Dark Thoughts on “The Reaper Virus”

by

Sure…numbers…let’s roll with that first:

  • Dead: 4,028
  • Cases: 114,585

What’s worse is that the global case count is still tracking to bust 6-million and the death toll threatens to be above a quarter-million by the Fourth of July.

In my measured view, and despite a massive 50% retrace rally for the markets today, I still expect long before mid-summer we will see the Dow kiss the 17-thousands (or lower), the price of oil will likely hold around $22-bucks.  And travel will go back to what it once-upon-a-time was:  Something of a risky luxury.

The good news?  Maybe airlines will offer arm rest wipes and headrest covers again.  A return of first class meals would be nice, as well, but can’t ask for everything, I suppose.

With a bounce (ahead of tomorrow’s Consumer Price report) we have only minimal financial news to hang on.  There is, for example, the matter of the National Federation of Independent Business out with its Small Business Optimism Index.

“Small business owners expressed slightly higher levels of optimism in February with the NFIB Optimism Index moving up 0.2 points to 104.5, a reading among the top 10 percent in the 46-year history of the survey. Those expecting better business conditions increased and job creation and openings improved as well. Real sales expectations declined along with capital expenditure and inventory plans.”

Which is actually a pretty realistic view, when you think about it.  Could the coming “decline of globalism” mean there will be a lot more opportunity for local (which anymore means Made in the USA for all practical intents), as a result of the Reaper Virus?  Yes, that’s one way things could work out.

Another “Columbo Moment”

You may be too young to remember 1968…hell, we have readers who were not even born yet until the 90’s…but that was the year NBC launched one of my favorite all-0time TV shows: Columbo.  Starred Peter Falk as a deshiveled detective who – inspite of his Monk-like demeanor, but less appearance-focused – would occasionally have a brilliant insight into solving a crime.

“Are you having a flashback this morning, old man?”

No – and since my eyes are dialating evenly and both hands work, and no more drooling than usual pending the impact of the caffeine loading-dose – we can take stroke off the list, too.

No, the reason I mention the Columbo character is it’s such a dandy driver for dreaming up conspiracy theories.  Of the sort that make up our occasional references to a (fictitious – we hope) super-secret US government agency we call Directorate 153.

Written in the punchy style of a TV drama, a typical seen springing to mind this morning goes something like this:

(Long shot of conference table – the Executive Director of D-153 is sitting at one end and two members a congress – a man and a woman, are seated on either side of him at the far end of the table.  The camera does a slow zoom-in as the sound fades up…)

ExDir:  “I’m afraid that we can’t go into any details of what we do here, congresspersons.  As you know, actions and activities of Directorate 153 are secret – even kept from the President.

Male Congressman:  “We were afraid you’d take that track.  So we have a special group of elite members of the US military – called Q-Ops – that have surrounded this facility and yes, even your secret exits.  You have one chance to come clean with us.  Or, since your agency doesn’t even officially exist, you will be captured, tortured, and killed…”

ExDir:  “Oh, very well, then.  ‘Computer – send in the Operations Director.’

Female Congressperson: “You aren’t scamming us…playing us for time are you?”

ExDir:  “Oh heaven no…oh, there he is.  Alex! Come on in and take a seat with us.  You know the Congresspersons?”

OpsDir: “I sure do…good morning sir, ma’am…”

ExDir:  “I have asked you in Alex to explain our role in The Reaper Virus and you are relieved of your Oath to Secrecy for this very special occasion.  Please explain the background and what’s in play…

OpsDir:  “Yes sir.  As the two of you may be aware, our future models indicated that the odds of avoiding a calamitous Global Depression were on the verge of happening anyway.  As a result, our counterparties in 20 of the largest nations of the world met and agreed on a strategy to – pardon the term here – save the future.”

Female Congressperson: “What exactly do you mean “save the future” – from what?  And how exactly did you “save anything?”

OpsDir:  “I’m sure you’re aware of the precarious position of all governments in addressing the financial commitments to its aging population.  Countries like Greece and Italy were shoved into depression early due in part to their public pension commitments that exceded 16% in our studies with the OECD.  The next layer down included those countries in the 14-16% of GDP pension costs which will be next to go.  This includes Austria, Portugal, and France. And I’m sure you’re aware, public pensions in America passed 7.1 percent of GDP in 2017.

“Not only that, but the amount being spent on social spending was going up, too.  The US spends 18.8% of GDP on Social Programs but in some places – like Japan, the GDP hit is closer to 22 percent of GDP.

“So we looked at things pragmatically:  Whnat could we do that would reduce the long-term spending requirements to a sustainable level, bail out the stock-market from any blame, reduce the number of non-working citizens, drive down travel and other high-energy consumption industries like travel, and at the same time allow us to increase the effective tax rate on a per capita basis so we could work through the economics nightmare to come…

Male Congressperson: “Don’t tell me….you….you DIDN’T let loose this Reaper Virus, did you?  Why that would be treasonous you sonofabitch!”

OpsDir:  “No Congressman, it’s Continuity of Government at a global level.  You see, by helping a lot of elderly people pass on a bit earlier than they would anyway, we gorce an intergenerational wealth transfer.  And, as you know, most seniors are in tax-advantaged programs that shelter a lot of income from taxation.  Even get a tax break at age 65.  When we’re done with this operation, there will have been a massive shift of capital down into younger hands where we can tax at higher rates and we can use the Reaper Virus as a marketing tool to command higher tax rates from survivors.  As global travel unwinds, the impact on  the environment will be reduced, and people will have an incentive to get serious about getting more education.  The Reaper will also reduce demand for housing and it will reduce urban sprawl and except for food, most manufacturing will be reduced long-term as well.  Plus, thanks to the intergenerational transfer (and no blame being placed on the stockj market) young people will go right back to investing.  You do remember that in the previous Depression, stock prices didn’t recover their 1929 highs until the 1950’s, right?  And there’s more:  Whjat age group uses the most enerhgy per capita?  Old people.  Keep their homes extra warm in the winter and cooler in the summer.  Again, our Global Reaper Virus was just the ticket…”

I could go on…there was a novel Leonard C. Lewin of “Report frtom Iron Mountain” fame that most people haven’t read…save me, perhaps.  The book’s title (and good luck finding a copy) is Triage.  You’ll see we’re not the only ones to “think the unthinkable” as Lewin so ably demonstrates.

Ah…aging.  I feel so old today, why….   I can remember when couples “shacked-up” – none of these “self-quarantined” excuses…  What a way to scam some time off work and get bennies, too, while planting a family, though, huh?

Now, on that happy note, enjoy today’s Dead Cat Bounce.  Even BTCs are back to $8,085…

Bounce, kitty, bounce.  But not too high: Rally Reverses After CNBC Reports White House “Not Ready” To Roll Out Coronavirus Stimulus.

Short Circuits

Election day in several states as Biden, Sanders face off in six Tuesday primaries.  Like we care?  Similarly Is a female Veep nominee progress—or window dressing?  Again, do we care?

Delinquency out of style? CoreLogic Reports U.S. Overall Delinquency Rate Lowest for a December in at Least 20 Years.

And despite the hype of at least one radio talk-show host, no, the market decline had nothing to do with oil shennanigans.  However Saudi Arabia-Russia oil price war escalates as Aramco announces 25% output hike.

Now, you go watch the cat  bounce while I watch the eggs…

Write when you get rich,

george@ure.net

60 thoughts on “Dark Thoughts on “The Reaper Virus””

  1. “50% retrace rally ”

    Just an innocent retrace rally. And a buttress for UBI.

    Same amount of syllables –

    stim·u·lus
    U·B·I

    Good report.

      • All “made in USA” means anymore is that something was assembled in the US, by a Mexican, using Chinese parts.

        SOTC report ~9-10 yrs ago…chaos, hyper chaos, female leaders, one of them “spills the beans”…spacegoat farts, the dog poet…the data wall…

        The hits…they’re a comin’ for Ure.

  2. “Maybe airlines will offer arm rest wipes and headrest covers again. A return of first class meals would be nice, as well, but can’t ask for everything, I suppose.”

    LOL LOL LOL that brings up a funny flight story..long ago when I was in the military I was on a late night flight.. the plane hit a lot of really rough turbulance.. the stewardesses started handing out free drinks to everyone.. this beautiful young lady was traveling in the seat next to me and we had been hitting it off pretty good for several layovers etc got scared and asked me.. what do you think is going on.. I said free drinks.. they are trying to get us to relax in case we crash..Since things are looking bleak and in the event we might crash would you like to join the mile high club with me in the bathroom just in case LOL LOL LOL…..
    one of the best flights I was ever on.. was because of a nasty storm.. the airline called and said that my regular flight was going to be canceled due to weather.. but if I would like to head back now I could they were going to take a plane back .. it was just the flight crew and myself.. god the cockpit was open and we were all up by BS ing with the pilot and crew everyone had a great time.. ( they offered meals back then and the complimentary shaving kit which was top notch great flights…. I just tossed the one they gave me out a couple of years ago..LOL) those were the days.. its been years since I have been on a plane but my guess is your lucky to get a bag of peanuts now..

  3. There are few more ruthless than China’s President Xi who would allow their nation to serve as an effective ground zero for a herd culling pandemic. After all, with 1.4 billion mouths fo feed and increasing demonstrations of unrest, sloughing off the less the productive while striking fear of crowd contagion into the entire nation is a cold but effective method for minimizing economic and political unrest. And having the outbreak occur under Xi’s watch takes the focus off of the possible collusion of the U.S. CDC and Canadian researchers with China, as the three are [wildly] rumored to have collaboratively birthed the virus last summer. People didn’t blink an eye when the outbreak happened near or within an open air exotic animal market (which is quite close to a known Chinese bio-weapons lab).

    Love the name ‘Directorate 153’ George – the first three prime numbers, thus the ‘prime’ directorate (or is it ‘directive’ – nods to Gene Roddenberry?)

      • I love EICO, but it has it’s place. My signal generator is great for “quick & dirty” and my “Model 666” tube checker is about the best “cheapie” there is — worked like a dream until I sprang for a Hickok some years back.

        I’d never use an EICO-anything though, if I needed precision.

    • So, I guess, the implication is there are those that are as ruthless as Xi co-operating with him in our government? If we can take in Nazis with Operation Paperclip then the “infection” back then has had exactly 75 years to incubate. Interesting. I need to watch “Dr. Strangelove” again.

      Even before that there was the Eugenics crowd, though. I’ve run into people like that who take a view from “on high” regarding those they view as beneath them. Some have even offered me the opportunity to join them. I’m happy to say I didn’t.

      What was that old Chinese saying? “Wait by the river long enough and sooner or later you’ll see the body of your enemy float by.”?

      • Eugenics was a big thing in the early 1900s, and was legal in many places (there’s a plaque outside the Indiana Statehouse complex dedicated to, either the eugenics movement, or its end (was passing through and didn’t have time to read.

        The eugenics movement in the U.S. was Margret Sanger’s “seed” for “Planned Parenthood” (created to legally abort babies of color), AND Hitler & Hess’ “seed” for their “master race” social philosophy BS.

      • Take a look on-line for things a fella we all know and ( ahem ) love has said in the past.

        “He would like to come back as a virus to kill people”

        Him and his wife have a well known , well funded organization to give his massive wealth away. Trouble is Eugenics has been a biggie of his.

        Yep , Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melissa.

    • I don’t think XI did that.if you read the speeches he has given and listen to the things he has said etc.. he seems to be someone that is determined to do what he thinks should be done but is in favor of his people.. and looks out after those that he is the leader of…The Idea that He or anyone let the virus out on home soil just doesn’t make sense…. I still think it was an accidental oops by a researcher.. but either way it is a nasty that is loose and the fact that everyone just like Fukishima is working on the problem.. they will keep the real information a secret and try to keep things moving along.. I was reading last night that today DJT is going to address the viral outbreak and lay out strategic plans.. for myself.. that tells me that it is uglier than previously thought….
      Wait and see if he starts closing schools etc.. the big issue will be finances.. like us for an example.. over fifty percent goes out just for medical insurance for one person.. on the average the lower income people cannot loose work hours.. every penny is needed to survive .. so to keep the economy from stalling completeley and the banks from closing and the top falling over…. the velocity of money has to continue at least at the presant rate..so will there be cash give aways( I mean stimulous lol).. and because we have moved from a manufacturing country to a consumption country.. we have to continue to spend money to keep the velocity of money at the same momentum….All in All a very interesting situation.. dammed if you do dammed if you don’t..

  4. so we going to have a fun time soons right unforchionly im just 61 and still not retired plan to work tell 75 but the milletry man gets to retire at 50 or less thats fare.

    • Well, the concept of retirement 20 years ago wouldn’t support you today. It takes several retirement incomes to bring in enough to keep you away from anorexia. A lot of military people are forced out of the “job” long before they make their 20, too.

      • I remember ads in magazines I believe in the ’50’s which were touting “How to Retire on $300 per month” Think the value of money has changed ?

      • I was in that crowd. Military pay by itself is very low. It’s the allowances added on that make life sustainable for warfighters and their families. 20 years of service equals 50% pension on the pay, not the allowances. Half of nothing equals almost nothing. 30 years of service translates to a 75% pension.

        As for careers, enlisted people face up or out rules. Most get about five or six shots at promotion before the retention control point kicks in. Competition is fierce, and only the most fit and accomplished move up. For officers, it is much worse. They get locked into year groups and only get three looks – once below the zone, once in, and a long-shot past the zone. And unlike enlisted personnel who have the luxury of riding out the enlistment before separation, officers dread the day they get their slips. Separation usually follows in about 60 days.

        Nobody serves a career in the military for the pension. Maybe the fantastic medical care… :)

      • “Nobody serves a career in the military for the pension. Maybe the fantastic medical care… :)”

        Well Joe…From what my retired military family members have told me. Is the pension isn’t that bad and they get to carry the golden goose medical insurance for them and their families.. not to mention in an age where regular employers dont offer benefit packages. The downside is the job.. like a fireman that’s there to fight a fire military are there to stand strong and say..sleep well onight I’m on duty..
        Those that I know working for the VA medical system are there because of the great benefits and that golden goose medical plan that they can keep afterwards. Having worked the floors for years jobs at the govt. Side were coveted careers. They got to take holidays and get their vacation and school loans paid in full and carry a wonderful healthcare insurance afterwards.
        Where in the regular work a day world we aren’t given those options and finding a job that offers a retirement package at all is few and far apart . Not even considering the school loan forgiveness..

  5. I don’t remember if it was last night’s YouTube video or the one previous to it but Dr. Martenson brought out the fact that U.S. hospital bed vacancies usually run somewhere between 30 and 40 percent. At the present rate of Covid-19 infection escalation these beds will all be occupied and more needed by some time in May. And not all hospitals are ready for this type of infection. People going without medical attention will begin to shoot the death rate for Covid-19 up at that point and it will show just how deadly this thing is relative to the flu.

    Lack of beds is not the only reason for not getting medical attention, though. If you’re like me and have no medical insurance a few days in the hospital could mean death to your bank account, too, so people tend to stay away from doctors and hospitals due to our medical industry’s rapacious pursuit of profits. If this thing lands you in the hospital it will keep you there for weeks, not just a few days.

    • Having studied medicine for too many years and made my money elsewhere, I have zero intention of entering a hospital. There’s a slight chance that I’ll change my mind, but not much. I’ve already refused ER and other “treatment” AMA several times. You can usually self care and tough it out with equal or better results. Of course there are exceptions. My own medical library fills a floor to ceiling shelving set along with hard drives, and today most medical info is on the net – often for free. I’d like to befriend a licensed MD with a libertarian(and outlaw) bent, but I’ve yet to meet one. Most with licenses are on a very short leash. The prescription system really interferes with ideal self-care.

      The bottom line is that most of us can find our way to live out our natural lifetimes. Medicine has yet to provably extend the maximum human lifetime. Virus or not, I intend to live each day as though it may be my last, and simultaneously as though I’ll live forever. That’s the intention – and sometimes it’s challenging.

      Living can be both cheap and worthwhile. DIY attitude and curiosity will tend to keep you young. One real problem for the near term is that even a minimal social life is being limited. If you don’t have a S.O., then you’re unlikely to meet one.

      I am concerned about those in retail, delivery, and other contact jobs who must constantly interface with customers. I’ve yet to see a mask or goggles in this scenario. I do hope they’re staying relatively safe. Vitamin C, baking soda, Vitamin D3(or sunshine), meditation, and adequate rest are simple and safe precautions.

      • “Medicine has yet to provably extend the maximum human lifetime.”
        And if it does it only extends you through misery most of the time. The last year or so of life now days, in my observation, is usually a gold mine for the medical community and a crappy existence for the patient. The one thing that does extend lifetimes is taking care of yourself all along the way. People my age now, early 60s, were pretty much done for when I was a kid and looked it. After having my parents shove vitamins down my throat as a kid I’ve continued the practice and learned about how my body acts and reacts to certain influences so I act accordingly. I wish the rest of my family did to the point I’m more afraid of being the last one to go. Can’t get them to take vitamins at all.

    • “People going without medical attention ”

      One if my many hats was working the floors in medical facilities..
      Even at a fast food restaurant. Or a factory.. many go by a point system..your allowed x points then a verbal then a written then out. Not to mention few offer sick time.. those that do still count the points.
      Not to mention the utility company doesnt have a sense of humor. An employer doesnt care whether or not your child is sick.. or your sick the rent still comes due and the Bill’s still have to be paid.. you go to work sick .
      An old coworker with really bad asthma had an attack. Went into the ER ..the doc was going to admit them.. no give me a shot or an inhaler but I have to be at work or be fired. Well self terminated..
      He tried to talk them into being admitted and they had the doctor call the shift nurse.
      After he talked to them he gave a shot or something and they went to work. You work short shifts and long hours during the flu of 92 the floor workers that caught it wore depends..
      I cannot even tell you how many times it was just me for several wings.. you dont do the care for the money.. I think they are still starting them out at ten an hour and top wage for tech is sixteen..
      A day off was an eight hour shift.
      Average was 12 to 18 seven days a week.. hell year was 140 plus hours a week. I worked one full time job in exchange for the hospital bill that was owed.. been there done that. Sick or not your there..restaurant work same thing your sick and you still have to live and unfortunately the idea that some program is going to bail you out is just a fantasy.. it doesnt exist and for those that it does . Well they are rely hurting to qualify

  6. In your story, the congress people should be more worried about themselves, most being in the disclosed target demographic…

    Also of interest is the story that Trump came in contact with Corona infected person and isn’t being tested, Biden and Sanders are campaigning in Cleveland, OH which just had 3 people test positive, and several congress people have come in contact and know they did (how many don’t know they did.)

    Beginning to wonder if the TV show “Designated Survivor” was foreshadowing, just with the trigger point being COVID-19 instead…

    • There was a British drama about a World pandemic back in, I think, the 80s. I remember it’s intro showed a guy catching a cold in the Orient then boarding a plane and starting to sniffle through all the subsequent stops back to England. Long story short, the World had only a few survivors living in camps. Survivalist memes were around back then like Williams and Mattau in the 1983 movie “The Survivors”. Dang, just looked that movie up and the idea must have caught hold back in the early 70s.

    • I think what puzzled me is that Trump said we have all the testing under control in his presser yesterday. Then when a reporter asked Pence if Trump had been tested…the answer was “I don’t know”.

      If you have the testing under control and POTUS is exposed to a someone who tested positive…don’t you think the answer should have been…”He shook the hand of Doug Collins Friday and the new information we have is that the virus isn’t detectable for 5-7 days… we will do testing at that time.”

      That answer would have been perfect and a credit to the WH for understanding the medical protocol and giving the American people the comfort that this WH has it Sh*# together. Instead, we get an “I don’t know”.

      But when you give the media dumb answers, you get dumb reporting back. This WH has to stop feeding nuggets to the media. Get back to basics and answer questions with confidence and back those up with cold hard facts. Can you imagine Jeff Bezos sitting in on a WH presser? A corporation like Amazon depends it’s very being on factual, real time data. They do nothing without billions of meta data metrics to back it up. Bezos would have fired Trump day one…

      • The question was dumb. Meant only as a gotcha just like all the BS coming from the numbnuts in the press room. Best to just listen to the person’s release statements given, make up your own mind, then tun off the dumbass box.

        Sheesh.

    • Mr. Trump did not. He DID come in contact with a person who’d been in contact with an infected person.

      That said, ya gots ta understand the man: Trump will not be tested until (and unless) he gets sick. He’s not going to “waste” a test kit on himself, unless there’s a chance it will yield a positive result.

      Have you forgotten that Trump is a “germaphobe” and never goes anywhere without a bottle of hand sanitizer?

    • “Also of interest is the story that Trump came in contact with Corona infected person and isn’t being tested, Biden and Sanders are campaigning in Cleveland, OH ”

      Oh wouldn’t that make old Nasty Nancy and the rest of the puppets that’s been trying to get DJT shoved out of office all this time. To do the happy dance. If he did come down with it..
      Spend every waking hour for three years spending billions of dollars only to have a virus be the one to get him to leave office.

  7. “Of the sort that make up our occasional references to a (fictitious – we hope) super-secret US government agency we call Directorate 153”

    I thought I had read that someplace before.. who knows if it is real or not.. I guess a person could check out from the archive of the hotsheets…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brawJsSUtxk

    https://books.google.com/books?id=9ZI4R_4eA7EC&pg=PA336&lpg=PA336&dq=Directorate+153&source=bl&ots=6DqtQBXNhD&sig=ACfU3U0pvwZ6WwajM8I71j0q5ysCymagHQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjOkInNhpDoAhVLK80KHUWgDZcQ6AEwAXoECAwQAQ#v=onepage&q=Directorate%20153&f=false

  9. Lol good column George but the one thing you forgot was the trillion that the MIC sucks out of the economy each year, which would fund all the old folks with half of that left over.As far as making it in America that would be a long way down the road, as new plants would have to be built,new equipment (probably bought from a foreign country) and the retraining of the work force.

    Russia just killed fracking when they said no to a deal to cut production which will drop oil into the low twenties,which they say they can maintain for ten years. Perhaps they would have been better off creating trade deals rather then demonizing Russia.And now I see the same folks demonizing China on the virus while they have no idea of the who why or maybe, its just they did it.!!

  10. The big story – now over 200 Billion in overnight Repo. Now, most people think this is liquidity to ‘trade’ stocks. Well, some of it, but is really happening here is derivative contracts exploding!! For those of you watching, the overnight Repo started to blow up long before the Corona Virus entered from stage left. Is there a connection between the two? I will let you speculate. But, there are over 100 T in derivatives, so the CBs cannot provide anywhere the liquidity to full fill these derivatives exploding. Expect a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting of Trump, the Treasury Secretary, and the Fed Chairman (et al) sometime in the next week to form a ‘bail out.’ Similar, to what happened in 2008. It will not work this time. Too many derivatives, too much debt, to much leverage. Prepare for crash landing. Watch the overnight Repo. When it get north of 300 Billion, I suggest PANIC!

  11. Hey George, This is starting to play out like the Book of Revelations. One third of the world population wiped out by plague, you have got Russia wanting the Middle East oil, China doing all kinds of saber rattling. and this country hoping all of the useless eaters (the 60+ crowd) go away and leave their money to their kids to spend and be taxed on………..

  12. Interesting market today. It surges over 900 points on news of a stimulus package and then cuts that gain in half when the WH says, “Wait, we are not ready for roll-outs of any specific Coronavirus-induced economic package just yet. The timing and scope remain uncertain ”

    If there is one word Wall Street hates…it’s the word Uncertain. Kind of makes you wonder who is really running this country. Wall Street sways the market based on their view of the world. They didn’t like the way the WH handled the COVID, it slapped the WH on the wrist with a mini crash. WH responds with news of a stimulus package…market goes up 900 points…WH retracts the timing of the stimulus package…Wall street slaps the wrist again. It’s like a game of tug of war.

    • “WH says, “Wait, we are not ready for roll-outs of any specific Coronavirus-induced economic package just yet.”

      Now that’s Interesting because on the news tonight the report said Congress told the WH that there wasn’t any way they would approve any stimulus packages and to hold up on that idea.

      • Fox says one thing…The rest of the world another. Those comments actually came from Mnuchin, Kudlow and GOP Senators”. Many GOP Senators and Mnuchin are skeptical of a payroll tax cut.

  13. George;
    As a retired military man, Vietnam vet,19 months as combat medic, 43 years and counting as a Physician Assistant-Certified almost 70 years old. I am not retired,I still love what I do in Primary Care medicine which includes family practice,urgent care,some emergency medicine,plus dermatology,infectious disease.. Many military guys got agent orange exposure and developed diabetes,blood cancers,prostate cancer,gulf war syndrome from exposure to depleted uranium rounds and dust kuwait oil fires,absent legs and arms,brain damage from explosions repeated concussions with eventual dementia starting much earlier.. Yeah we are real lucky as military guys to get to retire Early.. There is a Price for Everything.. What price are you willing to pay to stand at the wall and face Death in many forms,not just war wounds but mental health, disease exposure,chemicals,.. what price will you pay!!!
    I still stand at the wall,every day in primary care risking my exposure to infectious disease,chemicals coming into my office or ER,decontamination of farmers and pesticide exposure many of which are Nerve agents.. But I love what I do Everyday.. In a small way I get to help.. Retirement,6 hours after I am cremated I will retire… How about you… LOL I am sooo blessed. or is that cursed??

  14. Rabbits everywhere! Must be a rabbit hole around here soemwhere..

    – Ft. Detrick shutdown, PERMANENTLY, August 5th – NYT reported it was due to Waste Water Treatment Plant failures and some failures to follow protocols.
    US Bioweapon Labs are the only ones in world to have all 5 five race specific strains corona virus.. Supposedly all 5 were removed (stolen) via waste water treatment plant. Taiwan revealed that COVID-19 originated in US-covered up by seasonal Flu Stats -was symptomatic in an American by early September – fitting timeline of of june?July release. How did it get to Wuhan?

    Just flew commercial back to USA yesterday via Miami Airport. Two elderly people wore masks on flight(old Boeing 737) from Central America to Miami. Miami Airport was bustling as usual, only 3-4 people with masks (old folks and Asians) that I saw during layover. On the flight to the City of Brotherly Love, Boeing767-300, much larger plane – there were 2 mask wearers.
    Lots of “Purell” hands washing activity was observed.

    So PANIC it is – WE R all going to DIE!

    Hell U were all Born to Die..get over it and get on with your adventures -its a life.

    Bunch of candy-assed, lily-livered chicken littles. You want something to worry about try Dengue Fever – the bone breaker virus – its a real treat, similar to its close friend Zika Virus. These puppies are carried by Mozzies, and will put U in a world of Hurt – just like my fav backyard member of House Slytherin – The Jumping Tommygoff/ Fer-De-Lance – talk about mean and nasty..sheesh!

    • Nothing is ever a problem until you get it, then it is a major disaster & you complain no one cares.

  15. Some commenter in ZH gave a link that leads to the entire video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d86DRn7T098. It’s dated 2010 and throws Ben Davidson’s and Chris Martenson’s works together long before they started blowing their whistles along with some Biblical prophecy. Could this be the inspiration for you Directorate 153 George? Interesting to see that it’s still up there and has only been viewed 162,143 times in 10 years. I wonder if YT counts non-members’ views?

  16. The potential is there for a bonafide mass hysteria.

    The daily-double will be the financial collapse. Anything lining up for a trifecta?

  17. This is starting to feel a lot like 2008 banking crisis. Just in time to swing the election. Dems sweep in, save the day as in Obama 2.0.

  18. Rock A Rolla Texas Ayatollah –

    Have no fear the corona virus is Hear!
    Thats right Kenneth – We know the Frequency (s) that KILL this Virus (Sarah Westall/Youtube w/Sharry Edwards)

    That is if U aint developed your own Energy Accumulator or developed your own “Eye Beams”..”Sight is ENERGY leaving the Person- Leonardo Da Vici its Ure own personal radar dammit!

    Dont let the NEGATIVE forces drag U Down! Nutless Nellies need to grow a vajayjay, “those things take a beating”- Bette White.

    – Primal Energy Baby – it is Ures – Get some!

    Cashed out the SPY Puts – saved a Winning Portfolio! , underwater on SPY Call side of Strangle – Tripling Down =Average Down and Adding closer In the Money SPY Calls -3/20 Expiration.
    Miners and Streamers have been knocked down a little – but still Up biggly – adding to Positions – Anglo American Platinum went Force Majure on on ALL Platinum and PGM metals due to Smelter & Concentrator breakdown w/90 day repair window the other day..hmmm

    Also looking at several Biotechs – Long GILD – looking for more. Waiting to find out “who has been swimming in the markets without their swim trunks on”.- Buffet

    Repo facility is replacement for Commercial Paper ( Big $$ – Overnight Maturity) Market that JPM had pretty much taken over. JPM got sick and tired of it and forced the Feds hand. Now they(JPM) want the fed to Open the Discount Window again -FMTT who is running this show anyway Mr. Narrator?

    Derivatives Bomb has been Bunkerized to limit Blast radius when it goes – prolly a rolling thunder kinda bomb..bouncing betty?..as the Oil price shocks reverberate thru the markets.

    Nerves of Steel Mr Narrator if in juwanna beat this casino! ..”Damm the Torpedoes!” -Farragut

    • Advice from Ure: Keep an open mind, but not so open your brain falls out, coot!

      Until some of these Rife peddlers show some double blind and some replicatable by others on generic equipment, beware the snake and the oil and credit card orders call now…

  20. The Corona Virus attacks older people 60+…with a higher death rate…this is a positive culling event to END the ‘political war’ being waged from DC..by…..shumer palosi clapper brennan comey lynch sanders biden Hillary,Bill,bloomberg, Ginsberg and many more on the ‘left’…and many RINO’s and others on the right……may the ‘grim reaper’…bring JUSTICE…to DC and surrounding areas…. “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”….Oo-Rah !!

  21. Yeah, nevermind the virus… fear the depression collapse to follow. Hawaii has a stretched supply line as it is, relying on several container ships weekly to bring in goods. At present Toilet paper is sold out at the big box warehouse stores. Some can be found locally in small amounts at local outlets… usually with a limit of 1 or 2 per customer. Lysol spray and Clorox wipes cannot be found anywhere, supermarkets or local drug store chains. And we don’t even have a community outbreak of the virus… yet. Everyone is stocking up on rice, also.

    The tourist industry is dying here. Local festivals that brought in Asian travellers and millions of $ are cancelled. Air arrivals are down about half, I believe, and now the state is trying to stop cruise ships from making port calls here also. Half of Hawaii labor will soon be unemployed. One tour guide interviewed on the local news had a blank stare.. ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ look as he said his tour business depended on the cruise ships. He didn’t know what he was going to do… but he supported the ban because it was for the safety of everyone.
    Poor fellow obviously didn’t have a ‘Plan-B’.

    Hawaii is a microcosm. It will be coming to the mainland soon enough.

    • Yo Hank –

      You do know where they are penning the infected sheeps? Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickman AFB – stay clear Honolulu/Oahu

      • Yep… I left that Island and the urban crush of Honolulu several years ago. Retired to the boonies on the Big Island now, far from the crowds, with my own fruit tree farm and garden.

        Pearl Harbor was chosen because it has large military habitation and medical facilities. So far the mass quarantine facility is not needed… yet. We have two cases, one isolated at home, one at Kaiser Medical facility. But the cruise ships continue to dock and circulate people here, and there is still air tourism.

        I’m avoiding all crowds… and tourists.

  22. As I’ve mentioned before, I am working on strategies for resupply and storage in the upcoming harvest season. I think the most challenging operating environment will be coming next winter and into spring. Unless, of course, you get caught with your leveraged knickers down in a margin call, and the cascade of collateral defaults takes your home, vehicles and cash.
    I’m thinking the hobo lifestyle might be something to plan for if you are now living that margin investing lifestyle. Maybe find a way to hide at least a liveable van so creditors can’t find the title. Or maybe a good tent and some camping gear in a kid’s storage unit. Ah, to be a man of the unencumbered leisure class.

  23. The BBC reports that the British health minister has tested positive for coronavirus, and has gone into self-isolation. Symptoms apparently began last week on the same day she attended an event at #10 Downing Street.

  24. ALERT

    YOUR money in your bank soon to be ‘repo’ed’…but not by YOU…since new banksters ‘rules’…. make THEM the owners of your deposited Currency….it ain’t in your hand…you do not own it…READ YOUR BANKS RULES…

Comments are closed.