Americans seem hardwired to believe problems can be solved. This classic “can do” approach often works — but alas not always. Some afflictions are persistent but manageable; we handle gravity and crab grass via rebar or Ronstar. Other problems, some extremely serious, should only be acknowledged and confronted, not wished away via purported solutions. Success […]
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This is a “feel-good” column, written to share. Please join me in appreciating our home territory. The Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club sponsored an English (100 miles) and metric (100K) ride last Saturday. Both left from the Belgrade town park, around 8:00 AM. No precise time was given, for these were pleasure rides, not races. My […]
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Montana State University is poised to become a nationally recognized school of excellence. Success is highly probable if MSU leaders capitalize on becoming the University of the Yellowstone. Such advancement would reflect the diffusion of quality throughout American higher education. (The U of M enjoys a similar opportunity, but success will be more difficult there.) […]
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It’s trendy to hate Wal-Mart. Critics note: Wal-Mart is a monopoly and hence, is intrinsically bad. Further, Wal-Mart destroys small businesses, ruining towns’ culture. It sells poor-quality, homogenous products in unattractive superstores. And finally, Wal-Mart is an unfair employer, paying low wages and failing to provide benefits. Each disparagement contains a grain of truth; Wal-Mart […]
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Go see Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. It raises awareness about global warming and motivates searches for constructive policies. Unfortunately, the film also polarizes proposed “solutions.” Many urge CO2 emissions caps. Others, fearful of economic repercussions, seek delay. Nobel Laureate and FREE’s 2003 Summer Scholar Thomas Schelling rejects the polarization: “It is not economic growth […]
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The rising price of gas and the Montanans in combat with our armed forces remind us daily of the dangers we face from our Islamic enemies. If the situation worsens, the economic effects could hit real estate prices and hurt the local construction boom. So what is this “war” we are in? It is a […]
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The proposed construction of six new coal-fired power plants in Montana has citizens rightly concerned about the human and ecological risks posed by the mercury emissions of these new plants. Like all environmental issues, this one is scientifically complex and highly emotional. And unfortunately, there are no perfect solutions. Much of the problem is beyond […]
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The 21st Century will be the century of biology. Breakthroughs in rDNA technologies allow the precise manipulation of genetic material. This holds great promise for human and ecological well-being. Applying these molecular tools builds on the oldest and most widespread of human inventions — traditional selective breeding. It is through this method that we created […]
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Three decades ago, it was rare to get three summer cuttings of hay at our ranch — now this is the norm. Global warming is a plausible explanation. Barbra Streisand, Al Gore, and many scientists have proclaimed consensus: global warming is occurring, we are causing it, and the consequences are significant. But the question remains: […]
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Gallatin Gateway, MT, July 3rd. Late last night Ramona and I returned from academic conferences in Europe. I had lectured on land resources at the University Cezanne in Aix en Provence, France. Folks from eleven nations attended and I identified myself as a Montanan and Ramona as an MSU professor emeritus. I was asked about […]
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