Don't Fear the Reaper

     In 1976 Blue Oyster Cult recorded this song as part of the album " Agents of Fortune". The guitar riffs and harmonies are some of the best of that era. Some people mistakenly took the lyrics as an invitation to suicide but they were actually written by guitarist Donald Roeser after a health scare and his desire to be reunited with his wife in the afterlife. His reference to 40,000 lives lost everyday was a rough guess and was off by about 100,000 for that time. The fact is that we ALL are going to die at some point and this song just recognizes that. The current pandemic has taken many more vulnerable people from us than normal but the fear of the virus has paralyzed most economies in the world. After 10 weeks of isolation, many people are willing to risk contracting the virus just to resume a normal life. As our economy slowly reopens, going to a restaurant, movie, or barber shop is enticing. What will take longer to recover is businesses where many people are crowded into confined spaces like airlines, casinos, cruise ships, sports events, and concerts. What will give people confidence to partake in these activities again?  My guess is that an effective vaccine given to everyone possible will allow these industries to thrive again. Many very smart people are hard at work right now trying to make it happen-and they will. The only question is when it will happen. My hope is that by the end of 2020, a vaccine will be available for covid 19 which will get the world back on track. It does not matter to me who develops the vaccine as long as it is safe and effective. The money will be made on the previously mentioned industries most damaged by this disease. Maybe I'm crazy but getting a 75% discount on Carnival Cruise Lines right now is starting to look like the kind of opportunity that interests me. My thinking is that when most of the world's people get innoculated, the young and fearless will return to all that is normal for them.