To find the reaction of Duluth Mayor Don Ness to Wednesday's disappointing technology news, you could Google "Glass Half Full."

He responded to reports that Google has selected Kansas City, Kan., for its roll-out of a new broadband technology that will have people surfing the web at speeds 100 times faster than most of us get. Duluth was considered one of the top contenders for the selection, and there'd been rumors all week that the city had won.

But Ness responded with equanimity and optimism:

"The Google initiative effort was very positive for Duluth. While we were not selected in this round, the benefits of our effort extend well beyond this single opportunity ... in the past year $250 million of fiber projects have been announced with a terminus in Duluth, and our IT network and connections locally and nationally have been strengthened exponentially.

"This effort represented an important spark for Duluth. We are prepared and energized for the next opportunity."