The sorry Enron saga reminds us of an important, persistent truth. Unless those at the top are relentlessly vigilant and honorable, large organizations will find compelling reasons to lie, hide facts, and violate ethical standards. When the stakes are high there is a temptation toward dishonesty and irresponsibility. In the process, innocent people are hurt, […]

Does the Bush administration care about the environment or the sensitivities of conservation-minded voters? On western public lands issues environmental groups have successfully portrayed the Bush administration as pandering to the old Sagebrush Rebels and Wise Use constituencies. And although Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey is a former lobbyist for the timber industry, his plan to […]

During our recent snowstorm I backed into a pickup, nicking its rear fender. I waited about 15 minutes but the driver didn’t appear. Time is precious so I left my name and phone number on the windshield and reported the damage to my insurance company, Farm Bureau. I explained my fault, gave them the vehicle’s […]