First Polo Game in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

 

In the Month of August we had the very first polo game in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Four chuckers long and most of the fouls were not called. It was the very first time people played the game so it may have been more like practice but we muddled our way through anyway. Everyone had a great time and we plan on making it a more regular event. Some discussion on getting better to have a Humane Society fundraising event and teaching 4H children how to play. Another mentioned playing at next year's U.P State Fare and have a band afterward with a dance.  I can't imagine people showing up dressed up like the show Pretty Woman!

I'm not sure that we are at that level but it is certainly fun to think about. Yikes! I will do anything for a good cause and for good fun. If we raise some money for something worthwhile it will be a blast to participate in the betterment of the community. I guess that is what its all about fun, recreation, and doing good things. 

It also teaches people that there are many more sports beyond baseball, football and hockey. The area has cheap land and lots of horses but most riding is Western . So it is kind of cool having people engage in the fun of it and start to play. 

Some things we need some work on is leaning over well with balance and hitting the ball in a straight line. Likewise, we need to think about following the line of the ball so that safety improves. However, overall everyone did great job and by the end of the game a few were moving faster and hitting the ball more consistently. Two players dribbled half the arena and put the ball between the goal posts!  

Escanaba Polo Mallet Company donated the equipment and expertise to play the first game. Escanaba Polo Mallet Company is a good works establishment that donates much of its profits to orphans, children's enrichment, and horse rescue. They sell affordable polo mallets and clothing. 

Telemedicine Makes Sense in Today's World For Cost and Effectiveness

I'm reading the article, "Is Telemedicine the New Normal?" by Stephen Henderson in Detroit Today and I find that I agree with some of the conclusions of the article that telehealth makes sense and is here to stay. First, let me say there are lots of reason why medicine is so expensive that range from overuse of specialists all the way to drug costs. Focusing on preventative care and access to care may make a big difference in our overall health and our ability to keep costs down.  

Consider that one can see a doctor via Skype (or similar) and discuss symptoms, make a pharmacy order and have it delivered and even educate themselves about their medical issues all from the comfort from their home. That is great news!

I'm not naive as I believe it will not be important to physically go in and see your doctor on occasion but it doesn't have to be every time thereby limiting the need for larger facilities. Basic check-ins and review could take a on more boutique and house visit style. 

We may also consider that by focusing on a primary doctor we are also using specialists more wisely and thus can also do so virtually when possible. That can reduce costs as a method of limiting over referrals that seem to push costs upwards.

Furthermore, by making health easier to access we can consider the overall benefits to preventative medicine. Instead of having excuses it takes very little time to set up an appointment and have one. You wouldn't even have to turn off Netflix for very long. Perhaps you can do it right from your phone as long as you turn the volume down. 

There are limitations and one may miss important issues without consistent physical inspection but the bulk of medical care is from self-reporting and with a proper prescreen questionnaire that limits possibilities and asks the right questions based on answers we may just make doctors more accurate.  Some people with issues will need to come in but many people may need a more routine reviews. 

Characteristics of Successful Venture Capitalist Investments Environments in Delta County Michigan

Developing local business while attracting national and international investment is a worthwhile pursuit that increases the opportunity that higher levels of quality of life and financial well-being . Yes there will need to be new industries in places like Delta County but that doesn't mean we can't attract new talent while still enhancing existing talent and businesses. The way in which we do this is dependent on our local culture and advantages but does follow existing literature on how to attract venture capitalism to the area by creating the right setting. 

Delta county is an ideal location because of its existing infrastructure, need for downtown enhancement and as a transportation hub with rail, road, air and a deep sea port present. Just looking at the downtown and how it could benefit from a paint job and new business investment will tell you something about the need to continue to grow the economy. If we add to that the local community college and the existing small industrial base with large contextual need to increase Great Lakes exports we can get a better sense of new opportunities. 

There are characteristics that mark high value cities for development (McDonald and Bailly, 2017):

1. Growth potential, skilled workforce, resilient economy.

2. Transportation connections (nationally and internationally).

3. Pro-investment city leadership.

4. Pro-investment planning. 

 

Let's see how Delta County fits within these categories.

1. High potential for shipping, manufacturing, and tourism. Local community college to train people, and somewhat isolated from short-term economic shocks.

2. Spider webbed railroad, connection of roads, close to import export airport, developing space launch site, and deep seaport.

3 & 4 City and county leadership has been talking and open about methods of growing the local economy but hasn't come up with a strategically viable plan.

 

Its not looking too bad for Delta County. There are other things that could be worked in on terms of start-up initiatives, improving the downtown offerings and decor, encouraging condos and seasonal housing, improving training of law enforcement, bikes and golf cart traffic, public transit and other gradations of change. However, a solid base has been created and now the county has to think about attracting new industry, business, and improving its overall public marketing image. 

One thing investors look for is quality information that leads to better decision making. This means that information is catered in a way that attracts and serves their needs. In marketing we learn that different information appeals to different types of people. If you are attracting vacationer the information is going to be significantly different than what investors need to conduct their analysis. 

The same can be said for research data and investment decisions. Investors look at different portfolios and information to make a decision about the type of businesses they would like to put their money. When that information is easy to find and fits their criteria they will have more incentive to continue to search out additional opportunities.     

Research has found that offering appropriate business information based in the needs of venture capitalism leads to more successful match between business needs and area investments (Croce, Francesca, and Ughetto, 2016). That same study also found that beyond the details found within the financial reports are soft characteristics such as owner information and the amenities of the area. In particular they looked at:

1. Facilities and Infrastructure: Product Transport, City Services, , Business Districts, Public Transportation, etc....

2. Local Labor Skills: Labor skills in the area and Bay De Noc College training.  

3. Institutions and Systems: Taxes, City/County Admin, Courts and Law Enforcement Performance, Entertainment, Etc...   

Thus successful investment decisions are not made simply from the businesses themselves but also the environment in which they exist. Investors want information on the area as much as they do on the specific business and their owners. The environment in which these businesses exist in terms of county administration, institutions, transportation and labor skill make make a big difference. Thus any turn around investment strategy may want to consider making information available on their institutions and other amendments to create investment context for specific businesses. 

Connecting to previous research:Creating an online investment space where businesses, administrators and investors can meet makes a big difference in successful investments. We now find that attracting the right kind of investors based on a successful cluster development strategy and in turn providing information on local institutions can foster further interest and local growth. That "investor online community" will also need proper marketing to reach large institutional investors and smaller venture capitalists.  

R. Mcdonald, R. and Bailly,  A. (July 2017). ―What investors want: A guide for cities. Center for Cities. https://www.centreforcities.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/17-07-18-What-Investors-Want-A-Guide-For-Cities.pdf

 

Croce, A., Francesca, T, and Ughetto, E. (2016) How business angel groups work: Rejection criteria in investment evaluation. Sage Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242615622675

Supporting Police AND Supporting Protesters-Culture, Metrics, Values!

We have a crisis of confidence in the Justice System. Our national leaders have pitted this as Police VERSUS Protesters (or visa versa if your prefer).   That argument based in duelist thinking is destructive. This could be a police AND protester issue if stakeholders looked beyond current frustration and into the need to reconcile.   There are reforms needed in policing but that doesn't mean all police are to blame. Protesters are right in being upset because the system has gone unchallenged for many decades and has seemingly removed appropriate feedback loops that would allow it to improve. It is now time to improve through Culture, Metrics and Values to encourage the world to be a better place.

Let me say I get both sides of the argument. I firefight, challenged serious criminals a couple of times, and tried to help people were I felt I could. Over the years I've met mostly good officers that were helpful and genuine. On the other hand, I have seen the Justice System struggle with complex financial crimes based on lack of expertise while using hammer to smack petty crimes.  I myself have been on the receiving end of racial, religious, and monetary aggression and feel that they walked because of their close association with law enforcement.

So while I have respect for most officers I know all too well that some are not out to do the right thing and the system can turn a blind eye and brush illegal behavior under the carpet.  

So I can honestly say I understand the frustrations and anger the protesters feel when racism and discrimination smack them in the face and no one "sees anything" and ethics and morality appear to be damned! On the other side, I know most of these officers are trying to do the right thing and desire to help their communities but often lack the resources, support and tools. Good intentions erode under a culture of "protect your own", judges and prosecutors who are often shortsighted, and a thankless job that comes with lots of risks and not many rewards. 

Of course people are going to line up on both sides of the protest line, dig their heels in and say, "Its all their fault!"

Culture: Culture best serves it's stakeholders when it is open, inclusive, and focused on solving problems. If the culture becomes exclusive and focused more on punishment than helping we need to revamp. Having a "one of our own" enforcement mentality is great but it should allow for open internal dialogue and holding each other accountable for bad behavior.

Metrics: Success shouldn't come through tickets and arrests alone. There should be metrics on how to help others and encourage people to make their lives better. I have seen victims of crime become victims of the Justice system because we didn't reach out to help them. Our focus was more on punishment with partial information and not enough on helping.  Changing some of the metrics leads to changing of promotions and the culture of the organization.

Values: We built this huge legal infrastructure off attorneys, judges, court rooms, prisons, and guns. We forgot their essential purpose in helping society and encouraging peace and trust in the system. Societal stability relies on trust and we must work to restore that trust by universalizing our values to all races and religions. 

If we are not 100% the Justice Department is doing the right thing, punishing people fairly, and being wise in its decisions we should start thinking about reform. Likewise, if we believe that some of these officers are trying to protect the public and have good intentions then we should stop trying to hurt them during protests and find ways to create dialogue. This is where real leadership comes into play....when we try and understand both sides and take actions to pull the country together. Those on both sides that are sowing discontent are doing so for their own selfish causes and we may want to consider picking better leaders.

   

Executive Orders Donald Trump August 8th 2020

 The President announced that a number of executive orders will take effect. I haven't had an opportunity to review but it appears that treatment court makes sense whereby veterans have opportunities to gain treatment versus punishment. Discussions on voter I.D., unemployment, mail in ballot, etc. that are likely to be challenged. I don't have an opinion yet until I truly understand what the issues are. Perhaps I will write a little more later.

The Physical and Mental Benefits of Boxing

 

We hear a lot about concussions and the brutal nature of boxing, MMA, and martial arts. The risk factors are there with lots of bloody noses, sprains and an occasional broken digit. There are some benefits to the physical and mental aspects of such sports. There is a continued place for them in our society if they are used properly and with safety in mind. Some benefits include....

Physical: No doubt boxing officers one of the best exercises on the planet in terms of cardio. Much of boxing practice, along with other combat sports, is about conditioning. It is difficult go multiple rounds without having the physical ability capacity to make that happen. Your opponent will simply wear you out and then you are toast! 

While much of the time is spent in cardio there is this continuous building of the upper and lower bodies (depending on the sport). I know a semi-professional Muay Thai fighter and I will say that  over the course of a year in her conditioning her body has transformed into a lean machine with great upper body strength. You can see the cut in her arms.

We would be remiss if we didn't discuss the increased coordination between different body parts. Your body becomes finely tuned and everything from your toes to your fingertips can coordinate for maximum impact.

Mental: There is something to be said for having the physical confidence of holding your own in any conflict. There really isn't almost any need to use it. Your body language give a lot of signals to others and typically aggressive people simply see you understand your body and know how to use it. We are part animal and our subconscious can pick up on those cues. 

That body confidence also influence your mental confidence and self-efficacy. You may be a super smart person but if you also have the ability to use your body you have a well rounded belief in your skills. We should trust ourselves and our instincts. Training against confident people and watching their body movements does make a difference in your situational awareness.

So...I recommend the sport with safety being a primary concern. Either just spar or use head gear. One doesn't need to even hit another person in full contact. It could be muscle memory and coordination of different body parts. The more you get your heart rate up the better off you will be in terms of general fitness.  

What Is the (RECOUPS) Act by Congressman Bergman and Congresswoman Fletcher? Balancing CO2 Reduction and Energy Need Growth

Carbon Emissions and the cost to the economy will likely become increasingly important in the future as populations rise and the need for energy increases. We have a responsibility as a nation to protect our environment through good policy.  As consumption of energy increases, specifically a reemergence of American manufacturing, we will have increases in CO2 emissions that will have an impact on our environment. However, with adjustments such as RECOUPS we can create flexibility in legislation and in turn encourage new CO2 scrubbing and biomass technologies that can balance growth and environmental concerns.This legislation is a start on the path to energy abundance and a clean environment.

Does an increase in energy needs mean we will automatically have more carbon emissions?

Not at all but that is dependent on our ability to innovate industry and green initiatives for cost effective solutions. A study in 2010 helped show that increases in efficiency helped limit the damaging effects of CO2 in the U.S. The research of states indicated, "...that for the past 15 years gains in the efficiency of energy use in the economy, the lowering share of fossil fuels in total energy consumption and lowering of emissions intensity of fuels all contributed to offsetting the effect of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and the population growth in carbon emission across the US." (Vinuya, DiFurio, & Sandoval, 2020, para 1).

Can Investing Lead to Improved Innovation?

Innovation occurs when intelligent researchers and entrepreneurs discover and implement new technologies that have a market need. I have been working on a theory of cluster innovation and one component is research (R&D) and entrepreneurship through creative destruction can speed up innovation when the environment is advantageous to connecting different economic elements. Part of the process of speeding up the innovative complements is through infusion of cash (i.e. units of labor power) to create new opportunities for market mastery.

Thus, investments are a vital part of pushing green initiatives and creating efficient and cost effective technologies. We cant expect government to pay for everything so we have some responsibility to balance out investment portfolios with green technology initiatives that could potentially have an ROI. Without more investments resources being infused in CleanTech companies that are developing emerging technologies the pace of innovation may be slow. One could suspect that investors from a wide swath of the investment community could consider placing a certain percentage of their portfolio into emerging green technologies (i.e 2-5%) to thwart larger environmental costs and disaster. If you are interested in such investments see a list of firms at Crunch Base.

How Does RECOUPS Work?

By providing a direct pay option for the section 45Q tax credits, the RECOUPS Act would help support domestic energy production while also reducing carbon emissions. Developers that choose to use this option would receive 90% of the tax credit's value.

Creating policies that help develop different and new technologies through flexibility are helpful.

The Tax Credit for Carbon Sequestration (Section 45Q)

Carbon capture and sequestration technologies can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, as well as other large industrial sources. The tax credit for carbon oxide sequestration (Internal Revenue Code [IRC] Section 45Q) is intended to promote investment in carbon capture and sequestration. HERE

The Carbon Capture and Storage Coalition

Carbon Capture and Storage technologies remove 90% of CO2 from the atmosphere and place it within underground geological natural vaults for long term storage.
HERE

Read the Carbon Capture Coalition's Cheat Sheet

HERE

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher has some more information on the subject HERE.

You can also learn more about congressman Jack Bergman HERE.

Bergman, Fletcher Introduce Carbon Capture Bill

Washington - Representatives Jack Bergman and Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced H.R. 7896, the Redeeming Effectiveness to Carbon Oxide Utilization Plus Sequestration (RECOUPS) Act of 2020. This legislation would provide a direct pay option for Section 45Q tax credits for carbon capture and sequestration - improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the credit while continuing our work to support domestic energy production and reduce carbon emissions. Rep. Bergman stated, "In the midst of COVID-19, direct pay has become more important than ever to help developers finance carbon capture projects without relying on inefficient and costly methods to monetize tax credits. The RECOUPS Act will help accelerate the development and construction of carbon capture projects currently in progress and encourage the development and deployment of additional projects to help meet mid-century climate goals, create and retain jobs, and support economic growth." “Investing in carbon capture technology is critical to our energy future and to addressing our most pressing environmental challenges,” said Rep. Lizzie Fletcher.  “I’m glad to partner with Representative Bergman to introduce this bipartisan bill that will help companies take advantage of the 45Q tax credit and help jump start these carbon capture projects.”    Carbon capture projects often rely on 45Q Carbon Capture and Sequestration tax credits to provide financial incentives and security. These credits have received bipartisan support and were most recently expanded in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Unfortunately, many businesses are unable to capture the full benefit of the credit depending on their tax liability – forcing developers to pursue more costly and inefficient mechanisms to monetize the credit, for instance by forming partnerships with financial institutions This legislation would provide a direct pay option for the federal Section 45Q tax credit for geologic storage and beneficial use of carbon captured at industrial facilities, power plants and through direct air capture. Developers that choose to use this option would only receive 90% of the tax credit's value. This will promote efficiency while saving taxpayer dollars. The RECOUPS Act has received support from the Carbon Capture Coalition, which is composed of nearly 80 businesses and organizations dedicated to reducing carbon emissions, fostering domestic energy and industrial production, and supporting a high-wage jobs base. (Vinuya, DiFurio, & Sandoval, 2020) A Decomposition Analysis of CO2 Emissions in the United States Full Text AvailableVinuya, Ferdinand; DiFurio, Ferdinand; Sandoval, Erica; Applied Economics Letters, July-August 2010, v. 17, iss. 10-12, pp. 925-31, Database: EconLit with Full Text

Governor Whitmer Discusses State Financial Issues and Racism

The state has financial issues highlighted by COVID and a need to look at racism in society. Let me add that should include bigotry of any type. Finances are a problem for Michigan but also for the entire nation. I'm not sure how we will pay for all of these needs on state and federal levels. I'm wondering if printing more money and its impact on the value of the dollar through inflation. I'm curious how this will work out. I think there are opportunities to reallocate money but to actually create new wealth is a much more complex process. My opinion is economic clusters that spur innovation, new businesses, infrastructure changes, adjusting to create relevant education, review of legislation, and encouraging investment can change the landscape for a higher competitive position in the future.

There are discussions of racism in Michigan. It is a good discussion in so long as it universalizes the Justice System, includes people of all backgrounds to create a true capitalistic society, and seeks to eradicate bigotry. When I say capitalistic I mean that race and religion don't impact a person's income and opportunities and doesn't influence how justice is served from one community to another. The bigger goal should be a single society where we see ourselves as part of the same nation that creates universal opportunities for success that draws everyone together. Thinking of ourselves as separate communities is no longer helpful as we should be one people with different seasonings. 

The Need for New Legislation: Dishonoring Vets at Honor Flights

There are differences between disputes and coordinated criminal behavior. When boundaries are violated, especially as they relate to children, you must enforce those boundaries for the protection of everyone involved. However, sometimes people don't accept that and will increase their aggression in order to show, prove, or otherwise damage and control their target. While they increase their tactics it is important to stay calm and understand the psychological motivations behind the behavior as taking the highest route will be to your benefit. 

What I have learned is that hate has no boundaries. It doesn't matter where you are, whether you served your country, or in what context. Discrediting and damaging is a discount of life. 

I've been writing about this for a while so I can't go into detail in each aspect without being redundant. Let me say that I have two children and both were in ROTC at one point and at least one wanted to go into the military. My children are mixed race and black while the perpetrators are white; but it goes beyond that. It wasn't only the race that was the main issue but also potential financial crimes, aggressive behavior, and serious lack of civility that led to the request to respect the boundaries of children and the family. 

When dealing with narcissistic type behaviors such requests do not go well and are often grounds for an immediate escalation of aggressive behavior. Both children were quickly ostracized but the one who has a pleasing mild personality was quickly targeted for further bullying. So a clean break was needed as growing fear of more aggressive and potentially violent behavior could erupt.

When someone wants to damage you for control purposes, fear of having bad behavior exposed, and due to mental health issues you have to be diligent. It wasn't one person but a group of individuals that blindly followed the lead of one of their members without questioning the motives or accuracy of the information. Thus, what could have been an easy situation to navigate quickly spread into a dangerous situation.

I'm in pretty good shape and have engaged in martial arts and self-defense for a long time but I'm wise and avoid conflict and create as much distance for myself and my children as possible. Tough isn't physical in most cases. It is a mental game where one understands themselves, has no need for inflated egos, and learns to control their emotions (EQ) for the best possible outcomes. 

I understood what was happening and maintained my cool to highly provocative behaviors, even to voice discontent, was going to be used to cause further damage. There is a point to be made here. The perpetrators have a close law enforcement friend within their group whom I believe coached them on how to get someone arrested. I still believe that if I didn't develop the ability to be calm under stress and threat things would have turned out different. 

I had to dig deep every time I saw my child react and turn away every time the perpetrators provoked conflict. At the honor flight I was volunteering as a firefighter and one after one the perpetrators drove by in a sequence of cars sticking their middle finger at me giggling and laughing. The goal was to embarrass, discount, and create public humiliation. At that point I thought about how more important this distance is at that time and how else to protect my family.

Stories are not so simple are they? There is history and there are lots of different things that go on in any group dynamic. What I can say is that it appears there are personalities involved that lack any sense of right or wrong. As long as their friends blindly supported them there was no wrong. That support is easy to gain if people don't think or ask questions. That is even easier if someone is exploiting perceived racial and religious differences to rally a biased base. 

My personality and history pales based on these other discriminatory behaviors. Not a single person could say I have ever done anything to them in this community or that all the way through my childhood and adult life I wasn't polite and friendly. Serving my country or getting an education or helping my community means nothing. Misguided pubic opinion from local bullies count? I take exception to that and I think others should as well.

I believe the perpetrators felt that people who are different than them are lower in some way and that having close friends in law enforcement creates a level of immunity for their behavior. I wonder if this is true? Is it possible to do what you want if you look a certain way, have a particular race, or have the right connections? Not sure...but I think our system should be more universalized than this. We can't compete as a nation if our institutions have separate rules for different people.

So I think there is a need for new laws that help protect people from coordinated adult harassment and bullying based on perceived racial and religious differences. I would like to move beyond that and say that it shouldn't matter what the reason is because such behaviors are a violation of human rights. There are likely existing laws in place but if we sort of apply them in one spot and not another that creates a moral and ethical problem. We as a nation need leaders who can think about how our laws are being applied and what their fundamental purpose. If it is to protect one group over another then we should be willing to accept that large swaths of our country will be unhappy. Couldn't it all be avoided if we were a wiser and more fair minded people?

Isaias Teaches Us a Lesson About The Need for New Adaptable Power Infrastructure

I'm reading the article entitled, "Isaias Severs Power To Millions—Here’s How To Prepare For Future Power Outages" by Dennis Mersereau in Forbes today and I'm thinking about the need to develop new power grid infrastructure to not only protect against extreme weather but also against foreign manipulation and intrusion. Adaptability is the term I would like to use as existing sequential wiring systems are prone to knocking out entire areas as though we are still lighting the existing bulbs by Thomas Edison through some type of Tesla experiment!

It might be time to rethink and redraw our power grid.

If we plan on powering new industries for national growth while becoming more able to "weather" global warming we we need to use the term "adaptable" more often. Such a system has  multiple ways of drawing power into the grid not only from different forms of electric generation but also can distribute that electricity through a neighborhood by multiple inputs. 

The advantage of such a system is that if parts of the power grid go out there could be other inputs into a neighborhood that reroute to keep the power on. That automatic rerouting offers consistency and redundancy. Homes and businesses are not receiving electricity through a single cable line because they are part of a larger adaptive network with multiple inputs and outputs. 

We can also say that with the development of multiple new sources such as solar on homes, ocean currents, windmills, power plants, etc... we should have different ways of receiving and distributing power. If all of the power in sources go out in a neighborhood perhaps we could continue to power through solar in the area leaving some electricity available with minimal use. 

I'm just thinking "out of the box" for a moment about how networks work and the ability to plug in new technologies. We will find that as we move to 5 G and model the electricity grid off of the Internet we will likely see this adaptability increase. 

Mersereau, D. (August 4th, 2020). Isaias Severs Power To Millions—Here’s How To Prepare For Future Power Outages, Forbes. Retrieved https://www.forbes.com/sites/dennismersereau/2020/08/04/isaias-severs-power-to-millions-heres-how-to-prepare-for-future-power-outages/#664c08dc1063