Michael Landon could’ve built himself on Little House on the Prairie… Brutal.

-- Can I be snide and say I want to know where my global warming is right now?

-- Last, it was a tough start to the new year for me and my family as we lost our oldest dog, “Rascal”… Rascal was a beagle-terrier mix who suffered from severe seizures every 4-6 weeks or so. He was a tremendously good dog who just had the awful misfortune of the seizures and despite tons of different medicines and protocols (wish I had pet health insurance… wonder if congress can pass that one… every pet should have it!!) he lost his fight this past Saturday. By the way the doctors assured me he felt no pain during the seizures.. and I hope that was the case. Anyway rest in peace little buddy…

Off to the LINKS…

Well folks she’s baaaaaack… yes the all knowing and all famous Link Chick re-appeared after taking December off to go to Spa Treatments and other fun stuff… or maybe she got pregnant and just didn’t want to tell me…so she avoided me…. who knows… Anyway good stuff as always…

-- A Dog is a great pet (I still have 2 at home…) so is a cat or fish… but this guy had a tarantula… and can you believe the spider hurt him? Yep… people… odd…

-- Link Chick wrote the headline for this one: “Don’t people remember Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?”… guess not after preacher Rick Warren brings in 2.4 MILLION in donations…

-- Loved this story... the most overused and now “banned” words in our society… you know like “unfriended” and “Stimulus”….

Video of the Week:

Brian Pitman of GANA sent me this one… it’s the opening of the new Burj Dubai and the fireworks display is insane… I think they took every firework ever lit in the US on July 4th and used it here… never seen anything like it… Thanks for the link Brian!

Decade is Done

2009 is almost in the books, ending a wild year and also a pretty crazy decade. 10 years ago at this time all of the talk was on “Y2K” and how our computers would not start on New Year’s Day and how if we didn’t have water and food stored in our basements we’d be sorry. (I actually still know 2 people who still keep the emergency rations). Now, funny as it sounds, those were more SIMPLE times. Imagine if right now those were all the worries we had? 1999 was pre 9/11, pre airport security, pre bank bailouts and just an easier go. Hopefully in 2019, when someone else is doing this blog, (it’ll probably be much better then too…) they’ll look back and say that 2009 was easy or simple… who knows. Bottom line is no matter the time or adventure, we all have to deal with it and move forward. Gonna be an interesting start to the new decade that’s for sure!

Elsewhere…

-- Unless something crazy happens (and nothing crazy happens in our industry… right…) this will be my last post of 2009. I have to once again thank everyone out there reading it. I am grateful that you take the time to check out my weekly “therapy” sessions. Obviously it’s my wish to all of you for a happy and healthy holiday season and a tremendous 2010!

-- I wonder if we as an industry should start having BEC and Glassweek starting at 1AM like the Senate just did to pass health care. Am I the only one who just finds this totally comical? (The meeting not the bill… well the bill actually has some serious warts to it too… but trying to meet an artificial deadline by meeting in the middle of the night? How is that right?)

-- Was left a comment on NFRC on the last two posts and am trying to follow up… if you have info please feel free to e mail me…

-- Props to the folks at the NGA for throwing in their 2 cents on the ASHRAE 90.1 issue. One thing our industry takes heat for is we are supposedly not in “consensus” enough for the folks on the other side. Well I think on this one we have been in serious lockstep in our desires to not see our industry downsized or affected. (And personally I think our industry has banded together well on many issues except for the fact that the other side sometimes thinks some players are legit, when in reality they are not…. I won’t say more because I’ll get in trouble but those who know these deals, know exactly who I am talking about) In any case it is good to see this industry stick together when it affects our livelihoods.

-- As those of you who read this know.. I am not a fan of the Department of Energy and especially some of the bureaucrats that refuse to get educated on our industry. Anyway I was sent this piece last week by a lotal blog reader and it’s pretty telling… guess I am not the only one:
Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY during the Carter Administration? Anybody? Bottom line… We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency...the reason for which many who read this can’t remember!
Ready??
It was very simple...and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate. The Department of Energy was instituted on 8-04-1977, TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL. Hey, pretty efficient, huh???
AND NOW IT'S 2009 -- 32 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE!
32 years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports. Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign imports. Ah, yes -- good ole bureaucracy.

Great note… and it really gives you confidence in the government eh?

Off to the Links…

-- Speaking of Energy… a few months ago I linked to the battle in California on putting Solar farms in the desert… those actions were blocked and this story brings it full circle… amazing the battle between using renewable energy (and creating tons of construction jobs) but having to protect the land (it’s a desert so does that really count?)

-- I am seriously depressed…. Domino’s Pizza is changing its recipe…. My gosh is NOTHING sacred!! I guess these guys never heard of “New Coke” (By the way Domino's ranks 3rd in my all time favorite food list behind M&M's and Pop Tarts and in College I used to get Christmas cards from the local Domino's branch)

Videos of the week

Yes it’s VIDEOS as in two… as my Christmas gift to you… the first comes from the esteemed Kim Mann… its football and some creative filmwork together making some very cool commercials. Especailly the last stunt…



The second one is for all of you 24 Fans out there… what happens when Jack Bauer has to interrogate Santa? This is simply classic and gets me pumped for 24’s return here in a few weeks…

"Sexy" Products Are Good

So this week the President had a speech where he commented that some building materials like windows are “sexy” because of the money they could save. After I heard that it made me wonder because President Obama’s opinion seems to run opposite of the code folks and even the folks at the Department of Energy. When Marc LaFrance (DoE) heard the president say it, he probably piped up with some random and outdated statistic about Low E usage. See and that continues to be the problem… the President of the United States can see the potential/ability our material has and heck he didn’t even see the incredible dynamic and solar products being developed every day, yet will the DoE ever get around to respecting it and will the codes stop abusing it? I always hold out hope because as you’ve seen here the folks representing our industry are top notch but even with that the opposition is just so huge. So for now I’ll take “sexy” and run with it and hopefully it will bring people to the realization that they have some amazing products right under their noses.

Elsewhere…

-- I was going to hit on some NFRC stuff, but fellow blogger Chuck Knickerbocker did a great job in his last post (if you missed it, it’s here.) Funny I have even seen it printed and at glaziers, so it’s being used to educate. (Funny… people sure are printing a lot from USGNN these days…hmmm) The difference between Chuck and me? He’s a level headed, experienced and class guy…. And I am surely not… especially on this issue.

-- Folks be very wary of the note on USGNN about the UL/ICC partnership. I will have more on this later but this will not be fun or good for our industry upon first blush.

-- Doesn’t it worry you that there’s a huge rush to get Health Care figured out by Christmas but the actual program won’t kick in until something like 2014?

-- Construction jobless rate jumped to 19.4% in November… ugh BUT commercial construction starts were 6% higher in the same month… so who knows but I think the “doing more with less” mantra is everywhere.

-- Speaking of scary… Reed Construction had this blurb:

As this ugly year ends, it is clear that 2010 will be a better year for the economy, although the recovery will be disappointingly slow. The sluggish economic growth in the 2% plus range is close enough to zero that some industries and some regional markets will continue to shrink for many more months, says Reed Construction Data chief economist Jim Haughey

Yep who needs to diet… just read this and you want to toss your last meal.

-- Switching gears… Can Indy and New Orleans go unbeaten? Can you imagine if two 18-0 teams met in the Super Bowl? Our TV’s and computers would melt from the hype. Hopefully that doesn’t happen as all the Viking and Eagle fans I am friends with would be very unhappy… shame Pittsburgh doesn’t have a team… ha ha

-- Anyone going to IBS this year? With that side of the business starting to perk up some, I wonder if the return to glory days will be this year or next year. How will we know? When exhibitors hire midget Elvis, Elvira and Dolly Parton imitators (like was done in the past) to work their booth, you know happy times are here again…

Off to the Links…

2 weeks… no “Link Chick”… maybe need to send an SOS out for her. So this week, these are all mine… and a couple of real doozies here….

-- This has to be the story and study of the year… a doctor in Germany did a study on men’s habits… specifically seeing if men who stare at women’s chests are healthier than those who don’t. Seriously. (I am sure we’ll have this in the US backed by Stimulus cash) Anyway I won’t ruin the results… the story is here… amazing…

-- Those who know me, know I love Fantasy Football… well come companies do not… and Fidelity just FIRED four guys for playing… ouch…

-- I swear this story comes up every year… a cellphone bill for $20,000 for a 13 year old! This one somehow downloaded a ton of stuff to run up the bill… ooops and yikes…

Book of the Week:

The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons. It’s over 700 pages long and a tremendously easy and enjoyable read. If you love NBA hoops, then you will love this book. Simmons by the way is in my opinion the best sportswriter in America right now.

Video of the Week:

No clue who this young man is, but he’s got great stage presence. He does the Top 10 Tiger Woods jokes… most you have heard I am sure… but pretty comical stuff…

Playing Good Defense

The “bogus” (my opinion) lawsuit against the primary manufacturers was back in the news this week and it looks like the manufacturers are trying to turn the tables a bit. And quite frankly that’s a good thing. Anyone who followed this suit knows it was a blatant copycat suit based on things that happened in Europe. Just because certain things went down over there, it was assumed by the sharks out there that it happened here… heck it probably even wasn’t assumed… the lawyers got wind, saw a chance to cash in and off they went. I rail on this because it does nothing good for our industry in the long run. With glass under severe pressure in DC and in the codes, the last thing the primaries need is to be defending themselves against something so inane. Hopefully their moves this week payoff.

Elsewhere…

-- Did you see “Cash for Caulkers” may be coming soon? Oh man, I just hope it goes better than previous attempts. And by the way I get a kick out of people talking about how excited they are about Congress taking on a new Energy Star provision in place of the 30/30. (Tax credits) Yet those same people will defend 30/30 publicly when logic plainly tells you that the 30/30 was wrong, severely biased and at the end of the day caused more pain for people than good.

-- Speaking of good… I won’t mention a certain football team that used to be good…. And seemingly is not anymore… as a buddy of mine wrote the other day… Pittsburgh Steelers playoffs in 2009…RIP.

-- Saw that Glassweek and BEC registration is now open… please make room in your life for it, these events are very good at every level (educational, motivational, and networking) and should not be missed. Do to GANA’s website for more info.

-- Check out the new website from ICD, which also features a Blog… and so we get to hear from the all knowing, all famous “Glass Pundit” Kris Vockler again. The first entry is HERE and you can also see that ICD is also “Twitter” worthy so you can follow there as well. It’s good stuff and it’s great to have the Pundit’s voice being heard once again!

-- Could anyone have predicted the craziness around Tiger Woods? Wow. My take is the guy follows in a long line of bred to be great athletes that missed out on living his life. Then once they “make it” they go back after all that may have been missed. Some of those folks turn to drugs or alcohol… and Tiger went his own way… I am surely not endorsing it, but I can see it as all the guy did since he was 2 was golf… eventually you crack.

-- Last, I went to the mall this past Saturday and was stunned on how packed it was… even though the economy is down the stores were jumping and I was impressed that the stores had holiday help on hand. It just shows that this season is a priority for many… however if you usually give to charity or sponsor a family this season, please don’t give that up- charitable giving is down considerably and those are the folks that truly need and appreciate it.

Off to the Links…

Have not heard from the “Link Chick” in a few weeks… must be mad at me for some reason… maybe its because I pick on anonymous posters… who knows… anyway I have a few leftovers from her AND a few of my own…

-- This one was amazing.., this guy blew.. get this… 127 MILLION in one year in Las Vegas casinos… Interesting story about it HERE… 127 million!

-- On the flipside of that… this guy hangs around the track and picks up discarded tickets… and guess what some of those turn out to be winners… made something like 45k last year on throw-aways!

-- Very nice story on an Olympian getting her record from 1936 recognized… in fact I have seen a documentary on this woman, truly tremendous person and I am thrilled that a wrong was righted here.

-- PETA wants college mascots to be robots… starting with the University of Georgia Bulldog…. Yeah sorry I am not feeling it…

VIDEO of the Week

To me I love when a little man (in hoops terms) goes up and slams… this week Ty Lawson of the Denver Nuggets did just that taking it strong to the hole and slamming it home.. check it out!

A "Chapter" to read about

So it’s been a slow week in the industry eh? Man I wish there was a big story for me to comment on… I wish Tiger Woods owned a glass company… Seriously though… on to the subject on many minds… Chapter 11... Without any question I have never experienced anything like this week or this process. I have had a range of emotions that have run the absolute gamut. I have been brightened (actually blown away) by so many class people in this industry who reached out to me to express their support. I have also been amazed/impressed by the efforts of the people I work with. They walked into a firestorm Monday and performed tremendously all the while dealing with the industry’s biggest story of the year. I have been mad at myself for being drawn into on-line petty arguments by anonymous posters. I know better but I’m a sucker. I am sad because I know so many vendors are disappointed, upset, angry, and mad at how this is going down… even though at this point so much is unknown. I am thankful that even though some out there look at this bankruptcy so negatively, 1800 people had their jobs saved because of it. That has to count for something right?

OK, so let’s talk…I sit on this blog and make snarky and sarcastic comments each week with a sprinkle of a compliment here and there. A story like this one would be tailor made for me to comment on, so I will and here goes…

Obviously when a company the size of Arch has to head in this direction it’s a sign of some tough times. I have railed on the banks and like my friend Jim Fairley noted on one of message boards- have you had to deal with these guys recently? No one wants to be in this position that’s for sure and there’s no joy in it. And yes while the banks are frustrating we put ourselves in the position to be at the mercy of them, so end of the day it is our “fault” (if assigning blame) that we headed this way.

Now when people anonymously comment that the ownership of Arch is out gallivanting in expensive cars or homes, they couldn’t be further from the truth. Fact is the ownership of Arch- the Silverstein family along with my brother Steve- gave up their equity in the company in this deal. Umm that is a HUGE thing. I don’t see them as being joyous. I see them as being thankful to be given another chance, to be there for a loyal customer base and to eventually, somehow, make their vendors happy again. But most of all, like noted above I think they are most thankful that the company and the people left have jobs, because the alternative would not be very good. 1800 families appreciate it.

And a note, I give major kudos to Bob Price of JE Berkowitz & Bill Stone of Louisville Plate for going “on the record” with their comments on this situation. (While I can disagree with them though) Do you know how easy it is to say things when you don’t have to stand behind them? In the age of the internet it’s simple and quite frankly sad that people can take any pot shot they want and not have to show any responsibility. (I take pot shots all the time, but my name is on here, I stand behind it. Do I make enemies because of it? Sure, but I hope at least people respect me because I say what’s on my mind and don’t hide behind a fake or anonymous name)

Another thought to chew on…as I have noted many times, our industry is in a rough patch and there’s a good chance this is not the end of bankruptcy filings. It will probably be the biggest one, but I’ll be stunned if it’s the last. I hope I am wrong because if it’s the last for a while that means things will be getting better. (And if you file be prepared for USGlass to dig up everything on it, they are relentless journalists)

I know there are folks out there who have serious beefs with Arch or the ownership. Hey when you are in the industry as long as we have been and have grown the way we have and have dealt with so many things, you will have enemies… several of them. (Competitors, suppliers, ex employees etc…) That said I don’t expect this week’s posts to pacify any of those folks… as readers of my blog know, I do this for therapy… and believe me writing this helps.
In fact I have actually started a journal on this process, what I did, who I talked to, what I think and so on. Who knows someday it may make an interesting book. In any case it’s therapeutic for sure.

The lesson learned is that things that you expect to never happen can happen. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the day would come where Arch would be in this spot. But it did and I have to deal with it and make the best of it. I am confident that we will emerge from it better and smarter. So I guess my point is whatever comes my way I can deal with. I am thankful for the support and saddened by the venom. But I’ll handle bad while being so very grateful for the good.

As those of you who read this also know is I fashion myself as an industry watch dog… that said I am sure the folks at the NFRC and Marc LaFrance at DoE (if he’s awake- sorry can’t escape all the snark) are probably loving this turn of events… and guess what they should. I pounded away at them for what I perceived as ineptitude so obviously they can surely take glee in our current place. But that said I comment on the industry as an observer- not an employee of Arch. I rarely if EVER mention Arch on here. Look it up if you don’t believe me. I take pride in trying to stay independent as someone who lives and loves this industry. And my comments here on this blog are strictly my opinion- I do this as an independent person without edit or censor. That said hopefully my comments going forward will be held in the same light as they were in the past. And I take it seriously to comment on things that are not good for us as a whole and will continue to do so.

Last… I wish this on no one. Having to deal with all of the angles that are out there is seriously un-fun. It’s horrible actually. But at the end of the day I will be a better person for it, Arch will be a better company for it, and we will get through this one way or another. Wrongs will be righted and life will move on.

Thank you for reading.

Elsewhere…

I thought about the links and video and decided I need to skip it this week… the above is heavy stuff for me, and doing links on waterskiing squirrels or videos of Tiger Woods crashing into a fire hydrant just won’t cut it… it will return next week.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Despite the incredible frustrations of the times we really do have a lot to be thankful for. Now that sounds pretty canned as something anyone would say around this time of year. But I believe it actually. I am thankful for the folks I have the honor to work with- from my co-workers to my suppliers to our customers. (Also my friends that happen to be competitors or not fit in any of these categories) I count myself as blessed because of those groups and I am sure I am not alone. We all have to fight the battles these days but we’re not in it alone- and hopefully- sooner than later- the roller coaster will be going in the up direction! In any case to all who read, comment and support this blog a happy and healthy thanksgiving to ya!

Elsewhere…

Short week… short post… heck let’s just skip to the links shall we?

Off to the Links!

Some great ones from the "Link Chick" this week.. (a Happy Turkey Day to you too LC)

-- If you came of “age” in the mid to late 80’s and watched any MTV, then you probably enjoyed the game show “Remote Control”- it really was ahead of its time. Sadly, it’s host- Ken Ober passed this week.. Here’s a good, quick, piece on his legacy.

-- CRAZY story on a shortage of Eggo Waffles… seriously… and yes the Link Chick and my wife BOTH said the same thing to me on this… “thank god it wasn’t Pop Tarts”… oh you better believe it… if Pop Tarts starts a shortage, that’s like nuclear winter for me.

-- Interesting story… group refuses to pay “mandatory tip” on its food bill because service was miserable…. What happens next? They get busted… but still you wonder if there’s a better way to get the message across… or was this the best way?

Video of the Week

This week’s video comes for a buddy of mine who is close friends with this performer… they actually go to Miami Dolphin games together… so I can’t wait to see what he finds out when he asks her about this fall flat on her behind during the American Music Awards… it’s Jennifer Lopez- and you have to either watch until the 2:33 mark or fast forward to that because soon after she comes crashing down… but she handles it well… still I’ll be waiting for the inside scoop… (By the way this buddy also sits next to big time pro golfers and is friends with the Williams sisters too... no clue why he keeps company with folks like me!!)

Let's hope this is not true...

The relative positivity of last week’s Greenbuild show went away pretty quick when I picked up a story that said some analysts see the commercial glass industry struggling until… get this… 2013! Seriously that was a prediction and the first I have seen that has not shown the uptick coming by the end of 2010. Just typing this boggles my mind, but we’ve had such a solid run for a long time, you just can’t fathom that some of the tough times could continue that long. But when you read stats like Atlanta having enough empty commercial buildings to last 14 years, it may actually come true. For the good of our industry and our personal health, let’s hope this call is wrong.

Elsewhere…

-- Ironically, the ABI (Architectural Billings Index) did well last month scoring best since the credit crunch hit. It’s a bumpy road folks no doubt, let’s keep hoping for the best.

-- Greenbuild did end pretty well and looks like they’ll have everyone back in Chicago next year exhibiting again. I picked our booth out and in the ginormous McCormick Center, you’ll be able to find me somewhere near Milwaukee. Instead of spokesmodels I may hire Sherpas to lead people to the booth.

-- In the November issue of USGlass (the one with incredible Art Gallery of Ontario on the cover) the letters to the editor has a great one from Terry Newcomb of Thermal Windows. Terry hammers home the point about all of the obnoxious spam we get from Chinese companies looking to steal our businesses. Thank you Terry for stepping up and having your voice heard, you are yet another person who “gets it” when it comes to the threat the Chinese are to our way of life.

-- I hate flying as it is, but this week’s flight was even more galling. Sitting in the 2nd row behind the bulkhead. Person in front of me already has great leg room thanks to the bulkhead, and plus it’s a lady who is probably 5 feet tall, 90 pounds soaking wet. So we take off and what does she do? Leans that chair ALL THE WAY back into my ever expanding waistline, crushing my knees to the floor. I look up and over at her (because I can see since she’s leaned so far back on me) and her feet are a good 2 feet away from the bulkhead wall! Simply unreal. I just wish airlines would take away all reclining- it’s never doled out right and it’s already so freakin tight.

-- Wednesday night I spoke at the Top of the Rockies event for the Colorado Glazing Contractors Association. What a tremendous event, honoring the jobs that the glaziers in this territory did throughout the year. The CGCA is a great organization, led by Rebecca Kaspari, that it really should be copied nationwide. As for the awards, Metropolitan Glass represented by Marty Richardson was the night’s big winner. (Kinda like the way Slumdog Millionaire won all the Oscars last year) Good stuff and I was honored to be involved.

-- NFRC is meeting this week and I’ve laid off of it. I’ve gotten some comical notes though on some of the goings on (though nothing as good as people falling asleep in the meetings dang it) and will have more on this next post.

-- Speaking of next post- we’ll have a small post up here next Tuesday the 24th- since my normal Thursday spot is covered by Thanksgiving. (Which in my humble opinion is the best holiday of them all… I love the combo of Food, Family and Football! You simply can’t beat it) So in advance of that, hope everyone enjoys the upcoming holiday and you can eat and be merry with the ones you love and give Thanks for the good things we have in life!

Off to the links…

The “Link Chick” underestimates her value here- last week I met someone who reads the blog and when I thanked them for reading they said “Oh I just read it for the links…” Yep… and this is not the first time that’s been said either… so without further adieu here’s this week’s submissions…

-- Dude makes 85k per year selling shirts off his back… what is wrong with our world?

-- This link is worth it for the pictures… an “open range” zoo in Australia that has come up with a way to get the animals VERY close to you. Wild, wild stuff.

-- Crazy story in Wisconsin about muggers who are so patriotic that if they mug you and find you are a soldier or reservist, they’ll return your stuff.

Video of the Week

Chris McMahon (Phoenix TV star) sent me this one… it’s the epic failure of understanding the automatic sliding glass door. My question is… is this real? Wild to watch no matter what.

Greenbuild Day 2 and beyond

Welcome to Greenbuild with 25,000+ people on hand.. pretty much all of the major players of our industry are here along with any green scheme that can be had. Anyway here are some quick hits on what I saw and experienced so far…

-- Once again it’s a goofy convention center layout. A gigantic hall in the basement and a secondary hall on the third floor (5 escalators up). Yep that’s one horrid layout- not as bad as San Antonio’s famous “kids room” set up for AIA a few years ago but not good either.

-- As mentioned in my post yesterday, I got lucky and for the only time in my life I find my booth next to Edgetech. I’ll never get next to them at Glassbuild because they live in that high rent district and they don’t let my kind in there… but here they are right next door and with a very cool mock up showing the strength of their Tri Seal spacer. That thing is a show stopper for sure. Anyway they have not called show security on me… yet. Still awesome to have a popular booth right next store to draw from!

-- There’s a sign at the front of the halls that say “No Suitcasing” - Which means against show rules to go try and sell someone materials in their booth… so I guess it’s the green way of saying “No Soliciting?” But seriously isn’t that the point of a trade show? Attract customers but also see vendors and have the chance to pick up new customers? (Actually have a picture but for some reason I can't upload it)

-- The drinks at the show come in cups made from corn. How do I know this? It says it on there. Wild stuff.

-- How green is this? After the show Tuesday night- tons of people parked in a parking garage… all trying to leave at the same time- all sitting… cars idling… emissions everywhere…. It took us almost an hour to get out… What do you think the carbon footprint was on that bad boy? Gonna have to have a lot more cups made from “corn” to make up for that debacle.

-- One person I did not get to see today was Chris McMahon from Technoform…. but all of Phoenix did see him as the local TV station interviewed him. Rumor has it he has now hired an agent. Video in case your curious is HERE.

-- Last for this for now (more next week I am sure) kudos to the gang at Viracon for following the rules. Greenbuild said that you were not supposed to bring any paper or brochures to the show... and basically EVERYONE ignored them... except the shrewd folks at Viracon who left the paper at home making them the hero of the environmental crowd! (Note I did not plan on bringing any paper but when I arrived Monday and saw everyone had paper- I relented- dang peer pressure!!)

Elsewhere……

-- A few years I blogged about going to a baseball game here in Arizona and while it was 110 degrees outside, the roof of the stadium was open and the AC was blasting… at that same venue is where Al Gore gave his keynote address tonight. With record highs here, I wonder if the AC was blasting and how in any case that’s explained as green or good for the environment.

-- You may have caught in the comments from my last post about NFRC extending their elections a week due to lack of quorum. Well it’s true and it’s absolutely hilarious. Why would anyone want to vote in an election that no one is running in? If you only have one choice, what’s the point? But don’t worry somewhere in DC, Marc LaFrance is mumbling to himself about how great the NFRC is… yep they sure are Marc… Anyway this is what the NFRC wanted- they ramrodded the dissenters out and now they have their perfect little group, hopefully the world is watching.


-- Congrats to Bob Larson, saw on USGNN he is now at Texas Tempering as VP of Operations. I was on the GANA Board with Bob for a few years and he is a class character. Best of luck in your new gig!


-- Also on USGNN, the note on Syracuse Glass and their 100th anniversary… props to John Dwyer and his family on the awesome accomplishment. I get to see John once or twice a year at GANA events and he always has a kind word for me… which means he’s in the minority… in any case running a business is brutal and to make it long term like John and his family have deserve a major pat on back!


Off to the Links


-- Like it or hate it, the UFC (Cage Fighting) sure has some characters- like this guy who was so down on his luck before his last fight he was eating the yummy (not)combo of Rice and Ketchup. Interesting story, this guy could be the “Rocky” of the sport with stuff like this.

-- I live in the country so I am always afraid I’ll hit a deer with my car… but this couple in Oklahoma had bigger problems, like almost hitting and ELEPHANT… yep an Elephant!


-- Yep Al Gore and the “green” folks here at the show would be aghast if they read this article on a “green” couple being forced to drive to their recycling center… oh my!

Video of the week


When I saw this one, I actually sent it to the “Link Chick” as she is a Soccer expert. You may have heard about the women’s college soccer player who played VERY rough last week. Well if you haven’t seen it, here it is… absolutely amazing… and the big thing for both me and the Link Chick was how did the Refs miss this and how could the opposing team just “take it”… wild stuff.

Greenbuild underway

Greenbuild is off and running and in my normal weekly post we'll have the tidbits that you come to expect from me...

All in all should be an interesting show- turnout is expected to be in the 25,000 range- so that should be good.

Have already seen many industry players- lucky enough to be next to Edgetech (more on that in my normal post) and just a few rows away from folks like Trainor, Pilkington (new product line Solar E on Blue), Doralco, RavenBrick (who is showing nicely I must say) Technoform and so on.

Downstairs in the bigger hall I did get to visit with the gang from Viracon (always nice and classy)- and walked by SAGE (very busy), Oldcastle (The big white booth, not the starship dangit), Kawneer (No Henry Taylor- that's a bummer) and Dorma.

More to follow on my normal post- should go up late Weds night-
Also saw Marc and Danik from Walker working the floor- they tried to avoid me, but I was able to chase them down.

Obviously much more to see and report- but after missing Glassbuild & Fall Conference , it was good to see some familiar faces!

New start for a good man

If you know me or are regular reader of this blog you know that I am a huge fan of Greg Carney. In fact if I had to do a list of the top 10 people who had significant historical positive effects on our industry, Greg would surely be on that list. Now, Greg is starting a new chapter of his life and opening up new avenues to help not only our industry as a whole but many, many parts of it. Greg is now an independent consultant and his services and abilities available for the masses. And while I am sure you think this reads like an advertisement, it’s really meant to be an update as when a guy with 28+ years starts something new, its news and it’s something that people should make note of, especially if they need any help in their operations as it relates to the technical side of things. Best of luck to Greg, a good man who is off to do more good things!

Elsewhere…

-- After I wrote the above and with all of the election stuff in my head… I thought to myself, “This message brought to you by Greg Carney for industry guru… and then Greg would say I’m Greg Carney and I approve this message” I gotta stop watching TV.

-- GANA did a great job on Wednesday with a webinar updating everyone on the various code movements. If you missed it that was too bad… These things are waaaay too important not to take an hour and listen to. Heck you could eat your lunch while following along. Anyway lots of things happening on the IECC, ASHRAE, ASTM and NFRC front- too much for me to go on in great detail here- but I am confident GANA is working to get our best interests protected but they still need everyone to follow along.

-- I just finished teaching a 4 week course with the NGA Glass Management Institute. My part was a smaller piece of a bigger curriculum- and I was honored to be involved in such a great thing. The people taking part in the GMI really are amongst the smarter folks around because they are bettering themselves and their companies through education instead of sitting still.

-- Funny on how this blog has grown… today I had someone repeat back some things I wrote a couple of years ago… and they weren’t flattering things either… (I was on one of my famous soapbox rants... that's a major oops... gotta self edit myself better!) Anyway thank you all for reading and even remembering- the bad and the good. October was another great month of traffic, so again THANK YOU I truly appreciate you being a part of my therapy.

-- Brett Favre is amazing. Somehow he gets it done. The NFC sure looks like it will be New Orleans and Minnesota down to the wire…

-- Next week is Greenbuild… hearing of more and more people attending… should be very interesting to see how the mood and attitude is- especially after the Solar show last week was so over the top. I'll try to do updates each night ahead of my main post.

-- And no not going to NFRC’s 20th birthday party… I will be in a much better place… I’ll be in Denver at the Top of the Rockies with the awesome Colorado Glazing Contractors Association. There’s a handful of glazing groups in this country that are really, really solid, and I personally think the CGCA is the best of the best.

-- Speaking of NFRC, I do enjoy their blog though and laugh at how much they now use it… just a few years ago the blog concept was poo-poo’d by those guys. Must be the John Lewis factor. (anything good done at NFRC I credit to John.. gotta be him)

-- Last… saw a bid today for a parking garage that had 22 general contractors bidding it… and even though it only had a couple thousand sq ft of glass you can bet they’ll be 40 glaziers bidding.

Book of the week:

-- Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback. If you love the NFL, Peter King is the premier writer on it for Sports Illustrated. He’s also, like me, a graduate of the best University in the state of Ohio..Ohio University. Anyway great and easy read on everything football including a controversial list of the top 100 football players of all time. Good stuff.

Off to the Links:

Link Chick was trying to take it easy on me this week… she normally sends me like 100 links and I pick out the best 3 or 4… this week she told me to check my archives… anyway here ya go…

-- Since we are talking football, one of the bigger disappointments this year has been the Redskins.. and now they are going out of their way to treat the fans… well not good…

-- If you find yourself in Iceland and have the jones for a Big Mac… well you’ll be outta luck.. Mickey D’s is closing there… (but don’t worry I am sure they have 76 Starbucks still)

-- Great read in the New York Times on Al Gore and he’s dual role as green advocate and green investor.

Video of the week:

Every few months I ask for people to send videos if they have- so if you have a good one, send the link to me… always looking… This week… since we talked a lot of football above, it’s a football video… this from Las Vegas- looks like a minor league team, the punt return is going great until…. Uh oh..