Miscellaneous

Purchasing preferences for veteran-owned businesses on the rise

Deltek Sr. Analyst Kyle Ridley reports. As the unemployment rate for Iraq- and Afghanistan-era veterans continues to climb, more states and localities are establishing purchasing preferences for veteran-owned businesses (VOBs). Current-war veteran unemployment is more than four percentage points higher than the national average of 8.5 percent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 13.1Read… Read more »

Want to Get ‘er Done? Introducing My 3-Part Strategy

It’s a new year, and a new fresh chance at our ever-enduring quest to be a little more awesome. And alongside that fresh chance, comes a fresh slew of blogs, books, trainings, and talks on Goal/Resolution/Theme/How to Kick Ass-setting. As a personal addict of self-improvement, I admit, I read my fair share of this saidRead… Read more »

Leadership and Entrepreneurship

Leaders need to be Entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are creators. They work with little structure or resources. They see opportunity and have the internal drive and resourcefulness to make it reality. A Leader will benefit from developing entrepreneurial skills such as identifying new areas for development, initiating new projects, spotting opportunities, and encouraging managers to create newRead… Read more »

Mostly super PACs news and links in today’s political law links

SUPER PAC QUIZ. Test your super PAC skills with this Washington Post quiz. OBAMA Q4 FUNDRAISING VIDEO. Roll Call. “President Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee together brought in $68 million in the last three months of 2011.” PETITION ON FEC. The Hill. There’s already a petition on Citizens United, but it doesn’t haveRead… Read more »

Is the ASCE Infrastructure Report Card Really a Good Idea?

As a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), I regularly receive information and notices proclaiming their annual “grading” of our nation’s infrastructure. There is even a website to promote this effort: http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/. My opinion on this might not be popular with my colleagues, but frankly I have never thought this report wasRead… Read more »

Presidential Czars and the U.S. Constitution

One of the most absurd tools that the Republicans use in their distraction campaign against us is the incessant whining about President Obama’s “czars”. Because the monarchs of imperial Russia were called czars, they assume that you will believe that anyone associated with that title is a communist and, therefore, evil. Yes, that’s what theyRead… Read more »