It's that time again!  Classes are being offered on Saturday, March 27th and Sunday, March 28th and again on Saturday, July 24th and Sunday July 25th, 2004.  Acquire your full 14 hours in 1 weekend!  Interesting speakers will present interesting topics that will provide you with the CILB requirements.  Included each day; workplace safety (OSHA), Worker's Compensation and Business Practices.  Also available: Administrative Core Course for first-timers and the new Advanced Accessibility Course for those who have already taken the Core Course.  Full day courses now include lunch! 
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Bush to propose immigration rule overhaul
President George W. Bush announced a plan to expand legal status for millions of immigrants. Business groups are in favor of such a plan, as employers struggle to find workers willing to take low-paying jobs, though many expect the proposal to face an uphill battle.  The Philadelphia Inquirer ,   The Washington Post .

Recycled Christmas trees can protect shoreline
Spring on the bayou may look a lot like Christmas. New Orleans residents are being urged to recycle their Christmas trees for use in protecting area wetlands. The recycled trees will be stored until spring and then used to block waves that have been eroding the shoreline along Bayou Bienvenue.   The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)

The Feet Of A Clown
If the whole world would walk with the feet of a clown they'd be walkin' on sunshine, the whole world around.
Their feet would be higher than moon light you see for where ever they walk, silver foot prints you'd see.
They'd walk on the trails with the lonely and lost, they'd dance on the rain drops, and tip toe with Jack Frost.
They would go places they never have been to meet all the shut-in's whom they would befriend.
Now their feet might get dusty, tired and sore but to make one feel wanted, they'd go one mile more.
They'd walk cross the desert, through jungle terrain to reach out to others whose lives are in pain.
They'd travel the by-ways and trod through the towns to show all the lonely there's love to be found.
Yes, the feet of a clown are very unique 'cause they take them to places where few others seek.
And yes, there's a purpose in those silly old shoes.  They help to show others they can dance away blues.
If each one would walk with the feet of a clown, all those with heartache would some day be found.
Author Unknown

Digital cameras become important on-site tool
A digital camera is a powerful construction tool. Being able to capture a meaningful image and e-mail it to colleagues is an ideal combination for project managers. It allows architects, engineers, contractors and owners to track operations together and respond to problems with expedience. It also makes them better communicators. http://www.enr.com

New window film lets sun shine in
The window film technology cuts down on energy usage in buildings, balances temperatures within structures and reduces sun glare, without totally blocking out natural sunlight. Manufacturers of the film put a range of alloys and metals onto the window film to filter out more of the near infrared area of the light spectrum and allow an increased amount of the visible light.  
Building Design and Construction

Non-residential construction should grow in 2004
Analysts say construction spending growth should be at about 3% to 3.5% in 2004. Residential growth is expected to slow somewhat, while commercial and public construction expenditures are expected to grow. Building Design and Construction

Recycled paper waste transformed into building materials
Scientists in England have devised a way to transform the excess residue from the recycling of paper into building products such as boards and blocks. Such waste from recycled paper currently is burned at mills and dumped in landfills, or used as compost on farms, but such disposal is expensive and not always the best environmental solution. http://www.ferret.com.au

Some smaller firms not comfortable with Bush immigration plan
While business and trade groups have come out in favor of President George W. Bush's "guest worker" immigration plan, smaller restaurants, janitorial companies and other entrepreneurs are not so sure the plan will work. One small business owner says she is worried her competitors will still turn to cheaper illegal immigrant labor, and many immigrants are concerned about what will happen to them after the three-year grace period expires.   The Dallas Morning News ,  Los Angeles Times

Contractors suffering through hard insurance market
Building contractors are feeling the pinch of increased insurance premiums for plans that often offer less. Some contractors are taking matters into their own hands by not carrying as much liability coverage, changing insurance providers or creating risk-retention pools.   Engineering News-Record

Safety on roadway work still No. 1 priority
Departments of Transportation around the country have a key element in mind when working on roadway projects: safety. The American Traffic Safety Services Association together with the National Partnership for Highway Quality advocate the need for training, public awareness and technology to raise safety standards.   Better Roads

Video camera assists first responders
A new video camera in a waterproof housing that allows it to operate in hazardous conditions can be used by first responders to transmit images to a central command post. The Hazmat Cam was developed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory under agreements with the National Guard.   The Idaho Statesman

WTO panel reverses lumber ruling
An appeals panel said if Canada subsidizes its wood products industry, then America could impose duties on below-market-price Canadian lumber which may hurt U.S. manufacturers when it enters the country. Richard Mills, spokesman for the U.S. trade representative, says the nation is "committed to finding a durable solution in this 20-year dispute ... [but] will continue to use our trade laws to ensure a level playing field."   The Seattle Times/Associated Press

Bush: Energy products from forests to help pay for thinning
The White House said, earlier in January, energy products, such as ethanol and methanol, produced from processing thinned wood will help pay for the forest thinning in the Western U.S. "Our hope is the advances in research into the utilization of small diameter and other woody biomass combined with the stability provided by longer-term contracts will allow a blossoming of new infrastructure, creation of new facilities, new economic opportunities and new jobs as we restore healthy forests," said Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey.   Statesman Journal

SWEETS e-BUYLINE
Sweets e-BuyLine connects you with a regional product representative. You can get more product information or find out where and how to purchase your building products.