Facts:
+ There’s no cure.
+ There’ s no vaccine.
+ If you get it, you will recover.
+ If you’re old and have health issues you will die.
+ No one knows how long this will last or how pervasive it is. We’re short of testing kits.
+ More kits means more testing means more numbers of people infected. Covid-19 is pervasive and getting more pervasive.
+ Now is not a good time to go on a cruise or visit Italy, or worse Iran. However, America’s national parks are empty, beautiful and fun to visit. March/April is the perfect time out west. It’s 53 in Sedona, Arizona this morning
+ There’s widespread panic, and confusion in financial markets. Stock markets don’t rise and fall a thousand points a day normally.
+ Much of the selling is due to ETFs. They bundle good stocks and bad stocks into an “industry” bag. When they need to, they sell the good stocks not the bad ones — they’re harder to sell. Read my lips: ETFs are another one of Wall Street’s product “innovations.” They’re designed to give the creators fees — not to give you (the investor) a maximum return. ETFs are bad hedge funds.
This is Nasdaq over the last ten days. It’s been brutal. But it’s not time to dump all your shares and go to cash. You can see the violent ups and downs:
It is time to check your portfolio that you don’t have any airlines, travel companies, hotels, cruise lines, or energy.
We need to follow our standard operating procedure:
+ Pick our favorite stocks and put in Buy orders at 10% or so below where they are now. Check charts for resistance levels. Sadly, many of our favorite tech stocks — Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, — are still very expensive.
+ Our “work at home stocks” are doing well – Zoom Video and DocuSign — are dong well. I’m looking for more. Any ideas?
+ It’s probably too late to short the airlines and cruise lines. They’re all down a lot.
+ Play tennis. Bike ride. Go for a walk. Exercise. Keep away from people.
Useful virus weaponry
+ Antiseptic wipes.
Click here.
+ Throat lozenge with zinc. Remember what Dr James Robb wrote in the last column:
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.
Click here.
+ Nitrile gloves. Useful for wearing in public places, like New York’s subway, airline terminals and gas stations.
Click here.
+ Dove soap. With all your hand washing, your hands will dry out. This soap contains moisturizing cream. I now use it exclusively. It’s much better than normal soap. The skin on my ageing body actually feels better.
Click here.
+ MIPS helmets. They’re thicker, heavier and provide better protection for biking and skiing, My brilliant daughter Claire, encouraged me to get one:
Don’t buy one online. Get it locally. It needs to be fitted. Mine cost $120. This is a selfie of me. Selfies look weird. Correction, maybe I just look weird.
+ Gold Bond cream. My skin is too dry, according to Susan (wife), Claire (daughter) and Stephanie Tseng (dermatologist). This stuff works and is cheap.
Click here.
I can’t take it any more (funny video)
Free sex
A gas station owner in Arkansas was trying to increase his sales. So he put up a sign that read: “Free Sex with Fill-Up, just guess the right number between 1 and 10.”
A local redneck pulled in, filled his tank and asked for his Free Sex.
The owner told him to pick a number from 1 to 10. If he guessed correctly he would get his Free Sex. The redneck guessed 8, and the proprietor said, “You were close. The number was 7. Sorry. No Free Sex this time.”
A week later, the same redneck, along with his brother pulled in for another fill-up. Again he asked for his Free Sex. The proprietor again gave him the same story, and asked him to guess the correct number.
The redneck guessed 2 this time.
The proprietor said, “Sorry, it was 3. You were close, but no Free Sex this time.”
As they were driving away, the redneck said to his brother, “I think that game is rigged. I don’t think he really gives away free sex.”
His brother replied, “It ain’t no B.S. Billy, It’s not rigger. Last week my wife won twice.”
This blog is meant to be daily
But there are some days I’m devoid of ideas. It happens.
Yesterday I started to write a long column suggesting the Federal Government start the Federal Emergency Lending Bank. Our coronavirus problems are causing huge problems for small businesses, who will have trouble paying their rent, their suppliers, their taxes, their employees, etc. On second thoughts I figured my chance of motivating Washington to do anything was slim to none. But then I heard that Congress is about to pass a bill giving the SBA $7.5 billion of emergency funding — for just the reasons I highlighted. I have my fingers crossed.
If you missed this week’s super virus advice from two great doctors — Dr. Jerry Clements of Village Family Practice in New York City and Dr. James Robb, click here.
See you tomorrow (I hope)– Harry Newton
Congress just approved $8.3 billion to fight coronavirus. AS a Trump supporter I’d rather see that money go to build a Wall.