“I was there.” Those are three powerful words in the right circumstances. They imply a first-hand knowledge that only a few can legitimately claim. In grade school we were taught that primary sources, those who were there, were the best to cite in term papers. When it comes to Inventoried Roadless Areas, I can say, […]

A question came in earlier this month… “How do I compete with businesses that can offer similar products/services at a lower cost?” The question is “Why are you depending on price to close your sales?” It’s important to examine because *so many* people focus on it. In a weak economy, it’s natural for price pressures […]

Leftist journalist Naomi Klein wrote the books “No Logo” and “The Shock Doctrine.” The social activist spoke at the Occupy Wall Street movement indicating that they can fulfill on the promises of the 1999 global trade action in Seattle. That was the last time a global and youth-led movement took aim at corporate power. Asked […]

I am writing a column this week in place of editor Kellyn Brown, who left for the sunny beaches of Mexico over a week ago, pale-skinned and bright-eyed, and by this reading has now returned, a few shades redder and wondering where all of that glistening sand went. Welcome back. Kellyn deserved a vacation. Anybody […]

The President has ordered our troops home from Iraq by year’s end, but it was President George W. Bush who first announced this withdrawal date of Dec. 31, 20ll. President Barack Obama is enforcing that timetable despite the opposition from some. Bush is the person who ordered us into the war in Iraq and now […]

Productivity is pretty important, but it had better apply to the right sort of work. Even if your employees are incredibly efficient at whatever they do, if their work no longer brings substantial value to the table, your business could evaporate. The failure to automate the work that can and should be automated will eventually […]

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) wants our Jesus gone from Big Mountain? Um, I beg to differ. Founded in 1978, FFRF enjoys IRS 501(c)3 tax-exemption, under Category x20 as a “Religion, Spiritual Development (Christian)” organization. FFRF headquarters, a former rectory, is located in a city famous for its progressive civility: Madison, Wis. According to […]

Programs like Flathead High School’s International Baccalaureate (IB) business management course – right now, the only one in the state – should be greatly expanded. Part of the curriculum matches students with local business leaders who share with them their “real world” experiences. And the real world is a scarier place now. As these students […]

We all know Montana is nicknamed the “Treasure State.” For decades, many Montanans have worked the land, developed our abundant resources, and showcased our natural beauty to visitors from around the world. We are truly blessed to live in a place like Montana. Our vast natural wealth is one reason Montana’s economy has not been […]

You may have seen those odd-looking square barcodes in newspapers and magazines, on product boxes, etc. You might have even noticed them in the middle of the star-shaped signage in some Macy’s television commercials. They’re called “QR codes.” Why should business owners care about them? A smartphone can scan/read a QR code, which will take […]

Middle America knows it is getting squeezed. A decade after the 1999 repeal of the Glass-Stegall Act, greedy Wall Street firms made too many irresponsible bets that collapsed the housing market, sending unemployment skyrocketing. Plenty of politicians insist that government should not create jobs by spending public money to fix bridges, hire teachers, rebuild roads, […]

The United States Postal Service wants to close many of its doors and, if it does, few places will be impacted as much as Montana. On the list released in July of 3,753 post office branches that may be shuttered, 85 of them were located in our state. That’s about 2.3 percent of USPS’ target […]

As related in a recent Beacon (Sept. 12: “Amid Protests, Montana Welcomes Keystone”), we have now seen all of our major Democrats, including Gov. Brian Schweitzer, and Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester express their support for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. In explaining their decision, they list only the obvious short-term benefits of this […]

One of the things you have to be careful about is making your business too generic. The conversation… Them: Could I get you to comment on a booth graphic for my company? We are pretty simple here and need a banner for a trade show booth. Wondering if the fonts are ‘old’. Them: (Sends booth […]

Environmentalists are flogging Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg’s co-sponsorship of Utah fellow-Republican Rob Bishop’s National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act, HR 1505. Bishop’s bill, which passed out of committee 26-17 on Oct. 5, is aimed at enabling Homeland Security to reach “operational control” defined in section 2(b) of the Secure Fence Act of 2006: “the […]