Corruption Impacts Human Rights and Much More-The Allegory of the Clan

The integrity of social institutions is essential to a functioning society. Institutions such as courts, government agencies, law enforcement, and other public organizations derive their legitimacy from the public trust. When corruption, hatred, discrimination, or misconduct enters these systems, the problem extends beyond the actions of individual people. It begins to weaken the institution itself. For this reason, societies must continually examine and strengthen their systems of checks and balances.

Not everyone will agree about political, religious, or social questions. Disagreement is a normal and even necessary part of a free society. The greater danger arises when institutional power and resources—which ultimately belong to the public—are used to silence opponents, target minorities, protect-enrich insiders, or advance private interests. When this occurs, the institution begins to serve a network rather than the society it was created to serve.

These issues can be explored through a theoretical and philosophical thought experiment called the Allegory of the Clan. In the allegory, religious and racial minorities become targets of organized discrimination while elements within the institutional system implicitly or tacitly permit the behavior. Courts and other authorities fail to provide equal protection. Institutional resources are used to suppress speech, protect insiders, retaliate against witnesses and whistleblowers, encourage hostility toward victims, and provide preferential treatment to those responsible for misconduct.

The deeper issue in the allegory is not simply that individuals behave badly. It is that an internal network gradually alters the purpose of an institution. Rules that were intended to protect society become instruments for protecting the network. Authority becomes detached from responsibility, and public resources become tools for private or factional purposes. Infected institutions may continue to appear functional on the outside while internal practices increasingly contradict the principles upon which its trust and support rests.

Eventually, however, institutional misconduct creates its own evidence. The more extensively an organization departs from its stated principles, the more records, witnesses, documents, and inconsistencies are produced. What begins as an attempt to conceal wrongdoing can therefore create a larger historical record of that wrongdoing. When exposure occurs, those responsible may attempt to shift responsibility onto the victims, minimize the misconduct, or withdraw from the institution while preserving the possibility of future influence. Then they have no more excuses and the extent of the wrongdoing and failure to do their duty laid bare.

The philosophical lesson is that institutions cannot rely solely upon the personal morality of those who occupy positions of authority. Good institutions require structures that constrain power, challenge misconduct, protect dissent, and make accountability possible. Checks and balances are therefore not expressions of distrust in every individual who serves the public. The vast majority try to do the right thing. They are safeguards against the possibility that power can be concentrated, abused, or captured by an internal network not serving their perfection responsibilities.

The allegory also illustrates how hatred and prejudice can become institutional problems. Religious hostility, racial prejudice, and other forms of discrimination can produce social fragmentation when they are permitted to influence public institutions. In a society committed to freedom of religion, equal protection, and individual rights, institutional tolerance of such behavior creates a contradiction between professed principles and actual conduct.

That contradiction has consequences. When people observe institutions applying rules selectively, protecting insiders, or failing to correct obvious misconduct, public trust declines. Individuals begin to question whether the social contract actually applies equally to everyone. Over time, this can produce cynicism, political polarization, and a willingness to disregard institutions altogether. A trail of other victims who have been sold out.

The scale of the problem also matters. Imagine millions of people experiencing variations of the same institutional failure. The consequences would not be limited to the individuals directly harmed. Public resources would be consumed addressing preventable conflicts, capable public servants would have their reputations undermined, institutions would lose broad support, and citizens would become increasingly skeptical of the systems intended to protect them. Doing the right thing is essential.

This is why institutional integrity should be understood as a collective responsibility. The purpose of checks and balances is not to advance one political party, religious tradition, racial group, or ideology over another. Their purpose is to ensure that no group can claim exclusive ownership of public institutions or exclusive entitlement to their protections.

A public institution ultimately belongs to the public. Those who occupy positions of authority therefore hold a fiduciary-like responsibility to the broader society. Their obligation is not simply to the people who appointed them, the people who agree with them, or the networks within which they operate. Their responsibility extends to everyone subject to the institution's authority—including those with whom they disagree and those who may be unpopular or vulnerable.

The Allegory of the Clan therefore raises a fundamental philosophical question: What happens to a society when the people entrusted with protecting its institutions begin using those institutions against members of society they were sworn to serve?

The answer suggests why institutional design matters. Good intentions are not enough. Oaths are not enough. Laws are not enough. A healthy society requires transparency, independent oversight, meaningful accountability, protection for witnesses and whistleblowers, equal application of rules, and mechanisms capable of correcting institutional wrongdoing.

Ultimately, the preservation of democracy and public trust depends not upon assuming that institutions will always be virtuous, but upon building institutions capable of recognizing and correcting their own failures. Public authority carries with it a moral obligation: to serve society as a whole.

 *The Allegory of the Clan is for philosophical purposes so take with a grain of salt. 

Corruption and Human Rights

• A shift to a human rights approach frames corruption not just as economic loss, but as a direct driver of human rights violations that disproportionately harms marginalized populations.

• Persistent corruption severely erodes the rule of law, undermining democratic institutions, judicial independence, the right to a fair trial, and fundamental political participation.

• Misappropriation and bribery restrict the maximum available state resources, directly hindering obligations to fulfill basic economic, social, and cultural rights like health, housing, and education.

• United Nations charter-based and treaty-based human rights mechanisms offer underutilized avenues for civil society to report on, monitor, and seek accountability for corrupt practices.

• Protecting the human rights of non-state actors—such as journalists, whistleblowers, and anti-corruption activists—is essential to ensuring transparency and exposing institutional misconduct.

Prasad, D., & Eeckeloo, L. (2019). Corruption and human rights: How to better integrate corruption issues in the UN human rights mechanisms: A practitioners' guide and strategic advocacy tool for civil society organisations. Centre for Civil and Political Rights; Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. https://share.google/CjC3Fb7MynZACUago

Innovating Manufacturing and Supplies for Critical Industries

The ability to create new products, supply industries, and manufacture goods rests on more than a single facet of the economy. There has been recent discussion about ensuring that critical entities can obtain the supplies they need. The concepts are relatively similar if you are talking about essential products, services, manufacturing, military supplies, etc. Doing so requires us to rethink our supply chains and production capabilities in the United States.

There are complex issues involved, but we can begin by considering a few ideas. There will be lots of people who have their own thoughts but vetting those ideas and making them useful is part of the process. These are only starting points for discussion. They can be agreed with, disagreed with, changed, adjusted, or expanded. Starting a discussion is not the same as reaching a conclusion. These are simply some initial points to consider. Think as you wish....

Idea 1: If we continue awarding contracts to a similar group of stakeholders at the top, we should not expect significant changes in innovative capacity. A mix of small, medium, and large companies could improve innovation while also strengthening the diversity and resilience of our production base. Keep in mind that the successful strategies that made a company large and the owners rich doesn't mean it will continue to be successful. Rapid innovation is about doing new things while maximizing the capacity of things that are already working, 

Idea 2: We should consider attracting more investment and manufacturing to the United States. There are people who are trying to do this across the political and non-political spectrum. Simply saving a little money by moving production overseas to make a few more pennies on the dollar can make the country weaker in the long run if if it makes the big investors rich but depletes capacity. If American workers help build a company, a significant portion of that production should remain in this country (At least that is what some people might say who have a sense of commitment to our society).

Idea 3: We should consider bringing more new people and new ideas into decision-making positions. While we do not want to replace everyone, we should encourage innovative people to enter these organizations and strengthen existing processes. Elect and hire your best and brightest from society and your communities. Same old vetted group doesn't change things. They are chasing the big money and campaign finance reform, insider traiding restrictions, etc. are impacting decision making. Vetting can mean ensuring quality in one context and paid for in another.

Idea 4: From a policy standpoint, we should consider broader policies that strengthen the manufacturing base by attracting new businesses, encouraging investment, and fostering more start-ups. How we do this is a complex issue but our infrastructure, labor, research, local governance and education can help. 

Idea 5: We should ensure that human capital is developed by encouraging new ideas, participation, and innovation while rewarding people based on their contributions rather than their backgrounds, race/religion, politics, connections, or position within established networks. New ideas that come from fresh people makes a big difference in the long run. 

There is much more to this then a number of basic ideas but it is interesting to explore. 

These thoughts are not intended to be a final solution. Research would generally support these basic details. The tactical specifics would take a considerable amount of effort and cross industry collaboration (i.e. multi clusters).They are a starting point for a broader conversation about how the United States can strengthen its manufacturing capacity, supply chains, innovation, and ability to produce the goods needed for both economic purpose and national resilience. 

The American Way of Innovation and Its Deficiencies

• The United States remains strong in basic research, particularly through universities and government-supported research, but has weakened its ability to turn scientific discoveries into manufactured products.
• Manufacturing and applied research have declined together. The loss of domestic production capabilities has also meant losing technical knowledge and supplier networks necessary for continued innovation.
• Outsourcing can weaken future innovation because manufacturing experience contributes to technological knowledge. When production moves overseas, some of that knowledge and expertise can move with it.
• The United States needs stronger innovation intermediaries that connect universities, government, and industry. Germany’s Fraunhofer Institutes provide one example of how applied research can support industrial innovation.
• Innovation policy should place greater emphasis on applied research and domestic manufacturing. Rebuilding these capabilities can strengthen productivity, employment, technological development, and long-term economic competitiveness.

Adler, D. (2018). The American way of innovation and its deficiencies. American Affairs, 2(2), 80–95. https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2018/05/the-american-way-of-innovation-and-its-deficiencies/

The Health of Home Cooking: Tomato Soup and Catfish (Catfish Bisque if Your Fancy)

 The quality of the food we eat matters. We’ve learned, especially in recent years, that home-cooked, local, and natural foods can be better for us than highly manufactured foods that often seem to win the grocery-store price competition. There is certainly a place for convenience foods, but one tends to give us more nutrition and fewer ingredients we need a chemistry degree to pronounce.

(Ilustrative Only)
Cooking tomato soup
and then putting catfish 
in it. 

The other day, I cooked catfish in tomato bisque.

Yes, catfish. In tomato soup. Sometimes you have to color outside the cookbook.

The process was actually pretty simple. I made a basic tomato soup using tomato paste, bouillon cubes, garlic, onions, and a few spices. That gave me about three meals. I ate one and saved the other two for later, because I have discovered the revolutionary concept of leftovers.The next day, I put one bowl of the soup into a pot and let it simmer until it thickened up a little. Then I added a few pieces of catfish and let everything simmer together until the fish was thawed and cooked through. I turned the heat up a little toward the end just to make sure the fish reached a safe cooking temperature.

And yes, it was store-bought catfish. I would have preferred to catch it myself, but the fish have not yet agreed to participate in my dinner plans.

The end result was actually pretty good.

This is one of the advantages of cooking in bulk: you can make one thing and then use it as the foundation for something completely different later. It saves time, reduces waste, and keeps you from spending your entire evening standing in front of the stove wondering what you're going to eat.

Multi-use cooking is a pretty simple strategy. Make a little extra, save it, and think about what else you can do with it later. Today it's tomato soup. Tomorrow it's catfish tomato bisque. Next week? Who knows. At this rate, that soup may eventually become a casserole and start paying rent.

The point is simple: cooking at home doesn't have to be complicated. Cook a little more than you need, save some for later, and look for ways to turn leftovers into something new. Your wallet, your schedule, and possibly your taste buds will thank you.

Cooking, Food Agency and Pro-Health Behavior

1. Cooking at home is associated with healthier eating patterns, including greater fruit and vegetable consumption and overall higher diet quality.
2. The authors introduce the concept of food agency, which extends beyond cooking skills to include the practical and cognitive abilities involved in planning and preparing meals.
3. Cooking confidence and frequency matter because individuals who feel more capable of preparing food are more likely to engage in home cooking and potentially make healthier choices.
4. The modern food environment creates barriers to home cooking. Convenience foods, processed foods, time pressures, and social expectations can make preparing meals from whole ingredients more difficult.
5. The authors argue that encouraging cooking and strengthening food agency could contribute to better nutrition security and public health, but more research is needed to understand exactly how these behaviors produce better health outcomes.

Trubek, A. B., Belarmino, E. H., Wolfson, J. A., & Lahne, J. (2026). Cooking, food agency and pro-health behavior. Current Environmental Health Reports, 13(1), Article 21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-026-00541-x

The Social and Economic Side of Entrepreneurship for Rural Commities

The creation of strong local economic development takes into consideration entrepreneurship as embedded within a social environment. We have discussed this economic and social connection through a transactional theory we continue to discuss (a possible rapid innovation system). Microtransactions are neither purely economic nor purely social; they are a combination of both. We just separate them in or mind to categorize.

(Illustrative)

Consider someone starting a business in a community such as Escanaba or Gladstone. If that entrepreneur is isolated and working alone, the chances of success may be lower than if they are part of a network of entrepreneurs, supported by institutions such as banks and government, and surrounded by a community that actively encourages and supports small businesses.

While this study focuses on rural communities, the same basic concepts apply to larger communities as well. Successful entrepreneurship is strengthened when economic activity is connected to strong social networks, supportive institutions, and a community committed to economic development.

The pronounced embeddedness of commercial and social entrepreneurship in rural communities

• The study investigates the characteristics and dynamics of entrepreneurship in rural villages, particularly in the context of ongoing economic and social crises.

• Qualitative methodology was utilized through in-depth interviews with 23 entrepreneurs located across small rural communities.

• The findings reveal a strong, pronounced embeddedness where both commercial and social entrepreneurial ventures are deeply intertwined with local village structures and social networks.

• Content analysis outlines key relational themes between rural entrepreneurs and their local communities, highlighting mutual reliance, shared identity, and social responsibility.

• The research demonstrates how local embeddedness helps entrepreneurs navigate challenging crisis environments while simultaneously building community resilience and local sustainability.

APA Reference: Ganany-Dagan, O., Greenberg, Z., Gimmon, E., & Haas, V. (2024). The pronounced embeddedness of commercial and social entrepreneurship in rural communities. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. https://doi.org/10.1177/14657503241261230

Escanaba City Council Meeting (August 6th, 2026): Cultural Funding, Fire Protection, Veterans, Parks and Property

The regeneration and development of Escanaba and Delta County continues. The City of Escanaba and other organizations are doing a lot to improve the community, bring in investment, and create opportunities for local residents. It’s encouraging to see people working together to make the area better.

For investors, there are several things worth watching. There is a strong cultural component to the community, with events, organizations, and activities that make Escanaba an attractive place to live, visit, and invest. If you’re thinking about moving here or investing here, there is a lot going on. A small town feel, lots of outdoors, events and a sense of community.

We also take our firefighters seriously. In rural and smaller communities, fire departments are incredibly important, and they often have to work together and coordinate across departments. There have been investments in a couple of new and upgraded fire equipment and trucks in the area. Budgets can be tight so any help goes a long way. There are also opportunities for individuals and businesses to support local fire departments through donations (Tax free too! If you want to donate to a fire department just outside the city that supports other fire departments in the area let me know with a message to the right. If you want to donate to the City of Escanaba Fire Department then contact the city.).

Veterans are another important part of the community. We have a high concentration of veterans, a veterans museum that attracts visitors, and numerous veterans organizations. Escanaba is a patriotic community, and supporting veterans is deeply embedded in the culture.

There are also investments in parks and recreation, road improvements, and other community infrastructure. These may seem like small projects individually, but collectively they contribute to quality of life and make a community more attractive to residents, businesses, and investors.

Another important issue is property blight. Escanaba doesn't appear to have the level of blight found in some larger cities, but when properties become severely neglected, communities need mechanisms to address them. If someone owns a vacant or dilapidated property and simply lets it deteriorate, that affects more than just the property owner. It affects the entire neighborhood and can prevent someone else from purchasing the property, fixing it up, opening a business, or putting it back into productive use.

That’s why reasonable property-maintenance policies matter. Fines and enforcement can provide incentives for owners to either maintain their properties, sell them, or return them to productive use. The goal isn't simply to punish property owners; it’s to make sure that one neglected property doesn't become a drag on the entire community.

There is also opioid settlement funding available for community programs, which is another opportunity for local organizations to invest in solutions.

And, of course, there are labor negotiations and other routine government activities taking place, as there are in virtually every community.

So, keep watching. Escanaba and Delta County are continuing to evolve, and there are a lot of moving pieces. For anyone interested in the community as a resident, business owner, or investor, it’s worth paying attention to how these investments and initiatives unfold.

*I should probably start including Gladstone's on the blog as well because they are a vital part of our lives and economy. A smaller boutique community across the bay. Yes you can sail or boat between them.

Any corrections let me know....

Escanaba City Council Meeting Summary — August 6, 2026

The meeting was relatively routine, with the council approving several funding, infrastructure, parks, and legal matters.

• Community and cultural funding: The council approved annual funding agreements with the Delta County Historical Society and the William Bonifas Fine Arts Center.
• Fire protection: Council approved Resolution 26-11 authorizing a USDA Community Facilities grant application for the purchase of a firetruck.
• Veterans memorial: A donated bronze Veterans Memorial statue, valued at $61,500, was accepted for placement near the existing memorial in Ludington Park.
• Parks and recreation: The city approved $22,362 for resurfacing the new tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts at Royce Park and $19,500 for approximately 434 feet of fencing around the courts.
• Road improvements: The council approved $24,200 to repave 26th Avenue South between 22nd and 23rd Streets, a section described as being in poor condition after repeated patching.
• Property blight: The city authorized its attorney to pursue a circuit-court action concerning a severely neglected property at 520 South 12th Street. The property had accumulated garbage and overgrown vegetation despite fines, notices, and donated dumpsters.
• City manager: The personnel committee reported a tentative agreement with a candidate for city manager, pending completion of physical examinations and evaluations.
• Opioid funding: The Delta County Opioid Task Force announced $100,000 in available grant funds, with organizations able to apply for up to $30,000. At the time of the meeting, it had received no applications.
• Labor negotiations: Council entered closed session regarding collective bargaining and subsequently approved the public works collective bargaining agreement.
• Litigation: Council also held a closed session regarding attorney strategy in the pending Connor Sodman v. City of Escanaba case and subsequently voted to accept the advice of counsel. 

April 6th, 2026 City Council Meeting

City of Escanaba City Council Meeting Agenda & Proceedings

Summary of Key Actions and Agenda Items

• City Manager Selection Process: After initially offering the City Manager position to Brian Chapman and approving his employment agreement, Mr. Chapman withdrew his candidacy. Consequently, the City Council voted to negotiate a contract with candidate Danielle Tiedeman, assigned Council Member Flath to the negotiating committee, and directed that Walsh Services be excluded from future contract negotiations.

• Community Partnerships & Funding Agreements: The Council considered annual funding agreements for the 2026–2027 fiscal year with local cultural organizations, including $\$2,000$ for the Delta County Historical Society to support the Escanaba Lighthouse Museum and displays, and $\$5,000$ for the William Bonifas Fine Arts Center.

• Grant Applications & Infrastructure Funding: Resolutions were presented to seek external funding, including Resolution 26-09 requesting $\$72,997.74$ from the State Disaster Contingency Fund for severe blizzard response costs from March 2026, and Resolution 26-11 authorizing a USDA Community Facilities Grant application to procure a new 100-foot aerial platform ladder truck.

• Public Works Infrastructure & Facility Upgrades: Public Works items included accepting a donated $\$61,500$ Veterans Memorial bronze statue for Ludington Park, hiring Sealer King for $\$22,362$ to resurface courts at Royce Park, hiring Marquette Fence for $\$19,500$ for court fencing, and hiring Payne & Dolan for $\$24,200$ to pave 26th Avenue South.

• Legal Affairs & Property Code Enforcement: The Council scheduled closed sessions for collective bargaining negotiations and pending litigation (Connor Soderman v. City of Escanaba and Cole Tianen), while also seeking authorization for legal action to abate property maintenance code violations at 520 S. 12th Street.

Escanaba City Council. (2026, August 6). City Council meeting agenda and official proceedings of July 13, July 16, and July 23, 2026. City of Escanaba, Michigan. https://www.escanaba.org/media/30686

Delta County Board of Commissioners Meeting 8/4/2026-Ecological Environment, My Fresh Fish, and Data Centers

The county meeting was actually quite interesting. A lot of the discussion centered around recreation and the outdoors—parks, park maintenance, the My Fresh Fish event, Sea Grant programs, and fisheries education.

(Illustrative Only)

Highlighting the 
of protecting, 
enhancing, and benefiting
from natural resources. 
Nature and
humankind are 
part of the same. 
We are nature and
not removed from it.
If it gets sick,
you get sick. 

Delta County Offers
a new way to live
with nature. 

It’s important to put all of that into perspective. While many communities are dealing with pollution and ecological challenges, Escanaba is still surrounded by a remarkably rich natural environment (We must also protect and enhance it and tourism can help in that.). We have the water, woods, trails, and outdoor recreation that people increasingly want to experience. Tourism is growing because people want to get out of the cities and enjoy places like this for a while.

At the same time, Escanaba has a downtown that is being revitalized, drawing interest and could be well suited for startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. We have a high quality of life and several anchor industries that help support the local economy and keep industry moving.

The opportunity is to connect all of these assets. Why not use our natural resources responsibly to attract visitors, generate new revenue, support local businesses, and protect the environment at the same time?

A lot of communities simply don't have what we have here. They don't have easy access to the water, miles of woods and trails, or the outdoor recreational opportunities that can make a community attractive to both residents and visitors. We do—and that makes a significant difference in our potential.

So, if you're an investor looking at the community, stay involved. There will be opportunities downtown, and there are young entrepreneurs who could benefit from angel investment and other forms of capital. We can also look at attracting businesses that complement what we already have.

And that's the key: don't just drop a business into the community and hope it works. Look at the infrastructure, the workforce, the existing businesses, and how different industries can support one another.

That's called clustering—and it's one of the ways we can build an economy where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

1. Budget Public Hearing (2026–2027)

Parks & Recreation:

• A couple of people raised concerns about the proposed “no maintenance” budget, warning that parks could deteriorate as they did in 2008–2010.
• They questioned where maintenance funding would come from and noted that the parks fund has about $300,000.
• Commissioner Jensen clarified that “no maintenance” means no new maintenance position. Existing county maintenance staff would handle the parks.

County Clerk Staffing:

• County Clerk requested funding for an additional deputy clerk.
• She said background checks have increased 600% and now generate about $100,000 in annual revenue, creating a heavy workload for current staff.
• Commissioners asked for a formal job description and agreed to review it before finalizing the budget.

2. Board Actions

• Headley Rollback: The board unanimously decided not to put the rollback proposal on the November ballot because the budget is currently balanced and more time is needed to find long-term solutions.
• Approved the July 7 and July 21, 2026 meeting minutes.
• Added a Planning Commission appointment to the agenda.
• Filed reports from several statutory committees.

3. Public Comments & Committee Reports

Data Centers and Growth:

• One gentleman criticized local moratoriums on data centers and solar projects, saying they could limit economic growth and competitiveness.

Administrator’s Update:

• OB Fuller Park: Foresters reviewed storm damage. Parks & Recreation will meet August 25 to discuss repairs and insurance.
• Airport: Apron repairs are on schedule with little impact on flights.
• Community Events: The “My Fresh Fish” fish fry served more than 400 people.
• State Budget: Updates included revenue sharing, housing grants, and child care programs.

IT Committee:

• Clarified that previous references to “data centers” concerned only the county’s internal server room.
• The county is developing online applications for committee appointments and moving its BS&A software to the cloud.

MSU Extension:

• Paul Putnham and staff discussed Sea Grant programs, fisheries education, and other community outreach efforts. Sea Grant Program

Practicing the Butterfly Stroke-Maybe Helping a Team

 For those of us who like the water, swimming is one of those activities where you can always find something to improve. I can do most of the strokes pretty well. I’m a good swimmer, I’m a fill in lifeguard, and I swim in the ocean, the lake, and the pool. I also lap swim and dive.

(Illustrative Only)

Ok that is too high and wasted
energy but you
get the point. 

Recently, someone mentioned that they needed a little help with a swim team. I said, “Yeah, I can do ALMOST all the strokes.” Even the butterfly. Now, I can do the butterfly, but I wouldn’t exactly call myself Michael Phelps.

So, I figured I’d better brush up on it before somebody actually asks me to show someone this stroke. I want to spend the next month or so really working on my technique and getting the stroke down correctly. I can do it now, but sometimes it feels like I’m plowing my way through the water. And while you’re naturally going to move some water with the butterfly, there’s definitely a more or less efficient ways to do it.

That’s one of the things I really like about swimming. It’s a great workout without putting a lot of stress on your joints. You can build your cardiovascular fitness, develop good muscle tone, and work pretty much your entire body without beating yourself up.

I don’t sprint from one end of the pool to the other every time—I’m not trying to set a world record here—but I do keep a pretty brisk pace. My goal is to get to about 45 seconds for 50 yards consistently and keep it up. The pool is 25 yards, so that’s one length down and one length back.

The more you practice, the more efficient you become. You start using less energy, your technique improves, and you can maintain a faster pace without feeling like you’re fighting the water.

So my goal is to get down around 45 seconds, or at least consistently under 50 seconds, and maintain that pace for about 10 minutes. That should be a pretty good workout. Of course I might swim longer and I usually swim about 30 minutes but that faster segment of time is what I'm conditioning for.

I’m always learning, too. I’m a certified yoga instructor and a licensed fitness instructor, so I’m pretty interested in fitness, exercise, nutrition, and figuring out what activities work best for different people.

So if you want a little help with your fitness, figuring out what kind of activities might work for you, or even just getting some general ideas about exercise and nutrition, send me a message or shoot me an email. muradabel@gmail.com

And, of course, here’s the butterfly stroke. I was looking at this earlier, and apparently the water and I still have a little negotiating to do.

While I doubt I will be showing them all of the techniques I'm pretty sure I would help with the drills, time, etc. We will wait to see. Just helping out.