January 2026 Employment Report ADP (Sunny Expands Coffee to Go Carts)

(Ilustrative  Example Only)

Sunny has 25 coffee carts lined up
throughout the UP on
various snow trails, ice fishing 
mini communities, snow mobiletrails
 and all over the place. 🙃 

He thinks Escanaba would 
be a good base for his operations
and is thinking of having 
locals build his mini coffee
to go carts based
on his specifications 
instead of importing them. 
If they do well there will
be a global market
for such carts as in one
form or another used
all over the world (free idea
run with it!) 

In this example, Sunny would 
have improved his supply line, 
contributed to local manufacturing,
and hired employees
that would improve the tax
base and appeal of the area.

In this example, one would
want to increase the appeal 
of the area to entrepreneurs, shop
owners, etc. by having
investment pathways that
match people with downtown
and industrial places
for scaling their operations.

The job market hasn’t expanded significantly, with only about 22,000 positions added. Most of this growth came from small and medium-sized businesses, generally those employing between 50 and roughly 500 people. This pattern suggests that smaller and mid-sized firms are currently driving job creation. Their growth is important, as many argue that while large corporations play a major role in the economy, they often dominate markets in ways that can limit broader innovation and competition.

Health care continues to add the most jobs, reflecting ongoing demand in that sector. In contrast, manufacturing and professional services are seeing weaker hiring trends, which is not ideal for anyone hoping to strengthen domestic production or expand the manufacturing base. A more balanced distribution of job growth—especially with stronger gains in manufacturing—would better support long-term economic resilience.

January 2026 ADP Employment Report:

• The ADP National Employment Report measures monthly changes in private-sector jobs using real payroll data.
• January 2026 showed a gain of about 22,000 private-sector jobs.
• Health care added the most jobs, while manufacturing and professional services reported losses.
• Overall job growth has slowed compared with previous years.
• The report provides breakdowns by industry and business size and serves as an independent indicator separate from government data.
• Employers between 50 and 499 added most of the jobs.

Oversight, Accountability, and the Fostering of Judicial Integrity

Let us continue the hypothetical and philosophical Story of the Clan to illustrate how judicial misconduct might unfold in an environment where no effective corrective mechanisms are in place. In principle, concerns about judicial behavior could be referred to an oversight body, such as the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission, which is responsible for reviewing potential misconduct or significant errors. However, in this hypothetical learning scenario, the capacity for meaningful oversight is limited or ineffective at lower courts.

For context, the Story of the Clan is a learning tool—an allegory designed to explores how systems can fail when influenced by bias, partisanship, corruption, or group loyalty (The third world stuff that is precursor metric to wider issues.). It includes elements such as targeted harassment, fabricated investigations, religious or racial prejudice, preferential treatment of connected individuals, exploitation of vulnerable populations, damaging rumors, and clandestine agreements within judicial settings. These actions culminate in a systemic failure of justice.

This breakdown occurs, in part, because of close personal networks and distorted loyalties that underline implicit values that shape institutional outcomes. They didn't correct because they didn't have the moral conscious to correct. Individuals perceived as outsiders or out-group members are quickly marginalized, and their contributions and reasonable concerns carry little weight once they have been dehumanized by bad apples within the system. What is lost in this process is not merely fairness for specific individuals or even out group members but the weakening of foundational principles that underpin the rule of law. Justice becomes contingent on social, religious and political affiliation rather than objective standards.

In a well-functioning system, we would expect avenues for review and correction. Yet in environments where partisanship, institutional culture, or social expectations influence decision-making, such revisions may not occur. Victims are left without recourse when the purpose of the law is subordinated to socially preferred or political outcomes, leading to a decline in public trust and weakening commitment to impartial justice. 

(In this story we reverse that and a positive adaptation occurs to the benefit of everyone and in greater alignment to social contracts so just be patient. It can influence the performance of the whole. This is why good citizens always want to improve systems around our agreed upon core universal vaues.)

While this scenario is presented as a conceptual learning tool, it reflects the reality that institutions are not always in an ideal state and must continually adapt wisely. No matter where they are currently they are always becoming and changing. How they are becoming and what direction they lead to is up to us. Strong impartial justice influences the social and economic system based on foundational assumptions. There is always room for improvement, and individuals within the system may not perceive problems in the same way others do. The poor and minorities often have no voice. Not always by accident. Oversight bodies and review committees play an important role in providing checks and balances, although their effectiveness depends heavily on their processes, independence, and the integrity of their members.

Not specifically related to our philosophical story,

Michigan Judicial Conduct Board Director Forced Out

The Judicial Tenure Commission and the Judicial Ethics Committee

In Michigan, the Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC) is an independent constitutional body that investigates allegations of judicial misconduct and recommends appropriate discipline. The State Bar’s Standing Committee on Judicial Ethics, by contrast, focuses on prevention, offering guidance, advisory opinions, and education to help judges understand and follow ethical standards.

State of Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission

• The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission is responsible for maintaining the integrity of Michigan’s judiciary and ensuring public confidence in the courts.

• It investigates allegations of misconduct by state judges, magistrates, and referees under the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct and Michigan court rules.

Judicial Ethics Committee

• The State Bar of Michigan’s Judicial Ethics Committee reviews and provides guidance on the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct and related professional conduct standards for judges and judicial candidates.

• The committee issues informal advisory opinions on judicial ethics, updates these opinions when rules or laws change, and offers resources to help judges interpret ethical obligations.

Manufacturing Rises in January 2026 (Mariam Thinks of Investing in Escanaba-Possible Supply Chain Benefits)

(Illustrative Only)
Mariam invented and designed
a new product that helps
move equipment around a
shop floor. It is in high
demand and she is considering
scaling up production
and needs a new facility.
She is thinking of
moving to a place 
like Escanaba where
the land is cheaper, labor
is skilled, local government
works with poeple and
shipping infrastructure and
transportation strong
(Rail, road, air, port and data.).
 Infrastructure can reduce
cost.

Enhancing Entrepreneurial Clusters

Supply Chain Integration

Manufacturing remains a vital pillar of the U.S. economy, so any improvement in production and export capacity is encouraging. Although the job market has shifted more toward services in recent employment metrics, the recent uptick in manufacturing activity is a noteworthy development. Ideally, increased production will translate into stronger exports and contribute positively to the trade balance, though that will depend on trends in the months ahead.

Maintaining a strong central position within the global supply chain is essential for long-term economic competitiveness, as this is where significant value is generated. While services add important complementary value, manufacturing creates the foundational products that drive both domestic demand and service-sector activity. 

The highlights below summarize key points from the latest report, which you can review for a more detailed understanding.

Manufacturing PMI® at 52.6%; January 2026 ISM® Manufacturing PMI® Report

• Manufacturing PMI at 52.6% in January 2026 — up from 47.9 in December, indicating the sector expanded after months of contraction.

• First expansion in manufacturing in 12 months after 26 consecutive months below 50.

• Overall U.S. economy continued expanding, with January marking the 15th straight month of growth.

• New Orders Index jumped to 57.1%, the highest since early 2022, signaling stronger demand.

• Production Index climbed to 55.9%, also at its highest level since early 2022.

• Backlog of Orders Index rose to 51.6%, showing more unfinished orders.

• Prices Index at 59.0%, reflecting continued increases in input costs.

• Employment Index at 48.1%, still below 50, meaning manufacturing employment remains in contraction but improved.

• Inventories and Customers’ Inventories remained in contraction, with customer inventories “too low,” which can prompt future orders.

• The PMI reading suggests roughly 1.7% annualized GDP growth based on historical PMI–GDP relationships. 

Escanaba Investment Information Information:

Some information on Escanaba that might help. 

The city has secured more than $100 million in recent infrastructure investments and is seeing a “small business renaissance,” with 15–20 new businesses opening.

Redevelopment & Housing: Efforts are underway to convert vacant properties into mixed-use, commercial, or residential developments, supported in part by state programs like the Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) grant. Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) program.

Industrial Incentives: To encourage growth, the city provides Industrial Facilities Tax Exemptions (IFE) for manufacturing, renovation, and expansion projects, particularly within designated Industrial Development Districts (IDD). The City provides Industrial Facilities Tax Exemptions (IFE)

The Benefits of Clearing the Clutter in the Office and Home

(Illustrative)
Cleaning the clutter.

Clutter makes things harder to manage and slows you down. In a business, a messy workshop or office can drag down productivity. At home, the same problem applies—too much stuff creates distraction and stress. That’s why it’s helpful to declutter your environment from time to time, whether it’s your living space, your workplace, or your business operations.

Since I work from home, clutter builds up quickly. Lately, I’ve been getting rid of anything I don’t use—shirts that don’t fit, old sporting equipment, and random items with no real purpose. As I clear things out, my space feels more open, cleaner, and easier to think in. It’s surprising how much mental clarity comes from physical organization.

If you have a wardrobe or storage area, decluttering gives you a chance to toss outdated items and refresh what you actually need. In a consumer culture, it’s easy to accumulate things we barely use. Removing the excess improves the look of your space, boosts your efficiency, and supports better focus on the tasks that matter.

The same applies to your office. Removing unnecessary items helps keep your actions purposeful. You know where things are, you know what needs to be done, and your environment presents a much stronger sense of professionalism.

An article on the topic,

Clean Your Office or Productivity

Why Shared Values Matter More Than Ever

(Illustrative Only).

These are members of the hypothetical
Feather Party reaffirming
their commitment to the Constitution, 
three independent legs of government,
and serving the people by
upholding social contracts. 
They have concerns they may
go on a list somewhere
for believing in certain
self-evident truths or thiinking
independently from current dynamics..
 However, they believe it is important
to serve people and help their country.
The Constitution

Just in case you wanted to 
know what a Social contract was
What is a Social Contract?(Article)

*The hypothetical Feather Party
is philosophical discussion
on coordinating independents
and doesn't exist at this time.
It is an exploration of the
potential impact of a third party.
 The learning party doesn't 
work with special interests, 
caps donations, and 
doesn't allow straight
party votes. They want
each person to vote their
conscious through
an agreed upon decision making
matrix. Would it work?

It’s important to learn how to build systems that work well for everyone. Societies depend on shared values and rights that protect all people equally. The hypothetical story of the Clan is meant to teach how things can go wrong when those values are ignored or not of importance. We can learn to better support our systems by bringing in new perspectives and ideas outside of the two party system that often vets those ideas.

In the story, a minority family was targeted so others could benefit from them. What was taken from them wasn’t just material—it could affect their family for generations. Some of the people involved even worked with a few court officials they knew professionally and socially to protect themselves and enrich their friends. Those they disageed with, challenged wrongdoing or blew the whistle were not safe from the harm, and corrections were slow or nonexistent.

Some who took part also committed other wrongdoings in other incidents and were given easy deals to hide the bigger issues. The main lesson isn’t about the Clan itself but about the failure of oversight and the lack of values that allowed misconduct to continue. When hate and corruption take over, even basic rights and constitutional protections can be ignored. In theory. Remember its a philosophical example.

Let us explore a more modern example, questions about Epstein’s island. Many documents appeared, people asked questions, and investigations closed. Some think foreign influence may have been involved on the island. Maybe it’s true, maybe not. Without independent investigation (free from party influences of either side), we may never know. This doesn’t mean everyone, or anyone, who knew the couple or visited the island did something wrong, but the risk of intentional manipulation to visitors has a reasonable possibility (Agree or disagree? That is your choice).

Even with these concerns, many good people and officials act with honesty every day. They deserve our respect and support. Strong checks and balances, training, diverse recruitment, and community trust help keep institutions healthy. Yes, there is bad in the world, but there is a lot of good too.

So what do we do? We elect leaders with strong values—people who care deeply about their country, their oaths, and the common good. Will real change happen? Maybe. Is it needed? That is up to you. Time will tell. No matter how one decides we must stay hopeful and trust that the next generation will continue the work and avoid the mistakes we made. Hope is essential.

Your patriotic job is to be a good person: support what is right, value integrity over partisanship, respect others, strengthen your community, share your independent thoughts and pass on good values to your children. When values disappear, history shows that societies can fall off track. They sometimes never find the path again so be careful with your votes and your time.

Be your best self version. Think carefully about what you believe. Support the people and principles that move us forward. You are part of a national family—help yourself, help your neighbors, and work for a better future. Most o all vote your conscience and be informed enough to cast that vote wisely. Vote like your children’s and grandchildren’s futures depend on it—because they might.

*This is a philosphical discussion so take with a grain of salt, rearrange the elements, and come to your own conclusion. There is no right or wrong as long as you have thought about it yourself and came to your own conclusion. 

Firefighting Drags and Carries (Firefighting Video)

Volunteer firefighting is a true donation of time and effort to the community. The men and women who do this type of work foster and contribute to a better society. Because of that commitment, ongoing training is essential. One useful way to train is by watching instructional videos—especially when you already have enough hands-on experience to visualize how each technique translates into real-life situations.

What stood out in this particular video is the simplicity and practicality of the methods shown. The webbing pieces they use are common, and the way they assemble both harnesses and body straps to carry a person is straightforward and effective. After watching the process a few times, you realize how quickly these tools can be made in the moment, even under pressure. Many firefighters already carry webbing and a carabiner, so they typically have the basic gear needed to create these setups.

I also appreciated the demonstration of using a Halligan as a step to climb into a window. By tying webbing to the tool and pulling it tight, it becomes a secure foothold—and the equipment can then be pulled up with it. It’s a clever, practical solution that shows how versatile standard tools can be.

If You Want to Donate

If you're interested in supporting an outstanding Upper Peninsula firefighting department and team, feel free to contact me to the right and I can connect you with the right people. Donations would be tax-deductible. This department is noteworthy for bucking national trends: it has a remarkably strong group of young volunteers—far more than most fire departments. Their success might offer a valuable model for any other department wondering how to engage and involve younger generations in community service. Most departments are struggling in this regard. 

The Unemployment Rate December 2025 (Zak Thinks of Ways To Hedge Technology and Participation for Shipbuilding))

(Illustrative Only)

Zak likes to build ships.
He has a crew of different
types of people and knows
how to increase employment
and participation. 
He hedges diversity, taps
natural motivation and 
trains. He understands
economics and knows his
workers are more than numbers
so he tries to stay engaged,
be a listening ear, attend their
kids bday parties and lets
employees determine 
where to donate 15% of
company profits to help
the people.

He wants to bring manufacturing 
back to our communities by
fostering entrepreneurship.
Believes most ideas are thrown
away because of partisanship
and special interests influence.
Change is needed as we have a use
for new ships but we struggle to
fundamentally adapt and 
improve competitiveness.
Midwest Manufacturing

He joined the hypothetical
Feather Party of free
minded thinkers who 
want a more direct
connection to the 
decisions in government. 
He thinks his model
could help boost 
GDP, raise wages, 
and maintain competitiveness
with new technology and a new
way of thinking. 
Sometimes people who bring new ideas
are often ripe for mistreatment. 
He doesn't care because
he wants to help his
nation and answers to
the needs of the people.
Freedom of thought is
fundamental to our futures.
Economic Development
Through Needs Fulfillment

*the hypthetical Feather Party
does not exist at this time in history.
It is a philosophical discussion
on collecting independent 
thinkers for political service,
not working with special interests,
using agreed upon decision making
matrix and capping donations
to improve decision making at 
the top for the next generation
through the use of critical 
thinking, evidence, ethics and
upholding social contracts.
They seek to tip votes and 
bring new options. It is not against
but for.

The December 2025 employment report indicates a relatively stable labor market. There isn’t much new hiring, but there also aren’t major layoffs, which suggests a steady—though not strong—environment. Hours worked declined slightly, while wages increased slightly, both of which are notable trends.

Going forward, it’s important to watch which industries are expanding and which are contracting. Services remain essential, but growth in manufacturing and new product development would be a positive sign, as those sectors contribute to innovation and value creation. Different types of service growth can also reveal deeper market shifts, since industries with higher profitability—such as healthcare and elder care—tend to attract more workers and investment. Time and trend will determine if it is short or long lived.

The labor force participation rate is another key indicator. A higher rate means more people are working, which strengthens economic performance. Ideally, technology would support an increase in the number of workers involved in the economy, even if hours per worker fall. This becomes especially important as the overall population declines, since participation and GDP growth are closely connected.

It would also be beneficial to see increased participation among populations traditionally considered minorities. That represents untapped human capital, and greater engagement would bring new perspectives, stronger performance, higher tax contributions, and overall economic growth.

These areas—industry shifts, participation rates, and broader inclusion—represent some of the main challenges and opportunities moving forward.

BEA The Employment Situation December 2025

• Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by about 50,000 in December 2025, showing modest job growth.

• The unemployment rate remained at 4.4 percent with little change from the previous month.

• Job gains were concentrated in food services, health care, and social assistance, while retail trade lost jobs.

• For all of 2025, employment rose by 584,000 jobs, averaging 49,000 per month—slower than in 2024.

• Average hourly earnings continued to rise, reflecting ongoing wage growth.

• Employment figures from previous months were revised downward.

• A federal government shutdown caused missing household survey data for October 2025, affecting some comparisons.

• Labor force participation rate: 62.4%.

• Unemployment rates by race/ethnicity: White 3.5%, Black or African American 6.7%, Hispanic or Latino 5.2%, Asian 3.8%.

How It’s Calculated (U.S. Standard)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) calculates the unemployment rate as:
(Number of unemployed people ÷ civilian labor force) × 100

Additional Link:

Unemployment Trading Economics Site