newswars--2020-03-25--Spain: Police Called on Brothers Playing Soccer in Their Own Back Yard

Police were called after a neighbor spotted two brothers playing soccer in their own back yard in another example of how the country ’ s lockdown is being ruthlessly patrolled .
Philipp Bagus of the The Mises Institute writes about a case of “ When two brothers were seen playing soccer in the garden of an acquaintance ’ s apartment block , the police were called.
” “ People denounce playing children , who are regarded as harmful to public health , and put up posters saying “ Quédate en casa ” ( stay at home ) , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warden mentality .
The most worrying thing is the high number of willing state collaborators .
The parallels with the past are unnoticed .
No one seems to care , and it is not even discussed.
” Spain has enacted similar draconian lockdown measures to Italy and France in an effort to fight the spread of coronavirus , with people banned from being outside in apartment block gardens even if only one family at a time uses them .
People are only allowed to leave their homes for essential trips like buying food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercise , as is the case in the UK .
Only one person from each household is allowed to leave at a time , with checkpoints set up to warn and fine those who have a passenger in their vehicle .
According to Bagus , Spaniards have adopted a kind of Stockholm syndrome where they praise the authorities who have effectively put them under house arrest .
“ Instead of protesting against the violation of their property rights , they clap their hands every day at 8 p.m. in Spain , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was mainly to show support for doctors and nurses , but in the meantime cheers for the police have been mixed in.
” My voice is being silenced by free speech-hating Silicon Valley behemoths who want me disappeared forever .
It is CRUCIAL that you support me .
Please sign up for the free newsletter here .
Donate to me on SubscribeStar here .
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Police were called after a neighbor spotted two brothers playing soccer in their own back yard in another example of how the country’s lockdown is being ruthlessly patrolled.
Philipp Bagus of the The Mises Institute writes about a case of “When two brothers were seen playing soccer in the garden of an acquaintance’s apartment block, the police were called.”
“People denounce playing children, who are regarded as harmful to public health, and put up posters saying “Quédate en casa” (stay at home),” he adds. “This is a block warden mentality. The most worrying thing is the high number of willing state collaborators. The parallels with the past are unnoticed. No one seems to care, and it is not even discussed.”
Spain has enacted similar draconian lockdown measures to Italy and France in an effort to fight the spread of coronavirus, with people banned from being outside in apartment block gardens even if only one family at a time uses them.
People are only allowed to leave their homes for essential trips like buying food and seeking medical attention and not for exercise, as is the case in the UK.
Only one person from each household is allowed to leave at a time, with checkpoints set up to warn and fine those who have a passenger in their vehicle.
According to Bagus, Spaniards have adopted a kind of Stockholm syndrome where they praise the authorities who have effectively put them under house arrest.
“Instead of protesting against the violation of their property rights, they clap their hands every day at 8 p.m. in Spain,” he writes. “Initially, the applause was mainly to show support for doctors and nurses, but in the meantime cheers for the police have been mixed in.”
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My voice is being silenced by free speech-hating Silicon Valley behemoths who want me disappeared forever. It is CRUCIAL that you support me.
Please sign up for the free newsletter here. Donate to me on SubscribeStar here.
Support my sponsor – Turbo Force – a supercharged boost of clean energy without the comedown.
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newswars--2020-03-25--Virginia Churches Shutdown Statewide – Post-Birth Abortion Advocate Gov. Northam Declares

Democrat Virginia Governor Ralph Northam issued an executive order last week declaring no more than ten people can attend a church service , all but canceling congregations outright .
Since most churches host more than ten people , they are essentially being forced to close by the governor ’ s mandate .
The order , a response to the COVID-19 pandemic , is in effect from Tuesday , March 24 , 2020 , until 11:59 p.m. , Thursday , April 23 , 2020 .
“ All public and private in-person gatherings of 10 or more individuals are prohibited , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to those who disobey , the order says , “ Violation of paragraphs 1 , 3 , 4 , and 6 of this Order shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor pursuant to § 44-146.17 of the Code of Virginia.
” According to the Code of Virginia , the punishment for a Class 1 misdemeanor pursuant to that code is “ confinement in jail for not more than twelve months and a fine of not more than $ 2,500 , either or both.
” CNS News points out “ Northam ’ s executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicates it applies to churches or other places of worship .
Nor does it include language listing churches and other places of worship among those ‘ essential ’ locations that are not subject to the ban on gatherings of 10 or more people.
” This is similar to gun shops being left off the list of “ essential businesses ” that are allowed to stay open .
Many city , county and state governments are declaring gun stores and manufacturers as “ non-essential ” companies , denying citizens the right to purchase self-defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done this yet , but Second Amendment advocates in the state are worried he might due to his revolting record when it comes to guns .
However , Northam did list indoor shooting ranges as “ nonessential.
” Thanks to another Democrat politician , Virginians now live in a state where a church service attended by 11 people is considered a gathering of 11 criminals by the government .
Meanwhile , religious leaders across the country are challenging the constitutionality of banning church gatherings .
For example , Louisiana Pastor Tony Spell defied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 people and plans on continuing to do so .
“ If they close every door in this city , then I will close my doors , ” Spell told CNN on Tuesday .
“ But you can ’ t say the retailers are essential but the church is not .
That is a persecution of the faith.
” “ There is a real virus , but we ’ re not closing Planned Parenthood , where babies are being murdered , ” he told The Washington Post .
“ If they close those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more lives than will be taken by the coronavirus.
” In contrast , the red state of Texas specifically left churches out of the crackdown on social gatherings .
Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated , “ there was nothing specific in the executive order about churches because there is freedom of religion here in the United States of America.
” Remember , the official motto of the United States of America is still “ In God We Trust.
” David Knight covers the COVID-19 crackdown on churches in the video below : As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-essential , ” the abortion industry has been given a green light to operate .

Democrat Virginia Governor Ralph Northam issued an executive order last week declaring no more than ten people can attend a church service, all but canceling congregations outright.
Since most churches host more than ten people, they are essentially being forced to close by the governor’s mandate.
The order, a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is in effect from Tuesday, March 24, 2020, until 11:59 p.m., Thursday, April 23, 2020.
“All public and private in-person gatherings of 10 or more individuals are prohibited,” the statute reads.
Explaining what happens to those who disobey, the order says, “Violation of paragraphs 1, 3, 4, and 6 of this Order shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor pursuant to § 44-146.17 of the Code of Virginia.”
According to the Code of Virginia, the punishment for a Class 1 misdemeanor pursuant to that code is “confinement in jail for not more than twelve months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both.”
CNS News points out “Northam’s executive order does not use any terminology that specifically indicates it applies to churches or other places of worship. Nor does it include language listing churches and other places of worship among those ‘essential’ locations that are not subject to the ban on gatherings of 10 or more people.”
This is similar to gun shops being left off the list of “essential businesses” that are allowed to stay open.
Many city, county and state governments are declaring gun stores and manufacturers as “non-essential” companies, denying citizens the right to purchase self-defense tools.
Governor Northam hasn’t done this yet, but Second Amendment advocates in the state are worried he might due to his revolting record when it comes to guns.
However, Northam did list indoor shooting ranges as “nonessential.”
Thanks to another Democrat politician, Virginians now live in a state where a church service attended by 11 people is considered a gathering of 11 criminals by the government.
Meanwhile, religious leaders across the country are challenging the constitutionality of banning church gatherings.
For example, Louisiana Pastor Tony Spell defied the state order forbidding gatherings of over 50 people and plans on continuing to do so.
“If they close every door in this city, then I will close my doors,” Spell told CNN on Tuesday. “But you can’t say the retailers are essential but the church is not. That is a persecution of the faith.”
“There is a real virus, but we’re not closing Planned Parenthood, where babies are being murdered,” he told The Washington Post. “If they close those doors today, we’d save more lives than will be taken by the coronavirus.”
In contrast, the red state of Texas specifically left churches out of the crackdown on social gatherings.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated, “there was nothing specific in the executive order about churches because there is freedom of religion here in the United States of America.”
Remember, the official motto of the United States of America is still “In God We Trust.”
David Knight covers the COVID-19 crackdown on churches in the video below:
As churches and gun shops are deemed “non-essential,” the abortion industry has been given a green light to operate.


newswars--2020-03-25--Pompeo Urges Saudi Arabia to Lift Price of Oil

With the world obsessing over every daily update of new cases in Lombardy or New York to gauge if we have “ peaked the curve ” , many appear to be forgetting that there is another , just as pressing problem facing global capital markets : the ongoing crash in oil prices which threatens to not only leave millions of Texans unemployed indefinitely – and not just for 1-2 months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – but unleash unprecedented defaults among US shale firms most of which are financed by junk bonds which will never be rolled over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has not forgotten , however , is Secretary of State Michael Pompeo , who held a phone call with the de facto leader of OPEC , or at least what ’ s left of it , Saudi crown prince MbS , in which the two discussed “ the need to maintain stability in global energy markets ” in what Bloomberg said amounted to “ the U.S. ’ s most direct intervention in the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.
” “ The secretary stressed that as a leader of the G20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arabia has a real opportunity to rise to the occasion and reassure global energy and financial markets when the world faces serious economic uncertainty , ” the State Department said on Wednesday .
Predictably , the two leaders also discussed their “ deep concern ” about the coronavirus outbreak and the need to contain the pandemic , which we can only imagine is code for something much more sinister , especially with Iran coronavirus cases now above 27K and virtually none in Saudi Arabia .
But going back to the point at hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past three weeks , not so much due to the coronavirus , but as a result of depressed oil prices which crashed in the aftermath of the Russian-Saudi battle ; of course the unprecedented hit to consumption from the global pandemic has not helped .
The price war was unleashed after Saudi Arabia failed to convince Russia to join the OPEC+ alliance to cut production , and as Bloomberg notes , for now the thinking in Riyadh remains that only a collective output cut , rather than unilateral action by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The magnitude of the oversupply is such that Russia and Saudi Arabia would need to completely stop all their output to balance the market .
Top oil trading house Vitol Group puts the glut at 20 million barrels a day .
Pompeo ’ s call comes amid failed attempts to push the price of oil higher , which has defied policymaker interventions seeking to inject trillions of dollars to offset the harm from the pandemic .
Brent has been trading around $ 26 , about half where it was a trading at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , as large parts of the global economy shut down to stop the spread of the virus , neither Saudi Arabia nor Russia are showing any sign of backing down on threats to pump more oil to gain market share , which means that the real hit to shale may persist long after the covid shutdown is gone .
U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said on Monday that the possibility of a joint U.S.-Saudi oil alliance is one idea under consideration to stabilize prices after the worst crash in a generation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garden of the White House where President Trump discusses ending the coronavirus lockdown sooner than later .

With the world obsessing over every daily update of new cases in Lombardy or New York to gauge if we have “peaked the curve”, many appear to be forgetting that there is another, just as pressing problem facing global capital markets: the ongoing crash in oil prices which threatens to not only leave millions of Texans unemployed indefinitely – and not just for 1-2 months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – but unleash unprecedented defaults among US shale firms most of which are financed by junk bonds which will never be rolled over if current conditions persist.
One person who has not forgotten, however, is Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, who held a phone call with the de facto leader of OPEC, or at least what’s left of it, Saudi crown prince MbS, in which the two discussed “the need to maintain stability in global energy markets” in what Bloomberg said amounted to “the U.S.’s most direct intervention in the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.”
“The secretary stressed that as a leader of the G20 and an important energy leader, Saudi Arabia has a real opportunity to rise to the occasion and reassure global energy and financial markets when the world faces serious economic uncertainty,” the State Department said on Wednesday.
Predictably, the two leaders also discussed their “deep concern” about the coronavirus outbreak and the need to contain the pandemic, which we can only imagine is code for something much more sinister, especially with Iran coronavirus cases now above 27K and virtually none in Saudi Arabia.
But going back to the point at hand, US shale producers have been reeling in the past three weeks, not so much due to the coronavirus, but as a result of depressed oil prices which crashed in the aftermath of the Russian-Saudi battle; of course the unprecedented hit to consumption from the global pandemic has not helped .
The price war was unleashed after Saudi Arabia failed to convince Russia to join the OPEC+ alliance to cut production, and as Bloomberg notes, for now the thinking in Riyadh remains that only a collective output cut, rather than unilateral action by the Saudis, can turn the market around.
The magnitude of the oversupply is such that Russia and Saudi Arabia would need to completely stop all their output to balance the market. Top oil trading house Vitol Group puts the glut at 20 million barrels a day.
Pompeo’s call comes amid failed attempts to push the price of oil higher, which has defied policymaker interventions seeking to inject trillions of dollars to offset the harm from the pandemic. Brent has been trading around $26, about half where it was a trading at just the start of the month.
Meanwhile, as large parts of the global economy shut down to stop the spread of the virus, neither Saudi Arabia nor Russia are showing any sign of backing down on threats to pump more oil to gain market share, which means that the real hit to shale may persist long after the covid shutdown is gone.
U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said on Monday that the possibility of a joint U.S.-Saudi oil alliance is one idea under consideration to stabilize prices after the worst crash in a generation.
Alex Jones presents footage from the Rose Garden of the White House where President Trump discusses ending the coronavirus lockdown sooner than later.


newswars--2020-03-25--Italy’s coronavirus death toll DIPS to 683 in one day, rising above 7,500 in total

Health officials in Italy have reported a drop in the daily death toll from the Covid-19 outbreak following a spike in fatalities on Tuesday .
The country has suffered the highest losses in the world from the pandemic .
Italy recently overtook China as the epicenter of the outbreak , with the number of deaths there from the rapidly-spreading novel coronavirus .
On Saturday , single-day fatalities hit a new high at 793 before falling on Sunday and Monday , however it climbed again on Tuesday .
Overall , the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 rose to 74,386 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Italy ’ s Civil Protection Agency said .
Overall , the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 rose to 74,386 on Wednesday , from 69,176 the day prior , Italy ’ s Civil Protection Agency said .
The head of the agency is himself currently undergoing testing for coronavirus .
The north of the country has suffered the brunt of the outbreak , with the medical system struggling to handle the rapid influx of seriously-ill patients .
Last week , a convoy of military vehicles was brought in to help move coffins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became overwhelmed by the volume of deaths .
Earlier on Wednesday , the mayor of Bergamo , Giorgio Gori , said that hospitals do not have the resources or space to help all of the afflicted , meaning that some Covid-19 sufferers are dying at home .
As the crisis continues in Europe , with Spain becoming the second country after Italy to see its coronavirus deaths overtake those in China , the World Health Organization has warned that the US is at risk of becoming the next epicenter of the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Health officials in Italy have reported a drop in the daily death toll from the Covid-19 outbreak following a spike in fatalities on Tuesday. The country has suffered the highest losses in the world from the pandemic.
Italy recently overtook China as the epicenter of the outbreak, with the number of deaths there from the rapidly-spreading novel coronavirus. On Saturday, single-day fatalities hit a new high at 793 before falling on Sunday and Monday, however it climbed again on Tuesday.
Overall, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 rose to 74,386 on Wednesday, from 69,176 the day prior, Italy’s Civil Protection Agency said.
Overall, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 rose to 74,386 on Wednesday, from 69,176 the day prior, Italy’s Civil Protection Agency said. The head of the agency is himself currently undergoing testing for coronavirus.
The north of the country has suffered the brunt of the outbreak, with the medical system struggling to handle the rapid influx of seriously-ill patients. Last week, a convoy of military vehicles was brought in to help move coffins when crematoriums in Bergamo, Lombardy, became overwhelmed by the volume of deaths.
Earlier on Wednesday, the mayor of Bergamo, Giorgio Gori, said that hospitals do not have the resources or space to help all of the afflicted, meaning that some Covid-19 sufferers are dying at home.
As the crisis continues in Europe, with Spain becoming the second country after Italy to see its coronavirus deaths overtake those in China, the World Health Organization has warned that the US is at risk of becoming the next epicenter of the pandemic, given the sudden rise in cases there.


newswars--2020-03-25--Stocks Roar, Dow Up 1,000 After More Clarity Emerges On Buyback Ban

Earlier today we reported that one of the reasons why futures slumped after rising as high as 2,500 in the overnight session following the announcement that a fiscal stimulus deal had been reached between the White House and Congress , is that according to CHuck Schumer , the bill would “ ban stock buybacks for the term of the government assistance plus 1 year on any company receiving a government loan from the bill.
” This spooked investors , who were afraid that the buyback backlash would affect more companies than just those on “ government assistance.
” However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exact same news was seen as positive , because stocks blasted off to session highs , and the Dow was up more than 1,000 points , when CNBC ’ s Kayla Taushe reported basically what we said 5 hours earlier , namely that “ Per text circulated among lawmakers before a call with Sec .
Mnuchin , a company that takes a government loan can not buy back its stock until 1yr after the loan is paid… ” And that “ While the loan is outstanding ?
No dividends.
” While there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we – and others – had reported earlier , it appears that sentiment had flexed so much that what was earlier seen as bad news , was now viewed as good as there was no incremental “ punishment ” aimed at companies repurchasing their stock .
And since most companies would be allowed to continue splurging on buybacks , and with trillions injected in the economy everyone would benefit from the Fed ’ s liquidity not just those companies directly receiving a government loan , this meant that once the crisis is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observed in the past two years will explode higher as virtually every company will do everything in their power to recover the pre-crisis price levels only this time it will have the explicit backstop of the Fed .

Earlier today we reported that one of the reasons why futures slumped after rising as high as 2,500 in the overnight session following the announcement that a fiscal stimulus deal had been reached between the White House and Congress, is that according to CHuck Schumer, the bill would “ban stock buybacks for the term of the government assistance plus 1 year on any company receiving a government loan from the bill.”
This spooked investors, who were afraid that the buyback backlash would affect more companies than just those on “government assistance.”
However, just a few hours later, the exact same news was seen as positive, because stocks blasted off to session highs, and the Dow was up more than 1,000 points, when CNBC’s Kayla Taushe reported basically what we said 5 hours earlier, namely that “Per text circulated among lawmakers before a call with Sec. Mnuchin, a company that takes a government loan cannot buy back its stock until 1yr after the loan is paid…”
Per text circulated among lawmakers before a call with Sec. Mnuchin, a company that takes a government loan cannot buy back its stock until 1yr after the loan is paid back –> pic.twitter.com/VspnHpbEya — Kayla Tausche (@kaylatausche) March 25, 2020
And that “While the loan is outstanding? No dividends.”
Per text circulated among lawmakers before a call with Sec. Mnuchin, a company that takes a government loan cannot buy back its stock until 1yr after the loan is paid back –> pic.twitter.com/VspnHpbEya — Kayla Tausche (@kaylatausche) March 25, 2020
While there was no actual news in that report vs what we – and others – had reported earlier, it appears that sentiment had flexed so much that what was earlier seen as bad news, was now viewed as good as there was no incremental “punishment” aimed at companies repurchasing their stock. And since most companies would be allowed to continue splurging on buybacks, and with trillions injected in the economy everyone would benefit from the Fed’s liquidity not just those companies directly receiving a government loan, this meant that once the crisis is over, the record number of buyback observed in the past two years will explode higher as virtually every company will do everything in their power to recover the pre-crisis price levels only this time it will have the explicit backstop of the Fed.


newswars--2020-03-25--Revisiting Decades-Old Voyager 2 Data, Scientists Find One More Secret

Eight and a half years into its grand tour of the solar system , NASA ’ s Voyager 2 spacecraft was ready for another encounter .
It was Jan. 24 , 1986 , and soon it would meet the mysterious seventh planet , icy-cold Uranus .
Over the next few hours , Voyager 2 flew within 50,600 miles ( 81,433 kilometers ) of Uranus ’ cloud tops , collecting data that revealed two new rings , 11 new moons and temperatures below minus 353 degrees Fahrenheit ( minus 214 degrees Celsius ) .
The dataset is still the only up-close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet .
Three decades later , scientists reinspecting that data found one more secret .
Unbeknownst to the entire space physics community , 34 years ago Voyager 2 flew through a plasmoid , a giant magnetic bubble that may have been whisking Uranus ’ s atmosphere out to space .
The finding , reported in Geophysical Research Letters , raises new questions about the planet ’ s one-of-a-kind magnetic environment .
Planetary atmospheres all over the solar system are leaking into space .
Hydrogen springs from Venus to join the solar wind , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sun .
Jupiter and Saturn eject globs of their electrically-charged air .
Even Earth ’ s atmosphere leaks .
( Don ’ t worry , it will stick around for another billion years or so . )
The effects are tiny on human timescales , but given long enough , atmospheric escape can fundamentally alter a planet ’ s fate .
For a case in point , look at Mars .
“ Mars used to be a wet planet with a thick atmosphere , ” said Gina DiBraccio , space physicist at NASA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project scientist for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution , or MAVEN mission .
“ It evolved over time ” — 4 billion years of leakage to space — “ to become the dry planet we see today.
” Atmospheric escape is driven by a planet ’ s magnetic field , which can both help and hinder the process .
Scientists believe magnetic fields can protect a planet , fending off the atmosphere-stripping blasts of the solar wind .
But they can also create opportunities for escape , like the giant globs cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field lines become tangled .
Either way , to understand how atmospheres change , scientists pay close attention to magnetism .
That ’ s one more reason Uranus is such a mystery .
Voyager 2 ’ s 1986 flyby revealed just how magnetically weird the planet is .
“ The structure , the way that it moves … , ” DiBraccio said , “ Uranus is really on its own.
” Unlike any other planet in our solar system , Uranus spins almost perfectly on its side — like a pig on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once every 17 hours .
Its magnetic field axis points 60 degrees away from that spin axis , so as the planet spins , its magnetosphere — the space carved out by its magnetic field — wobbles like a poorly-thrown football .
Scientists still don ’ t know how to model it .
This oddity drew DiBraccio and her coauthor Dan Gershman , a fellow Goddard space physicist , to the project .
Both were part of a team working out plans for a new mission to the ‘ ice giants ’ Uranus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for mysteries to solve .
Uranus ’ strange magnetic field , last measured more than 30 years ago , seemed like a good place to start .
So they downloaded Voyager 2 ’ s magnetometer readings , which monitored the strength and direction of the magnetic fields near Uranus as the spacecraft flew by .
With no idea what they ’ d find , they zoomed in closer than previous studies , plotting a new datapoint every 1.92 seconds .
Smooth lines gave way to jagged spikes and dips .
And that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiny zigzag with a big story .
“ Do you think that could be … a plasmoid ?
” Gershman asked DiBraccio , catching sight of the squiggle .
Little known at the time of Voyager 2 ’ s flyby , plasmoids have since become recognized as an important way planets lose mass .
These giant bubbles of plasma , or electrified gas , pinch off from the end of a planet ’ s magnetotail — the part of its magnetic field blown back by the Sun like a windsock .
With enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ions from a planet ’ s atmosphere , fundamentally changing its composition .
They had been observed at Earth and other planets , but no one had detected plasmoids at Uranus — yet .
DiBraccio ran the data through her processing pipeline and the results came back clean .
“ I think it definitely is , ” she said .
The plasmoid DiBraccio and Gershman found occupied a mere 60 seconds of Voyager 2 ’ s 45-hour-long flight by Uranus .
It appeared as a quick up-down blip in the magnetometer data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3D , it would look like a cylinder , ” Gershman said .
Comparing their results to plasmoids observed at Jupiter , Saturn and Mercury , they estimated a cylindrical shape at least 127,000 miles ( 204,000 kilometers ) long , and up to roughly 250,000 miles ( 400,000 kilometers ) across .
Like all planetary plasmoids , it was full of charged particles — mostly ionized hydrogen , the authors believe. Readings from inside the plasmoid — as Voyager 2 flew through it — hinted at its origins .
Whereas some plasmoids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DiBraccio and Gershman observed smooth , closed magnetic loops .
Such loop-like plasmoids are typically formed as a spinning planet flings bits of its atmosphere to space .
“ Centrifugal forces take over , and the plasmoid pinches off , ” Gershman said .
According to their estimates , plasmoids like that one could account for between 15 and 55 % of atmospheric mass loss at Uranus , a greater proportion than either Jupiter or Saturn .
It may well be the dominant way Uranus sheds its atmosphere to space .
How has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With only one set of observations , it ’ s hard to say .
“ Imagine if one spacecraft just flew through this room and tried to characterize the entire Earth , ” DiBraccio said .
“ Obviously it ’ s not going to show you anything about what the Sahara or Antarctica is like.
” But the findings help focus new questions about the planet .
The remaining mystery is part of the draw .
“ It ’ s why I love planetary science , ” DiBraccio said .
“ You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t really know .
”

Eight and a half years into its grand tour of the solar system, NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft was ready for another encounter. It was Jan. 24, 1986, and soon it would meet the mysterious seventh planet, icy-cold Uranus.
Over the next few hours, Voyager 2 flew within 50,600 miles (81,433 kilometers) of Uranus’ cloud tops, collecting data that revealed two new rings, 11 new moons and temperatures below minus 353 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 214 degrees Celsius). The dataset is still the only up-close measurements we have ever made of the planet.
Three decades later, scientists reinspecting that data found one more secret.
Unbeknownst to the entire space physics community, 34 years ago Voyager 2 flew through a plasmoid, a giant magnetic bubble that may have been whisking Uranus’s atmosphere out to space. The finding, reported in Geophysical Research Letters, raises new questions about the planet’s one-of-a-kind magnetic environment.
A wobbly magnetic oddball
Planetary atmospheres all over the solar system are leaking into space. Hydrogen springs from Venus to join the solar wind, the continuous stream of particles escaping the Sun. Jupiter and Saturn eject globs of their electrically-charged air. Even Earth’s atmosphere leaks. (Don’t worry, it will stick around for another billion years or so.)
The effects are tiny on human timescales, but given long enough, atmospheric escape can fundamentally alter a planet’s fate. For a case in point, look at Mars.
“Mars used to be a wet planet with a thick atmosphere,” said Gina DiBraccio, space physicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and project scientist for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN mission. “It evolved over time” — 4 billion years of leakage to space — “to become the dry planet we see today.”
Atmospheric escape is driven by a planet’s magnetic field, which can both help and hinder the process. Scientists believe magnetic fields can protect a planet, fending off the atmosphere-stripping blasts of the solar wind. But they can also create opportunities for escape, like the giant globs cut loose from Saturn and Jupiter when magnetic field lines become tangled. Either way, to understand how atmospheres change, scientists pay close attention to magnetism.
That’s one more reason Uranus is such a mystery. Voyager 2’s 1986 flyby revealed just how magnetically weird the planet is.
“The structure, the way that it moves … ,” DiBraccio said, “Uranus is really on its own.”
Unlike any other planet in our solar system, Uranus spins almost perfectly on its side — like a pig on a spit roast — completing a barrel roll once every 17 hours. Its magnetic field axis points 60 degrees away from that spin axis, so as the planet spins, its magnetosphere — the space carved out by its magnetic field — wobbles like a poorly-thrown football. Scientists still don’t know how to model it.
This oddity drew DiBraccio and her coauthor Dan Gershman, a fellow Goddard space physicist, to the project. Both were part of a team working out plans for a new mission to the ‘ice giants’ Uranus and Neptune, and they were looking for mysteries to solve. Uranus’ strange magnetic field, last measured more than 30 years ago, seemed like a good place to start.
So they downloaded Voyager 2’s magnetometer readings, which monitored the strength and direction of the magnetic fields near Uranus as the spacecraft flew by. With no idea what they’d find, they zoomed in closer than previous studies, plotting a new datapoint every 1.92 seconds. Smooth lines gave way to jagged spikes and dips. And that’s when they saw it: a tiny zigzag with a big story.
“Do you think that could be … a plasmoid?” Gershman asked DiBraccio, catching sight of the squiggle.
Little known at the time of Voyager 2’s flyby, plasmoids have since become recognized as an important way planets lose mass. These giant bubbles of plasma, or electrified gas, pinch off from the end of a planet’s magnetotail — the part of its magnetic field blown back by the Sun like a windsock. With enough time, escaping plasmoids can drain the ions from a planet’s atmosphere, fundamentally changing its composition. They had been observed at Earth and other planets, but no one had detected plasmoids at Uranus — yet.
DiBraccio ran the data through her processing pipeline and the results came back clean. “I think it definitely is,” she said.
The bubble escapes
The plasmoid DiBraccio and Gershman found occupied a mere 60 seconds of Voyager 2’s 45-hour-long flight by Uranus. It appeared as a quick up-down blip in the magnetometer data. “But if you plotted it in 3D, it would look like a cylinder,” Gershman said.
Comparing their results to plasmoids observed at Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury, they estimated a cylindrical shape at least 127,000 miles (204,000 kilometers) long, and up to roughly 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) across. Like all planetary plasmoids, it was full of charged particles — mostly ionized hydrogen, the authors believe.
Readings from inside the plasmoid — as Voyager 2 flew through it — hinted at its origins. Whereas some plasmoids have a twisted internal magnetic field, DiBraccio and Gershman observed smooth, closed magnetic loops. Such loop-like plasmoids are typically formed as a spinning planet flings bits of its atmosphere to space. “Centrifugal forces take over, and the plasmoid pinches off,” Gershman said. According to their estimates, plasmoids like that one could account for between 15 and 55% of atmospheric mass loss at Uranus, a greater proportion than either Jupiter or Saturn. It may well be the dominant way Uranus sheds its atmosphere to space.
How has plasmoid escape changed Uranus over time? With only one set of observations, it’s hard to say.
“Imagine if one spacecraft just flew through this room and tried to characterize the entire Earth,” DiBraccio said. “Obviously it’s not going to show you anything about what the Sahara or Antarctica is like.”
But the findings help focus new questions about the planet. The remaining mystery is part of the draw. “It’s why I love planetary science,” DiBraccio said. “You’re always going somewhere you don’t really know.”


newswars--2020-03-25--G7 Nations ‘Deeply Aware of China’s Disinformation Campaign’ on Coronavirus – Pompeo

The US Secretary of State previously slammed China for providing ‘ imperfect coronavirus data ’ and expressed his frustration about the difficulty of obtaining from Beijing the information necessary to develop vaccines .
All the G7 nations are “ deeply aware of the disinformation campaign ” that China is leading in regard to the coronavirus epidemic , the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday .
The top US official stated that the world still needs accurate information from Beijing about the deadly virus .
G7 Foreign Ministers held a video call earlier today during which they committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
This is the second meeting to be held by video link to avoid the threat of coronavirus spread .
Mike Pompeo previously lambasted Beijing for putting the US “ behind the curve ” by not sharing adequate information with the United States on the coronavirus disease .
Pompeo also accused actors in China , Russia and Iran of spreading fake news related to the coronavirus outbreak .
In his turn , US Defence Secretary Mark Esper earlier this week announced that the Pentagon would set up “ a myth-busting website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinformation “ disseminated partially by foreign actors ” .
Beijing dismissed Washington ’ s claims about China , Russia and Iran as careless and laughable .
China ’ s Foreign Ministry underlined that the PRC had shared information on the epidemic with the World Health Organisation and other countries , including the United States , in a timely manner .
The outbreak of the new coronavirus , also known as COVID-19 , was first reported in China in late December .
It later spread to 195 countries and was declared a pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases of the virus globally .
China still has the most confirmed cases , but in recent weeks the spread of the virus appears to have been brought under control in China as Europe has become the new epicenter of the disease .
Alex Jones presents footage from the Rose Garden of the White House where President Trump discusses ending the coronavirus lockdown sooner than later .

The US Secretary of State previously slammed China for providing ‘imperfect coronavirus data’ and expressed his frustration about the difficulty of obtaining from Beijing the information necessary to develop vaccines.
All the G7 nations are “deeply aware of the disinformation campaign” that China is leading in regard to the coronavirus epidemic, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday.
The top US official stated that the world still needs accurate information from Beijing about the deadly virus.
G7 Foreign Ministers held a video call earlier today during which they committed to continue cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus. This is the second meeting to be held by video link to avoid the threat of coronavirus spread.
‘Fake News’ Claims About COVID-19
Mike Pompeo previously lambasted Beijing for putting the US “behind the curve” by not sharing adequate information with the United States on the coronavirus disease. Pompeo also accused actors in China, Russia and Iran of spreading fake news related to the coronavirus outbreak.
In his turn, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper earlier this week announced that the Pentagon would set up “a myth-busting website” to counter coronavirus (COVID-19) disinformation “disseminated partially by foreign actors”.
Beijing dismissed Washington’s claims about China, Russia and Iran as careless and laughable.
China’s Foreign Ministry underlined that the PRC had shared information on the epidemic with the World Health Organisation and other countries, including the United States, in a timely manner.
Global COVID-19 Pandemic
The outbreak of the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, was first reported in China in late December. It later spread to 195 countries and was declared a pandemic. As of now, there are 375,498 confirmed cases of the virus globally.
China still has the most confirmed cases, but in recent weeks the spread of the virus appears to have been brought under control in China as Europe has become the new epicenter of the disease.
Alex Jones presents footage from the Rose Garden of the White House where President Trump discusses ending the coronavirus lockdown sooner than later.


newswars--2020-03-25--Economist Warns: Fed Has Gone “All-In” on Quantitative Easing

The Federal Reserve has launched QE infinity .
As Peter Schiff put it , the Fed has gone all-in on quantitative easing .
So , what does this mean ?
What are the ramifications of all this debt monetization and money printing ?
In his podcast , Peter said this is where the problems really start .
The US stock markets got a mega-boost Tuesday as the reality of QE infinity began to sink in .
The Dow Jones saw its biggest point gain in history , up 2112.98 points .
It was the biggest percentage gain since , 1933 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midst of the Great Depression .
Peter said he was expecting a stimulus-related rally or correction .
“ I don ’ know if this is just a one-day wonder or if it is the beginning of a larger correction .
I do not believe it ’ s the beginning of a new bull market nor the end of the current bear market .
But it is typical of bear markets to have these kinds of rallies.
” In fact of the five biggest rallies in the Dow , four of them occurred during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranks as number four .
Of the top 10 , two more were during the depression and two were during the 2008 crash .
The final rally was after Black Monday in 1987 .
“ Nine out of the top-10 days happened in the middle of bear markets or early in bear markets , so I ’ m sure this is not the exception .
… But I would not get to excited about this rally in the stock market.
” But Peter said he wouldn ’ t be surprised if we see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially given all of the stimulus that ’ s been promised .
On Monday , the Fed announced it would buy an unlimited amount of US Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities .
It also said it will begin buying corporate paper for the first time ever .
( Peter gave the basic outlines of QE Infinity during a live video session . )
The central bank didn ’ t even bother to put a dollar- amount on the program .
It ’ s just “ whatever it takes.
” This goes far beyond what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And it did a lot then – to the tune of about $ 4 trillion ) .
Peter said the central bank is going to buy all the bonds – corporate bonds , municipal bonds , bonds backed by credit card debt , bonds backed by auto loans .
“ I mean , you name it , they ’ re going to buy it.
” As he put it in his videocast , they are going to back up the truck and buy the whole bond market .
Peter has been expecting this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
The coronavirus just accelerated it .
The Fed has no choice but to move into the private debt market .
If it only bought Treasuries and government-backed mortgages , it would push up interest rates on private debt due to the inflationary pressure of all that money creation .
“ When everybody is so levered up , people can ’ t afford , or companies or states can ’ t afford , to pay the higher interest .
So , I said in order to keep the rest of the bond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep a lid on corporate interest rates and municipal interest rates , that the Federal Reserve would be forced into monetizing all of those bonds too .
And that ’ s exactly what happened.
” This is where the problem really starts .
If the Fed is going to monetize everything , the amount of inflation it will create will be enormous .
In his videocast , he called it a “ tsunami of inflation.
” With this major bid that the central bank has put in the market , the Federal Reserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to overpay for bonds.
” The Fed has to overpay because it can ’ t let nominal interest rates rise to compensate the bondholder for the loss of inflation .
It has to create artificial demand in order to prop up bond prices and push interest rates down .
“ So , that is an open invitation for anybody who owns any dollar-denominated bonds , hey , the Fed will buy them .
You know , that ’ s your get out of jail free card .
Sell your bonds to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to take the Fed up on their offer .
Because they know if they don ’ t and somebody else does , all the money that the Fed prints to buy everybody else ’ s bonds is going to cause the dollar to fall and inflation to rise .
And so nobody wants to be left holding the bag.
” Keep in mind , during QE , the central bank is literally turning debt into money .
“ So as they monetize more and more debt , they create more and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see foreign holders of US Treasuries like China and Japan go on a selling spree .
They know they can dump their dollar-denominated debt without crashing the market because you know there is always a buyer in the Fed .
“ Nobody can hold dollars .
Nobody can hold any bonds denominated in dollars .
This is now like a game of musical chairs where nobody wants to get caught with dollars when the music stops playing.
” So when central banks and others start dumping dollars what are they going to buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do ?
I mean , what are they going to use as an asset ?
They ’ re not going to just swap dollars for euros or swap dollars for yen .
They ’ re going to just buy gold.
” Generally , there is some advantage to holding Treasuries in the fact that you get interest .
But that ’ s not the case right now .
In fact , on short-term Treasuries , the yield is negative .
“ It ’ s a lot cheaper for central banks to store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they know the dollars are going to lose value because the Fed is going to flood the world with them .
They just basically committed to doing that .
They went all-in on QE and it ’ s QE forever .
They ’ ll buy anything in any amount – unlimited amounts .
And so , this is like OK , you got to get out .
This is a giant sell signal.
” Peter summed it all up in a tweet .
“ Treasury bonds are not a safe haven .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as most other U.S. dollar-denominated debt .
The problem is that the tens of trillions of dollars the Fed will print to buy all those bonds will be practically worthless .
# Gold is the safe haven.
” Alex Jones presents footage from the Rose Garden of the White House where President Trump discusses ending the coronavirus lockdown sooner than later .

The Federal Reserve has launched QE infinity. As Peter Schiff put it, the Fed has gone all-in on quantitative easing.
So, what does this mean? What are the ramifications of all this debt monetization and money printing? In his podcast, Peter said this is where the problems really start.
The US stock markets got a mega-boost Tuesday as the reality of QE infinity began to sink in. The Dow Jones saw its biggest point gain in history, up 2112.98 points. It was the biggest percentage gain since, 1933, during the bear market in the midst of the Great Depression.
Peter said he was expecting a stimulus-related rally or correction.
“I don’ know if this is just a one-day wonder or if it is the beginning of a larger correction. I do not believe it’s the beginning of a new bull market nor the end of the current bear market. But it is typical of bear markets to have these kinds of rallies.”
In fact of the five biggest rallies in the Dow, four of them occurred during the Great Depression and yesterday’s ranks as number four. Of the top 10, two more were during the depression and two were during the 2008 crash. The final rally was after Black Monday in 1987.
“Nine out of the top-10 days happened in the middle of bear markets or early in bear markets, so I’m sure this is not the exception. … But I would not get to excited about this rally in the stock market.”
But Peter said he wouldn’t be surprised if we see a bit of an upward correction, especially given all of the stimulus that’s been promised.
On Monday, the Fed announced it would buy an unlimited amount of US Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities. It also said it will begin buying corporate paper for the first time ever. (Peter gave the basic outlines of QE Infinity during a live video session.) The central bank didn’t even bother to put a dollar- amount on the program. It’s just “whatever it takes.”
This goes far beyond what the Fed did in 2008. (And it did a lot then – to the tune of about $4 trillion). Peter said the central bank is going to buy all the bonds – corporate bonds, municipal bonds, bonds backed by credit card debt, bonds backed by auto loans.
“I mean, you name it, they’re going to buy it.”
As he put it in his videocast, they are going to back up the truck and buy the whole bond market.
Peter has been expecting this massive quantitative easing program for a long time. The coronavirus just accelerated it.
The Fed has no choice but to move into the private debt market. If it only bought Treasuries and government-backed mortgages, it would push up interest rates on private debt due to the inflationary pressure of all that money creation.
“When everybody is so levered up, people can’t afford, or companies or states can’t afford, to pay the higher interest. So, I said in order to keep the rest of the bond market from imploding, in order to keep a lid on corporate interest rates and municipal interest rates, that the Federal Reserve would be forced into monetizing all of those bonds too. And that’s exactly what happened.”
This is where the problem really starts. If the Fed is going to monetize everything, the amount of inflation it will create will be enormous. In his videocast, he called it a “tsunami of inflation.”
With this major bid that the central bank has put in the market, the Federal Reserve is effectively saying, “We are going to overpay for bonds.”
The Fed has to overpay because it can’t let nominal interest rates rise to compensate the bondholder for the loss of inflation. It has to create artificial demand in order to prop up bond prices and push interest rates down.
“So, that is an open invitation for anybody who owns any dollar-denominated bonds, hey, the Fed will buy them. You know, that’s your get out of jail free card. Sell your bonds to the Federal Reserve. And so, everybody is going to take the Fed up on their offer. Because they know if they don’t and somebody else does, all the money that the Fed prints to buy everybody else’s bonds is going to cause the dollar to fall and inflation to rise. And so nobody wants to be left holding the bag.”
Keep in mind, during QE, the central bank is literally turning debt into money.
“So as they monetize more and more debt, they create more and more inflation.”
You could very well see foreign holders of US Treasuries like China and Japan go on a selling spree. They know they can dump their dollar-denominated debt without crashing the market because you know there is always a buyer in the Fed.
“Nobody can hold dollars. Nobody can hold any bonds denominated in dollars. This is now like a game of musical chairs where nobody wants to get caught with dollars when the music stops playing.”
So when central banks and others start dumping dollars what are they going to buy?
Gold.
“What else are they going to do? I mean, what are they going to use as an asset? They’re not going to just swap dollars for euros or swap dollars for yen. They’re going to just buy gold.”
Generally, there is some advantage to holding Treasuries in the fact that you get interest. But that’s not the case right now. In fact, on short-term Treasuries, the yield is negative.
“It’s a lot cheaper for central banks to store gold than to store dollars. And they know the dollars are going to lose value because the Fed is going to flood the world with them. They just basically committed to doing that. They went all-in on QE and it’s QE forever. They’ll buy anything in any amount – unlimited amounts. And so, this is like OK, you got to get out. This is a giant sell signal.”
Peter summed it all up in a tweet.
“Treasury bonds are not a safe haven. The Fed will own all the Treasury bonds, as well as most other U.S. dollar-denominated debt. The problem is that the tens of trillions of dollars the Fed will print to buy all those bonds will be practically worthless. #Gold is the safe haven.”
Alex Jones presents footage from the Rose Garden of the White House where President Trump discusses ending the coronavirus lockdown sooner than later.


newswars--2020-03-25--Decadent like the late Roman Empire, the West is committing suicide through its irrational response

Decadent like the late Roman Empire, the West is committing suicide through its irrational response to Covid-19

Many think Covid-19 is some kind of alien invasion that spells the end of the world .
But the real threat to us is a much deadlier virus : a hatred of all the values that have underpinned our civilisation for centuries .
For years , I was puzzled as to why the Roman Empire ceased to exist and was replaced by communities that were uncivilized by comparison .
How and why could mankind ’ s progress reverse in this way ?
Recent experience has eliminated the mystery .
No special devastating event was needed ; the cause of Rome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its people ’ s desire to support their ‘ empire ’ and its underlying values .
And as it was 1,500 years or so ago , so I fear it is now .
The Covid-19 crisis – specifically , the reaction to it – demonstrates that people have grown bored , detached , and easily impressionable by things that have nothing to do with the roots of their society .
We are all – or too many of us – fin de siècle Romans now .
A large number of Westerners are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their economies to try to halt a virus that predominantly causes old and sick people to die just a few weeks or months before they would have anyway .
Just as they enthusiastically endorse proclamations such as that there are 46 sexes , not two ; that the flatulence of a cow must be reduced to save a polar bear ; that millions of migrants from the Third World must be invited to Europe and assumed to be neurosurgeons ; and so on .
The widespread opinion that everything , including economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a revival of medieval witch hunts ; the sacrifice seems more important than finding an effective method to deal with the problem .
Our increasingly decadent mass culture has gradually become more ideological and openly opposed to the values Western civilization is based upon .
And while it boasts of being ‘ counter-culture ’ and independent , it ’ s acquired a monopoly over almost all the information channels that determine opinions , including mainstream media and political parties .
Our leaders have become sucked into this group-thinking and happily institute policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst recession in history .
Thousands of businesses are closing and long-term prospects are bleak .
Governments are stepping in to pay wages and fund other services .
As tax revenue will be virtually non-existent , public debt will soar .
Some governments may default on their debts or resort to printing money , causing soaring inflation .
These countries may be unable to fund healthcare , their police or their military , and be so weakened they will be invaded by others and be erased from the world map .
That may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s almost certain that the impact of the shutdowns will be a recession comparable to the Great Depression .
Yet what do most Western citizens make of it ?
Well , they are either unaware , uncaring , or they ’ re happy about it .
They don ’ t seem to appreciate the consequent dangers .
Instead , they are more obsessed with the latest celebrity who ’ s caught the virus .
The consumers of this mass culture haven ’ t built anything like what our ancestors did – enlightenment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy , industrialisation , major advances in philosophy , science , literature and engineering .
They don ’ t have to defend any real values against a tangible enemy , because hiding in a herd with uniform group-think is good enough for them .
Our ancestors had difficult , short lives ; they had to work hard , produce enough to survive , fight enemies , and defend what they ’ d inherited .
Numerous lasting values emerged from those efforts .
The current generations of Westerners are good only at producing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-month lockdown isn ’ t deemed enough to contain the virus , they ’ re happy to extend it to six months , if not years .
China decided to impose strict policies , but they were assertive enough to be relatively short-lived ; many Westerners want less perfect policies to last for a much longer time .
That ’ s clearly an irrational approach ; instead of ‘ flattening a curve ’ , rational leaders ( like Beijing ’ s ) try to turn the curve into a cliff .
The faster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is .
This support for economically suicidal policies didn ’ t start with Covid-19 .
Westerners have spent recent decades amid a prosperity in which they took material wealth and good healthcare for granted .
They forgot what hunger ( and , in most cases , unemployment ) meant .
They got used to demanding ever deeper ‘ entitlements ’ , such as the ‘ right not to be offended ’ .
Activists sensationalised smaller and more implausible threats and demanded that governments mitigated them .
In particular , the climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warming caused by CO2 emissions in a century was equivalent to an armageddon that had to be avoided , whatever the cost .
In this context , it could be expected that the first ‘ real challenge ’ – and a new flu-like disease is certainly one – would make people fearful .
Because if people were led to believe that 1-2 °C of warming was basically the end of the world , is it surprising that they ’ re absolutely terrified of a new disease that has the potential to kill a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The existential threat posed by coronavirus – or at least , our irrationality towards it – is greater than the climate threat ( though still very small ) .
Westerners who haven ’ t seen any real threats for a long time have developed a condition – termed “ affluenflammation ” by the American musician Remy – which is a pathological habit of inflating negligible threats .
When this inflation of feelings is applied to a real threat , namely a pandemic , they lose their composure .
The context of Covid-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , makes it clear that ‘ immortality ’ is just another ‘ human right ’ .
This wisdom says that our leaders are failing because they can not defend this so-called right .
But this excessive sensitivity is just one part of the problem .
Many Westerners actively want to harm their economies , corporations , rich people , and governments , because they don ’ t feel any attachment to or responsibility for them .
They take security and prosperity for granted .
Their money and food arrive from ‘ somewhere ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the source .
And they believe that the structures which allow them to survive – the governments , banks , and so on – are ‘ evil ’ .
Some are just financially illiterate .
But others know what they are saying , and rejoice in demanding that trillions be sacrificed in order to infinitesimally increase the probability that a 90-year-old will avoid infection and live a little bit longer .
They don ’ t accept their dependence on society and the system at all .
They don ’ t realise that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights ’ , are only available if paid for by prosperous societies .
I have used some dramatic prose , so let me be clear : the scenario I ’ ve outlined – ending in the suicide of the West – is avoidable , and I hope and believe it will be .
I know some who are willing to fight for its survival .
But even if this acceleration towards shutdowns is reversed and countries restore their pre-virus businesses , our world won ’ t be the same .
Many people will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and try to kickstart a repetition .
The curfew is likely to reduce CO2 emissions this year , so climate activists may try for similar results in the future .
Terrorists may deploy some new disease – which , after all , is likely to be more effective than any stabbing or bombing .
It ’ s conceivable that the West ’ s brush with mortality will lead people to regain some common sense and survival instincts .
Perhaps several nations going bankrupt will be a wake-up call .
Maybe people will realise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disproportionate .
But even if that is so , I ’ m afraid it won ’ t be enough .
We need to accept that the positive relationship of Westerners to the roots of their civilization will be still missing – and that this is a virus that poses a much more fundamental existential threat than Covid-19 .

Many think Covid-19 is some kind of alien invasion that spells the end of the world. But the real threat to us is a much deadlier virus: a hatred of all the values that have underpinned our civilisation for centuries.
For years, I was puzzled as to why the Roman Empire ceased to exist and was replaced by communities that were uncivilized by comparison. How and why could mankind’s progress reverse in this way? Recent experience has eliminated the mystery. No special devastating event was needed; the cause of Rome’s demise was simply the loss of its people’s desire to support their ‘empire’ and its underlying values. And as it was 1,500 years or so ago, so I fear it is now.
The Covid-19 crisis – specifically, the reaction to it – demonstrates that people have grown bored, detached, and easily impressionable by things that have nothing to do with the roots of their society. We are all – or too many of us – fin de siècle Romans now.
A large number of Westerners are happy to accept the suicidal shutting down of their economies to try to halt a virus that predominantly causes old and sick people to die just a few weeks or months before they would have anyway. Just as they enthusiastically endorse proclamations such as that there are 46 sexes, not two; that the flatulence of a cow must be reduced to save a polar bear; that millions of migrants from the Third World must be invited to Europe and assumed to be neurosurgeons; and so on.
The widespread opinion that everything, including economies, must be sacrificed to beat coronavirus is a revival of medieval witch hunts; the sacrifice seems more important than finding an effective method to deal with the problem.
Our increasingly decadent mass culture has gradually become more ideological and openly opposed to the values Western civilization is based upon. And while it boasts of being ‘counter-culture’ and independent, it’s acquired a monopoly over almost all the information channels that determine opinions, including mainstream media and political parties.
Our leaders have become sucked into this group-thinking and happily institute policies that unleash shutdowns that may cause the worst recession in history. Thousands of businesses are closing and long-term prospects are bleak.
Governments are stepping in to pay wages and fund other services. As tax revenue will be virtually non-existent, public debt will soar. Some governments may default on their debts or resort to printing money, causing soaring inflation. These countries may be unable to fund healthcare, their police or their military, and be so weakened they will be invaded by others and be erased from the world map.
That may be a worst-case scenario, but it’s almost certain that the impact of the shutdowns will be a recession comparable to the Great Depression. Yet what do most Western citizens make of it? Well, they are either unaware, uncaring, or they’re happy about it. They don’t seem to appreciate the consequent dangers. Instead, they are more obsessed with the latest celebrity who’s caught the virus.
The consumers of this mass culture haven’t built anything like what our ancestors did – enlightenment, the theory of relativity, parliamentary democracy, industrialisation, major advances in philosophy, science, literature and engineering. They don’t have to defend any real values against a tangible enemy, because hiding in a herd with uniform group-think is good enough for them.
Our ancestors had difficult, short lives; they had to work hard, produce enough to survive, fight enemies, and defend what they’d inherited. Numerous lasting values emerged from those efforts. The current generations of Westerners are good only at producing and escalating irrationality and panic.
If a two-month lockdown isn’t deemed enough to contain the virus, they’re happy to extend it to six months, if not years. China decided to impose strict policies, but they were assertive enough to be relatively short-lived; many Westerners want less perfect policies to last for a much longer time. That’s clearly an irrational approach; instead of ‘flattening a curve’, rational leaders (like Beijing’s) try to turn the curve into a cliff. The faster you eliminate the virus, the cheaper it is.
Immortality as an entitlement
This support for economically suicidal policies didn’t start with Covid-19. Westerners have spent recent decades amid a prosperity in which they took material wealth and good healthcare for granted. They forgot what hunger (and, in most cases, unemployment) meant. They got used to demanding ever deeper ‘entitlements’, such as the ‘right not to be offended’.
Activists sensationalised smaller and more implausible threats and demanded that governments mitigated them. In particular, the climate change movement advocated that the 1-2 °C of warming caused by CO2 emissions in a century was equivalent to an armageddon that had to be avoided, whatever the cost.
In this context, it could be expected that the first ‘real challenge’ – and a new flu-like disease is certainly one – would make people fearful. Because if people were led to believe that 1-2 °C of warming was basically the end of the world, is it surprising that they’re absolutely terrified of a new disease that has the potential to kill a few million old and sick people?
The existential threat posed by coronavirus – or at least, our irrationality towards it – is greater than the climate threat (though still very small). Westerners who haven’t seen any real threats for a long time have developed a condition – termed “affluenflammation” by the American musician Remy – which is a pathological habit of inflating negligible threats. When this inflation of feelings is applied to a real threat, namely a pandemic, they lose their composure.
The context of Covid-19, where every death is presented with horror, makes it clear that ‘immortality’ is just another ‘human right’. This wisdom says that our leaders are failing because they cannot defend this so-called right. But this excessive sensitivity is just one part of the problem.
Many Westerners actively want to harm their economies, corporations, rich people, and governments, because they don’t feel any attachment to or responsibility for them. They take security and prosperity for granted. Their money and food arrive from ‘somewhere’, and they don’t care about the source.
And they believe that the structures which allow them to survive – the governments, banks, and so on – are ‘evil’. Some are just financially illiterate. But others know what they are saying, and rejoice in demanding that trillions be sacrificed in order to infinitesimally increase the probability that a 90-year-old will avoid infection and live a little bit longer. They don’t accept their dependence on society and the system at all. They don’t realise that their moral values, their ‘human rights’, are only available if paid for by prosperous societies.
I have used some dramatic prose, so let me be clear: the scenario I’ve outlined – ending in the suicide of the West – is avoidable, and I hope and believe it will be. I know some who are willing to fight for its survival.
But even if this acceleration towards shutdowns is reversed and countries restore their pre-virus businesses, our world won’t be the same. Many people will conclude that the crisis was exciting, and try to kickstart a repetition. The curfew is likely to reduce CO2 emissions this year, so climate activists may try for similar results in the future. Terrorists may deploy some new disease – which, after all, is likely to be more effective than any stabbing or bombing.
It’s conceivable that the West’s brush with mortality will lead people to regain some common sense and survival instincts. Perhaps several nations going bankrupt will be a wake-up call. Maybe people will realise that the reaction to the coronavirus was disproportionate. But even if that is so, I’m afraid it won’t be enough.
We need to accept that the positive relationship of Westerners to the roots of their civilization will be still missing – and that this is a virus that poses a much more fundamental existential threat than Covid-19.


newswars--2020-03-25--The US’s COVID-19 Death Rate Is Far Below the Rates in Italy and Spain

Imagine an ordinary person sees a headline like this over her morning coffee : “ Your City Will Soon Be the Homicide Capital of the World.
” But , upon further inspection , it turns out the homicide rate is actually very low .
What is high is the attempted homicide rate .
In the city in question , there has been a rash of assaults and attempted homicides .
But for whatever reason , the number of people who actually die from these assaults remains extremely low .
Perhaps this is because medical care is better .
Perhaps it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poorly armed and not very motivated .
But for whatever reason , the actual death rate is far lower than the headline implies .
Now , this hypothetical city still clearly has a problem with assaults , and it would be wise to examine why .
Attempted murders are not a thing to ignore .
However , we could all agree the headline about homicides is quite misleading .
We frequently encounter a problem similar to this with COVID-19 reporting .
News stories frequently focus on COVID-19 cases rather than death rates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today : “ United States could become coronavirus epicenter : WHO ” The casual readers who skims headlines is likely to take away from this the idea that the United States is following the same trajectory as countries like Spain and Italy when it comes to the COVID-19 outbreak .
We have heard that death rates in Italy are alarming in much of Western Europe , and some have claimed the US will soon experience the same fate as Italy .
While it is true the United States will soon pass up Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US is far , far below Italy in terms of its COVID-19 death rate , even if we account for the differences in the timeline .
To see these sizable differences , let ’ s measure COVID-19 deaths the same way we measure homicides : in terms of deaths per 100,000 population : As of March 23 , in Italy , the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 total 9.4 per 100,000 people in Italy .
Meanwhile , in the United States , the total is 0.2 deaths per 100,000 .
Among to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total cases , the US has the second-lowest rate per 100,00 , behind only Germany , which has so far a remarkably small number of deaths .
At this point , some observers will say “ but Italy has had an outbreak longer than the US , so we must measure in terms of the number of days since the pandemic began in that country.
” Well , if we measure from the first day that the United States reported at least 100 cases , we find 19 days have gone by as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same top ten countries and look at each one ’ s death rate after 19 days following the 100th case of COVID-19 , then we find the US still has the second-to-last rate .
Italy , for instance , reached Day 19 back on March 13 .
At that time , the country had a death rate of 2.0 per 100,000 .
In other words , the death rate in Italy on Day 19 was nearly ten times the US death rate on Day 19 .
Interestingly , Spain fared worse on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end up with more deaths per 100,000 than Italy by the time it reaches the same point as Italy .
Italy is presently 30 days out from the first day it reported 100 cases or more .
Clearly , if these gaps between the death rate in the US and in many European countries persist , it would be quite misleading to claim the “ epicenter ” of COVID-19 has shifted from Europe to the US .
For whatever reason , the deadliness of the disease in the US appears to be well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain , and even France and Switzerland .
This could be due to demographics , the quality of health care , climate , pollution , population density , or other factors .
But the fact remains the death rate in the US is lower .
Death Is a More Reliable Measure of Impact than Total Cases Moreover , problems with data collection suggest measuring by death rate rather than total cases is more useful .
Tests are more likely to be performed on people who seek medical care than on people who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all .
This bias in favor of measuring mostly those with the worst symptoms was identified some time ago , and inflates the “ case fatality rate.
” As more cases become known , so long as total deaths do not grow at least as fast , the fatality rate decreases .
As with data collection in criminology , however , the most serious cases are those which are best counted .
It has been true for decades , for instance , that records on homicides are far better and more reliable than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crimes .
After all , a dead body offers a tangible and objective measure of whether or not a homicide has taken place .
And government have long been more concerned with counting homicides than with other crimes .
Moreover , witnesses and relatives are more likely to report homicides than lesser crimes .
In both crime and with COVID-19 , higher rates may be a result of better observations rather than actual growth in cases .
For example , although many studies have suggested the number of rapes per 100,000 are higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are skeptical this is actually the case .
It is likely that rapes are just far more often reported today than they were in times past .
Similarly , as better testing is conducted for COVID-19 , it only makes sense that the total number of known cases will increase .
But this may not be an accurate representation of the degree to which the disease has spread .
So , we know two things are very likely true .
One is that the death rate of COVID-19 is lower in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timeline for many other countries we are told are comparable to the US .
Secondly , we know that death rates are often more informative .
This is because testing is more consistent for cases that end in death , while overall case rates depend on conducting tests on those with few or no symptoms .
In most cases , people with relatively mild symptoms — which are the overwhelming majority of cases — have never been identified .

Imagine an ordinary person sees a headline like this over her morning coffee: “Your City Will Soon Be the Homicide Capital of the World.”
But, upon further inspection, it turns out the homicide rate is actually very low. What is high is the attempted homicide rate. In the city in question, there has been a rash of assaults and attempted homicides. But for whatever reason, the number of people who actually die from these assaults remains extremely low. Perhaps this is because medical care is better. Perhaps it’s because the would-be murderers are poorly armed and not very motivated. But for whatever reason, the actual death rate is far lower than the headline implies. Now, this hypothetical city still clearly has a problem with assaults, and it would be wise to examine why. Attempted murders are not a thing to ignore. However, we could all agree the headline about homicides is quite misleading.
We frequently encounter a problem similar to this with COVID-19 reporting. News stories frequently focus on COVID-19 cases rather than death rates in their reporting. Consider this Reuters headline today: “United States could become coronavirus epicenter: WHO”
The casual readers who skims headlines is likely to take away from this the idea that the United States is following the same trajectory as countries like Spain and Italy when it comes to the COVID-19 outbreak. We have heard that death rates in Italy are alarming in much of Western Europe, and some have claimed the US will soon experience the same fate as Italy. While it is true the United States will soon pass up Italy in terms of total cases, the US is far, far below Italy in terms of its COVID-19 death rate, even if we account for the differences in the timeline.
To see these sizable differences, let’s measure COVID-19 deaths the same way we measure homicides: in terms of deaths per 100,000 population:
As of March 23, in Italy, the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 total 9.4 per 100,000 people in Italy.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the total is 0.2 deaths per 100,000. Among to the top ten countries in terms of total cases, the US has the second-lowest rate per 100,00, behind only Germany, which has so far a remarkably small number of deaths.
At this point, some observers will say “but Italy has had an outbreak longer than the US, so we must measure in terms of the number of days since the pandemic began in that country.”
Well, if we measure from the first day that the United States reported at least 100 cases, we find 19 days have gone by as of March 23. If we take the same top ten countries and look at each one’s death rate after 19 days following the 100th case of COVID-19, then we find the US still has the second-to-last rate.
Italy, for instance, reached Day 19 back on March 13. At that time, the country had a death rate of 2.0 per 100,000. In other words, the death rate in Italy on Day 19 was nearly ten times the US death rate on Day 19. Interestingly, Spain fared worse on Day 19 than Italy, and may end up with more deaths per 100,000 than Italy by the time it reaches the same point as Italy. Italy is presently 30 days out from the first day it reported 100 cases or more.
(As of March 24, the Netherlands is only on day 18. All other countries shown here are at least 19 days out since the 100th case.)
Clearly, if these gaps between the death rate in the US and in many European countries persist, it would be quite misleading to claim the “epicenter” of COVID-19 has shifted from Europe to the US. For whatever reason, the deadliness of the disease in the US appears to be well below what it is in Italy, Spain, and even France and Switzerland. This could be due to demographics, the quality of health care, climate, pollution, population density, or other factors. But the fact remains the death rate in the US is lower.
Death Is a More Reliable Measure of Impact than Total Cases
Moreover, problems with data collection suggest measuring by death rate rather than total cases is more useful. Tests are more likely to be performed on people who seek medical care than on people who have only minor symptoms, or none at all. This bias in favor of measuring mostly those with the worst symptoms was identified some time ago, and inflates the “case fatality rate.” As more cases become known, so long as total deaths do not grow at least as fast, the fatality rate decreases.
As with data collection in criminology, however, the most serious cases are those which are best counted. It has been true for decades, for instance, that records on homicides are far better and more reliable than records on rapes and assaults and lesser crimes. After all, a dead body offers a tangible and objective measure of whether or not a homicide has taken place. And government have long been more concerned with counting homicides than with other crimes. Moreover, witnesses and relatives are more likely to report homicides than lesser crimes.
In both crime and with COVID-19, higher rates may be a result of better observations rather than actual growth in cases. For example, although many studies have suggested the number of rapes per 100,000 are higher now than decades ago, many criminologists are skeptical this is actually the case. It is likely that rapes are just far more often reported today than they were in times past.
Similarly, as better testing is conducted for COVID-19, it only makes sense that the total number of known cases will increase. But this may not be an accurate representation of the degree to which the disease has spread.
So, we know two things are very likely true. One is that the death rate of COVID-19 is lower in the US than at the same point in the timeline for many other countries we are told are comparable to the US. Secondly, we know that death rates are often more informative. This is because testing is more consistent for cases that end in death, while overall case rates depend on conducting tests on those with few or no symptoms. In most cases, people with relatively mild symptoms — which are the overwhelming majority of cases — have never been identified.
(A Note on China: I have not included Chinese data in these comparisons for a couple of reasons. One is that data reported by the Chinese regime may be even less reliable than that reported by Western regimes. Secondly, China is certainly not a model for the other regimes to follow, given China’s widspread arrests, and the use of other draconian measures such as sealing people in their own homes. For the record, as of March 23, China’s COVID-19 death rate was approximately 0.2 per 100,000, and similar to the US and to South Korea which has employed very different methods for containment.)