Fabrication debris, metal scrapers don't mix

By Matt Slovick, editor in chief, Glass Magazine

During a presentation at Glass Performance Days in Finland this past June, a newspaper story was shown that stated 75 percent of the glass units at the University of Saskatchewan Spinks addition had to be replaced at a cost of $200,000 because of scratches during post-construction cleanup. The presentation discussed the problem of scratches when metal scrapers hit fabrication debris on glass.

In a nutshell, the glass industry says not to clean glass with scrapers because they can scratch the glass that has hard-to-see fabrication debris; the window cleaners say the scraper is their tool of choice and the scratches are caused by the fabrication debris and not the scraper.

Window cleaners also say fabricators should be following manufacturing guidelines with respect to maintaining their tempering equipment, which would be a huge step in resolving this issue. However, following those guidelines does not eliminate fabricating debris because of the nature of the process, according to those in the glass industry.

I’ve talked to people in the glass industry and the window cleaning business and continue to conduct interviews. The full story will appear in a future issue of Glass Magazine. In the meantime, excerpts have been published in the past two e-glass weekly newsletters.

Higher-performance tinted and coated glasses have been developed during the past decade, leading to more demand for them. Thus, as the making of glass has evolved, the methods of cleaning the glass generally have not.

I understand both points of view, and I hear the frustration in their voices. The scratching is hurting both industries. Many customers are not satisfied. Glass needs to be replaced. Lawsuits are filed.

Simply stating “don’t use scrapers” or “improve the quality of the glass” isn’t solving the problem that continues to exist. I talked to one window cleaner who is using powders and paint-thinner type solutions to clean glass without a scraper. It takes his cleaners more time and is more expensive, but the scratching is not occurring. And that saves money in court costs and replacement costs.

I found a quote recently that seems to fit perfectly in this scenario: “You can’t expect to meet the challenges of today with yesterday’s tools and expect to be in business tomorrow.”

NFRC Meeting Survival Guide: Don’t leave home without it.

—By Katy Devlin, e-Newsletter Editor, e-glass weekly

Why don’t more industry players attend NFRC meetings? Ever since the group starting work on a commercial window rating program five thousand years ago, NFRC members have been rallying to get everyone from architects to building owners, contract glaziers to manufacturers, celebrity stylists to American Idol finalists, to the meetings. Yet, attendance hasn’t really increased.

Perhaps the problem is perception? NFRC meetings seem, to the inexperienced observer, to be three-and-a-half tedious days of task groups, acronyms and technical fenestration jargon. But, beneath the tech-y overtones, NFRC meetings have a lot to offer, including some glass industry debates that put “Crossfire” to shame.

To encourage more participation, I decided to create The NFRC Meeting Survival Guide. Follow these few instructions, and NFRC meetings become rainbows and butterflies.

Don’t be afraid to exercise some anger. Good knock-down-drag-out fights debates define NFRC meetings and often lead to some great progress. But don’t make things personal. No one involved the NFRC process is your enemy; inefficient fenestration products are the enemy!

Don’t be afraid to exercise some laughter. A good laugh at NFRC energizes everyone. But, avoid lame jokes—they hurt more than they help (present blog excepted).

Always partake in snack time. Nothing compares to NFRC afternoon snack time. Nachos, cookies and ice cream (oh my!). I promise, a Ben & Jerry’s chocolate dipped ice cream bar has never tasted so sweet as during a Solar Heat Gain Subcommittee meeting.

Know your acronyms. NFRC meetings are worse than the Justin Timberlake 4eva chat room when it comes to acronyms. (OMG, DEGT GF!) The meeting handbook provides definitions for all of the commonly used acronyms, so you’ll never have to worry about not understanding phrases like: “check the PCP for the role of the ACE and IA in the CMA.” (WT?)

Go to the party. Nothing—aside from the aforementioned snack time—takes the edge off a day of NFRC talk than a few libations enjoyed with fellow fenestration folks at the reception and dinner. NFRC’s Cheryl Gendron plans some killer parties, often filled with live music and amazing food in even more amazing settings.

Bring a sweater. Hotels tend to keep their conference rooms at a steady 0 degrees (-17.8 degrees Celsius, 255.37 Kelvin, to my metric-system readers). Come prepared! I recommend a sweater, possibly a jacket, gloves, hat and emergency hypothermia blanket, if you easily catch cold.

Watch for distractions. The meetings do drag on at times. But, keep your eyes and ears peeled for exciting distractions. My favorite distraction at the latest meeting was a bird (a spy from ASTM perhaps?) that flew into the conference room, soaring from chandelier to chandelier, taking notes, until it finally figured out where the door was. And left. Very suspicious. Very dramatic. Very distracting.

Find the perfect caffeine intake. No matter how hungover sleepy you might be the morning after one of Cheryl’s parties, make sure you don’t over-do it on the coffee. Jitters at NFRC can be disastrous. You never know what you might say at the microphone if you’ve had too many! So, know your limits and stick to them.

Check your wireless connection. Not even thumb twiddling and doodles will get you through one of these meetings easily. Make sure your computer’s wireless functions properly before the meeting so you can stay connected to the world outside.

Read glassblog. No explanation needed.

Leave a comment to share your own survival techniques … I know you’ve got ’em!

WYEP: Yes, we know the music matters, but what about the glass?

By Lorin Hancock, chief consultant on radio station glazing/assistant editor*

This weekend I had the chance to travel to Pittsburgh to visit my famous friend, radio personality Cindy Howes. Cindy is the Morning Mix DJ for WYEP, and you can listen to her show here from 6-10 weekday mornings. I’m listening to it now, and the entire Glass Magazine staff is rockin’ along.**

Now that the plug is out of the way, I can get on with the rest of my important piece of journalism.

I rode my bike from DC to Pittsburgh, only stopping six times to sleep for the night. Honestly, in the time since my last post, I did regret abandoning my Hummer. However, upon tracking it down I learned that it had been turned into a Filene’s Basement, so I just counted it as a loss. Too bad I still owe $50k on it.

Pittsburgh is an exciting place, full of fun people and even better food. The only thing they don’t have is a locally published magazine about glass. They do, however, have a kick-fanny radio station in an awesome LEED certified silver building. And oh, the glass!

Cindy and production director Brian Siewiorek showed me around, pointing out the wheat board furniture, the milk cap carpet, the blue-jean ceiling, the corn floor, and yes, the glass! Ninety percent of the light in the building comes from daylighting. Even on a cloudy Pittsburgh day the office was a bright, shiny, happy place. Brian mentioned how great it is for someone with Sun and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Yes, I thought, suddenly realizing that my caustic nature has nothing to do with my personality and is due entirely to the fact that I work in a windowless office. Sahely, please take note of this.

Cindy and Brian take time out of their busy schedule to pose for this photo. Notice how bright it is, with no overhead lights. That's no flash; that's daylighting!

The sound booth looks pretty cool, too. “How does this work?” I asked.
“Well the plastic—“
“Oh, then I don’t care.”
“There’s glass, too.”
“Oh, ok! Go on!”
As it happens, the window to the booth is glass, and the inside is lined with curvy, camel-hump-like plastic (and yes, that is the technical term) to um, do good acoustical stuff.***

Cindy went off to program her show and I had fun pretending to be a DJ (see picture above). And only one person asked me what I was doing there, so I must have looked pretty natural. If only there was a radio station that broadcast material related to glass and glazing, I would consider switching professions.

Although Pittsburgh was fabulous, it’s nice to be back at Glass Magazine. We don’t have 90 percent daylighting and we don’t have blue-jean-ceilings, but we do our part. For example, I took the initiative and turned off the AC that was running all weekend in the kitchen, despite the fact that it’s 40 degrees outside. Because we all have to help save the environment.

PS- to James Bogdan, if you’re reading this: next time I go to Pittsburgh I’m going to want a tour of that fancy PPG building. Got it? Thanks.



*note the promotion!
**Cindy did not pay me to say this. Also, glass media professionals do not really rock; they sway.
***I am a glass media professional, not a sound media professional.

Generation green

—By Katy Devlin, e-Newsletter Editor

Do you remember when “green” was just a color? I don’t.

I was born in 1983, a decade after fuel prices spiked to shocking levels—so I’ve been told by people much older than I—jump starting the environmental movement. Though prices fell, and America got comfy again with cheap energy, the eco-friendly fire had started to spread.

In this post-oil embargo age, I grew up proudly as part of what I call generation green. Ever since I can remember, “green” lived in my environmental vernacular right along with the mantras “save the rainforest,” “no CFCs,” and “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

Yes, the green generation learned and lived environmental responsibility in every part of life.

Science classes taught biology, chemistry and environmental studies. And every year, I joined students across the country as environmental soldiers on Earth Day, picking up trash in nearby parks, creating recycling plans for their homes and schools, and planting trees.

Even popular media got on board. Anyone else remember Captain Planet? He was the cartoon environmental superhero who that told kids “the power is yours,” to save the world from pollution and environmental waste. And who in my generation could forget the heart wrenching “Oil Episode” of Saved by the Bell where Zack Morris and crew weighed the importance of money with the lives and heath of animals when oil was discovered under the Bayside High football field. (Read a recap here, but all you really need to know is that a good lesson was learned by all).

I find it very fulfilling in my adulthood to witness ever-increasing attention to all things green (who would have ever thought Al Gore would become an Oscar winner and Nobel Peace Prize recipient?).

Watching big strides taking place right here in our industry has been even more exciting. Glass companies come up with greener products and greener manufacturing processes every year. And as a result, our buildings are becoming more efficient.

There’s still a lot of work to be done—buildings still use up about 1/3 of the nation’s energy and 2/3 of the nation’s electricity—but, we’re getting there.

I can’t wait to see what changes will happen when the next generation—perhaps generation extreme-green?—comes of age.

The environment: who needs it?

Posted by Lorin Hancock, chief solar-powered-structures-related-news editor/editorial assistant

I went down to the National Mall yesterday to check out the Solar Decathlon that runs until the end of the week. It was only about eight blocks from my apartment, but I decided to take the Hummer. Lucky for me, I found a parking spot after only an hour of circling the monuments.

The first thing that struck me upon entering the festival was the lack of bell-bottomed, flower-haired, patchouli-soaked hippies. Now I just felt silly, having dressed that morning to fit in with such a crowd. As it turns out, the so-called “green movement” is catching on; there were more people at that festival yesterday than voted in the last presidential election.*

There may or may not have been more people here than voted in the previous presidential election.

I met up with James Bogdan, manager of green building initiatives for PPG. Like an episode of “Reading Rainbow,” he let me tag along while touring a couple houses and chatting with the people who built them. The experience blew my mind. I learned so much, and James’ enthusiasm was contagious.

As excited as I normally am about glass, I was jumping up for joy when I saw some of this energy efficient stuff. You know how in spring or fall you can put your hand against your window to see how cold it is to decide whether to bring that extra sweater? Well, with this glass, that doesn’t work! It was hot yesterday--witness my sunburn-- but when I put my hand on that glass it was cool as a cucumber, even with direct sunlight pouring in. This is great news for those of us who live like vampires in summer to save on cooling costs. And yes, it’s great for the environment, too.

While these solar houses were impressive, I asked James how I was supposed to get anything out of this since I don’t see myself attaching solar panels to my basement apartment any time soon. He said it was all about efficiency and conservation: “the least expensive energy is the energy that’s not used.” He recommended I start small, with those energy-efficient light bulbs that everyone’s heard of. I actually am ahead of the game on that one, out of pure laziness. Do you know, if you screw one of those things in today, you won’t be changing it for at least five years? To those of us that change light bulbs with a two-and-a-half-legged stool propped up by phone books, this could literally be a life-saver.

The afternoon sparked an initiative for change inside me. My first step of turning that new, energy-efficient leaf was to abandon my Hummer, which I think may have been towed anyway. Instead, I stole a bike and peddled home. Though saving the environment is an uphill battle, much like my bike ride home, I’m confident that the American public will soon come to grips with the changes that they individually have to make to stop killing our planet. And if you don’t make those changes? Well, you might just die trying to change a light bulb. That’s something to think about.

*This is probably not accurate.

'La vita è bella' ... 'Life is Beautiful'

—By Sahely Mukerji, managing editor, Glass Magazine/AutoGlass magazine

I took the 7 a.m. flight out of Milan this morning and was dozing uncomfortably in my cramped seat. As the attendant’s slightly annoying voice on the PA system woke me up, I looked outside the window and saw the Eiffel Tower standing proud, bathed in the morning light. Beautiful Paris.

I haven’t traveled much in Europe, but from my limited experience, seems like some of the big cities in France and Italy have similar characteristics: the past and the present make up the rich fabric of their being.

I got a chance to go to the Milan city center on the last day of the Vitrum show. Our booth hostess had brought me a copy of the “underground network and urban railway system,” or the subway, and Denise, my colleague, and I decided to take the subway in. Manuela, our hostess and a sweetheart, offered to come along to make sure we got off at the right station.

We caught the red line at Rho Pero and got off at Lima. The street we surfaced on, Corso Buenos Aires, was lined with stores of every possible kind of merchandize under the sun: clothes, shoes, jewelry, household items, you name it, along with charming little cafes with outside seating. The little umbrellas, the cane chairs and the people sitting and drinking wine reminded me of Champs Elysees, Paris. It was a little overcast all day, and as we started walking, a cool wind began to blow.

The street was teeming with people: beautiful women with long flowing dark hair, brief skirts and colorful scarves; men in jeans or suits and slicked back hair. Ever so cosmopolitan.

As I happened to look to the side, I saw a quiet street right off of the main drag of Buenos Aires, lined with old style architectural buildings, huge ornate doors, looming up against the rain-filled clouds. What a contradiction. Two worlds of historic old Italy and the urban fashion capital of the world residing in harmony next to each other. What could be more beautiful?

If I had time I’d keep walking on Buenos Aires to the Duomo di Milano, sit there and watch people walk by. But the rain started pattering down and we had to hail a cab to go back to the hotel.

Now, as I sit in the plane and the flight attendant announces touchdown in 30 minutes, I feel a different kind of beauty rise inside of me: I can’t wait to get home to hold my son and smell his sweet head.

About Milan

Facts:

• The city was inhabited by Celtic groups as early as 400 B.C. until the Romans took over in 222 B.C.
• Mozart composed three operas in Milan.
• In 1922, Mussolini started his March on Rome from Milan.
• The Duomo is the second largest church in Italy and the third largest church in the world.
• The Italian stock exchange is based in Milan.
• Fiera Milano, where Vitrum is taking place, is the largest exhibition complex in the world.

International in Italian

—By Sahely Mukerji, managing editor, Glass Magazine/AutoGlass magazine

Is Vitrum more international than Italian? Really depends on who you ask.

On the second day of the show, people from China, Taiwan, South Korea, Israel, Turkey, Lithuania and from different European countries walked the floor and shopped for machines. Communication consisted of broken English, elaborate hand gestures and vigorous nodding.

I happened to man our NGA booth for a bit while our pretty Italian hostess, Manuela, went to eat lunch. At least three people came by in a span of 15 minutes and asked me questions in Italian. My request for English was reciprocated by apologetic nods and amused looks. I speak four languages; only if Italian was one of those four, I fretted.

A few more instances when I regretted not speaking Italian: every time when asking for directions inside the humongous Fiera Milano; when trying to explain my suddenly dead Internet connection at the hotel; and even worse, when trying to book a ticket for the “Last Supper.”

The worst moment of my vernacular vulnerability was this afternoon at the Vacuum Tech & Coating Conference. Mariano Anderle, scientific director, International Union of Vacuum Societies based in the United Kingdom, and president of Italian Science and Technology Association, chose to give his presentation in Italian. His PowerPoint presentation was in English but he decided Italian would be the way to go. Can’t fathom his decision given that he’s a part of an international association and was speaking at an international show, but it sure made me stop and think.

How do you define “international”?

Taxi fracas in Milan

—By Sahely Mukerji, Managing editor, Glass Magazine/AutoGlass

Milano, the fashion capital of the world; home of the "Last Supper" and beautiful people who don’t speak much English; a city of charming old buildings and cobble-stone roads; and a metropolis with few taxis.

What’s with the cabs in Milan?

I had to wait about 20 minutes to find a cabbie at the airport; my colleague, Denise Sheehan, reported that she had to wait for two hours yesterday in front of Fiera Milano to find a taxi, and finally shared one with two perfect strangers. This afternoon, Denise and I had to fight off someone who was trying to steal our cab without standing in the line!

Rho Pero, the site of the new Fiera Milano pictured to the right, is outside of the city and some say that’s why the dearth of cabs there. The driver of our taxi, however, had a different story to tell. Apparently, the government of Milan doesn’t allow the cabbies to work for more than 10 hours a day, except for a few special days. Those special days come without any apparent rhyme or reason, and cabbies are permitted to work more to make a few extra euros, but only between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. “There is a demand, there are customers waiting at street corners, and not just between 5 and 8, but … ” With Vitrum opening today, the cabbies will be allowed to work more than 10 hours until the end of the show.

I’m hoping to find a ride tomorrow without scrapping with anyone.

VIDEO What's on your mind?

Making the band, GlassBuild style

—By Katy Devlin (aka K. Diddy), e-Newsletter editor, e-glass weekly

In 2006, all of America (or rather, the MTV-obsessed portion of America) watched Making the Band and saw Diddy (formerly Puff Daddy, formerly P. Diddy, now just Diddy) fulfill the dreams of the five girls that now make up the hip-hop group Danity Kane.

If I were Diddy—well actually I’d probably go by K. Diddy—I would have passed on all those grueling dance and voice auditions with 18- to 25-year-old girls and chosen my band from the performers during Live Band Karaoke in Atlanta in conjunction with GlassBuild.

Sarah Porter from All Weather Tempering in Phoenix scheduled the industry event Monday at the 10 High Club. This is the second time Sarah invited glass folks to rock out karaoke-style, but in front of a live band instead of outdated 1980s music videos. The attendance grew from 15 in 2006 to about 100 this year.

As K. Diddy, I would not have worried about finding band members that lacked energy or passion, as jumping, head banging and overall “rocking” seemed natural for all the industry people that braved the stage. Finding perfect pitch performers might have been a bit tougher, but hair bands in decades past never took too much time to get that right either.

The choice for lead singer would be, hands down, Pete "The Real Jovi" Frank, managing editor of Window&Door magazine, who gave an inspired, exciting and hard-core rendition of Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer.”

Of course, the band would fail miserably without a backup singer, and who better than Sarah "The Siren" Porter (think Joan Jett meets Pat Benatar but with a flare for tempering).

If I really were K. Diddy and had the power to make the band, GlassBuild style, Pete and Sarah would be well on their way to the studio to lay down their first single. By next year’s show, they would already have completed their first sold-out stadium tour.

Auditions for the rest of my hypothetical glass metal band will be next year at the third annual karaoke band night at GlassBuild in Vegas (Oct. 6-8, visit http://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ for details).

Rusty is in the building

By Jenni Chase, Editor, AutoGlass magazine


Although I’m not a die-hard NASCAR fan, I have a healthy respect for the men and women who hurtle themselves around the racetrack at speeds my Jeep can only dream of. So when I found out Rusty Wallace was signing autographs on the show floor at GlassBuild America on Wednesday, I decided to get a signed piece of memorabilia for my brother-in-law Tyler. Little did I know what I was getting myself into.
As 11 a.m. approached and Rusty settled into the Auto Glass Pavilion, my stomach began doing flip flops. When I took my place in line, my palms began to sweat. Strange thoughts raced through my mind: What would I say to him? What would I do? What if I got up there and turned into a bumbling idiot? What if I clumsily knocked a cup of coffee into his lap, scalding one of NASCAR’s all-time greats and invoking the wrath of hundreds of thousands of fans? By the time I got to the autograph table, I was a nervous wreck.

And then a funny thing happened. I walked up to Rusty, smiled politely and asked him to sign my poster. I didn’t trip and fall into the table; there was no embarrassing coffee incident. Rusty simply shook my hand and gave me an autograph. Oh, and Tyler, I had my picture taken with him too. Eat your heart out…

Fruit salad, yummy, yummy

By Sahely Mukerji, Managing editor, Glass Magazine/AutoGlass

Another amazing day at the GBA. It really is mini-America on the show floor in terms of the international presence. No matter how they feel within, the Americans are co-habiting peacefully with the Asians and the Europeans under the same roof. They are shaking hands, exchanging smiles and business cards, buying and selling, and sharing a java or three. A perfect model of globalization; talk about the world being flat!

I have not noticed any “Say No to China” pins on the show floor or even inside the convention center. Have you? However, at Arch’s party at the Embassy Suites this evening, I saw a few pin-wearers, including the waiters serving shrimp cocktail and spinach-stuffed mushrooms. Wonder if their jobs are being outsourced to China, too? Why else would they sport those pins? Max told me personally that he didn’t ask anyone to put them on.

9/11 Six Years Later

Today marks the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I’m sure everyone attending GBA has their own story of where they were on that day. I was working at washingtonpost.com in Arlington, Va. We were all glued to the TVs after hearing a plane crashed into the World Trade Center. We all watched the live telecast as the second plane hit. Less than an hour later, we could see smoke rising from the Pentagon after the third plane found its target.

Across the country in Lake Tahoe, which is along the border of Nevada and California, Mike Reier, one of the sales representatives for NGA magazines, was on vacation. On Sept. 10, he meant to turn in his rental car but decided to do it the next morning.

On the morning of 9/11, all planes were grounded. “After trying to reschedule flights for two days, we decided to make the drive across the U.S. back to Maryland,” Mike said.


Three days later, Mike returned the car to the BWI airport. “When I went into the return desk the clerk was overwhelmed that we had driven their car across the country and told me there would be a rather large drop-off fee associated with the normal rental,” Mike said.

Mike "calmly" explained he was not going to pay an additional $1,700. An argument ensued. He "happily" paid the rental fee and left. After numerous phone calls and several letters, the drop-off fee was dropped.

A story in the upcoming October issue of Glass Magazine will take a look at security glazing since those attacks. It mentions that the windows in the area of the Pentagon where the plane hit had been recently replaced and helped save lives.

From chaos to convention

—By Katy Devlin, e-Newsletter editor, e-glass weekly

I went through a terrifying, horrifying (and mortifying) near-death experience yesterday. Let me set the scene.

I was at GlassBuild America one day before opening. Debris littered the aisles as forklifts and cranes sped past. Hundreds of workers scattered throughout the huge trade show floor worked in organized chaos, sawing, drilling, lifting and setting.

I found safety in our 20-by-20 foot magazine booth (3523—come visit!), until I noticed Ashley Charest and Brian Pitman from GANA and got up to greet them. We met in the middle of the aisle and barely completed our hellos when we heard beeps and shouts as a forklift sped toward us. Fear and panic filled my eyes, as the metal tines took aim at my shins. I watched the yellow cart barrel our way, going at least 10, maybe 15, miles per hour.

My three years in the industry flashed before my eyes, and I thought it was all over … that is, until Ashley saved my life and my glass career with some wise words: “Let’s move out of the way.”

As we walked to the edge of the aisle, I tripped over a roll of carpeting and slipped on a sheet of plastic. Catching my balance and playing it cool, we finished our conversation and said our goodbyes.

I have learned several things from this experience:

• I am a colossal exaggerator


• I am a complete klutz


• It’s amazing how this trade show came together in such a short time. Major kudos to everyone involved.

Check out this video to see the process.

Green peach

—By Sahely Mukerji, Managing editor, Glass Magazine/AutoGlass

Good day from sunny Hotlanta. GlassBuild America brings me to this sultry downtown, with temperatures hovering around 90 degrees Fahrenheit; the asphalt on the streets adding to the sizzle with tire friction and car emissions.

City dwellers, however, seem conscious enough to not add their bit to the global warming. Either that or they just like the feel of zipping around town like an 8-year-old on his scooter with the wind in his hair.

It’s the Segway PTs I’m talking about. While sitting outside and sipping a nice cool glass of water at Pacific Rim on Peachtree Center Avenue last night, I noticed a man on this little two-wheeled self-balancing device gliding past. Have you noticed these personal transporters? I don't see them up in Northern Virginia where I live, but these Segways, “the next generation in personal mobility,” are at every street corner in the Big Peach.

On my ride back to the hotel from the Georgia Convention Center today, the cabbie, a 10-year Atlanta resident originally from Haiti, confirmed that with the hike in gas prices, the Segway has become quite popular in the city.

Invented by Dean Kamen and unveiled in December 2001, these transporters are produced by Segway Inc. of New Hampshire, according to Wikipedia. “The name "Segway" is a homophone of "segue" (a smooth transition, literally Italian for "follows"). PT is an initialism for personal transporter, while the old acronym HT was an initialism for human transporter.”

Kamen claims that 500 million car trips per day in the U.S. are less than 5 miles and single-passenger, and if only a percentage of those used a tiny electric "car" instead, the positive effects could be considerable, Wikipedia says.

Atlanta offers city Segway tours: go to http://www.citysegwaytours.com/ or write Atlanta@CitySegwatTours.com.

I can totally see myself ditching my Honda Civic for one of those slickers, but am not quite sure about those goofy helmets ...

Can GlassBuild America survive under water?

In September 2007, the GlassBuild America trade show took place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. One thousand years later, with all of Atlanta submerged underwater, the show still goes on ... but with a container glass focus.



Welcome to GlassBuild America

—By Matt Slovick, Glass Magazine Editor-in-Chief

The video clip is from the “Futurama” episode “The Deep South,” which aired in April 2000. Atlanta had moved offshore and became an island in an effort to boost tourism and become a bigger Delta hub. The city overdeveloped and its excess weight caused it to sink.

Those that stayed with the city evolved into merpeople, boosted by the large amounts of caffeine from the Coca-Cola bottling plant. Famous people who got off the island were Ted Turner, Hank Aaron, Jeff Foxworthy, the guy who invented Coca-Cola and Jane Fonda. “Futurama” debuted in 1999 with the premise of a New York pizza delivery boy who is cryonically frozen on Jan. 1, 2000, and revived 1,000 years later.

Thanks to “Futurama” and YouTube, we hope this clip helps set the tone for our glassblog, which comes to you from GlassBuild America in Atlanta. Glassblog debuted during AIA in San Antonio and then continued from GPD in Finland. Glassblog from GlassBuild will be updated by editors who are in search of interesting, fun and entertaining subjects while on the Expo floor, at a GBA event or outside the confines of the Georgia World Congress Center.

Glassblog also likes to present trivia from its various locations. Those visiting GlassBuild will undoubtedly see or hear about The World of Coca-Cola. Why is it here and mentioned in the "Futurama" episdoe? Coca-Cola was invented in May 1886 in Atlanta by pharmacist John S. Pemberton. The name "Coca-Cola" was suggested by Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Robinson. He penned the name Coca-Cola in the flowing script that is famous today. Coca-Cola was first sold at a soda fountain in Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta by Willis Venable.

The farewell parties at GPD are legendary.

—By Matt Slovick, Glass Magazine editor-in-chief

This was my first, but I believe the legend continues.

Attendees were instructed to pick up their costumes before they left Tampere Hall. Brown Onduso, marketing coordinator for GPD, wore his most of the final day, letting us know we must be “dressed like him” to attend the party.

It was a Royal Party, and women, the princesses, wore capes and crowns (cardboard). Men were knights and also wore crowns. The garb came in different colors. I chose black.

Transportation to the party was by bus (10 minutes) or boat (40 minutes). I selected the marine route along with many others who filled two boats.

Jorma Vitkala, GDP chairman, made sure we weren’t disappointed upon arrival.

The medieval theme continued as Jorma, dressed in an old-time military outfit, greeted us at the dock. Villagers, including hags (some with beards and hunchbacks), roamed the grounds of the mansion while minstrels played in various spots.

The food was plentiful, and the drinks flowed freely.

About midnight, when I finally experience darkness in Finland, the group I was with decided to head back to the hotel. I had spoken to a few people who had early-morning flights and planned to stay up all night. When we got off the bus, we decided to have “one more” drink at the hotel bar.

The conversations continued and at some point, it was really time to get to bed. I still had a few blocks to go to get to my hotel. As I was walking, it seemed as though it wasn’t that dark anymore. And then I realized I was experiencing my first sunrise in Finland.

One more day
After four hours of sleep, I packed and headed to the airport. I was on the plane, along with Denise Sheehan, vice president of industry events at the National Glass Association, when we were told to go back to the terminal. Our plane had technical problems.

Many Europeans were able to take a bus to Helsinki and make connections. After a two-hour wait in line, Denise and I weren’t as lucky.

Our trip home was to go from Tampere to Stockholm to Frankfurt and then Dulles. The woman with Scandinavian Airlines could not find us flights that worked.

We were booked for a 6:20 flight the next morning that would take us to Copenhagen and then on to Dulles. The airlines picked up the tap for our taxi, hotel room, dinner and breakfast. They also upgraded us to Economy Express, which was a first for me.

So, I also got one more evening of daylight.

Our flight home was generally uneventful, until we arrived at Dulles. Another technical problem, this time with walkway used to get passengers off the plane. We waited for about 30 minutes before unloading.

It was now after 4 p.m. And after a week in The Land of the Midnight Sun, I was back to familiar territory – crawling along in Beltway traffic. There’s no place like home.

Bicycles and glass—How the Fins are saving the world

—By Katy Devlin, e-Newsletter editor, e-glass weekly

The world has eight years to reduce emissions and curb climate change before it may be too late, according to Fiona Hall, the head of an energy commission for the European Parliament who spoke during the GPD opening session. That’s a very small and scary number that inspired me to make some changes.

I had every intention of starting my own conservation efforts immediately, including avoiding my gas-guzzling 4,000 mile flight home tomorrow. However, I just don’t have enough vacation days to do a leisurely backstroke to the states. And, my swimming isn’t quite what it could be—I wasn't once the national record holder for the 50 meter butterfly in India like one Glass Magazine editor … not to mention any names, so Sahely Mukerji gets embarrassed.

I’ll get really serious about conservation when I get home—starting by selling my car. Speaking of which, is anyone in the market for a blue Pontiac Vibe? Or, does anyone happen to have a good bike they’re looking to sell … perhaps with the friends, family or glass-industry reporter discount?

Aside from making my own energy plans, Hall’s speech also made me acutely aware of the efforts on the part of others, including many right here in Finland. The most obvious one is the plethora of bicyclists. I live in New York and was still surprised by the number of people pedaling their way, rather than driving. My dad would be disappointed, though, as most riders I saw were not wearing helmets.

Conservation goes far beyond bikes in Finland. Reducing energy use in buildings seems a big concern, as many places let the sunlight in and turn the lights off whenever they can. During my trip over last week, I noticed both the Helsinki and Tampere airports have large glass facades that allowed them to turn many of their electric lights. Daylighting was also used instead of lights in many areas of Tampere Hall, where the conference was held.

While most property owners seem to be catching on, I did notice one Tampere mall seems to be a bit behind the trend.

Getting on the bus at GPD

—By Matt Slovick, Glass Magazine editor-in-chief

Unlike AIA in San Antonio, Texas, at which which larger charter buses carried three or four passangers to and from the hotels and conference center, the buses to the GPD dinner were standing-room-only.

They were double buses with that accordion look in the middle. The buses took us to a huge facility that reminded me of a airplane hangar. And for good reason, about 1,000 people had to be fed.

I sat with Spaniards to my left and Brazilians to my right. The Brazilians asked how well I spoke their native Portugese, and I told them ''as well as the average Fin.'' I thought the food was good. The Spaniards weren't crazy about the Gazpacho, a Spanish soup.

The evening included two magicians, a band and ended with a Vegas-style dance routine. The buses returned us close to midnight. And yes, it still was not dark.

Speaking of buses, GPD has a Web bus outside the tent that is equipped with about 10 computers with Internet access.

Glazed over in Tampere

—By Katy Devlin, e-Newsletter editor, e-glass weekly

For those of you who have never been able to attend GPD, Tampere, Finland, is in fact not the Oz-like glazed city pictured in the conference literature.

While the incredible faux city dreamed up by graphic designers did not greet me upon arrival, Tampere does offer some pretty impressive glass buildings. Here are some examples I’ve found in my wanderings—and I’m sure there are more. (Oh, and for those of you who have wondered about the unicyclist on the graphic—I have yet to see any on the streets—though one was pedaling around the conference hall on opening day.)

-The GPD organizers couldn’t have gotten closer to their designer’s image of a glass Oz as they did with the choice of Tampere Hall for the conference venue. With several glass-walled and roofed atriums, countless skylights, double façades, a channel glass wall and numerous examples of artfully used interior glazing, the concert hall is by far the glass Mecca of Tampere.












- Right down the street is the University of Tampere, where the GPD workshops were held on June 14. Pictured below are two of several remarkable uses of glass—the five story entry and stair well, with glass railings, and the three-story glass bridge that swoops out at least another 30 feet beyond the frame to create an interesting roof skylight.














- To the west—conveniently on my walk to the hotel—are two malls, both with glass roofs. The Tullintori Center features an arched glass roof that extends the length of the mall, and the KoskiKeskus complex features three sloped glazed rooftops over its main entrances.














- While this last image of the Orthodox Church doesn’t include a lot of glass, I thought you all might want a look at one of Tampere’s most famous sites. (Note, also that this was taken at about 8:30, with the sun still high above the horizon).

Staying out of the dark at GPD

—By Matt Slovick, editor-in-chief, Glass Magazine

This is my third day in Finland, and I've yet to see darkness.

After attending GPD sessions and writing in the press room last night, I made a stop at the welcome reception in the large tent outside of Tampere Hall and then headed to my hotel.

Cumulus Koskikatu is a 15-minute walk, and I realized it was nearing 11 at night—make that 11 p.m.—and it was still light. Sunset was 11:10, and the sun rose at 3:42 this morning. The sun will set at 11:12 this evening.

The non-session related events have experienced a few snafus. The welcome reception continued well past 10:30, when the Hall was closed. That means some attendees had to look for restroom alternatives. I had left my laptop in a locker outside the press room. I held up my key, and someone did allow me to pick up my belongings. And today, the luncheon ran out of food. However, the organizers quickly informed those of us who missed the meal that we could eat in a restaurant on the second floor of the Hall free of charge. Minor glitches in an otherwise smooth-operating event.

Even with the few issues, I've gotten a lot out of the conferences so far, including a complimentary messenger bag. The GPD bags are a glossy, shiny red and look like the bags used by pizza deliverers. They are kept closed by Velcro, and you keep hearing that distinctive sound as people open them up during the presentations. Today, when attendees were leaving the Hall to go to the tent, it looked like hundreds of pizza delivery people leaving at the same time.