In a meeting last month, a person in management announced a change of procedure and expected everyone to be impressed with the great idea. The problem? That person did not take the time to consider that this change had ever been discussed before, much less that there were reasons why it had been...

In our everyday lives, we habitually take many things for granted. It can be little things, like a store always having your favorite brand, or bigger expectations, such as your favorite store always being in business. We expect things to be where we expect them to be, and we anticipate that...

Every time a company adds “new and improved” to the label of something I am buying, I have a moment of fear and frustration. I bide my time until I try using this “improved” product, whatever it may be, and then I will assess if the improvement is something I will...

Some have complained that our magazine articles include advertorial content—but that simply means that they have misunderstood the purpose of our forum. Unlike an association that is supposed to speak with a united voice, our forum encourages everyone to speak with their own voice. We are...

I am perpetually amazed, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, at the way I am treated sometimes. I am an adult who is capable of communicating with others in person, on the phone, and electronically. I expect conversations to develop in a certain way, as I am sure everyone does. I...

On the Cover: This impressive project of mixed use retail and residential units has been fabricated by Cussewago Truss of Cambridge Springs, PA. [For photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] Located in Chili, NY, this project is known as Mid-Lakes Greenwood and will contain: 22...

In our January 2021 issue, Frank Woeste and Don Bender wrote, “Hybrid Lumber" Grade Stamps Require Special Attention. This article provided information on how to recognize hybrid grade marks and how to calculate hybrid lumber values for truss design. Included was this caution: A...

I freely admit that I have watched more than my share of house-hunting shows. My favorites fall into two categories – seeing homes (and prices) in US cities where I would consider moving next and seeing homes in international locations where I know I’ll never go (e.g., Southeast...

Recently, I’ve been watching a company I know make some very questionable changes. Even though they’re not in this industry, the issues raised are pertinent to any company. From the outside looking in (and from people on the inside without a voice), it seems that all decisions are...

As a follow-up to our January 2021 All Things Wood article by Frank Woeste and Don Bender, “Hybrid Lumber” Grade Stamps Require Special Attention, we are pleased to report that additional information is now available for designers and code officials. The following article appears...