I wrote this story six years ago, but thanks to recent developments, it's highly relevant again.
Corporations Rule
They’re everywhere.
Their logos dot public spaces. They control the workplace and the marketplace. They saturate the culture. They permeate the political system. Large business corporations have become at once omnipresent and virtually invisible. Their power is so sweeping that they have taken on an air of inevitability.
But an increasingly vocal and organized collection of critics is taking aim, not just at individual errant corporations, but at the entire corporate model of organizing business and, more important, its influence on society as a whole....
June 2004
Monday, January 25, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Oldie but goodie: "Booked: Business tomes fill store shelves..."
(Update, 3/15/11: This story is no longer online at "findarticles.com," where I previously found it and linked to it. I hope to obtain and post the full story at some point in the future.)
A story I wrote for the old Milwaukee Journal in the last months of its existence.
February 12, 1995
A story I wrote for the old Milwaukee Journal in the last months of its existence.
They leap off the bookstore shelves: "Reengineering the Corporation," "Reengineering Management" and "Reengineering Yourself" not to mention "The Reengineering Alternative."
There's "The One-Minute Manager," "Fourth Generation Management," "The Fifth Discipline" and "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."
"Built to Last" and "Toppling the Pyramids." "The Flight of the Buffalo" and "When Giants Learn to Dance." "Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun" and "Jesus CEO."
More than a decade after Tom Peters published "In Search of Excellence," business books are hot. "Hotter than sex, hotter than anything!" gushes editor Harriet Rubin at Doubleday in New York....
February 12, 1995
Monday, January 11, 2010
Does Paul Ryan want to be President?
He says no, but Ryan is making plans to raise money in New Hampshire.
Read my profile of him from 2005. And read about his deal to write regular columns for the Racine Journal Times web site.
Read my profile of him from 2005. And read about his deal to write regular columns for the Racine Journal Times web site.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Isthmus: When Is Praying Not Enough?
When is praying not enough? January 7, 2010
Dueling bills seek to clarify duties of parents toward ailing kids.
Dueling bills seek to clarify duties of parents toward ailing kids.
Pressroom: Favorite Son
Favorite Son, January 2010
The Racine Journal Times runs a regular online column by Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan with no rebuttal from Democrats – or comments from readers.
The Racine Journal Times runs a regular online column by Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan with no rebuttal from Democrats – or comments from readers.
Milwaukee Magazine: Heavy Hitter
Heavy Hitter, January 2010
Chancellor Carlos Santiago has big plans for UWM and major clout with business leaders and politicians. But some faculty object to all the changes.
Chancellor Carlos Santiago has big plans for UWM and major clout with business leaders and politicians. But some faculty object to all the changes.
Pressroom: Collected Work
I began writing the Pressroom column with the November 2006 issue of Milwaukee Magazine.
[UPDATE] When time permits I will post new links to the items below.
A partial list of columns I wrote through the end of 2009 appears below, with links to the individual articles:
Family Feud, December 2009
TMJ radio talker Phil Cianciola thought he was the most important person on Jonathan Green’s show. Whoops, wrong call.
Flood Insurance, November 2009
Media observers predict the financially battered Journal Sentinel could merge with the company's TV and radio stations.
Stage Fright, October 2009
Arts groups fear the Journal Sentinel’s downsized entertainment staff will mean far less coverage – and fewer ticket sales.
Please Cover Us! August 2009
As the Journal Sentinel guts its staff of suburban reporters, local officials beg for media attention.
Sudden Death, July 2009
Will the departure of Eric Von – along with two other WMCS staffers – reduce the impact of black radio?
Web War I, May 2009
Three online entertainment publications are battling in Milwaukee. Who will win?
News for Elites? April 2009
WisconsinEye is on the rise. And Waukesha’s The Freeman is falling fast.
The Crusaders, March 2009
Has the Journal Sentinel gone overboard with long enterprise series? Will readers embrace this radically different approach?
Riches to Rags, February 2009
The plummeting value of Journal stock has ruined the retirement dreams of many journalists.
The Hole Story, January 2009
Newspapers are threatening to stop using syndicated Associated Press stories. That could mean fewer jobs – and less content for readers. by Erik Gunn
Mr. Smooth, December 2008
Matt Johnson oversaw the heady rise and messy collapse of Strive Media Institute, with an uncritical press cheering him on.
The Last Laugh, November 2008
Why did the Journal Sentinel dump editorial cartoonist Stuart Carlson?
Gloom and Doom, October 2008
Classified ads are disappearing, the Journal Sentinel is laying off more staff, and the Internet is killing newspapers. What does the future hold?
MKE: R.I.P, September 2008
Once seen as a way to capture young readers, the Journal Sentinel kills its weekly culture and entertainment magazine. Insiders say it was starved to death.
Hot Air, August 2008
TMJ4 has turned up the heat on public employee compensation. But did the reporting live up to the hype?
Masters of Fluff, July 2008
Soft fare for high-income households made money for Exclusively Yours and M Magazine. But both have hit a wall.
Multiplicity, May 2008
Kevin Fischer is everywhere as a media pundit. He’s also a partisan legislative aide. Can you say conflict?
Taking Care of Business, April 2008
Hey Cheesecake Breath! March 2008
Double Exposure, February 2008
Newsroom Surgery, January 2008
Under My Thumb, December 2007
The People's Choice, November 2007
A Study in Scandal, October 2007
Crashing the Party, August 2007
The Darrow Difference, July 2007
Team Play, May 2007
The Power of Talk, April 2007
Vanishing Act, March 2007
Male Delivery, February 2007
Suburban Shutdown, December 2006
Mistress of Spin, November 2006
[UPDATE] When time permits I will post new links to the items below.
A partial list of columns I wrote through the end of 2009 appears below, with links to the individual articles:
Family Feud, December 2009
TMJ radio talker Phil Cianciola thought he was the most important person on Jonathan Green’s show. Whoops, wrong call.
Flood Insurance, November 2009
Media observers predict the financially battered Journal Sentinel could merge with the company's TV and radio stations.
Stage Fright, October 2009
Arts groups fear the Journal Sentinel’s downsized entertainment staff will mean far less coverage – and fewer ticket sales.
Please Cover Us! August 2009
As the Journal Sentinel guts its staff of suburban reporters, local officials beg for media attention.
Sudden Death, July 2009
Will the departure of Eric Von – along with two other WMCS staffers – reduce the impact of black radio?
Web War I, May 2009
Three online entertainment publications are battling in Milwaukee. Who will win?
News for Elites? April 2009
WisconsinEye is on the rise. And Waukesha’s The Freeman is falling fast.
The Crusaders, March 2009
Has the Journal Sentinel gone overboard with long enterprise series? Will readers embrace this radically different approach?
Riches to Rags, February 2009
The plummeting value of Journal stock has ruined the retirement dreams of many journalists.
The Hole Story, January 2009
Newspapers are threatening to stop using syndicated Associated Press stories. That could mean fewer jobs – and less content for readers. by Erik Gunn
Mr. Smooth, December 2008
Matt Johnson oversaw the heady rise and messy collapse of Strive Media Institute, with an uncritical press cheering him on.
The Last Laugh, November 2008
Why did the Journal Sentinel dump editorial cartoonist Stuart Carlson?
Gloom and Doom, October 2008
Classified ads are disappearing, the Journal Sentinel is laying off more staff, and the Internet is killing newspapers. What does the future hold?
MKE: R.I.P, September 2008
Once seen as a way to capture young readers, the Journal Sentinel kills its weekly culture and entertainment magazine. Insiders say it was starved to death.
Hot Air, August 2008
TMJ4 has turned up the heat on public employee compensation. But did the reporting live up to the hype?
Masters of Fluff, July 2008
Soft fare for high-income households made money for Exclusively Yours and M Magazine. But both have hit a wall.
Multiplicity, May 2008
Kevin Fischer is everywhere as a media pundit. He’s also a partisan legislative aide. Can you say conflict?
Taking Care of Business, April 2008
Hey Cheesecake Breath! March 2008
Double Exposure, February 2008
Newsroom Surgery, January 2008
Under My Thumb, December 2007
The People's Choice, November 2007
A Study in Scandal, October 2007
Crashing the Party, August 2007
The Darrow Difference, July 2007
Team Play, May 2007
The Power of Talk, April 2007
Vanishing Act, March 2007
Male Delivery, February 2007
Suburban Shutdown, December 2006
Mistress of Spin, November 2006
Milwaukee Magazine: Recession Stories
Recession Stories, July 2009
Thousands of Milwaukeeans are out of a job. Is there hope on the horizon, or do they face a kind of permanent recession?
Thousands of Milwaukeeans are out of a job. Is there hope on the horizon, or do they face a kind of permanent recession?
Milwaukee Magazine: Will Chicago Eat Racine?
Will Chicago Eat Racine? November 2008
Kenosha is already a bedroom suburb of Chicago. Is Racine next? And will this hurt Milwaukee?
Kenosha is already a bedroom suburb of Chicago. Is Racine next? And will this hurt Milwaukee?
Milwaukee Magazine: Clean Machine
Clean Machine, May 2008
Even critics say Sewerage District leaders have taken steps to clean up the water and its image. So why the big stink in the media? by Erik Gunn
Even critics say Sewerage District leaders have taken steps to clean up the water and its image. So why the big stink in the media? by Erik Gunn
Milwaukee Magazine: Collected work through April 2008
These are stories written for Milwaukee Magazine through April 2008.
Pressroom columns for the magazine are in a separate entry.
Best Places to Work, April 2008
These companies offer more than just a 9-to-5, and get hard work and loyalty from their employees in return.
The Happy Warrior, September 2007
How did a liberal, peacenik, nuclear-freezing Democrat get elected mayor in Republican Waukesha? And just how long will he stay smiling?
Last Man Standing, April 2007
Battered by union opposition and a divided board, MATC President Darnell Cole has one of the most contentious - and least understood - jobs in town.
American Bulldog, April 2006
He’s loved, he’s hated, he’s feared and he’s respected. Jim Sensenbrenner is one of the nation’s most pugnacious politicians, and he may get more done than anyone in Congress. But just where is his agenda taking us?
That Hair, Those Eyes, That Plan, July 2005
Can a Republican congressman as young and good-looking as Paul Ryan fix Social Security?
Pressroom columns for the magazine are in a separate entry.
Best Places to Work, April 2008
These companies offer more than just a 9-to-5, and get hard work and loyalty from their employees in return.
The Happy Warrior, September 2007
How did a liberal, peacenik, nuclear-freezing Democrat get elected mayor in Republican Waukesha? And just how long will he stay smiling?
Last Man Standing, April 2007
Battered by union opposition and a divided board, MATC President Darnell Cole has one of the most contentious - and least understood - jobs in town.
American Bulldog, April 2006
He’s loved, he’s hated, he’s feared and he’s respected. Jim Sensenbrenner is one of the nation’s most pugnacious politicians, and he may get more done than anyone in Congress. But just where is his agenda taking us?
That Hair, Those Eyes, That Plan, July 2005
Can a Republican congressman as young and good-looking as Paul Ryan fix Social Security?
Isthmus: The Insider vs. the Upstart
The insider vs. the upstart, March 12, 2009
The state superintendent's race is a classic political face-off: a seasoned professional with a mile-long résumé and a host of influential backers versus a relative neophyte with a fervent grassroots base.
The state superintendent's race is a classic political face-off: a seasoned professional with a mile-long résumé and a host of influential backers versus a relative neophyte with a fervent grassroots base.
Isthmus: Five Vie for State Superintendent
Five vie for Wisconsin state superintendent, February 5, 2009
Two college professors -- one from the left, the other from the right. Two longtime education bureaucrats. And a parent activist with populist appeal. All are on the Feb. 17 primary ballot for Wisconsin superintendent of Public Instruction. The top two vote-getters will face off in April to succeed Elizabeth Burmaster, who's stepping down after eight years.
Two college professors -- one from the left, the other from the right. Two longtime education bureaucrats. And a parent activist with populist appeal. All are on the Feb. 17 primary ballot for Wisconsin superintendent of Public Instruction. The top two vote-getters will face off in April to succeed Elizabeth Burmaster, who's stepping down after eight years.
Isthmus: Madison Symphony musicians join AFM
Madison Symphony Orchestra musicians vote to unionize with AFM,
February 3, 2009
Players in the Madison Symphony Orchestra voted 43 to 36 on Monday to affiliate with the American Federation of Musicians union, in the Local 166 chapter. The vote was supervised by the National Labor Relations Board, which will certify the results in a week if no objections are filed.
February 3, 2009
Players in the Madison Symphony Orchestra voted 43 to 36 on Monday to affiliate with the American Federation of Musicians union, in the Local 166 chapter. The vote was supervised by the National Labor Relations Board, which will certify the results in a week if no objections are filed.
Isthmus: Meet the New Bosses
Meet the New Bosses, January 9, 2009.
Democrats have seized control of Wisconsin state government. Now what? Like their counterparts in Washington, D.C., Wisconsin Democrats are beginning 2009 with a powerful case of Be Careful What You Wish For.
Democrats have seized control of Wisconsin state government. Now what? Like their counterparts in Washington, D.C., Wisconsin Democrats are beginning 2009 with a powerful case of Be Careful What You Wish For.
Isthmus: Madison Symphony musicians will vote on union
Madison Symphony musicians will vote on union,
January 7, 2009
After decades of operating on their own in negotiations with orchestra management, Madison Symphony Orchestra players will vote Feb. 2 on whether to affiliate with the American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Union supporters say it's just a matter of learning to play in a different key. But to MSO management, the effort is like a heavy metal guitar solo in a Schubert symphony.
(See the version of this story as it appeared in print here.)
January 7, 2009
After decades of operating on their own in negotiations with orchestra management, Madison Symphony Orchestra players will vote Feb. 2 on whether to affiliate with the American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Union supporters say it's just a matter of learning to play in a different key. But to MSO management, the effort is like a heavy metal guitar solo in a Schubert symphony.
(See the version of this story as it appeared in print here.)
Isthmus: Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce tones it down a notch
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce tones it down a notch,
Oct. 30, 2008
As the state's fall legislative campaigns enter their final stretch, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce is apparently making an effort to clean up its act.
Oct. 30, 2008
As the state's fall legislative campaigns enter their final stretch, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce is apparently making an effort to clean up its act.
Isthmus: Death by Prayer
Death by prayer, Aug. 8, 2008
When Madeline Neumann needed medical attention, her parents refused. Will state law protect their decision?
When Madeline Neumann needed medical attention, her parents refused. Will state law protect their decision?
Isthmus: WMC: Bad for Business?
WMC: Bad for Business? May 23, 2008
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce stands accused of putting a conservative political agenda ahead of the state's best interests.
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce stands accused of putting a conservative political agenda ahead of the state's best interests.
Isthmus: Moneybags and mouthpieces
Moneybags and mouthpieces, Feb. 28, 2008
A growing cadre of 'shadow parties' work behind the scenes to influence elections in Wisconsin.
A growing cadre of 'shadow parties' work behind the scenes to influence elections in Wisconsin.
Isthmus: The Gatekeeper
The Gatekeeper, May 17, 2007
Susan Goodwin, the governor's powerful chief of staff, has helped Jim Doyle achieve political success. But at what price?
Susan Goodwin, the governor's powerful chief of staff, has helped Jim Doyle achieve political success. But at what price?
Isthmus: Time for reform?
Time for reform? Jan. 11, 2007
The executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, citing national exit-poll data, declared political corruption a pivotal problem, and ethics and campaign finance reform the only solution.
The executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, citing national exit-poll data, declared political corruption a pivotal problem, and ethics and campaign finance reform the only solution.
Isthmus: 'But Tommy started it!'
'But Tommy started it!' Aug. 31, 2006
Doyle is being pilloried over the same sort of corruption charges that bounced off Thompson
Doyle is being pilloried over the same sort of corruption charges that bounced off Thompson
Isthmus: The Rise and Fall of a Golden Boy
The Rise and Fall of a Golden Boy, May 9, 2006.
Nick Hurtgen soared as a young Tommy Thompson stalwart, then scored with lucrative bond deals. Now he stands indicted in Illinois in a complex pay-to-play scheme involving construction and financing for hospital and healthcare facilities. He also stands largely alone.
Nick Hurtgen soared as a young Tommy Thompson stalwart, then scored with lucrative bond deals. Now he stands indicted in Illinois in a complex pay-to-play scheme involving construction and financing for hospital and healthcare facilities. He also stands largely alone.
Welcome to My Work
Since 1995 I've won awards for more than a half-dozen stories written for Milwaukee Magazine. They include:
Pressroom. Milwaukee Press Club, Best Beat Coverage, 2010
Pressroom. Milwaukee Press Club, Best Topical Column-Magazine Division, 2007
On the Line, November 2004. The story of Master Lock is the story of manufacturing in Milwaukee, from its celebrated past to its rise and fall. What happens next is still an open question - for the company and the city. Milwaukee Press Club, Best Single Business Story (print), 2004.
The Trouble with Jerry, July 2002. A profile of flamboyant defense attorney Jerry Boyle. Milwaukee Press Club, Best Magazine Story, 2002.
Previous award-winning articles, all for Milwaukee Magazine, include:
Homebuilding Heaven and Hell, July 1999
The Last Goodbye, July 1997
Death Sentence, December 1995
This blog is updated to show the recent body of my work. Where possible, I have included links to work published elsewhere on the web. All links should open in a new window.
Pressroom. Milwaukee Press Club, Best Beat Coverage, 2010
Pressroom. Milwaukee Press Club, Best Topical Column-Magazine Division, 2007
On the Line, November 2004. The story of Master Lock is the story of manufacturing in Milwaukee, from its celebrated past to its rise and fall. What happens next is still an open question - for the company and the city. Milwaukee Press Club, Best Single Business Story (print), 2004.
The Trouble with Jerry, July 2002. A profile of flamboyant defense attorney Jerry Boyle. Milwaukee Press Club, Best Magazine Story, 2002.
Previous award-winning articles, all for Milwaukee Magazine, include:
Homebuilding Heaven and Hell, July 1999
The Last Goodbye, July 1997
Death Sentence, December 1995
This blog is updated to show the recent body of my work. Where possible, I have included links to work published elsewhere on the web. All links should open in a new window.
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