Uber Surge-Fair? The Need for Additional Transportation Options

I'm waiting at the San Diego Airport ready to hail Uber. I like Uber and have used them a lot over the years to get around a big city without finding parking. I have tried Lyft from time to time but typically stick with Uber out of habit. However, a recent incident made me think about using Lyft a little more often as something to check before I press the order button on Uber. Surge pricing looks bad for business and can be a turn off for customers.

I wasn't sure if there was Lyft at the airport or otherwise I would have checked my options. In this case, Uber said the driver is 4 minutes away and what the price would be to get to Mission Valley $22. I clicked the button and it spun for about 50 seconds and gave me 15 minutes wait time and a surcharge raising the price to $31. I clicked wait for next drive and each time I pressed the button it got more expensive. 

I'm not sure I agree with that system because it has happened to me a couple of times. I click the button thinking the driver is close and once I do the time changes to something much longer and often at a higher price. One time I had 3 different drivers cancel after making me wait for each one. Once I clicked cancel because the driver was taking too long by sitting in the same spot for about 10 minutes (not sure what they were doing) and I was charged $5. 

The surge charge is a little like going into a grocery store and because they are low on apples they changed the price from fifty cents on the display and once I wait in line and get to the cashier they tell me it will now be $3 each (supply and demand). Sure I can choose not to buy the apple but I really need that apple to make an apple pie. If this happened very often I would likely seek options because I want to trust the places I shop.

There are differences between Uber and the grocery store. I can go to any grocery store in the city but I don't have a lot of options for hailing a ride. When you become top dog in the environment you also have to think about your overall responsibility to ensure you are following common standards of ethical business. Changing the price and allowing drivers the opportunity to cancel because they can make more money on another ride just doesn't sit right when cabs have gone out of business and there are not a lot of options.

It almost looks like bait and switch.

I guess in a world where there are lots of different options that is fine and I will just vote with my fingers. However, in a world where there are few options you are a captive audience and thus forced to pay the exploitive price. I think in this case, the only thing we can do is vote with the one option available Lyft. For the next month I will seek to click Lyft first to change my habits so that I can ensure that there is some consequence to what appears to be exploitive behavior. 

I still love Uber but I realized that without competition we are at the mercy of a single company that seeks to maximize its profits. If all the buses, cabs and competition were put out of business would we still be protecting the consumer while serving the public? Competition and variability are important for improved ethical performance and price. Act selfish...people walk!

I asked for the surge money back. I will let you know if they give it back. 

What the IMF is Right and Wrong About on their Economic Projections for the U.S.?

 I'm reading through the IMF World Economic Output. The U.S. is projected in 2020 to have a -4.9% GDP  contraction from the 2.3% in 2019 and then a 4.5% GDP expansion in 2021. You can read more about it HERE.   From the report you have the impression that the pandemic was completely destructive but that there should be an increase of over 2.2% improvement over 2019. 

First, let me say that I suspected that there would be an increase in 2021. Perhaps overall there is a decline in 2020 but that we start to adapt and we should see serious increases in Q3 and Q4. I think there will be an under projection by the IMF for the 2021. 

One of the reasons why this happens and how it doesn't completely apply to the U.S. is that we were already starting a transition to a more virtual economic existence and its impact on Digital GDP before Covid. The pandemic forced us to adapt faster. 2023 and 2024 will likely be marked improvements as investment to the U.S. return and technology takes precedence.

There will naturally be a dip in 2020 as we deal with the pandemic but as investments increase we should see a very strong early 2021 in the first 2 quarters. So along with my theoretical ramblings I expected a stronger recovery at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 back in April/May of this year and the need for Digital GDP in late 2019 just prior to the Pandemic.

I'm kind of curious if I will be close. Not exact but if the trends work that way form an intellectual exercise. 😜

Lets see what happens! You can read a few articles on adaptation below....

GDP Contracts 1st Q of 2020-Is It a Short Lived Shock and Digital GDP Recovery?

How the Economy Might Change After COVID-19?

Digital GDP on Government's Mind. Can We Maximize Growth Through Cluster Development?

 

John James and Democrat Incumbent Gary Peters Are Neck-n-Neck in Michigan

 I took a brief look at the pole conducted by NY Times through Siena College Poll. HERE.   You will find that they are 43% to 42% and this is a neck-to-neck race. We should understand that 1% is well within the margin of error (4.3%) for the poll. Total participants are 614 likely voters. This means they are equal from a statistical sense and its open to anyone still. We can also say from the pole that Peters appeals a little more to minorities but there are plenty of traditional supporters around John James. Typically I would like to see 1000 participants but I have also struggled to gain that level as well. 

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/miwi1020-crosstabs/b0a09cd1cd0048df/full.pdf

Radicalism in America: Who do the Laws Protect Anyway?

 Radicalism is growing in American and we must ensure we have the laws in place and the moral will to stand up against abuse. We try and we seek to apply the law where it is beneficial but often it is subjective in its application and its eventual result. National leadership should start thinking how laws are applied universally to protect American citizens from radical intimidation and coordination. As I age I realize the importance of trying to do what is right with the most integrity I can must (Yes I make tons of mistakes because I'm human).  

I'm not stranger to radical aggression. I have a Muslim sounding name and two black children. You would think this wouldn't be a problem but for many it is a big problem and they have no issues with seeking to exploit those differences for personal gain. The laws have not always been applied fairly. 

The laws are designed with good intent but its application is often difficult to decipher. I'm a conservative that runs my own course because I know the blindness by which many people live. While I hope to someday have support for a more political run, our nation needs people like me now more than ever. We need people who don't fit the stereotypes we have deluded ourselves with for so long.

Being conservative to me means follow those basic religious values such as charity, kindness, love, and even strength to ensure we make a better world. If I disagree with someone's opinion and/or lifestyle I have a responsibility to respect and cherish their life. I have often not received that myself and there have been few that would do the right things without first checking in with their friend's value systems.

I have for a while known the benefits of kindness, resilience and strength. 

Laws are tools we use to maintain peace and a moral purpose in life. If someone is viewed differently than us, we often have no problem prescribing all that is not good to them. At the same point, if someone is seen the same we have no problem giving them the halo effect and attributes they do not deserve.

I spend my time helping orphans, writing about what I believe is right, and engaging in science. My life has been devoted to making the world a better place. My life and childhood came from a very dark place where love was absent and aggression in one form was constantly present. 

I do not necessarily blame those people for some of the diagnosed, and undiagnosed, mental health disorders they face but will continue to stand against adversity (of which some was criminal and life threatening). They have taught me that most people will follow and few will lead. The ones we think are leading are often just saying the same rhetoric their followers want to hear. 

The laws have been subjectively applied in many of these cases. Whether we are discussing child abuse or extremism as that seen by the attempt to abduct a governor the goal is always to force one's will on another person. People spread rhetoric, encourage violence, steal, make inflammatory statements, and the list goes on. 

I have also learned that such people will almost never see themselves at fault for anything. Extremist hate behavior is based in serious depravity and the need to overpower others. There is no stopping them without the use of law. They are not guided by moral principle in so much as they are afraid of being held to account or losing some street credibility to people who are as ignorant as them. 

I've also seen where the laws that were intended to do well don't apply to certain people who are viewed in a non-traditional light. While I may have a Muslim sounding name I actually view myself as more of a Catholic-Muslim-Jew (No offence to those who find offence in everything) that believes in the core values shared by the three great monotheistic religions (Don't stop there...I have also read some things on Hinduism and Buddhism and found wisdom there). 

While I plan on getting more involved in politics I cannot say that the politicians would accept me. I likely would have little support because I'm not radical enough and I'm not willing to lie to mislead people to vote for me. I'm Republican by economic philosophy and Democrat with the willingness to be help my common man and accept the natural differences in our species. 

What I find most disturbing is that rational centralist behavior is becoming increasingly rare while the pressure to be a radical is high. I have Right and Left friends and they are always the most intelligence, smartest, people in the room while everyone who disagrees is an idiot! Go figure....I took an IQ test and and an evaluation as was seen as having high intelligence...yet I'm not smart enough to understand the logic of what they are saying. 

Going forward I want to become more involved in politics as a voice of reason thwarting radicalism in all its forms. I also want to do more to help our nation's economy and those who are suffering. When it comes to bigotry and hate crimes there should be zero tolerance across all aspects of our society. It isn't about values...because I have very American values...it is about allow ignorance to fester in unquestioning crowds. Likewise, I'm working on climbing Mount Everest (no idea if I will actually do it but I plan on going to Denver this year to start training this winter) for justice. Justice for the kids that were not protected from abuse, justice for good Americans that were subject to hate crimes, and most of all justice to the American people who need leaders that are willing to stand up for a basic value system beyond self-serving rhetoric. We are moving into a new world and it will become more apparent that the way things were in the past will not be that way in the future. We need more Americans with central American values. 

Ex-Service Members Charged in Governor Whitmer Kidnap Plot

Marines and service members make vows to protect their nation from enemies foreign and domestic. Some believe those values are for a lifetime and some feel they are only relevant while in the service. While we may or may not like this or that elected leaders we have an obligation to protect the democratic institution that our people have chosen to guide them. It shows you that radicalism is a human problem and not specific to any race or religion. We may even disagree with a specific policy but we must respect that people had an opportunity to disagree and vote on topics without taking arms. I respect systems that work...and democratic institutions that help our republic draw in as many stakeholders as possible. 

Small Manufacturing Innovation Steps-Escanaba Polo Mallet Company

One of the challenging aspects of making polo mallets is the ability to find straight shafts. The crooked ones are easy to find and you can obtain them in bundles for around $1 per pole. Out of a bundle of 30 shafts there are 1 or 2 that are usable. The alternative is to buy perfect shafts that by the time you pay for the shaft with shipping it is around $40 which makes them very expensive. Because straight shafts are getting harder to come by Escanaba Polo Mallet Company went on the hunt to experiment with alternative methods of obtaining increasingly rare straight mallet shafts. 

Experimentation allows for businesses to adapt and better meet market needs. We know that our customers want straight shafts and while we pick out those that are the straightest they are not perfect. While our customers accept little bends in shafts in the polo industry the experimentation lead to a much straighter shaft that many other supplies don't have. 

Here are a few steps to micro-manufacturing experimentation that anyone can do for themselves. 

1. Define Your Problem: Lack of availability and excessive cost of straight poles. Find a way of correcting crooked poles.

2. Understand its Value on the Market: Offering straight poles raises the value of the product from an aesthetic and performance purpose. 

3. Review Current Information/Methods: Look at your library, online, and experts on ways to straighten poles. The more you know about the different methods the better you can define yours. 

4. Experiment with Different Methods: I have tried a few ways such as steaming, weighting, soaking, etc... some worked but they were too slow of a process. I needed something easier without lots of bulky equipment.

5. Test the Finished Product: I found what worked and was able to straighten poles. To ensure structural quality I used and tested the poles. What I found was that there was no noticeable difference. 

6. Be Open to Customer Feedback: Just because you liked what you did sometimes customers don't. I sent out my first straightened mallet and asked the buyer to let me know what they did and didn't like about the mallet. I'm opening my lines of communication and keeping in close touch with customers to build relationships. 

Escanaba Polo Mallet Company is a good works start-up that makes American made polo mallets and gear and supports charitable organizations for orphans and child enrichment. https://www.escanabapolomallet.com/

Governor Whitmer, Updating Laws, and Thwarting Extremism and Hate Groups

We have been reading about and discussing the horrendous nature of an extremist group that sought to abduct a governor. Extremism has been on the rise for over a decade and must be dealt with. I know first hand the destructive power of extremism and hate.  Michigan should consider rewriting and reorganizing the laws that will protect citizens against coordinated hate/extremists groups in a way that effective and respectful for differences of opinions. 

First, let me say that there is a difference between sharing an opinion in the spirit of learning from each other and the desire to seriously harm your target. We can see the difference between a polite disagreement and assaulting someone who won't accept your point of view. While the governors case put into national spotlight these behaviors, crimes are committed on the local level without as much fanfare.

The behavior this group engaged isn't isolated to only them. It exists within a contextual peer group and in turn found a semi-supportive environment. That doesn't mean most people hold the same viewpoint but that they create an environment where hate can breed. Freedom of speech doesn't free us from the responsibility of our speech. 

When people engage in coordinated hate crimes they seek to draw in as many people as possible to legitimize their beliefs . I've seen it happen in real life multiple times. I've seen how one "influencer" can confuse and gain supports for very dysfunctional beliefs.  We have to do better in standing up to hate behavior, supporting those who are willing to stand up, and ensuring we properly prosecute such behavior. 

I'm not sure how such a law would look but I have a few ideas that relate to inappropriate coordinated activity, seeking to encourage others to harm the target, using violence (or threat of violence) to harass, intimidate, or subjugate people to the wishes of the aggressor. I suspect that such a law would written to focus on covering the grey areas between terrorism and hate based harassment. From what I saw there are laws that cover specific aspects of behavior but I haven't seen one that fully addresses this domestic terrorism type behavior. I'm also not an attorney, so don't take what I say as the final word. 

As of yet I'm not sure if the perpetrators in the case I have been familiar with have been held to account. I'm also not the person that would be in the "know" of such things. However, I don't think a warning would be enough for the grotesque nature of the behavior. It went beyond bad choice to something more aggressive that was an attempt to cause serious harm. While I recognize the mental health aspects involved there should be some level of accountability that includes at a minimal level therapy and a psychological assessment.

You can watch the video below. We should make a differentiation between belief and the act of preparing to do someone harm. This is not for or against any political viewpoint or belief system. It is just a video that highlights some of the thinking of this group. I have seen similar type radical beliefs on the other side of the spectrum as well. Its a problem when we seek to radicalize the fringes at the expense of the more rational reasonable middle. 

For now I'm going to continue to work on climbing Everest and raising the awareness for universal justice.