White House Briefing: Testing Innovation Supports Economic Opening (05-11-2020)

The White House briefing today focused on the increasing capacity to improve testing (Something like 300k a month). While testing doesn't necessarily stop the virus it can tell us who has it and get people into quarantine faster. Once a vaccine is created it may also allow us to test at the onset of illness and then apply the vaccine to eradicate the disease before it spread quickly.

We know that this is not unique to history and seems to come around every once in a great while. We are an organic species and should expect these things to happen. Our very existence is based on our ability to overcome challenges like these. We will be stronger for it!

The crisis leads us into a new generation of testing by innovating new products. Few things spur innovation as much as necessity does. We are under threat, we know we must act, and all stakeholders came together to put us into a brighter spot than we were a few months ago.

New wearable quick tests may end up coming onto the market. It may take some time to perfect such products and have them available for mass consumption. I suspect if we can create a quick test we can also down the road improve wearable exposure products for medical professionals and first responders. 

Because much of the world is engaged in an innovative process right now we will see new things coming on the market that we haven't seen before. That will lead us further into the era of micro technologies and wearable medical devices. Early detection may allow us to apply solutions before it moves out of the incubation stage and cause serious body failures. 

What is coming on the market is not the last word. We will want to avoid these situations in the future so our medical community will change and it could be possible that we will start to think about healthcare cost through prevention. Telehealth and other changes could impact access, quality and cost of healthcare. Poor health can lead to spreading infections to others so better lifestyle management and medical care may occur. Only time will tell. 

I can say that the tone was up-beat and that there appears to be a mood of optimism at the White House. We will need to wait to see what happens next as the economy opens up.......

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Discusses Re-Opening Society and Next Steps (May 11th, 2020)

Travel Retail and Labor took the highest hit in our economy. It is possible that there could be a 25% unemployment rate (when we include people who were not looking for work and any new numbers since April) but the economic fundamentals that caused the Great Depression are not present here. The economy was strong prior to this pandemic and those fundamentals have not changed. April numbers were around 14.7%. This will be our hardest hit time and then things should be getting better.

There will be an improving 3Q, 4Q and a really strong next year. No previous models predict what happens when you close down a large economy for medical reasons. Such models were looking for other predictors that are based in economic fundamentals. The pandemic doesn't fit within those models. Furthermore, the medical community is discussing possible vaccines that could also be a major a "game changer".

There is this balance between keeping things closed and opening up the economy. Permanent economic damage will occur if we don't start to reopen and that can impact people's lives. The Federal re-opening methodology offers opportunities to dial up and dial down depending on the risk factors. That will allow large areas to open and get the economy moving.

Taking a few weeks before the passed stimulus money will make its way through the system. We shouldn't rush to pump more money into the economy until we understand the impact of the previous stimulus packages. Government is pushing for a payroll tax cuts as a method of putting money in people's pockets. There isn't a lot of support for providing funds to states to pay for prior poor management versus COVID related issues.

How to Create Your Own Product Pictures with White Background for Amazon and Ebay

Marketspaces and e-commerce have taken over much of the selling world. If you are not online you are likely missing out on a lot of potential revenue. A problem small manufacturers and businesses face is that they don't know how to create a white backdrop for product pictures. Amazon requires a white background and Ebay prefers them because of their quality and ease of understanding.

You don't need to pay someone as you can make your own!

I use the Paint program that comes with almost all computers. One can also go online and find some free photo editors web base software. Gimp is great and offers lots of different options but may take a few minutes to learn.

Here are a few steps that will help you....


-Photo Editor: I first used the basic phone editor such as Google Photos to adjust color, light, and pop so the product stood out against the back ground.

Stage 1: Photo Editor
Adjust color, pop, and light before downloading

-Download and Open in Microsoft Paint: Most computers have a paint editor function that lets you edit and pictures.

Stage 2: Zoom
Zoom in erase a border.

-Zoom in Erase around Your Product: Zoom in and erase around your product. Zoom back out to get a nice perspective.

Stage 3: Clean up
Clean up your background

-Make Your Background White. They won't be accepted by many of the markespaces unless they are. You may also want to change them to 1000+ pixels so they can be zoomed in.

Stage 4: Add Content
Dimensions and Logo

-Logo and Dimensions: Add the logo and dimensions that will help your customers understand the product and its specifications.

Escanaba Polo Mallet Co. is a start-up designed to raise awareness on issues as they relate to small manufacturing/business. A significant portion of profits from are donated to helping orphans, child enrichment and other important social causes. Sharing this article increases general knowledge for other entrepreneurs but also encourages others to start businesses as well https://www.escanabapolomallet.com/

Copy of Michigan Legislature vs Executive Branch(Governor Whitmer) Complaint

There is continued debate in Michigan over executives orders and the three branches of government that include legislative, executive, and judiciary. Below is the complaint and we should expect more to come from a debate standpoint. Many of us will see different things depending on our own personal and political beliefs. The courts will ultimately decide whether the complaint has merit or should be discarded/dismissed. Staying informed of political activities in Michigan helps each of us engage with knowledge in public discourse.

1. Complaint Michigan Legi... by Dr. Murad Abel on Scribd

No. 2020-78 Temporary extension of the validity of driver licenses, state identification cards, and certain vehicle registrations

Governor Whitmer provide extensions for drivers license, I.D. cards and vehicle registrations. See below....

White House Briefing Kayleigh McEnany (05/08/20)-Discussion on Justice and Ahmaud Arbery

There were a number of really tough questions going on and it was interesting. The idea of justice floated in the conversation and it will likely continue to come up as we wrestle with new ideas and concepts that are likely to be part of dialogue on American rejuvenation. It is almost as though members were sort of building off of each other moving from General Flynn to Ahmaud Arbery. Go ahead and watch.....

Our Nation Relies on Fair Treatment of All People in Society No Matter Their Gender, Creed, Race, or Age

There are certain principles that hold our nation together and when they unravel the entire nation may someday unravel. It is our belief in principles as a nation that supersede individual interests.  Trust in each other, our American principles, justice and fair play (business and in life) keep our society together. There are those who feel they "own" the law and can apply it as they see fit for their own interests. Trust will require that local and national officials come to a conclusion on what they want their country to look like in the future.

It is time we start holding people who do wrong accountable and teach those who have more to learn to stay clear of hatred and bigotry. As a father and as an American it is time we step up to "do whats right". If we do...our rewards may be inching closer to our legacy in a way that leads to a more prosperous and enlightened people. A people that in word and action encourage full active engagement of all members of society in all aspects of society. It is our patriotic duty to be more than we are today and what occurred in this video!

There should be greater protections to ensure crimes are investigated thoroughly and without bias. Clearly and visibly having a State and/or Federal office that will review enforcement misconduct and/or inaction is helpful in this process of building trust. This takes issues out of the local system when necessary or when legitimate concerns are raised. (That does not detract from the majority of good officials who do the "right thing" and have the best interest of society in mind!) I hope someday we will do better to ensure criminals held accountable, people who need help to get the help they need, and the innocent to go free! None of that is based in sex, creed, race, age or gender!

We will need to see all the facts in the cases to gain a full scope of what was occurring during and after the event.

There is an interesting paper on how we as a nation can accept differences in background but maintain universal national principles that apply to all members of society. I can say no matter our background there are core fundamental beliefs that we must all adhere too and when we don't, we impact what holds us together as a society. We are a nation in transition and we are trying to figure out what we look like in the future. Racism and bigotry should not be part of that future. Many of our current beliefs are rooted in our historical past. I make no judgement on the paper but I will say that it provides some insight into the different ways to view nationalism from a historical perspective. Philosophy and nationalism 1770-1870

You may also be interested in some hate crime statistics HERE.