When I took my first trip to California in 1982, the state’s
sunny skies, palm trees and ocean views entranced me. With the Mamas and the
Papas’ “California Dreaming” playing in my head, I understood why people were
moving there in droves.
For many in the construction trades, California has
indeed been a dream location.
Who wouldn’t love to discover hidden treasure? Personally, I dream of appearing on PBS’ Antiques Roadshow
with my grandfather’s coin collection and hearing the expert say: “Mr. Fausch,
this is a stunning collection, filled with the rarest pennies ever assembled.
It’s easily worth $5 million.”
It’s been fascinating watching the world turn
green, i.e. “environmentally sensitive.” Because BNP Media has published Environmental
Design + Construction magazine
since 1997, we’ve been able to watch the recent “green rush” from a position of
insight.
I just returned from Atlanta where a gas shortage is
creating havoc. At one point I became mired in a line of cars when I simply
attempted to turn into my hotel parking lot. My path was blocked by a horde of
aggressive, petrol-starved motorists, all emotionally invested in reaching the
corner gas station. From the perspective of someone from Michigan, where gas is
still plentiful, I found the shortage scary.
That eardrum shattering noise you’ve been hearing is the construction industry
grinding to a halt. Will the gears that run our economy unclench?If so,
when? A few days ago, the House of Representatives joined Congress in
passing the financial “Bail Out Bill.” President Bush quickly signed the measure
so taxpayers like you and me can throw $700 billion at the problem.
Three years ago this month, I joined a group of
about a dozen volunteers on an emergency trip to Gulfport, MS. We were a couple
weeks behind Hurricane Katrina and traveling with an 18-wheeler loaded with
supplies. The devastation was still immense as we arrived. Now our eyes are fixed on Texas, Louisiana and
the other states that bore the brunt of Hurricane Ike.
There’s an unsettling thought tailgating the bumper of this
week’s wild ride
on Wall Street. The bad news isn’t over. Clearly, the housing and financial crises are not going to
subside any time soon. For construction pros, business opportunities will be
limited. But this is no time to play possum.
September 11 was a somber day for me. From the moment I
turned on my car radio in the morning until I went to sleep, words and images
kept flooding my mind.
All day long my thoughts returned to the events of
September 11, 2001. I rarely look out my office window, but a flag flying at
half-mast kept stealing my attention. I haven’t thought this much about 9-11
since the one-year anniversary.
Following an investigation that included 269 first-hand reports from
victims, we’ve identified the thief who stole money from construction firms
nationwide. His name: Residential Construction Decline, or RCD for short.
"In just a few months we’ve gone from feast to famine…
from too much business to 'where is the business?'…from fat and happy to hungry
and stunned. " These words serve as the starting point of Tim Fausch's
blog--which will appear weekly and address the issues causing you pain. He’ll
use research and firsthand reports to quantify and understand the trends
causing you grief...