Dunham's Opens in Escanaba MI: Expanded Store

Healthy economies should be diverse and have a balance between a couple of different industries and create an economic draw. Retail is one thing that is making a come back in Esky and with some additional focus on the downtown we can improve the overall brand image of the town (We want it to be fun, develop a robust downtown and pro investment oriented outlook.) 

In my economic perspective, I try and think about long term growth and when a large retail outlet and/or when something else might be of benefit.  In this case I think Dunham's would be a good fit and likely contribute to the development of an outdoor brand. 

If your an outdoor person you want to get stuff and get it quick. Things break, boats break, forgotten equipment, etc. We can sort of also come to the conclusion that outdoor retail sales good and there is reason to expand. There has been an increase in tourism in the area and the use of the marina. A trend.........?

Additional outdoor tourism would generally mean more outdoor traffic and in turn higher retail on certain seasonal products, restaurant tabs, hotel rooms, vacation rentals, etc... 

If an area is having more visitors and selling more products it could be a good place to start an outdoor business. Plenty of start-up space downtown in the $100K building range.

Radio Results Network article....

Dunham’s To Re-Open Its Escanaba Store On Friday With Giveaways

I guess they got some freebees! Likewise, I didn't know this but I guess Dunham's is a Michigan based retailer.

Create a Vision, Sell a Vision, and Enact a Vision: Universal Democracy

We as a nation are in a transition where the old ideas are clashing with new ideas. Darkness and lower order values are restricting the acceptance of higher order values. The vision has been a universal democracy for a longtime where people are treated civilly and the laws appeal fairly across society. Universal democracy encourages a highly competitive nation that provides opportunities through dispersed capitalism and appropriate democratic governance. 

At least in theory.....

Then we sort of see what is happening across America with slightly different rules for different people.

Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States,

by Howard Chandler Christy, 1940

The laws are important but they are often applied in one direction in a way that creates existential risks for a large portion of society.

We could fix this problem of course but without the will there is no way. We must first believe that its important to treat people fairly based on some sense of rule and honor driven system. If we do not agree with some basic ground rules then we don't have meaningful paths for national reconciliation (parties and people).

In the U.S. there is pressure to update our institutions and ensure we are maintaining the freedoms that we have earned through generations of blood, sweat and tears (Just FYI, I have a long history of people who served their country and community. Its not your place to judge someone's "Americaness" based on shallow and superficial distortions. Our history in this country and area is substantial.). Likewise there is also "water cooler" social pressure to circumvent the rules in some social circles to maintain inappropriate relationships with the public. Unchallenged, such behaviors lead to problems on a national and on a local scale.

We of course could just say its not true but it would be hard to ignore the shared phenomenon across a wide swath of society (We have tried to ignore and pretend its not true but issues are mounting. Its a growing problem and it has entered the conscious of most Americans. This is where we can get back to who/whom are the stakeholders of such institutions*). It means that while we were going through stages of national growth we made some mistakes and carry the legacy (Not unfairly so.) In many ways, we continue to make those mistakes consistently (Its more about fixing issues then focusing on the past. I leave the past to others in this respect as to what is appropriate. I'm focused on fixing the problem going forward.). 

(*In any system problems are seen as a feedback loop. While there are fads that come and go persistent problems should not be ignored as they are in need of solutions. The only way such problems persist is if leaders don't have the perspective, the competence, or the ability to change and find solutions.)

Our national competitive rests on maximizing our human capital. There is no lip service in that and there are no "do overs" if we as a nation slip behind our adversaries (That's probably why people like Congressman Santos shouldn't be a forerunner for Presidential nominee or the Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology just because he turned Google from his garage into a major company right after he invented The Internet. General trust is leadership is low and we seem to not be veering in path. ). Such mistakes cost us and cost us in a big big way in the long run.

Politics needs to become a little more pure and truth/solution oriented to make it through the difficulties of the future. As our world advances with new virtual technology and global intercommunication there are going to be changes and adjustments based on information flow and environmental pressures. We have seen global influences and trends before not only oversees but also the U.S. (Arab Spring type movements of U.S. Extremists that led to the sacking of the capital with a risk at the end of it all we cold find an attempted coup. That comes from low levels of trust, unwillingness to respect the rights of others, and easily exploitable grievances much of which is based around racial and religious perspectives of America.) 

As a nation we can hold to our principles and values and make it through those transitions because in one way or another we all believe in life, liberty and pursuit of happiness as the legs of the liberty stool. We agree because they are shared principles. There are some who have no issues kicking out one of those legs by circumventing our democratic values (i.e. extremists who attacked our capital and their sympathizers and supports that we often have to deal with on a local level who create toxic environments and circumvent the law as 'We the People' voted on it and its intent. In other words, its a crime to circumvent the law intentionally and with malicious intent. Mistakes can be trained and forgiven but intentional criminal behavior is challenged directly.)

When we do overcome the disparity between word and deed, as well as truth and enlightenment, we will begin to see higher levels of national performance as the system prompts its citizenship that America is leading in the opportunity generation business (See innovation theory on transactional clusters as one idea. It might be a good or dumb idea. Again ideas that would not come forward if I bought into the hate narrative and/or allowed extremism to intimidate me or my family. There are differences between right and wrong, accountability and a "blind eye". ) 

Here is a generic example of vision, sell and enact might apply here. 

Vision: A universal democracy that hedges the best and brightest no matter what their background.

Sell it: All Americans are treated fairly and treated as though they are valued members of society.

Enact: A continuous process of self reflection purposeful change that removes roadblocks and promotes value based leadership.

I'm not sure what everyone else hopes for but I'm sure there is some variance in the population and of course some differences between what is said and what is done. By in large I think most would sort of agree with the broad example above. Those who don't, well......time will tell if America will veer into that dark path or continue forward to a universal democracy (As a simile a type of of Axis Mundi if you are open to Buddhist Culture. I wrote a poem about it in my 'cheesy' days. Its a little silly but enjoy. Truth isn't a place its a state of being. HERE. In hindsight I actually think the poem is pretty good. I should get back into it as a way of solidifying teaching just like in many was we are here.)

(** This article is designed to help you think, learn, relate and most of all come to greater awareness of your personal responsibilities to our democracy, to your community, and to yourself. Most people recognize we struggle with extremism in some of our hometowns and that can spill over into some police departments. Before you run down that mental line of thinking of "What a bastard! I'll show him!" I say this because I have a conscious and am willing to try and support those values even when its not convenient.

My feelings toward police are relatively positive but somewhat skeptical based on the actions of a minority {In the rational world we call this the ability differentiate between right and wrong as well as between a good officer and a bad officer}. Likewise, I have a history of helping police and I don't need to justify that at this time and place. I don't act on racial and religious preferences but because we need a society free from as much crime as possible. That means understanding the bigger picture of policing. 

With that being said, I should not be silent when I also see inappropriate behaviors that damage the institution of policing and look like patterned mistreatment of people in the community. Neither should other officers stay silent within those departments to simply follow a code of silence {I'm talking about two departments of which 3 departments appear to have wisely veered from their path when they found out they were being duped by some "local" clan members and their supporters}. 

This is how I see it for right or wrong and better or worse. Generally, I'm treated pretty well by most officers and some of that is because I'm white, clean, knowledgeable and have a descent nature. Things sort of change for some when they find out you have a Muslim sounding name and Black kids{Some of the local clan members call them "nigga babies" and put them at risk because they wanted to support their friends.}. For the most part its not an "in your face" change but its a change. For those good officers in which I positively relate its because we recognize our shared sense of purpose and race and religion are not big factors in that {See difference between highly charged extremists and their negative impact on the environment and good people and their positive influence on the environment}.

At that such moment 6 out of 10 are still very nice, 4 out of 10 change automatically. Their faces change, their attitude changes, and you can tell they not only start to discount you but also begin to associate very negative things with you. {i.e. terrorism, crime, theft, dishonesty, "problem", etc.} To those 4 it makes almost no difference if you served your country in multiple capacities, your contributions or your merit as an individual . BTW it also doesn't matter that your kids are good and in school and doing the right things because they are thrown in the undesirable and criminal "other" category {i.e. pulled over 2X in an unmarked car and multiple other documented incidents. Ostracized and targeted by some adults.}.

Out of those 4 there will be 2 that don't want issues but they will avoid you because they don't want to be disliked by their social groups. The remaining 2 are generally an issue with one being the primary toxic catalyst. There is usually an aggressive and distorted personality that encourages others to have an issue with "the problem". Most of the time people know who they are but often they keep pushing {i.e. multiple department heads talking "water cooler" style about the dangers of having people like that involved in the community. No one asked them to get anyone involved in their distorted beliefs and what appears to be criminal intent of targeting and cleansing. Maybe not. It should be looked into by objective eyes to be sure.}.

The 1 extremist in the group seeks to influence others and create pressure to cause harm on the minorities and others within the community. They will circumvent the law, be dishonest, support bad behaviors, turn a blind eye, etc. Because of the current fear of being labeled a "whistle blower" and being ostracized by their own departments nearly every officers turns away from seeing obvious behaviors {Where we see this we also recognize this culture of silence was in hindsight}. They do so with knowledge the behaviors are inappropriate and damage community trust. (FYI because I care I encourage them to say something before being tapped on the shoulder. Silence on crime isn't something in the employee handbook and it makes one a hypocrite when they tell little kids and the community to report the crime they see. Aha! We get back to a definition of "community"}. 

We then must rely on the larger system to do the right thing. This is the discussion that I'm involved in on a more national and perhaps in some ways a global level. I want a free universal democracy where we work together on crime, we together build our human capital, and we as a nation focus on being global leaders in the economic and civic/moral arenas that only the achievement of a universal democracy can provide. Not everyone agrees with that sentiment {Some will park their cars in front of your house and others will try and block civic engagement by encouraging cleansing type behaviors.}. 

There is one thing we can bank on as a society and that has little to do with what I'm saying here. We will change and we will adjust either upwards or downwards. There will be voices that will encourage us to be something greater and there are voices that encourage us to be something smaller. Each time we give a free pass to anti-American and ant-Democratic behaviors we hasten that change; no matter which way we adapt. 

It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong. Voltaire

Take a broad based historically supported perspective on societies as it relates to sociological change and how we are consistently moving toward greater freedoms during every major societal upheaval and transition. You just need to go study the history of democracies in Western Civilization. If our wise and all knowing leaders opened a few books about other cultures they may find complementary changes in the non-Western world. There are trend lines that sort of let us know what to expect in the near future.

Now research technology and change. Think about what our world will look like in 50 years which technology has developed significantly and how science will answer many questions {i.e. solving cancer or tech to reach habitable planets}. Further look at how genetics are increasingly being mixed up and that is leading to the adaptation and resilience of our species in an shifting ecological environment {no reason to hate mixed race kids if we actually want to encourage variation and adaptability on a very neural level. In other words, the bigots and racists should understand that the next generation has genetic superiority and that comes from people push the genetic line. In other words, some mixed race children may have found their cognitive niche with what looks like two diagnosed geniuses and one undiagnosed one. Too bad we allow less intelligent people to "get rid of the problem"***}. 

I included some of the DNA stuff
because it helps learn that race and racial 
superiority are highly subjective
and often inappropriately used.
Source: Genetic Study

{I been sort of looking at geology on all family sides and it seems my kids and my background are very global in genetic make up. We hit every corner of the planet. I like to think of it as taking a little sunlight from each of the four corners of the earth and putting them into the bright eyed nature of our/my youth. Their background in this area predates most other families. To my Ivy league educated friends and associates I thought the explanation of Butterfield genetic line was interesting and its potential influence over the concept of Purtanism. Wow...perhaps a whole line of religious free thinkers! By Golly!. Even their Arab/African line as some interesting people in it as well...records being more sparse. Our world is smaller than we think. Maybe or maybe not? It would take more family history study. Sorry...I digress. I'm looking for some Old English Tea.  No slurping! }

While I understand how the ability to hate others temporarily pushes away the deeper feelings of powerlessness, the best place to deal with that is in a counseling session and not directed toward those you 'love to hate'. 💁 {There is more to patriotism then skin color, religion, or surface symbolism. America is an idea and I'm more afraid of saying too little than the consequences of saying too much. It was an idealist's oath.} At the end of the day, we are either becoming all this or all that. 

Let's not relive the past so let me highlight some of the words for those who forgot....."brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." The Gettysburg Address 1863 Lincoln.  When you stand in front of that flag with hands on heart....do you know what your saying and why you are saying? Think about it deeply for a second before screaming in self-righteous anger "That dirty dirty Muslim opened his mouth about freedom!" or "What does that crazy _____fill in blank________ think he is saying and why should he talk about 'my country'" I earned my spot to live here, enjoy its freedoms, and challenge those who are polluting its values. My kids and their kid's future rely on people just like me putting their hand up and say, "no".

Let us respect the past and live for the future. (What I will do is contribute to ensuring our democracy doesn't perish by holding close to my oaths and encouraging others to stand for theirs. Beyond that, I will be positive, polite, and engaging but I will not sugar coat bad behavior no matter what powers of darkness shall overshadow the nudging of my words or the tempest that whirls just beyond the earshot of rumors and whispers. {<<<<That's a little practice on poetry. I thought it was good. 🤷) If it doesn't apply to you don't worry about.....they are just words and an opportunity to think for yourself (At least until someone says you are not allowed to talk so openly with an opinion 'radically' different then their own. Freedom religion has already been a problem and perhaps Freedom of Speech may also become a problem; even when its helpful. It does sort of upset established good old boy networks and risks exposing some of the bad behaviors that some might consider corrupt in orientation.)

10 Killed in Mass Shooting in LA. Something Isn't Working Right?

The LA shooting is very sad state of affairs and could be part of a trend toward intentional destructiveness by some of our youth. While testosterone and a little chest pounding can be normal, the willingness to pick up a gun and mow people down is dangerously disturbed. Its antithetical to the very core needs of civilization and smacks against healthy mind and/or biology of the perpetrators. The problem is solutions and the political will to make good legislation. 

Incidents like this is where strong police tactics and training can make a huge difference in outcomes. This is where the legislative powers should support research on better tactics and investigation methods. Its difficult but necessary discussion. Whether this is mental health related, hate related, gang related, easy gun access issue or something else, it remains to be seen. 

Taking all of these mass shooting incidents and uploading them into a database for analysis will tell you much about these crimes. You might be able to start seeing patterns of which guns, where they are getting it, beliefs, characteristics, interview comments, etc. (If one were to create a basic framework we might have 2 or 3 questions to ask each perpetrator during interrogations that can be compared against the answers found in other interrogations to test similarities.) That requires not only the investigative pieces at individual departments but also the ability to collect and analyze such investigations on a macro level. Science can solve problems.

USA Labels Russia’s Wagner Group A Criminal Organization

New sanctions on Wagner as a criminal organization. It looks like this organization has been engaged in the shadow market and perhaps sanction running for a long time. At this time, such networks are likely used by Russia as a way of masking behaviors during the process of resource procurement. What is a TOC? 

Eating for Performance, Health, or Appearance

This is a great video I came across while looking for something on nutrition. For those of you who know me I have a fitness trainer license but don't really use it. Still, I like to share what I learn about health because we have an obesity problem in this country. Furthermore, business professionals often eat poorly so nutrition is a common problem.

After watching this video I want make a few changes to my diet. I have been focusing on my macros but its hard to get to the required protein levels while still not going over your calorie count. Two opposing forces that left little extra calorie space for healthy nutrients. I hear variety and natural nutrients are common problems.

The Importance of Thoughtful Community Policing: A proper pro-American perspective.

Policing is a necessary part of our society and even if we adjust the support services and how we utilize their capacity they will still be an important part of society. In my experience, the vast majority of police do the right thing and act the right way in a way that improves community relations and seeks to improve safety and security of our residence.  Some couldn't care less about their roles because its not about serving others. Their values not at the standard they need to be for that important and serious position of authority. Yet, we struggle with this issue in a way that it creates serious divisions of perspective that cut right through society.

Policing is like a science that has developed as a method of protecting our basic most fundamental rights such as life, liberty and pursuit of happiness (It is a deep concept understood by knowledgeable philosophers that created the America in transition we know today.). There is a 20-30% out there who were attracted to the field of policing for the feeling of power that such authority provides them. Most of them can be managed through proper departmental cultures, expectations and values. Even in the best of environments there will be some who misuse their authority. These are the one's we should be concerned with as they violate everything this country did, does, or will stand/stood for. As Nietzsche says it well when he discussed der Wille zur Macht or Will to Power

“Where I found the living, there I found the will to power; even in the will of servants I found the will to be master.” - Nietzsche

Of those who want this power they also are the one's who misuse that power or coordinate that misuse to cleans people out of their society. Sometimes it is subtle such as a fib that ensures you get the "bad guy" and other times its wholesale intentional character assassination and intimidation tactics to ensure the person never challenges their distorted extremist leaning view of what it means to be an American. (I do think there will be laws passed that make it a crime for officers to know of crimes their fellow officers are committing and not reporting it up the proper chains. When it comes to misuse of authority there is no greater duty then to serve the community and not the silence. In the long run one will lead to a fixed system and the other to a broken one.)

(Before we go on in this discussion for those politicians and others who are accustomed to not thinking about things in a divergent way. I'm 100% for police and 100+10% = 110% for civil rights. The way to manage the ship going forward is a 1:1.1 ratio. Why? Because the ultimate needs are to society and not to the institution itself. This means that all institutions must bend a knee to what is in the best interest of society. If we lock that knee in an immovable splint with something called "immunity" for any crime then we have effectively switched the roles and started moving in another direction in thought with its own chain of temptations. Anyway.....that's my "American" opinion on which rests at least a kernel of truth.)

Alexander the Great and the Gordian Knot

Alexander Cutting the Gordian Knot, 

oil on canvas by Jean-Simon Berthèlemy.

1767

Now, for those who subscribe to a very limited sense of American constructions with certain racial and religious underpinnings the "other people" are seen as almost always the problem (Perceptual distortion based in false symbolisms and anchoring. Education and training can help but a bad soul is a bad soul.). It justifies anything and any behavior because the goal is not to help the community but show your superiority over those who you deem less worthy and unable to stand up for themselves and/or whom constitute a threat through challenging other poor behaviors. (Same ugly stuff most religious philosophers talked about ever since we became conscious of ourselves. Remember the whole casting stones thing? A type of Gordian Knot.)

(For fellow thinkers and pro-democracy Americans/"Americans" we know that we must look beyond symbolism to the core of what democracy means and our responsibility to ensure that it stays strong. Ceci n'est pas une pipe)

In general theory terms, As we develop in intelligence as
a species, our society develops, and
in turn our institutions change to meet that higher order thinking.
When institutions don't change we have an evolutionary 
problem that will force such institutions to change or 
we as a society begin to decline.
In other words, we as a society are capable of 
adapting to challenges or we are not. Proof in pudding.
Its not my theory, so don't 
get upset a me! Please discard if you feel you 
are already at top of evolutionary chain. You won't 
get it anyways! 😆
Evidence as to Man’s Place in Nature (1863)
Source: A World Without Darwin
P.S. Empathy is one of the first scientific 
signs of intelligence. There is a whole host of
things that go into it in terms of cognitive 
reversals and the ability to sense others. So....
If someone is in a role and doesn't show
empathy in word and action should
they be kept in such positions of authority?
Think of it from an adaptability standpoint.
That is where good "moral conscious" is in alignment
with law.

I support community based policing, more training, greater support services, providing resources and recruiting from a diverse background to ensure there is breadth of thought and adaptability of values. What I do not support is misuse of the badge for personal, clan, or racial/religious distortions. Why? Because The Shield has value and that value is based in our belief in that we all have the same ultimate focus. When officers engage in immoral and/or illegal behaviors (and perhaps some in their departments are afraid to speak out.) it reduces the respect and good will of the people and that can reduce institutional support from a sociological long-term perspective (i.e. the growing pressure to reform and improve accountability. Its embedded in our species to adapt to challenge.). 

We are having issues today because we do not have the mechanisms to remove bad officers before they damage their departments and units. The answer to our most difficulty and highly politically charged problem is to build trust through integrity that comes from maximum community involvement and management of such departments (Even more important if one started going down the wrong path and in some ways encourage others to follow. The difference between those who respected the shield and those who didn't is that they walked the talk in their values when it most counted. See proof in pudding above.) 

* This article is designed to help the reader think about the difference between right or wrong. It can be hard when so many people spew anything forward regardless of its benefit or truth. What you see above is an indication of what you believe and the way you will walk in our national development. After you walk a few miles and then look back over your shoulder and you will see the wheat from the chaff. "see"? 💁🙊💨

P.S. precisely how we deal with these issues when they are obvious and apparent will determine our deeper value system and likely our future course. I believe in the universal democracy if we can tackle theses challenges head on! There will be some from the lowest ranks of society all the way to the top who will lean one way and some who will lean another. Therein lies the danger as  those who lack humanness and a sense of deeper purpose take roles they never were qualified for.  Think of Santos as an example of how high values and leadership are not always associated. There are good people pushing him out and some want him to stay because he can press buttons blindly. There is a lack of deeper values among some of our leaders and their ability to keep the system functioning in the best interest of all of societal stakeholders. These problems as they relate to poor policing by some are easy to solve but the politics of it all confuse the real essential long-term issues with ignorance.  Am I lying?

Delta County MI Board Meeting: A Few Changes but Mostly New Board Adjustments (Jan. 17th, 2023)

January 17th, 2023 the Board of Commissioners meeting discussion. I'm not going to rehash the details because I didn't actually get to attend or see it online. This is kind of why I would like them to be put up the videos on a YouTube page like Escanaba does (Go Esky!). I was informed they will do that, and of course I bow in reverence for the most gracious opportunity to engage as an informed citizen in our democracy (Go Democracy!). No seriously, thank you. 🙇 (The board minutes and agenda items are at Delta County Agenda and Minutes Page.)

(First of all, I met a lot of people from all over the world and people have differ perceptions of democracy.  From an philosophical perspective each system has some advantages and disadvantages. I am an advocate of the democratic system because I have read extensively on sociology, business, philosophy and many other things so I know some of the root assumptions that lead to a line of thinking that influence social development. That social development influences our institutions. When institutions are open and share information, people can ask questions, so on and so forth they are more adaptable than those that are not open and withhold information. Increases openness relates to general health and prosperity as long as power and wealth maintain a reasonable level of decentralization through concepts called "opportunity" and being responsible to "the citizens". This is one of the reasons why our democracy has been relatively stable thus far. More information to the public is generally better. Democracy is a process and trust me not everyone in official positions works on the behalf of a healthy democracy. If you don't get those people representative you or taking up an official position, which they often do, then be thankful.)

I did watch the January 3rd 2023 Board of Commissioners Meeting and that was informative. Much of the activity revolved around getting comfortable with some of the roles commissioners will need to play. Once everyone sort of finds a comfy spot in the social order of things the commissioner team will likely move forward to accomplishing more important things! While I recognize some of the personalities, I think by and large they have people's best interest at heart and seem to be willing to work together to accomplish something (Time really answers that question and lots of other questions. However, what I see is people trying to help their community and bringing to the table their perception of how to improve. Everything else will be a negotiation between the members, between the members and other local institutions, and all of them with the community. In the mix of this mess of interactivity is the need to keep the local community and its interests primary to all decision making. I encourage people to judge performance not on political party or kinship but simply on how well you think they are serving the local community. That is good advice here and that is good advice anywhere.). 

What goal (s) they would like to accomplish the board has not yet revealed. Something each one of them are likely starting to think about now that a new board has come to session. For example some may want to keep things the same and some may want to grow the area. Go back to neuroeconomic choices on the prior discussion. Each person comes with something unique, histories, backgrounds, ideas, values and beliefs. All of that will make its way into the decision making process to create a group approach.

You should also read the article below in our beloved Daily Press (The nostalgia of it all! I really want this paper to keep pumping out good stories. It would be interesting if they found a niche of appeal to readers beyond town. Good news with a little branded hallmark appeal for others. In the digital world, newspapers can report local news but be characterized to have a broader appeal online if they find a niche theme. That includes marketing opportunities not only for locals but also those who have an interest in this kind of lifestyle and/or the investments they have here. The paper might want to encourage visitors to stay connected through some type of digital format subscription designed to specifically appeal to the "Outside Esky" crowd that come to vacation, summer homes, camps, fish, hunt, invest, etc... Articles like "Top 5 Fishing Destinations in Esky", "Ships Visiting Esky and Where They Going", "5 Undervalued Commercial Properties for Start Ups", "Where to find the nicest flowers" etc. Unvetted thoughts sorry.)

I digress......

County board makes changes to correct errors

One of the things any governing team wants to create is Social Capital. Social capital is trust in government and civic participation. Consider a study below on social capital and how that social capital predicted socio economic growth and in turn how government capacity and education level impact that performance. Now I would like to make an argument that the term used in the study "education" should be seen as knowledge based. Often they don't use a complex constructs such as "knowledge" in a study because it becomes difficult to measure and the tools to measure it would increase the risks for confounding variables. So education might mean formal education in the study but I think in applied research it would also include experience and/or general knowledge. You have to read in detail to sort of determine how they define it as a term.

Here is the study.....

Place matters: government capacity,community characteristics, and social capital across United States counties