lewrockwell--2020-11-06--The Covid-19 RT-PCR Test: How To Mislead All Humanity. Using a ‘Test’ To Lock Down Society

Introduction : using a technique to lock down society All current propaganda on the COVID-19 pandemic is based on an assumption that is considered obvious , true and no longer questioned : Positive RT-PCR test means being sick with COVID .
This assumption is misleading .
Very few people , including doctors , understand how a PCR test works .
In medicine , we use this tool mainly to diagnose a viral infection .
Starting from a clinical situation with the presence or absence of particular symptoms in a patient , we consider different diagnoses based on tests .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral infections , we use the RT-PCR technique to confirm a diagnostic hypothesis suggested by a clinical picture .
We do not routinely perform RT-PCR on any patient who is overheated , coughing or has an inflammatory syndrome !
It is a laboratory , molecular biology technique of gene amplification because it looks for gene traces ( DNA or RNA ) by amplifying them .
In addition to medicine , other fields of application are genetics , research , industry and forensics .
The technique is carried out in a specialized laboratory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laboratory , even a hospital .
This entails a certain cost , and a delay sometimes of several days between the sample and the result .
Today , since the emergence of the new disease called COVID-19 ( COrona VIrus Disease-2019 ) , the RT-PCR diagnostic technique is used to define positive cases , confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 ( coronavirus responsible for the new acute respiratory distress syndrome called COVID-19 ) .
These positive cases are assimilated to COVID-19 cases , some of whom are hospitalized or even admitted to intensive care units .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ RT-PCR cases = COVID-19 patients .
[ 1 ] This is the starting postulate , the premise of all official propaganda , which justifies all restrictive government measures : isolation , confinement , quarantine , mandatory masks , color codes by country and travel bans , tracking , social distances in companies , stores and even , even more importantly , in schools [ 2 ] .
This misuse of RT-PCR technique is used as a relentless and intentional strategy by some governments , supported by scientific safety councils and by the dominant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the violation of a large number of constitutional rights , the destruction of the economy with the bankruptcy of entire active sectors of society , the degradation of living conditions for a large number of ordinary citizens , under the pretext of a pandemic based on a number of positive RT-PCR tests , and not on a real number of patients .
Technical aspects : to better understand and not be manipulated The PCR technique was developed by chemist Kary B. Mullis in 1986 .
Kary Mullis was awarded the Nobel Prize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is disputed [ 3 ] , Kary Mullis himself is said to have criticized the interest of PCR as a diagnostic tool for an infection , especially a viral one .
He stated that if PCR was a good tool for research , it was a very bad tool in medicine , in the clinic [ 4 ] .
Vitamin D3 by Nature & r ... Buy New $ 20.80 ( $ 0.09 / Count ) Mullis was referring to the AIDS virus ( HIV retrovirus or HIV ) [ 5 ] , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinion on the limitation of the technique in viral infections [ 6 ] , by its creator , can not be dismissed out of hand ; it must be taken into account !
As the analysis can be performed in real time , continuously , it becomes RT ( Real-Time ) – PCR , even more efficient .
It can be done from any molecule , including those of the living , the nucleic acids that make up the genes : Viruses are not considered as “ living ” beings , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) forming a genome .
It is by an amplification technique ( multiplication ) that the molecule sought is highlighted and this point is very important .
If there is DNA or RNA of the desired element in a sample , it is not identifiable as such .
This DNA or RNA must be amplified ( multiplied ) a certain number of times , sometimes a very large number of times , before it can be detected .
From a minute trace , up to billions of copies of a specific sample can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean that there is all that amount in the organism being tested .
In the case of COVID-19 , the element sought by RT-PCR is SARS-CoV-2 , an RNA virus [ 8 ] .
There are DNA viruses such as Herpes and Varicella viruses .
The most well known RNA viruses , in addition to coronaviruses , are Influenza , Measles , EBOLA , ZIKA viruses .
In the case of SARS-CoV-2 , RNA virus , an additional specific step is required , a transcription of RNA into DNA by means of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the whole virus that is identified , but sequences of its viral genome .
This does not mean that this gene sequence , a fragment of the virus , is not specific to the virus being sought , but it is an important nuance nonetheless : RT-PCR does not reveal any virus , but only parts , specific gene sequences of the virus .
At the beginning of the year , the SARS-CoV-2 genome was sequenced .
It consists of about 30,000 base pairs .
The nucleic acid ( DNA-RNA ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sequence of bases .
In comparison , the human genome has more than 3 billion base pairs .
Teams are continuously monitoring the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome as it evolves [ 9-10-11 ] , through the mutations it undergoes .
Today , there are many variants [ 12 ] .
By taking a few specific genes from the SARS-CoV-2 genome , it is possible to initiate RT-PCR on a sample from the respiratory tract .
For COVID-19 disease , which has a nasopharyngeal ( nose ) and oropharyngeal ( mouth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be taken from the upper respiratory tract as deeply as possible in order to avoid contamination by saliva in particular .
ll the people tested said that it is very painful [ 13 ] .
The Gold Standard ( preferred site for sampling ) is the nasopharyngeal ( nasal ) approach , the most painful route .
If there is a contraindication to the nasal approach , or preferably to the individual being tested , depending on the official organs , the oropharyngeal approach ( through the mouth ) is also acceptable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the individual being tested .
Normally , for the result of an RT-PCR test to be considered reliable , amplification from 3 different genes ( primers ) of the virus under investigation is required .
The essential notion of Cycle Time or Cycle Threshold or Ct positivity threshold [ 16 ] .
An RT-PCR test is negative ( no traces of the desired element ) or positive ( presence of traces of the desired element ) .
However , even if the desired element is present in a minute , negligible quantity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to finally highlight it by continuing the amplification cycles as much as necessary .
RT-PCR can push up to 60 amplification cycles , or even more !
Here is how it works : Etc exponentially up to 40 to 60 cycles !
When we say that the Ct ( Cycle Time or Cycle Threshold or RT-PCR positivity threshold ) is equal to 40 , it means that the laboratory has used 40 amplification cycles , i.e .
obtained 240 copies .
This is what underlies the sensitivity of the RT-PCR assay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medicine we like to have high specificity and sensitivity of the tests to avoid false positives and false negatives , in the case of COVID-19 disease , this hypersensitivity of the RT-PCR test caused by the number of amplification cycles used has backfired .
This over-sensitivity of the RT-PCR test is deleterious and misleading !
It detaches us from the medical reality which must remain based on the real clinical state of the person : is the person ill , does he or she have symptoms ?
That is the most important thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the article , in medicine we always start from the person : we examine him/her , we collect his/her symptoms ( complaints-anamnesis ) and objective clinical signs ( examination ) and on the basis of a clinical reflection in which scientific knowledge and experience intervene , we make diagnostic hypotheses .
Only then do we prescribe the most appropriate tests , based on this clinical reflection .
We constantly compare the test results with the patient ’ s clinical condition ( symptoms and signs ) , which takes precedence over everything else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatments .
Today , our governments , supported by their scientific safety advice , are making us do the opposite and put the test first , followed by a clinical reflection necessarily influenced by this prior test , whose weaknesses we have just seen , particularly its hypersensitivity .
None of my clinical colleagues can contradict me .
Apart from very special cases such as genetic screening for certain categories of populations ( age groups , sex ) and certain cancers or family genetic diseases , we always work in this direction : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) to the appropriate tests , never the other way around .
This is the conclusion of an article in the Swiss Medical Journal ( RMS ) published in 2007 , written by doctors Katia Jaton and Gilbert Greub microbiologists from the University of Lausanne : PCR in microbiology : from DNA amplification to result interpretation : It would be indefensible to give everyone an electrocardiogram to screen everyone who might have a heart attack one day .
On the other hand , in certain clinical contexts or on the basis of specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an electrocardiogram can be beneficial .
Back to RT-PCR and Ct ( Cycle Time or Cycle Threshold ) .
In the case of an infectious disease , especially a viral one , the notion of contagiousness is another important element .
Since some scientific circles consider that an asymptomatic person can transmit the virus , they believe it is important to test for the presence of virus , even if the person is asymptomatic , thus extending the indication of RT-PCR to everyone .
This question brings us back to the notion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship between contagiousness and viral load is disputed by some people [ 18 ] and no formal proof , to date , allows us to make a decision .
However , common sense gives obvious credence to the notion that the more virus a person has inside him or her , especially in the upper airways ( oropharynx and nasopharynx ) , with symptoms such as coughing and sneezing , the higher the risk of contagiousness , proportional to the viral load and the importance of the person ’ s symptoms .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern medicine has benefited greatly from the contribution of science through statistics and Evidence-Based Medicine ( EBM ) , it is still based primarily on common sense , experience and empiricism .
Medicine is the art of healing .
No test measures the amount of virus in the sample !
RT-PCR is qualitative : positive ( presence of the virus ) or negative ( absence of the virus ) .
This notion of quantity , therefore of viral load , can be estimated indirectly by the number of amplification cycles ( Ct ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The lower the Ct used to detect the virus fragment , the higher the viral load is considered to be ( high ) .
The higher the Ct used to detect the virus fragment , the lower the viral load is considered to be ( low ) .
Thus , the French National Reference Centre ( CNR ) , in the acute phase of the pandemic , estimated that the peak of viral shedding occurred at the onset of symptoms , with an amount of virus corresponding to approximately 108 ( 100 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average ( French COVID-19 cohort data ) with a variable duration of shedding in the upper airways ( from 5 days to more than 5 weeks ) [ 19 ] .
This number of 108 ( 100 million ) copies/μl corresponds to a very low Ct. A Ct of 35 corresponds to about 1 copy/μl .
Above Ct 35 , it becomes impossible to isolate a complete virus sequence and culture it !
In France and in most countries , Ct levels above 35 , even 40 , are still used even today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SFM ) issued an opinion on September 25 , 2020 in which it does not recommend quantitative results , and it recommends to make positive up to a Ct of 37 for a single gene [ 20 ] !
With 1 copy/μl of a sample ( Ct 35 ) , without cough , without symptoms , one can understand why all these doctors and scientists say that a positive RT-PCR test means nothing , nothing at all in terms of medicine and clinic !
Positive RT-PCR tests , without any mention of Ct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absence of symptoms , are used as is by our governments as the exclusive argument to apply and justify their policy of severity , austerity , isolation and aggression of our freedoms , with the impossibility to travel , to meet , to live normally !
There is no medical justification for these decisions , for these governmental choices !
In an article published on the website of the New York Times ( NYT ) on Saturday , August 29 , American experts from Harvard University are surprised that RT-PCR tests as practiced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more so as evidence of pandemic progression in the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection [ 21 ] .
According to them , the threshold ( Ct ) considered results in positive diagnoses in people who do not represent any risk of transmitting the virus !
The binary “ yes/no ” answer is not enough , according to this epidemiologist from the Harvard University School of Public Health .
The amount of virus ( viral load ) ; but also and above all the clinical state , symptomatic or not of the person !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the binary result of this RT-PCR test to determine whether a person is contagious and must follow strict isolation measures .
These questions are being raised by many physicians around the world , not only in the United States but also in France , Belgium ( Belgium Health Experts Demand Investigation Of WHO For Faking Coronavirus Pandemic ) , France , Germany , Italy , the United Kingdom , the United States and the United Kingdom .
in Germany , Spain… According to them : “ We are going to put tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation , for nothing .
» [ 22 ] .
22 ] And inflict suffering , anguish , economic and psychological dramas by the thousands !
Most RT-PCR tests set the Ct at 40 , according to the NYT .
Some set it at 37 .
“ Tests with such high thresholds ( Ct ) may not only detect live virus but also gene fragments , remnants of an old infection that do not represent any particular danger , ” the experts said .
A virologist at the University of California admits that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 35 is too sensitive .
“ A more reasonable threshold would be between 30 and 35 , ” she adds .
Almost no laboratory specifies the Ct ( number of amplification cycles performed ) or the number of copies of viral RNA per sample μl .
Here is an example of a laboratory result ( approved by Sciensano , the Belgian national reference center ) in an RT-PCR negative patient : In the NYT , experts compiled three datasets with officials from the states of Massachusetts , New York and Nevada that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the people who tested positive did not carry a virus .
» The Wadworth Center , a New York State laboratory , analyzed the results of its July tests at the request of the NYT : 794 positive tests with a Ct of 40 .
“ With a Ct threshold of 35 , approximately half of these PCR tests would no longer be considered positive , ” said the NYT .
“ And about 70 % would no longer be considered positive with a Ct of 30 !
“ In Massachusetts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who tested positive in July with a Ct of 40 would have been considered negative with a Ct of 30 , adds the NYT .
And yet , all these people had to isolate themselves , with all the dramatic psychological and economic consequences , while they were not sick and probably not contagious at all .
In France , the Centre National de Référence ( CNR ) , the French Society of Microbiology ( SFM ) continue to push Ct to 37 and recommend to laboratories to use only one gene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I remind you that from Ct 32 onwards , it becomes very difficult to culture the virus or to extract a complete sequence , which shows the completely artificial nature of this positivity of the test , with such high Ct levels , above 30 .
Similar results were reported by researchers from the UK Public Health Agency in an article published on August 13 in Eurosurveillance : “ The probability of culturing the virus drops to 8 % in samples with Ct levels above 35.
” [ 23 ] In addition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France only evaluates the sensitivity of commercially available reagent kits , not their specificity : serious doubts persist about the possibility of cross-reactivity with viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 , such as other benign cold coronaviruses .
[ 20 ] It is potentially the same situation in other countries , including Belgium .
Similarly , mutations in the virus may have invalidated certain primers ( genes ) used to detect SARS-CoV-2 : the manufacturers give no guarantees on this , and if the AFP fast-checking journalists tell you otherwise , test their good faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proofs .
If they have nothing to hide and if what I say is false , this guarantee will be provided to you and will prove their good faith .
• We must demand that the RT-PCR results be returned mentioning the Ct used because beyond Ct 30 , a positive RT-PCR test means nothing .
• We must listen to the scientists and doctors , specialists , virologists who recommend the use of adapted Ct , lower , at 30 .
An alternative is to obtain the number of copies of viral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] • We need to go back to the patient , to the person , to his or her clinical condition ( presence or absence of symptoms ) and from there to judge the appropriateness of testing and the best way to interpret the result .
Until there is a better rationale for PCR screening , with a known and appropriate Ct threshold , an asymptomatic person should not be tested in any way .
Even a symptomatic person should not automatically be tested , as long as they can place themselves in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s stop this debauchery of RT-PCR testing at too high Ct levels and return to clinical , quality medicine .
Once we understand how RT-PCR testing works , it becomes impossible to let the current government routine screening strategy , inexplicably supported by the virologists in the safety councils , continue .
My hope is that , finally , properly informed , more and more people will demand that this strategy be stopped , because it is all of us , enlightened , guided by real benevolence and common sense , who must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No one else should do it for us , especially when we realize that those who decide are no longer reasonable or rational .
• The RT-PCR test is a laboratory diagnostic technique that is not well suited to clinical medicine .
• It is a binary , qualitative diagnostic technique that confirms ( positive test ) or not ( negative test ) the presence of an element in the medium being analyzed .
In the case of SARS-CoV-2 , the element is a fragment of the viral genome , not the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an epidemic or pandemic situation , it is dangerous to place tests , examinations , techniques above clinical evaluation ( symptoms , signs ) .
It is the opposite that guarantees quality medicine .
• The main limitation ( weakness ) of the RT-PCR test , in the current pandemic situation , is its extreme sensitivity ( false positive ) if a suitable threshold of positivity ( Ct ) is not chosen .
Today , experts recommend using a maximum Ct threshold of 30 .
• This Ct threshold must be informed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the physician knows how to interpret this positive result , especially in an asymptomatic person , in order to avoid unnecessary isolation , quarantine , psychological trauma .
• In addition to mentioning the Ct used , laboratories must continue to ensure the specificity of their detection kits for SARS-CoV-2 , taking into account its most recent mutations , and must continue to use three genes from the viral genome being studied as primers or , if not , mention it .
Is the obstinacy of governments to use the current disastrous strategy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ignorance ?
Is it due to stupidity ?
To a kind of cognitive trap trapping their ego ?
In any case , we should be able to question them , and if among the readers of this article there are still honest journalists , or naive politicians , or people who have the possibility to question our rulers , then do so , using these clear and scientific arguments .
It is all the more incomprehensible that our rulers have surrounded themselves with some of the most experienced specialists in these matters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gather this information myself , shared , I remind you , by competent people above all suspicion of conspiracy , such as Hélène Banoun , Pierre Sonigo , Jean-François Toussaint , Christophe De Brouwer , whose intelligence , intellectual honesty and legitimacy can not be questioned , then the Belgian , French and Quebec scientific advisors , etc.
, know all this as well .
Why continue in this distorted direction , obstinately making mistakes ?
It is not insignificant to reimpose confinements , curfews , quarantines , reduced social bubbles , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to plunge entire families into precariousness , to sow so much fear and anxiety generating a real state of post-traumatic stress worldwide , to reduce access to care for other pathologies that nevertheless reduce life expectancy much more than COVID-19 !
[ 24 ] Is there intent to harm ?
Is there an intention to use the alibi of a pandemic to move humanity towards an outcome it would otherwise never have accepted ?
In any case , not like that !
Would this hypothesis , which modern censors will hasten to label @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valid explanation for all this ?
Indeed , if we draw a straight line from the present events , if they are maintained , we could find ourselves once again confined with hundreds , thousands of human beings forced to remain inactive , which , for the professions of catering , entertainment , sales , fairgrounds , itinerants , canvassers , risks being catastrophic with bankruptcies , unemployment , depression , suicides by the hundreds of thousands .
[ 25-26-27-28 ] The impact on education , on our children , on teaching , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations , treatments to be cancelled , postponed , will be profound and destructive .
“ We risk a looming food crisis if action is not taken quickly.
” [ 29 ] .
It is time for everyone to come out of this negative trance , this collective hysteria , because famine , poverty , massive unemployment will kill , mow down many more people than SARS-CoV-2 !
Does all this make sense in the face of a disease that is declining , over-diagnosed and misinterpreted by this misuse of overly sensitively calibrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuous wearing of the mask seems to have become a new norm .
Even if it is constantly downplayed by some health professionals and fact-checking journalists , other doctors warn of the harmful consequences , both medical and psychological , of this hygienic obsession which , maintained permanently , is in fact an abnormality !
What a hindrance to social relations , which are the true foundation of a physically and psychologically healthy humanity !
Some dare to find all this normal , or a lesser price to pay in the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Isolation , distancing , masking of the face , impoverishment of emotional communication , fear of touching and kissing even within families , communities , between relatives… Spontaneous gestures of daily life hindered and replaced by mechanical and controlled gestures … Terrified children , kept in permanent fear and guilt… All this will have a deep , lasting and negative impact on human organisms , in their physical , mental , emotional and representation of the world and society .
This is not normal !
We can not let our rulers , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any longer .
Dr Pascal Sacré is a physician specialized in critical care , author and renowned public health analyst , Charleroi , Belgium .
He is a Research Associate of the entre for Research on Globalization ( CRG ) Professionals whose references and comments are the basis of this article in its scientific aspect ( especially and mainly on RT-PCR ) : Former intern at the Paris Hospitals Participated in 1985 in the sequencing of the AIDS virus .
Honorary Professor at the School of Public Health at ULB , Belgium Doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Paris-Descartes Director of IRMES , Institute for BioMedical Research and Sports Epidemiology Former member of the High Council of Public Health The original source of this article is Global Research .

Introduction: using a technique to lock down society
All current propaganda on the COVID-19 pandemic is based on an assumption that is considered obvious, true and no longer questioned:
Positive RT-PCR test means being sick with COVID. This assumption is misleading.
Very few people, including doctors, understand how a PCR test works.
RT-PCR means Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction.
In French, it means: Réaction de Polymérisation en Chaîne en Temps Réel. Ester-C Vitamin C 1000... Buy New $11.95 ($0.10 / Count) (as of 11:42 UTC - Details)
In medicine, we use this tool mainly to diagnose a viral infection.
Starting from a clinical situation with the presence or absence of particular symptoms in a patient, we consider different diagnoses based on tests.
In the case of certain infections, particularly viral infections, we use the RT-PCR technique to confirm a diagnostic hypothesis suggested by a clinical picture.
We do not routinely perform RT-PCR on any patient who is overheated, coughing or has an inflammatory syndrome!
It is a laboratory, molecular biology technique of gene amplification because it looks for gene traces (DNA or RNA) by amplifying them.
In addition to medicine, other fields of application are genetics, research, industry and forensics.
The technique is carried out in a specialized laboratory, it cannot be done in any laboratory, even a hospital. This entails a certain cost, and a delay sometimes of several days between the sample and the result.
Today, since the emergence of the new disease called COVID-19 (COrona VIrus Disease-2019), the RT-PCR diagnostic technique is used to define positive cases, confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus responsible for the new acute respiratory distress syndrome called COVID-19).
These positive cases are assimilated to COVID-19 cases, some of whom are hospitalized or even admitted to intensive care units.
Official postulate of our managers: positive RT-PCR cases = COVID-19 patients. [1]
This is the starting postulate, the premise of all official propaganda, which justifies all restrictive government measures: isolation, confinement, quarantine, mandatory masks, color codes by country and travel bans, tracking, social distances in companies, stores and even, even more importantly, in schools [2].
This misuse of RT-PCR technique is used as a relentless and intentional strategy by some governments, supported by scientific safety councils and by the dominant media, to justify excessive measures such as the violation of a large number of constitutional rights, the destruction of the economy with the bankruptcy of entire active sectors of society, the degradation of living conditions for a large number of ordinary citizens, under the pretext of a pandemic based on a number of positive RT-PCR tests, and not on a real number of patients.
Technical aspects: to better understand and not be manipulated
The PCR technique was developed by chemist Kary B. Mullis in 1986. Kary Mullis was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1993.
Although this is disputed [3], Kary Mullis himself is said to have criticized the interest of PCR as a diagnostic tool for an infection, especially a viral one.
He stated that if PCR was a good tool for research, it was a very bad tool in medicine, in the clinic [4]. Vitamin D3 by Nature&r... Buy New $20.80 ($0.09 / Count) (as of 02:47 UTC - Details)
Mullis was referring to the AIDS virus (HIV retrovirus or HIV) [5], before the COVID-19 pandemic, but this opinion on the limitation of the technique in viral infections [6], by its creator, cannot be dismissed out of hand; it must be taken into account!
PCR was perfected in 1992.
As the analysis can be performed in real time, continuously, it becomes RT (Real-Time) – PCR, even more efficient.
It can be done from any molecule, including those of the living, the nucleic acids that make up the genes:
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
RNA (Ribonucleic Acid)
Viruses are not considered as “living” beings, they are packets of information (DNA or RNA) forming a genome.
It is by an amplification technique (multiplication) that the molecule sought is highlighted and this point is very important.
RT-PCR is an amplification technique [7].
If there is DNA or RNA of the desired element in a sample, it is not identifiable as such.
This DNA or RNA must be amplified (multiplied) a certain number of times, sometimes a very large number of times, before it can be detected. From a minute trace, up to billions of copies of a specific sample can be obtained, but this does not mean that there is all that amount in the organism being tested.
In the case of COVID-19, the element sought by RT-PCR is SARS-CoV-2, an RNA virus [8].
There are DNA viruses such as Herpes and Varicella viruses.
The most well known RNA viruses, in addition to coronaviruses, are Influenza, Measles, EBOLA, ZIKA viruses.
In the case of SARS-CoV-2, RNA virus, an additional specific step is required, a transcription of RNA into DNA by means of an enzyme, Reverse Transcriptase.
This step precedes the amplification phase.
It is not the whole virus that is identified, but sequences of its viral genome.
This does not mean that this gene sequence, a fragment of the virus, is not specific to the virus being sought, but it is an important nuance nonetheless:
RT-PCR does not reveal any virus, but only parts, specific gene sequences of the virus.
At the beginning of the year, the SARS-CoV-2 genome was sequenced.
It consists of about 30,000 base pairs. The nucleic acid (DNA-RNA), the component of the genes, is a sequence of bases. In comparison, the human genome has more than 3 billion base pairs.
Teams are continuously monitoring the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome as it evolves [9-10-11], through the mutations it undergoes. Today, there are many variants [12].
By taking a few specific genes from the SARS-CoV-2 genome, it is possible to initiate RT-PCR on a sample from the respiratory tract.
For COVID-19 disease, which has a nasopharyngeal (nose) and oropharyngeal (mouth) entry point, the sample should be taken from the upper respiratory tract as deeply as possible in order to avoid contamination by saliva in particular.
A
ll the people tested said that it is very painful [13].
The Gold Standard (preferred site for sampling) is the nasopharyngeal (nasal) approach, the most painful route.
If there is a contraindication to the nasal approach, or preferably to the individual being tested, depending on the official organs, the oropharyngeal approach (through the mouth) is also acceptable. The test may trigger a nausea/vomiting reflex in the individual being tested.
Normally, for the result of an RT-PCR test to be considered reliable, amplification from 3 different genes (primers) of the virus under investigation is required.
“The primers are single-stranded DNA sequences specific to the virus. They guarantee the specificity of the amplification reaction. » [14] “The first test developed at La Charité in Berlin by Dr. Victor Corman and his associates in January 2020 allows to highlight the RNA sequences present in 3 genes of the virus called E, RdRp and N. To know if the sequences of these genes are present in the RNA samples collected, it is necessary to amplify the sequences of these 3 genes in order to obtain a signal sufficient for their detection and quantification. »[15].
The essential notion of Cycle Time or Cycle Threshold or Ct positivity threshold [16].
An RT-PCR test is negative (no traces of the desired element) or positive (presence of traces of the desired element).
However, even if the desired element is present in a minute, negligible quantity, the principle of RT-PCR is to be able to finally highlight it by continuing the amplification cycles as much as necessary.
RT-PCR can push up to 60 amplification cycles, or even more!
Here is how it works:
Cycle 1: target x 2 (2 copies)
Cycle 2: target x 4 (4 copies)
Cycle 3: target x 8 (8 copies)
Cycle 4: target x 16 (16 copies)
Cycle 5; target x 32 (32 copies)
Etc exponentially up to 40 to 60 cycles!
When we say that the Ct (Cycle Time or Cycle Threshold or RT-PCR positivity threshold) is equal to 40, it means that the laboratory has used 40 amplification cycles, i.e. obtained 240 copies.
This is what underlies the sensitivity of the RT-PCR assay.
While it is true that in medicine we like to have high specificity and sensitivity of the tests to avoid false positives and false negatives, in the case of COVID-19 disease, this hypersensitivity of the RT-PCR test caused by the number of amplification cycles used has backfired.
This over-sensitivity of the RT-PCR test is deleterious and misleading!
It detaches us from the medical reality which must remain based on the real clinical state of the person: is the person ill, does he or she have symptoms?
National Security Alert: COVID Tests Scientifically Fraudulent, Epidemic of False Positives
That is the most important thing!
As I said at the beginning of the article, in medicine we always start from the person: we examine him/her, we collect his/her symptoms (complaints-anamnesis) and objective clinical signs (examination) and on the basis of a clinical reflection in which scientific knowledge and experience intervene, we make diagnostic hypotheses.
Only then do we prescribe the most appropriate tests, based on this clinical reflection.
We constantly compare the test results with the patient’s clinical condition (symptoms and signs), which takes precedence over everything else when it comes to our decisions and treatments.
Today, our governments, supported by their scientific safety advice, are making us do the opposite and put the test first, followed by a clinical reflection necessarily influenced by this prior test, whose weaknesses we have just seen, particularly its hypersensitivity.
None of my clinical colleagues can contradict me.
Apart from very special cases such as genetic screening for certain categories of populations (age groups, sex) and certain cancers or family genetic diseases, we always work in this direction: from the person (symptoms, signs) to the appropriate tests, never the other way around.
This is the conclusion of an article in the Swiss Medical Journal (RMS) published in 2007, written by doctors Katia Jaton and Gilbert Greub microbiologists from the University of Lausanne :
PCR in microbiology: from DNA amplification to result interpretation:
“To interpret the result of a PCR, it is essential that clinicians and microbiologists share their experiences, so that the analytical and clinical levels of interpretation can be combined.”
It would be indefensible to give everyone an electrocardiogram to screen everyone who might have a heart attack one day.
On the other hand, in certain clinical contexts or on the basis of specific evocative symptoms, there, yes, an electrocardiogram can be beneficial.
Back to RT-PCR and Ct (Cycle Time or Cycle Threshold).
In the case of an infectious disease, especially a viral one, the notion of contagiousness is another important element.
Since some scientific circles consider that an asymptomatic person can transmit the virus, they believe it is important to test for the presence of virus, even if the person is asymptomatic, thus extending the indication of RT-PCR to everyone.
Are RT-PCR tests good tests for contagiousness? [17]
This question brings us back to the notion of viral load and therefore Ct.
The relationship between contagiousness and viral load is disputed by some people [18] and no formal proof, to date, allows us to make a decision.
However, common sense gives obvious credence to the notion that the more virus a person has inside him or her, especially in the upper airways (oropharynx and nasopharynx), with symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, the higher the risk of contagiousness, proportional to the viral load and the importance of the person’s symptoms.
This is called common sense, and although modern medicine has benefited greatly from the contribution of science through statistics and Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM), it is still based primarily on common sense, experience and empiricism.
Medicine is the art of healing.
No test measures the amount of virus in the sample!
RT-PCR is qualitative: positive (presence of the virus) or negative (absence of the virus).
This notion of quantity, therefore of viral load, can be estimated indirectly by the number of amplification cycles (Ct) used to highlight the virus sought.
The lower the Ct used to detect the virus fragment, the higher the viral load is considered to be (high).
The higher the Ct used to detect the virus fragment, the lower the viral load is considered to be (low).
Thus, the French National Reference Centre (CNR), in the acute phase of the pandemic, estimated that the peak of viral shedding occurred at the onset of symptoms, with an amount of virus corresponding to approximately 108 (100 million) copies of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA on average (French COVID-19 cohort data) with a variable duration of shedding in the upper airways (from 5 days to more than 5 weeks) [19].
This number of 108 (100 million) copies/μl corresponds to a very low Ct.
A Ct of 32 corresponds to 10-15 copies/μl.
A Ct of 35 corresponds to about 1 copy/μl.
Above Ct 35, it becomes impossible to isolate a complete virus sequence and culture it!
In France and in most countries, Ct levels above 35, even 40, are still used even today!
The French Society of Microbiology (SFM) issued an opinion on September 25, 2020 in which it does not recommend quantitative results, and it recommends to make positive up to a Ct of 37 for a single gene [20]!
With 1 copy/μl of a sample (Ct 35), without cough, without symptoms, one can understand why all these doctors and scientists say that a positive RT-PCR test means nothing, nothing at all in terms of medicine and clinic!
Positive RT-PCR tests, without any mention of Ct or its relation to the presence or absence of symptoms, are used as is by our governments as the exclusive argument to apply and justify their policy of severity, austerity, isolation and aggression of our freedoms, with the impossibility to travel, to meet, to live normally!
There is no medical justification for these decisions, for these governmental choices!
In an article published on the website of the New York Times (NYT) on Saturday, August 29, American experts from Harvard University are surprised that RT-PCR tests as practiced can serve as tests of contagiousness, even more so as evidence of pandemic progression in the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection [21].
According to them, the threshold (Ct) considered results in positive diagnoses in people who do not represent any risk of transmitting the virus!
The binary “yes/no” answer is not enough, according to this epidemiologist from the Harvard University School of Public Health.
“It’s the amount of virus that should dictate the course of action for each patient tested. »
The amount of virus (viral load); but also and above all the clinical state, symptomatic or not of the person!
This calls into question the use of the binary result of this RT-PCR test to determine whether a person is contagious and must follow strict isolation measures.
These questions are being raised by many physicians around the world, not only in the United States but also in France, Belgium (Belgium Health Experts Demand Investigation Of WHO For Faking Coronavirus Pandemic), France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States and the United Kingdom. in Germany, Spain…
According to them: “We are going to put tens of thousands of people in confinement, in isolation, for nothing. » [22]. 22] And inflict suffering, anguish, economic and psychological dramas by the thousands!
Most RT-PCR tests set the Ct at 40, according to the NYT. Some set it at 37.
“Tests with such high thresholds (Ct) may not only detect live virus but also gene fragments, remnants of an old infection that do not represent any particular danger,” the experts said.
A virologist at the University of California admits that an RT-PCR test with a Ct greater than 35 is too sensitive. “A more reasonable threshold would be between 30 and 35,” she adds.
Almost no laboratory specifies the Ct (number of amplification cycles performed) or the number of copies of viral RNA per sample μl.
Here is an example of a laboratory result (approved by Sciensano, the Belgian national reference center) in an RT-PCR negative patient:
No mention of Ct.
In the NYT, experts compiled three datasets with officials from the states of Massachusetts, New York and Nevada that mention them.
Conclusion?
“Up to 90% of the people who tested positive did not carry a virus. »
The Wadworth Center, a New York State laboratory, analyzed the results of its July tests at the request of the NYT: 794 positive tests with a Ct of 40.
“With a Ct threshold of 35, approximately half of these PCR tests would no longer be considered positive,” said the NYT.
“And about 70% would no longer be considered positive with a Ct of 30! “
In Massachusetts, between 85 and 90% of people who tested positive in July with a Ct of 40 would have been considered negative with a Ct of 30, adds the NYT. And yet, all these people had to isolate themselves, with all the dramatic psychological and economic consequences, while they were not sick and probably not contagious at all.
In France, the Centre National de Référence (CNR), the French Society of Microbiology (SFM) continue to push Ct to 37 and recommend to laboratories to use only one gene of the virus as a primer.
I remind you that from Ct 32 onwards, it becomes very difficult to culture the virus or to extract a complete sequence, which shows the completely artificial nature of this positivity of the test, with such high Ct levels, above 30.
Similar results were reported by researchers from the UK Public Health Agency in an article published on August 13 in Eurosurveillance: “The probability of culturing the virus drops to 8% in samples with Ct levels above 35.” [23]
In addition, currently, the National Reference Center in France only evaluates the sensitivity of commercially available reagent kits, not their specificity: serious doubts persist about the possibility of cross-reactivity with viruses other than SARS-CoV-2, such as other benign cold coronaviruses. [20]
It is potentially the same situation in other countries, including Belgium.
Similarly, mutations in the virus may have invalidated certain primers (genes) used to detect SARS-CoV-2: the manufacturers give no guarantees on this, and if the AFP fast-checking journalists tell you otherwise, test their good faith by asking for these guarantees, these proofs.
If they have nothing to hide and if what I say is false, this guarantee will be provided to you and will prove their good faith.
We must demand that the RT-PCR results be returned mentioning the Ct used because beyond Ct 30, a positive RT-PCR test means nothing. We must listen to the scientists and doctors, specialists, virologists who recommend the use of adapted Ct, lower, at 30. An alternative is to obtain the number of copies of viral RNA/μl or /ml sample. [23] We need to go back to the patient, to the person, to his or her clinical condition (presence or absence of symptoms) and from there to judge the appropriateness of testing and the best way to interpret the result.
Until there is a better rationale for PCR screening, with a known and appropriate Ct threshold, an asymptomatic person should not be tested in any way.
Even a symptomatic person should not automatically be tested, as long as they can place themselves in isolation for 7 days.
Let’s stop this debauchery of RT-PCR testing at too high Ct levels and return to clinical, quality medicine.
Once we understand how RT-PCR testing works, it becomes impossible to let the current government routine screening strategy, inexplicably supported by the virologists in the safety councils, continue.
My hope is that, finally, properly informed, more and more people will demand that this strategy be stopped, because it is all of us, enlightened, guided by real benevolence and common sense, who must decide our collective and individual destinies.
No one else should do it for us, especially when we realize that those who decide are no longer reasonable or rational.
Summary of important points :
The RT-PCR test is a laboratory diagnostic technique that is not well suited to clinical medicine.
It is a binary, qualitative diagnostic technique that confirms (positive test) or not (negative test) the presence of an element in the medium being analyzed. In the case of SARS-CoV-2, the element is a fragment of the viral genome, not the virus itself.
In medicine, even in an epidemic or pandemic situation, it is dangerous to place tests, examinations, techniques above clinical evaluation (symptoms, signs). It is the opposite that guarantees quality medicine.
The main limitation (weakness) of the RT-PCR test, in the current pandemic situation, is its extreme sensitivity (false positive) if a suitable threshold of positivity (Ct) is not chosen. Today, experts recommend using a maximum Ct threshold of 30.
This Ct threshold must be informed with the positive RT-PCR result so that the physician knows how to interpret this positive result, especially in an asymptomatic person, in order to avoid unnecessary isolation, quarantine, psychological trauma.
In addition to mentioning the Ct used, laboratories must continue to ensure the specificity of their detection kits for SARS-CoV-2, taking into account its most recent mutations, and must continue to use three genes from the viral genome being studied as primers or, if not, mention it.
Overall Conclusion
Is the obstinacy of governments to use the current disastrous strategy, systematic screening by RT-PCR, due to ignorance?
Is it due to stupidity?
To a kind of cognitive trap trapping their ego?
In any case, we should be able to question them, and if among the readers of this article there are still honest journalists, or naive politicians, or people who have the possibility to question our rulers, then do so, using these clear and scientific arguments.
It is all the more incomprehensible that our rulers have surrounded themselves with some of the most experienced specialists in these matters.
If I have been able to gather this information myself, shared, I remind you, by competent people above all suspicion of conspiracy, such as Hélène Banoun, Pierre Sonigo, Jean-François Toussaint, Christophe De Brouwer, whose intelligence, intellectual honesty and legitimacy cannot be questioned, then the Belgian, French and Quebec scientific advisors, etc., know all this as well.
So?
What’s going on?
Why continue in this distorted direction, obstinately making mistakes?
It is not insignificant to reimpose confinements, curfews, quarantines, reduced social bubbles, to shake up again our shaky economies, to plunge entire families into precariousness, to sow so much fear and anxiety generating a real state of post-traumatic stress worldwide, to reduce access to care for other pathologies that nevertheless reduce life expectancy much more than COVID-19! [24]
Is there intent to harm?
Is there an intention to use the alibi of a pandemic to move humanity towards an outcome it would otherwise never have accepted? In any case, not like that!
Would this hypothesis, which modern censors will hasten to label “conspiracy”, be the most valid explanation for all this?
Indeed, if we draw a straight line from the present events, if they are maintained, we could find ourselves once again confined with hundreds, thousands of human beings forced to remain inactive, which, for the professions of catering, entertainment, sales, fairgrounds, itinerants, canvassers, risks being catastrophic with bankruptcies, unemployment, depression, suicides by the hundreds of thousands. [25-26-27-28]
The impact on education, on our children, on teaching, on medicine with long planned care, operations, treatments to be cancelled, postponed, will be profound and destructive.
“We risk a looming food crisis if action is not taken quickly.” [29].
It is time for everyone to come out of this negative trance, this collective hysteria, because famine, poverty, massive unemployment will kill, mow down many more people than SARS-CoV-2!
Does all this make sense in the face of a disease that is declining, over-diagnosed and misinterpreted by this misuse of overly sensitively calibrated PCR tests?
For many, the continuous wearing of the mask seems to have become a new norm.
Even if it is constantly downplayed by some health professionals and fact-checking journalists, other doctors warn of the harmful consequences, both medical and psychological, of this hygienic obsession which, maintained permanently, is in fact an abnormality!
What a hindrance to social relations, which are the true foundation of a physically and psychologically healthy humanity!
Some dare to find all this normal, or a lesser price to pay in the face of the pandemic of positive PCR tests.
Isolation, distancing, masking of the face, impoverishment of emotional communication, fear of touching and kissing even within families, communities, between relatives…
Spontaneous gestures of daily life hindered and replaced by mechanical and controlled gestures …
Terrified children, kept in permanent fear and guilt…
All this will have a deep, lasting and negative impact on human organisms, in their physical, mental, emotional and representation of the world and society.
This is not normal!
We cannot let our rulers, for whatever reason, organize our collective suicide any longer.
Translated from French by Global Research. Original source: Mondialisation.ca
Dr Pascal Sacré is a physician specialized in critical care, author and renowned public health analyst, Charleroi, Belgium. He is a Research Associate of the entre for Research on Globalization (CRG)
****
Professionals whose references and comments are the basis of this article in its scientific aspect (especially and mainly on RT-PCR):
1) Hélène Banoun
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Helene_Banoun
PhD, Pharmacist biologist
Former INSERM Research Officer
Former intern at the Paris Hospitals
2) Pierre Sonigo
Virologist
Research Director INSERM, worked at the Pasteur Institute
Heads the Virus Genetics Laboratory in Cochin, Paris.
Participated in 1985 in the sequencing of the AIDS virus.
3) Christophe De Brouwer
PhD in Public Health Science
Honorary Professor at the School of Public Health at ULB, Belgium
4) Jean-François Toussaint
Doctor, Professor of Physiology at the University of Paris-Descartes
Director of IRMES, Institute for BioMedical Research and Sports Epidemiology
Former member of the High Council of Public Health
The original source of this article is Global Research.


lewrockwell--2020-11-06--Angry About Election Chaos? Blame Dems’ Fraud-Prone Vote-By-Mail Scheme

As many feared , the election has ended , but it isn ’ t over .
Ballots are still being tallied , and races in Nevada and Pennsylvania remain up in the air .
Even when finished , there will be angry disputes .
The counts will go on , but even when done they ’ ll be litigated for months .
Blame the Democrats ’ vote-by-mail scheme for the election chaos .
Fed up with riots , demonstrations , nonstop name-calling and demonization of political opponents , Americans speak longingly of a clear result to our elections that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
It wasn ’ t to be in 2020 .
Costly , and no doubt lengthy , legal challenges await .
It may yet even be discovered that there was massive electoral fraud .
For this , you can thank mail-in voting , which the Democrats pushed as part of their “ make every vote count ” campaign ( not to mention , of course , the four-year hate-affair the unhinged left in the Democratic Party conducted with President Donald Trump ) .
Uncle Sam Facemask I W ... Buy New $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expanding mail-in voting under the pretense of making voting easier during the lockdown was always spurious .
We saw just how deceitful that was this week when the Centers for Disease Control told those with COVID-19 to go ahead and vote in person – just be careful .
So much for : “ We have to vote by mail to keep people safe.
” Of course , voting by mail is fraught with potential for fraud , something that has been demonstrated by numerous studies .
How big is the problem ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 2012 and 2018 , 28.3 million mail-in ballots went unaccounted for .
That ’ s equal to missing roughly 20 % of “ all absentee ballots and ballots mailed to voters residing in states that do elections exclusively by mail , ” a recent Real Clear Politics piece noted .
At the very minimum , this poses serious risks to election security .
Add the likelihood that some of the ballots have no doubt been used to perpetrate fraud , and you have the makings of a crisis of confidence in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mail ... Buy New $ 19.95 Even the New York Times once admitted this .
Back in 2012 , as President Barack Obama squared off against Republican Mitt Romney , the Times reported that voter fraud with mail-in ballots “ is vastly more prevalent than the in-person voting fraud that has attracted far more attention , election administrators say .
In Florida , absentee-ballot scandals seem to arrive like clockwork around election time.
” That ’ s thousands of miles away from their current stance .
Earlier , in 2008 , the CalTech/MIT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than expanding vote-by-mail , states should instead “ restrict or abolish on-demand absentee voting in favor of in-person early voting.
” So what ’ s to stop the fraudsters ?
Nothing , really .
Most poll locations no longer require identification .
You have to have a driver ’ s license to fly , to drive and to buy alcohol .
But not to vote .

As many feared, the election has ended, but it isn’t over. Ballots are still being tallied, and races in Nevada and Pennsylvania remain up in the air. Even when finished, there will be angry disputes. The counts will go on, but even when done they’ll be litigated for months. Blame the Democrats’ vote-by-mail scheme for the election chaos.
Fed up with riots, demonstrations, nonstop name-calling and demonization of political opponents, Americans speak longingly of a clear result to our elections that would let us all get on with our lives.
It wasn’t to be in 2020. Costly, and no doubt lengthy, legal challenges await. It may yet even be discovered that there was massive electoral fraud.
For this, you can thank mail-in voting, which the Democrats pushed as part of their “make every vote count” campaign (not to mention, of course, the four-year hate-affair the unhinged left in the Democratic Party conducted with President Donald Trump). Uncle Sam Facemask I W... Buy New $15.97 (as of 05:40 UTC - Details)
As has been noted repeatedly, expanding mail-in voting under the pretense of making voting easier during the lockdown was always spurious. We saw just how deceitful that was this week when the Centers for Disease Control told those with COVID-19 to go ahead and vote in person – just be careful.
So much for: “We have to vote by mail to keep people safe.”
Of course, voting by mail is fraught with potential for fraud, something that has been demonstrated by numerous studies.
How big is the problem? The federal Election Assistance Commission found that, between 2012 and 2018, 28.3 million mail-in ballots went unaccounted for. That’s equal to missing roughly 20% of “all absentee ballots and ballots mailed to voters residing in states that do elections exclusively by mail,” a recent Real Clear Politics piece noted.
At the very minimum, this poses serious risks to election security. Add the likelihood that some of the ballots have no doubt been used to perpetrate fraud, and you have the makings of a crisis of confidence in our voting system. ”I Voted by Mail... Buy New $19.95 (as of 05:40 UTC - Details)
Even the New York Times once admitted this. Back in 2012, as President Barack Obama squared off against Republican Mitt Romney, the Times reported that voter fraud with mail-in ballots “is vastly more prevalent than the in-person voting fraud that has attracted far more attention, election administrators say. In Florida, absentee-ballot scandals seem to arrive like clockwork around election time.”
That’s thousands of miles away from their current stance.
Earlier, in 2008, the CalTech/MIT Voting Technology Project recommended that, rather than expanding vote-by-mail, states should instead “restrict or abolish on-demand absentee voting in favor of in-person early voting.”
So what’s to stop the fraudsters? Nothing, really. Most poll locations no longer require identification. You have to have a driver’s license to fly, to drive and to buy alcohol. But not to vote.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-11-06--Making Europe Safe Again

Making Europe Safe Again

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation , Nato , was formed in 1949 by twelve nations led by the United States and with the Latin motto Animus in consulendo liber , meaning “ a mind unfettered in deliberation.
” It is a bizarre slogan in this day and age , because if ever an organisation had a collective mind in shackles it is the U.S.-Nato military alliance that , from its palatial billion dollar headquarters building in Brussels , is determined , amongst other things , as stated by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on October 21 , to “ Ensure our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective.
” Nato ’ s major contribution to world peace and to the security of Europe would be to remove all U.S. nuclear weapons from the European continent .
Stoltenberg speaks of “ Russian intimidation of its neighbours ” and stressed that NATO ’ s response to the non-existent threat from Russia is with “ most intensive strengthening defences since the Cold War period.
” He claims that “ We don ’ t seek confrontation with Russia .
We do not seek a new Cold War ” — but then supports U.S.-led massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia ’ s borders .
He increases the numbers of troops to be permanently based in countries close to Russia ’ s borders because he champions “ enhancement ” of “ our forward presence in the eastern part of our alliance.
” COOFANDY Men ’ s S ... Buy New $ 31.99 “ Forward presence ” ?
— The U.S. official definition of “ forward presence ” is “ maintaining forward-deployed or stationed forces overseas to demonstrate national resolve , strengthen alliances , dissuade potential adversaries , and enhance the ability to respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — getting ready to wage war .
Concurrent with dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 , the Warsaw Pact military alliance came to an end .
It would have been sensible to disband Nato , but this was not to be .
In its search to justify its continuing existence , Nato expanded eastwards , menacing Russia .
In 1997 , before enlargement began , Norman Markowitz of Rutgers University wrote that “ NATO expansion may be seen not as the beginning of a new era , but as the continuation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his warning , as with that of other analysts , fell on the ears of those who were shackled by their determination to expand and dominate militarily .
1999 was crunch year , and although there was not the slightest threat from anywhere to any country in Europe , Nato asked Poland , Hungary and the Czech Republic to join .
Then in 2004 came Bulgaria , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , Romania , Slovakia and Slovenia .
In this flagrant surge in net-drawing round Russia ’ s borders , Albania and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notes that “ At the 2008 Bucharest Summit we agreed that Georgia will become a member of Nato and we reaffirm all elements of that decision , as well as subsequent decisions.
” With the addition of North Macedonia in March 2020 Nato ’ s numbers reached thirty , and although its military strength increased by only 8,000 , there was a clear message that movement towards Russia was not going to stop .
Why did the U.S. want all these countries to join Nato ?
Russia is no threat to any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade relations with its neighbours and throughout Europe .
But Russia could present an economic threat to the U.S. , especially as it was prospering through its cooperation with the European Union in provision of gas , oil and coal .
And it was possible that this cooperation could result in a very much wider economic union : that of Russia with greater Europe .
Levi ’ s Men & rsquo ... Buy New $ 79.99 A prosperous Russia , growing in economic influence and seeking wider commercial markets in order to achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard of living , is obviously desirable , but Washington considered , and still considers , that any country striving to expand economically presents a threat to the U.S .
So Nato re-invented itself at the bidding of Washington and launched “ a new mission : extending peace through the strategic projection of security .
.
.
This is not a mission of choice , but of necessity .
The Allies neither invented nor desired it.
” Well : just who did desire and invent it ?
And how does any military alliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s members “ undertake , as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations , to settle any international dispute in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered.
” But right now they are engaging in provocative military confrontation that could hazard world peace .
Making Europe safe again depends on the resolve of Europe ’ s leaders to accept the fact that Russia has no intention of attacking any country .
This is always automatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the bloodless accession of Crimea to Russia in 2014 , supported by the vast majority of the population , was precursor to the rolling westward of the mighty Russian war machine .
The plain fact is that if Russia wanted to take over Ukraine or any of the Baltic States ( for example ) it could do so in a matter of days .
But it doesn ’ t want to do this , if only because it would be economically disastrous to engage in such action .
Amazon Essentials Men & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to accepting this obvious fact , it would be good idea for Europe ’ s leaders to reduce tension by insisting that the U.S. remove its stores of nuclear weapons from the European Continent .
Last July the Washington Post headlined “ Secret locations of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe accidentally included in report from NATO parliament ” which was interesting , although their presence was already well-known to those who didn ’ t have their heads in the sand .
In 2010 Wikileaks published a memo from the U.S. ambassador in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuclear weapons were stored all over the continent .
It was reported that “ according to a copy of the document published by Belgian newspaper De Morgen… “ These bombs are stored at six U.S. and European bases — Kleine Brogel in Belgium , Büchel in Germany , Aviano and Ghedi-Torre in Italy , Volkel in The Netherlands , and Incirlik in Turkey.
” And the Post went on to observe that “ The presence of the weapons derived from an agreement reached in the 1960s and is in many ways a relic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only to act as deterrence to the nuclear armed-Soviet Union , but also to convince countries that they didn ’ t need their own nuclear weapons program.
” The “ presence ” of U.S. nuclear bombs in Europe exemplifies the U.S.-Nato doctrine of “ strategic projection ” in the new Cold War against Russia and although the weapons are themselves of little military significance ( given the vast arsenal of other nuclear delivery systems ) , they represent deliberate provocation which the world could do without .
The bombs should be withdrawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of a drive for establishment of mutual confidence .
It would be a significant step towards Making Europe Safe Again .
The views of individual contributors do not necessarily represent those of the Strategic Culture Foundation .

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Nato, was formed in 1949 by twelve nations led by the United States and with the Latin motto Animus in consulendo liber, meaning “a mind unfettered in deliberation.” It is a bizarre slogan in this day and age, because if ever an organisation had a collective mind in shackles it is the U.S.-Nato military alliance that, from its palatial billion dollar headquarters building in Brussels, is determined, amongst other things, as stated by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on October 21, to “Ensure our nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective.”
Nato’s major contribution to world peace and to the security of Europe would be to remove all U.S. nuclear weapons from the European continent.
Stoltenberg speaks of “Russian intimidation of its neighbours” and stressed that NATO’s response to the non-existent threat from Russia is with “most intensive strengthening defences since the Cold War period.” He claims that “We don’t seek confrontation with Russia. We do not seek a new Cold War” — but then supports U.S.-led massive military manoeuvres and coat-trailing spy-plane missions along Russia’s borders. He increases the numbers of troops to be permanently based in countries close to Russia’s borders because he champions “enhancement” of “our forward presence in the eastern part of our alliance.” COOFANDY Men’s S... Buy New $31.99 (as of 05:12 UTC - Details)
“Forward presence”? — The U.S. official definition of “forward presence” is “maintaining forward-deployed or stationed forces overseas to demonstrate national resolve, strengthen alliances, dissuade potential adversaries, and enhance the ability to respond quickly to contingencies.” In other words — getting ready to wage war.
Concurrent with dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Warsaw Pact military alliance came to an end. It would have been sensible to disband Nato, but this was not to be. In its search to justify its continuing existence, Nato expanded eastwards, menacing Russia.
In 1997, before enlargement began, Norman Markowitz of Rutgers University wrote that “NATO expansion may be seen not as the beginning of a new era, but as the continuation of cold war policies and relationships” but his warning, as with that of other analysts, fell on the ears of those who were shackled by their determination to expand and dominate militarily.
1999 was crunch year, and although there was not the slightest threat from anywhere to any country in Europe, Nato asked Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to join. Then in 2004 came Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. In this flagrant surge in net-drawing round Russia’s borders, Albania and Croatia were added in 2009. Nato notes that “At the 2008 Bucharest Summit we agreed that Georgia will become a member of Nato and we reaffirm all elements of that decision, as well as subsequent decisions.” With the addition of North Macedonia in March 2020 Nato’s numbers reached thirty, and although its military strength increased by only 8,000, there was a clear message that movement towards Russia was not going to stop.
Why did the U.S. want all these countries to join Nato? Russia is no threat to any of them and was indeed endeavouring to expand trade relations with its neighbours and throughout Europe. But Russia could present an economic threat to the U.S., especially as it was prospering through its cooperation with the European Union in provision of gas, oil and coal. And it was possible that this cooperation could result in a very much wider economic union : that of Russia with greater Europe. Levi’s Men&rsquo... Buy New $79.99 (as of 05:42 UTC - Details)
A prosperous Russia, growing in economic influence and seeking wider commercial markets in order to achieve its objective of improvement in the national standard of living, is obviously desirable, but Washington considered, and still considers, that any country striving to expand economically presents a threat to the U.S.
So Nato re-invented itself at the bidding of Washington and launched “a new mission: extending peace through the strategic projection of security. . . This is not a mission of choice, but of necessity. The Allies neither invented nor desired it.” Well : just who did desire and invent it? And how does any military alliance extend peace by projecting menace?
Nato’s members “undertake, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, to settle any international dispute in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered.” But right now they are engaging in provocative military confrontation that could hazard world peace.
Making Europe safe again depends on the resolve of Europe’s leaders to accept the fact that Russia has no intention of attacking any country. This is always automatically refuted by those who affect to believe that the bloodless accession of Crimea to Russia in 2014, supported by the vast majority of the population, was precursor to the rolling westward of the mighty Russian war machine. The plain fact is that if Russia wanted to take over Ukraine or any of the Baltic States (for example) it could do so in a matter of days. But it doesn’t want to do this, if only because it would be economically disastrous to engage in such action.
Amazon Essentials Men&... Buy New $18.50 (as of 05:42 UTC - Details) And in addition to accepting this obvious fact, it would be good idea for Europe’s leaders to reduce tension by insisting that the U.S. remove its stores of nuclear weapons from the European Continent. Last July the Washington Post headlined “Secret locations of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe accidentally included in report from NATO parliament” which was interesting, although their presence was already well-known to those who didn’t have their heads in the sand. In 2010 Wikileaks published a memo from the U.S. ambassador in the Netherlands that made it clear that nuclear weapons were stored all over the continent.
It was reported that “according to a copy of the document published by Belgian newspaper De Morgen… “These bombs are stored at six U.S. and European bases — Kleine Brogel in Belgium, Büchel in Germany, Aviano and Ghedi-Torre in Italy, Volkel in The Netherlands, and Incirlik in Turkey.” And the Post went on to observe that “The presence of the weapons derived from an agreement reached in the 1960s and is in many ways a relic of the Cold War era — designed not only to act as deterrence to the nuclear armed-Soviet Union, but also to convince countries that they didn’t need their own nuclear weapons program.”
The “presence” of U.S. nuclear bombs in Europe exemplifies the U.S.-Nato doctrine of “strategic projection” in the new Cold War against Russia and although the weapons are themselves of little military significance (given the vast arsenal of other nuclear delivery systems), they represent deliberate provocation which the world could do without. The bombs should be withdrawn, with appropriate publicity and ceremony, as part of a drive for establishment of mutual confidence. It would be a significant step towards Making Europe Safe Again.
The views of individual contributors do not necessarily represent those of the Strategic Culture Foundation.


lewrockwell--2020-11-06--The End of Western Civilization

The End of Western Civilization

International Man : The decline of Western Civilization is on a lot of people ’ s minds .
Doug Casey : Western Civilization has its origins in ancient Greece .
It ’ s unique among the world ’ s civilizations in putting the individual—as opposed to the collective—in a central position .
It enshrined logic and rational thought—as opposed to mysticism and superstition—as the way to deal with the world .
It ’ s because of this that we have science , technology , great literature and art , capitalism , personal freedom , the concept of progress , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , almost everything worth having in the material world is due to Western Civilization .
Ayn Rand once said “ East minus West equals zero.
” I think she went a bit too far , as a rhetorical device , but she was essentially right .
When you look at what the world ’ s other civilizations have brought to the party , at least over the last 2,500 years , it ’ s trivial .
Fed Up : An Insider & rsq ... DiMartino Booth , Danielle Best Price : $ 2.99 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Orient for years .
There are many things I love about it—martial arts , yoga , and the cuisine among them .
But all the progress they ’ ve made is due to adopting the fruits of the West .
International Man : There are so many things degrading Western Civilization .
Where do we begin ?
Doug Casey : It ’ s been said , correctly , that a civilization always collapses from within .
World War 1 , in 1914 , signaled the start of the long collapse of Western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already eating away at the foundations , with the writings of people like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Karl Marx .
It ’ s been on an accelerating downward path ever since , even though technology and science have been improving at a quantum pace .
They are , however , like delayed action flywheels , operating on stored energy and accumulated capital .
Without capital , intellectual freedom , and entrepreneurialism , science and technology will slow down .
I ’ m optimistic we ’ ll make it to Kurzweil ’ s Singularity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also changed with the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913 .
Before that , the US used gold coinage for money .
“ The dollar ” was just a name for 1/20th of an ounce of gold .
That is what the dollar was .
Paper dollars were just receipts for gold on deposit in the Treasury .
The income tax , enacted the same year , threw more sand in the gears of civilization .
The world was much freer before the events of 1913 and 1914 , which acted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything .
The Fed and the income tax are both disastrous and unnecessary things , enemies of the common man in every way .
Unfortunately , people have come to believe they ’ re fixtures in the cosmic firmament .
They ’ re the main reasons—there are many other reasons , though , unfortunately—why the average American ’ s standard of living has been dropping since the early 1970s .
In fact , were it not for these things , and the immense amount of capital destroyed during the numerous wars of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d have already colonized the moon and Mars .
Among many other things… But I want to re-emphasize that the science , the technology , and all the wonderful toys we have are not the essence of Western Civilization .
They ’ re consequences of individualism , capitalism , rational thought , and personal freedom .
It ’ s critical not to confuse cause and effect .
Currency Wars : The Mak ... James Rickards Best Price : $ 1.76 Buy New $ 6.46 International Man : You mentioned that the average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped since the early 1970s .
This is directly related to the US government abandoning the dollar ’ s last link to gold in 1971 .
Since then , the Federal Reserve has been able to debase the US dollar without limit .
I think the dollar ’ s transformation into a purely fiat currency has eroded the rule of law and morality in the US .
It ’ s similar to what happened in the Roman Empire after it started debasing its currency .
What do you think , Doug ?
Doug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments and central banks share a common philosophy , which drives these policies .
They believe that you create economic activity by stimulating demand , and you stimulate demand by printing money .
And , of course , it ’ s true , in a way .
Roughly the same way a counterfeiter can stimulate a local economy .
Unfortunately , they ignore that , and completely ignore that the way a person or a society becomes wealthy is by producing more than they consume and saving the difference .
That difference , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Without capital you ’ re reduced to subsistence , scratching at the earth with a stick .
These people think that by inflating—which is to say destroying—the currency , they can create prosperity .
But what they ’ re really doing , is destroying capital : When you destroy the value of the currency , that discourages people from saving it .
And when people don ’ t save , they can ’ t build capital , and the vicious cycle goes on .
This is destructive for civilization itself , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term .
The more paper money , the more credit , they create , the more society focuses on finance , as opposed to production .
It ’ s why there are many times more people studying finance than science .
The focus is increasingly on speculation , not production .
Financial engineering , not mechanical , electrical , or chemical engineering .
And lots of laws and regulations to keep the unstable structure from collapsing .
What keeps a truly civil society together isn ’ t laws , regulations , and police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social opprobrium , moral approbation , and your reputation .
These are the four elements that keep things together .
Western Civilization is built on voluntarism .
But , as the State grows , that ’ s being replaced by coercion in every aspect of society .
There are regulations on the most obscure areas of life .
As Harvey Silverglate pointed out in his book , the average American commits three felonies a day .
Whether he ’ s caught and prosecuted is a subject of luck and the arbitrary will of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the core values of Western Civilization .
Taxed to Death : A Conc ... Hunter Ph .
D. , Lawrenc ... Best Price : $ 15.61 International Man : Speaking of ancient civilizations like Rome , interest rates are about the lowest they ’ ve been in 5,000 years of recorded history .
Trillions of dollars ’ worth of government bonds trade at negative yields .
Of course , this couldn ’ t happen in a free market .
It ’ s only possible because of central bank manipulation .
How will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Western Civilization ?
Doug Casey : It ’ s really , really serious .
I previously thought it was metaphysically impossible to have negative interest rates but , in the Bizarro World central banks have created , it ’ s happened .
Negative interest rates discourage saving .
Once again , saving is what builds capital .
Without capital you wind up as an empty shell—Rome in 450 A.D. , or Detroit today—lots of wonderful but empty buildings and no economic activity .
Worse , it forces people to desperately put their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an effort to stay ahead of inflation .
They wind up chasing the bubbles the funny money creates .
Let me re-emphasize something : in order for science and technology to advance you need capital .
Where does capital come from ?
It comes from people producing more than they consume and saving the difference .
Debt , on the other hand , means you ’ re living above your means .
You ’ re either consuming the capital others have saved , or you ’ re mortgaging your future .
Zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the creation of money out of nowhere , are actually destructive of civilization itself .
It makes the average guy feel that he ’ s not in control of his own destiny .
He starts believing that the State , or luck , or Allah will provide for him .
That attitude is typical of people from backward parts of the world—not Western Civilization .
International Man : What does it say about the economy and society that people work so hard to interpret what officials from the Federal Reserve and other central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a shameful waste of time .
They remind me of primitives seeking the counsel of witch doctors .
One hundred years ago , the richest people in the country—the Rockefellers , the Carnegies , and such—made their money creating industries that actually made stuff .
Now , the richest people in the country just shuffle money around .
They get rich because they ’ re close to the government and the hydrant of currency materialized by the Federal Reserve .
I ’ d say it ’ s a sign that society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Assassin : Book 3 of th ... Hunt , John Buy New $ 18.64 The world revolves much less around actual production , but around guessing the direction of financial markets .
Negative interest rates are creating bubbles , and will eventually result in an economic collapse .
International Man : Negative interest rates are essentially a tax on savings .
A lot of people would rather pull their money out of the bank and stuff it under a mattress than suffer that sting .
The economic central planners know this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ using negative interest rates to ramp up the War on Cash—the push to eliminate paper currency and create a cashless society .
The banking system is very fragile .
Banks don ’ t hold much paper cash .
It ’ s mostly digital bytes on a computer .
If people start withdrawing paper money en masse , it won ’ t take much to bring the whole system down .
Their solution is to make accessing cash harder , and in some cases , illegal .
That ’ s why the economic witch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get rid of the $ 100 bill .
Take France , for example .
It ’ s now illegal to make cash transactions over €1,000 without documenting them properly .
Negative interest rates have turbocharged the War on Cash .
If the central planners win this war , it would be the final deathblow to financial privacy .
How does this all relate to the collapse of Western Civilization ?
Doug Casey : I believe the next step in their idiotic plan is to abolish cash .
Decades ago they got rid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circulate day to day in people ’ s pockets .
Then they got rid of silver coinage .
Now , they ’ re planning to get rid of cash altogether .
So you won ’ t even have euros or dollars or pounds in your wallet anymore , or if you do , it will only be very small denominations .
Everything else is going to have to be done through electronic payment processing .
This is a huge disaster for the average person : absolutely everything that you buy or sell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hamburger , is going to have to go through the banking system .
Thus , the government will be able to monitor every transaction and payment .
Financial privacy , even what ’ s left of it today , will literally cease to exist .
Privacy is one of the big differences between a civilized society and a primitive society .
In a primitive society , in your little dirt hut village , anybody can look through your window or pull back the flap on your tent .
You have no privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything .
This was one of the marvelous things about Western Civilization—privacy was valued , and respected .
But that concept , like so many others , is on its way out… International Man : You ’ ve mentioned before that language and words provide important clues to the collapse of Western Civilization .
How so ?
Doug Casey : Many of the words you hear , especially on television and other media , are confused , conflated , or completely misused .
Many recent changes in the way words are used are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liked to point out , to control language is to control thought .
The corruption of language is adding to the corruption of civilization itself .
This is not a trivial factor in the degradation of Western Civilization .
Words—their exact meanings , and how they ’ re used—are critically important .
If you don ’ t mean what you say and say what you mean , then it ’ s impossible to communicate accurately .
Forget about transmitting philosophical concepts .
Take for example shareholders and stakeholders .
We all know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a company , but have you noticed that over the last generation shareholders have become less important than stakeholders ?
Even though stakeholders are just hangers-on , employees , or people who are looking to get in on a shakedown .
But everybody slavishly acknowledges , “ Yes , we ’ ve got to look out for the stakeholders.
” Where did that concept come from ?
It ’ s a recent creation , but Boobus americanus seems to think it was carved in stone at the country ’ s founding .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as if they were a valuable and endangered species .
I say , “ A pox upon stakeholders.
” If they want a vote in what a company does , then they ought to become shareholders .
Stakeholders are a class of being created out of nothing by Cultural Marxists for the purpose of shaking down shareholders .
The Best of Doug Casey

International Man: The decline of Western Civilization is on a lot of people’s minds.
Let’s talk about this trend.
Doug Casey: Western Civilization has its origins in ancient Greece. It’s unique among the world’s civilizations in putting the individual—as opposed to the collective—in a central position. It enshrined logic and rational thought—as opposed to mysticism and superstition—as the way to deal with the world. It’s because of this that we have science, technology, great literature and art, capitalism, personal freedom, the concept of progress, and much, much more. In fact, almost everything worth having in the material world is due to Western Civilization.
Ayn Rand once said “East minus West equals zero.” I think she went a bit too far, as a rhetorical device, but she was essentially right. When you look at what the world’s other civilizations have brought to the party, at least over the last 2,500 years, it’s trivial. Fed Up: An Insider&rsq... DiMartino Booth, Danielle Best Price: $2.99 Buy New $11.99 (as of 04:15 UTC - Details)
I lived in the Orient for years. There are many things I love about it—martial arts, yoga, and the cuisine among them. But all the progress they’ve made is due to adopting the fruits of the West.
International Man: There are so many things degrading Western Civilization. Where do we begin?
Doug Casey: It’s been said, correctly, that a civilization always collapses from within. World War 1, in 1914, signaled the start of the long collapse of Western Civilization. Of course, termites were already eating away at the foundations, with the writings of people like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Karl Marx. It’s been on an accelerating downward path ever since, even though technology and science have been improving at a quantum pace. They are, however, like delayed action flywheels, operating on stored energy and accumulated capital. Without capital, intellectual freedom, and entrepreneurialism, science and technology will slow down. I’m optimistic we’ll make it to Kurzweil’s Singularity, but there are no guarantees.
Things also changed with the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913. Before that, the US used gold coinage for money. “The dollar” was just a name for 1/20th of an ounce of gold. That is what the dollar was. Paper dollars were just receipts for gold on deposit in the Treasury. The income tax, enacted the same year, threw more sand in the gears of civilization. The world was much freer before the events of 1913 and 1914, which acted to put the State at the center of everything.
The Fed and the income tax are both disastrous and unnecessary things, enemies of the common man in every way. Unfortunately, people have come to believe they’re fixtures in the cosmic firmament. They’re the main reasons—there are many other reasons, though, unfortunately—why the average American’s standard of living has been dropping since the early 1970s. In fact, were it not for these things, and the immense amount of capital destroyed during the numerous wars of the last 100 years, I expect we’d have already colonized the moon and Mars. Among many other things…
But I want to re-emphasize that the science, the technology, and all the wonderful toys we have are not the essence of Western Civilization. They’re consequences of individualism, capitalism, rational thought, and personal freedom. It’s critical not to confuse cause and effect. Currency Wars: The Mak... James Rickards Best Price: $1.76 Buy New $6.46 (as of 09:55 UTC - Details)
International Man: You mentioned that the average American’s standard of living has dropped since the early 1970s. This is directly related to the US government abandoning the dollar’s last link to gold in 1971. Since then, the Federal Reserve has been able to debase the US dollar without limit.
I think the dollar’s transformation into a purely fiat currency has eroded the rule of law and morality in the US. It’s similar to what happened in the Roman Empire after it started debasing its currency.
What do you think, Doug?
Doug Casey: All the world’s governments and central banks share a common philosophy, which drives these policies. They believe that you create economic activity by stimulating demand, and you stimulate demand by printing money. And, of course, it’s true, in a way. Roughly the same way a counterfeiter can stimulate a local economy.
Unfortunately, they ignore that, and completely ignore that the way a person or a society becomes wealthy is by producing more than they consume and saving the difference. That difference, savings, is how you create capital. Without capital you’re reduced to subsistence, scratching at the earth with a stick. These people think that by inflating—which is to say destroying—the currency, they can create prosperity. But what they’re really doing, is destroying capital: When you destroy the value of the currency, that discourages people from saving it. And when people don’t save, they can’t build capital, and the vicious cycle goes on.
This is destructive for civilization itself, in both the long term and the short term. The more paper money, the more credit, they create, the more society focuses on finance, as opposed to production. It’s why there are many times more people studying finance than science. The focus is increasingly on speculation, not production. Financial engineering, not mechanical, electrical, or chemical engineering. And lots of laws and regulations to keep the unstable structure from collapsing.
What keeps a truly civil society together isn’t laws, regulations, and police. It’s peer pressure, social opprobrium, moral approbation, and your reputation. These are the four elements that keep things together. Western Civilization is built on voluntarism. But, as the State grows, that’s being replaced by coercion in every aspect of society. There are regulations on the most obscure areas of life. As Harvey Silverglate pointed out in his book, the average American commits three felonies a day. Whether he’s caught and prosecuted is a subject of luck and the arbitrary will of some functionary. That’s antithetical to the core values of Western Civilization. Taxed to Death: A Conc... Hunter Ph. D., Lawrenc... Best Price: $15.61 (as of 04:40 UTC - Details)
International Man: Speaking of ancient civilizations like Rome, interest rates are about the lowest they’ve been in 5,000 years of recorded history. Trillions of dollars’ worth of government bonds trade at negative yields.
Of course, this couldn’t happen in a free market. It’s only possible because of central bank manipulation.
How will artificially low interest rates affect the collapse of Western Civilization?
Doug Casey: It’s really, really serious. I previously thought it was metaphysically impossible to have negative interest rates but, in the Bizarro World central banks have created, it’s happened.
Negative interest rates discourage saving. Once again, saving is what builds capital. Without capital you wind up as an empty shell—Rome in 450 A.D., or Detroit today—lots of wonderful but empty buildings and no economic activity. Worse, it forces people to desperately put their money in all manner of idiotic speculations in an effort to stay ahead of inflation. They wind up chasing the bubbles the funny money creates.
Let me re-emphasize something: in order for science and technology to advance you need capital. Where does capital come from? It comes from people producing more than they consume and saving the difference. Debt, on the other hand, means you’re living above your means. You’re either consuming the capital others have saved, or you’re mortgaging your future.
Zero and negative interest rate policies, and the creation of money out of nowhere, are actually destructive of civilization itself. It makes the average guy feel that he’s not in control of his own destiny. He starts believing that the State, or luck, or Allah will provide for him. That attitude is typical of people from backward parts of the world—not Western Civilization.
International Man: What does it say about the economy and society that people work so hard to interpret what officials from the Federal Reserve and other central banks say?
Doug Casey: It’s a shameful waste of time. They remind me of primitives seeking the counsel of witch doctors. One hundred years ago, the richest people in the country—the Rockefellers, the Carnegies, and such—made their money creating industries that actually made stuff. Now, the richest people in the country just shuffle money around. They get rich because they’re close to the government and the hydrant of currency materialized by the Federal Reserve. I’d say it’s a sign that society in the US has become quite degraded. Assassin: Book 3 of th... Hunt, John Buy New $18.64 (as of 07:05 UTC - Details)
The world revolves much less around actual production, but around guessing the direction of financial markets. Negative interest rates are creating bubbles, and will eventually result in an economic collapse.
International Man: Negative interest rates are essentially a tax on savings. A lot of people would rather pull their money out of the bank and stuff it under a mattress than suffer that sting.
The economic central planners know this. It’s why they’re using negative interest rates to ramp up the War on Cash—the push to eliminate paper currency and create a cashless society.
The banking system is very fragile. Banks don’t hold much paper cash. It’s mostly digital bytes on a computer. If people start withdrawing paper money en masse, it won’t take much to bring the whole system down.
Their solution is to make accessing cash harder, and in some cases, illegal. That’s why the economic witch doctors at Harvard are pounding the table to get rid of the $100 bill.
Take France, for example. It’s now illegal to make cash transactions over €1,000 without documenting them properly.
Negative interest rates have turbocharged the War on Cash. If the central planners win this war, it would be the final deathblow to financial privacy.
How does this all relate to the collapse of Western Civilization?
Doug Casey: I believe the next step in their idiotic plan is to abolish cash. Decades ago they got rid of gold coinage, which used to circulate day to day in people’s pockets. Then they got rid of silver coinage. Now, they’re planning to get rid of cash altogether. So you won’t even have euros or dollars or pounds in your wallet anymore, or if you do, it will only be very small denominations. Everything else is going to have to be done through electronic payment processing.
This is a huge disaster for the average person: absolutely everything that you buy or sell, other than perhaps a candy bar or a hamburger, is going to have to go through the banking system. Thus, the government will be able to monitor every transaction and payment. Financial privacy, even what’s left of it today, will literally cease to exist.
Privacy is one of the big differences between a civilized society and a primitive society. In a primitive society, in your little dirt hut village, anybody can look through your window or pull back the flap on your tent. You have no privacy. Everybody can hear everything; see anything. This was one of the marvelous things about Western Civilization—privacy was valued, and respected. But that concept, like so many others, is on its way out…
International Man: You’ve mentioned before that language and words provide important clues to the collapse of Western Civilization. How so?
Doug Casey: Many of the words you hear, especially on television and other media, are confused, conflated, or completely misused. Many recent changes in the way words are used are corrupting the language. As George Orwell liked to point out, to control language is to control thought. The corruption of language is adding to the corruption of civilization itself. This is not a trivial factor in the degradation of Western Civilization.
Words—their exact meanings, and how they’re used—are critically important. If you don’t mean what you say and say what you mean, then it’s impossible to communicate accurately. Forget about transmitting philosophical concepts.
Take for example shareholders and stakeholders. We all know that a shareholder actually owns a share in a company, but have you noticed that over the last generation shareholders have become less important than stakeholders? Even though stakeholders are just hangers-on, employees, or people who are looking to get in on a shakedown. But everybody slavishly acknowledges, “Yes, we’ve got to look out for the stakeholders.”
Where did that concept come from? It’s a recent creation, but Boobus americanus seems to think it was carved in stone at the country’s founding.
We’re told to protect them, as if they were a valuable and endangered species. I say, “A pox upon stakeholders.” If they want a vote in what a company does, then they ought to become shareholders. Stakeholders are a class of being created out of nothing by Cultural Marxists for the purpose of shaking down shareholders.
Reprinted with permission from International Man.
The Best of Doug Casey