Rousseau and the Idea of Social Contract

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a social philosopher that came up with the idea of the Social Contract in his 1762 Treaties. His belief was a powerful one and eventually led to a number of major societal changes and revolutions throughout the world. According to the Social Contract monarchs have no right to enslave their people and the legitimate rights of governance exist only when people willingly give up an equal amount of rights for the benefit of all. 

The only legitimate form of government is that which is separate from the people and subject to their well. A form of democracy where the will of the people superseded the rights of any king, class, or government. In this view, all men (and women) have the same rights and obligations to follow the law in so long as those laws represent what the people want. 

No person, president, or class should be above the law and in turn the law should not be above the will of the people. If a person or class of people are above the law, then the entire government should be questioned. Each person, regardless of wealth or social connections, must take a second place among the needs of the country and its people. 

In doing this Rousseau helps us understand that people bind together to create a government because it is in their best interest. They willingly give up some of the freedoms they have when they were in their natural state for the benefit of everyone. They are not obligated to do so unless that government takes into consideration their needs. 

He puts together the basics of what a "legitimate" government is and how it must continue to be responsive to the people's needs. To ensure it seeks to highest form of existence, government should continuously seek to better represent its people without the misinterpretation, or self-interest, of an elite class. When the laws are jaded or curbed to help the powerful it becomes important to put government back on the right path through reform and reformation. 

I happened to see the book for 50 cents at a used books store in San Diego. Worn and tattered pages it came to be an interesting read. I often found myself wondering how a person at this day an age came to have such radical but beneficial thoughts? Rejected, abused, and pushed aside throughout his life he became one of the most powerful thinkers of his time. 

Getting in Touch with Nature by Canoeing the Au Train River

Its quiet so you can hear the birds chirping in the background, the river flows softly down a winding trail cut through the forest. For seven miles there is nothing...nothing but nature and the few river enthusiasts hovering in small groups. Au Train Michigan offers canoe and kayak rentals that end three hours later a half mile from where you parked.

If your looking for some exercise and the chance to connect with nature you should consider taking the trip down Au Train River. A resort area that hosts a mix of rental cabins and homes with ample water frontage for swimming, fishing and bon fires . Affordable pricing and recreational opportunities throughout the area. A great get away for a few nights or a week.

Vertical and Horizontal Proximity Leads to Cluster Development

Offering rental space to businesses that function in a company's production chain can help develop local clusters. It is these connections of vertical and horizontal businesses that help to develop increasing innovation. Research on property led approaches to cluster management found that linkages were formed when physical proximity to businesses in the supply chain and the artistic class were located near each other (Zheng & Chan, 2013). 

Relocating business near each other helps to create denser connections. Businesses need help making vertical linkages to different levels of the production chain as well as horizontal connections to businesses at their same level to encourage growth. When they need support and resources it should be there.

A high percentage of these connections occur because of the rental proximity of the supportive businesses to the parent company.  It is natural for people to walk across the hall, see each other in the parking lot, and eat in the same restaurants to become familiar with each other and engage in business related endeavors.  

It was also found that in many industries the interaction between innovative industries and the artistic community was lacking. Strengthening artistic-business relationships often leads to new ideas and products. One brings forward unique ideas while the other sifts through them for practicality. 


The development of cluster success for specific industries can be enhanced through offering rents and proximity benefits with other vertical and horizontal partners. Making sure that an artistic class is close and has open lines of communication are helpful in the process. As the environment develops with needed suppliers and relationships the cluster has more ability to feed its growth.  

-Large companies that rent spaces within close proximity can encourage greater cluster formation. 

- There should be a mix of vertical and horizontal companies within the cluster. 

-Keeping a creative and artistic class within reach helps spur innovation. 

Zheng, J. & Chan, R. (2013).  A property-led approach to cluster development: ‘creative industry clusters’ and creative industry networks. Town Planning Review, 84 (5).

Early Morning Jogging-Getting it out of the way

It can be tough to wake up in the morning and go for a job; or walk depending on your fancy. Yet within a short while you have fulfilled a basic cardio workout that caries throughout the day. Building your basic fitness program can help you stay on track even when you are busy. Routine is key here. The better you are at protecting your time for fitness, the higher the chance of achieving your goals.

Sometimes working out can seem like a problem for busy people. By the time you get home from work you are tired and not in the mood. There is house cleaning, cooking, and duties that can easily steal your workout time from you. The early mornings are some of the best times to get the basics done before other issues overwhelm you.

After that first cup of coffee, and the chance to wipe the crust out of your eyes, you should head outside to breath some fresh air and get your lungs pumping. It can be touch and you might not feel like doing it but once your done you will feel much better. It the feeling of health and accomplishment that will keep you coming back each day.

The early morning is calm, cool, and life is just starting to wake up. You will notice things that you never notices before such as dew on the grass, fog in hovering over fields, animals that haven't yet been scared away. The felling of peace often becomes one of the biggest draws of those who workout in the morning.

Overtime you may end up enjoying your runs so much that you do it every day. If your a little sore mix it up with augmenting days at the gym, speed walks, or walking-sprinting. The goal is to keep moving and keep moving every day. After a few months you will start to see big changes in your body and self-image.

Gladstone 4th of July Parade 2017

Happy 4th!!!!

The Upper Peninsula's Very Own DeYoung Zoon

The DeYoung Family Zoo is located in one of the most rural environments you can imaging. Wallace Michigan is a small town with few residents and even less places to shop or eat. However, nestled between the pine trees is the "Wallace" or DeYoung Zoo hosting an impressive array of exotic animals drawn from all over the world.

Big cats, bears, canines, reptiles, primates, birds and other exotics are available for viewing. Sometimes they have petting opportunities were new animals are socialized through contact with other people. As people pet and play with the animals they become more domesticated.

N5406 Co Rd 577, Wallace, MI 49893
thedeyoungfamilyzoo.com

Declining Birth Rates in the U.S. and its Impact on the Economy

According to an article in the LA Times the birth rates in the U.S. are declining. While we have an ever increasing world population the U.S. population is not replacing itself. What is making it possible is immigration. We may wonder why we shouldn't just allow the birthrate to continue to decline in hopes of saving the environment and gaining ourselves a little more land. Here might be a couple of good reasons?

1.) The productivity of a nation is dependent on young people producing products that help support the economy and the nation. It is possible to increase productivity with less people but in general, over history, each human being accounted for some level of economic contribution.

2.) As the nation imports more people from overseas the character and nation of the change. Its not a problem if we have a plan. For example, if we are going to become an international nation then having people from different places can be extremely helpful in raising our international knowledge. However, for some it may be a concern that new values may supplant old ones. Finding a way to mesh and integrate may be helpful here.

3.) I wonder if the health and quality of rearing are going to make a significant impact. If we raise our children right, get them solid prenatal care, and encourage physically and psychologically healthy childhoods it isn't necessarily a bad thing we have less if the people we do have are better capable of meeting modern challenges. Its a quality over quantity issue.

4.) As childbirth rates continue in emerging economies our population begins to decline. It changes the sources of population and the places where new business are likely to grow. Business and services move to where people are going to pay for them. This means that dense emerging markets are likely to see an increase in new services even if the income of those populations doesn't rise.

5.) More mature nations seem to have less children. People begin to enjoy their lives and children become more of an issue of convenience than actual necessity. We have 1 or 2 children because we want to raise them and are less concerned about passing on our genetics, working them on our "farms" or using them as retirement support.