COVID-19 continues to claim the lives of Americans. Today, the United States eclipsed the 80K mark in deaths. As the death toll continues to climb, the disease is affecting children in unexpected ways. Several children have exhibited symptoms of both toxic shock syndrome, a rare complication resulting from a bacterial infection, and Kawasaki disease, an illness that causes inflammation of the blood vessels.
I am growing more concerned not for my safety, but the safety of my children. There is so much that we don’t know.
Thank you to all of the Women in our lives. It would be great to hug my Mom today, but Facetime will have to do. I will be spending my day reaching out to all of the powerful Women that I have had the pleasure to know and work with over the years. At a time, when life has become so fragile it a good time to let people know that we care.
My small business should be able to ride out the pandemic. My partner and I have estimated that we can survive through November of 2020. We don’t have employees, which helps. But we have not received any government aid and the bills keep coming in.
While we are hanging on by a shoe string, but how many other small owner run businesses will need to close their doors? COVID-19 may go down in history as the next great Mass Extinction, but for small business.
The climate is perfect for larger companies to absorb smaller firms for pennies or simply take over their customers after they shutdown. I expect to see an unprecedented number of mergers and acquisitions over the next 24 months. It reminded me of a short video that I shared with my dev team years ago. Take a look.
COVID-19 affects each individual differently. First, the concern was over older people and individuals with weakened immune systems. Now, fear is growing that children may be dying from a new illness due to COVID-19. There is so much that we still don’t know, and yet people are eager to reopen. “Discretion is the better part of valor. Caution is preferable to rash bravery” — Falstaff
This stay at home period has motivated me to reach out to old friends and colleagues. It has been amazing to catch up and wish each other well. So each day I reach out to two people, at this rate I could make it to the end of the year. I have already arranged a dozen dinners and lunches. I’m doing my part to help get the economy going.
There hasn’t been a better time to try something new, as in the 30-Days to building a new you, maybe you will consider going vegan.
Covid-19 has made its way into our meat processing plants around the U.S. Meat processing plants in Dakota City, Nebraska, and Pasco, Washington, and pork plants in Waterloo & Perry, Iowa, Logansport, Indiana have shutdown because of employee infections. These closures affected the food supply chain and caused supply shortages.
Now the meat production industry has been given a life line to remain open by being deemed “critical infrastructure” by executive order. Which on the surface seems like a good thing. But a closer look reveals that the meat industry may be able to police themselves without oversight from their local governments. Labor unions are concerned of the spread of illness at plants and a lack of protection/oversight for union members. Raising the question, Will the meat supply chain be safe?
This week due to meat supply shortages, one fifth of all Wendy’s restaurants were sold out of meat products. Making the companies all time famous slogan, “Where’s the Beef?”, a reality. Not much of a surprise, Beyond Meat has seen its stock jump over the last five days and 15% so far today, 115.79 USD +15.63 (15.61%).
According to the US Department of Agriculture, the average person eats 106lb of red meat and 80lb of poultry each year.
It is truly Taco Tuesday! Happy Cinco de Mayo. Last night I stayed up super late to watch live baseball from South Korea. I have no idea who the players were, but it was baseball. There were no fans and a boy in a bubble. Best of of all the Korea’s actually encourage “Bat Flips”, “Bat Flips”!!!!!
Flip ItHeading towards 4 Million infected Globally
On May 25th, the US will be celebrating Memorial Day. That weekend would normally be the highlight of the F1 season, the Monaco Grand Prix. Its an event where the three days leading up to the race are filled with private parties and sunbathing. Now it will be digital playground with flashbacks of SecondLife.
As the debate about re-opening business swings from state to state, COVID-19 continues to claim lives. Without a vaccine, it is reasonable to conclude that a second or third outbreak will bring cities like New York, LA, and New Jersey back to square one. What price are we willing to pay for normal?
In an interesting twist, Day 49 of my posts coincided with my 49th birthday. It was meant to be. So I started my day by participating in the MSDA Meghan Doyle ’05 run/walk virtual 5k. I hit the road early this morning and attacked my “Hilly” 5k course. I wanted to stay true to the endless hills that make up the course in Caldwell, NJ. The weather at 7:45am was a perfect 57 degrees and the roads were empty, which made for a great run. This was my first virtual 5k. My best to the Doyle Family.
