Sunday, January 21, 2018

Missing My American Coffee

It was just a little while ago that I could grab a cup of coffee and walk around. No so true in Italy. They have their own micro version of coffee but so far I have not found a "to go" disposable cup. This is great if you plan on sitting down in the cafe for a minute and relaxing not so great if you want to take your coffee with you.

I suspect this is one of the differences in European culture versus American culture. We like to take our stuff with us and run from one activity to the next while Europeans seem to like to relax. You can see this in the differences of hours worked and the amount of time we spend running.

There seems to be two different types of Americans. One type that is trying to climb the income ladder and crams to get as much stuff done as possible. Thee is also the other type that seems to watch an awful lot of tv. Relaxers and racers seem appropriate here.

In Europe I suspect there is more of a cultural outlook to relax and sit for a minute. Sip your small coffee and watch the people in the street walk past or chat with friends. Certainly not a bad idea but can be more difficult if you have things to do. There seems to be a lot of McCafe around to save the day as an American icon.

Friday, January 19, 2018

Tips for Time Management

Time is a continuous stream of activity. In the way we measure time it is limited, finite, and in the modern world almost always in short supply. Time management can help us gain a better grasp on our activities. While part of it actually has to do with time the other part is more goal oriented. It is important work think about what activities actually enhance your life and what activities should be removed or have served their purpose already.

Focusing on What is Important:

We clutter our lives with all types of different activities and things that are unimportant in the long run. We are not talking about spending time with family, working out, and down time but we are talking about other activities like unneeded activities that can be adjusted or responsibilities switched to other parties.

Let us say that you spend a considerable amount of time cleaning your house and you have a high income. If it is something that is really limiting your options you might want to consider outsourcing it to a cleaning person or have someone in your family help out during pressing times. The same can be said for laundry, errands, and car maintenance.

This all depends on your goals. Make sure you know what you want to accomplish and how you should be spending your time. Goal creation is important because it creates focus for your activities and helps you determine what precisely your efforts should be focused toward.

Managing Your Time Well:

Managing time well means breaking up time into segments that allow you to complete the most important stuff first. If you have the right goals and you know what you want to spend your time on then you have to schedule in a way that allows you to accomplish these goals.

One way to do this is to look at your rhythms. If you are more focused in the morning then spend your time working on detailed work in the morning. During the evening you might be more creative so keep your evenings more free for creative work.

There may also be meetings you must deal with. You will need preparation time so you may want to schedule time before each meeting to review. There may be kids games, classes, or things to do after work. Schedule them in a way that minimizes commute time and wasted time while you are out of the house.


Thursday, January 11, 2018

Economic Theory in the News-Thought Provoking Articles

To me thought provoking articles and in-depth analysis rank higher on my interest scale than watching tv. Sometimes you come across thought provoking articles that are worth reading among the stream of day-to-day chatter that is often seen online. While I don't necessarily agree with all the conclusions I certainly think the analysis was well thought out.

What these early-20th-century scholars got right about 21st-century politics
https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2018/1/10/16870782/economics-inequality-migration-class-debates-history

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Tuesday, January 9, 2018

2018 International Conference on Business and Information

2018 International Conference on Business and Information
6th to 8th July 2018
Seoul, Korea

Dear Colleague,

The 2018 International Conference on Business and Information (BAI 2018) is to be held in Seoul, Korea, on July 6-8, 2018. The aim of this conference is to provide a platform which focuses on certain important topics of business and information. Detailed information about the conference can be found on the official website.

We sincerely invite your participation for this event. Submitted papers will be subject to a double-blind review process. All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings, under an ISSN reference.

Conference Website:
http://ibac-conference.org/bai/
Enquiries: bai.conference@gmail.com

Monday, January 8, 2018

Pheasant Hunting Tips from a Seasoned Guide!


Few things are as joyful when compared to spending time in nature and enjoying a good hunt. While passing through Colorado I came across a nice guided hunt about an hour south of Denver. Let me just say that while the hunt was not cheap at $225 I will say that it offered a pretty good lesson in pheasant hunting by guides that have been chasing these birds for decades.

Of course I didn't pass up the opportunity to tap the brain of the guide and get a few tips.

1.) Look for a solid food source and cover. Places that were recently farm fields with corn and alfalfa seem to attract the birds. They can find food and a place to hide.

2.) Bird dogs help immensely in flushing them out without nearly stepping on them. While you certainly can hunt without dogs you will be doing a lot of walking because you need to almost step on them to scare them out. Trust me...you can't see them until they move.

3.) Pheasant don't fly very far so you can create rounding circles that heard them to a place of your choosing if you miss the shot. Take note of where they come down and hide. It should be within your eyesight.

4.) The birds love to hide on the ridges toward the top of the hill. It wasn't explained to me why this
was the case but they seem to gravitate toward the sunny side of the slope.

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Can Michigan Borrow From Wisconsin and Reduce Student Loan Debt While Improving the Economy?

Student loan debt is a serious concern for both the Federal and State governments as it limits the amount of money in consumer pockets and is now showing that it is slowing economic growth potential in one of the largest young populations in history. There has been discussion on tacking the 1.48 trillion dollars in 2018 of student debt by wiping it out. We can see an example in Wisconsin that leads us to consider potential solutions for Michigan and other states when it comes to lowering student burden and bringing skilled workers to small declining towns.

Wisconsin reimburses up to 40% to a maximum of $25,000 for living in up to 72 counties. This helps move people to such rural areas in a way that helps declining farm towns and rebuild local economies.

There are other ways in which Michigan and the country can use student loans to help create higher levels of economic growth as well as reduce the overall debt without "wiping out" loans. The goal is to maximize the overall benefit to the states and the country through thoughtful forgiveness programs.

Let us consider a very robust student loan forgiveness and repayment plan that incorporates debt reduction with economic development. We may be able to see the benefits of student repayment and debt reduction programs for rural communities, certain needed occupations, military veterans, public service, volunteer work, training and education programs, public works, and much more.

Consider an example. Let us say my small town of Gladstone Michigan is declining in size with an aging population. They are in need of younger families as well as skills in metallurgy/mining, forestry, entrepreneurship, ecotourism, and healthcare.

It is possible to provide loan forgiveness for graduates that move into the area, additive loan forgiveness for being within certain demand oriented occupations, and additional loan forgiveness spanning up to 5 years for starting a business or setting roots down in the area.

Why might this help? If we are seriously discussing complete loan forgiveness, lack of people skilled nationally in certain occupations that limit economic growth, and declining rural communities it is possible to beef up these loan forgiveness programs in a way that helps the economy, the student, and industries grow.

We know we need skills to keep the economy growing. At present the labor market is tight with low unemployment, forcing industries to use immigration as a tool, and pushing up costs. Economic growth opportunities are limited without the labor needed to fulfill the jobs and growing industries. It would make sense to "hit multiple birds with one stone" if we consider a debt forgiveness program that encourages people to contribute to society in a maximum way possible.

Currently, Michigan has two major debt reduction programs that include working as a public defender and healthcare professionals. Administrators should consider a program like Wisconsin's but much more robust in its ability to reduce debt and encourage economic growth. While the public works programs were a good idea during the Depression, loan forgiveness might be a good idea in an improving economy. To effectively pull this off  we will need partnership between State and Federal entities to rethink how to maximize the benefits of reducing student loan burdens while helping people and communities.

http://www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid/0,4636,7-128-60970_61103_61113-129874--,00.html

http://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71551_2945_40012-135399--,00.html