The Virus: From Beyond "Iron Mountain"

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It’s an honest writer’s confession that I admired the late author Leonard C. Lewin.  You’ll remember him as the author of the best-selling Report From Iron Mountain: On the Accessibility and Desirability of Peace.  This was one of my favorite books.  It amplified the lessons of “thinking the unthinkable” I’d learned as a newsman years back

What most people don’t know is that Lewin wrote a second book titled Triage…in 1972. 

Its about a “world-sweep….”

But more on this – and why we may be moving into a “Post-Marketing Era” after some virus numbers, a few useful other things and, of course, where would we be without our ChartPack (whose study seems deeply useful, we have heard).

Oh, almost forgot:  Podcast14 is here. And some very interesting pointers on what lies ahead from one of those “well-placed sources.”

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60 thoughts on “The Virus: From Beyond "Iron Mountain"”

  1. WHAT TO DO NOW? Thanks to George & being a PN subscriber, I listened to my indicators & sold 80% in the early days of this devastation, which I rarely do. Most of my money is in IRA’s, so taxes aren’t a problem. The remaining 20% has been slaughtered. I track daily the prices of the stocks I want to buy back. By tracking the stocks, it gives you a perspective of what is really going on in the market. Last week was another week of pain. Friday started out with hope but that soon collasped. You don’t want to wait too long to buy back in & end up buying the stocks back at a higher price than you sold them at. You want to buy them back at a price you feel comfortable with, when the indicators are positive. Even if you don’t get back in at the exact bottom, there is big money to be made after this is over if you stay alert. I made a few scheckels trading, but that is too much work & headache, so I gave it up.

    Maybe I should add Tesla to the list. It has 8.6 billion dollars in cash, thanks to a 2.3 billion dollar stock sale before the selloff, which should hold it for a couple of months if production is shut down. The company is the future, I just don’t trust Elon Musk.

    PODCAST: If you didn’t listen to the podcast, there are hidden gems not found in the PN Report.

    • Hi George,

      Since we are all going to have to self quarantine, I subscribed to your site. Love your writings, too cheap to subscribe before now.

      I appreciate that I will have a treasure trove of reading going forward.
      The following is from an email to my good friend in Costa Rica who I was scheduled to visit over Semana Santa. Alas, it is not to be:

      Things are changing here rapidly. As of last night the governor has closed all restaurants and bars, except for take out and delivery. Other medical stuff as in no elective surgeries, etc.

      The one thing that blindsided me is that all the libraries are closed. Major impact on me that I never saw coming.

      • Many libraries have e-materials and e-access available. Check their website. As long as you have the free internet, you’ll have plenty of material to cogitate over.

  3. Anyone notice that Wayfair (W) went from a 52 week high of 166.40 to currently 27.24. Is this puppy going out of business?

  5. Dude G – Ure Brain IS a Liquid Crystal Antenna –

    U already got all the hardware U will ever need..

    Ure personal Software and Filters dev work will get U there..

    Be There Now…!

  6. Your podcast this morning was excellent. I truly value your perspective and thoughts I don’t find anywhere else.

    Like NC, about 20% of my investments got slaughtered but 80% sitting in GICs for the past few months at a piddling 2% return ?

    Thanks George

    • No, thank YYOU. It’s all for subscribers to PN – they continue to keep the lights on at US and PN…I wouldn’t do this otherwise. I could be out making the garden bigger…

    • George,

      Outstanding column and podcast today.

      I just have the feeling that there’s still another shoe to drop to add to the misery of Covid-19. I think the ‘left-wing’ effort to remove Trump at any cost is still alive and this pandemic is insufficient to achieve their real goal of re-taking the Executive Branch. Yes, I do think Covid-19 is a bioweapon employed by rogue elements within the US.

      As GA Stewart predicts in his website “The Age of Desolation”, a military event in the Middle East involving USForces and Iran will be ginned up bringing about significant losses to US Naval forces stationed over there. At that point the ‘impeachment circus’ will begin again in earnest and Trump will be given the ole heave-ho.

  7. I think this is all a hoax based on shoddy data. We have no idea the death rate because we aren’t measuring infection rate, at all.

    I use data like this to advise my company if a software update is stable and robust. I could never wreck the entire product, or the entire company portfolio based on a guess like this. Here we are wrecking the entire world, starting with the first amendment.

    Since when can a governor or mayor suspend the first?

    Is it true that the Diamond Princess is the only closed population we’ve studied? And that 1% of the infected died, mostly old people? Projected across the US population, which isn’t so old, it starts to look like a nasty flu.

    This is all BS, and still open ended, and still no plan to save small business, and still no plan to put people back to work, or even help those who need it. Oregon’s governor and Portland mayor announced a soft martial law last night. No mention at all of people who need to work to pay rent, or helping business. Just an open ended, vague, constitutionally illegal, complete shut down of society. How about extending the tax deadline, stopping county taxes on business, etc. anything?

    • Of course its both a hoax with no intent to save small business,owning a construction company we were notified from our main supplier that the 1st of April everything is going up, and as for nails forget it for there isn’t any to be had.Now Trump should have seen this coming for business will milk it for all they can,he should have slapped on a price freeze preventing any rise in prices.

      As for the constitution they have been playing with that for years,the War Powers Act was the dry run, and they including the high court have been nibbling at that ever since, with the Boston Bomber and Patriot Bill being the worse.Its like slowly cooking a frog and if we aren’t careful we will have just what Bush called it “nothing but a GD. piece of paper”.!!!

      • the Constitution will only be obeyed by politicians…when they are put to task by the 2 nd Amendment..(which may come sooner than most think)…..and left to rot in the street…till then they RULE over us…a….imo….Semper Fi

    • Would the ChiComs have shut down their economy if this virus didn’t have some unknown consequences we are not privy to. There has to be more info out their to shut down the world which nobody is willing to tell the little people. Based on the current panic, if the whole truth be known (if there is any), there would be a major panic & depression would follow as George is warning. Pay heed, & adjust accordingly. It is bad now, but it could or could not get downright ugly.

    • They did extend the tax deadline. We don’t have file til July 15th. That was announced on Thursday.

    • Yes, and I think the wording of the Declaration of Independence could be interpreted as an exemption of liability from Force Majeure. Life on planet Earth has system requiements. Also, I think this guy Fauci has run away with the wagon.

    • Does it matter if it’s a hoax or if it’s as horrible as everyone is saying..
      Everything is being shut down..the velocity of the dollar..
      Very shortly we will see how it will all play out..will it all tank.. the federal reserve bashed to shambles or will they be able to contunue to push the noodle on the table..

      We are in uncharted territory here. Those that survived the weimer and great depression are no longer around to give us advice.. the closest examples are greece and Argentina. But even with them industry and labor was still active.
      Just my opinion..but right now toilet paper has more value than gold. If that isnt an eye opener I dont know what is. In two weeks if the velocity of this virus continues to increase we could be seeing the next phase of this catastrophe event emerging.

      • If the majority of local and online retailers have empty shelves, or are shuttered altogether, then you are seeing what I am referring to as a functional economic collapse.
        I am thinking that this is the manifestation of the big high-order social mood reversal Prechter has been advocating as the key ingredient required for a whirlwind credit deflation collapse.
        I am expecting the velocity of money to tank shortly.
        While governments seek to limit political fall-out, businesses are attempting to contain medical costs and liability. I expect a repeat of the same madness with insurance funding that the AIDS epidemic caused.
        Fear the system collapse, as the social mood reversal plays out.

  10. Chinese Envoy Refuses to Apologize for Beijing’s Initial ‘Cover Up’ of Coronavirus Outbreak

    “By covering up the reality of this virus for three weeks, communist party officials allowed the virus to spread not just to Han people in China, but to people all around the world,” Swan noted.

    The Axios reporter then proceeded to ask the ambassador point-blank whether the communist party wanted to apologize for its initial “cover up” of the novel coronavirus infections (COVID-19) in China.

    “I think that that statement is based on distortions of fact,” Cui replied.

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/03/20/chinese-envoy-refuses-to-apologize-for-beijings-initial-cover-up-of-coronavirus-outbreak/
    _____________________

  11. Top Italian official points to chance virus came from Germany as powerful Chinese minimize role in contagion

    A leading Italian official is saying he is not sure close economic ties with China caused the catastrophe and is asserting the virus may have come from Germany at a time when China is seeking inroads into Europe and downplaying its role in the contagion.

    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/top-italian-official-points-to-chance-virus-came-from-germany-as-powerful-chinese-minimize-role-in-contagion
    _____________________

  12. George, your Ultra-Make website may have been well timed. Make it yourself, no on else touches it. Just as Elon Musk will have to take a 3D Printer to Mars to construct housing, greenhouses, etc, since all that is too bulky to transport, America will need to start printing their own goods to insure survival, since these items may not be available elsewhere. A black market of 3D goods could be started. Instead of going to the Farmers Market, you would go to the 3D Market.

    • If you don’t mind, I think I’ll continue going to both. 5 ears of 3D corn won’t be the same as the real deal. Shopping will be a lot faster, as well.
      :)

  13. Does anybody know of a Corona that’s been nipped in the bud, no it’s all going to play out, it don’t matter how much testing you do but the only thing isolation does just slow down rush into the hospital system. If you live long enough everyone including mwah and you will get it. Your only defense is to keep your immune system higher than it’s ever been before

  14. Locally the growth rate of virus victims is off the national geometric rate increases, but are still geometric. Nationally, the runaway in New York is skewing the statistics. Everywhere but New York, the geometric progression exponent might but tailing off a tick. Unfortunately, we are so far into this, that I’m not sure that a small decrease in the geometric series exponent will make that much difference in the year end outcome.

    With sanitizer in short supply, I made a trip to get a couple of liters of grain alcohol for contingency. Only one store in three had any left, and they were running out. Call before you go on a run. Glycerine can still be bought online. The WHO recipe for sanitizer looks easy.

    Last night I was trying to buy a few priority things I need online. About 2/3 of the websites I went to were sold out, or had stopped taking orders. If you really need something, you need to proceed directly to acquisition. While we may be a long way from civil anarchy, I think functional economic collapse is on the table in full view. That doesn’t mean that everything will continue to be safe in your locale.

    The things I should have done but didn’t are starting to become apparent. The things I have done right are looking pretty obvious as well. The people who are still gripped by normalcy bias are likely to get some doses of cold reality this week.

    • I’m not overly concerned about hand sanitizer. If Dr. Chris Martenson’s satisfied with washing with soap and water that’s good enough for me. If you’re out in public your hands will be contaminated again in less than a minute anyway unless you’re in a full poopie suite, gloves, mask and goggles.

      But I’ve tired of trying to get people to think about the situation. Unless it gets to be like it is in China with mobile crematoriums and people calling “Bring out yer ded” most peoples’ normalcy bias reigns supreme. People are much more concerned about their social scores than the bus headed toward them in the crosswalk of Life.

      Lubbock has put out a notice that if you’ve been in places A,B,C,D, and so forth, you need to get yourself checked out. This is after 3 or 4 confirmed cases have been found there. 3 or 4 people can cover the entire town but people in my locality are still saying “the numbers just aren’t there – why all the panic?” (/falsetto)

      Whoops – CDC just said that there are now 9 confirmed cases in Lubbock.

      Party on dudes!

      • I HATE hand sanitizer — ‘would rather wash my hands 50x per day than use it, but sometimes it’s the best option.

        Dunno if they still bottle Everclear, but it is unobtaneum here, so I bought a bottle of Clear Spring (same thing, 95% grain alcohol) to use as a mouthwash, if necessary. As “mediciney” as Listerine tastes, its alcohol content is much too low to kill this bug. I have had to use the Clear Spring once. Holy crap! College was a long time ago and I’d forgotten how much straight grain “lights you up!”

      • Once I’m home, I use disinfecting soaps of various types to conserve the sanitizer. The Dial foaming soap is good. Once a day I scrub with G___’s favorite, Hibiclens, especially if I am returning from being out and about. Where I use the hand sanitizer to best effect is in the car. If I get out of the car, if I handle money, etc, I use the sanitizer. I have had a sanitizer bottle on my desk at work for two months, first for H1N1, now for the Novel plague.
        Most of the young folks with kids, both preschool and in school, are telecommuting to the office, which makes the situation a lot safer for the more experienced folks. I have permission to telecommute, but right now the mix of work favors me being in the office. If only a hand full of old timers are in the office, all of whom are functional paranoids with access to soap and sanitizer, we should be OK for the next couple of weeks. After that, all bets are off. I have campaigned to get UV in return air ducts, but no one is biting on that to date. At I home I did get a small ozone generator to handle batch cleaning. I have been cautioned that ozone generators don’t play well with tire rubber or engine gaskets. Ozone generators don’t play well with gasoline vapors either.

    • “The things I should have done but didn’t are starting to become apparent. The things I have done right are looking pretty obvious as well. The people who are still gripped by normalcy bias are likely to get some doses of cold reality this week.”

      Yes, SIR!

      If’fn this ain’t da “big one,” it is certainly a wake-up call and a damn’ fine “live fire drill.” I’m sitting here, drinking a cup of Chock Full O’ Nuts French Roast with milk and honey, wondering if the lights will stay on, and if they don’t, if 150 gallons of diesel will keep the freezers and the well running until I empty them… wondering if I can convert baking recipes to honey if need be, wondering if my little coffee trees will survive, etc. My weatherman is a gormless liar. We were supposed to be kissing 70 degrees from Wednesday on — made it to 40 on Wed & Thu, and 42 yesterday, after the snow stopped. That’s not helping…

  16. For LOOB:

    Trending: Out-of-control teenagers coughing on grocery store produce

    Idle teenagers are participating in a “disturbing trend” of coughing on grocery store produce and posting their pranks online as the nation fights the coronavirus, which is known to spread from human “droplets” spraying from mouths.

    The latest incident occurred in the Washington exurb of Purcellville, Virginia, some 55 miles from the White House.

    According to a Purcellville Police Department report, “An incident occurred at a local grocery store involving juveniles reportedly coughing on produce, while filming themselves and posting it on social media.”

    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/trending-out-of-control-teens-coughing-on-grocery-store-produce

    I hope they’re the same kids who’re licking toilet seats in public restrooms for YouTube likes. Greenhorns just a huffin’ and a sweatin’ to receive a Darwin Award _should_not_be_denied…!

    • Must have evolved from the ice cream licking meme. A few strikes about the head and shoulders with a billy club ought to solve that problem pretty quickly.

    • Dam Kids.. it doesn’t surprise me… the talk here is at this time opening the stores up for two hours for those that are high risk.. then closing it and cleaning..( make sure to wash your fresh vegitables..they are spraying them with disinfectants.) then opening it up for two hours for the next group..
      I talked to the mother of one of the store managers.. she hadn’t noticed any of it because she quit watching the news.. it wasn’t until her son and her work brought it all up that she had to go check it out..
      I got a call yesterday saying that a bunch of tanks were being brought into one area at the base there.. ( my guess just in case there is a national shut down and people fail to follow the mandates) there has to be control to keep the idiots from tearing stuff apart..

      • re: the tanks. Where, in public or at a military installation? If public, that would be a serious escalation of the NG’s presence.

  17. “Moon of Alabama” has a very good article on the virus that is if anyone wants to read it,The World Health Organization was notified by China back in December of 2019 about the virus and what they knew of it, and I’m sure all countries were notified about it also what types of medication they are using to see if it has any effect.,In the coming months one will be found,in the meantime probably everyone would be better served from making unfounded accusations that its a bio-weapon or China created it, when no one knows where it originated.!!!

    • “Why are they waiting to have country shelter in place”

      Lloyd… they have three options…..

      GO BIG.. and I mean really big.. this is uncharted territory that has never been experienced in a mannor like this…

      Don’t assist anyone at all.. individuals and businesses left to deal with the financial nightmare that is unfolding before our very eyes.. those that fail fail.. those that make it make it..

      Or forget it exists and let businesses work as normal and let the chips lie were they fall like italy.. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-italy/italy-battles-explosion-of-coronavirus-cases-as-third-patient-dies-idUSKCN20H0A3
      those that live live those that die die.. just let it happen.. then come up with the well we didn’t think it was that bad there..
      https://hbr.org/2014/06/the-capitalists-dilemma
      the metrics of capitalism is changing right before our eyes.. and the view that I see coming this way is not a good one.. the dollar was already in trouble now it is a serious issue towards future value.. I see and think that our president like him hate him but he is definately acting very presidential right now.. take the grand daughter and the sanitizer.. a nickles worth of sanitizer maybe.. and offered seventy five dollars for it.. the dollar didn’t hold value to the man.. the same thing happened in the weimer depression..https://keripeardon.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/somali_wheelbarrow.jpg
      it was the same ith gold and silver.. what had the most importance.. now at this point the president is trying to keep our capitalist economy alive.. the dollar active and important.. seriously.. do you think that JB would be doing the same.. or the woman that we shall not name.. my guess is we would be in marshal law territory..
      Now this.. this isn’t just a USA thing.. this is global.. the whole economies of the world are going to be hit.. in the end if it continues.. we shall see a whole new world.. they are struggling because they see it as well.. and I think realize just what is coming if something isn’t done.. what if this is a virus that mutates so much that is doesn’t die off.. as is hinted at by specialist in the field.. what did they say.. thirty five different strains already..I am not trying to scare you but at this point I think they are doing the right thing.. stay in.. congress sure hasn’t gotten it LOL they are laughable at what their image is.. but then they have to see some of it.. I was talking to a friend that teaches at Georgetown (great school wonderful library.. good teachers to.. but to dam expensive) that was giving me his experience at getting his wife some toilet paper LOL LOL I have been thinking about picking up a package and sending them a few rolls..
      Where I was shocked was at a local grocery.. I went in.. in the door was a sign that said be a good neighbor.. get what you need leave the rest to help others.. I walk in… it was normal business.. just like there wasn’t a thing going on.. hamburger chicken in the freezers bread fruit vegitables and eggs milk.. it all was good.. they had a limit on eggs.. but I bought a couple of dozen and my usual yogurt.. and tea to drink and eat on the way home.. It was a shock.. the whole community was being considerate of everyone else and the supply chain although intereupted by everything.. was normal traffic.. I am still thinking that I will mail my teacher friend a package of toilet paper.. LOL LOL LOL LOL….
      Everything depends on how our elected leaders act in the next couple of weeks.. you would think they would see this as serious and be johnny on the spot.. but they don’t for some ungodly reason see outside the buttway..at the real world.. my suggestion was go big temporarily.. go really big.. but so far that isn’t in the works..my thoughts are.. that the puppetteers would loose total control if they did go big really big and they still feel they have to coddle to their wants.. anyway that is my take on this situation.. I am at the bottom.. it will get nuts.. well consider this.. now think about it for a little bit let is mull over.. during every past catastrophic even.. how did our insurance companies react..
      katrina penny on the dollar.. same with all the rest.. all the aid went to the very top.. many went bankrupt on the situation to..
      Now I spend fifty percent plus of our income on insurance for the wife alone.. do you think they will raise rates cover the expenses or .. do like they have done every other time.. and not cover any of it.. or just a fraction.. if so why am I spending fifty percent plus on my insurance.. and insurance company.. if you have an accident.. hires and sends out an adjuster to save the company money.. my engineer friends brother is an adjuster.. anyway.. he was by and we were sitting in a couple of really nice plastic lawn chairs I have.. ( I like em) and he was complaining on how his brother was being treated.. he then said he had to drive over and was talking about some guy that returned from overseas and the moving company broke some of the guys stuff.. and how he couldn’t understand how they could expect to get what the stuff costs.. I said to answer both of those.. I paid forty dollars a chair six years ago for these plastic chairs.. nice chair.. lets say you had to adjust the value of the chairs.. what would it be worth.. he said three to five dollars a chair.. I said ok.. for me to replace the chair is still forty dollars.. the same goes for your brother.. you just adjusted your brothers situation.. some place there is a bean counter that keeps track of that and has adjusted the situation he is in..just like they did with his home in New orleans.. etc..
      this will be the same way.. big changes I see coming huge .. it all depends if they can push that noodle along the table top..its totally up to them..

    • …Because it is each State’s Governor who makes that call, unless Da Prez declares Martial Law.

  20. Okey dokey Artichokey. I will have my 4 year trajectory report tomorrow morning. I think I got it all pieced together. its alot. I took the day off and went house browsing with my SI Swimsuit edition “friend”. I sent ya a pic George of an autograph picture she left at a place we were at. I didnt know she was famous. Lol. The dude at the golf course club house did. Lol. I met her at a 24 hour driving range at 3am becore all this “virus” stuff started popping off. I couldn’t sleep and she just dumped her Boyfriend and sent him back to Boston. We were the only ones there and she driving her balls and yelling “c**k sucker! And A$$ole! And I started laughing my ass off. Then she started laughing and we got breakfast after. Hahahahhaha.

    Its was really nice to take a day away from things and just be.

    I should have it posted here later tomorrow morning or afternoon.

    • Andy: I hope it has something to do about this Coronavirus. There is something not being said about this virus. Or are they ruining the economy to get Biden elected President. I just can’t get over the feeling…Why the overkill?

  21. 3D sex holograms become ‘touchable’ in stunning science breakthrough

    Star Trek’s Holodeck – a space where any environment or character can be created in perfect, touchable 3D – is set to become a reality.

    Dr. Ryuji Hirayama and his team from the University of Sussex have developed a new technique to create touchable holograms. In the future it will be possible to enjoy a true “virtual reality” experience without using goggles or any other bulky equipment.

    https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/3d-sex-holograms-become-touchable-21656977

    It HAD to be posted…

    • “3D sex holograms become ‘touchable’ in stunning science breakthrough”

      about time… it isn’t new tech.. it is fairly old.. the first time I seen it was the live earth.. a hollogram of the earth in real time from all sides..
      the second time was a pair of goggles.. speakers by the ears.. put them on and you were standing on the edge of the grand canyon.. peripheral vision everything.. look up to see and hear the bird flying.. look down to see and hear the bush rustling crickets the works.. most amazing thing.. if someone would have given you a push.. you would have sworn you were falling down the cliff.. amazing.. I seen they put out cheap versions of this thing since but wow.. and that was a long time ago.. so it doesn’t surprise me that they now are starting to show off what they can do for intertainment..
      heck atmos fx sells a kit that you can buy that has dancing skelotins for halloween on your front lawn… ( I got one last year to put up for this year) that came out a couple of years ago.. a neighbor has it.. the grand kids were so involved I didn’t think I would get them any further.. the pumpkins were the cutest..
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMZTC86No9o

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rMmVWowCqo

      • LOOB, “holograms” is no big thing. ‘Touchable’ means you can “play” the lap dance hologram, and feel the dancer bouncing and gyrating on your lap, or for the first time in history, cop a feel and not have the bouncer throw you out.

        The article is about the development of full-tactile holograms. The “sex” angles were injected in (pardon the pun) by the British tabloid writer ‘cuz, well, he’s a Brit tabloid writer and lasciviousness sells in the U.K…

  22. HAWAII CASE COUNT UP 11, NOW 48. Honolulu total 35… 3 hospitalized. Big Island here has two new cases, for a total of 3 on this island. EVERYONE coming in to Hawaii now required to 14-day quarantine.

  23. You know it’s a sad day when even the Indians close their casino. Hahahahaha!

    I said to the native Security guard, “you are a sovereign nation for Gods sake! I thought you guys were done letting the US Government push ya around!!” Native Security guard (big, fat native fella in his early 20’s) says, “listen man, I know it wast you personally but we havent forgot about those f-ing blankets! So go circle your wagon somewhere else blonde!” I laughed so hard I spit out my coffee. He says what are ya doing up so early? Go to bed old man. I said, wow! You’re the first person to call me old man besides my ex-wife. I been getting up at 330am for 10 years for work. so I am an early to bed and early to rise guy.

    Hahahahahaha!

    • Wish there was a way to give a thumbs up on this comment board. Anyway, here’s a thumbs up and a LOL!

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