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John Jackson

Dave, I disagree that the auto bailout, which saved GM and Chrysler at no cost to the American taxpayer, was unwise.  Ford was much healthier, but since the Big Three share many suppliers, the failure of GM and Chrysler would have led to the failure of many of their (and Ford’s) suppliers so even Ford was thought  to be at risk. The economy was in such perilously bad shape in 2008-2009 that if these two (or three) companies went under, we might be referring to the 2008 recession not as the deepest recession since the big one in 1929, but instead as a depression.  And let’s remember that World War II is widely credited with finally pulling the U.S economy out of the Great Depression (which means it lasted from 1929 to 1942-43).

And there is no way that GM and Chrysler (and possibly Ford) would have been replaced by new American companies making cars.   Starting a new car company is a huge job requiring gigantic investments in plant and equipment and it wasn’t going to happen in those very uncertain and scary times.  In our lifetime, a number of car companies have failed (think Studebaker and American Motors) while exactly one new car company, Tesla, has formed. 

And the jury is still out whether Tesla will survive or be overtaken by the tens of billions of dollars every major car company in the world is investing in electric vehicles because of climate change - for you climate skeptics out there, company after company, domestic and foreign, has announced they are phasing out or have stopped development of new models with internal combustion engines.  Instead, they are betting their futures on electric cars, and the companies who will survive and prosper are the ones who get the timing right (not too early, not too late) and offer good product.  

But I do agree with Dave that some perpetrators of the mortgage meltdown in 2008 should have done jail time.  The rationale given (after the fact) was that the economy was in such perilous shape that the government needed the full cooperation of Wall Street and this cooperation was more likely to be forthcoming if the culprits and their companies could freely share requested information with the feds.  So, one way or another,  jail time was taken off the table.  Although I understand the explanation, I think it’s lame, and agree that at least the worst offenders should have done time. I’ll also point out that many congressional Democrats, but few Republicans, were calling for prison time for the perpetrators.

And, Jim, can you provide even a single example of the mainstream press blaming this “world wide catastrophe” on Trump – a direct quote or link from any of  the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal (yes, WSJ news pages are reliable), AP, etc – your choice.  If I’m not mistaken, what has been reported is that the U.S. is poorly prepared today compared to past administrations (Republican or Democratic) due to Trump’s cuts to agencies like CDC and NIH because of his indifference to their missions, as well as his general tendency to fill top positions with donors, yes-men and loyalists rather than with experienced, knowledgeable and competent professionals.  

I'll make my usual disclaimer and pledge to say no more on this topic.  In fact, since we're now into the holiest month of the year (the one that includes St. Patrick's Day) I may post a link or two to some of my favorite Irish music.

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

In response to John's questions:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/opinion/coronavirus-trump.html

https://apnews.com/d36d6c4de29f4d04beda3db00cb46104 

Jack, what great news on Rowan's health status!  Prayers will continue.

David Mitchell

Cool news from Jack's story. In a world of so much bad news, it is pretty neat to hear something of a modern miracle.

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John,

I get the seriousness of the repercussions of my broad statement about saving Detroit. I should have been more specific with that comment. There were at the time some voices asking for more stringent conditions on those two bailouts. I agree with those.

Yes, that would have cut deeper and wider - for a time that would have caused more employment displacement. But I do not see any effort on the part of those two car manufacturers to come out of it as better and more efficient companies. Neither of those two compnaies have done squat with electric cars, safer designs, or better working conditions (such as Honda) for their employees. It seems we are back to business as usual.

As you have indicated, we saved ourselves a deeper recession, but we could have expected much more in the bargain. I'd say, we let them off easy - way too easy.  

--------------

And as a footnote to my Mortgage crisis comments, that too had interesting results. We really did need strickter, and more standardized mortgage application and qualifying rules. And a bit of sanity! And we needed licensing for those of us who were "Loan Officers" or what we call in the business, "Loan Originators". I applaud the intent behind those new regulations. 

Unfortuneatley, what we got was the "Dodd-Frank Act". (Senator Tom Dodd and Rep. Barney Frank) or the "Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010". It is a great leap forward in honest, more sustianable, safer mortgage loans.  

BUT, it is over 800 pages of such convoluted, confusing, overly compilcated legal knit-picking that it is a small nighmare to learn, abide by, and comply with. And it has certainly driven the cost of processing mortgages up, to the point where it has created great difficulty (and increased legal cost) to the smaller banks and mortgage companies. You would not believe some of the ridiculous details and ramifications of this new law.

The course I had to take a few years ago was By Far  the most difficult course I have ever taken. (I thought Fliight School was hard, and then I got 4 years of financial math in a Real Esstate Major for my BSBA).

I passed the Federal (and the State of So. Carolina) Mortgage Loan Originators exam by nothing short of a miracle. And it will probably be the reason I exit the business by next year. I simply cannot keep up with the stress of navigating all the details - (let alone the stress of most clients having damaged credit scores but don't know it, or simply lying to us to begin with.)

(added later; I failed to receive a BSBA in spelling)

Footnote:

If I worked for a Federally Funded (read, "large") Bank or Savings & Loan, I would not have to take the exam. The Big Banks and S&L's wrote this new law themselves and exempted their loan officers from having to take the exam. Go figure.

We all go through the same serios background check, but the extensive (and brutally confusing) training course and challening exam are only for those of us working for a Mortgage Banker or a Mortgage Broker. Doesn't seem fair?

John Jackson

MM, I know I’m supposed to be in a self-imposed blackout on this topic but the first link is an opinion (not a news) piece - while I think, for example, that the news pages of WSJ are reliable, I steer clear of their op-ed stuff and I rarely read NYT opinion stuff either.  And, while the NYT piece criticizes aspects of Trump’s handling of the crisis, it in no way makes the claim that Trump is responsible for this “world wide catastrophe”.

However, I concede the point you make with the AP link - while Trump has in the past attempted to cut funds for CDC, strong bipartisan coalitions in Congress have reversed the cuts, and that's important to this discussion. While I don’t think the attempted cuts reflect well on Trump, I’ll try to be more careful next time.

Donna Kelley (Velazquez)

Wonderful news about little Rowan, Jack! Thanks for letting us know.

David Mitchell

One week ago. .......Among the Gliterati noticed at the recent Beaufort Film Festival were such notables as........

Isn't that Umma Thurman's sister with Ben Afleck's older cousin?

 Why no!   I think that's Sharon Stone's long lost twin and Francis Ford Coppola's stunt double. 

Michael McLeod

A DOCTOR ADVISES DOCTORS RE THE CORONAVIRUS:

"Date: February 26, 2020 at 2:35:50 PM EST
Subject: Advice from a former Professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego What I am doing for the upcoming COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic

Dear Colleagues, as some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s). I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Since then, I have kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources.

The current projections for its expansion in the US are only probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread in the US by mid to late March and April.

Here is what I have done and the precautions that I take and will take. These are the same precautions I currently use during our influenza seasons, except for the mask and gloves.:

1) NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.

2) Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.

3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip - do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.

4) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.

5) Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involves locations where other people have been.

6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home's entrances. AND in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can't immediately wash your hands.

7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!

What I have stocked in preparation for the pandemic spread to the US:

1) Latex or nitrile latex disposable gloves for use when going shopping, using the gasoline pump, and all other outside activity when you come in contact with contaminated areas.

Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average - everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs) The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth.

2) Stock up now with disposable surgical masks and use them to prevent you from touching your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you - it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth - it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth.

3) Stock up now with hand sanitizers and latex/nitrile gloves (get the appropriate sizes for your family). The hand sanitizers must be alcohol-based and greater than 60% alcohol to be effective.

4) Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY "cold-like" symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available.

I, as many others do, hope that this pandemic will be reasonably contained, BUT I personally do not think it will be. Humans have never seen this snake-associated virus before and have no internal defense against it. Tremendous worldwide efforts are being made to understand the molecular and clinical virology of this virus. Unbelievable molecular knowledge about the genomics, structure, and virulence of this virus has already been achieved. BUT, there will be NO drugs or vaccines available this year to protect us or limit the infection within us. Only symptomatic support is available.

I hope these personal thoughts will be helpful during this potentially catastrophic pandemic. You are welcome to share this email. Good luck to all of us! Jim

James Robb, MD FCAP"

John Jackson

Mike, I’m told that taking large amounts of ethyl alcohol (internally, not topically) is quite effective, not necessarily against the disease, but to manage pandemic-induced anxiety.

James Hamilton, M. D.

Mike,

 Basically, Dr. Robb's advice is sound but, in some ways, difficult to follow.

Gloving for many tasks can be impractical even though it would be partially effecive and, if disposed of after each use (which would be the ideal), quite expensive. Latex allergy can be very serious and if a person has it, those gloves and even contact with another person's latex gloved hand could be a big problem. Nitrile gloves would be a better choice for most people. 

Zinc ​​​​​lozenges have been shown to be of questionable or uncertain help in decreasing the duration of symptoms for the common cold. He states that they could interfere with the replication of the coronavirus in the oral and nasopharynx. Viruses only replicate inside a host cell thus they have to attach to that cell to gain entry. Dr. Robb stated that these viruses only can attach to lung cells. To me, that is, therefore, confusing. 

But, he is a research virologist and I am not. 

Jim 

David Mitchell

Mike,

I think that 's pretty sneaky way to make your post look shorter than it really is - using tiny font size. If this is an attempt on your part to make my posts look longer...................

I think it worked.

David Mitchell

I don't know wether to call this;

"This Day in history",  

or

"What do you get when you cross a popular Hollywood race car movie with OSU Football history?" 

First a bit of OSU history;

Many of us are all too familiar with the OSU Marching Band performing the famous "Script Ohio". 

I had read somewhre years ago that the tune is from an old French military marching tune. It is in fact titiled, "Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse". It was written sometime after the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and first performed in Paris on March 3rd, of 1870. Later, it was used for patriotic events - including the execution of traitors!   

(oh, those sentimental French - what a nice touch?)

Moving forward;

I beleive the OSU band first used it in 1933.

So what does this have to do with Hollywood movies. Nothing. 

Except......while I was at the movies the other night, seeing "Ford vs. Ferrari" - for the second time (It's that good!) - I caught something interesting in the soudntrack that I had missed the first time. Ther is a scene where Chrsitian Bale (the Shelby-Ford race car driver in the movie) is walking out of the tunnel onto the track at LeMans, and the camera shot widens to the crowd in the stands and flags and all the noise - and in the background, the PA system is playing,,,,,wait for it,,,,,

 "Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse"  (Script Ohio)

(p.s. the film starts slow, like "Knives Out"  - give it time - give them both time. they both get cranked up pretty good as they progress)

Michael McLeod

Which screws up the old joke, Dave, that the school up north didn't know cursive -- so they had to print it.

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Dave, I agree with you totally about the movie, "Ford vs Ferrari".  My brother-in-law and sister were planning to watch it the other night when I was at their home for dinner.  They asked if I wanted to hang around and watch it with them.  I debated as nothing interests me less than race car driving, but I relented as I had nothing better to do that night.  I am so glad that I decided to give the movie a chance to entertain me because it succeeded way beyond my meager expectations.  The fact that t is based on the remarkable true story of car designer Carroll Shelby and his friend, British born car driver, Ken Miles, made the movie even more engrossing.  I did not catch the soundtrack incorporating Le Regiment into the tunnel scene, thanks for sharing that bit of info.      

Timothy Lavelle

I told a joke, then deleted it because I know some of you have soft spots. So I told the joke to my son today and he howled. He may not be objective! But since he loved it, and it is short, I'll put it back up. Skip to the next post if you find my humor off-putting.

So, there is a youth group in the Seattle area that is strongly supporting the spread of corona virus here. They sre young. They want good jobs.

They have made news recently with their mission statement:

                                 OK BOOMERS, YA DONE!

 It is poor, age based humor, I agree, but my boy works real hard each day trying to become a chef - jesus the kid can cook - and he says that all his team tell jokes like that constantly. But they whisper the punch lines! He works with a lot of Mexicans and they tell him they have a chant for the virus. It goes:

"Corona, 

No bueno.

Prefiero

Modello".

 If you didn't laugh at any of this...think how funny it will be if I get Covid. "Sick, but funny".

David Mitchell

I have a daughter and son-in-law with two young kids living in the little town of Langley, on Whidbey Island just out in the "Sound" from Seattle. She tells me Seattle is totally unprepared for this virus and that they have not yet closed the schools on Widbey Island. I would have though that would be one of the first reactions - especially since Seattle has the first 6 deaths from this thing the U.S.

P.s. Tim,

Chefs are good. My son and both daughters love to cook. We had them with us in the kitchen from just after the age of diapers. They are not chef caliber, but all three are pretty darn good. The girls did some small-time private catering for a few years on their own. We all think cooking is one of the real joys in life. When I visit them I eat like a king! 

Janie Albright (Blank)

Tim, Since I'm in Mexico I think the joke is funny. I prefer Pacifico myself... saw this funny sign the other day. If you can't laugh in the face of trouble what can you do?

Read the fine print! 
 

Timothy Lavelle

Dave, Janie,

Loved the menu Janie. I don't want to die weeping. I want to die laughing my ass off about the latest joke from Frank Ganley or a great message from Bull, Foster Freeze, or Al J.

It is difficult to say up front what the best steps are in response to Covid. I will say that when people start asking for closing this n that, like schools...imagine the overwhelming number of households that depend on two incomes...imagine the conversation telling first thru sixth graders "I'm sorry honey but you'll have to take care of yourself at home tomorrow. Don't you get in trouble". We desperately need to, for once, act on the principals of our parents and get strong, determined, helpful but NO PANIC. I agree with curtailing unnecessary meeting, conventions, flights and so on. 

If we can stay strong and confront this wave of sickness firmly, we might be able to hold it off from  many of our nation's communities and see this virus die out over time, as reports from China seem to trend. I could be wrong as hell.

I do think that this is going to spread just because we are human...mostly we are herd animals...we will decide to "go out"...we will infect others accidentally, or thru not giving a damn...BUT, two good things...it doesn't seem to hit young children as badly AND it hits old farts with underlying conditions heavily. I see that as a bonus. With 72 years and an underlying condition, I think it is fair for me to say that.

I'm really just a joking guy who happens to live close to where it is happening. We should listen to far more informed peeps like Jim Hamilton, .

Lastly, I have just now learned that Pence is coming to WA. We are saved...ha ha, ha ha ha, hahahahahahahahahaha...(echos into maniacal laughter as writer walks away).

Wash yo hands!

James Hamilton, M. D.

Coronavirus

​​​​​​How does the world stop epidemics/pandemics? This is a question that has been asked - and answered - several times throughout history. Interestingly the answers ranged from the simple to the difficult.

Bubonic Plague finally ended by individuals self quarantining and improved personal and community hygiene. Smallpox was defeated by Jennings developing a vaccine from a related viral species, cowpox, which protected people from the variola (smallpox) virus. The incidence of many childhood diseases has been markedly decreased by vaccines. Tuberculosis had decreased due to public health standards but, once again, is becoming common among the homeless and immunocompromised population (a new vaccine is on the horizon). Altough AIDS related infections have decreased as a result of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) medication, HIV itself is still a major threat in certain popultions. An effective vaccine has eluded research despite many dollars and years. Preventive measures have been promoted. 

So here we are again confronted with a virus, COVID-19, which certainly has the potential to become a pandemic. Already it is epidemic in some areas. Person-to-person transmission has been established. A vaccine will, I am confident, be available but not for some time. Anti-viral medications that are currently available for other viruses have so far been ineffective for COVID-19. What is left at this point are personal and community health and simple hygiene actions. These are basically what we do to avoid the common cold. It is what we learned as children from our parents and teachers but what many people have ignored as they got older: hand washing, sneezing and coughing habits, clensing food preparation surfaces, etc.

Preparation on community, state, national and international levels is a good thing but should not induce a panic. The hospitals here in Colorado Springs, as I am sure is happening around the world, are conducting drills to deal with COVID-19 infected patients when and if they arrive. This is much like the mass casualty ("Mas-Cal") drills that hospital personnel have conducted on a regular basis for decades. Those usually do not cause panic and, in fact, should make us feel confident and good.

Many conferences and meetings, particularly those that bring together people from different states and countries, have been cancelled or are considering doing so. Cruises, flights and travel plans have been altered or cancelled also. Yes, some parts of life will be disrupted but is is better to take these precautions before the virus gains a greater presence.

Again, precaution, not panic, will help until an effective vaccine or treatment becomes available. 

Jim 

Michael McLeod

Never thought I'd say this but Haagen-Dasz  Belgian Chocolate, Vanilla & Blackberry Crispy Trio Layers is giving Graeter's Raspberry Chocolate Chip a run for its money.

David Mitchell

Janie,

You blew it!

They were saving our favorite beer name ("Pacifico") for the NEXT  Virus.

(and maybe after that,,,, "Sol" virus)

The virus was supposed to kill beer sales from Mexico, not people. The clever folks at Tsing Tao brewery thought it was a nifty marketing idea.  Whoops! 

p.s.

Tim, you hit on a huge problem about closing schools. Who watches all those grade-schoolers?

Timothy Lavelle

Clare,

Is the Hummer kid playing for Ohio State any relation? There can't be that many different Hummer clans in Ohiya.

Daniel Cody

Tim  Did you look at the kid  he' a Hummer!  he looks  like his uncle the reverend Larry as well as his father Ted

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Tim:

https://www.buckeyextra.com/sports/20200227/ohio-statersquos-danny-hummer-refused-to-agree-to-life-without-basketball?fbclid=IwAR33hJOPZrWXvmnBjx3FBiadZzBDu_ktn2rBv4aY7JufLofL9j-tIZ6nMbo

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Thanks, everyone, for asking and for answering. I've been sitting on all this pride all season. But with pride being one of those great 7 deadly sins, I couldn't brag too much!!! Last night he got to meet all  OUR heroes from that great '60's championship Buckeye team--Nowell, Roberts, Lucas, Knight. He's had such great experiences. And I got to tag along for parts of the ride!!!

Clare

David Mitchell

Pretty cool story Clare. Thanks for posting it MM.