At first, I did not notice the all-access design of the NextGen Experience house. But then I spotted Waldemar Alameda, a 39-year-old father of two. He was using a walker to navigate the crowded house.

Blame it on the recession. Concerns over water quality seem to drop from the public’s radar for much of 2009 and 2010.  

I’ve been thinking a lot about engineers lately and concluded they must be alien beings. For reasons I do not understand, God sent these advanced life forms to earth to keep people like me from mass chaos. There must be an engineering angel whose job is to keep us from self-destruction.

I’ve been feeling pretty good about 2011. There are several signs the economy is rebounding. Many construction-related firms throughout the supply chain have indicated they are gradually climbing out of their respective holes.

Last week I drove to Nashville for the birth of my first grandchild. While there I visited an area next to the Cumberland River, which flooded on May 2, killing 30 people and causing at $1 billion in damage

Here’s your chance to be part of something groundbreaking - the first all-green virtual conference and expo designed for readers of our print magazines, Web sites, eNewsletters and digital editions.

You got to love a charitable program that requires a “hands-on” involvement among the participants.

Not long ago, most professionals belonged to their national, state or local association. Or they belonged to a peer group, civic club, or some organization that exposed them to new ideas, skills, and tools, all while networking with other pros.

Apparently, there’s a little soccer tournament starting today called the “2010 FIFA World Cup”. I understand it will attract hundreds of millions of viewers from around the globe.

I’ve always been baffled by the low turnout for many construction-related trade shows. Even when the number of attendees reaches record levels, the total represents a fraction of the universe of contractors, engineers, architects, wholesalers, and maintenance pros who should be attending.