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Showing posts from November, 2020

Pictures of Shelter Island

 Pictures of Shelter Island on coffee run! Get that speed walk in and experience the coastline.

Monolith Found in Utah Desert-Have the Aliens Landed?

Ok a weird monolith was found in Utah. Apparently, not from aliens but from inventive and motivated artist. Kind of cool.  A couple of funny comments people posted....😂 "It wouldn't be the first time Amazon delivered a monolith to the wrong address." Oh man, now I should travel to Utah, spend a ton of money, just to see this. Wait a minute...is this a travel ad? Alien Captain to subordinate crew member: "Did you remember to load the field latrine back on the ship before we left that planet?" That's the 5 G everyone's talking about. ET can now call home.

History of Polo and the Thrill of the Game!

"The Georgians playing Polo in the Kingdom of Imereti"  Teramo Castelli, 1640. The thunder of horses, a sharp SMACK, and the ball goes flying. In the haze of horses chasing a ball it may seem like a cacophony of action, but to a polo player they know exactly what their niche is. Each player was assigned a position with their own role in winning the game for the team, each with the reliance upon the other. This was the original use of polo by it’s first players, the nomadic tribes of Iran in the 6th century BC, to train cavalrymen and it had spread east and west throughout the world since. There have been records of games played in the past with players numbering up to a hundred horsemen on either side. With so many moving parts, it will take the full attention of the rider, to perceive and be aware of his surroundings and simultaneously attempt to fulfill their role. It is not a surprise that polo has such a strong continuity. Figures ranging from Saladin, to Emperor Basil th

Michigan Board of State Canvassers Certification Meeting

 This should be interesting. Just watching now....so I'm curious on how this is going to turn out and its significance for the general election. 

A Need for Michigan Hate Crime Reform: Opportunities for Republican and Democrat Bi-Partisanship?

Race and disparity have been elevated onto a national platform with protests and civil unrest making headlines. Like other states, Michigan wrestles with how to navigate race, ethnic and religious based criminal acts. From attempts to abduct a sitting governor to local harassment we are stumped by profound questions of what hate means in a country that seeks to position itself at the center of global supply chains. Far Right and Far Left groups have defined the conversation on race and difference in American society while ignoring the practical middle. Taking steps to ensure that discrimination in all its forms is not holding the State of Michigan and the country back requires a level of political bi-partisanship that couldn't come at a better time to restore trust in our system. Intro of Problem Rise in radicalism is encouraging some aggressive personalities to commit hate crimes in an effort to mitigate some of their own empty feelings. Without cracking down on radical hate g

Governor Whitmer Discusses New State Lock Downs

Governor Whitmer discussed the 3 week closures taking effect across Michigan. There are going to be some businesses that will struggle with the changes and some o them may shutter their doors. The economic and health fall out is something bigger than expected leaving experts confused. Continuing to adjust, learn, and tweak may help us better navigate the happy balance between physical and financial health. As a society different types of people are going to emphasis values they feel are important. The pandemic has forced us to make choices of what we feel is most important for ourselves and as a nation. 2020.11.15 Masks and Gather... by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit

U.S. Bans Investment in Covert Chinese Military Companies

The government bans investment and business activities in a number of Chinese companies associated with the Chinese military. Around 12 companies are of present concern ( Click Here to See the List ). The complaint is that these companies are feeding the Chinese military with advanced technologies and expertise gained from publicly traded companies. A quick look at the list and you will see communications, technology, chemicals, micro, infrastructure type companies. Its the genre of the companies and their connection to military development that has the U.S. government concerned. We are currently in a state of global competition. COVID has disrupted normal supply chains and a trade war has changed public policy. The Chinese are trying to develop their emerging technologies to place themselves at the center of the innovative capital. This Executive Order Appears to be focused on slowing information leak that leads to strengthening a growing military power.  Companies are interconnecte

Harley Rally Coming to Escanaba! Are We Maximizing Benefits?

Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders are donning their chaps and making their way to Escanaba to meet-up with fellow bike enthusiasts. July 22-24 motorcycle rally in Escanaba. The event is hosted between July 22nd-24th, 2021 by the Great Lakes Harley Owners Group. Activities include a parade to show off their spit shined chrome and a block bash to keep the good times rollin after boots hit pavement! While no one knows how many bikes and riders will visit Delta County but it is projected to be in the thousands. Should Escanaba focus on large, small, medium or any specific event size to elevate its place as a vacation destination? One of the best ways to answer this question is to look for existing methods of creating an objective evaluation.  To assess benefits/detractors we will want to use an evaluation tool that will help utilize a systematic process of evaluation that could help local leaders make decisions. According to the study, there are some factors we might use like 1.) economic

Happy Veteran's Day-Bigger than Self!

Happy Veterans Day for those who served. Since the beginning of the American military the institution has developed and enhanced people to overcome the dangerous threats our nation may face. Veterans are part of a special club where each person is aware of and has accepted certain values that come with military training and institutional life.  The history of the U.S. military helps us connect to our past and create a bridge between veteran's of the past and veteran's of the future. Those themes become in part what our veteran's fought for and are embedded into our national conscious.  There are differences in perception between veteran's and those who have not served.  Veteran's gain an understanding of bigger responsibilities to society and the world around them. The very process of working in large groups gains a sense of being something within a larger group.  Happy Veteran's Day and we honor the sacrifices you have made. We only hope we do justice to those

Next Steps in Theoretical Works-The Case of Transactional Clusters

There are stages to development of new theoretical models and it can take decades to create something feasible that with hope accurately explains and predicts our environment. Theory development is not rigidly linear but often moves in multiple exploratory directions. For example, in the development of Transactional Clusters Theory the next steps are to integrate, connect and explain the concepts as a single entity. The basic theoretical structure is constructed but helping others see how that works as an entire system is not easy. It took consider effort to uncover and connect core tenets of a larger system. What I'm doing is trying to discuss what its like to create exploratory theories as they relate to the development of economic systems. I'm not using a traditional economists perspective but more holistic perspective that relies on a number of different lenses to understand an economic system. It is this process that I can share with others for greater understanding. 1. D

Live Coverage AP Calls Biden Winner-Now is the Time to Capitalize on Bi-Partisanship

Its important to keep up on the political news to see what policies are likely to come next.  Having a Republican White house and a Republican Senate has opportunities to get a lot of things done while having a Democrat in the White House and a Republican Senate means extreme changes will be mitigated but wider ranging policies can be reached if both sides decide to work together. In a split power outcome bi-partisan work is going to be very important in sowing the nation closer together and ensuring we have a shared vision of our country and its people. At present we can see what happens in the near future. Our next president will be important for the nation no matter who wins or looses. It is a cultural shift as much as a presidential shift.

Job Market Improves November 6th 2020-Hospitality and Leisure

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics we have some good news on the job market. According to the press release.... " Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 638,000 in October, and the unemployment rate declined to 6.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. These improvements in the labor market reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it. In October, notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, retail trade, and construction. Employment in government declined ( 1 ) " When we look a little deeper we find that hospitality and leisure made up much of the gains. Technology also had some advantages. That might mean we are opening back up the economy and we are adapting with more online/virtual needs. Experts are likely to know more.  Some of this gain also seems to parallels spread in COVID. Its a social disease

Helping Students Use Time Management in College and Life

 Students sometimes have a hard time managing their life and school loads. Those not being born in the lap of luxury must often work, take care of other responsibilities, manage their own lives and continue to go to school. I know this because I was a full time doctoral student and work 50+ hours a week while taking care of a family. You can get pulled in every direction!  There are some helpful things to keep in mind if you want to better manage. I suspect many of these are likely to apply to the business world where people have multiple projects going on. Where one might be delegate to save time the other might be delegate to save time and groom others.  Here are a few things I learned from "busting my hump" on education and life.  1. Perception of time is misleading. There is only so much you can complete and do within a day. Try not to do too much and don't have expectations things get done quickly. If you think your paper or project is going to take 3 days....go ahea

Fed Reserve Chair Jerome Powell Discusses Economy

 Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell discusses the economy. Real GDP rose significantly over the past quarter and its expected to slow a little. One of the explanations he offered was because people are going back to work. That is very true and the economy is powering up. Of course services are low because they rely on socializing and that is impacting the ability to effectively engage the economy.  He also went on to discuss a slightly less outlook for 4Q of 2020 and the need for stimulus. I'm a believer in trying new things. Stimulus through the hands of others made sense from a consumer spending standpoint but I think this one might be better to be focused on sparking development in our dilapidated cities and drawing back international investment (short versus long tail benefits)   The U.S. has the opportunity to push its economy forward with digital transformation and the benefits that come from increased transference of knowledge. Because much of the world is going online it w

Traits of High Performing Genius Students in Online Education

 One of the things that educators look for is those high performing students that were currently undiscovered. This occurs because our job is to teach others and in turn when we come across an exceptional performer we may want to better understand thinking patterns and in turn develop strategies for encouraging this population but also helping others be more creative. Online education helps us better understand how to enrich this population for national development. The essential differences between Genius and common thinking are not as wide and large as we think they are. Instead, they are more of a way of thinking. How highly gifted students think is on a completely different track and line than other people based on thinking strategies that come to more accurate conclusions.  According to the article "For a Genius Brain, Focus on How to Think, Instead of What to Think ". They are able to reach across different neural networks that allow them to connect ideas together in a

Does COVID Teach Us About New Global Economic Models?

 Economics is only the understanding of human behavior on a macro level. In traditional economic models, information and decision making happen in the context of physical conversation. Such human-to-human interaction is how people obtained information and learned how to react and handle new crisis. What COVID did was highlight how these social networks operate on a global level. Perhaps all of the information might not be available from every country and ever location. Yet, most countries are tracking the spread of the virus. While they do so they also open up a glimpse into big data and global understandings. 1. How social networks operate on a global scale. The spread of the disease is through social interaction highlighting who was in contact with whom (i.e. contact tracing) and how disease spreads. 2. How there are two different economies at work here (The digital, the physical and something in between). There are some losing and there are some winning and those aligned to the Digi

No Matter Who Wins the Presidency Our Need for Justice Reform Doesn't Go Away

The election isn't going to change some of the fundamental problems we face in society. Our problems don't go away just because one person is in charge and one isn't.  President is one of the most influential people in world but even they are limited without the support of people. Their strength is based in their societal capital and it is up to them to use it appropriately.  We still have some riots and while protests are well meaning the riots are destructive. There is an underlining anger of being treated many of the protestors are feeling.  They are not wrong in some of their essential beliefs. That is not an endorsement of poor behavior which I think takes away from the movement and damages the business climate and opportunities for rejuvenation.  Some reform is still necessary to ensure we develop a universal justice system. Individual police work within their own cultures, backgrounds, beliefs, context, etc.... Most officers are good people who want to help but there

Stocks Markets Go Nuts! Election Excitement?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average up more that 705 points on pre-election expectations. The Nasdaq Composite Index and S&P 500 index were also up. The animal spirits are moving and investors are feeling good about investments right now. They may also be creating a trading bubble to see what might if one candidate over another. What I find interesting is that the scenario hasn't changed. Either one or the other will win....nothing has changed unless some third party candidate sweeps through to the White House. One theory I heard is that investors may want a near tie.  In this idea investors may be saying they want one party to control the senate and another to control the White House as a check and balance. Typically that means not much will get done and perhaps this is the scenario they are looking for.  We have no radical changes in the market, tax deductions are not rolled back, there is no raising of taxes, etc.. etc... etc... Basically nothing gets done and that create a lev

Faster Global Recovery Than Expected?

 Globally we did better than expected while the U.S. did exceptional. If you read the article in the Harvard Business Review Why The Global Economy is Recovering Faster Than Expected you will notice that the U.S. did much better than Europe, the world, and China. Take a look at some of the charts and you will notice the U.S. far exceeded expectations that were not part of economist projections. It makes one wonder what is going on. The trade gap between the U.S. and China is narrowing through this period and it will be interesting to see if the U.S. economy will begin to shift toward bringing back investment and manufacturing. There are some indicators that indicated there is movement of factors but how far this may go and what might this look like when the world economy fully reopens is anyone's guess.  If things are going as I might project I would say Q4 will be good and Q1 will be good and then we will grow until we find a new plateau and then perhaps after that we will have a

Does Michigan Restaurant Contact Tracing Provide Benefits and Risks?

 The restaurant industry is trying to get back on its feet but COVID cases have been on the rise. New rules in the State of Michigan require restaurants to collect names and phone numbers for dine-in customers. The requirements help the state contact people in case someone gets sick and visits the location. That can be very helpful. The problem is that some might be afraid to leave their phone number and some businesses might feel uncomfortable asking. There is also the risk that the information is used and sold for other purposes. Let us talk a moment on each of them.  1. Benefits of the Requirement. Getting in contact with people and helping them get tested if they have symptoms will likely help reduce the spread. It does provide more data and ability to go to the stores and research what happens. I'm all for understanding things and getting the data to do an analysis. Yes...there are some other issues.  2. Privacy Concerns. People might not feel comfortable providing information

Interfering in Elections

 One of the fundamental aspects of our society is the ability to engage in democracy. That democracy is what makes us different than others. The problem is that when countries involve themselves in our election process they create risks. Countries have always been interested and tried to influence national elections but in the world of big technology its much easier to do this hundreds/thousands of miles away.  The election interference brings up questions of where our sovereignty begins and ends. Certainly we should thwart such efforts and social media companies must be diligent in removing outside interference. We want American opinions to be American. The problem of holding people accountability is difficult at best. Without international agreement that solidifies that such behaviors are illegal and worth international sanction then we are one nation opposed to another nation.  Sure we can engage in similar types behavior that would make us part of the problem. It appears that detec

Antagonism and Narcissism

 I took a little interest in the narcissistic disorder after coming in head-to-head conflict such a personality. It sparked some interest in how someone could engage in serious callousness and disregard for the lives of other people. Reading the article, " How Antagonism Unfolds as a Trait of Narcissism " brought up some good points about how certain skewed beliefs can lead to antagonism.  In the study they discuss antagonism as a something narcissists engage in. We all may have met a person having a bad day trying to be an antagonist but few have met someone who engages in this behavior in an attempt to dominate another person.  Antagonism seems to be a tool and an offshoot of internal angst. If you are comparing yourself to other people all of the time then you are likely to get annoyed by some.  That is perhaps what a bully does. They chronically size up others, size up themselves, and when someone doesn't fit their stereotype they antagonize. Its something they can

Escanaba Polo Mallet Donations Helps Organizations

Escanaba Polo Mallet Company donates much of its profits to charitable causes (Right now I think all of the profits are being donated) in an effort to make the world a better place. While we are a polo mallet company we are also good actors in our communities. While mallets might be our passion each mallet represents real resources for others. This is where the last quarter's revenues and profits were spent. We are working on raising revenues so that we can donate more in the future.  1. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 2. Hoof and Heart of Southern Michigan 3. Corazon De Vida Orphanages 4. Escanaba Fan Club