July 15, 2008 AsktheBuilder News
What's in This Issue
DRIVE TO THE EAST COASTTREX DECKING
CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS AGAIN
NEAL'S REMODELING IN CINCINNATI
GUTTER-GUARD VIDEO NEWS
GREAT TRAVEL AND COOKING VIDEOS
ROMANTIC BIRTHDAY CARD
LATEST COLUMNS AND VIDEOS
Drive
to the East Coast
It's Monday night July 14, 2008. Ninety minutes ago, I pulled
into the hotel parking lot after a 7.5-hour drive from Cincinnati. It
was a gorgeous day with blue sky and puffy white clouds. I was by
myself, and as such I got to do lots of thinking. I often have random
thoughts while driving.
But before I get into those, if you've never driven east across
Interstate 68, you should. It's a great highway, and a few miles before
it dead ends into Interstate 70 there is a magnificent road cut. My
degree is in geology, and if this man-made gorge
through a superb syncline doesn't get you interested in structural
geology and what had to happen to make the rocks bend the way they did,
nothing will. The photo there does not do it justice. I took one and
will load it next week.
I also passed a tanker truck early in the drive that was loaded to
the brim with carbon dioxide. It could have been headed anywhere, but
there was a chance it was going to a soda bottling plant. If you are
one who is a believer in the global-warming argument that we are
causing the problem, then you better think twice about opening a
two-liter bottle of pop or one of the cans of soda. That releases
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Strange what you think of as you
drive!
Late in the afternoon, I also thought about a merit badge I
received in Boy Scouts about 43 years ago. Holy Moly, that makes me
old! It was my Citizenship of the Nation badge. My scoutmaster would
really be proud of me if he knew what I was going to do tomorrow. More
on that in a minute.
Trex Decking
I read Forbes magazine cover to cover. It has some good
articles.
In the most-recent issue there was a story about Trex decking. If the
reporting by Forbes is correct, Trex has been having some issues with
quality. It says that Trex has replaced 37,000 decks. Wow!
If you have a Trex deck that was made between say 1999 and 2004,
you may want to look closely at the decking. If you suspect issues,
contact Trex to see if they will stand behind the warranty. Forbes Trex
claims the decking should last 25 years.
Read my past column about composite decks
of all types. It is required reading if you are really thinking of
using any artificial decking.
Congressional Hearings Again - No Kidding!
Why did I drive 7.5 hours today? As this newsletter is being
sent to
you, I will be seated testifying in front of the Senate
Judiciary Subcommittee
that deals with antitrust issues. In the afternoon, I have to do the
same thing at the House
Antitrust Task Force Subcommittee meeting.
The hearings concern the advertising deal between Google and Yahoo.
Yahoo is going to start displaying Google ads on their pages just like
I do at my website.
The other witnesses testifying with me are the head counsels of
Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. The chief marketing officer of
YellowPages.com will also be testifying. Can you believe that a guy
that used to eat lunch sitting on overturned drywall buckets not too
long ago can sit at the same table as these powerful businessmen? God
Bless America is all I can say. We indeed live in the Land of
Opportunity.
Next week I will post the videos of this double-shock performance.
You will want to watch this cage fight. I predict the questions asked
will be high and tight fastballs. You also need to see the tie I will
be wearing. If only the video quality was a little better so you could
see the details in the tie. I'll take a high-resolution photo for you
of the tie and post that.
Neal's Remodeling in Cincinnati
Last year Kathy and I remodeled our kitchen. It was tired
after 20 years of use, three kids and me playing shot-on-goal with the
kids in the main pathway next to the island. Shot-on-goal is the Carter
version of indoor soccer with a 6-inch diameter foam ball that has a
knitted-yarn covering. I still have one of the balls in the Carter
Archives that we used when the kids were small. Ah, the good old days
of the ball landing in the skillet - Not! Kathy would get so mad at me!
Anyway, there was no way I was going to try to do this massive job
myself as it would take too long. I hired Neal's Remodeling here in
Cincinnati. Bob Schmidt, the lead carpenter, did an amazing job with
his helpers Dennis and Manfred. Here is a message from Neal's to all
who live in or around Cincinnati. If you contact them, please mention
you heard it here.
Neal's Design-Remodel has been solving home-improvement needs such
as renovating Kitchens, Baths, Lower Levels and Room Additions for 36
years. Over the years, many design, innovation and quality
awards have
been earned locally and nationally. Most recently Neal's
Design
Remodel won the 2008 National and Cincinnati Contractor of the Year
Award, 2008 Tri-State Family Business of the Year. Please visit Neal's website
for more information. Visit our new state-of-the-art design
center
with over 30 room displays at 7770 East Kemper Road, Cincinnati, Ohio
45249 (513) 489-7700.
If you mention my name, you will get a $750 reduction on the
preliminary design fee. That is a great deal, believe me.
Gutter-Guard Video News
I am taping the follow-up gutter-guard video on or before
July
17th. Wait until you see it. Do not sign a contract for a gutter guard
product until you have watched the video.
Great Travel and Cooking Videos
Two dear friends of mine have been really busy taping videos
the past ten months. I would really appreciate it if you would take the
time to go watch many of them and rate them while you are there.
This husband-wife team lives in California. Veronica is doing all of
these travel videos
about the hundreds of cool places to visit in California. Her husband
Jason is a real chef, and he has some excellent cooking-tips
videos. I have discovered some sweet skills
watching his videos.
If you have a YouTube account, it is free and you do not have to upload
a video ever, I urge you to subscribe to both
of their channels.
Romantic Birthday Card
I have been exchanging emails
with Graham Green who is a
subscriber to this newsletter. He lives in a remote part of New
Zealand. The wonder of the Internet!
Well, all I can tell you is that Graham is one heck of a craftsman
and knows how to woo his sweetheart. He makes me look pathetic in the
romance department. You have to read this story
and see the photos.
Graham, I sure hope our paths cross one day. You really know where your
priorities are.
Latest Columns and Videos
I have to get in bed before the congressional cage fight. You do want me to be in top form, right? Well, I will have lots of column and video links for you next week!
Index of past newsletters.
