Another Finnish song. Hint. Corrupted by corporate greed.

https://youtu.be/va_4sd-KATc

Thirty years time. A short time, when seen through the prism at 40.

Anna Eriksson Jos Mulla Olisi Sydän

Preserving two videos this night. Video #1: https://youtu.be/VCpTmMPWg94

Have patients - a play on words! This link still worked. Other songs are now diverted to ads... only ads - I'm not even sure how long this video will last. Who's doing this shit? I haven't a clue, except to say that even as a country that was sinking beneath the waves would still have crud companies like State Farm trying to sell us insurance. And just before our collective lungs filled with water, they would ask us if we liked their ad.... Insanity

Coronavirus Covid-19 clinical information!

Coronavirus clinical:

• COVID-19 is the disease, SARS-2-CoV is the virus. 
• Transmission
  • Respiratory and likely by fomite (contact with hard surfaces). Virus found in respiratory secretions and saliva.
  • Stool shedding also described, but uncertain what role, if any, that plays.
• Incubation period
  • Mean of 6.4 days, range 2-12. For people quarantined, 14d observation recommended to exclude infection, though 24d asymptomatic time from exposure described.
  • Viral shedding occurs following recovery, but unclear what role this plays in transmission.
  • Children and intrafamilial (family) spread appear to be a growing means of transmission.
• Cause of upper respiratory tract disease and pneumonia.
  • The most common symptoms include fever, fatigue, and dry cough.
    • Fever (83-98%)
    • Cough (46-82%, usually dry)
    • Myalgia (muscle pain) or fatigue (11-44%)
    • Shortness of breath at onset (31%)
    • Less common symptoms:
      • Pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx )
      • Headache
      • Productive cough
      • GI symptoms
      • Hemoptysis (coughing up of blood )
• Estimates are ~80% of infections non-severe, including asymptomatic infection likely.
  • The mortality rate is thought to be ≤2%, but precise numbers uncertain due to a lack of available serological testing.
    • The mortality rate is less than that commonly ascribed to severe community-acquired pneumonia (12-15%) but more than seasonal influenza (~0.1%).
  • Most deaths in patients with comorbidities (the simultaneous presence of two chronic diseases or conditions in a patient) and often elderly (> 60 considered a "risk factor"), although healthy younger patients also described.
• Epidemiology
  
  • China remains with most reported cases, but as of March 2020, upswing in many countries including especially S Korea, Italy, US (California, Washington state).
  • 
    

NIH - Some coronavirus facts!

In late December 2019, the World Health Organization declared the illness resulting from the new virus, COVID-19, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. By early March 2020, the novel coronavirus—now named SARS-CoV-2—had infected more than 90,000 people worldwide and killed at least 3,100.Note: COVID-19 is the disease, SARS-2-CoV is the virus.

Like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 particles are spherical and have proteins called spikes protruding from their surface. These spikes latch onto human cells, then undergo a structural change that allows the viral membrane to fuse with the cell membrane. The viral genes can then enter the host cell to be copied, producing more viruses. Recent work shows that, like the virus that caused the 2002 SARS outbreak, SARS-CoV-2 spikes bind to receptors on the human cell surface called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

The researchers found that the SARS-CoV-2 spike was 10 to 20 times more likely to bind ACE2 on human cells than the spike from the SARS virus from 2002. This may enable SARS-CoV-2 to spread more easily from person to person than the earlier virus.

Despite similarities in sequence and structure between the spikes of the two viruses, three different antibodies against the 2002 SARS virus could not successfully bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. This suggests that potential vaccine and antibody-based treatment strategies will need to be unique to the new virus.[It also suggest that more 'novel' mutations may occur in the future.]

Clinical information here - https://forsythkid.blogspot.com/2020/03/coronavirus-covid-19-clinical.html

Source: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/novel-coronavirus-structure-reveals-targets-vaccines-treatments

Origin and evolution of pathogenic coronaviruses!

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are two highly transmissible and pathogenic viruses that emerged in humans at the beginning of the 21st century. Both viruses likely originated in bats, and genetically diverse coronaviruses that are related to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV were discovered in bats worldwide. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the origin and evolution of these two pathogenic coronaviruses and discuss their receptor usage; we also highlight the diversity and potential of spillover of bat-borne coronaviruses, as evidenced by the recent spillover of swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) to pigs.

INTRODUCTION

Coronaviruses cause respiratory and intestinal infections in animals and humans¹. They were not considered to be highly pathogenic to humans until the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002 and 2003 in Guangdong province, China, as the coronaviruses that circulated before that time in humans mostly caused mild infections in immunocompetent people. Ten years after SARS, another highly pathogenic coronavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emerged in Middle Eastern countries. SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a receptor and primarily infects ciliated bronchial epithelial cells and type II pneumocytes, whereas MERS-CoV uses dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4; also known as CD26) as a receptor and infects unciliated bronchial epithelial cells and type II pneumocytes. SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV were transmitted directly to humans from market civets (see More Chinese push to end wildlife markets) and dromedary camels, respectively, and both viruses are thought to have originated in bats.

Extensive studies of these two important coronaviruses have not only led to a better understanding of coronavirus biology but have also been driving coronavirus discovery in bats globally. In this review, we focus on the origin and evolution of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Specifically, we emphasize the ecological distribution, genetic diversity, interspecies transmission and potential for pathogenesis of SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoVs) and MERS-related coronaviruses (MERSr-CoVs) found in bats, as this information can help prepare countermeasures against future spillover and pathogenic infections in humans with novel coronaviruses.

CORONAVIRUS DIVERSITY

Coronaviruses are members of the subfamily Coronavirinae in the family Coronaviridae and the order Nidovirales (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses). This subfamily consists of four genera — Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus, Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus — on the basis of their phylogenetic relationships and genomic structures (Fig. 1). The alphacoronaviruses and betacoronaviruses infect only mammals. The gammacoronaviruses and deltacoronaviruses infect birds, but some of them can also infect mammals. Alphacoronaviruses and betacoronaviruses usually cause respiratory illness in humans and gastroenteritis in animals. The two highly pathogenic viruses, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, cause severe respiratory syndrome in humans, and the other four human coronaviruses (HCoV-NL63, HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43 and HKU1) induce only mild upper respiratory diseases in immunocompetent hosts, although some of them can cause severe infections in infants, young children and elderly individuals. Alphacoronaviruses and betacoronaviruses can pose a heavy disease burden on livestock; these viruses include porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus, porcine enteric diarrhea virus (PEDV) and the recently emerged swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV)³⁴. On the basis of current sequence databases, all human coronaviruses have animal origins: SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-229E are considered to have originated in bats; HCoV-OC43 and HKU1 likely originated from rodents. Domestic animals may have important roles as intermediate hosts that enable virus transmission from natural hosts to humans. In addition, domestic animals themselves can suffer disease caused by bat-borne or closely related coronaviruses: genomic sequences highly similar to PEDV were detected in bats, and SADS-CoV is a recent spillover from bats to pigs (Fig. 2). Currently, 7 of 11 ICTV-assigned Alphacoronavirus species and 4 of 9 Betacoronavirus species were identified only in bats (Fig. 3). 

Thus, bats are likely the major natural reservoirs of alphacoronaviruses and betacoronaviruses. 

 

Devils and Angels do make us...us!

https://youtu.be/orgV3sv_KcU

The Horse-Burger. Has he lost his mind?

OK. I'll save everyone the suspense. I have been adjudged, by a panel of psychiatrists (aka nut doctors), as a 'marginal' individual on the basis of mental stability. That said, I'm still loose out in society, have a spatula and am considered somewhat dangerous only in the kitchen! Disclaimer: No actual horse meat was used in the making of this meal!

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My current 'Old Man Styled American Diet' (COMSAD), while not expressly allowing for comfort foods such as hamburgers, did not specifically exclude them either! To that end, I made myself up a very simple burger with just one small twist. I added some horseradish to the duo of ketchup and mustard that I normally apply. I called it a Horse-Burger, as a result. (It's a free speech thing).

So, I had me two Ball Park buns, a hamburger patty, a slice of onion and the aforementioned trio of condiments. Simple. (Much like the cook)! Preparation was a breeze, as I cooked the burger on a 20 year old Joe Foreman grill, that was working better than I was. The whole affair took about ten minutes, start to finish. I also added a dollop of Reser's coleslaw to the plate, right next to the burger and then sat down to dig right in....

RESULTS: In what might be described as 'youthful enthusiasm' (?), I used perhaps a tad too much horseradish! [One good side effect - My sinuses cleared up for the first time in quite a while!]

All that said, the Horse-Burger was pretty darn good and tasty! I do plan to make it again!

The total cost of this meal a deal was just about a buck. Contrast that to an order of a Big Mac with medium fries at close to $8!! Below is a fairly accurate estimate of the nutritional values:

Go figure the odds! Asteriod now likely to hit the Earth!

CNN - Apparently last month, one of Trump's secret spy satellites collided with the asteroid named 52768 (1998 OR2) which is estimated to measure 2.5 miles (4.1km) across. This Mount Everest sized chunk of rock was supposed to near miss the earth on April 29, but now appears to be headed for a direct collision on or about April the 29^th!

Needless to say, this probable mass extinction event will likely put a huge damper on the November 2020 election cycle, as few if any humans, are expected to survive to that point in time! Chuck Schumer, in a prepared statement, told CNN that Trump was now in fact, a 'true existential threat' to the entire world! He then announced his retirement.

The asteroid, which is now estimated to be traveling at 19,461 mph or over 25 times the speed of sound, is thought by experts to be 'pretty darn hard' to stop or divert in the time allowed. They've recommended that the US call for an April month long National Holiday with everything being free of charge! Bernie Sanders was all smiles concerning this development with Joe Biden also accusing Trump of engineering this disaster as a means of avoiding a Presidential Debate! CNN, meanwhile, has announced all day long coverage of when the asteroid hits as a way to raise their ratings.

There is just a small chance that the asteroid will skim by just over the surface, and then rocket back out into space. Unfortunately, it would be taking most of the earth's atmosphere with it. Sorry to be a buzzkill, but it's hard to spin this event up into a better light!

Lastly, this just in. In a surprising twist, it was just confirmed that the satellite was a joint effort conceived of and launched by Russia and Trump, over a year ago, with it's destination being Uranus.

The Pasta Sauce Hailed as the World’s Best!

One of Julia Child's most famous recipes is also the simplest to make. Her pasta sauce only requires three ingredients and cooks up in less than an hour!

First, the ingredients: You'll need a 28-ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes; one peeled, halved onion; and 5 tablespoons of butter. (Yes, 5 whole tablespoons of real stick butter.) You'll also want a pinch or two of salt.

Put everything together in a single pot and set it to simmer over medium heat on the stove for 45 minutes, uncovered. Give it the occasional stir.

And that's it. After the 45 minutes is up, toss out the onion halves, and pour the sauce over your favorite pasta. Easy greasy.

Even today, the sauce's simplicity makes it a little radical. The raw onion and regular butter look flat-out weird just sitting there in a pot of tomatoes. But banish the skepticism, please.

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March 5, 2020 – I made up a batch of this and, yes, the recipe is super easy! The only change I made was that I used a 28 ounce can of Red Gold crushed tomatoes. I also substituted a pinch of rock salt and added a bit of water during the cooking process to maintain the sauce's consistency.

After 45 minutes, and after I did stir it up a few times, I cooked a small batch of shell pasta and sat down to lunch. Here's how I rated this recipe on a scale of (1=horrific to 10 = awesome):

Smoothness = 8 (Great)

Thickness -= 8 (Thick)

Taste = 9 (oh la la)

Update: Never being one to leave well enough alone. The next day, I took a 2 ounce portion of sauce, added a 1/4 tsp of garlic powder and a dab of red wine and just a bit of dried oregano. I topped this off with some Parmesan cheese. The result was even better than I expected!

China is America's exististenal threat!

Phase 1

Engineer a virus that is very contagious and release it in Dec 2019. This virus is similar to the flu virus from a genome standpoint. By early summer when the virus finally dies out,a bout 35% of the Chinese population have gotten sick and have recovered. Over in America, only about 1% had this bug due to very energetic efforts to contain it.

Phase II

November 2020 - A second engineered virus is released in Hunan China. However. This bug, while also highly contagious is virtually identical to the Phase 1 bug with the exception that it also has a gene complex that makes it very lethal with a mortality rate higher than that of Ebola.

Results

Perhaps 500 million Chinese get sick and die, but not those millions who got the original Phase 1 dude. They are basically immune. Over in the US and other developed countries where the original bug was highly contained... Well that would be a very different story will many tens of millions dead.

The economic scenarios for China and the US would also be very different. As morbid as it may sound, China can easily afford to kill off half a billion of its citizens, while the US would suffer much more and might even see an economic collapse, as a result.

Moral

Why engage in a messy world war when you can defeat your opponents with a tiny bug!

See: Virus-hit Wuhan has two laboratories linked to Chinese bio-warfare program

Coleslaw I actually liked!

Forsyth MO. - After searching for years to find a commercially prepared coleslaw that I could actually tolerate, I cam across a 15 ounce container made by Reser's. It was located in a cold case next to Deli counter at the Country Mart store in Forsyth. It sold for three dollars and change and was pretty darn tasty!

NASA tracks a 4KM asteroid approach - Could end civilization if it hits!

AN ASTEROID big enough to end civilization should it ever hit will approach our planet in April, NASA's asteroid trackers have found.

The asteroid is being watched by NASA’s automated tracking systems at the Center for Near Earth Object Studies in California, US. The asteroid has been officially called 52768 (1998 OR2) and is estimated measure up 2.5 miles (4.1km) across.

An object this big could potentially spell the end of the human race if it strikes the planet.
NASA estimates the rock is heading our way at speeds of about 8.7km per second or 19,461mph (31,320kmh).

At this rate, the asteroid will close-in on Earth on April 29. When this happens, NASA said the asteroid will make a “close approach of about 4 million miles away” to our planet. According to the Planetary Society, an asteroid bigger than 0.6 miles (1km) across is big enough to threaten global destruction.

Astronomers estimate such objects have a one in 50,000 chance of hitting Earth every 100 years.
The Planetary Society lists the following impacts: “A crater of 10km or more: global devastation and possible collapse of civilization.”

Dr Bruce Betts from the international group of astronomers said: “Small asteroids – a few meters wide – hit frequently and burn up in the atmosphere and do little damage.

“Chelyabinsk size asteroids – about 20m that hit in 2013 – create shock waves that shatter windows and cause injuries.

“Tunguska sized – about 40m that hit Siberia in 1908 – could completely destroy a city or create a tsunami.

“Larger asteroids that hit on average less often could cause regional destruction.

“Even larger asteroids that hit even less frequently could cause a global catastrophe.”
The destructive potential of space rocks this big was also outlined in a 2018 report published by the US National Science and Technology Council.

The National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy reads: “Objects close to and larger than one kilometer can cause damage on a global scale.

“They can trigger earthquakes, tsunamis, and other secondary effects that extend far beyond the immediate impact area.”

For comparison, the asteroid that is believed to have killed the dinosaurs measured about six miles (10km) across. Source: https://www.express.co.uk