If there is a silver lining to the housing collapse, it is that the house-flipping mania is over now. Maybe we can get back to the business of building and remodeling real houses for real people who actually plan to stay awhile. However, designing and building homes for the “New Normal” and the diverse demographics […]

Have you ever been told: “Don’t rassle with pigs – you’ll only get dirty and the pigs love it.” Um, this time I didn’t just rassle, but went swimming – and needed a shower afterwards. The Montana Commission of Political Practices (CPP) has been in the news lately. There was major bickering between Commissioner Dave […]

Infrastructure is one of those things you don’t necessarily think about as a new business owner. Thing is, strong infrastructure often turns out to be the competitive edge that no one (other than you) notices. Your clientele notices “stuff”: You’re always on top of things and that you rarely, if ever, have to say “oh, […]

Real quick, explain how these primaries and caucuses work in layman’s terms. Perhaps you can, but I’ve been following the GOP primary elections more closely than most and still have difficulty understanding it all. It’s as if layers of rules are added specifically to confuse us. Take a look at what happened in Missouri. This […]

Despite the city’s official website that states Whitefish is a “rapidly growing retirement/resort community,” the town remains “special” largely as a result that families, small businesses and dogs are welcome. Unlike the resort destinations of Vail or Jackson Hole, Whitefish is a town where local people can still work, play and live. As it has […]

Nationally and locally collective bargaining is being attacked. For several years organized labor groups have been quietly dismantled, internally and externally. Recently state legislators have waged war on organized labor across this nation. The American Dream is becoming out of reach when organized labor and collective bargaining can no longer have a voice for the […]

I am in support of maintaining the Kalispell City Airport and hope that the Kalispell City Council will choose to keep the airport where it is and update the facility using the FAA funds to make a safer and more user-friendly facility. The airplane wreck in early February really should not change anything. The pilot […]

Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow from Michigan announced that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will begin public policy hearings on the next Farm Bill. Luckily for Montana, Sen. Max Baucus sits on this committee that encourages farms to produce good food. Montana ranks fifth in the nation for producing wheat. Counties like Chouteau and Hill […]

Treating profit as salary is a common error for new businesses. It’s unusual for new owners to start by thinking their business through to the “end game” or to its ideal place. While some plan with an exit strategy in mind, there’s more to business than “do something, grow fast, get bought by Google”. What […]

A woman called me asking for a man I had never heard of. She said she was from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and was calling to get a count of the man’s hunt (i.e., how many had he killed). Since I had her on the line I asked her to explain and she told […]

The controversy over the recent killing of Anwar al-Awlaki by drone strike illustrates a serious problem for our country in its dealings with the rest of the world. Our goody-two-shoes approach to conflicts is being used to our great disadvantage by our enemies. Civil libertarians and human-rights activists would have us conduct due process before […]

Recently Rep. Jerry O’Neil described his “quandary,” with the tax reform pledge. In this letter, he voiced his opposition to tax incentives for renewable energy. Interestingly enough, I read last week that these tax incentives led to the historic power purchase agreement between Flathead Electric and Stoltze Lumber, adding power from biomass technology into the […]

Recently, Beacon reporter Myers Reece wrote a short story from an interview with Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg in which he included the congressman’s response to a question about third-party spending. His response went a long way. Rehberg said he wanted “100 percent transparency” in campaign finances. But he added that, in his high-profile contest with […]

For the past four decades, Montanans have watched in dismay as our state has become increasingly subject to federal legislation and regulation – while jobs and economic activity have dwindled. Our country teeters on the brink of economic disaster – but the majority of elected officials seem paralyzed when faced with producing solutions. Consider the […]

Good marketing doesn’t need to lie. If you have to lie to sell your stuff, either your stuff isn’t worth buying or you aren’t worth buying it from. Harsh words? Not if you want to stay in the business you’re about to start. These days, buyers are empowered by the information made available to them […]