How Things Work...and Why

I firmly believe in reading newspapers. Real newspapers. Not USA Today, but real, honest to goodness newspapers. Why? It's been said, rather accurately, that information is power. Well, how do you get information if you don't read newspapers? Newspapers, good ones, cover it all; art, entertainment, sports, politics, business, and everything else. This is important because if you read closely, carefully, and most importantly, thoughtfully, you can profit by what you read.

Take today. There an article in the Washington Post about Earl Stafford, president of a company called Unitech, a government contractor. It's been a while since I've paid any attention to Unitech. They used to hold a number of Federal Aviation Administration contracts in Washington, D.C. Here's the link:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/03/AR2008120304095.html

It's a nice piece, but also very informative. What Stafford proposes to do is a good thing. As far as I can recall, Stafford is the first to volunteer to raise the funds to provide lodgings and food for physically and mentally challenged Americans; providing them with a "front row seat" for the Inauguration at the Washington Marriott, no less.

I honestly believe Earl Stafford is doing this for the reasons stated in the article; that he is a man driven by a desire to "give back," growing out of his Christian principles. However the Bible talks about doing your good deeds in secret. So why is this story on the front page of the Washington Post? Now, this is why we should read the newspaper, to learn how things work.

As the Post points out, Earl Stafford, smart, savvy, hard working businessman that he is, is still a businessman. A new administration is coming into Washington. No doubt there will be contract opportunities. What better way to garner attention of the incoming Chief Executive and his cabinet heads? There's noting wrong with this. It's public relations.

I wonder if the funds spent to lodge these people, given their handicaps and/or infirmities could qualify as a tax deduction?

If indeed the secondary, or even tertiary goal of Stafford's beneficence is to garner good will with perspective clients, there is another lesson to be learned here. One has to figure a way to get one's name out into the public eye. Stafford's company is billing at $150M. This is chump change for contractors like Lockheed Martin, KBR, and Halliburton. Stafford almost has to do something like this in order to get attention for him, his company, and his foundation.

This is a gamble that took guts. Trying to raise the million to make this happen, and the money spent to generate this PR piece with the Post, is a gamble. Sure if this works, Stafford will get some face time with the new president and he'll get contacts with incoming administration power players. However, this gesture may not necessarily turn into new business. Time will tell. But either way there is a lot to be learned here.

Yes, there is a lot to be said for reading the morning paper.