With this July issue, six months of 2010 have come and gone. Although the economy is starting to show some better numbers, there are still questions regarding the sustainability of the recovery. However, one thing is clear: Business models have changed.

As a small child, I recall sitting at the kitchen table, looking at the cover of an issue of Time magazine and asking my father: "Daddy, what’s a recession?" I wish my memory was good enough to recall his answer because that’s a tough question coming from your young daughter. At the time, I was far too young to comprehend the various causes of an economic downturn, but I certainly understood it was bad news.

Do one thing a day that scares you. Some will say this is sound advice, and others will dismiss it as ridiculous. Regardless, in the past year, most people and businesses have had to face fears every day and wonder what the future will bring. Trying new, unfamiliar things can jump-start personal growth, and experiencing rough conditions can set the table for future business growth.

In today’s celebrity-obsessed society, many believe any press is good press. However, beleaguered Toyota Motor Corp.’s quality woes have recently been featured in a variety of articles that have damaged its reputation far more than widespread photos of an intoxicated celebrity stumbling out of a club at 3 a.m.

Today, it seems America is at a crossroads. Government has an increasing role in our everyday lives, thereby stifling progress of individuals and society as a whole. This is in direct contradiction to our history whereby governance was intended to be limited.

In this down economy, every business-minded manager is required to contemplate the most basic business question: What needs to be bought in these tough times? To help answer this question, I’m going to break products down into commodities, gimmicks and solutions.

In 2009, I spent most of my time traveling across the United States meeting with a variety of service centers, fabricators and OEMs. Unfortunately, the majority of companies I met with were down 30 to 50 percent from last year’s business levels—with some reporting as high as 70 percent.

Earlier this year, the House of Representatives approved the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (better known as the Waxman-Markey bill), which includes a cap-and-trade global warming reduction plan that’s designed to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020.

In the spirit of this month’s aluminum-themed issue, a recent piece of news caught my eye. The Center for Automotive Research released a study at its Business of Plugging In conference that pointed out, “Opting for high-strength, low-weight aluminum over heavier steel structures for plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles can cut vehicle price overall by reducing battery energy requirements and their associated costs.”

The debate surrounding recent legislation got me thinking about definitions, especially those surrounding government and economic concepts. Capitalism, socialism and communism all have textbook definitions, but lately, I’ve noticed more individuals are willing to use these terms without pausing to consider their meaning. They’re relying on their connotations to add political charge to a discussion.

Here at Modern Metals, we decided to kick off the football season with a Tube & Pipe story. And, if you’re as big of a football fan as I am, you’re ecstatic that you can look forward to a weekend that starts out with "College GameDay" and ends with Monday Night Football.

Previous Bugatti customers with about $1.4 million in the bank can become the proud owners of the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport.

What do Karl Malden, Robert McNamara and Joe Jackson all have in common? Click here to post your answer.

Employees are the cornerstone of any successful business, but times are tough for the manufacturing industry. According to statistics from the Northeast Midwest Institute, Washington, D.C., manufacturing employment for the entire United States was down 10.2 percent from April 2008 through April 2009.

America has faced a variety of challenges in her brief 233-year history. However, today it seems as though political, economic and social turmoil have converged, creating contention among friends and enemies in an environment where uncertainty is high and confidence remains low.

Back to basics. It’s a popular catchphrase in today’s economy. Americans are fixing home-cooked meals instead of footing the bill for takeout every night.

American International Group paid $165 million in bonuses after receiving more than $170 billion in federal bailout aid, drawing the ire of the president and millions of Americans.

Stop, look, listen. Three simple words played out in everyday life. While each word on its own evokes a certain command, when they’re practiced together in business, you have a recipe for good customer service.

Click here to view the bill in full and comment on anything you find in the 600-plus pages.

You may be wondering what a satellite image of a hurricane is doing on the cover of a metals magazine. Ask Bob Farmer, co-president of Farmer’s Copper Ltd., and he’ll tell you firsthand.

The Big Three just can’t win. Gone are the Norman Rockwell days when the Rust Belt region flourished and its population was largely employed at good automotive industry jobs.

What’s the formula for success? It’s one of those pesky questions that has no universally correct answer. But how a company defines success says a lot about its business philosophy.

As I was reviewing seven years of survey data in preparation for this year’s Consuming Industries Survey, I took a mini-trip back to 2003 and 2004, when consolidation was a big topic for our readers.

At the 2nd annual CRU North American Steel Conference Louis Schorsch, president and CEO, Flat Products America, ArcelorMittal pointed out in his keynote presentation that the long-term prospects for steel are good

The tumultuous presidential election has come to an end, and there are a host of pressing issues facing President-Elect Barack Obama.

Would you pay more for a product if it came with exceptional customer service? Many would say yes in a heartbeat. But why should we have to pay more for customer service?

In the September issue of Harper’s Magazine, Donavan Hohn’s story "Through the open door: Searching for deadly toys in China’s Pearl River Delta," gave insight into toy manufacturing in China.