A blog that explores life and society. Mostly pieces on business, economics, arts and other interests. A place to showcase activities and explore ideas.
You may be interested in this picture I took a year or so ago. It is a fishing vessel. I do sell some side art so if you want a print or want to use send me an offer to the right contact box. It would look nice in an office, near the cost, etc.
I do not pretend to be the greatest photographer and painter. You can check out my "Art Page"
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| (Illustrative Only) Atilla and Janice are from the hypoethetical Feather Party which is party for independent thinkers who vote their conscious around agreed upon decision making matrix. Its a non oppositional and seeks to tip votes. The party does not work with special interests and caps donations. Party line votes are not allowed and each member is expected to serve the next generation and all of the American people's interests through logic, science, ethics, philosopy and over the horizon thinking. They seek to create a closer connection between the average American and the decisions being made. It is for philosophical discussion and doesn't exist at this time in history. Atilla would like to first evaluate each program using a panel of different members and raise efficiency and effectiveness while cutting waste. Janice believes if we reallocate resources to where they can grow we may find a greater return on government investment to reduce debt, improve community, and raise revenue. Both agree that special interests are costing us and limiting the positive impact of our money. Solving the debt problem may be served by changing the way we think, how contracts are awarded and where we decide to spend. With a growing concentration of wealth at the top among highly connected people, some deals likely on the island, much waste has likely made its way into the decision making processes. A new path forward can be charted. Three interesting links: Evolutionary Economics Spurring Economic Development Perpetual Sustainable Development |
To move toward fiscal independence, a nation must, at minimum, bring in more than it spends. That is not easy and many nations run regular debts. While the government isn’t a business, it still has fiduciary responsibilities to the people it serves. That means finding practical ways to improve the financial outlook while continuing to meet public needs.
One will need to weigh the political, social, and economic interests.
There are clear risks. Debt is more manageable when interest rates are low, but far more burdensome when they rise. And in times of crisis, the ability to mobilize resources depends on having reserves—or on borrowing. Borrowing, however, should perhaps come with a clear plan and timeline for repayment.
Debates over the national debt have spanned many administrations and decades, yet the debt keeps growing. Part of the challenge is that it’s often easier to pass the problem along to future leaders rather than address the difficult choices required today.
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| (Illustrative Only) Firefighting in rural winter places takes a lot of skill and practice. |
The more we practice, read, and engage with training material, the better we retain the information and the faster everything clicks together when it counts. That’s what makes videos like this useful: not only do they break down fire classifications clearly, they’re also helpful for everyday people who want to know what type of fire extinguisher they should keep at home.
Many part-time firefighters are self-learning and watch a lot of videos, practice their craft, and engage in personal development. The nation rely on our volunteers as one of the largest blocks of safety and protection within the country. Not all people can leave their work right away to go fight a fire.
An interesting article, Communities shift to all-career fire departments as volunteer numbers decline
If you haven’t done so, consider supporting your local fire department. I know at least one that could use additional resources for equipment as grants dry up. If anyone is interested in donating to a tax-deductible organization, let me know—I can connect you with the right people.
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| (Illustrative only) Samuel teaches young executives that looking inward as much as you look outward will foster their success. If you want to be successful, first come to understand yourself. What are you good at, what do you want to do, how do you react, what are your patterns of thinking, how do you solve problems, etc... To be a strong manager you must first master yourself. |
Variation in personality is not only normal—it’s essential. As a species, we don’t benefit from everyone having the same cookie-cutter traits. So when someone insists that a certain way of being is “right” or “wrong,” that’s usually an oversimplification. Every personality has helpful and unhelpful sides. Awareness allows us to identify those patterns and adjust them so they actually solve problems instead of creating new ones.
Human survival hinges on diversity of thought and temperament. If we all behaved and reasoned identically, we wouldn’t adapt well. Throughout history, both great and flawed leaders have emerged because of their personalities. The strategists, engineers, artists, philosophers—these different roles exist because people think and react differently.
Most of us naturally strive to grow and overcome our challenges. The key is to understand your own personality: know your strengths, know your weaknesses, and recognize how they show up in different situations. Don’t be thrown off by people who speak boldly or loudly—confidence isn’t the same as capability, and it doesn’t always fit every circumstance.
Real awareness comes from reflection. Sometimes others can mirror our behaviors back to us, though their interpretations aren’t always accurate. Ultimately, self-awareness helps you distinguish what’s genuinely yours from what others project onto you. When you understand your tendencies, you can pause, choose better responses, strengthen your natural advantages, and navigate obstacles with more consistent success.
Thinking about personality Confucious once said,
How your personality impacts your career success (and what you can do about it)
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| (Illustrative Only) Lady Justice knows that to fight for what is right is through truth, fostering peace, and encouraging the upholding of social contracts. She has many enemies that have benefited from wrongdoing. Symbolically her sword cuts with truth to serve society while the scales represent fairness and balance. She has a responsibility to protect all members of society. Our society is built from root symbolism and assumptions. Those who are corrupt, hate, and engage in wrongdoing use different symbolic assumptions. They serve the few at the detriment of the whole. Symbolism and Justice-MI |
The real danger comes when people with low moral conscious rise into positions of authority without accountability. When checks and balances are weak or easy to bypass, trust collapses. Too often, systems start protecting insiders instead of serving the public. Mistakes can be corrected, but years of wrongdoing should never be normalized. If it is, it means some leaders are serving personalities and interests— not the greater good. Negligence of duty.
The hypothetical, philosophical, learning thought experiment called the Story of the Clan that illustrates this. In the story, extremists target and ruin a family out of bigotry with clear financial and social incentives to engage in misconduct. A lot of people knew but that didn't stop anything. The victims were on their own. Society looses much of their contributions. That is ok to a number of decision makers who feel only people like them, accept their distorted ideologies, should be the beneficiaries of institutional outcomes.
They follow them home, spread lies, provoke conflict, seek to intimidate, violated freedom of speech, mocked other religions, picked fights, undermined their rights, look upon disdain to othere races, associated members engaged in sexual misconduct in other incidents, and even put willfully others children at risk. The dehumanization process embraced. A number of individuals suffer similar treatment by associated actors. Reports are made—by people who have been right before—yet they are ignored due to what appears to be prejudice. It is clear things should not be run this way and it is a sign of a growing trend.
In this allegory there were no backstops whatsoever. A judge, aware of the wrongdoing still enriched the in-group, side stepped constitutional rights, and gives a free pass to what one might view as cleansing behavior. When you mirror back how things might be viewed from others you will quickly find the two different standards.
In this example protecting certain groups matters more than protecting the victims. Saving face becomes more important than serving the people. If we changed the lens to a slightly different angle we might find these behaviors fundamentally a break in social contracts. It may not be whether such laws are broken but who may be breaking them on whom (We should leave the next generation something more focused on its purpose and can maximize societal engagement and support.).
Consider,
Within the story, loyalty shifts from merit to racial or religious extremism, reflecting a risk of a broader trend in society. Polarization grows, and both sides contribute to it. Without real checks and balances, extremism seeps into institutions, leaving victims unprotected while perpetrators receive special treatment. Sometimes the abuse is so severe that those making decisions find it easier to blame the victims and move on—creating second-class citizens through dehumanization and character assassination. This is worsened when partisan actors rise to positions they do not deserve through special interests instead of ability or values.
Regardless of why these failures occur, we have an obligation to push for effective, trustworthy institutions. Strong systems benefit taxpayers, strengthen society, and rebuild confidence. It can also help our economy creating more opportunities. A new generation is growing up with deepening distrust—and given the behavior of some bad actors who use their positions to benefit friends, it’s hard to completly fault them for their concerns (Survey on Two-Tier Justice. Others showing that trust is declining broadly. We can reverse the trend by being focused. ). The Story of the Clan shows how unchecked hate and corruption work directly against the public good.
This isn’t about throwing people in jail. That is the last concern because some have learned to change and some have been found to have dark triad traits and need help to curb their urges. It’s about protecting future victims and honoring those already harmed. If we can’t do that, we may not be aligned with true north. It may be time to rethink and recalibrate some of our institutions so they better serve the people. Most individuals in these systems are good, decent, and hardworking—but when a few bad actors cause harm and no one steps in, the entire system loses credibility. If you don't like their opinion, no matter if it is helpful and fair, they go on a list. Apparently to keep them silent so we don’t need to change and act in the best interest of society.
Standing for our nation means standing for high-functioning, non-partisan institutions that respect freedoms. If they can’t do that, they cannot be trusted to lead. Vote your conscious.
*This is a learning thought experiment so take with a grain of salt. Change the elements around and come to your own conclusion.
This lesson applies to many areas of life. If something truly matters to you, you’ll show up for it. But if you keep finding excuses, the habit eventually fades. And sometimes, that’s okay—maybe the goal was exciting at first but didn’t hold long-term importance.
Fitness, however, is something everyone should practice at some level. At minimum, aim for three days a week. If you rotate routines and allow proper rest, you can go up to five or even seven days (you have to be clear on which body party which day), depending on your schedule and goals.
Don’t be intimidated by the gym. Most people there are learning and improving just like you. Yes, you’ll see a few bodybuilders or ultra-fit athletes, but they’re far less common than people think—and certain gyms simply attract them more than others.
I go to a few gyms myself, including the YMCA and The Point Loma Sports Club. I like the YMCA because their nationwide program lets me walk into just about any location when I travel.
I’m a certified fitness trainer with experience in various sports and activities. If you’d like help getting started or want guidance along the way, I can work with you virtually. If we’re in the same area, we can train in person as well—though most sessions will be online.
If you’re interested, send me a message.
Stay committed—you’ve got this.
Why Do Some Stick with Their Fitness Routine
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| (Illustrative Only) Tony enjoys hanging with platonic friends. Less hassle and good laughs. Besides when you bust out the suit you know your doing some dancing. 🙃 Good car, good friends, and a nice suit is all one needs. |
No drama. No “where is this relationship going?” interrogation. Just laughter, chaos, and zero expectations except “don’t lose anyone in the parking lot.”. Definately don't forget you left your phone and swear you just had it. 😬
We hit Amvets first—because nothing screams “Valentine’s spirit” like a place that rocks your socks off. Then we rolled over with the Guppy Gangsta Wagon to Eagles, the private club that occasionally opens its gates like, “Fine, peasants, come party.” Membership’s about fifty bucks, which is cheaper than one fancy date-night dinner and comes with something fun every other day. You’ll meet people, might make a few friends, and have a few laughs. Better than Cheers! (Honestly, a low key fun place).
The weather? Foggy. Cool. Not the romantic fog from movies—more like “I hope that’s a person and not a trash can.” Love was not in the air. But the smell of pizza was.
We ended the night at Mueller’s Pizza, investigating their top-secret cheese-and-Italian combo like undercover food detectives. I was trying to eat more vegetables, but it’s Valentine’s Day—you’re legally allowed to eat like you’re starring in your own food documentary. Besides it has tomato sauce and onions on it so that is healthy.
If you want to know the bizarre history behind this holiday of chocolate, heartbreak, and overpriced flowers, go read up on the origins of Valentine’s Day. Spoiler: it’s weirder than any modern relationship.
