Recession?

Active fighting going on in the Turkey - Syria border. The pic shows the 23 mm antiair cannon we had in the Israel Defense Forces in my time, based on recycled Soviet made weapons taken during the Lebanon war. I could take it apart and re-assembly it even today. Pic source.

The Bourse is falling 5 - 7%. For one, it is the fear of coronavirus flu, that suddenly closed down borders and made people quarantine themselves. The facts show that its mortality rate is similar to winter flu epidemies, less than 1%. Maybe China's reaction was overdone and caused universal panic. I am sure in April-May it will be over.

Today's NASDAQ reaction is attributable to Bernie Sanders' victory march in the Democratic Party. The candidate is a left wing Socialist, and he promises to abolish personal debts (like medical bills and student loans). In the Greek cities of the Antiquity, abolishing debts and re-distribution of the land was a permanent feature and every once in a while it was done in a revolution. As an old man, I value stability more than revolutions.  

The Economist Turns Racist

The British liberal magazine turns 180 degrees and takes a far-right "racist" position AGAINST non-European immigration. The Economist wants to Europe's most homogeneous country - Poland - to stay, Sacrebleu!, White. Quote:

"Another mistake is the assumption that since (apart from the Ukrainians) migrants are relatively few, they will not be noticed by Polish voters. Small numbers can have a big impact. In 2019 Poland granted long-term visas to about 24,000 people from Nepal, India and Bangladesh. By comparison, Britain accepted migrants from the Caribbean at an annual rate of about 16,000 in the 1950s. With a population of 52m at the time, Britain was hardly swamped. But it was enough to trigger the rise of racial politics. In 1955 Winston Churchill suggested “Keep England White” as an election slogan."

Italia anziana

Italia anziana, ecco perché 2-3% di morti
Per Giovanni Rezza, direttore del dipartimento malattie infettive dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità, "in Italia c'è una popolazione anziana e si spiegano così i tassi di mortalità del 2-3%. Gli anziani sono più fragili, lo vediamo con l'influenza. Da quest'ultima possiamo proteggerli con il vaccino; non essendoci il vaccino per il Coronavirus c'è la mortalità. L'unica maniera per proteggerli è circoscrivere i focolai come si sta facendo". 

Italy is old and that explains the 2-3% mortality. Old people is fragile, we see that with the flu. We have vaccine for the flu but we have nothing against the coronavirus. The only way is to isolate the foci as we are doing. 

Rejoice!

Regarding people saving for retirement: Given that that’s how they are investing, why would they want the markets to go up? ‘Cause the higher the market goes, the shares cost more, the less shares their money buys, the less money they make, in the long run. So with this dip, and if it continues to go down,they should just stay the course and actually be quite happy because the market is still incredibly high.

Since I am a buyer of shares and not a seller, I too should rejoice that there is a correction going on.

Suze Orman (pic) looks like the wife of my uncle Lucio, an original poylische yiddene. She emptied his bank accounts and left him for his best friend. At ninety something she still looks like the pic and is very active. 

Springtime for Us

Kleine Schneeglöckchen / Common Snowdrop - meaning, Spring is Near

The WHO is worried about stigmatizing diseased people as well or more than the disease itself. From their site:

Here are some examples and tips on possible actions to counter stigmatizing attitudes: 

• Spreading the facts: Stigma can be heightened by insufficient knowledge about how the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is transmitted and treated, and how to prevent infection.
 • Engaging social influencers such as religious leaders on prompting reflection about people who are stigmatized and how to support them, or respected celebrities to amplify messages that reduce stigma.
  • Amplify the voices, stories and images of local people who have experienced COVID-19 and have recovered or who have supported a loved one through recovery to emphasise that most people do recover from COVID-19.
 • Make sure you portray different ethnic groups. Materials should show diverse communities that are being affected, and show communities working together to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
 • Balanced reporting. Media reporting should be balanced and contextualised, disseminating evidence-based information and helping combat rumour and misinformation that could lead to stigmatisation.
 • Link up. There are a number of initiatives to address stigma and stereotyping. It is key to link up to these activities to create a movement and a positive environment that shows care and empathy for all.

P.S.: Steve Sailer locks it: W.H.O.: the Greatest Enemy We Face Is Not the Virus Itself; It’s the Stigma That Turns Us Against Each Other.

My humble comment: Stigmatizing transmissible diseased persons is a natural self-defense mechanism. The World Health Organization, an influential United Nations branch, tries to convince us that the problem is not the disease itself, but our instinctive reaction to it. I think the United Nations as a whole has been infected by a mental disorder, it is not doing its job and should be replaced.

Situation Report

Enlivex Therapeutics Announces Plan for Increased Production Capacity of AllocetraTM in Preparation for Potential Treatment of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Patients with Organ Failure

WHO:  No new countries reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. 

Living with the Virus

My daughter and husband are vacationing in Haifa. Their 7 months old daughter (pic) has been deposited with us and the two years old boy with the paternal grandparents. The baby has the flu and breaths with difficulty. They left us an inhalation steam machine for the baby to breath. We must be infected with her flu virus but no effects. She has a good temper, is very alert and talks to the toys. Loves to pull my beard and tear out my eyes with her sharp fingernails.