Some measures of university success are clear: SAT scores of students enrolled, passing rates for professional certification, and the win-loss records of sports teams. Others are murky: morale of students and faculty, and ambition toward excellence. One commonly misunderstood feature involves the overhead rate for sponsored research. Grant writers must incorporate indirect costs — IDCs […]
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My story starts like that of many other 24-year-old Bozeman immigrants. Last spring I was looking for a job. I wanted to stay in Bozeman, be challenged to think, have the opportunity to write, and work with interesting, thoughtful people. So I sent letters and resumes to a number of Bozeman environmental nonprofits. I approached […]
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Creating the national parks was one of America’s best ideas, but inevitable political pressures jeopardize their mission. The parks’ strongest supporters warn of dangers from political management. Consider a recent New York Times editorial. After noting Americans’ overwhelming support for national parks, the Times opines: “Yet in the past two months we have seen two […]
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Mark Twain’s observation, “Whisky is for drinking, water is for fighting,” arose from his experiences in the arid West. Some claim that more westerners have been killed with irrigation shovels than with guns. An old neighbor told me that a man was killed on our place during the drought of the 1930s. In Montana — […]
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Here’s an early suggestion for your holiday gift lists. Soldiering for Freedom: A GI’s Account of World War II, by Herman “Obe” Obermayer, was published this year by Texas A&M Press in its military history series. Obe is a dear friend so this isn’t a neutral review. I strongly recommend it, not only as history […]
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The most recent Nobel Prize winner, Tom Schelling, and his wife Alice, are dear friends. He is among four Nobel Laureates who have lectured in my Montana programs. While Tom is among the world’s smartest (and nicest) individuals, modesty occasionally trumps his predictive prowess. Last month, Tom and Alice were at the Elkhorn Ranch for […]
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Imagine the rewards for finding a viable substitute to oil. I can’t think of another situation where the positive incentives are better aligned to encourage the entrepreneurial discovery process. Governor Schweitzer is dealing with this today at his Montana Symposium. He believes that Montana can lead by producing synthetic fuels from our coal. In addition […]
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Ramona and I owe a lot to Dr. Ruth, DVM. You’ll see why. Over the past decade, Ramona and I have hosted several hundred guests at our ranch pavilion. Nearly all remember Thor, our 140-pound, wholly loveable, livestock guard dog. He was an affection sponge. Folks ranging from Camp Brave Heart kids to federal judges […]
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On September 26, the Bozeman City Commission gave us a powerful civics lesson, providing an excellent case study of how the political world works. They showed how difficult it is to convert good intentions into concrete expression when operating in the political arena. By voting to keep the $4 million granted for the parking garage […]
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Americans are incredibly generous. We contribute around $250 billion annually to a wide array of charitable causes. Our culture of philanthropy is an expression of the highest of American ideals; it shows our commitment to the well-being of our neighbors — and of strangers in need. Philanthropy is critically important in Montana, a small state […]
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