Executive Order Addressing Investments in National Security Technologies

Technology and innovation is very important going into the Digital Era-Information Age. In many ways, it may come to define nations as haves and have nots. New discoveries often spark more discoveries that lead to economic growth and new knowledge pathways. Emerging technologies won't be acceptable to everyone. When such technology used in business starts to sift from U.S. companies into Chinese military products its naturally going to perk the interests of law makers. This executive order appears to seek to stop the spread of such technology (The U.S. has to increasingly become more innovative driven and while infrastructure helps it is human capital that creates the end game.)

Executive Order on Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern

This article makes me think of why I like clusters as a way to develop key products in an environment designed around achieving certain capacities. When advanced technological breakthroughs are discovered it may be beneficial to maintain a tight lid on that knowledge in one place until ready to be commercialized.

A DCModel thought experiment is one way thinking of ways of how to keep central knowledge closer to the participating companies thereby likely leading to less information leakage and albeit more cross industry fertilization prototypes. (DCModel is just an untested theory on economic innovation.).  'Biden Orders Ban on New Investments in China’s Sensitive High-Tech Industries' Wouldn't it be nicer to invest in a US based cluster?

State of Emergency Declared in Hawaii Amid Wildfires

These environmental disturbances emerging at various places has a much bigger toll then I think we realize. When risks rise to both safety and our economy people are experiencing 2x the burden. If such severe weather continues to be an emerging pattern we will need stronger emergency planning for large scale evaluations, power outages, fast moving fires, flooding, etc.   

The damage is going to be substantial. Its going to take some time to figure it all out. We will have to wait until officials can assess the situation and the economists can ballpark the economic costs. This is a sad event and I suspect its going to leave a mark for a while on tourism and other activities. Hopefully I am wrong. :(

 

Escanaba City Council Meeting (August 03, 2023 ) Updating Equipment, Trucks Fixing the Pot Holes and Crushing Rocks with SMM

 

The Stone Breakers
1849
Gustave Courbet

Escanaba continues to hum along and things are for the most part getting done. It was a relatively short meeting. Some interesting things going on in terms of improving the roads and updating equipment. You may notice the down is repurposing waste into something useful such as roads. Escanaba found that they can save money and use waste materials wisely. The city is doing the green thing and trying to maximize its resources while limiting its expenses at the same time (See Sustainable Materials Management). 

August 3rd, 2023 Escanaba Agenda

-Updating equipment and maintenance.

-Clearing out rubble and stuff.

-Improvements in roads through grants.

Some of the discussion revolved around expenses and that is generally a big part of management (This is why finance, economics, and data analytics can help.). Since there are lots of expenses its important to think about how to save money and reuse materials when possible. We are in the era where wise use of resources through repurposing is helpful. For example, in this case Escanaba has 18,000 tons of rock that will crushed and reused versus just paying for removal. There was a discussion of the options and the eventual resolution. In the end it came down to like $5.50 per ton if my math is correct. Yabba Dabba Doo! 

You may want to read 'How to Cut Costs Strategically' because it helps to understand the benefits of finding places to reduce costs and then how to think of long-term growth. Escanaba has profits and expenses and ran into a few budgeting issues until marijuana revenue came into the coffers (When you get an economic boost never waste it, try and spark a bigger economic boost through other revenue streams. Shoring up expenses is one thing but fixing it for next time is another.). 

A big discussion in prior meetings on libraries and costs. The community wanted to find other ways to save money and encouraged budget tweaking from other departments. It makes sense to continuously scour the financial metrics to save money. Saving money should not be the only strategy as the focus should also be on how to raise revenue through improvements in tourism, attracting new small businesses downtown, recreation and fun, industrial investment as well as others (I have a few ideas on marketing, social media, focused reaching out to good match industries domestically or internationally, etc.).

They are also considering purchasing a heavy duty 4.6L v8 Hemi Dodge pickup. Has awesome pull power and can used for multiple purposes. I suspect this would be against the policy for the first few years 'This AIN'T no Pavement Princess'. Maybe we can have it pull the floats during the parade. 

Gen Z Last Majority White Population: Universalism of Human Capital

Cueva De Las Manos
Cave of Hands
Representing the many different kinds of
hands of a
community and of a nation.

One of the responsibilities we have is to encourage proactivity as much as possible to stay ahead of the competition and leave the nation in the best strategic place as possible. Organizational strength comes from shared goals and a broad sense of engagement in collective advancement. Diversity can be a human capital creator or it can be a detriment when non objective related differences come to the forefront (People who separate versus bring people together. In a business board room it would be the toxic one!). Each generation provides help and guidance to the next. We may have struggled with these issues in the past but this generation needs leadership on how to rally together. Such direction comes from thinking about each other as having the same overall best interest at a crucial time in American history.

Let us consider an article 'Gen Z will be last generation with white majority in US, study finds' I have been talking about this for some time because it is a touchy subjective but there really is only one broad healthy path forward for most people (I found something similar on Cultural Universalism). We should accept that demographics are changing and we need new approaches and ideas so that we can maximize the best and brightest of any background for themselves and the nation (At least is how I might think of it. There is no better or worse, or right or wrong, there just is a lot of Americans that would probably love to build the best nation they can. As soon as we give them a bi-partisan green light.)

Source: Brookings
Notice how the younger generations
are more diverse. That will
have cultural influence. 

You can read the study in 'New 2020 census data shows an aging America and wide racial gaps between generations'

A couple of questions you may ask are...

1.) As these demographics change will there be pressure to universalize our institutions and will that come with cultural type conflicts between the new and old (I'm thinking sociologically and science based.). How do we make that transition easier and less bumpy? You may extend to, Do political influencers have the responsibility to worry about the future to make the best decisions for long term outcomes?

2. How might we maximize an opportunity to really find a pathway to enhance the societal (economic and social) diversity to better harness that to spark new innovation, new economic engagement, and new sense of community? (i.e. the single conception of American.)

3. If you were hiring employees and/or managing a large organization how might ensuring people feel a sense of responsibility to each other and to the organization might help draw talent toward worthwhile organizational goals? Think of this from a practical need to draw in talent from different backgrounds.

*These are just things to think about. They are only partial opinions for the day but if you ask me tomorrow I might adjust my thoughts. Feel free to discard.

Storms Hit East Coast 300K Without Power (Time for Upgraded Electrical System)

These storms seem to becoming more common and our electric grid is unprepared to handle its new electric load and the increased in environmental influence. A few things to think about, even if they are not that good. Come up with your own if you don't like .😀

1. Localize power production to feed bigger and smaller grid.

2. Update electric grid with build around so if one line goes down it reroutes through redundancy.

3. Utilize solar and better batteries to hold emergency power for homes, buildings, etc. 

China and Russian Ships Near Alaskan Water Space Temporarily (Innovation and Industry-Military Advancement Helpful)

USS Constitution vs HMS Java

1812

Maarten Platje, Dutch

Representing the need 

to always think ahead.

There is discussion on the patrol near Alaskan waters by Chinese and Russian ships that has some officials asking questions. It happened last year as well so this is not the first time and unlikely the last. It will be interesting to see what the information coming out in the next few weeks will indicate. Either way, the situation makes an argument for building more ships with faster and increasingly more mobile capabilities while maintaining substantial deterrent capacity for exercises related to coastal defense. 

You may read, 'U.S. Navy sends 4 destroyers to Alaska coast after 11 Chinese, Russian warships spotted in nearby waters' and 'US military responded to Chinese and Russian vessels near Alaska'

A few rantings below........

Faster more mobile ships might free up naval capacity for other needs and issues as well as shorten response time while more forceful vessels arrive. Perhaps improve general mobility overall (I'm not an expert in this so its just random thoughts innovation and manufacturing capacity.)There may be other industries that have interest in similar outcomes. i.e. research, diving, etc. Innovation can have multiple beneficiaries.

Building advanced era ships requires a level of serious engineering.  (U.S. has greater need now to innovate.)Through thinking about these issues and encouraging science and free brainstorming it is possible to come up with solutions that leads to higher levels functionality. We should always look over the horizon and reach for it. That is generally wise approach to any industry that must stay cutting edge and above the competition.

The point is, that innovation is a total system approach based not only on our military alone but also with industry, scientists, entrepreneurs and others. One of the reasons why someone would build a cluster is to put those elements into an environment that leads to 2 to 4X innovative outputs around key co-development objectives (For example, a new metal substance and new products for construction, military, space, etc. development. Another example might be new micro battery that can be used in military and new development also impacts root manufacturers and distributors that can sell to industry possibly at a profit i.e. net positive of military expenditures. Some revenue of products can be used to refund the research pool+ to keep funding future innovations.)

*Random brainstorming ideas. Feel free to discard. Business and industry can and do work together to create new things. That is likely going to be more true in the future as budgets and other issues come forward. What if you could fund development and increase the economy at the same time?

Update on Hate 08/06/2023: Which Justice is More Important for Society (Clan or Essential)?

Allegory of Justice Punishing Injustice

1737

Jean-Marc Nattier

Representing the 

deeper history and benefit

of justice to

society.

Hate has causes some interesting issues to rise and when given justification people begin to act on that hate as though it is expected through their social networks (I call it a clan because there appears to be a level of coordination among different people in various institutions and scenarios based around a shared identity). When such clan based systems rear their objectives to dominate the social, legal, and economic environments in tandem that is a concern especially when it is directed at individuals of different religions and races. It is important to stop at its root before it moves into the lower rungs of ethnic cleansing (Historians have researched these issues and found there were a number of precursors and general failures that occurred before such issues arose.). 

(Let us say that this is hypothetical and could never, ever, ever happen because if it did we would reject those concepts quickly and ensure that it stops. So these are just for learning opportunities alone. Don't speculate!)

Sometimes when people are affiliated they create ways in which they understand their environment and that may not always be accurate. Typically when toxic souls with possible mental health issues/aggression/manipulation are mixed with beta followers you create what is called flying monkeys where people act on a hate narrative (Little critical thinking but lots of acting). That narrative may have nothing to do with reality and is an outward projection of inner feelings that are spread among a group as extensions of this distortion. 

However, this can be the impact of such systems....

1. Economic Opportunities: Where poor decision making occurs we often find economic decline, restrictions against who can work where and what type of occupations are allowed for which classes of people. A little like the caste system we have seen in some nations. 

     a.) For example, restricting someone at a local college based not on their agreed upon abilities but simply by their religion, race, or social status in society. A way of saying those people are not allowed to work here or engage in these occupations. A type of racial/religious superiority woven into key decision makers of an organization. (In this situation the were allowed to do that even though it would be a major EEOC violation). 

    b.) We often see these behaviors occur in clans where top local positions are encouraged by clan members of a homogeneous and social background in a way that leads to unfair competition and general decline of functioning (i.e. lack of diversity and knowledge.).  As people become more restrictive in literature, television, radio, social networks, etc. they begin to decline in abilities weakening society (i.e. there is the idea side of things and also the genetic side of things. Inbreeding too closely, i.e. nobility in ancient Europe, leads to cognitive and physical decline. You can see a little of that in group behaviors.)

2.) Restrictions on Safety, Protection and the Laws: Laws are designed to create a level playing field and ensure that we can live protected against criminal behaviors. i.e. safety and economic development. When there is intermingling of law and hate ideologies it can have disastrous effects.

   a.) When laws are applied differently to different people it lowers institutional trust levels. Much of this depends on extent. Single incidents are dealt with as single incidents with an eye on improving the overall process to curb such future behaviors. If legal institutions are perverted by clan beliefs it is a deeper problem and may need a complete revamp of those areas impacted.

   b.) When laws become extension of clan enforcement rules and are applied in ways that are inconsistent with the writers/legislative body's intent. Normal laws don't always apply in those situations and then group disagreements rise through consistent disparities.

   c.) When clan and extremist leaning members are part of law enforcement you may find good officers leaving, policing gangs rise, and a general lack of justice across different areas and times (I'm a supporter of police 100% and want them to work in environments where they can fulfill their roles and be honored by the public. This is in their and the community's best interest. Its a hard sell when politics and clan based hate are present. Yet it is what it is and we pay for it so we want them to be the best they can be. We also want them to attract and retain the best people to fill their actual official roles to protect and serve all of us.)

  d.) Situations can rise where people become afraid to call for help because they are unsure of the quality, political, racial, religious association of the responding officer and their capacity to be fair and honest (This is why we have to be careful when extremism makes its way into public positions. )The same distortions of thinking in extremism are the same distortions of chronic bad choices. i.e. judging all things by one's own political or religious affiliation is not enlightenment. Its a self gratifying narrow lens that shows a lack of development. If all things seen as different and "evil" by extremist are lower, it provides justification for all types of internationally illegal behaviors. (We should never follow the lower values or the lower order thinker if we want to be a great people or nation.)

3.)  Social Considerations of Targeting, Rejection and Ostracizing: There are toxic souls out there that don't really care if they tell the truth or lie. They spread their distorted beliefs and values to anyone who is willing to listen. When they group is inbred in many ways, they loose a connection to logic and rational thinking. Where radicalism, racism and politics play in the same dark sandbox we bury our higher values.

   a.) The hate narrative forms through social circles that create greater risks/justification on minorities (In this case a family). To the glee of rumor starters, the more people buy into the narrative, the more validation they feel until anything is validated. While the essential data facts haven't change, the narrative puts an intentionally false spin on it. Character is still important in leadership positions. This is why its important for us as a people to really thing about why we are hiring into certain positions, their quality, and their willing to seek truth and higher "moral conscious". 

  b.) Misrepresenting the truth also creates victims of the elderly, children, and allows people to enrich off of those intentionally set rumors and hate narratives. The people who do this don't care about the elderly and sick people they have manipulated, the children they have harmed, or the damage they have caused (i.e. screaming out to children their father is a bitch, staring at them in public, showing aggression to them, and involving them in the hate narrative/sharing inappropriate dishonest information with them. Normally this is illegal but in clan based systems setting your boundaries to protect people leads to retaliation, potential violence, and further coordinated attempts to silence people and "teach lessons".) They used their hate narrative to enrich and so far that has been shown to be acceptable under the laws as applied locally (even if one were to check medical records and talk to others outside of the clan that may not agree that the rights of victims should be ignored in what appears to be good old boy clan protections that others in the community have talked about in a number of different public and private venues.)

  c.) People feel justified in being rude, judgy, condemning and spread more rumors with little to no clue that they were pawns and easy misled. Like high school children that never grew up, they relish in their destructiveness (I have learned that you smile and be polite because they are often trying to provoke conflict. Where corruption and extremism are involved that provocation could lead to justification for serious harm or even murder in worst case scenarios) If they actually understood what was happening they might be ashamed and upset with those who so easily misled them. There is physical age and mental age. You can read The Process of Self-Realization—From the Humanist Psychology Perspective, Understanding the Development of Self-Reflection, and States of Conscious Awareness-Internal and External

We should ask ourselves which justice is more important. Should clan justice or essential (deeper shared sense of justice) be most important to our future affairs? When we are unsure we might have situations like this.  In case your wondering. There are many forms of justice and in this case no matter the outcome I have learned about the nature of people, the deeper roots of hate and values, and feel the concept of justice should be preserved in society (It has nothing to do with punishment. I wish everyone the very best and hope we all learned and improved from the situation. We all need a little helping hand from time to time and situations push us to learn. Its like a helping hand.). Justice has already been served regardless of the level of wisdom of those who judge? (The moral side of the wisdom. I'm not taking a particular religious stance on it. Values from the philosophers of moral conscious can be applied often universally because they have an element of truth within them that span societies. From Greek to biblical to modern times we share very similar deeply root values as our ancestors. Essential justice is part of us as a species nudging us throughout history at different times and places to be better; as individuals and as a society. Sorry, went down a philosophical rabbit hole. 😬💨)

If you want to know my stance on things. I'm just more interested in understand things from a deeper level. Its a gifted curse I guess. Its kind of interesting story right? 😏

*These are fictious stories about how we should avoid extremism as a people and why its important to ensure integrity throughout our system. We can learn to support and rally around shared beliefs between two perspectives. If you step out far enough in your mental lens and use your systems thinking you can see how goals can be one in the same, it is only toxic personalities that restrict people from actually listening to each other. As the saying goes, "We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we can speak" Epictetus'"