Are Growing Cyberattacks an Escalation of Conflict: Can the U.S. Create a Next Gen Advance Society-Economy?

Interesting article on CNN by Sean Lyngaas 'FBI advised that hackers scanned networks of 5 US energy firms ahead of Biden's Russia cyberattack warning'. We have a growing need to update our digital infrastructure (including physical infrastructure for redundancy and resilience) and our military capabilities in handing, thwarting, and responding to hackers. While it seems unimportant it should be remembered that there were attempts to sway public opinions, shut down companies, and connect bits of information to create profiles on important people. Hacking is more than playing around with online security as it delves into espionage and reconnaissance similar to what we have seen in Ukraine. It could also be a precursor to a widening conflict (For them it was invasion for the U.S. it is likely more escalation of old Cold War grievance/conflict. Something I suspect that Putin wants as he might feel the fall of the Soviet Union and westernization of markets made Russia non competitive. I guess someone would have to ask him? 🤷 If there is something we Americans should learn is to work together to solve problems/bi-partisanship and jump two feet forward into an advanced manufacturing digital era economy that maximizes all of its human capital. I'm not sure there would be a downside to modernizing our society to growing realities to making ourselves a learning nation that attracts more international investment.)

  

Picture of a Northern Michigan Horse Ranch

The one beautiful thing our country can claim is the wide ranging differences of environments we host within a single nation. From the northern woods of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the tropical weather of Hawaii we pretty much have it all. One of the reasons why Delta County Michigan is so special is that you can still buy acres for activities like horse ranches at an affordable price, enjoy outdoor adventures, and still have access to many community amenities without the big city commute. Whether your a business investors, an start-up entrepreneur or a digital nomad looking for hobby/horse farm you will likely find something here for you. 

If you like the picture
Donate to Orphans

Why You Can't Fix Hate. Rooted Deep in Social Networks

Over the last few years I have seen the dark power of hate and distortion. The ability to say what you want and exploit differences in a way that leads to potential serious harm. In many cases, it doesn't take much to get people to explode out in rage and coordinate efforts to harm a family. It could be based in something as simple as a lie or as dark as undiagnosed mental health disorders. No matter its root these problems brew under the surface and don't seem to have much of a solution. Larger group manipulation indicates the initiators feel they can do no wrong and can exploit their social connections (They seem to understand how to create a story, share that story, and exploit existing bigotries.)

Let me first make a distinction between hate and a mistake. Sometimes people get upset based upon their own personal weaknesses and emotionally lash out. After they are calm they might reach out and apologize (ok...that is probably very very rare. You would have to be an amazing person.) or they at least make small gestures to rectify the situation. Hate is different, it is an irrational attempt to harm others for the distorted self-image of entitlement one carries. It can't and often won't stop until the initiators see themselves in a truer light (You can't just tell them who they are and where their distortion comes from because they have a lifetime of ego protections to ensure they never become aware...also why they are unlikely to feel remorse. They must dig into who they are as a person to find that pain.)

No issue. We have come across people in our lives all the time that don't seem quit right and are suffering from various issues (They may be civil to some people and sadistic to others where they don't feel they compare.). Most of those people do not lash out or they catch themselves and people just sort of stay away from them. However, when we move into lashing out and coordinating a large group of hate supporters based on blind loyalty and racist/bigoted values someone has effectively threw a match on a gasoline depot that was just waiting to go up in flames already (Appeared intentional.)

What we find after all of this time is that most people over the years and through familiarity with the targets have begun to reject the false narrative and rhetoric (Making efforts to reconnect as a community.) The initiating group may feel no remorse and their closest supporters are afraid to reach across the mental iron curtain in fear of being rejected by the core hate initiators. The truth of the situation means little and our values are often discounted in convenience (Most of us just talk about values such as integrity, but when it comes down to it we dump it for personal gain.). Of course there are also those few who are mentally blocked off and you can sort of tell from their body language they really don't like you or want you around (As you still scratch your head wondering what all the fuss is about? As far as I know me and my family haven't don't anything to anyone. We have been on the receiving end. 🤷 🤔)

I can only conclude that hate is deep and its dark. People can be easily mislead into believing all types of false and unfair things about others. Once hate is socially confirmed through false shared sense of identity (i.e. sports identity in this case) it is very hard to break through the cultish/clannish narrative (the one that makes them believe they are different and better than the rest of the world). Over time I suspect more people will peel away from this hate based value system but it will take a long long time (They need familiarity and then need the rhetoric to decline). Yet there will always be risks of flare ups that can derail that process through rudeness and passive aggressive anger by ego driving small person syndrome (i.e. micro aggressions by hate sympathizers.).  As for the core group and their dark supporters....it is unlikely anything will change for them....they should have known better before it happened (They aren't the smartest people in town...they just seem the rudest...and perhaps the most self-consumed. Maybe not, maybe there is more? 🤷). Time answers all questions. 

I will continue to positively engage and go where I want without fear as I believe in certain American values and have belief/value/spiritual systems that prompt me to stand up for certain values (That doesn't mean I'm a perfect person or that I don't have faults. I haven't met a perfect person yet. However, I have met good souls and dark souls as well as tormented souls and have come to recognize the difference.). I do understand that many of those within the hate network are afraid to anger their group (testimony to weaker values) but there have been many who are reaching across the divide (A testimony to their positive values). Those who might just hate me (or my kids) would need to have a reason for it (..meaning there would need to have been a negative interaction and I don't remember having a problem with anyone.) or otherwise they seem to be masking their darker belief systems and deep seated fear of a world changing around them.

Energy Landscape Influence the Michigan Economy

 Energy is important. Our national infrastructure isn't the greatest and the push to move toward greener energies could be an opportunity to update that infrastructure and make it adaptable to multiple types of energy (electric, gas, oil, etc..). Such a system would allow us to start phasing out one kind and put in another kind. A shortage happens in one source (i.e. oil) we can put more in another source. We would also want redundancy of power banks that include local and national so that as one chain is damaged it can be rerouted to other sources allowing for only short disruptions (Ok...sorry I'm just thinking about energy infrastructure of the future.)

Either way you energy is important to business and companies that move into Michigan need viable energy to power their plants. It looks like from the video that companies are really trying to do this and finding ways to get energy there quickly. You will want to read the article 'Why the energy landscape is critical for Michigan’s economic growth' 

Fed Chair Jerome Powell speaks at the NABE annual conference

Federal Chair Jerome Powell discusses monetary policy. Businesses often review and watch what the Federal Reserve is doing in order to understand how to set their own strategies and policies. If inflation is high it may not be the best time to borrow money, make large purchases, etc...Some of the problem is driven by supply chain issues that have gotten a little worse since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

It is expected that we will start to return back to normal in the near future (next couple of years). I'm curious if we will start to see a decline in rates in the next few months as new supply networks are created? I don't really have a great logic for it but that I suspect conflict will either subside or get substantially worse (It could really go either way.). If there is a dip its not going to be right back to normal because the larger supply chain issues haven't been resolved until companies start operations back in the U.S. (and develop new supply networks. Adaptive Supply Chain, Regional Networks). 

A few key points.....

-Price stability and strong labor market.

-Discussion on reducing balance sheet.

-Raise interest rates to reduce inflation.

-Unemployment 3.8% 

-Job growth across different demographic groups.

-1.7 job openings per person looking for work.

-Mixed impact of oil.

-Feds will adjust to try and return to 2% inflation in a couple of years.

America Wants Three Things: Police are Part of the Solution

"If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable." Seneca, Stoic Roman Philosopher

We have been bombarded with news media and hyper politicians hell bent on driving a wedge between people for self-gain and political power. The voices of reason and logic are often silenced by the chronic finger pointing and shouting that risks splitting our foundations of our society at the seams. The good news is despite political manipulation most Americans want freedom, equality and self-governance as universal American principles (There are a few more but these seem important.) At the same time most Americans believe in their police and see the necessity of policing that moves past all that rhetoric.

Knowing we believe in certain values and knowing that our police are valued gives us some guidance on how we can improve policing while at the same time reinforcing our essential values as the preferred path forward (Think about it...its possible to support police and the concerns of protestors at the same time. If there is a win-win path we should take it....unless politics is more important than the will of the people? If you question the ultimate stakeholders and purpose of politics please refer to the articles on three essential principles below. They should act as a good guide to reorienting our value system.🤷.) 

Americans Support Three Basic Values: 

I want to bring to your attention the article '84 Percent: America's Founding Ideals Worth Fighting For' in Rasmussen Reports (The company is an online data collection and non-partisan political survey service. They got some interesting stuff so you may want to bookmark and go back to from time to time. ) As an essential values these three concepts set the stage for essential American principles that nearly everyone (saving the dangerous rise in extremism) believe in and are willing to fight for (There are probably around 3 more essential principles.)

-(84%) of voters say America's founding ideals are worth fighting for.

-The essential values of freedom, equality, and self-governance

Most Support the Police:

There has been a lot of debate and controversy about police and the nature of policing in this country. Prior to the current upheaval, during and after,  I maintained the value system that police are necessary and live within a larger environment that has influence on beliefs and activities (Morality and Law). Where racism and bigotry exists it is within this wider societal-historical context embedded in the way in which we interact as a diverse people. (To fix one fixes the other. Why I believe we should have a very mature and honest conversation about bigotry/racism and what a society that maximizes its human capital looks like...and what that can do for our competitive future.). 

Police have a difficult and important job to do and there are times when mistakes happen. Mistakes can be trained just like departmental cultures can be improved. However, when mistakes are intentionally, repeated, racists/bigoted and dangerous to the public there must be mechanisms for review and removal (Sometimes prosecution). In the article, Most Don’t Blame Police for Shootings you will find an important statistic to keep in mind:

-67% of American Adults rate the performance of the police in the area where they live as good or excellent.

I would learn from this situation that police can be used to spearhead the protection of these three essential beliefs They can be trained on supporting our ideas as well as stronger tactical methods that helps protect the public from criminals while ensuring justice is universally applied during the arrest and within the court system (They could be central to supporting these values as the ambassadors to people and gate keepers to the criminal justice system. i.e. social work, referrals, truthful testimony/data/feedback, community building, etc... I wonder if that would be a paradigm shift if we put people on the same side around shared values? Its just an unvetted idea and lots of people are likely to see it different. Nothing wrong with that as long as there is civil discussion based in a level of truthfulness and positive perspective.)

(Side note. When you focus on essential truths and good moral conscious shared by most people you don't need to backtrack on your political stance. Prior to current social upheaval I stated my political beliefs and because they have construct validity and ethical considerations associated {i.e. moral conscious}they have not yet needed to adjust to political winds or skewed arguments. They are also likely to be true for a long time until the environment radically shifts and new values/problems come forward. I don't really believe politics is the place for me but I do believe trying to understand one's own beliefs in light of the far Right and Left leaning ideologies is important; whether I'm thrust into politics or not. Seems like such a toxic field....but some places seem to be doing better in bi-partisanship GOP Legislature and Whitmer Executive Branch and the product of that might very well be the improved economic prospects of the state {i.e. See Michigan #1 Economy and Biggest Threats, Deradicalize Politics, Outperform China}. 🤷 You can see my beliefs in 9 Important National Issues If I Someday Run for Politics and Politics and Philosophy. I kind of have an economic theory I been working on so I sort of watch what is going on in the market and politics to see if it stays true. See Transactional Economic Clusters. Its not finished and its ugly but I been looking at practical application. What I learn from that will help me connect and round it out. Life is getting in the way. LOL)

Eastland Complex Wildfire: Fire Whirls on Video

One firefighter has fallen and 45,380 acres destroyed. It is believed this could get worse depending on weather conditions. Firefighting is serious business and people can get hurt. While departments do their very best to protect everything it is inherently a dangerous occupation. If you feel in your heart you want to donate to help firefighters you might want to donate a few dollars to WPI Firefighters Fund, State Firefighter and Fire Marshall Association or 15 Firs responder Organizations

As our temperatures change there will likely be more pressure on firefighters and communities to protect against natural disasters (That depends on if Global Warming is true and it rears its ugly head on society. Probably better to push for environmental development and new innovative technologies to reduce human's destructive impact on our environment.)

You can see within the video a fire whirl. You can learn about the difference between a fire whirl and fire tornado.