Gyroscopic Investing

Tortoise wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 2:49 pm

pmward wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 1:19 pm In a related note, I had already thought that seeing all these companies shutting down entire office buildings and making people work from home indefinitely might be a turning point where some companies see that they don't need as much big expensive office space and start thinking about ramping up remote work positions so they can close some buildings and save money.

Over the past four years, I’ve worked at two companies where my bosses and many of my teammates have worked in different geographic locations and time zones than mine, and we all often work from home.

I’ve personally found it to be a bad idea. It’s less efficient than having the whole team in the same building together. There’s really no substitute for face-to-face interactions in a team environment.

And for building rapport with colleagues and bosses, you really need frequent physical face time with nonverbal cues. It’s how human cultures evolved, so it’s in our DNA.

Maddy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 6:42 pm An interesting tidbit: Cloroquine, the old standby drug for treating malaria, is being used with success in the treatment of CoVID-19. Which has led to speculation that plain old quinine water might be of some use. https://www.reddit.com/r/COVID19/commen ... available/ Any gin and tonic fans here?

On another topic, I was just washing vegetables for dinner and wonder what others here do to sanitize fresh produce. My routine during the last few weeks has been to spray with full-strength vinegar, rinse, spray with hydrogen peroxide, rinse again, dab dry, then transfer to a new plastic bag. Any opinions on whether this is sufficient? Overkill?

Maddy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 6:42 pmOn another topic, I was just washing vegetables for dinner and wonder what others here do to sanitize fresh produce. My routine during the last few weeks has been to spray with full-strength vinegar, rinse, spray with hydrogen peroxide, rinse again, dab dry, then transfer to a new plastic bag. Any opinions on whether this is sufficient? Overkill?

Xan wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 9:04 am

Maddy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 6:42 pmOn another topic, I was just washing vegetables for dinner and wonder what others here do to sanitize fresh produce. My routine during the last few weeks has been to spray with full-strength vinegar, rinse, spray with hydrogen peroxide, rinse again, dab dry, then transfer to a new plastic bag. Any opinions on whether this is sufficient? Overkill?

Holy cow! A quick rinse in the sink is all I've ever done. Or if it's "pre-washed" like a bag of spinach, then it goes straight into the meal.

Am I lucky to be alive?

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:30 am 45,000 deaths already this year in the United States from the annual flu?

I was totally unaware of that. How aware or unaware were you of the magnitude of that stat?

I was aware that in the 60s it seems like that many people a year were getting killed in car accidents but now it's in the 30,000 range (even though far more people and far more miles driven).

During the entire VietNam War about 50,000?

Vinny

Cortopassi wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:14 am

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:30 am 45,000 deaths already this year in the United States from the annual flu?

I was totally unaware of that. How aware or unaware were you of the magnitude of that stat?

I was aware that in the 60s it seems like that many people a year were getting killed in car accidents but now it's in the 30,000 range (even though far more people and far more miles driven).

During the entire VietNam War about 50,000?

Vinny

CDC officials do not have exact counts of how many people die from flu each year. Flu is so common that not all flu cases are reported, and flu is not always listed on death certificates. So the CDC uses statistical models, which are periodically revised, to make estimates.

Fatal complications from the flu can include pneumonia, stroke and heart attack.

Take that statement with whatever amount of salt you care to.

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:20 am I'm still yet to get the first flu shot of my life.

Xan wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:22 am Still seems to me like flu is something that pushes people who are teetering over the edge, and not much more than that. Am I wrong?

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:23 am

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:20 am I'm still yet to get the first flu shot of my life.

Why?

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:28 am

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:23 am

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:20 am I'm still yet to get the first flu shot of my life.

Why?

My doctor advised it during my annual 2018 checkup, I said yes, expected to be flagged on my checkout to get it but was not. So did not get one then.

Did not come up in my 2019 checkup.

A few nights ago when I was at Stop & Shop I saw a sign that said flu shots still available, no appointment necessary. I had a slight pause in my mind but not in my walk on my way out.

I guess the answer in all cases is willing but not sufficient motivation unless it fits in with my life at the moment the opportunity to get it arises.

Vinny

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:21 am

moda0306 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:38 am TripleB,

Being from MN, you absolutely increase your chances of "activating" the cold virus by being out in the cold for too long.

This seems to go counter to my 9th grade biology teacher telling us (55 years ago) that experiments were conducted with "people soaking wet, stark naked, in front of fans" and they did not catch colds or get sick at any greater frequency. Have subsequent experiments refuted this?

Vinny

I guess the answer in all cases is willing but not sufficient motivation unless it fits in with my life at the moment the opportunity to get it arises.

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:23 amI don't know if this is exactly what you mean, but a few years ago the newspaper had a photo of a young, muscular guy who died of the flu to show that, see, you don't have to be old or enfeebled to die of the flu.

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:33 am P.S. from an exhumed 2011 TIPS thread, but more appropriate here:

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:21 am

moda0306 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:38 am TripleB,

Being from MN, you absolutely increase your chances of "activating" the cold virus by being out in the cold for too long.

This seems to go counter to my 9th grade biology teacher telling us (55 years ago) that experiments were conducted with "people soaking wet, stark naked, in front of fans" and they did not catch colds or get sick at any greater frequency. Have subsequent experiments refuted this?

Vinny

I always thought that was a poor experiment because they probably used germ-free water. New information has come to light, although it has nothing to do with my own silly ideas:

New studies show that a cold virus can survive longer in a cold dry nose. The nose is very good at killing bugs, but performs suboptimally in cold conditions.
Btw, no medical advice here, but if you use nasal saline there are articles out there advising us to avoid a particular ingredient. Do your own due diligence on that, of course.

I guess the answer in all cases is willing but not sufficient motivation unless it fits in with my life at the moment the opportunity to get it arises.

Ah, you're waiting until it's too late. I see.

Xan wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:36 am

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:23 amI don't know if this is exactly what you mean, but a few years ago the newspaper had a photo of a young, muscular guy who died of the flu to show that, see, you don't have to be old or enfeebled to die of the flu.

Well, it sure ain't killing 20,000 young muscular guys every year.

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 12:09 pm

Xan wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:36 am

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:23 amI don't know if this is exactly what you mean, but a few years ago the newspaper had a photo of a young, muscular guy who died of the flu to show that, see, you don't have to be old or enfeebled to die of the flu.

Well, it sure ain't killing 20,000 young muscular guys every year.

No, but this reminds of the house sign that reads:
THIS HOUSE GUARDED BY SHOTGUN 3 NIGHTS A WEEK. YOU GUESS WHICH 3.

Obvious differences, of course. Odds. The fact that the flu is contagious.
It just seems like such a simple thing to get a flu shot. I don't know why more people don't do it, but especially at Vinny's age.

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 12:23 pm

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 12:09 pm

Xan wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:36 am

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:23 amI don't know if this is exactly what you mean, but a few years ago the newspaper had a photo of a young, muscular guy who died of the flu to show that, see, you don't have to be old or enfeebled to die of the flu.

Well, it sure ain't killing 20,000 young muscular guys every year.

No, but this reminds of the house sign that reads:
THIS HOUSE GUARDED BY SHOTGUN 3 NIGHTS A WEEK. YOU GUESS WHICH 3.

Obvious differences, of course. Odds. The fact that the flu is contagious.
It just seems like such a simple thing to get a flu shot. I don't know why more people don't do it, but especially at Vinny's age.

My other background is though I turn 69 in April in my life I've yet to have a sick day or sick hour at work due to illness. I do take them for things like eye doctor appointments and dentist visits (both organizational policy and Massachusetts sick pay law). I do get sick, though, but either it's on the weekends or not enough to keep me from working. But getting colds or being sick is not a high frequency event for me.

Vinny

yankees60 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 12:23 pm My other background is though I turn 69 in April in my life I've yet to have a sick day or sick hour at work due to illness. I do take them for things like eye doctor appointments and dentist visits (both organizational policy and Massachusetts sick pay law). I do get sick, though, but either it's on the weekends or not enough to keep me from working. But getting colds or being sick is not a high frequency event for me.