theduran--2020-03-24--COVID19: Global Fascist Lockdown or Catalyst of a Radical Paradigm Shift? Gilbert Mercier Speaks on

COVID19: Global Fascist Lockdown or Catalyst of a Radical Paradigm Shift? Gilbert Mercier Speaks on Collapse Chronicles

This interview was conducted by Collapse Chronicles host Sam Mitchell .
Sam Mitchell : Gilbert , is COVID-19 the trigger for the global collapse of global industrial civilization ?
Why or why not ?
Gilbert Mercier : Sam , I ’ m not sure that COVID-19 can be called a trigger .
It is more a catalyst , both in a global sociological and historical sense , which has initiated an incredible chain reaction .
A microscopic organism has become , paradoxically , the vector of a radical paradigm shift .
This could be , time will tell , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It has exposed , if you wish , the colossal systemic failure of global capitalism as well as the absolute incompetence of the so-called political and business leaders .
The modest creature ’ s side effect indeed has been a crash of the global financial market .
It has the power of a giant wrecking ball !
For 99 percent of people this comes as a shock .
But you and I , and the followers of Collapse Chronicles , knew the systemic collapse was coming .
I guess the coronavirus was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilization to its knees .
The other ingredients , the macro ones , to the collapse recipe are of course climate change , overpopulation , and social inequality .
To be a bit ironic , because one has to be , COVID-19 is at the same time the catalyst and the missing link between the three major macro issues humanity was already facing .
We are now in uncharted territories .
SM : Where would you placed the threat of the coronavirus on human health on the list of threats against civilization ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite high .
As of March 19th , both the confirmed cases of COVID-19 and number of deaths were climbing exponentially .
The graphs are rather scary .
Worldwide we were at almost 250,000 cases and 10,000 deaths from COVID-19 .
But however deadly and contagious COVID-19 is , things have to be put in the perspective of other pandemics such as the black plague of the Middle Ages that killed 40 percent of Europe ’ s population or , more recently , the 1918-1920 Spanish flu that killed 50 million .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the big threats , the macro ones , are still there , and I have to repeat this .
They are : global warming , social inequality and overpopulation , while the coronavirus is the catalyst to make the collapse chain reaction gel .
COVID-19 is the cherry on top of the collapse banana split !
SM : Do you consider the direct threat to human health or the knock-on effects to the global economy to be the bigger threat ?
GM : In terms of systemic collapse , the biggest threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I am sure is cynically a much bigger concern than losses of life for the rich and powerful , is of course the near collapse of the global economy .
Everywhere in the world , central banks are literally throwing money at the problem : to no effect .
Financial markets , just like individuals , are utterly terrified .
Sam , to give you an example , in the US the Federal Reserve has already injected $ 1.2 trillion to patch the hole .
In the EU , the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everybody is basically printing money , terrified to have a run on banks .
It is , if you wish , because one has to keep a sense of humor , like the run on toilet paper !
Sam , more seriously , the global COVID-19 depression , not recession , is coming .
It is likely to be worse than the Great Depression of 1929 .
SM : Do you think the reactions to the threat by governments is overblown , not strong enough or just about right ?
GM : Basically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and institutions like the WHO ( World Health Organization ) were wrong : mainly by their timing and the lack of transparency .
There are some notable exceptions such as China , South Korea and Germany .
Elsewhere , all political leaders have failed or are failing .
In China , where the pandemic appeared in December 2019 , they were almost immediately pro-active and transparent by , for example , letting the international scientific community know , as early as January 10th , about the coronavirus .
Further , they handled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its part the WHO failed by not declaring COVID-19 a pandemic early enough .
With the exception of China , South Korea and Germany , the other countries failed by not testing enough .
Either because they couldn ’ t do it , or to deliberately hide the number of cases .
Basically , the pandemic exposed governmental failures everywhere .
For example , in France , which is currently under lockdown and citizen confinement , Health Minister Agnes Buzyn gave a warning of a coming “ coronavirus tsunami ” both to President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-January .
She wasn ’ t heard .
It ’ s all a question of timing , Sam .
Timing , full transparency , and international cooperation .
But certainly not panic and shutting down borders .
SM : Gilbert , do you believe the threat of COVID-19 trumps our civil rights ?
Should governments be given the power to curtail basic freedom such as freedom of assembly and freedom of movement in order to respond to the level of threat posed by the disease or should the response be up to individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What ’ s going on worldwide is more than alarming .
The authoritarian patterns applied by governments , one after another , are just incredible .
Italy , Spain and France are supposed to be democracies , but at the moment , more than 250 million Europeans are living under , de facto , martial law .
Citizens have lost all basic freedom of movement and assembly .
They are virtual prisoners , confined to their homes , with police and the military patrolling the streets .
Fear and paranoia have set in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overnight , of all civil rights .
They can only go out to buy food , medical supplies , and go to work if they can not work remotely .
Surreal ghost cities , it is Orwellian in nature .
Europeans ’ daily reality has become a dystopian nightmare .
SM : Do you think , Gilbert , that the reaction to the pandemic we see playing out in the general public , namely the hoarding and panic buying , is a snapshot into the future as collapse starts to accelerate ?
GM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying and compulsive hoarding seem to be as contagious as the coronavirus .
It is bordering on collective psychosis .
Nowadays , you go to a supermarket in the US or in Europe , and you see empty shelves .
What is surprising , as people seem to gather enough food for months , is the run on toilet paper .
It is , at the same time comical , pathetic , and symptomatic .
Perhaps , deep inside , the toilet paper hoarders know that they are assholes !
But , jokes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is jobless people , burdened with debts , running out of money .
Also , increased food shortages , which most people can witness in supermarkets , could quickly translate into social unrest : major ones , especially in countries with a history of revolution like France .
SM : Do you see any positive effects for people and the planet in general from COVID-19 ?
If you were not a human , Gilbert , looking at this through a purely human-centric lens , would COVID-19 be a good thing ?
GM : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rare people who see a unique opportunity in this coronavirus crisis .
This is THE wake call for humanity !
A moment of truth that must bring up a complete reassessment of the way we live .
Not only together , but also our relationship with nature .
Again , Sam , I truly think COVID-19 is the completely unexpected vector of a global sociological paradigm shift .
Everything must be on the table , actually it is time to do tabula rasa .
Sam , even as a human who belongs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think COVID-19 is a good thing as long as we deal with the structural macro elements of the systemic crisis , which are again : global warming , social inequality , and overpopulation .
SM : Do you think larger threats to civilization than the coronavirus pandemic are on the horizon in the future ?
GM : Of course Sam , I think that the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to the way humanity has messed up the natural world since the industrial revolution .
It is all interconnected : I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All connected to a Faustian vision of the world where humans behave like the masters of nature not just a portion of it .
The coronavirus crisis is a lesson in humility .
It will perhaps gives our specie the opportunity to reinvent itself , and that way dodge a looming collapse .
Editor ’ s Notes : Gilbert Mercier is the author ofThe Orwellian Empire .
Photograph one by Charles Van Den Broek ; photograph two by Photoheuristic.info ; photograph three by Russ Allison Loar ; photograph five from the archive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six and nine by Gauthier Delecroix ; photograph seven by Gilbert Mercier ; and photograph eight by Nickolay Romensky .
Listen to the full interview of Gilbert Mercier by Sam Mitchell on Collapse Chronicles .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Authored by Gilbert Mercier, via News Junkie Post…
This interview was conducted by Collapse Chronicles host Sam Mitchell.
Sam Mitchell: Gilbert, is COVID-19 the trigger for the global collapse of global industrial civilization? Why or why not?
Gilbert Mercier: Sam, I’m not sure that COVID-19 can be called a trigger. It is more a catalyst, both in a global sociological and historical sense, which has initiated an incredible chain reaction. A microscopic organism has become, paradoxically, the vector of a radical paradigm shift. This could be, time will tell, a unique moment in humanity’s history. It has exposed, if you wish, the colossal systemic failure of global capitalism as well as the absolute incompetence of the so-called political and business leaders. The modest creature’s side effect indeed has been a crash of the global financial market. It has the power of a giant wrecking ball!
For 99 percent of people this comes as a shock. But you and I, and the followers of Collapse Chronicles, knew the systemic collapse was coming. I guess the coronavirus was the missing ingredient to bring a sick civilization to its knees. The other ingredients, the macro ones, to the collapse recipe are of course climate change, overpopulation, and social inequality. To be a bit ironic, because one has to be, COVID-19 is at the same time the catalyst and the missing link between the three major macro issues humanity was already facing. We are now in uncharted territories.
SM: Where would you placed the threat of the coronavirus on human health on the list of threats against civilization?
GM: Well Sam, it is quite high. As of March 19th, both the confirmed cases of COVID-19 and number of deaths were climbing exponentially. The graphs are rather scary. Worldwide we were at almost 250,000 cases and 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. But however deadly and contagious COVID-19 is, things have to be put in the perspective of other pandemics such as the black plague of the Middle Ages that killed 40 percent of Europe’s population or, more recently, the 1918-1920 Spanish flu that killed 50 million. But Sam, to answer your question specifically, the big threats, the macro ones, are still there, and I have to repeat this. They are: global warming, social inequality and overpopulation, while the coronavirus is the catalyst to make the collapse chain reaction gel. COVID-19 is the cherry on top of the collapse banana split!
SM: Do you consider the direct threat to human health or the knock-on effects to the global economy to be the bigger threat?
GM: In terms of systemic collapse, the biggest threat that is effectively crashing all stock markets, and I am sure is cynically a much bigger concern than losses of life for the rich and powerful, is of course the near collapse of the global economy. Everywhere in the world, central banks are literally throwing money at the problem: to no effect. Financial markets, just like individuals, are utterly terrified. Sam, to give you an example, in the US the Federal Reserve has already injected $1.2 trillion to patch the hole. In the EU, the European Central Bank is doing the same. Everybody is basically printing money, terrified to have a run on banks. It is, if you wish, because one has to keep a sense of humor, like the run on toilet paper! Sam, more seriously, the global COVID-19 depression, not recession, is coming. It is likely to be worse than the Great Depression of 1929.
SM: Do you think the reactions to the threat by governments is overblown, not strong enough or just about right?
GM: Basically Sam, all the reactions of governments and institutions like the WHO (World Health Organization) were wrong: mainly by their timing and the lack of transparency. There are some notable exceptions such as China, South Korea and Germany. Elsewhere, all political leaders have failed or are failing. In China, where the pandemic appeared in December 2019, they were almost immediately pro-active and transparent by, for example, letting the international scientific community know, as early as January 10th, about the coronavirus. Further, they handled the problem with draconian confinement measures. For its part the WHO failed by not declaring COVID-19 a pandemic early enough.
With the exception of China, South Korea and Germany, the other countries failed by not testing enough. Either because they couldn’t do it, or to deliberately hide the number of cases. Basically, the pandemic exposed governmental failures everywhere. For example, in France, which is currently under lockdown and citizen confinement, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn gave a warning of a coming “coronavirus tsunami” both to President Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in mid-January. She wasn’t heard. It’s all a question of timing, Sam. Timing, full transparency, and international cooperation. But certainly not panic and shutting down borders.
SM: Gilbert, do you believe the threat of COVID-19 trumps our civil rights? Should governments be given the power to curtail basic freedom such as freedom of assembly and freedom of movement in order to respond to the level of threat posed by the disease or should the response be up to individuals?
GM: Absolutely not Sam! What’s going on worldwide is more than alarming. The authoritarian patterns applied by governments, one after another, are just incredible. Italy, Spain and France are supposed to be democracies, but at the moment, more than 250 million Europeans are living under, de facto, martial law. Citizens have lost all basic freedom of movement and assembly. They are virtual prisoners, confined to their homes, with police and the military patrolling the streets. Fear and paranoia have set in as citizens have been deprived, almost overnight, of all civil rights. They can only go out to buy food, medical supplies, and go to work if they cannot work remotely. Surreal ghost cities, it is Orwellian in nature. Europeans’ daily reality has become a dystopian nightmare.
SM: Do you think, Gilbert, that the reaction to the pandemic we see playing out in the general public, namely the hoarding and panic buying, is a snapshot into the future as collapse starts to accelerate?
GM: Yes absolutely Sam, the panic buying and compulsive hoarding seem to be as contagious as the coronavirus. It is bordering on collective psychosis. Nowadays, you go to a supermarket in the US or in Europe, and you see empty shelves. What is surprising, as people seem to gather enough food for months, is the run on toilet paper. It is, at the same time comical, pathetic, and symptomatic. Perhaps, deep inside, the toilet paper hoarders know that they are assholes! But, jokes aside, what governments should worry about is jobless people, burdened with debts, running out of money. Also, increased food shortages, which most people can witness in supermarkets, could quickly translate into social unrest: major ones, especially in countries with a history of revolution like France.
SM: Do you see any positive effects for people and the planet in general from COVID-19? If you were not a human, Gilbert, looking at this through a purely human-centric lens, would COVID-19 be a good thing?
GM: Yes, I am probably one of the rare people who see a unique opportunity in this coronavirus crisis. This is THE wake call for humanity! A moment of truth that must bring up a complete reassessment of the way we live. Not only together, but also our relationship with nature. Again, Sam, I truly think COVID-19 is the completely unexpected vector of a global sociological paradigm shift. Everything must be on the table, actually it is time to do tabula rasa. Sam, even as a human who belongs to an age group at greater risk, I think COVID-19 is a good thing as long as we deal with the structural macro elements of the systemic crisis, which are again: global warming, social inequality, and overpopulation.
SM: Do you think larger threats to civilization than the coronavirus pandemic are on the horizon in the future?
GM: Of course Sam, I think that the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to the way humanity has messed up the natural world since the industrial revolution. It is all interconnected: I mean the current pandemic and the climate crisis. All connected to a Faustian vision of the world where humans behave like the masters of nature not just a portion of it. The coronavirus crisis is a lesson in humility. It will perhaps gives our specie the opportunity to reinvent itself, and that way dodge a looming collapse.
Editor’s Notes: Gilbert Mercier is the author ofThe Orwellian Empire. Photograph one by Charles Van Den Broek; photograph two by Photoheuristic.info; photograph three by Russ Allison Loar; photograph five from the archive of New York National Guard; photographs six and nine by Gauthier Delecroix; photograph seven by Gilbert Mercier; and photograph eight by Nickolay Romensky.
Listen to the full interview of Gilbert Mercier by Sam Mitchell on Collapse Chronicles.
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theduran--2020-03-24--Congress fiddles while citizens die in Democrat partisanship [Video]

I guess this is taking “ don ’ t panic !
” to its ultimate end .
In a severely distasteful move , Congressional Democrat members tried to attach irrelevant riders to the latest coronavirus relief bill , apparently making use of Rahm Emmanuel ’ s philosophy , “ never let a good crisis go to waste.
” As a result the bill is presently deadlocked in Congress , even as the number of COVID-19 cases in the US has become the third highest in the world .
This is a classical case of partisanship .
Perhaps the Democrats believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time , that the GOP is playing politics with their good ideas about this package .
However , a piece from Fox News illustrates the problem in more detail and shows that the problem indeed resides on the Democrat side of the aisle .
It is not that the parties disagree , it is that the Democrats really are trying to put unneeded ( but ideologically valid ) riders in an extremely vital piece of legislation .
Excerpting from the report : On the Senate floor shortly after noon on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , specifically alleging they were trying to extract concessions from airlines over their “ carbon footprint , ” with the economy hanging in the balance… “ As Leader Schumer continues to hold up the desperately-needed relief package , the last-minute list of demands from Pelosi ’ s and Schumer ’ s ideological wish list are coming into focus , ” the aide said .
These include new collective bargaining powers for unions , higher fuel emissions standards for airlines , and expanded wind and solar tax credits .
Sen. Tom Cotton , R-Ark.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the same information was tweeted by TownHall.com political editor and Fox News contributor Guy Benson .
“ This report is correct .
Pelosi & Schumer are willing to risk your life , your job , your retirement savings for a radical , left-wing wish list that has nothing to do with this virus , ” Cotton said .
“ Disgraceful.
” After House Majority Whip Rep. Jim Clyburn , was reported by The Hill to have said that this is “ a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using the “ Phase 3 ” coronavirus relief package as a political opportunity .
“ That ’ s not what this is about , ” McConnell said .
“ This is not about unrelated policy changes , this is about direct assistance to the American people and to small businesses and to hospitals and others who are in need because we in government at all levels , in order to deal with this pandemic , have basically shut the economy down.
” The Republican aide said the new Democratic demands arose after House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C. from a weeklong House recess .
Pelosi said the House would introduce their own bill as she was reportedly seeking a “ laundry list ” of items to be included in the emergency legislation , including wiping out up to $ 10,000 in student loan debt per person and securing election-security funding .
Other add-ons that Democrats including Pelosi have pushed for include food security aid , small business loans , and other measures for workers , The Associated Press reported , though these are more closely related to the crisis at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they had a prominent piece on their splash page that offered a countering take to conservative-aligned Fox News .
They do not have anything on the splash page about this situation at all .
So what does that mean ?
While this is a bit of perhaps unsolicited speculation , it indicates that for a group of people involved in making American policy , even the fact that people are getting severely ill and dying is simply useful to their cause .
In other words , it does not matter at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats get their power .
This remark may seem itself to be extreme .
But there is good reason that it is not extreme at all ; it is , in fact , simply owing to the mindset of many modern Democrats .
Here is how : In our series of articles about Orthodox Christianity versus Socialism , we started analysing the worldview of socialists .
It is surprising , but to them , to their progenitor , Karl Marx , matter has intrinsic creative power in of itself .
This negates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a Divine God , and it also negates the value of human beings in general .
( Of course , the usual budding socialist probably thinks more of himself or herself than of the rest of society , but for some real hard-core socialists , like one I know here in Russia , even they themselves have no value . )
Because of this way of identifying what is meaningful and what isn ’ t , the advent of such a crisis that steals a great number of human lives and ruins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the END , which is the creation of a socialist , materialist utopia , where everything is owned by “ everyone ” ( a.k.a .
the State ) , and everyone is “ happy ” because they have enough .
The Democrat crowd in the US is not all socialist but there are many more of them than there used to be .
So for them , utopia seems to largely marginalize human beings , as pesty sort of things which get in the way of THE PLAN , and need to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hence full term and even after-term “ abortion ” is allowable ) to get rid of unwanted human trash .
That “ trash ” could be any one of us .
So for the Democrat Party , this is simply business as usual because this is the mindset their idealogues hold .
It is a bleak , very sad point of view .
And it explains exactly why the modern Democrat thinks there is absolutely no problem in using this deadly pandemic to further their own political ends .
In this regard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because it can be used for their purposes .
However , it can also be used for us , to see how this sad group of people really need to be stopped in their tracks .
Socialism and its brother , communism , have indeed been the most destructive forms of government in the history of the world .
Over 100 million people met their ends at the hands of such regimes .
Now , in the United States , thousands – or potentially millions more may be added to that grisly @ @

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
I guess this is taking “don’t panic!” to its ultimate end. In a severely distasteful move, Congressional Democrat members tried to attach irrelevant riders to the latest coronavirus relief bill, apparently making use of Rahm Emmanuel’s philosophy, “never let a good crisis go to waste.” As a result the bill is presently deadlocked in Congress, even as the number of COVID-19 cases in the US has become the third highest in the world.
Dr Steven Turley really explains the insanity of this latest partisan play by the Democrats in a simply must-watch video, here below:
This is a classical case of partisanship.
But could it be that the Democrats believe the same charge about the Republicans at this time, that the GOP is playing politics with their good ideas about this package?
Actually a piece from Fox News illustrates the problem in more detail and shows that the problem indeed resides on the Democrat side of the aisle. It is not that the parties disagree, it is that the Democrats really are trying to put unneeded (but ideologically important, if you are a neo Marxist) riders in an extremely vital piece of legislation. Excerpting from the report:
On the Senate floor shortly after noon on Monday, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lit into Democrats, specifically alleging they were trying to extract concessions from airlines over their “carbon footprint,” with the economy hanging in the balance… “As Leader Schumer continues to hold up the desperately-needed relief package, the last-minute list of demands from Pelosi’s and Schumer’s ideological wish list are coming into focus,” the aide said. These include new collective bargaining powers for unions, higher fuel emissions standards for airlines, and expanded wind and solar tax credits. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., confirmed this on Twitter Monday morning after the same information was tweeted by TownHall.com political editor and Fox News contributor Guy Benson. “This report is correct. Pelosi & Schumer are willing to risk your life, your job, your retirement savings for a radical, left-wing wish list that has nothing to do with this virus,” Cotton said. “Disgraceful.” After House Majority Whip Rep. Jim Clyburn, was reported by The Hill to have said that this is “a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision,” McConnell, R-Ky., warned against using the “Phase 3” coronavirus relief package as a political opportunity. “That’s not what this is about,” McConnell said. “This is not about unrelated policy changes, this is about direct assistance to the American people and to small businesses and to hospitals and others who are in need because we in government at all levels, in order to deal with this pandemic, have basically shut the economy down.” The Republican aide said the new Democratic demands arose after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi returned to Washington, D.C. from a weeklong House recess. Pelosi said the House would introduce their own bill as she was reportedly seeking a “laundry list” of items to be included in the emergency legislation, including wiping out up to $10,000 in student loan debt per person and securing election-security funding. Other add-ons that Democrats including Pelosi have pushed for include food security aid, small business loans, and other measures for workers, The Associated Press reported, though these are more closely related to the crisis at hand…
In order to be fair, we checked Democrat-aligned CNN to see if they had a prominent piece on their splash page that offered a countering take to conservative-aligned Fox News. They do not have anything on the splash page about this situation at all.
So what does that mean? While this is a bit of perhaps unsolicited speculation, it indicates that for a group of people involved in making American policy, even the fact that people are getting severely ill and dying is simply useful to their cause. In other words, it does not matter at all what happens to anyone as long as the Democrats get their power.
This remark may seem itself to be extreme. But there is good reason that it is not extreme at all; it is, in fact, simply owing to the mindset of many modern Democrats. Here is how:
In our series of articles about Orthodox Christianity versus Socialism, we started analysing the worldview of socialists. It is surprising, but to them, to their progenitor, Karl Marx, matter has intrinsic creative power in of itself. This negates for the socialist the need to believe in a Divine God, and it also negates the value of human beings in general. (Of course, the usual budding socialist probably thinks more of himself or herself than of the rest of society, but for some real hard-core socialists, like one I know here in Russia, even they themselves have no value.) Because of this way of identifying what is meaningful and what isn’t, the advent of such a crisis that steals a great number of human lives and ruins others is simply yet another means to the END, which is the creation of a socialist, materialist utopia, where everything is owned by “everyone” (a.k.a. the State), and everyone is “happy” because they have enough.
The Democrat crowd in the US is not all socialist but there are many more of them than there used to be. So for them, utopia seems to largely marginalize human beings, as pesty sort of things which get in the way of THE PLAN, and need to be sharply reduced in number or eliminated (hence full term and even after-term “abortion” is allowable) to get rid of unwanted human trash.
That “trash” could be any one of us.
So for the Democrat Party, this is simply business as usual because this is the mindset their idealogues hold. It is a bleak, very sad point of view. And it explains exactly why the modern Democrat thinks there is absolutely no problem in using this deadly pandemic to further their own political ends.
In this regard, the pandemic is a blessing to them, because it can be used for their purposes.
However, it can also be used for us, to see how this sad group of people really need to be stopped in their tracks. Socialism and its brother, communism, have indeed been the most destructive forms of government in the history of the world. Over 100 million people met their ends at the hands of such regimes. Now, in the United States, thousands – or potentially millions more may be added to that grisly tally.
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report


theduran--2020-03-24--The Alex Salmond Witch-Hunt

The Alex Salmond Witch-Hunt

Yet another “ powerful man ” has been tried for sexual offences against multiple women , but this time the accused has been totally vindicated .
Alex Salmond was First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014 .
This month he stood trial at Scotland ’ s highest court , a trial that ended Monday .
Scotland ’ s unique legal system has 15 jurors and 3 verdicts with no hung juries .
Also , corroboration is required for conviction , traditionally two pieces of evidence .
It used to be said that Scottish police officers would walk around in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s perjury .
Salmond was facing no fewer than 14 charges from 9 accusers : one charge was withdrawn by the Crown , he was found not proven on one , and not guilty on all the rest , which constitutes total vindication .
He is arguably the least likely of public figures to have been tried for multiple sex offences in recent years , and the outcome of the trial raises questions about the motives of at least some of his accusers .
Unfortunately , thanks to the pernicious influence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us are unlikely to learn the names of any of these accusers due to the blanket anonymity given accusers in sex cases , or complainers as they are known north of the border .
Their names will though be known to those within his political circle .
The most serious charges he faced were attempted rape .
At least one mainstream publication alluded to actual rape , but there was no charge of rape , and as usual in such cases , the allegations dated back years , either the result of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing “ great courage ” in coming forward to point the finger at this “ powerful man ” .
Fortunately , there is no equivalent of the odious Gloria Allred in the UK because any solicitor who resorted to her antics would be struck off .
The allegations against Alex Salmond began with claims of sexual harassment .
Roger Scruton once defined sexual harassment as sexual advances from the unattractive , which is the majority of us .
From the evidence heard in Edinburgh this month , the recently deceased philosopher appears to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a rather unusual personal life ; he married his first and only wife Moira in 1981 .
She is seventeen years his senior , and was once his boss , an almost certain recipe for disaster , but not apparently in this case .
They are childless , and , it has been suggested , this has led to his playing away a bit .
The charges dated back to 2008 , although it was only in 2018 that allegations were made .
At the end of August he set up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review into the fairness of the process .
It raised over £100,000 in less than three days .
The police did not act until January 24 , 2019 , when he was charged with 14 offences including 2 of attempted rape .
The most noticeable feature of this case was Salmond ’ s demeanour , one borne not so much of innocence but of the supreme confidence of a man who knows he is right , and in the courtroom it soon became clear that he had good cause for it .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first accuser known as Woman H said she felt “ hunted ” by Salmond as she was sexually assaulted on two occasions in the run up of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum .
These sexual assaults were alleged to have happened at Bute House , the official residence of the First Minister .
Having endured his groping her when he was drunk one evening , the second time he was said to have followed her upstairs where he took off her clothes and his own before falling asleep , and she didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not want to be considered to be one of his women ” .
This was the most serious of the allegations .
Woman D claimed he had touched her fundament perhaps ten times in two years .
And of course she never once protested , much less slapped his face .
On the third day of the trial , the jury was given a proper insight into what had happened here , and what hadn ’ t happened .
Woman A admitted making contact with five of his other accusers following an article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all known to her .
This though was not comparable to the Jian Ghomeshi case in which a gaggle of malicious women set out to destroy a man , rather it was a case of one accuser validating another with a bit of confabulation and unquestionably some consensual horseplay thrown in which had been reinterpreted as sexual assault .
It is clear though that Mr Salmond does not view his accusers so charitably , and indeed he insisted that he was the victim of a high level plot within the SNP , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in court , although he took the stand in his own defence , as should every innocent man without good reason .
It is clear that Scottish politics has not heard the last of Alex Salmond , and it is equally clear that at some point men in positions of power , political or otherwise , will need to take serious steps to protect themselves from false and at times malicious allegations by women , allegations that can be post-dated months , years , or even decades , and which can destroy careers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hat .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Yet another “powerful man” has been tried for sexual offences against multiple women, but this time the accused has been totally vindicated. Alex Salmond was First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014. This month he stood trial at Scotland’s highest court, a trial that ended Monday. Scotland’s unique legal system has 15 jurors and 3 verdicts with no hung juries. Also, corroboration is required for conviction, traditionally two pieces of evidence. It used to be said that Scottish police officers would walk around in pairs so one could corroborate the other’s perjury.
Salmond was facing no fewer than 14 charges from 9 accusers: one charge was withdrawn by the Crown, he was found not proven on one, and not guilty on all the rest, which constitutes total vindication. He is arguably the least likely of public figures to have been tried for multiple sex offences in recent years, and the outcome of the trial raises questions about the motives of at least some of his accusers.
Unfortunately, thanks to the pernicious influence of the sexual grievance industry, most of us are unlikely to learn the names of any of these accusers due to the blanket anonymity given accusers in sex cases, or complainers as they are known north of the border. Their names will though be known to those within his political circle.
The most serious charges he faced were attempted rape. At least one mainstream publication alluded to actual rape, but there was no charge of rape, and as usual in such cases, the allegations dated back years, either the result of a police trawl or of suddenly empowered women showing “great courage” in coming forward to point the finger at this “powerful man”. Fortunately, there is no equivalent of the odious Gloria Allred in the UK because any solicitor who resorted to her antics would be struck off.
The allegations against Alex Salmond began with claims of sexual harassment. Roger Scruton once defined sexual harassment as sexual advances from the unattractive, which is the majority of us. From the evidence heard in Edinburgh this month, the recently deceased philosopher appears likewise to have been totally vindicated.
Alex Salmond has a rather unusual personal life; he married his first and only wife Moira in 1981. She is seventeen years his senior, and was once his boss, an almost certain recipe for disaster, but not apparently in this case. They are childless, and, it has been suggested, the age difference has led to his playing away a bit.
The charges dated back to 2008, although it was only in 2018 that formal allegations were made. At the end of August that year he set up a controversial crowdfunding appeal to fund a judicial review into the fairness of the process. It raised over £100,000 in less than three days. The police did not act until January 24, 2019, when he was charged with 14 offences including 2 of attempted rape.
The most noticeable feature of this case was Salmond’s demeanour, one borne not so much of innocence but of the supreme confidence of a man who knows he is right, and in the courtroom it soon became clear that he had good cause for it.
On day one of the trial, his first accuser known as Woman H said she felt “hunted” by Salmond as she was sexually assaulted on two occasions in the run up of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. These sexual assaults were alleged to have happened at Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister.
Having endured his groping her when he was drunk one evening, the second time he was said to have followed her upstairs where he took off her clothes and his own before falling asleep, and she didn’t report this because she…“did not want to be considered to be one of his women”.
This was the most serious of the allegations. Woman D claimed he had touched her fundament perhaps ten times in two years. And of course she never once protested, much less slapped his face. On the third day of the trial, the jury was given a proper insight into what had happened here, and what hadn’t happened. Woman A admitted making contact with five of his other accusers following an article in the Daily Record. They were all known to her. This though was not comparable to the Jian Ghomeshi case in which a gaggle of malicious women set out to destroy a man, rather it was a case of one accuser validating another with a bit of confabulation and unquestionably some consensual horseplay thrown in which had been reinterpreted as sexual assault.
It is clear though that Mr Salmond does not view his accusers so charitably, and indeed he insisted that he was the victim of a high level plot within the SNP, an issue he was not allowed to raise in court, although he took the stand in his own defence, as should every innocent man without good reason.
It is clear that Scottish politics has not heard the last of Alex Salmond, and it is equally clear that at some point men in positions of power, political or otherwise, will need to take serious steps to protect themselves from false and at times malicious allegations by women, allegations that can be post-dated months, years, or even decades, and which can destroy careers and lives literally at the drop of a hat.
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theduran--2020-03-24--Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer revealed to be DNC trap (Video)

The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the latest Russiagate hoax revelation that the FBI knew that the Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya had nothing to do with any type of collusion against Hillary Clinton .
This has been confirmed by a trusted Russian translator who was present at the meeting and told Robert Mueller that the Trump Tower meeting was not about Clinton ‘ dirt ’ , completely corroborating what Veselnitskaya and Trump Jr. , have also stated .
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The Russian translator who attended the 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Russians and President Trump ’ s campaign members told special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigators there was no discussion of the election or collusion .
Anatoli Samochornov , a Russian-born interpreter who had worked for Fusion GPS-linked Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya , told FBI agents just days after the meeting was made public in July 2017 that Donald Trump Jr. ’ s recollections of the encounter were correct and no damaging information about former Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ translator ’ s account , which does not appear in the redacted version of Mueller ’ s 448-page report released to the public , was disclosed in seven pages of FBI interview notes released because of Freedom of Information Act lawsuits brought by BuzzFeed and CNN .
It was first reported by RealClearInvestigations .
“ Samochornov could not speak for other occasions , but said there was no discussion about the 2016 U.S. presidential election or collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign at the meeting , ” FBI investigators wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview .
“ There was no smoking gun according to Samochornov .
There was not a discussion about ‘ dirt ’ on Hillary Clinton .
Samochornov did not think Hillary Clinton was mentioned by name at the meeting .
Samochornov had not heard Veselnitskaya say anything about having ‘ dirt ’ on Hillary Clinton.
” Mueller ’ s report on Russian election interference detailed how the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump Jr. , campaign chairman Paul Manafort , Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner , and a number of Russians , including Samochornov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign as an opportunity to get damaging information on Clinton , who was Trump ’ s main rival in the 2016 election .
But Veselnitskaya pulled a bait-and-switch and turned the meeting into a presentation on Russia ’ s desire to repeal the Magnitsky Act , a 2012 law hated by Russian President Vladimir Putin , sanctioning Russia over the death of Russian corruption whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky in 2009 .
Trump Jr. issued a series of statements when the Trump Tower meeting was revealed in early July 2017 , denying the Russians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ we primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children … since ended by the Russian government.
” Trump ’ s eldest son elaborated by saying Veselnitskaya “ stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton ” but “ began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act ” and “ it became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they suggested they had about Hillary Clinton I thought was Political Opposition Research ” and “ she had no information to provide and wanted to talk about adoption policy and the Magnitsky Act.
” Samochornov ’ s FBI interview was the next day .
“ Samochornov was not particularly fond of Donald Trump Jr. , but stated Donald Trump Jr ’ s account of the meeting with Veselnitskaya , as portrayed in recent media reports , was accurate , ” FBI investigators wrote .
“ Samochornov concurred with Donald Trump Jr. ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ they ’ were telling the truth .
Samochornov told the interviewing agents that he would have contacted the FBI if he thought the meeting was nefarious.
” Trump Jr. said in March 2017 that “ I ’ m sure I did ” meet with some Russians during the campaign “ but none that were set up ” and “ certainly none that I was representing the campaign in any way , shape , or form.
” When asked if he had discussed government policies related to Russia with any Russians , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no.
” Samochornov ’ s interview with the FBI is mentioned in the Mueller report ’ s footnotes 10 times .
The Trump Tower meeting was proposed to Trump Jr. by British music promoter Robert Goldstone at the request of his boss , Emin Agalarov , son of Aras Agalarov , a Russian developer who worked with Trump .
In an email exchange , Goldstone claimed the “ Crown prosecutor of Russia ” had information that could “ incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia.
” Trump Jr. said in response , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I love it.
” Veselnitskaya was a former Russian prosecutor performing government-related lobbying in the United States against the Magnitsky Act .
Prevezon Holdings was alleged to have laundered fraudulent money exposed by Magnitsky , so Veselnitskaya hired BakerHostetler to help Prevezon in court — and the firm hired Fusion GPS .
Prevezon later settled for $ 5.9 million in what the Justice Department called “ a $ 230 million Russian tax refund fraud scheme involving corrupt Russian officials.
” Bill Browder , a hedge fund founder and Magnitsky ’ s friend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law and has been publicly attacked by Putin .
Glenn Simpson , Fusion GPS ’ s founder , testified he started working with Veselnitskaya in 2014 .
Simpson knew the research he conducted opposing the Magnitsky Act and criticizing Browder made its way to Veselnitskaya .
Simpson met with Veselnitskaya the day before the Trump Tower meeting , the day of it , and the day after Simpson claimed he didn ’ t know Veselnitskaya was connected to the Kremlin and didn ’ t know about the Trump Tower meeting beforehand .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ echoing Kremlin talking points that was passed to a Republican congressman by the Russian prosecutor general ’ s office in April 2016 , criticizing the Magnitsky Act and calling Browder a “ fugitive criminal ” engaged in a fraudulent scheme in support of Democrats .
The dossier also criticized the Ziff Brothers , two American investors and Democratic donors .
In Senate testimony , Simpson admitted to researching many allegations that appeared in Veselnitskaya ’ s talking points .
When Trump Jr. asked Veselnitskaya for proof , she did not provide any .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mentioned Russian adoption , and the Trump associates considered it a waste of time .
“ According to Samochornov , Veselnitskaya had misplaced hopes that the meeting attendees would be more receptive to her information , ” the FBI ’ s notes said .
“ Samochornov told the interviewing agents that Veselnitskaya would seek any avenues to advance her cause.
” Mueller ’ s report said the anti-Magnitsky group controlled by Veselnitskya “ offered to pay $ 90,000 of Samochornov ’ s legal fees ” and “ at Veselnitskaya ’ s request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a Veselnitskaya press interview , and Samochornov understood that the organization would pay his legal fees only if he made statements consistent with Veselnitskaya ’ s. ” Mueller said , “ Samochornov declined , telling the Office that he did not want to perjure himself.
” The Justice Department later unsealed an indictment against Veselnitskaya , now out of reach in Russia , alleging she obstructed justice during the Prevezon case through secret collaboration with Russia .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the latest Russiagate hoax revelation that the FBI knew that the Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya had nothing to do with any type of collusion against Hillary Clinton.
This has been confirmed by a trusted Russian translator who was present at the meeting and told Robert Mueller that the Trump Tower meeting was not about Clinton ‘dirt’, completely corroborating what Veselnitskaya and Trump Jr., have also stated.
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Via The Washington Examiner…
The Russian translator who attended the 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Russians and President Trump’s campaign members told special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators there was no discussion of the election or collusion.
Anatoli Samochornov, a Russian-born interpreter who had worked for Fusion GPS-linked Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, told FBI agents just days after the meeting was made public in July 2017 that Donald Trump Jr.’s recollections of the encounter were correct and no damaging information about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was offered.
The translator’s account, which does not appear in the redacted version of Mueller’s 448-page report released to the public, was disclosed in seven pages of FBI interview notes released because of Freedom of Information Act lawsuits brought by BuzzFeed and CNN. It was first reported by RealClearInvestigations.
“Samochornov could not speak for other occasions, but said there was no discussion about the 2016 U.S. presidential election or collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign at the meeting,” FBI investigators wrote about their July 12, 2017, interview. “There was no smoking gun according to Samochornov. There was not a discussion about ‘dirt’ on Hillary Clinton. Samochornov did not think Hillary Clinton was mentioned by name at the meeting. Samochornov had not heard Veselnitskaya say anything about having ‘dirt’ on Hillary Clinton.”
Mueller’s report on Russian election interference detailed how the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump Jr., campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and a number of Russians, including Samochornov and Veselnitskaya, was pitched to the Trump campaign as an opportunity to get damaging information on Clinton, who was Trump’s main rival in the 2016 election. But Veselnitskaya pulled a bait-and-switch and turned the meeting into a presentation on Russia’s desire to repeal the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 law hated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, sanctioning Russia over the death of Russian corruption whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky in 2009.
Trump Jr. issued a series of statements when the Trump Tower meeting was revealed in early July 2017, denying the Russians provided anti-Clinton dirt.
He said that “we primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children … since ended by the Russian government.”
Trump’s eldest son elaborated by saying Veselnitskaya “stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton” but “began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act” and “it became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext.”
Trump Jr. tweeted that “the information they suggested they had about Hillary Clinton I thought was Political Opposition Research” and “she had no information to provide and wanted to talk about adoption policy and the Magnitsky Act.”
Samochornov’s FBI interview was the next day.
“Samochornov was not particularly fond of Donald Trump Jr., but stated Donald Trump Jr’s account of the meeting with Veselnitskaya, as portrayed in recent media reports, was accurate,” FBI investigators wrote. “Samochornov concurred with Donald Trump Jr.’s accounts of the meeting. He added, ‘they’ were telling the truth. Samochornov told the interviewing agents that he would have contacted the FBI if he thought the meeting was nefarious.”
Trump Jr. said in March 2017 that “I’m sure I did” meet with some Russians during the campaign “but none that were set up” and “certainly none that I was representing the campaign in any way, shape, or form.” When asked if he had discussed government policies related to Russia with any Russians, he said: “A 100% no.”
Samochornov’s interview with the FBI is mentioned in the Mueller report’s footnotes 10 times.
The Trump Tower meeting was proposed to Trump Jr. by British music promoter Robert Goldstone at the request of his boss, Emin Agalarov, son of Aras Agalarov, a Russian developer who worked with Trump. In an email exchange, Goldstone claimed the “Crown prosecutor of Russia” had information that could “incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia.” Trump Jr. said in response, “If it’s what you say, I love it.”
Veselnitskaya was a former Russian prosecutor performing government-related lobbying in the United States against the Magnitsky Act. Prevezon Holdings was alleged to have laundered fraudulent money exposed by Magnitsky, so Veselnitskaya hired BakerHostetler to help Prevezon in court — and the firm hired Fusion GPS. Prevezon later settled for $5.9 million in what the Justice Department called “a $230 million Russian tax refund fraud scheme involving corrupt Russian officials.”
Bill Browder, a hedge fund founder and Magnitsky’s friend, was a major advocate for the law and has been publicly attacked by Putin.
Glenn Simpson, Fusion GPS’s founder, testified he started working with Veselnitskaya in 2014. Simpson knew the research he conducted opposing the Magnitsky Act and criticizing Browder made its way to Veselnitskaya. Simpson met with Veselnitskaya the day before the Trump Tower meeting, the day of it, and the day after Simpson claimed he didn’t know Veselnitskaya was connected to the Kremlin and didn’t know about the Trump Tower meeting beforehand.
At the meeting, Veselnitskaya presented a dossier echoing Kremlin talking points that was passed to a Republican congressman by the Russian prosecutor general’s office in April 2016, criticizing the Magnitsky Act and calling Browder a “fugitive criminal” engaged in a fraudulent scheme in support of Democrats. The dossier also criticized the Ziff Brothers, two American investors and Democratic donors.
In Senate testimony, Simpson admitted to researching many allegations that appeared in Veselnitskaya’s talking points. When Trump Jr. asked Veselnitskaya for proof, she did not provide any.
The Russians then complained about U.S. sanctions and mentioned Russian adoption, and the Trump associates considered it a waste of time.
“According to Samochornov, Veselnitskaya had misplaced hopes that the meeting attendees would be more receptive to her information,” the FBI’s notes said. “Samochornov told the interviewing agents that Veselnitskaya would seek any avenues to advance her cause.”
Mueller’s report said the anti-Magnitsky group controlled by Veselnitskya “offered to pay $90,000 of Samochornov’s legal fees” and “at Veselnitskaya’s request, the organization sent Samochornov a transcript of a Veselnitskaya press interview, and Samochornov understood that the organization would pay his legal fees only if he made statements consistent with Veselnitskaya’s.”
Mueller said, “Samochornov declined, telling the Office that he did not want to perjure himself.”
The Justice Department later unsealed an indictment against Veselnitskaya, now out of reach in Russia, alleging she obstructed justice during the Prevezon case through secret collaboration with Russia.
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theduran--2020-03-24--Wuhan Coronavirus/New York City Matrix

Wuhan Coronavirus/New York City Matrix

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by William Stroock , author of military fiction… In response to the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak , President Trump holds daily press briefings in which he describes his administration ’ s efforts and spars with the media .
He then hands the podium off to Vice President Mike Pence , chair of the Coronavirus Task Force .
The former governor of Indiana comes across as cool , collected , and in-charge .
Pence will probably be the Republican frontrunner in 2024 .
Last week , the press really focused on an important issue : is calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist ?
In true Trumpian manner , Trump scoffed .
And so , he goaded the press into picking another fight that will make them look silly .
The Wuhan Coronavirus is sweeping through the New York Metropolitan area .
As of this writing , New York State reports 10,356 confirmed Wuhan Coronavirus cases , the largest concentrations are in Westchester County ( 1,387 cases ) , bordering New York City in the north , and Nassau County ( 1,234 ) bordering the east .
The city itself repots 8,115 cases .
Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ‘ shelter in place ’ .
President Trump has declared New York City a disaster area , making it eligible for emergency disaster funds and activated the National Guard .
The navy is outfitting a hospital ship to assist New York City medical services .
In New Jersey , there are 2,844 confirmed cases and 20 deaths .
Governor Phil Murphy has cancelled the state , ordered a general quarantine , social distancing , and the closure of all but essential businesses .
There is an array of exceptions to the shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also takeout restaurants and hardware stores .
The state is getting drive-through testing centers up and running .
This includes sites at Bergen County Community College , Kean College , and a large site at the PNC Bank Arts Center , more or less in the middle of the state .
This author has seen many rock concerts there .
Those wishing to be tested must show symptoms , including at least a 99.6 Fahrenheit fever ( about 37.5 Celsius ) .
The number of confirmed cases is now rising by a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here in Somerset County , about 30 minutes west of New York City , authorities report 73 confirmed Wuhan Coronavirus cases and nine in our town , including one death .
Grocery shelves are stocked with essentials , though sanitizers and toilet paper are still hard to get .
This part of New Jersey has not yet seen gas prices fall .
Some speculate that the area had the Wuhan Coronavirus much earlier than believed , as many people report having suffered the worst flu of their lives in January and February .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence for that theory .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , a vociferous critic of Trump , has praised the President , ‘ I think the president was 100 % sincere in saying he wanted to work together in partnership , in a spirit of cooperation .
I can tell you the actions he has taken evidence that .
His team has been on it.
’ Over the weekend , the governor approved a trio of experimental drugs for treating the Wuhan Coronavirus .
Holding daily press conferences , Cuomo has become something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wondering about his future in Democrat Party politics .
Thirty years ago , the same pundits wondered about his father , Mario , liberal lion and three-term governor of New York State .
Failed Democrat presidential candidate , Bill de Blasio , pretends the city is receiving little help from the Federal Government .
‘ President Trump isn ’ t doing enough to help the city , the lights are on but nobody ’ s home at the executive branch , ’ de Blasio said on MSNBC , adding ‘ a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have to die.
’ He blamed the president for the city ’ s lack of masks and ventilators .
‘ The president is not acting like a Commander-in-Chief because he doesn ’ t know how , ’ said De Blasio .
His administration waited until 6 March to order masks and ventilators .
Also , in failed Democrat Presidential candidate news , former NYC Mayor donated $ 40 million dollars to help fight Wuhan Coronavirus in the city .
Federal Election Commission filings show Bloomberg didn ’ t spend $ 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No , Bloomberg spent nearly a billion dollars .
Last week Bloomberg transferred $ 18 million dollars to the Democratic National Committee .
Then he laid off his entire campaign staff .
Michael Bloomberg is worth more than $ 50 billion .
Presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden held a fake presidential news conference on Friday , in which he detailed what the nation should be doing and described what he would do as president .
He held another on Monday .
During the stream Biden ’ s teleprompter broke , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring him a copy of the speech .
This observer believes that Joe Biden ’ s obvious cognitive difficulties are severe and he will step aside ‘ for health reasons ’ long before the Democrat convention .
Last summer this observer used this implied that the eventual Democrat nominee would be either Elizabeth Warren or Kamala Harris .
The hashtag # PresidentCuomo has trended on Twitter and dissatisfied Democrats have touted him as an alternative to Joe Biden .
Maybe 2024 .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by William Stroock, author of military fiction…
In response to the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak, President Trump holds daily press briefings in which he describes his administration’s efforts and spars with the media. He then hands the podium off to Vice President Mike Pence, chair of the Coronavirus Task Force. The former governor of Indiana comes across as cool, collected, and in-charge. Pence will probably be the Republican frontrunner in 2024. Last week, the press really focused on an important issue: is calling the virus the ‘China Virus’ racist? In true Trumpian manner, Trump scoffed. And so, he goaded the press into picking another fight that will make them look silly.
The Wuhan Coronavirus is sweeping through the New York Metropolitan area. As of this writing, New York State reports 10,356 confirmed Wuhan Coronavirus cases, the largest concentrations are in Westchester County (1,387 cases), bordering New York City in the north, and Nassau County (1,234) bordering the east. The city itself repots 8,115 cases. Mayor Bill de Blasio has ordered the city to ‘shelter in place’. President Trump has declared New York City a disaster area, making it eligible for emergency disaster funds and activated the National Guard. The navy is outfitting a hospital ship to assist New York City medical services.
In New Jersey, there are 2,844 confirmed cases and 20 deaths. Governor Phil Murphy has cancelled the state, ordered a general quarantine, social distancing, and the closure of all but essential businesses. There is an array of exceptions to the shutdown order including groceries and pharmacies, but also takeout restaurants and hardware stores. The state is getting drive-through testing centers up and running. This includes sites at Bergen County Community College, Kean College, and a large site at the PNC Bank Arts Center, more or less in the middle of the state. This author has seen many rock concerts there. Those wishing to be tested must show symptoms, including at least a 99.6 Fahrenheit fever (about 37.5 Celsius). The number of confirmed cases is now rising by a few hundred per day, as expected.
Here in Somerset County, about 30 minutes west of New York City, authorities report 73 confirmed Wuhan Coronavirus cases and nine in our town, including one death. Grocery shelves are stocked with essentials, though sanitizers and toilet paper are still hard to get. This part of New Jersey has not yet seen gas prices fall. Some speculate that the area had the Wuhan Coronavirus much earlier than believed, as many people report having suffered the worst flu of their lives in January and February. For now, there is only anecdotal evidence for that theory.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a vociferous critic of Trump, has praised the President, ‘I think the president was 100% sincere in saying he wanted to work together in partnership, in a spirit of cooperation. I can tell you the actions he has taken evidence that. His team has been on it.’ Over the weekend, the governor approved a trio of experimental drugs for treating the Wuhan Coronavirus. Holding daily press conferences, Cuomo has become something of a matinee star and has pundits wondering about his future in Democrat Party politics. Thirty years ago, the same pundits wondered about his father, Mario, liberal lion and three-term governor of New York State.
Failed Democrat presidential candidate, Bill de Blasio, pretends the city is receiving little help from the Federal Government. ‘President Trump isn’t doing enough to help the city, the lights are on but nobody’s home at the executive branch,’ de Blasio said on MSNBC, adding ‘a lot of people are going to die who don’t have to die.’ He blamed the president for the city’s lack of masks and ventilators. ‘The president is not acting like a Commander-in-Chief because he doesn’t know how,’ said De Blasio. His administration waited until 6 March to order masks and ventilators.
Also, in failed Democrat Presidential candidate news, former NYC Mayor donated $40 million dollars to help fight Wuhan Coronavirus in the city. Federal Election Commission filings show Bloomberg didn’t spend $500 million dollars on his three-month presidential campaign. No, Bloomberg spent nearly a billion dollars. Last week Bloomberg transferred $18 million dollars to the Democratic National Committee. Then he laid off his entire campaign staff. Michael Bloomberg is worth more than $50 billion.
Presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden held a fake presidential news conference on Friday, in which he detailed what the nation should be doing and described what he would do as president. He held another on Monday. During the stream Biden’s teleprompter broke, he stopped talking and motioned for a staffer to bring him a copy of the speech. This observer believes that Joe Biden’s obvious cognitive difficulties are severe and he will step aside ‘for health reasons’ long before the Democrat convention. Last summer this observer used this implied that the eventual Democrat nominee would be either Elizabeth Warren or Kamala Harris. The hashtag #PresidentCuomo has trended on Twitter and dissatisfied Democrats have touted him as an alternative to Joe Biden. Maybe 2024.
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theduran--2020-03-24--Brazilian President’s son creates diplomatic crisis between Brazil and China

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Lucas Leiroz de Almeida , research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro… Federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro , son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro , has started a serious diplomatic crisis between Brazil and China .
On March 18 , the congressman published on a social network : “ Whoever watched Chernobyl will understand what happened .
Replace the nuclear plant with the coronavirus and the Soviet dictatorship with the Chinese .
Once again a dictatorship preferred to hide something serious rather than exposing it with wear and tear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
China is to blame and freedom would be the solution ” .
Then Eduardo published several accusations to the Chinese government of being responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Chinese response was immediate .
China ’ s ambassador to Brazil , Yang Wanming , said that “ the Chinese side vehemently repudiates the deputy ’ s words , and demands that he withdraw them immediately and apologize to the Chinese people.
” He also said that he would express his repudiation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chamber of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Embassy website itself was even more incisive : “ His words are extremely irresponsible and sound familiar .
They are still an imitation of your dear friends .
Upon returning from Miami , he unfortunately contracted a mental virus , which is infecting friendships among our peoples ” .
The mention to Miami made in the publication refers to the last official trip by President Jair Bolsonaro and his entourage , to the USA , two weeks ago , in which 22 Brazilian state officials contracted the new coronavirus .
The president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , responded quickly to the Chinese ’ s demand , posting on his social network profile : “ On behalf of the Chamber of Deputies , I apologize to China and Ambassador @ wanmingyang for the thoughtless words of the deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro ” .
However , the attitude of the Minister of Foreign Affairs , Ernesto Araújo , was not the same as that of Rodrigo Maia .
The head of Brazilian diplomacy spoke out in defense of the Bolsonaro family and sharply criticized the Chinese response : “ It is unacceptable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share an offensive post to the head of state of Brazil and its voters .
( … ) We expect a retraction for his offense to the head of state .
Brazil wants to maintain the best relations with the government and the Chinese people , promoting business and cooperation for mutual benefit , without ever leaving aside mutual respect ” .
Clearly , Ernesto Araújo tries in his speech to reverse the logic of the discussion between Eduardo and the Chinese ambassador .
Instead of appeasing the situation by acknowledging the parliamentarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retract , the Minister demands an apology from the ambassador of the country which Eduardo Bolsonaro publicly offended .
Due to the nature of his position , as head of Brazilian diplomacy , Ernesto Araújo should seek to reestablish good relations between countries , without prejudice to either side .
However , in the opposite direction , the minister intensified the discussions and deepened a crisis between Brazil and its biggest trading partner , proving its complete inability for the diplomatic exercise .
The Brazilian vice-president himself , General Hamilton Mourão , expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views of Eduardo Bolsonaro do not represent the official views of the government .
Subsequently , Eduardo spoke again : “ I ’ ve never intended to speak for the Brazilian government , but , due to all this repercussion , I leave here crystal clear that my intention , once again , was never to offend the Chinese people or to hurt the good relationship between our countries ( … ) I have never offended the Chinese people , such an interpretation is totally unreasonable .
I clarify that I shared a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s action in preventing the pandemic mainly in sharing information that would have been useful on a global scale ” .
We can see here a good example of the political praxis of the current Brazilian government .
A parliamentarian offends China ; China responds to offenses ; the head of Brazilian diplomacy starts to demand excuses from China and ; the parliamentarian returns to say that he did not offend China , distorting his own speech instead of acknowledging his mistake and asking for forgiveness .
The case reveals the total unpreparedness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Brazilian government deals with its main relations .
The result is simple : now , not only the strategic relations between Brazil and China are shaken , but also their own diplomatic ties .
Making the situation even worse , the crisis comes amid a global pandemic scenario .
Unlike Brazil , where the number of cases grows every day and the State remains silent in the face of social chaos , China knew how to deal with the situation very well and already has COVID-19 under control .
Stable , Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , stimulating international cooperation .
One of those countries that China had committed to helping was Brazil .
In response to a desperate request from the Brazilian Ministry of Health , China was sending medical equipment to Brazil to help fighting the coronavirus .
This relationship now does not give any certainty about the future , which , in the event of a cancellation , will represent a great loss for Brazil .
Finally , the Brazilian president himself , Jair Bolsonaro , tried to contact personally with Chinese President Xi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and justify his son ’ s irresponsible attitude .
Xi , however , ignored him and refused to answer , making it clear that China is not willing to “ forget ” Eduardo ’ s offense .
A new note from the Chinese Embassy was published , this time criticizing and rejecting the administration carried out by Ernesto Araújo .
The attitude of Brazilian politicians is only a reflection of the neoliberal and pro-US ideology behind Jair Bolsonaro .
Other similar testimonies have already been made by Brazilian public figures , even stating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produced by China itself – the biggest country affected by the pandemic .
In addition , sinophobia is growing in the country , with an insurgent hatred against Asians , who are being seen as “ propagators of COVID-19 ” .
The collective madness implanted by the Bolsonaro phenomenon is already causing Brazilians to refer to the coronavirus as “ Chinese flu ” or “ Asian virus ” .
The fact is that the biggest loser in all this is Brazil itself , which is in serious danger of breaking ties with its @ @ @ @

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Lucas Leiroz de Almeida, research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro…
Federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has started a serious diplomatic crisis between Brazil and China. On March 18, the congressman published on a social network: “Whoever watched Chernobyl will understand what happened. Replace the nuclear plant with the coronavirus and the Soviet dictatorship with the Chinese. Once again a dictatorship preferred to hide something serious rather than exposing it with wear and tear, but that would save countless lives. China is to blame and freedom would be the solution”. Then Eduardo published several accusations to the Chinese government of being responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chinese response was immediate. China’s ambassador to Brazil, Yang Wanming, said that “the Chinese side vehemently repudiates the deputy’s words, and demands that he withdraw them immediately and apologize to the Chinese people.” He also said that he would express his repudiation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chamber of Deputies. The reaction of the Chinese Embassy website itself was even more incisive: “His words are extremely irresponsible and sound familiar. They are still an imitation of your dear friends. Upon returning from Miami, he unfortunately contracted a mental virus, which is infecting friendships among our peoples”.
The mention to Miami made in the publication refers to the last official trip by President Jair Bolsonaro and his entourage, to the USA, two weeks ago, in which 22 Brazilian state officials contracted the new coronavirus. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia, responded quickly to the Chinese’s demand, posting on his social network profile: “On behalf of the Chamber of Deputies, I apologize to China and Ambassador @wanmingyang for the thoughtless words of the deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro”.
However, the attitude of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ernesto Araújo, was not the same as that of Rodrigo Maia. The head of Brazilian diplomacy spoke out in defense of the Bolsonaro family and sharply criticized the Chinese response: “It is unacceptable for the Chinese ambassador to endorse or share an offensive post to the head of state of Brazil and its voters. (…) We expect a retraction for his offense to the head of state. Brazil wants to maintain the best relations with the government and the Chinese people, promoting business and cooperation for mutual benefit, without ever leaving aside mutual respect”.
Clearly, Ernesto Araújo tries in his speech to reverse the logic of the discussion between Eduardo and the Chinese ambassador. Instead of appeasing the situation by acknowledging the parliamentarian’s mistake and advising him to retract, the Minister demands an apology from the ambassador of the country which Eduardo Bolsonaro publicly offended. Due to the nature of his position, as head of Brazilian diplomacy, Ernesto Araújo should seek to reestablish good relations between countries, without prejudice to either side. However, in the opposite direction, the minister intensified the discussions and deepened a crisis between Brazil and its biggest trading partner, proving its complete inability for the diplomatic exercise.
The Brazilian vice-president himself, General Hamilton Mourão, expressed himself more appropriately, claiming that the views of Eduardo Bolsonaro do not represent the official views of the government. Subsequently, Eduardo spoke again: “I’ve never intended to speak for the Brazilian government, but, due to all this repercussion, I leave here crystal clear that my intention, once again, was never to offend the Chinese people or to hurt the good relationship between our countries (…) I have never offended the Chinese people, such an interpretation is totally unreasonable. I clarify that I shared a post that criticizes the Chinese government’s action in preventing the pandemic mainly in sharing information that would have been useful on a global scale”.
We can see here a good example of the political praxis of the current Brazilian government. A parliamentarian offends China; China responds to offenses; the head of Brazilian diplomacy starts to demand excuses from China and; the parliamentarian returns to say that he did not offend China, distorting his own speech instead of acknowledging his mistake and asking for forgiveness. The case reveals the total unpreparedness and the most complete malpractice with which the Brazilian government deals with its main relations. The result is simple: now, not only the strategic relations between Brazil and China are shaken, but also their own diplomatic ties.
Making the situation even worse, the crisis comes amid a global pandemic scenario. Unlike Brazil, where the number of cases grows every day and the State remains silent in the face of social chaos, China knew how to deal with the situation very well and already has COVID-19 under control. Stable, Beijing seeks to help other countries affected by the virus, stimulating international cooperation. One of those countries that China had committed to helping was Brazil. In response to a desperate request from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, China was sending medical equipment to Brazil to help fighting the coronavirus. This relationship now does not give any certainty about the future, which, in the event of a cancellation, will represent a great loss for Brazil.
Finally, the Brazilian president himself, Jair Bolsonaro, tried to contact personally with Chinese President Xi Jinping in order to resolve the situation and justify his son’s irresponsible attitude. Xi, however, ignored him and refused to answer, making it clear that China is not willing to “forget” Eduardo’s offense. A new note from the Chinese Embassy was published, this time criticizing and rejecting the administration carried out by Ernesto Araújo.
The attitude of Brazilian politicians is only a reflection of the neoliberal and pro-US ideology behind Jair Bolsonaro. Other similar testimonies have already been made by Brazilian public figures, even stating that COVID-19 may be a biological weapon produced by China itself – the biggest country affected by the pandemic. In addition, sinophobia is growing in the country, with an insurgent hatred against Asians, who are being seen as “propagators of COVID-19”. The collective madness implanted by the Bolsonaro phenomenon is already causing Brazilians to refer to the coronavirus as “Chinese flu” or “Asian virus”. The fact is that the biggest loser in all this is Brazil itself, which is in serious danger of breaking ties with its biggest economic partner.
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theduran--2020-03-24--Coronavirus – what are you?

Coronavirus – what are you?

Coronavirus continues to spread around the world .
To date , more than 392,000 people have become its victims .
Over 17,000 deaths have been recorded .
In China , a dangerous infection seems to be on the decline .
Now the European states — Italy , Great Britain , and also the USA — are under the main threat .
As the deadly virus spreads , conspiracy theories surround it more and more .
Semi-official and popular versions of the emergence and spread of a deadly disease appear .
To date , the theory of the American origin of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Internet users .
The fact is that on the Internet they discovered a study of a similar virus conducted five years ago by American scientists .
In 2015 , American scientists conducted a study of bat coronavirus , the results of which were published on November 9 , 2015 by the scientific portal Nature ( https : //www.nature.com/articles/nm.3985 ) .
Researchers have discovered the SHCo14 virus in Chinese bats .
It was combined with another called SARS .
As a result , biologists altered the coronavirus of bats so that they got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the virus would cause him severe pneumonia .
Among the authors of the article are listed some researchers from the University of North Carolina , USA , and the Wuhan Virology Institute , China .
And in the Chinese province of Wuhan , according to the former Deputy Minister of Defense of Germany Willy Wimmer , the virus was introduced by one of the US military .
As the reasons for the presence of American soldiers in China , Willy Wimmer called the military games held in October 2019 .
China is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus .
About a year ago , a separatist movement began in China .
It ’ s about Hong Kong .
Until 1997 , it was a colony of Great Britain .
After the transfer of the city to China , it retained its own judicial system and a separate legal system from mainland China .
These rights include freedom of assembly and freedom of speech .
These rights expire in 2047 .
Official China has made attempts to amend legislation and introduce a single legal system for the whole country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Free Hong Kong movement .
At the end of 2019 , mass protests were held in Hong Kong .
Clashes with the police began and victims appeared .
And the coronavirus that appeared in Wuhan , according to one version , was developed by the Chinese government to divert public attention from unrest .
British scientists put forward a fantastic hypothesis .
So , the professor of the Buckingham Center for Astrobiology Chandra Wickramasingh called the source of the virus a meteorite that exploded over China in October 11 last year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on various platforms , there is a lot of discussion about this largest epidemic of the 21st century .
Users of social networks put forward many versions and assumptions .
In case the virus is a biological weapon developed by someone , it is very convenient for the developer .
After all , you can always blame the epidemic on migratory birds , wild animals , insects or dirty water .
We are unlikely to find out the truth about the nature of the virus .
But the fact that it is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Coronavirus continues to spread around the world. To date, more than 392,000 people have become its victims. Over 17,000 deaths have been recorded.
In China, a dangerous infection seems to be on the decline. Now the European states — Italy, Great Britain, and also the USA — are under the main threat.
As the deadly virus spreads, conspiracy theories surround it more and more. Semi-official and popular versions of the emergence and spread of a deadly disease appear.
To date, the theory of the American origin of the virus is the most popular among Internet users. The fact is that on the Internet they discovered a study of a similar virus conducted five years ago by American scientists.
In 2015, American scientists conducted a study of bat coronavirus, the results of which were published on November 9, 2015 by the scientific portal Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/nm.3985).
Researchers have discovered the SHCo14 virus in Chinese bats. It was combined with another called SARS. As a result, biologists altered the coronavirus of bats so that they got a strain that could infect a person – and the virus would cause him severe pneumonia.
Among the authors of the article are listed some researchers from the University of North Carolina, USA, and the Wuhan Virology Institute, China.
And in the Chinese province of Wuhan, according to the former Deputy Minister of Defense of Germany Willy Wimmer, the virus was introduced by one of the US military. As the reasons for the presence of American soldiers in China, Willy Wimmer called the military games held in October 2019.
China is also called as one of the causes of the virus.
About a year ago, a separatist movement began in China. It’s about Hong Kong. Until 1997, it was a colony of Great Britain. After the transfer of the city to China, it retained its own judicial system and a separate legal system from mainland China. These rights include freedom of assembly and freedom of speech.
These rights expire in 2047. Official China has made attempts to amend legislation and introduce a single legal system for the whole country. This led to the emergence of the Free Hong Kong movement. At the end of 2019, mass protests were held in Hong Kong. Clashes with the police began and victims appeared.
And the coronavirus that appeared in Wuhan, according to one version, was developed by the Chinese government to divert public attention from unrest.
British scientists put forward a fantastic hypothesis. So, the professor of the Buckingham Center for Astrobiology Chandra Wickramasingh called the source of the virus a meteorite that exploded over China in October 11 last year.
In recent days, on the Internet on various platforms, there is a lot of discussion about this largest epidemic of the 21st century. Users of social networks put forward many versions and assumptions.
In case the virus is a biological weapon developed by someone, it is very convenient for the developer. After all, you can always blame the epidemic on migratory birds, wild animals, insects or dirty water.
We are unlikely to find out the truth about the nature of the virus. But the fact that it is the worst epidemic of this century is for sure.
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