It resists the onslaught of the weather. And your crew.

Top Notch@Orange Plus- is tough. Of course, any panel that's built to take on Mother Nature and a team of contractors has to be. Its durable construction and patented, self-draining notch allow it to stand up to most any weather condition, not to mention muddy boots, mustard and the occasional pickle slice. Plus, it goes down flat and stays flat, with new reduced edge-swell technology that virtually eliminates sanding and call backs, saving you time and money. But that's just the beginning of the benefits of using Top Notch Orange Plus.

. Plywood performance without the plywood price

New advanced formula

Our exclusive Solid Start@ limited lifetime warrantv when used in conjunction with LP I-joists and LVL

. On-time shipping

First-time buyer rebate

. Full customer support

The assurance that comes from working with the world's leading OSB supplier

No wonder more and more builders are switching to 0range Plus. To find out more about how Top Notch 0range Plus can help your profitability, call us today at 800.365.7672 or visit www.lpcorp.com. You'll have a hard time resisting it.

Seruing building products retailers and wholesale distributors in 13 Western states-Since 1922

Serving 13 Western $tates

PUBLISHER Alan Oakes (ajoakes@aol.com)

PUBLISHER EIIERTfUS David CUIIET

EDITOR David Koenig {dk0snl0@i0c.n0t)

ASSOCIATE EDff0F Roberl Fay (rfay@isc.nel)

COI{TRIBI TING EDtfOR Dwight Cunan

AD SALES ilAlllcEi Chuclt Casey (chuck@ioc.net)

CIRCULAIOil HealherKelly (heather@ioc.net)

AI}.III}flfiIRATION ]DBESTOTSECRETARY Marie Oakes (mfpoakes@aol.com)

How to Advertise

Conhc't our sdv€rdsing olllces lor rates:

U.S.: Chuck Casey,4500 Campus Dt., Sls.480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92060-1872; tg4g) 8521900; Fax 949-852-0231 ; chuck@ioc.net

INTEBNET AD$: Alan Oakes, www.buildingproducts.com; (949) 852-1990; Fax 949-8520231; ajoakes@aol,com

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Ready To Roll

Unfortunately, the danger in writing a monthly column is that by the time it's read, two to three weeks later, much can have changed. I will take that risk, as today I scrapped my original column, because I cannot pretend that life is normal.

My no-brainer prediction in March's column that war seemed inevitable has indeed come true. Since the start of the war last week, we talk about the issues here in the office, and I, like many of you I suspect, have been up several times a night to watch tv and follow the latest news. The insight we are being given by the media crews has been quite incredible. While I have often been quick to bash the national media, they have paid a price to allow us to literally look over their shoulders, and follow each and every movement. I suspect more loss of life to come. I am thankful my job is to sit at my desk out of harms way.

Today the situation with our troops is very tense and fluid, but still remarkable in the progress made in a matter of days. While much of the world-including many of our own-marches in protest, our troops bravely press on. Saturday March 22 was a high, with reports of mass surrender and cheering by residents. Sunday was the first real telling day, after the alleged capture and execution of our soldiers, and the coalition forces had their highest casualty rates to date. Resistance appears to be stiffening the nearer we get to Baghdad, and I suspect that this will be the tip of the iceberg. It is clear there will be many more dangerous obstacles to face. However, as we become addicts of "reality tv," there is a real danger that the public may not understand or may underestimate what truly is happening. I do not want to downplay bad news, but replayed over and over again, it can truly distort the bigger picture.

Monday in response, the stock market retreated by 307 points suggesting that Wall Street thought it would all be over in the first weekend-oh for it to be so-but I fear the conflict will last the anticipated three to four weeks. Our troops and planners have done superbly in such a short time, and while it is clear the outcome is inevitable, I hope there will be as few casualties as possible. In just a few days we have achieved so much, and despite the apparent race to Baghdad, there is still much to do, and war can never be pretty.

To business: I speak to several hundred companies each month, and since early February, much of our talks has centered on the impending war. Business owners, not only in our industry, have curtailed spending and eliminated hiring. It is hard to suggest that they should do otherwise. However, as I call around the country I get the sense that the bigger issue in those geographical pockets where business appears to have been tough, has been the harsh winter and weather. Indeed the levels of pessimism are not as bad as I would have expected. Quite a few companies have told me that business has hung in there.

Many of you might be just sitting there waiting for events to unfold. The trouble is we have no control of the outcomes of the war. I have never been good at sitting by waiting for the worst to happen as treading water is not in my vocabulary-ask my wife. Consumers by first accounts are still spending. I think the market is there for those ready to roll. If you are selling what people need they will buy in both good and bad times, although the "mix" may be different. We as business leaders need to take care of our economic recovery. No one can do that for us.

Lastly, our thoughts and prayers go out to our soldiers who are in Iraq today, and to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice including their immediate families. parents and grandparents. No one can walk in their shoes, but their unselfishness will make this world a better and safer place.