lewrockwell--2020-01-29--New Jersey Defeats Mandatory Vaccine Bill

Everywhere we look , we find signs of out-of-control Big Pharma influence on medical policies and public health laws .
This shouldn ’ t come as a surprise , considering drug ads account for the vast majority of most media outlets ’ advertising revenues .
As a result , the media are no longer providing us with fair and balanced reporting on the prevention and treatment of disease , and this certainly includes the subject of drugs and vaccines .
As reported by Periscope News Group editor-in-chief , Christina Morales:1 Drug Industry Is the Hidden Hand Behind Vaccine Laws EMF*D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Joseph Mercola Buy New $ 22.49 During the 2019 U.S. legislative session , 22 bills were introduced in 17 states proposing to eliminate vaccine exemptions.2 One of them was New Jersey bill S2171 , which tried to repeal the religious vaccine exemption and require students of all ages to be fully vaccinated or lose their right to a school education .
December 12 , 2019 , a hearing on the bill was held by the New Jersey Senate Health Committee , which voted in favor ( 6 to 4 ) of sending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill was widely expected to breeze through the Senate , it came to a screeching halt due to the massive uprising of concerned citizens who publicly protested against it .
As reported by The New York Times January 13 , 2020:4 Vaccine Science Is Far From Settled Is the science on vaccine safety really settled ?
Far from it .
There ’ s a broad base of scientific studies questioning both the safety and effectiveness of vaccines .
The growing number of people filing vaccine-injury claims with the national Vaccine Injury Compensation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that there ’ s a problem , as does the scientific evidence showing industry-funded vaccine studies are riddled with bias.5,6 What ’ s more , the more we learn about infectious diseases and how vaccines work , the more we realize just how little we actually know , and how many of our assumptions are seriously flawed.7 One of the primary reasons we ’ re not getting objective reporting on these issues from the media is , again , because most news organizations make the bulk of their money from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
They simply can not afford to bite the hand that feeds them , and so they become complicit in the cover-up by default .
In its original form , S2171 eliminated the religious vaccine exemption for children attending daycare and schools in New Jersey , established a state-run review board to approve all medical exemptions , and required students of all ages enrolled in daycare , primary school and higher education , both public and private , including higher education online classes , to be fully vaccinated .
As reported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mary Holland,8 “ under the terms of the law , a 60-year old taking a cooking class at a community college could be required to prove vaccination status before enrollment .
This could include even online courses at any institution of higher education in New Jersey.
” As such , it was the broadest vaccine exemption elimination bill introduced so far , which is why its defeat on January 13 , 2020 , was such a major victory .
Make no mistake , it was the participation of thousands of people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state capitol that allowed for this victory.9 Without that overwhelming pressure , there ’ s no doubt in my mind the bill would have passed .
In an effort to push the legislation through , amendments were made so that the religious vaccine exemption would be available in private schools but not public schools .
However , as reported by The New York Times,10 this only raised new concerns .
Many argued the amendment gave wealthy families the ability to exempt their children attending expensive private schools , while denying the same right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay for private school .
As reported by News24 in the video above , New Jersey Senate president Stephen Sweeney — who remains adamant the bill eventually will become law – effectively “ bought ” votes to try to pass S2171 by offering Senators who were planning to vote “ no ” on the bill financial support in future elections through the General Majority super PAC funds in exchange for their “ yes ” vote .
News24 also highlights Sweeney ’ s deep connections to the drug industry , which appear to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s such a determined advocate for mandatory vaccinations and the removal of exemptions .
Fortunately , not even these highly questionable last-ditch efforts were enough to pass the bill .
Informed Consent Is the Bedrock of Medical Ethics A January 17 , 2020 , Health Impact News post11 reviews the scientifically referenced testimony submitted by Dr. Meryl Nass before the Massachusetts legislature , which is also considering legislation that will eliminate the religious vaccine exemption .
In her testimony , Nass stated pointed out that:12 Nass goes on to cite statistics showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required to control the “ crisis ” of vaccine-preventable diseases is false .
She also points out that : KetoFast : Rejuvenate Y ... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price : $ 7.13 Buy New $ 9.64 Doctors Are Selling Out to the Drug Industry Too Media corporations and politicians aren ’ t the only ones beholden to the drug industry .
In 2013 , ProPublica exposed how drug companies bribe hundreds of thousands of American doctors to prescribe expensive and often dangerous drugs.14 One way in which drug companies enlist medical professionals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lucrative speaking engagements , in which they promote the company ’ s drugs .
While presented as “ educational , ” these expert lectures are nothing but thinly veiled sales pitches .
Despite rising concern over these kinds of conflicts of interest , ProPublica ’ s latest Dollars for Doctors report reveals the trend has only grown and gotten worse over the years .
In its October 2019 report , ProPublica writes:15 In a 2015 Family Practice Management article,16,17,18 Dr. Jamie Loehr shared with other family physicians how giving every CDC recommended vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , can provide a “ strong , healthy boost to the bottom line ” of their medical practice .
“ Minimizing costs and maximizing reimbursement can make immunizations profitable , ” Loehr writes .
He then goes on to explain where and how to get the needed vaccines for the lowest price , and how to properly code for the service in order to maximize insurance reimbursements .
Ironically — considering the vast majority of doctors do not disclose the full range of potential side effects of a given vaccine — one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine counseling for patients under 18 , as combined vaccines such as the MMR and DTaP allow the doctor to bill for three and four counseling components respectively .
For the MMR , they can bill for informing you about the risks and benefits of the measles , mumps and rubella vaccines ( i.e.
, three counseling components ) and for the DTaP , they can bill for informing you about diphtheria , tetanus , pertussis , and polio ( i.e.
, four counseling components ) .
Some of the potential side effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events for which victims have received compensation from the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program ( VICP ) are listed in my previous article , “ How Much Do You Really Know About Vaccine Safety ?
” I suggest reading through those lists and comparing them to what your child ’ s pediatrician or your doctor have told you about vaccine side effects .
Many doctors are not providing parents with the Vaccine Information Statement ( VIS ) required under the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act to be given to parents before children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious side effects mentioned before a vaccine is given .
Parents can always ask doctors for a copy of the actual manufacturer vaccine product insert , which accompanies vials of vaccines shipped to doctors ’ offices , and is required by FDA regulations to list known and reported side effects .
Doctors have a longstanding history of being revered as experts , whose morals and integrity are above reproach , and whose knowledge should not be questioned .
This is why doctors were featured in cigarette ads in the 1930s and ’ 40s,19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established .
It is also why doctors like Dr. Paul Offit , Dr. Peter Hotez and Dr. Richard Pan are now pervasively featured in articles insisting that everyone should be legally required to purchase and use all vaccines recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) and medical trade associations like the American Academy of Pediatrics ( AAP ) and American Medical Association ( AMA ) .
Offit , Hotez and Pan are hardly the only vaccine experts in the U.S. , let alone the world , yet the views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the voices of medical consensus on vaccine safety .
This , despite the fact that Offit is a vaccine developer who has been caught making false statements20 and has significant conflicts of interest with the vaccine industry,21 including owning vaccine patents , and Pan , in his role as California Senator , has received significant amounts of money from corporations marketing vaccines .
Fat for Fuel : A Revolu ... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price : $ 7.40 Buy New $ 11.89 Between 2013 and 2014 , Pan received more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups.22 In February 2015 , he introduced bill SB277,23,24 which repealed the Californian personal belief vaccine , which included religious and conscience or philosophical beliefs .
Coincidence ?
Another vaccine developer and mandatory vaccination proponent with industry ties is Professor Peter Hotez.25,26 He also has financial ties The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,27 which is has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into global vaccination programs .
The fact that New Jersey managed to thwart the latest attack on medical freedom is an encouraging sign .
Never underestimate the power of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to actually take action by contacting your legislators ahead of time to communicate your concerns about a bill you oppose ( or support ) and showing up at public hearings and on days when votes are taken in your state Capitol .
Thousands of individuals gathered in hallways and outside the Capitol building in Trenton to protest of S2171 on multiple occasions , and it was undoubtedly the sheer size of the opposition that greatly helped to defeat the bill .
The fight is not over though .
Senator Weinberg has promised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form , and hopefully , residents will rise to the occasion yet again when it does .
Stay up to date on vaccine-related bills that are moving in your state this year , including bills proposing to take away ( or expand ) your right to obtain a vaccine exemption for yourself or your child .
Register to become a user of the free online NVIC Advocacy Portal operated by the National Vaccine Information Center and access bill analyses and talking points to educate your legislators .
One of the Most Powerful Videos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video from Barbara Loe Fisher is one of the most powerful videos that I have ever seen .
I am hopeful that watching this video will inspire you to take up the cause and join the fight for vaccine freedom and independence .
There is a cultural war and collusion between many industries and federal regulatory agencies that results in a suppression of the truth about vital important health issues .
If this suppression continues we will gradually and progressively erode our private individual rights that our ancestors fought so hard to achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch this video .
The Best of Joseph Mercola

Everywhere we look, we find signs of out-of-control Big Pharma influence on medical policies and public health laws. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering drug ads account for the vast majority of most media outlets’ advertising revenues.
As a result, the media are no longer providing us with fair and balanced reporting on the prevention and treatment of disease, and this certainly includes the subject of drugs and vaccines. As reported by Periscope News Group editor-in-chief, Christina Morales:1
“Prescription medications are a multi-BILLION-dollar industry that’s making not only the pharmaceutical companies tons of money, but also the network television stations … Did you know that pharmaceutical advertising has soared 62 percent since 2012 and is projected to cost $610 billion by 2021? …
The average American watches 16 hours of pharmaceutical commercials each year which is more time than they spend with their primary physician. One-third of these people ask their doctors about a drug advertisement and most request a prescription.
Clearly this type of advertising in generating a huge response from the public, but it also is having an impact that consumers rarely think about: if these companies are paying television networks billions of dollars to advertise their drugs, would their news stations risk losing big money accounts by reporting negative information about the company?
Public figure and activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. once shared that, ‘I ate breakfast last week with the president of a network news division and he told me that during non-election years, 70% of the advertising revenues for his news division come from pharmaceutical ads … He also told me that he would fire a host who brought onto his station a guest who lost him a pharmaceutical account.’“
Drug Industry Is the Hidden Hand Behind Vaccine Laws
EMF*D: 5G, Wi-Fi & Cel... Dr. Joseph Mercola Buy New $22.49 (as of 09:53 UTC - Details) During the 2019 U.S. legislative session, 22 bills were introduced in 17 states proposing to eliminate vaccine exemptions.2 One of them was New Jersey bill S2171, which tried to repeal the religious vaccine exemption and require students of all ages to be fully vaccinated or lose their right to a school education.
December 12, 2019, a hearing on the bill was held by the New Jersey Senate Health Committee, which voted in favor (6 to 4) of sending it to the floor.3 However, while the bill was widely expected to breeze through the Senate, it came to a screeching halt due to the massive uprising of concerned citizens who publicly protested against it. As reported by The New York Times January 13, 2020:4
“It began as one of the nation’s broadest proposed bans on religious exemptions to childhood vaccines. But after weeks of sustained and boisterous protests … as well as a last-minute effort to amend the proposed bill to win the support of key lawmakers, the effort collapsed on Monday in the New Jersey State Senate …
Senator Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat and a sponsor of the legislation, said that the Senate would immediately reintroduce a new version of the bill and begin the process anew. This time, she said, the Legislature might hold public hearings with doctors and scientists to debunk opponents’ concerns. ‘The science is settled on this,’ Ms. Weinberg said.”
Vaccine Science Is Far From Settled
Is the science on vaccine safety really settled? Far from it. There’s a broad base of scientific studies questioning both the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. The growing number of people filing vaccine-injury claims with the national Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) also speaks to the fact that there’s a problem, as does the scientific evidence showing industry-funded vaccine studies are riddled with bias.5,6
What’s more, the more we learn about infectious diseases and how vaccines work, the more we realize just how little we actually know, and how many of our assumptions are seriously flawed.7
One of the primary reasons we’re not getting objective reporting on these issues from the media is, again, because most news organizations make the bulk of their money from the drug industry (i.e., drug ads). They simply cannot afford to bite the hand that feeds them, and so they become complicit in the cover-up by default.
New Jersey Bill S2171 Is Defeated
In its original form, S2171 eliminated the religious vaccine exemption for children attending daycare and schools in New Jersey, established a state-run review board to approve all medical exemptions, and required students of all ages enrolled in daycare, primary school and higher education, both public and private, including higher education online classes, to be fully vaccinated.
As reported by Children’s Health Defense legal counsel, Mary Holland,8 “under the terms of the law, a 60-year old taking a cooking class at a community college could be required to prove vaccination status before enrollment. This could include even online courses at any institution of higher education in New Jersey.”
As such, it was the broadest vaccine exemption elimination bill introduced so far, which is why its defeat on January 13, 2020, was such a major victory. Make no mistake, it was the participation of thousands of people who showed up for the hearings at the state capitol that allowed for this victory.9 Without that overwhelming pressure, there’s no doubt in my mind the bill would have passed.
In an effort to push the legislation through, amendments were made so that the religious vaccine exemption would be available in private schools but not public schools. However, as reported by The New York Times,10 this only raised new concerns. Many argued the amendment gave wealthy families the ability to exempt their children attending expensive private schools, while denying the same right to children whose parents cannot afford to pay for private school.
As reported by News24 in the video above, New Jersey Senate president Stephen Sweeney — who remains adamant the bill eventually will become law – effectively “bought” votes to try to pass S2171 by offering Senators who were planning to vote “no” on the bill financial support in future elections through the General Majority super PAC funds in exchange for their “yes” vote.
News24 also highlights Sweeney’s deep connections to the drug industry, which appear to be part and parcel of why he’s such a determined advocate for mandatory vaccinations and the removal of exemptions. Fortunately, not even these highly questionable last-ditch efforts were enough to pass the bill.
Informed Consent Is the Bedrock of Medical Ethics
A January 17, 2020, Health Impact News post11 reviews the scientifically referenced testimony submitted by Dr. Meryl Nass before the Massachusetts legislature, which is also considering legislation that will eliminate the religious vaccine exemption. In her testimony, Nass stated pointed out that:12
“There is no crisis (no epidemic of deaths or disabilities) from infectious diseases caused by lack of vaccinations, either in Massachusetts or the United States …
The elephant in the auditorium today is Pharma profits … The pharmaceutical industry has undertaken a very ambitious campaign to legislate away vaccine exemptions in the United States and Canada. France, Italy and Germany have rescinded vaccine exemptions too, suggesting the campaign is worldwide …
This is an industry that has thrived by taking big risks — even when manufacturers knew in advance that their products killed … Pharma’s latest risky strategy is trying to rid the world of vaccine exemptions, to prevent vaccine opt-outs before a new crop of vaccines with inadequate safety and efficacy testing — and for which they will have no liability once placed on the childhood schedule — are approved …
It has been claimed that vaccines are, by nature, extremely safe. Yet vaccines are usually injected, bypassing all the body’s natural barriers. Even minute contamination or inadequate microbial inactivation can maim or kill … Vaccines have caused many autoimmune disorders, from Guillain-Barre syndrome to narcolepsy … Vaccines appear safe because the immediate side effects are usually mild and temporary. Serious vaccine side effects often take weeks or months to surface, and by then it is difficult to know what caused them. Only when vaccinated individuals have rates of illness at least 10 times higher than the unvaccinated, is the side effect likely to be linked to the vaccine.
A 2009 European swine flu vaccine (GSK’s Pandemrix) caused over 1,300 cases of severe narcolepsy, mostly in adolescents. This vaccine was linked to narcolepsy because 15 times the usual number of narcolepsy cases suddenly appeared in clinics.
Countries that bought the swine flu vaccines … were required to waive manufacturer liability as a condition of purchase … It should be apparent, but isn’t: Government waivers of vaccine liability discourage manufacturers from ensuring that the vaccines they sell are as safe and effective as possible.
The removal of vaccine exemptions, combined with liability waivers for vaccine side effects and recently loosened standards for licensing vaccines, create a highly toxic mix.”
Nass goes on to cite statistics showing why the claim that draconian laws are required to control the “crisis” of vaccine-preventable diseases is false. She also points out that: KetoFast: Rejuvenate Y... Mercola, Dr. Joseph Check Amazon for Pricing.
“The bedrock expectation of medical ethics is that patients must give informed consent13 for all medical procedures, including vaccines. Informed consent means that patients must be informed about the procedure, have the right to refuse, and may not be coerced to accept it.
Isn’t withholding an education an extreme form of coercion? Without any discussion of its moral or ethical dimensions by media, medical societies or government officials, the requirement for informed consent for medical procedures, including vaccinations, vanishes in the blink of an eye when patients are not allowed the right to refuse.”
Doctors Are Selling Out to the Drug Industry Too
Media corporations and politicians aren’t the only ones beholden to the drug industry. In 2013, ProPublica exposed how drug companies bribe hundreds of thousands of American doctors to prescribe expensive and often dangerous drugs.14
One way in which drug companies enlist medical professionals to push their wares is to offer them lucrative speaking engagements, in which they promote the company’s drugs. While presented as “educational,” these expert lectures are nothing but thinly veiled sales pitches.
Despite rising concern over these kinds of conflicts of interest, ProPublica’s latest Dollars for Doctors report reveals the trend has only grown and gotten worse over the years. In its October 2019 report, ProPublica writes:15
“Back in 2013, ProPublica detailed what seemed a stunning development in the pharmaceutical industry’s drive to win the prescription pads of the nation’s doctors:
In just four years, one doctor had earned $1 million giving promotional talks and consulting for drug companies; 21 others had made more than $500,000. Six years later — despite often damning scrutiny from prosecutors and academics — such high earnings have become commonplace.
More than 2,500 physicians have received at least half a million dollars apiece from drugmakers and medical device companies in the past five years alone. More than 700 of those doctors received at least $1 million …
There has been almost no change in how much the industry is spending. Each year from 2014 to 2018, drug and medical device companies spent between $2.1 billion and $2.2 billion paying doctors for speaking and consulting, as well as on meals, travel and gifts for them …
Roughly the same number of doctors — more than 600,000 — received payments in any given year … For context, there are about 1.1 million doctors in the United States.”
Vaccines Give a ‘Healthy Boost’ to Doctors’ Bottom Line
In a 2015 Family Practice Management article,16,17,18 Dr. Jamie Loehr shared with other family physicians how giving every CDC recommended vaccine to all patients, regardless of age, can provide a “strong, healthy boost to the bottom line” of their medical practice.
“Minimizing costs and maximizing reimbursement can make immunizations profitable,” Loehr writes. He then goes on to explain where and how to get the needed vaccines for the lowest price, and how to properly code for the service in order to maximize insurance reimbursements.
Ironically — considering the vast majority of doctors do not disclose the full range of potential side effects of a given vaccine — one of the biggest money-makers is the code for vaccine counseling for patients under 18, as combined vaccines such as the MMR and DTaP allow the doctor to bill for three and four counseling components respectively.
For the MMR, they can bill for informing you about the risks and benefits of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines (i.e., three counseling components) and for the DTaP, they can bill for informing you about diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio (i.e., four counseling components).
Some of the potential side effects actually listed on vaccine inserts and adverse events for which victims have received compensation from the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) are listed in my previous article, “How Much Do You Really Know About Vaccine Safety?”
I suggest reading through those lists and comparing them to what your child’s pediatrician or your doctor have told you about vaccine side effects. Many doctors are not providing parents with the Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) required under the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act to be given to parents before children are vaccinated, and rarely are more serious side effects mentioned before a vaccine is given.
Parents can always ask doctors for a copy of the actual manufacturer vaccine product insert, which accompanies vials of vaccines shipped to doctors’ offices, and is required by FDA regulations to list known and reported side effects.
Conflicts of Interest Rule the Roost
Doctors have a longstanding history of being revered as experts, whose morals and integrity are above reproach, and whose knowledge should not be questioned. This is why doctors were featured in cigarette ads in the 1930s and ’40s,19 before the dangers of smoking became firmly established.
It is also why doctors like Dr. Paul Offit, Dr. Peter Hotez and Dr. Richard Pan are now pervasively featured in articles insisting that everyone should be legally required to purchase and use all vaccines recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and medical trade associations like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Medical Association (AMA).
Offit, Hotez and Pan are hardly the only vaccine experts in the U.S., let alone the world, yet the views of these two are routinely brought forth as the voices of medical consensus on vaccine safety.
This, despite the fact that Offit is a vaccine developer who has been caught making false statements20 and has significant conflicts of interest with the vaccine industry,21 including owning vaccine patents, and Pan, in his role as California Senator, has received significant amounts of money from corporations marketing vaccines. Fat for Fuel: A Revolu... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price: $7.40 Buy New $11.89 (as of 10:20 UTC - Details)
Between 2013 and 2014, Pan received more than $95,000 from drug companies and their trade groups.22 In February 2015, he introduced bill SB277,23,24 which repealed the Californian personal belief vaccine, which included religious and conscience or philosophical beliefs. Coincidence?
Another vaccine developer and mandatory vaccination proponent with industry ties is Professor Peter Hotez.25,26 He also has financial ties The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,27 which is has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into global vaccination programs.
Resistance Is Never Futile
The fact that New Jersey managed to thwart the latest attack on medical freedom is an encouraging sign. Never underestimate the power of the people! The key is numbers — you have to actually take action by contacting your legislators ahead of time to communicate your concerns about a bill you oppose (or support) and showing up at public hearings and on days when votes are taken in your state Capitol.
Thousands of individuals gathered in hallways and outside the Capitol building in Trenton to protest of S2171 on multiple occasions, and it was undoubtedly the sheer size of the opposition that greatly helped to defeat the bill.
The fight is not over though. Senator Weinberg has promised to reintroduce the bill in some altered form, and hopefully, residents will rise to the occasion yet again when it does.
Stay up to date on vaccine-related bills that are moving in your state this year, including bills proposing to take away (or expand) your right to obtain a vaccine exemption for yourself or your child. Register to become a user of the free online NVIC Advocacy Portal operated by the National Vaccine Information Center and access bill analyses and talking points to educate your legislators.
One of the Most Powerful Videos I’ve Ever Seen
The following video from Barbara Loe Fisher is one of the most powerful videos that I have ever seen. I am hopeful that watching this video will inspire you to take up the cause and join the fight for vaccine freedom and independence.
There is a cultural war and collusion between many industries and federal regulatory agencies that results in a suppression of the truth about vital important health issues. If this suppression continues we will gradually and progressively erode our private individual rights that our ancestors fought so hard to achieve. Please take a few minutes to watch this video.

Sources and References
The Best of Dr. Joseph Mercola


lewrockwell--2020-01-30--Coronavirus: A Contrived Pandemic? Caused by a Gene Mutation or by a Meteorological Phenomenon?

In October of 2019 a researcher at Johns-Hopkins Center for Health Security predicted 65 million people could die of coronavirus worldwide within 18 months under the right circumstances .
By December 31 , China was reporting its first case of a mutated coronavirus infection .
It took only one day for the US Centers for Disease Control to identify a seafood market in Wuhan , China as the epicenter of the outbreak .
A Reuters news report claims the newly mutated coronavirus wasn ’ t identified until January 10 and hospitals in Wuhan didn ’ t have testing kits till @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date taking 3-5 days because they had to be sent to a laboratory in Beijing .
So how did the CDC all the way in the U.S. so quickly identify Wuhan as the hub of a coronavirus outbreak ?
Of interest , Wuhan is the location for China ’ s Institute of Virology .
Authorities are calling this a coincidence .
One wonders if the current epidemic isn ’ t actually a contrived and pre-planned reality drill to see how the world would handle such a pandemic ?
All the usual suspects participated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executives , the World Bank , public health authorities , news media execs , and representatives for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation .
The Vitamin D Solution ... Michael F. Holick Best Price : $ 2.01 Buy New $ 9.08 Why did the Johns-Hopkins doctor pick a mutated coronaviral pandemic instead of some other virus ?
I write this report on January 29 , 2020 .
The 11-million city of Wuhan , China is gripped by the coronavirus .
Quarantines are in place .
Fear of the spread of the virus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The temperate chilly , 44° Fahrenheit/7° Celsius .
Cloudy skies will predominate over the next few days .
The UV index in Wuhan goes unreported by news media .
On a scale of 1 ( lowest ) -10 ( highest ) , the UV index in Wuhan is ~3-4 at the height of the crisis .
Wuhan is 30.5928° North latitude and it is unlikely for its residents to obtain enough sunlight to produce sufficient amounts of vitamin in winter months .
One study ( 2012 ) reveals vitamin D deficiency in China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deficiency among Beijing and Shanghai adults of 69.2 % ) .
Wuhan is now a ghost town .
There are photo images of an empty city park , train travelers with warm clothing that blocks any chance of sunlight/skin exposure , video of the empty streets in Wuhan , and more ghost town video footage .
The virus appears to spread internationally by air travel , but not spread outward from destinations of infected travelers .
News reports concede this “ deadly ” coronavirus is just a new strain of a familiar virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SARS ( Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ) and MERS ( Middle East Respiratory Syndrome ) .
It ’ s genetic makeup is 96 % identical to the coronavirus found in bats .
Slight changes of the mutation rate can determine whether or not some virus infections are rapidly cleared by the host immune system .
RNA viruses ( like the coronavirus ) are susceptible to damage from oxidation which can affect their rate of mutation .
This has been demonstrated in mice deficient in the trace mineral selenium .
China is known to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the World Health Organization .
But fast-mutation rates mean any potential epidemic would peter-out due to rapid mutation rates .
RNA viruses ( like the coronavirus ) have high mutation rates—up to a million times higher than their hosts—and these high rates are correlated with enhanced virulence .
However , their mutation rates are almost disastrously high , and a small increase in mutation rate can cause RNA viruses to go locally extinct .
Their mutation rates are said to be an exploitable Achilles ’ heel .
A report published in 2004 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said this : The estimated mutation rates in the SARS-Coronavirus using multiple strategies were not unusual among coronaviruses and moderate compared to those in other RNA viruses .
All estimates of mutation rates led to the inference that the SARS-Coronavirus could have been with humans in the spring of 2002 without causing a severe epidemic .
The earliest confirmed case of the severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS ) occurred in November , 2002 .
The SARS-Coronavirus will likely be with humans for years to come .
On the other hand , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for major antigens ) evolves rapidly , an effective strategy to prevent transmission of the SARS-CoV must be the top-priority , and an effective vaccine program may be problematic .
In comparison to other coronaviruses , this rate is lower than that in the mouse hepatitis virus , similar to that in the transmissible gastroenteritis virus , but higher than that in the infectious bronchitis virus .
The estimated mutation rate is at the same order of magnitude as in other RNA viruses .
The SARS-CoV is not an unusual coronavirus or RNA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nucleotide changes .
One possible scenario is that the SARS-CoV had already infected some people in the spring of 2002 but failed to cause serious epidemics ; its spread was however suppressed in the summer ( similar to the summer of 2003 ) , and re-emerged around November to cause the epidemic in 2003 .
If that isn ’ t confirmation that coronavirus is always with us but due to geo-meteorological changes ( the earth shifting away from the sun in winter ) then I don ’ t know what is .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Price : $ 4.97 Buy New $ 9.99 In 1981 R. Edgar Hope-Simpson proposed that seasonal flu epidemics are associated with a lack of solar radiation in winter months .
John J. Cannell MD convincingly proposes the lack of sunshine vitamin D in winter explains virtually all of the factors involved in seasonal viral epidemics including why these epidemics spread so rapidly in the past despite the lack of modern transportation , why a second-wave of the epidemic so low , why intentional inoculation of healthy individuals does not cause illness in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not significantly affected by vaccination .
Vaccine on the way A news report says researchers have already produced a vaccine from an isolated “ unknown ” virus from the first case reported in Hong Kong .
The fastest way to get a vaccine developed and approved is to create an imagined pandemic that elevates the urgency of its development and gets government to cover the R & D cost .
Two companies are said to be developing the world ’ s first coronavirus vaccines .
Given such a global pandemic from a mutated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of economic losses should it occur , it would cost just ~ $ 9 billion to provide 30-days of vitamin D pills to 3 billion people in Asia ( calculated at 10-cents per pill ) .

In October of 2019 a researcher at Johns-Hopkins Center for Health Security predicted 65 million people could die of coronavirus worldwide within 18 months under the right circumstances.
By December 31, China was reporting its first case of a mutated coronavirus infection. It took only one day for the US Centers for Disease Control to identify a seafood market in Wuhan, China as the epicenter of the outbreak.
A Reuters news report claims the newly mutated coronavirus wasn’t identified until January 10 and hospitals in Wuhan didn’t have testing kits till January 20, with testing prior that date taking 3-5 days because they had to be sent to a laboratory in Beijing. So how did the CDC all the way in the U.S. so quickly identify Wuhan as the hub of a coronavirus outbreak?
Of interest, Wuhan is the location for China’s Institute of Virology. Authorities are calling this a coincidence.
One wonders if the current epidemic isn’t actually a contrived and pre-planned reality drill to see how the world would handle such a pandemic? All the usual suspects participated in the drill planning, pharmaceutical company executives, the World Bank, public health authorities, news media execs, and representatives for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Vitamin D Solution... Michael F. Holick Best Price: $2.01 Buy New $9.08 (as of 10:55 UTC - Details)
Why did the Johns-Hopkins doctor pick a mutated coronaviral pandemic instead of some other virus?
Wuhan ghost-town
I write this report on January 29, 2020. The 11-million city of Wuhan, China is gripped by the coronavirus. Quarantines are in place. Fear of the spread of the virus is omnipresent. The weather is wintery. The temperate chilly, 44° Fahrenheit/7° Celsius. Cloudy skies will predominate over the next few days. The UV index in Wuhan goes unreported by news media. On a scale of 1 (lowest)-10 (highest), the UV index in Wuhan is ~3-4 at the height of the crisis. Wuhan is 30.5928° North latitude and it is unlikely for its residents to obtain enough sunlight to produce sufficient amounts of vitamin in winter months.
One study (2012) reveals vitamin D deficiency in China is rampant (percentage of vitamin D deficiency among Beijing and Shanghai adults of 69.2%).
Wuhan is now a ghost town. There are photo images of an empty city park, train travelers with warm clothing that blocks any chance of sunlight/skin exposure, video of the empty streets in Wuhan, and more ghost town video footage. The virus appears to spread internationally by air travel, but not spread outward from destinations of infected travelers.
News reports concede this “deadly” coronavirus is just a new strain of a familiar virus which in the past has been called SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). It’s genetic makeup is 96% identical to the coronavirus found in bats.
Viral mutations
Slight changes of the mutation rate can determine whether or not some virus infections are rapidly cleared by the host immune system.
RNA viruses (like the coronavirus) are susceptible to damage from oxidation which can affect their rate of mutation. This has been demonstrated in mice deficient in the trace mineral selenium. China is known to be a “low selenium” country by the World Health Organization.
But fast-mutation rates mean any potential epidemic would peter-out due to rapid mutation rates.
RNA viruses (like the coronavirus) have high mutation rates—up to a million times higher than their hosts—and these high rates are correlated with enhanced virulence. However, their mutation rates are almost disastrously high, and a small increase in mutation rate can cause RNA viruses to go locally extinct. Their mutation rates are said to be an exploitable Achilles’ heel.
Mutation or lack of sunshine vitamin D?
A report published in 2004 in BMC Evolutionary Biology (abridged) said this:
The estimated mutation rates in the SARS-Coronavirus using multiple strategies were not unusual among coronaviruses and moderate compared to those in other RNA viruses. All estimates of mutation rates led to the inference that the SARS-Coronavirus could have been with humans in the spring of 2002 without causing a severe epidemic. The earliest confirmed case of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred in November, 2002. The SARS-Coronavirus will likely be with humans for years to come. On the other hand, if the pathogen (particularly the genes coding for major antigens) evolves rapidly, an effective strategy to prevent transmission of the SARS-CoV must be the top-priority, and an effective vaccine program may be problematic. In comparison to other coronaviruses, this rate is lower than that in the mouse hepatitis virus, similar to that in the transmissible gastroenteritis virus, but higher than that in the infectious bronchitis virus. The estimated mutation rate is at the same order of magnitude as in other RNA viruses. The SARS-CoV is not an unusual coronavirus or RNA virus in terms of its speed of nucleotide changes. One possible scenario is that the SARS-CoV had already infected some people in the spring of 2002 but failed to cause serious epidemics; its spread was however suppressed in the summer (similar to the summer of 2003), and re-emerged around November to cause the epidemic in 2003.
If that isn’t confirmation that coronavirus is always with us but due to geo-meteorological changes (the earth shifting away from the sun in winter) then I don’t know what is. The Miraculous Results... Bowles, Jeff T Best Price: $4.25 Buy New $6.99 (as of 01:50 UTC - Details)
In 1981 R. Edgar Hope-Simpson proposed that seasonal flu epidemics are associated with a lack of solar radiation in winter months. John J. Cannell MD convincingly proposes the lack of sunshine vitamin D in winter explains virtually all of the factors involved in seasonal viral epidemics including why these epidemics spread so rapidly in the past despite the lack of modern transportation, why a second-wave of the epidemic so low, why intentional inoculation of healthy individuals does not cause illness in all volunteers, and why flu-related mortality is not significantly affected by vaccination.
Vaccine on the way
A news report says researchers have already produced a vaccine from an isolated “unknown” virus from the first case reported in Hong Kong. The fastest way to get a vaccine developed and approved is to create an imagined pandemic that elevates the urgency of its development and gets government to cover the R&D cost. Two companies are said to be developing the world’s first coronavirus vaccines.
Given such a global pandemic from a mutated coronavirus was estimated to cause $570-billion of economic losses should it occur, it would cost just ~$9 billion to provide 30-days of vitamin D pills to 3 billion people in Asia (calculated at 10-cents per pill).


lewrockwell--2020-01-30--Uncomfortable Truths and the Horror of the “Greater Good”

It is thus necessary that the individual should finally come to realize that his own ego is of no importance in comparison with the existence of the nation , that the position of the individual is conditioned solely by the interests of the nation as a whole .
Collectivism is not a new idea , but it is one that now consumes America , and since collectivism is based upon the destruction of individual intellect in favor of group sameness , it must be squashed at every turn if freedom is truly sought .
Nationalism is a belief that one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others , and that group devotion to the State is paramount .
These are obviously similar terms , with differences only at the extreme margin , but both require a single-minded belief in the false assumption of the “ greater good.
” It has been said by many , but any acceptance or adherence to the dishonest concept of the greater good will simply lead to the greater evil .
While there are differences to be sure , when one compares the beliefs and actions of Nazi Germany to today ’ s United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is a very disturbing revelation , and one that should be examined .
For my purposes here , this is not specifically about any particular past or current ruler or president , it is much more than that , because it is concerning society at large , and how an entire nation can be easily manipulated to accept slavery in the name of safety , and in doing so , also accept the inevitable carnage and tyranny that comes with such weakness of mind .
Against the Left : A Ro ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 13.57 Buy New $ 8.00 One of the most obvious likenesses between the general populations of Germany in the 1930s and 1940s and the U.S. today was the rampant nationalism and belief of exceptionalism held by the Nazis then , and the American masses now .
In Hitler ’ s national socialist party rule , all of Germany came together as one in support of the nation-state , with a full belief that they were the exceptional people .
In the U.S. today , the fascist and socialistic oligarchy that is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has been brought about by extreme fear mongering , little different than in Nazi Germany .
One of the most prevalent underpinnings of the population in America today is the national feeling of being exceptional to those in other lands .
Those in Nazi Germany were taught to be afraid of mixing with other races , especially the Jewish people , and felt exceptional to them .
Americans today have similar feelings about the Muslims in the Middle East .
They are afraid of this purposely structured and false “ terrorist ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that are a manufactured enemy .
In order for the state to gain the long-term loyalty of the people , indoctrination is required .
In Germany under Hitler , the government , specifically the Reich Ministry of Education , took control of the education system in 1934 in order to indoctrinate the youth .
The goal was to produce strength so as to build a population that would be willing and able to war , and that would always fully support the state .
Later , the creation of the National Socialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affiliation in order to teach , was established .
Grades suffered , and dumbing down became evident , but the goals of the state were met so that all children were brainwashed from a very young age to support the state and become good citizens .
In the United States , this same process of mandated state-controlled education had begun much earlier , but was done incrementally over a longer time .
Similar results were sought , but American students were to be schooled just enough to make them good workers and citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advance loyalty to the nation-state .
The indoctrination of German and American children has much in common , and the results show less individualism , less intellect , and more nationalism .
Both countries were successful in their efforts to control the general population by controlling the minds of the children through brainwashing techniques .
The Germany of the early and mid-twentieth century desired to be the controlling power , and also had a national feeling of superiority over much of the rest of the world .
Has not the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ super-power , and do not Americans also now believe that they are exceptional to most of those in the rest of the world ?
This is no accident .
Germany wanted to spread Nazism and the U.S. claims to spread democracy .
Both Nazism and democracy are socialistic in nature , and the efforts to advance both require extreme force , control , murder , and war .
The belief in Germany at the time was that the few could be sacrificed for the many ; in other words , the individual should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society or nation .
Generally speaking , both the Germany of old and America today hold this same position .
It is one that demands tyrannical rule and a loss of freedom instead of individual rights .
This thinking is completely incompatible with liberty .
My purpose here is not to declare that America today is the same as Nazi Germany .
The two situations are certainly different in many ways , but at the same time , the similarities are astounding .
The German government attempted to gain world power , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control .
In the process , millions of innocent victims fell to the Third Reich through aggressive means and world war .
German citizens while mostly held hostage , did support many of the state ’ s crimes , and did so with nationalistic fervor .
When put in these simple terms , Americans looking in the mirror should become very disturbed .
The United States became the world ’ s leading power long ago due to continuous aggressive war , to the buildup of the largest and most aggressive military and deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the building and occupation of over 800 bases on foreign soil .
In the process , the U.S. has been responsible for tens of millions of deaths of innocent men , women , and children around the world just since the defeat of Germany in WWII .
So how could any claim to be different or exceptional with a record of slaughter of this magnitude ?
Tyranny is nurtured by national pride and false ego .
This leads to more power over the individual , and therefore over society as a whole .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to control the masses by fear .
By eliminating the power structure , wars will cease , and individual liberty can flourish .
Tearing down the government will eliminate tyrannical rule , and once again place the individual in a position of importance instead of allowing the evil that is the greater good .
Sometimes things are not as they seem , reality is not so clear , and egotistical views come back to haunt the soul .
The mirror is our friend , for accepting truth , and improving self @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D. Barnett

It is thus necessary that the individual should finally come to realize that his own ego is of no importance in comparison with the existence of the nation, that the position of the individual is conditioned solely by the interests of the nation as a whole.
~ Adolf Hitler (1938). “Adolf Hitler from Speeches 1933-1938”
Collectivism is not a new idea, but it is one that now consumes America, and since collectivism is based upon the destruction of individual intellect in favor of group sameness, it must be squashed at every turn if freedom is truly sought. Nationalism is a belief that one’s nation is superior to all others, and that group devotion to the State is paramount. These are obviously similar terms, with differences only at the extreme margin, but both require a single-minded belief in the false assumption of the “greater good.” It has been said by many, but any acceptance or adherence to the dishonest concept of the greater good will simply lead to the greater evil.
While there are differences to be sure, when one compares the beliefs and actions of Nazi Germany to today’s United States, there are stark similarities. This is a very disturbing revelation, and one that should be examined. For my purposes here, this is not specifically about any particular past or current ruler or president, it is much more than that, because it is concerning society at large, and how an entire nation can be easily manipulated to accept slavery in the name of safety, and in doing so, also accept the inevitable carnage and tyranny that comes with such weakness of mind. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
One of the most obvious likenesses between the general populations of Germany in the 1930s and 1940s and the U.S. today was the rampant nationalism and belief of exceptionalism held by the Nazis then, and the American masses now. In Hitler’s national socialist party rule, all of Germany came together as one in support of the nation-state, with a full belief that they were the exceptional people. In the U.S. today, the fascist and socialistic oligarchy that is in place is dependent on national unity, which has been brought about by extreme fear mongering, little different than in Nazi Germany. One of the most prevalent underpinnings of the population in America today is the national feeling of being exceptional to those in other lands. Those in Nazi Germany were taught to be afraid of mixing with other races, especially the Jewish people, and felt exceptional to them. Americans today have similar feelings about the Muslims in the Middle East. They are afraid of this purposely structured and false “terrorist” threat, and feel superior to the people that are a manufactured enemy.
In order for the state to gain the long-term loyalty of the people, indoctrination is required. In Germany under Hitler, the government, specifically the Reich Ministry of Education, took control of the education system in 1934 in order to indoctrinate the youth. The goal was to produce strength so as to build a population that would be willing and able to war, and that would always fully support the state. Later, the creation of the National Socialist Teacher’s League, with mandated affiliation in order to teach, was established. Grades suffered, and dumbing down became evident, but the goals of the state were met so that all children were brainwashed from a very young age to support the state and become good citizens. In the United States, this same process of mandated state-controlled education had begun much earlier, but was done incrementally over a longer time. Similar results were sought, but American students were to be schooled just enough to make them good workers and citizens, and this plan was also designed to advance loyalty to the nation-state. The indoctrination of German and American children has much in common, and the results show less individualism, less intellect, and more nationalism. Both countries were successful in their efforts to control the general population by controlling the minds of the children through brainwashing techniques.
The Germany of the early and mid-twentieth century desired to be the controlling power, and also had a national feeling of superiority over much of the rest of the world. Has not the United States desired and obtained the title of world super-power, and do not Americans also now believe that they are exceptional to most of those in the rest of the world? This is no accident. Germany wanted to spread Nazism and the U.S. claims to spread democracy. Both Nazism and democracy are socialistic in nature, and the efforts to advance both require extreme force, control, murder, and war.
The belief in Germany at the time was that the few could be sacrificed for the many; in other words, the individual should be sacrificed for the greater good of society or nation. Generally speaking, both the Germany of old and America today hold this same position. It is one that demands tyrannical rule and a loss of freedom instead of individual rights. This thinking is completely incompatible with liberty.
My purpose here is not to declare that America today is the same as Nazi Germany. The two situations are certainly different in many ways, but at the same time, the similarities are astounding. The German government attempted to gain world power, and was a barbarous regime bent on total control. In the process, millions of innocent victims fell to the Third Reich through aggressive means and world war. German citizens while mostly held hostage, did support many of the state’s crimes, and did so with nationalistic fervor. When put in these simple terms, Americans looking in the mirror should become very disturbed.
The United States became the world’s leading power long ago due to continuous aggressive war, to the buildup of the largest and most aggressive military and deadly weaponry on planet earth, and for the building and occupation of over 800 bases on foreign soil. In the process, the U.S. has been responsible for tens of millions of deaths of innocent men, women, and children around the world just since the defeat of Germany in WWII. So how could any claim to be different or exceptional with a record of slaughter of this magnitude?
Tyranny is nurtured by national pride and false ego. This leads to more power over the individual, and therefore over society as a whole. This causes perpetual war to be waged in order to control the masses by fear. By eliminating the power structure, wars will cease, and individual liberty can flourish. Tearing down the government will eliminate tyrannical rule, and once again place the individual in a position of importance instead of allowing the evil that is the greater good.
Sometimes things are not as they seem, reality is not so clear, and egotistical views come back to haunt the soul. The mirror is our friend, for accepting truth, and improving self brings peace.
The Best of Gary D. Barnett


lewrockwell--2020-01-30--Impeachment’s Biggest Absurdity: Our Toxic Fixation on Useless and Corrupting Ukraine Aid

The campaign to convict and remove President Donald Trump in the Senate hinges on delays in disbursing U.S. aid to Ukraine .
Ukraine was supposedly on the verge of great progress until Trump pulled the rug out from under the heroic salvation effort by U.S. government bureaucrats .
Unfortunately , Congress has devoted a hundred times more attention to the timing of aid to Ukraine than to its effectiveness .
And most of the media coverage has ignored the biggest absurdity of the impeachment fight .
The temporary postponement of the Ukrainian aid was practically irrelevant considering that U.S. assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised to eradicate – especially kleptocracy , or government by thieves .
A 2002 American Economic Review analysis concluded that “ increases in [ foreign ] aid are associated with contemporaneous increases in corruption ” and that “ corruption is positively correlated with aid received from the United States.
” Then-President George W. Bush promised to reform foreign aid that year , declaring , “ I think it makes no sense to give aid money to countries that are corrupt.
” Regardless , the Bush administration continued delivering billions of dollars in handouts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most corrupt regimes .
LOST RIGHTS : The Destr ... James Bovard Best Price : $ 0.25 Buy New $ 9.14 Then-President Barack Obama , recognizing the failure of past U.S. aid efforts , proclaimed at the United Nations in 2010 that the U.S. government is “ leading a global effort to combat corruption.
” The following year , congressional Republicans sought to restrict foreign aid to fraud-ridden foreign regimes .
Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wailed that restricting handouts to nations that fail anti-corruption tests “ has the potential to affect a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Obama administration continued pouring tens of billions of U.S. tax dollars into sinkholes such as Afghanistan , which even its president , Ashraf Ghani , admitted in 2016 was “ one of the most corrupt countries on earth.
” John Sopko , the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction ( SIGAR ) , declared that “ U.S .
policies and practices unintentionally aided and abetted corruption ” in Afghanistan .
Since the end of the Soviet Union , the U.S. has provided more than $ 6 billion in aid to Ukraine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ key anti-Trump witness was acting U.S. ambassador to the Ukraine , William B. Taylor Jr .
The Washington Post hailed Taylor as someone who “ spent much of the 1990s telling Ukrainian politicians that nothing was more critical to their long-term prosperity than rooting out corruption and bolstering the rule of law , in his role as the head of U.S. development assistance for post-Soviet countries.
” A New York Times editorial lauded Taylor and State Department deputy assistant secretary George Kent as witnesses who “ came across not as angry Democrats or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have devoted their lives to serving their country.
” After their testimony spurred criticism , a Washington Post headline captured the capital city ’ s reaction : “ The diplomatic corps has been wounded .
The State Department needs to heal.
” But not nearly as much as the foreigners supposedly rescued by U.S. bureaucrats .
The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 31 that the International Monetary Fund , which has provided more than $ 20 billion in loans to Ukraine , “ remains skeptical after a history of broken promises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kiev hasn ’ t successfully completed any of a series of IMF bailout packages over the past two decades , with systemic corruption at the heart of much of that failure.
” The IMF concluded that Ukraine continued to be vexed by “ shortcomings in the legal framework , pervasive corruption , and large parts of the economy dominated by inefficient state-owned enterprises or by oligarchs.
” That last item is damning for the U.S. benevolent pretensions .
If a former Soviet republic can not even terminate its government-owned boondoggles , then why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them ?
The Best of James Bovard

The campaign to convict and remove President Donald Trump in the Senate hinges on delays in disbursing U.S. aid to Ukraine. Ukraine was supposedly on the verge of great progress until Trump pulled the rug out from under the heroic salvation effort by U.S. government bureaucrats. Unfortunately, Congress has devoted a hundred times more attention to the timing of aid to Ukraine than to its effectiveness. And most of the media coverage has ignored the biggest absurdity of the impeachment fight.
The temporary postponement of the Ukrainian aid was practically irrelevant considering that U.S. assistance efforts have long fueled the poxes they promised to eradicate – especially kleptocracy, or government by thieves. A 2002 American Economic Review analysis concluded that “increases in [foreign] aid are associated with contemporaneous increases in corruption” and that “corruption is positively correlated with aid received from the United States.”
Then-President George W. Bush promised to reform foreign aid that year, declaring, “I think it makes no sense to give aid money to countries that are corrupt.” Regardless, the Bush administration continued delivering billions of dollars in handouts to many of the world’s most corrupt regimes.
LOST RIGHTS: The Destr... James Bovard Best Price: $0.25 Buy New $9.14 (as of 06:40 UTC - Details) Then-President Barack Obama, recognizing the failure of past U.S. aid efforts, proclaimed at the United Nations in 2010 that the U.S. government is “leading a global effort to combat corruption.” The following year, congressional Republicans sought to restrict foreign aid to fraud-ridden foreign regimes. Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wailed that restricting handouts to nations that fail anti-corruption tests “has the potential to affect a staggering number of needy aid recipients.”
The Obama administration continued pouring tens of billions of U.S. tax dollars into sinkholes such as Afghanistan, which even its president, Ashraf Ghani, admitted in 2016 was “one of the most corrupt countries on earth.” John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR), declared that “U.S. policies and practices unintentionally aided and abetted corruption” in Afghanistan.
Since the end of the Soviet Union, the U.S. has provided more than $6 billion in aid to Ukraine. At the House impeachment hearings, a key anti-Trump witness was acting U.S. ambassador to the Ukraine, William B. Taylor Jr. The Washington Post hailed Taylor as someone who “spent much of the 1990s telling Ukrainian politicians that nothing was more critical to their long-term prosperity than rooting out corruption and bolstering the rule of law, in his role as the head of U.S. development assistance for post-Soviet countries.” A New York Times editorial lauded Taylor and State Department deputy assistant secretary George Kent as witnesses who “came across not as angry Democrats or Deep State conspirators, but as men who have devoted their lives to serving their country.”
After their testimony spurred criticism, a Washington Post headline captured the capital city’s reaction: “The diplomatic corps has been wounded. The State Department needs to heal.” But not nearly as much as the foreigners supposedly rescued by U.S. bureaucrats.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 31 that the International Monetary Fund, which has provided more than $20 billion in loans to Ukraine, “remains skeptical after a history of broken promises [from the Ukraine govt]. Kiev hasn’t successfully completed any of a series of IMF bailout packages over the past two decades, with systemic corruption at the heart of much of that failure.”
The IMF concluded that Ukraine continued to be vexed by “shortcomings in the legal framework, pervasive corruption, and large parts of the economy dominated by inefficient state-owned enterprises or by oligarchs.” That last item is damning for the U.S. benevolent pretensions. If a former Soviet republic cannot even terminate its government-owned boondoggles, then why in hell was the U.S. government bankrolling them?
Read the Whole Article
The Best of James Bovard


lewrockwell--2020-01-30--Protectionism Is Not the Answer to the Canadian Fur Trade’s Problems

The North American fur trade began in the seventeenth century , and though many think of it as history , it continues to this day , contributing almost $ 1 billion to Canada ’ s economy .
Although there is global demand for fur—the US , China , and Hong Kong are the largest markets for Canadian fur—the industry is in decline .
Prices have dropped significantly and overproduction relative to demand has led to a glutted market .
In particular , the wild fur industry is suffering .
Improvements in farming techniques have allowed fur farms to conquer the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fur is farmed .
Although this is a boon for consumers , who now have a more steady and affordable supply of furs to enjoy , as well as for fur farmers , trappers are hurt by the change , which has recently manifested itself in two major players ( the North West Company and the North American Fur Auction ) moving to back out of the industry .
Unfortunately , many think that the solution to the issue of the ailing trade is for the government to step in to “ protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than allowing the market to change and reabsorb the trappers in new capacities .
Although the trapping interests affected are still shopping around for private fur buyers , they ’ re also trying to involve the only entity that would ever consider pumping money into a declining industry : the state .
Against the Left : A Ro ... Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best Price : $ 13.57 Buy New $ 8.00 On December 10 , 2019 , the Canadian Broadcasting Company ( CBC ) reported that the North West Company had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northern Stores .
The decision would affect trappers across the Canadian North , who would lose an important source of income since the company is often the only fur buyer in remote areas .
The company ’ s reasons for suspending purchases were market based : declining fur prices—sometimes by 50 to 70 percent—and high inventories of unsold furs .
( Fur buyers often pay trappers for their pelts in advance , shouldering market risks in the hopes of turning a profit later . )
Just three days later , the company reversed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ disgruntled customers ” and trappers , interests that overlap in northern Canadian communities , where the Northern Store can be the only store .
Although of course the reversal does not change the facts of the market , it is an example of how private interests react and adapt to changing market conditions .
In order to continue buying the furs , the company has partnered with the Fur Harvesters ’ Auction ( FHA ) , the largest wild fur auction house in the world .
The North West Company , ideally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act as an agent for the FHA , which is located in North Bay , Ontario , accepting the furs at its Northern and NorthMart stores and continuing to give trappers advances against auction sales .
The company ’ s initial decision to stop buying furs seems to have been spurred by the pending dissolution of its main buyer , the North American Fur Auction ( NAFA ) , a major fur marketer that was originally part of the Hudson ’ s Bay Company .
The Toronto-based NAFA decided to close up shop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lender after a long refinancing struggle .
But when the announcement was made , the affected interests had already been mobilized to find a solution to the widening fissure in the market .
When the NAFA ’ s financial troubles became known , the Saskatchewan Trappers Association reached out to the FHA to see if it would be interested in filling the gap created by NAFA ’ s imminent failure .
The FHA responded enthusiastically , allegedly “ assur [ ing ] all the trappers across Canada here that they can handle the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple remaining buyers trying to fill an enduring consumer demand for fur , the association had turned to the Canadian fur marketer that arguably stands to gain the most from the gap created by the NAFA ’ s volatile circumstances , setting in motion a reorganization of the wild fur industry .
The FHA ’ s voluntary involvement in the North West Company ’ s reinstatement of fur sales suggests that there are still worthwhile profits to be made in wild fur in spite of the industry ’ s decline .
No government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fur producers was necessary to get the FHA to swoop in for the NAFA ’ s share of the fur market .
This shows that , to some extent , trapping and wild fur production is still a productive enterprise—yielding a product that increases many people ’ s psychic profits .
For its part , the North West Company ’ s decision to accept furs again is more than a charitable PR move .
Although Director of Business Development David Reimer allegedly “ said the company acknowledges its responsibility to communities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of disgruntled customers would have had significant ramifications for business .
Though fur sales represent “ a very small percentage in terms of revenues ” for the company , one of its primary business activities—as a retailer specifically to remote communities in the Canadian North ( Read : places where trappers and their families live ) —might have been severely impacted by local ill will .
Moreover , although the details of the North West Company ’ s deal with the auction house are not known , it ’ s likely that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brightened considerably by the NAFA ’ s pending demise—perhaps enough that it ventured to offer the North West Company a commission that makes accepting furs lucrative once again .
Whatever the case may be , private interests at various stages of the fur production process—producers and marketers—are engaged in a natural ( if trying ) process of reconfiguration in response to a major change in the market .
( Remember , the NAFA ’ s operations date to the Hudson ’ s Bay Company ’ s 1670 founding . )
Calls for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Industry But , as in other industries , there are voices clamoring for government involvement to “ protect ” the industry , in spite of its evident ability to respond to changing conditions , and they ’ ve already had some success .
On October 31 , the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted the NAFA creditor protection status , which prevents creditors from collecting their rightful property from borrowers who have defaulted on their obligations—a shameless act of corporate welfare .
Specifically , the order “ prevents the company from paying creditors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 ] , ” buying it more time to dispose of worthwhile assets , such as its “ ranched mink portfolio , ” which it is selling to Saga Furs .
In light of the industry ’ s near loss of the North West Company as a fur buyer—often the only one in remote northern communities , as mentioned—some have called for the Canadian government to buy the furs .
In the Northwest Territories such a program is already in place , and nearly 650 trappers sell their furs to the state .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the territorial government ’ s traditional economy division , thinks that “ every jurisdiction should be running something like this especially in their northern communities to assist trappers to get out on the land.
” Even if all the rural provinces instituted such programs , though , Roussow thinks the company should continue buying furs because it “ owes it ” to the communities , and because it allows them to get quick money to spend at the stores .
In the same interview , however , Roussow admitted that the North West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fur industry ’ s trend and mentioned several factors contributing to it , including competition from the ranched fur market , a saturated market , and changing tastes .
Roussow ’ s contradictory remarks reflect the dangers of central planning .
He ’ s asking for the state to use its apparatus of legalized violence and theft to funnel indefinite amounts of money from Canadians ’ pockets into fur-buying programs across the nation simply to “ assist trappers to get out on the land.
” He has the gall to say this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pelts and that the industry has virtually abandoned trapping as an inferior method of production ( and possibly in keeping with some customers ’ ethical concerns about wild fur and furbearer populations ) .
Neither consumer demand nor costs make an appearance in his reasoning .
The end is practically trapping for the sake of trapping : northern Canadians have made their living a certain way for a long time , so the Canadian government must supply them a buyer if there are none , rewarding that living over and above the vociferous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wild fur down on their value scales .
Although the Saskatchewan Trappers Association clearly knows how to hunt for new fur buyers of its own accord , as its communications with the Fur Harvesters ’ Auction shows , it too seemed to push for government intervention , albeit indirectly .
The association reached out to the Ministry of Environment in its search for more auctioneers to replace the NAFA ’ s market share , not only seeking referrals but asking the department to do the legwork of connecting them with new buyers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about employment and compensation for unpaid furs provided to the NAFA , some of which were probably voiced through the association .
By directing their concerns to the state and asking for its assistance , trappers and trappers ’ associations are tacitly calling for state intervention in the fur market .
They are calling for insulation from market forces and for special privileges at the expense of other Canadians .
Indeed , the Saskatchewan Trappers Association ’ s About statement shows this : Although lightly cloaked in a rhetoric of public benefit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s goal is to prolong the lifespan of its industry by securing special favors from the state and pushing for barriers to entry for outsiders ( such as trapping permits ) , as the final sentence implies .
Attracted by the opportunity to coopt the power of the state , its goal is not merely to make a living , but to rig the industry in trappers ’ favor by making economic failure impossible .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 Instead of calling for the state to put a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxpayer expense , trappers and their allies in related industries should work to adapt to the changing market .
Whether this will mean pursuing commercial trapping part-time or abandoning it altogether , creating fur farms , trying to influence consumer tastes , or simply hustling to find new buyers , as recently occurred , can not be said for sure .
The only thing that is certain is that uncertainty and change are facts of entrepreneurship and of human life , and that “ protection ” from market fluctuations is achieved only through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coercion .
It is no benign proposition , and it comes at the very real expense of others .
The fur trade has seen a lot of change in the past several centuries .
The primary fur traded has varied , shifting from beaver ( 1600–1870s ) to white fox ( 1900s–50s ) .
The industry has also seen the expansion of its scope to include small furbearers such as ermine , as well as polar bears and seals .
The division of the production process has varied , with the Hudson ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from its traps through the auction house , a process that market conditions eventually divided up , as we ’ ve seen .
The stages of production themselves have evolved , as the dominance of fur farms indicates .
If wild fur really brings consumers joy , satisfying the ends of their diverse value scales , the trade will transform again and see a new century .
Protectionism will only freeze the industry in its enervated transitional state and turn it into a stagnant affair , useful only to trappers—and arguably harming them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking rather than their own resilience .
Worst of all , it will be costly to taxpaying Canadians and to consumers , both due to the actual cost and the missed opportunity for greater human fulfillment through the natural ( re ) allocation of resources with shifting value scales .

The North American fur trade began in the seventeenth century, and though many think of it as history, it continues to this day, contributing almost $1 billion to Canada’s economy. Although there is global demand for fur—the US, China, and Hong Kong are the largest markets for Canadian fur—the industry is in decline. Prices have dropped significantly and overproduction relative to demand has led to a glutted market.
In particular, the wild fur industry is suffering. Improvements in farming techniques have allowed fur farms to conquer the market, and now two-thirds of Canadian fur is farmed. Although this is a boon for consumers, who now have a more steady and affordable supply of furs to enjoy, as well as for fur farmers, trappers are hurt by the change, which has recently manifested itself in two major players (the North West Company and the North American Fur Auction) moving to back out of the industry.
Unfortunately, many think that the solution to the issue of the ailing trade is for the government to step in to “protect” trappers from “market fluctuations” rather than allowing the market to change and reabsorb the trappers in new capacities. Although the trapping interests affected are still shopping around for private fur buyers, they’re also trying to involve the only entity that would ever consider pumping money into a declining industry: the state. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
Private Responses to a Changing Market
On December 10, 2019, the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) reported that the North West Company had decided to stop buying furs at its Northern Stores. The decision would affect trappers across the Canadian North, who would lose an important source of income since the company is often the only fur buyer in remote areas. The company’s reasons for suspending purchases were market based: declining fur prices—sometimes by 50 to 70 percent—and high inventories of unsold furs. (Fur buyers often pay trappers for their pelts in advance, shouldering market risks in the hopes of turning a profit later.) Just three days later, the company reversed its decision after receiving much criticism from “disgruntled customers” and trappers, interests that overlap in northern Canadian communities, where the Northern Store can be the only store.
Although of course the reversal does not change the facts of the market, it is an example of how private interests react and adapt to changing market conditions. In order to continue buying the furs, the company has partnered with the Fur Harvesters’ Auction (FHA), the largest wild fur auction house in the world. The North West Company, ideally situated to purchase wild furs, will act as an agent for the FHA, which is located in North Bay, Ontario, accepting the furs at its Northern and NorthMart stores and continuing to give trappers advances against auction sales.
The company’s initial decision to stop buying furs seems to have been spurred by the pending dissolution of its main buyer, the North American Fur Auction (NAFA), a major fur marketer that was originally part of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The Toronto-based NAFA decided to close up shop in November, having lost its primary lender after a long refinancing struggle. But when the announcement was made, the affected interests had already been mobilized to find a solution to the widening fissure in the market.
When the NAFA’s financial troubles became known, the Saskatchewan Trappers Association reached out to the FHA to see if it would be interested in filling the gap created by NAFA’s imminent failure. The FHA responded enthusiastically, allegedly “assur[ing] all the trappers across Canada here that they can handle the fur volume.” Knowing that there are multiple remaining buyers trying to fill an enduring consumer demand for fur, the association had turned to the Canadian fur marketer that arguably stands to gain the most from the gap created by the NAFA’s volatile circumstances, setting in motion a reorganization of the wild fur industry.
The FHA’s voluntary involvement in the North West Company’s reinstatement of fur sales suggests that there are still worthwhile profits to be made in wild fur in spite of the industry’s decline. No government force or groveling on the part of the fur producers was necessary to get the FHA to swoop in for the NAFA’s share of the fur market. This shows that, to some extent, trapping and wild fur production is still a productive enterprise—yielding a product that increases many people’s psychic profits.
For its part, the North West Company’s decision to accept furs again is more than a charitable PR move. Although Director of Business Development David Reimer allegedly “said the company acknowledges its responsibility to communities,” the reality is that a bunch of disgruntled customers would have had significant ramifications for business. Though fur sales represent “a very small percentage in terms of revenues” for the company, one of its primary business activities—as a retailer specifically to remote communities in the Canadian North (Read: places where trappers and their families live)—might have been severely impacted by local ill will.
Moreover, although the details of the North West Company’s deal with the auction house are not known, it’s likely that the latter’s business prospects have been brightened considerably by the NAFA’s pending demise—perhaps enough that it ventured to offer the North West Company a commission that makes accepting furs lucrative once again. Whatever the case may be, private interests at various stages of the fur production process—producers and marketers—are engaged in a natural (if trying) process of reconfiguration in response to a major change in the market. (Remember, the NAFA’s operations date to the Hudson’s Bay Company’s 1670 founding.)
Calls for the “Protection” of the Trappers’ Industry
But, as in other industries, there are voices clamoring for government involvement to “protect” the industry, in spite of its evident ability to respond to changing conditions, and they’ve already had some success.
On October 31, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted the NAFA creditor protection status, which prevents creditors from collecting their rightful property from borrowers who have defaulted on their obligations—a shameless act of corporate welfare. Specifically, the order “prevents the company from paying creditors with outstanding payments from before [October 31],” buying it more time to dispose of worthwhile assets, such as its “ranched mink portfolio,” which it is selling to Saga Furs.
In light of the industry’s near loss of the North West Company as a fur buyer—often the only one in remote northern communities, as mentioned—some have called for the Canadian government to buy the furs. In the Northwest Territories such a program is already in place, and nearly 650 trappers sell their furs to the state.
Francois Roussow, a fur marketer with the territorial government’s traditional economy division, thinks that “every jurisdiction should be running something like this especially in their northern communities to assist trappers to get out on the land.” Even if all the rural provinces instituted such programs, though, Roussow thinks the company should continue buying furs because it “owes it” to the communities, and because it allows them to get quick money to spend at the stores.
In the same interview, however, Roussow admitted that the North West Company’s original decision aligns with the fur industry’s trend and mentioned several factors contributing to it, including competition from the ranched fur market, a saturated market, and changing tastes.
Roussow’s contradictory remarks reflect the dangers of central planning. He’s asking for the state to use its apparatus of legalized violence and theft to funnel indefinite amounts of money from Canadians’ pockets into fur-buying programs across the nation simply to “assist trappers to get out on the land.” He has the gall to say this knowing that the market is glutted with pelts and that the industry has virtually abandoned trapping as an inferior method of production (and possibly in keeping with some customers’ ethical concerns about wild fur and furbearer populations). Neither consumer demand nor costs make an appearance in his reasoning. The end is practically trapping for the sake of trapping: northern Canadians have made their living a certain way for a long time, so the Canadian government must supply them a buyer if there are none, rewarding that living over and above the vociferous preferences of consumers, who have voted wild fur down on their value scales.
Although the Saskatchewan Trappers Association clearly knows how to hunt for new fur buyers of its own accord, as its communications with the Fur Harvesters’ Auction shows, it too seemed to push for government intervention, albeit indirectly. The association reached out to the Ministry of Environment in its search for more auctioneers to replace the NAFA’s market share, not only seeking referrals but asking the department to do the legwork of connecting them with new buyers. Trappers also expressed concerns to the ministry about employment and compensation for unpaid furs provided to the NAFA, some of which were probably voiced through the association.
By directing their concerns to the state and asking for its assistance, trappers and trappers’ associations are tacitly calling for state intervention in the fur market. They are calling for insulation from market forces and for special privileges at the expense of other Canadians. Indeed, the Saskatchewan Trappers Association’s About statement shows this:
Composed of trappers and other interested persons, working for trappers and the fur industry in general… We defend your right to trap and to harvest fur… We speak…to Government resource related industries and the public in general… We believe that the fur bearers of Saskatchewan should be properly managed for the benefit of everyone.
Although lightly cloaked in a rhetoric of public benefit, it is clear that the association’s goal is to prolong the lifespan of its industry by securing special favors from the state and pushing for barriers to entry for outsiders (such as trapping permits), as the final sentence implies. Attracted by the opportunity to coopt the power of the state, its goal is not merely to make a living, but to rig the industry in trappers’ favor by making economic failure impossible. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
Instead of calling for the state to put a declining industry on life support at massive taxpayer expense, trappers and their allies in related industries should work to adapt to the changing market. Whether this will mean pursuing commercial trapping part-time or abandoning it altogether, creating fur farms, trying to influence consumer tastes, or simply hustling to find new buyers, as recently occurred, cannot be said for sure. The only thing that is certain is that uncertainty and change are facts of entrepreneurship and of human life, and that “protection” from market fluctuations is achieved only through a human shield put in place through coercion. It is no benign proposition, and it comes at the very real expense of others.
The fur trade has seen a lot of change in the past several centuries. The primary fur traded has varied, shifting from beaver (1600–1870s) to white fox (1900s–50s). The industry has also seen the expansion of its scope to include small furbearers such as ermine, as well as polar bears and seals. The division of the production process has varied, with the Hudson’s Bay Company once seeing a fox from its traps through the auction house, a process that market conditions eventually divided up, as we’ve seen. The stages of production themselves have evolved, as the dominance of fur farms indicates. If wild fur really brings consumers joy, satisfying the ends of their diverse value scales, the trade will transform again and see a new century.
Protectionism will only freeze the industry in its enervated transitional state and turn it into a stagnant affair, useful only to trappers—and arguably harming them simultaneously as they become dependent on rent seeking rather than their own resilience. Worst of all, it will be costly to taxpaying Canadians and to consumers, both due to the actual cost and the missed opportunity for greater human fulfillment through the natural (re)allocation of resources with shifting value scales.


lewrockwell--2020-01-30--Your Range Will Vary

Your Range Will Vary

Volkswagen got fined billions – and its executives and engineers were criminally prosecuted – for “ cheating ” on government emissions certification tests that involved differences of much less than 1 percent .
Why is it that electric cars are allowed to cheat the public by double digits when it comes to what they claim about their range on a full charge vs. what they actually deliver ?
As a car journalist – someone who regularly test drives new cars , including electric cars – I have known for some time that the range delivered by EVs in real-world driving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other car journalists – at Jalopnik , which is owned by the SJW media conglomerate Huffington Post and so presumably not “ anti-EV ” – recently confirmed this .
They did a same-day/same-conditions real-world road test of six-brand new EVs and found them lacking .
Not one of them came close to delivering on their promised maximum range , including the sainted Tesla Model 3 .
Five of them went about 20-25 percent less-far than advertised , indicating it ’ s not a problem with one specific EV or the way that particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ i ... Buy New $ 10.00 It ’ s a general problem – and the same government that practically nailed VW to a cross over almost unmeasurable differences in exhaust emissions that would never have been noticed – certainly not by VW owners – had it not been for an inquisition worthy of Torquemada determined to find something – anything – is interestingly indifferent to this very noticeable cheating .
We ’ ll get to the motivation for that shortly .
Meanwhile , these scandalous disparities between what ’ s touted and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The $ 69,850 to start Jaguar iPACE ( Jaguar ’ s first electric car ) travelled 25 percent less-far-than-advertised .
The $ 68,895 Mercedes ’ EQC 400 ( Mercedes ’ first all-electrioc car ) went 24 percent less-far-than-advertised .
And the sainted Tesla 3 ?
It only went 78 percent as far as advertised .
Kia ’ s Niro hybrid was the least range-gyppy of the bunch .
It went 90 percent as far-as-advertised .
The last electric car I test-drove was the VW eGolf , basically a Golf with an electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 20 percent less than the advertised range .
The Best of Eric Peters

Volkswagen got fined billions – and its executives and engineers were criminally prosecuted – for “cheating” on government emissions certification tests that involved differences of much less than 1 percent. Why is it that electric cars are allowed to cheat the public by double digits when it comes to what they claim about their range on a full charge vs. what they actually deliver?
As a car journalist – someone who regularly test drives new cars, including electric cars – I have known for some time that the range delivered by EVs in real-world driving is always much less than advertised.
About 15-20 percent less.
Other car journalists – at Jalopnik, which is owned by the SJW media conglomerate Huffington Post and so presumably not “anti-EV” – recently confirmed this.
They did a same-day/same-conditions real-world road test of six-brand new EVs and found them lacking. Not one of them came close to delivering on their promised maximum range, including the sainted Tesla Model 3.
Five of them went about 20-25 percent less-far than advertised, indicating it’s not a problem with one specific EV or the way that particular EV was driven. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
It’s a general problem – and the same government that practically nailed VW to a cross over almost unmeasurable differences in exhaust emissions that would never have been noticed – certainly not by VW owners – had it not been for an inquisition worthy of Torquemada determined to find something – anything – is interestingly indifferent to this very noticeable cheating.
We’ll get to the motivation for that shortly.
Meanwhile, these scandalous disparities between what’s touted and what’s delivered – according to Jalopnik:
The $69,850 to start Jaguar iPACE (Jaguar’s first electric car) travelled 25 percent less-far-than-advertised.
The $68,895 Mercedes’ EQC 400 (Mercedes’ first all-electrioc car) went 24 percent less-far-than-advertised.
The Audi eTron delivered 19 percent less-than-advertised range.
And the sainted Tesla 3? It only went 78 percent as far as advertised.
Kia’s Niro hybrid was the least range-gyppy of the bunch. It went 90 percent as far-as-advertised.
The last electric car I test-drove was the VW eGolf, basically a Golf with an electric powertrain. It, too, delivered about 20 percent less than the advertised range.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Eric Peters