Over the past five years, the American Armed Forces have been increasingly marketing themselves to attract female volunteers. In recent weeks, this 2009 ad from the Army has been featured during major sporting events. In the ad, parents of young women are encouraged to reimagine their daughters as soldiers, combating millennia-old masculine stereotypes. The marketing campaign comes at a troubling time as the Pentagon continues to struggle with a devastating sexual assault problem. An anonymous survey conducted by the Department of Defense in 2011 reported over 19,000 instances of sexual harassment or assault. Earlier this month, a sexual assault conviction of Air Force Lt. Col. James Wilkerson was overturned by Gen. Craig Franklin, igniting a heated debate in Congress, the Pentagon, and the American public. There is only one side of this debate a dignified man can support.

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Last week the United States government counted down to yet another artificial budget deadline. Much like the sensationalized Fiscal Cliff *crisis* at the end of 2012, this deadline involved a set of largely undesirable austerity measures aimed at reducing government debt through static budget reductions. Congress and the President failed once again to find enough common ground to generate a budget for the Federal government to operate with. The result is a 5% reduction in the Federal budget from 2012 levels. The cuts impact every Federal agency. Services will be reduced or cut entirely, employees will be furloughed, and Federal contracting will be reduced. The question we ask is why our political leaders so consistently fail to negotiate sensible agreements?

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With the reelection of Barack Obama in November, the Republican Party has lost four of the last six presidential elections (and in five of six, failed to secure a majority). Democrats hold the Senate and Presidency, leaving the Republican Party to contemplate its relevancy. National debate suggests the Republicans need some significant policy changes and indications are many in the party are advocating for an evolution of long-held beliefs. This raises a fundamental question: If political parties will change their philosophy to chase popular opinion, what is their role in modern politics?

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Tuesday night President Barack Obama delivered his fifth State of the Union Address, the first of his second term. The speech was largely a continuation of his Inaugural Address, hitting the pillars of the Democratic Party’s political philosophy in wide-sweeping terms. State of the Union speeches tend to be forgotten quickly, more an artifact of their political time and place than a historical landmark of a presidency. If Tuesday night offered any lasting moment, the national debate over gun violence certainly provided it.

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One of the most lucrative positions in any company is the salesman job. Many of you know this, and probably were attracted to sales for that reason. But, just because you’re making a healthy salary, doesn’t mean you’re particularly good at what you do. In fact, you may think from time to time ideas such as, “I bring in money so I’m valuable to my company — so valuable, in fact, that I’m indispensible.” Unfortunately, NO ONE is indispensible in their job. Yes, we’re looking at you. ALL of you. None of you are indispensible. And that’s a good thing, because having drive is what a dignified man is all about. To that end, here are some tips for the salesmen out there which will help feed your dignified drive, and help you make more money.

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In the boxing-movie-version of the Barack Obama presidency, Monday’s Inaugural Address was the pivotal moment the protagonist, having suffered through several brutal rounds, recalls his training, trusts his ability, and comes roaring out of the corner for the championship rounds. The President’s first term was an uneven and messy affair, a series of failed offensives and vicious body blows. Where he did land significant strikes, they were partially deflected and failed to establish a presence or sustain momentum. A different leader emerged on a cold Monday afternoon in our nation’s capital, a man eager to redefine his legacy.

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What sad state of affairs it is to traverse this once great land of ours. At every corner it would seem, the evil hand of an oppressive tyrant eagerly extended to take what is by our rightful birth bestowed upon us. Dear reader, the sanctity of the proud visage that is our American identity sways against a storm of unprecedented magnitude. Lest you wander about in woeful ignorance, we petition you, read on! Your freedom; nay, your life; nay, the very fabric of human existence, hangs in the balance.

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Innovations in technology and communication have obliterated virtually all of the old ways of doing business. The aspirations of a modern business bear little resemblance to the stalwarts of a generation ago. Sustained profitability built on a rigid operation model was possible 30 years ago. Today, those businesses are vanishing. Industries tied to basic infrastructure development and maintenance may persist in their staid ways, few others will. As the business landscape evolves with alacrity, so too must the modern man who will thrive in the new environment. Today we look at the essential characteristics the successful man of tomorrow must possess.

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This New Year’s Day past, we celebrated the 150^th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Perhaps we casually noted it more than celebrated it. The Proclamation is not the liberation raison d’etre it was posited to be in simplified elementary school presentations. It is a legal document reflecting the severely troubled political times it was crafted in. The Proclamation’s significance has waned in latter years as critics have thoroughly debunked it’s preeminence as civil rights legislation. Antiquated though it may seem, the Emancipation Proclamation continues to have great significance for the modern man.

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Regardless of your political persuasion, you’ve got to hand it to Obama. Just when you think his opponents have him on the ropes, he knocks them out. They always seem to make the same two fatal errors: they mistake his calm affability for weakness and his moderate liberalism for radicalism. This year he deserves our special recognition because he came out in support of gay marriage, showed how a competent leader handles natural disasters, signed new laws supporting returning veterans, and ran the most sophisticated campaign in the history of politics.

Tis the season for predicting the year ahead. Today the Dignified Devil joins the fray, giving the modern man a glimpse at the 7 issues he will be thinking, reading, and talking about in 2013.

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Addressing a grieving nation on Friday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney uttered a terrible cliché, “I don’t think today is that day.” The question confronting him was about gun control. Whenever we are stricken by violence perpetrated against ourselves we rush to this lamentable refrain, pushing aside the most important of discussions as if ignoring it somehow honors the victims. When natural disasters strike we talk about improving infrastructure. When planes crash we talk about improving technological and mechanical safety. When a disturbed man shoots children in cold blood, we talk about deepest condolences, prayers, and sadness. The day to talk about the larger social issues is now and we are not shying away from the conversation.

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Apple is the Roman Empire of technology. In 2012, Apple became history’s most valuable company, and it did so by meticulously maintaining its brand and product quality. Despite small setbacks faced by any large organization, it is a model that business schools and corporate historians will be studying for a long, long time. Jobs may be gone, but his legacy lives on.

New York Times Five Thirty Eight blogger Nate Silver proved in 2012 that he is the political Nostradamus of the information age. Before the election, when Silver predicted a decisive win for Obama, numerous pundits said he just had to be wrong, that he was just an egghead who didn’t understand the mysterious, unmeasurable forces that would launch Romney to the White House. Silver simply replied, Look at the numbers. Now those pundits have egg on their faces, and Silver is the go-to person for interpreting political statistics.