theduran--2020-03-09--COVID-19’s Potential Market Impact

COVID-19’s Potential Market Impact

For many years , monetary realists have predicted that the reinflated burst bubble of 2008-2009 will burst again .
Not to make light of the health implications for billions , but another reality check for financial markets has been on the cards for at least nine years and herein is how that may occur .
Most US shares are traded by program on the New York Stock Exchange , where a group of fifteen or more stocks may be traded by electronic trading systems via a particular broker .
Program trading curbs are enacted when the NYSE composite index falls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 2 % below its previous close on program trades .
But a program trading curb is quite different than a general trading halt .
Trading will halt on the New York Stock Exchange when the Standard & Poor 500 index falls either 7 % or 13 % during a trading session for a varying length of time .
Trading will fully halt with a drop of 20 % in the S & P 500 during a trading session .
On March 6th the S & P 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since the S & P is at 2972 this means that the index must decline by 600 points during the next trading session for trading to be halted , and the market closed .
A decline from 2972 to 2372 seems unlikely when the US Exchange Stabilization Fund has finely honed its ability — in conjunction with the Federal Reserve — to manipulate markets .
But unlike 2008-2009 crisis , this crisis is somewhat different : • a ) All primary dealers are in trouble — not just one • b ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real terms • c ) Fed is already locked and loaded with an enormous amount of Treasury debt • d ) Losses will be incurred at the high end of the market not the low , and losses will impact across the board so the largest funds will suffer • e ) Bail-outs will not be an option and bail-ins must be contemplated • f ) US treasury yields will decline further causing foreign capital to desert the US bond market • g ) Systemic Global market issues will become far more apparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Potential spin-off from the US dollar may be forced on the renmibi-yuan • h ) Troubled assets are not confined to just one sector as in 2008-2009 So , can the Exchange Stabilization Fund and Federal Reserve manage to address all of the above ?
The central tenet being that the globe is so hooked on US dollars that there is nowhere else for trillions in vaporized dollar assets to go ( short term ) than to other US dollar assets , whether cash or US Treasury debt instruments .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this situation continues to deteriorate my prediction is the following : 1 .
Continued flight from US stocks to Treasury bonds/notes/bills 2 .
Retention of cash until fed cuts again 3 .
Fed forced to cut rates again 4 .
QE4 beyond current fed purchases and repo injections 5 .
Fed/ESF must suppress gold 6 .
Fed/ESF must intervene in share markets 7 .
Fed/ESF must intervene in currency markets US capital may flock to US Treasury debt instruments , but foreign capital may eventually balk when the numbers look unfavorable .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot for the Fed to juggle .
Whether it ’ s Twist or QE4 or suppressing gold or boosting repo operations well beyond the existing , the monetary challenges necessary to avoid a major global recession and perhaps financial collapse appear major .
Going forward , much will depend on how the rest of the world views this crisis – not just the United States .
One option for ‘ rogue states ’ ( or what Washington sees as rogue ) is a major unprecedented leap into physical stand-for-delivery gold .
A concerted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) assets by Elites to the tune of billions will endanger the entire monetary system when the gold carry trade explodes higher and old leases can not be hypothecated or satisfied at any price .
Such an event will endanger the very foundation of Central Banks light on real gold assets , including the mother of all central banks , the Bank of International Settlements .
Hedge funds and major scam operations across all derivative sectors – amongst which all Central Banks have been ensnared – would thus be threatened .
Put simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2008-2009 greatly enriched the far less than 1 % this new potential for financial collapse promises to catch the Hedge Fund and wealth manager class out in the cold .
There is no Hank Paulson to appear on our TV sets demanding $ 700 Bn from the public this time to save their shirts .
Elites will be caught in a pickle where they can not thieve their way back to fame and fortune via the public as they did in 2008-2009.. unless they bail-in .
Bail in means the bankers will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts to save the system .
And perhaps that is why Washington is having such difficulty addressing the current coronavirus and financial issues .
It will be interesting to see how markets react to these financial fears and viral panic on March 9th .
If true to form , US share markets will be down significantly in am trading .
Then Washington will be motivated to calm markets with positive public statements in the morning .
The Fed/ESF will be prompted to act — probably later in the trading day — to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DJIA and S & P 500 overall .
If at any time share markets threaten to close early , the ESF will step in to save the day .
Soon , the Fed will be forced to announce another rate cut of 50 basis points .
The Fed will announce QE4 ( 3 has already occurred ) and any other stimulus measure that can be envisaged .
While the foregoing is fairly predictable , at what point we will be several months from now certainly is not .

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 Steve Brown…
For many years, monetary realists have predicted that the reinflated burst bubble of 2008-2009 will burst again. Not to make light of the health implications for billions, but another reality check for financial markets has been on the cards for at least nine years and herein is how that may occur.
Most US shares are traded by program on the New York Stock Exchange, where a group of fifteen or more stocks may be traded by electronic trading systems via a particular broker. Program trading curbs are enacted when the NYSE composite index falls 190 points during a trading session or the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 2% below its previous close on program trades. But a program trading curb is quite different than a general trading halt.
Trading will halt on the New York Stock Exchange when the Standard & Poor 500 index falls either 7% or 13% during a trading session for a varying length of time. Trading will fully halt with a drop of 20% in the S&P 500 during a trading session. On March 6th the S & P 500 index ended down 51 points at 2,972. Since the S & P is at 2972 this means that the index must decline by 600 points during the next trading session for trading to be halted, and the market closed. A decline from 2972 to 2372 seems unlikely when the US Exchange Stabilization Fund has finely honed its ability — in conjunction with the Federal Reserve — to manipulate markets. But unlike 2008-2009 crisis, this crisis is somewhat different:
a) All primary dealers are in trouble — not just one b) Federal Fund rates are already negative in real terms c) Fed is already locked and loaded with an enormous amount of Treasury debt d) Losses will be incurred at the high end of the market not the low, and losses will impact across the board so the largest funds will suffer e) Bail-outs will not be an option and bail-ins must be contemplated f) US treasury yields will decline further causing foreign capital to desert the US bond market g) Systemic Global market issues will become far more apparent than they were in 2008-2009 f) Potential spin-off from the US dollar may be forced on the renmibi-yuan h) Troubled assets are not confined to just one sector as in 2008-2009
So, can the Exchange Stabilization Fund and Federal Reserve manage to address all of the above? The central tenet being that the globe is so hooked on US dollars that there is nowhere else for trillions in vaporized dollar assets to go (short term) than to other US dollar assets, whether cash or US Treasury debt instruments. That’s an arguable point. But if this situation continues to deteriorate my prediction is the following:
1. Continued flight from US stocks to Treasury bonds/notes/bills
2. Retention of cash until fed cuts again
3. Fed forced to cut rates again
4. QE4 beyond current fed purchases and repo injections
5. Fed/ESF must suppress gold
6. Fed/ESF must intervene in share markets
7. Fed/ESF must intervene in currency markets
US capital may flock to US Treasury debt instruments, but foreign capital may eventually balk when the numbers look unfavorable. All points 1 – 7 above represent a lot for the Fed to juggle. Whether it’s Twist or QE4 or suppressing gold or boosting repo operations well beyond the existing, the monetary challenges necessary to avoid a major global recession and perhaps financial collapse appear major.
Going forward, much will depend on how the rest of the world views this crisis – not just the United States. One option for ‘rogue states’ (or what Washington sees as rogue) is a major unprecedented leap into physical stand-for-delivery gold.
A concerted move to real gold (not paper) assets by Elites to the tune of billions will endanger the entire monetary system when the gold carry trade explodes higher and old leases cannot be hypothecated or satisfied at any price. Such an event will endanger the very foundation of Central Banks light on real gold assets, including the mother of all central banks, the Bank of International Settlements. Hedge funds and major scam operations across all derivative sectors – amongst which all Central Banks have been ensnared – would thus be threatened.
Put simply, while the aftermath of the collapse of 2008-2009 greatly enriched the far less than 1% this new potential for financial collapse promises to catch the Hedge Fund and wealth manager class out in the cold. There is no Hank Paulson to appear on our TV sets demanding $700 Bn from the public this time to save their shirts. Elites will be caught in a pickle where they cannot thieve their way back to fame and fortune via the public as they did in 2008-2009.. unless they bail-in. Bail in means the bankers will take money directly out of our bank accounts to save the system. And perhaps that is why Washington is having such difficulty addressing the current coronavirus and financial issues.
It will be interesting to see how markets react to these financial fears and viral panic on March 9th. If true to form, US share markets will be down significantly in am trading. Then Washington will be motivated to calm markets with positive public statements in the morning. The Fed/ESF will be prompted to act — probably later in the trading day — to show a decisive but not catastrophic loss to the DJIA and S&P 500 overall. If at any time share markets threaten to close early, the ESF will step in to save the day.
Soon, the Fed will be forced to announce another rate cut of 50 basis points. The Fed will announce QE4 (3 has already occurred) and any other stimulus measure that can be envisaged. While the foregoing is fairly predictable, at what point we will be several months from now certainly is not.
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theduran--2020-03-09--Why ARE these new diseases appearing in China? [Video]

Vox News reports in this video in an attempt to explain exactly why China is the source of new diseases like COVID-19 and SARS .
It is well-produced and slick , and it is quite informative .
This also provides some insight into the living conditions in China .
While the nation is an economic powerhouse , it is also clear from watching this that parallel to the superdevelopment of the tech economy runs a way of life that is primitive in appearance , and dangerous for the life and health of the Chinese people .
This is the result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world ’ s most heavily populated nation , running under the influence of a powerful Communist apparatus .
This will probably shock and dismay many Westerners , especially in light of most recent news from China before this , which show gleaming cities and high-tech on par with or exceeding the best of the West .
While those certainly exist , the technological rise has not extended to this area of life and probably many others .
What is even more ironic is that these execrable markets are said to cater to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China ( even though communist countries are not supposed to have wealthy people ) .
This is because many of the items sold in such markets are wildlife , but the consumption of these animals has been marketed for everything from health to sex to mind-enhancing .
Wildlife markets have become big business .
It appears that they have become big and deadly business .
That business is shown here to be linked to both the SARS and COVID-19 outbreaks , both of which spread worldwide .
COVID-19 ’ s run is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of people locked down in quarantine in China and now 16 million in Italy .
Even in the United States , no one is taking such drastic measures off the table .
The disruption to life all over the world may be quite dramatic , and possibly even severe until this virus has made its run .

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.
Vox News reports in this video in an attempt to explain exactly why China is the source of new diseases like COVID-19 and SARS. It is well-produced and slick, and it is quite informative.
This also provides some insight into the living conditions in China. While the nation is an economic powerhouse, it is also clear from watching this that parallel to the superdevelopment of the tech economy runs a way of life that is primitive in appearance, and dangerous for the life and health of the Chinese people.
This is the result and continuing problem for this, the world’s most heavily populated nation, running under the influence of a powerful Communist apparatus.
This will probably shock and dismay many Westerners, especially in light of most recent news from China before this, which show gleaming cities and high-tech on par with or exceeding the best of the West. While those certainly exist, the technological rise has not extended to this area of life and probably many others.
What is even more ironic is that these execrable markets are said to cater to the wishes of the wealthy class of people in China (even though communist countries are not supposed to have wealthy people). This is because many of the items sold in such markets are wildlife, but the consumption of these animals has been marketed for everything from health to sex to mind-enhancing. Wildlife markets have become big business.
It appears that they have become big and deadly business. That business is shown here to be linked to both the SARS and COVID-19 outbreaks, both of which spread worldwide. COVID-19’s run is far more widespread and severe, with millions of people locked down in quarantine in China and now 16 million in Italy.
Even in the United States, no one is taking such drastic measures off the table. The disruption to life all over the world may be quite dramatic, and possibly even severe until this virus has made its run.
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theduran--2020-03-09--Sugar and Spice and Everything Vice: the Empire’s Sin City of London

Authored by Cynthia Chung via The Strategic Culture Foundation : The over 1000 point plunge of the stock market on Feb 27th and broader ruptures of the financial system last week have been yet another wake up call for those who have been contented so far to “ live in the moment ” of fast money .
Since the 2008 financial crisis , which is considered the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s , many have not been able to go back to sleep after such a lucid nightmare .
Some have chosen the path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , distilling their urine into water and binge watching survivalists such as Bear Grylls hoping to absorb his skills through television osmosis .
The 2008 crisis put in the spotlight the psychopathic level of greed , vice , apathy and short-sightedness from those who wanted to play into the City of London and Wall Street casino houses .
Get rich quick and don ’ t care who you screw in the process , after all , at the end of the day you ’ re either a winner or a loser .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decent people , there is a widespread difficulty in comprehending how entire economies of countries have been hijacked by these piranhas .
That we have hit such a level of crime that even people ’ s hard earned pensions , education , health-care , housing etc .
are all being gambled away… LEGALLY .
Looking upon investment bankers today , one is reminded of those sad addicts in the casino who are ruined and lose everything , except the difference is , they are given the option to sell their neighbour ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt .
It is no secret that much of the “ finance ” that goes through the City of London and Wall Street is dirty and yet despite this recognition , there appears to be an inability to address it and that at this point we are told that if we tried to address it by breaking up and regulating the “ Too Big to Fail ” banks , then the whole economy would come tumbling down .
That is , the world is so evidently run by criminal activity that at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dirty money to keep afloat the world economy .
Faced with the onrushing collapse of the financial system , the greatest Ivy League trained minds of the world have run into a dead end : the bailouts into the banking system that began this past September have prevented a chain reaction meltdown for a few months , but as the liquidity runs out so too will the ideas on where the money justifying bank bailouts will come from .
With these dead ends , we have seen the lightbulb go off in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been making the case in recent years that valuable revenue can yet be generated from one more untapped stream : the decriminalisation and legalisation of vice .
Hell , the major banks have already been doing this covertly as a matter of practice for generations… so why not just come out of the closet and make it official ?
This is where the money is at .
This is where the job market is at .
So let us not “ bite the hand that feeds us ” !
But is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really no qualitative difference how the money is generated and how it is spent as long as there is an adequate money flow ?
Well it is never a good sign when beside the richest you can also find the poorest just a stone ’ s throw away .
And right beside the largest financial center in the world , the City of London , there lies the poorest borough in all of London : Tower Hamlets with a 39 % poverty rate and an family income amounting to less than £ 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city much like London ” Although Wall Street has contributed greatly to this sad situation , this banking hub of America is best understood as the spawn of the City of London .
The City of London is over 800 years old , it is arguably older than England herself , and for over 400 years it has been the financial center of the world .
During the medieval period the City of London , otherwise known as the Square Mile or simply the City , was divided into 25 ancient wards headed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today .
In addition , there existed the ominously titled City of London Corporation , or simply the Corporation , which is the municipal governing body of the City .
This also still continues today .
Though the Corporation ’ s origins can not be specifically dated , since there was never a “ surviving ” charter found establishing its “ legal ” basis , it has kept its functions to this day based on the Magna Carta .
The Magna Carta is a charter of rights agreed to by King John in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City of London shall have/enjoy its ancient liberties ” .
In other words , the legal function of the Corporation has never been questioned , reviewed , re-evaluated EVER but rather it has been left to legally function as in accordance with their “ ancient liberties ” , which is a very grey description of function if you ask me .
In other words , they are free to do as they deem fit .
And it gets worst .
The Corporation is not actually under the jurisdiction of the British government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not have the authority to undermine how the Corporation of the City chooses to govern the largest financial center in the world .
The City has a separate voting system that allows for , well , corporations to vote in how their separate “ government ” should run .
It also has its own private police force and system of private courts .
The Corporation is not just limited to functioning within the City .
The City Remembrancer , which sounds more like a warped version of the ghost of Christmas past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a channel of communication between the Corporation and the Sovereign ( the Queen ) , the Royal Household and Parliament .
The Remembrancer thus acts as a “ reminder ” , some would even say “ enforcer ” , of the will of the Corporation .
This position has been held by Paul Double since 2003 , it is not clear who bestows this non-elected position .
Mr .
Double has the right to act as an official lobbyist in the House of Commons , and sits to the right of the Speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of scrutinising and influencing any legislation he deems affects the interests of the Corporation .
He also appears to have the right to review any piece of legislation as it is being drafted and can even comment on it affecting its final outcome .
He is the only non-elected person allowed into the House of Commons .
According to the official City of London website , the reason why the City has a separate voting system is because : “ The City is the only area in the country in which the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therefore , to be truly representative of its population , offers a vote to City organisations so they can have their say on the way the City is run.
” However , the workers have absolutely no say .
The City ’ s organisations they work for have a certain size vote based on the number of workers they employ , but they do not consult these workers , and many of them are not even aware that such elections take place .
If you feel like you have just walked through Alice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re not alone , but what appears to be an absurd level of madness is what has been running the largest financial center in the world since the 1600s , under the machinations of the British Empire .
Therefore the question is , if the City of London has kept its “ ancient liberties ” and has upheld its global financial power , is the British Empire truly gone ?
Contrary to popular naïve belief , the empire on which the sun never sets ( some say “ because God wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never went away .
After WWII , colonisation was meant to be done away with , and many thought , so too with the British Empire .
Countries were reclaiming their sovereignty , governments were being set up by the people , the system of looting and pillaging had come to an end .
It is a nice story , but could not be further from the truth .
In the 1950s , to “ adapt ” to the changing global financial climate , the City of London set up what are called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to operate within the last remnants of Britain ’ s small territories/colonies .
Of Britain ’ s 14 oversea territories , 7 are bona fide tax havens or “ secrecy jurisdictions ” .
A separate international financial market was also created to facilitate the flow of this offshore money , the Eurodollar market .
Since this market has its banks outside of the UK and U.S. , they are not under the jurisdiction of either country .
By 1997 , nearly 90 % of all international loans were made through this market .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ City of London ’ s offshore finances are not contained in a system of banking secrecy but rather of trusts .
The difference being that a trust ultimately plays with the concept of ownership .
The idea is that you hand over your assets to a trustee and at that point , legally those assets are no longer yours anymore and you are not responsible for accounting for them .
Your connection to said assets is completely hidden .
In addition , within Britain ’ s offshore jurisdictions , there is no qualification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : anyone can set up a trust and anyone can become a trustee .
There is also no registry of trusts in these territories .
Thus , the only ones who know about this arrangement are the trustee and the settler .
John Christensen , an investigative economist , estimates that this capital that legally belongs to nobody could amount to as high as $ 50 trillion within these British territories .
Not only is this not being taxed , but a significant portion of it has been stolen from sectors of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect “ formerly ” colonised countries ?
There lies the rub for most developing nations .
According to John Christensen , the combined external debts of Sub-Saharan African countries was $ 177 billion in 2008 .
However , the wealth that these countries ’ elites moved offshore , between 1970-2008 , is estimated at $ 944 billion , 5X their foreign debt .
This is not only dirty money , this is also STOLEN money from the resources and productivity of these economies .
Thus , as Christensen states , “ Far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sub-Saharan Africa is a net creditor ” to offshore finance .
Put in this context , the so-called “ backwardness ” of Africa is not due to its incapability to produce , but rather that it has been experiencing uninterrupted looting since these regions were first colonised .
These African countries then need to borrow money , which is happily given to them at high interest rates , and accrues a level of debt that could never be repaid .
These countries are thus looted twice over , leaving no money left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone to put food on the table .
Offshore havens are what make this sort of activity “ legal ” and rampant .
And it doesn ’ t stop there .
Worldwide , it is estimated that developing countries lose $ 1 trillion every year in capital flight and tax evasion .
Most of this wealth goes back into the UK and U.S. through these offshore havens , and allows their currencies to stay strong whilst developing nations ’ currencies are kept weak .
However , developing nations are not the only ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looting .
The very economies of the UK and U.S. have also been gutted .
In the 1960s and onward , the UK and U.S. , to compensate for the increase in money flow out of their countries decided that it was a good idea to open their domestic markets to the trillions of dollars passing through its offshore havens .
However , such banks are not interested in putting their money into industry and manufacturing , they put their money into real estate speculation , financial speculation and foreign currency trade .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ American economies resulted , and the real jobs coming from the real economy decreased or disappeared .
Although many economists try to claim differently , the desperation has boiled over and movements like the yellow vests are reflections of the true consequences of these economic policies .
We have reached a point now where every western first world country is struggling with a much higher unemployment rate and a lower standard of living than 40 years ago .
Along with increased poverty has followed increased drug use , increased suicide and increased crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Drugs and Drug Addiction ( EMCDDA ) report in 2017 , the UK has by far the highest rate of drug overdose in all of Europe at 31 % followed by Germany at 15 % .
That is , the UK consists of 1/3 drug overdoses that occur in all of Europe .
The average family income in the UK is presently £28 , 400 .
The poverty rate within the UK is ~20 % .
The average family income of what was once the epicentre of world industrialisation , Detroit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 , 249 .
The poverty rate of Detroit is ~34.5 % .
What is the solution ?
Reverse Margaret Thatcher ’ s 1986 Big Bang deregulation of the banking system that destroyed the separation of commercial banking , investment banking , trusts and insurance for starters .
A similar restoration of Glass-Steagall in the USA should follow suit , not only to break up the “ Too Big to Fail ” banking system but to restore the authority of nation states over private finance once more .
IF these emergency measures were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will collapse ) , then the industrial-infrastructure revival throughout trans-Atlantic nations can still occur .
Let us end here by hearkening to the words of Clement Attlee , UK Prime Minister from 1945-1951 : “ Over and over again we have seen that there is another power than that which has its seat at Westminster .
The City of London , a convenient term for a collection of financial interests , is able to assert itself against the government of the country .
Those who control money can pursue a policy at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being decided by the people .
”

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 Cynthia Chung via The Strategic Culture Foundation:
The over 1000 point plunge of the stock market on Feb 27th and broader ruptures of the financial system last week have been yet another wake up call for those who have been contented so far to “live in the moment” of fast money.
Since the 2008 financial crisis, which is considered the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, many have not been able to go back to sleep after such a lucid nightmare. Some have chosen the path of stocking up on cans of beans, distilling their urine into water and binge watching survivalists such as Bear Grylls hoping to absorb his skills through television osmosis.
The 2008 crisis put in the spotlight the psychopathic level of greed, vice, apathy and short-sightedness from those who wanted to play into the City of London and Wall Street casino houses. Get rich quick and don’t care who you screw in the process, after all, at the end of the day you’re either a winner or a loser.
Since the general public tends to consist of decent people, there is a widespread difficulty in comprehending how entire economies of countries have been hijacked by these piranhas. That we have hit such a level of crime that even people’s hard earned pensions, education, health-care, housing etc. are all being gambled away… LEGALLY.
Looking upon investment bankers today, one is reminded of those sad addicts in the casino who are ruined and lose everything, except the difference is, they are given the option to sell their neighbour’s family into slavery to pay off their debt.
It is no secret that much of the “finance” that goes through the City of London and Wall Street is dirty and yet despite this recognition, there appears to be an inability to address it and that at this point we are told that if we tried to address it by breaking up and regulating the “Too Big to Fail” banks, then the whole economy would come tumbling down.
That is, the world is so evidently run by criminal activity that at this point we have become dependent on its dirty money to keep afloat the world economy.
Faced with the onrushing collapse of the financial system, the greatest Ivy League trained minds of the world have run into a dead end: the bailouts into the banking system that began this past September have prevented a chain reaction meltdown for a few months, but as the liquidity runs out so too will the ideas on where the money justifying bank bailouts will come from.
With these dead ends, we have seen the lightbulb go off in the minds of a large strata of economists who have been making the case in recent years that valuable revenue can yet be generated from one more untapped stream: the decriminalisation and legalisation of vice.
Hell, the major banks have already been doing this covertly as a matter of practice for generations… so why not just come out of the closet and make it official? This is where the money is at. This is where the job market is at. So let us not “bite the hand that feeds us”!
But is this truly the case? Is there really no qualitative difference how the money is generated and how it is spent as long as there is an adequate money flow?
Well it is never a good sign when beside the richest you can also find the poorest just a stone’s throw away. And right beside the largest financial center in the world, the City of London, there lies the poorest borough in all of London: Tower Hamlets with a 39% poverty rate and an average family income amounting to less than £ 13, 000/year.
A City within a City
“Hell is a city much like London”
– Percy Bysshe Shelley
Although Wall Street has contributed greatly to this sad situation, this banking hub of America is best understood as the spawn of the City of London.
The City of London is over 800 years old, it is arguably older than England herself, and for over 400 years it has been the financial center of the world.
During the medieval period the City of London, otherwise known as the Square Mile or simply the City, was divided into 25 ancient wards headed each by an alderman. This continues today. In addition, there existed the ominously titled City of London Corporation, or simply the Corporation, which is the municipal governing body of the City. This also still continues today.
Though the Corporation’s origins cannot be specifically dated, since there was never a “surviving” charter found establishing its “legal” basis, it has kept its functions to this day based on the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta is a charter of rights agreed to by King John in 1215, which states that “the City of London shall have/enjoy its ancient liberties”. In other words, the legal function of the Corporation has never been questioned, reviewed, re-evaluated EVER but rather it has been left to legally function as in accordance with their “ancient liberties”, which is a very grey description of function if you ask me. In other words, they are free to do as they deem fit.
And it gets worst. The Corporation is not actually under the jurisdiction of the British government. That is, the British government presently does not have the authority to undermine how the Corporation of the City chooses to govern the largest financial center in the world. The City has a separate voting system that allows for, well, corporations to vote in how their separate “government” should run. It also has its own private police force and system of private courts.
The Corporation is not just limited to functioning within the City. The City Remembrancer, which sounds more like a warped version of the ghost of Christmas past, has the role of acting as a channel of communication between the Corporation and the Sovereign (the Queen), the Royal Household and Parliament. The Remembrancer thus acts as a “reminder”, some would even say “enforcer”, of the will of the Corporation. This position has been held by Paul Double since 2003, it is not clear who bestows this non-elected position.
Mr. Double has the right to act as an official lobbyist in the House of Commons, and sits to the right of the Speaker’s chair, with the purpose of scrutinising and influencing any legislation he deems affects the interests of the Corporation. He also appears to have the right to review any piece of legislation as it is being drafted and can even comment on it affecting its final outcome. He is the only non-elected person allowed into the House of Commons.
According to the official City of London website, the reason why the City has a separate voting system is because:
“The City is the only area in the country in which the number of workers significantly outnumbers the residents and therefore, to be truly representative of its population, offers a vote to City organisations so they can have their say on the way the City is run.”
However, the workers have absolutely no say. The City’s organisations they work for have a certain size vote based on the number of workers they employ, but they do not consult these workers, and many of them are not even aware that such elections take place.
If you feel like you have just walked through Alice’s Looking Glass, you’re not alone, but what appears to be an absurd level of madness is what has been running the largest financial center in the world since the 1600s, under the machinations of the British Empire.
Therefore the question is, if the City of London has kept its “ancient liberties” and has upheld its global financial power, is the British Empire truly gone?
Offshore Banking: Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand?
Contrary to popular naïve belief, the empire on which the sun never sets (some say “because God wouldn’t trust them in the dark”) never went away.
After WWII, colonisation was meant to be done away with, and many thought, so too with the British Empire. Countries were reclaiming their sovereignty, governments were being set up by the people, the system of looting and pillaging had come to an end.
It is a nice story, but could not be further from the truth.
In the 1950s, to “adapt” to the changing global financial climate, the City of London set up what are called “secrecy jurisdictions”. These were to operate within the last remnants of Britain’s small territories/colonies. Of Britain’s 14 oversea territories, 7 are bona fide tax havens or “secrecy jurisdictions”. A separate international financial market was also created to facilitate the flow of this offshore money, the Eurodollar market. Since this market has its banks outside of the UK and U.S., they are not under the jurisdiction of either country.
By 1997, nearly 90% of all international loans were made through this market.
What is often misunderstood is that the City of London’s offshore finances are not contained in a system of banking secrecy but rather of trusts. The difference being that a trust ultimately plays with the concept of ownership. The idea is that you hand over your assets to a trustee and at that point, legally those assets are no longer yours anymore and you are not responsible for accounting for them. Your connection to said assets is completely hidden.
In addition, within Britain’s offshore jurisdictions, there is no qualification required for who can become a trustee: anyone can set up a trust and anyone can become a trustee. There is also no registry of trusts in these territories. Thus, the only ones who know about this arrangement are the trustee and the settler.
John Christensen, an investigative economist, estimates that this capital that legally belongs to nobody could amount to as high as $50 trillion within these British territories. Not only is this not being taxed, but a significant portion of it has been stolen from sectors of the real economy.
So how does this affect “formerly” colonised countries?
There lies the rub for most developing nations. According to John Christensen, the combined external debts of Sub-Saharan African countries was $177 billion in 2008. However, the wealth that these countries’ elites moved offshore, between 1970-2008, is estimated at $944 billion, 5X their foreign debt. This is not only dirty money, this is also STOLEN money from the resources and productivity of these economies. Thus, as Christensen states, “Far from being a net debtor to the world, Sub-Saharan Africa is a net creditor” to offshore finance.
Put in this context, the so-called “backwardness” of Africa is not due to its incapability to produce, but rather that it has been experiencing uninterrupted looting since these regions were first colonised.
These African countries then need to borrow money, which is happily given to them at high interest rates, and accrues a level of debt that could never be repaid. These countries are thus looted twice over, leaving no money left to invest in their future, let alone to put food on the table.
Offshore havens are what make this sort of activity “legal” and rampant.
And it doesn’t stop there. Worldwide, it is estimated that developing countries lose $1 trillion every year in capital flight and tax evasion. Most of this wealth goes back into the UK and U.S. through these offshore havens, and allows their currencies to stay strong whilst developing nations’ currencies are kept weak.
However, developing nations are not the only ones to have suffered from this system of looting. The very economies of the UK and U.S. have also been gutted. In the 1960s and onward, the UK and U.S., to compensate for the increase in money flow out of their countries decided that it was a good idea to open their domestic markets to the trillions of dollars passing through its offshore havens.
However, such banks are not interested in putting their money into industry and manufacturing, they put their money into real estate speculation, financial speculation and foreign currency trade. And thus the financialization of British and American economies resulted, and the real jobs coming from the real economy decreased or disappeared.
Although many economists try to claim differently, the desperation has boiled over and movements like the yellow vests are reflections of the true consequences of these economic policies.
We have reached a point now where every western first world country is struggling with a much higher unemployment rate and a lower standard of living than 40 years ago. Along with increased poverty has followed increased drug use, increased suicide and increased crime.
A Stable Economy based on Freedom or Slavery?
According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) report in 2017, the UK has by far the highest rate of drug overdose in all of Europe at 31% followed by Germany at 15%. That is, the UK consists of 1/3 drug overdoses that occur in all of Europe.
The average family income in the UK is presently £28, 400. The poverty rate within the UK is ~20%.
The average family income of what was once the epicentre of world industrialisation, Detroit, has an average family income of $26, 249. The poverty rate of Detroit is ~34.5%.
What is the solution?
Reverse Margaret Thatcher’s 1986 Big Bang deregulation of the banking system that destroyed the separation of commercial banking, investment banking, trusts and insurance for starters. A similar restoration of Glass-Steagall in the USA should follow suit, not only to break up the “Too Big to Fail” banking system but to restore the authority of nation states over private finance once more. IF these emergency measures were done before the markets collapse (and they will collapse), then the industrial-infrastructure revival throughout trans-Atlantic nations can still occur.
Let us end here by hearkening to the words of Clement Attlee, UK Prime Minister from 1945-1951:
“Over and over again we have seen that there is another power than that which has its seat at Westminster. The City of London, a convenient term for a collection of financial interests, is able to assert itself against the government of the country. Those who control money can pursue a policy at home and abroad contrary to that which is being decided by the people.”
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theduran--2020-03-09--The University of Chicago’s College of Medicine on COVID-19 [Video link]

Every since the novel coronavirus and the associated illness called COVID-19 entered the news stream , one might think that Stephen King ’ s The Stand , or Michael Crichton ’ s Andromeda Strain might have come to life .
Biosuits .
Quarantine of cities , regions and nations .
People falling over dead on video .
News blackouts and propaganda .
Suspicion that “ they are lying to us !
” and market-wracking panic selling .
All these things have taken place , or have been reported as taking place since the virus began its world tour .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is this virus being treated as such a monster ?
We are attempting to answer this in next one or two news pieces .
This first one is taken directly from the University of Chicago : Medicine ’ s Emily Landon , who is a doctor there .
She gives a very thorough and , by our observation , pragmatic rundown on the virus and the problems it is causing .
We are reprinting the entire report .
We highly recommend this not be treated as a “ too long , didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the information in context helps both inform the reader and provide a balance against needless fears .
However , for those who are in a hurry , we can give the main bullet points here before the piece itself .
According to this piece : • the novel coronavirus is thought to have originated in a “ wet market ” in China , where fish and live animals are slaughtered in front of customers .
The virus may have sprayed from such an animal and made human contact .
• The virus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of transmission being six feet ( about two meters ) .
• The virus is not presently known to be airborne .
• Some patients , roughly 20 % as far as we know , develop severe respiratory illness with this disease .
( This seems to be the real crux of the problem , as 20 % is very high ) .
• Everyone is at risk of catching COVID-19 ( though that may have already happened for many of us , and it might already be gone without our knowing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why some people get sicker than others .
• This illness probably can not be contained .
• It is not known if warmer weather will have any effect on it as it does with other viruses .
• Facemasks do not help prevent catching COVID-19 , but if you have it , wearing a mask may block its transmission from you .
• Antibiotics do not work for this , as it is a virus .
Tamiflu also does not work .
Some other antiviral medications are being tested .
Now this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in question .
Reading the piece thoroughly will show that this is a “ this is what we know now ” piece rather than an assuredly definitive one .
However , it is more thorough than anything I have yet seen , so we present it here for the reader with many thanks to Dr Emily Landon for compiling this in such a succint manner .
A contagious respiratory disease that was first detected in China in December 2019 has spread worldwide .
The 2019 novel ( new ) coronavirus has been named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called coronavirus disease 2019 , or COVID-19 .
Although health officials here and abroad are working to track and contain the growing epidemic , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) expects widespread transmission of COVID-19 in our country .
As an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist at the University of Chicago Medicine , my job is to prepare for outbreaks such as COVID-19 while caring for patients at our academic medical center on Chicago ’ s South Side .
The extent of this outbreak is rapidly evolving and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s what we know about COVID-19 as of today : What is a coronavirus ?
What is a novel coronavirus ?
A coronavirus is the name for a large set of illnesses , including the common cold and other respiratory infections .
The term “ novel ” coronavirus means it ’ s a new form of the virus .
Where and how did COVID-19 begin ?
We learned about this particular virus shortly after a cluster of severe pneumonia cases were reported on New Year ’ s Eve 2019 in Wuhan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
On January 9 , virologists and other public health researchers identified the strain as a novel coronavirus , which was tied to a specific “ wet market ” in the city of Wuhan , where they sell fish and other live animals .
These markets have been known to transmit viruses before .
For cultural reasons in the region , people want to see the specific animals they ’ re buying be slaughtered in front of them , so they know they ’ re receiving the products they paid for .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ viruses or bacteria can be aerosolized and , in rare instances , jump from animals to people .
It ’ s how SARS , another coronavirus , started in 2003 .
How did the virus come to the United States ?
The first known patients in the U.S. contracted the virus while traveling in other countries or after exposure to someone who had been to China or one of the other affected areas .
But now , a few cases here can not be traced to these risk factors .
This is concerning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading across communities for which the source of infection is unknown , which we call community spread/transmission .
We don ’ t know how severe this will be , but it may cause significant disruptions in our daily lives .
How does the COVID-19 spread ?
This virus is really transmissible and can spread easily from person to person even before a person develops symptoms .
It ’ s carried on respiratory droplets when we talk , sneeze , and cough and these can land on surfaces or in someone ’ s mouth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respiratory droplets , 6 feet is the magic distance .
That ’ s how far these tiny , infected droplets can travel .
Being within 6 feet of someone who is sick can get you or your personal space contaminated with COVID-19 .
When droplets land on surfaces , we can pick them up with our hands and transfer them to our eyes , mouth , and nose when we touch our faces .
This is why hand hygiene is so important .
Respiratory secretions ( like snot and sputum ) are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What are the symptoms of COVID-19 ?
Is it deadly ?
It typically causes flu-like symptoms .
Some patients — particularly the elderly and others with other chronic health conditions — develop a severe form of pneumonia .
Patients develop symptoms like fever , muscle and body aches , cough , and sore throat about 5-6 days after infection .
Most people will feel pretty miserable for a week and get better on their own .
Some people won ’ t get as sick , but it ’ s still important not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as not to spread the disease .
A minority of patients will get worse instead of better .
This usually happens after 5-7 days of illness and these patients will have more shortness of breath and worsening cough .
If this happens , it ’ s time to contact your doctor again or even go to an emergency room .
Be sure to call first so they know you are coming .
The numbers of people who have been diagnosed and how many have died are changing daily .
As of early March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , with a death toll of about 3,000 ( more than 2,900 in mainland China ) .
But these numbers are just estimates ; it ’ s still unclear how many people have actually been infected worldwide .
Most of the deaths have been in adults over 60 years old who had other health concerns .
Is everyone at risk for catching COVID-19 ?
Yes .
It doesn ’ t appear anyone is naturally immune to this particular virus , and there ’ s no reason to believe anybody has antibodies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of previous experience with this virus is part of the reason public health officials are working so hard to contain the spread of this particular coronavirus .
When viruses are both new ( which means the population is highly susceptible ) and can easily pass from person to person ( a high transmission rate ) , they can be very dangerous .
Why do some people with the COVID-19 get sicker than others ?
It looks like only about 20 % of people who contract this novel coronavirus need to be hospitalized .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a bad cold and recover at home .
A lot of this has to do with underlying medical conditions .
People who are more vulnerable to any kind of infection — because of their age or chronic health conditions — are more at risk for getting really sick from COVID-19 .
That said , some otherwise healthy people do seem to be getting sicker from this infection than we would expect .
We don ’ t understand why that is or what might be different about these patients .
If you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sicker instead of better and better , you should contact your doctor or visit an ER .
Be sure to call first so they know to expect you .
Can I take an antibiotic or vaccinate against the virus ?
There is no antibiotic ( they are designed for bacterial infections , not viral ones ) to treat COVID-19 .
Scientists are already working on a vaccine , but we don ’ t expect to have a good vaccine until spring of 2021 at the earliest .
However , ongoing trials in China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drugs that may be helpful for the sickest patients .
In fact , the University of Chicago is part of a multi-institutional team that has mapped a protein of SARS-CoV-2 and found drugs previously in development for SARS could be effective for COVID-19 .
For now , doctors can only treat the symptoms , not the virus itself .
What kind of medical care do patients with COVID-19 need ?
It ’ s the 20 % of COVID-19 patients who get really , really sick that worry many of us in the infectious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critically ill patients wind up needing to be hospitalized for their pneumonia-like illnesses .
They typically require critical care and ventilation — special machines that help them breathe .
And some need to stay on ventilators for weeks at a time .
It ’ s this portion of patients that is most concerning .
Depending on how many cases develop here in the U.S. , providing that level of care for so many people over a number of weeks runs the risk of overwhelming the nation ’ s health care system pretty quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ surge ” in patients by practicing social distancing ( see below for more explanation ) .
How do you screen patients for COVID-19 ?
At UChicago Medicine , our teams are following guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
That means we ’ re asking any patient who has respiratory symptoms and a fever if they ’ ve traveled to the affected areas in the past two weeks or been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 .
Patients who answer yes will immediately be given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room , which has special airflow designed to keep airborne germs from getting out into other rooms .
Then , they ’ ll be tested for the usual seasonal respiratory viruses and , if those are negative , tests will be sent for COVID-19 as well .
Turnaround time on the COVID lab test is 1-2 days .
People will need to remain in isolation until they ’ re cleared .
But they may not need to stay in the hospital .
Most patients are well enough to rest at home while waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re also instructing our clinical teams to follow standard infection control protocols .
Our doctors , nurses and other clinical staff will wear protective gear , such as gowns , gloves , masks and eye shields .
That ’ s what they do with anyone who has something like the flu and it ’ s the same steps we followed during the SARS and MERS outbreaks .
We ’ re also reminding everyone to make sure to wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their faces — that ’ s good practice any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during flu season .
Should people be more concerned about the seasonal flu or COVID-19 ?
There ’ s widespread seasonal flu activity going on right now all around the U.S .
But there are steps you can take to protect yourself from influenza .
You can get an annual flu shot .
You can take medication like Tamiflu that protects you from getting influenza after you ’ ve been exposed .
You can cover your mouth and wash your hands to mitigate the spread .
And , like clockwork , this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die out in the spring because it will have run its course .
The challenge with COVID-19 is that we probably can ’ t contain it and we don ’ t know if we ’ re really prepared as a country for a massive coronavirus epidemic .
If we are lucky , it will slow down a bit over the summer but the next few months look like they are going to be pretty tough for all of us .
We need to be as ready as we can for whatever comes our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through it eventually .
How can I protect myself ?
Should I wear a facemask ?
Take the preventive actions you do for the cold and flu .
This includes avoiding close contact with people who are sick ; not touching your eyes , nose and mouth ; washing your hands thoroughly and frequently ; and cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces you come in contact with regularly .
The CDC does not recommend you wear a facemask to protect yourself from getting COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses .
Those who have COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask to protect others from getting the virus .
Any healthcare worker taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 also should wear a mask .
Will the flu shot protect people from COVID-19 ?
Unfortunately , the flu shot is not effective against this virus .
But it will help protect you from the flu , and the flu is still what you ’ re more likely to catch right now .
Can drugs like Tamiflu protect patients from getting sick from COVID-19 ?
No .
Tamiflu is designed to fit into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t appear to be part of COVID-19 .
However , there are other antiviral medications that may be helpful .
We ’ re still learning more about whether these drugs , like Kaletra ( an antiretroviral for HIV patients ) , will prevent people from getting sick entirely or just help people recover faster .
Still , there ’ s a lot of hope in some of the early data we ’ re seeing .
There are also other antivirals being evaluated at the center of the outbreak in Wuhan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am infected with COVID-19 ?
If you think you may have COVID-19 , reach out to your doctor right away .
If you ’ re going to your doctor ’ s office or an emergency room , call ahead so someone can meet you outside to give you a facemask to help limit the spread of any germs .
In the meantime , stay away from other people .
If you live with others , choose a room or place in your home where you can be separated from the others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Have someone wipe down bathroom surfaces with disinfectant regularly , keep their hands clean , and try to keep the windows open for air circulation .
Don ’ t forget to cover your coughs and sneezes .
Can I get tested for COVID-19 if I ’ m worried I ’ ve been exposed ?
Only if you are sick .
The test to diagnose COVID-19 isn ’ t useful unless you are sick and it ’ s still more limited than any of us want it to be .
Make sure you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID you may have so they can get you a test if you need it .
It ’ s also worth mentioning that people shouldn ’ t be worried if they go to their doctor ’ s office and get tested for respiratory viruses and the results say they have a coronavirus .
That ’ s because coronavirus is the name for a whole group of viruses , including things like the common cold .
Most doctors ’ offices can test for normal , everyday coronaviruses .
If you see test results that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t worry .
If you are being tested for COVID-19 , your doctor will be very , very specific and will walk you through any results that come back .
In infection control , we draw a line between things that are transmitted by traveling in the air briefly in respiratory droplets and things that are actually aerosolized and float around for a while .
Think of droplets as small bits of fluid that you can feel and see when someone sneezes .
You sneeze or cough and these droplets get on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get them on your hands , or they can fly right into your mouth or nose or eyes .
That ’ s how most coronaviruses are transmitted and that ’ s how we think this one is too .
Aerosols are different .
Think of hairspray after you use it in the bathroom .
When you go back to the bathroom later , you may still be able to smell it because it ’ s lingering in the air .
Obviously , we ’ re learning a lot about this virus , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way .
Generally speaking , there may be times when some of these droplets or particles are airborne , but it ’ s limited .
Someone on my plane was coughing next to me .
Should I worry I will get COVID-19 ?
Probably not .
In the unlikely chance someone on your flight did have COVID-19 , the local health department in your community will find you .
If they don ’ t , then you probably weren ’ t exposed .
What is “ community-based transmission ” and why is it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking a lot about “ community-based transmission ” of COVID-19 and it ’ s not always clear how this is different from a person who picked up COVID while traveling abroad .
Because of the travel alerts and the public health screening at airports , many people who traveled to a country with COVID risk are being asked to stay home and avoid contact with other people .
When these people get sick , they have very few contacts and public health officials can track them down and ask them to continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach to reducing spread of a new virus and it means that we can see the whole chain of transmission , tracking it from person to person .
When we find cases of COVID-19 that aren ’ t part of a known transmission chain , these patients must have picked up COVID from somewhere .
So , we have to assume there are invisible chains of transmission that could include lots and lots of missed cases .
Basically , it tells us that our attempts to contain the virus have failed and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really difficult to find these invisible cases and stop the spread .
Epidemiologists believe that each community-based case represents a bunch of other invisible cases and , often , this spurs widespread testing of everyone who has cough or cold symptoms in the area .
This usually leads to finding a lot more cases in the subsequent weeks .
What is “ social distancing ” and should I be doing it ?
Social distancing is one of a number of “ non-pharmacologic interventions ” that can be used to slow spread of infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of keeping people separated .
Increasing the distance between desks at school or standing further away from the next person in line at the grocery store are both social distancing .
So is choosing to elbow bump or wave instead of shake hands .
At some point , these interventions will become more important and more formalized .
This could include closing schools , canceling large events , or working from home .
You ’ ll have to make your own personal risk assessment about things like using public transportation , going out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and even attending religious services .
Some people will choose to begin social distancing now and others may not want to do so until there are confirmed cases in their area or when public health officials recommend it , and that ’ s okay .
Some people ( like healthcare providers ) will need to go to work even in the middle of a widespread outbreak and others will need to use public transportation and go to the grocery store no matter what .
When the time comes , we can each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can to make it safer for everyone .
Do I need to stock up on groceries and medication ?
Could we be locked down like in China ?
It ’ s highly unlikely that the U.S. government would impose extreme movement restrictions unless absolutely necessary .
For communities experiencing bad outbreaks , they will likely ask people to stay home and avoid public spaces for a while .
These strategies can really help slow the spread of infection so that everyone doesn ’ t get sick at the same time .
Following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will help protect the most vulnerable among us .
If you or a family member gets sick , you could find yourself in a mandatory 14-day ( or longer ) quarantine and you won ’ t be allowed to leave your home .
I think it ’ s important to be ready to do your part by staying home should the time come .
In this situation , you probably need to have basic supplies on hand in the way of non-perishable foods , prescription medications and comfort items to help keep you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as you would during a natural disaster .
However , COVID doesn ’ t threaten our water supply or electricity so hand-crank radios and pallets of water might be a bit overkill for this situation .
Instead , maybe it ’ s time to choose a few puzzles and catch up on your favorite binge watching .
Having a bunch of enjoyable things to do if you have to stay home for a while can go a long way toward making the entire situation more bearable .

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.
Every since the novel coronavirus and the associated illness called COVID-19 entered the news stream, one might think that Stephen King’s The Stand, or Michael Crichton’s Andromeda Strain might have come to life. Biosuits. Quarantine of cities, regions and nations. People falling over dead on video. News blackouts and propaganda. Suspicion that “they are lying to us!” and market-wracking panic selling. All these things have taken place, or have been reported as taking place since the virus began its world tour. All of this begs one question:
Why is this virus being treated as such a monster?
We are attempting to answer this in next one or two news pieces. This first one is taken directly from the University of Chicago: Medicine’s Emily Landon, who is a doctor there. She gives a very thorough and, by our observation, pragmatic rundown on the virus and the problems it is causing. We are reprinting the entire report. We highly recommend this not be treated as a “too long, didn’t read” report because getting all the information in context helps both inform the reader and provide a balance against needless fears.
(The second newspiece is to be about the character of the virus itself and how it operates, but we are awaiting confirmation of our sources.)
However, for those who are in a hurry, we can give the main bullet points here before the piece itself.
According to this piece:
the novel coronavirus is thought to have originated in a “wet market” in China, where fish and live animals are slaughtered in front of customers. The virus may have sprayed from such an animal and made human contact.
The virus is transmissible by respiratory droplets, average distance of transmission being six feet (about two meters).
The virus is not presently known to be airborne.
Typical symptoms are flu-like.
Some patients, roughly 20% as far as we know, develop severe respiratory illness with this disease. (This seems to be the real crux of the problem, as 20% is very high).
Everyone is at risk of catching COVID-19 (though that may have already happened for many of us, and it might already be gone without our knowing it).
It is not understood why some people get sicker than others.
This illness probably cannot be contained.
It is not known if warmer weather will have any effect on it as it does with other viruses.
Facemasks do not help prevent catching COVID-19, but if you have it, wearing a mask may block its transmission from you.
Antibiotics do not work for this, as it is a virus. Tamiflu also does not work. Some other antiviral medications are being tested.
Now this list has some points that are still in question. Reading the piece thoroughly will show that this is a “this is what we know now” piece rather than an assuredly definitive one. However, it is more thorough than anything I have yet seen, so we present it here for the reader with many thanks to Dr Emily Landon for compiling this in such a succint manner.
by Dr. Emily Landon, University of Chicago Medicine
A contagious respiratory disease that was first detected in China in December 2019 has spread worldwide. The 2019 novel (new) coronavirus has been named SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes is called coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19.
Although health officials here and abroad are working to track and contain the growing epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects widespread transmission of COVID-19 in our country.
As an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist at the University of Chicago Medicine, my job is to prepare for outbreaks such as COVID-19 while caring for patients at our academic medical center on Chicago’s South Side.
The extent of this outbreak is rapidly evolving and risk assessment changes daily, but here’s what we know about COVID-19 as of today:
What is a coronavirus? What is a novel coronavirus?
A coronavirus is the name for a large set of illnesses, including the common cold and other respiratory infections. The term “novel” coronavirus means it’s a new form of the virus.
Where and how did COVID-19 begin?
We learned about this particular virus shortly after a cluster of severe pneumonia cases were reported on New Year’s Eve 2019 in Wuhan, which is in the Hubei Province of China. On January 9, virologists and other public health researchers identified the strain as a novel coronavirus, which was tied to a specific “wet market” in the city of Wuhan, where they sell fish and other live animals.
These markets have been known to transmit viruses before. For cultural reasons in the region, people want to see the specific animals they’re buying be slaughtered in front of them, so they know they’re receiving the products they paid for. As a result, particles of infectious viruses or bacteria can be aerosolized and, in rare instances, jump from animals to people. It’s how SARS, another coronavirus, started in 2003.
How did the virus come to the United States?
The first known patients in the U.S. contracted the virus while traveling in other countries or after exposure to someone who had been to China or one of the other affected areas. But now, a few cases here cannot be traced to these risk factors. This is concerning because it suggests the illness may be spreading across communities for which the source of infection is unknown, which we call community spread/transmission. We don’t know how severe this will be, but it may cause significant disruptions in our daily lives.
How does the COVID-19 spread?
This virus is really transmissible and can spread easily from person to person even before a person develops symptoms. It’s carried on respiratory droplets when we talk, sneeze, and cough and these can land on surfaces or in someone’s mouth or nose. When it comes to respiratory droplets, 6 feet is the magic distance. That’s how far these tiny, infected droplets can travel. Being within 6 feet of someone who is sick can get you or your personal space contaminated with COVID-19.
When droplets land on surfaces, we can pick them up with our hands and transfer them to our eyes, mouth, and nose when we touch our faces. This is why hand hygiene is so important. Respiratory secretions (like snot and sputum) are also infectious so cover your coughs and sneezes.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19? Is it deadly?
It typically causes flu-like symptoms. Some patients — particularly the elderly and others with other chronic health conditions — develop a severe form of pneumonia.
Patients develop symptoms like fever, muscle and body aches, cough, and sore throat about 5-6 days after infection. Most people will feel pretty miserable for a week and get better on their own. Some people won’t get as sick, but it’s still important not to be out and about, so as not to spread the disease. A minority of patients will get worse instead of better. This usually happens after 5-7 days of illness and these patients will have more shortness of breath and worsening cough. If this happens, it’s time to contact your doctor again or even go to an emergency room. Be sure to call first so they know you are coming.
The numbers of people who have been diagnosed and how many have died are changing daily. As of early March, there have been over 97,000 confirmed cases, with a death toll of about 3,000 (more than 2,900 in mainland China). But these numbers are just estimates; it’s still unclear how many people have actually been infected worldwide. Most of the deaths have been in adults over 60 years old who had other health concerns.
Is everyone at risk for catching COVID-19?
Yes. It doesn’t appear anyone is naturally immune to this particular virus, and there’s no reason to believe anybody has antibodies that would normally protect them.
The lack of previous experience with this virus is part of the reason public health officials are working so hard to contain the spread of this particular coronavirus. When viruses are both new (which means the population is highly susceptible) and can easily pass from person to person (a high transmission rate), they can be very dangerous.
Why do some people with the COVID-19 get sicker than others?
It looks like only about 20% of people who contract this novel coronavirus need to be hospitalized. The other 80% get what feels like a bad cold and recover at home. A lot of this has to do with underlying medical conditions. People who are more vulnerable to any kind of infection — because of their age or chronic health conditions — are more at risk for getting really sick from COVID-19.
That said, some otherwise healthy people do seem to be getting sicker from this infection than we would expect. We don’t understand why that is or what might be different about these patients. If you have COVID-19 and you are getting sicker and sicker instead of better and better, you should contact your doctor or visit an ER. Be sure to call first so they know to expect you.
Can I take an antibiotic or vaccinate against the virus?
There is no antibiotic (they are designed for bacterial infections, not viral ones) to treat COVID-19. Scientists are already working on a vaccine, but we don’t expect to have a good vaccine until spring of 2021 at the earliest. However, ongoing trials in China suggest that there are some existing antiviral drugs that may be helpful for the sickest patients. In fact, the University of Chicago is part of a multi-institutional team that has mapped a protein of SARS-CoV-2 and found drugs previously in development for SARS could be effective for COVID-19.
For now, doctors can only treat the symptoms, not the virus itself.
What kind of medical care do patients with COVID-19 need?
It’s the 20% of COVID-19 patients who get really, really sick that worry many of us in the infectious diseases field. A lot of these critically ill patients wind up needing to be hospitalized for their pneumonia-like illnesses. They typically require critical care and ventilation — special machines that help them breathe. And some need to stay on ventilators for weeks at a time. It’s this portion of patients that is most concerning. Depending on how many cases develop here in the U.S., providing that level of care for so many people over a number of weeks runs the risk of overwhelming the nation’s health care system pretty quickly. We can help prevent this kind of “surge” in patients by practicing social distancing (see below for more explanation).
How do you screen patients for COVID-19?
At UChicago Medicine, our teams are following guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means we’re asking any patient who has respiratory symptoms and a fever if they’ve traveled to the affected areas in the past two weeks or been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
Patients who answer yes will immediately be given a facemask and put in an isolation room, which has special airflow designed to keep airborne germs from getting out into other rooms. Then, they’ll be tested for the usual seasonal respiratory viruses and, if those are negative, tests will be sent for COVID-19 as well. Turnaround time on the COVID lab test is 1-2 days. People will need to remain in isolation until they’re cleared. But they may not need to stay in the hospital. Most patients are well enough to rest at home while waiting for the test results.
We’re also instructing our clinical teams to follow standard infection control protocols. Our doctors, nurses and other clinical staff will wear protective gear, such as gowns, gloves, masks and eye shields. That’s what they do with anyone who has something like the flu and it’s the same steps we followed during the SARS and MERS outbreaks. We’re also reminding everyone to make sure to wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their faces — that’s good practice any time of the year, and especially during flu season.
Should people be more concerned about the seasonal flu or COVID-19?
There’s widespread seasonal flu activity going on right now all around the U.S. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself from influenza. You can get an annual flu shot. You can take medication like Tamiflu that protects you from getting influenza after you’ve been exposed. You can cover your mouth and wash your hands to mitigate the spread. And, like clockwork, this year’s influenza strain is going to die out in the spring because it will have run its course.
The challenge with COVID-19 is that we probably can’t contain it and we don’t know if we’re really prepared as a country for a massive coronavirus epidemic. If we are lucky, it will slow down a bit over the summer but the next few months look like they are going to be pretty tough for all of us. We need to be as ready as we can for whatever comes our way and know that we will get through it eventually.
How can I protect myself? Should I wear a facemask?
Take the preventive actions you do for the cold and flu. This includes avoiding close contact with people who are sick; not touching your eyes, nose and mouth; washing your hands thoroughly and frequently; and cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces you come in contact with regularly.
The CDC does not recommend you wear a facemask to protect yourself from getting COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses. Those who have COVID-19 and/or are showing symptoms should wear a mask to protect others from getting the virus. Any healthcare worker taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 also should wear a mask.
Will the flu shot protect people from COVID-19?
Unfortunately, the flu shot is not effective against this virus. But it will help protect you from the flu, and the flu is still what you’re more likely to catch right now.
Can drugs like Tamiflu protect patients from getting sick from COVID-19?
No. Tamiflu is designed to fit into a molecule in the influenza virus, which doesn’t appear to be part of COVID-19. However, there are other antiviral medications that may be helpful. We’re still learning more about whether these drugs, like Kaletra (an antiretroviral for HIV patients), will prevent people from getting sick entirely or just help people recover faster. Still, there’s a lot of hope in some of the early data we’re seeing. There are also other antivirals being evaluated at the center of the outbreak in Wuhan.
What should I do if I think I am infected with COVID-19?
If you think you may have COVID-19, reach out to your doctor right away. If you’re going to your doctor’s office or an emergency room, call ahead so someone can meet you outside to give you a facemask to help limit the spread of any germs. In the meantime, stay away from other people. If you live with others, choose a room or place in your home where you can be separated from the others. Don’t share utensils or cups. Have someone wipe down bathroom surfaces with disinfectant regularly, keep their hands clean, and try to keep the windows open for air circulation. Don’t forget to cover your coughs and sneezes.
Can I get tested for COVID-19 if I’m worried I’ve been exposed?
Only if you are sick. The test to diagnose COVID-19 isn’t useful unless you are sick and it’s still more limited than any of us want it to be. Make sure you tell your doctor about any risks for COVID you may have so they can get you a test if you need it.
It’s also worth mentioning that people shouldn’t be worried if they go to their doctor’s office and get tested for respiratory viruses and the results say they have a coronavirus. That’s because coronavirus is the name for a whole group of viruses, including things like the common cold. Most doctors’ offices can test for normal, everyday coronaviruses. If you see test results that say you have one, you shouldn’t worry. If you are being tested for COVID-19, your doctor will be very, very specific and will walk you through any results that come back.
Is COVID-19 airborne?
In infection control, we draw a line between things that are transmitted by traveling in the air briefly in respiratory droplets and things that are actually aerosolized and float around for a while. Think of droplets as small bits of fluid that you can feel and see when someone sneezes. You sneeze or cough and these droplets get on surfaces and then you touch them and get them on your hands, or they can fly right into your mouth or nose or eyes. That’s how most coronaviruses are transmitted and that’s how we think this one is too.
Aerosols are different. Think of hairspray after you use it in the bathroom. When you go back to the bathroom later, you may still be able to smell it because it’s lingering in the air. Obviously, we’re learning a lot about this virus, but most coronaviruses aren’t airborne that way. Generally speaking, there may be times when some of these droplets or particles are airborne, but it’s limited.
Someone on my plane was coughing next to me. Should I worry I will get COVID-19?
Probably not. In the unlikely chance someone on your flight did have COVID-19, the local health department in your community will find you. If they don’t, then you probably weren’t exposed.
What is “community-based transmission” and why is it important?
Public health officials have been talking a lot about “community-based transmission” of COVID-19 and it’s not always clear how this is different from a person who picked up COVID while traveling abroad. Because of the travel alerts and the public health screening at airports, many people who traveled to a country with COVID risk are being asked to stay home and avoid contact with other people. When these people get sick, they have very few contacts and public health officials can track them down and ask them to continue to stay home. This is a containment approach to reducing spread of a new virus and it means that we can see the whole chain of transmission, tracking it from person to person.
When we find cases of COVID-19 that aren’t part of a known transmission chain, these patients must have picked up COVID from somewhere. So, we have to assume there are invisible chains of transmission that could include lots and lots of missed cases. Basically, it tells us that our attempts to contain the virus have failed and, especially with COVID-19, it can be really difficult to find these invisible cases and stop the spread. Epidemiologists believe that each community-based case represents a bunch of other invisible cases and, often, this spurs widespread testing of everyone who has cough or cold symptoms in the area. This usually leads to finding a lot more cases in the subsequent weeks.
What is “social distancing” and should I be doing it?
Social distancing is one of a number of “non-pharmacologic interventions” that can be used to slow spread of infections. This specifically refers to different ways of keeping people separated. Increasing the distance between desks at school or standing further away from the next person in line at the grocery store are both social distancing. So is choosing to elbow bump or wave instead of shake hands. At some point, these interventions will become more important and more formalized. This could include closing schools, canceling large events, or working from home.
You’ll have to make your own personal risk assessment about things like using public transportation, going out to dinner, getting together with your friends and even attending religious services. Some people will choose to begin social distancing now and others may not want to do so until there are confirmed cases in their area or when public health officials recommend it, and that’s okay. Some people (like healthcare providers) will need to go to work even in the middle of a widespread outbreak and others will need to use public transportation and go to the grocery store no matter what. When the time comes, we can each do our part and stay home when we can to make it safer for everyone.
Do I need to stock up on groceries and medication? Could we be locked down like in China?
It’s highly unlikely that the U.S. government would impose extreme movement restrictions unless absolutely necessary. For communities experiencing bad outbreaks, they will likely ask people to stay home and avoid public spaces for a while. These strategies can really help slow the spread of infection so that everyone doesn’t get sick at the same time. Following these recommendations in any way you can will help protect the most vulnerable among us.
If you or a family member gets sick, you could find yourself in a mandatory 14-day (or longer) quarantine and you won’t be allowed to leave your home. I think it’s important to be ready to do your part by staying home should the time come. In this situation, you probably need to have basic supplies on hand in the way of non-perishable foods, prescription medications and comfort items to help keep you sane while you ride it out — as you would during a natural disaster. However, COVID doesn’t threaten our water supply or electricity so hand-crank radios and pallets of water might be a bit overkill for this situation. Instead, maybe it’s time to choose a few puzzles and catch up on your favorite binge watching. Having a bunch of enjoyable things to do if you have to stay home for a while can go a long way toward making the entire situation more bearable.
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theduran--2020-03-09--Russian Constitution to proclaim God and ban same-sex marriage [Video]

Normally on Sundays I do not write news .
This is in an attempt to stay close to God and the things that really matter .
But today , the Sunday of the Triumph of Holy Orthodoxy , came with an extra added bonus that seemed very important to write about .
The Russian Constitution is undergoing changes that will stun the West .
Dr Steven Turley is an American scholar studying the rise of the post globalist age in the US and around the world .
Russia is the leader of this rise , as the country has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a nation .
In this video , Dr. Steve gives some astonishing information about the demographic changes in the Russian Federation not only since the fall of Communism in 1991 , but going back before the 1917 Revolution .
Watch this : One of the most surprising statistics is that before the 1917 Revolution , only some 30 % of Russian people identified themselves as Orthodox Christians .
Now it is in the 70 % range .
Even though many critics of this “ identification ” note correctly that a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not in Church very often , the change in overall percentages shows growth in Church attendance as well .
So does the existence of the 40,000 parishes and more than 1,000 monasteries that now exist in Russia where in the Communist peak , there were but two hundred ( 200 ) open churches and zero monasteries in Russia .
Russia is not interested in the Godless liberal globalism of the West , which itself is a kissing cousin to Marxism , in its emphasis strictly on the material .
If you read my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can gather some more food for thought about the situation of the globalist secular West and make some judgements for yourself .
Russia is making some key changes to its Constitution , expanded on by Dr Turley : • The invocation of God is to be accomplished in the Russian Constitution ’ s new preamble .
• The affirmation that all of Russia ’ s past ( both Tsarist and the Soviet times ) is part of an integral whole ; the Russian Federation stands in continuity with both .
This makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Turley ’ s words – and these two terms indicate traditionalism on the rise .
• The Constitution will limit the definition of marriage to that being between one man and one woman .
Same sex marriage is to be permanently banned in Russia .
• Further , children are to be considered the most important property of the Russian Federation , and therefore to be protected ( the nation has drastically cut the number of abortions performed ) .
• The Russian language is to become the official language of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the changes Dr Turley speaks of , because I live in Russia and part of the reason I live here is because it has become a safe haven for Christian believers .
This is a pretty amazing situation considering what happened under Communism in the same geographical location .

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.
Normally on Sundays I do not write news. This is in an attempt to stay close to God and the things that really matter. But today, the Sunday of the Triumph of Holy Orthodoxy, came with an extra added bonus that seemed very important to write about. The Russian Constitution is undergoing changes that will stun the West.
Dr Steven Turley is an American scholar studying the rise of the post globalist age in the US and around the world. Russia is the leader of this rise, as the country has been moving towards a tradition, Christian-based identity as a nation. In this video, Dr. Steve gives some astonishing information about the demographic changes in the Russian Federation not only since the fall of Communism in 1991, but going back before the 1917 Revolution. Watch this:
One of the most surprising statistics is that before the 1917 Revolution, only some 30% of Russian people identified themselves as Orthodox Christians. Now it is in the 70% range. Even though many critics of this “identification” note correctly that a lot of people identify as Orthodox Christian but are not in Church very often, the change in overall percentages shows growth in Church attendance as well. So does the existence of the 40,000 parishes and more than 1,000 monasteries that now exist in Russia where in the Communist peak, there were but two hundred (200) open churches and zero monasteries in Russia.
Russia is not interested in the Godless liberal globalism of the West, which itself is a kissing cousin to Marxism, in its emphasis strictly on the material. If you read my series on Orthodox Christianity versus Socialism, you can gather some more food for thought about the situation of the globalist secular West and make some judgements for yourself.
Russia is making some key changes to its Constitution, expanded on by Dr Turley:
The invocation of God is to be accomplished in the Russian Constitution’s new preamble.
The affirmation that all of Russia’s past (both Tsarist and the Soviet times) is part of an integral whole; the Russian Federation stands in continuity with both. This makes it “post-modern and post secular” in Turley’s words – and these two terms indicate traditionalism on the rise.
The Constitution will limit the definition of marriage to that being between one man and one woman. Same sex marriage is to be permanently banned in Russia.
in Russia. Further, children are to be considered the most important property of the Russian Federation, and therefore to be protected (the nation has drastically cut the number of abortions performed).
are to be considered the most important property of the Russian Federation, and therefore to be protected (the nation has drastically cut the number of abortions performed). The Russian language is to become the official language of the Russian Federation.
I can verify all the changes Dr Turley speaks of, because I live in Russia and part of the reason I live here is because it has become a safe haven for Christian believers. This is a pretty amazing situation considering what happened under Communism in the same geographical location.
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