Opinion

Dale Chihuly’s luck ran out, and yours probably will, too

Most companies spend a lot of time thinking about how to come up with the next big thing, and teams often look externally for new ideas, new products and new…

Tusk to Tail: ‘Yuri’ and Coach Morris promise a future in the fast lane

Growing up in the south, an athletic director’s term was similar to that of the pope. Tusk to Tail came of age as Hog fans during the 1978 Orange Bowl,…

Riff Raff: Bad habits, predictive journalism, and getting it good and hard

Damn bunch of heathens we are, according to state tax collections. Arkansans are drinking more, smoking more and gambling more. Y’all need baby Jesus. Or Buddha. Or a better football…

Recapturing arts is vital in a STEM-focused world

We are inundated with data. So the first business question we typically ask is a hard science question: “What am I looking at here?” And to answer that question requires…

Tusk to Tail: Why Long came up short

Though some had been clamoring for his departure well before this football season went south, Jeff Long’s termination was swift and unexpected. It was the first time the University of…

All rise

We lost a true giant in Arkansas this week. Without question, Federal District Judge G. Thomas Eisele made a positive difference for our state. While Judge Eisele may not be…

A better economic policy than simply avoiding last place

‘Thank God for Mississippi’ or National Contender? What is your perception of Arkansas’ economy? Last week’s local personal income release from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis is a powerful…

De-risking disruption in intellectual property insurance

As a technology lawyer, I have the privilege of seeing the passion, vision and genius behind the innovation that drives some of the most disruptive technology companies around. By definition,…

A/B testing keeps businesses a step ahead of the competition

Business leaders already know they’re doomed for failure if they aren’t constantly evolving to meet the needs of their customers. What some may not realize is often they can anticipate…

Riff Raff: Still the lucky ones

Editor’s note: It’s been a year since Patricia Brown, a co-owner of Talk Business & Politics (originally The City Wire), died following a second bout with breast cancer. This essay…

Riff Raff: And then there was karma

Probably shouldn’t. But here goes. It was karma that caught up with Jeff Long. Not the good kind. The kind that comes around when your britches get bigger than your…

Riff Raff: A Veterans Day remembrance

Editor’s note: This essay about my grandfather, Raymond Evans, was first published November 2002. Raymond Evans died Dec. 6, 2008. It is published each Veterans Day because there is no…

Skills for the future

In a previous column I wrote that planning for the future is not a precise science. There will always be, inevitability, trouble predicting the unknown. With that in mind, I…

A love note from Little Rock’s port authority

Hey, Little Rock. The Port loves you. For nearly 60 years, we have been your dedicated partner in economic development. Thanks to the Internet, today’s durable goods and products arrive…

Riff Raff: All thanked up, again

Editor’s note: This essay was first posted in November 2012. Few things have changed. ––––––––––––––––––– In this month containing the Thanksgiving holiday, folks on Facebook have taken to listing something…

Developing the workforce of the future

Your team at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission travels tens of thousands of miles every year in search of opportunities to help create good-paying jobs for our fellow Arkansans here…

Rethinking the Jones Act

Just over a month ago, Hurricane Maria ravaged the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm with 150 mile-per hour winds. The storm was so intense it…

Investing in employees is good for your business

As a small-business owner, you’re likely always thinking about how to attract the best employees, and how to keep them with your company. They are, after all, one of your…

Riff Raff: Amber waves of weed, a ‘Heavenly Palace,’ and we don’t need no due process

In addition to supplying the U.S. with ugly Donald Trump ties, the Chinese could soon drop on our country tis of thee a 9.3-ton space station. Insult, meet injury. But,…

What happens if U.S. Sen. Cotton joins the Trump administration?

There have been numerous reports recently that U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., might be in line for a cabinet appointment. Specifically, there is discussion that the Senator could become the…