I’m no woodchuck … but I’m chucking Woody

Woody Walcher, that is. If you’re anything like me, there are just some things you see or hear that rub you the wrong way immediately. And then they stick in your craw, enhanced by their repetition. Such is the case with Woody’s latest set of campaign radio ads that now seem as if they’ve been […]

Uncertainty “buts” in economic projections

Economists have a pesky way of “buting” into what are otherwise encouraging forecasts. This trend or that statistic signals growth … BUT yet another trend or a different statistic could lead to slowing. Economists have no difficulty whatsoever in viewing the glass as both half full and half empty. Perhaps it’s a sign of these […]

It’s time for change along Horizon Drive

Bring to a mind, for a moment, the memorable places you’ve visited in urban settings — perhaps the River Walk in San Antonio or maybe the 16th Street Mall in Denver. For that matter, recall the last time you shopped at a store, enjoyed a meal or simply strolled along Main Street in downtown Grand […]

Lacking optimism? Think entrepreneurism

Tantalizing prospects of improving economic conditions continue to offer hope to weary business owners and managers, like visions of a cool oasis in the middle of a burning desert. Nonetheless, there’s seldom a shortage of discouraging news, such as the disappointing jobs report or dip in optimism among small business owners. All of a sudden, […]

A journey on the road of American greatness

That’s exactly what my family took over 12 days in March, and the trip was everything I dreamed it would be and how I always remembered it was. Our recent road trip brought back childhood memories of the enjoyment I always felt riding in our Country Squire station wagon along the interstate, refueling at truck […]

What does a mixed bag hold in store, exactly?

Economic indicators almost always offer something of a mixed bag in reflecting encouraging and disappointing business trends, not to mention many points in between. In other words, they’re a collection of dissimilar items. Look up mixed bag in the dictionary, in fact, and it wouldn’t be surprising to read a reference to economic indicators. The […]

When it comes to energy, preaching to the choir offers a needed reminder

Given the prominent participation of natural gas exploration and production companies at the annual Energy Forum & Expo in Grand Junction, the speakers who deliver presentations there are a lot like ministers preaching to the choir. It’s easy to convince someone of something in which they already firmly believe. Nonetheless, presentations at the event always […]

With taxes and business, less usually means more

Whenever the suggestion of higher taxes comes up in political debate, one important factor should be considered: the effects on businesses. The Tax Foundation — a nonprofit group based in Washington, D.C., that monitors government fiscal policy — puts numbers to this concept in its annual assessment of how taxes alter the business climates in […]