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Showing posts from October, 2019

First Snow in the Upper Peninsula

The first snow is one of the most beautiful. White, fluffy, soft with a dusting on the tree tops. With pristine beauty comes a price. You must make the effort to get out and see it! There are miles upon miles of hiking and hunting trails in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan just waiting for you to explore. When you need to get out of the city and into nature to gain peace of mind head north!  These pics were taken on Days River. I'm pretty sure "Chewy" my dog is wondering whether he has some husky blood in him. 😮

Market Research as a Process and Decision Making Tool

Creative Commons Market research allows companies to understand the market and what types of products and services have value for revenue generation purposes. Without this knowledge companies are blind making intuitive judgement about things they don't really understand. That works great when your company is small and doesn't have a lot of capital. Exploratory behavior can make a big difference, but when companies are big and there are investors involved it makes more sense to have a scientific understanding of the market. Science can give you a road map. When I used the term "scientific" I don't necessarily mean it has to follow the highest level of scientific scrutiny. I have some colleagues that will disagree with me because they are scientific purists. Something simple like a survey needs 3 years of preparation and contextual literature review. Don't forget validation! Silly! If you are trying to change public policy with a survey you should go thr

Corazon de Vida 25th Anniversary for Orphans Celebration

This organization is near and dear to me. I have met some of these children and I can say they are truly worthy. There was a new orphanage that didn't even have running bathrooms that they came in to help out on. This is money well spent that changes lives! Here is a donation page if you are not attending but still want to help https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/1984592 Join the Corazon de Vida family at the most anticipated gala of the year in San Diego! Our Noche de Gala is only two weeks away and it's promising to be an unforgettable night in celebration of our  25th Anniversary  at one of the most magnificent venues in San Diego, the Crown Room of the Hotel Del Coronado. Guests will be greeted with an ocean view champagne reception featuring live music and beautiful sunset backdrops. Beverages tastings will also include tequila, Baja wine, and mezcal. Guests will then proceed to the famous Crown Room for a mouth-watering Baja inspired dinner. The live and silent a

Old Mackinac Point Light House

The Mackinac Lighthouse has a long history that pre-dates European arrival. Native Americans lite fires on the banks so they could navigate the straits. When larger European ships arrived a light house was constructed to determine points of entry. When the Mackinac Bridge turned on its lights in more modern times no one needed the light house anymore as a navigational tool. It is helpful to understand that lighthouses were a key part of the supply chain. Without them our economic world would be limited and expansion difficult. The Great Lakes were a major shipping lane. The cost of lighthouses was a type of insurance policy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Mackinac_Point_Light mackinacparks.com

Mexican Orphans as a Vulnerable Group-Can we do something?

Orphan children don't have the natural protections that come with being part of a family, community, and people who support them. For one reason or another, they have lost their families. Sometimes it is circumstance, while at other times it is because the children have been seriously abused or neglected. No matter what their horror they are vulnerable to all types of mistreatment and need the protection of caring and loving people. Without help most of these kids are likely to continue their lives as homeless, sexually abused, malnourished or exploited in some way. It is hard to imagine a world without anyone at the tender age of 10 or even 7 years old. They do what one has to do to survive on the streets avoiding the constant traumas from a harsh world. The pain of life's poorly dealt cards may crush their sole before they are old enough to have a chance. I think its important to reflect on this for a moment. When you were seven what were you doing? Playing with toys, h

Bravery in the Face of a Shooter-Rethinking Mental Health in Society

Your faced with that defining moment where a student threatens to do the impossible and you can't stand there and do nothing. Your adrenaline kicks in and you must act on instinct. Your brain stops processing and your heart starts pumping. That is what happens to almost all of us...but in this situation.... the teacher did something different....he hugged the gun-toting shooter. A little love went a long way! That does get us thinking about long-term mental health. We can start resolving some of these problems before they become an issue by thinking about mental health and health plans. While a hug may save the day today it may do nothing tomorrow. A student that is unsure of what he/she is doing might be willing to hug but one that is bent on causing pain on others might not be so responsive. Its time for us to think about a better long-term approach. It takes a lot of insight to understand that this teenager wants recognition for his/her pain but has never received any help.

Michigan's Best Day Marquette

Bald Eagles in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

The U.P. has bald Eagles that are as rugged as the lifestyle of the area. Vast miles of untouched forest, small towns, and clean air the Eagle finds its nesting places. The area offer an insight into what life was like for many early Americans who lived and breathed nature as though time never changed. The eagle is the master of the skies and there is no other that can touch it. The Eagle was the first bird to screech for freedom and became our national emblem in 1782.  http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle9.html Before this The Native Americans honored the eagles through rewarding of feathers, protecting its meat, and honoring its meaning. As a medicinal animal it was a leader and a messenger from the heavens.  http://www.native-languages.org/legends-eagle.htm No doubt its a beautiful creature! Protecting our eagles helps each generation respect and recognize its historical significance as leader among the flocks and how that became part of our collective conscious. They

Borrowing From Our Children to Pay for Today-Government Budgeting and Balance

Debt is a popular thing! Credit cards, mortgages, car payments and just about anything else our little paychecks can't cover! Governments are made of people and they also borrow money for projects and day-to-day functioning way beyond their needs. Sometimes the interest is so low that the money can be borrowed for free (or near free) while at other times, it may be a crisis that forces countries right into a default interest rates. One this is for sure...most countries are in debt and run dangerously close to insolvency and if they don't change course we may have more serious consequences. Public Pressure to Borrow Government is about helping one's fellow countrymen/women, at least in theory, and wherever resources are available there will be a lot of people interested in obtaining those resources. A lack of money doesn't stop people from wanting things :) Compounding our problems psychologically, lawmakers may not feel any real guilt over obsessive borrowing. It is

Cut River Upper Peninsula Michigan

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan hosts some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Protecting these rivers while allowing industry to continue growing is possible with improved environmental technology innovation. Whole new clean up and carbon reducing technology is possible with the right clusters development.

Noquemanon North Trails Trailhead-Protecting Nature for the Future!

Protecting nature is an important function of government. We know that the world is not getting larger and population sizes are rising. Land is a commodity that when it is gone, or our natural environment is damaged, we can't go back and make more. Our options are to clean, protect and expand our environment whenever we can.

U.S. ISM Factory Index Falls to a 10-Year Low

Watching the market and how it changes can tell us what to expect. The problem is that few can see through the "crystal ball" to truly determine which way the freehand will sway. It can be hard to determine whether a slow down in one area will impact other areas. In this case, it appears the experts are saying this may be just a sign of a temporary slow down. Let us keep our fingers crossed! 😧😬😢