Why We Struggle to Stand for Certain Principles? Institutions Help Countries Thrive During Crisis

In a park representing ancient principles of democracy from
 Greek society and our ability to respect wisdom. Kind of a
bad picture but if you like it
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Its makes no difference if you are talking about companies, people, or government there is a right and a wrong way to do things. Sometimes the structures (meaning the formal design) can get in the way and other times it is the leadership of those institutions. People who know people who know people often get the best positions leading to a level of social adherence by those who share similarities in background and ideology. New thoughts often have a hard time moving forward in group think environments.. 

Let us think about Putin's Russia for example. There is a level of thinking that exists within the highest rankings of society and people know they must say what they are required to say to be consider one of the in-group members (...and all of its benefits.). They may personally disagree but they are not dumb enough to say that. In turn, choices get skewed because institutions are led by people who want to be in the good graces of dominant personalities. End of the day the same choices are made over and over and that can be costly. 

The U.S. is different. We have more diversity and our institutions are fairly strong (There is more work to be done as the Capital Riots have taught us that even institutions risk collapse under the wrong kinds of circumstances). It was our values that saved us and the people like Pence, our politicians on both sides, our institutional leaders that stood for something greater....a belief in America. There were no guarantees (Just like people who struggle with these issues everyday have no guarantees anyone is going to do the right thing. The macro sack is a symptom of local micro issues being played out in different places. Why I advocate for mental health to deal with extremist before such people make it a bigger problem. Its in one ear of our leadership and out the other.....that's a value issue.)

Our nation faces risks in todays world. While our institutions limped through a big crisis and made it work it was very close to being a very different outcome. People within those institutions were afraid to speak up and had to work in the background to do the right things. They rested on their values at great personal risk. They are our silent heroes. If it would have turned out the other way they would have been toast!

There are people everyday fighting to do what is right against insurmountable odds and often corrupted people. Our institutions sort of do the right thing but often get things wrong (Meaning there should always be feedback loops to create a learning organization/nation. If we stick our fingers in our ears we have become guilty of neglect of our duties.). The values of our principles are what makes difference in our success or failure. Sometimes it works out great while at other times we just continue on and on with the wrong choices and that leads to the decline of institutional integrity (If you can't project what that could mean if it goes to far you probably shouldn't take any leadership positions for the benefit of everyone else.). 

This is why I believe our institutions we should balance the independence of  our three major institutions Judicial, Legislative and Executive to maintain the right ballast on our ship (Its a metaphor). We should also strive to put people in positions of authority that have the right values (Not the one's they profess to each other, wink and nod, or politically-socially connected but the ones who actually have the skills.) In other words, we promote our best and brightest regardless of their race, religion, or lack of social "connectedness". 

Diversity and the strengthening of institutional integrity will be our future if we learn from the past mistakes and correct them (You can't run a great country on limited thinking and only partial human capital. It dumb!) On the flip side extremism, violence, and societal chaos will continue to grow if we don't rally around our essential American principles. Principles is the only thing I know that can cut through a sense of entitlement, social networks, political divisions, and chaos. It is also what defines leadership from nepotism. 

What are your values? This is a decision that people must make for themselves.

The proof is always in the pudding. We either can strive or we can resign....but its a collective choice (Seems like were still debating our best strategic position....for some....or for all of us. I personally believe that national strategy should maximize our strengths, hedge our weaknesses, and put ourselves in the best place possible to capitalize on various situations. I'm not sure what everyone else believes.....they may not even know themselves. Answers before the questions. Unfortunately sometimes no one listens and no one cares because you are outside the "inner circle"...and that is the place you have to start. Sounds familiar doesn't it....we have heard this before.....from lots of different people. 🤷 )

2023 Defense Budget: $130 Billion research in advanced tech, cyber, space and AI. (Cool stuff!)

There are a lot things of interests in our DOD 2023 Defense Budget. You can read more about it within the press release at The Department of Defense Releases the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Defense Budget. As a quick breakdown you will see some interesting changes in direction occur:

$56.5 billion for air power platforms and systems

$40.8 billion for sea power, to include nine more battle force ships,

$12.6 billion to modernize Army and Marine Corps fighting vehicles. 

$130.1 billion for research and development readiness in advanced technology, cyber, space and artificial intelligence.

There is more so you will want to read through it. Let me say that creating an advanced military with advanced technologies often means supporting next generation technologies. That technology can come from industry-government-university partnerships or it can come from internal research. 

Technology and innovation is increasingly important to the competitive playing field of any nation. Advancing nations are measured in many ways by their technology development (i.e. patents). Increased investment in advanced technologies such as cyber, space, and artificial intelligence are part of a broader societal shift.

As with all big budgets it is important to ensure that money is being spent wisely. The better we do at spending it frugally the further our tax payer dollars go. Budgets should seek to achieve goals, maximize resources strengthen the entire organization. They will need to continuously cut fat and stretch dollars as much as reasonably possible. 

Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act Signed-Way Way Beyond Due!

I'm happy we signed this bill and unhappy that it took so long. While its not the specifics of the bill that are important to me but the action that hate and lynching is designated by our leaders an unacceptable value in the U.S.(I complain a lot about how short sighted our leadership can be but when they do something right I commend them.) We need a Federal Law because sometimes there is difficulty locally prosecuting and holding people accountable for inappropriate behaviors (Selective values of who is considered local and who is "worthy" of fair treatment.). A hate law allows for more influence on how these cases are handle. 

Hate is the devaluing of life (See Why We Hate) and we don't need a law to tell us that hate on this level is unacceptable; we are not talking about preference. Whether we call it murder, terrorism, or a hate crime it makes no difference...its the accountability that matters. There should have always be accountability and no person(s) have the right to look in the other direction when major crimes like this occur. The ignorant shouldn't be enforcing their values on the wiser members of society.

Its not so much about race either. I believe that any people's can hate another people's and the law should be universally applied to any such crimes. Black people in this country were treated brutally in our past and its our time to change that.....to ensure all of us live by the same values and standards. For me its not as much about Black but about fair treatment and movement beyond racial and religious ignorance to value human life (I have mixed race kids and they don't need to be any particular background to be valued and protected by the law/society. As crazy as it sounds...human life is valuable no matter its race or religion. You can't value yourself until you value others. )

I've seen and experienced hate on a heightened level that could have led to violence and/or death. The decision making during that time was completely skewed and sadistic allowing for no other alternative but what the voice of those causing the problem. Up the line people followed suit. No laws, rules, or values were applied (There were laws but they weren't being followed. Breakdowns in moral conscious occurred and dangerous rumors were spread thereafter to ensure the punishment for daring to stand up for yourself/kids was complete. I reject that and feel that accountability is necessary for movement forward. Win-Win is what I seek but that should depend on the capability of those involved to break out of their dysfunctional social networks and thinking to be a better people. I reject their distorted values of what America should look like and their warped disparate sense of value of human life. My America is a free America where we compete on our essential principles and ensure we move toward greater relevance as a grand experiment in humanism. True capitalism relies maximizing human capital for building, owning and generating; the background shouldn't matter. Innovation, economy, and human rights are all associated as a mix to a certain outcome.)

What I find fascinating and a little nauseating is that  we quickly come to prescribe validity to such hate and social groups. Its bizarre that people are willing to jump on the band wagon and throw all caution to the wind. Its easy to discount the values and rights of others when they are different than yourself (Maybe better, or worse, but difference challenges distorted social perception. In addition, I support law enforcement 100% and the removal of bad apples 100%. I want good officers to be promoted, mistakes trained, diverse recruitment successful, and resources provided to increase effectiveness. I also want communities to support and keep departments on the straight path serving and protecting the people....all the people. This law helps to ensure higher levels of accountability. ) 

Its a great law and it will be helpful for stepping in when local enforcement defaults. We shouldn't have a need for it but it seems like an ugly necessity. Any group of bigots (no matter the race or religion) that hunts down people and kills, hurts, harms them for racial or religious reasons should not be in the general population. Definitely not in positions of authority where they can influence others. They are a danger to others and to society. Which law should really apply?

The Bill: Specifically, the bill imposes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 30 years, or both—on an individual who conspires to commit a hate crime offense that results in death or serious bodily injury or that includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.

Effective Website Design: That that ranked the highest

Websites are the modern business calling card and are essential for staying competitive in an e-commerce arena. People adjust within the first few seconds and will either stay or leave/”bounce” depending on how they view that site. In today’s world websites are more than just convenience they are essential to modern business. Core elements of strong design are often related to proper navigation, purpose, easy of use, and other important concepts. The key purpose is related to attracting and motivating visitors to take some action such as a purchase.

Looking at the study A Literature Review: Website Design and User Engagement we find there are essential elements to strong website designs. The authors reviewed significant literature to compile what they found.

• navigation (62.86%), 
• graphical representation (60%), 
• organization (42.86%), 
• content utility (37.14%), 
• purpose (31.43%), 
• simplicity (31.43%), and 
• readability (31.43%).

As you design your website consider the differences between that which works and that which isn't going to work. The website becomes increasingly important for consumers. It should stand out and be easy to use. When people are browsing information they only take a few seconds to look before deciding what their next action is. 

Garett, E, et. al. (2016). A Literature Review: Website Design and User Engagement . Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 6 (3). Retrieved https://www.ojcmt.net/download/a-literature-review-website-design-and-user-engagement.pdf 

Gym vs. No Gym Exercise: Maybe a little of both?

Gym versus no gym exercise has been debated for some time. I came across an article Limited Exercise without Equipment Achieves Same Results as Daily Gym Workouts that discusses how making small choices everyday impacts our overall health. Gym and no gym can certainly work together to enhance your fitness goals. 

Recently, I have been work on gym versus no gym exercise and the benefits of both. I had a training session with a woman last week that didn't have a gym membership and was thinking about the different ways in which she can workout at home. 

That got me sort of thinking.......

Gym is great for high cardio and weights that stress the body while no gym exercises burns calories and is often more sustainable for busy people. 

Yes its possible to integrate both. The gym is a great place to put on your schedule and attend every day (or minimum 3X per week) and then augment with no gym exercises throughout the day. One will push your body to adapt and the other will help encourage health maintenance (in some cases growth is the right exercises are created.). Add to that small changes in parking further away, walking stairs, taking dog for walk, etc...and it will add up!

If your interested in virtual fitness training send me a message. I have fitness trainer, yoga and self defense certifications and do training as a side gig. Training is done virtually and catered to your specific goals and needs. Affordable. Nothing better then to be involved in the field. Limited space and availability. Email Fitness Training

Russians Scale Back Offensive and Gives Up Some Demands: A sign of stalled effort!

 Russia has indicated that it will be pulling back some troops, refocusing efforts, and giving up a few demands for peace in upcoming negotiations. This looks like the implementation of Plan B where they seek to get out with a perceived Win. There is significant pressure on Russia that will have long term implications (i.e. losing oil markets, exposing military weaknesses, and lost world credibility). 

What does a win or loss look in this situation? If Russia gets out with splitting the nation it will be perceived a Win while neutrality guarantees will be seen as a level of success. However, the attempt to dominate the country has failed and that means a small country can thwart the advances of a large country. The perception of Russian (from the Soviet times) military power has been broken.

It can't look like a retreat it has to look like a negotiated withdrawal. The long term implications are significant for Russia despite what happens during the negotiations. Things have just changed in world perception and how exposed Europe is to Russian oil and commerce. The adjustments of Euro-US countries will be a big loss for Russia over the years.

I'm actually slightly optimistic of these negotiations (I read once something on Russian negotiation styles but can't find it as it was decades ago.). Russia has the incentive to settle disputes, reoriented their stated goals to Plan B, but also know that maintaining the fighting is going to create personal risk for Putin (in some cases the military as well.). The war has not gone as planned for Russia and they are looking to pitch a negotiated withdrawal as a type of win (BTW..who uses poison in the modern world? An attempt to put everyone on edge as a tactic? Psychological warfare maybe? 😥)

Let us wait and find out what happens. Either way our U.S. leaders should start thinking about how to innovate and advance our own nation to overcome future challenges we may face in the world and at home. To me developing the first large digital era advanced manufacturing nation that maximizes all of its human capital is important to our success. We will have to focus on democratic principles and ensuring our way of life stays strong (institutional integrity will be important here.). 

The Values a Person Holds Defines Them: In Business, Service and Life

We live in a complex world where good and bad things happen all the time. People compete with each other to gain ever more prestige, money, or resources. We are a competitive people. Some do things fairly and some cheat the system. It is the values that help them navigate the world in different ways. Those who have self-oriented values can justify just about anything while those who have pro-social values have limitations on their behaviors. 

I've seen beautiful things and ugly things during my life. The best and worst of human nature is based on values. Those with prosocial values will do things differently than those without. Its important to ensure our society encourages prosocial values to encourage social learning.

On the ugly side I have seen people justify horrendous behaviors and I have had the pleasure of meeting people who have have sacrificed for certain pro-social principles. The later is more important than the former but that isn't how it often works in the world where the competitive stakes are high. 

For example in the real world, the laws sometimes function as they should and sometimes they don't. There are people trying to do the right thing and people trying to do the wrong thing. The laws are only functional if they connect to a moral conscious and seek to emulate pro-social values.

Values create trust and those who don't have certain values quickly erode trust. For example, in business one might be honest with customers that leads to repeat sales. Institutions that act with wisdom would have more support than those who run blind processes (worse, have the wrong values).

Whether your in business, government or in the daily affairs of life try and maintain certain principles and values. If you have an internal compass (internalized values) you will be able to feel when things are right and when something isn't correct.  Listen to that prompting.

Values are what differentiates good people from more destructive people. The world often skips over such values for a whole host of reasons. However, values are what holds people together and ensure that there is trust among societal members. Shared values are fundamental to relevance.

When those who lack values make decisions over those who have values we are not in a good situation. We should continue to push for value oriented leadership that realize action over words. Maintain values in yourself and expect our leaders to maintain their expressed values. No matter your station in life your values will come to define you.

The thing about values is you can't fake them for long. People or institutions have them or they don't. Lack of correction indicates a lack of values and irrelevance of purpose.