2021-06: Have You Heard?

Santa John’s View from the Bridge – June 2021 
by Santa John McDaniel
The View from the Bridge is an opinion piece that explores how societal changes can/will impact the future, especially as these changes apply to the Graphic-Products industry and small businesses in general.

Have You Heard?

On the COVID-pandemic front – almost ½ the population is fully vaccinated and a little over 2/3rds have had at least one dose. Vaccination is available to most adults and some children; it appears we are continuing to make progress.

Of course, it’s your choice. To vaccinate or not! That is the question.

That said, if you haven’t, please get the shot and stick around. We really hate to lose readers. And, we are sure we’re not the only ones who need you!

On the economic front, there is more help for small businesses. People are getting vaccinated and venturing out, which is boosting economic recovery.

On a personal note: as of this writing, July 6th, 2021, Holley and I have spent our first month together in Oregon. For me, it’s a return; for Holley, everything’s new.

What we learned in our trek “North to Oregon”:

  1. Pet-friendly hotels are almost impossible to find. We define hotels as follows:
    1. Pet-friendly = no charge for pets. Usually there is a two-pet limit.
    1. Pet-tolerant = pets are accepted for an additional charge.
    1. Pet-unfriendly = no pets allowed.
  2. Max towing capacity for our Tesla Model 3 = 3500lbs. when properly equipped, which ours is.
    1. There are videos on YouTube showing a model 3 towing an 8000lb travel trailer. That may be achievable; however, range is significantly impacted.
    1. We towed a 3200lb trailer 1200+ miles, from Arizona to Oregon. Our experience is that on average we lost ½ to 2/3rds of the rated range. For example, our Tesla reports a max range of about 292 miles when fully charged. In practice, while towing we can expect about 1/3rd of that range. In other words, pulling about 3500lbs we can expect a max of about 90 to 100 miles before we have to recharge.
    1. As with any vehicle, gas, diesel, or electric; speed, stops, starts, driving uphill and down also impact range.
  3. We will wait for the Cybertruck to become available before going on the road with our large travel-trailer, 7500lb. Until the Cybertruck arrives, we acquired a second travel trailer. One that meets our 3500lb limit. So, now we have 3 trailers; 1-3400lb cargo trailer; 1-3600lb live-in travel-trailer that the Tesla can pull; and 1-7500lb live-in travel-trailer awaiting the Cybertruck.

Looking Ahead

As we emerge from this pandemic, we are prompted to assess the cultural and economic changes we have all experienced and observed.

Future Trends

We listed several trends we see coming post-COVID:

Trends we explored last time:

2) Some businesses may require employees, as well as patrons, to be vaccinated. Airlines may be the first, but won’t be the last.

Management, and workers, may demand vaccination for employment. Hospitals and schools are launching these efforts.

Bottom Line – those who are not vaccinated will become isolated.

3) Entrepreneurship will increase. More people will have the opportunity to become self-employed.

This trend has already started. COVID-19 sent many people home. Some jobs are gone forever. Some people are creating products to sell via the web.

Some existing businesses, especially in the graphic products industry, are becoming fulfillment centers. In fact, some suppliers are already fulfillment centers.

The impact COVID-19 has had on the commercial art industry (our industry) has been extremely disruptive. Some businesses have closed, some have expanded, and some were not affected.

The important thing to remember is that everyone is an artist. Some express their art by decorating their bodies, some by decorating their environment, think homes and cars, and some, like those in our industry create art for others, i.e., signs, awards, etc.

This time:

A basic minimum income for all will be enacted. Think Social Security for all. There are a couple of cities that are currently experimenting with minimum basic income and having success. In these cities:

  1. Theft from local businesses went down. Small businesses close to homeless camps are faced with a real struggle to survive. There are many fears about homeless people.
  2. Pressure on humane-support services also declined, i.e., food stamps and food banks. If you can purchase food for yourself and your family, perhaps you won’t have to steal it or rely on handouts.
  3. Calls for emergency services like police, ambulance, and fire departments declined. People left out in the blazing heat, rain, sleet, snow, or freezing cold may take extreme-unsafe-illegal measures to survive.
  4. Many found gainful employment. If you can rent a home and have a physical address, (not “under the bridge at Interstate 10, 40, 5, etc., and some other street”), you might be able to acquire a phone, land a job, and become a productive member of society.

Is money really more valuable than people? Money is like manure; spread it around, and it helps grow good things, like food; hoard it in a pile, and it begins to stink to high heaven, like greed and corruption. Do you think money, greed, and corruption had anything to do with the recent condo collapse in Florida?

The man known universally as FDR, pictured here in 1936, is the subject of historian Robert Dallek’s Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life.

Disclaimer

Please know these are our opinions, i.e., the writer’s opinions. We are ONE in presenting them. Our opinions include an analysis of trends and energies. We consult with many.

In our opinion, we have a huge untapped labor force available. Right now, that force is living on the streets. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) tackled the issue during the depression by putting people to work building infrastructure. Perhaps we should follow his lead.

By the way, some historians suggest FDR’s New Deal saved the USA wealthy from the same fate of the aristocrats during the French revolution. You know the “let them eat cake” crowd.

Trickle-Down is a failure. Give a rich person a dollar, it goes in the bank. Bubble-Up will boost the economy. Gave a poor person a dollar, it will be spent.

Where does all this money come from? The wealth of the country. Alaska provides every resident a royalty payment that comes from the oil companies extracting oil reserves in Alaska. Perhaps we should consider expanding that concept nationwide.

Moving Forward

In the past we’ve been focused on creating scripts (step-by-step instructions) you can follow to create a product to sell, primarily using CorelDRAW.

Currently, software, equipment, and blank-product manufacturers have assumed the task of training for finished product production.

Going forward, we will focus our energies on how you plan to start and grow a business. We’ve had experience starting a number of small businesses. Our experience may be of some assistance in your efforts.

Future Articles:

  1. Working from Home will increase. Fewer people will travel back and forth to an office.
  2. Vaccination may become an issue in employment and travel.
  3. Entrepreneurship will increase. More people will have the opportunity to become self-employed.
  4. A basic minimum income for all will be enacted. Think Social Security for all.
  5. Universal healthcare will come. Think Medicare for all.
  6. Social Security (basic minimum income) and Medicare for all will stimulate the economy.
    Small businesses won’t have to compete with large companies who provide health insurance. And no one will need to work for starvation wages.
  7. Linux and Unix operating systems (Android and Chrome) will come to dominate home computers. Windows and I/OS will become niche operating systems.
  8. Having some web-presence will become a business necessity.
  9. Some businesses in the Graphic Products industry will become fulfillment centers. They receive orders from the web, produce product in-house, and ship it to the customer. No contact.
  10. As we have mentioned before, transportation is going electric. Tesla is introducing the Model 2 sometime next year. Its rumored price is $25k. Every major car maker is planning electric vehicles. Who needs gas, oil changes, tune-ups, etc., etc.?
  11. Electric generation will become local. You’ll see it in your home, your subdivision, your city, your building, etc. Solar panels and batteries eliminate the need for high-powered transmission lines and transformers. The landscape will be much nicer once all those ugly power lines are removed for scrap metal.

We will cover these trends, and how they will impact our industry in future articles. Next time: Universal healthcare will come. Think Medicare for all.

Continuing Homework

As we look to the future. It is important that we answer a couple of questions.

  1. Do I have any interest in creating digital art?
  2. Does my interest in digital art include producing hard copies?
  3. Is my interest in creating personalized products for Fun or Profit?
  4. What do I do, or does my business do? Are you an Artist or Commercial Artist?
  5. If I’m a commercial artist, who are my competitors?

In Short

Thank you for your attention. Keep in mind that we don’t know what we don’t know. So, don’t take our word for it. Meditate and find what is right for you.

As we’ve said before, working from home may become the norm. Commuting to an office, not so much or so often. (great for reducing air pollution, not so great for oil producers and gas stations.)   

The economic transformations COVID-19 has initiated will last long after the dis-ease is brought into balance (i.e., suppressed). These changes will favor small businesses that work from home.

One final question – In what state do you have to turn on your hazard flashers while traveling at the posted speed limit? Answer – California. While driving from Arizona to Oregon, we chose California because it has more Tesla charging stations and the speed limit while pulling a trailer is 55 mph. Little did we know we’d have to turn on our flashers to warn approaching motorists we were obeying the posted speed limit.

Thank you, see you next time.

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