One thing you might want to try is jogging during the sunset. If your next to the beach even better. Today I was bored and decided to go for an evening job, in addition to a morning speed walk, to push myself to get in shape. Its not easy to get rid of a few lbs that seem to creep up when you are not paying attention.
Part of the process of developing our expeditions and research we have reached out to a number of different local/regional historical societies to find people with expertise and gauge curation interests. While we haven't found the ship yet we are ensuring we have a process and place that will move from discovery, documentation, permit obtainment, and curation into a museum. Having a regional historical institution take interest in the project helps us to obtain some of the resources we need.
While we all have some experience in diving, and I have experience in research, this hasn't been specifically applied to shipwreck hunting. Part of the goal beyond raising awareness of local adventure tourism I am also creating "edu-u-tainment" videos to help students understand how basic research applies across fields. An additional benefit is highlighting the areas economic opportunities based on its historical past. Yes its a partial attempt to influence the local tourism industry and investment climate by raising awareness through examples.
Part of the goal of sending out the video and an interest letter was to do the following:
Expertise: Two of the respondents offered some level of expertise. One historical society declined but another said they are interested in the project.
Resources: While financial resources and grants would be great we were looking for intellectual resources that come from research institutions. We obtained access to a specialized database which will be helpful.
Curation: If we find artifacts we will need a place to put them. Knowing we have an interested party in seeing any video of discovered we have and an initial willingness for taking ownership of artifacts is helpful.
MI Permits: If we find the ship and need to obtain permits for artifact extraction we want to ensure that we can provide them with documentation but also an organization that will take ownership of the artifacts.
Thinking back over the strategy I will say that it worked well as 2 of 3 organizations responded with something beneficial. We might be able to use our initial video and yes the next one should be better, to raise additional awareness. For example, I was provided with a tip that one of the local tribes might be interested in the project. So I will reach out and see what happens. If you have anything to contribute let me know. muradabel@gmail.com
The cases in Delta County are still high according to an article in the Escanaba Free Press entitled "Delta County COVID-19 cases surpass 1,000". The new report discusses the cases in Delta County and rising COVID in other U.P. communities. The work helps us think about how using proper distancing and following solid cleaning habits can help avoid the spread. People often believe they are immune because they are isolated but that isn't necessarily the case.
First, we are not isolated and no matter how much we lock down our environment we won't be able to truly stop this virus dead in its tracks. However, that doesn't mean we can't do anything.
We have a responsibility to wear our masks, be diligent, follow common sense, and help our businesses protect customers. That doesn't always mean closing them down completely if that can be avoided. It could mean changing ordinances to allow for outdoor seating, using cleaning protocol and being safe in interactions.
Different people will tell you where this level should be. There really isn't a single best way because it is novel virus but we do know enough to have some protections in place. It will be hard to please everyone but the process of collaboration is helpful to creating "buy in".
Thus, We would want to think about working with businesses to develop processes that help enforce the rules in a way that allows them to stay open while encouraging health practices by locals. As in all things in life, it is a balance between protection and exposure as well as risk and reward. Businesses may want to work together to define how they will handle this situation.
Gossip can be helpful and rumors can be destructive. (What did I just say? 👀) That depends on what you mean by gossip and rumors. First, gossip is normal and helps communities understand each other, threats in their environment, coordinate activities and set social expectation. On the flip side, rumors can be intentionally used to harm, harass, shame, or bully other people (especially people who might be different). To better understand the destructive behaviors of intentional rumor spreading we can look at an example and take a more critical view.
What is the Function of Rumors?
Rumors are often not idle and accidental because they are part of a person's ability to influence others. Rumors are tools used to intimidate others in order to assert one's dominance over others. When used strategically with an intent to manipulate and intimidate others then this is a big problem as it not only indicates the dysfunction of the source(s) but also their aggression towards anther.
Who Spreads Rumors?
Rumors can be spread by anyone but most people don't have the inner psychological distortion that would push them to veer far from the truth. Childhood patterns get repeated throughout life until something stops it. Certainly not liking someone and stating it is one thing but making up information is a sign of social manipulation. Those high on the narcissist spectrum, "dark personalities", use rumors to define and influence their environments in a negative way .
Who are the Targets?
The targets are typically people they want to control, damage, harass or intimidate. Sometimes it is a general coordinated effort to cover previous bad behavior and future intended bad behavior. With some personalities these self-oriented destructive ways will continue on and on as long as they are not provided with the insight to look within themselves as to why such behavior seems so simple.
Lets be clear about this. It isn't strength that drives them (other then strength of numbers and misinformation). It is perceived difference and weakness that allowed for the creation of a community target. Sometimes politeness and passivity are confusing. I'm the type of person who wants the best for people but when it comes to protecting children and protecting people's rights of myself, my children, and other people in this country (White, Black or Other) I have not veered and am unlikely to do so in the future.
There is little accountability for people who seek to damage others through rumors. While we may warn them that such behaviors are inappropriate the damage has already been done. You know this when people sort of are polite but don't want to get to know you and opportunities dry in certain circles because they have accepted the rumors based in surface differences. While this is often in-group and out-group dynamics based on ignorance....it doesn't stop it from happening.
We know we have a problem with hate groups and extremism. Rumors are tools used to harass others and often are a cover to deflect accountability for other bad behavior. When perpetrators are not held accountable our system is saying that the law is designed for one type of person and is applied disparately. Overall morality and justice must be part of the system if we want to build a great nation where institutions maintain the trust of Americans.
In this case the people involved should have at a minimum a psyche evaluation to ensure they are not a continued risk to the community and are ready and willing to deal with the deep dysfunction that causes allows for such behavior to be all too common. Our great country is at risk of creating wide and deep splits/divisions between different parties and peoples. It is up to our leaders to start thinking beyond themselves and into what these institutions stand for and where we want to go to be a great nation. Time is ticking!
As a nation we should think about research and innovation as a process of connecting resources to create new value driven products and resources. As a nation we spend a lot of money on a lot of different things that don't seem to make a big difference in our lives or our capacity as a nation to compete. One potential pathway to development is the creation of industry-university research opportunities. While this has been going on for some time I think we have made this somewhat more difficult because of regulations and red tape.
Companies regularly invest in research but what would be helpful is if there were some incentives for investing in solving those problems that impact the entire industry. For example, lets say that developing a better process to make paper leads to less pollution, more jobs, and a more competitive American paper manufacturing industry.
Sure...we can use tariffs and restrictions to create advantages but we might do well to include the ability to foster research through industry adaptation that makes them market leaders instead of market followers. Being a market leader means more wealth, jobs, and influence on world markets for the U.S. and these industries.
That would mean we might need better mechanisms and perhaps some incentives for companies that invest into a pool of funds used to solve bigger problems. That investment entity might focus only on problems as they relate to a specific industry so as to help to solve problems that are holding American industries back.
Just thinking about the possibilities here but we might have some type of non-profit research institutions for each of the major industries we are trying to enhance as a nation. Here is some additional information on academic-industry research. I was thinking more on the lines of a fund intermediary that can coordinate the direction of research through funding initiatives.
Here is something on academic-industry research.
I like to keep up on the political news and find out what is going on around the state. I read an article entitled "How dark money is permeating Michigan’s Supreme Court race" by Lauren Gibbons. The article is well written and provides some political fairness when discussing the topic. What I like most is that she is able to cover the topic from a neutral standpoint of how money influence politics and even our legal environment. Reporting and discussing these issues helps us stay focused on the meaning and purpose of justice beyond its political ends.
It should be remembered that we have two major parties within this country and that each of them has their own deep philosophical and social roots. It means that there are people and parties all connected together. Deep divisions between these two parties causes some of our current problems. The way in which people now see their world seems radically different even though both parties essentially want similar things when it comes to their country's health.
The court is where we want as much neutrality as possible. The media have a responsibility to discuss topics fairly and objectively to highlight areas needed for improvement. While "dark money" may or may not be an actual problem...discussing it publicly helps us think about how money and influence do flow through the system. Highlighting and being transparent ensures that the money doesn't become a problem down the road if it isn't a problem yet.
Our legal system is an important institution that is central to the basic trust in society and the government itself. We do know we have people protesting and some are questioning the logic of the system and its fairness to some members of society. Good or bad, right or wrong, Right or Left, these discussions are helpful to ensure that punishments fit the crime and are based in sound reason and moral purpose. We still associate with that higher order when we use the Supreme Court phrase, "Sat Cito Si Recte" which means "Soon enough if done rightly."If you are a business owner in Michigan, especially the U.P., you will want to keep up with the new rules, regulations, and legislative changes. There have been a number of changes that have helped U.P. residents. It is helpful for people and businesses to be aware of these changes so as to navigate the local environment (...especially as it relates to COVID).
Senator McBroom's release provides details on the Covid Protection help. If your so inclined to watch politics, especially local politics, you may want to view his webpage and sign up for these releases just to keep aware. SenatorEdMcBroom.com It may also be beneficial for you to check out any Democrat candidates to create a rounder perspective of what is important to both parties. That is what helps us understand what the area needs and what the stakeholders need. Remember politics is about helping our people and country...and we will have to work across the isle.
Explanations were.......
"Senate Bills 886 and 911 would continue unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks for eligible workers out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SB 1108 would allow boards of local governments and other public entities to meet electronically for a limited time.
SB 1094 would reduce the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes by implementing recommendations of the Nursing Homes COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force. Among other things, this bill requires the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in consultation with LARA to implement a process to create Care and Recovery Centers within nursing homes for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.
House Bill 6159 would provide liability protections for health care providers for services related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and HB 6192 would extend expiration deadlines for Michigan driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations until Dec. 31, 2020."
I'm watching the markets and trying to gain a grasp of what the market is doing and how our abilities to adapt as well as the changes in the market due to the pandemic impact our export abilities. This is a blog post so I'm not going to justify everything I say or use citations for a basic discussion. However, the information presented is based in solid logic and in general research support. What I am mostly interested in is the connection of pre-markers that signal a fundamental change in the economy that would hint at a specific type of recovery.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) provides information and data for public consumption. It is important for governments to provide this type of information so that companies, investors, intellectuals, etc... can try and make meaning out of the information for business decision making as well as gauge our current economic health. The BEA came out with some powerful GDP improvements in Q3 2020 mounting to a 33.1% increase.
Stimulus conversation is in buzz and lawmakers are thinking through all of the different ways to enhance economic activities. The problem many of these lawmakers faces is that they are fighting over not only the amount but also where the money is going to be spent. Personally, I think we can enhance our long term infrastructure that leads to increased economic opportunity and the biggest bang for the buck if we do something a little different and really focus on fostering investment rich economic environments (i.e. clusters) that bring prosperity to our diverse young population.
We have old cities and we have a trade war with China. There are protesters on the streets and general distrust of government is on the rise. There is extremism and hate brewing on both sides of the political perspective. Few things can get done if we are all fighting. I'm going to make some very basic and probably incorrect assumptions here.
1. Our politicians want our country to succeed and would be willing to put aside their differences to pass a plan that has a large economic impact.
2. As a nation we want to solve the systemic racism problem and move forward in our national development as a unified people with the same basic assumptions of our institutions (i.e. justice, government, etc...).
3. We want to be at the center of the global economic supply chain and create economic prosperity for our children.
If these are three very basic assumptions (and probably not completely accurate) that we can sort of agree on then we must ask ourselves what policies in terms of stimulus are going to help us on multiple fronts. To me we have a need to prepare the Millennials and develop a creative export oriented economy. That requires us to align our current physical structure to the global market using the innovative capacity of the new digital economy. We are not just investing in one time programs that do nothing but investing in the communities ability to compete on the global market.
That will require us to think about how to create some economic equity that is likely to create a net positive return on society. We know cities still maintain some of its industrial infrastructure (prior to outsourcing) and we know that Millennials (of different backgrounds) like enjoy a more diverse metro life. We also know they are likely to be poorer than previous generations. Perhaps we can equalize and fix some problems if we work to realign our cities to the global market while at the same time create investment rich export oriented cities that impact minorities heavily. Moving forward all of our youth must come along together as a sign of a more universal society ready to tackle the global markets for the future of our beliefs and way of life.
Watching the protests a few blocks away, hearing the helicopters, the BLM signs in all of the store windows, police sirens, ambulances and chanting crowds. Each morning the chaos becomes quiet as though there was some battle the evening before and everyone went home for donuts and coffee. What is often left behind are broken windows, burnt cars, looted stores, injured officers, arrested protestors and lots and lots of headline news. The problem is that is that real change comes from changing the environment. There is the raising awareness side and there is a practical side to raising local opportunities for personal and economic growth.
I'm not sure shutting down the downtowns or damaging downtown property is the best approach. Sure, getting destructive does raise awareness for a cause but also associates that cause with negative images in the viewers eyes (i.e. the consumer of information and BLM values). If the strategy is to raise awareness of a global economy and global justice where everyone is treated with dignity then one might consider being more business and investment friendly to raise opportunities.
I'm not ignorant of what discrimination and hatred look like. My children are mixed race and thus seen by some members of society as "lower than". I also have a Muslim name and no matter how much I have served my country or things I have done in my life (good and bad) some people can't move beyond their own ignorance to see what the essential values of being an American are. What started a little as a college experiment ended up more providing insight into the deep roots of hate and racism.
Being destructive is a short-term strategy that damages the brand of the movement and the very real and genuine need for more equality in society (Personal I think we need a truer form of capitalism as BLM, 99%,etc... are talking about similar perspectives of opportunity and access to decision making). A much better strategy would be to encourage business to develop in the area, push government to spur international investments in local communities, and foster an education system that meets and beats market needs. That would require a lot of societal stakeholders to be on the same page of our national interests (Maybe we need to save ourselves from our ourselves 👀🤔.
I have been working on a theory that may or may not have merit in the future but is good enough to talk on this blog about (A big economic puzzle). So far it appears to be doing a pretty good job at explaining a post COVID Digital GDP type economy (even though the theory is fully complete yet but its framework is functional). The theory discusses methods of attracting businesses and realigning them through a cluster approach which creatives innovative and investment rich environments that encourage adaptation. Its not finished but ....HERE.
When we realign our local industries we can produce products the global market needs. Many of the complaints of discrimination are based in economic justices and lack of opportunities. By realigning cities as centers of entrepreneurial activity and innovative manufacturing we can create new opportunities in a way that most people (right and left) would agree with. New development helps people to create employment opportunities, diversify/integrate our cities, and help our national economy at the same time.
Thus one long term strategy might be to leave the businesses alone and encourage more to move downtown to create clusters. Retail is great for bringing in foot traffic but moving toward firms and new businesses has long term regional value. If we are going to have true equality we need opportunities that attract and enhance Millennial talent (This is an egalitarian group that needs more opportunities.). Let's become competitive as a nation and improve the "investability" and livability (i.e. green cities) for enriching environments that helps Americans fully develop their personal abilities. That would be in stark contrast to the old dilapidated and trash covered downtowns of the modern era that provide almost no opportunity or hope. We can redesign our cities and our education to create new national competitivness (...of course we can continue to use the same policies by the same thinkers. I think COVID and the digital economy might be challenging many of the assumption of older theories now).
