DATA BUS Delta County-Effective and Cost Effective

Today, I tried something I haven’t used in quite a while: the Delta Area Transit Authority (DATA) bus. Since I’ve been biking around while dealing with my current car situation, I’ve been finding alternative transportation—and DATA turned out to be a pretty good option.

Delta County has had transportation challenges for years. We lost a cab company, Uber options are limited, and local cabs can cost $17 or $18 for a ride. DATA, by comparison, cost me just $3 as a veteran; the fare is $5 for non-veterans.

I needed to get to the airport to pick up a rental car, and the bus was on time, clean and professional. It also accommodates bicycles, which is especially useful for those of us trying to bike more.

I mentioned that I occasionally need an early-morning ride to the airport, and the driver said that if you call ahead, they may be able to arrange an early pickup with a van. That's pretty useful.

With the county's recent millage, DATA now serves much of Delta County. I think people should start using it. You can take the bus with your bike, get dropped off at a park or another destination, spend the day exploring, and ride back home.

It doesn't run late at night, but for daytime transportation, $3 or $5 is a pretty good deal. And if more people use the service, perhaps we can eventually justify expanding the hours.

Sometimes the best way to improve public transportation is to actually get on the bus.

DATA Bus

Swim Coaching: Practicing Starting-Dive Blocks

Wonderful evening of swim coaching. I spend a couple of nights a week helping coach a swim team, working with several of the athletes and, in the process, keeping myself up to date as well.

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I’m a good swimmer and understand most of the techniques, but coaching is a little different. It’s one thing to know how to do something; it’s another thing entirely to explain it to someone else without making it sound like you’re giving instructions for assembling a piece of furniture you bought online.

So I keep reviewing. I watch instructional videos, work on the techniques myself, and try to fine-tune how I explain them to the athletes. Today, we were working on starts off the starting block. One of the swimmers was having some trouble getting the body position right, so we kept working on alignment, head position and entering the water at the proper angle.

The goal is to maximize distance and speed while creating as little resistance as possible. Go too deep, and you lose distance. Go too shallow, and you can create a pretty impressive splash—which may look exciting, but it isn't exactly what we're trying to accomplish. The idea is to enter the water at the right angle, with the body streamlined, hands together and feet together, creating a small "water footprint."

For newer swimmers, this takes some practice. Feet may separate, the body can get out of alignment, or the swimmer may enter the water too flat. Suddenly, instead of a streamlined entry, you have something that looks a little more like a small aquatic cannonball.

The good news is that practice works. After coaching, I usually get in the pool myself and work on the same techniques. That helps me remember exactly what the athletes are experiencing and keeps my own skills fresh for the next practice.

And you can really see the improvement. In just three or four weeks, the difference in some of the swimmers has been impressive. They're getting more comfortable, more streamlined and much more efficient off the block. Some are trying new things and getting confident.

Of course, coaching means I have to keep learning, too. Apparently, knowing how to swim doesn't automatically mean one has mastered the art of explaining why everyone else is doing it wrong. More importantly what they are doing right. Fortunately, there's always another practice—and another chance to jump in the pool.

A nice video,

US Manufacturing Continues to Expand September 2026

October 1st, 2026

ESCANABA, MI. -Manufacturing appears to be holding up fairly well, with the sector recording nine consecutive months of expansion. We do not need to get buried in all the details, but it is worth keeping an eye on manufacturing as part of the broader economy. For now, this is one sector that appears to be doing okay.

The other item worth watching is rising costs. Geopolitical issues, tariffs, interest rates, and changes in global supply chains can all influence what manufacturers pay for materials and other inputs. The increase in the Prices Index may be one indication that some of those pressures are showing up in the manufacturing sector.

For those of us simply trying to understand where the economy is headed, the lesson is fairly simple: manufacturing looks reasonably strong, but costs deserve a little attention. As always, keep watching the numbers—because the economy rarely sits still long enough for us to catch our breath.

U.S. Manufacturing Expands for Ninth Consecutive Month in September 2026

• The ISM Manufacturing PMI registered 54.5% in September, slightly below August’s 54.6%, indicating continued expansion in the manufacturing sector.
• New orders increased to 55.3%, up from 53.7% in August, marking the ninth consecutive month of expansion in new orders.
• Production remained strong at 56.7%, although it declined from 58.3% in August. Backlog orders increased significantly to 56.4%, suggesting continued demand for manufactured goods.
• Employment improved, with the Manufacturing Employment Index rising to 52.7% from 51.2%, indicating manufacturing employment was expanding during September.
• A concern is rising input costs. The Prices Index jumped to 77.9% from 71.1%, indicating substantially stronger price pressures for manufacturers and potentially higher costs moving through supply chains.

Institute for Supply Management. (2026, October 1). Manufacturing PMI® at 54.5%; September 2026 ISM® Manufacturing PMI® report. PR Newswire. PR Newswire article 

Good-for-You Muffins-Super Easy and Moist

 For those of us who like to cook, I recently tried a recipe a friend sent me. She is a really good cook—and, unlike some of us, she actually cooks all the time. It is something she enjoys, so she has developed what I would describe as an exceptional cooking capacity.

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The recipe was called “Good-for-You Muffins,” and they were surprisingly simple. There was little to no flour involved—mostly milk, oats, applesauce, banana, stevia or honey, a little baking powder, and then whatever extras you want to throw in. Flaxseed, raisins, walnuts and other ingredients can easily be added. I used protein-rich rolled oats, which seemed like a good way to add a little more nutritional value.

The muffins turned out really well. They had a noticeable banana flavor and were a little more moist than your typical muffin, which I considered a feature rather than a flaw. They were also extremely easy to make, which is important because I enjoy cooking a lot more when the recipe doesn't require a small engineering degree.

For the most part, the ingredients make this a pretty good snack. I ended up bringing some along while lifeguarding to share with the crew. I like doing that from time to time, and I also gave a few to some neighbors. Apparently, muffins are a fairly effective way to make friends.

Cooking doesn't have to stop when you're camping or even when you're on a boat. With a little creativity, you can cook just about anything. I'm also trying something new on the equipment side. I recently bought a new ceramic cookware set, so I'll be giving that a test run. I've never actually owned a new ceramic set before. I've always had the traditional collection of mismatched pots and pans—the kind where every piece appears to have arrived from a completely different kitchen.

So we'll see how the new cookware performs. Maybe this is the beginning of my professional cooking era. Or at least the era where all the pans match.

Unemployment Claims Low for Week Ending September 26th, 2026-Jobs Will Continue to Change

October 1, 2026

ESCANABA-MI. The labor market continues to show signs of stability, with unemployment remaining relatively low. Michigan, California, and Kentucky appear to be holding relatively steady, providing another reason to keep an eye on employment trends rather than panic over every weekly change.

The bigger story may be in the types of jobs being created and lost. As businesses adjust and seek greater efficiency, demand for certain skills can decline while demand for others increases. The labor market is constantly shifting.

For workers, that makes education, training, and skill development increasingly important. The jobs may change, but opportunities can emerge as the economy adapts.

Unemployment Claims Remain Low, but States Vary

• U.S. initial claims fell to 197,000, with the four-week average at 200,000.
• Michigan: 4,558 new claims, up 734; insured unemployment fell to 37,327.
• California: 34,642 new claims, down 289; insured unemployment was 307,610, with a 1.7% rate.
• Kentucky: 1,261 new claims, down 50; insured unemployment rose to 9,241, with a 0.4% rate.
• Continued claims provide additional insight into labor-market conditions beyond new unemployment filings.

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. (2026, October 1). Unemployment insurance weekly claims [News release]. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf

Making Time for a Little Art

 I’m continuing along with my fun little art hobby. I haven’t done much painting lately because I’ve been busy with other projects—particularly with my car out of commission, a few other things needing attention, and the general business of life. But I’m planning to get back into painting next week.

Sometimes you have to be a little selfish with your time. Not “buy a yacht and disappear to an island” selfish—just “I’m going to spend a few hours doing something I actually enjoy” selfish.

For me, that means art.

Art is more than just putting paint on a canvas and hoping it looks like something. It can improve creativity and encourage innovation. It gives us an opportunity to see the world from different places and perspectives. At its most basic level, art is a neurological activity: We take things we are thinking, feeling, observing, and understanding and somehow translate them onto a canvas.

And sometimes, in the process, we discover something new.

Of course, there are people who criticize art. I understand that. From a strictly economic perspective, art can seem rather useless. It doesn't necessarily produce something measurable, increase productivity, or fix the transmission bracket on an old Buick—which, currently, would be extremely useful.

But art is also one of the oldest forms of human expression. People have been drawing, painting, carving, decorating, and telling stories visually since the beginning of human history. There is probably a reason our brains keep coming back to it.

Art gives people an enjoyable way to express themselves, but it also allows us to document and interpret the world in ways that science and technology don't always capture. Sometimes a painting, photograph, sculpture, or simple sketch can communicate an idea or feeling that would take several pages of explanation.

So, I’m going to get back to painting.

If you're interested in my artwork, you can check out my gallery and see if anything catches your eye. Some of my paintings are available through eBay. You can also contact me if you'd like to purchase one directly from the info below.. If you want a frame, that's a different conversation because, apparently, frames cost money too.

Anyway, take a look at the gallery. You might find something you like—and if nothing else, you can say you supported an artist who occasionally has to stop painting because his old car needs another custom part fabricated.

Art Gallery (Painting and Photos)

$70 Purchase Painting Pay Pal

$60 for photos (Rights to Use or Printing)

Art Gallery eBay (Paintings)

Core PCE Inflation Shows Moderate Increase in August, 2026-A Little More Inflation Means Making the Paycheck Stretch

Core inflation is up a little, which means consumers should expect everyday prices to continue creeping higher. It may not be dramatic, but over time, those small increases can make the paycheck stretch a little further.

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Bow Hunter's
Cost Saving Strategy.
Bow season just started.
Sorry...big thing
in the UP. Waiting on car.
Grr.....
Michigan Hunting Season
Category

Other economic reports indicate that wages are also rising somewhat, which helps offset some of the additional costs. However, interest rates remain relatively high, making borrowing more expensive. For those who have the ability to do so, putting a little money away can provide some breathing room when prices or unexpected expenses come along.

Core PCE Inflation Shows Moderate Increase in August

The latest Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index provides a relatively moderate inflation reading for August, with underlying consumer prices increasing but coming in below expectations.

• Core PCE increased 0.2% in August, up from 0.1% in July but below the 0.3% market forecast.
• On a year-over-year basis, core PCE increased 3.0%, unchanged from July and still above the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation objective.
• The measure excludes food and energy, making it useful for examining underlying inflation trends without some of the volatility associated with those categories.
• The broader PCE index increased 0.3% from July and 3.4% over the previous year, also coming in below expectations.
• The report provides a mixed economic picture: inflation remains elevated, but the slower-than-expected increase may reduce immediate pressure for additional monetary tightening while consumer spending remained strong in August.

Investing.com. (2026, September 30). United States Core PCE Price Index MoM. Investing.com. https://www.investing.com/economic-calendar/core-pce-price-index-61