Tales From The Front
 

What an eye opener this morning.

Went over to the local Walmart for the early opening and first hour shopping for those of us 60 and over. My wife and I didn't expect many due to the mass shopping the last several days.

When we got to the store there was a line stretching down the side of the building with an area roped off for the line. This was in the dark with rain coming down!

We got in line and got in the door to buy bread, cat food, milk and eggs. We got everything we needed.

I noticed people were still buying a lot of bottled water, paper towels, and yes, toilet paper. Still, the shelves seemed to have plenty of stuff on them and people were buying quite a bit. As for us, we have plenty of soup, rice, beans, peanut butter, a stuffed freezer, and canned goods for a while. We don't plan to hit the grocery store for a while.... people seem to just be panic buying.

My wife just got back from an errand and said the streets were pretty empty. A lot of folks are just staying in.

I'll keep you posted when I am out and about again.

Cheers,

Millard

Thanks Millard, keep up the good work. The FOUR quarters of C-19
 

Thanks, be safe out there.

So, Dr. Fauci says we are NOT even at halftime of the Covid-19 outbreak. I believe him. Using American Football as the "time" frame, I am willing to bet we're barely in the second quarter.

Halftime may be a "lull", a few days where it seems that the situation has slowed down, then BOOM, the 3rd quarter starts.

Here are four possible paths, and no one, not even the great Gordino (in my best Carson/Carnack attire) can see this future.

#1 The WORLD is working hard, and a medical breakthrough happens quickly, and we are on the other side of this by the end of summer 2020.

I won't bet the farm on this scenario, would you?

#2 When the numbers hit a certain level, of deaths, then the last of the "hoaxers" and business as usual states will finally take it serious, and the lockdown begins in earnest. May happen before the month of April is over.

#3 It will be with us for the whole of 2020. Do devastating damage to both people and economies, many of which will not recover.

#4 It creates an even more divisive world, and escalates to violence and mayhem.

Well, there are dozens of other scenarios which will more than likely take place in between the extremes of the above 4.

I don't see rainbows and/or unicorns in our immediate future, but hope I am wrong.

Plant your gardens (if you can get seeds)...clean the house, and use the time to do some self improvement, good time to DIET, eat healthier, exercise and improve your mind.

And help those who can not calm their anxious THOUGHTS nor keep fear and troubles at bay.

I hope we are further along than Dr. Fauci thinks, but he does have access to information we don't.

Play the long game, and stay safe out there.

Gordon

There will be *permanent* change...
 

Hi Gordon,

My 2 United Nations cents (pre-empting the world currency*) is...

There will be many permanent changes.

I'm still in the process of trying to figure these out.

The idea is - if you know what's coming, you can prepare for it.

One change which I believe will be permanent is MORE people will work from home... This change has already slowly been happening. I believe it will become the new "norm" in many jobs...

Covid-19 has "forced" a work-from-home trial run!

Still working on figuring out the rest!

- Dien

* Was kidding about the world currency... Ain't gonna happen, that's my 2 Martian cents worth... ;)

Why this won't happen? My view... Almost all world currencies "float" now... But, there are countries tied to a currency which they can't control - like many of the "Euro" countries. Many argue that a lack of a currency they can control is what helped to destroy the economies of Greece and Italy... I think people realize the weakness of this approach, now...

Re: Tales From The Front
 

Hey Folks....it's Friday, April 3 at midday in most of the country and SOME PEOPLE are talking about the "Virus Models".....some of these "modelers" began by projecting "2 Million American Would Die!"

Then....they went down to 240,000! NOW....today....their are MORE people recovering from this thing than are catching it....SO....there's also news about the "Malaria Drug" treating it.

There ONE Major problem in our country.....the MEDIA, the Dems and the Libs, have been PROMOTING the DAMAGE this thing is doing.....for ONE Main Reason.....they HATE TRUMP and want to use ANYTHING....ANY way....to get rid of him.

Thus.....we CAN'T keep letting the Media and the Lefties.....continue their Negativity.

This "Thing" is NOT as bad as it's being portrayed.

I just heard that Apple has opened ALL their stores in China.

It's the UNcertainty that's the MAIN Problem. Thank GOD there's a Business Man in the top office. Our country was NOT formed with Cowards. THIS can't continue...."THEY" (The Left and their Communist Agenda) can't keep our country Shut Down! WE WILL get out of this and reject their stuff.

California has had 6 People Per Million die (240 people)....and....760 people die EVERY DAY....From other stuff! IS IT THAT IMPORTANT TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN THE 5TH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD????

GET A GRIP...FOLKS! STOP DIS FROM DESTROYING US AND OUR COUNTRY!

Don Alm.....LOONG TIME ENTROOPRENEUR and Risk Taker and Overcomer

Re: Tales From The Front
 

My most recent trip out to Walmart was interesting ... to say the least.

People were lined up ... six feet apart... about 25 yards away from the front of the store. We were being let in about every 3 or four minutes.

But the store had a bit of everything.. except rice and bread. I got milk and eggs no problem. Plenty of cereal.

Deli meats were fine. Not much soup.

People seemed ok. Of course, most of the folks here are country folk, so we've been through hard times before.

Here, it is taking many calls to get a slot to pick up groceries.
 

The Giant Eagles near me, have about a two day waiting list for a slot to pick up your food. My local Walmart has closed one entrance, yellow taped off the whole front, and they too are allowing one person at a time to go in, although, I'd say it was about 30 seconds. I watched from the car, had no needs at this time, so I don't know what they have.

The TRUCKS that are an important part of our supply chain, are facing great problems, with rest stops closed (no bathrooms), special delivery instructions, and a whole lot of disrespect, ask any trucker you know how it is going.

What that means, maybe, is as the shelves get lower and lower, it may take longer to get them restocked. And at a certain point, the hoarding begins in earnest. Hope I'm wrong.

Thanks Millard for that report.

Gordon