lewrockwell--2020-03-17--Was Coronavirus a Biowarfare Attack Against China?

[ The following is the republication of several long and very detailed comments by an unidentified purported expert on biowarfare that originally appeared on a recent thread of the Saker blogsite . ]
I ’ ll throw my 2 cents in here .
I have zero proof other than my gut feeling that this is a bioweapon .
I do have 40 year of biodefense research experience behind me and worked at Fort Detrich on bacterial vaccines where I developed my own aerosol infection routes and developed multi-species models of pathogenesis to establish correlates of immunity .
Because I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care , aerosol exposures , sample analysis , necropsy , and histopathology , etc .
plus I had research programs in endemic areas studying the immunopathological response in human populations to establish immune correlates of protection for candidate vaccines all for the Biological Defense Research Program ( BDRP ) .
I recall the early years when the Department of Homeland Security was stood up and they got the lion ’ s share of poorly performing ciivil servants un-fireable under the then OPMA policies .
I was brought in as a technical expert as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so I ( and others ) was lent out as a research prostitute .
This is a little known problem with civil service employees .
They are impossible to eliminate and generally rise to levels where they can cause the most damage .
However , an opportunity arose whereby agencies in the Federal government had to contribute bodies to the new Department of Homeland Security ( as no new vacancies were created when the agency was stood up meaning everyone had to sacrifice personnel ) so most , if not all , employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst .
However , the DHS labs ( specifically NBACC ) also tied into some nefarious microbiologists working at the CIA ( ostensibly part of DHS ) and it is an understatement to say that what I saw being proposed horrified me .
That work , I am certain was performed at Battle Memorial Institute in West Jefferson , Ohio under a DHS contract doing the work for the CIA under the auspices of NBACC .
As I was very vocally opposed to this stuff I was removed from the secure access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offensive work which I had pointed out was not only illegal but unethical .
I have since retired now more than 10 years and am far away from all of that .
I won ’ t say more as they will reach out and seek retribution .
But , if you look hard enough you can find still on the internet some references .
There are some pissed off people out there should anyone care to actually do some leg work and try and figure this out .
But , our news people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very little possibility of ever learning the truth .
THE ESSENTIAL SAKER : f ...
The Saker Check Amazon for Pricing .
However , that said , I notice some interesting things with COVID-19 , that perked my ears up a bit .
Yes , it could be a natural infection jumping species from bats to humans with a probable intermediate host , under conditions of human encroachment into world habitats .
It is actually most likely to have been that , except for the strain differences being observed .
That leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact true , and I have no reason to doubt the Chinese on this , that it originated outside of China and it seems likely to have originated in the US .
If , in fact , the US has 5 strains currently and China only one then it must have been percolating in the US for some time before it arose in China .
Likely , deaths in the US were attributed to other diseases such as influenza and only retrospective sampling will determine this .
It would be interesting to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over time and distance .
Also , a definite genetic analysis of strains over time would also be beneficial and can be done easily on every isolated strain .
This would have value in attributing the course of the disease over time as part of a natural history study of the virus .
We would need access to all samples of every lung disease related death for the past 12 months to be certain to track all potential deaths .
NBACC is the key to figuring out what nefarious stuff was being funded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has mutated over time to become more virulent .
In particular engineered strains are generally unstable over multiple passages through multiple hosts .
In my experience when testing strains for pathogenesis and lethality it is wise to first passage a frozen isolate several times through a susceptible animal host to regain full strength .
If you test a lab isolate ( usually frozen or lyophilized ) generally it is wimpy unless you passage it at least 3 passages through an animal model .
The worst strains are always those recovered from humans who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collected strains .
If this was perceived to be a useful agent from the likes of Bolton or Pompeo , who are terrible and evil people , then it is conceivable this was thought to teach the Chinese a lesson in economics .
You have to be a complete idiot to release a virus for which you have no effective countermeasures but this administration seems to be filled with complete idiots .
So , expecting normal behavior from these people is futile .
It could have been released during the 7th CISM military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 and that fits perfectly into the time scale for the actual infections .
Now interestingly enough , I was a participant in several CISM competitions in Europe for skiing ( I was on active duty for 26 years ) so I am very well versed in who these athletes are .
In general the best are Olympic competitors who are ostensibly part of the National Guard of their states who pay for their training by extended military active duty periods where their sole job is sports training .
I used to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and generally I placed a distant second place in cross country skiing .
I also participated in the biathlon competitions and our soldiers were the very top level because they were in fact Olympic athletes .
Rumor is that the US participants at CISM were atrocious which is very atypical so one wonders who these “ athletes ” were .
I am reminded of the US military mission in Brazil to help flood victims which coincidentally was the exact same time that all the power transmission stations in Venezuela were destroyed .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I heard about that .
However , it is the perfect opportunity to release a virus on a target population .
I will also like to add that not all biological warfare agents are lethal .
In fact , the worst are non-lethal as it consumes vast amounts of resources in treatment and lost productivity .
Deaths are actually cheaper .
So , a high communicability , low lethality disease is perfect for ruining an economy .
As Trump ’ s administration claims they are waging war against economic enemies ( currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible actions .
This fits perfectly into that ; however , it may end up destroying the American economy which would be ironic .
I believe the Chinese response was exactly what a country would do if they were attacked with a bioweapon which explains a lot of their actions .
I do not believe it was an accidental release from the BSL-4 labs in Wuhan .
In fact , this may have been an irresistible opportunity similar to the alleged Novichuk release just 8 k away from Porton Down laboratories ( the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the potential release from PDL was never put forward as a logical explanation .
Anyway , it sticks me that the CIA seems to have developed a pattern over time .
As long as I am pushing my gut feelings I will throw out there the potential for a bioengineered adenovirus with c-fos and c-jun over expression which would cause sarcomas .
That work was all published at the National Cancer Institute located where ?
Fort Detrich .
I am certain it is just a coincidence .
I can imagine the cackling going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operation and again the coronavirus operation ( s ) .
I believe there were at least two attacks with Iran being the second and perhaps North Korea as well .
However , evidence against it being a bioweapon is Russia , Venezuela , and Cuba are minimally affected .
This could mean effective countermeasures or botched attacks .
It is inconsistent though with the way the CIA operates .
Adenovirus is another virus similar to coronavirus in usage and easily aerosolized .
I have made my own for over expression of medical treatments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than myself noted that so many enemies of the US have died from sarcomas particularly in South America ?
My point is perhaps this stuff has been ongoing for quite some time and with some fairly good results .
So , familiarity breeds contempt so as they gin more experience and begin to think this is good stuff , it is not out of the realm of possibility that this is in fact a bioweapon .
That Iran was hit so hard is another hackle rising .
It is just simply too good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ) to be a coincidence .
So , we are left with some interesting problems about this virus .
Where was patient zero in China .
What will be the results if a natural history study is conducted correlating geolocation , strain identity , severity of disease over time ?
Will that work be prevented ?
If so , that is yet another reason to be suspicious .
Will it continue to mutate and what will be the outcome of this ?
Lots of good stuff to examine here and it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .

[The following is the republication of several long and very detailed comments by an unidentified purported expert on biowarfare that originally appeared on a recent thread of the Saker blogsite.]
I’ll throw my 2 cents in here. I have zero proof other than my gut feeling that this is a bioweapon. I do have 40 year of biodefense research experience behind me and worked at Fort Detrich on bacterial vaccines where I developed my own aerosol infection routes and developed multi-species models of pathogenesis to establish correlates of immunity. Because I was a one-stop shop doing everything including animal care, aerosol exposures, sample analysis, necropsy, and histopathology, etc. plus I had research programs in endemic areas studying the immunopathological response in human populations to establish immune correlates of protection for candidate vaccines all for the Biological Defense Research Program (BDRP).
I recall the early years when the Department of Homeland Security was stood up and they got the lion’s share of poorly performing ciivil servants un-fireable under the then OPMA policies. I was brought in as a technical expert as we were in dire straits for funding so I (and others) was lent out as a research prostitute. This is a little known problem with civil service employees. They are impossible to eliminate and generally rise to levels where they can cause the most damage. However, an opportunity arose whereby agencies in the Federal government had to contribute bodies to the new Department of Homeland Security (as no new vacancies were created when the agency was stood up meaning everyone had to sacrifice personnel) so most, if not all, employees sent to DHS were the worst of the worst. However, the DHS labs (specifically NBACC) also tied into some nefarious microbiologists working at the CIA (ostensibly part of DHS) and it is an understatement to say that what I saw being proposed horrified me. That work, I am certain was performed at Battle Memorial Institute in West Jefferson, Ohio under a DHS contract doing the work for the CIA under the auspices of NBACC. As I was very vocally opposed to this stuff I was removed from the secure access at DHS but not DoD to the offensive work which I had pointed out was not only illegal but unethical. I have since retired now more than 10 years and am far away from all of that. I won’t say more as they will reach out and seek retribution. But, if you look hard enough you can find still on the internet some references. There are some pissed off people out there should anyone care to actually do some leg work and try and figure this out. But, our news people no longer does this work so there is very little possibility of ever learning the truth.
However, that said, I notice some interesting things with COVID-19, that perked my ears up a bit. Yes, it could be a natural infection jumping species from bats to humans with a probable intermediate host, under conditions of human encroachment into world habitats. It is actually most likely to have been that, except for the strain differences being observed. That leads one to believe if it is in fact true, and I have no reason to doubt the Chinese on this, that it originated outside of China and it seems likely to have originated in the US. If, in fact, the US has 5 strains currently and China only one then it must have been percolating in the US for some time before it arose in China. Likely, deaths in the US were attributed to other diseases such as influenza and only retrospective sampling will determine this. It would be interesting to do a combination GPS-Molecular biology tracking of strains over time and distance. Also, a definite genetic analysis of strains over time would also be beneficial and can be done easily on every isolated strain. This would have value in attributing the course of the disease over time as part of a natural history study of the virus. We would need access to all samples of every lung disease related death for the past 12 months to be certain to track all potential deaths. NBACC is the key to figuring out what nefarious stuff was being funded.
It is possible that this virus has mutated over time to become more virulent. In particular engineered strains are generally unstable over multiple passages through multiple hosts. In my experience when testing strains for pathogenesis and lethality it is wise to first passage a frozen isolate several times through a susceptible animal host to regain full strength. If you test a lab isolate (usually frozen or lyophilized) generally it is wimpy unless you passage it at least 3 passages through an animal model. The worst strains are always those recovered from humans who died from the disease and not field collected strains. If this was perceived to be a useful agent from the likes of Bolton or Pompeo, who are terrible and evil people, then it is conceivable this was thought to teach the Chinese a lesson in economics. You have to be a complete idiot to release a virus for which you have no effective countermeasures but this administration seems to be filled with complete idiots. So, expecting normal behavior from these people is futile.
It could have been released during the 7th CISM military games held in Wuhan October 18-27, 2019 and that fits perfectly into the time scale for the actual infections. Now interestingly enough, I was a participant in several CISM competitions in Europe for skiing (I was on active duty for 26 years) so I am very well versed in who these athletes are. In general the best are Olympic competitors who are ostensibly part of the National Guard of their states who pay for their training by extended military active duty periods where their sole job is sports training. I used to lose every year to one of these guys and generally I placed a distant second place in cross country skiing. I also participated in the biathlon competitions and our soldiers were the very top level because they were in fact Olympic athletes. Rumor is that the US participants at CISM were atrocious which is very atypical so one wonders who these “athletes” were. I am reminded of the US military mission in Brazil to help flood victims which coincidentally was the exact same time that all the power transmission stations in Venezuela were destroyed. So, again a hackle or 2 rise when I heard about that. However, it is the perfect opportunity to release a virus on a target population.
I will also like to add that not all biological warfare agents are lethal. In fact, the worst are non-lethal as it consumes vast amounts of resources in treatment and lost productivity. Deaths are actually cheaper. So, a high communicability, low lethality disease is perfect for ruining an economy. As Trump’s administration claims they are waging war against economic enemies (currently China heads the list) using all possible actions. This fits perfectly into that; however, it may end up destroying the American economy which would be ironic.
I believe the Chinese response was exactly what a country would do if they were attacked with a bioweapon which explains a lot of their actions. I do not believe it was an accidental release from the BSL-4 labs in Wuhan. In fact, this may have been an irresistible opportunity similar to the alleged Novichuk release just 8 k away from Porton Down laboratories (the UK Fort Detrich). Interestingly, the potential release from PDL was never put forward as a logical explanation. Anyway, it sticks me that the CIA seems to have developed a pattern over time. As long as I am pushing my gut feelings I will throw out there the potential for a bioengineered adenovirus with c-fos and c-jun over expression which would cause sarcomas. That work was all published at the National Cancer Institute located where? Fort Detrich. I am certain it is just a coincidence. I can imagine the cackling going on at the CIA when planning this operation and again the coronavirus operation(s). I believe there were at least two attacks with Iran being the second and perhaps North Korea as well. However, evidence against it being a bioweapon is Russia, Venezuela, and Cuba are minimally affected. This could mean effective countermeasures or botched attacks. It is inconsistent though with the way the CIA operates.
Adenovirus is another virus similar to coronavirus in usage and easily aerosolized. I have made my own for over expression of medical treatments for wound infections. Has anyone other than myself noted that so many enemies of the US have died from sarcomas particularly in South America? My point is perhaps this stuff has been ongoing for quite some time and with some fairly good results. So, familiarity breeds contempt so as they gin more experience and begin to think this is good stuff, it is not out of the realm of possibility that this is in fact a bioweapon. That Iran was hit so hard is another hackle rising. It is just simply too good (for the idiots in the US government) to be a coincidence.
So, we are left with some interesting problems about this virus. Where was patient zero in China. What will be the results if a natural history study is conducted correlating geolocation, strain identity, severity of disease over time? Will that work be prevented? If so, that is yet another reason to be suspicious. Will it continue to mutate and what will be the outcome of this? Lots of good stuff to examine here and it will keep a lot of people busy for years.


lewrockwell--2020-03-17--Detect, Deter, and Annihilate: How the Police State Will Deal With a Coronavirus Outbreak

What do zombies have to do with the U.S. government ’ s plans for dealing with a coronavirus outbreak ?
Read on , and I ’ ll tell you .
The zombie narrative was popularized by the hit television series The Walking Dead , in which a small group of Americans attempt to survive in a zombie-ridden , post-apocalyptic world where they ’ re not only fighting off flesh-eating ghouls but cannibalistic humans .
For a while there , zombies could be found lurking around every corner : wreaking havoc at gun shows , battling corsets in movies such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running for their lives in 5K charity races .
Understandably , zombie fiction plays to our fears and paranoia , while allowing us to “ envision how we and our own would thrive if everything went to hell and we lost all our societal supports.
” Yet as journalist Syreeta McFadden points out , while dystopian stories used to reflect our anxieties , now they reflect our reality , mirroring how we as a nation view the world around us , how we as citizens view each other , and most of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America : T ... John W. Whitehead Best Price : $ 10.95 Buy New $ 18.80 Indeed , the U.S. government has spent a lot of time and energy in recent years using zombies as the models for a variety of crisis scenarios not too dissimilar from what we are currently experiencing .
For instance , back in 2015 , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put together a zombie apocalypse preparation kit “ that details everything you would need to have on hand in the event the living dead showed up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in conjunction with the Dept .
of Defense , even used zombies to put government agents through their paces in mock military drills .
Fear the Walking Dead—AMC ’ s spinoff of its popular Walking Dead series—drove this point home by dialing back the clock to when the zombie outbreak first appears and setting viewers down in the midst of societal unrest not unlike our own experiences of recent years ( “ a bunch of weird incidents , police protests , riots , and … rapid social entropy ” ) .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military showed up and we fast-forwarded into an ad hoc police state with no glimpse at what was happening in the world around our main cast of hapless survivors.
” Forbes found Fear ’ s quick shift into a police state to be far-fetched , but anyone who has been paying attention in recent years knows that the groundwork was laid long ago for the government—i.e.
, the military—to intervene and lock down the nation in the event of a national disaster .
We ’ re seeing this play out now as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet to experience ( although it may only be a matter of time ) is that the government through the imposition of martial law could pose a greater threat to our safety ( and our freedoms ) than any virus .
As the Atlantic noted about Fear the Walking Dead : “ The villains aren ’ t the zombies , who rarely appear , but the U.S. military , who sweep into an L.A. suburb to quarantine the survivors .
Zombies are , after all , a recognizable threat—but Fear plumbs drama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep people safe.
” Indeed , zombie fiction perfectly embodies the government ’ s paranoia about the citizenry as potential threats that need to be monitored , tracked , surveilled , sequestered , deterred , vanquished and rendered impotent .
Why else would the government feel the need to monitor our communications , track our movements , criminalize our every action , treat us like suspects , and strip us of any means of defense while equipping its own personnel with an amazing arsenal of weapons ?
For years now , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drills with zombies as the enemy .
In 2011 , the DOD created a 31-page instruction manual for how to protect America from a terrorist attack carried out by zombie forces .
In 2012 , the CDC released a guide for surviving a zombie plague .
That was followed by training drills for members of the military , police officers and first responders .
The zombie exercises appeared to be kitschy and fun—government agents running around trying to put down a zombie rebellion—but what if the zombies in the exercises were us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power as mindless , voracious , zombie hordes ?
Consider this : the government started playing around with the idea of using zombies as stand-ins for enemy combatants in its training drills right around the time the Army War College issued its 2008 report , warning that an economic crisis in the U.S. could lead to massive civil unrest that would require the military to intervene and restore order .
That same year , it was revealed that the government had amassed more than 8 million names of Americans considered a threat to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the military in the event of a national catastrophe , a suspension of the Constitution or the imposition of martial law.
” The program ’ s name , Main Core , refers to the fact that it contains “ copies of the ‘ main core ’ or essence of each item of intelligence information on Americans produced by the FBI and the other agencies of the U.S. intelligence community.
” Also in 2008 , the Pentagon launched the Minerva Initiative , a $ 75 million military-driven research project focused on studying social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cope with mass civil disobedience or uprisings .
The Minerva Initiative has funded projects such as “ Who Does Not Become a Terrorist , and Why ?
” which “ conflates peaceful activists with ‘ supporters of political violence ’ who are different from terrorists only in that they do not embark on ‘ armed militancy ’ themselves.
” In 2009 , the Dept .
of Homeland Security issued its reports on Rightwing and Leftwing Extremism , in which the terms “ extremist ” and “ terrorist ” were used interchangeably to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or anti-government .
Meanwhile , a government campaign was underway to spy on Americans ’ mail , email and cell phone communications .
News reports indicate that the U.S .
Postal Service has handled more than 150,000 requests by federal and state law enforcement agencies to monitor Americans ’ mail , in addition to photographing every piece of mail sent through the postal system .
Fast forward a few years more and local police were being transformed into extensions of the military , taught to view members of their community as suspects , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , and equipped with all of the technology and weaponry of a soldier on a battlefield .
The Obama administration then hired a domestic terrorism czar whose job is to focus on anti-government American “ extremists ” who have been designated a greater threat to America than ISIS or al Qaeda .
As part of the government ’ s so-called war on right-wing extremism , the Obama administration agreed to partner with the United Nations to take part in its Strong Cities Network program , which is training local police agencies across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and prevent extremism .
Nothing has changed for the better under the Trump Administration .
Those who believe in and exercise their rights under the Constitution ( namely , the right to speak freely , worship freely , associate with like-minded individuals who share their political views , criticize the government , own a weapon , demand a warrant before being questioned or searched , or any other activity viewed as potentially anti-government , racist , bigoted , anarchic or sovereign ) , continue to be promoted to the top of the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We the people ” or , more appropriately , “ we the zombies ” are the enemy in the eyes of the government .
This coronavirus merely ups the ante .
So when presented with the Defense Department ’ s battle plan for defeating an army of the walking dead , you might find yourself tempted to giggle over the fact that a taxpayer-funded government bureaucrat actually took the time to research and write about vegetarian zombies , evil magic zombies , chicken zombies , space zombies , bio-engineered weaponized zombies , radiation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zombies .
However , in an age of extreme government paranoia , this is no laughing matter .
The DOD ’ s strategy for dealing with a zombie uprising , outlined in “ CONOP 8888 , ” is for all intents and purposes a training manual for the government in how to put down a citizen uprising or at least an uprising of individuals “ infected ” with a dangerous disease or dangerous ideas about freedom .
A Government of Wolves ... John W. Whitehead Best Price : $ 2.06 Buy New $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficulties outlined in the “ fictional training scenario ” are all too real , beginning with martial law .
As the DOD training manual states : “ zombies [ stand-ins for “ we the people ” ] are horribly dangerous to all human life and zombie infections have the potential to seriously undermine national security and economic activities that sustain our way of life .
Therefore having a population that is not composed of zombies or at risk from their malign influence is vital to U.S. and Allied national interests.
” So how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a zombie ( a.k.a .
citizen ) uprising ?
The strategy manual outlines five phases necessary for a counter-offensive : shape , deter , seize initiative , dominate , stabilize and restore civil authority .
Here are a few details : Phase 0 ( Shape ) : Conduct general zombie awareness training .
Monitor increased threats ( i.e.
, surveillance ) .
Carry out military drills .
Synchronize contingency plans between federal and state agencies .
Anticipate and prepare for a breakdown in law and order .
Phase 1 ( Deter ) : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or reasoned with .
Carry out training drills to discourage other countries from developing or deploying attack zombies and publicly reinforce the government ’ s ability to combat a zombie threat .
Initiate intelligence sharing between federal and state agencies .
Assist the Dept .
of Homeland Security in identifying or discouraging immigrants from areas where zombie-related diseases originate .
Phase 2 ( Seize initiative ) : Recall all military personal to their duty stations .
Fortify all military outposts .
Deploy air and ground forces for at least 35 days .
Carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Russia and China to ensure they do not misinterpret the government ’ s zombie countermeasures as preparations for war .
Establish quarantine zones .
Distribute explosion-resistant protective equipment .
Place the military on red alert .
Begin limited scale military operations to combat zombie threats .
Carry out combat operations against zombie populations within the United States that were “ previously ” U.S. citizens .
Phase 3 ( Dominate ) : Lock down all military bases for 30 days .
Shelter all essential government personnel for at least 40 days .
Equip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Issue orders for military to kill all non-human life on sight .
Initiate bomber and missile strikes against targeted sources of zombie infection , including the infrastructure .
Burn all zombie corpses .
Deploy military to lock down the beaches and waterways .
Phase 4 ( Stabilize ) : Send out recon teams to check for remaining threats and survey the status of basic services ( water , power , sewage infrastructure , air , and lines of communication ) .
Execute a counter-zombie ISR plan to ID holdout pockets of zombie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target any remaining regions of zombie holdouts and influence .
Continue all actions from the Dominate phase .
Phase 5 ( Restore civil authority ) : Deploy military personnel to assist any surviving civil authorities in disaster zones .
Reconstitute combat capabilities at various military bases .
Prepare to redeploy military forces to attack surviving zombie holdouts .
Restore basic services in disaster areas .
As I point out in my book , Battlefield America : The War on the American People , if there is any lesson to be learned , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to national security comes in the form of imaginary zombies , actual terrorists , American citizens infected with the coronavirus , or disgruntled American citizens infected with dangerous ideas about freedom , the government ’ s response to such threats remains the same : detect , deter and annihilate .
The Best of John W. Whitehead

“Fear is a primitive impulse, brainless as hunger, and because the aim of horror fiction is the production of the deepest kinds of fears, the genre tends to reinforce some remarkably uncivilized ideas about self-protection. In the current crop of zombie stories, the prevailing value for the beleaguered survivors is a sort of siege mentality, a vigilance so constant and unremitting that it’s indistinguishable from the purest paranoia.”— Terrence Rafferty, New York Times
What do zombies have to do with the U.S. government’s plans for dealing with a coronavirus outbreak?
Read on, and I’ll tell you.
The zombie narrative was popularized by the hit television series The Walking Dead, in which a small group of Americans attempt to survive in a zombie-ridden, post-apocalyptic world where they’re not only fighting off flesh-eating ghouls but cannibalistic humans.
For a while there, zombies could be found lurking around every corner: wreaking havoc at gun shows, battling corsets in movies such as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and running for their lives in 5K charity races.
Understandably, zombie fiction plays to our fears and paranoia, while allowing us to “envision how we and our own would thrive if everything went to hell and we lost all our societal supports.” Yet as journalist Syreeta McFadden points out, while dystopian stories used to reflect our anxieties, now they reflect our reality, mirroring how we as a nation view the world around us, how we as citizens view each other, and most of all how our government views us. Battlefield America: T... John W. Whitehead Best Price: $10.95 Buy New $18.80 (as of 10:15 UTC - Details)
Indeed, the U.S. government has spent a lot of time and energy in recent years using zombies as the models for a variety of crisis scenarios not too dissimilar from what we are currently experiencing.
For instance, back in 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put together a zombie apocalypse preparation kit “that details everything you would need to have on hand in the event the living dead showed up at your front door.” The CDC, in conjunction with the Dept. of Defense, even used zombies to put government agents through their paces in mock military drills.
Fear the Walking Dead—AMC’s spinoff of its popular Walking Dead series—drove this point home by dialing back the clock to when the zombie outbreak first appears and setting viewers down in the midst of societal unrest not unlike our own experiences of recent years (“a bunch of weird incidents, police protests, riots, and … rapid social entropy”). Then, as Forbes reports, “the military showed up and we fast-forwarded into an ad hoc police state with no glimpse at what was happening in the world around our main cast of hapless survivors.”
Forbes found Fear’s quick shift into a police state to be far-fetched, but anyone who has been paying attention in recent years knows that the groundwork was laid long ago for the government—i.e., the military—to intervene and lock down the nation in the event of a national disaster.
We’re seeing this play out now as the coronavirus contagion spreads.
What we have yet to experience (although it may only be a matter of time) is that the government through the imposition of martial law could pose a greater threat to our safety (and our freedoms) than any virus.
As the Atlantic noted about Fear the Walking Dead: “The villains aren’t the zombies, who rarely appear, but the U.S. military, who sweep into an L.A. suburb to quarantine the survivors. Zombies are, after all, a recognizable threat—but Fear plumbs drama and horror from the betrayal by institutions designed to keep people safe.”
Indeed, zombie fiction perfectly embodies the government’s paranoia about the citizenry as potential threats that need to be monitored, tracked, surveilled, sequestered, deterred, vanquished and rendered impotent.
Why else would the government feel the need to monitor our communications, track our movements, criminalize our every action, treat us like suspects, and strip us of any means of defense while equipping its own personnel with an amazing arsenal of weapons?
For years now, the government has been carrying out military training drills with zombies as the enemy. In 2011, the DOD created a 31-page instruction manual for how to protect America from a terrorist attack carried out by zombie forces. In 2012, the CDC released a guide for surviving a zombie plague. That was followed by training drills for members of the military, police officers and first responders.
As journalist Andrea Peyser reports:
Coinciding with Halloween 2012, a five-day national conference was put on by the HALO Corp. in San Diego for more than 1,000 first responders, military personnel and law enforcement types. It included workshops produced by a Hollywood-affiliated firm in…overcoming a zombie invasion. Actors were made up to look like flesh-chomping monsters. The Department of Homeland Security even paid the $1,000 entry fees for an unknown number of participants… “Zombie disaster” drills were held in October 2012 and ’13 at California’s Sutter Roseville Medical Center. The exercises allowed medical center staff “to test response to a deadly infectious disease, a mass-casualty event, terrorism event and security procedures”… [In October 2014], REI outdoor-gear stores in Soho and around the country are to hold free classes in zombie preparedness, which the stores have been providing for about three years.
The zombie exercises appeared to be kitschy and fun—government agents running around trying to put down a zombie rebellion—but what if the zombies in the exercises were us, the citizenry, viewed by those in power as mindless, voracious, zombie hordes?
Consider this: the government started playing around with the idea of using zombies as stand-ins for enemy combatants in its training drills right around the time the Army War College issued its 2008 report, warning that an economic crisis in the U.S. could lead to massive civil unrest that would require the military to intervene and restore order.
That same year, it was revealed that the government had amassed more than 8 million names of Americans considered a threat to national security, to be used “by the military in the event of a national catastrophe, a suspension of the Constitution or the imposition of martial law.” The program’s name, Main Core, refers to the fact that it contains “copies of the ‘main core’ or essence of each item of intelligence information on Americans produced by the FBI and the other agencies of the U.S. intelligence community.”
Also in 2008, the Pentagon launched the Minerva Initiative, a $75 million military-driven research project focused on studying social behavior in order to determine how best to cope with mass civil disobedience or uprisings. The Minerva Initiative has funded projects such as “Who Does Not Become a Terrorist, and Why?” which “conflates peaceful activists with ‘supporters of political violence’ who are different from terrorists only in that they do not embark on ‘armed militancy’ themselves.”
In 2009, the Dept. of Homeland Security issued its reports on Rightwing and Leftwing Extremism, in which the terms “extremist” and “terrorist” were used interchangeably to describe citizens they perceived to be disgruntled or anti-government.
Meanwhile, a government campaign was underway to spy on Americans’ mail, email and cell phone communications. News reports indicate that the U.S. Postal Service has handled more than 150,000 requests by federal and state law enforcement agencies to monitor Americans’ mail, in addition to photographing every piece of mail sent through the postal system.
Fast forward a few years more and local police were being transformed into extensions of the military, taught to view members of their community as suspects, trained to shoot first and ask questions later, and equipped with all of the technology and weaponry of a soldier on a battlefield.
The Obama administration then hired a domestic terrorism czar whose job is to focus on anti-government American “extremists” who have been designated a greater threat to America than ISIS or al Qaeda. As part of the government’s so-called war on right-wing extremism, the Obama administration agreed to partner with the United Nations to take part in its Strong Cities Network program, which is training local police agencies across America in how to identify, fight and prevent extremism.
Nothing has changed for the better under the Trump Administration.
Those who believe in and exercise their rights under the Constitution (namely, the right to speak freely, worship freely, associate with like-minded individuals who share their political views, criticize the government, own a weapon, demand a warrant before being questioned or searched, or any other activity viewed as potentially anti-government, racist, bigoted, anarchic or sovereign), continue to be promoted to the top of the government’s terrorism watch list.
“We the people” or, more appropriately, “we the zombies” are the enemy in the eyes of the government. This coronavirus merely ups the ante.
So when presented with the Defense Department’s battle plan for defeating an army of the walking dead, you might find yourself tempted to giggle over the fact that a taxpayer-funded government bureaucrat actually took the time to research and write about vegetarian zombies, evil magic zombies, chicken zombies, space zombies, bio-engineered weaponized zombies, radiation zombies, symbiant-induced zombies, and pathogenic zombies.
However, in an age of extreme government paranoia, this is no laughing matter.
The DOD’s strategy for dealing with a zombie uprising, outlined in “CONOP 8888,” is for all intents and purposes a training manual for the government in how to put down a citizen uprising or at least an uprising of individuals “infected” with a dangerous disease or dangerous ideas about freedom. A Government of Wolves... John W. Whitehead Best Price: $2.06 Buy New $10.42 (as of 01:25 UTC - Details)
Rest assured that the tactics and difficulties outlined in the “fictional training scenario” are all too real, beginning with martial law.
As the DOD training manual states: “zombies [stand-ins for “we the people”] are horribly dangerous to all human life and zombie infections have the potential to seriously undermine national security and economic activities that sustain our way of life. Therefore having a population that is not composed of zombies or at risk from their malign influence is vital to U.S. and Allied national interests.”
So how does the military plan to put down a zombie (a.k.a. citizen) uprising?
The strategy manual outlines five phases necessary for a counter-offensive: shape, deter, seize initiative, dominate, stabilize and restore civil authority. Here are a few details:
Phase 0 (Shape): Conduct general zombie awareness training. Monitor increased threats (i.e., surveillance). Carry out military drills. Synchronize contingency plans between federal and state agencies. Anticipate and prepare for a breakdown in law and order.
Phase 1 (Deter): Recognize that zombies cannot be deterred or reasoned with. Carry out training drills to discourage other countries from developing or deploying attack zombies and publicly reinforce the government’s ability to combat a zombie threat. Initiate intelligence sharing between federal and state agencies. Assist the Dept. of Homeland Security in identifying or discouraging immigrants from areas where zombie-related diseases originate.
Phase 2 (Seize initiative): Recall all military personal to their duty stations. Fortify all military outposts. Deploy air and ground forces for at least 35 days. Carry out confidence-building measures with nuclear-armed peers such as Russia and China to ensure they do not misinterpret the government’s zombie countermeasures as preparations for war. Establish quarantine zones. Distribute explosion-resistant protective equipment. Place the military on red alert. Begin limited scale military operations to combat zombie threats. Carry out combat operations against zombie populations within the United States that were “previously” U.S. citizens.
Phase 3 (Dominate): Lock down all military bases for 30 days. Shelter all essential government personnel for at least 40 days. Equip all government agents with military protective gear. Issue orders for military to kill all non-human life on sight. Initiate bomber and missile strikes against targeted sources of zombie infection, including the infrastructure. Burn all zombie corpses. Deploy military to lock down the beaches and waterways.
Phase 4 (Stabilize): Send out recon teams to check for remaining threats and survey the status of basic services (water, power, sewage infrastructure, air, and lines of communication). Execute a counter-zombie ISR plan to ID holdout pockets of zombie resistance. Use all military resources to target any remaining regions of zombie holdouts and influence. Continue all actions from the Dominate phase.
Phase 5 (Restore civil authority): Deploy military personnel to assist any surviving civil authorities in disaster zones. Reconstitute combat capabilities at various military bases. Prepare to redeploy military forces to attack surviving zombie holdouts. Restore basic services in disaster areas.
Notice the similarities?
Surveillance. Military drills. Awareness training. Militarized police forces. Martial law.
As I point out in my book, Battlefield America: The War on the American People, if there is any lesson to be learned, it is simply this: whether the threat to national security comes in the form of imaginary zombies, actual terrorists, American citizens infected with the coronavirus, or disgruntled American citizens infected with dangerous ideas about freedom, the government’s response to such threats remains the same: detect, deter and annihilate.
The Best of John W. Whitehead


lewrockwell--2020-03-17--Bringing Life to a Standstill

Bringing Life to a Standstill

The Coronavirus is nothing to take lightly .
It is also nothing to panic about .
Or perhaps we should .
The unprecedented restrictions on the movement of people , unimaginable only two weeks ago , is bringing life in Europe to a virtual standstill .
Today they are doing their best to close New York City .
However , the “ social distancing ” measures so far have not slowed the spread of the disease ; approximately half of all confirmed cases in Italy were diagnosed since the restrictions entered into effect on March 10 .
Some specialists are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy because they were taking Iboprufeno for fever .
Anti-inflammatory drugs are a known risk for people with infectious illnesses because they can decrease the response of the body ’ s immune system .
Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) suggest social distancing would be an effective way to limit exposure to the fast-spreading virus and perhaps they are correct .
Taiwan has only 50 coronavirus cases despite being next door to China .
Its response to the crisis showed that swift action and widespread health-care can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms of social distancing will be useless if sick people can not get treated—or afford to stay away from work when they are sick .
The Atlantic Governments are taking all the measures that can be taken to slow down the growth in infections mostly because they are afraid that medical systems and hospitals will be overwhelmed , like they are already being in Italy .
‘ Healthcare is on the brink of collapsing there , so wherever you are it is best to be prepared to care for oneself and one ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denmark , new laws give authorities the right to force people “ suspected of carrying a disease ” into treatment and vaccination , making it a breach of the law to resist being tested for the virus .
Sodium Bicarbonate : Na ... Mark Sircus Best Price : $ 7.25 Buy New $ 10.32 A USA TODAY analysis shows there could be six seriously ill patients for every existing US hospital bed .
No state is prepared .
The collective behavior of earthlings is changing fast .
Regardless of whether you believe the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaction to it is real and is having real consequences in finance , economics and human behavior .
We are being forced to change like it or not .
No more theater , sports , public movies , shopping , meetings , travel , vacations .
No more working in public either .
In the states , if health officials have their way , one will not even be able to visit one ’ s parents if they are in nursing homes .
In Italy the death toll from coronavirus has jumped by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest daily increase ever recorded by any country , as the worst-affected Lombardy region asked for a complete shutdown of factories and offices .
CDC tells people over 60 or who have chronic illnesses like diabetes to stock up on goods and buckle down for a lengthy stay at home .
Look at the phase change in attitude that has happened in just the past 2 weeks .
The public went from complacent to panicked .
The markets tipped from greed to extreme fear .
Johns Hopkins University Professor of Public Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we have between 50,000 and half a million cases right now walking around in the United States.
” His guess creates a lot of fear and anxiety so it should be no one ’ s surprise if Americans start flocking to supermarkets as panic grips the public .
Top health officials want us to be very afraid and for everyone to think and believe as they do .
And they make a good case for it .
COVID-19 is spreading extremely fast : roughly 40,000 of the cases ( 95 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during just the first 14 days of March .
Do not be in fear of the coronavirus for fear and stress make our immune systems weaker .
“ I can ’ t think of too many other things that could trigger an economic collapse faster than a global pandemic could .
We had better pray that life will get back to normal in a few weeks , because a complete and utter economic nightmare is ahead if that does not happen , ” writes Michael Snyder .
Central bankers are now in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , which has wreaked havoc across financial markets and threatens to tip the U.S. into recession too — if it hasn ’ t done so already .
Actually we will probably skip right over the recession business and go right into a depression as everything gets closed down .
Yesterday , on Sunday , March 15 , 2020 the Federal Reserve dropped interest rates by a full point and launched a massive $ 700 billion quantitative easing program to shelter the economy from the effects of the virus .
Stocks dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures now familiar around most of the planet—population lock-downs , prohibition of mass gatherings , and travel bans—are not on the drawing board in Britain .
Johnson ’ s government has diverged with the rest of the world and decided to take a much less draconian approach .
The fact is we have been dealt a hand , and it is what it is .
We have no choice but to play the cards we are being dealt .
The authorities have decided to pull the plug on life as we know it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has struck , there is no one around , ” said Mario Monfreda , who runs Larys restaurant in a smart Rome residential area .
Under the government order , all bars and restaurants will now have to close at 6.00 p.m. “ It is a total disaster .
This will reduce us to nothing .
More people are going to die as a result of the economic crisis that this lockdown is going to cause than the virus itself.
” Every Major Event Canceled or Postponed Worldwide Due to Coronavirus .
Cancel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from The Atlantic , which insists , “ Social distancing is the only way to stop the coronavirus .
We must start immediately.
” That is exactly what is happening .
Everything is being canceled , life is coming to a full stop for hundreds of millions and that number could soon become billions .
Social distancing is already leaving utter destruction in its wake in an economic sense , something an already weakened world economy is not going to be strong enough to take .
All of this is being done to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is going to absolutely kill the economy .
The Atlantic take a firm stand that , “ The coronavirus could spread with frightening rapidity , overburdening our health-care system and claiming lives , until we adopt serious forms of social distancing .
This suggests that anyone in a position of power or authority , instead of downplaying the dangers of the coronavirus , should ask people to stay away from public places , cancel big gatherings , and restrict most forms of nonessential travel.
” If the entire world follows this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will not save the world economy , which was probably doomed anyway because of the mountain ranges of debt .
COVID-19 is now officially classified as a pandemic , the World Health Organization announced Wednesday during a press conference .
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “ In the past two weeks , the number of cases of COVID-19 outside China has increased 13-fold , and the number of affected countries has tripled , ” Dr. Tedros said .
“ In the days and weeks ahead , we expect to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of deaths , and the number of affected countries climb even higher , ” he continued .
The coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. could grow to be as serious as it is in Wuhan , China , Johns Hopkins University Dr. Marty Makary told CNBC on Tuesday .
“ What happened in Wuhan could happen here .
Why do we think otherwise ?
” “ U.S .
Coronavirus Cases Double In Less Than 48 Hours , And “ Everyone Else Will Be Italy In 9-14 Days Time ” is another headline in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeffrey Smith , chief operating officer for Cedars-Sinai emphasized that , “ The social engineering methods that we ’ re putting in place — canceling schools , canceling large gatherings — to decrease the rate of spread , that ’ s really important to avoid a big rapid spike in cases , including critically ill cases that could tax our entire health system , including the availability of ventilators , patient rooms and critical-care resources.
” We must save the medical system at all costs is the message even if it means crashing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sircus Best Price : $ 1.00 Buy New $ 2.99 The Official story from AP on the 14th of March seems to betray the need for such drastic measures : “ For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness recover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to be over it.
” According to research from the WHO , while many patients experience nothing more than a mild cold , one in seven patients develops difficulty breathing and other “ severe ” complications , while 6 % become critically ill and require hospitalization to stabilize their condition , risking death if they can ’ t receive the highest level of care .
Unfortunately for patients the highest level of care is astonishingly poor because health officials refuse to look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the best ICU departments ) that address the fundamental physiological threats the virus brings .
There are layers of issues of concern .
There are our preconditions that could threaten us with death by the virus , and the causes of these preconditions like nutritional deficiencies and toxic exposures .
Then there is the virus itself , which kids can laugh off because it does not affect them .
Then there is the forced medical response and the financial and economic consequences , which can kill many more than the virus itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a problem for the majority but the governmental and medical response to it will hurt everyone .
The coronavirus has many unknown properties and effects different people and age groups differently .
So far it seems most of the deaths have been among people whose health was already sorely compromised , and that even without the coronavirus , they might have died of the underlying health issue sooner rather than later .
However , we have dire reports that suggest the situation is much worse than many of us believe with the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering .
The Best of Dr. Mark Sircus

The Coronavirus is nothing to take lightly. It is also nothing to panic about. Or perhaps we should. The unprecedented restrictions on the movement of people, unimaginable only two weeks ago, is bringing life in Europe to a virtual standstill. Today they are doing their best to close New York City. However, the “social distancing” measures so far have not slowed the spread of the disease; approximately half of all confirmed cases in Italy were diagnosed since the restrictions entered into effect on March 10. Some specialists are saying that the worse is happening in Italy because they were taking Iboprufeno for fever. Anti-inflammatory drugs are a known risk for people with infectious illnesses because they can decrease the response of the body’s immune system.
Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest social distancing would be an effective way to limit exposure to the fast-spreading virus and perhaps they are correct. Taiwan has only 50 coronavirus cases despite being next door to China. Its response to the crisis showed that swift action and widespread health-care can prevent an outbreak.
Given that most forms of social distancing will be
useless if sick people cannot get treated—or
afford to stay away from work when they are sick.
The Atlantic
Governments are taking all the measures that can be taken to slow down the growth in infections mostly because they are afraid that medical systems and hospitals will be overwhelmed, like they are already being in Italy. ‘Healthcare is on the brink of collapsing there, so wherever you are it is best to be prepared to care for oneself and one’s loved ones at home. In Denmark, new laws give authorities the right to force people “suspected of carrying a disease” into treatment and vaccination, making it a breach of the law to resist being tested for the virus. Sodium Bicarbonate: Na... Mark Sircus Best Price: $7.25 Buy New $10.32 (as of 10:37 UTC - Details)
A USA TODAY analysis shows there
could be six seriously ill patients for every
existing US hospital bed. No state is prepared.
The collective behavior of earthlings is changing fast. Regardless of whether you believe the pandemic is real or not, the reaction to it is real and is having real consequences in finance, economics and human behavior. We are being forced to change like it or not.
No more theater, sports, public movies, shopping, meetings, travel, vacations. No more working in public either. In the states, if health officials have their way, one will not even be able to visit one’s parents if they are in nursing homes. In Italy the death toll from coronavirus has jumped by 250 in the last 24 hours, the biggest daily increase ever recorded by any country, as the worst-affected Lombardy region asked for a complete shutdown of factories and offices.
CDC tells people over 60 or who have chronic
illnesses like diabetes to stock up on goods
and buckle down for a lengthy stay at home.
Look at the phase change in attitude that has happened in just the past 2 weeks. The public went from complacent to panicked. The markets tipped from greed to extreme fear. Johns Hopkins University Professor of Public Health Dr. Marty Makary says, “I think we have between 50,000 and half a million cases right now walking around in the United States.” His guess creates a lot of fear and anxiety so it should be no one’s surprise if Americans start flocking to supermarkets as panic grips the public. Top health officials want us to be very afraid and for everyone to think and believe as they do.
And they make a good case for it. COVID-19 is spreading extremely fast: roughly 40,000 of the cases (95% of all cases) in Europe were confirmed during just the first 14 days of March.
Do not be in fear of the coronavirus for fear
and stress make our immune systems weaker.
Economic and Financial Consequences
“I can’t think of too many other things that could trigger an economic collapse faster than a global pandemic could. We had better pray that life will get back to normal in a few weeks, because a complete and utter economic nightmare is ahead if that does not happen,” writes Michael Snyder. Central bankers are now in a race to save an 11-year expansion from the coronavirus, which has wreaked havoc across financial markets and threatens to tip the U.S. into recession too — if it hasn’t done so already.
Actually we will probably skip right over the recession business and go right into a depression as everything gets closed down. Yesterday, on Sunday, March 15, 2020 the Federal Reserve dropped interest rates by a full point and launched a massive $700 billion quantitative easing program to shelter the economy from the effects of the virus. Stocks dropped like a stone.
Not Everyone Agrees
These strict containment measures now familiar around most of the planet—population lock-downs, prohibition of mass gatherings, and travel bans—are not on the drawing board in Britain. Johnson’s government has diverged with the rest of the world and decided to take a much less draconian approach.
Bad Hand
The fact is we have been dealt a hand, and it is what it is. We have no choice but to play the cards we are being dealt. The authorities have decided to pull the plug on life as we know it. “It looks like an apocalypse has struck, there is no one around,” said Mario Monfreda, who runs Larys restaurant in a smart Rome residential area. Under the government order, all bars and restaurants will now have to close at 6.00 p.m. “It is a total disaster. This will reduce us to nothing. More people are going to die as a result of the economic crisis that this lockdown is going to cause than the virus itself.” Every Major Event Canceled or Postponed Worldwide Due to Coronavirus.
Cancel Everything is the title of a piece from The Atlantic, which insists, “Social distancing is the only way to stop the coronavirus. We must start immediately.” That is exactly what is happening. Everything is being canceled, life is coming to a full stop for hundreds of millions and that number could soon become billions. Social distancing is already leaving utter destruction in its wake in an economic sense, something an already weakened world economy is not going to be strong enough to take.
All of this is being done to save lives. But in the
process, it is going to absolutely kill the economy.
The Atlantic take a firm stand that, “The coronavirus could spread with frightening rapidity, overburdening our health-care system and claiming lives, until we adopt serious forms of social distancing. This suggests that anyone in a position of power or authority, instead of downplaying the dangers of the coronavirus, should ask people to stay away from public places, cancel big gatherings, and restrict most forms of nonessential travel.” If the entire world follows this prescription we might be saving lives but we will not save the world economy, which was probably doomed anyway because of the mountain ranges of debt.
COVID-19 is now officially classified as a pandemic, the World Health Organization announced Wednesday during a press conference. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “In the past two weeks, the number of cases of COVID-19 outside China has increased 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has tripled,” Dr. Tedros said. “In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher,” he continued.
The coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. could grow to be as serious as it is in Wuhan, China, Johns Hopkins University Dr. Marty Makary told CNBC on Tuesday. “What happened in Wuhan could happen here. Why do we think otherwise?” “U.S. Coronavirus Cases Double In Less Than 48 Hours, And “Everyone Else Will Be Italy In 9-14 Days Time” is another headline in an essay written by Michael Snyder.
Dr. Jeffrey Smith, chief operating officer for Cedars-Sinai emphasized that, “The social engineering methods that we’re putting in place — canceling schools, canceling large gatherings — to decrease the rate of spread, that’s really important to avoid a big rapid spike in cases, including critically ill cases that could tax our entire health system, including the availability of ventilators, patient rooms and critical-care resources.” We must save the medical system at all costs is the message even if it means crashing the economy. Transdermal Magnesium ... Mark Sircus Best Price: $1.00 Buy New $2.99 (as of 09:56 UTC - Details)
The Official story from AP on the 14th of March seems to betray the need for such drastic measures:
“For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to be over it.”
According to research from the WHO, while many patients experience nothing more than a mild cold, one in seven patients develops difficulty breathing and other “severe” complications, while 6% become critically ill and require hospitalization to stabilize their condition, risking death if they can’t receive the highest level of care. Unfortunately for patients the highest level of care is astonishingly poor because health officials refuse to look at the best treatments (that already exist in the best ICU departments) that address the fundamental physiological threats the virus brings.
Conclusion
There are layers of issues of concern. There are our preconditions that could threaten us with death by the virus, and the causes of these preconditions like nutritional deficiencies and toxic exposures. Then there is the virus itself, which kids can laugh off because it does not affect them. Then there is the forced medical response and the financial and economic consequences, which can kill many more than the virus itself.
The coronavirus by itself is not a problem for the majority but the governmental and medical response to it will hurt everyone. The coronavirus has many unknown properties and effects different people and age groups differently. So far it seems most of the deaths have been among people whose health was already sorely compromised, and that even without the coronavirus, they might have died of the underlying health issue sooner rather than later. However, we have dire reports that suggest the situation is much worse than many of us believe with the potential collapse of hospitals world wide in the offering.
Reprinted with permission from Dr.Sircus.com.
The Best of Dr. Mark Sircus


lewrockwell--2020-03-17--MD Gov. Orders ‘Drastic Actions’ To Be Enforced Statewide by Cops and Troops

If you ’ re new here , you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed .
Thanks for visiting !
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced a series of dramatic executive orders today to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
These actions are to be enforced by police and the National Guard .
According to WBAL-TV he ordered the following social distancing measures .
• shut down all bars , restaurants , gyms and movie theaters , effectively starting at 5 p.m. Monday .
Drive through and carry out services will be allowed to continue .
• Following CDC guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be prohibited across the state , including social and recreational events and religious and sports gatherings .
( source ) These measures will be strongly enforced .
Anne Arundel First Alert reports : Be Ready for Anything : ... Daisy Luther Best Price : $ 10.45 Buy New $ 9.69 Hogan says State Troopers and National Guard will enforce orders saying “ We ’ re not playing around anymore.
” “ Emergency orders will carry the full force of the law , ” Hogan re-iterated .
“ We have never faced anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He continued , citing “ Drastic actions ” being taken right now .
He warned Marylanders the orders may seem scary and may sound extreme , it is absolutely necessary .
( source ) Hogan has ordered the activation of 250 State Troopers for emergency service , 400 Army and Air National Guard , and 1000 more MD National Guard .
As well , 1200 Maryland guardsmen are on enhanced readiness status if they are needed .
They will also increase medical resources and provide financial relief .
As well , any hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to increase the capacity in the state by 6000 beds .
They will also allow doctors and nurses with out-of-state licenses to practice in Maryland .
For those who may be financially struggling , the following orders were put in place : • Essential services such as grocery stores , banks and gas stations will be allowed to remain open .
• The executive order prohibits utilities , such as electric , gas , water , sewage , cable , internet and phone lines , to be cut off nor incur late fees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karen Salmon has applied for a Federal waiver to provide three meals a day plus a snack to those who need it .
Statewide , 138 centers already up and operating .
Visit to find all participating locations .
( source ) To some degree , this answers our questions about whether or not utilities will remain working .
It appears that governments will try to keep things like power , water , and internet running as normally as possible for as long as possible .
How long with these extreme measures last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It is impossible to know how long this threat will continue.
” This shows you how fast things can change .
These announcements were made at 11 o ’ clock Monday morning and take effect this afternoon at 5 pm .
Our situation is extremely fluid and you can expect things to change rapidly .
For more advice on preparing for quarantines , go here .
Once the lockdowns begin occurring , expect them to quickly spread across the country .
If you haven ’ t purchased everything you need , go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the things you want are out of stock .
You need to be where you intend to be to ride this thing out , and you need to have what you want to have .
Time is quickly running out , if it hasn ’ t already .
Today , it ’ s Maryland .
By the end of the week , it could be the entire country .
Reprinted with permission from The Organic Prepper .
The Best of Daisy Luther

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
(Psst: The FTC wants me to remind you that this website contains affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase from a link you click on, I might receive a small commission. This does not increase the price you’ll pay for that item nor does it decrease the awesomeness of the item. ~ Daisy)
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced a series of dramatic executive orders today to prevent the spread of coronavirus. These actions are to be enforced by police and the National Guard.
According to WBAL-TV he ordered the following social distancing measures.
shut down all bars, restaurants, gyms and movie theaters, effectively starting at 5 p.m. Monday. Drive through and carry out services will be allowed to continue.
Following CDC guidelines, settings of 50 of more individuals will be prohibited across the state, including social and recreational events and religious and sports gatherings. (source)
These measures will be strongly enforced. Anne Arundel First Alert reports: Be Ready for Anything:... Daisy Luther Best Price: $10.45 Buy New $9.69 (as of 07:15 UTC - Details)
Hogan says State Troopers and National Guard will enforce orders saying “We’re not playing around anymore.” “Emergency orders will carry the full force of the law,” Hogan re-iterated. “We have never faced anything like this before, said Hogan. He continued, citing “Drastic actions” being taken right now. He warned Marylanders the orders may seem scary and may sound extreme, it is absolutely necessary. (source)
Hogan has ordered the activation of 250 State Troopers for emergency service, 400 Army and Air National Guard, and 1000 more MD National Guard. As well, 1200 Maryland guardsmen are on enhanced readiness status if they are needed.
They will also increase medical resources and provide financial relief.
As well, any hospitals that have been closed will be re-opened to increase the capacity in the state by 6000 beds. They will also allow doctors and nurses with out-of-state licenses to practice in Maryland.
For those who may be financially struggling, the following orders were put in place:
Essential services such as grocery stores, banks and gas stations will be allowed to remain open.
The executive order prohibits utilities, such as electric, gas, water, sewage, cable, internet and phone lines, to be cut off nor incur late fees.
Evictions have been prohibited.
Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon has applied for a Federal waiver to provide three meals a day plus a snack to those who need it. Statewide, 138 centers already up and operating. Visit to find all participating locations. (source)
To some degree, this answers our questions about whether or not utilities will remain working. It appears that governments will try to keep things like power, water, and internet running as normally as possible for as long as possible.
How long with these extreme measures last?
According to Gov. Hogan, “It is impossible to know how long this threat will continue.”
This shows you how fast things can change.
These announcements were made at 11 o’clock Monday morning and take effect this afternoon at 5 pm. Our situation is extremely fluid and you can expect things to change rapidly. For more advice on preparing for quarantines, go here.
Once the lockdowns begin occurring, expect them to quickly spread across the country. If you haven’t purchased everything you need, go here for advice on what to buy when the things you want are out of stock.
You need to be where you intend to be to ride this thing out, and you need to have what you want to have. Time is quickly running out, if it hasn’t already. Today, it’s Maryland. By the end of the week, it could be the entire country.
Reprinted with permission from The Organic Prepper.
The Best of Daisy Luther


lewrockwell--2020-03-18--‘We’re Headed for the Worst Financial Crisis of Our Lifetimes’

Governments worldwide are trying to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus , which now threatens the global economy .
RT talked to legendary investor Jim Rogers about the financial consequences of the outbreak .
Many people are going to suffer very badly , as the effects of this pandemic are going to last for a long time , according to Rogers .
“ I told RT earlier that the next time we are going to have a financial problem it ’ s going to be the worst… ” said Rogers , adding that it appears we are headed toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifetimes ” and “ we will know in a few months.
” A Gift to My Children : ... Rogers , Jim Best Price : $ 1.68 Buy New $ 6.73 According to the legendary investor , lots of industries like airlines and travel are going to suffer .
Companies with big debts are especially vulnerable at this time , Rogers explained , and those participating in international trade in particular will have serious problems .
“ Some of them will be bankrupt , ” he said , noting that major airlines and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it would otherwise be “ embarrassing for the countries.
” Talking about the financial markets ’ turmoil , Rogers said , that most markets were not ready for the global health crisis and did not know what was coming .
However , the reason behind such a mayhem is “ not just the virus , it is certainly much more ” than that .
Rogers also has a piece of advice for investors , suggesting they invest their money “ only in what they know a lot about .
”

Governments worldwide are trying to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus, which now threatens the global economy. RT talked to legendary investor Jim Rogers about the financial consequences of the outbreak.
Many people are going to suffer very badly, as the effects of this pandemic are going to last for a long time, according to Rogers.
“I told RT earlier that the next time we are going to have a financial problem it’s going to be the worst…” said Rogers, adding that it appears we are headed toward “the worst financial crisis of our lifetimes” and “we will know in a few months.”
A Gift to My Children:... Rogers, Jim Best Price: $1.68 Buy New $6.73 (as of 02:10 UTC - Details) According to the legendary investor, lots of industries like airlines and travel are going to suffer. Companies with big debts are especially vulnerable at this time, Rogers explained, and those participating in international trade in particular will have serious problems. “Some of them will be bankrupt,” he said, noting that major airlines and shipping companies will probably be bailed out because it would otherwise be “embarrassing for the countries.”
Talking about the financial markets’ turmoil, Rogers said, that most markets were not ready for the global health crisis and did not know what was coming. However, the reason behind such a mayhem is “not just the virus, it is certainly much more” than that.
Rogers also has a piece of advice for investors, suggesting they invest their money “only in what they know a lot about.”
Reprinted from RT News.


lewrockwell--2020-03-18--The Fed Has Sufficient Tools — To Wreck the Economy

n its emergency announcement on Sunday evening , the Fed assured us that it “ is prepared to use its full range of tools to support the flow of credit to households and businesses and thereby promote its maximum employment and price stability goals.
” The Fed put its ( fiat ) money where its mouth is by announcing a host of programs .
It cut its target interest rate by 1 % to zero and re-instituted quantitative easing , pledging to purchase $ 700 billion worth of Treasury securities and agency mortgage-backed securities over the coming months .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of temporary overnight and term repurchase operations it announced two days ago .
Separately , the Fed issued a coordinated announcement with a number of other central banks , including the Bank of England , Bank of Japan , and the ECB that the interest rate on dollar swap arrangements would be cut by 0.25 % and 84-day maturity swap lines would be added to the current 7-day dollar swap lines .
In yet another announcement , the Fed slashed the rate at its discount window by 1.5 % to 0.25 % and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other depository institutions to 0 % .
In the wake of these announcements , some commentators questioned whether the Fed has run out of “ tools ” to deal with the impending recession and recovery .
Former Fed vice chair Donald Kohn was ambivalent , writing “ They are not out of tools , but they ’ ve used the biggest tool they have , the interest rate tool , the one that ’ s been proven over the years to work the most effectively.
” Michael O ’ Rourke , chief market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Fed ’ s predicament , declaring : End The Fed Ron Paul Best Price : $ 2.18 Buy New $ 5.68 Meanwhile policymakers rushed to reassure markets and the public that the Fed had or would obtain the tools they required to keep a panicked economy on an even keel .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin indicated that he would request additional tools for the Fed , which it was deprived of by Dodd-Frank legislation : “ Certain tools were taken away that I am going to go back to Congress and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assured reporters that the Fed still has sufficient tools available to shepherd the economy through the COVID-19 crisis and guide its recovery .
But what are these “ tools ” that have policymakers and financial practitioners and commentators so worked up ?
Renewed quantitative easing , the zero interest rate target , 84-day dollar swap lines , special repo facilities at the New York Fed , zero reserve requirements , etc.
, are nothing but cunning and arcane techniques for conjuring additional trillions of dollars out of thin air and pumping them into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fed has always had one and only one tool for manipulating the economy : printing money .
And this tool will never dull or break , and can be used again and again under any and all circumstances short of hyperinflation .
The real question is whether this tool will work to mitigate the economic contraction that will inevitably follow the supply-side shock of the Covid-19 epidemic and the deflation of the equity bubble ( possibly followed by deflation in other asset markets ) .
Common sense and basic economic theory tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollar balances will not alleviate the greater scarcity of concrete goods and services goods caused by shuttered factories and commercial establishments and lowered productivity of employees forced to work at home .
Furthermore , the Austrian theory of the business cycle as illustrated by recent history does not encourage optimism that the imminent deluge of new dollars will encourage a swift and robust recovery from the impending recession .
In fact , from 2010 to 2019 , the U.S. money supply ( M2 ) increased by 80 % , from $ 8.475 trillion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. economy experienced a painfully protracted recovery from the post-financial crisis recession followed by historically slow real output growth during the “ boom ” period despite the fact that asset market bubbles formed .
Quarterly real GDP growth fluctuated between 1 % and 3 % during this period , except for 5 quarters when it slightly exceeded 3 % .
Most important , the announced expansionary policy could not be more ill-timed .
For it is imperative during a contraction of the economy caused by war , natural disaster , or epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unhampered to reveal the most valuable uses of productive resources whose quantities have been substantially reduced .
Only this policy will facilitate the optimal path to a temporarily smaller economy and ensure that the most pressing demands of consumers are met during a period of greater resource scarcity .
Unfortunately , the stated intent of the new Fed policy is precisely to stabilize the economy , that is , to prop up and maintain firms , industries , and productive activity as they were in the status quo ante .
But this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the factors of production .
By inundating the economy with money the Fed will not succeed in miraculously expanding these supplies but instead distorting the price structure and promoting misallocation , malinvestment , and waste of productive factors thereby deepening and lengthening the recession .
Note : The views expressed on Mises.org are not necessarily those of the Mises Institute .
The Best of Joseph T. Salerno

n its emergency announcement on Sunday evening, the Fed assured us that it “is prepared to use its full range of tools to support the flow of credit to households and businesses and thereby promote its maximum employment and price stability goals.” The Fed put its (fiat) money where its mouth is by announcing a host of programs. It cut its target interest rate by 1% to zero and re-instituted quantitative easing, pledging to purchase $700 billion worth of Treasury securities and agency mortgage-backed securities over the coming months. This is in addition to $1.5 trillion of temporary overnight and term repurchase operations it announced two days ago. Separately, the Fed issued a coordinated announcement with a number of other central banks, including the Bank of England, Bank of Japan, and the ECB that the interest rate on dollar swap arrangements would be cut by 0.25% and 84-day maturity swap lines would be added to the current 7-day dollar swap lines. In yet another announcement , the Fed slashed the rate at its discount window by 1.5% to 0.25% and its reserve requirements for all banks and other depository institutions to 0%.
In the wake of these announcements, some commentators questioned whether the Fed has run out of “tools” to deal with the impending recession and recovery. Former Fed vice chair Donald Kohn was ambivalent, writing “They are not out of tools, but they’ve used the biggest tool they have, the interest rate tool, the one that’s been proven over the years to work the most effectively.” Michael O’Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading took a dimmer view of the Fed’s predicament, declaring :
They blew it. The Fed panicked and the market is spooked. The S&P 500 registered all time highs less than a month ago and the Fed has expended all its conventional and unconventional tools.
End The Fed Ron Paul Best Price: $2.18 Buy New $5.68 (as of 09:55 UTC - Details) Meanwhile policymakers rushed to reassure markets and the public that the Fed had or would obtain the tools they required to keep a panicked economy on an even keel. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin indicated that he would request additional tools for the Fed, which it was deprived of by Dodd-Frank legislation: “Certain tools were taken away that I am going to go back to Congress and ask for.” And Fed Chairman Powell assured reporters that the Fed still has sufficient tools available to shepherd the economy through the COVID-19 crisis and guide its recovery.
But what are these “tools” that have policymakers and financial practitioners and commentators so worked up? Renewed quantitative easing, the zero interest rate target, 84-day dollar swap lines, special repo facilities at the New York Fed, zero reserve requirements, etc., are nothing but cunning and arcane techniques for conjuring additional trillions of dollars out of thin air and pumping them into the global economy. Since its inception the Fed has always had one and only one tool for manipulating the economy: printing money. And this tool will never dull or break, and can be used again and again under any and all circumstances short of hyperinflation.
The real question is whether this tool will work to mitigate the economic contraction that will inevitably follow the supply-side shock of the Covid-19 epidemic and the deflation of the equity bubble (possibly followed by deflation in other asset markets). Common sense and basic economic theory tell us that the writing up of digital dollar balances will not alleviate the greater scarcity of concrete goods and services goods caused by shuttered factories and commercial establishments and lowered productivity of employees forced to work at home. Furthermore, the Austrian theory of the business cycle as illustrated by recent history does not encourage optimism that the imminent deluge of new dollars will encourage a swift and robust recovery from the impending recession. In fact, from 2010 to 2019, the U.S. money supply (M2) increased by 80%, from $8.475 trillion to $15.243 trillion, and yet the U.S. economy experienced a painfully protracted recovery from the post-financial crisis recession followed by historically slow real output growth during the “boom” period despite the fact that asset market bubbles formed. Quarterly real GDP growth fluctuated between 1% and 3% during this period, except for 5 quarters when it slightly exceeded 3%.
Most important, the announced expansionary policy could not be more ill-timed. For it is imperative during a contraction of the economy caused by war, natural disaster, or epidemic that the price system is left free and unhampered to reveal the most valuable uses of productive resources whose quantities have been substantially reduced. Only this policy will facilitate the optimal path to a temporarily smaller economy and ensure that the most pressing demands of consumers are met during a period of greater resource scarcity. Unfortunately, the stated intent of the new Fed policy is precisely to stabilize the economy, that is, to prop up and maintain firms, industries, and productive activity as they were in the status quo ante. But this is clearly impossible given the shrunken supplies of the factors of production. By inundating the economy with money the Fed will not succeed in miraculously expanding these supplies but instead distorting the price structure and promoting misallocation, malinvestment, and waste of productive factors thereby deepening and lengthening the recession.
Note: The views expressed on Mises.org are not necessarily those of the Mises Institute.
The Best of Joseph T. Salerno