I’m probably supposed to write something about the dysfunction in Washington, D.C. You know, how the government shut down, closed Glacier National Park and furloughed a bunch of federal employees. But you’ve likely read enough about that, and my opinion is unlikely to change yours. Instead, as I read about political gridlock, this “new normal,” […]

Two big and four tiny Green groups have filed an Endangered Species Act petition (yep, another one) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), seeking to list the northern Rockies fisher, at least the second attempt to do so. But I’ll bet my second-favorite rifle this petition is more about political leverage than it […]

In response to the Oct. 2 Uncommon Ground article, titled “Grandma’s Values,” it’s easy for all of us to identify with the ideas put forth about our grandmas’ values. But in our opinion, grandma would want us to lay all her values on the table and she would caution her grandchildren to avoid the urge […]

Last time, we discussed the often forgotten reason for showrooming that happens after price shopping: convenience and time/fuel savings. Remember Kübler-Ross’ five stages of grief? If you’ve forgotten, they are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. When applied to showrooming, it isn’t much different. Acceptance and the clarity that accompanies it are where the sales […]

As the president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 2609 at Malmstrom Air Force Base I feel it is my responsibility to speak out about the recent government shutdown and the furloughs that accompany it. There are 11,000-plus civil service employees in Montana affected by the furlough. This is because the House of Representatives […]

One of the most positive aspects of the proposed water compact with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes is the Unitary Management Board. It creates a local entity for the processing of new uses of water on the reservation. This is a huge improvement over a process dealing with two governments competing for water that […]

By John Fuller The first of October is a triple whammy for Congress and the nation. Since the Democrats have refused to pass a budget for five years, a Continuing Resolution (CR) needs to be passed, Obamacare becomes operative, and the debt ceiling is going to be reached, necessitating either cuts in spending or a […]

Ever heard the one about 95 percent of the lawyers giving all the rest of them a bad name? Well, sometimes, it seems like the same is true for bicyclists. I’ve been riding a bicycle around Montana for 40 years and along the way I’ve had way too many conflicts with motorists. One point that […]

There is a disagreement over whether the fact we’re getting slower is a good or bad thing. The reason is different than you might think – it has little to do with the belly size of Americans and more to do with the psyche of the runners. They’re running for fun, instead of for a […]

The last time we talked about showrooming, I referred to a Harris Poll that exposed a conflicting behavior among shoppers. The behavior? “Most” people (70%) say they showroom because of price, yet they often buy locally even if it means having to pay a slightly higher price. That’s right, 70% didn’t choose solely on price. […]

Grandma taught values of kindness and hard work. She tended to the sick and fed the hungry. Nurturing moms and grandmas around the world share these basic values. Last month Rep. Steve Daines helped pass a bill that cut the food provided to hungry people by $4 billion annually. If the House has its way […]

It’s been several weeks since Judge David Ortley’s decision. In 2008, it only took the county seven weeks to adopt interim zoning. Had the county moved promptly to begin zoning of the doughnut after the decision, we doughnut folks now would be free of Whitefish’s tyranny. It is imperative that you show Whitefish with your […]

I spent some time with a coworker recently on the University of Montana campus. We were there to help the Journalism School prepare for its centennial celebration – it turns 100 years old next year. While most of the conference involved party planning it also included some somber news on the university itself – mainly […]

By John Fuller After President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry mastered the art of carrying a big mouth and being hit with a big stick in return, the spin masters of American media are attempting to call the Syria escapade Obama’s greatest diplomatic achievement. An achievement it is, but not necessarily in America’s best […]

Two recent opinion articles in a local newspaper highlighted the fact that Montana’s forest products industry continues to suffer from two tales of one industry. The first article opined that throwing billions more at logging was wrong and went on to suggest that “parroting of Bush-era ‘Healthy Forests Initiative’ propaganda, is nothing but a smokescreen […]