Here are some helpful links as we try to understand the breadth and depth of this current crisis.
Good overview of Unemployment Insurance CLICK HERE.
Virginia’s Employment Commission linked HERE.
Great article on coping during social distancing – Exercise, Stay Connected, Meditate/Pray, and Help Others.
You will hear a lot about Supply Chains.
Basic concept is from Archimedes “The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.”
Think of Farm to Market Roads or this more specific definition from Wikipedia.
Video gamers use the term “level up” to describe the process of getting stronger in order to get to the next level of the game which is always more difficult that the current one.
Whatever history will call this Level, one thing is clear – the times have gotten more difficult.
It’s time to Level Up.
In June 1966 in Cape Town, Robert F. Kennedy said “May you live in interesting times” noting that it was a Chinese curse. It’s not Chinese but has a pretty interesting history Click here for that quote’s evolution.
As Andy Kessler writes in the WSJ, this Crisis Means a New Business Era and it’s not going to be anywhere as easy as Rodney Dangerfield suggests in Caddyshack – They’re all selling, then buy! Buy! Buy!
Interesting to say the least.
Consider the following:
George Friedman’s new column on America’s shift from confronting jihadism to confronting Russia and China.
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed changes to the Russian Constitution which, among other things, will allow him to stay in power until 2036. The nationwide vote is scheduled for April 22nd, Lenin’s 150th birthday.
Putin’s thesis in which he desires to rebuild the Russian Empire via natural resource development – namely oil and natural gas.
Then Foreign Policy magazine suggests the target of the Russia-Saudi Oil Price War could be U.S corporate debt markets.
And let’s not overlook the very important Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russia to Germany – Ukraine wants the U.S. to block it. and we have but Russia is deploying assets to finish the last segment..
Yes, Ukraine.
Oh and Bloomberg reports that HHS was hit with a cyber attack .that was designed to slow our response to COVID-19.
Wait, what? Interesting times is an understatement and social distancing was the right call.
Life has changed and many are rightly concerned about that, but as Jeff Goldblum reminds us in Jurassic Park Life, uh, Finds A Way.
In other words, we Level Up.
It’s a process.
While we instinctively retreat and reassess, we also see opportunities for future growth.
Leveling Up is a very dynamic experience.
The best example can I offer that is universally relatable is baking bread – a simple process but the ingredients and formula used make all the difference.
Better or Next Level ingredients will yield a better loaf of bread IF the formula also works.
In politics, we need to Level Up versus leveling down by appealing to the lowest common denominators.
That served Virginia and the Nation well after 9/11.
Leveling up will, again, serve us well.
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