Thomas Paine

WHEN PROPOSING something as volatile as the right of first refusal, it makes sense to benchmark one of the forefathers of insubordinate enlightenment. In 1776, Thomas Paine published an essay called “Common Sense.” It clearly delineated the reasons why 13 overtaxed colonies should work together to succeed without bowing to the self-interest of outside concerns. It was a logical call for interdependent independence. It took courage to point out the obvious. In-plant managers will require a measure of that valor. Knowing Why Doesn’t it make sense for an organization to invest in its own services? It’s like taking money out of the left pocket and putting

Old-fashioned printing techniques are kept alive at historic print shops around the country. If you're struggling with a less-than-modern press in your in-plant, take heart: Compared with the printers of old, your press is like lightning. How would you like it if your top press speed was 180 sheets an hour, and setting type for one sheet required half a day of labor? This is what being a printer meant in the 18th and 19th centuries. But while the wooden presses of Ben Franklin's day have mostly made way for today's high-speed marvels, they're not completely gone. Historic villages and museums around the country