A Religious Sect Accidentally Created a Great American Industry
During the Civil War years of the 1860′s the Seventh Day Adventists opened the original Western Health Reform Institute in Battle Creek, Michigan. This religious group was keenly interested in healthy living and undertook some of the earliest research on the benefits of foodstuffs naturally derived from Native American crops. The result was their creation of the earliest breakfast cereals.
For the rest of the 19th century the Seventh Day Adventists consumed their breakfast cereals made from oats, corn, wheat and sorghum. They never really attempted to fully commercialize their recipes for these cereals.
Their original health institute became the famous Battle Creek Sanitarium. One of the doctors at the sanitarium was named W. K. Kellogg. Dr. Kellogg, a devoted follower of the Seventh Day Adventists, was keenly interested in healthy diet and the effect of diet on sick patients. While seeking a foodstuff to replace bread in the diet of his patients, he stumbled into an answer that created an iconic American industry.
Dr. Kellog was boiling a pot of water that contained wheat. His attention became diverted and the wheat overcooked, thus softening. He removed the softened wheat and let it dry. When he returned later he found that the overcooked wheat had begun to turn brittle. He began to break apart the wheat and it broke off into little flakes. Amazingly, the wheat flakes had a most enticing taste. Dr. Kellogg had accidentally invented the process essential to mass-produce wheat cereals and corn flakes. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: devlopment great, industrial trade, religius americanGovernment Vs Corporate Contracting
In this economy, businesses need not put all of their eggs in one basket. They should seek public government contracts and private deals. There are set asides in government contracts for small businesses, woman owned businesses, veteran owned businesses, and minority owned socially and economically disadvantaged businesses. In order to be eligible, these businesses have to get registered and certified. Businesses that do not meet these categories can team with businesses that do in order to take advantage of set asides.
I worked in government for more than 25 years and began the business development journey in 2005. I have met thousands of business owners. One topic that seems to confuse some business owners is whether their government business registrations and certifications can be used in corporate contracting. Well, no. Corporations have supplier diversity programs and look for Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certifications which differ from those in federal, state, county and city programs.
Government Contracting
Federal Contracting – No cost to get started!
Step 1) If 51% woman owned, begin to use Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Small Business (SB) designations for marketing purposes. Put on your website, business cards, brochures, etc now!
- These merely require self-certification.
- A goal of setting aside 5% of government contracts to WOSB is underway.
- There are bid opportunities currently being set aside for SB’s.
- Check your small business status with the Small Business Administration using your North American Industry Classification System (NAICs) codes, annual receipts, and number of employees. Visit the SBA website. Read the rest of this entry »
Lithium and American Industrial Economic Strength at Issue
Why would those in charge of strategic planning for natural resources be so overly concerned about lithium deposits in the US? Are they concerned about having enough lithium for psyche meds, or perhaps making weapons? No, not at all, that really doesn’t take much, and it is more about the quality of the lithium and the ease of extraction. No, the reason they are concerned has to do with a high-tech need in our nation.
With regards to Lithium, I too am very concerned with the future shortage of ‘lithium’ to make ion-lithium and lithium-hybrid advanced technology batteries. One of the biggest lithium-deposits in the World is in Bolivia, a nation that is at odds with the US right now. China and Japan have beat us to these deposits and our US Automakers, technology sector, computer hardware, etc. all need it. We need sources here in the US.
Due to high-fuel prices more auto manufacturers are building hybrid-battery/fuel cars. In the United States Government Motors is building a car that they hope will save the company, but to do so they will have to put in a lot of lithium-batteries. Tesla Motors also will need batteries. If the price gets too high, then consumers will not buy it. The Japanese already have many hybrid-models, and the Chinese are now copying them and building some of their own.
The race to find lithium deposits has upped the ante, and so we need to be looking here in the US while still doing mega battery research to find better solutions. Our economic base and auto-sector depends on it. Please consider this. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: american factory, industrial job, lithium development