Masterworks in Masonry

The Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute’s Masterworks in Masonry awards honor the best in masonry design and construction in the Rocky Mountain region. Our Masterworks awards originated as the Steve Dach awards in the 1990s and have evolved over time. The 2009 Masterworks awards recognize Commercial, Load Bearing, and Institutional masonry projects completed in the past year. This is the first year that RMMI has fully partnered with McGraw Hill’s Gold Hard Hat program, and the judging was done by the same team that judged the Gold Hard Hats with the noted exception that our Technical Staff - Diane Travis and Shahnaz Jaffari recused themselves from judging the masonry projects.

Commercial Masonry
Third Place: NorthCreek Phase III
Submitted by: J.C. Slocum at The Gallegos Corporation
Owner: Western Development Group
General Contractor: The Weitz Company
Project Design Firm: Humphries Poli Architects
NorthCreek Phase III is a mixed use commercial project in Cherry Creek. The $20 million project broke ground in November 2007 and was completed n March 2009. Multiple masonry materials used include granite cladding, sandstone cladding, ashlar sandstone veneer, CMU and granite paving. These materials came from a variety of sources in China, Canada, Texas and Minnesota and Lyons, Colorado.

Second Place: Johnstown Town Hall
Submitted by: Josh Cronholm at Ammex Masonry
Owner: Town of Johnstown
General Contractor: Mark Young Construction Inc.
Project Design Firm: Andrews & Anderson Architects
Johnstown Town Hall is nearly 18,000 square feet and is designed to serve Johnstown’s projected population growth and town staff for at least two decades. The $3.5 million project was completed in January 2009. The exterior of the building consists of modular brick veneer, precast concrete bands, coping window sills and headers, and sandstone panels. The interior entry features a full height Lyons red sandstone fireplace.

First Place: Arrabelle at Vail Square
Submitted by: David Little at The Gallegos Corporation
Owner: Vail Resorts
General Contractor: Shaw Construction
Project Design Firm: 42/40 Architecture
Arrabelle at Vail Square is a luxury hotel designed to evoke the authentic character of European Alpine destinations. The hotel features 62 lavish guest rooms and suites as well as 25 private residences. This $180 million project broke ground in January 2005 and was completed in September 2008.
The masonry portion of this project involved more than 10,500 cast stone pieces, including window and door surrounds, balcony fascias and balustrades. Pieces weighed up to 3,000 pounds, requiring special handling techniques. The Gallegos Corporation installed 125,000 square feet of interlocking concrete pavers, 30,000 square feet of Rubble Limestone veneers and 25,000 square feet of CMU in this project. In addition, they installed numerous fireplace surrounds and limestone columns in the elegant Centre V Restaurant.


Institutional Masonry
Second Place: South Adams County Fire District Station No. 7
Submitted by: Peter Hynes at Urbitecture
Owner: South Adams County Fire Department
General Contractor: Anderson Construction Company
Project Design Firm: Urbitecture
The South Adams County Fire Station #7 is a 4,824 square foot structure anchored by two back-in style apparatus bays that open toward sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains. The $818,500 project broke ground in September 2008 and was completed in April 2009. The station tower and apparatus bays are load-bearing brick on block masonry construction and the center dorms are brick veneer on wood frame construction. The project includes tumbled brick, precast stone accent quoins, concrete paving, and classic brick arches.

First Place: Arvada West High School Phase II
Submitted by Tim Habben at LOA Architects
Owner: Jefferson County Public Schools
General Contractor: JHL Constructors
Project Design Firm: LOA Architects, P.C.
The Phase II design and construction was an addition to the Phase I west wing structure of Arvada West High School, which was completed in 2003. Exterior materials include two colors of brick masonry and corrugated metal panels. The atrium floor material is porcelain tile. This $25.5 million project broke ground in August 2006 and was completed in December 2008.
The initial concept for Phase I and Phase II was for the school to have an office building image which features large punched exterior windows and a two-story atrium. Contiguous to the atrium space are two levels of classrooms, which have borrowed light windows that capture the light of the atrium. In 2003, the daylighting concept was not yet popular, but has since come into vogue. Phase II features classrooms that have both exterior windows and interior “borrowed light” windows.


Load-Bearing Masonry
Perriman-Brown Residence
Submitted by Kevin Shaffer at KWS Design, LLC
Owner: Janet Perriman & Greg Brown
General Contractor: Janet Perriman & Greg Brown
Project Design Firm: KWS Design, LLC
The Perriman-Brown residence is a Santa Fe-style home nestled in a Golden, Colorado, residential community. This load-bearing masonry home is a design-build project which was value engineered with recycled concrete masonry units. All of the CMU’s were leftovers from other complete projects. This $350,000 project broke ground in September 2007 and was completed in June 2009.
This home includes an enhanced courtyard gateway with hand-carved wood doors, two kivas integral with the courtyard walls and custom spa, a full outdoor kitchen, a solid roof structure featuring steel beams clad with hand hewn wood to match the architecture, shade structure, and water feature with waterfalls and pool. The courtyard wall presented particular challenges due to its multi-curving length and integral kivas, window punches, gates and gateways, and utilities.

Mud Will Fly

Colorado Construction Career Days is next week. That means for two days, Oct 6 & 7, volunteers from Creative Hardscapes, Berich Masonry, A.P. Eberlein, Grosvenor Masonry and more will be teaching about 1,600 high school students how to lay brick using materials donated by United Rentals, Eatherton Masonry, A.P. Eberlein, and Grosvenor Masonry, among others. If you’ve got a mason or hoddie to spare for the day, let us know and we’ll put them to work. It takes a village to keep high schoolers from getting into mortar fights. Call 303-893-3838 or email nancy@rmmi.org

The Value of LEED

LEED Buildings are showing their worth in Denver. Businesses are seeing value in the energy efficient construction. Great article about it in today's Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13288722

Masterworks in Masonry

RMMI will be presenting its Masterworks in Masonry awards to masons, architects and engineers who designed notable projects in the last year. The awards, for Commercial Masonry, Load Bearing Masonry, and Institutional Masonry will be presented alongside McGraw-Hill's Gold Hard Hat Awards. The event is Oct 2 at the Denver Athletic Club. Call 303-584-6724 for information or reservations.

OSHA Reform

Sherman and Howard are warning about the proposed OSHA laws:
Get Ready for OSHA Reform
by Rod Smith and Pat Miller
Congress recently reintroduced legislation which, if enacted, will drastically expand coverage, enhance whistleblower protections and increase civil penalties and criminal sanctions under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Protecting America’s Workers Act of 2009 (S.1580, H.R. 2067) was introduced by the late Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Representative Lynn Woolsey (D- Calif.) and is awaiting consideration by Senate and House committees. The Act would:
Expand coverage of the OSH Act to all federal, state and some local workers. Except in certain “state plan” states, public employees are currently exempt from OSHA.
Expand OSHA’s whistleblower protection by codifying an employee’s right to make safety complaints or refuse to do hazardous work. When a whistleblower claim is successful, OSHA would have the power to immediately order reinstatement, back pay, compensatory damages and the employee’s attorneys’ fees and costs.
Prohibit employers from discouraging employees from reporting work-related injuries or illnesses, or discriminating against employees who do.
Require employers to pay employees for all time spent participating in or “aiding in” an OSHA inspection.
Require OSHA to investigate all accidents resulting in the death of an employee or the hospitalization of two or more employees.
Grant substantial new “Victim’s Rights” to employees who sustain a work-related injury or illness subject to an OSHA inspection or to the employee’s family members where the employee died or is unable to assert his or her rights. Victims or their representatives would be afforded the right to participate in OSHA’s inspection, receive certain information and object to settlement agreements between OSHA and the employer.
Allow employees and unions to object to and even contest settlements between OSHA and employers that withdraw or modify citations.
Increase the maximum penalties for “Repeat” or “Willful” violations from $70,000 to $120,000. Repeat or willful violations resulting in the death of an employee could be assessed as high as $250,000. Maximum penalties for Serious and “Other-than-serious” violations would be increased from $7,000 to $12,000, with penalties up to $50,000 for Serious or Other-than-serious violations causing death. OSHA will be required to adjust penalties for inflation every four years.
Expand OSHA’s criminal liability provisions to make willful violations causing death or “serious bodily injury” a felony subject to substantial fines and imprisonment under the U.S. Criminal Code. In addition to corporate employers, “responsible corporate officers” would be individually liable for criminal violations of the OSHA Act.
The Protecting America’s Workers Act of 2009 is more onerous than similar legislation introduced last year and is yet another sign of the Obama Administration’s intent to take a much tougher stance on OSHA enforcement (See "OSHA Back in the Enforcement Business"). Although passage of the proposed legislation is uncertain at this time, there is no question that the Act, if passed, will significantly impact public and private employers. Employers and employer groups are urged to monitor its progress.

Immigration Enforcement and Audits increasing

The United States Government is increasing its enforcement and audit presence, especially with regard to issues involving immigration and employer sanctions. Audits and reviews are currently being performed by either agents of the United States Government, or by contractors or investigators engaged for that purpose. In the past,investigators have contacted companies in advance to inform them of an audit or investigation and schedule a convenient meeting time. Now they simply arrive unannounced at the business and ask for information. It is critical that staff who may be the first point of contact, such as the receptionist or other front desk personnel, be educated about how to conduct themselves in the
event this occurs.
Front desk personnel should be instructed that they are not to provide any information. They should request to see identification and then should contact the company official who will serve as the company spokesperson in dealing with the Government auditor or investigator. There should be one specifically designated individual within the organization who will serve this function and all staff should be made aware that this is the only person authorized to talk to a Government agent or investigator. The front desk personnel or receptionist should be cooperative
but should indicate that they are not authorized to provide the information.
Unless the Government agent or investigator presents a search warrant or subpoena for specific information, documents or items to be produced immediately, you or your members may request that they schedule a more convenient time to return. You may not refuse to speak with them altogether. It is to your benefit to be cooperative in providing what they request, if it is a legally sound and reasonable request, without providing them with any additional documentation or information. Often agents will engage in conversation to uncover details that may lead to further
avenues of investigation.

Taking Aim

Participants in the inaugural RMMI Archery Event at Golden High Country Archers deemed the event a “do-again,” and so plans are already underway for next year’s event. Two dozen archers took to the trail in search of 20 3-D targets hidden in the lush greenery behind Tony Grampsas park in Golden on Friday. In the Compound Bow division, Randy Carey of Big Horn Masonry took 1st place, followed by Brian Retland of Mission Masonry in 2nd and Rob Davis of Mission Masonry in 3rd. Rod Hayward of Threewit-Cooper owned the Traditional Bow category. In the beginner’s division, Alex Reed of United Rentals took 1st place, Randy Tuinder of Colorado Scaffolding took 2nd and Luke Barnes of United Rentals took 3rd. Jay Retzko of Boral Best Block earned the low score prize.
This was a member-planned and member-driven event with Scott Powers of Telluride Stone and Pem and Deb Eberlein of A.P. Eberlein doing all the work. They made the event a tremendous success.
Thank you to all of our sponsors, including Trophy sponsors A.P. Eberlein, JVS Masonry and TXI; Picnic Burger & Dog sponsor Telluride Stone; Appetizers at In the Zone sponsors Robinson Brick Company, Basalite, Boral Best Block and Rio Grande Co.; and Station sponsors Atkinson-Noland, Basalite, Threewit-Cooper, Summit Brick, US Masonry, JVS Masonry, Fischbach Masonry, Colorado Scaffolding, TXI, and United Rentals.
There were tons of door prizes distributed at the awards reception at In the Zone, provided by: Bear Creek Archery, Tanglewood Archery, Archery in the Wild, Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear, No Limits Archery, Heads Up Decoys, Buck Knives, HHA Sports, Trophy Taker, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Montana Decoy, Scott Archery, Muzzy, Shwacker, and Cmere Deer.

Searching for an Exec

The Board of Directors has formed a search committee to identify a new Executive Director for RMMI. The job has been posted on online job boards with a live link to the job description, which is posted on RMMI’s website. Applications are due by Sept. 11, after which the interview process will begin.

Work Ethic will be Taught in Schools

There is a huge change in education about to take place in Colorado. The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness requirements that students will be taught include not only basic academics, but also learning and behavior skills. Two key areas that are of interest to all the construction trades are “Work Ethic” and “Personal Responsibility.” Other items of note include “Collaboration” “Communication” and “Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.” For more information on the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness requirements, go to the Colorado Department of Education homepage. http://www.cde.state.co.us/

Apprentice Training

Speaking of education, there is still time to enroll students in the fall Masonry Arts class at Front Range Community College. High School Juniors and Seniors can take these classes, as well as traditional apprentices and unemployed workers looking to improve their employability. This semester FRCC is running a “stacked” class, which means all skill levels are in the same class but receive different levels of instruction. The class is Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Contact Ryan at FRCC 303-404-5233.

OSHA on You Tube

Jordan Barab delivers a speech on plans to enhance OSHA enforcement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjCaXUwoCeI

Online Masonry Certification webinar coming up

Mason Contractors can now take certification classes online through MCAA.

Sign up now to participate in the next Certification webinars on Wednesday, May 6 at 10:00 AM CST and Wednesday, May 20 at 10:00 AM CST. The webinar is free to all who wish to attend. Space is limited! Please contact Sharyl Toynton at the MCAA office at 800-536-2225 or by e-mail at stoynton@masoncontractors.org with your desire to participate. Learn more about Certification

OSHA inspections to dramatically increase

U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced that her department would strengthen the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by adding hundreds of investigators and spending tens of millions of dollars on enforcement activities.

House Democrats last week introduced a sweeping bill to beef up worker protections laws under the Occupational Safety and Health Act that lawmakers believe have been too lax, leading to injury and death. The Protecting America’s Workers Act would stiffen fines for violations of workplace safety law and create a new felony category for criminal violations. It also covers more workers and adds protections for workers who disclose problems on the job

Dividends for Safety

Members of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute’s Workers Compensation program will share in a group dividend of $106,764.
The nonprofit trade association’s Workers Comp group earned the sizeable dividend by having a strong commitment to safety and an active safety committee. Members of the group attend quarterly safety meetings and receive a number of complimentary services from Pinnacol Assurance. To be eligible for the group dividend plan, companies in the masonry industry must be members in good standing of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute, be insured with Pinnacol Assurance, attend two safety meetings annually and agree to implement steps from Pinnacol Assurance’s six-step safety program.
The group had an annual premium of more than $1,243,000 during the July 1, 2007, to July 1, 2008 policy period for which the dividend was issued. By combining the individual premium of group dividend members, a larger premium is established, allowing Pinnacol Assurance to reduce costs and return dividends to members based on loss histories. The dividend payment will be split among the 28 members of the group, based on individual loss rations for each member company. Each member’s premium is based on his or her individual loss experience. Members with few claims receive a greater portion of the dividend: those with a number of claims receive little or no portion of the dividend.

Rocky is gone

Farewell to the Rocky Mountain News. After 150 years, it will publish its last edition on Friday, Feb. 27. It's a sad day in Denver.

Catch the Oscars?

Anybody catch the oscars? The short animated french film that won was apparently about masonry. I'm looking for a clip that we can legally link. If you see it, send the link to info@rmmi.org please

Immigration reform ticker

On the web site http://www.respectrespeto.org/en/ there's a countdown ticker to track how long it takes for President Obama to institute immigration reform. The group " Respect Respeto" wants immigration reform to be part of the stimulous package because of the number of immigrants who make up the labor workforce that will be needed to build the plan's transportation and school building projects.

Safety Stimulous

RMMI is offering FREE safety training for masons and hoddies in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The first class will be Thursday, Feb. 26 from 1 to 5 p.m. at RMMI, 686 Mariposa St, Denver. The full schedule of classes, which will include Pueblo, Grand Junction, Colorado Springs, Ft. Collins, Cheyenne, and points north up to and including Boise, will be announced soon. Watch our website for more info www.rmmi.org

SpecMix Bricklayer 500 results

Mason Tyke Mangum from North Carolina, took first place overall in the SpecMix Bricklayer 500 with record 890 brick laid. This timed, 60 minute competition was held on Wednesday, 1:30 PM CST, February 4th, 2009, at the Masonry Construction’s Challenge Arena, located in the Gold Lot, at the 2009 World of Concrete / World of Masonry trade show. This is the largest annual construction trade show in the world. It is held once a year at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 2009 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National is a bricklaying competition comprised of the best bricklayers in the world. Twenty, 2-man teams made up of a mason and mason tender, compete to lay the most brick while meeting strictly defined quality standards. The competition has the largest winner’s purse of any masonry competition. The competitors compete for well over $100,000 in cash and prizes before a crowd of 4,500 arena spectators and thousands more by live webcast.

For more details about this event go to www.specmixbricklayer500.com This is the web site that offers a FREE, webcast connection of the archived 2009 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National.
To view an archive video of the 2009 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National competition go to: http://www.smbl500.com/webcast-info.cfm

Business Scam: Annual Minutes Disclosure Statement

There's a warning in Colorado for Business Owners. A scam letter is being sent to business owners across the state telling them to renew their dues. The letter contains some misspellings and grammatical errors, which can be a tip-off.
The document is called the Annual Minutes Disclosure Statement and says you have to remit the money by Monday, Feb. 9. The "bill" is supposed to be paid by check and mailed to a PO box.
Someone ran this same scam last year, according to the Secretary of State's office.
Anyone who receives an Annual Minutes Disclosure Statement renewal notice is supposted to contact the secretary of state by writing to business@sos.state.co.us. You can also call 303-894-2200, and press 2 for the business division.

The economy needs tuck pointing

The economy shrank by 3.8%. It previously was expanding, and when its done shrinking it will expand again. Just like the freeze-thaw effect on masonry. When there's intense freeze-thaw cycles, part of the structure crumbles away and needs to be tuck pointed. Just a thought. Is Obama a tuck pointer?

Immigration Laws chasing away immigrant workers

The Associated Press is reporting that Gov. Bill Ritter says fewer immigrant workers are coming to Colorado because of tougher state laws.
AP reports that Ritter admitted that immigration laws passed in 2006 have hurt Colorado's ski and hotel industries by making it harder to find enough seasonal workers.
and agricultural employers along the northern Front Range aren't finding as many immigrant workers as in the past.
Why wasn't construction mentioned?
With unemployment among Coloradans running 6.1%, are the locals being referred to fill those jobs? Are Coloradans willing to work as hard at the immigrant workers did?

Crossing fingers on Economic Stimulus Plan

Obama's $819 billion economic stimulus plan has passed the House, but it faces a bigger battle in the Senate. If it passes, let's hope it works. Lets hope it puts people to work, building roads, building schools, building business. The personal tax cuts won't hurt either.

National Contractors Rating Bureau

Residential Contractors apparently can buy a customer service rating from an internet marketing company.

The following release is running on PR Newswire
National Contractors Rating Bureau, LLC is proud to announce its partnership with Shivonne LaViolette who will be starting the Denver sales operation for TrueBlueContractors.com.
As Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Mrs. Laviolette's first goal is to recruit and develop our sales team in Denver, Colorado. Anyone wishing to be considered should send their resume to slaviolette@truebluecontractors.com or call 720-297-6027.
TrueBlueContractors.com takes homeowner/contractor matching to a new level by making sure homeowners are serious, contractors get screened annually, and matching is not charged "per lead." Oh, and it's free to homeowners!
Contractor members receive annual membership, massive advertising, a web profile, unlimited free referrals to pre-matched homeowners, and the pride and competitive edge that come with being a rated member of TrueBlueContractors.com. And all this costs less than the price of a small yellow page ad

The architects who define denver

Mary Volz Chandler at the Rocky Mountain News has just posted a column about the architects who define Denver. Take a look at the column while the newspaper still exists. No one knows from day to day if it will cease publication or be sold.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/23/buildings-redefine-denver-by-design/

Some things just need repeating....

"This is a little bit like having the coolest seat in hell," joked Tom Clark, executive vice president of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp., about Colorado doing better than other states in the worst downturn since the 1930s.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11521769

Poet notes masons contribution in inauguration

There are many reasons to celebrate Tuesday's inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President. But on that day, masons and masonry manufacturers had extra reason to celebrate. Masonry's contribution to the building of this country was noted in the inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander's poem "Praise Song for the Day."
picked the cotton and the lettuce, built
brick by brick the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Pretty awesome stuff!

The following is a transcript of the inaugural poem, “Praise Song for the Day,” written and recited by Elizabeth Alexander, as provided by Graywolf Press.

Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other, catching each other’s
eyes or not, about to speak or speaking.

All about us is noise. All about us is
noise and bramble, thorn and din, each
one of our ancestors on our tongues.

Someone is stitching up a hem, darning
a hole in a uniform, patching a tire,
repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere,
with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum,
with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky.
A teacher says, Take out your pencils. Begin.

We encounter each other in words, words
spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed,
words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark
the will of some one and then others, who said
I need to see what’s on the other side.

I know there’s something better down the road.
We need to find a place where we are safe.
We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain: that many have died for this day.
Sing the names of the dead who brought us here,
who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges,

picked the cotton and the lettuce, built
brick by brick the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle, praise song for the day.
Praise song for every hand-lettered sign,
the figuring-it-out at kitchen tables.

Some live by love thy neighbor as thyself,
others by first do no harm or take no more
than you need. What if the mightiest word is love?

Love beyond marital, filial, national,
love that casts a widening pool of light,
love with no need to pre-empt grievance.

In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air,
any thing can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,

praise song for walking forward in that light.

The American Solar Energy Society released a report on jobs created by the Green movement. The report shows that 9 million jobs and $1,045 billion in U.S. revenue in 2007 was created by renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. While the report includes auto salesmen who work at dealerships which sell hybrids in addition to conventional gas guzzlers, it does not include masons or people employed by the masonry manufacturers. It seems more education needs to be done. Masonry is a green material that significantly reduces the need for energy consumption.
www.ases.org/greenjobs
Key conclusions from this report include:
• Renewable energy and energy efficiency currently provide more than 9 million jobs and $1,045 billion in revenue in the U.S. (2007). The previous year (2006) renewable energy and energy efficiency represented 8.5 million jobs and $972 billion in revenue.• 95% of the jobs are in private industry.• As many as 37 million jobs can be generated by the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries in the U.S. by 2030 – more than 17% of all anticipated U.S. employment.• Hottest sectors include solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, biofuels, and fuel cells (in terms of revenue growth).• Hot job areas include electricians, mechanical engineers, welders, metal workers, construction managers, accountants, analysts, environmental scientists, and chemists. The vast majority of jobs created by the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries are in the same types of roles seen in other industries (accountants, factory workers, IT professionals, etc).• Renewable energy and energy efficiency can create millions of well-paying jobs, many of which are not subject to foreign outsourcing. These jobs are in two categories that every state is eager to attract – college-educated professional workers (many with advanced degrees), and highly skilled technical workers.• The renewable energy industry grew more than three times as fast as the U.S. economy in 2007 (not including hydropower). Renewable energy is also growing more rapidly than the energy efficiency industry, but the energy efficiency industry is currently much larger than the renewable energy industry.

Not all Change is Good

The promise of the Obama campaign, the mantra, was "Change."
Well, here comes some of the "Change."
Obama's nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, has promised to change the focus of immigration enforcement. Rather than working to make sure that construction and hospitality and agriculture have enough legal individuals to do the job, she announced she will work to prosecute employers who hire illegal immigrants.
Yep, criminalize the employers whose businesses are fighting to keep what's left of the economy afloat.
Nice change Obama.

LOL! New construction tool

Check out the new tool that they are using in Minnesota
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/weather/2009/01/15/kare.banana.hammer.cnn

Whats a Tudor?

Mary Volz Chandler at the Rocky Mountain News has a fun article describing the different home types available around Denver. Most of the houses are masonry - digging that !
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/02/the-rockys-expert-helps-you-identify-classic-in/

masonry paybacks

Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through aliquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window.The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief in the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store windowwas made of Plexiglas. The whole event was immortalized on videotape.