Academic-Capital

Mentoring is an important part of grooming and developing people within the workplace. As we continue to develop our human talent to create innovation that encourages our nation to adapt we might also consider some of the benefits of workplace mentoring. Mentoring provides opportunities for executives to take promising candidates and develop them to higher states of performance. Mentoring moves beyond "feel good" practices and helps connect a new generation of leaders to the values and wisdom of senior scholars, civil leaders, military masters, and business gurus. The Value of Mentoring: I came across this really great article that has an overview of some mentoring statistics by Nicola Cronin entitled, ' The Importance of Mentoring in the Workplace '. It discusses how mentoring is an important part of many Fortune 500 companies and leads to increased retention, more opportunities, and value to organizations ( 55% feel that mentoring is profitable. Its not a big number

Climate change is becoming an important consideration for governments, businesses and people. The Digital Era/Information Age will see less pollution but that will require additional investments in green technology and science. As people move online to work and companies reduce their carbon foot prints by shortening supply chains and improving on communications they will begin to find solutions. Its not a hopeless situation as we will likely also find ways to reduce global warming with new ideas and greener ideas. That requires a new way of thinking.  IPCC Sixth Assessment Report which is an intergovernmental panel to research climate change released a 2022 report entitled IPCC, 2022: Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability that outlines some serious environmental changes. The report indicates we are going to experience some increasingly serious climate problems. The United States is poised to be hit with some of those changes as well. There will be impacts on clim

Western nations and others across the globe are coming out to support Ukraine. Its an interesting situation as Ukraine is seen as a buffer to Europe. A defeat for Russia here would be devastating to any other plans they may have. Likely why some troops are put under nuclear emergency ( Let us hope they don't use such a system. It would forever change a sense of safety and security of nations for generations. ). Such a situation would also likely impact world perception and completely change developmental trajectories of nations in terms of technology and treaties.  A couple of things from the speech....... -EU for the first time ever will finance purchase and deliver weapons to Ukraine.  -More sanctions: No Russian plans in EU, ban Kremlin media, target Lukashenko Regime, Russian banks removed from SWFT system , sanctioning large Russian banks. (Side Note: A misinformation campaign is something we experienced prior to the last presidential elections in the U.S. and is partly respon

 Good morning. Make the best of it!

Some people watch races for sports cars, others sail boats, and yet still others thoroughbred horses. Those are all conventional snoozers when compared to the outhouse races in Trenary, MI ( See Map ). Streaking toilet paper down the track these elite Yooper athletes are some of the best outhouse racers in the world! Bound to be a future Olympic sport! (I'm not sure it will really catch on.) Its fun for locals and there are a few people who have traveled to see it....and it seems to grow from year to year.  

After years of post WWII policies to keep Germany out of conflict it has now shifted that policy to send weapons to Ukraine. German 1,000 anti-tank weapons, 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles and 10K ton fuel come on top of the $350 million U.S. aid package. The situation is such that Western countries have to consider their own long-term security and thus have decided to act with support. Russia was also repelled from Kyiv temporarily but we will need see what happens over the next few days. It looks as though Russia can't afford to get bogged down for financial and public image reasons. Slowing Russia down quickly and repelling their advances in the early stages of the conflict will likely raise the cost of the conflict politically and financially. ( I suspect they wanted to complete the mission within a week and are now worried about a longer draw out situation that would reflect increasingly negative in the world's view. )  

 Higher Education is changing and the world between online and ground professors are also changing to create blended universities. There are some differences between the two modes of teaching but the fundamentals of knowledge transfer are still the same. Blending traditional and online systems is something that already started but the culture has not yet caught up to these changes ( Its normal that culture is slower to change .). Thus the next generation of professors and students will be very much open to teaching and learning on ground and online.  There are natural advantages and disadvantages to both mediums of education. One provides convenience and the other provides a culture. There are also differences in terms of how we interact on ground and how we interact online. Ground provides rich educational culture (a nd other advantages ) while online is becoming more relevant for the digital economy and is more convenient for continuing education ( as well as non-traditional students

Michigan GOP put out a proposal for a in a Detroit Free Press article ' Michigan House GOP unveils sweeping income tax cut, different from Senate GOP plan ' that seeks to do a number of things of which the one's I'm primarily interested in are the reduction of individual income tax rate from 4.25% to 3.9% and the corporate income tax rate from 6% to 3.9%. You can read the SENATE BILL NO. 768 The question then becomes should we lower the tax rate or should we spend the money on infrastructure? That isn't an easy question to answer because it would take a significant literature search ( and perhaps some unique calculations ) to find precisely where that tax rate and infrastructure spending should be for maximum GDP ROI. It does appear that from a Tax Association study on a related topic in ,' Evaluating the Economic Impact of Additional Government Infrastructure Spending ' that infrastructure spending grows GDP and cutting corporate and income taxes also incr

"The Worm at the Core" is a conception of true self that make up a leader's essence that only comes out in the most difficult positions ( i.e. risk of death, serious harm, significant lose, ruined reputations, etc.. ) We hear about leadership personality as it relates to corporate level, politics, and within the military but don't often go down to the core. People can be trained to improve their leadership but some of that comes from a deeply rooted biological origin that bubbles up only in difficult situations. Whether you are a business guru or a military leader your inner strengths will determine your leadership essence. Top leaders and their top management teams will be successful if they have the right personalities in the right positions. Leadership is often personality based (some of it can be learned) that derives from who a person's core value systems. We often don't know who that is until we put people in difficult positions where choices are not per

President Biden discusses new sanctions on Russia. It is an attempt by the U.S. to ensure the consequences of invading Ukraine are more than any benefits received. Putin will now need to consider these new factors in his short and long-term strategic decision making. His next step will be dependent on the master plan he is reading from and what he hopes to achieve at the end of the day. The ability to accomplish those goals is highly dependent on how world reacts to the situation and the deterrent pressure they create. We have to wait to see the effectiveness of the sanctions. Nothing happens in a vacuum and choices ripple. Balance and counter balance.   

The invasion of Ukraine has already begun so this is just background for the moment and will likely be looked at for historical reasons. What it looks like is Russia still wants to negotiate but wants to do so from a type of maximum positions where their troops are already in control of Ukraine ( A type of state hostage situation and/or chess piece .) The West is then forced to negotiate with him based on such power terms. The danger of such a strategy is that he is forcing Europe and many within the world to view Russia as a new threat and they will make strategic decisions that will likely hurt Russia's economic footing both short and long term. One possibility is that Russia turns further East toward China becoming more subservient and dependent on China to be a buyer of their products. There are so many caveats to this these are all sort of loose possibilities based on each movement of the players within the acting geopolitical conflict. One risk the U.S. faces is hyper politic

I like to read what is going on with politics and the proposals that are being put forward for public consumption. It should be noted that discussing something doesn't mean I agree or disagree as I'm trying to understand what is being proposed and its benefit for the rest of the nation. That means I would put up any proposal of this magnitude and discuss my thoughts as an American citizen; regardless of the party. First, let me say that Senator Rick Scott is going to be further right then me ( I'm a light right and not necessarily on these issues. ) but I do understand what he is trying to say here ( I'm not sure he expects to have it 100% approved as it looks more of perhaps a starting gate position. Maybe not? 🤷). As with this proposal ( and any other proposal ) there are things I like and dislike so I will just say in general a few comments that sparked my interest ( meaning not in specific ). I think there is some merit in some of the arguments but specifics would

If you like to hit the gym and have lots of other things going on you want to maximize your time. This blog is about business, government, academics, and science but it is catered to busy professionals and executives ( especially digital nomads and creative class .). There will likely be more articles as they relate to other things of interest such as finance, investing, etc... but from a more scientific stand point. Thus it is a resource for those who want to expand their knowledge and awareness into other beneficial arenas ( I have a fitness trainer license so this is relevant to me and other high performance individuals. Not saying I'm high performance...I'm just saying I like to strive toward something greater. ). You may also find that much of the literature promoted as science isn't really science at all! Serious athletes and those who like to get the most out of their workouts focus more on the scientific literature than the fad ads that promise quick results without

One of the joys of life is to understand the happenings of the world around us. In a democracy we have the responsibility to be informed about our governance and the choices that are being made on our behalf. Escanaba live streams and records their city council meetings and that is great for local citizens ( More should probably watch .) What would be interesting is if some the local stations radio, newspaper, tv put a blurb up for a few times prior the meeting and where customers can watch the video to see if the participation ( i.e. viewership ) rose. Sometimes more fun things are given precedent but having an informed population is very helpful for better community choices ( Most of the majority of the population doesn't engage in high level politics and you can hear sort of the mixed nature of some lay discussions. People add and delete information and are highly persuaded by the subjectivity of political opinion. ).  Ok ok sorry...it was just a blurb on the fundamentals of inf

Sanctions by the U.S. and Europe on Russia has started. While these sanctions are focused on deterring and punishing Russia to discourage further annexation (Starting to look that way.) of Ukraine  You may want to read a Russia White House Press Release  to gain some understanding of some of the sanctions that impact financing, trade, military, and focus on wealthy elite in the country.  One of the reasons why Russia may have used the term "peace keeper" is provide public relations cover for inserting troops. It may also be an attempt to test the resolve of the international community (So far everyone looks as they they are putting sanctions on them). Sometimes cultural negotiations styles are to go forward forcefully and then based on their options back out saying something like "Were helping!". However, that is likely cover for a bigger strategic plan. You can read a little research on Negotiation styles of Russians and Chinese  (Malik, 2019). The tactics within t

Its important to keep up with geopolitical issues to understand how it impacts commerce, business, markets and our lives. Emerging situations mean paying attention to what different leaders around the world are saying about different ideas. European Union (EU) is an important player in the region and maintains a type of governing body. 

Truth and integrity are not easy to find beyond untested self-professed values. People work through all types of personal misperceptions about themselves, others, and the world around them ( I'm not immune to that either but the difference is that I understand the subjectivity of perception. Its something that comes with divergent thinking .). Those that are most likely to see and encourage truth are the one's who are willing to question the most obvious things most of us take for granted every day. The elusive question of Justice theorists and victims search for is built on the foundation of truth and integrity. As with all mental constructions there are other practical considerations like what is best for society, what is feasibility, current laws on the books, case laws/outcomes, etc.....and still truth and integrity are ( or at least should be ) central to all of the decision making.  Why? Justice is a system that allows people to bring their grievances forward that launche

Attended the UP Dog Sled 200 2022 in Marquette MI. last night. That was an awesome experience! Lots of energy in the crowd! Try and come out and visit next time. It was freezing cold and you had to wear snow pants, winter jacket, face masks, and deal with a blizzard warning. 

Things are heating up in Ukraine and we are often left wondering what is going on. Putin is getting older and may want to make a move to fulfill his hoped legacies. He may do so through negotiation or he may do so through invasion of Ukraine ( Seems like he is setting up two options ). He could be banking on our hyper politics, rising China, declining Europe and not yet mobilized U.S.. He may also see his country as loosing on the international stage but also sees a few opportunities to strengthen his position in alliance with a strong China acting as the U.S. counter balance . Russia has a history of "come backs" and he is hoping to tap that history to return what he sees as sphere of influence. ( You can read a solid article on ' What does Putin want in Ukraine? The conflict explained ' ) Fuel is very important to the world economy but may only be as important from a supply standpoint for the next 15-20 years as alternative green methods are developed and commercial

Manistique, MI. The Great Lakes would be an important and vital part of a national reemergence strategy. According to the International Joint Commission the Great Lakes provides about $6 Trillion to the national economy and supplies drinking water to 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada ( Livernois, 2021 ). Because of its large impact there is likely only a few revealing studies because they are often conducted by governments.  " The science of ecosystem service valuation, which brings together ecologists and economists, is an attempt to understand and quantify, usually in monetary units, the extent to which ecosystem services contribute to the welfare of society ."  ( IJC Great Lakes Science Priority Committee, 2021 ) We must keep it clean and ensure that the waterways are working well and functioning at full capacity. It is possible to develop a sustainable system where ROI benefits also include the general cost of pollution and ensures the entire system functions to mo

This is a little old news but it is still important to understanding the conception of the local economy. M. J. Van Damme Trucking Inc was bought out by Eberhart Capital in 2020. You can read more about the deal on " Eberhart's page Eberhart Capital Acquires M. J. Van Damme Trucking Inc. in Strategic Deal " .M. J. Van Damme Inc. in Gwinn, Michigan in a $20-$50 million deal that is hoped to help diversify their portfolio to create higher levels of long-term growth. You may also want to review something about it in The Mining Journal ' Private equity firm buys Michigan construction company '  Calumet Michigan A major mining location in past before economic collapse. One green initiative the Van Damme company engages in is it diverts waste materials that would go into a landfill into reusable construction materials. This impacts the papermill waste and how they repurpose such waste within the area. Considering that we have a large papermill in Escanaba and mines with

There are times when you scratch your head and think about the values of society. Where good moral conscious should be forthcoming it is often buried in the subjectivity of our laws. Because hate and targeting children is more than just bad behavior it should be treated with more seriousness. Free passes are not free passes as they are little chips from the bedrock of our institutions. The integrity of the system must be maintained at all times through thoughtfulness and wisdom. That requires a commitment to certain American principles and values. We have to step back and look at the bigger picture and make sure in the long run if our decisions and choices are making a stronger nation or are destroying our fundamental values that tie us all together ( You can say that objectively with a straight face. ) The good news is that for the most part the community has rejected the false propaganda of hate group members and have shown a positive and welcoming attitude ( except a few institution

Mo Horses are awesome! Ok...they are awesome if your a horse lover. Its hard to find places where land is cheap enough to buy acreage to develop a horse farm. For those who might be interested in moving into the area and have a bent toward owning horses Delta County Michigan is one of the best places to do this. While the horse community is relatively small it is growing. We even started to play polo in the area! 😮 Escanaba and Gladstone are small towns where within a few miles you could be out in the country surrounded by trees. Its not like large cities where you have to travel great lengths and distances. You can live just outside the city limits and have your horse (or horse farm) with the abundance of older farm properties in the area.  The picture is of MO my horse. He is about 9 years old and well trained. Friendly and walks right up to you in exchange for treats. Mo doesn't get spooked easily and seems to be happiest when he is in ear shot of other horses. Super friendly!

Geopolitical issues impact lots of different things that range from the price of bread we pay at the store to our international influence. We are in a situation that smacks of a return to the Cold War Iron Curtain. The Russians may be engaged in a pressuring/testing tactic or they may be preparing to actually invade ( You can only watch the movements and see where the focus is .). No one really knows for sure but I believe its possible Putin may (key word "may") have designs to bring back a Soviet style coalition. The next ten years is going to be crucial for the U.S. and our competitive position.  At present we have a little wiggle room to diversify our military suppliers, improve our data infrastructure and intelligence capabilities, encourage innovation and start-ups within our military supplier networks and integrate emerging technologies faster ( We can do the same for the rest of the economy as well. ). Having the most advanced military in the world supported by a stron