Trying To Keep It Light

This week’s post addresses some of the issues with the Covid-19 virus. In no way am I making light of the situation and the continued tragic events around the world. With that said there is plenty of serious content available on television networks, the internet, and social media channels. Heartfelt condolences to anyone and everyone who have lost loved ones to the complications caused by this virus. A ton of thanks and admiration to the first responders and all healthcare workers across the world….especially a Nashville-based neonatal nurse.

With respect, let’s keep this post on the lighter side:

To the people who bought 20 bottles of hand sanitizer leaving none on the shelves for others, you do realize that to stop contracting Covid-19, you need other people washing their hands as well?

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Having trouble staying at home? Shave your eyebrows off.

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Back in the day the only time we started panic buying was when the bartender yelled “last call”.

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I sneezed in the bank today, it was the most attention I have received from the staff in the last 10 years.

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To those who are complaining about the quarantine period and curfews, just remember that your grandparents were called to war. You are being called to sit on the couch and watch Netflix. You can do this.

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Day 12 without sports: I found a lady sitting on my couch on Friday. Apparently she is my wife. She seemed nice.

IF SOMEHOW, IF YOUR BEACH IS STILL OPEN……………

My take: maybe it has been too slow of a process to strategically attack the spread of Covid-19, but some scenes of hope are starting to bubble up. People across the world are finally starting to shelter, social distancing is no longer strange, a $2 trillion injection, and a test where results can be extracted in fifteen minutes. We have a very long way to go and with a hint of vaccines coming into the pipeline, the economic machine will once again go forward. No one knows if it is a matter of weeks or months – not even Dr. Anthony Fauci or Dr. Deborah Birx. Stay strong everyone!

Adios, pay it forward, stay safe, and have a nice Sunday.

As The World Turns.

If This Was Not Serious It Could Be A Soap Opera.….and this coronavirus is very serious indeed. This week’s “Take” are random thoughts about the new reality of what we may be dealing with for many weeks (or months).

  • A massive shout out and recognition to any and all of the healthcare and support people working long hours under incredibly trying circumstances. Bravo to you and yours.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – the scientists, medical professionals and staff who must feel immense pressure to quickly develop a vaccine. A vaccine that can be moved into the healthcare supply chain at a rapid pace, be dispersed globally, and put a stop to Covid-19.
  • Once a vaccine is available and the threat of the virus is mitigated, businesses will start the process of rehiring, people will get back to work, and the modes of transportation will once again move forward. Consumer confidence will once again be at a high level and the markets will go vertical. We need a vaccine.
  • Size does not matter. Not meant to be political but a proven fact by Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Fauci, who can’t be taller than 5’3″, is an immunologist who serves as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and leads the White House Coronavirus Task Force. This 79-year-old New York City native has the television presence of Goliath and commands the daily coronavirus press briefings. His command and control, along with his voice of reason, gives us hope that our country is in good hands. With all due respect to President Trump, who stands a foot taller than Dr. Fauci, please start off the daily briefings with a thirty second intro and toss the briefing over to Dr. Fauci and his staff.
  • Does anyone want to challenge me to a debate on why the governors of Texas and Florida let their beaches remain open? Thousands of youngsters flocking to South Padre Island and various Florida beaches partying hard as if the coronavirus situation did not exist. A money grab for Texas and Florida? I guess a further thought are the parents of these kids….but I won’t go there right now.
  • I am a bit tired of hearing professional athletes complain about not continuing their seasons. Of all people, you are the group that should be chipping in to help everyone understand the seriousness of the situation. Note: many professional athletes and team owners have contributed money to support the employees of their teams or various charities. A shout out of appreciation to Arthur Blank who contributed $5.4M to help fight the fight.
  • Speaking of sports, a few weeks ago I expressed my disdain for everyone freaking out about Tom Brady, and the team he would select to continue his career. Being an Atlanta Falcons fan, and still wounded from that game on February 5, 2017, my only comment about him was this: Many people are infatuated with where Tom Brady moves to if he actually does leave the New England Patriots. I am one of those who could care less. I just hope that he ends up playing for a team that is not in the NFC South. Well, I will be damned. #tampabaybuccaneers
  • To those of us who have very little experience with working day in and day out from home: WebEx, Zoom, GoToMeeting, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, learning to be creative with cooking, YouTube workout videos, Viber, Podcasts, Hangouts, FaceTime, board games, grilling out, a book, and patience while learning once again how to be around your loved ones every day :).

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and enjoy your weekend!!

Perspective.

Don’t Make Perseverance A Cliche.

It is obvious that the Chinese government was late to the table with the true facts of the coronavirus named Covid 19. We all knew that the the virus was wreaking havoc in China, a country of 1.4 billion people, especially in the province of Wuhan, where many think Covid 19 first infected humans. The same for Italy, Spain, and France who have now taken drastic measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. There is no way, even three weeks ago, we would have thought we would endure last week’s news, announcements, and subsequent decisions that have now given us, for a least the next few months, a new norm of everyday life.

Everyone copes and deals with tough situations in different ways. Obviously, and based on the current analytics, the elderly’s anxiety must be at a heightened level. The support metric is Italy, where the vast majority of Covid 19-related deaths occur with people seventy-five and older. I assume that reality stems from the immune system weakening as we get older. A sad fact that the elderly are probably thinking about way too often. Even the young and healthy need to be cautious as no one wants to contract the virus and pass it on to others. How bad must NBA All-Star Rudy Gobert feel, when last week, after joking about the virus, finding out he was Covid 19 positive? The NBA, along with all sports leagues, subsequently have postponed their seasons.

Last week became real for all of us. From companies trying to figure out how to protect their employees to restaurant owners dealing with a significant drop in patronage, the broad cause and effect of the virus has altered our lives in different ways. The good news: we are strong, we have the resources, and most important, we have the perseverance to overcome this serious viral threat. It is time for all of us to be smart, follow the protocol, and most importantly protect one another. It is also time to communicate, to reach out, to make sure that your friends and family, your co-workers, and customers hear from you on a consistent basis. This is not the time for rivalries, for competition, and for disputes. Reach out, especially to the elderly, who must feel vulnerable and isolated, especially if they are watching the sometimes inconsistent information coming from different news sources.

As a country, we have survived through many tough times. Sure, the stock market has soured and the business world is temporarily shaken. There are no sports to attend or watch on television. It could be way worse and may be unless all of us stay smart. Of all times, don’t make perseverance a cliche.

Adios, pay if forward, stay safe, and have a Funday Sunday!!

March On.

The Ten – Top Of Mind Thoughts.

  • I received few comments from last week’s take on the coronavirus and the flu. A few people suggested that I was “downplaying” the severity of the coronavirus. That was not my intention – all I was trying to do was compare the impact of the two. I am very aware that the coronavirus is a serious situation – one that I hope the CDC can solve quickly.
  • Speaking of the coronavirus, it is probably a really good time to sanitize your smart phone. We live with the thing, put it up to our face and touch it….we might as well keep it safe.
  • To those people who lost or incurred damage to their homes, all the best for a quick recovery from last week’s tornadoes that swept right through the city of Nashville. I always find it amazing how a tragic story gets “swept under the carpet” – this one due to last week’s ‘Super Tuesday’ and coronavirus coverage.
  • I was hoping that the knee injury Josef Martinez incurred was a severe sprain but the actual ACL tear has ignited some pundits to tell us that Atlanta United’s Major League Soccer season “is over”. I disagree. Yes, Josef’s output will not be a like-for-like from one new player but the front office, led by Darren Eales, will eventually figure out a way, under the player/salary guidelines dictated by the League, to bring one or two new strikers into the player pool. Last night’s game at Mercedes Benz Stadium against Cincinnati showed all of us that United has a good bit of quality even without Josef, but it is obvious that reinforcements at the striker position are necessary. #atlutd
  • I can think of only one better place for Harvey Weinstein to spend the rest of his life. For now he is residing at Rikers Island, one of the more notorious prisons in the United States.
  • Daylight Savings Time. No additional comment required other than this change of time is a good thing – and it stays with us until the first Sunday in November.
  • Many people are infatuated with where Tom Brady moves to if he actually does leave the New England Patriots. I am one of those who could care less. I just hope that he ends up playing for a team that is not in the NFC South. #atlantafalcons
  • You have to feel for the thousands who have been quarantined on a cruise ship off the California. A random sample of the 3,500 passengers resulted in 21 passengers being tested for the coronavirus. The ship may dock tomorrow with many more passengers having to be tested. Not fun.
  • Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro, is at it again. His so-called leadership has resulted in four million Venezuelans emigrating since 2015. His answer to this reality: asking “all women to to have six children to build back his homeland”. Maduro’s comments drew criticism from human rights activists and others who noted Venezuelans already are struggling to provide food, clothes and health care for their families. Obviously, this guy is way out of touch with reality. How can you possibly encourage women to have six children “to make a homeland” when there is a homeland that does not guarantee children their lives? Just an autocratic tyrant who needs to be put out to pasture.
  • And last but not least, I leave you with this week’s “you can’t fix stupid”:

Adios, pay it forward, wash your hands OFTEN, and have a Funday Sunday!!

Refresh. Covid-19. 25th Season. Daylight. 22%.

Let’s Get It Going.

Hello to all. After 158 posts I took a long break from the weekly blog post – and it is now time to start it up again. Reminders:

  • For reasons reinforced by what is going on with the world of politics, justmytake.net will refrain from any political takes or comments. Sometimes I may refer to a politician but not their politics. To be clear I am concerned about our military, education, the economy, and our healthcare system. I will not present a partisan take regarding the political arena.
  • No content will use or reinforce religion. Religion is very personal and there is no need for me to comment on the subject.
  • The blog is a challenge to me – and the content, posted for the most part on a weekly basis, is in essence Just My Take on various subject matter.
  • With all that said, I would enjoy and appreciate your comments and feedback – and content that you would like me to cover…and content you would like me stay away from. There are plenty of sports pundits and bloggers out there so over the years I have tried to tone down the sports content. Sports and entertainment are passions of mine – so it is inevitable that I will comment on pro and college sports, especially Atlanta United, the Falcons, and the Hawks.

Yes, the coronavirus is very serious with 87,000 cases reported worldwide. The lack of information coming out of China early on did not help us understand the nature or cause of the virus and this has led to a “viral” media explosion. Yes, I am interested in making this craziness go away and I know the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization are working hard to find different solutions. I know that trade has been seriously impacted, as well as tourism, manufacturing, and worldwide stock markets. Reality: worldwide, 87,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported. As a comparison, here are the numbers for this season’s influenza: 32 million cases and 18,000 deaths. Perspective.

Major League Soccer’s 25th season kicked off yesterday. Some good and not so good games but overall a great day for MLS. Not such a great day for Atlanta United. Though they took three points away to Nashville, they may have lost star striker Josef Martinez to a knee injury. Here is hoping the injury is a sprain and not an ACL tear. Obviously, United’s front office may have a good bit of work to do if Martinez is lost for period of time. Speaking of Atlanta United, their success and qualification for the CONCACAF Champions League again has them dealing with some tough scheduling. League games on March 7 and 14 along with a two-game series against Mexican powerhouse America on March 11 and 18 result in four games in 11 days. Similar to last year, a tough path ahead to start the season.

Is it a bad thing that I am way more excited about daylight savings time starting next weekend than the upcoming “Super Tuesday”? No, its not.

I read this week that the Atlanta Falcons salary structure has 22% of it’s salary cap space devoted to TWO players over the age of 30 (35 and 31). Yes, they may be future Hall of Fame inductees but is this the path to success for the underachieving Falcons? My guess is that other teams’ salary caps are structured in a similar way – which is all good if the team consistently makes the playoffs.

Adios, pay it forward, and have a Funday Sunday!!