lewrockwell--2020-03-24--Weeks Where Decades Happen

Weeks Where Decades Happen

“ There are decades where nothing happens ; and there are weeks where decades happen.
” ― Vladimir Ilyich Lenin “ A Crisis mood does not guarantee that the new governing policies will be well designed or will work as intended .
To the contrary : Crisis eras are studded with faulty leadership and inept management—from President Lincoln ’ s poor record of choosing generals to President Roosevelt ’ s colossal blunders with such alphabet soup agencies as the AAA , NRA , and WPA .
What makes a Crisis special is the public ’ s willingness to let leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let authorities be authoritative even when they make mistakes .
Wars become more likely and are fought with efficacy and finality .
The risk of revolution is high—as is the risk of civil war , since the community that commands the greatest loyalty does not necessarily coincide with political ( or geographic ) boundaries .
Leaders become more inclined to define enemies in moral terms , to enforce virtue militarily , to refuse all compromise , to commit large forces in that effort , to impose heavy sacrifices on the battlefield and home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons contemporary minds can imagine , and to deploy those weapons if needed to obtain an enduring victory.
” – Strauss & Howe – The Fourth Turning The Fourth Turning : An ... Howe , Neil Best Price : $ 7.92 Buy New $ 12.04 The quote by Lenin has been reverberating in my conscience for the last few weeks .
I believe the quote from Strauss & Howe provides context to what has happened and will happen as this Fourth Turning advances towards its climax .
I began a new role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only seven months in my previous role .
I ’ ve been in non-stop crisis meetings , as this coronavirus pandemic has flipped everyone ’ s world upside down .
As of Thursday , we were ordered to work from home .
Governor Wolf essentially shut down every business in the state , except for food stores , gas stations , and healthcare facilities .
I await the imminent shelter in place order and the National Guard patrolling the streets .
My wife and youngest son have been laid off from their restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in IT and can work remotely .
As a virtual recluse , even when there isn ’ t a pandemic , my life hasn ’ t changed much .
I ’ m saving 90 minutes of commuting per day and getting more exercise as we have been taking long walks every day .
I ’ ve been writing about our ongoing crisis for over ten years , so it ’ s not really a shock to me the shit has finally hit the fan .
I certainly didn ’ t expect a global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two of this Fourth Turning .
But , I ’ m sure most people didn ’ t see Hitler ’ s invasion of Poland leading to a world war resulting in 65 million deaths when they were just living their lives in early 1939 .
It was ten years into the last Fourth Turning and the Great Depression was ongoing for average Americans , but the stock market had soared and GDP had been propped up by massive government stimulus and Federal Reserve easy money .
Intense nationalism had begun spreading across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events which catapult the world during Fourth Turnings are different , but the reaction of generations and leaders are eerily similar .
I ’ ve felt like nothing happened in the last decade as the Fed and politicians in DC were able to issue tens of trillions in debt to postpone the inevitable consequences of living beyond our means for the last forty years .
As my warnings about the future failed to materialize on the timeline I expected , I began to doubt my own reasoning and thought process .
As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fed balance sheet quadrupled to $ 4.5 trillion , the national debt doubled to $ 23 trillion , student loan debt tripled to $ 1.6 trillion , credit card debt reached a new high of $ 1.1 trillion , auto loans reached a new high of $ 1.2 trillion , corporate debt surged to a new high of $ 10 trillion ( 50 % higher than 2008 high ) , home prices soared above their 2005 bubble highs , and the Fed suppressed interest rates to inflate the everything bubble , I stayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m a stubborn SOB .
Those who didn ’ t stay on the sidelines were the executives of Wall Street Too Big To Trust banks , Boeing , the airlines , oil companies and virtually every mega-corporation in the S & P 500 .
They used the Fed ’ s easy money to borrow and repurchase $ 7 trillion of their own stock over the last ten years .
The effect was to propel stock prices and valuations to all-time highs , resulting in obnoxiously outrageous pay packages and bonuses for the egomaniacal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lackeys .
It also left most mega-corps with mega amounts of debt and no cash on their balance sheets .
With the Fed having their back , no need to invest in old fashioned things like new facilities or research and development .
Financialization cured everything and enriched the oligarchs .
No need to prepare for a downturn , because the Fed had outlawed downturns .
Yellen assured us there wouldn ’ t be another financial crisis in her lifetime .
I guess she died in February .
Just over three weeks ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my article Spirits in the Material World was as follows : This was before the authorities began to take the coronavirus seriously .
On February 24 , Trump gave his authoritative view of the virus and the stock market ’ Two days later , he proclaimed the pandemic over in the U.S .
The titans of Wall Street believed the the president ’ s investment advice propelling the markets to all-time highs in late February , making my assessment appear wrong once again .
Then it seemed like decades happened in the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the hurricane and have seen our ship of state capsized , as an immense wave of reality has destroyed the delusions of millions and exposed the Fed as a feckless fraud , manned by reckless academics following the orders of a banking cabal and their corporate cronies .
All while the corporate media propaganda mouthpieces of the oligarchy use panic , fear and misinformation to lead the masses towards their desired outcome – more governmental control and more wealth and power for the ruling oligarchs .
So here we are , less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stock market , in the midst of the fastest bear market in history ( down 32 % in three weeks ) , with GDP in the 2nd quarter expected to be at least NEGATIVE 15 % , unemployment headed towards 20 % , restaurants and retailers shutdown , and large portions of the country on mandatory lockdown .
Major cities resemble ghost towns .
Those running this country ( and the world ) , whether elected , unelected , or invisible to the common people , have chosen to use this global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to “ save us ” from the 1 % to 3 % possibility of death .
Their mainstream media messengers of the pandemic narrative declare we must follow the orders of those who never saw this coming and had no preparations in place beforehand .
As usual , they use the tactics of fear propaganda to herd the sheep towards the slaughterhouse .
Small businesses must go bankrupt and tens of millions must lose their jobs in order to stop this Chinese virus .
But , who ultimately benefits ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears voiced twenty-five years ago are proving to be prescient .
We became a service economy built on consumption , while outsourcing manufacturing to China ( 97 % of our antibiotics produced in China ) , allowing corporate globalists and financiers to gain control , dumbing down the populace , and allowing ourselves to be controlled by invisible puppeteers using the corporate media to spew their propaganda .
We are sliding into darkness .
The Strauss and Howe quote at the beginning of this article points out the new government policies used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought out or implemented .
But the Grey Champion leaders ( Lincoln , FDR , Trump ) use their overwhelming authority to ram through whatever policies , laws , or executive orders they believe will achieve their desired outcomes .
The U.S. Constitution is conveniently ignored when our leaders want something done immediately .
Each Fourth Turning has resulted in less freedom and liberty for the average person and more power and control for the Federal government and those who control the Federal government .
It is all justified as responding to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented , creating the crisis in the first place .
In every case , the citizens are the losers and bankers , corporatists , globalists and bureaucrats are the winners .
The incompetence and overreach of our government overlords has never been more evident .
The worst fears of the supposed “ conspiracy theorists ” when we were outraged by government thugs flaunting the Fourth Amendment and bursting into citizens homes during the Boston Marathon bombing debacle are now coming to fruition .
That test run revealed to those in control they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces to enforce martial law .
They are now preparing to do the same across our entire nation .
And you thought this could only occur in dictatorships , like China .
Notice how the mainstream media is praising China for their brutal lockdown of Wuhan and now the lies about no more cases in all of China .
They truly believe the gullibility of a dumbed down populace has no limits .
They may be in for a rude awakening from the coming pushback .
There are many critical thinking Americans who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once again .
I have read the views of dozens of critical thinking people I respect regarding this Chinese coronavirus .
Their views vary widely , with the majority leaning towards the gravity of this pandemic .
It most certainly started in China , either through an accidental release from their military bio-weapon lab in Wuhan or through their odd tastes for “ exotic ” food , like bat soup .
The most crucial fact is they knew about the outbreak in December , but covered it up , silenced the doctors who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and allowed infected citizens to travel around the globe silently spreading the virus .
Eventually they used their dictatorial control to militarily lockdown Wuhan and other hotspots in their country .
Their government-controlled media then went into high gear , blaming the U.S. for the spread and now lying that there are no new cases – completely believed and regurgitated by the propaganda fake news media in the U.S .
The virus is not a hoax .
It is a serious illness that is killing people in every country in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to go in order to stop its spread and eradicate it .
There is one side saying to just go on with our lives and accept that a large number of people will die , but the vast majority ( 95 % to 99 % ) will recover .
If 40 % of the population is infected , the number of deaths in the U.S. would likely be between 1.3 million and 6.6 million .
That is between .4 % and 2 % of our population .
There was only one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country declined – 1918 – the year of the Spanish flu pandemic .
Global death toll estimates were in the tens of millions .
Approximately 28 % of the U.S. population was infected and between 500,000 and 700,000 died , or .48 % to .64 % of the population .
Our leaders did not shutdown the country .
They stoically trudged forward , dealing with the negative consequences , living their lives , going to work , with the country experiencing a mild economic downturn in 1919 .
The virus suddenly disappeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is not how our leaders will approach the coronavirus pandemic .
Cuomo , Newsome , Wolf , and Murphy ( all Democrat governors ) have essentially locked down four of the biggest states in the country .
Trump and the Federal government are fully supportive of shutting down every “ non-essential ” business in the country .
Of course , they get to define non-essential .
The Hollywood left wing lunatics are all over social media cheering on the government enforced lockdown .
Now the corporate media is outraged at people daring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , going to parks and beaches .
Their goal is to turn the masses against each other – remember “ See something , say something.
” At first it was about terrorists , but now that the dumbed down masses have been indoctrinated , it will be reporting your neighbor to the authorities for leaving his house without authorization .
We are now only days from martial law .
This isn ’ t a crazy conspiracy theory .
Your beloved government is drawing up plans as we speak .
Just as the Patriot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready to be implemented , the blueprint for martial law is written , just waiting for the perfect opportunity to be executed .
The time has arrived .
Strauss and Howe ’ s analogy of what a Fourth Turning would be like is very much apt to what we are experiencing at this very moment , just replacing blizzard with pandemic .
I would venture to say this Crisis is truly reshaping the basic social and economic environment we have taken for granted for the last few decades .
This week , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bailed out the criminal Wall Street banks in 2008/2009 and threw you under the bus , will pass a massive $ 2 trillion stimulus package written by banking and corporate lobbyists that no one voting on it has read – let alone the American public .
We were already running a $ 1 trillion deficit , so what ’ s a $ 3 trillion deficit among friends ?
Here ’ s how it will play out .
The criminal bankers and connected mega-corporations will reap the benefits of their crimes .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses will be gone , and the mega-corporations will reap the bonanza over the carcasses of small business owners .
The propaganda media will tout the few thousand bucks thrown at the plebs who have lost their jobs and the billions in loans to keep small businesses afloat .
Meanwhile , the Wall Street bankers and the mega-corporations will receive trillions in bailouts either directly from the taxpayers or behind the scenes from the Fed .
The very same executives who used debt to buyback $ 7 trillion of their own stock will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stupidity by being bailed out by you – AGAIN .
Granny will get .10 % on her savings , if there is anything left , and the Wall Street banks will borrow at 0 % , while charging 17 % on the skyrocketing credit card balances of the clueless plebs .
Trump , his apparatchiks , and the other bloviating Congress pigs will declare no buybacks and no bonuses for the corporate executives .
It will be allowed , once the ignorant masses are once again sedated and distracted with bread and circuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on unabated .
If we allow the same people who created this economic chaos through excessive debt creation and captured politicians who have wasted trillions on a military industrial complex surveillance state to provide the solutions , we deserve our fate .
I ’ m seething with anger at how the financiers and central bankers have destroyed my country and the economic future of my children .
We are experiencing a never-ending corporate coup and a deeply entrenched Deep State foiling any attempts to reform the system .
I ’ m certainly concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and fellow citizens .
This virus has killed and will kill many people .
We have elderly parents .
My wife and I are in the high-risk category as she has serious auto-immune issues and I have diabetes .
I ’ ve only been with my new employer for nine months .
If this gets worse , the new guys will be laid off first .
Do I think our Constitutional rights should be over-turned due to the threat of a virus ?
Absolutely not .
Once we relinquish our rights and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will never get them back .
Look what has happened since 9/11 .
Do you feel safer ?
As this Fourth Turning speeds towards its ultimate rendezvous with destiny sometime within the next decade , I only see dreadful choices ahead .
A massive stimulus package will be passed .
The incompetent puppets at the Fed will print and pretend to have everything under control , until one day in the near future when Powell pulls a Bud Dwyer ( google it if you don ’ t get the reference ) during one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation will be put under martial law lockdown .
If they somehow can get the virus under control in a couple weeks through pure luck or a miracle treatment , they may be able to keep control for a while longer .
But , if this lockdown extends to a month , the natives will become restless and begin to cast off their chains .
They will begin to disobey and revolt .
Then , just as the scene played out in V for Vendetta , someone will do something stupid and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take is a trigger-happy National Guardsman to kill an innocent American daring to break a curfew and all hell will begin to break loose .
Those long lines at gun stores across the country are not a vote of confidence in our government .
There are a lot of pissed off Americans with guns who know the identity of the culprits .
High gates and penthouse doormen will not protect them .
Faith in the leadership of this country is waning .
People are helping each other and learning they can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanitize ... Smith , Rebecca Buy New $ 8.99 Our economic situation was already unsustainable before our leaders purposely chose to create this second Great Depression .
The country had very little debt entering the twin emergencies of the Great Depression and World War II .
We don ’ t have that luxury this time .
These desperate fiscal and monetary measures will not work .
Trust in the financial system is plummeting .
Tens of millions are seeing their retirement savings evaporate in a matter of weeks – again .
As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reckless , arrogant , egomaniacal leaders do ?
They will capitalize on the anger towards China and try to provoke a military engagement with them , and probably Russia through NATO .
Nothing like a war to distract the people from being screwed by their leaders .
Plus , it would have the added benefit of employing disgruntled young men as cannon fodder – oh I mean heroes .
Strauss and Howe were certainly accurate in their assessment of the risks on the horizon .
Up until now , this Fourth Turning seemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades worth of events just happened in the last three weeks and we are headed into a whirlwind of trouble , with the fate of our country hanging in the balance .
Are you ready to fight for a better future ?
It ’ s time to decide .
It ’ s time to take control away from those who have failed us .
Reprinted with permission from The Burning Platform .
The Best of Jim Quinn

“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.” ― Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
“A Crisis mood does not guarantee that the new governing policies will be well designed or will work as intended. To the contrary: Crisis eras are studded with faulty leadership and inept management—from President Lincoln’s poor record of choosing generals to President Roosevelt’s colossal blunders with such alphabet soup agencies as the AAA, NRA, and WPA. What makes a Crisis special is the public’s willingness to let leaders lead even when they falter and to let authorities be authoritative even when they make mistakes. Wars become more likely and are fought with efficacy and finality. The risk of revolution is high—as is the risk of civil war, since the community that commands the greatest loyalty does not necessarily coincide with political (or geographic) boundaries. Leaders become more inclined to define enemies in moral terms, to enforce virtue militarily, to refuse all compromise, to commit large forces in that effort, to impose heavy sacrifices on the battlefield and home front, to build the most destructive weapons contemporary minds can imagine, and to deploy those weapons if needed to obtain an enduring victory.” – Strauss & Howe – The Fourth Turning
The Fourth Turning: An... Howe, Neil Best Price: $7.92 Buy New $12.04 (as of 08:30 UTC - Details) The quote by Lenin has been reverberating in my conscience for the last few weeks. I believe the quote from Strauss & Howe provides context to what has happened and will happen as this Fourth Turning advances towards its climax. I began a new role in my organization two weeks ago, after only seven months in my previous role. I’ve been in non-stop crisis meetings, as this coronavirus pandemic has flipped everyone’s world upside down. As of Thursday, we were ordered to work from home.
Governor Wolf essentially shut down every business in the state, except for food stores, gas stations, and healthcare facilities. I await the imminent shelter in place order and the National Guard patrolling the streets. My wife and youngest son have been laid off from their restaurant jobs. My other two sons are in IT and can work remotely. As a virtual recluse, even when there isn’t a pandemic, my life hasn’t changed much. I’m saving 90 minutes of commuting per day and getting more exercise as we have been taking long walks every day.
I’ve been writing about our ongoing crisis for over ten years, so it’s not really a shock to me the shit has finally hit the fan. I certainly didn’t expect a global pandemic to be the catalyst for part two of this Fourth Turning. But, I’m sure most people didn’t see Hitler’s invasion of Poland leading to a world war resulting in 65 million deaths when they were just living their lives in early 1939.
It was ten years into the last Fourth Turning and the Great Depression was ongoing for average Americans, but the stock market had soared and GDP had been propped up by massive government stimulus and Federal Reserve easy money. Intense nationalism had begun spreading across the globe. Sound familiar? The specific events which catapult the world during Fourth Turnings are different, but the reaction of generations and leaders are eerily similar.
I’ve felt like nothing happened in the last decade as the Fed and politicians in DC were able to issue tens of trillions in debt to postpone the inevitable consequences of living beyond our means for the last forty years. As my warnings about the future failed to materialize on the timeline I expected, I began to doubt my own reasoning and thought process.
As the stock market rose 400%, the Fed balance sheet quadrupled to $4.5 trillion, the national debt doubled to $23 trillion, student loan debt tripled to $1.6 trillion, credit card debt reached a new high of $1.1 trillion, auto loans reached a new high of $1.2 trillion, corporate debt surged to a new high of $10 trillion (50% higher than 2008 high), home prices soared above their 2005 bubble highs, and the Fed suppressed interest rates to inflate the everything bubble, I stayed on the sidelines – because I’m a stubborn SOB.
Those who didn’t stay on the sidelines were the executives of Wall Street Too Big To Trust banks, Boeing, the airlines, oil companies and virtually every mega-corporation in the S&P 500. They used the Fed’s easy money to borrow and repurchase $7 trillion of their own stock over the last ten years. The effect was to propel stock prices and valuations to all-time highs, resulting in obnoxiously outrageous pay packages and bonuses for the egomaniacal greedy CEOs and their toady kiss ass lackeys.
It also left most mega-corps with mega amounts of debt and no cash on their balance sheets. With the Fed having their back, no need to invest in old fashioned things like new facilities or research and development. Financialization cured everything and enriched the oligarchs. No need to prepare for a downturn, because the Fed had outlawed downturns. Yellen assured us there wouldn’t be another financial crisis in her lifetime. I guess she died in February.
Just over three weeks ago on February 26, the conclusion to my article Spirits in the Material World was as follows:
“As this coronavirus brings our interconnected global just in time economy to a halt and millions once again see their 401ks evaporate, materialism will lose the admiration of the masses and people will begin to realize humanity can only survive and thrive if we adjust our priorities towards liberty, reason, responsibility, and doing what’s right today in order to leave a viable future for our children. The dark clouds of a monster storm on the horizon beckons. We will be forced to make difficult choices. Hopefully, enough people will make the right choices.”
This was before the authorities began to take the coronavirus seriously. On February 24, Trump gave his authoritative view of the virus and the stock market’
“The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. … Stock market starting to look very good to me” – Donald J. Trump – February 24
Two days later, he proclaimed the pandemic over in the U.S.
“When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero. That’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” – Donald J. Trump – February 26
The titans of Wall Street believed the the president’s investment advice propelling the markets to all-time highs in late February, making my assessment appear wrong once again. Then it seemed like decades happened in the last three weeks.
We exited the eye of the hurricane and have seen our ship of state capsized, as an immense wave of reality has destroyed the delusions of millions and exposed the Fed as a feckless fraud, manned by reckless academics following the orders of a banking cabal and their corporate cronies. All while the corporate media propaganda mouthpieces of the oligarchy use panic, fear and misinformation to lead the masses towards their desired outcome – more governmental control and more wealth and power for the ruling oligarchs.
So here we are, less than a month since all-time highs in the stock market, in the midst of the fastest bear market in history (down 32% in three weeks), with GDP in the 2nd quarter expected to be at least NEGATIVE 15%, unemployment headed towards 20%, restaurants and retailers shutdown, and large portions of the country on mandatory lockdown. Major cities resemble ghost towns.
Those running this country (and the world), whether elected, unelected, or invisible to the common people, have chosen to use this global pandemic to purposely create a global depression in order to “save us” from the 1% to 3% possibility of death. Their mainstream media messengers of the pandemic narrative declare we must follow the orders of those who never saw this coming and had no preparations in place beforehand. As usual, they use the tactics of fear propaganda to herd the sheep towards the slaughterhouse. Small businesses must go bankrupt and tens of millions must lose their jobs in order to stop this Chinese virus. But, who ultimately benefits?
I’m afraid Carl Sagan’s fears voiced twenty-five years ago are proving to be prescient. We became a service economy built on consumption, while outsourcing manufacturing to China (97% of our antibiotics produced in China), allowing corporate globalists and financiers to gain control, dumbing down the populace, and allowing ourselves to be controlled by invisible puppeteers using the corporate media to spew their propaganda. We are sliding into darkness.
“I have a foreboding of an America in my children’s or grandchildren’s time — when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what’s true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness… The dumbing down of American is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance” ― Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark – 1995
The Strauss and Howe quote at the beginning of this article points out the new government policies used to address the Crisis are often not well thought out or implemented. But the Grey Champion leaders (Lincoln, FDR, Trump) use their overwhelming authority to ram through whatever policies, laws, or executive orders they believe will achieve their desired outcomes.
The U.S. Constitution is conveniently ignored when our leaders want something done immediately. Each Fourth Turning has resulted in less freedom and liberty for the average person and more power and control for the Federal government and those who control the Federal government. It is all justified as responding to a crisis created by the very policies they implemented, creating the crisis in the first place. In every case, the citizens are the losers and bankers, corporatists, globalists and bureaucrats are the winners.
The incompetence and overreach of our government overlords has never been more evident. The worst fears of the supposed “conspiracy theorists” when we were outraged by government thugs flaunting the Fourth Amendment and bursting into citizens homes during the Boston Marathon bombing debacle are now coming to fruition. That test run revealed to those in control they could lockdown an entire city and use paramilitary forces to enforce martial law.
They are now preparing to do the same across our entire nation. And you thought this could only occur in dictatorships, like China. Notice how the mainstream media is praising China for their brutal lockdown of Wuhan and now the lies about no more cases in all of China. They truly believe the gullibility of a dumbed down populace has no limits. They may be in for a rude awakening from the coming pushback. There are many critical thinking Americans who are not going to fall for it once again.
I have read the views of dozens of critical thinking people I respect regarding this Chinese coronavirus. Their views vary widely, with the majority leaning towards the gravity of this pandemic. It most certainly started in China, either through an accidental release from their military bio-weapon lab in Wuhan or through their odd tastes for “exotic” food, like bat soup.
The most crucial fact is they knew about the outbreak in December, but covered it up, silenced the doctors who spoke out, lied to the WHO, and allowed infected citizens to travel around the globe silently spreading the virus. Eventually they used their dictatorial control to militarily lockdown Wuhan and other hotspots in their country. Their government-controlled media then went into high gear, blaming the U.S. for the spread and now lying that there are no new cases – completely believed and regurgitated by the propaganda fake news media in the U.S.
The virus is not a hoax. It is a serious illness that is killing people in every country in the world. The question is how far do we need to go in order to stop its spread and eradicate it. There is one side saying to just go on with our lives and accept that a large number of people will die, but the vast majority (95% to 99%) will recover. If 40% of the population is infected, the number of deaths in the U.S. would likely be between 1.3 million and 6.6 million. That is between .4% and 2% of our population.
There was only one year since 1900 when the population of this country declined – 1918 – the year of the Spanish flu pandemic. Global death toll estimates were in the tens of millions. Approximately 28% of the U.S. population was infected and between 500,000 and 700,000 died, or .48% to .64% of the population. Our leaders did not shutdown the country. They stoically trudged forward, dealing with the negative consequences, living their lives, going to work, with the country experiencing a mild economic downturn in 1919. The virus suddenly disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
This is not how our leaders will approach the coronavirus pandemic. Cuomo, Newsome, Wolf, and Murphy (all Democrat governors) have essentially locked down four of the biggest states in the country. Trump and the Federal government are fully supportive of shutting down every “non-essential” business in the country. Of course, they get to define non-essential. The Hollywood left wing lunatics are all over social media cheering on the government enforced lockdown. Now the corporate media is outraged at people daring to disregard the orders of their overlords, going to parks and beaches.
Their goal is to turn the masses against each other – remember “See something, say something.” At first it was about terrorists, but now that the dumbed down masses have been indoctrinated, it will be reporting your neighbor to the authorities for leaving his house without authorization. We are now only days from martial law. This isn’t a crazy conspiracy theory. Your beloved government is drawing up plans as we speak. Just as the Patriot Act was already written before 9/11 and ready to be implemented, the blueprint for martial law is written, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to be executed. The time has arrived.
Strauss and Howe’s analogy of what a Fourth Turning would be like is very much apt to what we are experiencing at this very moment, just replacing blizzard with pandemic.
“Reflect on what happens when a terrible winter blizzard strikes. You hear the weather warning but probably fail to act on it. The sky darkens. Then the storm hits with full fury, and the air is a howling whiteness. One by one, your links to the machine age break down. Electricity flickers out, cutting off the TV. Batteries fade, cutting off the radio. Phones go dead. Roads become impossible, and cars get stuck. Food supplies dwindle. Day to day vestiges of modern civilization – bank machines, mutual funds, mass retailers, computers, satellites, airplanes, governments – all recede into irrelevance. Picture yourself and your loved ones in the midst of a howling blizzard that lasts several years. Think about what you would need, who could help you, and why your fate might matter to anybody other than yourself. That is how to plan for a saecular winter. Don’t think you can escape the Fourth Turning. History warns that a Crisis will reshape the basic social and economic environment that you now take for granted.” – Strauss & Howe – The Fourth Turning
I would venture to say this Crisis is truly reshaping the basic social and economic environment we have taken for granted for the last few decades. This week, the same corrupt politicians who rammed through TARP and bailed out the criminal Wall Street banks in 2008/2009 and threw you under the bus, will pass a massive $2 trillion stimulus package written by banking and corporate lobbyists that no one voting on it has read – let alone the American public.
We were already running a $1 trillion deficit, so what’s a $3 trillion deficit among friends? Here’s how it will play out. The criminal bankers and connected mega-corporations will reap the benefits of their crimes. When this is over, millions of small businesses will be gone, and the mega-corporations will reap the bonanza over the carcasses of small business owners.
The propaganda media will tout the few thousand bucks thrown at the plebs who have lost their jobs and the billions in loans to keep small businesses afloat. Meanwhile, the Wall Street bankers and the mega-corporations will receive trillions in bailouts either directly from the taxpayers or behind the scenes from the Fed. The very same executives who used debt to buyback $7 trillion of their own stock will be rewarded for their outrageous greed and stupidity by being bailed out by you – AGAIN.
Granny will get .10% on her savings, if there is anything left, and the Wall Street banks will borrow at 0%, while charging 17% on the skyrocketing credit card balances of the clueless plebs. Trump, his apparatchiks, and the other bloviating Congress pigs will declare no buybacks and no bonuses for the corporate executives. It will be allowed, once the ignorant masses are once again sedated and distracted with bread and circuses. They plan on the pillaging going on unabated. If we allow the same people who created this economic chaos through excessive debt creation and captured politicians who have wasted trillions on a military industrial complex surveillance state to provide the solutions, we deserve our fate.
I’m seething with anger at how the financiers and central bankers have destroyed my country and the economic future of my children. We are experiencing a never-ending corporate coup and a deeply entrenched Deep State foiling any attempts to reform the system. I’m certainly concerned about the health of my family, friends and fellow citizens. This virus has killed and will kill many people.
We have elderly parents. My wife and I are in the high-risk category as she has serious auto-immune issues and I have diabetes. I’ve only been with my new employer for nine months. If this gets worse, the new guys will be laid off first. Do I think our Constitutional rights should be over-turned due to the threat of a virus? Absolutely not. Once we relinquish our rights and liberties to an authoritarian government, we will never get them back. Look what has happened since 9/11. Do you feel safer?
As this Fourth Turning speeds towards its ultimate rendezvous with destiny sometime within the next decade, I only see dreadful choices ahead. A massive stimulus package will be passed. The incompetent puppets at the Fed will print and pretend to have everything under control, until one day in the near future when Powell pulls a Bud Dwyer (google it if you don’t get the reference) during one of his monthly press conferences.
The nation will be put under martial law lockdown. If they somehow can get the virus under control in a couple weeks through pure luck or a miracle treatment, they may be able to keep control for a while longer. But, if this lockdown extends to a month, the natives will become restless and begin to cast off their chains. They will begin to disobey and revolt. Then, just as the scene played out in V for Vendetta, someone will do something stupid and the dominoes will fall.
All it will take is a trigger-happy National Guardsman to kill an innocent American daring to break a curfew and all hell will begin to break loose. Those long lines at gun stores across the country are not a vote of confidence in our government. There are a lot of pissed off Americans with guns who know the identity of the culprits. High gates and penthouse doormen will not protect them. Faith in the leadership of this country is waning. People are helping each other and learning they can’t depend on the government. Homemade Hand Sanitize... Smith, Rebecca Buy New $8.99 (as of 09:37 UTC - Details)
Our economic situation was already unsustainable before our leaders purposely chose to create this second Great Depression. The country had very little debt entering the twin emergencies of the Great Depression and World War II. We don’t have that luxury this time. These desperate fiscal and monetary measures will not work. Trust in the financial system is plummeting. Tens of millions are seeing their retirement savings evaporate in a matter of weeks – again.
As the domestic situation worsens, what will our reckless, arrogant, egomaniacal leaders do? They will capitalize on the anger towards China and try to provoke a military engagement with them, and probably Russia through NATO. Nothing like a war to distract the people from being screwed by their leaders. Plus, it would have the added benefit of employing disgruntled young men as cannon fodder – oh I mean heroes.
Strauss and Howe were certainly accurate in their assessment of the risks on the horizon. Up until now, this Fourth Turning seemed rather sedate and slow moving. But decades worth of events just happened in the last three weeks and we are headed into a whirlwind of trouble, with the fate of our country hanging in the balance. Are you ready to fight for a better future? It’s time to decide. It’s time to take control away from those who have failed us.
“The risk of catastrophe will be very high. The nation could erupt into insurrection or civil violence, crack up geographically, or succumb to authoritarian rule. If there is a war, it is likely to be one of maximum risk and effort – in other words, a total war. Every Fourth Turning has registered an upward ratchet in the technology of destruction, and in mankind’s willingness to use it.” – Strauss & Howe – The Fourth Turning “History offers no guarantees. Obviously, things could go horribly wrong – the possibilities ranging from a nuclear exchange to incurable plagues, from terrorist anarchy to high-tech dictatorship. We should not assume that Providence will always exempt our nation from the irreversible tragedies that have overtaken so many others: not just temporary hardship, but debasement and total ruin. Losing in the next Fourth Turning could mean something incomparably worse. It could mean a lasting defeat from which our national innocence – perhaps even our nation – might never recover.” – Strauss & Howe – The Fourth Turning
Reprinted with permission from The Burning Platform.
The Best of Jim Quinn


lewrockwell--2020-03-24--COVID-19: Targeting Italy and South Korea?

A high-level Italian virologist , Giuseppe Remuzzi , has published papers in the Lancet and other articles in which he states facts not hitherto known .
( 1 ) The doctor stated that Italian physicians now recall having seen : Chinese medical authorities have determined the same underlying phenomenon , that the virus had been circulating among the population for perhaps two months before it finally broke out into the open .
Further , according to the Italian National Health Service ( ISS ) : Sendry 200 Disposable ... Buy New $ 7.99 ( $ 0.80 / Count ) The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it supports in itself the assertion of several simultaneous infection clusters and several ‘ patients zero ’ .
There are cases in Lombardy that could not be placed in an infection chain , and this must also be true for other areas .
( see below ) Given that the virus broke out separately in disparate regions of Italy , we can expect the identification of independent infectious clusters in those regions as well .
That would mean Italy was hit by at least several individual ‘ seedings ’ of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ primarily in the city of Wuhan but with multiple sources in the city and multiple patients zero , with a minor outbreak in Guangdong that was easily contained .
China had multiple clusters in Wuhan .
There was no single source , and no patient zero has been identified which is similar to those of Italy .
The mystery of Italy ’ s “ Patient No .
4 ” Was the Italian outbreak caused by infections from China ?
Yes , and no .
Before February 20 , 2020 , there were only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two tourists from Wuhan , China , confirmed on January 30th , and an Italian man who returned to Rome from Wuhan on February 6th .
These were clearly imported cases with Italy experiencing no new infections during the next two weeks .
Then suddenly there appeared new infections that were unrelated to China .
On February 19 , the Lombardy Health Region issued a statement that a 38-year-old Italian man was diagnosed with the new coronavirus , becoming the fourth confirmed case in Italy .
The man had never traveled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed Chinese patients .
Immediately after this patient was diagnosed , Italy experienced a major outbreak .
In one day , the number of confirmed cases increased to 20 and , after little more than three weeks , Italy had 17,660 confirmed cases .
The Italians were not idle in searching for their patient zero .
They renamed the “ patient 4 ” “ Italian No .
1 ” , and attempted to learn how he became infected .
The search was apparently fruitless , the article stating that “ America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject of suspicion by Italians “ .
( 4 ) The mystery of South Korea ’ s “ Patient No .
31 ” South Korea ’ s experience was eerily similar to that of Italy , and also to that of China .
The country had experienced 30 imported cases which began on January 20 , I believe all of which were traceable to contact with Hubei and/or Wuhan .
But then South Korea discovered a “ Patient No .
31 ” , a 61 year-old South Korean woman diagnosed with the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local ’ patient had no ties to China , had had no contact with any Chinese , and no contact whatever with any of the infected South Koreans .
Her infection was a South Korean source .
Just as with Italy , the outbreak in South Korea exploded rapidly after the discovery of Patient 31 .
By the next day , February 19 ( Italy was February 21 , for comparison ) , there were 58 confirmed cases in South Korea , reaching 1,000 in less than a week .
After little more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,086 confirmed cases .
It would now seem likely ( yet to corroborated ) that South Korea and Italy could have been ‘ seeded ’ at approximately the same time .
Like the Italians , South Korea performed a massive hunt for the source of the infection of their “ Korean No .
1 ” , combing the country for evidence , but without success .
They discovered the confirmed cases in South Korea were mainly concentrated in two separate clusters in Daegu and Gyeongsang North Road , most of which – but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Patient 31 ” .
As with Italy , multiple clusters and multiple simultaneous infections spreading like wildfire – and without the assistance of a seafood market selling bats and pangolins .
For both Italy and South Korea , I could also add that there is no supposed “ bio-weapons lab ” anywhere within reach ( as was claimed for China ) , but that wouldn ’ t be accurate .
There are indeed bio-weapons labs easily within reach of the stricken areas in both Italy and South Korea – but they belong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly notable in this regard because it was proven likely that MERS resulted from a leak at the American military base at Osan .
The official Western narrative for the MERS outbreak in South Korea was that a Korean businessman became infected in the Middle East then returned to his home in Gyeonggi Province and spread the infection .
But there was never any documentation or evidence to support that claim , and to my best knowledge it was never verified by the South Korean Government .
Pertinent to this story is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at the onset of the outbreak about 100 South Korean military personnel were suddenly quarantined at the USAF Osan Air Base .
The Osan base is home to the JUPITR ATD military biological program that is closely related to the lab at Fort Detrick , MD , both being US military bio-weapons research labs .
There is also a ( very secretive ) WHO-sponsored International Vaccine Institute nearby , which is ( or at least was ) managed by US military biological weapons personnel .
At the time , and given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accepted as most likely was that of a leak from a JUPITR biowarfare project .
( 5 ) ( 6 ) Colorful Psychedelic W ... Buy New $ 6.99 ( $ 6.99 / Count ) The Korean path is similar with that of Italy .
If we look at a map of the virus-stricken areas of Italy , there is a US military base within almost a stone ’ s throw of all of them .
This is of course merely a case of circumstance arousing suspicion , and by no means constitutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there is a major point here which can not be overlooked , namely the fact of simultaneous eruptions of a new virus in three different countries , and in all three cases no clear epidemiology , and an inability to identify either the original source or a patient zero Multiple experts on biological weapons are in unanimous agreement that eruptions in a human population of a new and unusual pathogen in multiple locations simultaneously , with no clear idea of source and cases with no proven links , is virtually prima facie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since natural outbreaks can almost always be resolved to one location and one patient zero .
The possibility of a deliberate leak is as strong in Italy and South Korea as in China , all three nations apparently sharing the same suspicions .
( B ) “ The mean age of those who died in Italy was 81 years and more than two-thirds of these patients had .
.
.
underlying health conditions , but it is also worth noting that they had acute respiratory distress syndrome ( ARDS ) caused by .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ support , and “ would not have died otherwise .
”

A high-level Italian virologist, Giuseppe Remuzzi, has published papers in the Lancet and other articles in which he states facts not hitherto known. (1)
The doctor stated that Italian physicians now recall having seen:
“a very strange and very severe pneumonia, particularly in old people in December and even November [2019]. This suggests that the virus was circulating, at least in Lombardy, and before we were aware of this outbreak occurring in China.“(2)
Chinese medical authorities have determined the same underlying phenomenon, that the virus had been circulating among the population for perhaps two months before it finally broke out into the open.
Further, according to the Italian National Health Service (ISS): Sendry 200 Disposable ... Buy New $7.99 ($0.80 / Count) (as of 09:27 UTC - Details)
“It is not possible to reconstruct, for all patients, the chain of transmission of infection. Most cases reported in Italy report an epidemiological link with other cases diagnosed in Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Veneto, the areas most affected by the epidemic.” [translation from Italian] (3)
The above statement is of crucial importance since it supports in itself the assertion of several simultaneous infection clusters and several ‘patients zero’. There are cases in Lombardy that could not be placed in an infection chain, and this must also be true for other areas. (see below) Given that the virus broke out separately in disparate regions of Italy, we can expect the identification of independent infectious clusters in those regions as well. That would mean Italy was hit by at least several individual ‘seedings’ of the virus.
China’s outbreak of consequence was primarily in the city of Wuhan but with multiple sources in the city and multiple patients zero, with a minor outbreak in Guangdong that was easily contained. China had multiple clusters in Wuhan. There was no single source, and no patient zero has been identified which is similar to those of Italy.
The mystery of Italy’s “Patient No. 4”
Was the Italian outbreak caused by infections from China? Yes, and no.
Before February 20, 2020, there were only three cases of coronavirus infection in Italy, two tourists from Wuhan, China, confirmed on January 30th, and an Italian man who returned to Rome from Wuhan on February 6th. These were clearly imported cases with Italy experiencing no new infections during the next two weeks.
Then suddenly there appeared new infections that were unrelated to China. On February 19, the Lombardy Health Region issued a statement that a 38-year-old Italian man was diagnosed with the new coronavirus, becoming the fourth confirmed case in Italy. The man had never traveled to China and had no contact with the confirmed Chinese patients.
Immediately after this patient was diagnosed, Italy experienced a major outbreak. In one day, the number of confirmed cases increased to 20 and, after little more than three weeks, Italy had 17,660 confirmed cases.
The Italians were not idle in searching for their patient zero. They renamed the “patient 4” “Italian No. 1”, and attempted to learn how he became infected. The search was apparently fruitless, the article stating that “America’s pandemic of the century has become the subject of suspicion by Italians“.(4)
The mystery of South Korea’s “Patient No. 31”
South Korea’s experience was eerily similar to that of Italy, and also to that of China. The country had experienced 30 imported cases which began on January 20, I believe all of which were traceable to contact with Hubei and/or Wuhan.
But then South Korea discovered a “Patient No. 31”, a 61 year-old South Korean woman diagnosed with the new coronavirus on February 18. This ‘local’ patient had no ties to China, had had no contact with any Chinese, and no contact whatever with any of the infected South Koreans. Her infection was a South Korean source.
Just as with Italy, the outbreak in South Korea exploded rapidly after the discovery of Patient 31. By the next day, February 19 (Italy was February 21, for comparison), there were 58 confirmed cases in South Korea, reaching 1,000 in less than a week. After little more than three weeks, South Korea had 8,086 confirmed cases. It would now seem likely (yet to corroborated) that South Korea and Italy could have been ‘seeded’ at approximately the same time.
Like the Italians, South Korea performed a massive hunt for the source of the infection of their “Korean No. 1”, combing the country for evidence, but without success. They discovered the confirmed cases in South Korea were mainly concentrated in two separate clusters in Daegu and Gyeongsang North Road, most of which – but not all – could be related to “Patient 31”. As with Italy, multiple clusters and multiple simultaneous infections spreading like wildfire – and without the assistance of a seafood market selling bats and pangolins.
For both Italy and South Korea, I could also add that there is no supposed “bio-weapons lab” anywhere within reach (as was claimed for China), but that wouldn’t be accurate. There are indeed bio-weapons labs easily within reach of the stricken areas in both Italy and South Korea – but they belong to the US Military.
Korea is particularly notable in this regard because it was proven likely that MERS resulted from a leak at the American military base at Osan. The official Western narrative for the MERS outbreak in South Korea was that a Korean businessman became infected in the Middle East then returned to his home in Gyeonggi Province and spread the infection. But there was never any documentation or evidence to support that claim, and to my best knowledge it was never verified by the South Korean Government.
Pertinent to this story is that according to the Korean Yonhap News Service, at the onset of the outbreak about 100 South Korean military personnel were suddenly quarantined at the USAF Osan Air Base. The Osan base is home to the JUPITR ATD military biological program that is closely related to the lab at Fort Detrick, MD, both being US military bio-weapons research labs.
There is also a (very secretive) WHO-sponsored International Vaccine Institute nearby, which is (or at least was) managed by US military biological weapons personnel. At the time, and given the quarantine mentioned above, the event sequence accepted as most likely was that of a leak from a JUPITR biowarfare project. (5) (6) Colorful Psychedelic W... Buy New $6.99 ($6.99 / Count) (as of 09:27 UTC - Details)
The Korean path is similar with that of Italy. If we look at a map of the virus-stricken areas of Italy, there is a US military base within almost a stone’s throw of all of them. This is of course merely a case of circumstance arousing suspicion, and by no means constitutes proof of anything at all.
However, there is a major point here which cannot be overlooked, namely the fact of simultaneous eruptions of a new virus in three different countries, and in all three cases no clear epidemiology, and an inability to identify either the original source or a patient zero
Multiple experts on biological weapons are in unanimous agreement that eruptions in a human population of a new and unusual pathogen in multiple locations simultaneously, with no clear idea of source and cases with no proven links, is virtually prima facie evidence of a pathogen deliberately released, since natural outbreaks can almost always be resolved to one location and one patient zero. The possibility of a deliberate leak is as strong in Italy and South Korea as in China, all three nations apparently sharing the same suspicions.
Notes
(A) This is an aside, but Italy has experienced a fatality rate nearly twice that of Wuhan, but there may be an external contributing factor. Observations were made that, in most cases especially among the elderly in Italy, ibuprophen was widely used as a painkiller. The Lancet published an article demonstrating that the use of ibuprophen can markedly facilitate the ability of the virus to infect and therefore to increase the risk of serious and fatal infection. (YY)
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30116-8/fulltext
(B) “The mean age of those who died in Italy was 81 years and more than two-thirds of these patients had . . . underlying health conditions, but it is also worth noting that they had acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by . . . SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, needed respiratory support, and “would not have died otherwise.”
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30627-9/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_email#seccestitle10
(1) https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30627-9/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_email#seccestitle10
(2) https://www.npr.org/2020/03/19/817974987/every-single-individual-must-stay-home-italy-s-coronavirus-deaths-pass-china-s
(3) https://www.iss.it/web/guest/primo-piano/-/asset_publisher/o4oGR9qmvUz9/content/id/5293226
(4) http://dy.163.com/v2/article/detail/F7N756430514G9GF.html
(5) https://www.21cir.com/2015/06/south-korea-mers-emerged-out-of-the-pentagons-biowarfare-labs-2/
(6) https://www.businessinsider.com/almost-200-north-korean-soldiers-died-coronavirus-2020-3
Reprinted with permission from Global Research.


lewrockwell--2020-03-24--Which Soap Is Best for Preventing Outbreaks?

With the novel coronavirus COVID-19 spreading across the world at a rapid clip , health authorities are stressing the importance of frequent hand-washing .
Indeed , strategic hand-washing is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus and your own risk of illness .
As noted in a December 2019 study1 in the Risk Analysis journal , which investigated the spread patterns of flu-type viruses , intercontinental flights allow infectious pathogens to spread like wildfire .
Aside from the speed of which an infected person can travel from one country to the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is exacerbated when traveling by air for the simple reason that airplanes crowd large groups of people together in a confined space with scarce opportunities for proper hygiene .
Were people to more frequently wash their hands during travel , the risk of pandemic infection could be significantly reduced — by as much as 69 % according to this study — which is nothing to sneeze at .
As explained by the authors:2 The most germ-ridden surfaces frequently touched by passengers at airports and inside aircraft include self-service check-in screens , gate bench @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , door handles , seats , tray tables and bathroom handles .
The 10 key airports with the greatest infection spread rate , according to this study , are : If you think your hands are clean simply because they look and feel clean , it ’ s time to rethink .
Viruses and bacteria are microscopic , and there ’ s absolutely no way to ascertain whether your hands are germ-free .
The assumption needs to be that they ’ re not .
Pack of 20 Surgical Di ... Buy New $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season and other pandemic outbreaks is a crucial safety measure , in part because most people touch their face an average of 23 times per hour.3 As noted in the American Journal of Infection Control,4 habituated face-touching behavior is a vector for self-inoculation and transmission of infectious diseases .
In other words , each time you touch your face , you run the risk of introducing disease-causing pathogens into your body as they transfer from your hands to your face .
According to this study:5 The take-home message here is that mouth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and largely unconscious , behavior by which infectious diseases are spread .
The remedy for this behavior is to make sure you wash your hands on a regular basis , and especially after certain activities , such as : • Anytime you visit a health care facility — Before entering a patient ’ s room and before leaving the premises , be sure to wash your hands .
An estimated 1 in 4 patients also leave the hospital with a superbug on their hands , suggesting patients also need to become more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care setting • After you ’ ve used the restroom , and after each diaper change • Before and after caring for someone who is ill , and/or treating a cut or wound When out in public , the opportunities for picking up germs on your hands are incalculable .
Door knobs , door and cart handles , counters , railings , airport security bins — every conceivable surface has the potential for contamination .
Get Into the Habit of Cleaning Your Cellphone Too Cellphones , by the way , are another significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you wash your hands frequently , as soon as you touch your cellphone you ’ ve contaminated your hands again and can deposit those germs on everything you touch.7 So , getting into the habit of regularly cleaning your cellphone would be in your best interest too .
For instructions on how to safely sanitize your cellphone , see the video above .
PC Magazine suggests using alcohol-containing lens wipes , typically used for cleaning camera lenses .
Also , remember to wipe down the case of your phone , and pay attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fingerprint reader to unlock your phone .
Now , even people who wash their hands on a regular basis may not do it correctly , thus missing an important opportunity to quell the spread of germs .
To make sure you ’ re actually removing the germs when you wash your hands , follow these guidelines : • Work up a good lather , all the way up to your wrists , for at least 20 seconds • Make sure you cover all surfaces , including the backs of your hands , wrists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below your fingernails • Dry your hands with a clean towel or let them air dry • In public places , use a paper towel to open the door as a protection from germs that the handles may harbor Why Soap Is Most Effective Against Viruses You also want to make sure you ’ re using the most effective products .
Contrary to popular belief , antibacterial soap is NOT ideal for killing disease-causing viruses on your hands .
Like antibiotics , antibacterial soap only affects bacteria , not viruses .
Homemade Hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 8.99 Even for bacteria , research has demonstrated that antibacterial soap provides no additional benefit over nonantibacterial soap .
As noted in a 2007 systematic review8 published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases : When it comes to viruses , regular soap works the best .
As detailed in a series of Twitter posts9 by professor Palli Thordarson,10 who specializes in bio-mimetic , supramolecular and biophysical chemistry and nanomedicine , soap very effectively kills the COVID-19 virus , “ and indeed most viruses.
” The reason for this is because the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weakest link is the lipid ( fatty ) bilayer.
” Soap dissolves this fat membrane , causing the virus to fall apart , thus rendering it harmless .
Not even alcohol is as effective for inactivating viruses , although it may be more practical for using surfaces other than your hands and body .
A soap molecule is suited for mixing oil and water as it shares qualities of each .
Soap molecules are amphipathic,11 meaning they have both polar and nonpolar properties , giving them the ability to dissolve most kinds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the amphiphiles ( fat-like substances ) in soap are “ structurally very similar to the lipids in the virus membrane , ” so “ soap molecules ‘ compete ’ with the lipids in the virus membrane.
” In short , the soap dissolves the “ glue ” that holds the virus together .
The alkalinity of soap also creates an electric charge that makes the soap hydrophilic ( water-loving ) .12 Hydrogen atoms in water molecules have a slightly positive charge , so when you wet your hands and then use soap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nearest water molecule .
Hence , when you wash your hands under running water , the now deconstructed virus is easily washed away .
The New York Times explains the process this way:13 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing your hands with soap and water .
Only when soap and water are unavailable are alcohol-based hand sanitizers recommended .
As noted on the CDC website:14 As noted by Thordarson , the drawback of ethanol and other alcohols is that they can not dissolve the lipid membrane holding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soap and water works best .
That said , a 2017 review15 in the Journal of Hospital Infection found 80 % ethanol solutions were “ highly effective ” against 21 different viruses within 30 seconds , although some viruses ( poliovirus type 1 , calicivirus , polyomavirus , hepatitis A virus and foot-and-mouth disease virus ) were hardier and required a 95 % solution .
According to the authors , “ The spectrum of virucidal activity of ethanol at 95 % … covers the majority of clinically relevant viruses.
” A hand sanitizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 % is also thought to eliminate the COVID-19 virus.16 Just keep in mind that frequent use of alcohol-based products is rough on your skin and can dry it out .
This could actually make things worse , as cracked skin renders you more susceptible to infection , as it provides germs a perfect entryway into your body .
Another common misconception is that liquid soap is more hygienic than bar soap , since many different hands might touch a single bar of soap .
The fear that bar soap may harbor germs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies have documented environmental bacteria on bar soap , no study has demonstrated bar soap to be a source of infection.17 The first rigorous study to look into this question was published in 1965.18 Researchers intentionally contaminated their hands with nearly 5 billion bacteria , including disease-causing strains such as staphylococcus and E. coli .
They then washed their hands with bar soap , after which a second person washed with the same bar of soap .
The second person ’ s hands were cultured and researchers found the bacteria were not transferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not support the growth of bacteria under usage conditions • Bar soaps are inherently antibacterial by their physical-chemical nature • The level of bacteria that may occur on bar soap , even under extreme usage conditions ( heavy usage or poorly designed nondrainable soap dishes ) , does not constitute a health hazard Nearly 20 years later , another study20 ( sponsored by a soap manufacturer ) confirmed these findings .
Here , they inoculated bars of soap with pathogenic bacteria ; 16 participants washed their hands with those bars .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands had detectable levels of bacteria .
According to the researchers,21 “ little hazard exists in routine hand-washing with previously used soap bars and support the frequent use of soap and water for hand-washing to prevent the spread of disease.
” Towel Dry or Air Dry — Which Is Better ?
Many believe using an air dryer is preferable to using a towel when in a public restroom .
Surprising as it may seem , air dryers may actually spread far more germs than paper towels .
In the 2017 paper “ Cleanliness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Modern Microbial Perspective , ” 22,23 microbial ecologists at the University of Oregon examine different methods of hand drying , noting that “ most research has shown that warm air dryers may increase the number of bacteria on the hands after use.
” The reason for the increase in bacterial load is thought to be due to : • Bacteria inside the dryer mechanism being blown out during use • Bacteria found in the deeper layers of skin being liberated when rubbing your hands together beneath the hot air stream • Some combination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jet dryers spray 1,300 times more viral material into the surrounding area than paper towels , dispersing the viral load up to 10 feet from the dryer.25,26 A 2012 meta-analysis in Mayo Clinic Proceedings , which looked at a dozen studies , came to a similar conclusion , noting:27 The take-home message here is that when using a public restroom , you may be better off forgoing the air dryers and using a paper towel instead .
Be sure to dispose it properly , in the trash bin , and use a clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exiting .
The drawback of paper towels is the environmental impact .
In the video below , Joe Smith of Oregon outlines how you can reduce the amount of paper towels you use , while still getting your hands dry .
Two key points : First , shake your hands to eliminate as much water as possible .
Next , fold the paper towel to increase absorbency .
Cloth towels are the least hygienic alternative during influenza season or pandemics , as they have the highest risk of cross-contamination .
According to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the most germ-ridden item in your home .
Tests revealed a staggering 89 % of kitchen towels and nearly 26 % of bathroom towels were contaminated with Coliform bacteria — microbes associated with food poisoning and diarrhea .
The primary reason for this is the moisture cloth towels retain , which serves as a perfect breeding ground for germs .
Moist towels and rags are also hospitable places for viruses .
As noted in a 2012 study29 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology , cloth rags can easily spread viruses from one surface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your home ( which is advisable when someone in the household is ill ) , it ’ s best to use a paper towel .
Once the immediate risk of infection has passed , you can go back to using reusable rags for everyday cleaning .
The Best of Joseph Mercola

With the novel coronavirus COVID-19 spreading across the world at a rapid clip, health authorities are stressing the importance of frequent hand-washing. Indeed, strategic hand-washing is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus and your own risk of illness.
Airport Hand Hygiene Can Significantly Reduce Pandemic Risks
As noted in a December 2019 study1 in the Risk Analysis journal, which investigated the spread patterns of flu-type viruses, intercontinental flights allow infectious pathogens to spread like wildfire.
Aside from the speed of which an infected person can travel from one country to the next, the risk of spreading pandemic disease is exacerbated when traveling by air for the simple reason that airplanes crowd large groups of people together in a confined space with scarce opportunities for proper hygiene.
Were people to more frequently wash their hands during travel, the risk of pandemic infection could be significantly reduced — by as much as 69% according to this study — which is nothing to sneeze at. As explained by the authors:2
“Here, we use epidemiological modeling and data-driven simulations to elucidate the role of individual engagement with hand hygiene inside airports in conjunction with human travel on the global spread of epidemics.
We find that, by increasing travelers’ engagement with hand hygiene at all airports, a potential pandemic can be inhibited by 24% to 69%.
In addition, we identify 10 airports at the core of a cost-optimal deployment of the hand-washing mitigation strategy. Increasing hand-washing rate at only those 10 influential locations, the risk of a pandemic could potentially drop by up to 37%.
Our results provide evidence for the effectiveness of hand hygiene in airports on the global spread of infections that could shape the way public-health policy is implemented with respect to the overall objective of mitigating potential population health crises.”
The most germ-ridden surfaces frequently touched by passengers at airports and inside aircraft include self-service check-in screens, gate bench armrests, railings, water fountain buttons, door handles, seats, tray tables and bathroom handles. The 10 key airports with the greatest infection spread rate, according to this study, are:
Face-Touching Is a Vector for Disease Transmission
If you think your hands are clean simply because they look and feel clean, it’s time to rethink. Viruses and bacteria are microscopic, and there’s absolutely no way to ascertain whether your hands are germ-free. The assumption needs to be that they’re not. Pack of 20 Surgical Di... Buy New $9.99 (as of 11:40 UTC - Details)
Frequently washing your hands during influenza season and other pandemic outbreaks is a crucial safety measure, in part because most people touch their face an average of 23 times per hour.3
As noted in the American Journal of Infection Control,4 habituated face-touching behavior is a vector for self-inoculation and transmission of infectious diseases. In other words, each time you touch your face, you run the risk of introducing disease-causing pathogens into your body as they transfer from your hands to your face. According to this study:5
“On average, each of the 26 observed students touched their face 23 times per hour. Of all face touches, 44% involved contact with a mucous membrane, whereas 56% of contacts involved nonmucosal areas. Of mucous membrane touches observed, 36% involved the mouth, 31% involved the nose, 27% involved the eyes, and 6% were a combination of these regions.”
The take-home message here is that mouth, nose and eye touching is a common, and largely unconscious, behavior by which infectious diseases are spread. The remedy for this behavior is to make sure you wash your hands on a regular basis, and especially after certain activities, such as:
Anytime you visit a health care facility — Before entering a patient’s room and before leaving the premises, be sure to wash your hands. An estimated 1 in 4 patients also leave the hospital with a superbug on their hands, suggesting patients also need to become more mindful about hand-washing when in a health care setting 6
Directly before you eat
After you’ve used the restroom, and after each diaper change
Before and after caring for someone who is ill, and/or treating a cut or wound
When out in public, the opportunities for picking up germs on your hands are incalculable. Door knobs, door and cart handles, counters, railings, airport security bins — every conceivable surface has the potential for contamination.
Get Into the Habit of Cleaning Your Cellphone Too

Cellphones, by the way, are another significant vector of infectious disease. Even if you wash your hands frequently, as soon as you touch your cellphone you’ve contaminated your hands again and can deposit those germs on everything you touch.7
So, getting into the habit of regularly cleaning your cellphone would be in your best interest too. For instructions on how to safely sanitize your cellphone, see the video above.
PC Magazine suggests using alcohol-containing lens wipes, typically used for cleaning camera lenses. Also, remember to wipe down the case of your phone, and pay attention to the back if you use a fingerprint reader to unlock your phone.
Proper Hand-Washing Technique

Now, even people who wash their hands on a regular basis may not do it correctly, thus missing an important opportunity to quell the spread of germs. To make sure you’re actually removing the germs when you wash your hands, follow these guidelines:
Use warm water Use a mild soap Work up a good lather, all the way up to your wrists, for at least 20 seconds Make sure you cover all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and around and below your fingernails Rinse thoroughly under running water Dry your hands with a clean towel or let them air dry In public places, use a paper towel to open the door as a protection from germs that the handles may harbor
Why Soap Is Most Effective Against Viruses
You also want to make sure you’re using the most effective products. Contrary to popular belief, antibacterial soap is NOT ideal for killing disease-causing viruses on your hands. Like antibiotics, antibacterial soap only affects bacteria, not viruses. Homemade Hand Sanitize... Smith, Rebecca Buy New $8.99 (as of 09:37 UTC - Details)
Even for bacteria, research has demonstrated that antibacterial soap provides no additional benefit over nonantibacterial soap. As noted in a 2007 systematic review8 published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases:
“The lack of an additional health benefit associated with the use of triclosan-containing consumer soaps over regular soap, coupled with laboratory data demonstrating a potential risk of selecting for drug resistance, warrants further evaluation by governmental regulators regarding antibacterial product claims and advertising.”
When it comes to viruses, regular soap works the best. As detailed in a series of Twitter posts9 by professor Palli Thordarson,10 who specializes in bio-mimetic, supramolecular and biophysical chemistry and nanomedicine, soap very effectively kills the COVID-19 virus, “and indeed most viruses.”
The reason for this is because the virus is “a self-assembled nanoparticle in which the weakest link is the lipid (fatty) bilayer.” Soap dissolves this fat membrane, causing the virus to fall apart, thus rendering it harmless. Not even alcohol is as effective for inactivating viruses, although it may be more practical for using surfaces other than your hands and body.
Soap Mechanics 101
A soap molecule is suited for mixing oil and water as it shares qualities of each. Soap molecules are amphipathic,11 meaning they have both polar and nonpolar properties, giving them the ability to dissolve most kinds of molecules.
As noted by Thordarson, the amphiphiles (fat-like substances) in soap are “structurally very similar to the lipids in the virus membrane,” so “soap molecules ‘compete’ with the lipids in the virus membrane.” In short, the soap dissolves the “glue” that holds the virus together.
The alkalinity of soap also creates an electric charge that makes the soap hydrophilic (water-loving).12 Hydrogen atoms in water molecules have a slightly positive charge, so when you wet your hands and then use soap, this molecule will readily bond with the nearest water molecule. Hence, when you wash your hands under running water, the now deconstructed virus is easily washed away. The New York Times explains the process this way:13
“When you wash your hands with soap and water, you surround any microorganisms on your skin with soap molecules.
The hydrophobic tails of the free-floating soap molecules attempt to evade water; in the process, they wedge themselves into the lipid envelopes of certain microbes and viruses, prying them apart.
‘They act like crowbars and destabilize the whole system,’ said Prof. Pall Thordarson, acting head of chemistry at the University of New South Wales. Essential proteins spill from the ruptured membranes into the surrounding water, killing the bacteria and rendering the viruses useless.”
Using Alcohol-Based Disinfectants
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing your hands with soap and water. Only when soap and water are unavailable are alcohol-based hand sanitizers recommended. As noted on the CDC website:14
“Many studies have found that sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60–95% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Hand sanitizers without 60-95% alcohol 1) may not work equally well for many types of germs; and 2) merely reduce the growth of germs rather than kill them outright.
When using hand sanitizer, apply the product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount) and rub the product all over the surfaces of your hands until your hands are dry.”
As noted by Thordarson, the drawback of ethanol and other alcohols is that they cannot dissolve the lipid membrane holding the virus together. This is precisely why soap and water works best.
That said, a 2017 review15 in the Journal of Hospital Infection found 80% ethanol solutions were “highly effective” against 21 different viruses within 30 seconds, although some viruses (poliovirus type 1, calicivirus, polyomavirus, hepatitis A virus and foot-and-mouth disease virus) were hardier and required a 95% solution.
According to the authors, “The spectrum of virucidal activity of ethanol at 95% … covers the majority of clinically relevant viruses.” A hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of at least 60% is also thought to eliminate the COVID-19 virus.16
Just keep in mind that frequent use of alcohol-based products is rough on your skin and can dry it out. This could actually make things worse, as cracked skin renders you more susceptible to infection, as it provides germs a perfect entryway into your body.
Does Bar Soap Harbor Germs?
Another common misconception is that liquid soap is more hygienic than bar soap, since many different hands might touch a single bar of soap. The fear that bar soap may harbor germs is unfounded, however. While occasional studies have documented environmental bacteria on bar soap, no study has demonstrated bar soap to be a source of infection.17
The first rigorous study to look into this question was published in 1965.18 Researchers intentionally contaminated their hands with nearly 5 billion bacteria, including disease-causing strains such as staphylococcus and E. coli.
They then washed their hands with bar soap, after which a second person washed with the same bar of soap. The second person’s hands were cultured and researchers found the bacteria were not transferred. The researchers concluded:19
Bar soaps do not support the growth of bacteria under usage conditions
Bar soaps are inherently antibacterial by their physical-chemical nature
The level of bacteria that may occur on bar soap, even under extreme usage conditions (heavy usage or poorly designed nondrainable soap dishes), does not constitute a health hazard
Nearly 20 years later, another study20 (sponsored by a soap manufacturer) confirmed these findings. Here, they inoculated bars of soap with pathogenic bacteria; 16 participants washed their hands with those bars. After washing, none of the participants’ hands had detectable levels of bacteria.
According to the researchers,21 “little hazard exists in routine hand-washing with previously used soap bars and support the frequent use of soap and water for hand-washing to prevent the spread of disease.”
Towel Dry or Air Dry — Which Is Better?
Many believe using an air dryer is preferable to using a towel when in a public restroom. Surprising as it may seem, air dryers may actually spread far more germs than paper towels.
In the 2017 paper “Cleanliness in Context: Reconciling Hygiene With a Modern Microbial Perspective,”22,23 microbial ecologists at the University of Oregon examine different methods of hand drying, noting that “most research has shown that warm air dryers may increase the number of bacteria on the hands after use.” The reason for the increase in bacterial load is thought to be due to:
Bacteria inside the dryer mechanism being blown out during use
Bacteria-enriched air being recirculated
Bacteria found in the deeper layers of skin being liberated when rubbing your hands together beneath the hot air stream
Some combination of the above
Other research24 found high-speed jet dryers spray 1,300 times more viral material into the surrounding area than paper towels, dispersing the viral load up to 10 feet from the dryer.25,26 A 2012 meta-analysis in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, which looked at a dozen studies, came to a similar conclusion, noting:27
“Most studies suggest that paper towels can dry hands efficiently … and cause less contamination of the washroom environment. From a hygiene viewpoint, paper towels are superior to electric air dryers. Paper towels should be recommended in locations where hygiene is paramount, such as hospitals and clinics.”
The take-home message here is that when using a public restroom, you may be better off forgoing the air dryers and using a paper towel instead. Be sure to dispose it properly, in the trash bin, and use a clean paper towel to open the door when exiting.
The drawback of paper towels is the environmental impact. In the video below, Joe Smith of Oregon outlines how you can reduce the amount of paper towels you use, while still getting your hands dry. Two key points: First, shake your hands to eliminate as much water as possible. Next, fold the paper towel to increase absorbency.

Avoid Cloth Towels and Rags During Pandemics
Cloth towels are the least hygienic alternative during influenza season or pandemics, as they have the highest risk of cross-contamination. According to a 2014 University of Arizona study,28 towels may be the most germ-ridden item in your home.
Tests revealed a staggering 89% of kitchen towels and nearly 26% of bathroom towels were contaminated with Coliform bacteria — microbes associated with food poisoning and diarrhea. The primary reason for this is the moisture cloth towels retain, which serves as a perfect breeding ground for germs.
Moist towels and rags are also hospitable places for viruses. As noted in a 2012 study29 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, cloth rags can easily spread viruses from one surface to another.
So, when sanitizing your home (which is advisable when someone in the household is ill), it’s best to use a paper towel. Once the immediate risk of infection has passed, you can go back to using reusable rags for everyday cleaning.
Sources and References
The Best of Dr. Joseph Mercola