Things To Read

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Time to Fill the Holes

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

I'm not really sure where to start this, and I'm certainly not going to start off with some stupid joke, even though Humor is the Essence of Survival.

Fern and I, as I'm sure many of you are praying for our country and our world. There is nothing new that is going to be said here that you probably haven't heard somewhere else. You are all aware of the coronavirus. It's got a couple of other names, but for uniformity, we are just going to call it the coronavirus. As stated many times before, I do not believe or trust my government, and I certainly do not believe or trust a communist, dictator's government. I trust even less, the news media.

That being said, the information we have to go on, which is sketchy to say the least, would indicate that perilous times are upon us. A few reminders here.
  • As Ol' Remus says, "Avoid crowds". This is critically important.
  • Wash your hands.
  • When Fern and I leave the house, we now carry a sealed sandwich bag with a washcloth in it that is saturated with 91% alcohol. We also carry surgical gloves. We have not started wearing masks yet, but yes, we have them. These are very basic and simple things to do. You can find a more detailed list in several other places.
  • The NBA has cancelled it's basketball season. College conferences all around the country are cancelling tournaments. Here in Oklahoma, they have wisely cancelled the state basketball tournaments. They waited a little late to make this command decision about the state tournaments, but how can you justify the NBA and college conferences cancelling and you still allow high school games to be played? But my hat's off, somebody finally made the command decision.
  • I'll get to the point of this in just a minute. Even before President Trump's statement last night, airlines were cancelling flights, both international and domestic.
  • Cruise ships are also cancelling.
The point of this? This thing is real. People a whole lot smarter than I am either know something is coming or can see that something is coming. Our country is effectively, very slowly, shutting down. I hope you got to watch President Trump's talk last night. It was direct, to the point. It appears that this thing is going to get out of hand.

Did you hear what he said about nursing homes? Fern's mother is currently in a local nursing home. Now, think about this. I am 70 years old, I have had open heart surgery. When do we decide not to go see Fern's mother again? I am in that high risk target. Tough decision.

We have already filled all of the holes we need to fill in our supplies, and if push comes to shove, we could probably not leave our house for a year or more, with or without utilities.

I keep hoping this thing will just pass over like a blip on a radar. Is this the apocalypse we read about in the Bible? Is it the end times? Is this another Noah type event? I really don't know. 

But I do know that our government is taking some extreme measures. Let's give credit where credit is due. Extreme measures are needed during extreme times. I've got the distinct feeling that extreme is about to get significantly more extreme. 


Maybe a bank holiday? You are familiar with the repo market? Are you aware that the Federal Reserve, which is not a government agency, has been pumping billions of dollars every night into the banking industry just to produce some stability? That is about to increase significantly. I know you've been watching the stock market the last few days. The world markets are collapsing. Some will say, oh this is just another blip on the radar, and it might be. I wouldn't bank on that.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we are in uncharted waters. I am glad, genuinely glad, that President Trump is our leader. Is he perfect? No.

NOW is the time to fill holes in any supplies you need. Use diligent precautions when doing so. We still don't even know exactly how the coronavirus is transmitted, and it truly doesn't make any difference how it started. If you are standing at the bottom of a hill and an unoccupied automobile is rolling toward you, it doesn't make any difference whether it was intentional or unintentional, man made or God made. It doesn't make any difference, you need to move out of the way before it runs you down.

Hopefully, this thing will pass. But with the preparations our government and other world governments are doing, somebody knows something that is not being released to the general public. Prepare now. That storm is here. Those dark clouds are upon us. Whatever analogy you want to use, use it.


I wouldn't expect our government to tell us the truth if they knew something was apocalyptic. Even if this virus only kills a few hundred million people, the world economy will come to a screeching halt. Anarchy will reign. As you've heard here, be prepared to do the unthinkable. 

By the way, Sam's and Wal-Mart are out of Spam. We are in trouble.

Fern and I are going to live everyday to the fullest. We have started planting the garden, I have re-purified my water well. We have inventoried and cataloged our medical supplies. We will do the best we can until the Big Guy pulls our number.

Remember, Humor is the Essence of Survival. If you have any doubt that God has a sense of humor, then go look in your bathroom mirror. Then go get your wife or husband to do it, or if you live alone, get your cat to do it.

Also remember that you and your immediate family come first.

If you have thoughts on this, or you have information about grocery store shelves, or who has what that others don't, then please share. After you read this, you need to get an alcohol swab and wipe down the screen on your computer.

I hope to see all of you again soon. Exponentially, we are on the uphill side of the hockey stick. Pay attention. 

DON'T GET ON THE BUS.

We'll talk more later,  Frank
 

39 comments:

  1. In Upstate New York Tp and water are bare. No hand sanitizer barely any food. All is leaving like hot cakes on a Sunday morning.

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    1. Thank you for the update. In our neck of the woods, southeast Oklahoma, my own personal observation, the only thing I've noticed off the shelves is regular bleach and olive oil. I did not look for rubbing alcohol, so I can't comment on that.

      Thanks again. Hang in there, Frank

      Delete
  2. I'm in Western North Carolina. Wal-Mart, grocery stores (chains and discount grocers) are out of anything with the Lysol or Clorox label. No hand sanitizer to be found, not even at the Dollar Tree. I can still find off brand bleach at the discount grocery store. Cold and flu OTC meds are gone from Wal-Mart, but still available at our local grocery chain. Toilet paper is scarce every where I look, but tissues, napkins and paper towels are in good supply. Feminine products are also easily found. I haven't noticed any food scarcity yet, although when observing everyone else's buggirs, they are buying a lot of convenience foods (heat & eat), instead all purpose flour, cornmeal, lard, rice, canned veggies or dried beans - the ingredients you need to make food from scratch. I could probably use a little more cooking oil, but at this point, I think we're looking at this the same as y'all are.

    Like you, I have co-morbidities that make me more susceptible to other infections and this concerns me more than anything else has.

    God Bless us all.

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  3. Here in Central Texas everything seems to be fine. TP, Water, Food all readily available. For now.

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  4. I am glad, genuinely glad, that President Trump is our leader.

    really?

    are you sure about that?

    i see you believe in some type of god

    really? are you sure about that?

    it must have some twisted sense of humor- NO?

    as far as drumpf goes, i wouldn' buy an apple from that filthy crook

    but that's just me

    you obviously see past his criminal behavior and wickedness...

    tfA-t

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    1. I couldn't agree more!!! He is totally ineffective.

      Delete
    2. So, how are things in your area? Or do you just bring negative to the conversation. Sad, really sad. Would you rather have Clinton for president? And yes, I believe in God, and someday you will also. Until then, believe as you choose, One Nation Under God.
      Frank

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    3. LOL

      i'm not a statist so i prefer having NO master to decide my fate other than me

      so you see, we are worlds apart in our view of the world

      and things are just fine where i am, there are no weaklings here, it just isn't a place they would do well in

      and check your premise on the "one nation under god" thing- hint, IT AIN'T even one neighborhood under god dude.

      sad is the word

      tfA-t

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    4. I'm afraid you're too weak to know just how weak you are, ...dude...

      Delete
  5. Frank & Fern - I am so thankful you returned to blogging. Your posts have helped me stay calm and, at the same time, focused. Thank you.
    As for my area, Vancouver BC Canada - the metro Costcos had big runs on them starting two weeks ago but local grocery stores seemed uneffected. Today, my local Safeway had bare shelves in the TP section for the first time. Food seems to be available but the meat cases did look a little more depleted then normal. Also, no sanitizing wipes of any kind for the first time. I didn't check the bleach section.
    Praying for us all.
    SJ in Vancouver BC

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  6. Middle Tennessee here: saw several people with nothing but toilet paper and bleach in their grocery carts (I don't have that particular recipe;) The only sparce spots I saw on the shelves were in the rice and oatmeal sections.

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us once again!

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  7. Ahh, tfA-t, you had to come even here to spread your garbage. You should really change your outlook to be more like the fine people running this blog since they, at least, have a positive view on life. I know, being the type anal retentive you are, you will not follow my little bit of advice, but so be it.

    Thank you F. & F. for your uplifting words.

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    1. Yes, ftA-t is a well-known troll, best response is to pay no mind.

      Delete
    2. ok

      here is how it really is

      you "fine' folks can believ all the fairty tales you like. it just doesn't make it so

      you can deny reality all you want

      but you cannot deny the consequences of that reality.

      tfA-t has been awakened from the lifelong conditioning brought upon by the state

      he no longer is under that hideous spell

      have fun at the "heavens gate' party- but i'm quite sure you'll be very disappointd when no ones there to greet you

      you've lived a long life blinded by the (((NWO)))- no need to open your eyes now...

      lol

      tfA-t

      Delete
  8. Thank you for your thoughtful post. I wish you were my neighbor and everyone had a neighbor like you.

    I went by to see my 80 year old mom and dad tonight. They are scared, and I'm scared for them. It was a tough conversation to have with them to tell them no more going out, and that I would be bringing them everything they need. We have two small children and I also had to tell my parents that there would likely be no visits for a while. We can stand outside the window and wave and talk on the phone, but we can't come in - to protect them from us. Grandkid visits are the light of an elderly person's life. I still have tears.

    You are right that things are different this time. You know it. I know it. Everyone else knows it. Even the sad soul who posted above knows it. He's scared to be alone and he's scared to die and he's scared of what will happen after his life here ends. I pity him, but don't let him trouble.

    Let's keep focusing on sober preparation, and the goodness of many men and women all around us, and let's pull together towards light and life.

    Things in GA are ramping up quickly. We have several months stocked away and more than plenty to defend it. I wish I had done more regarding food and medicine, but reading good sites like this, WRSA, and others has at least gotten me and my family to be far better off than most.

    God's blessings to you and yours.

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  9. Here in Kootenai County, ID there are currently shortages of TP, paper towels, hand sanitizer, bleach and laundry sanitizing liquids, Zicam swabs, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and Clorox wipes. There is still plenty of canned goods, veggies and fruit, wine, beer, and hard liquor. The schools are open. I believe TPTB(the local press & politicians) will try to keep a lid on things until Spring Break begins(03/28). What happens afterwards will be a toss-up.
    The Coeur d'Alene Daily Fish Wrap is owned by the Hagadone Cabal. It always spins sweetness and light. The Cabal depends heavily on tourism starting in May and running through October. This includes a huge July 4th festival and fireworks over the lake. The good-old-boy/girl group who run things is set up to take a substantial financial haircut.

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  10. Wonder how federal decision making would if the head Dementiacrat were in charge?

    It’s up to individuals, local and state folks to be smart and take action.

    Hopefully CDC and WHO will stay out of the way. Buckle up, bureaucracy offers few good solutions.

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    Replies
    1. ...Just look at Obama's handling of H1N1; "Swine flu..."

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  11. Frank and Fern, Checking in from Ohio--near Kent State University, (Akron/Canton area) where they've effectively closed the university. BUT, guess what--the kids who have already paid their room n' board, are not going home. Instead of going to classes during the day--they are partying, going to bars, pizza joints, and rubbing shoulders MORE than if they were in classes! Smart they are not.

    Food and supplies here: food plentiful as usual: Wally World, Meijers,Target, ACME, Giant Eagle, and ALDI have shelves stocked with food. Supplies--not so much--bottled water, toilet paper, paper towels, alcohol, hand sanitizer, masks all gone. MENARDS had a sale on 3M 95 masks--store opened at 0630 and I was there--zero stock on hand. I was told "a guy came in the day before and bought out our entire inventory--sorry!"

    Just spoke with one neighbor who came back from the local COSTCO. He said he could not even get in! There was a line around the building just to get in--like a Black Friday. Parking lot there, entirely full--nowhere to park.

    My local Township Trustee keeps us up to date on happenings via email--which is a great credit to him. He's an ex-LEO, who is also a HAM radio pro, machinist, and a 2nd A Patriot like most in our group of 20+ folks. We could button-down for a year or so and do fine with our supplies, but our main focus now is helping others truly in need: elderly, single moms, low-income, and retired in our AO.

    Thanks to both of you for all you do, have done, and will do in future once this crisis passes (and it will!) "See y'all on the other side, as we say here: "God willin' and the crick don't rise!"

    Bit 'o humor here--I'll be singing this a la 'Jumpin' Gene Simmons (Haunted House fame)

    Say yes, I'll be here when the mornin' come
    I'll be right here and I ain't gonna run
    I bought this house now you know I am boss
    Ain't no coronavirus gonna run me off!

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    1. Hi Unknown from a fellow Ohioan! (Near Cbus here). Our local small town Kroger was out of tp, sanitizer, disinfectants LAST night...I can only imagine the insanity today with restrictions and cancellations exploding. Plenty of food still on the shelves, but chef boyardee and milk were wiped out. Craziness. Neighbor and I were talking about needing to do 'normal' grocery shopping, not panic shopping, and how the panic shoppers are making it difficult. This is not your typical 'french toast shopping) for sure.

      Delete
  12. Hello again, Frank & Fern! Thank you for maintaining your excellent blog. As an M.D., I have been following this nCOV-2019 (coronavirus) event from its inception in Wuhan, China through today. I also try to rigorously follow scientific links to their origins in an attempt to come to the truth.

    I found a paper that offers the following potentially PREVENTATIVE supplement that might--just might--reduce one's vulnerability to the coronavirus:

    (Excerpt): An option to help yourself with the virus:

    "Another aspect of this type of viral transmission is that there are certain people who just don’t seem to be affected by viruses of this type (encapsulated lipid-coated viruses, including coronaviruses). This article explains that “[t]he only people that can be infected by the 2019-n Coronavirus have less than 98.7 µg/L of Selenium in plasma or serum. Those who have enough Selenium are immune to this and all other enveloped viruses. Selenium can be obtained from Brazil nuts, Selenium pills or Astragalus tea.” "

    So, it is known that Selenium is a necessary trace element in humans. It is TOXIC in larger than recommended doses so "more is NOT better." What it seems to do is to form a molecule (sodium selenite) that trips up the virus' ability to 'spike' (enter) our cells prior to injecting viral material to keep the infection going.

    Bottom line for me: 100 to 200 micrograms of selenomethionine/day (or, if you prefer, two Brazil nuts) might offer an advantage, so I have begun my daily selenium supplements for the duration. Amazon: "Nutricost Selenium 200mcg, 240 Veggie Capsules, Non-GMO, Gluten Free L-Selenomethionine" $13 bucks!

    Research this all you like, friends. The information is out there. Do not take too much of this supplement. Follow directions.

    Be safe. Be well.

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    1. Thank you, I like Brazil nuts. Could I wash my hair with Head & Shoulders?

      On a serious note, my old man multivitamin has 55mcg selenium per tablet. But I really do like Brazil nuts, I just don't have any. Fern won't let me eat any nuts since my heart surgery except almonds and they taste like ground dirt. If you want to eat a cup of cheddar cheese it has 18mcg, but I can't imagine eating a cup of cheddar cheese a day.

      Thank you for the information.

      So, do you really think CW2 is coming? Or is it here?

      Frank

      Delete
  13. you may still find n-95 masks at local paint stores I have in Colorado springs this week

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  14. Howdy to whoever posted from Akron-area; lived up there for a decade. NEOhio was great. I'll report now from the opposite corner of the state, near Cincy in SWOhio. Same as everybody else posted. Costco, grocery stores are extremely crowded. No tp, paper towels, low staples. Folks are freaking out as the state closed schools k-12 for 3 weeks, "what are we going to do with our kids!". Glad we homeschool! Thanks for the post Frank. Everyone stock up to the extent possible and get right with the Lord.

    Best Regards,
    tim(fromOhio)

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  15. Frank, that is the thing I find most nagging: the fact that folks that should be in the know are treating this so seriously. I understand that currently the death rate is much higher for the flu; what do they know that they are not telling us?

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    1. I’m sorry, but Dr. Fauci who is on Pres. Trumps team testified today before Congress that this virus is 10x deadlier than the flu. It’s also super contagious.

      The damage done to the lungs is horrific for those that get a bad case of this virus.

      The major thing is the time it can take to become symptomatic in that person upto 24 to 25 days. Meaning the person doesn’t even know he’s gonna get sick for awhile but yet .... is super contagious to those around them. The virus can stay on surfaces for days and can hang in the air in many cases for 3 hours after the person coughed and moved on.

      It really is a killer for the elderly and those with other health issues like COPD, ASTHMA, weak immune systems, people who take meds that weaken the immune system like RA or Lupus patients or cancer patients like my brother who is taking chemo....it wipes your natural immune system out while you take it and you can’t mount a defense against the virus if you catch it.

      They actually have told us enough about this virus. This really is the big bad ugly.

      Delete
  16. It's evening here, been raining off and on all day. I'm having a rare glass of wine with a Madeleine and some dark chocolate. I spoke with my daughter earlier today. She works at an assisted living center with an attached memory care unit. I asked her how everyone was doing. She said so far no C-virus or illness. Only one case of stomach problems because a family member gave a resident food she was not allowed to have. Said family member has been barred from the building. I asked about the preparedness of supplies. She started laughing and said they were well stocked. It seems the Manager had one of those "Pay Attention" feelings back in November and December. On the home front, some stores have bare shelves in the freezer section, some beer sections are empty, canned soups, stews, chilies and spam are well picked over. Toilet paper, cleaning wipes and spray are sold out as is bottled water depending on the store and location. Fresh fruits and veggies were ok the other day. I was speaking with a friend's daughter today. She was going to the market to get additional items and was reading the list. I asked how many feminine products she had at home. Oops. I told her if you can, get 6 months of what you use. Better to have more than not. I asked what about laundry and dish soap. I said she could buy terry cloth shop towels for general cleanup in lieu of paper towels. Also remember the cat litter and food. How was she set for condiments, salt, baking ingredients. So many small things get forgotten. Remember lots of prayer and keep an eye open. Red

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  17. As I'm pretty sure you know, I am housebound and don't get into stores. But I can say that when my grocery order was delivered today, everything I ordered - vitamins, over-the-counter cold and flu remedies, TP - was there. However, a friend emailed me with the news that the University of Minnesota is going to online classes at all five of its campuses. And he told me about a hospital in the middle of the state, in a town of about 14,000 that has moved office workers out of their offices to use that space for patients and they have set up a tent for triage. And a company that runs hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities has banned all visitors except in the most dire of cases. As Minnesota, as of this evening, is reporting only 9 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, I'm thinking they know much more than they are telling.

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  18. Here in Michigan last night the Governor shut down all K-12 schools starting Monday for 3 weeks. We now have 12 confirmed cases in the state. Most are in SE Michigan. Store shelf are bare of Hand sanitizer, TP, cleaners, masks and some food items. I saw an interesting article yesterday saying ammo sales have increased substantially across the country in the last few weeks also.

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  19. Went out today to Wal-Mart to just fluff up my goodie stocks. Carried my baggie with an alcohol soaked rag.(Great idea by the way). I also had read where you said no Spam in your area. There were off brands of Spam here but not the good stuff, very little tuna and canned chicken, no toilet paper, no bleach, no Lysol spray, running low on flour,very little evaporated milk. I didn't even go to the pharmaceutical side. Everything else looked pretty good and the stockers advised their trucks just had not come in yet. I bought a few fresh veggies and headed out. I didn't really want to stick around for that very long. So far we've had no acknowledged cases here in this part of Indiana. So far . . .

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  20. As of 13MAR, the grocery stores are slowly being stripped clean here in the wild, wild, West. My wife is at the commissary at the local Air Force base right now. She called to tell me that it's a madhouse, with wall-to-wall people, and almost no meat. Whether or not Coronavirus is to be taken seriously, the panic of the people and the economic consequences are.

    Folks, if you don't have what you need by now, all you're going to HAVE is need, for PANIC has become the true virus...

    ...Personally, the timing of this thing is a little too convenient... for the DNC...

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  21. Things in Illinois are getting a little dicey. I live outside of a small town (23,000) and the run on Toilet paper and cleaning supplies has been nuts. The Govenor just closed the k-12 schools both public and private. Universities and local college have gone on an extended spring break and then online classes to the end of the semester. They just announced 14 new cases (at least I think it was 14) but mostly in the larger cities like Chicago. I'm beginning to self-isolate because I care for my 93 year old mother and help care for a disabled older sister (COPD). They are not allowed out in public at all at this point. Pray up, people, I have a feeling it is going to be a bumpy ride. But - God is good all the time.

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  22. The prospects of getting the coronavirus are daunting to be sure; for me in particular, since I'm as young as Frank. I hear people argue that this coronavirus is not much worse that the “regular” flu because the death rate for both is in the low single digits. They miss one big difference. The current estimated death rate for COVID-19 is for people who almost all had intensive hospital care with a dedicated medical staff. As hospitals and staff are overwhelmed by the number of patients seeking treatment (as we've seen happen in Italy, for example), many will be forced to try to recover at home. But the estimated death rate for this minimal level of care is much higher; I've seen some estimates at 30%. And many of these at-home deaths have not been called as due to COVID-19, but to pneumonia, further obscuring the danger of COVID-19.

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  23. Hello Frank and Fern, glad to hear from you as always. This thing is bad. What people don't get, what gives them that "something don't add up" feeling, is exponential growth. People can't really 'feel' exponential growth. You have to do the math and trust it. It's not about what we know today, it's what will be here in just a few weeks. Right now, the doubling rate is 3 days in the US, 3 or 4 elsewhere. There might be somewhere that is 5-6 like officials have said but the math is simple, the data is available.

    Look at the charts and graphs on worldometers at https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

    Hover over the date on the exponential graph and the total for that day will pop up. Move three days to left or right and do the math yourself. Doubling in 3 or 4 days. Then do the math doubling cases from today's numbers at the Johns Hopkins site https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Double 10 times, and see where we'll be in 30days if nothing changes. I pray that the current changes will slow this thing down.

    A couple more things to consider.

    In 3 weeks Italy went from NO cases to 17.6 THOUSAND. They should have been at 20K today, so maybe their lockdown is slowing the spread. They were ready for 5000 cases, but before 7 days had passed they were at 17K. NO ONE would believe that was possible based on gut feel, but it is what I believe is driving these sudden and extreme measures. I don't think they are extreme enough. Ground the planes, cancel spring break, and patrol the streets. The civil libertarian in me hates what I know needs to be done to save what we can.

    ---



    No one in charge expects the current restrictions to stop this, they hope that they will slow the spread and move the peak out of flu season. They are hoping that some people recover and free up beds. The press conferences are available on line in their own words.

    Most of the people in charge are Drs. If you have had a serious illness or injury, you've probably noticed how they dribble out information,each time getting worse, "easing" you into it. Every time you think you're going to be done, you find out that it was just on step on the road to recovery, with more to come. I see the same pattern in the official announcements from WHO and CDC. NOW they're taking about 210 Million. Couple days ago it was 100 million, before that it was fewer. It's what they do. "you'll be fine" "you'll be fine after your surgery" "you'll be fine after your therapy" "you'll be fine after you get home" "if you still hurt in a year we can revisit the issue". The same pattern is in their public announcements.

    Lastly, flu pandemic apparently normally burns thru in 8- 10 bad weeks. Depending on when you start counting, China seems to have done that so far. This will eventually end. Exponential growth never goes as far as the models in real life because the real world conditions change.

    We are likely to be very changed when we do get to the other side, and the unintentional consequences will surprise us. I intend to get my family thru this and have been working on that since 2014 ebola. I hope I've done enough, as my kids are too small to be on their own.


    NO ONE should be going out to crowded stores at this point. It is firmly and widely entrenched in the population, that's where those doubling cases come from. Isolation is the only way to avoid this. Give them as much time as possible to find an effective treatment, vaccine, or to get more gear and hospitals set up.

    Take care of yourselves, and hopefully the power and water will stay on and we'll get through, and we'll know our online friends are OK.

    best,

    nick

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    1. Nick, broad summary. Thank you for sharing this information, it's something we all need to hear.

      The nursing home Fern's mother is in has shut the doors to all visitors. We will deal with it.

      We also hate restrictions on liberty, but there does come a time to realize that the wolf is at the door.

      I could wish for a lot of things, or even use the word hope, but we all know that hope is a poor strategy. This thing will pass, one way or another, just like daylight and dark, and seasons of the year.

      Thank you again for your comment, and thank you for sharing your thoughts. If you're the God believing type, now is the time for prayer. If you're not, now is the time for prayer.

      We will talk more later, Frank

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  24. Lots of well-thought out and interesting comments here, Frank. Like a cross-section of our Nation, but without comments from trolls and knuckledraggers. Refreshing, actually.

    I am surprised that President Trump has not taken the bull by the horns to do what only a president could do to truly defeat/halt/shut down/mitigate this American version of the COVID-2019 Pandemic.

    How the U.S. can defeat COVID-2019 with the lowest mortality possible:

    Deprive the virus of its fuel: the "fuel" of any epidemic is all those presently uninfected. Thus, the president could declare--initially voluntary--a total quarantine of the Nation; we are already self-quarantining in many schools, universities, sports organizations, March Madness, employees working from home, etc., so take it to its extreme by mandating a quarantine to eliminate person-to-person, city-to-city and state-to-state spread of the virus. Stop. It. In. Its. Tracks.

    Q: But for how long?
    A: Thirty days, minimum.

    This will identify all previously-exposed & incubating cases within that 1-27 day known incubation period. Those cases can then be counted/isolated/treated/buried as needed without those same infected going about their lives to propagate the virus if left unidentified.

    Think of the decisiveness of a president who would shut down the Nation in order to virtually strangle the epidemic. A projected CFR (total deaths) of 2%, unchecked, would yield 7M deaths; by preventing most of its natural spread most of those deaths will never occur!

    Areas that are already exhibiting amplification will burn themselves out with a minimum of casualties.

    As "proof" of my recommendation, witness South Korea and Italy, both countries that have flattened their death rate curves by similar drastic quarantine measures.

    Put another way, how do smoke jumpers extinguish a forest fire? By establishing firebreaks, which deprive the fire of its fuel, forcing the fire to burn in place as it consumes only what is left of an already-burning fuel source.

    I don't want to see an actual declaration of Martial Law, with all of its triggers, but perhaps Mr. Trump could initiate a fully voluntary 30 day halt of all but essential activity. If that does not play out well then martial law can later be declared.

    If the above is not initiated then we will have, I believe, an interesting and very lethal Spring 2020.

    Frank, as to your question: yes, I believe that we are in Civil War 2, the preliminary 'cold civil war' lead-up, wherein the Left/democratic socialist/communist half of the U.S. wants the rest of us dead, but doesn't have the power as of yet to force us into the boxcars.

    Never give up your guns (to quote Matt Bracken).

    Peace, out.

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  25. Thank you so much Fern and Frank. I love "visiting" with your posts. It's been so strange as this unfolds before our eyes. As a person who has been in "preparedness" since I was big enough to stand on a chair in the kitchen snapping beans with my grandmother Elsie, I am grateful for a full larder, a warm home, and a heavenly Father who sent His Son for us. We have yet to see what is truely coming. The scriptures are being fulfilled as we speak and I am amazed to watch it all unfold. Thanks to folks like you we can share tricks of the trade and encourage one another. In the end, we will have to be our own best defense and helpers of the defenseless. We stand ready and have not had to be in the herd. One tip, if you must shop, go in "off" hours to have fewer people to contend. You may also find the evening stockers have a product that you need. Blessings to all. Pray for our leaders.

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  26. Frank & Fern,
    We made a grocery top off trip on March 5. Inventories were getting a little lean in all the areas mentioned above by others. Haven't been to a grocery since.
    We have 1 CV case in our small rural town of less than 3,000 population here in Washington. Nursing homes and hospitals have put severe limits on visitors. About a month ago we have increased our vitamin C intake to 2000 mg per day to help build up our immune system ,we will increase again soon. We are old folks and don't plan to leave home unless absolutely necesary. From the numbers I have seen, people over 60 are about 53% of the cases. We can hunker down for quite a while if needed, and it looks like we may.
    There seems to be an aura of mystery about this whole CV thing . It feels to me that there are some missing parts to this virus puzzle. The economic dominos have begun to topple some and I feel there will be quite a ripple effect and that will affect absolutely everyone. I feel we are beginning to see the ugly side of folks.Black Friday is happening every day of the week now.
    Trust is something earned , or lost. I feel the way you do about politicians and media. I am very uncomfortable with the calling up of the National Guard in some areas. I fear some kind of martial law event.
    We pray for guidance and wisdom as we move forward in our lives .
    Blessings to all and thanks for your postings.
    Bluesman

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  27. Frank and Fern
    A Blessed morning to one and all. I spoke with my Daughter last night about how she was doing and the Ladies she care for at the assisted living facility. The Home has been locked down to visitors. Even with the precautions of masking and gloves for visitors, 2 of the Ladies have it and are in the Hospital. The other Ladies are ok for now. There is a phrase from the Book and movie Dune. "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

    Americans have gotten soft, slothful and fearful. The last will turn many into slaves just for the sake of comfort. Oh Lord deliver us from idiocy and those that are willing do do harm and destruction for their own fun and gain. Red

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