This is something we're always conscious of -- any effects in the economy that might change the factors involved in the costs of projects.

It's not something that's apt to be catastrophic.

Our projects in the future, we will be looking at very closely to determine how most efficiently to budget them. To get the most bang for the buck.

In my opinion, that has to change. If we are to grow as a region as a tech-based economy, and a knowledge-based economy, we have to embrace those ideas, or at least be willing to be open-minded or experimental about that. It's not a question of are we ready for this in some cultural sense -- enough people are for this to happen. It's one we have to embrace.

I think Iowa is really going through a massive change as a rural economy moving urban. The fact is, the family farm tends to be a nostalgic myth, to be honest about it. Companies like Cargill, Iowa Beef Processors, Pioneer Hybrid, corn companies, beef companies, pig companies have basically taken over the family farm and moved it into a large corporate enterprise.

Hopes of a change after the likely election in September, the stock markets and the global economy are all contributing to what is a significant increase.