OT: Coronavirus

 I meet a x-section of people everyday at my work. At least to the degree you can call a cross-section of folks people who buy high-end German automobiles.   

I am absolutely floored at:

• # of people who think this Pandemic is a scam
• # of people who think we should just completely re-open at all costs and that their rights have been taken away by the govt

The second one I can wrap my head around "to some degree". There have always been significant differences of opinion regarding role of govt, certain rights etc..

The first one? Absolutely has me shaking my head...

@"purplefaithful" said:  I meet a x-section of people everyday at my work. At least to the degree you can call a cross-section of folks people who buy high-end German automobiles.   

I am absolutely floored at:

• # of people who think this Pandemic is a scam
• # of people who think we should just completely re-open at all costs and that their rights have been taken away by the govt

The second one I can wrap my head around "to some degree".

The first one? absolutely has me shaking my head...

I'm no longer surprised by what people believe. Couple weeks ago a family member on Facebook listed all the media orgs that were lying to us about the pandemic "scam." It was the usual suspects (minus Fox of course). The very next day, without a glimpse of irony or self-awareness, she posted a link to a conspiracy theory about the pandemic from David Icke. She tagged it "interesting." Well, yeah, if you're a fucking moron. 

So I guess don't believe anything CBS says, but let's listen to what a man who believes in the Lizard Illuminati thinks about Covid-19.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"purplefaithful" said:  I meet a x-section of people everyday at my work. At least to the degree you can call a cross-section of folks people who buy high-end German automobiles.   

I am absolutely floored at:

• # of people who think this Pandemic is a scam
• # of people who think we should just completely re-open at all costs and that their rights have been taken away by the govt

The second one I can wrap my head around "to some degree".

The first one? absolutely has me shaking my head...

I'm no longer surprised by what people believe. Couple weeks ago a family member on Facebook listed all the media orgs that were lying to us about the pandemic "scam." It was the usual suspects (minus Fox of course). The very next day, without a glimpse of irony or self-awareness, she posted a link to a conspiracy theory about the pandemic from David Icke. She tagged it "interesting." Well, yeah, if you're a fucking moron. 

So I guess don't believe anything CBS says, but let's listen to what a man who believes in the Lizard Illuminati thinks about Covid-19.

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"purplefaithful" said:  I meet a x-section of people everyday at my work. At least to the degree you can call a cross-section of folks people who buy high-end German automobiles.   

I am absolutely floored at:

• # of people who think this Pandemic is a scam
• # of people who think we should just completely re-open at all costs and that their rights have been taken away by the govt

The second one I can wrap my head around "to some degree".

The first one? absolutely has me shaking my head...

I'm no longer surprised by what people believe. Couple weeks ago a family member on Facebook listed all the media orgs that were lying to us about the pandemic "scam." It was the usual suspects (minus Fox of course). The very next day, without a glimpse of irony or self-awareness, she posted a link to a conspiracy theory about the pandemic from David Icke. She tagged it "interesting." Well, yeah, if you're a fucking moron. 

So I guess don't believe anything CBS says, but let's listen to what a man who believes in the Lizard Illuminati thinks about Covid-19.

As deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise in Minnesota, the Walz administration is seeking approval to buy a building that would temporarily store the human remains of those who die in the widening pandemic.
The state needs such a facility because storage at funeral homes and hospitals is already full in some places and is expected to fall short over time, said Joe Kelly, director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, during a Friday call with reporters.

This can't be good.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/testing-uneven-or-nonexistent-at-meatpacking-plants-with-covid-19-outbreaks/ar-BB13QKGD?ocid=spartandhp

Illinois'governor announced his plan to reopen Illinois. No gatherings of over 50 people until: vaccine, effective and widely available treatment or elimination of new cases "over a sustained period of time".
It doesn't sound like there's any possibility for training camps or games in Illinois this year.

Barbershops opening today in St Pete...I am about two months overdue...I can wait another two...maybe if it gets long enough, I can put it in a man bun and tell folks tackling isn't important...

Everyone has their breaking point.

@"BarrNone55" said: Barbershops opening today in St Pete...I am about two months overdue...I can wait another two...maybe if it gets long enough, I can put it in a man bun and tell folks tackling isn't important...

I'm thinking about going to Indiana for a haircut this weekend, 60 mile trip each way. It's going to be mid June at the earliest before Illinois allows barbershops to open

@"BarrNone55" said: https://twitter.com/i/status/1259534514545520642

I dont see it.

@"purplefaithful" said:

Breathless in a bad way. 

JANUARY 2, 2020,
DOW CLOSE - 28,828.8DECEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE - 3.5%KNOWN US INFECTIONS - 0KNOWN US DEATHS - 0

FEB 6, 2020, DOW CLOSE - 29,379JANUARY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE - 3.6%KNOWN US INFECTIONS - 12KNOWN US DEATHS - 0

MARCH 2, 2020, DOW CLOSE - 26,703 (-2848 from all-time high)FEBRUARY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE - 3.5%KNOWN US INFECTIONS - 102KNOWN US DEATHS - 6

APRIL 1, 2020, DOW CLOSE - 20,943MARCH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE - 4.4%KNOWN US INFECTIONS - More than 212,692KNOWN US DEATHS - More than 4,780FIRST-TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS -- More than 10 million in March MAY 7, 2020, DOW CLOSE - 23,976APRIL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE - ~16%KNOWN US INFECTIONS - More than 1.2 millionKNOWN US DEATHS - More than 75,000FIRST-TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS - More than 20 million in April Nearly all the job growth achieved during the 11-year recovery from the Great Recession has now been lost in one month.

Now I will admit that I am probably looking at this from a biased lens because my company folded the whole sales organization about a month ago because you can't make sales if you can't meet face-to-face.  So I am one of those 16% unemployed.  Side note, it has been a month with no sight of any kind of unemployment check.

I view this whole Pandemic (to the US economy) as a big shift of many small businesses being sucked up by the large conglomerates who can withstand down markets.  Most people, and small business, live paycheck to paycheck or maybe month to month.  The amount of local restaurant/bars that will close, or have already closed, is going to skyrocket and the big chains are more then prepared to take that business.  The average person/small business owner has very little in the stock market which is doing relatively fine after the low of 20.  The large chain owners and big business have a ton of capital in the stock market in addition to reserve funds, equity, and available lenders.  Again the average small business has none of that.

Of course their will be a recovery but I don't see the net results being better for the vast majority of people/small business.  I see the continued shift of capital, at a faster rate, to corporations with current deep pockets getting even deeper.  I am all for capitalism, especially for small business, but when these corporations become so powerful and monopolistic for the benefit of a few executives and stock holders (again not the everyday person) then the wealth shift is going to really tip for main street.  I guess this is the main street vs wall street argument and I stand fully behind the main street position.  

Capitalism is by far the best economic system their is but just like every good thing it can go to far.  I am a very pro small business capitalist because they actually stimulate and enrich the local economy in terms of owner revenue, taxes, local spending of their profits and then the business itself paying fed, state, local, unemployment, and hiring local workers....increase in all that is what stimulates the whole economy.  A local business owner isn't basing everything on the benefit of a faceless stock holder and making short-term and long-term decisions on the faceless.  

Compared to a large corporation which are all about profits for the stockholder and the executive board.  Corporations will move to 10 year no tax zones every 10 years or move HQ overseas for "legal" tax evasion.  Don't think Joe's pizza shop can file his corporate HQ as Rome, Italy.  Corporations will avoid every penny of taxes by having a corporate tax department team (was one out of college)  to ensure they pay no where near the reported business tax rate year over year.  If things go real bad for a corporation they file Chapter 11, liquidate, making sure all pensions are unfunded or litigated for pennies on the dollar.  The executives just move on...very little personal loss.  They might lose some in stock options but not hitting the bread line anytime soon.  Stockholders lose some (but usually spread amongst so many holders might not be noticeable unless a stockholder didn't diversify which is not common.  Some other venture capitalist buys the whole company for pennies on the dollar and liquidates for huge profits.  Oh and venture capitalist are not small business owners :)

So as you can see I am a very pro small business capitalists because they are the heart of capitalism IMO.  With these very large corporations we are heading to the too big to fail thought process that I do have a problem with.  

In summary, I don't think we (our local economies) are going to come out better from this recession/pandemic.  As usual, I hope I am wrong, but I am seeing a lot of small business folding with no plan/resources to bounce back.  Now for those that don't mind or notice a difference in going to a chain restaurant vs local then they won't care.  I'm sticking with the restaurant example but many other small business as well. 

I saw one of my HS classmates had a sign made and hanging in front of his cattle operation and it rings truer now than when I read it in the 80s.

"If you think meat prices are high now... wait until the packing houses own all the farms"

and this isnt just about the livestock industry,  its about grains and vegetables and about everything else we eat in this country.   if you are buying it at a chain grocery store, or even a local mom and pop that is part of giant buying group like supervalu or similar,  odds are your food is coming from sources that are government enabled to squeeze out the small businesses of agriculture.   i am hoping that this virus makes some people look harder at buying through smaller sources or even going direct and cutting out the middle man.   I also am hoping that we look at the vulnerability of our food chain and realize that massive disassembly lines may be more efficient and economical,  but they arent whats best for our country and create a way for smaller more regional and local packers to come back into the equation.

EDIT:  interesting article i just found on this issue and the hows when and whys.   https://nobull.mikecallicrate.com/2020/05/10/how-we-got-here-the-food-security-crisis-in-america/?fbclid=IwAR1_5SILisswb082WhPqy5pBGV_AHJWNqm3cY9GJXcuH5mfIjoWImwmnjEQ

what is sad is how the govt mandates have been created in the name of the environment that are now used to further crowd out the small operators.  the noose is getting tighter every year and its these giants that are paying for the gallows that their pocket politicians and activists are using.

@"BarrNone55" said: Barbershops opening today in St Pete...I am about two months overdue...I can wait another two...maybe if it gets long enough, I can put it in a man bun and tell folks tackling isn't important...

I've grown enough hair recently to fool myself into thinking I'm not going bald.   One good haircut will dispel that illusion.

@"BarrNone55" said: https://twitter.com/i/status/1260243072908173313

hey,  its mini me.. I love making pizza and when I get to the cheese part I typically do the same thing... my wife always wonders why we go through so much mozz for the amount of pizza we make. B)