5 Ways to Prevent and prepare for the Coronavirus: Life Kit - NPR

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Worried about coronavirus? Keep some non-perishable food items and medicine stocked on hand, and follow flu prevention protocol like sneezing into a tissue, disinfecting surfaces and washing your hands frequently with soap and water. Photo Illustration by Max Posner/NPR and Tony Latham/Corbis/Getty Images hide caption

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Photo Illustration by Max Posner/NPR and Tony Latham/Corbis/Getty Images

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This story comes from Life Kit, NPR's podcast with tools to help you get it together. Listen to the podcast episode at the top of the page, or find it here.

As the coronavirus spreads around the globe, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.

"I told my children that while I didn't think that they were at risk right now, we, as a family, need to be preparing for significant disruption of our lives," says Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Currently, if you live in the U.S. the risk of getting the virus remains very low, but public health officials say there will likely be outbreaks in the United States. So this is a good time to review your emergency game plan.

Here's what you need to know to make good decisions to plan, prepare and even prevent the spread of the disease.

1. This Virus Is Contagious. But It's Not As Deadly As Other Outbreaks.

In China, more than three quarters of the cases have been classified as mild. Symptoms include low-grade fever and a cough. Some people also experience fatigue, headaches and, less frequently, diarrhea.

Overall, the death rate in China is estimated at 2 percent, and the average age of death among those with COVID-19 is in the 70's. People with underlying medical problems, and particularly smokers, seem to be at higher risk.

Compared to prior outbreaks of novel viruses, this coronavirus appears less deadly than other human coronaviruses that have spread in recent years. For instance, the death rate was about 34% for MERS, and about 10% for SARS.

The flu causes more than 12,000 deaths a year in the U.S. An annual vaccine is the most effective way to prevent flu, but there are other strategies to prevent it. So far, there's no vaccine against the new coronavirus, but some of the same strategies to prevent flu can also protect against coronavirus.

2. To Fend Off Coronavirus, Follow Flu Prevention Tips.

The top tip: Wash your hands. Why? Viruses can spread from person to person via respiratory droplets. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, close contacts can be infected. In addition, the virus can end up on door knobs, elevator buttons and other surfaces. If you touch those surfaces then touch your eyes, nose or mouth, you can become infected.

This is why it's important to wash rigorously. Here's the CDC's guidance.

"Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing."

"Americans are friendly. We not only shake hands, we also hug. These are ways we can transmit the virus," Katz says. She recommends an elbow bump. Or, you can try these no-touch salutations that NPR's Bob Boilen, host of All Songs Considered, and I demonstrate.

Here's 5 more things to remember, per the CDC:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

3. Don't Panic. Start To Prepare.

This is not the time to panic, but it is a time to prepare - good old fashioned preparedness planning for your family," says Rebecca Katz, who directs the Center for Global Health Science and Security.

Think about the threat of a possible outbreak in your community the way you'd think about a big snowstorm or a hurricane. If it never hits, great. But if it does, you'll be glad you prepared.

Don't hoard, but do stock your cupboards with some extra food and cleaning supplies. Each time you grocery shop, buy a few extra items. Shelf stable foods such as beans and rice are good options. Also, utilize your freezer to preserve foods, everything from meats and vegetables to cooked grains and bread. Think about having enough on hand to last a few weeks.

• Check the medicine cabinet to ensure you have basic medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
• Think about a back up plan if schools were to close during an outbreak.
• If you take a daily prescription medication, have as much of a supply on hand as possible.
• Ask your employer about a work-from-home option.

"If there's widespread virus in your community, you may not want to go to the [store]. You may want to distance yourself from others," Katz says.

4. The Uncertainty of Masks To Prevent Illness.

Overall, there's not conclusive evidence that wearing a face mask can help prevent people from being infected by the virus. And public health officials give mixed messages about usefulness for the general public. As we've reported, masks may not fit the face tightly, so you're still able to breath in infected droplets. And, experts worry that masks can give a false sense of security.

Health care providers are trained to use masks properly, and there's evidence that they're effective in clinical settings. For people at home, the CDC recommends using masks in certain situations. For instance, if you're caring for an infected person at home, the proper use of masks can protect the caregiver.

5. Be Smart About Travel.

The CDC updates its travel advisory information frequently. The federal government uses a 4 level scale to rank risk. Level 1 = lowest risk, Level 4, highest.

For Italy, where there's been sustained spread of the novel coronavirus, there's now a Level 2 Alert. The CDC advises that older adults and those with chronic medical conditions should consider postponing nonessential travel. "Travelers should avoid contact with sick people and clean their hands often by washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60%–95% alcohol."

If you've planned a cruise or overseas travel consider the possibility of travel disruptions in the event of an outbreak. "Think about the consequences of being caught on ship or over a border when decisions are being made," that could limit or disrupt your travel without much warning says Christopher Mores of George Washington University. If you were quarantined, what would your back-up plan be for your work and family responsibilities back home? This is something to consider.

The Coronavirus Outbreak
What you should know

• Where the virus has spread
• Coronavirus 101
• Coronavirus FAQs
• NPR's ongoing coverage

If you want more Life Kit, subscribe to our newsletter.

The audio portion of this story was produced by Andee Tagle.

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Q&A: What's Next for Coronavirus, How to Avoid It, and Will There Be a Vaccine? - University of Virginia

As the new coronavirus, known in shorthand as COVID-19, continues to spread around the world, researchers, including those at the University of Virginia, are turning their attention to developing vaccines and antiviral drugs that could contain and treat the respiratory virus.

We spoke with Dr. William Petri, a professor of infectious diseases in the UVA School of Medicine, on Tuesday, shortly after officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans to brace for a more significant outbreak in the U.S.

As of Wednesday, there were 57 coronavirus cases in the U.S.; on Monday, the Trump administration requested $2.5 billion from Congress to help stop further spread of the virus. Worldwide, the infection rate and death toll continue to mount in China, where the virus was first identified, and several other countries across Asia, Europe and the Middle East face new outbreaks.

Petri, Wade Hampton Frost Professor of Medicine and vice chair for research in UVA’s Department of Medicine, is currently applying for a grant to take his approach to formulating a vaccine for amoebic dysentery and apply it to a potential COVID-19 vaccine.

He spoke with UVA Today when the virus was first identified in January, and on Tuesday discussed concerns about a potential pandemic, the virus’ spread in the U.S., and how his own research might apply to the new virus.

Q. Considering other outbreaks around the world, how do you see COVID-19 progressing in the U.S.?

A. In many ways, it is too early to tell. However, it is encouraging to see the number of cases in China is declining. It appears that travel restriction and voluntary isolation have had an impact on transmission there, which is really good news.  

One big concern is the four countries outside of China where there appears to be endemic transmission – South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy. There, the virus seems to have been transmitted from person to person, resulting in secondary cases where people who have had no contact with China have been infected. I think it’s safe to assume that similar transmission is happening in other countries, but has not been detected yet. That is particularly a concern for countries with less robust public health systems, which might struggle to quickly contain an epidemic.

If there is an outbreak and epidemic in the U.S., we would likely see more voluntary home quarantines, similar to what South Korea is doing right now, as well as reduced mass gatherings. Tokyo, for example, cancelled its marathon for all but its most elite runners. Schools have been closed, and people have been telecommuting rather than going in the office. All of that would be in play if an epidemic starts in the U.S.

(Two UVA students built a website tracking the virus’ spread around the world in near-real time.)

Q. How does this compare to other global epidemics, such the Ebola outbreak a few years ago, or the influenza outbreaks we face each winter?

A. Ebola had a much higher fatality rate, with an average fatality rate around 50%. COVID-19 so far has a fatality rate of about 2-3%. However, it does spread more easily than Ebola. Ebola is mostly spread through contact with bodies and bodily fluids, while coronaviruses are spread in a respiratory route.

Influenza is a pretty good comparison. Flu is a very serious disease, which is why we recommend immunization every year. It has some of the same symptoms as COVID-19 – fever, cough, shortness of breath – which can make it difficult to distinguish COVID-19 infections from flu or the common cold. Flu does have a slightly lower mortality rate, at 0.1% or about one out of 1,000 patients. COVID-19 is currently at around 3%, but I expect that number will drop slightly as we get better at diagnosing COVID-19.

Q. Various researchers around the world are working on developing vaccines and treatments. How close are we?

A. Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, predicted that there will be a vaccine in clinical trials later this year, which is terrific. The focus right now should be on slowing the spread of the disease to buy to time to develop and use a vaccine.

Clinical trials are also being planned for an antiviral drug, remdesivir, developed by Gilead Sciences to inhibit RNA production by the virus. Hopefully, we will soon have an anti-viral drug and a vaccine in clinical trials.

Q. How does this relate to your work?

A. Peter Kasson [an associate professor of molecular physiology and biomedical engineering in UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science] and I are putting together an NIH R21 developmental research grant proposal to apply our work to coronaviruses. Peter is one of the world’s experts on viral glycoproteins, which help viruses enter into cells. Coronaviruses have a single glycoprotein called a spike glycoprotein, kind of like a railroad spike sticking out, that attaches to cell membranes. Peter is working on engineering glycoproteins that mimic that structure, which could be used in the development of a vaccine.

In my lab, we are working with novel adjuvants, which can be added to vaccines to boost immune response and produce antibodies. We have been working with the Infectious Disease Research Institute in Seattle for years to use novel adjuvants in a vaccine for amoebic dysentery. We have seen a good response in mucosal sites in the gut, for amoebic dysentery, and I believe we could have a similar response in mucosal sites in the lungs, which would be important for a COVID-19 vaccine.

It remains theory right now, but I am optimistic that the combination of Peter’s expertise and my lab’s work could result in an effective vaccine.   

Q. As we await a vaccine and antiviral treatments, what can individuals do to lower their risk of infection?

A. Aside from not traveling to areas with known transmission, handwashing is the single most important thing anyone can do, similar to preventing cold and flu viruses. Wash your hands frequently. When traveling or in crowded, high-traffic spaces, avoid touching inanimate surfaces like doorknobs or railings when possible and – again – wash your hands often.

One phrase I have heard recently – social distancing – could become more common if cases increase in the U.S. It essentially refers to voluntary isolation – avoiding large crowds and big groups until an outbreak subsides. We can see how that has worked in China, both as a way to eliminate SARS and, now, to try to contain the new coronavirus.

For more information about the University’s official response to the coronavirus, see this FAQ page.

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This is the No. 1 mistake investors are making now — here’s how to avoid it - MarketWatch

The coronavirus is spreading. The stock market is under pressure. Investors are reacting — badly.

The No. 1 mistake investors are making now in the wake of coronavirus has to do with their artificial construct of the true nature of the stock market. Reality and this construct simply do not work well together.

Before discussing this mistake, let’s first build the necessary background so it can be fully understood.

Two charts

Please click here for an annotated chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF DIA, +0.62%,  which tracks the Dow DJIA, +0.61%.

Click here for an annotated chart of S&P 500 ETF SPY, +0.67%. Similar conclusions can be drawn from Nasdaq 100 ETF QQQ, +1.13%.

For the sake of full transparency, both charts were previously published and no changes have been made.

Note the following:

• The first chart shows the Arora buy signal on Christmas Eve 2018. At that time, the stock market had fallen about 20%. Now with hindsight, Christmas Eve 2018 turned out to be the low before a major rise in the stock market. However, on that day, panic was setting in, and most analysts were giving sell signals.

• The second chart drills down in detail on the subject that is most important to investors right now.

• The second chart shows that when the market first fell, the Arora call was that the market was not likely at the low. At that time, the stock market had fallen by a certain percentage that was prompting many investors to buy stocks.

• After the first low, the stock market staged a rally. As shown on the second chart, when it fell again, many investors who missed buying the previous time were buying again because the stock market had fallen by a certain percentage.

• The second chart shows that at the time of the second decline in the stock market, the Arora call was that it was not the likely low point.

• Subsequently, there was a significant further fall in the stock market that led to the Arora buy signal at the very low.

• The first chart shows three support zones. For more details of these support zones and other important items related to the first chart, please see “Buffett is bullish on stocks but says the market can drop 50% — is he wrong?”

Ask Arora: Nigam Arora answers your questions about investing in stocks, ETFs, bonds, gold and silver, oil and currencies. Have a question? Send it to Nigam Arora.

The artificial construct

The artificial construct that investors employ is the concept of percentages. Recently, investors bought when the market fell 5%. Some held out until their favorite stocks, such as AMD AMD, +1.61% and Micron Technology MU, +1.88%, fell 7%, only to find them drop much further. Some now aim to buy at a 10% decrease in the stock market.

Remember: The stock market does not know percentages. Percentages are simply an artificial construct that is leading investors to make the No. 1 mistake they are making now.

How to avoid this mistake

Instead of using percentages, consider doing some of the following:

• Clear your mind of the artificial construct of percentages.

• Get your emotions in a neutral zone.

• Focus on listening to the message that the market typically sends loud and clear. Most investors are not able to hear this message because they are too caught up in percentages, emotions and opinions.

• At The Arora Report, we use the adaptive ZYX Asset Allocation Model with inputs in 10 categories and a variety of sophisticated algorithms. However, investors can do well even without a proven sophisticated model.

• Consider paying attention to support zones shown on the first chart.

• Consider paying attention to price action on intraday charts.

• Watch put/call ratios on indexes.

• Watch put/call ratios on popular stocks such as Nvidia NVDA, +2.86%  and Facebook FB, +0.68%,  along with other large-cap stocks.

• Watch the price action in speculative stocks that are the crowd’s favorites, such as Tesla TSLA, -0.01%  and Virgin Galactic SPCE, -1.80%.

• Watch the price action and put/call ratios in stocks that are adversely affected by coronavirus, such as United Airlines UAL, -2.76%  and Royal Caribbean RCL, -2.76%.

• Watch China travel stock Trip.com Group TCOM, +1.56%.

• Watch casinos with a presence in China, including Las Vegas Sands LVS, +0.55%  and Wynn Resorts WYNN, +2.15%.

• Watch makers of protective gear, such as Alpha Pro Tech APT, +19.65% and Lakeland Industries LAKE, +7.16%.

• Watch stocks of companies that may have a vaccine or a cure, such as Gilead GILD, +3.01%  and Moderna MRNA, +21.34%.

• Watch volume for a washout.

• Watch for sentiment to become extremely negative.

• Listen to statements by Federal Reserve officials.

• Watch actions of the People’s Bank of China.

• Watch patterns traced by RSI (relative strength index), especially divergences as shown on the charts linked above.

Instead of being led by percentages of stock declines, tune in to at least some of the items above and let them guide you.

Disclosure: Subscribers to The Arora Report may have positions in the securities mentioned in this article or may take positions at any time. Nigam Arora is an investor, engineer and nuclear physicist by background who has founded two Inc. 500 fastest-growing companies. He is the founder of The Arora Report, which publishes four newsletters. Nigam can be reached at Nigam@TheAroraReport.com.

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This is the No. 1 mistake investors are making now — here’s how to avoid it - MarketWatch

The coronavirus is spreading. The stock market is under pressure. Investors are reacting — badly.

The No. 1 mistake investors are making now in the wake of coronavirus has to do with their artificial construct of the true nature of the stock market. Reality and this construct simply do not work well together.

Before discussing this mistake, let’s first build the necessary background so it can be fully understood.

Two charts

Please click here for an annotated chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF DIA, +1.19%,  which tracks the Dow DJIA, +1.19%.

Click here for an annotated chart of S&P 500 ETF SPY, +1.20%. Similar conclusions can be drawn from Nasdaq 100 ETF QQQ, +1.79%.

For the sake of full transparency, both charts were previously published and no changes have been made.

Note the following:

• The first chart shows the Arora buy signal on Christmas Eve 2018. At that time, the stock market had fallen about 20%. Now with hindsight, Christmas Eve 2018 turned out to be the low before a major rise in the stock market. However, on that day, panic was setting in, and most analysts were giving sell signals.

• The second chart drills down in detail on the subject that is most important to investors right now.

• The second chart shows that when the market first fell, the Arora call was that the market was not likely at the low. At that time, the stock market had fallen by a certain percentage that was prompting many investors to buy stocks.

• After the first low, the stock market staged a rally. As shown on the second chart, when it fell again, many investors who missed buying the previous time were buying again because the stock market had fallen by a certain percentage.

• The second chart shows that at the time of the second decline in the stock market, the Arora call was that it was not the likely low point.

• Subsequently, there was a significant further fall in the stock market that led to the Arora buy signal at the very low.

• The first chart shows three support zones. For more details of these support zones and other important items related to the first chart, please see “Buffett is bullish on stocks but says the market can drop 50% — is he wrong?”

Ask Arora: Nigam Arora answers your questions about investing in stocks, ETFs, bonds, gold and silver, oil and currencies. Have a question? Send it to Nigam Arora.

The artificial construct

The artificial construct that investors employ is the concept of percentages. Recently, investors bought when the market fell 5%. Some held out until their favorite stocks, such as AMD AMD, +2.65% and Micron Technology MU, +3.36%, fell 7%, only to find them drop much further. Some now aim to buy at a 10% decrease in the stock market.

Remember: The stock market does not know percentages. Percentages are simply an artificial construct that is leading investors to make the No. 1 mistake they are making now.

How to avoid this mistake

Instead of using percentages, consider doing some of the following:

• Clear your mind of the artificial construct of percentages.

• Get your emotions in a neutral zone.

• Focus on listening to the message that the market typically sends loud and clear. Most investors are not able to hear this message because they are too caught up in percentages, emotions and opinions.

• At The Arora Report, we use the adaptive ZYX Asset Allocation Model with inputs in 10 categories and a variety of sophisticated algorithms. However, investors can do well even without a proven sophisticated model.

• Consider paying attention to support zones shown on the first chart.

• Consider paying attention to price action on intraday charts.

• Watch put/call ratios on indexes.

• Watch put/call ratios on popular stocks such as Nvidia NVDA, +4.12%  and Facebook FB, +1.51%,  along with other large-cap stocks.

• Watch the price action in speculative stocks that are the crowd’s favorites, such as Tesla TSLA, -1.12%  and Virgin Galactic SPCE, -4.80%.

• Watch the price action and put/call ratios in stocks that are adversely affected by coronavirus, such as United Airlines UAL, -0.86%  and Royal Caribbean RCL, +0.78%.

• Watch China travel stock Trip.com Group TCOM, +3.05%.

• Watch casinos with a presence in China, including Las Vegas Sands LVS, +1.06%  and Wynn Resorts WYNN, +2.64%.

• Watch makers of protective gear, such as Alpha Pro Tech APT, +24.00% and Lakeland Industries LAKE, +7.96%.

• Watch stocks of companies that may have a vaccine or a cure, such as Gilead GILD, +1.51%  and Moderna MRNA, +21.30%.

• Watch volume for a washout.

• Watch for sentiment to become extremely negative.

• Listen to statements by Federal Reserve officials.

• Watch actions of the People’s Bank of China.

• Watch patterns traced by RSI (relative strength index), especially divergences as shown on the charts linked above.

Instead of being led by percentages of stock declines, tune in to at least some of the items above and let them guide you.

Disclosure: Subscribers to The Arora Report may have positions in the securities mentioned in this article or may take positions at any time. Nigam Arora is an investor, engineer and nuclear physicist by background who has founded two Inc. 500 fastest-growing companies. He is the founder of The Arora Report, which publishes four newsletters. Nigam can be reached at Nigam@TheAroraReport.com.

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Fine dining and how to avoid it | Lewiston Sun Journal - Lewiston Sun Journal

You people with your blooming onions, your volcano bowls, your various meats on sticks.  

I see you in there. You’re cracking jokes with the waitress, hitting her with soaring one-liners such as, “My name is Bob and I’ll be your customer tonight!” 

You’re buttering bread, negotiating over side dishes, ordering a fifth refill of chips and salsa. You’ve got the drink menu in one hand, your phone in the other and a napkin tucked into your shirt because you’re sure it will amuse the waitress – surely she’s never seen THAT one before. 

Around the table, your dinner mates are agonizing over their menus. Has anyone tried the prime rib? How are the quesadillas? Does the tuna melt come with French fries and if so, are they straight or crinkle cut? 

You put down your phone just long enough to say something meaningful to one of your dinner mates, but just then the waitress is back to refill your water glasses. You forget what you were saying at once because when the waitress is near, you’ve got to get back into character and unleash more of those hilarious one-liners on her. She loves this stuff, you’re sure of it. You have her so charmed, she’ll let you get away with side dish substitutions although it’s clearly prohibited. 

The room sings with the sword-fight sounds of forks, spoons and knives clanging together, an accompaniment to the ceaseless, muttering buzz of conversation from three dozen tables. Occasionally there comes uproarious laughter from a raucous group of diners or the unhappy wail of a screaming baby. Chances are good that at some point, a squadron of waiters will gather around a table to sing happy birthday to some red-faced schmuck who looks like he might throw up his fish taco from sheer embarrassment. 

“Glad it ain’t MY birthday,” you’ll mutter through a mouthful of bread. 

Eventually, your waitress will come back with her little pad and paper. Everyone at the table is ready to offer up their orders, but then your floundering cousin Louis starts having a last-minute panic attack about his decisions. Does he really want the pasta fagioli? What does he really know about fagioli, anyway? Maybe the minestrone would be a safer bet. He has no idea what’s in minestrone, but it sure is fun to say.

So, the waitress wanders off, her notepad still virginal, while Louis gets his act together. Everyone has tired of trying to talk over the clamor so they all go back to their salsa-smeared phones.

Sooner or later, food will come and the food will be good. Or it will be bad. Or it will be somewhere in between and you’ll spend the rest of your dining experience poking at your entree while sneaking peaks at the food on nearby tables. Gosh, that guy’s roast lamb looks good and are those crinkle-cut fries he has on the side? You bonehead, why did you go with the chicken frittata when there was lamb to be had? What the hell IS a frittata, anyway? And why did you get peas with it instead of fries? 

Diner’s remorse is rampant around your table – poor Louis looks near suicidal after giving in to the siren song of the fagioli – and a gloomy mood falls over the group. The gloom is not eased any when the waitress returns to ask how you’d like to take the check. All together? Or separately?  

It’s a conundrum, all right. You were feeling generous when you first came in, but now you’re having second thoughts. Do you really want to take on an equal split when all you got was a stupid frittata and some limp peas? Separate checks would be swell. Better yet, maybe you could slip off to the restroom to powder your nose while the others work out the payment plan. 

But ah, God has a way of punishing weasels like you. While you’re in the little boy’s room skipping out on the check, your hand will ever so slightly brush up against a faucet and that’s all she wrote. You’ve contracted some kind of ultra mutated super flu and . . . well, I hope you enjoyed that frittata because you’re going to see it again in about an hour. Enjoy, ya deadbeat. 

And that’s your meal. And all of this noise about your dining experience was just my windy way of telling you my sad, sad truth: I don’t like eating in restaurants. 

There. I’ve said it. Can you ever look at me the same way again? As far as I know, I’m the only person in the world over the age of 2 who doesn’t like dining in restaurants. I don’t like it any time, but I ESPECIALLY don’t like it when an important talk is at hand, or when I’m meeting someone for the first time. 

I’ll never understand why people prefer to get acquainted with one another in a setting where much of what you do involves cramming food into your mouth and wiping stuff off your chin. First impressions mean a lot, bro, and one misplaced shred of spinach can forever alter a stranger’s perception of you. Do you really want to propose to your lady love with bits of corned beef hash stuck to the corners of your mouth? 

Going out for drinks? That I perfectly understand. One can be slick and suave when all he has to do is take occasional sips from a glass and enjoy the uninhibiting glow that follows. You can be Cary Grant cool if all you have to manage is a tumbler of good bourbon and maybe one of those tiny umbrella things. Add endless rounds of food to the mix and Cary Grant becomes Jim Carrey – there’s no way you’re getting a second date, Jim, with the crusted remains of that New England fried shrimp all up in your beard like that. 

When I go to a restaurant, I feel trapped: trapped by the strangers around me, trapped by the five-page menu and trapped by the endless questions of the waitress. Baked or mashed? Medium or rare? Grated or crushed? Al dente or al… — the opposite of that? I mean, come on, yo. Is this dinner or a sobriety test? 

And then, when you finally make it through the dinner menu gauntlet, they’ll come back with fresh pads and start asking you about desserts. Straight or a la mode? Fudge or brownie style? With sliced strawberries or without? Permanent or henna? 

Whenever those options start flying, I expect that sooner or later, they’re going to transition into hard questions about war plans and underworld things, because clearly this is a trained interrogator hovering over my table. 

“We know you are working with the resistance,” the waitress will say, untucking her apron to reveal the .45 stuffed into her belt. “So, I’ll ask you one more time. Will you be having linguine this evening? Or penne? Do choose wisely, my friend.” 

Why, oh why didn’t I just order the minestrone!

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How to Avoid Bitcoin (BTC) Scams – 10 Signs from Financial Expert Martin Lewis - U.Today

Contents

• "An epidemic of scams"
• 10 scam signs Lewis has shared

The British guru of the financial sphere says the UK is flooded with scams at the moment, including those where con artists are trying to make you part with your Bitcoin. As reported by WalesOnline, Martin Lewis is aware of ten signs that can reveal scams and also advises on how to avoid getting scammed and keep your money/crypto.

"An epidemic of scams"

In his popular ITV Money Show, the founder of Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis, gave the audience some recommendations on how to avoid falling for bait scammers use to empty people’s pockets.

"UK is facing an epidemic of scams", he stated. He then explained his thought, saying that the current generation lives in the epoch of the ‘wild west’ for scammers – a great deal of them are working in the sphere of investments, and now in the cryptocurrency industry too.

Martin Lewis paid special attention to cons that impersonate celebrities to advertise Bitcoin investments with quick and large returns.

He said:

"How many of you have seen adverts with me in advertising Bitcoin Traders? There's no such thing as a Bitcoin Trader and you can't 'get rich quick' through it."

Then the expert added:

"If you see an advert online with a famous face in it, you need to question its legitimacy."

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10 scam signs Lewis has shared

Scammers can try and reach you through your gadgets, e-mail, SMS or even a regular letter, says Lewis.

He offers ten signs that can help you identify a scam and avoid it.

1. Avoid adverts of schemes that offer high returns on investments.
2. Taxation authorities will never call/text/e-mail people for a tax rebate.
3. Con artists always say that their offer is urgent, short-term and will insist you not share it with anyone else.
4. Never trust anyone calling from a bank and asking to move your money to a different account to keep your funds safe, Lewis says.
5. Never give your bank card to a ‘courier from a bank’ who says that the card is fraudulent.
6. Be alert if your passwords have changed all of a sudden and you have not been warned.

The rest of the signs, as per WhalesOnline, are:

“7. If your post has disappeared, contact the person/company in question.

8.   If your wheelie bin has gone missing, question it.

9.   If you receive an out-of-the blue message that's full of grammatical errors, be suspicious.

10. If you notice an unknown product on your credit file, question it.”

In case you fall victim to fraud, Lewis recommends contacting the bank that was mentioned by the scammers as part of their scheme. Otherwise, Lewis advises contacting the Financial Ombudsman, if the victim is a UK citizen.

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Shauna Jo: Real Estate Wire Fraud and How to Avoid It - Southern Utah Now

What is Wire Fraud?

An email pings in your inbox. You glance at it and notice it is from your title company. Since you are just days away from closing on your new home, you figure it must be important and so you open it immediately. It is important. Your title officer says that something has changed with the closing process and they need you to wire your down-payment through a couple of days early or the sale of the home could be pushed back weeks or even cancelled. Your heart begins to race and you get worried that your dream home might slip through your fingers. You think about contacting your real estate agent to double check the email, but then you notice that they are CC’d on the email so they must already know about it. You wire the funds via the instructions in the email from the Title Company. The funds never make it though and your downpayment gets whisked off to an offshore bank account and never seen again.

It almost sounds like the plot of some spy movie where we expect Liam Neeson to come swinging through the window to punch a few people and recover the money. Sadly, this is an experience that is becoming all too real to many American home buyers. Even more tragically, Liam Neeson, nor anyone else, is able to recover the money. There is no do-over, take-backs, or safety net. Hackers are stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from people and getting away with it.

A reporter from the National Association of Realtors writes, “One of the fastest growing cybercrimes in the U.S. is wire fraud in real estate. About 11,300 people were victims of wire fraud in the real estate and rental sector in 2018 (a 17% increase over 2017), with losses of more than $150 million, according to FBI data (https://www.nar.realtor/wire-fraud).

Over $150 million dollars sounds like the problem is bad enough but another article from Forbes reports, “the losses from these fraud schemes are likely worse than they look, too. According to Tom Cronkright (President of Sun Title), many victims—especially those on the industry side—are hesitant to report instances of fraud, fearing the reputational impact it could have. He estimates that only 15% of all fraud is actually reported

(https://www.forbes.com/sites/alyyale/2019/05/07/real-estate-wire-fraud-is-real-and-it-almost-happened-to-me/#19fefb671c47)

How it Happens

Wire fraud begins with scam artists trolling the multiple listings service (MLS) which is the database Real Estate agents use to list and report on homes for sale. They watch for homes to go into the “pending” status and try to hack into the email accounts of the parties involved. They try to hack real estate agents, title companies, assistants, escrow officers, loan officers etc. Anyone that they believe a buyer would trust is targeted. Then they wait until the transaction is just about to close and they send an email that looks so legitimate. They appear to carbon copy other members of the transaction and simply change one letter in the email address the buyer won’t suspect foul play. They give new wiring instructions, give the impression of urgency, and then wait while the unsuspecting buyer wires their savings into the scam artists bank account.

Even when it is reported, it is nearly impossible for authorities to return the money to the injured party.

What Buyers Should Do

The best defense is a good offense. The first step in preventing this from happening is for buyers to be aware of the problem. They should understand the way wire fraud works. In Utah, real estate agents are now required to provide their buyers with a form called the ‘Real Estate Wire Fraud Disclosure’ which explains what buyers should look out for.

It is always a good rule of thumb for buyers to double and triple check with their real estate agents before doing anything with wiring funds. They shouldn’t rely on email or text messages. They should get their agent on the phone to make sure that the information they were sent is correct.

There is almost nothing as heartbreaking as someone losing their life savings on the eve of buying a new home. Don’t let this happen to you or someone you love. Be aware of the problem and make sure you have great professionals who have your back.

Shauna Jo Larkin

Shauna Jo Larkin has been working in real estate in Southern Utah since 2001. She has worn many hats throughout her career as a Buyer’s Agent, Selling Agent, partner on one of the highest performing teams in the county, Co-Owner of RE/Max First Realty, and now the head of her own team at ERA Brokers Consolidated. Shauna Jo loves working in real estate because of the challenge, the opportunity to champion her clients, as well as the chance to make long lasting friendships with those with whom she works. She has been the featured speaker on many Real Estate topics, has served time on the grievance committee and has earned several distinctions in the Real Estate Industry.

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Your commute: don't drive downtown during all-day demonstration if you can avoid it, police warn - Ottawa Citizen

A car rolls through a large puddle. DARREN BROWN / Postmedia

Ottawa police are warning motorists to avoid the downtown core if they can with a Wet’Suwet’en solidarity demonstration planned “all day” Monday.

It starts at 9 a.m. on Parliament Hill and is expected to move onto roadways soon after, Sgt. Mark Gatien of the traffic section said, with “rolling road blocks” expected.

Ottawa police said that the demonstration and march expected to take to the downtown core, Wellington Street and the ByWard Market and on Wellington Street starting at 8:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, the city’s transit general manager said Sunday night that Rideau Transit Group had advised that the “full service fleet” of 13 trains would be available Monday morning but as of 7:30 a.m. Monday there had been no official word on how many trains were deployed.

Supplemental buses were also scheduled to run directly to downtown from Tunney’s Pasture, Hurdman, and Blair stations in the morning, John Manconi said.

For the afternoon rush, the special bus service runs from downtown to Tunney’s Pasture, Hurdman, and Blair stations.

Another reminder from the the city police traffic folks: mild forecasts likely to increase the number of cyclists doing their thing “as lean, green commuting machines.”

OPS Traffic Services said it’s “urging ALL road users to ensure they’re affording the legally-required space” – that’s 1 m –  when overtaking.

This week’s mild forecast means we’ll be seeing an increase in the number of cyclists doing our thing as lean-green commuting machines…OPS Traffic Services is urging ALL road users to ensure they’re affording the legally-required space when overtaking. #ShareTheRoad pic.twitter.com/r0ByC9U1qq

— OPS☆TrafficCaseManager☆ (@OPSTrafficCM) February 23, 2020

Next time there’s a winter parking ban, the city is now offering free parking at four park and ride locations, which officials say were picked because they have enough capacity that it won’t affect transit riders:

• Riverview Park and Ride (map)
• Innovation Park and Ride (map)
• Chapel Hill Park and Ride (map)
• Nepean Woods Park and Ride (map)

The locations – which is on top of free parking already offered overnight during parking bans at select parking garages – will be monitored for the remainder of the winter.

Construction-related closures:

• On Highway 417, expect periodic lane reductions in both directions between Hunt Club Road and the Quebec border for maintenance until 5 p.m. Friday.
• Highway 417 eastbound is reduced to one lane between Walkley and Hunt Club roads for construction until 2:30 p.m. Friday.
• Kent Street is closed between Gladstone Avenue and James Street and the intersection at Florence and Kent streets is closed until mid-March for sewer and water main work. Drivers are encouraged to use Bronson Avenue or Metcalfe Street instead. Local access will be maintained but there will be a detour between Gladstone Avenue and Somerset Street. Sidewalks remain open to pedestrians while cyclists can dismount to cross the intersection.
• Gladstone Avenue eastbound is closed between Elgin and Cartier streets to bury hydro wires. OC Transpo routes 14 and 114 will be detoured. Signed detours will be in place and local access will be maintained.
• Expect intermittent lane and ramp closures on Highway 174 during off-peak hours between Blair and Trim roads until end of February to get ready for the Stage 2 Confederation Line east extension.
• A section of the Rideau Canal eastern and western pathways near the Pretoria Bridge is closed until March for structural repairs under the Queensway overpass.
• Bayfield Avenue is closed between Herzberg Road and Carling Avenue until Oct. 2020 for the installation of a trunk sewer.
• Cumberland Street is closed between Stewart Street and Wilbrod Street until June 2020.

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FAQ: COVID-19, where it's from and how to avoid it - Anniston Star

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How the Wolves can still avoid the luxury tax - Hoops Hype

By: Yossi Gozlan | February 22, 2020

The Minnesota Timberwolves found themselves above the luxury tax line after making several trades ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Being above the luxury tax is not ideal considering the Timberwolves have the league’s fourth-worst record. Teams that perform this poorly generally avoid it, but the Timberwolves had to take on more incoming salary in order to complete their trade with the Golden State Warriors.

Although the deadline passed more than two weeks ago and all contracts are fully guaranteed for the rest of the season, the Timberwolves can still get under the luxury tax. They are close enough to it ($1,136,269) that they can pull it off through buyouts and/or the waiver/claim process. Not only that, but they can also create significant enough space that allows them to fill out the rest of their roster afterward.

ROUTE A: BUYOUTS

The most straightforward way for the Timberwolves to reduce their payroll right now is through a buyout. Forward Evan Turner is already in the process of meeting other teams with the expectation he will be bought out ahead of the March 1 playoff-eligibility deadline. Guard Allen Crabbe is also a potential buyout candidate.

Players usually give back to their previous teams the amount of money their new team will pay them. For the most part, it is the equivalent to their respective prorated minimum salary. For Turner and Crabbe, their daily cap hits are $13,173 and $11,461, respectively. Each day that passes without a buyout is one less day for a new team to pay them, which means less money being surrendered in an eventual buyout to the Timberwolves.

For example, if Turner and Crabbe both get new teams committed to sign them to prorated minimum rest-of-season deals on February 22, they could finalize buyouts with the Timberwolves that day and sign with their new teams on February 24, two days after clearing waivers. Turner and Crabbe’s prorated minimum salaries on February 24 are $684,988 and $595,971, respectively. Combined, that is $1,280,959 that would be surrendered in their buyouts, which would put the Timberwolves $144,690 below the luxury tax.

Although they would be under the luxury tax after those buyouts, they would eventually go over it again in order to meet the 14-player league minimum roster requirement. This particular route would’ve been successful had they done it right after the trade deadline since both players would have given up more money. However, players usually don’t agree to buyouts until they have a new team lined up, so there wasn’t much the Timberwolves could do.

The expectation is that at least Turner will secure a buyout, but for the Timberwolves’ tax avoidance goal, hopefully, there is a bidding war for him. If a team offers more than the prorated minimum salary, such as one that has their mid-level exception (MLE) or a disabled player exception (DPE) remaining, Turner would give back around the same amount to Minnesota. For example, if the Lakers sign Turner using their $1.75 million DPE, the $1.75 million surrendered in his buyout would put the Timberwolves $613,731 below the tax. That is plenty of space for them to fill out the rest of the roster while avoiding the luxury tax altogether.

ROUTE B: WAIVE A PLAYER THAT ANOTHER TEAM WILL CLAIM

Another path for the Timberwolves to get under the tax and avoid it while fulfilling roster requirements is to waive a player whose salary is large enough to create the space but small enough to be claimed by another team. The Miami Heat did this last season when they reluctantly waived Rodney McGruder. They outright waived him, meaning his entire salary would have stayed on their payroll as dead money but because he was claimed by the Los Angeles Clippers, his cap hit was wiped off the Heat’s payroll.

The Timberwolves have two newly acquired players that so far aren’t in their future plans and could potentially be candidates to be waived: Omari Spellman and Jacob Evans. Both players were acquired alongside D’Angelo Russell so the Warriors can get under the luxury tax, but doing so pushed the Timberwolves over it. Both players are on the second season of their rookie contracts and as of now are only guaranteed for 2020-21, with an upcoming team option for 2021-22.

There is no rush for the Timberwolves to go through this route as it can be done towards the end of the year, just like the Heat did with McGruder last season. Let’s say they decide to waive Spellman ($1,897,800), who earns less than Evans ($1,925,880), and they have assurances of a team willing to put a claim on him. Teams must either have cap space (no one), or a traded player exception (TPE) equal to the amount of Spellman’s salary (Cleveland and Houston, for example) to claim him. If successfully claimed, the Timberwolves would be $761,531 below the luxury tax.

The Timberwolves could look to do a combination of the two routes in order to maximize space below the tax and create additional roster spots. Two-way players Kelan Martin and Jordan McLaughlin have been in the Timberwolves rotation but are limited by their 45-day two-way clock. They could use their post-buyout/waiver space below the luxury tax to sign both players to rest-of-season deals. They could also lock them in for at least three seasons with the remainder of their MLE ($3.7 million remaining as of February 22).

Featured, Salaries, Top, Article, Basketball, Business, NBA

Article, Basketball, Business, NBA, Featured, Salaries, Top, Allen Crabbe, D'Angelo Russell, Evan Turner, Jacob Evans, Jordan McLaughlin, Kelan Martin, Omari Spellman, Minnesota Timberwolves

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Democrats could face a disaster at a brokered convention. Here's how the DNC can avoid it - Salon

The straightforward question almost slipped unnoticed into the bloodbath and sharp elbows that was Wednesday night's Democratic debate. 

Chuck Todd, the moderator of NBC's "Meet the Press," posed this hypothetical to all six hopefuls: If the primaries end with every candidate short of the necessary delegates to claim the nomination on the first ballot, should the candidate who arrives at the convention with the greatest number of delegates be the party's nominee?

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The answers suggested that all six candidates believe that a brokered convention is increasingly likely, as the large and ideologically fractured field — studded with both billionaires and committed small-donor bases able to fund candidacies all the way to Milwaukee this summer — feels little need to exit the race and every incentive to amass delegates and influence, then see what happens.

Only Sen. Bernie Sanders said that the candidate who arrives at the convention with the most delegates — even if he or she falls short of the necessary majority — should be the party's nominee. Sanders, of course, could very well find himself in that position this summer, a delegate leader without the power to clinch the party's nod.

In that situation, the other five candidates agreed, the Democratic convention should unfold according to the party's rules. If no one collects 1,991 delegates on the first ballot, additional rounds would ensue until someone passes the magic number. Superdelegates — an assortment of party elders and elected officials — would also be able to cast ballots beginning with the second round.

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Political junkies have long fantasized about a brokered convention. It's the stuff of high political drama and backroom intrigue. Candidates would wheel and deal, a compromise candidate could emerge from the shadows, future best-sellers like "Game Change" would be birthed in convention center corridors and Milwaukee hotel suites. 

Both sides have a point. On one hand, the rules are the rules. A nominee needs a majority of delegates for a good reason: A party's standard bearer ought to be the person with the broadest support, not simply the passionate backing of a small plurality.

But a brokered convention, with the Democratic establishment and party elites determining the nominee after 18 months of campaigning and millions of primary votes determined a clear favorite, would be a terrible look, potentially tear the party apart, and grease the re-election of President Trump. Elites shouldn't determine the winner. A majority of people should.

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There is a tested way to determine a real winner from a divided field, and dozens of American cities and nations around the world already use it to ensure fair elections and winners with genuine majority support. It's ranked choice voting, which allows voters to put their favorite candidates in order. RCV elections work like an instant runoff: Voters rank their choices. If someone captures 50 percent of the vote, he or she wins, like any other election. If not, the candidate who finishes last is eliminated, and those second-choice ballots come into play. This process continues until someone wins a majority, or until a decisive head-to-head match-up is created. 

Democrats already understand that this process leads to the fairest outcome. Five Democratic primaries and caucuses will use RCV this year: Nevada for early voting, and all voters in Kansas, Wyoming, Alaska and Hawaii. These states embraced RCV in order to maintain the best of a caucus — the ability to realign if your favorite candidate falls short of viability — without forcing voters to spend hours at a caucus site.

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Now Democrats face another conundrum, and once again, RCV is the solution.

After all, the answer to Chuck Todd's debate question on Tuesday night was revealing. Sanders' five rivals almost certainly believe that none of them will have enough delegates to win the nomination outright. Their strategies now hinge on Sanders falling short as well, followed by a consolidation of runners-up, an anti-Sanders bloc, and superdelegate support pushing someone else past the Vermont senator.

Just imagine the chaos that would ensue. Sanders' forces could bolt the convention, maintaining that the outcome had been rigged. The Democratic nominee could become a candidate who didn't emerge from primary season with the most delegates or votes. The establishment might crown the winner behind closed doors. It's a recipe for dissension and dis-unity.

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On the other hand, the party is right to want a nominee with the broadest possible support. If Sanders arrives in Milwaukee with 35 percent of the delegates, for example, that means that some 65 percent of Democrats preferred someone else as their first choice. A plurality win simply isn't good enough. It falls short of a majority and it falls short under these rules.

For this year, the DNC could make a bold choice: clarify that pledged delegates will cast a ranked choice ballot. Let the delegates that were elected determine the majority winner. The Democratic nominee will be the candidate that elected delegates can agree on. It might be Sanders (who in head-to-head polls right now handily defeats Bloomberg) or someone else. But that candidate will be more electable because that candidate will have earned a majority.

For the future, party leaders shouldn't get to overwhelm everyone else in some backroom. RCV would allow voters to make the call. Second and third choices allow the complexity of every voice to be heard in full. It rewards campaigns that build coalitions and gather support across the party. And it produces a result that no one can deride as rigged by superdelegates or super-elites. 

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Both parties should make this change, as this trap is not going away. Large fields, wealthy candidates, and small-donor bases appear to be the new reality for presidential nomination battles. Rather than let the elites decide, let's enhance the power of the people to have their voices heard in determining the candidate best able to unify the party.

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