naturalnews--2020-02-20--Wuhan coronavirus threatens to DESTROY commerce throughout China as just 34% of businesses have enou

( Natural News ) If Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) continues to spread throughout China at its current rate and the government finds no good way to control it , millions of workers are going to be laid off from their jobs as two-thirds of small-to-medium businesses fail .
According to a Google translation of a Yahoo !
Taiwan story , the virus is continuing to spread on the mainland , leaving many firms unable to reopen .
Thus , more and more employees are watching their paychecks shrink , are being given unpaid leave , or worse , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timeframe for rehiring being given .
At the same time , small-to-midsize shops are being shuttered at an increasing pace , leaving some analysts to predict that , if the virus continues spreading and more business are forced to close because they can ’ t find workers or because there is little business due to quarantines and so forth , as many as 4.5 million people are likely to be out of work .
And that will have “ a great impact ” on the mainland , the news report said .
Researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted a joint survey of almost 1,000 small-to-medium-sized businesses ; just 34 percent of shop owners said they only have enough cash flow to remain open for a month , while a much smaller number — 18 percent — said they only have enough cash on hand to remain open for three months .
“ … [ I ] f the epidemic continues , there may be a wave of closures , ” the news site reported , according to the translation .
Chief economist Wang Jun of Beijing Central Plains Bank said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus is very similar to the global financial slowdown of 2008 , caused by the Great Recession in the U.S. Then , Wang noted , some 20 million Chinese workers were idled , which forced the Communist government to inject 4 trillion yuan into the economy to keep it afloat .
That caused an increase in economic growth , but not without adding new debt .
‘ The means of production are owned by the state ’ British Economist Intelligence Unit ( EIU ) analyst Dan Wang added that he believes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard-hit due to the virus , leaving smaller companies unable to turn a profit .
Analysts believe that if the government can ’ t find a way to bring the pandemic under control by the end of March , mass layoffs of Chinese workers are coming , affecting millions — which is sure to ratchet up internal unrest and make it more difficult for the regime to exert control over the population .
To head off mass unemployment , the State Council has pledged to avoid layoffs , while asking local governments to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce people ’ s panic , ” the Yahoo news site reported .
Unrest is of particular importance to the Chinese Communist regime , according to retired Air Force brigadier general and China expert Robert S. Spalding .
During a recent event at the Global Taiwan Institute , Spalding said Beijing ’ s leaders are struggling to maintain their grip on the country ’ s massive population in the face of rare , unpredictable events that have the potential to cause severe consequences , The National Sentinel reported .
He said that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are currently playing out in China that could eventually have a deleterious effect on the ruling regime : The ongoing trade war with the United States , the protests in Hong Kong , and the negative effects of the Wuhan coronavirus , all of which are placing “ extreme pressure on the regime.
” “ The means of production are owned by the state , ” he said , with even private businesses in China co-opted by the Chinese Communist Party because it is “ the sovereign of the people.
” “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , ” he said , but that won ’ t matter if the virus-induced economic downturn doesn ’ t reverse itself .
And it won ’ t if the virus can ’ t be contained .

Wuhan coronavirus threatens to DESTROY commerce throughout China as just 34% of businesses have enough cash flow to stay open for longer than a month
If Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread throughout China at its current rate and the government finds no good way to control it, millions of workers are going to be laid off from their jobs as two-thirds of small-to-medium businesses fail.
According to a Google translation of a Yahoo! Taiwan story, the virus is continuing to spread on the mainland, leaving many firms unable to reopen. Thus, more and more employees are watching their paychecks shrink, are being given unpaid leave, or worse, are being laid off altogether, with no timeframe for rehiring being given.
At the same time, small-to-midsize shops are being shuttered at an increasing pace, leaving some analysts to predict that, if the virus continues spreading and more business are forced to close because they can’t find workers or because there is little business due to quarantines and so forth, as many as 4.5 million people are likely to be out of work.
And that will have “a great impact” on the mainland, the news report said.
Researchers at Peking University and Beijing Tsinghua University conducted a joint survey of almost 1,000 small-to-medium-sized businesses; just 34 percent of shop owners said they only have enough cash flow to remain open for a month, while a much smaller number — 18 percent — said they only have enough cash on hand to remain open for three months.
“…[I]f the epidemic continues, there may be a wave of closures,” the news site reported, according to the translation.
Chief economist Wang Jun of Beijing Central Plains Bank said he believes that the current situation with the coronavirus is very similar to the global financial slowdown of 2008, caused by the Great Recession in the U.S.
Then, Wang noted, some 20 million Chinese workers were idled, which forced the Communist government to inject 4 trillion yuan into the economy to keep it afloat. That caused an increase in economic growth, but not without adding new debt.
‘The means of production are owned by the state’
British Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) analyst Dan Wang added that he believes the service industry in China has been particularly hard-hit due to the virus, leaving smaller companies unable to turn a profit.
Analysts believe that if the government can’t find a way to bring the pandemic under control by the end of March, mass layoffs of Chinese workers are coming, affecting millions — which is sure to ratchet up internal unrest and make it more difficult for the regime to exert control over the population.
To head off mass unemployment, the State Council has pledged to avoid layoffs, while asking local governments to bolster jobless and other benefits “to reduce people’s panic,” the Yahoo news site reported.
Unrest is of particular importance to the Chinese Communist regime, according to retired Air Force brigadier general and China expert Robert S. Spalding.
During a recent event at the Global Taiwan Institute, Spalding said Beijing’s leaders are struggling to maintain their grip on the country’s massive population in the face of rare, unpredictable events that have the potential to cause severe consequences, The National Sentinel reported.
He said that a trio of “black swan events” are currently playing out in China that could eventually have a deleterious effect on the ruling regime: The ongoing trade war with the United States, the protests in Hong Kong, and the negative effects of the Wuhan coronavirus, all of which are placing “extreme pressure on the regime.”
“The means of production are owned by the state,” he said, with even private businesses in China co-opted by the Chinese Communist Party because it is “the sovereign of the people.”
“The means of production are owned by the state,” he said, but that won’t matter if the virus-induced economic downturn doesn’t reverse itself.
And it won’t if the virus can’t be contained.
Sources include:
TheNationalSentinel.com
tw.News.Yahoo.com


naturalnews--2020-02-20--China to implement PERMANENT ban on wildlife trade in the wake of coronavirus outbreak

( Natural News ) On the 30th of January , China imposed a temporary ban on the wildlife trade in response to the growing threat posed by the coronavirus , which at the time had already killed several hundred people , according to official estimates , and was caused by an unsanitary food market in Wuhan , which sold different species of animals , including bats , wolves , squirrels and salamanders .
Now , nearly three weeks and over a thousand more officially reported deaths later , this temporary ban is now being extended permanently .
With the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this decision comes after international pressure to hold China accountable for the spread of the deadly disease .
Along with this measure , Chinese authorities are planning to escalate supervision on the country ’ s many “ wet markets , ” or markets that sell fresh meat , produce and other perishable foods .
These wet markets are places where diseases such as the coronavirus can spread easily because of the haphazard implementation of sanitary standards .
Current research on the coronavirus believes that the deadly virus may have originated in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are known to sell both dead and living animals , and sanitary conditions are poorly enforced .
( Related : CORONAVIRUS : Top CDC official warns “ we are likely to see community spread in the U.S. ” as agency prepares to implement “ change in our response strategy.
” ) China attempting to combat the spread of coronavirus The Politburo Standing Committee , the most powerful body of the Chinese Communist Party , formally recognized its “ shortcomings ” in response to the coronavirus outbreak in a statement made in early February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it plans to severely clamp down on the illegal wildlife trade to make sure the virus , and future diseases like it , doesn ’ t spread .
“ It is necessary to strengthen market supervision , resolutely ban and severely crack down on illegal wildlife markets and trade and control major public health risks from the source , ” said the committee in a statement .
This ban is just one of several policies and initiatives that the ruling Chinese Communist Party are implementing to prevent the coronavirus from spreading any further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine of the whole province of Hubei and its nearly 60 million inhabitants , and the building of two new hospitals , the Huoshenshan and Leishenshan hospitals , which were built in 10 days and 15 days respectively .
Official reports state that these hospitals will be able to accommodate over 2,600 patients once they ’ re both fully operational .
It remains to be seen if this new ban on the wildlife trade will be effective , especially given that the practice is already mostly illegal .
Previous measures have already been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the black market for exotic animals continues to thrive due to problems with enforcement , as well as inadequate prosecution measures .
Up to 70 percent of zoonotic diseases come from wildlife , such as the monkeys that caused the 2013-2016 Ebola virus epidemic , and the still-unknown animal that caused the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak .
This means that it is absolutely necessary for China to effectively crack down on the trade to prevent future outbreaks .
In addition , these comprehensive measures must be strictly enforced .
If not , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade will continue , even in a diminished form , and diseases like the coronavirus will continue to spread .

China to implement PERMANENT ban on wildlife trade in the wake of coronavirus outbreak
On the 30th of January, China imposed a temporary ban on the wildlife trade in response to the growing threat posed by the coronavirus, which at the time had already killed several hundred people, according to official estimates, and was caused by an unsanitary food market in Wuhan, which sold different species of animals, including bats, wolves, squirrels and salamanders. Now, nearly three weeks and over a thousand more officially reported deaths later, this temporary ban is now being extended permanently
With the coronavirus outbreak showing no signs of slowing down, this decision comes after international pressure to hold China accountable for the spread of the deadly disease.
Along with this measure, Chinese authorities are planning to escalate supervision on the country's many "wet markets," or markets that sell fresh meat, produce and other perishable foods. These wet markets are places where diseases such as the coronavirus can spread easily because of the haphazard implementation of sanitary standards. Current research on the coronavirus believes that the deadly virus may have originated in a wet market in Wuhan. These markets are known to sell both dead and living animals, and sanitary conditions are poorly enforced. (Related: CORONAVIRUS: Top CDC official warns "we are likely to see community spread in the U.S." as agency prepares to implement "change in our response strategy.")
China attempting to combat the spread of coronavirus
The Politburo Standing Committee, the most powerful body of the Chinese Communist Party, formally recognized its "shortcomings" in response to the coronavirus outbreak in a statement made in early February. The committee has also announced that it plans to severely clamp down on the illegal wildlife trade to make sure the virus, and future diseases like it, doesn't spread.
"It is necessary to strengthen market supervision, resolutely ban and severely crack down on illegal wildlife markets and trade and control major public health risks from the source," said the committee in a statement.
This ban is just one of several policies and initiatives that the ruling Chinese Communist Party are implementing to prevent the coronavirus from spreading any further. Some of these include the total quarantine of the whole province of Hubei and its nearly 60 million inhabitants, and the building of two new hospitals, the Huoshenshan and Leishenshan hospitals, which were built in 10 days and 15 days respectively. Official reports state that these hospitals will be able to accommodate over 2,600 patients once they're both fully operational.
It remains to be seen if this new ban on the wildlife trade will be effective, especially given that the practice is already mostly illegal. Previous measures have already been enacted on the illegal wildlife trade, but the black market for exotic animals continues to thrive due to problems with enforcement, as well as inadequate prosecution measures. Up to 70 percent of zoonotic diseases come from wildlife, such as the monkeys that caused the 2013-2016 Ebola virus epidemic, and the still-unknown animal that caused the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak.
This means that it is absolutely necessary for China to effectively crack down on the trade to prevent future outbreaks. In addition, these comprehensive measures must be strictly enforced. If not, then it's likely that the illegal trade will continue, even in a diminished form, and diseases like the coronavirus will continue to spread.
Sources include:
ZMEScience.com
WakingTimes.com
TheGuardian.com
BusinessInsider.com
NYPost.com
Nature.com
WHO.int


naturalnews--2020-02-20--Wuhan mother speaks out "no beds, no medicine, all lies"

( Natural News ) Here ’ s a heart wrenching video of a Wuhan mother who can not take the lies anymore .
• Only normal citizens are suffering .
The government does not care about us .
We can ’ t buy medicine with money .
We can ’ t go to the hospital with money .
• And in Hong Kong , I support your independence .
I also support Taiwan independence .
Tibet and Hong Kong , I support independence .
• Not a single person can speak freely .
If anyone speaks about the truth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s 10 years or 20 years then it ’ s already decided .
Even lawyers are useless .
• I ’ m gon na tell you something .
1 person ’ s sacrifice 2 people ’ s sacrifice is a sacrifice that is necessary of a revolution .
I will make a sacrifice for may parents , for my family , for our free lives .
• I know it is dangerous for me to speak out .
But I can ’ t take it anymore , I can not .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the news from TV is a lie .
• In this evil society I can no longer keep my mouth shut .
No one is willing to speak out .
I am going to stand up and make a voice .
We really have to resist my fellow citizens .
I can ’ t live like this anymore .
Now that ’ s a patriot .
And that is what China fears most .
I can not confirm where that video was filmed .
I can say that it is similar to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fear , Fury and the Coronavirus .
The NYT reporters were in China .
“ China ’ s Communist rulers are not just fighting an epidemic .
They are also struggling to contain an upwelling of public anger about their own failure to stem the outbreak.
” “ Something is happening that is bigger than the coronavirus.
” Meanwhile , please note that Half the Population of China , 760 Million , Now Locked Down From an economic standpoint , January say the Largest Shipping Decline Since 2009 and That ’ s Before @ @ @ @

Wuhan mother speaks out “no beds, no medicine, all lies”
Here's a heart wrenching video of a Wuhan mother who cannot take the lies anymore.
(Article by Mike "Mish" Shedlock republished from MoneyMaven.io)
Select Transcript Quotes
Only normal citizens are suffering. The government does not care about us. We can't buy medicine with money. We can't go to the hospital with money.
And in Hong Kong, I support your independence. I also support Taiwan independence. Tibet and Hong Kong, I support independence.
Not a single person can speak freely. If anyone speaks about the truth, they are detained, If they decide it's 10 years or 20 years then it's already decided. Even lawyers are useless.
I'm gonna tell you something. 1 person's sacrifice 2 people's sacrifice is a sacrifice that is necessary of a revolution. I will make a sacrifice for may parents, for my family, for our free lives.
I know it is dangerous for me to speak out. But I can't take it anymore, I cannot.
No beds, no medicine, all the news from TV is a lie.
In this evil society I can no longer keep my mouth shut. No one is willing to speak out. I am going to stand up and make a voice. We really have to resist my fellow citizens. I can't live like this anymore.
Wow.
Now that's a patriot. And that is what China fears most.
I cannot confirm where that video was filmed.
I can say that it is similar to what the New York Times reports in Fear, Fury and the Coronavirus.
The NYT reporters were in China.
Food Supply Issues
https://twitter.com/JasonEBurack/status/1228084589551329280
https://twitter.com/JasonEBurack/status/1228085067999776771
Political Unrest Highest Since Tiananmen Square (1989)
https://twitter.com/biancoresearch/status/1229892406545408000
Beijing Afraid?
Yes.
"China’s Communist rulers are not just fighting an epidemic. They are also struggling to contain an upwelling of public anger about their own failure to stem the outbreak."
"Something is happening that is bigger than the coronavirus."
Meanwhile, please note that Half the Population of China, 760 Million, Now Locked Down
From an economic standpoint, January say the Largest Shipping Decline Since 2009 and That's Before Coronavirus impact hit.
Supply chain disruptions have barely started.
Read more at: MoneyMaven.io


naturalnews--2020-02-20--Would we still have power and water if we had a massive coronavirus quarantine in the US?

( Natural News ) How long do you think a pandemic quarantine could go on with power , running water , the internet , and trash pick-up continuing to run as normal ?
If Covid-19 ( also known as the Wuhan coronavirus or nCoV-2019 ) were to spread where you live as it has in China , it ’ s possible that extreme measures could be taken .
Possibly even a China-style lockdown , where people are told to stay in their homes and where businesses are closed .
I ’ m referring to something much more extreme than just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I certainly hope such a situation is unlikely , it ’ s something we should all consider a possibility and get prepared for , just in case .
Considering whether or not this would be an off-grid scenario would play an extremely important part in your preparations .
Selco and I had a very interesting chat about this after I ’ d raised the point in a group discussion .
I thought you might be interested in our thoughts .
Of course , there ’ s no way to know exactly how this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s pure speculation on our part based on the research of similar situations , knowledge of our systems , and personal experiences .
Would we have utilities and services during a quarantine scenario ?
First things first , electrical power , natural gas , water , and the internet could run a long time automatically or with just a bit of input from someone on a computer .
A pandemic isn ’ t going to fry our circuitry like an EMP would , for example .
There ’ s nothing general-infrastructure-wise that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assumes that everything besides the pandemic is smooth sailing – that we won ’ t have any tornadoes , any hurricanes , any blizzards , any earthquakes , unfortunate bolts of lightning , or accidents .
And it also omits manmade problems like riots that damage the infrastructure or even deliberate sabotage .
In a full-on pandemic , there ’ s likely going to be nobody to go out there and repair potential damage .
And it ’ s possible that even if people were willing , they might not have access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are items that they get on a “ just-in-time ” basis .
As for water , it could run for a long time but it might not be safe to drink .
We ’ d need to be alert that there ’ s nobody there testing the tap water and adding chemicals .
I don ’ t love chemicals like fluoride in my water but I do love essential chemicals better than I like amoebic dysentery and shigellosis and cholera .
That being said , even if the water wasn ’ t drinkable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly make life easier if folks not on septic systems could still flush their toilets , and water could be purified in a multitude of different ways .
The government would want utilities to remain functional .
Also , the government is going to WANT people to have utilities in the event of any kind of quarantine .
People who can zone out in front of the television or play video games are going to be a lot tamer and easier to manage than people who are detoxing from their cell phones and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a way to keep the lights on , I feel fairly confident the government would prefer that .
Karl Marx once said religion was the opiate of the masses .
These days , I think television and Netflix wear that crown .
It also makes it easier for them to whisper sweet nothings of propaganda into our homes .
“ Don ’ t worrrryyyyy .
It ’ s going to be okaaayyyyy .
We ’ re here to heeelllppp.
” Garbage pick-up is another matter , and a very worrisome one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our homes , who is going to pick up the trash ?
Will garbage collectors be issued protective suits ?
It ’ s even possible that the military would be called in to perform tasks like this due to the risk of trash that could spread disease .
I ’ d imagine that out of all things , garbage would be one of the most likely to contain infectious materials – tissues from runny noses , paper plates folks have eaten from , all the stuff possible infected people had touched .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t seen a lot of trash piling up , so there , it appears that particular system is still running .
However , trash pick-up is what I would expect to be the first thing to go .
Will it come to this ?
This is not a question that anyone could definitively answer .
It ’ s just like the utilities .
What are the concurrent factors ?
What would have to happen for this to blow up and explode across the US as it has in China ?
What would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing that ?
What are the wild card events that could hasten the spread ?
( Mutation , the holidays , another illness spreading that weakens immune systems , a disaster that compromises us to the point we can ’ t shelter in place ? )
Because of the potential for this , we should focus on being prepared .
( This book is an excellent resource specific to the Wuhan coronavirus . )
Could it happen ?
Yes .
Will it happen ?
Nobody knows .
Would we have utilities and services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question is what would happen with electric power and all other utilities once the SHTF .
And yes answer is not simple .
It is based on type of event and severity of the event , but I think we can have some good guesses about it .
Power , running water , communications ( internet , cell phones… ) and similar utilities up to waste management in all modern societies are brought to an advanced level of functioning .
All that is so “ modernized ” in a way that most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not care how it is being delivered to us .
People don ’ t care how these things work .
I also do not know in depth how all that works , but I know that most of the utilities today are being brought to us in a very automated and interconnected way .
So , as a result , it works good , until it does not .
I think the price for that is the fact that when ONE thing goes out soon another thing will go out too .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , it may still mean it easily may go out at your home .
Do not forget , things ( services ) no matter how modernized need to be maintained , so , if there are no people around to do maintenance , services will not work .
It depends on how bad the event is , and the control the government has over the event , and the society in which the event happening .
It is a question of are people gon na be there to maintain services .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening , are people willing to go maintain services or they are more willing to go home and protect their loved ones ?
They are all just humans , do not forget .
Also , if there is still a system functioning , the government or some kind of system , does it have enough power to FORCE people to maintain services ?
People will want to go home to their families .
The important fact is : if the event happening here is serious enough to bring problems to utility services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make other services like the police force or medical services no longer working .
So , as a result , the security situation will be deteriorated , so that is another obvious reason why people would want to be more with their families instead of at their job .
A deteriorating situation with utilities will usually go with a deteriorating situation in behavior between people , so it is not like our only problem will be city services and everything else will be fine at home ( and safe ) .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenarios , I am talking about a complete or partial collapse of system .
In what kind of system you are living ?
Is that system going to implement very harsh measures in order to maintain “ things going on ” ?
You can not compare a probable situation in your country with a situation happening in another country if the systems are completely different .
If you are living in a system where you were raised to trust blindly in it , without too many freedoms ( or any ) , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it may result in a very disciplined response in hard situations , both because of mentality of people and also because of fear from punishment .
China has that kind of system .
In the end , I do not have a clue how long utilities would last in your case wherever you are .
I know in my case , the system and utilities would fall apart in a matter of a few weeks , and people would simply go home to their families because through experience , they know our system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not care for people , and it can turn against us very fast .
And also people are kinda ready to survive without the help of the system .
Or at least they are ready to try .
You alone can figure that how things would work in your case .
What do you think ?
Join the conversation .
How would you expect things to go where you live if the Covid-19 pandemic spread to the point that mandatory quarantines occurred ?
How long do you think basic utilities would continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our conversation ?
Are you prepared for the possibilities ?
Let ’ s discuss it in the comments .

Would we still have power and water if we had a massive coronavirus quarantine in the US?
How long do you think a pandemic quarantine could go on with power, running water, the internet, and trash pick-up continuing to run as normal?
(Article by Selco Begovic and Daisy Luther republished from TheOrganicPrepper.com)
If Covid-19 (also known as the Wuhan coronavirus or nCoV-2019) were to spread where you live as it has in China, it’s possible that extreme measures could be taken. Possibly even a China-style lockdown, where people are told to stay in their homes and where businesses are closed. I’m referring to something much more extreme than just a handful of us self-isolating.
While I certainly hope such a situation is unlikely, it’s something we should all consider a possibility and get prepared for, just in case. Considering whether or not this would be an off-grid scenario would play an extremely important part in your preparations.
Selco and I had a very interesting chat about this after I’d raised the point in a group discussion. I thought you might be interested in our thoughts. Of course, there’s no way to know exactly how this might go down, so it’s pure speculation on our part based on the research of similar situations, knowledge of our systems, and personal experiences.
Would we have utilities and services during a quarantine scenario?
Daisy’s Thoughts
A lot of things are automated, which makes me believe we could potentially have a month or two of relative normalcy with regard to utilities, even if folks aren’t going to work. Garbage pickup would be another matter.
First things first, electrical power, natural gas, water, and the internet could run a long time automatically or with just a bit of input from someone on a computer. A pandemic isn’t going to fry our circuitry like an EMP would, for example. There’s nothing general-infrastructure-wise that would immediately compromise these utilities.
But this assumes that everything besides the pandemic is smooth sailing – that we won’t have any tornadoes, any hurricanes, any blizzards, any earthquakes, unfortunate bolts of lightning, or accidents. And it also omits manmade problems like riots that damage the infrastructure or even deliberate sabotage.
In a full-on pandemic, there’s likely going to be nobody to go out there and repair potential damage. And it’s possible that even if people were willing, they might not have access to the necessary supplies or equipment if these are items that they get on a “just-in-time” basis.
As for water, it could run for a long time but it might not be safe to drink. We’d need to be alert that there’s nobody there testing the tap water and adding chemicals. I don’t love chemicals like fluoride in my water but I do love essential chemicals better than I like amoebic dysentery and shigellosis and cholera. That being said, even if the water wasn’t drinkable right from the tap, it would certainly make life easier if folks not on septic systems could still flush their toilets, and water could be purified in a multitude of different ways.
The government would want utilities to remain functional.
Also, the government is going to WANT people to have utilities in the event of any kind of quarantine. People who can zone out in front of the television or play video games are going to be a lot tamer and easier to manage than people who are detoxing from their cell phones and Facebook and 24-7 television. If there’s a way to keep the lights on, I feel fairly confident the government would prefer that.
Karl Marx once said religion was the opiate of the masses. These days, I think television and Netflix wear that crown.
It also makes it easier for them to whisper sweet nothings of propaganda into our homes. “Don’t worrrryyyyy. It’s going to be okaaayyyyy. We’re here to heeelllppp.”
Governments love stuff like that.
Garbage pick-up
Garbage pick-up is another matter, and a very worrisome one. If we’re all confined to our homes, who is going to pick up the trash? Will garbage collectors be issued protective suits? It’s even possible that the military would be called in to perform tasks like this due to the risk of trash that could spread disease.
I’d imagine that out of all things, garbage would be one of the most likely to contain infectious materials – tissues from runny noses, paper plates folks have eaten from, all the stuff possible infected people had touched.
In videos from China, I haven’t seen a lot of trash piling up, so there, it appears that particular system is still running.
However, trash pick-up is what I would expect to be the first thing to go.
Will it come to this?
This is not a question that anyone could definitively answer.
It’s just like the utilities. What are the concurrent factors? What would have to happen for this to blow up and explode across the US as it has in China? What would have to happen to stop it from doing that? What are the wild card events that could hasten the spread? (Mutation, the holidays, another illness spreading that weakens immune systems, a disaster that compromises us to the point we can’t shelter in place?)
Because of the potential for this, we should focus on being prepared. (This book is an excellent resource specific to the Wuhan coronavirus.)
Could it happen? Yes.
Will it happen? Nobody knows.
Would we have utilities and services during a quarantine scenario?
Selco’s Thoughts
A good question is what would happen with electric power and all other utilities once the SHTF.
And yes answer is not simple. It is based on type of event and severity of the event, but I think we can have some good guesses about it.
Utilities
Power, running water, communications (internet, cell phones…) and similar utilities up to waste management in all modern societies are brought to an advanced level of functioning.
All that is so “modernized” in a way that most of us usually do not notice or actually do not care how it is being delivered to us. People don’t care how these things work.
I also do not know in depth how all that works, but I know that most of the utilities today are being brought to us in a very automated and interconnected way.
So, as a result, it works good, until it does not.
I think the price for that is the fact that when ONE thing goes out soon another thing will go out too. Even if something goes out FAR from you, it may still mean it easily may go out at your home.
Maintenance
Do not forget, things (services) no matter how modernized need to be maintained, so, if there are no people around to do maintenance, services will not work.
It depends on how bad the event is, and the control the government has over the event, and the society in which the event happening. It is a question of are people gonna be there to maintain services.
As an example, if some serious event is happening, are people willing to go maintain services or they are more willing to go home and protect their loved ones? They are all just humans, do not forget.
People
Also, if there is still a system functioning, the government or some kind of system, does it have enough power to FORCE people to maintain services? People will want to go home to their families.
The important fact is: if the event happening here is serious enough to bring problems to utility services, it is probably serious enough to make other services like the police force or medical services no longer working. So, as a result, the security situation will be deteriorated, so that is another obvious reason why people would want to be more with their families instead of at their job.
A deteriorating situation with utilities will usually go with a deteriorating situation in behavior between people, so it is not like our only problem will be city services and everything else will be fine at home (and safe).
Now, this all may be different in different scenarios, I am talking about a complete or partial collapse of system.
The system
In what kind of system you are living?
Is that system going to implement very harsh measures in order to maintain “things going on”?
You can not compare a probable situation in your country with a situation happening in another country if the systems are completely different.
If you are living in a system where you were raised to trust blindly in it, without too many freedoms (or any), with very hard punishments for not obeying, it may result in a very disciplined response in hard situations, both because of mentality of people and also because of fear from punishment. China has that kind of system.
In the end, I do not have a clue how long utilities would last in your case wherever you are. I know in my case, the system and utilities would fall apart in a matter of a few weeks, and people would simply go home to their families because through experience, they know our system is fragile. They know it does not care for people, and it can turn against us very fast. And also people are kinda ready to survive without the help of the system. Or at least they are ready to try.
You alone can figure that how things would work in your case.
What do you think?
Join the conversation. How would you expect things to go where you live if the Covid-19 pandemic spread to the point that mandatory quarantines occurred? How long do you think basic utilities would continue to function? Are there factors we overlooked in our conversation? Are you prepared for the possibilities? Let’s discuss it in the comments.
Read more at: TheOrganicPrepper.com


naturalnews--2020-02-20--Researchers discover how to deactivate influenza protein that turns off innate immunity

( Natural News ) Research on the influenza virus has come a long way .
One of the most significant discoveries about the virus is the role of Non-Structural Protein 1 ( NS1 ) in influenza virus A infection and pathogenesis .
According to earlier studies , NS1 plays a critical role by antagonizing the host cell ’ s anti-viral response .
But while scientists are familiar with the many ways this protein performs its function , not all of the mechanisms involved in it are clear .
In a recent study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UA ) explored the interactions between influenza A NS1 and a protein found in the cytoplasm of human cells called retinoic acid-inducible gene I ( RIG-I ) .
RIG-I is an important receptor that recognizes and responds to viral nucleic acids by triggering the cell ’ s innate anti-viral defense .
The researchers found that a specific mutation in NS1 reduces the influenza A virus ’ ability to prevent the activation of RIG-I , which is needed in order for cells to mount an appropriate immune response .
According to UA researcher Chad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virulence of the influenza virus .
Previous studies have found that its two functional domains — an RNA-binding domain ( NS1RBD ) and an effector domain ( NS1ED ) — antagonize the cell ’ s type I interferon ( IFN ) -mediated immune response to viral infections .
But when a conserved portion of arginine and lysine residues in NS1RBD is mutated , the influenza virus loses its ability to block IFN production upon infection .
IFN provides one of the first lines of host defense against virus infection .
The conserved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interaction between NS1 and the type I IFN response activator , RIG-I .
As the cell ’ s innate virus sensor , RIG-I binds to viral RNAs .
This causes its structure to change and leaves its two functional domains , CARD1 and CARD2 , exposed .
In the presence of other viruses , CARD2 normally undergoes a series of reactions that eventually drives type I IFN production .
However , the binding of influenza NS1RBD ’ s conserved portion to RIG-I suppresses RIG-I function , inhibiting the production of IFN and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response .
A strain-specific mutation in the NS1 protein negates its function Back in 2015 , Petit , together with researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison , investigated the strain-specific interactions between viral and host proteins that dictate virulence .
They noticed a difference between the severity of the H1N1 virus that caused the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic and the 2009 H1N1 virus that caused the Swine Flu pandemic .
Although both showed high transmissibility , the more recent strain of H1N1 displayed a much lower virulence than the old one .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a different influenza strain — the Udorn H3N2 virus — they found that the NS1RBD of the 1918 H1N1 virus directly interacts with CARD2 , while the Udorn NS1RBD does not .
This suggests that the interaction between NS1 and RIG-I is influenced by the strain of the virus .
The researchers also identified several structural differences between the two NS1RBDs , which may influence NS1 binding to RIG-I as well .
In their latest study , Petit and his team used reverse genetics to engineer the mutation they found in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influenza virus .
They aimed to further understand the strain-specific interaction between NS1 and RIG-I and its biological effects .
The researchers reported that , unlike the original NS1 , the mutant NS1 protein did not antagonize RIG-I signaling .
The mutation in its NS1RBD reduced the protein ’ s ability to bind to RIG-I , which led to the activation of cellular innate immunity .
( Related : A natural cure for influenza : Study proves elderberries are an effective antiviral . )
According to Petit , comparisons of different NS1 sequences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different strains may be related to species-specific adaptation .
“ Taken together , the work presented in this study stresses the importance of how strain-specific polymorphisms in NS1 can affect its ability to antagonize the host cellular immune response in ways that are yet to be appreciated , ” Petit said .

Researchers discover how to deactivate influenza protein that turns off innate immunity
Research on the influenza virus has come a long way. One of the most significant discoveries about the virus is the role of Non-Structural Protein 1 (NS1) in influenza virus A infection and pathogenesis.
According to earlier studies, NS1 plays a critical role by antagonizing the host cell's anti-viral response. But while scientists are familiar with the many ways this protein performs its function, not all of the mechanisms involved in it are clear.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers from the University of Alabama (UA) explored the interactions between influenza A NS1 and a protein found in the cytoplasm of human cells called retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I). RIG-I is an important receptor that recognizes and responds to viral nucleic acids by triggering the cell's innate anti-viral defense. The researchers found that a specific mutation in NS1 reduces the influenza A virus' ability to prevent the activation of RIG-I, which is needed in order for cells to mount an appropriate immune response.
How influenza A NS1 shuts down innate immunity
According to UA researcher Chad Petit, NS1 is responsible for modulating the virulence of the influenza virus. Previous studies have found that its two functional domains -- an RNA-binding domain (NS1RBD) and an effector domain (NS1ED) -- antagonize the cell's type I interferon (IFN)-mediated immune response to viral infections. But when a conserved portion of arginine and lysine residues in NS1RBD is mutated, the influenza virus loses its ability to block IFN production upon infection. IFN provides one of the first lines of host defense against virus infection.
The conserved portion in NS1RBD is involved in the interaction between NS1 and the type I IFN response activator, RIG-I. As the cell's innate virus sensor, RIG-I binds to viral RNAs. This causes its structure to change and leaves its two functional domains, CARD1 and CARD2, exposed. In the presence of other viruses, CARD2 normally undergoes a series of reactions that eventually drives type I IFN production. However, the binding of influenza NS1RBD's conserved portion to RIG-I suppresses RIG-I function, inhibiting the production of IFN and the activation of the cell's anti-viral response.
A strain-specific mutation in the NS1 protein negates its function
Back in 2015, Petit, together with researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, investigated the strain-specific interactions between viral and host proteins that dictate virulence. They noticed a difference between the severity of the H1N1 virus that caused the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic and the 2009 H1N1 virus that caused the Swine Flu pandemic. Although both showed high transmissibility, the more recent strain of H1N1 displayed a much lower virulence than the old one.
When the researchers compared the 1918 H1N1 virus with a different influenza strain -- the Udorn H3N2 virus -- they found that the NS1RBD of the 1918 H1N1 virus directly interacts with CARD2, while the Udorn NS1RBD does not. This suggests that the interaction between NS1 and RIG-I is influenced by the strain of the virus. The researchers also identified several structural differences between the two NS1RBDs, which may influence NS1 binding to RIG-I as well.
In their latest study, Petit and his team used reverse genetics to engineer the mutation they found in the Udorn NS1RBD into the 1934 Puerto Rico influenza virus. They aimed to further understand the strain-specific interaction between NS1 and RIG-I and its biological effects. The researchers reported that, unlike the original NS1, the mutant NS1 protein did not antagonize RIG-I signaling. The mutation in its NS1RBD reduced the protein's ability to bind to RIG-I, which led to the activation of cellular innate immunity. (Related: A natural cure for influenza: Study proves elderberries are an effective antiviral.)
According to Petit, comparisons of different NS1 sequences suggest that mutations in the NS1RBD of different strains may be related to species-specific adaptation.
“Taken together, the work presented in this study stresses the importance of how strain-specific polymorphisms in NS1 can affect its ability to antagonize the host cellular immune response in ways that are yet to be appreciated,” Petit said.
Sources include:
DL.BegellHouse.com
JBC.org
Cell.com
ScienceDirect.com
ScienceDaily.com


naturalnews--2020-02-20--Study: Newly discovered compound used by bacteria found to break down environmental pollutants

( Natural News ) Environmental pollution is considered one of the biggest global threats .
It is defined as the introduction of harmful contaminants to the environment through various means .
These contaminants , or pollutants , can cause serious damage to the ecosystem and can even destroy the balance of the environment .
According to a report by Pure Earth , a non-profit environmental organization , toxic pollution affects more than 200 million people worldwide .
In fact , in some of the worst pollution hotspots found around the globe , babies are born with birth defects and children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in IQ .
Now , researchers have developed a new biochemical compound that can break down environmental pollutants .
Their findings , published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology , revealed that the recently discovered flavin N5-peroxide is used by some bacteria to break down chemical compounds , including environmental pollutants like dibenzothiophene , which is a compound found in crude oil , or hexachlorobenzene , a plant protection agent .
The scientists determined how the formation of flavin N5-peroxide is controlled at an enzymatic level using X-ray structural analysis and mechanistic studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play a vital role in fungi , bacteria , animals and plants .
This is because of their status as oxygenases , which allows them to introduce oxygen to organic compounds .
An example of this phenomenon is the ability of people to excrete foreign substances more efficiently .
Prior to this study , it has been generally understood that flavin-dependent oxygenases make use of the flavin C4a-peroxide – formed through the chemical reaction between the C4a-atom and atmospheric oxygen ( O2 ) – as the oxidizing agent .
Researchers from the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can also have the same chemical reaction with the N5-atom of N5-peroxide .
In the future , the research team plans to study how widespread the novel flavin is in nature and to broaden their understanding of the role and functionality of N5-peroxide .
This is not the first time that scientists have looked into biological means to deal with the ever-growing pollution problem .
In 2017 , scientists from Kew Gardens in London found a previously undiscovered strain of the fungi species Aspergillus tubingensis in a Pakistani garbage dump that can break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refrigerators , fake leather and other applications – within weeks .
This fungal strain excreted enzymes that broke down the chemical bonds of the plastic , then used its mycelia – the filaments that fungi grow similar to plant roots – to break apart the plastic further .
“ This ability thus has [ the ] potential to be developed into one of the tools desperately needed to address the growing environmental problem of plastic waste , ” the researchers wrote in the State of the World ’ s Fungi 2018 report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ plastics , the report revealed that some species of fungi can also be used to remove pollutants out of the soil .
Researchers discovered that white-rot mushroom varieties Pleurotus ostreatus ( oyster mushroom ) and Trametes versicolor ( turkey tail ) can eliminate certain pollutants like pesticides , explosives and dyes from soil or wastewater .
They do this by degrading toxic polychlorinated biphenyl ( PCB ) chemicals .
What you need to know about environmental pollutants While more research is being done on the efficacy of N5-peroxide , you can do your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the various kinds of pollutants and where they come from , in order to have a greater understanding of their potential impact on the health of both people and planet .
Here is a list of common pollutants that largely plague our environment : • Organic water pollutants .
These pollutants have biological origins and usually include the various herbicides and pesticides used by farmers and gardeners nowadays .
Food laboratories also discard harmful biological pathogens as waste when food is being processed .
Likewise , rearing animals often bring about poisonous bacteria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Inorganic water pollutants .
Industries and construction sites produce plenty of inorganic waste that gets thrown away in piles .
These inorganic wastes eventually enter the ocean , which causes damage to marine ecosystems .
• Air pollution .
This type of pollution can cause serious environmental problems like smog and acid rain .
Inhaling polluted air can also cause negative health effects like asthma and heart disease .
Pollutants in the air include sulfur dioxide , carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide .
( Related : Can air pollution negatively affect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Land pollution .
Pesticides , herbicides , fertilizers and chemical compounds that are used to protect and nourish crops can be washed off into the soil , eventually degrading its quality .
Various industries are also known to discharge heavy metals like lead , plastic and glass which could contaminate the land around waste lines .
Pollution.news has everything you need to know about the harmful effects of pollutants to human health and the environment .

Study: Newly discovered compound used by bacteria found to break down environmental pollutants
Environmental pollution is considered one of the biggest global threats. It is defined as the introduction of harmful contaminants to the environment through various means. These contaminants, or pollutants, can cause serious damage to the ecosystem and can even destroy the balance of the environment. According to a report by Pure Earth, a non-profit environmental organization, toxic pollution affects more than 200 million people worldwide . In fact, in some of the worst pollution hotspots found around the globe, babies are born with birth defects and children have lost around 30 to 40 points in IQ.
Now, researchers have developed a new biochemical compound that can break down environmental pollutants.
Their findings, published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, revealed that the recently discovered flavin N5-peroxide is used by some bacteria to break down chemical compounds, including environmental pollutants like dibenzothiophene, which is a compound found in crude oil, or hexachlorobenzene, a plant protection agent. The scientists determined how the formation of flavin N5-peroxide is controlled at an enzymatic level using X-ray structural analysis and mechanistic studies.
Enzymes with the flavin cofactor often play a vital role in fungi, bacteria, animals and plants. This is because of their status as oxygenases, which allows them to introduce oxygen to organic compounds. An example of this phenomenon is the ability of people to excrete foreign substances more efficiently. Prior to this study, it has been generally understood that flavin-dependent oxygenases make use of the flavin C4a-peroxide – formed through the chemical reaction between the C4a-atom and atmospheric oxygen (O2) – as the oxidizing agent. Researchers from the University of Freiburg in Germany discovered that O2 can also have the same chemical reaction with the N5-atom of N5-peroxide.
In the future, the research team plans to study how widespread the novel flavin is in nature and to broaden their understanding of the role and functionality of N5-peroxide.
Bi0warfare against pollution
This is not the first time that scientists have looked into biological means to deal with the ever-growing pollution problem. In 2017, scientists from Kew Gardens in London found a previously undiscovered strain of the fungi species Aspergillus tubingensis in a Pakistani garbage dump that can break down polyurethane – a component used in refrigerators, fake leather and other applications – within weeks. This fungal strain excreted enzymes that broke down the chemical bonds of the plastic, then used its mycelia – the filaments that fungi grow similar to plant roots – to break apart the plastic further.
“This ability thus has [the] potential to be developed into one of the tools desperately needed to address the growing environmental problem of plastic waste,” the researchers wrote in the State of the World's Fungi 2018 report.
In addition to accelerating the breakdown of plastics, the report revealed that some species of fungi can also be used to remove pollutants out of the soil. Researchers discovered that white-rot mushroom varieties Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) and Trametes versicolor (turkey tail) can eliminate certain pollutants like pesticides, explosives and dyes from soil or wastewater. They do this by degrading toxic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) chemicals.
What you need to know about environmental pollutants
While more research is being done on the efficacy of N5-peroxide, you can do your part in mitigating pollution by learning about the various kinds of pollutants and where they come from, in order to have a greater understanding of their potential impact on the health of both people and planet. Here is a list of common pollutants that largely plague our environment:
Organic water pollutants. These pollutants have biological origins and usually include the various herbicides and pesticides used by farmers and gardeners nowadays. Food laboratories also discard harmful biological pathogens as waste when food is being processed. Likewise, rearing animals often bring about poisonous bacteria that can enter nearby water sources. Inorganic water pollutants. Industries and construction sites produce plenty of inorganic waste that gets thrown away in piles. These inorganic wastes eventually enter the ocean, which causes damage to marine ecosystems. Air pollution. This type of pollution can cause serious environmental problems like smog and acid rain. Inhaling polluted air can also cause negative health effects like asthma and heart disease. Pollutants in the air include sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. (Related: Can air pollution negatively affect the growth of an unborn child?) Land pollution. Pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and chemical compounds that are used to protect and nourish crops can be washed off into the soil, eventually degrading its quality. Various industries are also known to discharge heavy metals like lead, plastic and glass which could contaminate the land around waste lines.
Pollution.news has everything you need to know about the harmful effects of pollutants to human health and the environment.
Sources include:
ScienceDaily.com
PureEarth.org
Nature.com
SierraClub.org
StateOfTheWorldsFungi.org [PDF]
Dezeen.com
HelpSaveNature.com


naturalnews--2020-02-20--From chip implants to gyms: Russians push the boundaries of BIOHACKING

( Natural News ) While our bodies provide us with many natural gifts , there are those who have turned to technology to expand their capabilities .
In Russia , a growing number of people are turning to biohacking , a growing movement that sees followers “ upgrading ” their bodies with a mix of experimental technology and do-it-yourself health fixes .
One of the movement ’ s leading proponents in Russia is Vladislav Zaitsev .
A medical school dropout turned programmer , Zaitsev first made headlines in 2015 when he took the chip from a Moscow metro pass , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in a silicone casing so he could insert into the back of his own hand .
In addition to the chip , Zaitsev has since added magnets to his fingertips , which he uses for party tricks .
“ I like the idea of expanding the capabilities of the human body , ” stated Zaitsev .
He ’ s not the only one either .
Zaitsev estimates that there are about 1,000 Russians who have been chipped , based on his social media contacts .
( Related : Transhumanism marches on as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Not all followers of biohacking do it for such mundane purposes .
Others , such as entrepreneur Stanislav Skakun , have turned to biohacking for health-related reasons .
Skakun himself isn ’ t chipped , however ; instead he regularly visits a private clinic where nurses fill up 20 test tubes with his blood for analysis .
The clinic measures hundreds of biochemical markers and has Skakun take handfuls of vitamins and supplements every day .
The result , Skakun claims , is that he hasn ’ t aged biologically in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he hopes to live long enough to see advances in science be able to greatly extend human life .
The promise of an extended lifespan is tempting enough that well-heeled muscovites are paying Skakun ’ s startup , Biodata , 150,000 rubles ( $ 2,430 ) for a full checkup .
Other ’ s have opted to join a Moscow-based gym and “ biohacking laboratory ” owned by Artyom Vasilyev , paying up to 250,000 rubles ( $ 4,050 ) a year in membership fees .
Interestingly enough , Vasilyev doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live for hundreds of years – at least not in the near future .
Instead , the former runner believes that biohacking can instead improve the quality of people ’ s lives .
“ I ’ m more into the idea that you can live 100 , 115 years or 120 years but live them in a good-quality way , ” stated Vasilyev .
Biohacking may just be wishful thinking Not all Russians are jumping onto the biohacking bandwagon .
Maxim Skulachev from the Moscow State University feels that biohackers are running too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team that ’ s trying to create a drug to slow down the genetic aging process .
Skulachev agrees with the concept of aging as a program in our genes that can be hacked .
However , he points out that the technology to do so still does not exist .
This fact does question the legitimacy of other biohacking operations .
Considering how much some people are willing to spend , there ’ s always the possibility of one or two unscrupulous operators using this as a means to scam people off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find a way to extend human lifespans , Skulachev also warns that new ailments and diseases may arise coming from a person ’ s extended age .
Additionally , questions exist about the safety of some of these biohacking procedures , especially the DIY chipping operations .
Many of these , such as those performed by Zaitsev , take place not in clinics , but in apartments and homes .
Such an informal environment raises questions about possible infections .
Other concerns with chipping involve issues with hacking and surveillance .
Corporations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chips implanted into people to invade their privacy , transmitting their location and other important bits of data .
Even more chilling , some researchers have begun looking into using biohacking to erase people ’ s memories .
With this in mind , biohacking looks to be too new a field for it to be something that people should take into consideration .
Not only are some of the claims unproven , it also brings with it a number of risks .
Additionally , the field can be open to abuse from unscrupulous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s privacy , straight up scamming them out of their money , or even worse .

From chip implants to gyms: Russians push the boundaries of BIOHACKING
While our bodies provide us with many natural gifts, there are those who have turned to technology to expand their capabilities. In Russia, a growing number of people are turning to biohacking, a growing movement that sees followers "upgrading" their bodies with a mix of experimental technology and do-it-yourself health fixes.
One of the movement's leading proponents in Russia is Vladislav Zaitsev. A medical school dropout turned programmer, Zaitsev first made headlines in 2015 when he took the chip from a Moscow metro pass, dissolved it in acetone and then encased it in a silicone casing so he could insert into the back of his own hand. In addition to the chip, Zaitsev has since added magnets to his fingertips, which he uses for party tricks.
“I like the idea of expanding the capabilities of the human body,” stated Zaitsev. He's not the only one either. Zaitsev estimates that there are about 1,000 Russians who have been chipped, based on his social media contacts. (Related: Transhumanism marches on as "human chipping" becomes trendy.)
Biohacking to extend lifespans
Not all followers of biohacking do it for such mundane purposes. Others, such as entrepreneur Stanislav Skakun, have turned to biohacking for health-related reasons. Skakun himself isn't chipped, however; instead he regularly visits a private clinic where nurses fill up 20 test tubes with his blood for analysis. The clinic measures hundreds of biochemical markers and has Skakun take handfuls of vitamins and supplements every day.
The result, Skakun claims, is that he hasn't aged biologically in the past five years. In the end, he hopes to live long enough to see advances in science be able to greatly extend human life.
The promise of an extended lifespan is tempting enough that well-heeled muscovites are paying Skakun's startup, Biodata, 150,000 rubles ($2,430) for a full checkup. Other's have opted to join a Moscow-based gym and "biohacking laboratory" owned by Artyom Vasilyev, paying up to 250,000 rubles ($4,050) a year in membership fees.
Interestingly enough, Vasilyev doesn't believe technology will allow people to live for hundreds of years – at least not in the near future. Instead, the former runner believes that biohacking can instead improve the quality of people's lives.
“I’m more into the idea that you can live 100, 115 years or 120 years but live them in a good-quality way,” stated Vasilyev.
Biohacking may just be wishful thinking
Not all Russians are jumping onto the biohacking bandwagon. Maxim Skulachev from the Moscow State University feels that biohackers are running too fast. The biologist currently leads a team that's trying to create a drug to slow down the genetic aging process.
Skulachev agrees with the concept of aging as a program in our genes that can be hacked. However, he points out that the technology to do so still does not exist.
This fact does question the legitimacy of other biohacking operations. Considering how much some people are willing to spend, there's always the possibility of one or two unscrupulous operators using this as a means to scam people off their money.
Even if biohackers eventually find a way to extend human lifespans, Skulachev also warns that new ailments and diseases may arise coming from a person's extended age.
Additionally, questions exist about the safety of some of these biohacking procedures, especially the DIY chipping operations. Many of these, such as those performed by Zaitsev, take place not in clinics, but in apartments and homes. Such an informal environment raises questions about possible infections.
Other concerns with chipping involve issues with hacking and surveillance. Corporations and even governments may find ways to use chips implanted into people to invade their privacy, transmitting their location and other important bits of data. Even more chilling, some researchers have begun looking into using biohacking to erase people's memories.
With this in mind, biohacking looks to be too new a field for it to be something that people should take into consideration. Not only are some of the claims unproven, it also brings with it a number of risks. Additionally, the field can be open to abuse from unscrupulous actors, either by invading people's privacy, straight up scamming them out of their money, or even worse.
Sources include:
DailyMail.co.uk
JapanTimes.co.jp


naturalnews--2020-02-20--Diet vs. lifestyle: Vegetable compounds are beneficial to gut microbiota, but for how long?

( Natural News ) A balanced gut microbiome is essential to good health .
Achieving the perfect balance between the viruses , fungi and bacteria within the body – some of which are harmful – prevents disease .
At the same time , this balance boosts immunity , strengthens the heart , assists in weight control , and in many other ways contributes to good health .
There has been some debate among experts about whether eating vegetables high in inulin-type fructans ( ITFs ) can help to achieve this balance .
Now , a study published in the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the benefits of eating such vegetables are temporary and do not result in lasting changes to the microbiome .
As explained by Healthline , trillions of fungi , bacteria , viruses and other microscopic living things make their home inside our intestines and on our skin .
While some of these cause disease , most are actually extremely important in maintaining our health .
Together , these microbes function as an additional organ in the body .
Healthline explains the effect of this additional “ organ ” in the body : As your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a number of ways , including : • Digesting breast milk : Some of the bacteria that first begin to grow inside babies ’ intestines are called Bifidobacteria .
They digest the healthy sugars in breast milk that are important for growth .
• Digesting fiber : Certain bacteria digest fiber , producing short-chain fatty acids , which are important for gut health .
Fiber may help prevent weight gain , diabetes , heart disease and the risk of cancer .
• Helping control your immune system : The gut microbiome also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By communicating with immune cells , the gut microbiome can control how your body responds to infection .
• Helping control brain health : New research suggests that the gut microbiome may also affect the central nervous system , which controls brain function .
In the study referenced above , the researchers set out to evaluate the impact of eating high-inulin veggies on “ gut microbiota , gastro-intestinal symptoms , and food-related behavior in healthy individuals.
” For their research , the team conducted a trial with 26 healthy participants .
For two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stick to a controlled diet based on inulin-rich vegetables .
Tests were conducted before and after the trial , and then again three weeks later .
Assessments were conducted on food-related behavior , nutrient intake , microbial fermentation , fecal microbiota composition and various gastrointestinal symptoms .
The researchers found that while eating the inulin-rich vegetables temporarily caused changes in the microbiome , these changes were not sustained , and had reversed at the three-week follow-up .
Participants enjoyed positive results during the trial , however , with many stating that they felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cravings for salty , sweet and fatty foods were reduced .
Nonetheless , as the results of the study indicated , to maintain these effects the participants would have had to continue eating the inulin-rich vegetable diet on an ongoing basis .
Lifestyle choices produce more sustainable changes in the gut microbiome While eating inulin-rich vegetables can provide temporary benefits to the microbiome , there are lifestyle choices that can profoundly impact the microbiome — either positively or negatively — in the long-term .
For example , taking antibiotics destroys healthy bacteria in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other hand , can restore the balance of the microbiome after such damage has been inflicted .
Over time , a diet high in fat , sugar and refined carbohydrates can adversely affect the type and diversity of microbes in the gut .
This can result in a vicious cycle of weight gain , and carrying extra weight has been associated with multiple diseases , including heart disease and diabetes .
A diet rich in fermented foods like sauerkraut and kefir , along with unprocessed grains and organic fruits and vegetables have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Exercising enough is another vital lifestyle choice that can positively impact the gut microbiome .
Studies have found that exercise increases the number of microbes that produce short-chain fatty acids , which are key to reducing disease-causing inflammation .
( Related : A powerful food that improves gut health is yogurt .
Learn more at Yogurt.news . )

Diet vs. lifestyle: Vegetable compounds are beneficial to gut microbiota, but for how long?
A balanced gut microbiome is essential to good health. Achieving the perfect balance between the viruses, fungi and bacteria within the body – some of which are harmful – prevents disease. At the same time, this balance boosts immunity, strengthens the heart , assists in weight control, and in many other ways contributes to good health.
There has been some debate among experts about whether eating vegetables high in inulin-type fructans (ITFs) can help to achieve this balance. Now, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that the benefits of eating such vegetables are temporary and do not result in lasting changes to the microbiome.
The importance of a healthy gut microbiome
As explained by Healthline, trillions of fungi, bacteria, viruses and other microscopic living things make their home inside our intestines and on our skin. While some of these cause disease, most are actually extremely important in maintaining our health. Together, these microbes function as an additional organ in the body.
Healthline explains the effect of this additional “organ” in the body:
As your microbiome grows, it affects your body in a number of ways, including:
Digesting breast milk: Some of the bacteria that first begin to grow inside babies' intestines are called Bifidobacteria. They digest the healthy sugars in breast milk that are important for growth.
Some of the bacteria that first begin to grow inside babies' intestines are called Bifidobacteria. They digest the healthy sugars in breast milk that are important for growth. Digesting fiber: Certain bacteria digest fiber, producing short-chain fatty acids, which are important for gut health. Fiber may help prevent weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and the risk of cancer.
Certain bacteria digest fiber, producing short-chain fatty acids, which are important for gut health. Fiber may help prevent weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and the risk of cancer. Helping control your immune system: The gut microbiome also controls how your immune system works. By communicating with immune cells, the gut microbiome can control how your body responds to infection.
The gut microbiome also controls how your immune system works. By communicating with immune cells, the gut microbiome can control how your body responds to infection. Helping control brain health: New research suggests that the gut microbiome may also affect the central nervous system, which controls brain function.
Effects of inulin-rich vegetables only temporary
In the study referenced above, the researchers set out to evaluate the impact of eating high-inulin veggies on “gut microbiota, gastro-intestinal symptoms, and food-related behavior in healthy individuals.”
For their research, the team conducted a trial with 26 healthy participants. For two weeks, the participants were asked to stick to a controlled diet based on inulin-rich vegetables. Tests were conducted before and after the trial, and then again three weeks later. Assessments were conducted on food-related behavior, nutrient intake, microbial fermentation, fecal microbiota composition and various gastrointestinal symptoms.
The researchers found that while eating the inulin-rich vegetables temporarily caused changes in the microbiome, these changes were not sustained, and had reversed at the three-week follow-up.
Participants enjoyed positive results during the trial, however, with many stating that they felt fuller for longer, and that their cravings for salty, sweet and fatty foods were reduced.
Nonetheless, as the results of the study indicated, to maintain these effects the participants would have had to continue eating the inulin-rich vegetable diet on an ongoing basis.
Lifestyle choices produce more sustainable changes in the gut microbiome
While eating inulin-rich vegetables can provide temporary benefits to the microbiome, there are lifestyle choices that can profoundly impact the microbiome -- either positively or negatively -- in the long-term.
For example, taking antibiotics destroys healthy bacteria in the gut. Taking probiotics, on the other hand, can restore the balance of the microbiome after such damage has been inflicted.
Over time, a diet high in fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates can adversely affect the type and diversity of microbes in the gut. This can result in a vicious cycle of weight gain, and carrying extra weight has been associated with multiple diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.
A diet rich in fermented foods like sauerkraut and kefir, along with unprocessed grains and organic fruits and vegetables have the most positive impact on gut health.
Exercising enough is another vital lifestyle choice that can positively impact the gut microbiome. Studies have found that exercise increases the number of microbes that produce short-chain fatty acids, which are key to reducing disease-causing inflammation. (Related: A powerful food that improves gut health is yogurt. Learn more at Yogurt.news.)
Sources include:
NutraIngredients.com
Academic.OUP.com
Healthline.com
PostIndependent.com


naturalnews--2020-02-20--CDC official warns U.S. hospitals: Be ready for "surge" of coronavirus patients in America

( Natural News ) It yet another bombshell message from the CDC , a top CDC official named Dr. Anne Schuchat is openly warning U.S. hospitals to get prepared for a wave of coronavirus infections .
“ A larger spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus across the U.S. could overwhelm emergency rooms and cause supply shortages of some crucial medical supplies , ” warns CNBC ( stating the obvious ) .
CNBC also cites Dr. Schuchat : “ This is the time to open up your pandemic plans and see that things are in order , ” Dr. Anne Schuchat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention… “ For instance , ” she continued , health-care providers need to plan for a “ surge at a hospital , the ability to provide personal protective equipment for your workforce , the administrative controls and so forth that you might put place in a health care setting.
” CNBC adds , “ Schuchat ’ s warning came as U.S. and world health officials increasingly sound the alarm of a possible pandemic outbreak of the deadly new coronavirus that has killed more than 2,100 people in China in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same story , NYU Langone Health in NYC “ has designated the new virus as a ‘ level 1 ’ priority.
” From the story : NYU is also preparing for a level 2 or 3 scenario , she added , where there is transmission in the city and it begins to impact hospital operations .
The health-care system has implemented a conservation plan and medical supplies , especially respirator masks , are only given to staff as needed , she said .
All this is on top of CDC director Dr. Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This virus is probably with us beyond this season , beyond this year , and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission.
” You can watch Dr. Redfield state that in the following video interview with CNN : In that video , he also explains : “ Our whole issue right now is as I said , aggressive containment to try to give us more time , it ’ s gon na take one to two years to get that [ vaccine ] developed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to be able to be flexible enough to deal with the potential second major cause of respiratory illness… ” He also adds , “ Right now there ’ s no evidence to me at all that this outbreak is under control , it ’ s definitely not controlled… ” So then , why is the entire lying mainstream media deceiving the American public and telling people this pandemic is completely under control and will never arrive in America and there ’ s nothing to be concerned about ?
The answer , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying .
The media now seems to be far more concerned with caring for people ’ s feelings rather than their safety .
So making sure nobody is afraid has now become far more important to the media than making sure people are prepared .
It ’ s a recipe for an outbreak of real panic once the masses figure out they ’ ve been lied to all along .
Listen to this podcast , and you can now download all the MP3 files for these podcasts at the new website Pandemic.news .

CDC official warns U.S. hospitals: Be ready for “surge” of coronavirus patients in America
It yet another bombshell message from the CDC, a top CDC official named Dr. Anne Schuchat is openly warning U.S. hospitals to get prepared for a wave of coronavirus infections.
"A larger spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus across the U.S. could overwhelm emergency rooms and cause supply shortages of some crucial medical supplies," warns CNBC (stating the obvious). CNBC also cites Dr. Schuchat:
“This is the time to open up your pandemic plans and see that things are in order,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, a top official of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
“For instance,” she continued, health-care providers need to plan for a “surge at a hospital, the ability to provide personal protective equipment for your workforce, the administrative controls and so forth that you might put place in a health care setting.”
CNBC adds, "Schuchat’s warning came as U.S. and world health officials increasingly sound the alarm of a possible pandemic outbreak of the deadly new coronavirus that has killed more than 2,100 people in China in the last seven weeks."
NYU hospital preparing for coronavirus transmission in NYC
According to that same story, NYU Langone Health in NYC "has designated the new virus as a 'level 1' priority." From the story:
NYU is also preparing for a level 2 or 3 scenario, she added, where there is transmission in the city and it begins to impact hospital operations. The health-care system has implemented a conservation plan and medical supplies, especially respirator masks, are only given to staff as needed, she said.
All this is on top of CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield recently telling CNN that, "This virus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year, and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission."
You can watch Dr. Redfield state that in the following video interview with CNN:
In that video, he also explains:
"Our whole issue right now is as I said, aggressive containment to try to give us more time, it’s gonna take one to two years to get that [vaccine] developed and out, to prepare the health systems, to be able to be flexible enough to deal with the potential second major cause of respiratory illness…"
He also adds, "Right now there’s no evidence to me at all that this outbreak is under control, it’s definitely not controlled..."
So then, why is the entire lying mainstream media deceiving the American public and telling people this pandemic is completely under control and will never arrive in America and there's nothing to be concerned about?
The answer, of course, is that they're lying. The media now seems to be far more concerned with caring for people's feelings rather than their safety. So making sure nobody is afraid has now become far more important to the media than making sure people are prepared.
It's a recipe for an outbreak of real panic once the masses figure out they've been lied to all along.
Listen to this podcast, and you can now download all the MP3 files for these podcasts at the new website Pandemic.news.