The Cracker Thief on the Beach-Lifeguarding and Beach Zen (Psychophysiological Reactivity)

(Illustrative Only)

To remind us of 
nature. 

The Cracker Thief

This seagull is a cracker thief,
It didn't come from some mystical underwater reef, 
It looks noble, proud and as free as the air, 
a cracker from my fingers this scavenger did tear.
🙃

You're sitting on the beach early in the morning. The sun has been up for just a couple of hours, painting the water with shades of gold. A light breeze brushes across your face, and somewhere in the distance, a seagull lets out its unmistakable squawk.

You close your eyes.

Your heart rate slows. The stress of deadlines, bills, difficult people, tomorrow's problems, and today's endless to-do list begins to drift away with the waves. For just a moment, none of it seems quite so important.

The seagull calls again.

Somehow, that sound reminds you that nature doesn't obsess over performance reviews, inboxes, or whether someone "liked" its latest post. Birds simply fly. Waves simply roll ashore. The sun rises every morning without checking a calendar invitation.

As the seagull glides closer, you begin to appreciate how nature has its own rhythm. It has been taking care of itself for millions of years, and we are part of that same world—even if we've wrapped ourselves in meetings, schedules, passwords, taxes, and the mysterious obligation to own seventeen different charging cables.

You realize that much of what stresses us is socially constructed. Society needs organization, rules, and responsibilities, but perhaps we don't have to carry every one of them every second of every day.

You take a deep breath.

You feel grateful for what you've accomplished, at peace with what remains to be done, and content simply to exist in this beautiful moment.

You open your eyes one last time to admire the beach.

You smile.

You reach for a bite of your favorite concession stand cracker.

At that exact moment, the seagull—apparently having completed graduate school in tactical food acquisition—swoops down, steals the entire cracker, and flies away.

Just like that, your mindfulness lesson becomes a reminder that nature doesn't care whose snack it is.

The beach wins. The seagull wins.

Maybe next time... buy extra crackers!

A Lifeguards Day in Paradise:

Breaking News.....seagull stole little kids cracker. We all agreed "baaad baad Mr. Seagull was hungry" and a smile returned. Other then this calamity it was warm, sunny, light refreshing breeze. Concession stands are open, there was a skateboarding band, lots of people, fishing boats out in the bay, pontoons with people relaxing, and even a musician that came up near the lifeguard hut and played beach music. Yep....nice place. A little Zen listening the waves. Weather was perfect for the visitors and the lifeguards.

The Psychophysiological Reactivity to Beaches vs. Green and Urban Environments: Insights from a Virtual Reality Experiment

• The study examined whether virtual beach, green, and urban environments produce different physiological and psychological responses to stress using a randomized crossover experiment with 164 adult participants.
• Participants experienced two 16-minute virtual reality environments while researchers measured heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance, breathing rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and self-reported stress.
• Beach environments significantly reduced breathing rate and sympathetic nervous system activity (measured by skin conductance) compared with urban and, in some cases, green environments, indicating greater physiological relaxation.
• Participants who reported moderate stress before the experiment experienced greater improvements in mood and perceived stress after exposure to beach environments, while urban environments generally produced less favorable emotional outcomes.
• The findings suggest that coastal environments may provide unique mental health and stress-reduction benefits beyond those offered by other natural settings, supporting the use of beaches as restorative environments for health and well-being.

Hooyberg, A., Michels, N., Roose, H., Everaert, G., Mokas, I., Malina, R., Vanderhasselt, M.-A., & De Henauw, S. (2023). The psychophysiological reactivity to beaches vs. green and urban environments: Insights from a virtual reality experiment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 91, 102103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102103

Firefighter Fatigue is a Real Risk-Especially for Forest Firefighters

Illustrative Only

Staying up to date on changes in firefighting, new research, and evolving best practices is important for every firefighter. Whether you're a volunteer, part-time, or full-time firefighter, the profession continues to change, and departments across the country are facing new challenges. Beyond recruiting, fatigue can be a big issue when on scene.

The research discussed in the video below highlights one of the most significant issues firefighters face: fatigue. Studies show that extreme fatigue can reduce a firefighter's performance to a level comparable to being intoxicated. That's an important finding because fatigue affects judgment, reaction time, and decision-making—all of which are critical on the fireground.

Many structural fires are brought under control within several hours, but wildland and forest fires are a different story. They can burn for days or even weeks, requiring firefighters to work long shifts under physically demanding conditions. As exhaustion sets in, the risk of injuries, accidents, and even fatalities increases. Fatigue compounds over time, making it easier to make mistakes that could have serious consequences.

This is one reason why recruiting and retaining more firefighters is so important. Departments need enough personnel to rotate crews, reduce fatigue, and keep firefighters safe. Competitive pay, strong community support, and continued investment in technology can all help departments operate more effectively, especially as staffing shortages continue.

If you're interested in supporting the fire service, there is an outstanding volunteer department here in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. They regularly provide public education on topics such as grilling safety, fire prevention, and emergency preparedness. They've also done an excellent job recruiting a new generation of firefighters, bringing in more than a dozen members under the age of 30. For a volunteer department serving several surrounding communities, that's a tremendous accomplishment.

Like many volunteer departments, they continue to need funding for training, specialized equipment such as hydraulic rescue tools (often called the "Jaws"). If you want to support a local UP fire department send a message to the right or email me at muradabel@gmail.com and I will point you in the right direction. 

Gladstone Sailing Boats Near the School (Photography)

While on the way to the beach I snapped a few pics.....

Before my lifeguard shift, I had a few extra minutes, so I drove by the Gladstone Sail School. I had planned to volunteer there last week, but the weather had other ideas—it was storming with lightening, so that didn't happen.

I took these two photos when the water was perfectly calm. Early mornings are one of the best times to be near the water. Sailing might not be great because of low wind that picks up around noon. However, if you're diving, swimming, or just enjoying the shoreline, the lake is usually smooth with very few waves, making it a peaceful time to relax and capture some beautiful scenery.

PS The area needs more lifeguards so consider contacting the YMCA Aquatics Center for training and course options. Around 25+ hours of training and water time. Pool certification and then deep open water rescue certification. You will receive a professional CPR and AED designation.

If you're interested in either of these photos, let me know.

The Gladstone Sail School is open for the season and offers affordable sailing lessons. You can find them on Facebook to learn more or sign up for classes. Volunteers from the Escanaba Yacht Club also help with sailing instruction, making it a great community effort to introduce people of all ages to the sport.

Gladstone Sail 1

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Gladstone Sail 2

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Understanding Hate: Psychology, Society, and the Possibility of Change

 Let us consider both the destructive and the constructive lessons that can be learned about hate.

(Illustrative Only)

This man is teaching the young
to work together to achieve
their generation's goals. 
Hedge each other skills,
learn from the mistakes
prior generations made,
learn from what they have done well,
and be the best generation
they can during a time of
rapid transition and transformation
of our way of life through 
faster technologies and innovation. 
The young generation may 
not see what we see
because their world-time-era
-perception 
is different than ours. As
a new generation comes forward
some of our views will change
and that is a necessary 
part of societal development and 
many founding philosophers
understood that. 

There should be some values
that are cross generational
and codified into every
other law. If there are places
where hate and corruption
are not addressed it is
a violation of those generational
values that supercede the
needs of self-interest of social
groups.

In the Allegory of the Clan—presented as a modern version of Plato's Allegory of the Cave—people become trapped by a false sense of superiority and misperceptions of self (There is a reason why nearly all philosophers-religious and secular-talked about insight into self as a door.). They mistreat others, justify dishonesty, and take advantage of those around them. Systems with weak checks and balances allow self-interest to replace integrity, pushing aside capable and ethical people in favor of those who are more self interested. This is why we should encourage true north perspectives.

The difficult reality is that most people are unlikely to change unless their environment gives them a reason to change. That is one reason societies establish laws against hate-based behavior and discrimination. While such laws are not always perfectly enforced, they establish boundaries for acceptable conduct. Social norms play likely the biggest role. Most people are not ideological extremists; they tend to follow the attitudes and behaviors that become socially accepted (Just like there are a percentage of people who hate there is a percentge of people who are ultruistic and prosocial. It is part of our natural systems.). Different groups with different norms.

History demonstrates how dangerous this can be. Entire societies have justified slavery, genocide, and other forms of oppression at various times in history by constructing narratives that portray hatred as moral or necessary. When they learn, they change, and move forward in societal development. Once hatred becomes woven into public discourse, institutions, or the media, it gradually becomes normalized. That normalization is one of hate's greatest dangers. Freedom of speech is often a strong deterrent because people at their root want collaboration and homeostatisis with their environment and therefore have an interest in managing by shared principles. We learn when we communicate (Keep this connectivity in mind when we discuss economics, exchange, growth, etc.)

There is, however, reason for optimism. Just as a pendulum can swing toward hatred, it can also swing toward understanding and compassion. We can learn to not hate from hate when we are insightful. As people develop new ways of thinking, challenge long-held assumptions, and engage in honest self-reflection, they strengthen new neural pathways while weakening old patterns of prejudice. Research suggests that our brains are capable of adapting, allowing learned biases to diminish over time. Over generations and cultural change indivisibility can overcome divisibility (Hate spreaders seek to slice society for self gain so they use narratives. They strengthen certain negative orientations of thinking.). 

Some hate might be obvious and openly expressed, but most of it seemes to operate below the level of conscious awareness (Feelings of weakness, mental health, etc. lead to mistreating others to protect/hide one's vulnerabilities-some might think of this as a type of mirror. The flavor and manner of the hate tells you about those using it.). People may sincerely believe they are acting fairly while making decisions influenced by unconscious bias, prejudice, fear, or self-interest. Laws, constitutions, professional ethics, and personal oaths are important because they establish standards of behavior. Yet many everyday decisions occur below the threshold of legal accountability, making personal character and self-examination just as important as formal rules.

The encouraging conclusion is that hate is not necessarily permanent. Just as people can learn to hate through repeated experiences and social influences, they can also learn to let go of hate. Through reflection, education, accountability, and meaningful interaction with others, individuals and societies can replace cycles of prejudice with greater understanding and respect.

*The Allegory of the Clan is a philosophical learning thought experiment so take with a grain of salt.

Neural Correlates of Hate

• The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain activity in 17 participants while they viewed the face of someone they hated compared with faces of people toward whom they had neutral feelings.
• Viewing a hated person activated a distinct network of brain regions, including the medial frontal gyrus, putamen, premotor cortex, frontal pole, and medial insula, suggesting that hate has a unique neural signature.
• The intensity of participants' self-reported hatred was positively associated with increased activity in the right insula, right premotor cortex, and right fronto-medial gyrus.
• Unlike romantic love, which suppresses activity in areas involved in critical judgment, hate showed relatively limited deactivation, with only the right superior frontal gyrus exhibiting decreased activity.
• The researchers concluded that although hate and romantic love are emotionally opposite experiences, they share activation in the putamen and insula, suggesting overlapping neural mechanisms related to intense emotional attachment and preparation for action.

Zeki, S., & Romaya, J. P. (2008). Neural correlates of hate. PLOS ONE, 3(10), e3556. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0003556

Great Lakes Investing, Recreational Outdoor Lifestyle, and Luxury Liner American Patriot Visits Escanaba (Photography)

American Patriot
Luxury Liner
in Escanaba. 
July 4th 2026
Art is a hobby and not associated
with any company but its
a pretty ship and a lot of
people around town are 
saying it. Some of us
are getting into the history
of the tourist ships. 🙂

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 The Great Lakes—and communities like Delta County, Michigan—have far more to offer than many people realize. This region is full of opportunities that are often overlooked.

Escanaba is experiencing exciting growth. Downtown infrastructure is being upgraded with new water and utility improvements. Opportunity Zones are present encouraging investment, while our deep-water port, rail connections, major highways, and improving airport continue to strengthen the area's transportation network. Tourism is growing, the marina is thriving, and the community is reconnecting with the global economy.

If you love the outdoors, there's something here for everyone. You can go sailing, scuba diving, explore historic shipwrecks, hike scenic trails, fish, boat, or simply enjoy the beauty of Lake Michigan on one of its beaches. It's an incredible place that has long been an underappreciated oasis.

We're also seeing renewed investment in traditional industries, including wood products, while entrepreneurship continues to gain momentum. If you have a business idea, reach out to the City of Escanaba or the Chamber of Commerce. They can help connect you with resources and opportunities that can turn an idea into reality.

The vessel shown here visited Escanaba over the Fourth of July weekend. With its large sliding glass doors, passengers had spectacular views of the fireworks from nearly every angle. Visitors like these bring new energy to the community, supporting local restaurants, shops, attractions, and businesses.

If you're looking for a unique vacation destination, Escanaba deserves a spot on your list.

And if you're a ship enthusiast, the American Patriot  has an interesting story of its own. Built in 2025 with a capacity of approximately 130 passengers, it represents a new generation of small luxury expedition cruising. Escanaba was one of its featured stops, making the holiday visit especially memorable. You can learn about the American Patriot Ship

The ship offers elegant lounges, cafés, beautiful gathering spaces, and an intimate cruising experience that's very different from the giant ocean liners. If luxury small-ship cruising interests you, it's definitely worth learning more about. Check out the links below to explore the ship and its itinerary.

Great Lakes Investments Strengthen Michigan’s Economy, Environment, and Communities

• The fact sheet highlights how investments in the Great Lakes are improving Michigan's economy, protecting natural resources, and enhancing residents' quality of life through partnerships among federal, state, tribal, local, and private organizations.
• The Great Lakes support more than 800,000 Michigan jobs and contribute billions of dollars annually through manufacturing, fisheries, tourism, boating, ports, and maritime transportation.
• The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), established in 2009, addresses invasive species, contaminated sediments, polluted runoff, wetland restoration, and fish and wildlife conservation while leveraging additional funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
• Research indicates that every federal dollar invested in GLRI projects generates approximately $3.35 in additional regional economic activity, while full implementation of the restoration strategy could produce $80–100 billion in long-term economic benefits.
• As of 2024, Michigan had received funding for 2,377 Great Lakes-related projects, including major investments in clean drinking water, wastewater infrastructure, and environmental restoration projects throughout the state.

Great Lakes Commission. (2026). GLC investment fact sheet: Michigan. https://investments.glc.org

The Value of Scuba Diving Tourism and the Spear Fishing Idea

(Illustrative Only)

Got to keep the 
secret spots secret. 

I saw 7 large
bass. 

I could almost 
pet them. 

Escanaba Fishing

It's been a while since I've done any serious scuba diving. I've done a little shore diving here and there, but after my buddy's boat decided it wanted an early retirement, our shipwreck-diving adventures pretty much came to an end. We used to be out there all the time.

I still have all my dive gear, though, and I figured, "I'm not letting hundreds of dollars' worth of equipment become expensive garage decorations." So I've started exploring some local spots to see what's hiding under the water.

The other day I hauled all my gear down to the beach. The weather was perfect, but the water was murky enough that I couldn't see much. While I was there, I realized my tank wasn't fitting quite right, so I ordered new tank straps.

Problem solved...or so I thought.

I went back out, and the new straps worked perfectly. Then I realized, "You know what this adventure needs? An underwater camera." I couldn't find my old one, so I picked up a new one that was surprisingly affordable. I'll put a link below if anyone's interested.

While I'm waiting for the camera to arrive, I figured I'd get some exercise. Since I've been lifeguarding lately, I thought I'd throw on my wetsuit, fins, and snorkel and do some lap swimming in the lake.

I got everything on, took about three kicks...

...and SNAP!

The Great Lakes Fishery

One of my fin straps broke. Apparently, dive gear doesn't appreciate sitting in a garage for a year and a half. So now I'm ordering replacement fin straps too. I'll put an example below of the ones I'm looking at because dive shops around here are about as common as tropical reefs in Michigan.

At that point I gave up on the fins, tossed them onto the beach, and just went snorkeling.

And that's when things got interesting.

I found a new spot with some absolutely huge bass hanging out along the rocks. Nobody seems to be fishing there, and these fish were incredibly relaxed. I actually reached out and touched a couple of them before they casually drifted a foot or two away...then stopped and let me swim right back up beside them.

Either they thought I was another fish or they were judging my swimming technique.

That got me thinking...what if I took a simple bamboo pole, tied a line to it, put some bait on the hook, and lowered it right in front of their noses while filming everything with the underwater camera? That could make for some pretty cool footage.

Then I mentioned all this to a friend who's thinking about starting a commercial fishing business. He said, "You know, with a fishing license you can legally spearfish."

Well...that sent me down another rabbit hole.

I've already got some old hunting arrows and gear that I can probably adapt a pole and then I realized that frog-fish spears are pretty cheap in the $20 to $30 range.  No need to invent things. 

There's something a lot more exciting about actually seeing the fish before you catch it than sitting in a boat staring at a bobber while reading the news on my Kindle.

So now the plan is simple: wait for the camera, wait for the new fin straps, get back in the water, and see what large bass and trout are swimming around down there. (Side note: if you already have a fishing license in Michigan you can get a spear fishing license free.)

Until then.....

Every time I fix one piece of equipment, another one reminds me it's been on vacation in my garage.

Stay tuned. This could either become an underwater adventure series...or a very expensive lesson in replacing old dive gear one piece at a time. I'm a certified diver but dont get out enough.

A Few Products I Found I Might Need or Upgrade:

Theis is similar to the style I currently have so I could replace them. Fin Straps, Adjustable Rubber Fin Flippers Strap Swimming Diving Dive Accessories(L)

I was thinking of checking out these quick release ones. Scuba Choice Universal Diving Fin Straps with Quick Release Buckles – Adjustable Silicone & Neoprene, Durable Fit for Most Fins - Ideal for Freediving & Snorkeling (Pair - Black)

The camera I got is cheap but for the depth I normally dive and for the many times I lost the camera this will work fine for now. Action Camera 1080P Sports Camera 16GB Memory Card Action Cam 131ft Underwater Waterproof with 2 X Batteries with Accessories Kit Suitable for Helmet, Bicycle, etc.

Tried these out. They work pretty good and I have an extra. 2Pack Scuba Tank Holder, Universal Dive BCD Tank Cylinder Adjustable Band Webbing Belt Strap with ABS Cam Buckles and Anti-Slip Pad for Underwater Diving/Snorkeling/Freediving

Perhaps something like this might work Frog Gigging Pole,2 to 3Ft Fishing Gig Gaff with Barbed 5-Prong Harpoon Stainless Steels Flounder Gig Extension Pole Long Handle with Spong Handle Hunting Bullfrog Spears Fish Hook (44in)

Global Economic Impact of Scuba Dive Tourism

• The study provides the first global estimate of the economic impact of scuba dive tourism, finding that the industry generates between $8.5 billion and $20.4 billion annually while supporting approximately 9–14 million diving tourists and up to 124,000 jobs worldwide.
• Researchers identified more than 11,500 dive operators across 170 countries and found that about 80% of employees are local residents, demonstrating the industry's strong contribution to local economies and community livelihoods.
• Survey results showed that most dive operators actively support marine conservation initiatives and view healthy marine ecosystems as essential to their businesses, reinforcing the connection between ecotourism and sustainable ocean management.
• Although scuba diving generates substantial economic benefits, the authors acknowledge limitations in the estimates due to incomplete global data, differences among regions, and conservative assumptions regarding tourist spending and operator participation.
• The authors recommend greater integration of scuba diving into Blue Economy policies, improved monitoring of the industry, and stronger collaboration among governments, local communities, and dive organizations to promote sustainable tourism and marine conservation.

Schuhbauer, A., Favoretto, F., Wang, T., Aburto-Oropeza, O., Sala, E., Millage, K. D., Cabral, R. B., Sumaila, U. R., Hsu, A., Lucrezi, S., Tighsazzadeh, M. N., Plascencia de La Cruz, M., & Cisneros-Montemayor, A. M. (2025). Global economic impact of scuba dive tourism. Cell Reports Sustainability, 2, 100435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsus.2025.100435

2026 Talent Trends Report from SHRM

The job market remains challenging for certain high-demand, specialized skills. Like any market, employment is driven by supply and demand. When we invest in developing human capital here at home, businesses can fill positions locally, wages have greater potential to rise, and more money stays circulating within the local economy. The same principle applies to supporting small businesses.

According to SHRM's 2026 Talent Trends Report, nearly 70% of HR professionals continue to have difficulty recruiting full-time employees. While there are signs that the labor market has begun to slow in some areas, many organizations are still struggling to find qualified talent.

As a result, employers are shifting away from relying solely on traditional hiring practices. Many are placing greater emphasis on developing existing employees, promoting internal mobility, expanding job responsibilities, and investing in continuous learning. In addition to technical expertise, organizations are increasingly valuing critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, and other transferable skills.

Take a few minutes to read the summary below, and if you're interested, the full report. Understanding current labor market trends can help organizations optimize their recruitment, retention, and workforce development strategies.

SHRM 2026 Talent Trends Report: Data-Driven Insights for the Future of Work

• Nearly 70% of HR professionals reported continued difficulty recruiting full-time employees, with more than half saying hiring has become even more challenging than a year earlier.
• Organizations are shifting from traditional hiring approaches to skills-based talent strategies by emphasizing internal mobility, employee development, and workforce agility to address persistent talent shortages.
• Skills gaps remain a major concern, particularly in systems and resource management competencies such as decision-making, complex problem-solving, and time management.
• Learning and development initiatives—including job rotation, apprenticeships, internships, and mentorship programs—are identified as effective ways to prepare employees for hard-to-fill positions, although some remain underutilized.
• Based on responses from more than 2,000 HR professionals, the report concludes that organizations investing in continuous learning, technology, and inclusive talent practices will be better positioned to build resilient, future-ready workforces.

Society for Human Resource Management. (2026, April 27). SHRM unveils 2026 talent trends report: Data-driven insights for the future of work. https://www.shrm.org/about/press-room/shrm-unveils-2026-talent-trends-report--data-driven-insights-for