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To: Andriy Turhovach who wrote (179021)	7/11/2002 12:07:35 AM
From: patron_anejo_por_favor	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 436258

Max, I'm not Earlie, but thanks for your contribution to the CFZ. Nice post, and living in Phoenix (headquarters of several major trucking firms, including Swift and Knight), I believe you are spot on regarding changes in the industry. Regarding homebuilding, certainly times are booming right now...earnings in (nearly all) of these companies are soaring. Most have pretty decent backlogs for the time being. The real question underlying it all is what is driving the industry growth? Is it favorable demographics, low interest rates, and an otherwise underrecognized resilience in the economy? Or is it a mortgage lending bubble, fueled by a transaction based lending system in which pricing of loans has become dangerously distanced from risk? Tough questions to be sure! By the time things slow on the construction end, we'll likely be well into the downside of the cycle (since the backlog should take at least a few months to chew through for most builders). That's why everyone's looking for a decent "canary in the coal mine" for the builders. Regards Patron

To: Andriy Turhovach who wrote (179021)	7/11/2002 12:11:02 AM
From: 10K a day	Respond to of 436258

dude, I'm not sure what you said but that was beautiful... :0)

To: Andriy Turhovach who wrote (179021)	7/11/2002 1:31:19 AM
From: Roads End	Respond to of 436258

Great post Max. The consolidation you observed in trucking is taking place in every industry including the ones that now run the 24 / 7 schedules you now deliver to. Fact is they have to run those kinds of hours or go out of business. Don Lloyd has written extensively re this type of competition and where it eventually leads and your observation merely confirm his economic theory. Maybe one day we will all bow down to the throne at Sam Walton’s feet.

To: Andriy Turhovach who wrote (179021)	7/11/2002 8:48:21 AM
From: GraceZ	Respond to of 436258

There has been a huge revolution in the construction industry in terms of the use of composite materials. I'm amazed at the look and feel of composites in comparison to traditional materials these days. Material science has progressed significantly in the last ten years, as well as the implementation of CAD and CAM in the manufacture of custom building materials. If you compare the construction of a window or door from twenty years ago with one that is manufactured today, you can see an enormous difference in the way plastic and resins are used. In the bad old days plastic and vinyl were used as a simple wood replacement, it was ugly and cheap. Now its used in far more imaginative and functional way in conjunction with wood. The no maintenance windows they manufacture today save you untold hours of time spent in scraping and painting down the line without sacrificing the great look and energy efficiency you get from having wood on the inside. Anyone who has ever had to re-glaze and paint a six over six knows just how much time. Also, if you look at the new residential housing (I'm in the same area you are and you drive that truck right near my house on your way to Harrisburg) you'll see an explosion in the use of windows and doors in the design. I counted no less then twenty five windows in a house being built up the street from me. Add in three sets of sliders and two other doors and that's a lot of doors compared to the houses built just ten years ago in this area. One has to wonder if they have a wall to hang a picture on when the house is finished.

To: Andriy Turhovach who wrote (179021)	7/15/2002 10:57:32 PM
From: Earlie	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 436258

Max: Excellent comments and much appreciated. Don't lurk, come on in and post regularly.! It'a guys like you that can help fill in the gaps. Many years ago, a good friend of mine crewed with me on my Tornado cat (olympic class sailboat). He was a truck driver,.... usually large cement haulers. He had a similar point of view about the job as you do...... both loved it and hated it at the same time. As we usually put in at least 100,000 miles a year towing the boat (to get to good competitions), it sure was great having a pal who loved to drive as much as I did. Incidentally, several times we made the trip from Toronto to Long beach (or Vancouver) in 48 hours. One guy would drive while the other guy slept (in the back seat, on top of the sails). We would only stop to buy gas, hit the washrooms or grab burgers. Great times! (g) Later, that same guy went back to school got some degrees and is now a well-respected criminologist. He still likes to "get out on the road and just drive." (g) Best, Earlie