Being Bested in Veteran Pool

 Shooting pool with a few veterans is a humbling reminder that there are levels to this game. These guys/gals aren't just good—they’re card-carrying pool sharks. They play on a league, travel for tournaments, run circles around other players, and one of them even used to teach the game professionally.

(Illustrative Only)
Being beat 
is a learning
lesson on 
playing pool. 
Lots of good advice. 

Naturally, I thought I was holding my own. I’m not a bad player; I’m comfortably above average. In some ways I think they been eyballing me. One said when I get back from Cali they wanted to teach me a couple tricks. Some of the conversation was on pool playing and teams for tournaments. 🤔

On a good night, I can get in the zone and rattle off three or four wins in a row. But consistency is my kryptonite. The flip side is that I’m just as capable of laying a four-game egg. These guys, on the other hand, are machines.

They took pity on me and handed over a clinic in angles, physics, and strategy—complete with a special training cue ball covered in alignment markings to show exactly how "English" bends the white ball's path. Turns out, mastering the geometry of a pool table takes a little more than just good vibes and blind confidence.

The night ended with my ego firmly packed in my bags and a parting invitation: "Come back next time you want another whipping."

Do I want another whipping? Absolutely. Because even against a crew of hardened sharks, I still managed to sink a few solid shots. And when you're playing guys like that, every ball in the pocket is a small victory.

Support your local veterans.

An interesting video. 

Applied Business Psychology Helps Better Understand Organizational Behavior

Business psychology and applied psychology matter because they enable improvements ranging from increasing human motivation to maximizing outcomes and performance, while examining broader organizational trends and processes to enhance overall functioning.

The source text emphasizes that because business psychology is rooted in science, deeper knowledge of individual and group behavior allows organizations to function at the highest level.

Because organizations fundamentally consist of collections and connections of people who function socially, developing human capital successfully requires a clear understanding of these underlying psychological mechanisms.

Business Psychology: A Strategic Lens on Human Behavior in the Modern Workplace

• Business psychology merges psychological principles with organizational needs to better understand and optimize human behavior, leadership, decision-making, and company culture in modern workplaces.

• The paper explores foundational concepts, the influence of psychological theories (such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory), and the impact of strategic human resource management.

• Key themes include enhancing employee motivation and engagement, supporting worker mental health and psychological well-being, managing organizational culture and change, and adapting to modern diversity, inclusion, and cross-cultural dynamics.

• Findings indicate that aligning personal and organizational goals through evidence-based psychological interventions fosters resilient, high-performing corporate environments and improves overall long-term success.

Okeke, G. N., Obiorah, C. A., Ugah, T. A., Okoroma, J., Udezi, S. A. L., & Abulu, P. B. (2026). Business psychology: A strategic lens on human behavior in the modern workplace. International Journal of Innovative Psychology & Social Development, 14(1), 384–395. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19290771

*If you like these articles consider buying art products, supporting to the right, advertising, etc...

Kitich-iti-kipi Photos in the Rain:The Beauty of the UP (Photography and Art)

Driving around with friends enjoying the natural wonders of the UP before the Packer-Lions game.  This land is known for its beauty.

Escanaba is a centrally located place with beaches  hiking trails, fishing spots and many more places. 

In the winter there is approximately 5 ski hills within an hour and half. Cross country skiing and snowshoe trails. 

Kitich-iti-kipi Map

A few of these I placed in my gallery if your interested in purchasing. 

 The Walking Path Gallery (Painting and Photos)-Price below.

$70 Purchase Painting PayPal

$60 for photos (Rights to Use or Printing)

Art Gallery eBay (Paintings)

Amazon Shipping Center Opens in Escanaba: A Few Ideas for Local Businesses-List Your Products

Improved transportation and shipping make a significant difference. Recently, I ordered an item on Amazon that normally takes five or six days to arrive in a rural area like this, but it showed up in just two days. It was a pleasant surprise to find it sitting on the porch so quickly.

(Illustrative Only)

Are there ways
to enhance local
entrepreneurial
start-ups and
export more 
products out of 
the area?

Thinking tourism,
local manufacturing, 
custom products, craft culture,
 Native American arts, etc.

A topic for mental exploration.

Looking at the research behind this, expanded transportation networks reduce costs, which creates a meaningful regional impact. Beyond helping large companies move goods faster and more affordably, it also matters for small businesses. 

Local producers aiming to grow—or even export—need to find ways to integrate their products into these distribution and fulfillment systems, whether through Amazon or other platforms, so their items can be listed and sold efficiently. It is important to get your local business online to sell out of the area; storefronts for foot traffic and virtually for growth expansion.

For overseas shipping, local businesses might need to batch their shipments together to reach international markets. While these are initial conceptual ideas that require further review to see how they work in practice, exploring these distribution channels is an essential first step for local growth.

U.P.’s first Amazon warehouse opens, promising faster deliveries across region

Escanaba Amazon facility expands reach across UP

New Amazon delivery center brings 2-day delivery to Upper Peninsula for first time

Amazon to build shipping facility in Escanaba

The Impact of Logistics on Global Economic Development: A Comprehensive Review

• Better transportation networks help connect emerging markets to international trade.

• Efficient supply chains reduce costs, making products cheaper for consumers.

• Logistics investments create jobs in transportation, warehousing, and technology.

• Improved distribution helps deliver goods to remote areas and reduces economic gaps.

• New technology like AI and automation makes global trade faster and greener.

Khalid, S. (2024). The impact of logistics on global economic development: A comprehensive review. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378749555_THE_IMPACT_OF_LOGISTICS_ON_GLOBAL_ECONOMIC_DEVELOPMENT_A_COMPREHENSIVE_REVIEW

*If you like these articles feel free to buy art, advertising or other to the right. Thank you. This is done for free to generate knowledge. 

University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers October 2026: Relatively Flat but Rising Prices

(Illustrative Only)

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.

Support local 
businesses.

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/

Is Art a Social Medium? (The Walking Path Art Gallery)

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!

Art Gallery (Painting and Photos)

$70 Purchase Painting Pay Pal

$60 for photos (Rights to Use or Printing)

Art Gallery eBay (Paintings)

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

September 2026 US Leading Economic Indicators

 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.

The Conference Board. (2026). US leading indicators. https://www.conference-board.org/topics/us-leading-indicators/