Use credit strategically as the recovery gains strength
POSTED: Friday, March 23, 2012 at 03:57 PM PTBY: Joel Hickman
The significant tightening of business credit brought by the recession has begun to lift, with a recent analysis of FDIC data by the Investigative Reporting Workshop finding five straight quarters of increasing overall commercial and industrial lending by banks. As the credit squeeze eases with improving economic conditions, lenders remain cautious in their underwriting, however, [...]
Stop smirking, Grandpa
POSTED: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 09:02 AM PTBY: Sen. Tim Corder
Tags: Idaho Department of Lands
With great fondness I remember the facial expressions of my grandfather. I remember also that I often could not interpret their meaning. Time, and the Legislature, is teaching me that when grandpa witnessed follies he also had a remarkable view into future probabilities and outcomes because he remembered and respected the lessons he learned from [...]
A regulatory framework for gas drilling that works well for Idaho
POSTED: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 11:14 AM PTBY: Suzanne Budge
Tags: Idaho Petroleum Council
Like many Idahoans who work in the sciences and natural-resource industries, I have long heard about gas deposits in and around Payette and Washington counties. Nearly three years ago, Bridge Resources invested time and capital and took a risk on drilling to see if those historic “shows” of gas meant there were economic deposits in [...]
Getting the kinks out
POSTED: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 03:24 PM PTBY: Marci De Vries
Imagine a nice piece of lumber – strong and dry, ready to be of service in any construction project. It’s strong, and it will be strong every day. Good ol’ reliable lumber. Now cut that lumber on an angle and add a bracing plate. It’s still strong, but it’s not as strong. Now replace the [...]
Smarter spending on public education
POSTED: Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 01:46 PM PTBY: Greg Strimple
Regardless of our race, income or political ideology, we all want Boise to have the best public schools. A quality public education is critical to the success of our children and our economy. But too often, the debate on public education quality revolves around the question of spending more or spending less. The debate almost [...]
Check employees’ criminal pasts at your own risk
POSTED: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 03:24 PM PTBY: Christina Thacker
Tags: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
A company that conducts criminal background checks on applicants or current employees may be at risk of a discrimination claim. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently announced a $3.13 million settlement based on its finding that an employer’s criminal background check policy violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The policy was [...]
The elevator pitch for every professional
POSTED: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 08:03 AM PTBY: Christy Rezaii
Imagine you’re standing in an elevator with another person who could be your next big client or investor. You’re asked, “What do you do?” Quick—in just a few seconds, what do you say? Do you stutter through, sounding unenthusiastic and unprepared? Or do you deliver the perfect pitch that leaves that person with your business [...]
For firms, sustainability isn’t simple
POSTED: Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:56 AM PTBY: Regina Hauser
I recently co-led a workshop on strategic sustainability planning. The participants worked with organizations that understood that sustainability is important. Their challenge was how to turn the desire for sustainability into a plan for the future. While these organizations had some sort of team focused on sustainability, by and large, it wasn’t yet integrated into [...]
Markets’ solid starts bode well for 2012
POSTED: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:11 AM PTBY: William Rutherford
There is an old saw about the equity markets: As January goes, so goes the year. But like many old saws, there is a basis in fact for this one. Note that the S&P jumped 4.4 percent for the month, with the tech-heavy NASDAQ up 8 percent. In addition, the “first five days” theory holds [...]
Realtors hope $25B foreclosure settlement will spark housing revival
POSTED: Friday, February 10, 2012 at 03:03 PM PTBY: John Stodder
With the residential real estate industry shell-shocked from years of a moribund market, its spokespeople can be forgiven for taking a cautious attitude toward this week’s announcement of a $25 billion settlement with five of the nation’s biggest mortgage lenders over flawed and fraudulent foreclosure practices. The money in the settlement will mostly go to [...]
