The (say what you) Mean Season
POSTED: Monday, July 26, 2010 at 09:55 AM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
I am not the first to note or believe that mean people …, well, create vacuums. I am a social scientist by training and work, and have long-proclaimed how much I “love people.” I am loving you far less each news cycle.
The Shirley Sherrod case is neither the first nor the worst where mean people [...]
July 4th is past, now what?
POSTED: Friday, July 9, 2010 at 08:44 AM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
Tags: government
This past weekend we celebrated the 4th, Independence Day. Parades and hot dogs, beer, fireworks, flags everywhere. I love it every year. Last night, Toby Keith sang “American Soldier” with the Boston Pops. That was special to this veteran.
But now a week has gone by, and we can only eat so many hot dogs. The [...]
Walt Minnick makes his case for financial market reform
POSTED: Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 03:04 PM PTBY: Michael Boss
Tags: Economy, Walt Minnick
The last time I sat down to an interview with Congressman Walt Minnick was in February 2009 (What’s eating Walt Minnick?). During that interview we discussed the financial crises that had virtually paralyzed America’s credit markets, and that led Congress late in the Bush Administration to enact the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).
Nearly two years [...]
The check is no longer in the mail
POSTED: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 12:05 PM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
Tags: paperless, Social Security, U.S. Treasury Department
Taking checks and cash off the table for Social Security and other government payments gives President Obama his needed first step in moving the U.S. toward a paperless common “currency.”
A recent announcement by the Treasury Department confirmed that “all payments” will be made electronically. Really? They are going to miss a lot of people. I’ve [...]
When doing the right thing makes good business sense
POSTED: Friday, June 18, 2010 at 03:22 PM PTBY: Michael Boss
Tags: Capital City Public Market, Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force, Treasure Valley Food Coalition, Walt Minnick
Here’s a little quiz for you. Complete the following multiple-choice statement: “Extending food stamp benefits to include local food from the Capital City Public Market is …”
a) a waste of taxpayer money on deadbeats.
b) a matter of social justice.
c) an irrelevant gesture that assumes food stamp recipients will make healthy food choices.
d) [...]
Backing BP
POSTED: Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at 10:16 AM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
Tags: BP, Environment, Michael Tomlin
It’s not that BP is not at fault for the “spill,” or that they should be held harmless in the cleanup. It was their fault, sort of, and they should clean it up. But some of the ranters and railers would have us believe the world is perfect and a little pixie dust sprinkled on [...]
Another one bites the dust …
POSTED: Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 07:45 AM PTBY: Michael Boss
Tags: Behind the Menu, City of Boise, Downtown Boise, restaurants
Over a year ago, I started up a media project devoted to the local culinary scene of the Treasure Valley. It’s been quite a journey, and the concept continues to evolve. Along the way, I’ve gotten to meet some amazing folks in a variety of food-related businesses ranging from grass-fed beef ranchers, to [...]
Dr. Oz up in smoke
POSTED: Friday, May 28, 2010 at 10:53 AM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
Tags: Media
Challenging Dr. Mehmet Oz is assuredly an unpopular position, but just maybe he should stick to doctoring, or join me on the opinion pages. Truth is, his recent rant on quit-smoking programs is bad social science and bad business.
Oz rightly asserts in newspapers across the nation that smoking is a drag on worker productivity. Sickly [...]
Political Analysis: Experience in District One
POSTED: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 06:56 AM PTBY: Michael Tomlin
Tags: Politics, Walt Minnick
By all accounts Vaughn Ward should be my guy for Congress in Idaho’s First District. Veteran. Conservative. Connected. So why do I find Laura Silsby more believable?
For point of reference I am a conservative writer, and in Idaho the late Helen Chenoweth-Hage is my gold standard. But she has been hard to replace. So now [...]
Taking the “Leap” into social media
POSTED: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 11:51 AM PTBY: Michael Boss
Tags: Facebook, Technology, Twitter
What fascinates me most about technology isn’t the “gee whiz” aspect of a new innovation (although I’ll be the first to admit that the iPad kindles the flames of lust in my heart). Instead, I’ve always been much more interested in how technology transforms business models and lifestyles. Some of these transformations may [...]
