There are few things in life that are as beautiful as flower and exciting as watching dolphins jumping out of the water. While we seem to get into the bustle of things quickly sometimes it is beneficial to start one's day with a little of the simple pleasures of life.
Grants are important for funding new innovative research and it is necessary to have some level of oversight to ensure the money is being spend accurately. What I find interesting about this is that despite their high education it didn't seem to impact their values. I wonder how they thought at some point someone isn't going to ask about these expenses.
While, depending on study design and department need, there could be use for things like cameras or a other few pieces of equipment I would doubt the private hunting club would make that list.
"$200,000 in personal expenses on Fraley’s PCard, including, two four-wheelers and a trailer, two Sony 52-inch flat-screen televisions, Apple computers, iPads, OtterBox protective cases, iPods, Kindle E-readers, Leica and Nikon digital cameras, video cameras, a mini micro pinhole video camcorder pen, a night vision monocular, two pairs of binoculars, Bose headphones, a 3D printer, sports watches with heart-rate monitors, sunglasses, materials used to perform private consulting contracts, computer monitors and solar panels for a private hunting club, a personal video network for home use, and an uninterruptible power supply for a tennis ball machine."
A few thoughts.....
This is year is interesting because we are a few years past COVID but about at the point where companies have implemented long-term strategies post-Pandemic that include a more online Digital Era approach. Unemployment is low, interest is high but declining, investment market is rising, and the risk of recession is declining. My biggest focus is whether there will be a growth spurt toward the end of 23' and beginning of 24'. There was an economic boon after COVID which would indicate the theory was sort of correct on that front but now it is nearly 3 years later so that is a different story. A small recession might be expected but unless something odd happens we should see some growth. If lucky significant growth.
The other question that I keep in the back of my head is whether or not we are actually going through an economic platform shift? (I don't know, its possible just like the printing press) If so we would have a fast ramp up of technology and innovation as fundamentals tied to new infrastructure coming online (i.e. Digital Era Renaissance. 2023/4 would be sort of where we see whole new lines of technology come out. Its not immediate but over a short period of time.). There is some indication of this in the increase in AI, EV. online education, fiber optics, cell phones, semiconductors, etc... Just like how the Internet produced significant wealth, the digital era will better blend these two planes of commerce to create faster innovation (i.e. small electric commuter carts, stronger space travel with new batteries, or new fuels. I still like the idea of electric molectular solar propulsion. I'm being a little silly about it. Sorry. 😓 )
The other things that might be of interest is how the numbers act under different economic assumptions of the digital versus physical world assumptions of the Industrial Era. They use different assumptions and therefore there are going to be adjustments in how these numbers represent digital items versus physical items. Basically, many of these theories would need to be tweaked and adjusted as well as the development of whole new economic theories tied to the age. The theories must change when technology creates new human behavioral patterns of buying, interacting, and engage with the environment. (I'm sorry I'm a little out there in left field but who knows what we find. Most theories are only partially correct. That is why we debate them.)
Positive Contributions of Policing:
Strong policing that has societal trust and adapts upward in performance will set the foundations for growth. For example, if you have lots of ordinance issues and blight that detracts from visitors, the local law enforcement can enforce codes and zoning restrictions in a way that has a positive effect on economic activities. The same can be said for drug use, theft, violence and other types of behaviors. You will see in this study that crime has an impact on the local economy and damages local credit worthiness. We might further conclusion that effective policing reduces crime and improves the economic underpinnings. Crime and credit: The empirical study of how crime affects credit ratings of large U.S. cities
The Negative Contributions of Poor Policing
When there are elements that are in misalignment between law enforcement and society there will be consequences. The Economics Policing discusses funding for departments and some of the challenges of how relying on ticketing often focuses more on minorities when compared to others. The same discriminatory behavioral multiplier would likely exist in clanship and/or hyper political-extremist environments where some are given benefits not available to everyone (i.e. two systems of justice where the application of law may be different. For example, providing constructive criticism of inappropriate behaviors could lead to violations of freedom of speech through the use of 3rd world intimidation tactics. Power over dynamics might be a more likely tool when dealing with people of religious minorities so as to create violations of freedom of religion. The two systems are based not on the actual laws, or the intent of law, but on the application of law as a symptom of biased filtered processes that quickly come to erroneous conclusions. A single officer could be addressed through training and/or removal but a departmental default would likely need an overhaul with greater outside oversight.).
It would be fair to say that any intentional or unintentional discriminatory multiplier would likely have an adverse impact on local relationships and economic outcomes (This is one argument of potential likelihood not a justification. There are studies that show various aspects of that problem. One might denote this in a future formula as DM, or something similar, that can be measured and then determine to what extent that multiplier impacts decision making. A little like 'Fairness, Equality, and Power in Algorithmic Decision Making').
Thinking About What It Means
Policing can be a positive or a negative contributor to the economy (In my case I'm looking at clusters). Where it is done well it will likely improve the economic environment by ensuring the safety and security that allows commerce to function unimpeded. That will include fair and impartial treatment of our fellow citizens. Where it has adversarial relationships it might become less functional and/or less aligned to the needs of the greater society and thus incur economic penalties. A closed system without community engagement and/or without trust leading to lower economic activity (The case for that isn't really built here, but its the possibility.) We might say that human capital development relies on positive societal engagement and environmental prompting for performance. Policing can have a positive or negative impact on the environment based on their ability to meet the needs of society and the greater economic system.
(A couple of quick observations I have seen thus far. Policing that is highly engaged in community activities and maintains high standards seems to have more trust levels. I have seen in at least one case where policing becomes more squad like with its own rules and codes it creates barriers with the public. At the same time, there may be other issues with clannism and racial-religious undertones to behaviors and that can cause significant derailment in decision making. Thus, stronger department policies and redesigning aspects of the system may be helpful. The ultimate issue is to what? For this we should look to locations where policing has high community trust and performance. Sometimes we have to adjust the metrics. Briefly I think increased transparency/independent review of complaints might be helpful as well as greater training and diversity of recruitment. There is a lot lot more to this so we can discuss in the future.)
(I have a disclaimer here. I have a few reasons why I'm writing about this. Anytime we can improve a system, especially an area that has received significant concerns, we should set upon that path to be proactive. Also, there are beneficiaries and victims to good and bad policing. I have seen police do wonderful things and I have seen them mock our values and give a free pass to dangerous behaviors. So we want to create systems that encourages positive growth in a way that raises up good officers and curbs poor behaviors. To improve a system we should think about its wider influence in our society and our long term prospects. It is only one factor out of many factors that influence a successful nation. It is an important factor so we should consider any tweaks, adjustments or improvements when they appear to be beneficial. I support shared sense of direction and universal conception of democracy. I'm a light right Republican, not a politician, but certainly think working with diverse perspectives from major political perspectives is helpful to national development. i.e. the purpose of the blog. Probably not important in the grand scheme of things. 🤔🤷♂️)
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| The guy putting my seat and handlebars on nice place in OB |
Fitness can come from changing one's life to include new activities. For example, I used to rent a car while traveling to my boat but then realized that because of the typically nice whether and the many pathways on the coast, that an eBike makes sense. Considering the cheapest car I can rent is $450 not including gas, I bought my eBike for $430 and put an additional $100 into the seat and handlebars (It came with the worlds worst seat.)
Instead of driving I ride my bike so I'm improving my fitness and saving money each time I come out from car rentals. There are a few drawbacks if you need to go far but this can be augmented by hitching a ride with someone. If you need to go somewhere far for a little I think you would want to rent and put the mileage on there as well. Considering the cost of an additional car, insurance, parking, maintenance overall the eBike is the better deal.
I think a lot more cities are going to switch to electrical small vehicles and bikes as a way to remove congestion and help the environment. Smaller roads may also be needed. Longer distances will still require access to highways and use of cars but ultimately that is something that can be fixed in the future as well.
Some benefits in this case of the eBike....
-Significantly less cost
-Greater health
-Help environment
-Greater awareness of local activities
-Simplifying of life.
Some detractors I found from the eBike....
-Sucks when its cold or rainy.
-Long distance is impossible.
-Longer commute times.
-Risks from drivers.
These guys/gals are motivated because with an eBike you just click the button if your tired......
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Shields, on the River Tyne, for The Rivers of England, 1823 J.M.W. Turner |
(If it keeps going it could find itself as a model city able to beat the market by balancing the various industry influences in a way in which they interact as a functioning cluster. i.e. meaning that industry, tourism, micromanufacturing, retail, events, lifestyle, etc are enhancing each other and leading to increased revenue and resources. I mean theoretically under optimal conditions and adaptations. There is a increased interest in tech hubs and other such innovative locations. Escanaba is a microcosm with almost all the right elements and could be a good candidate to apply for such programs. It relates to a transactional theory I'm working on. Keep in mind the MI govt. is also seeking to raise population among certain types of high demand workers. There are other emerging market factors where such hubs may make good sense. This is especially more likely to be true in low population areas that may attract a younger more nature conscious group. )
What we will often find between different government entities is differences in trust levels and its impact on engagement. For example, in this case we have relatively high trust levels even on discussions related to budgets. It doesn't mean everyone likes taxes or that there are no problems, but the general sentiment is that the city administration has their best interest in mind.
As a casual observation, higher levels of trust have less conflict then entities in the same area that have lower levels of trust and thus more conflictual engagement. You may read Transparency and Trust in Government. Evidence from a Survey Experiment (Some of the formulas are cool)
Notes:
I cut and past some of the notes because they are already in the May 18/2023 Agenda but I found them to be interesting. I try and be as accurate as possible.
-17.4 mils on budget. Thursday, May 25, 2023, for the Second Reading, Public Hearing, and Adoption.
-Abating preferential rate for short period of time. "Obsolete Properties Rehabilitation Act (OPRA) (PA 146, 2000) which allows for partial exemption of property taxes for a specified period of time so that certain types of property improvements can be made. The intent of the legislation is to encourage rehabilitation of underutilized or decaying commercial or commercial/residential properties in certain designated communities" (Anytime you can attract investment and fix up properties it is important and beneficial for tax generation in the long run, aesthetic appeal, and attracts future investments.)
-You can read the agenda for a number of differences ordinances and dates and public hearing.
-"The Krusin Klassic Car Club is requesting City Council approval to use Ludington Park and Ludington Street on June 2, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., for their annual "Krusin Klassics Fun Run". "
-I like their use of the Agenda and the way it is put together as I don't need to take notes and it is easy to follow. I cut and paste a few things I thought were interesting.
-"Closed Session – Discussion of Labor Contracts – HR Director/Treasurer. Explanation: Administration is requesting Council go into a closed session to consider material exempt from discussion or disclosure by statute under MCL 15.268(c), identified as negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement(s)." (I like negotiations and watching them unfold. Looks like this one was in closed session.)
-Some of the cruise members said they like the reception, like the town and loved the lakefront (Come on vacationers and investors....this is a great town to live and be part of!)
The G7 recently met and discussed building resilient supply chains and general support for free markets. Important topics were brought up such as market manipulation and unfair competitive practices. There has been some members concerned about the supply chain issues stemming from geopolitical problems and market manipulation. Thus, the meeting appears to have had the effect of creating some general alignment on global concerns that will likely lead to further discussion/analysis of these concerns at a later date (i.e. the theme of discussion)
(As a quick note. Supply chains are important because they determine the flow of information and goods. They are not just supply chains but also mechanisms of influence. Thus, having open markets allows various factors of influence to take place that seeks to create the economic business environment.)
Some of the technology based items that are being focused on are critical minerals, semiconductors and batteries. (These are products in high demand so adjustment in supply chains are occurring based on changes in market demand and changes in the world geo-political environment. You may be interested in the YouTube video below as it discusses infrastructure projects.)Technology will become a bigger part of that open market discussion in future meetings. An interesting UNCTAD report called 'Innovation and Technology, 2021' highlights the speed of technology adaptation so that is a big part of the economic environment.. $350 billion to 3.2 Trillion by 2025. (I wonder where we are right now in terms of numbers? 🤔 This is why I say that COVID brought forward the possibility of a Digital Economy 10 years faster then would otherwise be expected. Not that there is an expectation but that its a natural development off of the Industrial Era. Hard Infrastructure pairing with more Digital Infrastructure. It creates whole new market dynamics based in economic fundamental shifts that lead to INNOVATION.)
You will also notice below a chart that discusses value added and employment sustained by foreign demand. It supports the idea that manufacturing is important for employment, wages, and economic growth. Open markets can be helpful when you are competitive and can value add items and brands with increasing value (digital, intellectual, labor, etc.). You can read more about that in OECD 'Why Open Markets Matter'.
*There was also a discussion on inclusion and that is important from a supply chain development standpoint but it was a little outside the scope of this article/post.
