What the 2nd Great Depression will look like

Our news media today must sell advertisements.  They make more money by having more viewers.  Anytime there is a crisis, the news media wins.  The longer a crisis goes on and the more fear the public has; the higher their ratings become.

If you are in your forty’s you can remember a time when your parents would watch the nightly news on one of the main cable stations.  You would see local stories, national events, sports and then the weather.  The reporters would share what was going on without really expressing their opinion.  Some families had access to CNN.  When America liberated Kuwait from Iraq, many people would tune into watching the war take place and listen to Wolf Blitzer and others share the events of the day.  By the time President Bill Clinton was being impeached, Fox News found that 50% of Americans wanted to hear a more conservative viewpoint and the news station competed with viewers who used to only have one other choice with CNN.  Along came other stations and view points over the years.  Instead of reporting the news; we receive an agenda.  MSNBC is notorious for stating it is the news media’s job to tell the public what they should think.

In our past blogs, trying to help businesses overcome the obstacles of working within the new government regulations that continue to take away our freedoms, we have pointed out the discrepancies in so-called facts of the Coronavirus.  Yes it is a very contagious virus.  Yes, it has the ability to bring a high mortality rate to the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.  However, the government regulations of shutting down some businesses and not others is foolish when they are saying how bad the virus is.  Our leaders are human.  They want to be elected and don’t have the backbone to do what is right rather they let public opinion sway their voice.  As long as the public does not do their research on their own, the loudest voices will win.  (This should be a wake-up call to any business who is not utilizing social media, content management and online reputation to share their message.)

Recently, even though the actual numbers do not warrant these actions, government officials are calling for many great businesses to keep their doors shut through the first week of May.  One would think we are dealing with the Bubonic Plague which struck Europe and Asia in the 1300’s.  In five years, that plague would kill almost one-third of the continent’s population.  When in fact we are dealing with a virus that has had Medical Examiners taking the liberty of classifying deaths of suicide, heart disease and other mortality contributors to the Coronavirus.  Neil Ferguson, the most famous Epidemiologist that our leaders at every level cited using his graphs projected 2.2 million dead in the United States if no action were taken to slow the virus and blunt its curve.  That would be 6,027 deaths a day!  Now he has revised his claims revealing that far more people likely have the virus than his team originally figured.   A higher rate of transmission than expected means that more people have the virus than previously expected; when the number of those with coronavirus is divided by the number of deaths, therefore, the mortality rate for the disease drops.  Therefore, now the epidemiologist predicts hospitals will be just fine taking on COVID-19 patients and estimates far fewer people will die from the virus itself or from its agitation of other ailments.  In short, this virus is not as deadly as what the news media would have you believe.

There will be deaths, and a lot of them.  I’m hopeful that my elderly parents or in-laws do not get sick and die.  It would be a tragedy for anyone I am close to or even know, contracts the virus and dies because of the illness.  I would have the same sadness if these people were to lose their life to an automobile accident, other health issues, murder, suicide or anything else that can take one’s life.  However, the approach that the government is taking and the complacency people are allowing these restrictions to happen will have far more devastating effects on our society.

If we continue the shutdown we will skip over a Great Recession and experience The 2^nd Great Depression!  What does that means to us?

To fully understand the gravity of what a true Depression will look like we must take a look at history.  The Great Depression that we learned about in the history books (Do you remember the days when kids carried books to school and didn’t do their assignments on a phone?) started in August of 1929 and we didn’t start coming out of it until March of 1933.  The Depression didn’t just hurt one country.  It was a severe worldwide economic depression with peak global unemployment at 24.9%.  Using the same numbers that would be the equivalent of 64 million of working adults in the United States would be out of a job today.

The Great Depression’s most famous day was October 29, 1929 or better known as Black Tuesday.  Billions of dollars were lost, wiping out thousands of investors.  In the aftermath of Black Tuesday, America and the rest of the industrialized world spiraled downward into the Great Depression which would become the deepest and longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the Western industrialized world up to that time.  Some causes for the crash were a rapid expansion of the stock market after a period of wild speculation during the roaring twenties.  Production had already declined and unemployment had risen, leaving stocks in great excess of their real value.  Other causes of the market’s crash were low wages, proliferation of debt, a struggling agricultural sector and excess of large bank loans that could not be liquidated.

Less than 2 months ago, on February 20, 2020 there was another global stock market crash.  This was 8 days after the Dow, NASDAQ and S&P 500 all finished at record highs with the NASDAQ and S&P 500 reached subsequent record highs the day before the crash.  From February 24 to February 28^th, stock markets worldwide reported their largest one-week declines since the 2008 financial crisis, thus entering a correction.  Global markets into early March became extremely volatile, with large swings occurring in global markets.  On 9 March, most global markets reported severe contractions.  The major reason was the overreaction to the Coronavirus Scare by our media and lack of leadership from our politicians at the National, State and Local levels in addition to an oil price war between Russia and the OPEC countries led by Saudi Arabia.

Three days after Black Monday I there was another drop, Black Thursday, where stocks across Europe and North America fell more than 9%. Wall Street experienced its largest single-day percentage drop since Black Monday in 1987, and the FTSE MIB of the Borsa Italiana fell nearly 17%, becoming the worst-hit market during Black Thursday.  Despite a temporary rally on the 13^th of March all three Wall Street indexes fell more than 12% when markets re-opened on March 16^th.  At least one benchmark stock market index in all G7 countries and 14 of the G20 countries have been declared to be in bear markets.

As of March 2020, global stocks have seen a downturn of at least 25% during the crash, and 30% in most G20 nations. Goldman Sachs has warned that the US GDP will shrink 29% by the end of the 2nd quarter of 2020, and that unemployment may skyrocket to at least 9%.  Even the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called the looming economic crisis 'akin to the Great Depression'.

A record 3.3 million people filed claims for unemployment in the US last week as the Covid-19 pandemic shut down large parts of America’s economy and the full scale of the impact of the crisis began to emerge.  The figure is the highest ever reported, beating the previous record of 695,000 claims filed the week ending 2 October 1982.

According to St. Louis Fed projections, the coronavirus economic freeze better could cost 47 million jobs and send the unemployment rate past 32%.  That would mean there are over 67 million Americans working in jobs that are at a high risk of layoffs, according to the analysis.  Millions of Americans already have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus crisis and Government Lockdown on Businesses and the worst of the damage is yet to come, according to a Federal Reserve estimate.

Jobs such as sales, production, food preparation, high contact-intensive jobs like barbers, hair stylist, airline attendants and food and beverage services are on the chopping block.  This dramatic spike in jobless claims is an American peculiarity. In almost no other country are jobs being destroyed so fast.

Now add in the stimulus package which was 2.2 trillion dollars.  Both the Democrats and Republicans added as much pork as they could possibly get away with helping out their special interest groups.  These were things like:

• ·          $150 Million for Federal Grants to State and Local Arts and Humanities Programs
• ·         $75 Million for Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• ·         $25 Million for Washington, D.C., Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• ·         $75 Million for the National Endowment for the Arts
• ·         $93 Million to Congress
• ·         $25 Million for the House for teleworking and “other cost”
• ·         $10 Million for Senate for teleworking and “other cost”
• ·         $25 Million for cleaning the Capitol and congressional office buildings
• ·         $14 Billion for Universities and Colleges
• ·         $25 Billion for Public Transit Systems
• ·         $10 Billion for Publicly owned Commercial Airports
• ·         $1 Billion for Amtrak
• ·         $300 Million for Fishing Industry
• ·         $400 Million to help states prepare for 2020 elections with steps to include expanded vote by mail and additional polling locations
• ·         $2 Billion for health care, equipment schools and other needs for Native American Communities
• ·         $258 Million for international disaster assistance

Nine hundred ninety nine billion, nine hundred ninety nine million, nine hundred ninety nine thousand, nine hundred ninety nine dollars and ninety nine cents is one penny short of a Trillion Dollars!  Now double that number and add another $200 Billion Dollars to it.  That is the package our Congress has passed.  Divide that number out by the current population of the United States and that comes out to $6,100 per man, woman, child that will have to pay it back in their lifetime.  That means for a family of 4; they would have to pay back $24,400 and only receive $3,400 ($1200 for two adults and $500 apiece for two children in a family of 4).  Does that sound like a good deal to you?

Baby Boomers have absorbed the country’s wealth. In fact, as they age, their percentage of total US wealth has increased from 20% to nearly 60%. By comparison, Generation X holds 16% of national wealth while the Millennials account for holding 3%. More problematically, 81% of Millennial’s households (ages 18 to 34) carry a collective debt of $2 trillion.  This is before the Coronavirus scare.

So as history have shown us, if public opinion is that the Coronavirus can destroy us all, our politicians will continue to keep many Americans under house arrest.  There is now talk of easing some of the restrictions that the Dodd-Frank financial regulations placed on the Federal Reserve use of this emergency authority.  A lack of oversite will mean more corruption in the name of supposedly countering the economic shock caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.  Currently, the Fed is looking at the use of contractionary monetary policy in order to protect the value of the dollar.  This process can increase deflation; however, the Consumer Price Index will drastically decline.  Thus, housing prices will begin to fall as well as our GDP.  Falling prices will send many firms into bankruptcy.  When you add the massive amount of government spending; the debt-to-GDP ratio will rise to record highs.  Recessions hit every decade, and the government tries to give the economy a shot in the arm.  However, the effects from a complete shutdown due to a virus that has a very low mortality rate will not allow families to recover.

For example, a person age 45 becomes expectantly unemployed.  They have equity in their house and have saved money by investing in stocks.  Their spouse also experiences the same thing.  There expenditures include two car payments, a mortgage and financial support for two children.  Their parents are retired living off of social security and savings that are mixed between stocks and bonds.  Immediately, the spouses try to look for work, but because there is a shutdown they cannot find employment.  They rely on their investments in the stock market to cover their expenses.  However, with the downturn in the market; they will lose their retirement. They look at selling their home to downsize in order to readjust to the loss of income, but their home price has also dropped losing all equity that had been acquired for the last 10 years.  If they sell their home, they cannot qualify for another home because of the lack of income and previous saved assets.  The next choice is to move in with one of the spouses’ parents if they are still living and the home is large enough to hold 4 adults and 2 children.  The spouses’ parents have a reduction in revenue due to the loss in the stock market; however, they are able to keep paying their bills because they have investments in bonds.  

Unfortunately, it gets worse because those investments are not enough to cover the cost of the car payments or other expenditures of a two income family and credit worthiness decreases while debt increases.   Thus relying on the government is the only option.  With a lower tax base, the government which is already bloated will be unable to continue to support social security benefits or child advocacy supplements.  Now the United States has to turn to foreign government for help.  In this scenario, others are negatively affected as well.  The person who landscaped the couple’s house is out of a job as are the car mechanics, hair stylist and house cleaner.  Not to mention, with no discretionary spending, the economy cannot truly be stimulated.  Next on the list of economic casualties will be the credit institutions that cannot recover losses from the debt that had been incurred.  It continues to become a downward cycle.

The regression of unemployment on violent crime rates generates a positive coefficient of 31.87251, and is statistically significant at the 10% level. A one percent increase in the unemployment rate will increase the violent crime rate by 31.87251 per 100,000 inhabitants.  These facts don’t even compute minor theft, non-violent assaults or forgery and fraud which have a much higher increase during times of higher unemployment according to the Journal of Law & Economics.

A 2016 study by Harvard researchers found that men who aren't able to be the main breadwinners in their families are more likely to get divorced than those who are able to earn more than their wives. And a 2011 Ohio State University study found that unemployed men were more likely to get divorced than employed men.  "Work equals earnings, and earnings equals helping to support and sustain a family," Steinberg said. "One partner's lack of ability to contribute financially in a meaningful way can cause the other partner to have to scramble to work extra-long hours, which can cause resentment, or to not have emotional security if his or her own job is shaky or not the type from which she or he can even earn extra income to compensate for the partner's lack of contribution."  For family with children, this can create a major disadvantage to their future.

Lancet Psychiatry researched and found that there had been an increase in the relative risk of suicide associated with unemployment across all regions in the country of 20% to 30%. There are an estimated 233,000 suicides a year, of which around 45,000 could be attributed to unemployment.  In addition, there is strong evidence of an association between unemployment and poorer health outcomes.  Unemployment is almost universally a negative experience and thus linked to poor outcomes, especially poor mental health outcomes.  Unemployment not only increases the likelihood of disease, but it can greatly affect one's mental health, leading to depression and decreased self-esteem. In addition, one can alienate family and friends or feel alienated themselves which can result in lack of support in one's life.  Smoking and alcohol consumption are often increased after the onset of unemployment.  Families are put at greater risk of physical illness, psychological stress and family breakdown.

Although we have reacted to save as many as 2.2 million people (if you believed in the Centers of Disease and Control or the World Health Organization) in the United States which is a great thing, we are now putting many more millions of Men, Women and Children at risk due to the misguided rulings by our officials which is exactly what we were trying to avoid with all of the regulations in the first place.

The United States will recover because that is what we have always done in the past.  (Of course there are other nations like China, Russia and Saudi Arabia that may have a say in our recovery.)  Revolutionary movements have emerged in the past, so the combination of disease and economic contraction will provoke a new era and a new global order. Indeed, even as we confront the prospect of economic collapse, we will also witness the application of policies that move our society beyond a dying fossil fuel era and into an era of cheap renewables. Beyond the age of combustion and the wanton destruction of the Earth, we are on the cusp of a Digital Renaissance.

To recover, businesses must embrace a technological transformation in automation as well as trying to provide their message to the masses gaining a reach to solicit, sell and service their products.  In today’s world, businesses now more than ever must have a digital strategy.  Today it is the Coronavirus, tomorrow it will be something else.  Our customers are spending more hours of the day online shopping, researching or mindless browsing.  Now more than ever, all eyes are on social media.  As a matter of fact, 66% of social media users believe their social media usage habit will increase in the event they are confined to their home due to the Coronavirus.  Over 60% of both YouTube and Facebook users expect an increase while only 2% expect a decrease.

DeliveryMaxx has been the leader in this arena over the last decade and continues to help businesses in all sectors reach their potential customers through the most innovative digital strategy utilizing common sense and today’s technology.  Our clients experience positive Online Reputation, stronger SEO, concise content management, increase in social media engagement and advertisement and higher customer retention.  We are able to customize and create a strategy for any entity that is trying to gain more exposure on the web.  With clients in multiple industries and across the country such as Automotive Dealerships, Real-Estate Brokers & Agents, Churches, Service Industry, Sports Teams, Non-Profit Organizations and more; we utilize our Patent-Pending Program to develop a digital strategy that will meet the needs of sales, service and messaging to the masses.  DeliveryMaxx is one of the only digital media company that provides a simple to use app which will allow to immediately collect online reviews, post engaging videos and online content with branding and advertising.  The program is embedded with digital code helping increase SEO which provides first page results on the Search Engines.  It is a tool that is implanted with a complete digital strategy giving their clients a competitive advantage over the competition.  For more information about DeliveryMaxx contact (888) 938-6299 or watch the DeliveryMaxx Introduction Video!

Using Social Media Channels to Share Positive Messages

For the last 30 days, we have heard our news media, government officials, many in the medical community, and everyone else with an opinion share how the Coronavirus would have devastating and tragic outcomes for our society as we know it.  These scare tactics have altered the course of history and prompted good people to turn on each other because of how they received the message.  Those who questioned the numbers that were being provided were villainized by their friends and family as well as accused of being money hungry capitalist pigs.

The internet, Social Media and Digital Media Engagement has played and continues to play a vital role in public sentiment of all of the issues we face today.  This experience that has affected the world is a perfect example of why businesses should take an active role in utilizing the World Wide Web in sharing their positive message which will lead to higher sales, positive online reputation and a stronger reach on the internet.

Make no mistake about the Coronavirus.  It is a virus that can cause death.  One death is too much and nobody wants to see a family member or loved one suffer.

DeliveryMaxx is actually excited to see more and more reports showing that the original predictions that the Coronavirus was and is not as apocalyptic as the news media has tried to make us think.  In fact, March 26^th a few media outlets (not the mainstream) quoted the Epidemiologist behind the highly-cited Coronavirus model drastically downgraded his projection.  Yes, this was the same person, Neil Ferguson who projected 2.2 million would die in the United States (6027 deaths a day!) and over 500,000 in the United Kingdom.  Now, even though many in the news media are not sharing the same report they used to scare the public, the report is stating that hospitals will be just fine estimating 20,000 or fewer in the U.K. and 60,000 or fewer in the United States could die.

This morning, CNN just reported that the Coronavirus death rate is lower than previously reported, but still deadlier than the seasonal flu.  Now we are starting to get to a realistic talking point.  Remember, as long as you are scared you will read the news or watch the nightly dialogue.  These news outlets need to sell advertisement and the more viewers the more money they make.  CNN hasn’t completely dismissed all of their false reporting (nobody wants to admit they are wrong), but they have moved their estimations from as high as 15% will die after being infected to predicting .66% of those infected with the virus will die.  They have taken into account potentially milder cases that often go undiagnosed.  In other words, out of everybody infected -- not just those sick enough to get tested -- how many people will die?  Researchers combined that data on "infection prevalence" with public information on reported cases and deaths, estimating the overall death rate to be about two-thirds of 1%.  That number, though, went up in older adults, with approximately 7.8% of those 80 or older estimated to die after infection. And deaths were estimated to be exceedingly rare in children younger than 9, with a fatality rate of just 0.00161%.  For age groups younger than 40, the death rate was never higher than 0.16%, according to the study. Out of 1,000 young adults infected, then, about 1 or 2 could die, with the youngest people facing the lowest risk.

Do you think for a moment that mainstream media is catching on that more and more people are questioning our government and the false information our politicians have been saying are being vocal on social media?  Take for example the article written, “Why Flattening the Curve is Overrated” in Pensford.  When written on March 23^rd, the author stated he would be eviscerated by friends and family more than ever.  He wrote the article after the huge market plunge and was accused of being a greedy person who only cared about himself.  This was said even after he stated, “Coronavirus is exceptionally dangerous and highly contagious.  We were ill-equipped to handle a pandemic.  I personally was ignorant to the risks and to our own inability to counteract them.  None of what I am about to say is rooted in a belief that this virus isn’t terribly serious.”  The article went on to talk about social distancing provides the illusion of control, not actual control, over the virus.  He shared that there is no vaccine and flattening the curve simply kicks the can down the road.  Think about that for a second.  We have shutdown many small businesses while leaving Walmart, Best Buy, Academy and other Big Box Stores open.  Fast Food drive-thru’s still have people preparing, touching and passing out food to their consumers.  I still question how one business employees are unable to transfer the virus, but another set of employees are not.  Where he was viciously attacked was when he declared that the News Media and other ill-informed people were assuming that 100% of the population would get the virus.  Which we won’t even without a quarantine in place because that is not how viruses work.  There is no precedent for an influenza virus spreading to 100% of the population.  Next, even at a 100% infection and 1% mortality rate, which would be 3.3 million Americans would have been worst case scenario.  He stated the willingness to endure some economic hardship to avoid losing 3 million Americans, but how much.  The article then went on to show the devastating affects if the unemployment were to get to 20-30% and the additional hardships many more millions would face such as nourishment, housing and increase crime rate.  Ultimately, we have traded one set of potential lives lost for a generation of hardship that will ultimately lead to the loss of life.

Finally, Medical Examiners are taking the liberty of classifying deaths of suicide, heart disease and other mortality contributors to the Coronavirus.  An article, March 24 called Case-Fatality Rate and COVID-19 Death Characteristics in Italy which was released by the American College of Cardiology showed a high percentage of examples as to why the virus death totals were so high in Italy.  The Media did not share these facts.  Instead, they took pictures of patients on a ventilator in Italy and said that these were infected patients in New York.  The story fit their narrative and fear continues to drive people into irrational behavior.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

Today’s technology has allowed information about businesses, political uprisings, social injustice, latest norms and anything else one can dream of to be spread through the masses faster than the Bubonic Plague “Black Death” that struck Europe and Asia in the 1300’s.  In five years, that plague would kill almost one-third of the continent’s population.  Could you imagine if our ancestors had social media back then?  Do you think we would have seen pictures of King Edward of England or his Court using diapers and orange peelings to cover their faces as they walked through the streets of London?  How would we react today if we faced a true plague?

What if we had social media during the 1930’s and 1940’s?  At first, Hitler and the Nazis would have villainized the Jews for all of the hardships Germany was facing.  They would have taken the approach to point out the poverty level and try to tie it to one race of people when in fact it was directly from the Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919 at the Palace of Versailles in Paris at the end of World War I, codified peace terms between the victorious Allies and Germany.  The Treaty of Versailles held Germany responsible for starting the war and imposed harsh penalties in terms of loss of territory, massive reparations payments and demilitarization.  Because the German People did not have the means of mass communication; they were not able to spread their message without physically being persecuted themselves.  Google has provided us instant facts and figures for us to make arguments on both sides.  The one who is able to utilize social media and provide the most content that spreads to the masses (REACH) will actually win.  Businesses need to know this when they are putting together a digital strategy.

Before World War II, the United States was divided over the issue of Slavery.  Those who defended slavery rose to the challenge set forth by the Abolitionist.  The defenders of slavery included economics, history, religion, legality, social good, and even humanitarianism, to further their arguments.  Defenders of slavery argued that if all the slaves were freed, there would be widespread unemployment and chaos. This would lead to uprisings, bloodshed, and anarchy. They pointed to the mob's "rule of terror" during the French Revolution and argued for the continuation of the status quo, which was providing for affluence and stability for the slaveholding class and for all free people who enjoyed the bounty of the slave society.  At the peak of black slavery in the South, only 6 percent of Southern whites owned slaves. If you include the white people in the North, it means that only 1.4 percent of white Americans owned black slaves at the height of slavery.  Yet, 258,000 southerners fought and died in the Civil War which was 22.6 percent of Southern men who were between the ages of 20-24 in 1860.  What if wives, mothers and children of the soldiers had the ability to share their online reviews or opinions of slave ownership? Would we have had brother fighting against their brother leading to 618,222 deaths in our relatively new nation?

History can teach us a lot.  The utilization in today’s technology can be instrumental in how we get our messages out to the people.  Today, more users/consumers are viewing the internet to get the majority of their information.  No matter which side of the fence you are on in any issue; one will be able to find information to support their position.  This is important for businesses now more than ever.  They must have a digital media strategy that includes a well-built website, optimized social media channels directing viewers back to the website, daily post on the social media channels, videos promoting their message, blogs written to highlight their products or services, a positive online reputation and social media engagement from their customers or fans.  Having the right digital media strategy will be vital for businesses to operate in our current climate and will be a must to survive the aftermath of these grave decisions that have been made.

DeliveryMaxx is able to customize and create a strategy for businesses, churches, automotive dealerships, real estate agents, medical teams, non-profits and any entity that is trying to gain more exposure on the web.  With clients in multiple industries and across the country; we utilize our Patent-Pending Program to develop a digital strategy that will meet the needs of sales, service and messaging to the masses.  We are one of the only digital media company that provides a simple to use app which will allow to immediately collect online reviews, post engaging videos and online content with branding and advertising.  The program is embedded with digital code helping increase SEO which provides first page results on the Search Engines.  It is a tool that is implanted with a complete digital strategy giving their clients a competitive advantage over the competition.  For more information about DeliveryMaxx contact (888) 938-6299 or watch the DeliveryMaxx Introduction Video!

How to Conduct Business in a New World

Make no mistake about it, the decisions we have made to shut down our normal life as we know it will have long lasting negative consequences on everyone.  As a matter of fact, even those businesses that have been deemed “essential” will have to adjust to the new normal.  Those who currently have jobs and are taking to the internet shaming others who are questioning the plethora of misinformation that continues to flow will end up feeling the same pain as the business owner who has had to shut their doors due to being “non-essential”.  It’s just a matter of time the longer our government leaders make decision on false logic.

Today, more users/consumers are viewing the internet to get the majority of their information.  No matter which side of the fence you are on in any issue; one will be able to find information to support their position.  This is important for businesses now more than ever.  They must have a digital media strategy that includes a well-built website, optimized social media channels directing viewers back to the website, daily post on the social media channels, videos promoting their message, blogs written to highlight their products or services, a positive online reputation and social media engagement from their customers or fans.  Having the right digital media strategy will be vital for businesses to operate in our current climate and will be a must to survive the aftermath of these grave decisions that have been made.

Take for example the latest reports on how everyone who is promoting the shutdown of our economic livelihood is pointing to Italy’s high rate of death from the Coronavirus.  This group of medical professionals and politicians routinely leave out that Italy has a relatively high proportion of older people, a different definition of coronavirus-related deaths, and approach to testing strategies.  The doctors noted that a report from the World Health Organization-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 Mortality on 2,114 of 55,924 coronavirus-related deaths in China reported a death rate of 21.9% in people 80 years and older (compared with 20.2% in this age-group in Italy).  Italy also overestimated COVID-19–related deaths because of the different way its officials define it, classifying the death of anyone who tested positive for the disease as related to the coronavirus, regardless of whether they had underlying illnesses that could have independently led to death.  The sector of the population will share the message of the mortality rate of the virus in Italy in order to scare the opposition, but will not identify the actual reasoning behind why Italy is abnormal in all of the charts and graphs that do not fit their narrative.  If this were not true, these same “leaders” would also show contrasting points of views in places like Ivory Coast, Senegal, Dominican Republic, Singapore, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, Australia, Israel, Brazil, Canada, South Korea and others.

Obviously, numbers continue to change.  The Epidemiologist behind the highly-cited Coronavirus Model who stated there would be 2.2 million deaths in the United States (that would be 6027 deaths a day) drastically downgraded his projection to less than 50,000 people in the US (61,000 people died from the flu during 2017-2018).  Nobody has contradicted that the coronavirus is a virus which is serious.  However, the numbers do not support the rhetoric that is continuing to be spewed and affecting businesses.

 When the loss of jobs and no income begin to trickle into the medical community from shutting the doors on the means to earn an income and wage only then will that sect of our society understand the fiat consequences of only looking at this problem from a physician’s point of view.  Our police force will also have this same thought when crime begins to increase and the ability to receive funds from tax dollars that provides resources on combat crime decreases.  The saying goes “an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure” should resonate with everyone today, but if you are not thinking about the long-term; it will eventually enter your way of life.  As with any disease or illness there is always a case that doesn’t follow the norm.  We must find a balanced approach to find a solution that we all can find beneficial.

Everyone know based on trends throughout the world, including Italy which arguments show is not the norm, that 80% of the infected with the coronavirus have mild to no symptoms. Mild meaning there is no need to go to the hospital for treatment.  The other 20% is the cause for concern. These are the individuals who will require medical care to survive. In the history of the world there has never been any illness that has affect 100% of the population in any given scenario. It appears that is exactly what the masses have been scared into assuming in order to achieve the magnitude of this virus. That is an unfair and biased approach.

At the end of all the shelter in place time lines, what happens and how do we a society begin the process of moving the pendulum back to “normal”?  How do we find a balanced approach to a solution that the fewest people are affected? Both physically and financially? At the end of the day research is funded with money, and we need money to continue to treat people. Sitting at home doing nothing for months will not find answers to the problem.

The American People will remain divided on all of the issues discussed.  Today, social media has given everyone a platform to share their opinion.  Whether you make a comment, post a picture/video, LIKE, Share, retweet or put some type of emoji on a post you are sharing your opinion.  Because we feel safe behind a keyboard or our face buried in our phones; we feel empowered that others truly value what we have to say.  Google Reviews, Yelp and Facebook have all made millions on this concept as the consumer will instantly take to giving their Online Review. 

DeliveryMaxx is in the same boat as many of our clients and other businesses around the country.  We are facing difficult decisions that include temporary layoffs, reduction of expenses, increased workload from employees and reduced pay due to lack of revenue.  However, with our suite of digital services, DeliveryMaxx is able to help clients make an impact on the internet including Online Reputation, Social Media Marketing and Advertising, Content Management, SEO, Website Development, Customer Retention Satisfaction and other Digital Media Strategies giving them a stronger reach which means more sales and services provided.  Together we will survive!

DeliveryMaxx is able to customize and create a strategy for businesses, churches and any entity that is trying to gain more exposure on the web.  With clients in multiple industries and across the country; we utilize our Patent-Pending Program to develop a digital strategy that will meet the needs of sales, service and messaging to the masses.  We are one of the only digital media company that provides a simple to use app which will allow to immediately collect online reviews, post engaging videos and online content with branding and advertising.  The program is embedded with digital code helping increase SEO which provides first page results on the Search Engines.  It is a tool that is implanted with a complete digital strategy giving their clients a competitive advantage over the competition.  For more information about DeliveryMaxx contact (888) 938-6299 or watch the DeliveryMaxx Introduction Video!

Using the Internet to Spread your Message

Finding information on the internet has never been more important than it is now.  Getting your message published is vital for your business, non-profit and any other entity that desires a certain amount of reach on the World Wide Web.

Today, more users/consumers are viewing the internet to get the majority of their information.  No matter which side of the fence you are on in any issue; one will be able to find information to support their position.  This is important for businesses now more than ever.  They must have a digital media strategy that includes a well-built website, optimized social media channels directing viewers back to the website, daily post on the social media channels, videos promoting their message, blogs written to highlight their products or services, a positive online reputation and social media engagement from their customers or fans.  Having the right digital media strategy will be vital for businesses to operate in our current climate.

Take for example the debate over which lives are more important during the Coronavirus.  One side of the debate says the other side is insensitive to those with underlying health conditions and elderly.  They think their opposition only cares about money.  The other side of the debate says, unfortunately, the inevitable does happen whether it is the seasonal flu, cancer, automotive accidents or a new virus like H1N1, Ebola and yes the Coronavirus.  Bad things happen to good people and shutting down the economy will have much longer devastating effects on people’s lives including the health of and well-being of many healthy people is a position some have also taken.

We have seen individuals taking to the internet telling the public how quickly the virus will kill anyone, citing that they are a health care professional even if their job description includes mopping the floors or answering phones at a hospital. The uninform see the influencer saying they are a health care professional and many times don’t give another thought to the post taking the position as facts.  When in all reality, the Epidemiologist behind the highly cited Coronavirus model drastically downgrading the projections.  Neil Ferguson, the Epidemiologist in question projected 2.2 million dead in the United States if no action were taken to slow the virus and blunt its curve.  He said over 500,000 people in the United Kingdom would die.  After just one day of lockdowns in the U.K, Ferguson drastically downgraded those estimates revealing that far more people likely have the virus than his team originally figured.   A higher rate of transmission than expected means that more people have the virus than previously expected; when the number of those with coronavirus is divided by the number of deaths, therefore, the mortality rate for the disease drops.  Therefore, now the epidemiologist predicts hospitals will be just fine taking on COVID-19 patients and estimates far fewer people will die from the virus itself or from its agitation of other ailments.  By the way, to get to the 2.2 million number he first predicted, the United States would have had to have 6,027 people die a day.  Currently we have had 1,382 deaths.

Last year, Texas had 9,470 deaths from the flue which was considered one of the worst season in years.  More than 800 of those deaths occurred in Bexar County alone where 802 adults and two children died from the flu or related complications.  The death rate was 32.25 per every 100,000 people.  The region that includes Dallas had the most deaths at 2,737.  Over half of the deceased were children who had an underlying condition.  In comparison, the Coronavirus has an average mortality rate of 4 people for every 1 million.

Our politicians at the National, State and Local level have been all over the place in ordering lockdowns, threatening heavy fines and deciding which businesses are essential to work and which one’s need to depend on the government to help them.  Apparently, the military, police force, health care workers, government officials, Costco Workers, Big Box Stores and all of the “Essential Employees” are immune from spreading the virus to the rest of those who have been ordered to stay home.  Many of those taking to the internet telling everyone to stay home still have the ability to receive a paycheck.  The media (which has been declared as essential) understands this and continues to sensationalize stories without providing all of the facts.  Stories like a 92 year old man who died due to the Coronavirus and other ailments.  Other stories like Tom Hanks and his wife who got sick, but is now doing just fine.

We also see individuals who carelessly go to Florida on Spring Break and will inevitably get sick continuing the spread of the virus or anything else they contract during a drunken party.  Just ask the social media influencer who thought it was smart to lick a toilet and is now sick with COVID-19.

Our elected officials are another great example of how they are utilizing the internet to get their message across.  Both parties, Democrats and Republicans, have used public fear to try to pass a stimulus package to appease the millions who will be in the unemployment lines like the 3.3 million individuals in New York.

Before you look at the merits of what is in the stimulus package, think to yourself if it makes sense to borrow $3,400 to help with your personal expenses and have to personally pay back $24,400 in the form of taxes to help fund our political leaders special interest and pork spending that will never go to the American Family who needs help to put food on the table for their family.  Walk through this example with me.

Nine hundred ninety nine billion, nine hundred ninety nine million, nine hundred ninety nine thousand, nine hundred ninety nine dollars and ninety nine cents is one penny short of a Trillion Dollars!  Now double that number and add another $200 Billion Dollars to it.  That is the package our Congress is about to pass.  Divide that number out by the current population of the United States and that comes out to $6,100 per man, woman, child that will have to pay it back in their lifetime.  That means for a family of 4; they would have to pay back $24,400 and only receive $3,400 ($1200 for two adults and $500 apiece for two children in a family of 4).  Think about this for a minute.  The stimulus package has provisions like:

• ·         $150 Million for Federal Grants to State and Local Arts and Humanities Programs
• ·         $75 Million for Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• ·         $25 Million for Washington, D.C., Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• ·         $75 Million for the National Endowment for the Arts
• ·         $93 Million to Congress
• ·         $25 Million for the House for teleworking and “other cost”
• ·         $10 Million for Senate for teleworking and “other cost”
• ·         $25 Million for cleaning the Capitol and congressional office buildings
• ·         $14 Billion for Universities and Colleges
• ·         $25 Billion for Public Transit Systems
• ·         $10 Billion for Publicly owned Commercial Airports
• ·         $1 Billion for Amtrak
• ·         $300 Million for Fishing Industry
• ·         $400 Million to help states prepare for 2020 elections with steps to include expanded vote by mail and additional polling locations
• ·         $2 Billion for health care, equipment schools and other needs for Native American Communities
• ·         $258 Million for international disaster assistance
• ·         $350 Million for Migration and Refugee Assistance
• ·         $95 Million for USAID operating expenses
• ·         $88 Million for the Peace Corps

Nobody wants to have family members or loved ones die.  Nobody wants anyone to experience the hardship of losing jobs.  The facts remain that both tragedies are going to happen in our “normal” course of living.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that over 28 million people a year will lose their jobs. The unemployment rate has been around 3.5% over the last 6 months.  James Bullard, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis said that the U.S. unemployment rate could reach 30% while Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin estimates that it might reach 20%.  Either way, unemployment leads to health issues (depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and mental health issues), economic issues (burden of increase debt falls to government) and social issues (crime rates increase).

According to the Centers for Disease and Control the United States has a death rate of 863.8 deaths per 100,000 population.  Our life expectancy is 78.6 years.  The infant mortality rate is 5.78 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Each year, 647,457 die from heart disease, 599,108 die from cancer, 169,936 die from accidents (unintentional injuries), 160,201 die from chronic lower respiratory diseases, 146,383 die from strokes, 121,404 die from Alzheimer’s, 83,564 die from diabetes, 55,672 die from influenza and pneumonia, 50,633 die from nephritis and 47,173 will commit suicide.

The American People will remain divided on all of the issues discussed.  Today, social media has given everyone a platform to share their opinion.  Whether you make a comment, post a picture/video, LIKE, Share, retweet or put some type of emoji on a post you are sharing your opinion.  Because we feel safe behind a keyboard or our face buried in our phones; we feel empowered that others truly value what we have to say.  Google Reviews, Yelp and Facebook have all made millions on this concept as the consumer will instantly take to giving their Online Review.

Now more than ever, all eyes are on social media.  As a matter of fact, 66% of social media users believe their social media usage habit will increase in the event they are confined to their home due to the Coronavirus.  Over 60% of both YouTube and Facebook users expect an increase while only 2% expect a decrease.

DeliveryMaxx has been the leader in this arena over the last decade and continues to help businesses in all sectors reach their potential customers through the most innovative digital strategy utilizing common sense and today’s technology.  Our clients experience positive Online Reputation, stronger SEO, concise content management, increase in social media engagement and advertisement and higher customer retention.  We are able to customize and create a strategy for any entity that is trying to gain more exposure on the web.  With clients in multiple industries and across the country such as Automotive Dealerships, Real-Estate Brokers & Agents, Churches, Service Industry, Sports Teams, Non-Profit Organizations and more; we utilize our Patent-Pending Program to develop a digital strategy that will meet the needs of sales, service and messaging to the masses.  DeliveryMaxx is one of the only digital media company that provides a simple to use app which will allow to immediately collect online reviews, post engaging videos and online content with branding and advertising.  The program is embedded with digital code helping increase SEO which provides first page results on the Search Engines.  It is a tool that is implanted with a complete digital strategy giving their clients a competitive advantage over the competition.  For more information about DeliveryMaxx contact (888) 938-6299 or watch the DeliveryMaxx Introduction Video!