How Driverless Cars Will Affect Your Budget

It seems like every other day there’s a new article listing all the ways driverless cars are set to change our lives; the excitement in certain industries can feel almost palpable. However, a recent AAA study found that 63% of U.S. drivers are still nervous about riding in a completely autonomous vehicle. While that is a drop from numbers in early 2017, there is still a large part of the population that feels unsure about the emerging technology.

Most customers will care more about the practical implications of these advancements. They want to know how this technology will affect their daily lives, rather than which big companies are fighting to bring it to the market first.

Most importantly, will these cars even be accessible to the average consumer? Here are some of the ways driverless cars are slated to affect your wallet.

The First Models Will Be Expensive

With luxury auto brands like Tesla, Audi, and more having the capital to research and test driverless tech, these high-end car makers will likely be the first to introduce autonomous cars to the market. Unfortunately for the average consumer, this could mean adding an additional $10,000 to the existing, average cost of a vehicle.

The number is expected to come down as the technology becomes more widely accessible, but could stop driverless cars in their tracks.

Fewer Accidents, Lower Insurance Rates

On the bright side, driverless cars are expected to lower the number of road accidents. Drunk driving will hypothetically be a thing of the past, allowing the auto accident injuries injuries to decline alongside them.

Thanks to fewer accidents, car insurance costs will plummet, as any collision that does occur will be due to mechanical – not human – error. Liability will shift to auto manufacturers, saving you hundreds of dollars each year.

Saving Money on the Little Things

If you have multiple drivers in your household, complicated carpool systems could be a thing of the past. Your single driverless car could drop one person off at work, return home, take someone else in, run the kids to school, and even cover pick-up duty.

Not only could your household save money on the cost of buying and maintaining an additional vehicle, an autonomous vehicles ability to return home on its own could save you large sums of money. In 2017, INRIX research found that in the U.S. alone, drivers spend an average of 17 hours a year looking for an open space, which wastes upwards of $345 worth of gas. Remove the need to find a parking spot, and watch your savings increase.

Driverless cars are not yet ready for mass adoption, but if all goes smoothly these vehicles can be a big help with savings. Not only will the roads become safer, but also drivers will be able to save on the seemingly minor details that tend to add up.

By Rae Steinbach, freelance editor at The Rothenberg Law Firm, LLP

Poem: Hours Before Day Break

Hours before day break the darkest hours creep,

The critters of shadows near their sleep.

Walking under a canopy of trees,
The morning light begs to break free.

My boots dig into the wet dirt.
To a new path they flirt.

Heavy on the soles I say,
If you keep walking this way.

Till the end we must trudge,
fate will fight to not budge.

Nature is our resting place,
Into the forest we seek some space.

Escanaba and Gladstone-Balance Between Chain and Local Stores-Which Creates More Opportunities?

Escanaba and Gladstone Michigan are nestled along the shoreline in the wilderness of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Because of their remote locations the towns still have a presence of locally owned stores yet these are becoming increasingly under pressure by large retailers like Wal-Mart and Meijer. Following suit, other retailers are also interested in setting up shop; Aldi being an example of just one. We should ask what is the best developmental path for a small rural city and if there are alternatives to the rural community. Before we answer this question we should think of economic impact, wages, and culture.

Economic Impact:

First, it is important to say that large retailers are not the enemy and provide a lot of value for the local community in terms of cheaper prices, convenience and breadth of consumer products. They fit well with the needs of the local population who must shop daily for their household needs and need access to products. With luck we can also draw in a lot of area shoppers which can help support such retail chains. This convenience comes with a cost!

If there are too many large retailers in one area the smaller stores can't compete without radical adaptation. We are finding this to be true in the world of Amazon where large manufacturers and cheaper products from China flood the market thereby killing small producers with instant price comparisons. Few will pay $12.99 versus $7.99 for relatively the same product just because it is produced in the U.S. The same logic can be applied between large retailers and smaller ones.

Smaller stores often die out because they can't compete with such economies of scale leaving city governments more reliant on these large retailers to patch budget shortfalls. Having a large anchor store is helpful but having a number of them can be harmful if there are not a complementary small business community. Stores should follow the laws, needs, and wants of the community to ensure they are serving local people in addition to their investors. While local needs are not the main purpose of investment it is possible to find a balance.

We can see how the Escanaba mall has declined off over the past few decades and most of the store fronts at the time of this article were vacant (like most malls in the U.S.). It has been said that rent prices are high and the traffic flow is minimal because there isn't a lot going on there. One by one small retailers close their doors and/or move away. This can't be blamed only on large retailers but is part of the trend of increasing online purchases and large retailers that have saturated markets.

Wages:

Chain retailers offer wages, in many cases good wages, but certainly not living wages. They also employ a lot of people at once creating a quick economic boost. Such companies employ many more people than most of the smaller stores would be able to muster combined! However, as small stores flounder there are less of them around which means that family-owned businesses are often being supplanted by lower wages. Family workers are not typically accounted fully in our economic models because they don't have a formal payroll.

Culture:

We should also consider culture and its value on the market. Escanaba and Gladstone should not try to emulate other communities that are scraping through global transitions. To create a culture that attracts tourism, retains families, encourages people to immigrate here, and developing a thriving small businesses community we should look toward places that have successfully created their own "destination locations" for lifestyle and investment.

These are the places that have thriving downtown areas with unique shops, art stores, small manufactures, community events, parks and waterfront. Escanaba and Gladstone have some of these budding characteristics but haven't fully exploited them for improved growth. Developmental plans will need greater emphasis and improvement on attracting outside consumers to the area while still serving the needs of local residents.

Communities that attract an influx of money, investment, and market interest are unique. They are not the cookie cutter communities that have a large retail department store and a movie theater. They are the type that retain their history and integrate their downtown communities with the needs of the modern century. They make local shopping fun by providing a variety of unique products that are hard to find anywhere else. Large retailers don't compete well in the craft and niche markets.

The Complexity of Economic Projection:

An analysis of economic benefits and detractors large retailers have on local communities is very in-depth and complex. Projected tax revenue, employment, and location are most commonly included. Many small communities don't do well in calculating the soft costs that are hidden when making these types of plans. Large retailers are all too willing to come in and provide overwhelmingly positive expectations that "wow" community leaders.

Soft costs can include family income, transference of capital in/out of the local community, reduction or increase in tax revenue, transference of money throughout the community, how many other businesses may decide TO or NOT open in the area, brand image, and the economic risks if a large retailer leave the community. We don't know because these types of analysis take time and require high levels of theoretical training and research. This type of knowledge isn't often available locally unless there is a large university in the area.

Sum it Up!

There is a point when too many large retailers may be drawing capital away from the community and transferring it to investors residing in other places. Each product bought has a cost; of which labor is only one. Whatever profit is earned is transferred back to shareholders who do not spend money buying from local stores. Large retailers do create convenience and value for local shoppers up to a point but then can start to kill off small businesses and the possibility of future growth that comes through the unique culture and attractions of the area.

It is important to think of input and output of capital in the cities. Input occurs when products are produced and sold here. Output occurs when product are produced elsewhere and profits are realized in other areas. Local shopping, tourism, and industry create new capital while large retailers usually have net loss to capital in the area. Increasing input means capitalizing on our strengths!

Where Should We Go?

Escanaba and Gladstone have an over abundance of large retailers and chains for the time being until the population rises. It doesn't seem like it will rise soon without major transformation. Thus, administrators should focus more on eco-tourism, lifestyle, marketing, and the downtown district to draw local interest and encourage tourism to the unique coastline, outdoor activities and culture of the area. That doesn't mean getting rid of large retailers it means ensuring that both large retailers and small business can grow together.

Conducting a market analysis of what types of businesses will thrive in the area and encouraging entrepreneurs to start small businesses in the number of vacant storefronts on Ludington Street would be helpful. Of course there will need to be incentives and active recruitment involved. That could include low interest loans, cheap rent, student loan forgiveness, new business outreach to navigate local regulations, and other incentives for those start ups that fill the city's needs.

It would also be helpful to encourage Escanaba and Gladstone to fund a higher marketing budget; even with a little more cost to existing businesses. Developing a brand image and selling the amenities of the area as a place to vacation, shop, and live are helpful. Some of this marketing may target larger cities like Chicago and Detroit that can travel here on vacation and/or in outdoor enthusiast magazines that seem to draw the demographic of people who are generally educated and have money to spend. A larger Internet presence is definitely needed where people spend their time looking for vacation and living places.

More events downtown that attract people within 50 miles might also be helpful in courage improved retail sales. Additional work is needed in beautifying the downtown to make it attractive and a place that can host different kinds of activities. Much of this should be based in, not only improve immediate sales, but also the long term interest in the livability, shopping, and events of the future.

None of this ignores the need to diversify industry in the area and encourage industries that use similar skills and abilities to settle locally. Thriving retail also means creating thriving industries. Small manufacturers have a great impact when they employ 50 or a 100 people at a time. A few hundred well paying jobs feeds much larger families who purchase from local stores and large retailers.

The Escanaba Planning Commission and their meetings are available online for comments, praise, questions or concerns.

Did you know that horses Snort when Happy?

Your riding and pushing your horse a little and a huge "snort" comes out. You think Whoooo this horse is getting upset. Maybe its riding or maybe its pushing flys away. None of that is true! Research from the University of Rennes in France seems to indicate that snorting is a sound when horses like what is going on around them.

What makes them Snort?

1. Socializing with people and other horses.

2. Ability to graze pastures.

3. Big open spaces.

Those were not the only signs. Ears pointed forward or to the side meant happy while those pointed to the back were discomfort.

Because horses are emotional by nature they work on friend and threat based on those emotional systems. If they saw an angry picture of someone they may treat that person more as a threat when they met them in real life.

The study was published in PLOS Journal.

Americans are Quitting Their Jobs-A Few Things to Consider Before Taking the "Plunge"

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that people are quitting their jobs more now than in the past 17 years. Hires were 5.8 million and separations were 5.5 million while job openings are 6.6 million. This indicates that people feel confident about taking the "plunge" and finding a new job. They felt with the economy being strong they could pick up better quality work quickly.

You may be considering taking the "plunge" yourself. Research after research has shown that the best way to earn more pay is to move to another company. Yes....executives don't often know what they have until they lose it and are more willing to pay someone new and untested. It is the nature of business and management that we don't see the people in front of us as beneficial than the "unknown"

...but before you "burn the bridges" behind you there are a few things you can do and should consider before leaving.

1.) Always keep your spirits positive and be on good terms with other coworkers and bosses. You may just need that job in the past.

2.) Collect good references from people you trust.

3.) You may want to apply within your company for different positions.

4.) Consider asking your boss for a raise.

5.) Finish up as many projects you can to leave the position in a good spot for the next person.

6.) Make sure you are critically evaluating the pay, commute time, work benefits, atmosphere, and people before "jumping".

7.) Find a job before you leave. While you might think it is easy it could take a considerable time costing you money. No unemployment for people who quit.

Photography of the Ancient Mayan Ruins

The Mayan ruins of Belize offer a unique glimpse of society before the modern advent of time and technology. People lived in this region for centuries before being wiped out by mysterious force. Whether these were of natural diseases or other forces of nature the people left a permanent reminder of their presence.

The Mayans were well developed with a large economy and solid administration. They have been compared with the Roman Empire and left to their own development may have bore a greater modern nation. Nevertheless, the people are gone, except a few descendants. Their time has come and past.

Photography raises awareness of their lives and their ability to construct amazing architecture. If it wasn't for looters in the area these ruins would have been completely untouched and hidden the forest until now. It must have been an amazing site to discover parts of a lost civilization overrun by foliage.

Local Bands Contribute to Life Satisfaction in Escanaba and Gladstone

People want a quality life and offering outlets like bands and events helps people connect as a community and find recreational activities that improve their happiness. From an economic standpoint this makes sense. As people enjoy their lives and feel positive they also spend more, make better decisions, and avoid the negativity that can creep into idle lives.

Think of a town that has nothing going on for days on end. The people don't do much but go to work and come home. Often they don't connect with their neighbors and don't feel much of a commitment to their community. Engaged people take ownership of the city and do their best to improve it.

Bands, public events and activities do increase the appeal of the community. Small towns like this often die out as people move to larger cities to find work. It is necessary to attract new families and retain old ones to keep the town vibrant. Having lots of social engagement helps draw people to visit and with any luck choose to live up here.

It would not be a full discussion if we don't mention that getting people out and meeting their neighbors also is good for business. As people walk the shopping districts and see vendors they also become more aware of local commercial activity and purchase more products. With so much shopping online anything that helps small businesses is welcome.