Quality Snowshoes will Make the Difference in Your Outdoor Experience

Quality snowshoes will make the difference with your next trek out into the wilderness. In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan we have blistering cold, deep snow, and tens of thousands of acres of untouched forest that includes streams, lakes, coastline, and wildlife. A few things you may want to look at for picking your snowshoes will be helpful.

There are obvious differences between wood and aluminum. The wood ones are heavy, long, and hard to turn around in. They are made of leather while the newer ones are lighter, more mobile, and typically come with better bindings. If you are looking for a newer style think about the following:

1. Weight: Lighter snowshoes are generally better if they are easy to lift in the snow.

2. Durability: You will want to check all the parts and market sure it is of quality construction.

3. Bindings: Make sure the bindings are easy to use or quick release. They should fit a large range of different size boots.

4. Grip Teeth: Make sure the "claw" on the bottom of the snowshoe is of solid construction and can help you climb up hills.

2018 May be the Year of Inflation and Employment Opportunities

What happens when there are supply shortages and businesses run at maximum capacity? When the economy is zooming ahead quickly and supply shortages occur the cost of products increases and so does inflation. As inflation increases the overall value of a dollar declines and people have less disposable income to spend on discretionary products while spending more for basic household items because they have to conserve on their dwindling earning power.

According to JP Morgan Chase & Co.'s PMI report global growth will be around 4 percent. This means more people are buying products and people will need to manufacture more to fulfill growing consumer demand.

This can lead to higher wages and additional hiring. We don't have a large unemployed population so whatever cushion within the system is likely to be sucked up quickly. After that slack is gone wages begin to increase.

Some will benefit over others. People highly skilled, or with specific training, will find their skills worth more while those who do not have advanced skills will start to see their earning power decline without new training programs. The gap between those who have and those who don't will lessen.

As inflation picks up the government is also likely to use interest rate hikes in their tool kit to slow down the economy and in turn inflation. There is a healthy balance where wages rise but inflation is still low that leads to improved earning power. A very difficult window for any government to maintain for long.

Another problem is that most employers don't raise wages fast enough to match the lost earning power. The reasons for this are based in a sticky economy and the insecurity of raising wages that will lead to increased costs. Productivity, skills, and innovation can justify wage increases.

For most of us, we will continue to have the pleasure of losing 3-5% of our income every year while doing more because of increased work demands based on production pressure. As increasing demand rises it would be beneficial for Americans to think about improving productivity, narrowing the wealth gap through raises, returning investments back into the U.S., and seeking to gain market share so they can squeeze out foreign competitors when the market slows down.

The Basic Benefits of Tai Chi

Tai Chi is must like yoga in offering fitness, mental, and health benefits. It also has the bonus of teaching one basic self-defense classes. While I like kempo and kick boxing I often find myself gravitating toward Tai Chi as a good "glue" that gaps yoga and self-defense.

Here is a video on basic Tai Chi tactics. You can see people practicing this at parks and gyms in California and much of the rest of the country.

Crisp Clean Super Moons in the Wilderness

Super moons are not something common but when they do occur they can be beautiful. I was out hunting near and on my drive home I passed the old KI Sawyer Air force Base. As I rounded the turn I noticed a great big moon that cast a nice light over the woods. While it was -1 degrees Fahrenheit out and my phone would get sluggish in just a few seconds of exposure I was able to snap at least one shot.

Such natural phenomenon add to the beauty and lifestyle that is attractive for a more natural lifestyle outside of a city. As the economy changes more people will be drawn to large cities and likely not see many of these natural beauties. There will be a large, yet smaller, demographic people that will use their education and work arrangements to life outside the city and comet to places like the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where a growing eco-tourist industry is growing. 

Six Measures of Economic Branding

National brand is an essential component of competing within the global market places. The "made in" image creates a stereotype between consumers and business that creates a picture of the products and its value to consumers on the global market (Ali & Rehman, 2015). This image is created from multiple aspects of the economy that include a variety of different aspects that reflect the local environment.

Countries are engaging more and more in branding opportunities because it can often draw additional investment that leads to economic growth (Anhold & Simon, 2003). As the world moves into an integrated global market stakeholders must think more about collaboration and working together to measure performance using macro-data and putting together better brands.

It is possible to use six dimensions of the local economy in measuring the quality of a brand image (Anholt-GfK Nation Brands Index, 2017).

-Exports: Products and services that allow consumers to buy or avoid local production.

-Governance: Belief and trust in government related to poverty, justice, democracy, and environment.

-Culture and Heritage: The global image of the locations heritage including arts, crafts, literature, sports, music, drama and film.

-People: The image of the people and their education, competence, friendliness and openness.

-Tourism: The local natural and man-made attractions that draw people to the area.

-Investment and Immigration: Through the lens of investors it is the value of the location for people to invest, get educated, spend money, start businesses, and live in the area.

Ali, M. & Rehman, C. (2015). National branding and economic development: finding the missing link. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 5 (5).

Anholt-GfK Nation Brands Index (2017). About. Retrieved 01/01/18 http://nation-brands.gfk.com/

Anholt, & Simon. (2003). Brand New Justice: The Upside of Global Branding,.
UK. : Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford

Those Without Higher Education Suffer Through Shorter Lives

Education can have a substantial impact throughout our lives and touches just about every aspect of our being include health and marriage. According to Princeton University economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton, men and women who do not go to college live shorter, less healthy lives and continue to lose ground against their more educated countrymen.

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/casetextsp17bpea.pdf


We know that life can be stressful but pain, stress, unemployment, and social dysfunction seem to take a toll on those who didn't get an education. They are slowed by their economic environment and their stress levels begin to rise. 

There is also the problem of consistent healthcare. When you are working menial jobs, or are not fully employed, you don't have the same access to healthcare and this can add up to a shorter life. Neglecting check ups and not having money for procedures can lead to serious illness. 

The comparison can be profound. For those between 50-54 without a bachelors degree mortality is 867 per 100,000 versus 243 for those with a bachelors degree. This is almost a 3X difference in survival rates. 


Higher education is becoming a must in today's high technology world where people need college to complete everyday tasks. This doesn't mean that a person can't move into a skilled trade but there is a level of education that goes with it that can be helpful. Helping people attend college can improve people's lives in many different arenas. 

The Importance to the Economy of Independent Law Enforcement

America has laws and these laws are voted on and passed by the people for the benefit of all. While we may not agree with all laws, and sometimes law enforcement may not apply these laws fairly or with the best wisdom, it nevertheless has an important duty to protecting citizens from crime, corruption, and predatory commerce. At the essential root of all economic systems is trust and law enforcement helps to ensure that people trust the system.

Independence means that law enforcement should not be at the whim of any politician or entity that could potentially skew the protections its affords its citizens. While judges have an obligation to interpret the will of the people, and often times hit a butterfly with a hammer, it is ultimately the people who have passed these laws that should have the final say.

While we may not see this at first look, law enforcement protects the value of the dollar and the economy. Each economic system is based in trust of trade and trust in the value of the dollar. When countries become corrupt it has a detrimental effect on the value of lawful commerce and causes wider devaluation of currency. The end result is the disintegration of values, economic activity, and beneficial citizen behaviors.

With skewed application of laws people lose a sense of belief in the overall American principle that if someone works hard they will receive rewards through entrepreneurial and personal initiative in the market. The system will look "rigged" and people will have less qualms about violating the law themselves in order to give themselves opportunities. The rich, poor, and popular should all be subject to the same laws.

Law enforcement has a sacred duty to protect the entire economic and political system through a balanced, independent, and thoughtful approach to the application of law. While there are many good reasons to reform law enforcement to ensure that justice is not blind to its own misapplication it should nevertheless be partially insulated from interference. Enough protections to keep it fair and unbiased while at the same time ensuring it doesn't run wild without accountability.