A blog that explores life and society. Mostly pieces on business, economics, arts and other interests. A place to showcase activities and explore ideas.
Ishmaiel knows people are struggling so he isn't going to pass on the costs. He has two hands and two feet so he will make it work. When he sees families struggling he gives them discounts or he trades the kids cleaning and shinning a couple of pumpkins for a free one.
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The University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers indicates that overall sentiment remains relatively stable month-over-month, though it continues to sit lower on a year-over-year basis. Notably, there has been a drop in buying conditions for durable goods, raising questions about whether this pullback will translate into softer sales as the holiday season approaches and whether it signals broader consumer spending headwinds.
University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers
The Index of Consumer Sentiment remained relatively steady in October 2026 at 48.0, registering only a fractional decrease from September but remaining down about 10.4 percent compared to the previous year.
The current economic conditions subindex dropped 8.3 percent, driven entirely by a sharp decline in buying conditions for durable goods due to higher interest rates and affordability concerns.
Year-ahead inflation expectations ticked up slightly to 4.7 percent, and long-run inflation expectations increased to 3.5 percent, both reaching their highest readings since May.
The survey platform, administered by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, continuously tracks consumer confidence, financial attitudes, and spending expectations.
University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. (2026). Surveys of consumers. Institute for Social Research. https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/
The study seems to indicate that art is a social medium that can spark social change. That’s certainly possible. My art isn't necessarily focused on social impact, though—it’s an expression, and I love doing it as a hobby. I encourage others to try it, too. It’s helpful in many ways, and it can help challenge assumptions because it connects directly with people's feelings.
Anyways, welcome to my art gallery. If you like the writing and the art, feel free to show your support or buy a piece! I write and create because I believe it’s helpful for people, but selling a piece makes it even more rewarding and helps fund future work.
While making money isn't the primary goal, selling the art keeps the creative process alive and sustainable. Check it out, and thanks for looking around!
Aesthetic Revolution: How Art Shapes Social Worlds
Art influences real-world human attitudes, social behaviors, and broad societal change.
The paper combines quantitative studies to examine art's moral, civic, and social impacts.
Impacts are evaluated across civic engagement, gender equality, intergroup relations, and environmentalism.
Viewing art can shift social norms and expand empathy, though some media may reinforce social divides.
Future research must clarify long-term impacts, harmful potential, and overarching psychological mechanisms.
Stamkou, E., & Keltner, D. (2026). Aesthetic revolution: How art shapes social worlds. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 20(e70135). https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.70135
The latest U.S. Leading Economic Index shows an economy maintaining a steady course, holding virtually unchanged and signaling near-term stability rather than a sharp shift up or down.
While the metric offers a key glimpse into where the market is heading, economists emphasize that it should be evaluated alongside broader economic data. A look into the report’s underlying components reveals mixed signals across key sectors: manufacturing showed signs of improvement, driven by an uptick in weekly working hours, but those gains were tempered by a notable drop in consumer expectations.
Overall, the index paints a picture of resilience rather than rapid growth, pointing to a balanced and stable economic backdrop in the months ahead.
US Leading Economic Indicators
The index was unchanged in September 2026 at 99.6, following a 0.1 percent drop in August.
The index grew 0.6 percent from March to September 2026, recovering from a 1.1 percent fall in the previous six months.
Five of the ten underlying metrics rose, driven by favorable interest rate spreads and longer weekly manufacturing hours.
A sharp drop in consumer expectations offset those gains.
The matching coincident index shows current economic activity remains stable.
(Illustrative Only) When asked what Jack would do for families. "I just want people to get their potatoes to the market and explore their spirtual dimensions freely". Filling ruts and potholes one at a time. Eventually, you will have a pretty good trail; assuming you put your back into it. Jack just says what he believes. Years in the woods gave him independence. 🙃
This was an interesting debate and it was well worth watching. Thinking of how one might look at this from an independent voter perspective. That is open to some debate but we can try. An independent voter might evaluate a debate by looking for clear, practical strategies, a willingness to work across party lines, and a focus on constructive solutions.
When reviewing this debate, an observer might see opportunities for both candidates to lay out step-by-step plans for long-term issues like inflation, energy costs, and healthcare. Addressing these complex challenges might require exploring multiple options and listening to key community stakeholders.
An independent voter might also hope for more time spent explaining positive action plans. A candidate with a detailed vision might focus heavily on sharing their own solutions, helping voters clearly understand how their proposed policies would work in practice.
Finally, an observer might look for signs of collaboration, knowing that passing lasting legislation in a divided government requires finding common ground. Showing a willingness to build consensus across party lines might demonstrate how a leader plans to deliver real results for everyone.
This is part of a hypothetical thought experiment on the 'hypothetical Feather Party' that creates a type of third lens where independent voters loosely collaborate vote without party-line expectations. i.e. a party that is kind of not a party. One might encourage free expression and exploration of ideas beyond party loyalties.
"Society is one word, but many things"-John Dewey
Here are some transcripts for review.
Sumary of Transcript
Michigan U.S. Senate debate featuring candidates Mike Rogers (R) and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (D)
High cost of living, gas prices, grocery inflation, and candidate plans to lower costs for Michigan families
Impact of trade policies, tariffs, and manufacturing job growth vs. corporate influence
U.S. foreign policy toward Iran, national security threats, and the economic impact of regional conflict
Border security strategies, ICE enforcement methods, and legal immigration reform
Healthcare policy options, drug pricing legislation, and potential reforms to the Affordable Care Act versus Medicare for All
According to the report, U.S. business activity continues to expand at near five-year high levels, indicating sustained economic momentum. However, persistent cost pressures remain a factor, prompting companies to raise selling prices and passing higher costs onto consumers. These overall findings align closely with broader economic indicators and reports.
Watching the market....
S&P Global Flash US PMI: Business activity holds close to five-year high
Flash US Composite PMI Output Index dropped slightly to 57.6 in October, marking a two-month low while remaining in robust growth territory.
US business activity expansion stayed close to five-year highs, supported by strong domestic demand, robust employment growth, and an uptick in export orders.
Cost pressures intensified due to rising oil prices, energy costs, and material shortages, leading supplier delivery times to lengthen significantly.
Selling prices across goods and services increased at their sharpest rate since August 2022, signaling continued consumer price inflation.
Supporting our veterans demands our utmost commitment and standard of care. The sacrifices made by service members often leave lasting physical and psychological burdens—scarring experiences shaped by exposure to the harsh realities of conflict that many in civilian life may never fully comprehend or appreciate. Too often, veterans face unfair judgment from a society unaware of the profound weight they carry.
Emerging research highlights innovative ways we can better serve this community. For instance, a recent study demonstrates how mobile technology and data-driven insights can predict suicide attempts up to a week in advance, offering a powerful tool for timely, life-saving intervention.
Understanding and addressing veteran wellness requires leveraging every opportunity available. Beyond mental health support, businesses can help by providing stable employment, fair wages, educational opportunities, and pathways for professional growth as essential. Hiring and empowering veterans is not only a practical response to their sacrifices, but also a meaningful patriotic duty.
Harvard Study Predicts Most Suicide Attempts a Week in Advance
Research led by Harvard psychologist Matthew K. Nock successfully used smartphone technology to survey high-risk adults and adolescents in real time.
The predictive technology successfully forecast 75 percent of suicide attempts and 87 percent of suicide-related crises in the week before they occurred.
The findings mark a major leap forward from traditional prediction models, which historically performed little better than random chance.
The approach relies on ecological momentary assessment, gathering frequent real-world data about participants' emotional states, thoughts, and behaviors through mobile devices.
Experts hope that identifying these high-risk windows days in advance will allow for timely, targeted interventions to save lives.
You can review the World Economic Report released in October of this year for some of the latest insights. As an executive, staying informed about the broader economy is essential, which is why reading these briefs is so valuable for seeing the bigger picture.
By reading broadly, you begin to understand how the larger economic system works and how various factors influence specific outcomes. You start connecting the dots between different business activities, policy choices, resource utilization, and geopolitical issues, observing how each impacts the economy. Im turn how society is impacted.
While these relationships are complex and rarely one-to-one, studying these reports helps you identify general patterns of economic growth and decline.
World Economic Outlook, October 2026: Resilience Under Strain, Urgent Choices
Global growth is projected at 3.1% in 2026 and 3.4% in 2027.
Headline inflation is expected to reach 4.7% in 2026 before easing to 4.1% in 2027.
Downside risks include trade tensions, fiscal vulnerabilities, and geopolitical escalation.
Temporary, targeted income support is recommended over broad price controls during crises.
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