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[bigbird 60,580]

Job growth smashes expectations for February as unemployment falls back to 3.5%

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/06/us-jobs-report-february-2020.html

[bigbird 60,580]

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

I'll be interested to see that number in two months.  Wondering if Coronavirus may have a big impact, particularly with travel industry gigs.

[augolf1716 21,303]

44 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

I'll be interested to see that number in two months.  Wondering if Coronavirus may have a big impact, particularly with travel industry gigs.

I fully expect it will have some impact.

[bigbird 60,580]

2 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

I'll be interested to see that number in two months.  Wondering if Coronavirus may have a big impact, particularly with travel industry gigs.

It would just about have to, I would think. That said this can only be looked at as a positive, IMO

[AuburnNTexas 7,174]

Of course Corona Virus will have some impact.  It would have an impact on any administration.  It is a serious issue but it also is being hyped beyond its current impact.  Part of the impact is over reporting and pressing the panic button by the press.  I am not trying to minimize it but when Mer and SAR both came out a few years ago they started out in a similar fashion and there was no place near this type of coverage.  

Time will tell whether Covid-19 is truly a Pandemic or just another variation of similar Viruses like SAR, Mer, and the Flu. Numbers wise Covid-19 is much more serious than SAR and Mer but Mortality percentage it is much smaller. Mortality rate is 1-3% SAR was 9% and MER was 34% the big differnce is the other two did not affect large numbers of people.

[sandyclawedtiger 206]

On 3/6/2020 at 5:44 PM, augolf1716 said:

I fully expect it will have some impact.

Impact already. At least for those working part time. Especially retirees.  I'm a meat cutter for Publix. Announced today industry wide. No more demos of food. I understand until this is contained.

[TexasTiger 13,028]

On 3/6/2020 at 7:52 PM, bigbird said:

It would just about have to, I would think. That said this can only be looked at as a positive, IMO

It’s positive today if that’s all you’re looking at. I just doubt it’s today’s most relevant data point in determining the direction of the economy.

[TexasTiger 13,028]

On 3/6/2020 at 8:49 PM, AuburnNTexas said:

Of course Corona Virus will have some impact.  It would have an impact on any administration.  It is a serious issue but it also is being hyped beyond its current impact.  Part of the impact is over reporting and pressing the panic button by the press.  I am not trying to minimize it but when Mer and SAR both came out a few years ago they started out in a similar fashion and there was no place near this type of coverage.  

Time will tell whether Covid-19 is truly a Pandemic or just another variation of similar Viruses like SAR, Mer, and the Flu. Numbers wise Covid-19 is much more serious than SAR and Mer but Mortality percentage it is much smaller. Mortality rate is 1-3% SAR was 9% and MER was 34% the big differnce is the other two did not affect large numbers of people.

This one is far more contagious and difficult to contain and therefore has more capacity to disrupt. There are ample signs the impact will be huge.

[AuburnNTexas 7,174]

17 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

This one is far more contagious and difficult to contain and therefore has more capacity to disrupt. There are ample signs the impact will be huge.

Compared to SAR and MER you are correct compared to the Flu not even in the ball park yet. Flu affects millions of people and has killed something like 18,000 people in the US this year. Again I am not trying to minimize it.  But based on the coverage of the Flu and Covid-19 you would think Covid-19 had hit millions of people and killed huge numbers. The Flu which is also a Corona virus as is SAR, MER and the common cold has this huge impact every year even with us having Vaccines for it. Personally I have always thought that we should have a more heightened awareness of the flu than we do. Because the flu hits every year and affects millions of people and kills thousands in the US alone people just kind of accept it. A lot of the hype around Covid-19 is because it is new and we don't know enough about it. 

I have no problem with Science spending big money to understand it and hopefully yo come up with an effective Vaccine and spreading the same word about washing your hands  that we do about the flu but if we had done an effective job over the years to get people to wash their hands properly Covid-19 would have had a much lesser impact.

[countoff 331]

On 3/9/2020 at 9:58 AM, AuburnNTexas said:

Compared to SAR and MER you are correct compared to the Flu not even in the ball park yet. Flu affects millions of people and has killed something like 18,000 people in the US this year. Again I am not trying to minimize it.  But based on the coverage of the Flu and Covid-19 you would think Covid-19 had hit millions of people and killed huge numbers. The Flu which is also a Corona virus as is SAR, MER and the common cold has this huge impact every year even with us having Vaccines for it. Personally I have always thought that we should have a more heightened awareness of the flu than we do. Because the flu hits every year and affects millions of people and kills thousands in the US alone people just kind of accept it. A lot of the hype around Covid-19 is because it is new and we don't know enough about it. 

I have no problem with Science spending big money to understand it and hopefully yo come up with an effective Vaccine and spreading the same word about washing your hands  that we do about the flu but if we had done an effective job over the years to get people to wash their hands properly Covid-19 would have had a much lesser impact.

I'm not good with medical stuff.  But I've been hearing for the last couple of years that science predicts the flu to become more and more potent and difficult to treat.  Isn't the corona virus simply confirmation of their prediction?

I've got no problem with us throwing more money at better understanding and treating the flu and the corona virus.  And I think this is a good lesson for all to do a better job of cleaning our hands and other good hygiene habits to prevent the spread of the flu.  But I just don't agree with all the hysteria.  We need to calm down.  Look at the damage this is doing to our economy. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,174]

1 minute ago, countoff said:

I'm not good with medical stuff.  But I've been hearing for the last couple of years that science predicts the flu to become more and more potent and difficult to treat.  Isn't the corona virus simply confirmation of their prediction?

I've got no problem with us throwing more money at better understanding and treating the flu and the corona virus.  And I think this is a good lesson for all to do a better job of cleaning our hands and other good hygiene habits to prevent the spread of the flu.  But I just don't agree with all the hysteria.  We need to calm down.  Look at the damage this is doing to our economy. 

I basically agree with you but as things develop it is become more serious than I originally thought. The scariest thing coming out of this is how reliant our country has become on China. While we lead in research on drugs and develop a lot more but that China manufactures either the actual drugs or the agents for the drugs and the tests.  Depending on the source 70%-over 90% is actually done in China.  Years ago we were behind the 8 ball on energy but in recent years we have become self sufficient.  We need to become self sufficient when it comes to production of drugs even if we have to subsidize to an extent.  That is hard for me to say as I am a small government person but to me this is a Security issue which is one area the Government does need to be involved. 

[countoff 331]

8 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I basically agree with you but as things develop it is become more serious than I originally thought. The scariest thing coming out of this is how reliant our country has become on China. While we lead in research on drugs and develop a lot more but that China manufactures either the actual drugs or the agents for the drugs and the tests.  Depending on the source 70%-over 90% is actually done in China.  Years ago we were behind the 8 ball on energy but in recent years we have become self sufficient.  We need to become self sufficient when it comes to production of drugs even if we have to subsidize to an extent.  That is hard for me to say as I am a small government person but to me this is a Security issue which is one area the Government does need to be involved. 

I think I read the same article as you did this morning.  It's another example of us hurting ourselves by farming out our production to foreign countries. 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 hour ago, countoff said:

I think I read the same article as you did this morning.  It's another example of us hurting ourselves by farming out our production to foreign countries. 

It's a chicken and egg thing.  We could keep more manufacturing here, but is the consumer ready for the much higher prices on products?

[countoff 331]

3 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

It's a chicken and egg thing.  We could keep more manufacturing here, but is the consumer ready for the much higher prices on products?

I'm going to assume you are correct.  You would think that if it was less expensive to make in US it would be made in US.  But couldn't we at least diversify the countries that manufacture these products?  Why is it always China?  Why not Brazil? or Thailand?  Or Tazmania? or anywhere else but China?

[homersapien 11,453]

 

13 minutes ago, countoff said:

I'm going to assume you are correct.  You would think that if it was less expensive to make in US it would be made in US.  But couldn't we at least diversify the countries that manufacture these products?  Why is it always China?  Why not Brazil? or Thailand?  Or Tazmania? or anywhere else but China?

That's easy.  Because like it or not, the economy has become globalized and the rest of the world has people who are willing to work for a tiny fraction of what Americans will accept.

The "American Century" was based on the post-WWII economic circumstances in which we were basically the only major company left with a manufacturing economy and the rest of the world was our customer.

The question is, what do we do about it?

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 minute ago, homersapien said:

 

That's easy.  Because like it or not, the economy has become globalized and the rest of the world has people who are willing to work for a tiny fraction of what Americans will accept.

The "American Century" was based on the post-WWII economic circumstances in which we were basically the only major company left with a manufacturing economy and the rest of the world was our customer.

The question is, what do we do about it?

Pretty much the bolded part.  And we, being the largest consumer of goods in the world, like to pay for cheaper products.

[bigbird 60,580]

2 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Pretty much the bolded part.  And we, being the largest consumer of goods in the world, like to pay for cheaper products.

I wonder if there is a way that could cheapen products here either by streamlining logistics or incentivizing consolidation/partnering companies synergistically to lessen cost for both entities.  Not sure if our inherent greed would allow companies to place country over profit.

[AuburnNTexas 7,174]

100% true but there are certain things that affect National Security that have to be viewed differently.  If those type of things like Drugs some manufacturing that affects our defense industry is not done in the US we at least need to be sure we can get it from Countries that are our Allies.  We know China is not.  if we have to subsidize some things to keep us safe than we have to do it.