College Enrollment Up: Current Term Enrollment Estimates: Fall 2024 (Higher Education and Human Capital)

People are flocking back to college and that may be a good thing. As we shift from a post-industrial era to a digital era people will need to update their skills to compete. The world is becoming more complex and high technology needs high quality skills. College degrees or trade skills are needed to effectively compete and stay out of the minimum/low wage bracket. To maintain national competitiveness, we want to foster an educated and skilled workforce ready to compete globally. 

What I would like to see is whether online education and skilled trades are rising or not (I suspect they are.). You can sort of tell from the report that alternative education/certificate is growing and that likely also means easy access has value (There are some high value online programs out there with excellent performance outcomes.) To know if online that offers lifelong learning advantages is growing one would need to look at enrollment numbers categorizing those constucts separately (Other reports indicate it is.). The same with skilled trades. 

Fall 2024 College Enrollment Up: National Student Clearing House Research

CEOs Becoming Optimistic- New Technologies and New Industries

It looks like CEOs are a little optimistic about the future. AI and regenerative type tech seem to be part of the Golden Era movement. Infrastructure has improved significantly over the past few years and it would seem as though with building of the data software/platform over the past few years and new technology in terms of AI on top of that infrastructure should see whole new industries and technology generations. 

(As a side note these are the type of surveys I would like to do if I had time. I was sort of playing with how new industries are created through my cluster research. DC Cluster New Innovative Industry)

Fortune/Deloitte CEO Survey: Fall 2024

-CEO Confidence of global economy went up to 42%,

-Optimism for their organization 82%,

-Optimism toward their industry 61%

Train History-Photography and Pictures (Art and Projects)

If you like trains you might want to review this photo I took a few years ago Trains on Track Photo. Moving a few pieces from one art gallery to the next. Paintings and physical stuff will be in one and photos in another. The Walking Path Gallery

There was a time we invented many big things that changed the world. I think that time will come again. 1707 the steam locamotive was invented. Chronology of American Trains

Who doesn't love post cards! Something you might functionally use at for.

Train on Track Post Card

Unwritten Social Classes and Our Responsibilities (Reconciliation Thought Experiment)

 Life isn't perfect and we shouldn't expect it to be but we should expect the basic humanity and civility. We are exploring a hypothetical philosophical thought experiment on intentional injustice and what that might look like on a practical level. Thus far we have discovered 1.) Default in Justice (removal of rights and recourse, 2.) Dehumanization (removal of dignity) and now 3.) Reconciliation (Acceptance of Lower Social Position.) Reconciliation occurs when intentional misapplication of law indicates an intent to harm through technicalities (vs. greater purpose) and the social values such harm suggests (implicit and tacit rules.). We explore to learn and someday learn to avoid outcomes that shake the foundations of moral conscious. Some of us will stand for a higher more American value system.

The following is for learning purposes only so take with a grain of salt. 

Even if you are forced into second class citizenship one still has the responsibility to be a decent person despite the abuse. That place in society comes from the environmental stimuli and the different laws for different people through local corruption. People know their place by how these systems treat them when in that locality (not in others so it is a local issue.). Patriotism, service, truth, and a history of doing so is not given merit or worth much in comparison to homogeneous clan member affiliation.  When your hair color and close affiliations with corrupted officials determines guilt and innocence we have a much bigger problem.

Those on this side of the line live here and those on that side live there. The physical world is the same for both but what one can expect from the environment are different. Entitled versus respectful or free riders versus producers come to mind.  One will be treated with hate and the other with consideration and it has nothing to do with values, intent or behaviors. The difference between a billionaires neighborhood and a poor persons neighborhood is many times smaller than the difference between those accepted and those rejected by social class.

You can accept there are clearly different laws for different people. You can accept that some have the right to harm others as many times as they want. You can even accept social corruption as a fact of life. What really bothers you is how something as small as a name, a difference in faith, perhaps skin color, or a political perspective can change your world (The nation started to protect against the bigotries of centuries past. Some keep those bigotries alive.) Where the smallest things become the biggest things, and the biggest thing become the smallest things expect no justice. They can't see through their distorted lenses to provide equitable treatment. There are no backstops. Wear your second class badge with honor! It is the badge of those who still believe in freedom. You have earned your rights many times over and shiuld expect them. We know there people who are undermining our principles and we keep the faith and honor our  shared values.

Reject their hate and be a better person then they could ever be is the best path forward. Teach the next generation to respect our Constitution, uphold the rule of law, the fair application of that law, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and human/civil rights. Ensure political engagement and expression are sacred to all members of society. Do not sell out your nation, its people, or it's principles like they have. Patriotic people know there is room for improvement and support that improvement no matter what their forced social position.

Here is a piece on what Americans expect in terms of patriotism. Look at what is #1 on the list. The Public and Patriotism. Imagine if we have people willfully creating intentional disparities through corruption of the law and do not share the same values as the rest of us. Notice how both parties believe in high values of respect. As a conservative I stand with freedom. I still believe "In God We Trust" and our oaths being more than lip service. Some corrupted officials do not. This hypothetical example will have a positive result but we are ensuring we understand an alternative logic then the ones used to promote a weaker society. Failure should be a learning experience and it should not be an option.

*This is a thought experiment for learning purposes and should be taken with a grain of salt. We are finding ways to understand corruption and hate. We can write a positive ending and it will likely have that positive ending.

Escanaba City Council Meeting (January 16, 2025)-Fiscally Sound and Investor Attractive (Government and Economy)

If you watch the city council meeting below you find that the city is well managed and fiscally sound (Escanaba City Council). Likewise, they have implemented new technologies, utilized grants well, and continue to improve year after year. When so many cities are running in the red when you have one like we do here running in the green it should do more than raise an eyebrow. That should be especially true when companies need to return to the U.S with new international trade policy changes (i.e. export potential).

I don't know about you but if I had to move an office back to the US, I would bring it to a place that has 4 seasons, lots of entertainment/recreation opportunities, motivated citizens and export airport (KI Sawyer) and ports nearby. As an outdoor tourist destination and an increase in entrpreneurial interest this is fast becoming a place to be. New infrastructure, skilled trades college, lots of new entrepreneurial business openings. Beaches, Bonfires, Bucks, Bass and Business! Beautifully the Best!

Smart cities are technologically upward mobile (Important with new AI investments). Based on the size of Escanaba and T1 lines it is nearing smart city status. An emerging digital nomad’s spot. The opportunities are there. From my economic cluster perspective, the development of dashboards can help formalize the functioning of inner workings for smart city management. You can read a little something on Deloitte Financing Smart Cities. Cities like Escanaba also are increasigly investor friendly and we can see that with the new investments that include industry, infrastructure, tourism and even skilled trades. Investor Ready Cities

I wonder if Esky could be an investment destination with some of the changes going on? 🤔

A Study Tells You How to Lose Weight and Gain Muscle (Health and Fitness)

Weight loss and muscle gain are important and common goals for those who workout. I have a fitness trainers license and hope to do more in the future so I'm staying on top of the current literature. Recently I'm thinking of the best ways to gain muscle and reduce fat. The following study indicates that diet-induced weight loss, relatively high protein and a mix of resistance endurance exercises impact weight loss and muscle gain.

If you’re looking for some help setting up a diet plan, coaching, virtual fitness training (physical in San Diego or Escanaba) let me know. Certified in a number of different fitness areas. Sometimes a little guidance goes a long way. Send me a message to the right.

The following is quoted from Preserving Healthy Muscle during Weight Loss

1) compared with persons with normal weight, those with obesity have more muscle mass but poor muscle quality;

2) diet-induced weight loss reduces muscle mass without adversely affecting muscle strength;

3) weight loss improves global physical function, most likely because of reduced fat mass;

4) high protein intake helps preserve lean body and muscle mass during weight loss but does not improve muscle strength and could have adverse effects on metabolic function;

5) both endurance- and resistance-type exercise help preserve muscle mass during weight loss, and resistance-type exercise also improves muscle strength.

Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B. Preserving Healthy Muscle during Weight Loss. Adv Nutr. 2017 May 15;8(3):511-519. doi: 10.3945/an.116.014506. PMID: 28507015; PMCID: PMC5421125.

Sometimes it is what it is-Order Creation (Reconciliation Thought Experiment)

We are exploring hate through a philosophical theoretical thought experiment that includes a stage of 1. Default in Justice (corruption) 2. Dehumanization (removal of value) and now 3.) Reconciliation (social position/order). The example is meant to build a model of protected hate and help us find solutions. It is for learning purposes and should be taken with a grain of salt. 

Stage One: Default in justice occurs where corruption exists.

Stage Two: Dehumanization occurs where people do not have rights or do not have recourse. 

Stage Three: Social order creation where it is known that different people have different rights.

In the example we are using minority victims of different race, religion, or political values who were targeted, reported crimes, retaliated for that reporting of crimes and ultimately were accurate. Choices made were based in extreme prejudice and there was a failure to reverse those poor outcomes. It is well known some are above the law and some are not. Order is create out of chaos. It is what it is and victims can accept their new understanding of how people see their place. It enhances their commitment to making a better world where others have failed. 

I came across this journal article The Brain Mechanisms of Hate. Hate is deep and it should be avoided. It is harmful to society and we should discourage it when possible. 

Today is Martin Luther King Day. He was a trailblazer in freedom, and we choose to support or not support that freedom every day in little acts of kindness.  I advocate for a single indivisible people who hold together a single future vision. That means first seeing each other as equal and endowed with certain rights from our creator. You may read about Martin Luther King at the The King Center

*This is a hypothetical philosophical thought experiment to understand the logic of hate and potential solutions. Because this is a thougth expriment for learning purposes take with a grain of salt.