Promises and perils of furloughs
POSTED: Monday, March 8, 2010 at 11:56 AM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
Tags: Education, Employment, University of Idaho
It seems like a magic bullet. Out of payroll money? Just furlough some folks and the money comes back to you. That is the University of Idaho’s plan, and they are not alone.
For many of us a couple of furlough days are preferable to a permanent salary reduction. At least we don’t have to negotiate [...]
Cultivating a preference for Idaho
POSTED: Friday, March 5, 2010 at 01:17 PM PTBY: Michael Boss
Tags: government, Idaho Preferred
In last week’s blog I suggested that the Tea Party movement take on the cause of wresting control of our nation’s food supply from the forces of Big Government farm policy and return us to a more balanced and sustainable agricultural model. While admittedly taking a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach to what I consider a [...]
3 steps to improving sales on your Web
POSTED: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 02:10 PM PTBY: Brad Chase
Tags: Internet sales
Improving sales on your Web site is actually really simple. It’s a three step formula I have been focusing on and working towards: The number of customers (your marketing) X your average transaction (increase this with upsells and cross sells) X Average Frequency (a newsletter could help you do this).
1. The number of customers: Your [...]
Why I’m joining the Tea Baggers
POSTED: Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 02:11 PM PTBY: Michael Boss
Tags: Barack Obama, Health Care, Michael Pollan, New Deal, Sarah Palin, Tea Baggers
I know my faithful Idaho Business Review readers (thanks again, Mom) must be reading this blog title and double-checking the byline to be sure which “Michael” this is.
Yep, it’s really me, folks. I’ve seen the error of my leftist-leaning, Obama-loving, socialist-sympathizing ways. My motto henceforth is, “have gun, will tea bag” - provided, of course, [...]
Illegal immigration – illegal business
POSTED: Monday, February 22, 2010 at 11:45 AM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
Tags: Counterpoint, Idaho Legislature, illegal immigration, Michael Tomlin
One by one the proposed bills in the Idaho Legislature to help control illegal immigration likely will all fall. They’ll fall because the Legislature is hiding behind the “it’s a federal issue” shield.
Rest assured if the illegal workers had “Idaho potato” tattoos, the enforcement would be swift and sure. But in a case that involves [...]
‘U-6′ is not a rock band
POSTED: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 03:56 PM PTBY: Kenn Lamson
Tags: Financial Services, Investing
One of the great things about having a business partner is that you have someone to challenge your thesis. Since their name (as part of the company) is associated with your work, they have a right, if not an obligation, to offer their thoughts.
Such was the case recently when Kevin and I were [...]
Meet the man responsible for global climate change
POSTED: Friday, February 12, 2010 at 08:36 AM PTBY: Michael Boss
Tags: alternate energy, blog, Downtown Boise
If you ever wondered just where the buck stops when it comes to making the hard choices in balancing environmental and business priorities, the answer is very clear to a downtown Boise restaurateur. For Dave Krick, owner and founder of Bittercreek Alehouse and the Red Feather Lounge, the buck falls squarely on his desk.
I had [...]
The consensus on 2010
POSTED: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 12:09 PM PTBY: Kenn Lamson
Tags: Economy
I’ve spent roughly the past six weeks reading economic and investment market forecasts produced by strategists in the investing world and from other sources - Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, UBS, Morgan Stanley, Cantor Fitzgerald, International Monetary Fund, Bernstein, Strategas, Barclays, JP Morgan, Gluskin Sheff, Deutsche Bank, Societe Generale, Northern Trust, Blackrock, and several others. While [...]
NASCAR finds its groove
POSTED: Monday, February 8, 2010 at 10:43 AM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
Tags: Health Care, NASCAR, Sports
I’m not a big car racing fan, but then neither is NASCAR. The organization is to auto racing what the BCS is to a national champion of Division I college football – controlling the money, media, marketing, all of the rules, and the participants. And for years it’s been about the rules and control rather [...]
If we build it, they will come
POSTED: Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 12:00 PM PTBY: Michael Boss
Tags: Education, Idaho Legislature, innovation, Mark Solon
Any responsible dietician will tell you that not eating is the worst possible way to lose weight. Granted, at some point that strategy will produce dramatic results, inasmuch as nothing takes off those unwanted pounds like death.
