Growing GDP: Ports, Tourism, and Fiscal Pressure: A Comparative Look at San Diego and Delta County (Beyond Surfing)

(Illustrative Only)

A CA surfer guy and a
 lumberjack MI surfer guy
comparing economic notes.
Since they have surfing
in the UP now they figured
they might want to 
think about other similarities.
Not too different afterall.

Thinking I'm going to
get a boogie board 
instead of a surfboard for MI.
I already have winter dive
8mm wet suit so
I'm good there. 
Upper Peninsula Surfing

There is value in comparing the economic structure of San Diego County, California, and Delta County (including Escanaba), Michigan, not because they are similar in scale, but because they share certain functional characteristics that can be useful for analysis. They seem like largely different places but when we look at some comparable concepts. Gaining knowledge and awareness makes a big difference in overall understaning of similarities and differences.

San Diego represents a large, diversified metropolitan economy, while Delta County is a smaller local economy. Despite this difference, both regions share overlapping economic features such as tourism, maritime opportunities, coastal access, entrepreneurship and elements of manufacturing. Both suffer from costs and pension pressures. Looking at how these sectors operate at different scales can help identify patterns that may or may not transfer between regions.

In San Diego County, the port plays a significant role in driving economic activity through trade, logistics, and related industries. This type of port-centered economic engine could be a useful reference point when considering how Delta County might further leverage its own waterfront infrastructure and maritime access. While the scale is different, the underlying concept—using port activity to anchor broader economic development—can be comparable.

Tourism is another shared sector. San Diego benefits from a highly developed tourism industry built around climate, coastline, and urban amenities. Delta County and Escanaba also rely on tourism, though more seasonally and with a focus on natural and recreational attractions. This creates an opportunity for comparative learning in how tourism infrastructure, marketing, and investment strategies differ between mature and developing tourism economies.

Manufacturing and resource-related industries also appear in both regions, though again at different levels of complexity and output. San Diego’s economy is more diversified and includes advanced manufacturing and technology-driven sectors, while Delta County’s opportunities are more closely tied to traditional industries and emerging resource development possibilities.

From a fiscal perspective, San Diego County shows overall economic growth and a large GDP base, although fiscal pressures can vary between the county and the city level. In contrast, Delta County and Escanaba operate on a much smaller tax base, where budget constraints are more immediate and sensitive to fluctuations in revenue and population trends. Delta County has faced some recent fiscal challenges, while Escanaba has generally maintained a balanced budget position, reflecting differences. Also representing the potential benefits for more economic coordination between different local governance entities (i.e. shared goals, attracting new business, and marketing).

Overall, the comparison is not about equating the two regions, but about understanding how different scales of economy manage similar sectors. Larger economies like San Diego can offer examples of how to structure ports, tourism systems, and diversified industry bases, while smaller regions like Delta County provide insight into efficiency, fiscal constraints, and localized economic management (The potential for an economic cluster if the right contributory businesses are attracted). The goal is simply to observe patterns and consider how ideas might transfer across very different economic environments.

A nice article summary below from the San Diego Union-Tribune

Overall change (2020 → 2024)

• From $1.267B to $1.635B
• Total increase: +29.0%
• Average annual growth: ~6.6% per year (nominal)

Year	GDP (billions USD)	% change from prior year
2020	$1.267	—
2021	$1.369	+8.0%
2022	$1.488	+8.7%
2023	$1.546	+3.9%
2024	$1.635	+5.8%

Source Fred GDP Delta County

San Diego County GDP (Nominal, Current $) + % Change

Key growth highlights

• 2001 → 2024: +188% total growth (about 3× larger economy)
• Strong rebound after 2020 pandemic slowdown
• Steady post-2020 growth averaging ~7–10% annually before moderating slightly in 2024

Year	GDP (Billions $)	% Change vs Previous Year
2001	115.0	—
2005	153.0	+33.0% (from 2001)
2010	166.9	+9.1% (vs 2005)
2015	208.5	+24.9%
2020	247.1	+1.8% (pandemic slowdown)
2021	272.9	+10.4%
2022	295.4	+8.2%
2023	315.3	+6.7%
2024	331.9	+5.3%

 

Source Fred GDP San Diego

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), via FRED: GDP by County Series GDPALL06073

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPALL06073

San Diego County’s $267 Billion Economy Surpasses 20 U.S. States

• San Diego County’s gross domestic product (GDP) reached approximately $267 billion in 2024, placing it ahead of the economies of 20 U.S. states.
• The county ranks among the largest regional economies in the United States and continues to experience steady economic growth.
• Major contributors to the local economy include defense and military spending, tourism, international trade, biotechnology, research, and manufacturing.
• Tourism remains a major economic engine, generating billions in visitor spending and supporting a significant share of local employment.
• The Port of San Diego contributes substantially to regional economic activity through trade, maritime operations, and employment generation.
• Federal and military investments continue to provide stability and long-term economic support for the region.
• Data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that San Diego County’s economy continued to grow in 2024 despite broader national economic uncertainty.

San Diego Union-Tribune. (2026, February 6). San Diego County’s GDP up to $267 billion — bigger than 20 states. The San Diego Union-Tribune. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/02/06/san-diego-countys-gdp-up-to-267-billion-bigger-than-20-states/

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The Physical Benefits of Kayaking in the Outdoors

Kayaking

Kayaking offers a unique way to reconnect with nature while improving both physical and mental well-being. In places like sunny San Diego, the experience can feel vibrant and alive—the sun shining overhead, ducks gliding across the water, a sea lion surfacing for a brief moment, families taking their sailboats out, and laughter drifting across the harbor from nearby restaurants.

Travel across the country to places like Escanaba, and the atmosphere changes completely. There, you might find quiet rivers lined only with trees, crystal-clear water clean enough to drink from by hand, and fish swimming just a few feet below the surface. Whether you are kayaking along the coast of Southern California or through the peaceful waterways of Michigan, the experience has a way of reducing stress and helping people disconnect from the pressures of daily life. That is what makes vacations in these areas so restorative.

Kayaking also provides excellent physical benefits. It can improve cardiovascular health by increasing oxygen intake and endurance, while paddling strengthens the upper body, torso, and stabilizer muscles used for balance and movement. Every sport develops the body differently depending on your goals, and outdoor activities often make exercise feel less repetitive and more enjoyable. Many people struggle to stay consistent with traditional gym routines because they become tired of repetitive workouts. Activities like kayaking offer variety, adventure, and fitness all at once, which is often what helps people stay motivated long term.

For those looking to improve their health and fitness, kayaking can be a great addition to a broader wellness routine. I hold certifications in fitness training and yoga instruction, and I offer hobby coaching sessions tailored to individual fitness goals. Sessions are generally about $50 per hour and can often be done virtually in just a few visits, giving you a personalized routine you can continue on your own. Later on, adjustments can always be made as your goals evolve. About half of the proceeds are donated to charity, while the remainder helps cover expenses and supports the project. If you are interested, feel free to send me a message or reach out through the email listed below. muradabel@gmail.com

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The Economic Potential of Ports and Regional Collaboration: Maritime Transportation Costs on International Trade

Lighhouse in Marquette
When lighthouses were
needed. 

I can print most pictures up to
poster size for $50
Frame or Unframed. I do
this as a hobby so 50% for charity
and 50% for me. 
Send me a message to the right
or my email. 
You may check out My Gallery
and Art Page
muradabel@gmail.com

We discuss often about the ways to improve economic activity and build a stronger society, both economically and socially. Of course, no single idea is going to solve every problem, and the concepts presented here are open for discussion. People can agree, disagree, or draw their own conclusions. Still, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of small factors that contribute to a strong economy, and lately I’ve been thinking more about some of the larger ones—particularly economic cluster theory and the way synergy develops through how companies interact-i.e. the microtransactions.

One major cost input factor is infrastructure. There is a reason governments and businesses often invest heavily in ports, railways, roads, shipping networks, and data systems. Infrastructure lowers the cost of transactions, increases the speed of movement and communication, and creates opportunities for new ideas, new businesses, and greater economic activity. In many cases, it also improves efficiency and reduces costs over time. It encourages greater investment in the area and region.

That is why I often think about Escanaba as a potentially strong location for expanded shipbuilding and port development. With targeted investment, the area appears to have the capability and capacity to support additional maritime activity. Such development could become a meaningful boost for the local economy. Whether the focus was recreational, commercial, or even military shipbuilding, the larger point is that the region already has advantages through its rail access, mining connections, metal stamping, and central location for import and export activity. Economically, it is at least worth examining whether expanding port operations would make sense.

For example, imagine building or modernizing a port that reduces transportation and shipping costs across the region. Pair that with efforts to encourage startups and strengthen a few anchor businesses that share suppliers and services. Smaller entrepreneurial firms could support those anchor companies while also revitalizing the downtown area. Encouraging startups, tourism, entertainment, social organizations, and community activities can help attract and retain talented people, especially young families and professionals who want to feel connected to a community.

One of the strengths of the area is that it already has a close-knit culture. People know one another, support one another, and the community has become increasingly welcoming to newcomers. They have a vested interest in making things work to help them, their children, and their grandchildren. That matters because economic development is not only about money or infrastructure—it is also about quality of life and creating places where people actually want to live.

A stronger port and shipping network could potentially increase trade by lowering transportation costs and improving logistics. Companies are already recognizing some of that potential. Amazon has expanded operations in the broader region, which reflects the importance of transportation access and delivery efficiency. Faster transit times and improved infrastructure can influence investment decisions and economic growth.

The larger question is whether expanded shipping and port activity could help spark more startups, innovation, and regional collaboration. Could local businesses work together more effectively through associations or shared branding? Could producers of maple syrup, beef, wood products, and other regional products find broader markets by coordinating their efforts? Could stronger infrastructure help create an economic cluster that reinforces itself over time?

Lots of questions....

These are not simple questions, and there are always tradeoffs to consider. But they are worth thinking about. Read the study below and consider how increased shipping activity or expanded port infrastructure might impact the regional economy. Would it create long-term benefits, encourage entrepreneurship, and strengthen the community, or would the costs outweigh the gains? You don't have to come to a conclusion yet. 

The Impact of Rising Maritime Transport Costs on International Trade: Estimation Using a Multi-Region General Equilibrium Model

• Examines how increases in maritime shipping costs affect international trade and the global economy.
• Uses a multi-region general equilibrium model to estimate economic impacts across countries and industries.
• Finds that higher shipping costs can reduce trade volumes and disrupt supply chains.
• Demonstrates that countries heavily dependent on imports and exports are more vulnerable to transportation cost increases.
• Highlights how rising freight expenses can contribute to inflationary pressures and reduced economic efficiency.
• Suggests that global trade networks are highly sensitive to disruptions in maritime transportation systems.
• Emphasizes the importance of resilient logistics systems and diversified trade strategies for economic stability.

Ferrari, E., Christidis, P., & Bolsi, P. (2023). The impact of rising maritime transport costs on international trade: Estimation using a multi-region general equilibrium model. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 22, 100985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2023.100985

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Industry-Academic Research, Collaboration and Human Capital

 

( Illustrative Only)

Business may not be
investing collaboratively
enough to create
innovative synergy.

Research and innovation go hand in hand. In the modern world, companies and countries compete through their total capacity for innovation. That innovation may come in the form of products, services, or entirely new ideas and concepts, much like the transformative thinking that emerged during the Enlightenment. Developing human capital is one of the most effective ways to increase innovative capacity because people drive creativity, problem-solving, and adaptation.

This idea can be viewed as a form of broad-based innovation. Similar to broad-based capitalism—where individuals can benefit from participating in the system—broad-based innovation depends on empowering more people to contribute ideas, creativity, and leadership. Maximizing innovation within universities and industries therefore requires continuously developing people to think creatively, collaborate effectively, take initiative, and contribute new solutions. The era of treating people as simple machinery is over. Advances in technology have fundamentally changed the nature of work and value creation.

Universities have long benefited from partnerships with industry, particularly through laboratories and research facilities that produce important scientific and technological advances. However, innovation is no longer limited to physical laboratories. Digital platforms and virtual collaboration now allow for new forms of research that focus on human insight, idea generation, and collective problem-solving. Over the past 20 years—accelerated significantly and culminated during the COVID era—the virtual world has expanded the possibilities for collaboration and innovation across geographic boundaries.

One promising concept is applying the idea of economic clustering to research and development itself. In this model, companies within a regional or industrial cluster could contribute resources into a shared innovation pool designed to strengthen the entire ecosystem. The goal would be to improve how companies collaborate, reach markets, share expertise, and develop complementary products and services. By increasing innovation across the cluster, the region could experience higher revenues, rising household incomes, stronger tax bases, and broader economic development benefits when new products hit the market. Scaled effectively, such collaborative innovation systems could even influence national competitiveness.

The traditional model of working in isolation no longer makes sense in a world where human capital, collaboration, and cross-industry interaction generate much of the modern economy’s value. As technology continues to reshape society, there is an opportunity to rethink how research, innovation, education, and industry partnerships are organized to create more inclusive and dynamic systems of growth. Small and large businesses can collaborate.

The information below helps us better understand research within universities. 

U.S. Universities and Industrial Innovation: An Interactive Relationship Producing Economic Value from Research

• Academic research contributes to industrial innovation through publications, consulting, patents, conferences, entrepreneurship, and student training.
• Informal interactions between researchers and industry professionals are often more influential than patents or licensing agreements alone.
• Faculty consulting and entrepreneurship can complement research productivity rather than reduce it.
• Studies reviewed in the chapter suggest that patenting and publishing are generally compatible activities for university researchers.
• The biotechnology and biomedical sectors have especially strong university-industry relationships due to the commercial value of scientific discoveries.
• The chapter discusses the historical growth of university patenting and technology transfer before and after the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980.
• The Bayh-Dole Act allowed universities to patent federally funded research, which increased university involvement in licensing and commercialization.
• Licensing revenues can support universities, but they usually represent a relatively small share of university budgets.
• Effective technology transfer policies require balancing revenue generation, faculty incentives, commercialization, and regional economic development.

Committee on Assessing the Value of Research in Advancing National Goals, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. (2014). U.S. universities and industrial innovation: An interactive relationship producing economic value from research. In C. R. F. Celeste, A. Griswold, & M. L. Straf (Eds.), Furthering America’s research enterprise. National Academies Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK253889/

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Gallop Leadership and Management Indicators: How to Develop Trust, Engagement and Performance

Trust is critically important within organizations, yet research continues to show that trust between employees, managers, and leadership is often lower than it should be. Organizations are ultimately collections of people, and individuals join them not only for compensation, but because they bring valuable skills, knowledge, and abilities to the workplace.

People remain with organizations for many reasons beyond pay. Strong managers play a major role in retaining employees by keeping them engaged in meaningful work, setting goals, creating a sense of community, and helping employees grow and develop professionally. When people feel connected to their work and believe they are contributing to something important, it strengthens both individual motivation and organizational performance.

While return on investment and shareholder value are important, organizations must also recognize the human side of work. Employees are often willing to contribute significant effort when they feel they are part of a supportive team, have purpose in their role, and know their work matters.

Problems emerge when leadership treats employees as replaceable machinery rather than people. If employees believe management does not support them, invest in their development, or care about their long-term success, organizations are likely to experience poor retention, declining morale, and the loss of valuable human capital.

Successful organizations build strong connections with employees and help them find pathways to achieve personal and professional goals within the company. Treating employees with respect and showing that they are valued can create deep loyalty. In many cases, people will remain with an organization for 20 or 30 years because they genuinely enjoy where they work, even when higher-paying opportunities may exist elsewhere. 

If you need a little help or guidance, I offer hobby coaching on a casual basis and you can reach out via the email provided or the contact option to the right to set up a virtual session. I typically charge around $50 per session and treat this as a side hobby, and I donate about 50% of what I earn to charity while the remainder goes toward expenses or personal use. Sometimes having an outside perspective can make a big difference in getting focused and moving in the right direction, and even simple feedback on your ideas can be valuable. If you're interested, feel free to get in touch and we can set something up. muradabel@gmail.com

Gallup Leadership and Management Indicators: Employee Trust, Engagement, and Organizational Performance

• Gallup measures employee perceptions of leadership, management quality, and performance management practices within organizations.
• Only 19% of employees strongly agreed that they trust their organization’s leadership, reflecting ongoing challenges in workplace confidence and communication.
• Gallup emphasizes that managers account for approximately 70% of the variance in team engagement, making management quality a major driver of organizational success.
• Strong leadership contributes to higher employee engagement, improved profitability, reduced turnover, and lower burnout levels.
• Modern managers face increasing pressure due to hybrid work, employee disengagement, turnover, and organizational instability in the post-pandemic workplace.
• Gallup advocates shifting from traditional annual performance reviews toward continuous coaching, strengths development, goal setting, and frequent feedback.
• Employees who receive regular feedback and participate in goal setting are significantly more likely to feel engaged at work.
• Gallup research identifies leadership competencies such as relationship building, communication, accountability, critical thinking, and employee development as essential for effective management.
• Research also highlights leadership blind spots, where managers often rate their own effectiveness more positively than employees do.
• Gallup’s findings suggest that investing in leadership development and manager support can improve organizational culture, employee wellbeing, and long-term business performance.

Gallup. (n.d.). Global indicator: Leadership & management. Gallup. https://www.gallup.com/404252/indicator-leadership-management.aspx

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Three Must Dos In Fitness

Rowing at a club.

There are three primary ways to improve your health and get into better shape, and it’s often best to approach them in this order.

First, set a realistic goal. Whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 10 pounds, understand that healthy progress takes time. Rapid weight loss is often regained quickly once routines change, and it usually isn’t sustainable long term. A reasonable target for many people is about one pound per week, which can often be achieved by reducing daily calorie intake by around 500 calories. The key is giving yourself enough time to build habits that last.

Second, incorporate exercise into your routine. Having a schedule can help, but consistency matters more than perfection. Exercise doesn’t always mean going to the gym. You can improve your health by biking around your neighborhood, walking on the beach, hiking, or staying active throughout the day. If your goal is to gain muscle and strength, you’ll need some form of resistance training, but even resistance bands and bodyweight exercises can make a noticeable difference. If flexibility and balance are your focus, activities like yoga, Pilates, and dance are excellent options. Understanding your goals will help determine the type and amount of exercise that works best for you.

Third, focus on nutrition. For many people, nutrition plays the largest role in long-term health. Study after study shows that eating habits heavily influence overall wellness and longevity, even for people who do not exercise regularly. That said, building strength and muscle mass still provides major health benefits. In general, it’s best to increase lean protein intake, eat more vegetables and whole foods, and reduce heavily processed carbohydrates. However, carbs are still important, especially complex carbohydrates, because your body and brain rely on them for energy. Extremely restrictive or zero-carb diets are often difficult to maintain and may not be the healthiest long-term solution.

I hold certifications as both a fitness trainer and yoga instructor. If you’d like guidance with setting goals, creating a workout routine, or building a sustainable nutrition plan, feel free to send me a message to the right or use the email below. I offer virtual sessions designed to help people get started, stay accountable, and create a plan that fits their lifestyle. muradabel@gmail.com

I also try to donate about 50% of what I earn to various charities, while the other 50% helps support healthy meals and continued training resources.

There’s no better time to start than today. Even a few sessions can help you get organized, build momentum, and move in the right direction.

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The Architecture of Animus: Neurological Realities and the Allegory of the Clan

(Illustrative only)

Representing hate in the brain, the theory of the mirror, 
and how to understand to create
invisibility in society.

Hate has long been a destructive force in society, contributing to division, conflict, and instability within communities and society at large. It often emerges and spreads because it can be leveraged—whether to gain resources, strengthen group identity, or mobilize support. In this sense, it can resemble older tribal dynamics, where cohesion within a group depended on distinguishing and opposing outsiders, and at times even internal members who are redefined as outsiders because they think for themselves.

As societies become more complex and developed, these patterns persist in more subtle forms. Fear and insecurity can lead people to project distorted beliefs onto others, sometimes resulting in hostility, misinformation, or coordinated social exclusion. These patterns are not formed overnight but tend to develop over time through repeated reinforcement within specific social environments.

At its core, hate is often rooted in fear or perceived threat. It reflects something unresolved within the individual or group expressing it. Those who are targeted by hate, however, often experience only the outward aggression—rumors, hostility, or exclusion—which naturally provokes defensive responses and conflict in return. In some cases, people may learn to respond more strategically rather than reacting immediately, but the pressure of sustained hostility toward victims still shapes outcomes. In corrupt systems that embrace hate the victims are almost always seen as at fault. i.e Tulsa massacre that no one corrected. Open displays intentional officialized dehumanization.

This dynamic can become self-reinforcing. Hate attempts to provoke harm and reaction, and those reactions can then be used as further justification for continued hostility. Even silence or non-response may be interpreted as validation. Notice a pattern in blame. Basically, there is nothing the victims can do except be good victims or challenge the roots that cause the hate. Over time, this can escalate to the point where targeted individuals or groups are viewed as undeserving of basic rights or participation in society. It happens in history and continues to happen.

In this “Allegory of the Clan,” such judgments can persist regardless of historical ties, including generations of residence back to the start, genrations of sacrafice-service, or even foundational contributions to a nation’s initial development. In these cases, the target is stripped of perceived legitimacy, and history or contribution is disregarded. In our learning story the courts stripped the victims of dignity, allowed behaviors against others, failed to remove the incentives and undermined our social contracts to help clan members (in theory). The risks of rising nationalism (identity) versus patriotism (principle) become apparent. Much of society is at risk when such behaviors are normalized.

Recognizing this pattern does not mean ignoring harm or dismissing accountability. The goal is not to get people in trouble. It means understanding that hate often reflects the beliefs and fears of those who express it more than the reality of those who are targeted. No person or official is immune from the aphorodesiac of hate. From that perspective, responses can be grounded in clarity and restraint rather than escalation.

A constructive response requires both boundaries and responsibility. While individuals and communities must protect themselves from harm, there is also value in choosing not to mirror hostility. Understand their choices are their choices and a mirror into their soul and the soul of the decision makers that allowed it. Those who fail to correct behaviors agsinst those they liken to dogs and anomals. Forgiveness, in this sense, is not the absence of accountability, but the refusal to be consumed by the same cycle of aggression. Return hate with love and empathy. No matter what misbehaviors decision makers embrace.

At the same time, forgiveness alone is not sufficient. Harmful behavior has real consequences, and systems that allow abuse, manipulation, or exclusion to persist without correction can perpetuate harm across generations. There is a responsibility to address wrongdoing, prevent future harm, and restore fairness where it has been undermined. or not? 🤷It just depends on your personal beliefs.

Ultimately, a stable and just society depends on balancing these principles: resisting cycles of hate while still ensuring accountability for individuals and systems. Those who can restrain their reaction and move to a higher moral conscious and calling may be seen as second class citizens but are sometimes the first among men/women. One of the reasons why freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and our social contracts should be strenghthened and preserved. 

"No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth." Plato

*The Allegory of the Clan is a hypothetical, philsophical, running thought experiment on hate. You may arrange the elements and come to any conclusion you desire. 

Neural Correlates of Hate

• The study explored how the brain responds when individuals view someone they hate compared to someone they feel neutral toward.
• Researchers used functional MRI (fMRI) scans on participants while they viewed images of hated individuals and neutral acquaintances.
• Several brain regions became more active during feelings of hate, including areas associated with aggression, emotional processing, and movement planning.
• Some activated regions overlapped with areas involved in romantic love, suggesting that intense emotions may share neurological pathways.
• Unlike love, hate also activated brain regions associated with judgment, threat assessment, and preparing for action.
• The researchers suggested that hate is a complex emotional state involving both emotional attachment and defensive or aggressive readiness.
• Findings contributed to understanding how strong social emotions are represented in the human brain.

Zeki, S., & Romaya, J. P. (2008). Neural correlates of hate. PLoS ONE, 3(10), e3556. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0003556

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