Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Coronavirus - The Rambling Mind
"I wonder what tomorrow has in mind for me,
Or even if I'm in it's mind at all.
Perhaps. I'll get a chance to look ahead and see,
As soon as I find myself a crystal ball......"
- Tommy Shaw
So, here we start another week of "social distancing" and the finish line just moved a little further down the track. Yesterday, we got word from our Governor that we will be "sheltering in place" for the unforeseeable future. Ode to joy....
With all of the downtime that many of us will face, it's inevitable that our minds will wander. I have been thinking about how the COVID-19 crisis will affect our behavior going forward. For instance, will the traditional handshake become a thing of the past? I can remember playing a tennis match years ago. After the match, it's normal "tennis etiquette" for the players to meet at the net and shake hands. Well, after a competitive match, I met my opponent at the net and extended my hand to him. Surprisingly, he offered me a "fist bump" instead, explaining that he doesn't shake hands because of germs. My first reaction had me feeling a bit offended. I mean I shower every day and have relatively good overall hygiene. I even floss regularly. So, why would this guy think that I had germs? But nonetheless, I obliged him with his anticipated fist bump and moved on. But now I'm wondering if he was actually onto something.
I also wonder about the purchasing trends of toilet paper as we move past this crisis. Will people continue to stock up for a "rainy day"? Or will they go back to living dangerously? Let me mention this.....never underestimate the power of a high fiber diet during these trying times. This also leads me to wonder how many trees can be saved by one container of MetaMucil.
Through the years, we have all seen those images of random people donning surgeons's masks in places like China and Indonesia. But through the past couple of weeks, I have seen this same image at my local grocery and hardware stores. You expect to see a mask on the guy finishing your drywall but not on the cashier at Walgreens. I'm wondering if this trend will continue even after the coronavirus moves out.
With the shortage of personal protective equipment, ventilators and other critical materials, will there be a push for more manufacturing of these items here in the US? Our dependence on overseas manufacturing has been fully exposed during this global crisis. Will this be a catalyst to bring back some of those manufacturing jobs to the States?
Since these contagious viruses make their rounds every few years. I can't help but wonder how the next one will be handled. Will we see impulsive toilet paper runs followed by mandatory shut-downs?
Overcoming a crisis often requires teamwork and unity. Although it has not been without contention, I like some of the recent bi-partisan efforts I've seen. Will this crisis help mend at least a few fences along the way? For the good of America, let's hope so.
And lastly, I'm wondering how we'll evaluate "essential" employees in the future. It goes without saying that our military, first responders and healthcare workers are, and always will be essential. No matter how dire the circumstances, these folks always step up to the plate and deliver. These guys are, no doubt, in a class all by themselves. But what about some of the people that work "ordinary" jobs? The cashier at your your local grocery store, the truck driver who delivers the essential goods, the service people who keep the gears turning, the mail carrier who brings you that stimulus check, the sanitation worker who picks up your trash ....all of these people are out there working hard to make our lives a little more convenient. So, if you happen to cross their path in the near future, give them a smile and a nod of appreciation.
Looking forward to the days when all of this is behind us. Until then, stay safe and think positive thoughts...
kw
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Coronavirus - A Message of Hope
"Sometimes in our lives we all have pain, we all have sorrow.
But if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow......"
- Bill Withers
Watching the news today is much like watching a train wreck. While you want to stay in tune with what's going on, it always ends with you feeling afraid and hopeless. The media feeds you doom and gloom with every passing story. Fear and outrage may be detrimental but, ironically, they are good for ratings.
While we should be very concerned about the coronavirus, we should not let it paralyze us with fear and hopelessness. Yes, things are bad. I'm not denying that. But are we supposed to bet it all on red and then jump off of the nearest cliff? Of course, not! We need to maintain confidence that we will get through this. We have prevailed from dire circumstances in the past. And we will do the same in this one. This is America, dammit!
The key to getting through this is unity. We, as a country, need to band to together and support one another. Remember that American spirit in the days shortly after the 9/11 attacks? Although we felt beaten and weary, we came together as a country. We picked each other up, dusted one another off and demonstrated to the world that America will indeed get back up every time!
In these trying times, there will surely be frustration and criticism. But try to leave that on the back-burner for now. What we need to do now is focus on getting through this dilemma. The biggest sacrifice for most of us is to remain isolated until this blows over. Trust me, I get it. I'm a social person and I love interacting with people. But I look at this as a minor inconvenience in the overall scheme of things. Let's all try to do our part to help the situation.
Many of us will have plenty of downtime in the upcoming day. Use that time to read a good book or maybe watch that classic movie that you're never seen. If you've meaning to catch up with an old friend but haven't been able to find the time...well, here's a good opportunity to pick up the phone or shoot an email. Take the time to reflect on and appreciate life.
Summing everything up, I'd like to borrow a little inspiration from Jimmy Valvano*. If you don't know who he was, Jimmy was the men's basketball coach for NC State back in the 70's/80's. His story is an incredible one, He transformed his personal tragedy into motivation for countless people. Essentially, while he was in the final days of his cancer fight, he gave one of the most inspirational speeches ever (It touches me so much that I still get emotional every time I think of it). In a nut shell, he basically tells us that no matter what tough times you're going through in life, don't stop fighting and don't ever give up.
Feeling the spirit of Jimmy V, I would ask each of you to keep the faith and to not give up on us! Don't ever give up on America!
kw
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Valvano
But if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow......"
- Bill Withers
Watching the news today is much like watching a train wreck. While you want to stay in tune with what's going on, it always ends with you feeling afraid and hopeless. The media feeds you doom and gloom with every passing story. Fear and outrage may be detrimental but, ironically, they are good for ratings.
While we should be very concerned about the coronavirus, we should not let it paralyze us with fear and hopelessness. Yes, things are bad. I'm not denying that. But are we supposed to bet it all on red and then jump off of the nearest cliff? Of course, not! We need to maintain confidence that we will get through this. We have prevailed from dire circumstances in the past. And we will do the same in this one. This is America, dammit!
The key to getting through this is unity. We, as a country, need to band to together and support one another. Remember that American spirit in the days shortly after the 9/11 attacks? Although we felt beaten and weary, we came together as a country. We picked each other up, dusted one another off and demonstrated to the world that America will indeed get back up every time!
In these trying times, there will surely be frustration and criticism. But try to leave that on the back-burner for now. What we need to do now is focus on getting through this dilemma. The biggest sacrifice for most of us is to remain isolated until this blows over. Trust me, I get it. I'm a social person and I love interacting with people. But I look at this as a minor inconvenience in the overall scheme of things. Let's all try to do our part to help the situation.
Many of us will have plenty of downtime in the upcoming day. Use that time to read a good book or maybe watch that classic movie that you're never seen. If you've meaning to catch up with an old friend but haven't been able to find the time...well, here's a good opportunity to pick up the phone or shoot an email. Take the time to reflect on and appreciate life.
Summing everything up, I'd like to borrow a little inspiration from Jimmy Valvano*. If you don't know who he was, Jimmy was the men's basketball coach for NC State back in the 70's/80's. His story is an incredible one, He transformed his personal tragedy into motivation for countless people. Essentially, while he was in the final days of his cancer fight, he gave one of the most inspirational speeches ever (It touches me so much that I still get emotional every time I think of it). In a nut shell, he basically tells us that no matter what tough times you're going through in life, don't stop fighting and don't ever give up.
Feeling the spirit of Jimmy V, I would ask each of you to keep the faith and to not give up on us! Don't ever give up on America!
kw
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Valvano
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Coronavirus - The Reaction
"It's the end of the world as we know it.
And I feel fine....."
- R.E.M.
Let me just jump right into to it.....When I first heard of the Corona virus, I misinterpreted it as the Carnivorous virus. My thoughts ran wild with images of a flesh-eating disease that would propel us into some type of zombie apocalypse. My fears were eased when I confirmed that it was actually the coronavirus. While still to be taken seriously, naming the virus after a light Mexican beer seems just a little more comforting.
With the global pandemic of the coronavirus (aka COVID-19) now in full motion, Americans are scrambling to figure out how to best protect and prepare themselves for the uncertain. Grocery stores are seeing their shelves ravaged by hoards of panicked shoppers. The fear of contracting the coronavirus seems to have taken a backseat to the fear of running out of toilet paper. I don't quite understand this one. From everything that I've gathered, the virus will produce flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, etc). How are people confusing this with an epidemic of explosive diarrhea?
So, the question on everyone's mind is....How bad is this virus? The reality of it is that we really don't know. The best case is that it's an over-hyped media blitz and a relatively small number of people will actually be affected. Worst case is....well, let's don't go there just yet. The bottom line is that until we get the testing ramped up, we are really just speculating.
To date, roughly 156,000 worldwide cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed, with roughly half of that number coming from China. The encouraging news is that roughly half of the overall affected people have already recovered.
In the US, approximately 3000 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed. The death count currently stands around 40*. While these numbers will inevitably climb, they still have an extremely long way to go before they rival the H1N1 (aka Swine Flu) virus from just a few years in which over 12.000 American deaths occurred. **
When you compare this current crisis to the reaction we had to H1N1, it's understandable to question the motives. While we have to protect our citizens, are we over-reacting as a country? I am not a big conspiracy theorist, but it is indeed an election year. And who was the politician that once said, "Never let a good crisis go to waste"? The political implications can not be denied. With this being said, I really wish that both parties could set aside their political differences in times like this and put the American people first. There will plenty of mud-slinging opportunities later.
So, as more schools and business continue to close, we have to figure out how to trudge through this. I would tell everyone to relax and watch your favorite sporting event. But they are all being cancelled as well. I am really bummed about March Madness being cancelled. I was looking forward to seeing the Maryland Terps make a deep run in the tournament. But we'll to have to wait until next year.
And what about the wild ride on Wall Street last week? I have been trading and investing for 25+ years and I have never seen anything like the recent swings in the market. A record decline today followed by a record gain tomorrow. I have spoken to a lot of people of the past week about this. All that I can say is invest wisely. If you're playing the general market, only invest what you an afford to lose. If you truly believe in a particular stock, look to add to your position on any huge market sell-off. If you've got 10+ years until retirement, you are going to be fine. The market has always rebounded. If you are retired or are about to retire, you should have your money in secure funds that are minimally affected by any huge market decline. These are just common sense rules of investing.
With all of the uncertainty that still lies ahead, just remember this: We are all in this together and we will get through it. We have some of the best doctors and researchers in the world that are working feverishly to find a solution.
So for now, take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and others but don't buy into all of the doomsday hype. America is still strong and resilient. We will prevail...
kw
* https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
** https://www.cnn.com/2013/08/23/health/h1n1-u-s-fast-facts/index.html
And I feel fine....."
- R.E.M.
Let me just jump right into to it.....When I first heard of the Corona virus, I misinterpreted it as the Carnivorous virus. My thoughts ran wild with images of a flesh-eating disease that would propel us into some type of zombie apocalypse. My fears were eased when I confirmed that it was actually the coronavirus. While still to be taken seriously, naming the virus after a light Mexican beer seems just a little more comforting.
With the global pandemic of the coronavirus (aka COVID-19) now in full motion, Americans are scrambling to figure out how to best protect and prepare themselves for the uncertain. Grocery stores are seeing their shelves ravaged by hoards of panicked shoppers. The fear of contracting the coronavirus seems to have taken a backseat to the fear of running out of toilet paper. I don't quite understand this one. From everything that I've gathered, the virus will produce flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, etc). How are people confusing this with an epidemic of explosive diarrhea?
So, the question on everyone's mind is....How bad is this virus? The reality of it is that we really don't know. The best case is that it's an over-hyped media blitz and a relatively small number of people will actually be affected. Worst case is....well, let's don't go there just yet. The bottom line is that until we get the testing ramped up, we are really just speculating.
To date, roughly 156,000 worldwide cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed, with roughly half of that number coming from China. The encouraging news is that roughly half of the overall affected people have already recovered.
In the US, approximately 3000 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed. The death count currently stands around 40*. While these numbers will inevitably climb, they still have an extremely long way to go before they rival the H1N1 (aka Swine Flu) virus from just a few years in which over 12.000 American deaths occurred. **
When you compare this current crisis to the reaction we had to H1N1, it's understandable to question the motives. While we have to protect our citizens, are we over-reacting as a country? I am not a big conspiracy theorist, but it is indeed an election year. And who was the politician that once said, "Never let a good crisis go to waste"? The political implications can not be denied. With this being said, I really wish that both parties could set aside their political differences in times like this and put the American people first. There will plenty of mud-slinging opportunities later.
So, as more schools and business continue to close, we have to figure out how to trudge through this. I would tell everyone to relax and watch your favorite sporting event. But they are all being cancelled as well. I am really bummed about March Madness being cancelled. I was looking forward to seeing the Maryland Terps make a deep run in the tournament. But we'll to have to wait until next year.
And what about the wild ride on Wall Street last week? I have been trading and investing for 25+ years and I have never seen anything like the recent swings in the market. A record decline today followed by a record gain tomorrow. I have spoken to a lot of people of the past week about this. All that I can say is invest wisely. If you're playing the general market, only invest what you an afford to lose. If you truly believe in a particular stock, look to add to your position on any huge market sell-off. If you've got 10+ years until retirement, you are going to be fine. The market has always rebounded. If you are retired or are about to retire, you should have your money in secure funds that are minimally affected by any huge market decline. These are just common sense rules of investing.
With all of the uncertainty that still lies ahead, just remember this: We are all in this together and we will get through it. We have some of the best doctors and researchers in the world that are working feverishly to find a solution.
So for now, take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and others but don't buy into all of the doomsday hype. America is still strong and resilient. We will prevail...
kw
* https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
** https://www.cnn.com/2013/08/23/health/h1n1-u-s-fast-facts/index.html
