#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #SettlingGrudges #ReachOutToSomeone
Few of us are going much of anywhere these days.
In these weird times, some of us are reaching out to people with whom we have become estranged.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an article June 21, 2020, telling the stories of how some people are reaching out to family members, friends and others to whom they haven’t spoken in, perhaps, years.
Talia Frolkis, 32, of Madison, Wisc., couldn’t remember why she hadn’t spoken to her older sister, Liza, in nine months, the article says.
“Who can remember the specifics? There’s always some dramatic thing happening with family,” Talia says.
So, Talia called. Both sisters apologized, according to the article.
“I think it’s a very good thing if the virus is prompting people to repair old relationships,” the article quotes Margaret Moore, founder of Wellcoaches, a company that trains professional health care coaches.
Let’s delve deeper into this. First, the coronavirus and its effect on our lives is prompting loneliness, or other mental maladies.
If you are lonely, others are, too.
It’s allowing us lots of time to think – about everything. It allows us to think of our own mortality.
To whom do you want to deliver a message before something happens to you?
Still, this, too shall pass. But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t “clean things up,” as Moore put it in the article, with someone.
Who knows? That person may have something you need to know about.
Speaking of something you ned to know about, if your job security is less than stellar – that goes for most everyone – know that there are many ways out there to make money without having a traditional job, or depending on government aid. To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
Remember, if you reach out to someone with whom you’ve been estranged for a while, don’t think about settling scores, or rehashing whatever it is that split you apart.
Think only about repairing the relationship. You can’t repair a relationship without talking to the other person. Someone has to make the first overture.
Remember, too, during this time, we don’t always know who is ill, who is really suffering etc.
We don’t always know who needs comfort, even if you can’t physically visit them.
If you know someone you really need to talk to, make a call. More than likely, they’ll be home, or not very far away.
You could make help that person deal with everything we are all dealing with. You could turn into that person’s hero.
Peter
Tag Archives: flatten the curve
KIDS MOVING TO THE CITY FINDING EDUCATION IMPORTANT
#salaries #CollegeDegrees #urban #rural #coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve
Workers in Georgia with a four-year degree earn 66 percent more on average than those with associate degrees, and 101 percent more than those with only a high school diploma.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, pulled that statistic from a study titled “College Earning Across States and Metropolitan Areas.” She discussed the topic in a June 16, 2020, column.
“I don’t want to say everyone should go to college, but the returns to higher education are pretty considerable in Georgia,” Downey quotes John Winters, an Iowa State University economist who authored the study.
“One takeaway from the study is that job market opportunities for those without a lot of education are not very robust in Georgia,” Downey quotes Winters.
In Winters’ study, those with a bachelor’s degree strongly out-earn workers with associate degrees, with more than 25 percent earnings advantage in all but three states: North Dakota, Alaska and Vermont, Downey writes.
If a young person wants to live in the metro area, it’s clear from the study that getting some higher education would be a really good idea,” Downey quotes Winters.
“Whether to go to college always has to be the kid’s decision,” Downey quotes Amber Northern, senior vice president for research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, which sponsored Winters’ study.
There are two things at play here. First, kids who go to high school in a small town or county, and want to move to a city, where they believe the action is, are advised to get a college degree.
The second thing is that the kids have to make the decision whether college is right for them.
Suppose a kid has a rough home life in rural America, and has planned to move out of Mom and Dad’s house as soon as possible after graduation.
What if that kid learns that college is either unaffordable, or doesn’t believe college would be a great move for him or her – at least not worth going into debt to make happen?
Such a child should know that there are many options out there that can allow him or her to earn a good income, regardless of education, background or experience.
Here’s the rub: the child has to be open to looking at the many alternatives to college, or even a traditional “job.” Here’s the bonus: if the child IS open, and likes what he or she sees, he or she can live anywhere he or she wants. It not only requires openness to looking, but also the ambition to pursue, even if he or she needs to take a traditional job at the beginning to earn a living.
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A college degree is certainly desirable to have. Some degrees can be parlayed into a decent career. Others give you knowledge that has a narrow focus in the overall job market, and may not convert to a lucrative income.
Also, who knows how the college experience is going to change in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic?
Regardless, no education is wasted. But, the practical consideration to going to college may supersede the desire for a degree.
As Northern says, it’s the kid’s decision.
But, a child’s ambition to get a degree may not be enough. He or she could be saddled with a huge debt for many years after graduation. If he or she doesn’t get a job from which he or she can live, AND pay down the debt promptly, AND save for the future, the decision is easier.
If he or she believes a good job is ahead with a degree, the decision is harder. That’s where an open mind and a lot of ambition could synergize into something really special.
Peter
SPORTS AND THE VIRUS
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #sports #NoSports
What does a sportswriter do when there is no sports?
Mark Bradley, sports columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, took on that subject in a June 21, 2020, column.
Bradley wasn’t complaining about having no games to cover. It’s just that, well, sports may change a good bit even after the pandemic has settled down.
Many sports leagues have begun practicing. Some will play a limited amount of games in a single location, to avoid travel. Disney World seems to be a popular spot for that.
And forget about crowds in the stands. In fact, the PGA Tour (Professional Golf Association) has already started playing, without fans on the course. NASCAR (stock-car racing) has done the same.
The media days for college conferences, the SEC and ACC in particular (Southeastern and Atlantic Coast conferences), will be done virtually, Bradley writes.
“What if our (newspaper) representatives can accomplish little more on site than to watch a press conference on a laptop?” Bradley asks. He points out that his newspaper, and undoubtedly a lot of other media outlets, are saving a lot of money on travel for these sportswriters.
Yes, the pandemic has affected almost every aspect of our lives. We are home most of the time and, at least sports fans fret, there is very little live sports on TV.
At least the pro golfers can play to some fans when they play on courses that have homes on them. Many golf course residents, at least from observation on TV, are having a few people over to watch the matches. It was tough to see whether social distancing was appropriately practiced.
To top it off, positive coronavirus tests are increasing in many areas. Even some athletes are testing positive and have to quarantine, as do those who come in close contact with them.
From those numbers, it appears this virus is not going away anytime soon. We must still be diligent about practicing the mitigation techniques: mainly wearing a mask in public when you possibly could get close to people; keeping at least six feet, preferably more, away from others, except those with whom you live; and, washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, with soap and warm water. When soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer can act as a substitute. Soap and water are the best hand cleaners, but carry some sanitizer with you in your car.
Other sports columnists have also posed this question: If you are a pro athlete, is an abbreviated season, with abbreviated pay, worth the risk of playing at all? Some are deciding not to.
It’s presumed that they have a little money in the bank to tide them over and the virus can produce a potentially career-ending illness – even death. These athletes love to play their sports, but they have their careers and families to think about, as well as the preservation of the various sports leagues from which they make a living. It goes back to the debate about lives vs. livelihoods.
So, if you are missing your favorite live sports, you may get a taste soon. But it’s probably a great time to contemplate where your life is headed AFTER the virus subsides. Do you want to go back to your old job, or would you look to do something different – something you may have never thought you’d do, but that could pay you more than the job you probably hate. (By the way, it seems Bradley likes his job).
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You could find a home run hidden there. But you have to look to find out.
Bring sports back, SAFELY. You don’t want the virus touching them all.
Peter
REOPENING OF GEORGIA’S ECONOMY UNEVEN
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #GeorgiaEconomy #ReopeningEconomy
Georgia was one of the first states to begin reopening its economy after the coronavirus pandemic forced many businesses and other institutions to close for several weeks.
As a result of the closing, many jobs were lost.
Michael E. Kanell, business reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, explored the business reopening in a May 20, 2020, article.
“While precise data is elusive, the tracking of cellphones and company software sketches a picture of an Atlanta rebound that is patchy and uneven,” Kanell quotes Dallin Hatch, a spokesman for California-based Womply, which sells software for managing small business.
Though many businesses were allowed to reopen, about 25 percent of those allowed to reopen remained closed initially, Kanell attributes to Womply data.
“Many businesses owners are concerned about the danger the coronavirus poses to their workers and customers,” writes Kanell. “Some said they don’t plan to open anytime soon, even though they are worried about how they will pay expenses,” Kanell writes.
Leslie Kuban, an Atlanta-based franchising consultant, told Kanell that many businesses are “guessing as they go along. … Those businesses that were cash poor didn’t make it (a decade ago),” Kanelll quotes Kuban.
It’s a really tough decision for a business owner. Obviously, he or she wants to stay in business. Many want to keep as many of their employees as possible. At the same time, they don’t want those employees, or their customers, getting the virus. Though many who test positive for it don’t have symptoms, others get very ill. Some die from it. The death toll surpassed 100,000 nationally this past week.
These business owners feel the push and pull both as a human being and as a businessperson. Sick customers and workers who are able to trace their contracting of the disease to a business location create liability issues for the business, though some places are working on legislation to mitigate that liability.
At the same time, those who would patronize certain businesses may not feel safe going out and about. One can take precautions, like wearing a mask that covers one’s mouth and nose, and keeping a good distance away from other people.
Sometimes, keeping distance is not easy, particularly when, say, getting a haircut or visiting a doctor’s office. The mask prevents the wearer, who may not know whether he or she is infected, from spreading it to others. Remember, it does not necessarily prevent the wearer from contracting it from someone who is infected.
So how do you feel about gradual openings? Are you taking precautions? Many, particularly over the Memorial Day weekend, were out and about at beaches and restaurants as if there were nothing to fear.
It’s always best to take it slowly, take necessary precautions and do only what you need to do. Avoid large crowds for the time being.
Meanwhile, this is also a good time to take stock of your personal situation. Do you have a job to go back to? Is your job worth going back to? Might you be looking for a different way to make a living?
There are many vehicles out there that allow people, regardless of education, experience or background, to earn money without having a traditional job. It involves work, of course, but it gives you the option of working from home, should you get locked down.
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Meanwhile, stay safe. Help keep others safe. We have no idea what this virus will do next, but it’s best not to gather en masse and give it a golden opportunity to spread.
Give yourself, and others, the very best chance to escape it. Getting sick, or dying, is not what ANYONE wants.
Peter
ECONOMIC PAIN COULD LAST A WHILE
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #EconomicPain
Walter Isenberg has seen revenue at his hotel and restaurant group in Denver drop from $3 million a day to $40,000 a day.
“It’s just going to be a very long and slow recovery until such time as there is a therapeutic solution (to the coronavirus) or a vaccine,” Isenberg was quoted in an economic explainer published April 19, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Companies affected by the shutdowns say restarting the economy will not be easy, the article says.
Even after certain shuttered restaurants and other businesses reopen, as some have already, stay-at-home orders and other restrictions resulting from the pandemic have added a good bit of fear in consumers and workers. In short, people are afraid of getting really sick and dying, so, even as the businesses open – many with modifications to keep disease mitigation in place – some still will be afraid to venture out, the article says.
The employees of the businesses, too, will be, in many cases, afraid to go back to work even if they can get their jobs back. There’s a carrot-and-stick approach here: The carrot is regaining a paycheck. The stick is potentially losing jobless benefits, some of which pay more than their working salaries. Thus, employers, thus, have leverage in getting folks back to work sooner than they feel comfortable going back.
As for the fear among consumers and patrons of those businesses, while the businesses may reopen, they run the risk of no one coming in, out of fear.
“Returning to work will be gradual” and phased in, the article quotes Suzanne Clark, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “It’s going to be the opposite of a green light. It’s going to go from red to yellow and then green,” she said.
A few other stats quoted in the article:
• A National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, by economists from Northwestern, Stanford, the University of Chicago and Boston University predicts that the economy will shrink 11 percent at year’s end from the same period the year before. That would be the sharpest contraction since 1946.
• Many economists warn that rushing back to normal life without the safeguards needed to prevent a second wave of outbreak could worsen the economic damage further.
• A survey by Seton Hall University found that seven in 10 Americans would not feel comfortable attending a sporting event until a vaccine for the virus was developed.
• Polling by the Sports and Leisure Research Group Engagious and ROKK Solutions finds that only about a third of Americans would fly, see a movie or go to a theme park, even if they were allowed.
To quote from the movie “Field of Dreams,” “if you build it they will come. “ Relating to this situation, if you open, will they come?
If you find yourself fearful to go back to the job you had, and are looking for different ways to make money, even if you don’t want to leave your home, there are many vehicles out there that can allow you to do that. To learn about one of the best, message me.
Officials have said recently that we cannot flip a switch and have the economy roar again immediately. It will be a long, slow process that will not be without economic casualties – companies going out of business, companies not rehiring all the workers they had prior to the pandemic, among others.
You’d be wise to prepare for all eventualities. You’d be wise to develop an economic Plan B, should the worst befall you.
Peter
AIR POLLUTION MAKES THE CORONAVIRUS WORSE
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #AirPollution
Air pollution makes the novel coronavirus more lethal.
So says a study by Harvard University.
Long-term exposure to polluted air makes the virus more deadly because pollution worsens complications of respiratory illness, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quotes the study. The newspaper published an explainer on this April 18, 2020.
But here’s the irony: because the virus has kept many people in their homes, thereby minimizing human activity, many cities around the world are reporting cleaner air, the article says. By not driving much, and with businesses not churning as much pollution into the air, one can actually see mountains in the distance from some cityscapes that were clouded with smog prior to the outbreak.
U.S. Environmental Protection chief Andrew R. Wheeler said the agency would not tighten controls on particle pollution, known as PM2.5, because of insufficient scientific evidence, the article says. The PM2.5 standards were enacted in 2012.
In fact, the article says, PM2.5 – small lung-damaging particles generated by power plants, cars, airplanes and burning – levels have dropped by 39 percent between 2000 and 2018. However, data has shown an uptick in some regions since 2016, according to the article.
Americans now see less pollution and have gained 1.5 years of life expectancy since 1970, the article says.
This information puts our lives into perspective. We need economic activity to live. But economic activity means pollution. It’s up to us as humans to try to maximize – we can’t really eliminate all pollution – our air quality.
This viral outbreak has taught us a lot about how to do things differently. Something as simple as minimizing trips to the grocery store can put savings back in our pocket, and minimize the particles we put into the air.
Though it would be impractical over time to live lives secluded at home, perhaps this stay-at-home life can teach us to value things we had put little value on before.
Meanwhile, stay-at-home orders also mean no income coming in for many people. What if you could make money by staying home? There are many vehicles out there that allow you to use technology to help you generate income while you, and everyone else, is staying home. To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
As progress is made on alternative energy sources, we will see less pollution over time.
Decades ago, the hum of engines and factory machines meant industrial progress. They were the sounds of money being made.
As we continued to make progress, we, in turn, made our air quality worse. As we look forward to a cleaner, perhaps quieter, world, it will mean some jobs could disappear.
If you are among those for whom the sound of internal combustion engines or factory machinery means money, you may eventually have to rethink how you earn a living.
Peter
THINK BEFORE TAPPING 401K
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #retirement #savings #401ks
You’ve been laid off or furloughed.
You have no income, at least for the moment.
Federal stimulus, unemployment insurance etc. will help, but it may not bail you out entirely.
You haven’t got much, if anything, in savings, except, perhaps your 401(k).
You’d like to save it until retirement, but things are desperate now.
Carla Fried, from Rate.com, suggests you consider four things before you tap that retirement nest egg.
Her article was published April 16, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Fried’s first suggestion: try reducing your monthly bills. Some people have subscriptions, or belong to things, they don’t use much. If that’s the case with you, cut some of those expenses.
Fried points out that the stimulus bill allows you to stop payments on student loans until Sept. 30. Most landlords will work with you on rent. Remember, many landlords have mortgages on the place you live in, and they are hurting, too.
Fried’s second suggestion is to understand the taxes you will owe if you tape that 401(k) early. Congress has allowed those tax payments to be made over three years, but you should not tap that money unless absolutely necessary.
If you have a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k), withdraw that first, she suggests, since you can do so without a tax penalty.
Thirdly, Fried suggests taking a few minutes to think about the future. “Before you tap retirement savings, try to slow down your racing brain. Imagine yourself at 65. At 70. At 90. That’s why you save,” the article says.
Finally, Fried suggests not rushing to make that, or any, decisions because you are laid off. Know that this crisis is temporary, and if you can weather it without drastically impairing your financial future, you’ll be better off for it.
Also, take a moment to think outside the box. There are many vehicles out there that allow you to spend a few, part-time hours a week to generate an income that could ultimately dwarf whatever you would make at a job.
They can allow you to rebuild your retirement savings over time, if you desperately need to tap into it now.
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In summary, take a breath. Consider everything now and in the future before making decisions. These times will test our patience, but steel yourself to be up to the test.
Remember, too, that this situation is temporary, albeit indefinite. Some states are looking to open up certain businesses at the end of April or early May. Remember, too, that “normal” may not look like the normal you remember. Some jobs may not come back. Employers will learn from this experience, and find ways to do things that may save them money, and, perhaps, cost jobs.
For you, it’s best to wait before tapping your retirement savings, if you can, and look for other ways to generate income, if you need to.
Peter
WE WANT THINGS TO BE OPEN AGAIN; DOES THAT INCLUDE YOU?
coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #OpenTheCountry #AloneTogether
Open.
We so want the country opened back up again, but don’t know yet when that can happen safely.
Close and close.
We hated to see the country close. We long for the days when we can get close again.
As much as we’d like to see the country reopen, let’s look at ourselves.
Do WE want to be more open?
It’s not an easy answer. It may take some effort to think about. But we SHOULD think about it.
Inevitably, when the country reopens completely, things are going to change.
Some companies, indeed some individuals, will have to adapt to new ways of doing things.
It’s been reported that as many as 50 percent of the jobs lost because of the pandemic will not return. Some businesses will not survive this short-term closure. Some companies will re-examine what they did during this time, to stay up to speed without violating guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of course, they will want plans in place to combat another pandemic.
Don’t underestimate the innovation and creativity taking place during this time. Parents who work from home also had to help school their kids from home. So much communication took place without face-to-face meetings. There is potential for great savings for companies, schools and other organization if they can perfect remote communication practices.
Restaurants, bars and other businesses will need to get back up and running as they previously did. But even they may change practices as a result of this take-out-only time. For example, some restaurants allow ordering and paying online prior to pickup. What if you could order your meal, pay for it and have your food already prepared when you arrive to dine in?
All of these things will likely mean that they will eventually need fewer people.
Here’s a way, even before the country reopens, that you can be more open: consider checking out something that could give you a potentially great income without having to worry about whether a pandemic will cost you your job.
There are many programs out there that enable a person to work from home, whether there is a pandemic or not. (As a bonus, when the pandemic is over, you can work face-to-face, if you prefer that.)
If you’d like to be more open, and want to check one of the best such programs, message me.
Remember, as we long for things to be open again, we have to do it safely. That may mean remaining closed for a bit more time.
But while things are closed, why not think about being more open yourself?
What you know, and are content to pursue, may disappear very quickly. One day, you could be forced to find alternatives, some of which may be much less desirable than what you know or are content to pursue.
While we wait for the time to open the country, open yourself.
You won’t know what’s out there for you unless you open up to find it.
Peter