Bad News Can't Be Everywhere...
If I'm online and currently reading Google News and after a few minutes when the news is bad or skews negative, I switch browsers. On to Bing News where I'm cautiously confident the news is more positive. I can only hope. If not, I won't know which browser is next for possible good news? Firefox? Safari?
Maybe One Positive Perspective about the Coronavirus?
The Coronavirus appears to be growing in number in many countries so economic activity will take a hit all over the world which may not be all bad considering the contagious rate of this virus. If there's less trade, travel and skittish consumer confidence in the next 6 months, less activity means less carbon will be released into the atmosphere, at least temporarily. That's not something I'm rooting for but could become a unexpected consequence of this virus.
Money In The Bank? Sometimes when people in and out of the media are describing someone's wealth, they'll say that person has $500,000 in the bank. Do they literally mean they have a lot of cash just sitting in a bank earning much less than 1 percent on their money? Or do they mean something different? If someone actually has $500,000 literally in a bank, have they just gone bananas and haven't realized another way to leverage their personal capital? The stock market has averaged 8% over the last 10 years so long term investing could provide attractive dividends and increased stock value.
In terms of 'Money In The Bank,' that essentially refers to one's net worth. That would be all assets (income, dividends, real estate) minus liabilities (car loans, mortgage, taxes, credit card bills). It’s just more accurate and succinct to say your net worth is $500,000 instead of someone like Sam, the barber, saying he has $500,000 in the bank. Besides, the more accurate depiction is two syllables versus five with 'Money In The Bank.'
Uncle Don (surname spelled 'Longmore' where I once pronounced it 'Lawnmower').
My uncle passed away recently which is indeed sad but he had a happy and successful life and a very large loving family and passed at 93. How many U.S. men get to beyond age 90? Don's last name is Longmore and when I was young and lacking confidence, I accidentally called him Uncle Don Lawnmower. After helping my uncle lay sod one June day in 1967, perhaps I was thinking too much about growing sod and not about the actual pronunciation of his name. I'm not sure if he heard me but Uncle Don being such a kind person, would never have been offered my that mispronunciation. Rest in peace Uncle Don! We love you.
Does Matt Spurgeon want to be referred to as the 'Little Sturgeon.'
I’m watching an NHL Hockey game between the Minnesota Wild and visiting Washington Capitals and I see a Wild player number 46 with the last name of Spurgeon. Spurgeon doesn't appear to be a common surname and my first thought was it was spelled 'Sturgeon,' in lieu of a professional hockey player from the North where Sturgeon fish are quite common. Don't know about you but I'd choose Sturgeon over Spurgeon and even Surgeon any day of the week. That prehistoric fish named Sturgeon found in cold waters in the north may be the perfect last name for a hockey player. And the fact that Matt Spurgeon is only 5'9" tall, with a different last name, he could be referred to as the 'Little Sturgeon.'
DJT Can't Litigate the Coronavirus.
As President, DJT has found a way to get the entire Republican establishment to align to his policies, many have fallen in line as they are afraid of repercussions from this vindictive man if they deviate from his messages on Twitter or a media soundbite. In other words, Trump has the ability and canniness to control many men and women, inside and outside of Washington (and this indeed appears to include Fed Chair Jerome Powell).
Unfortunately or fortunately, Trump cannot control the Coronavirus. Threatened litigation to avoid his tax returns being made public may keep his past business deals under wraps but litigation will not work when it comes to this virus. This virus does not discriminate between race, creed or economic standing. Most aware individuals know Trump is only concerned about Trump. It's all about how he can look good to his committed base and continue to benefit politically so to remain in power as long a possible. What I am most nervous about is how the Trump Administration will respond to this crisis where he has limited control from a science perspective. Because he wants to remain in power for as long as possible, he may try to flood the economy with more tax cuts and other measures, some of his plans may be considered unconstitutional. That worries me almost as much as the Coronavirus in this country and throughout the World.
Again, if Trump could, he'd attempt to tied this coronavirus up in litigation. Indeed, that's his modus operandi when he feels challenged or threatened. If Trump is unable to control the narrative to a great extent and his administration struggles with effectively containing this virus, there's no question of the potential fallout this fall. What happens in the next 3 - 6 months in terms of the virus spreading and how effective the Trump administration is at controlling the virus is anyone's guess.
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