Rugged and Remote Digital Nomads Drawn to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

The U.P. is known for its rugged beauty, green forests and clear waters. One could stand, coffee in hand, looking over miles of untouched forest and within 10 minutes be at the center of city to get a hot refill. From fresh fallen snow to the biggest fish catch of the day it is this outdoor charm that draws vacationers. Market changes in digital infrastructure increases appeal of "connected" rural vacation areas as it spawns a whole new generation of professionals who desperately crave work-life balance.  Digital nomads are interested in post-COVID hot spots that provide outdoor hobbies with the digital capacity they need to be higher performers.

Few places offer better opportunities to gaze for a minute under a canvas of stars while still competing on the ever moving global market. Inspiration comes from things as simple as an apple falling off a tree or the splendor of deer jumping through them. 

In Delta County you work by solar from your favorite campsite or sit in your downtown café. Straddling the physical and virtual world lets you reap the benefits of both. After riding the snow covered back country, a few simple pleasures like sitting next to fireplace catching up on work are needed respites (checking Facebook, stocks, news or whatever.)

Left is Mo and right is his girlfriend.

Delta County received $18.5 million in broadband expansion which will enhance high speed access and improve the appeal of the area  to the digital economy (Article and Document). Firms that have interest in designing and manufacturing specialty products might find the costs of local production black line ready and the reach of global connectivity enticing.

"Economic Explosions" in 2021-Possibility Seems Likely!

Theory is only as good as it is useful and it is as only useful as it is predictive (or explanative). I've have been engage in theory play on a digital cluster model of economic innovation through understanding cross company transactions. Generic projections were in the ball park but still off by the end of 2020 GDP by 3.5% (April 2020 GDP Contracts 1st Q of 2020-Is It a Short Lived Shock and Digital GDP Recovery?)   COVID pushed digital transformation forward quickly in turn causing forced adaptation (Nov, 2019 Digital GDP on Government's Mind. Can We Maximize Growth Through Cluster Development?) leaving behind lots of small and medium size businesses (increased bankruptcies) that couldn't adapt quick enough (unable to scale digitally).

GDP was 3.5% lower (lots of reasons but one plausible explanation is from a re-emergences of COVID and lockdowns). 2021 and somewhere around 2023-24 would be big wins for the U.S. economy as adaptation strategies kick in (I'm not the expert but I have a few ideas on post-covid rebound transactional innovative clusters).  There were some natural economic changes with COVID that haven't been fully realized as we gain a new level of homeostasis ( March 2020 How the Economy Might Change After COVID-19?)

This is likely the time we want to really push digital, energy, and export infrastructure to create innovative new companies and advanced manufacturing that can price out and beat out Chinese competitors through our cultural spirit of innovation. 

Managing Director Art Hogan  of National Securities Corporation is an expert on market predictions and he believes there is going to be "economic explosions" in 2021. Its helpful to follow market leaders to see if what you believe is in line with what they believe. Sometimes they let you know little bits and pieces of their projection strategies. 

Michigan Hate Track and Code Extremism Concept

Lack of remorse often accompanies hate due to the missing component of introspection. The inability to face ones issues is a fear that drives irrational anger. When I look back on those who hate there is something each one of them are struggling with; a deep and dark pain that they are unable to manage effectively (Why catching hate behaviors early can lead to reform and save society a lot of money and headaches). If you watch closely you can see how the dark traits associated with hate also bubbles up in their other social relations (secrets, rumors, comparisons, intimidation, etc...).

People may intuitively sense their pain through the words, gestures and actions they make but stay silent for fear of either offending or becoming targets of rebuke (We sometimes know each other very well).  As a person becomes more enmeshed in their beliefs they are often unwilling to accept helpful advice from others (accountability problem). People are not always good at understanding where their feelings come from and finding an appropriate outlet.

The problem with hate behavior is that the people who need the most help often surround themselves with others who reflect back similar inappropriate beliefs (gaslighting). Their community hasn't helped them see the inappropriateness of their behavior inadvertently leaving a "green light" to others who feel the same way (a silent social crime). The more one surrounds themselves with like minded individual the bigger the "green light" in inappropriate behaviors.

People who wallow in hate are blinded from the truth that could ultimately save them from themselves (put them at peace). Hate is a distraction to the pain that lays underneath. A wounded sand piper drawing people away from the real pain (hate is an avoidance strategy but is manifested in the need to appear strong through the display of anger). Desperation  (lack of inner power)  often leads to the creation of victims.

Hate entitlement cares not for the rights of others or the principles of good moral conscious. Lying, manipulation, violence, bullying, spinning stories, etc... are part of the tools used keep their perception of the world dominant. Their social networks are managed to maintain a position of control (i.e. flying monkeys). Boundary enforcement and appropriate feedback is a big psychological threat (...rage in the past may very well lead to rage in the present and the future without accountability).

Hate groups have a difficult time feeling remorse for their behavior because they were not able dig deep enough to find the cause of their angst and anger (counseling for them is necessary). Remorse comes from awareness that leads to empathy (That is why its a safe bet to trust those who are empathetic). That is why the path to heaven (nirvana, inner peace, happiness, Jannah, etc..) is through oneself (versus through the things we buy).  It is the creation of truth about themselves and the world around them that tames the angry beast. Tackling hate seems like it is an external affair but it is primarily an inner experience (projected outward). The law is needed to protect civil liberties, but psychologists (and researchers) are needed to solve the problem. A carrot tis more palatable than a stick!

Michigan needs to think about its hate laws and the ability for people to get the help they need earlier in the process as well as allowing such behaviors to coded as hate oriented behavior for research purposes. At present there doesn't appear to be any real mechanism for accurately tracking and intervening before hate becomes coordinated and projected onto others.

Paying for Biden's $1.9 Trillion Relief Package

Big money, big risks, and big debt! ....but.....doing nothing is also a risk. We are not competing well as a nation and while we can see our target of where we need to go it is hard to gain the support to get everyone rowing in that direction. I don't think people are debating coordinates to our destination in so much as they are debating how to get there.

1. Relief Plan: Get over immediate hump.

2. Recover Plan: Move economy to recovery.

There is a discussion on how to pay for it that includes taxes, borrowing, and printing money. Each one has their own risks. The pots in which the package pulls from is important. The recover seems to be centered around the Digital Economy, Infrastructure and Green Economy. Those are all great ideas (If we can make them work). 

This is where I think law makers can be helpful. Let us consider the utility and reach of this money to maximize its outcomes. Money isn't lost unless its not returned in terms of tax dollars and improved economic health of the nation (I'm not considering the social side of this). Thus, we have to find as many net positives for the money as possible (Money/value is returned X times beyond what is spent...which then services debt and feeds future initiatives making the economy sustainable and continuously advancing). The risk of this money is that it is ineffective, spent inappropriately, earmarked for special interest, etc... etc... etc... In other words its wasted leaving the tax payer holding the bag! Looking at the money to ensure it has maximum utility is helpful and that requires people finding more for opportunities to further its utility (I'm looking at this from a theory standpoint). 

Opportunities for Hate Crime Reform Michigan-Better Coding and Better Solutions

When a society suffers from certain ailments it should consider tackling those issues in a way that leads to solutions. The things we were doing in the past no longer function as well as we thought they did. We have growing hate crimes and radicalism in society but were shocked when people are protesting in the streets for justice while other people are sacking the capital. People are out there protesting and no matter which side they are protesting there seems to be a fundamental need for change. 

We were caught off guard but at the same time we knew for a long time that hate and racism are not sustainable ways of behaving if we want our country to maintain its standing as a beacon of economic and civil liberties. 

Hate and extremism are bad all the way around. They do no good for victims, extremists, or the general community. Despite its detracting nature there are some who continue to perpetuate certain beliefs that lack universal applicability to all of society.

We know its a problem and we may also intuitively know that if it continues to be swept under the carpet there may be a cataclysmic shift in our society and at some point in the future (probably a bumpy ride). 

Education is changing minds and the Internet has given people information at their finger tips; Millennials just don't want hate anymore! They want a more equal society (Yes parents can be wrong sometimes).

Why? I could go on to discuss and show research upon research on the cost of lost human capital, the plight of victims, lost international investments, social erosion, damage to communities, etc.., etc.., etc... Anyone with a library card probably could. 

🙈🙉🙊

We do have what is called an ethnic intimidation law but it doesn't seem (subjectively at least) that its working. While the intent is good, the application is off. The problem is that it doesn't go far enough to obtain the full scope of these behaviors. Most hate behaviors are likely coded under other crimes (instead tagging as a hate crime) and thus we have no idea the monster under the bed. 

We can change the law to provide more flexibility in prosecuting hate based behaviors (Just because we don't label it doesn't mean its not happening.) Whether there is a deal cut or not with prosecutors it would be helpful to have some type of tagging of the behavior occurs. Perhaps allowing for lower level level hate prosecution (where intervention and redirecting behavior would be helpful) and uploaded properly so that other options can be explored (I say counseling, misdemeanor, felony).

It is entirely possible that with proper coding and macro research on hate solutions we could end this archaic social stratification (big data...here we come!). I would also suspect that it would save us money in solving these problems on a state level before they commit Federal crimes and morph into violent hate groups. Unless we have a reason not to? Whether it be an official or unofficial reason.

I'm not an attorney so I'm thinking more along the lines of "what if?" 

THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE (EXCERPT)
Act 328 of 1931

750.147b Ethnic intimidation.

Sec. 147b.

  (1) A person is guilty of ethnic intimidation if that person maliciously, and with specific intent to intimidate or harass another person because of that person's race, color, religion, gender, or national origin, does any of the following:

  (a) Causes physical contact with another person.

  (b) Damages, destroys, or defaces any real or personal property of another person.

  (c) Threatens, by word or act, to do an act described in subdivision (a) or (b), if there is reasonable cause to believe that an act described in subdivision (a) or (b) will occur.

  (2) Ethnic intimidation is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or by a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.

  (3) Regardless of the existence or outcome of any criminal prosecution, a person who suffers injury to his or her person or damage to his or her property as a result of ethnic intimidation may bring a civil cause of action against the person who commits the offense to secure an injunction, actual damages, including damages for emotional distress, or other appropriate relief. A plaintiff who prevails in a civil action brought pursuant to this section may recover both of the following:

  (a) Damages in the amount of 3 times the actual damages described in this subsection or $2,000.00, whichever is greater.

  (b) Reasonable attorney fees and costs.

You can see the law HERE.

Midsize Companies Going Bankrupt in the COVID Economy

Mid size companies are going bust in the COVID economy and policy makers may want to pay attention to business diversity when developing their policies. Mid-size businesses are important part of economic stability and often anchor communities to the national and global supply chain. Researchers at Haskayne School of Business and Tuck School of Business found that mid size businesses have been declining in recent decades and took a significant nose dive during the Pandemic (Govindarajan, Srivastava & Enache, 2021) .

The researchers believe that one plausible hypothesis is that mid-size businesses are going bust is because they are not large enough to scale virtually and they don't have strong R&D departments that keep them at the forefront of their market. They are in that difficult spot where overhead, field, and opportunity are not matching in a way that help these businesses adapt. Policy changes could help ensure government is focused on creating an environment where small, medium and large businesses can thrive.

It should be noted that many mid-size companies produce things and sell them nationally and internationally making them an important conduit by which large and small businesses conduct commerce. They are often family and partner-owned being integrally tied to their communities. On the cusps of becoming international corporations their decline could also indicate a decline in emerging global companies (Let us wait and see). 

The researchers looked on the UCLA-LoPucki Bankruptcy Research Database (BRD). Very cool site that people can search around and look for different bankruptcy trends and patterns. This is helpful for understanding how COVID has impacted businesses in  various geographic locations. A little search and I was able to see how bankruptcies impacted the economy in different locations and sizes.

"The UCLA-LoPucki Bankruptcy Research Database (BRD) is a data collection, data linking, and data dissemination project of the UCLA School of Law. The BRD's mission is to promote bankruptcy research by making bankruptcy data available to academic researchers throughout the world." UCLA-LoPucki, n.d., para 1).

What the researchers found was that in 2020 the number of annual bankruptcy filings jumped up to a whopping 226% increase over the annual average. That means there are a fairly large group of businesses that were not able to adapt to COVID and did not have the financial resources weather through the period. Short on assets/resources and lack of ability to adapt seem to be a central theme of closure. 

Playing around with the search variables you can see that certain districts and cities are doing better than others. To me, that highlights the idea the economies are based on networks and that building stronger businesses means they must be better connected to their supply chains (on different levels) and should utilize modern virtual technology to "connect" with like minded businesses and their customers.

I'm still working on a cluster theory that hopefully will show how you can attract small business, pack invest them, and rejuvenate places like Delta County. When we develop local SME small batch manufacturing with micro-tourism manufacturing and connect that with the global supply chain great things can happen. Businesses exist within a context of other businesses and developing multiple clusters together can lead to whole new types of industries. No better place to do this then in a place that growth can come from exportation outside its locality (i.e. drawing financial resources/investment in while pushing products out). Its relative isolation with strong under utilized shipping infrastructure and a downtown in need of new ideas makes it a great spot to focus (and invest).

You can also read about how Advanced Industries Power Exports.

Vijay Govindarajan, V., Srivastava, A. & Enache, L. (February 17, 2021). The U.S. Economy Is Leaving Midsize Companies Behind. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved https://hbr.org/2021/02/the-u-s-economy-is-leaving-midsize-companies-behind

LoPucki, Lynn M. “A Window on the World of Big-Case Bankruptcy.” The UCLA-LoPucki Bankruptcy Research Database (BRD), UCLA, lopucki.law.ucla.edu/.

February 21st (21) Free Youth Cross Country Skiing at Days River Trail

 The U.P. is a great place to be during the winter. When community organizations step up to provide experiences for the young and introduce them to the "trails" in Delta County you know you are in the right place for young families with kids. The organization helps support these trails and expose kids to the beauty of the outdoors. Activities like this create enrichment opportunities for children.

This was from DNC press release....

Join us this Sunday for a FREE Youth Cross Country Ski Day at Days River Pathway. Anyone who would like to experience the trail and practice classic cross country skiing can stop by from 12 to 4pm to for free youth ski rentals. 

Parents that would like to join and don't own skis are encouraged to reach out to one of the local bike & ski shops to inquire about rentals.

A big THANK YOU to our supporters Community Foundation for Delta County and United Way of Delta County for providing the funds to purchase skis and make these types of events possible.

Come on out and support the trails in Delta County.  The DCNT is actively planning events, trail maintenance, and the creation of new trails.  DCNT is grateful to all our members, sponsors and partners as we work to improve the trail systems throughout the county.  If you would like to become a member, we will have membership forms at the trailhead. 

Due to the pandemic, we will be practicing social distancing, hand sanitation and wearing masks in order to Stop the Spread.  We ask that you follow these simple precautions while enjoying the beautiful trails in the UP. 

As a reminder the Escanaba Civic Center and Public Health for Delta & Menominee County have FREE snowshoe rentals all winter long!

Watch Live: NASA landing of Rover on Mars

 You can watch life the landing of NASA's rover on Mars. The U.P. has multiple sites selected to launch the space industry into the next world (😅). It will likely be a "far out" "out of this world "kind of experience"  (😂!). The space program is really "taking off" and the landing on Mars is likely to be "astronomical" (🤣)! One could almost say that the "magnitude" of this situation isn't an exercise in "eccentricity" alone (😯)! 

Sorry...you can watch below. 

Ore Docks in Winter-UP of Michigan

Ore docks in the U.P. of Michigan. Mining was a huge industry in the area. It is still big business but not really maximized since many companies buy foreign resources. There should be diversity within our industry and mining and processing steel is as important today as it ever was. 

2021 Deer Regulations Are Out!-The Economy of Hunting

2021 Deer Hunting Regulations were approved Thursday by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission. This was approved from their Feb 11th, 2021 Meeting. The agenda is HERE but the recording isn't available yet (I know some are sitting on the edge of their seats waiting! 😏). For those of us who like to hunt (or at least thinking about it) regulations will make a difference in our hunting options.

Michigan is one of the states that maximizes its hunting and fishing industry. According to the Michigan United Conservation Club the state $11.2 billion in purchases and 171,000 jobs (4). That is big money for the state and rural areas that don't have established industries.

I'm working on some ideas on how to attract micro manufacturing to Delta County Michigan. Drawing tourist related micro-manufacturing allows the city of Escanaba and Gladstone to fill its down town store fronts for tourism while enough space in the back for small craft manufacturing (SME manufacturing may not be downtown but plenty of space in the area). 

Thus, deer hunting could include all types of tourism craft manufacturing such as gloves, targets, arrows, bows, clothing, snow shoes, and much much more. Known as a hunting area Delta County could maximize its outdoors to attract small business and encourage tourism and industry.

The new regulations are quoted below (2), 

The 2021 approved regulation changes are:

• Deer Management Unit-specific antlerless deer licenses have been replaced with a universal antlerless license that can be used across multiple DMUs.
  
• Antlerless licenses may now be purchased without an application in the Lower Peninsula and portions of the south-central Upper Peninsula that have DMUs open to antlerless deer hunting. Licenses may be used on public or private land.
• In the mid-zone Upper Peninsula DMUs that are open to antlerless deer hunting, a deer hunting access permit must accompany the universal antlerless license. The deer hunting access permit, intended to limit participation where the population can be sensitive to harsh winter weather, will be available through a drawing.
• The northernmost DMUs of the U.P. are closed to antlerless deer hunting in all seasons.
• Archery hunters in portions of the Upper Peninsula may pursue antlerless deer on their deer or deer combo licenses. DMUs 127, 066, 131, 042, 031, 007 and 048 will be closed to antlerless harvest during the archery seasons.
• The expanded urban archery season through Jan. 31 is now permanent in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
• Upper Peninsula supplemental and recreational deer feeding regulations have changed, including:A permit is no longer required for supplemental feeding in the Upper Peninsula.
  
• Supplemental feeding can occur Jan. 1 to May 15.
• Recreational or supplemental feeding is prohibited if a location is deemed to be a safety hazard.
• All recreational feed must be given in increments of only 2 gallons per calendar day and only 2 gallons at any one time.

The 2021 deer hunting regulations will be printed in the 2021 Hunting Digest, which is expected to be finalized in late spring and available at license agent locations and online at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests around July 1.

Who are they? "The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is a seven-member body whose members are appointed by the Governor and subject to the advice and consent of the Senate." (1).

You can read Public Act 451 of 1994, MCL 324.501 that authorizes the commission.

You can see the new regulations HERE.

Public Act 451 of 1994, MCL 324.501