Completely updated with new listings and statistics throughout, this comprehensive resource goes beyond the current literature on local government performance measurement and provides benchmarks on more than 40 key topics against which performance can be assessed in all areas of operation."Ammons has assembled a remarkable volume of benchmark data for a comprehensive range of municipal government services. Municipal Benchmarks will be of considerable help for municipalities in layi...

There are ghosts in the mountains, there are whispers in the wind. Voices from the river are carried through the trees, an invitation to journey through waters and woods and etched canyons to connect to purpose and truth and meaning. Sermons in Stones is a collection of eighteen beautifully-crafted short stories, anecdotes, and personal narratives offering thoughtful and profound reflection on the author's life experiences in a "mountain wilderness carved by a river". This memoir-of-sorts ...

"Stories of Veterans" is a heartfelt anthology that delves into the lives of military veterans as they navigate the challenging transition from service to civilian life. Through a series of compelling personal narratives, veterans from diverse military branches share their unique journeys, offering an authentic and poignant look into the realities of life after the uniform.The book explores themes of resilience, sacrifice, and perseverance, shedding light on financial hard...

Washington State is a place of political mavericks. Split tickets are a source of pride and independent voters outnumber Democrats and Republicans. Washington was first to have a voter-approved state Equal Rights Amendment, first to elect a woman as governor, and first to elect a Chinese-American to the position. Today, Washington’s open primary election system and voter registration process demonstrate it has not drifted far from its populist roots.Governing the Evergreen Stat...

Tongues in Trees is a collection of lyrical, deeply reflective essays rooted in the canyons, rivers, and high country of northern Colorado. Moving between memory and landscape, these stories explore inheritance, solitude, loss, resilience, and the quiet ways the natural world teaches us who we are. Set among rivers that refuse pretense, forests that remember, and mountains that demand honesty, the book traces a life shaped by place—by family legacies carried forward, by seasons that repeat...

Improving Local Government Performance through Benchmarking sets the record straight on benchmarking and its value for performance improvement in local government.Benchmarking is a widely adopted public management reform of recent decades; yet, it is often misunderstood by city and county governments; viewed too narrowly; or underappreciated by managers, elected officials, and students of local government for its potential as a tool. This book helps students of public admi...

Among the topics explored in David Bowie and Philosophy are the nature of Bowie as an institution; Bowie’s work in many platforms, including movies and TV; Bowie’s spanning of low and high art, and his relation to Warhol; the influence of Buddhism and Kabuki theater; the recurring theme of Bowie as a space alien, including Space Oddity” and The Man Who Fell to Earth; the dystopian element in Bowie’s thinking, displayed in 1984” and the album Outside; the role o...

This book guides readers to the mastery of a wide array of practical analytic techniques useful to local governments. Written in an easy-to-read style with an emphasis on providing practical assistance to students, local government practitioners, and others interested in local government performance, this updated third edition features analytic methods selected for their relevance to everyday problems encountered in city and county governments.The authors outline a variety of pract...

The management of technological innovation (MTI) is one of the most important challenges facing businesses today. Innovation has become the fundamental driver of competitiveness for firms of all sizes in virtually all business sectors and nations. The first edition of this book has become one of the most popular texts for students of innovation and technology management. This new edition sees David Gann and Ammon Salter join Mark Dodgson as authors, drawing on their combined experience of ...

The management of technological innovation (MTI) is one of the most important challenges facing businesses today. Innovation has become the fundamental driver of competitiveness for firms of all sizes in virtually all business sectors and nations. The first edition of this book has become one of the most popular texts for students of innovation and technology management. This new edition sees David Gann and Ammon Salter join Mark Dodgson as authors, drawing on their combined experience of ...

Join Ammon the Ammonite, as he goes on a quest to search for his friend, Suzie the Swift Seahorse. On his travels, a suspicious squid is searching for a hidden treasure with a mystical power. Just what is this treasure, and what exactly is this mystical power and will it have any impact on Ammon's quest? Read on to find out!