What Will You Do During the Plague Year?

[Alan Klein]

After this is all over, there's going to be a big push to bring a lot of manufacturing back to the US, or at least certain stuff that seems important.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Biden making the pitch first to distinguish himself from Trump.  As people die and more get sick, it's going to get more political.

[Craig Lamson]

After this is all over, there's going to be a big push to bring a lot of manufacturing back to the US, or at least certain stuff that seems important.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Biden making the pitch first to distinguish himself from Trump.  As people die and more get sick, it's going to get more political.

Thump ran last time on bringing business home from China and has continued to push business to do so.

[JoeKitchen]

Make it too big and the garage will fall in.

Took me longer then it should have to get this Rob. 

[Robert Roaldi]

After this is all over, there's going to be a big push to bring a lot of manufacturing back to the US, or at least certain stuff that seems important.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Biden making the pitch first to distinguish himself from Trump.  As people die and more get sick, it's going to get more political.

According to Wikipedia, the US remains a major manufacturing country (second largest in the world), it's just that American factories are more automated than Chinese ones (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_in_the_United_States).

Requiring alternate sourcing on strategically important products should be standard operating procedure for everyone. Why this isn't the case now is a good question to ask people running for office. It's the oldest advice in the book, diversify.

[LesPalenik]

They're starting to ration milk and I only have enough rennet for two more batches, so ...

what's the yield on your cheese production? How many pounds of cheese from 2 gallons of milk?

[Craig Lamson]

According to Wikipedia, the US remains a major manufacturing country (second largest in the world), it's just that American factories are more automated than Chinese ones (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_in_the_United_States).

Requiring alternate sourcing on strategically important products should be standard operating procedure for everyone. Why this isn't the case now is a good question to ask people running for office. It's the oldest advice in the book, diversify.

Much of American manufacturing is really assembly of parts purchased from somewhere else.

[Alan Klein]

According to Wikipedia, the US remains a major manufacturing country (second largest in the world), it's just that American factories are more automated than Chinese ones (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_in_the_United_States).

Requiring alternate sourcing on strategically important products should be standard operating procedure for everyone. Why this isn't the case now is a good question to ask people running for office. It's the oldest advice in the book, diversify.

Most lessons are learned the hard way.

[Jim Pascoe]

What to do during the year of the modern plague?

If I were an American, I suppose I'd be tempted to buy another comfort gun.

As I am not, and can't buy one anyway, I expect to do much the same as I have during all the years since my wife died, but instead of eating lunch out every day, eat my own rubbish instead. In place of walking through the marina after lunch and envying the Riva and Sunseeker owners, I shall make the most of the permitted, essential purposes walks to buy food or visit banks and chemists, and do the rest of the required walking on my fortunately quite large terrace.

I can also relax all thought and tensions of selling up because nobody in their right mind will be buying - nor can they get here if not Spaniards - and even if I could sell, no way can I presently leave the country and drive back up through France and get a ferry across to Britain; so where would I live post-sale? So yeah, that's a sort of peaceful by-product of isolation.

Photography: I kinda gave up on that a couple of months ago; anything I really, really want to do I can't do any longer, and what I can do doesn't interest me much anymore. I'd like to buy a few more monographs, but have no space left for new without forcing me to relegate one favourite or another to the other rooms where nobody goes, not even my family, since they can no longer get here. That said, the Sarah Moons and, in particular, the Deborah Turbeville one I want are all too steep for my pension - especially as it tumbles in translation to the Euro. Books over 300 bucks are out, way out of my junior league, so Debbie will have to linger until the Euromillones lottery starts up again and my number floats in. At least, no lottery running means I save five euros a week; almost three coffees! Oh, and I can't sit at the pavement tables and buy the coffees anyway. All closed.

Perhaps one might buy shares in Netflix? They must rocket, with so many people unable to go outdoors at night. Not many new shows will get filmed, though.

I am thinking that a year may be an optimistic expectation. As with climate change, so many people in deep, deep denial may make this an existential situation for mankind.

Rob

Hey Rob - I didn't realise you were thinking of moving back to the UK.  If you do come back, get in touch and we can go for a walk and chat - we're between the New Forest and the seafront.

Jim

[Bob_B]

Business as usual, but with some changes. First, all my jazz performances and group rehearsals have been cancelled, so we're meeting virtually, and practicing individually more than before. Second, I decided to relearn math from linear algebra through integral calculus. (That shouldn't take too long, right? lol.) Third, get out in nature with my camera and take many more photos. Forth, stay healthy and do everything I can to ensure others remain healthy as well.

[John Camp]

Business as usual, but with some changes. First, all my jazz performances and group rehearsals have been cancelled, so we're meeting virtually, and practicing individually more than before. Second, I decided to relearn math from linear algebra through integral calculus. (That shouldn't take too long, right? lol.) Third, get out in nature with my camera and take many more photos. Forth, stay healthy and do everything I can to ensure others remain healthy as well.

A lot of people are going to be badly hurt in this situation, but you've reminded me that perhaps no group will be hurt more than professional musicians -- if crowds aren't allowed, bands won't be hired, and they were already some of the lowest paid professionals around. Music lessons are also collapsing, with people trying to keep things going on Skyp and Face Time, but that really doesn't work very well. Music lessons also tend to be one of the first things to get dropped when money gets tight. I have a lot of musical friends here, and what's going to happen to them, I don't know.

[hogloff]

After this is all over, there's going to be a big push to bring a lot of manufacturing back to the US, or at least certain stuff that seems important.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Biden making the pitch first to distinguish himself from Trump.  As people die and more get sick, it's going to get more political.

As long as the public is willing to pay for the made in the USA merchandise. There was a reason why it moved off shore in the first place.

[Alan Klein]

Business as usual, but with some changes. First, all my jazz performances and group rehearsals have been cancelled, so we're meeting virtually, and practicing individually more than before. Second, I decided to relearn math from linear algebra through integral calculus. (That shouldn't take too long, right? lol.) Third, get out in nature with my camera and take many more photos. Forth, stay healthy and do everything I can to ensure others remain healthy as well.

That sounds like a great plan.  YOu take wonderful photos already so adding to them would be terrific. Good luck and stay healthy. Alan.

[Alan Klein]

As long as the public is willing to pay for the made in the USA merchandise. There was a reason why it moved off shore in the first place.

With millions unemployed, the cost of American labor is going to drop.  Minimum wage laws will become a hardship.   Additionally, with the Fed printing so much, inflation will kick in.  The currency is going to be devalued making imports from China and other countries more expensive.   The combination will give many opportunities for manufacturing at home.   Prices for home made stuff will be more costly for the rest of us.  The nation's wealth and standard of living are going to take a big hit. 

[Rob C]

Hey Rob - I didn't realise you were thinking of moving back to the UK.  If you do come back, get in touch and we can go for a walk and chat - we're between the New Forest and the seafront.

Jim

Hi Jim,

I'll be going up to Glasgow - if I can eventually sell - so walking down from there may take more than my compulsory hour (orders of my various cardiologists)! The planned route would be to ferry from Zeebrugge to Hull; we once took the ferry from Rosyth to Z. and it was its second or third run: beautiful new ship. It didn't last as a service: not enough punters. Which was a pity, because it would have saved all the horrors of having to drive up through England.

That said, it all turned out to have been academic anyhow: I had my first heart attack a couple of months after that delightful trip from Rosyth, and my wife refused to let us drive back again - she said it would be too much stress, which wasn't the case - I loved those drives: the problem was cholestesrol. That said, I did have another attack, so it would have been curtains probably if we'd found ourselves en route at the time.

During our first few trips, we could leave from just outside Perth, Scotland, at about 07:30 hrs, take a Dover ferry and be in a hotel in France by 20:00 hrs or thereabouts. On later trips back south, we usually never got further than Hemel Hempstead (of Kodak fame!) or, if memory serves, once as far as Ashford. How traffic grew!

[LesPalenik]

With millions unemployed, the cost of American labor is going to drop.  Minimum wage laws will become a hardship.   Additionally, with the Fed printing so much, inflation will kick in.  The currency is going to be devalued making imports from China and other countries more expensive.   The combination will give many opportunities for manufacturing at home.   Prices for home made stuff will be more costly for the rest of us.  The nation's wealth and standard of living are going to take a big hit.

Only for the survivors.

[Alan Klein]

Only for the survivors.

Yes, when you get up in the morning, thank GOd for giving you another day to breathe. 

[JoeKitchen]

Welp, it is raining and my fig tree, two blueberry plants, and five raspberry plants arrived with a plant ASAP. 

Guess I'll be gardening in the rain. 

[Robert Roaldi]

About a year ago, maybe two, there was a spate of podcasts, interviews, books releases, etc., about a few billionaires who were buying up desert compounds and building underground bunkers with long-term life support systems, getting ready for the end times.

Anybody hear about any silicone valley VCs dropping out of sight and paddling up the access doors?

[hogloff]

About a year ago, maybe two, there was a spate of podcasts, interviews, books releases, etc., about a few billionaires who were buying up desert compounds and building underground bunkers with long-term life support systems, getting ready for the end times.

Anybody hear about any silicone valley VCs dropping out of sight and paddling up the access doors?

I'd rather end when the end of time comes than emerge from my bunker all by myself in this world that would once again be run by the bugs like cockroaches which have evolved to survive anything.

[Robert Roaldi]

I'd rather end when the end of time comes than emerge from my bunker all by myself in this world that would once again be run by the bugs like cockroaches which have evolved to survive anything.

No argument from me. I just wondered what event would prompt them to take such an action. Will this one do? Be interesting to see some press photos of them as they descend the ladder and lock up. Maybe a web cam pointed at the doors so we could monitor the way we do with eagle nests now. While we still could, I mean.