Dow down 1900 in two days; Corona virus prediction?

[John Camp]

They might stop or pause paying dividends. Also, when the stock price recovers, the yield would go down.

Of course. But they have a very long history of continuous dividends, have punched right through a couple of previous oil crises, they are the largest oil company in the US and also have a strong retail operation, and when the price recovers (and the dividend then goes down) you'll benefit from the price recovery (increase in the stock value.)

[Paulo Bizarro]

Are both of you truly unable to detect humour unless it's emblazoned with smileys?

Jeremy

Sure, people are dying from this pandemic, lets make some bad taste jokes.

Do you still think it is funny now that people are dying from it in the USA as well?

[Paulo Bizarro]

It's another result of the hopeless deadness of years of political correctness killing off the delicate sensors that detect and identify different codes of human speech. Something about hammers and their ability to perceive the entirity of creation as a nail.

Thank goodness our Moderator is not a hammer.

;-)

Sorry, I am as far away from polticalcorrectness as anyone can be. I am simply against making bad taste jokes. Every country should be fighting this virus in the most efficient manner, people are dying in many countries. A modicum of respect should be exercised, but I see that is asking too much.

Stay safe.

[Alan Klein]

Thanks James Adams you and your family good health too.

[armand]

In the end keep in mind that even in the worst case scenario the overall chances are still in your favor, if you only get the coronavirus. It will be worse if you have something else but there are no beds in the hospital.

Let's hope that I'm unreasonably pessimistic about how this administration and things will be handled better. I sincerely hope that I'm wrong.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

In the end keep in mind that even in the worst case scenario the overall chances are still in your favor, if you only get the coronavirus. It will be worse if you have something else but there are no beds in the hospital.

Let's hope that I'm unreasonably pessimistic about how this administration and things will be handled better. I sincerely hope that I'm wrong.

You keep saying you don’t want political discussions about the virus, yet can’t seem to be able to pass a single opportunity for a dig at Trump?

Exactly how would this administration automagically create extra capacity in hospitals?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

James, thanks for your good wishes. The same to you.

[William Walker]

If I were living in America this statistic from The Guardian would worry me:

"What the US needs most is a serious, extensive programme of testing. Currently, the US is bottom of the global league table for coronavirus testing, at a rate of just five people in every million. (South Korea is testing 3,692 people per million.)"

Here in South Africa we have 17 infections and it looks like our government is doing as well as one could hope for. Our problem here is the very high rate of HIV cases who will be at as much at risk as the older folk.
I think this is going to get worse before it gets better.

May we all stay well!

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

This is perhaps China propaganda video, but it shows

Doctors And Nurses Removed Their Masks After Wuhan Closes Of Last Temporary Hospital...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7_sOPIi4f8

[Rob C]

Sorry, I am as far away from polticalcorrectness as anyone can be. I am simply against making bad taste jokes. Every country should be fighting this virus in the most efficient manner, people are dying in many countries. A modicum of respect should be exercised, but I see that is asking too much.

Stay safe.

Obviously, you didn't live near London or, alternatively, in the industrial areas of Britain during WW2. If you had, gallows humour would be second nature to you. When you go to bed and then wake up under a tin roof in the garden and stay there, bloody frozen, until that all-clear siren sounds, you won't get it. And that's just too bad. You can't dictate what types of humour are permissible; if you try, I'm sorry, that's exactly what political correctness is.

On the other hand, gallows humour aside, different countries have very different ideas of what constitutes humour. France24.com does a weekly show on what Frenchness means, and one that I saw dealt with what makes the French laugh. I couldn't even snigger. If you ask me what makes the Spanish laugh, I can only refer you to tv shows where people stand in a circle, and if they get something wrong, wham! they fall through a hole to the floor below the set. Very funny. I think.

:-)

[Rob C]

James, thanks for your good wishes. The same to you.

Indeed, James, trying my best to remain getting fed in public, and also remain quietly antisocial as usual at the same time. A polite distance is now acceptably de rigueur! If my few eateries close - seem to be busy after the winter closures (no winter tourists) - then indeed problems come home. How long can I live on soup, pasta and rice?

Best to you and yours, of course!

Rob

[LesPalenik]

You keep saying you don’t want political discussions about the virus, yet can’t seem to be able to pass a single opportunity for a dig at Trump?

It't not about politics, but about incompetency.

[Chris Kern]

Exactly how would this administration automagically create extra capacity in hospitals?

Well, it wouldn't be automatic, but the Department of Homeland Security (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and the military both have the expertise to deploy temporary field hospitals―that might require a formal presidential declaration of a national emergency―and the federal government could issue funding grants to the states to distribute to hospitals within their respective jurisdictions to be used to configure more critical care facilities, purchase additional ventilators, etc.  I haven't read or heard anything to indicate that these things are actually being done yet.

[Alan Klein]

Well, it wouldn't be automatic, but the Department of Homeland Security (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and the military both have the expertise to deploy temporary field hospitals―that might require a formal presidential declaration of a national emergency―and the federal government could issue funding grants to the states to distribute to hospitals within their respective jurisdictions to be used to configure more critical care facilities, purchase additional ventilators, etc.  I haven't read or heard anything to indicate that these things are actually being done yet.

Chris, Maybe you're getting ahead of the curve.  There were 34 million cases of the flu last year in America in  which 50,000 died.  We didn't have to set up field hospitals. In any case where would you set up field hospitals when you don;t know where the ill will be?  Do you want to set up hospotals in let's say Oklahome whehn most of the cases show up in Chicago, even assuming there are that many cases that CHicago hospitals and doctors can;t take care of the rpoblem.  Also, once you set up field hospitals, where is the staff coming from? FEMA does;t have doctors or construction staff or anything.  It has to come from the civilian resources which would have to be taken out of regular hospitals.  So as you staff the new field hospitals, you remove doctors from ongoing operational hospitals. 

I really don;t think you've thought this through.

[Alan Klein]

China reported 15 cases yesterday or today.  Most of their businesses are back in business.  Workers have gone back.  They've had 90,000 cases only. 

[armand]

You keep saying you don’t want political discussions about the virus, yet can’t seem to be able to pass a single opportunity for a dig at Trump?

Exactly how would this administration automagically create extra capacity in hospitals?

Well, your comment is an example of the problem. If I say something that this administration didn't do well, in your mind it has to be against Trump; if you are not with us, you are against us.
I didn't mention Trump, I don't particularly care now who was responsible for what but the overall actions. My main dig at Trump personally was minimizing things on TV/tweeter without actually knowing what he's talking about, or just lying, it doesn't really matter.

They did the initial right thing by stopping the flights from China but then it was a black hole; if they would have started more than a month ago with what they did in the last week, liberalizing the testing and developments of the testing to others than CDC we would have a better idea on who's who and how to direct resources. If you don't test, you don't know. It's not like other diseases where you could make a clinical diagnosis.

Right now, as a whole, the administration lapsed and are playing catch up. If you think this comment is about Trump, so be it. I can't separate the exact faults from where I am, in time will know more but this is not the time for blaming.

[Alan Klein]

It't not about politics, but about incompetency.

In America, it's all about politics.  If you watch CNN and MSNBC who hate Trump, every comment and analysis is about how Trump failed and is failing to take care of this problem.  Of course, it will all come out in the wash.  If a month or two from now, we increase and then decrease in cases, and the stock market rebounds, he'll claim that he took care of the problem.  Of course MSNBC and CNN will say he had nothing to do with ending the crisis, only starting it. If we're  all sick on election day and the DOW is 9,000, then Biden will win. 

[Alan Klein]

Well, your comment is an example of the problem. If I say something that this administration didn't do well, in your mind it has to be against Trump; if you are not with us, you are against us.
I didn't mention Trump, I don't particularly care now who was responsible for what but the overall actions. My main dig at Trump personally was minimizing things on TV/tweeter without actually knowing what he's talking about, or just lying, it doesn't really matter.

They did the initial right thing by stopping the flights from China but then it was a black hole; if they would have started more than a month ago with what they did in the last week, liberalizing the testing and developments of the testing to others than CDC we would have a better idea on who's who and how to direct resources. If you don't test, you don't know. It's not like other diseases where you could make a clinical diagnosis.

Right now, as a whole, the administration lapsed and are playing catch up. If you think this comment is about Trump, so be it. I can't separate the exact faults from where I am, in time will know more but this is not the time for blaming.

So Trump was smart enough to stop flights from China long before anyone else was talking about this virus in the middle of his impeachment when he had other things to think about.  But somehow he doesn;t know or isn't smart enough to know what he's talking about and is lying.  Yet you don't' really have an opinion on Trump or care that he's involved.

[armand]

So Trump was smart enough to stop flights from China long before anyone else was talking about this virus in the middle of his impeachment when he had other things to think about.  But somehow he doesn;t know or isn't smart enough to know what he's talking about and is lying.  Yet you don't' really have an opinion or Trump or care that he's involved.

Keep cherry picking my comments to prove your point.
Let me help you read: They did the initial right thing by stopping the flights from China but then it was a black hole; if they would have started more than a month ago with what they did in the last week, liberalizing the testing and developments of the testing to others than CDC we would have a better idea on who's who and how to direct resources. If you don't test, you don't know. It's not like other diseases where you could make a clinical diagnosis.. One good thing not followed by others it's not going to cut it; if you are able to add 1 + 1 and fail the next multiplication by 1 doesn't get you a passing grade outside of a Trump University. And where exactly do you see specifically Trump's name mentioned in those lines?

Either way, I knew this is going to happen if I make any negative comments about the supreme leader. He can do no wrong therefore all critics are far leftists trying to bring him down. I don't think you'll accept anything negative so this is just wasting time.
I'll keep my comments specifically to what is happening now, history will eventually show how things happened.

[Alan Klein]

Keep cherry picking my comments to prove your point.
Let me help you read: They did the initial right thing by stopping the flights from China but then it was a black hole; if they would have started more than a month ago with what they did in the last week, liberalizing the testing and developments of the testing to others than CDC we would have a better idea on who's who and how to direct resources. If you don't test, you don't know. It's not like other diseases where you could make a clinical diagnosis.. One good thing not followed by others it's not going to cut it; if you are able to add 1 + 1 and fail the next multiplication by 1 doesn't get you a passing grade outside of a Trump University. And where exactly do you see specifically Trump's name mentioned in those lines?

Either way, I knew this is going to happen if I make any negative comments about the supreme leader. He can do no wrong therefore all critics are far leftists trying to bring him down. I don't think you'll accept anything negative so this is just wasting time.
I'll keep my comments specifically to what is happening now, history will eventually show how things happened.

I may be cherry picking.  But you;re Monday morning quarterbacking.  You say Trump made the right call about stopping flights from China a month ago.  But he screwed up on test kits.  Well, my understanding is that our CDC screwed up the tests and found many of the ones they prepared to be not working.  Was Trump supposed to know that?  So now CDC apparently has gotten up to speed.  In any case, no one would want to overblow the situation.  He did stop travel from China long before anyone even thought of that or recommended it.  Now he's stopped travel from Europe because of too many ill over there.  I'm waiting for your post complaining about that somehow. The fact is he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.