Scary virus outbreak in China

tonyb

No Russ, it don't work like that. Lol

delkal

nooshinjohn wrote: »

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/coronavirus-contains-hiv-insertions-stoking-fears-over-artificially-created-bioweapon

https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-02-13/fighting-covid-19-with-drugs-targeting-hiv-malaria-ebola

Interesting... thanks for the links. But after a little digging it appears that the Coronovirus / HIV hybrid idea had been disproven. The paper was originally published in a non peer reviewed journal and has been withdrawn.

From a follow up article. https://bioworld.com/articles/433087-article-headline

“From everything I’ve looked at, there is zero evidence for genetic engineering; it looks like normal evolution,” said Trevor Bedford, a computational biologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, who has been using genomes sequences taken from patient samples to track the spread of the virus since Jan. 11.

“Thousands of mutations are distributed across the genome. If you’re engineering something, you wouldn’t do that. There are no signals for biological engineering. It looks like natural evolution,” Bedford told attendees of the AAAS meeting on Feb. 14.

Bedford also decried a paper published on the Biorxiv preprint server by scientists at the Indian Institutes of Technology, pointing to an “uncanny similarity” between COVID-19 and HIV. They claimed to have identified four insertions in the spike glycoprotein of COVID-19, through which the virus binds to the host cell, that are not present in other coronaviruses, but which looked the same as key structural proteins of HIV-1, a finding that they said “is unlikely to be fortuitous in nature.”

The research “was very shoddily done,” Bedford said. “The sequence differences are not unique to COVID-19. Closely related [bat] coronaviruses have these chunks as well. They are small motifs used by nature over and over again.”

The paper was swiftly withdrawn from Biorxiv, but the allegations continue to have a life of their own on social media, with stories headlined “Scientists confirm” COVID-19 is “man-made.”

BlueFox

Thanks delkal. Good response.

tonyb

China has only one level 4 bio lab for handling these types of viruses. Word is, the animals they do various tests on, are suppose to be cremated. Unless you want to make extra money and sell them to the street markets.....which some have done.

So the infected animals, and who knows what they are infected with, wind up in numerous people's bodies.

This seems to be the most likely explanation, most believable anyway. Except for....if your the only level4 bio lab in the country, and animals are being sold on the side, out the door, and nobody notices ? Or they do and don't care? If they don't care, why are they working around dangerous viruses? Recipe for an even bigger disaster.

maxward

News conference this evening indicates that there is one presumed case in Oregon (yet to be confirmed). Supposedly the person had no contact with people who may have been exposed. The person is hospitalized and heath authorities have traced possible contacts to an elementary school.

halen

I suspect AOC has posted a lot in this thread.

audioluvr

So I'm hoping high end audio will be really cheap when this is all said and done.

Tony M

audioluvr wrote: »

So I'm hoping high end audio will be really cheap when this is all said and done.

Yea, you call in your order. You then tell them when you will show up. They put it just outside the door before you show up.

or...

Amazon keeps on shipping to our doors. No signing for the items anymore and No returns though.

BlueFox

Sometimes I grocery shop on Amazon, and that is how they deliver.

Joey_V

With the market falling, there will be some deals to be had in audio. Good for buyers.

Toolfan66

Man my 401k was kicked in the nuts hard this week.. Ouch....

mhardy6647

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Man my 401k was kicked in the nuts hard this week.. Ouch....

As long as you're not retiring in the next, say, six weeks, it's not a huge deal, you know? It's a paper loss. You didn't have that money last week -- and you don't have it this week, either. You just don't have less of it.

In all seriousness, if one is a ways from retirement, it won't likely do much damage. If one is close to retirement, one's investment mix should be biased away from higher-risk vehicles like stocks and towards 'income' investments.

I feel bad because we were just getting ready to 'gift' some appreciated stock to our church for something -- now I am tempted to hold off for a while. Appreciated stock is a nice, painless way to be charitable and also avoid some capital gains! Everybody wins (but the Tax Bureau, that is)! We have some long-held stock in which our basis is virtually zero.
Just thought I'd throw that in, speaking of stock

Now, mind you, that doesn't mean that the next (I dunno) six or twelve months is gonna be all rainbows and unicorns... but the past couple of centuries suggest that the economy chugs along in the long term. And (I'd opine*) that the economy is the important parameter here, and the stock market is not the economy, and vice versa.

Massive shifts in population growth could shift that, of course -- but, again, so far so good.

_________________
* And what are my economics credentials? I hear you ask -- well... none... although our daughter is an economist.

motorstereo

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Man my 401k was kicked in the nuts hard this week.. Ouch....

As long as you're not retiring in the next, say, six weeks, it's not a huge deal, you know? It's a paper loss. You didn't have that money last week -- and you don't have it this week, either. You just don't have less of it.

In all seriousness, if one is a ways from retirement, it won't likely do much damage. If one is close to retirement, one's investment mix should be biased away from higher-risk vehicles like stocks and towards 'income' investments.

I feel bad because we were just getting ready to 'gift' some appreciated stock to our church for something -- now I am tempted to hold off for a while. Appreciated stock is a nice, painless way to be charitable and also avoid some capital gains! Everybody wins (but the Tax Bureau, that is)! We have some long-held stock in which our basis is virtually zero.
Just thought I'd throw that in, speaking of stock

Now, mind you, that doesn't mean that the next (I dunno) six or twelve months is gonna be all rainbows and unicorns... but the past couple of centuries suggest that the economy chugs along in the long term. And (I'd opine*) that the economy is the important parameter here, and the stock market is not the economy, and vice versa.

Massive shifts in population growth could shift that, of course -- but, again, so far so good.

_________________
* And what are my economics credentials? I hear you ask -- well... none... although our daughter is an economist.

Thank you Doc; you made me feel a little bit better about the walloping my 401k took last week. I never thought of it that way as you can't lose something you really didn't have but it makes sense.

xschop

motorstereo wrote: »

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Man my 401k was kicked in the nuts hard this week.. Ouch....

As long as you're not retiring in the next, say, six weeks, it's not a huge deal, you know? It's a paper loss. You didn't have that money last week -- and you don't have it this week, either. You just don't have less of it.

In all seriousness, if one is a ways from retirement, it won't likely do much damage. If one is close to retirement, one's investment mix should be biased away from higher-risk vehicles like stocks and towards 'income' investments.

I feel bad because we were just getting ready to 'gift' some appreciated stock to our church for something -- now I am tempted to hold off for a while. Appreciated stock is a nice, painless way to be charitable and also avoid some capital gains! Everybody wins (but the Tax Bureau, that is)! We have some long-held stock in which our basis is virtually zero.
Just thought I'd throw that in, speaking of stock

Now, mind you, that doesn't mean that the next (I dunno) six or twelve months is gonna be all rainbows and unicorns... but the past couple of centuries suggest that the economy chugs along in the long term. And (I'd opine*) that the economy is the important parameter here, and the stock market is not the economy, and vice versa.

Massive shifts in population growth could shift that, of course -- but, again, so far so good.

_________________
* And what are my economics credentials? I hear you ask -- well... none... although our daughter is an economist.

Thank you Doc; you made me feel a little bit better about the walloping my 401k took last week. I never thought of it that way as you can't lose something you really didn't have but it makes sense.

You lost the time invested, is all.

Joey_V

Just make sure you’re still contributing to your 401k, especially during a slide. That way you buy low.

BlueBirdMusic

Anyone heading to Las Vegas?

Gardenstater

“I think there’s a strong possibility that there’s local transmission going in California,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “In other words, the virus is spreading within California, and I think there’s a possibility other states are in the same boat — they just haven’t recognized that yet.”

Coronavirus is spreading through three more communities on the West Coast

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/a-second-case-of-coronavirus-found-through-spread-in-california/2020/02/28/ae53c93a-5a77-11ea-9b35-def5a027d470_story.html

This isn't going to help the stock market this coming week. Bear market will be at -20%.

Gardenstater

Anyone have ideas on stocks to buy that should benefit (yikes) from corona virus contagion that could continue to get caught up in the panic selling? We can't buy more audio equipment if we're broke.

Seeking alpha article:

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4328476-stocks-to-watch-time-for-coronavirus-offense-defense?utm_medium=email&utm_source=seeking_alpha&mail_subject=cost-ge-stocks-to-watch-time-for-coronavirus-offense-or-defense&utm_campaign=rta-stock-article&utm_content=link-2


"Investors have a lot to digest after panic over the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak sent the market tumbling to its worst weekly loss since 2008 and the 10-year Treasury yield to a record low. While the week ahead could include some coordinated actions by central banks to soothe anxiety, there are also likely to be more earnings warnings from multinationals across sectors. It could also be another volatile week for companies perceived as coronavirus plays such as iBio (NYSEMKT:IBIO), Alpha Pro Tech (NYSEMKT:APT), Lakeland Industries (NASDAQ:LAKE), Vaxart (NASDAQ:VXRT), Co-Diagnostics (NASDAQ:CODX), Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:INO), Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX), BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BCRX), Cocrystal Pharma (NASDAQ:COCP), Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR), Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA), Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD), Qiagen (NYSE:QGEN), Owens & Minor (NYSE:OMI), Altimmune ((NASDAQ:ALT) and Allied Healthcare Products (NASDAQ:AHPI). On the economic calendar, PMI prints from across the world will be watched closely, as well as reports on durable goods orders and the February employment report. Amid all the market turmoil, energy sector eyes will be focused on Vienna as ministers gather to assess the economic situation and make a decision on output."

sucks2beme

yes. it's coming. No it's not world ending.
That's not a surprise. Every city will have it at some point.
I'm going to catch it. I'll deal with it. There- reality check complete.

treitz3

I can't remember if this was posted already or not. Here is the list of demographics based upon age, health and sex.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/

I ain't skeert!

Tom

tonyb

Judging by that chart, Bud and I are screwed if we catch it. Oh well....

BlueFox

Not me. It will make me stronger.

Seriously, one of the infected people is in my county. Glad I have a few weeks food supply. Think I will order a pizza tonight to save my food. Plus it tastes better than my cooking. I do have to make a beer run next week.

motorhead43026

WA state has the first COVID-19 death in US.

dragon1952

I've got a linear power supply arriving today from the Guangzhou area of China that I ordered on Feb 9th

tonyb

motorhead43026 wrote: »

WA state has the first COVID-19 death in US.

...and ? Why is that a level of importance ? More will die from the flu this weekend probably, I see nobody raising awareness levels. Heck in Chicago, more will die from nonsense this weekend. Yet we hear crickets on the national stage.

Remember last year was it....Ebola virus. We were all suppose to die from that one too. Always another crisis around the corner to push the last one out of the way. Like the little boy who cried wolf one too many times. When we really need to be aware and prepared, our guard will be down due to so many cries of the wolf at our door.

dragon1952

tonyb wrote: »

motorhead43026 wrote: »

WA state has the first COVID-19 death in US.

...and ? Why is that a level of importance ?

Well, for those of us in the PNW it's at least newsworthy.

motorhead43026

^^obviously important enough you found the need to comment with the same old warmed over talking points.

Joey_V

1 in 30 dies. Geez.

Milito

tonyb wrote: »

Judging by that chart, Bud and I are screwed if we catch it. Oh well....

Me too.

I not going to worry about it, if it happens it happens. I'll be as careful as I can, that's all a person can do.

motorhead43026

^^ since my health issues last year I make sure my flu shots are up to date and have had the pneumonia vaccines.

I am north of 65 and have been made very aware of my mortality.

Take care all, especially you old timers.