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Showing posts from December, 2021

US May Out Perform China in 2033 If "American's" Learn to Compromise and Coordinate a National Vision

 One of the biggest and most difficult tasks is to get people from different political spectrums to focus on a shared future and vision. Without a sense of direction China is poised to overcome the U.S. by 2033 according to a report by Japan Center for Economic Research ( Tomiyama, 2021 ) by pointing all of their hypothetical ships to the same destination 20 years into the future (See China Stats ). Technology is here to stay and hedging that technology into the first digital era large modern manufacturing nation that can produce next generation products and a state of the art economy ( including advanced education/skill development, enlightened law enforcement/intelligent rule of law, inclusive capitalism, mental and physical health, pharmaceuticals, military supremacy, etc... ) would be appealing to international investors.  The amount of coordination between our law makers, stakeholders, and bureaucrats would be a serious commitment about a shared vision and sense of purpose. Each a

DC Firefighters Talk about Responding to Capitol Riot (Becoming Targets of the Mob)

January 6th was a pivotal moment in America's history forcing all those who were loyal to rethink their assumptions. I'm a supporter of police and firefighting ( ......not blind support and would have no issue holding "bad apples" accountable. Some people/places struggle with understanding the essential purpose of our institutions .) when semi-organized extremists attack firefighters and EMT officials ( in some cases their own kind ) trying help others we should be appalled; many of us unable to see the risks.  Whether we are in the Capitol or in our hometowns we struggle with differentiating between those who support the Constitution and who those who are radicalized and want to circumvent it. The lines are blurry but radicalism has certain markers that can tip authorities off to its presence. Our police, firefighters and EMT are there to help others and people nationally/globally should respect medical support (. ..but that is the mentality of the people and their

Community Colleges Hiring Practices Influences Student Global Competitiveness

Community colleges are an important part of building the local knowledge, skills and abilities ( KSA ) people need to succeed in a fast shifting environment. Local institutions share a vital purpose in the rebuilding of a next generation nation strides forward towards its central goals of freedom of the human spirit, governance by people, and "whole society" opportunities. Colleges are about providing working skills needed in the market and the developing of human capital that leans toward our national legacies. Without degrees or skilled trades people communities will fall behind in attracting and retaining high paying jobs.   School of Athens Philosophy as Diversity of Thought Between 1509 and 1511 Raphael That may be difficult if hiring practices restrict opportunities for competitive exposure and higher levels of national achievement. Let's think of diversity from a wider perspective. Diversity of thought, study, race, religion, and background create higher levels of

Settled In the UP and Wisconsin Since the Mid1800's

This weekend a few relatives came in to visit and of course brought the family album. Interestingly we have family in the area UP area since at least the mid 1800s. This was Pine River from Florence WI. (Bark River MI. and Iron Mountain MI were others.) They used to drag for logs in the logging industries.  Based on one of these pictures I would think it would likely be in the early 1900's. The house was built by hand and is currently in use. I keep thinkin of keeping an eye on it in case it goes up for sale someday. So far we have records to the mid 1800's that include backgrounds on one side from Prussia, Swedish, Belgium, English, and Blackfoot Indian. The other side is Belgium, German, and Caucus. My kids will likely be able to add Arab and African to that list. Hmmmmmm I would guess we have international genetics and yes we are still Americans ( Diversity actually makes our species stronger through variability .). Being American may have something to do with where your bor

Michigan Winter Trip in Upper Peninsula 2021

Browsing on the highway for winter related content I came across this video of what the UP looks like in the winters. It can be harsh and also majestic. People use to live in that environment with little more then basic supplies and a hatchet. Delta County has a number of trails to visit and recreational activities to engage in. A little of an outdoor tourist destination. If your working online and thinking about an affordable place to stay for a few months while still having some outdoor fun check out Escanaba and Gladstone. I have snow shoed and cross country ski through National Forests and trails. 

Global GDP 2021 in Visual Form

You may be interested in looking at a quick sheet on GDP 2021 from Visual Capitalist  that provides data driven visuals. As we know the year isn't yet finished and you may need to trace back some of the stats for more accuracy but you can get a solid visual picture. 

College Borrowers Get Another 90 Days Loan Forbearance (Hope I Win the Lottery in the Mean Time!)

President Biden announces that student loan payments for 41 million borrowers will be paused with 0% interest until May 2022. You can read the White House Press Release HERE . That is something students and borrowers will likely cheer.....now maybe they can win the lottery and pay off the rest when its due ( Disclaimer: Its probably not a good strategy. 😏 No seriously, the odds are against you . You don't need to be the Rain Man to figure it ou t. " Definitely yes definitely ." ).

Escanaba City Council Meeting: (December 16, 2021) Recreation, Democracy and Change

Democracy is about the ability to draw in the most amount of people into governance as possible and in turn build a strong base of support for national development that improves citizens lives. While there are often subsections of society that are more politically active (demographic) than others, the concept of inclusiveness in politics is what helps democracies grow as it pushes an entire governmental system to adjust and change to new ideas and leadership influence ( We elect new people to ensure we update and change....there is no negative reflection on prior leadership because it is a necessary process that goes back to the beginning . The old create stability while the new bring forward fresh ideas .  The U.S. had its very first town hall in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1633. You can read about democracy  HERE . ). Escanaba is one of those examples of democracy at work in our home towns and you can see it in action by watching the city council meetings! You may want to read the

What Are the Motivations of Online Students? Survey Answers

A survey by Wiley Education Services polled 15,000 fully online learners to find out what were some of their motivations for taking online courses. You can read the actual survey HERE . While the study was conducted in 2020 it is important to remember that it was also the year the Pandemic was in full swing. It didn't seem like it matter much in the survey but there were shifts in the online-ground based educational system during this time. Online will becoming increasingly likely (See Colleges that Won't Make it 2020 , Changing College Needs , COVID Changes , Higher Ed. Reform , Online Ed. Earns Place , and State Budgets .)  Surveys like this help in understand how to improve on the educational system. This survey is focused on things that are important to learners such as reputation, price, speed, etc... What you also find is that the vast majority of people think online education is the same or better. Furthermore, the survey provides other insight such as where they lear

Are There Methods of Turning Group Hate from Exclusive to Inclusive?

We have experienced in recent times growth in extremism that cuts across the civilian population and into the ranks of some officials. Watching such behaviors in real time can often lead us to different types of conclusions but not necessarily the one's that end in a beneficial outcome. While in the situation below we might be looking at what appears to be a single phenomenon we also mustn't ignore the similarities of this situation with others experienced across the country ( In terms of mental health and destructive behaviors .). Gaining a grasp on how quickly false information can spread and radicalize preexisting bias to act without conscious is concerning; whether in the capital or in our hometowns. Extremism within Local Groups Thus far in the situation in which I am familiar we have a group of people ( core group leadership ) who sought to gain financially and socially by exploiting hate through their social connections ( including those in law enforcement ) to remove a

Federal Chair Jerome Powell Reduces Fiscal Support for Economy(12-15-21) Digital Transformation Coming?

Federal Chair Jerome Powell discusses forward guidance of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) that is responsible for open market decisions who indicated a need to taper inflation ( See description of FOMC ). He provides an assessment of positive economic news in terms of labor, opening of economy, and aggregate demand. The assessment includes healthy outlook of business prospects in the near term. Higher GDP growth, low unemployment, and other positive indicators prompted the Federal Reserve to begin reducing financial support for the economy. There is also a market opportunity that has opened up.... Real GDP growth for the U.S. is expected to be 5.5% in 2021 and 4% in 2022. Its not a bad number and certainly could be correct but could also be influenced by digital adaptations of the Digital Economy that is not yet well understood on a Federal level yet. ( Sometimes its beneficial look at trends of the two largest world economies such as China and the U.S.. You can review Decembe

Happy 185 Birthday Upper Peninsula of Michigan-Frostbitten Convention 1836

TV6 The hardy people from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are used to the cold, the wild, and small communities. Prior to the Internet (I know the young might not remember) people had to travel with their cars to visit friends and relatives. Prior to the car (which I don't remember) many farmed, hunted, trapped and didn't go beyond 30 miles from their home. You had to be hardy to live in an area like this (Think Alaska and Siberia!)  Today is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan's 185th bday and we Yoopers are still around to celebrate the Frostbitten Convention of 1836 (I done cleaning my driveway out of 13 inches of snow a few days ago so I guess I can celebrate!  ❄️ ).  Maggie Duly from Fox TV 6 put together a celebratory article  Happy Birthday, Upper Peninsula! U.P. turns 185 on Tuesday

Could Michigan be the Place for EV Investments and Export Infrastructure?

Michigan is one of those states where opportunities to invest, build and "frolic" are available in abundance. Michigan isn't just a beautiful outdoor tourism state ( the Upper Peninsula is a great place to visit ) it is also becoming a "hot spot" for EV investment. The political climate of Michigan seems to be shifting toward collaboration in the post-Covid world and it would seem there is increased focus on building a cutting edge industry so as to secure economic vitality for the foreseeable future ( Once your the branded as the primary place for certain industries they stick to those regions for a long time .). GM investments are one sign of renewed effort and hopefully we will see other advanced auto manufacturers following suit once a proper infrastructure plan is created. That will also require some form of marketing opportunities to industry stakeholders (.... and other industries that will benefit from that infrastructure . See Pure Michigan , Marketing

What is the Summit for Democracy?

The Ouroboros represents the cycle of renewal. Science and Democracy Scientific Education=Science Literacy=Reflective Citizen=Democracy The Summit for Democracy was/is an international pro-Democracy forum hosted by the U.S. Department of State as an avenue to raise awareness of the risks to democracy itself. You can obtain some additional information on their main page ' The Summit for Democracy '. As a response to seeing democracy backslide around the world, the U.S. put together a summit to discuss and display commitment to democracy from government, civil society, and the private sector leaders. The message resonating is that we have to renew our commitment to certain democratic principles if we expect them to survive. Authoritarianism mixed with corruption that moves beyond the financial incentives to include circumventing human rights seems to be growing as an international trend (From a sociological perspective one could say there are shifts in the underpinnings of soci

The Subtle Form of Discrimination or Fair Management Judgement (How Would You Interpret It? Community College Example)

The Importance of  Quality Education to Our Young There is overt and subversive types of discrimination of which the later is the most dangerous. Because its not direct it is hard to address and has far reaching consequences for the full development of communities and society. Subtle forms of discrimination can be very hard to put your finger on because candidates can be rejected for any reasons or no reason at all. To determine whether its an accurate reason, a reasonable reason, or a discriminatory reason are elusive without accurate information. We continue to discuss and debate these issues in a nation that is now diverse and our long term survival of our republic depends on solutions that bind us together.  Let me give you an example of how this might work at community college. Based on the job description you are a qualified candidate that exceeds the requirements of the position by education, skill, academic/professional experience. No response on a number of applications to var

Act Seeks to Ensure Veterans Affairs is Updated and Functioning at Full Capacity

On November 17th, 2021 HR4626 was referred to Congressional Committee on Veterans Affairs. You can read the bill HERE .   HR 4626 goes by the title of “VA Assessment by Independent Measures Act” or the “VA AIM Act”.' The act is designed to ensure that the VA functions with efficiency, cost effectiveness and with positive outcomes. Based on some of the troubles of the past it is important to ensure we continuously improve the VA department (as well as perhaps all other departments as a general approach) to ensure positive outcomes that serve our veterans and society. In general it states, " Independent Assessments.—Not less frequently than once every 10 years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into one or more contracts with a private sector entity or entities described in subsection (d) to conduct an independent assessment of the hospital care, medical services, and other health care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs ." Government systems are som