Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from February, 2023

COVID-19 Origin: Not Yet Resolved: Lab Seen as More Likely. Maybe Most Likely?

There are different intelligence agencies that are looking at this and they feel as a collective that its the lab, market or something else. Basically there are still holes in the research and that may be intentional on China's part. It would be nice to just go in and find out what happen ( I doubt this would happen but things change sometimes .). So its possible that it may have come from a lab, maybe more likely than a market, but not conclusively so. You need more data and need to keep placing each piece of data into your research theory buckets. The unknown bucket being one of the most important because that is where new ideas come ( Connecting dots in different ways .).  For example, going to hunt for secret bat viruses ( A theory that is proposed from somewhere else ) and then bringing them to a lab to enhance them for inoculation benefits but also perhaps weaponize them as well ( Lots of governments play with viruses. Kind of scary when you think of the long term possibility

Chinese Lab Leak in China Cause of Covid-19?

The leading theory is that Covid-19 started in a lab in China. I thought it was possible but I also thought it was equally possible to be from poorly kept animals on hormones/antibiotics that may have caused a mutation of some type. Of course, I'm not particularly knowledgeable about things things and am applying general knowledge. Either way, any way, we will someday figure it all out. Everything sort of takes time. When Covid-19 started consuming lives people were under duress, grocery store shelves were empty, and no one knew what it all meant. Some of this is likely to happen as part of our general existence in the same space, time and location. However, the leap in destructiveness isn't often seen on this level. i.e. meaning we typically might not see breakouts that are so lethal because there is more time to cure them through natural emergence and slower spreading pace ( A leap meaning it is possible it wasn't natural. ) Its the same concept with masks. We now know th

Why We Should Stop Caring About What Other People Think? The Value of Names and Name Calling

People are people and there is a constant sort of social negotiation going on all the time and everyday. Its fairly normal and you can expect that in all societies. There are different groups and there are different crowds. Some will rally around one interest and another will rally around a different one. Bouncing between these groups can sort of give you a perspective based on the differences in interest and culture. Each one focuses on a sliver of interest and aspect of life. Its something they "identify" with. Let us expand the social club perspective... People will think what they want to think. Sometimes there is a toxic soul among the bunch that creates all the problems and its hard for people to see that. They know how to exploit differences in an attempt to manage their fears of the unknown. Minorities are often seen as the unknown. Likewise, if you are an actual unknown that creates deeper inner insecurities. That is where the problems start ( i.e. the problem with t

2 Semi Conductors by 2030 U.S.: Cluster Formation Concept

The Biden Administration announced there will be two semiconductor clusters that are to be developed. You can read more about that in  U.S. will create at least two semiconductor manufacturing clusters by 2030, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says . The strategy appears to be designed to create a more rapid development process to ensure digital supremacy for the next era. Within that article they discuss National Semiconductor Technology Center  (NSTC) which is an attempt to improve innovation. Innovation is becoming extremely important and we should try and foster that broadly in order to develop greater economic engagement in national development of capacities. That requires the frame and it requires a focus. The description they provide is "The NSTC will be a public-private consortium that provides a platform where government, industry, customers, suppliers, educational institutions, entrepreneurs, workforce representatives, and investors converge to address the semiconductor

Trenary MI Outhouse Races Make World History-No ESPN in Sight!

Just in case you missed it. The Trenary Outhouse Races made history. We had a tie for the first time in outhouse racing! For those of you who are outhouse enthusiast this is a once in a lifetime event. Rarely do you get this kind of excitement in other sports. The tie was broken by a foot race. There is some controversy as it is believed one of the racers pushed the other racer into the snow pile. ESPN should be all over this! ( All in good fun ). We come out of the woods once a year to engage in Olympic style sports where different villagers show up together to settle old scores ( That one tracked this one's deer, the other trapping beaver near their lake, etc. ). Practicing pushing outhouses and chopping logs is the preferred way of the outhouse warriors! It takes many seeds to make a forest. Be one with nature. Namaste! One of the outhouses even veered off the track and into the crowd! No injuries even at this high velocity! Before you head to the outhouse next time pick up a c

Russia and China Engage in Trade: Are There Other Implications?

The Officers of the St George Militia Company in 1639   by Frans Hals Let us watch how the conflict is unfolding and what some of the options might be. There has been some indication for a time that China and Russia will start to negotiate deals. That will also determine whether China begins to allow for more lethal aid to Russia. If that occurs it will likely create a pivot point where its not just a need for fuel/energy and markets that China is interested in but also the desire to have ideological based battles.  Read  China is helping to prop up the Russian economy. Here’s how  and think about what is occurring on an economic and geopolitical influence level. Russians may also become increasingly concerned that they are being drawn into having a subservient role with China as dependency increases. This is also why Russia may want to save face and get out now. If their forces get routed they run risks of immediate default and if they stay they run long term risks of dependency. Ideo

Delta County Board of Commissioners Meeting 2-14-2023: Unhappy Comments and Interim County Admin

The first thing I noticed is the audio is clearer ( Good job IT !)......Then it seemed to have some difficulties with people who called in and the audio ( They are trying. I think it is much better.) For a minute I thought we were going to have to call Verizon  🤷 The good news is I think the audio is on track to be resolved. Let us see what other problems the county is working on...... Because this was a very long meeting I'm using bullet points ( It took days to get through it ). You can watch the YouTube video if you want to see the gory gut wrenching details. There was a lot going on during this meeting. Everything from interim administrator to complaints of corruption.  😬 Here are my thoughts and really it is more of a wait and see what happens perspective. Its hard to say what exactly happened without specifics. If someone is going to investigate, whomever they are, they will need enough details to investigate something. Something someone can look at, compare, find enrichmen

Escanaba Clears Out the Snow

We dug out from the snow two days ago. I would say about 7 inches total. I didn't get to go snowshoe today but am planning on doing outhouse races so I will get some outdoor lifestyle in. The sun is out! Early pm.! Our high-rise! Personally it would have been an  awesome hotel and casino. We pile the snow up! Gloomy a.m.  The world needs more snow!

Escanaba 1881

You may be interested in our early history. Notice the heavy reliance on the Great Lakes. 

Institute for Study of War and AEI Critical Threat Project Release Ukraine-Russia War Map Time Line

Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and AEI Critical Threat Project provided the Time Line Map of the Ukrainian-Russia War. ISW was launched during Iraq to analyze ground situations  while the AEI Critical Threat Project focuses on national security issues.  You can learn more about Institute for the Study of War (ISW) HERE   and AEI Critical Threat Project HERE . Basically, in that world they are knowledgeable institutions that provide policy recommendations. I was actually looking for a study on quantum level time manipulation findings I read this a.m. and in my search for that I came across this time lapse map of the Ukraine -Russia conflict ( The other important development is in energy fusion ). For those of you who sort of follow the news and its implications there is much that can be learned through difficult situations like this. We should always seek peace and when that doesn't happen learn and apply as fast as possible. I'm thinking in terms of conflict management, t

Firefighters and Fitness: The biggest risk is their big hearts! (A Few Resources)

Source: Fire House Training is vital to the long term success of any firefighting team. When teams train together, they get to know each other and in turn begin to find ways of tackling tough situations. In rural areas such as ours, we have to train regularly because we encounter a variety of environments that range from hundreds of miles of forests to cars falling through the ice. House fires are sometimes part of the risk but so can be carrying heavy hoses and equipment around.  In the rural world we rely on everyone and anyone who can reasonably help. Our department has been pretty good at attracting younger people and we want to maintain their interest to get them through required training in a safe manner. It takes time, so being interactive is helpful. Of course there is a place for people of different skill sets . Some will bust down doors and some will run the trucks. Some will lift heavy hoses and some will tell them where to lay those hoses to gain the most  power and reach.

The Winter Snow Keeps Coming in the U.P.

A couple of pictures of us being dumped on. The weather people teased us again. Initial forecasts were expected to be less. 4" to 8" inches today and 1-2 feet over three day period. I would be surprised if we get that much.  Its cold, it will be awesome for winter sports tomorrow, and we are out shoveling our driveways and sidewalks.   meteoblue

Invest Escanaba: Ship Building in Esky? Trends Say It Should be Considered!

Escanaba Light House Source: Escanaba Post Card Museum Sometimes its a good idea to capitalize on other investments to maximize impact and dollars. We do know there are things coming into the area that will likely change some of the landscape. We also have other infrastructure advantages such as ports, road and rail. As infrastructure develops, and the Navy considers how to maximize its innovative capacity, they should consider Escanaba as a candidate for an advanced medium to small vessel shipyard.  Before you judge too harshly the idea. Consider ship building in Marinette-Menominee and how that might be able to hedge coordinated ports in close proximity, the space launch site going in north of Marquette ( I think its still going in . I have to check . 🤔) and some other awesomeness in the area. While it would be great for the Navy if they pass we want to attract shipbuilding in general as a cluster advancing industry. The Escanaba Source: My Michigan Let us look at three sort of tre

Happy Presidents Day! Grasping for Stars is the American Way!

Presidents are our leaders chosen through our democratic processes. Its the process of choosing that makes this country unique. Whether you are current like President Biden, a recent past like President Trump, or one of the first presidents like President Washington, there is a sacred oath that binds them all to a line of presidents before them. They have a responsibility to guide our nation to greater heights, further than we have ever been before.  Good leadership is important from both parties and that requires coordination, active listening and a focus on solutions. Our leaders, whether the president or other politician must be willing to create and encourage others to grasp for a shared vision.  Wishing all of our Presidents ( Past, Present and Future ) a wonderful day and good health and good tidings. You can read the history of Presidents Day Its a little silly but very good video. 

Billerud Expected to be a Strong Buy for Stocks (ROE) Return on Equity

Pretty Much Same Place as New Mill Early 1900's It might be the biggest any more but Esky is the Best! Source: Escanaba Post Cards If your a stock guy/gal and you have interest in traditional companies that have a long long history in communities such as ours you may want to check out Billerud. While Billerud is a new Escanaba resident, the company comes from a long line of sister background not that much different then our own. Growing up in the cold and woods probably has its environmental similarities. Snow, woods, good food, fresh air, good friends, family.....seems similar ( Check it out. Grums Sweden and Escanaba Michigan .). I'm not trying to create a Hallmark moment here. What I'm saying is that they seem to be investing for the long haul and in may ways already understand the way in which we live our unique histories as a people. They are a natural fit and I would like to see how such a large investment with State and Federal interest leads not only to an increase

Escanaba's Downtown: Cold, Crisp and Fresh for Investment! (Keeping the Fire Bright)

$200+ Million State Invest in Infrastructure $1.06+ Billion Billerud +"Incalculable" winds of fate Its cold this morning when you walk down Escanaba's main street. I pull my color up to keep the brisk air out and take notice of the sun just starting to peak up over the building tops as a few shoppers begin populating main streets. It is a morning like many other mornings on Great Lake coastal towns that has seen better days but is now on the investment upswing. It wont look exactly this in a few years as fresh paint, flowers, people and new stores move in. While I might miss some of the cracks in the sidewalk and chipped paint on a few old stores that haven't been updated in a while. I remember coming back and seeing it about the same, with a little more sadness, then what it looked like when I left ( Back then it was too small a place for a young buck. Not a lot of opportunities for college grads so they leave to go to school, the military, or to get married. ) Withi

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken: Chinese Balloons and Bullets

I'm just watching this now and sort of grasping the nature of the discussions ( I suspect it was tense. ). Let us say that things are very frosty between the U.S. and China right now. No Valentine Day exchanges I would suspect. Let us put aside the contentious balloon incident for a moment. I understand why such balloons exist and I understand why we must protest against their use ( Even thought its not likely to be the last time .  Its not our birthday so please don't send any balloons next time. ).  The bigger concern is China support for Russia. It didn't take much to figure out from prior tv appearances that there was going to be some coordination between China and Russia. Remember Putin's comments on "world hegemony" or something similar and his jovial step? You can tell from his comments, and the whole tiff about taking off shirts with EU leaders  (ok you either read it or you didn't ), that he was sort of semi-bragging about it without saying it ( Y

When Local Clan Laws Supersede National Laws: The Subjective Rule of Law

Local laws are important. However, when local laws are clan based and give a free pass for racial and religious cleansing behaviors that come forward, that isn't a violation of the law its a break down the order of things. It is a clear sign that not only have we looked away while laws are being violated, we also failed to step up when it was necessary to protect the integrity of the system. We have become our own worst enemy.  This article is about thinking about better paths forward and how that encourages better decision making and more unification between different peoples. We as a nation should think about how we manage going forward and what that looks like. To me, that looks like people working together toward a shared future. There are some, who care very little about these things. Having a universalized perception of justice and fair treatment is our pro growth torch going forward ( i.e. human capital developmen t) I have never been afraid that our nation would have a prob

Escanaba City Hall Meeting February 16th, 2023 (Restaurant Week)

Nothing too exciting going on during this meeting. I must be kind of hungry because I'm thinking of food. Restaurant Week is Feb 26th to March 4th! I didn't find the flyer he was holding to repost but you might want to check regularly at  Escanaba's DDA  for any postings (... and downtown investment opportunities ) as well as some of Escanaba's Dining Cuisine .  May I make a dining recommendation? Check out the fine fish fry's at the Elks  or the succulent beefy burgers at the Eagles . If your moving to the area, these are two clubs you might want to join ( Fraternal Orders Actually.)  Most people would invite you in as a honorary guest if you were considering joining. You will likely have many introductions right away. They also support good causes! 

Billerud to Bring World's Largest Carton Board Machine to Escanaba (KM7): Local People to Help Lift!

One of the greatest carton board machines in the world is coming to Escanaba and that is an amazing thing! I think this is really great and it is a time to celebrate these important partnerships. During that celebration let us not forget the local stakeholders of Escanaba. One of the reasons why people voted and made changes is to help the community ( That is the way I see it anyway .). They are a people who care about the jobs that young people are going to obtain and want them to stay closer to home (Many who finish college often leave so this is a chance to get them opportunities in the paper industry. Most want to see their grandchildren grow up in the same town. Some leave and want to come back. ). There will also be some infrastructure improvements that are also very helpful to the community and that will lead to potential greater growth in other local job markets. This is why I think Escanaba should consider improving its small business market attraction to lure start-ups in a