Critics occasionally castigate economists for “knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing.” What economists measure best is not what matters most. (Love is not merely an interdependent utility function.) Because they are handy and comfortable with numbers, economists discount culture, a concept impossible to quantify with precision. Yet, Nobel economist Gary Becker […]
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A climate change crusade is underway. We are all being called upon to stop Global Warming’s (GW) assault on Gaia. It’s the biggest Green movement since the first Earth Day in April of 1970. Earth Day has garnered widespread support by incorporating a full spectrum of causes. In Boston, they may rally around “sludge,” dioxins […]
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How do you explain Bozeman’s spectacular boom? My response to this often asked question—“Why are you here?” After a moment of self-reflection, the usual answer provided is, “We decided this would be a great place to live.” Developments around the Gallatin Valley exemplify a national demographic trend: people want to move toward smaller, more “authentic” […]
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In a few days, my mother celebrates her 95th birthday. She was born in the Midwest, went to a small Lutheran college near her parents’ farm, and began teaching in a Lutheran elementary school in 1934. She taught fourth grade for over 40 years before retiring to Holland, Michigan, where she still lives today. Throughout […]
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The threat of global warming arises on three dimensions: ecological, political, and ideological. Physical changes to ecosystems have adverse impacts, while public policies dictated by politics rather than sound scientific and economic analysis have perverse and regressive consequences. The biggest threat of all, though, may come from ideological fundamentalists who constrain public discourse. We’ve seen […]
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Some of my friends and neighbors resent the prospect of living near the world’s most expensive spec house, a coming attraction in the Yellowstone Club. This is certainly not mere envy of the “haves” by the “have-nots,” for some friends are well-educated and well-off. Rather, they correctly anticipate the imposition of costs on innocent communities. […]
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Gallatin Gateway is a genuine community, not a contrived artifact of the New West. It has been my home for nearly 40 years and I cherish it deeply. Just like other rural gems of the West, however, Gateway’s attractive ecological, cultural, and geographic features put it at risk for exploitation. The question is can the […]
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It’s easy to be modest when our neighbor is Ted Turner, owner of the historic Flying D Ranch. The ranch spreads from the Gallatin to the Madison Rivers covering some 113,000 acres, and carries a variety of wildlife, including about 3,500 buffalo. For several years I told Ramona we too needed buffalo. After all, they […]
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Pilgrim Congregational Church has an exceptional music program, especially during Christmas. I write this as the brass, organ, drums and the choir practice. While Ramona rehearses, I study Pilgrim’s bulletin board and see over a dozen appeals for support. Intermountain Children’s Home, Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity, and Central Asian Institute suggest the range of […]
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People make New Year’s resolutions to change their behavior. That’s why so many fail. Stopping unhealthy habits such as smoking or overeating are commitments that require the self-deprivation of pleasure. Vowing to exercise and substitute reading for TV is a positive step to self-improvement, but hard to maintain. The lower the costs or the higher […]
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