This week's Chinese Virus news - (77 days or 11 weeks) since we started compiling these statistics.

Hi to all,

We hope you all remain well and in the pink. More Chinese Virus and electioneering news for your delectation!! Note that the comparative figures in brackets refer to the situation 11 weeks ago.

MUNDO - World - note that the total world population is now estimated at 7,822,053,531 - weekly net increase is 1,557,692

Total cases  45,496,613 - (21,168,111) - up 24,328,502 or 114.93%

Deaths  1,188,444 - 2.6% (759,328 - 3.6%) - up 429,116 or 56.51%

Recoveries  33,066,115 - 72.68% (13,984,843 - 66.1%) - up 19,081,272 or 136.44%

Therefore active cases 11,242,054 - 24.71% (6,425,939 30.3%) - up 4,816,115 or 74.95%. Of the total population of 7,822,053,531 (7,804,380,455), the percentage of active cases is 0.144% (0.082%) of the total world population.

Total active cases per 1 million of total population - 1,437 

We have entered a new statistic this week - total active cases per 1 million of total population. For the World the figure is 1,437.

Here is a list of other countries which provide a useful comparison, especially to the US figures, which are constantly and completely unjustifiably being used to damage President Trump's re-election chances. The US figure at 9,043 is comparatively high nonetheless.

Brazil  1,768                                               

France 16,616

Spain 396                                                  

Argentina 3,735

UK 294                                                      

Mexico 1,182

Peru 1,326

Italy 4,575

Chile 448

Germany 1,627

Netherlands 612                                

Poland 4,884

Canada 705

Ecuador 595

Switzerland 8,962

Panama 4,887

Sweden 296                                             

Japan 44

Austria 3,272

Singapore 13

Denmark 2,420

Malaysia 310

Belgium 28,709

ESTADOS UNIDOS - United States

Total cases  9,217,960 - (5,429,115) - up 3,788,845 or 69.79%

Deaths  234,225 - 2.5% - (170,781 - 3.2%) - up 63,444 or 37.15%

Recoveries  5,984,864 - 64.93% - (2,844,535 -52.4%) - up 3,140,329 or 110.40%

Therefore active cases  2,998,871 - 32.53% - (2,413,829 - 44.6%) - up 585,042 or 24.24%. Of the total population of 331,642,770 (331,236,184), the percentage of active cases is 0.904% (o.729%) of the total population.

Total active cases per 1 million of total population - 9,043 

First some comments on the C Virus. "Cases" keep rising, but we increasingly believe that there are 2 factors which artificially magnify these figures - mainly in an attempt to adversely influence electors against the President. "Cases" can be simply those testing positive, but asymptomatic. And the unfavourable comparison with many other countries whose testing would be suspect, to say the least, is simply a result of the US testing more than any other country. 

And of course there is always the misreporting of C Virus cases and deaths, because the medical establishment receives far more money for C Virus related events, than if they were honest and simply recorded the main underlying causes of hospitalisations or deaths.

It's just a further example of unrelenting attempts to de-rail the Trump campaign. One other which came to light this week is the rally Trump held in Rochester, northern Minnesota on the 30th. The Governor and Attorney-General of Minnesota are rabid Democrats and restricted the campaign venue to only 250 people when it could handle tens of thousands. Of course they used the spurious excuse of the dreaded lurgi, but it all blew up in their faces. Immediately outside the venue, thousands of fans gathered, all cheering for Trump. It was inspiring and Trump actually talked to them as well. A great boost for the Trump campaign - all thanks to the brainless and crooked Democrats.

A further comment - the unconscionable delay to the latest relief bill is being deliberately obfuscated and obstructed by the Democrat Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. All in order to deny any credit to the President and to do her best to further damage his campaign. This is unconscionable, as it means that deserving families are being left out in the cold - for solely political reasons. A further example of the Democrats being prepared to stoop to the lowest level of ignoring their own peoples' needs, to achieve their nefarious ends.

And with the Democrats' proven intention to "stack" the SCOTUS and remove the Fillibuster from the Senate and to create 2 more Democrat "states" - Puerto Rico and Washington DC - all in order to get more Democrat Senators into the Senate, it is obvious that their endgame is to make it virtually impossible for any Republican President to ever hold power again.

Another comment - it seems crazy to us where there are different rules pertaining to voting and counting of votes in a national election. Different perhaps for state elections, but the rules should be consistent state by state for a Presidential election. Where there is widespread electoral fraud, it makes it very difficult to counter the crooked Democrats, who can only possibly win an election by telling outrageous lies and committing electoral fraud.     

The big news this week are the continuing revelations concerning Hunter Biden's laptop containing compromising emails proving the Biden Family's corrupt connection to China in particular - and implicating Sleezy Joe. It is said that the computer also contains sexual material well beyond any pornographic content, possibly verging on paedophilia. 

This proves sedition involving the Democrat candidate for President of the United States. Just how all that would play out in the unlikely and horrifying possibility that he was elected is far from clear, but our suspicion is that he would be forced to resign and Kamala Harris would become President. This is in spite of the fact that she was a very early withdrawal from the Democrat Presidential Primary, because she had virtually no electoral support. If she became President, apart from the horrific consequences to the US economy and foreign policy, this would be the least democratic outcome of any election in US history over the past 240 years since the Republic was founded.

If either of the Biden/Harris faction ever became president, the US would be fatally compromised to China in respect of the Biden "crime family's" sellout. 

One of Hunter's partners in the "cash for influence" scheme involving his father is now in jail on money laundering charges and the other, former Secretary of State John Kerry's step-son, having been convicted on similar charges, is also awaiting a jail sentence. The person that Hunter hired and misled to help steer the family through the minefield of establishing these sleezy relations with the Chinese, Tony Bobulinski, has now gone public, having realised just what the Bidens were really up to. He has directly contradicted Joe Biden and implicated him in those negotiations.  It must be said that he is an honourable man and has gone public taking enormous public risk in doing so. He had no idea just what was the underlying Biden motivation in these relations with the Chinese Communist Party. Once he did realise he resigned from the sorry business forthwith. At a meeting in HongKong, Biden's brother, Jim,laughed when asked how they thought they'd get away with their criminality, and he just said "plausible deniability".

The other even bigger news on Monday was the confirmation of (now) Justice Amy Barrett to the United States Supreme Court. The Democrats have been enraged and have made the usual fools of themselves. Justice Barrett will be needed if there is widespread electoral fraud as expected, and also if there is a difficult constitutional situation arising out of Joe Biden's seditious corruption. 

President Trump's energy at 74 years of age is prodigious and such a contrast to Biden. Trump engages with his crowds who often exceed 20,000 and chats in a way that involves the people, whereas Biden by comparison, with his wooden and energy deficient delivery, seems to find raising any engagement with his sparse crowds almost impossible. He simply harangues often almost empty venues whenever he can raise sporadic bursts of energy. Probably whenever whatever drug he is being fed, occasionally kicks in. Not the way to win friends and influence people. Recently the DNC has felt forced to enlist former President Obama to support the flagging Biden campaign. But Obama projects an air of reluctance and lack of enthusiasm which is palpable and to use a former president in this way is unheard of. They must be desperate.

When you see these televised events, it is very difficult to believe that any polls are accurate. We think it's just the same as in 2016 and that there is a great groundswell of support for Trump.

Another issue is a major move to Trump by the black community. The Democrats have virtually kept the black voters in servitude in cities like Baltimore and they have been awakened by Trump's actions in drawing attention to their plight. Trump has overhauled the criminal justice legislation which was an Obama creation which saw many blacks jailed for minor drug offences. Trump has also reduced black unemployment to unprecedented levels and all this is resonating with the previous Democrat base.

Trump cannot and MUST NOT lose, either the presidency, or the Senate. There are some very tight races in the Senate, but again reality hopefully will prove the polls wrong. There will be 4 more years of a Trump Presidency as leader of the Free World - which includes every country with even a modicum of democracy - even NZ!. The alternative is a sellout to China, which would carry serious consequences for NZ, as well as many other countries. The first thing we would see is a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, which is now heavily armed with US armaments - thanks to Trump. Under the corrupt Biden the US would not lift a finger, with unimaginable human carnage.

COLOMBIA

Total cases  1,053,122 (433,805) - up 619,317 or 142.76%

Deaths  30,026 - 2.9% (14,145 - 3.3%) - up 15,881 or 112.27%

Recoveries  950,348 - 90.24% (250,494 - 57.7%) - up 699,854 or 279.39%

Therefore active cases  69,308 - 6.58% (169,196 - 39.0%) - down 99,888 or 59.04%.  Of the total population of 51,060,661 (50,948,628), the percentage of active cases is 0.136% (0.332%).

Total active cases per 1 million of total population - 1,357

It is still concerning, as far as one can believe these figures, that active cases in particular are still high, although lower than when we started collating these results. But the latest figures have risen since only 4 weeks ago when they stood at 57,472. This increase of 11,836 represents a 20.6% increase in that time. Let's hope that the weekly reductions resume.    

The government has re-introduced some elements of the previous restrictions, such as a curfew on weekends and weekend bans on alcohol sales - as if any of that will work. It seems to be a question of inept denial and hope for the best. None of it will worry us; we do not go out raging at night- any night! - and we just buy our booze at other times. 

Anyway, rather than try to talk about Colombian political news in any sort of detail, here is more mesmerising reading for you from www.colombiareports.com - 

Oct. 30th. Colombia's central bank at risk of government takeover 

Oct. 30th. Colombia,'s opposition seeks referendum to remove Duque from office

Oct. 30th. Duque dismissed after slamming Colombia's war crimes tribunal

Oct. 30th. Copper mafia kicking Medellin off the grid: internet provider

Oct. 30th. Opposition senator survives assassination attempt in south west Colombia

Oct.29th. Colombia's prosecution ordered to investigate censorship, not whistleblower

Oct. 29th  Medellin imposes curfew as Colombia enters 2nd. Coronavirus wave.

Oct. 26th. Did top Mafia boss outsmart US and Colombia again?

Oct. 26th. Colombia's opposition threatened with "systemic extermination"

Oct. 26th. Tensions between US and Colombia over "counternarcotics disaster"

Oct 25th. Colombia claims killing "Uriel", ELN's most media-savvy guerilla

Oct. 25th. Colombia's 34th. massacre this year: 5 Indigenous murdered amid land dispute

Oct. 25th. US officials in Colombia suspected of seeking Narco bribes

Oct. 25th. Coronavirus in Colombia: 30,000 dead, million infected

On a personal note - although we have experienced a recovery from our bad colds, we are still finding it difficult to fight off the last vestiges.  Maybe the weather doesn't help; it's been quite rainy over the past few weeks, which is in line with normal seasonal weather patterns here. And we are going into winter, such as it is only 6 degrees north of the Equator. 

And the car has developed an annoying starting issue. Very occasionally, it won't start when warm, but after 30 minutes or so it starts normally. So, armed with some homegrown diagnostic information, yours truly is taking it to our mechanic - hopefully it's just a loose connection, possibly affected by heat. Mercedes B Class models of this era do have starting issues, but it's usually more serious, such as the starter motor itself. But when that happens, it's usually at a much higher mileage and we are sure that's not the case as, if it was, it wouldn't start at all. Monday is ANOTHER holiday here so it will have to wait until Tuesday. Apart from that, we have found the car to be absolutely ideal for driving around here and would also be great for longer trips out of town when we can make them healthwise. You can even find recent road tests of 2007/08 MB B Class B200 turbos on the internet and they receive rave reviews. Bears out yours truly's feelings back in 2007 when the MB dealer on Auckland's North Shore lent a B Class diesel version to us while the transmission on the venerable 420SEC 1987 coupe was being rebuilt. The B Class was very impressive and, although this one isn't a diesel and consequently uses a bit more fuel, it is no less impressive - as long as it starts when required!!  

Also on Tuesday morning, Jean is having a follow-up chest x-ray, which has been scheduled for some time. Hopefully that is now all clear.    

NUEVA ZELANDA - New Zealand

Total cases  1,950 (1,714) - up 236 or 13.77%

Deaths  25 - 1.28%  (22 - 1.4%) - up 3 or 13.64%

Recoveries  1,857 - 95.23% (1,531 - 95.6%) - up 326 or 21.29%

Therefore active cases  68 - 3.49% (49 - 3.0%) - up 19 or 38.78%. Of the total population (and this number is impossible to obtain because the population never changes- God knows what is happening in Godzone!! Except that Jim's eldest midwife daughter tells him that she's never been so busy???), of 5,002,100 the percentage of active cases is %0.0014% (0.001%) of the total population.

Total active cases per 1 million of total population - 14

NZ is experiencing continued quarantine cases from the fishing boat crews who obviously were inadequately screened before they left Russia. Otherwise the border lockdown is working fine, except for the ongoing severe damage to the economy.

Biggest news - for us - this week was an article in Granny Herald indignantly condemning comments on NZ's draconian border shutdown by Laura Ingraham of Fox News. She is a favourite of ours and we watch her show most nights. She,along with most of the other female presenters on Fox, is a highly qualified lawyer who in the past clerked on the Supreme Court for Clarence Thomas, a Supreme Court Justice. 

She erroneously said that people in quarantine in NZ who refused C Virus tests were "thrown into quarantine camps"!!! Of course they just continue to stay in luxurious hotels. We have written to Laura explaining this, but also referring to the shameful situation of the offshore cruising yachts and assuring her of our undying support and also support for President Trump.

NZ is altogether too precious when it comes to criticism, even when it's deserved as in this case. The unrelenting border shutdown is too uncompromising and needs to be relaxed, albeit with adequate precautions, where necessary. 

Tourism is now a dead duck and Air NZ is laying off another 400 cabin staff. When will NZ's Socialist madness end? Probably when things get so bad that the love affair with the toothy grin finally ends.

The other comment we'd make concerns property values. They are on a roll in NZ and the US - mainly due to almost zero interest rates. And the insane counterfeit money printing going on - 100 billion in NZ and trillions in the US. But as economic reality starts to really be felt, perhaps not until next year, things may be different and all the economic laws would point to substantial inflation at some point soon with the money supply having been so drastically increased. But normal economic expectations may be somewhat "out" as the whole world is in the same boat and separate economies may work tosupport each other. Who knows - fascinating times we live in.

AUSTRALIA

Total cases 27,580 (23,035) - up 4,545 or 19.73%

Deaths 907 - 3.29% (370 - 1.7%) - up 537 or 145.14%

Recoveries 25,240 - 91.52%(13,634 - 59.2%) - up 11,606 or 85.13%
Therefore active cases 1,437 -  5.21% (9,022 - 39.2%) - down 7,585 or 84.07%. Of the total population of 25,596,745 (25,536,804), the percentage of active cases is 0.0056% (0.04%) of the total population. .

Total active cases per 1 million of population - 56 

The stats look good - all that needs to happen now is arrest that Victorian Premier and throw away the key!!

With lotsaluv and all very best wishes to our family and friends ................stay well,

Jim and Jean

Medellin

Colombia

www.tiaretaporo3.blogspot.com  

  No

Virus-free. www.avg.com

This week's CHINESE VIRUS news (70 days and 10 weeks) - what a happy subject!!

Hi to all,

Well, this week the statistics you have been craving the whole week will not be forthcoming - at least as extensively as in past emails. Hooray, we can hear you shouting, but there's not too much reason to be cock-a-hoop - they will be back next week!!!!

The reason is that yours truly has been stricken by a very nasty head cold which has so far lasted most of the week. Getting much better now though. Of course in these fraught C Virus times, one always thinks the worst, but thankfully that is not the case, although neither of us has been tested yet. We are thinking of it. It started with a very sore throat which in turn seemed to have been started by some alcohol-based drops which unusually caused much irritation and then when it was worse we thought that was the cause, but then the head cold developed so perhaps we shouldn't have been so hasty to blame the drops. This week's email will be a brief notation of active cases together with comments together with political news - thankfully also somewhat truncated.

MUNDO - world 

Active cases are now 9,713,247 up from last week at 8,775,006 - an increase of 938,241 or 10.7%. Over the last 10 weeks the increase is

3,287,308 or 23.5%. This would, it seems to us, indicate that the C Virus is far from going away and it is something that the whole world is just going to have to live with - as we've said many times before. It also indicates strongly that the rate of increase has increased markedly compared to the whole 10 weeks. 10.7% last week compared to an average of 2.35% per week over the 10 weeks. Therapeutics and vaccines will help and will become more effective as time passes, but there is still an air of speculation about all this.

The other thing about vaccines; we will never have them, even if it means that we never fly internationally again. This obviously is a big decision with family and friends in NZ and Miami, but possibly we are getting ahead of ourselves. We hope so. These C Virus vaccines are very likely to have been tested and approved in a hasty manner under considerable political pressure - especially the Chinese ones. This makes them highly suspect and  with the probability  of infusion with animal DNA (which could alter one's own DNA), they are doubly suspect.

The other issue for us in travelling, is that most travel insurance at the moment will not cover against the Chinese Virus or C Virus derived conditions - even a heart attack as they could claim that it was caused by organ inflammation, in turn caused by the damned virus. So, with the cost of medical treatment in the US, it becomes potentially ruinous and far too much of a risk. We could take that risk for countries other than the US. And how do you establish whether a medical condition was caused by the virus or not? Insurance companies hold all the cards in these situations.

NZ for us in these circumstances is probably the only country we could safely visit right now because as NZ citizens we are covered automatically for any health costs, notwithstanding that we would have to undergo the mandatory 14 day quarantine. Here in Colombia we are fine also with our local health insurance.

ESTADOS UNIDOS - United States

Active cases are now 2,779,792 up from last week at 2,682,921 - an increase of 96,871 or 3.6%. Over the last 10 weeks the increase is 365,963 or 15.2%. All well below the World figures which no doubt indicates that it is being better controlled by the Trump Administration. Notwithstanding the anomalies (to put it kindly) in reporting, as have been well covered in previous blogs.

Last night we had the final Trump - Biden debate in Nashvillle, Tennessee. If there was a winner, we think it was marginally President Trump.  He argued convincingly on the economy and particularly the oil industry (fracking). Biden says he won't ban fracking but earlier in his campaign, no doubt to placate his lunatic left, he said he would. That, combined with the complete "phasing out" or "transitioning" of the US oil industry in general, would bankrupt America. How can you believe anything he says? So, voters have a stark choice - prosperity or bankruptcy. It's a no-brainer.

And there is now the emergence into the political discourse, of Hunter Biden's laptop which had been left with a Wilmington, Delaware repair shop and then apparently forgotten. The shop owner viewed the hard drive and was very disturbed at the contents. Emails implicating the presidential candidate, Biden, in corrupt dealings with foreign governments and soliciting funds from same. And again apparently, a collection of paedophilia which was the main motivation for the shop owner to hand the computer over to the FBI. He did not want to be found with such objectionable material in his possession.

Biden has always said that he had no knowledge of his son's business dealings with foreign governments. That was always hard to believe, given their closeness on trips on Air Force Two to Beijing and Kiev. Now there is another ex US Navy officer, Lt. Tony Bobulinski (Hunter was one too, until he was kicked out of the Navy for drug addiction), who was a business partner of Hunter. He has made a damning public statement which directly contradicts, as do the emails, Biden Senior's claims that he had nothing to do with Hunter's business dealings. There are references to how the proceeds of the bribes received from China and Ukraine would be distributed among the Biden "crime family".There are more revelations every day and it seems to us that it must result in a Trump victory as more and more evidence comes to light.The only problem now is that there are already around 50 million mail-in ballots already cast out of a possible total of 150 million. There must be some very annoyed Democrat voters who have already cast votes amid these increasing revelations.

We have been speculating about a President-elect being under a criminal indictment - what happens then? Don't think this has ever happened in US history. However, if Trump wins, as seems increasingly likely, the problem will go away and the Biden "crime family" will all be in jail - where they belong.   

When we were in Malaysia and Thailand, we always wondered how China was allowed to get away with militarising various South China Sea Islands which had been stolen by them from Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Now we know - bribery and corruption involving the office of the then Vice President of the United States - and the then Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Sedition at its worst at the top levels of the US Government. And Clinton "sold" approximately 25% of the US Uranium reserves to the Russian Federation. Not long after, Bill received an extremely lucrative speaking engagement of USD500,000 for one speech in the Russian capital. That is sedition in itself - not to mention her use of a private email server to handle top secret US Government communications. What could be the motivation for that? Maybe to make it easier for the Russians to hack into these confidential messages.     

COLOMBIA

Active cases are now 66,922. This is less by 14,772 than the figure last week which is a reduction of 18.0%. This is of course encouraging, as the weekly decline in active cases appears to have resumed following a  worrying spike since the figure of 57,472 two weeks ago. But the weekly figures fluctuate so wildly, that it is impossible to know what to believe.

The politics continue in a spiral downwards with the latest issue being the President's refusal to meet the indigenous people who marched on Bogota to protest against the lack of progress on land reform. The government has for some time been legally required by the Supreme Court to take action over righting previous injustices/thefts, but nothing has happened. This is so disappointing, as Colombia's economy is in tatters largely as a result of the C Virus, and they need to be doing everything possible to encourage local agricultural producers and manufacturers to boost exports. But there are so many political shenanigans going on that no-one seems to have the will to do anything - except protect the lucrative Narco business. 

For a bit of light reading you could always have a look at the English language newspaper -  www.colombiareports.com - then go to "latest news" and have a look at the latest headlines:

Oct. 23rd. Indigenous take Colombia's main airport to demand end to "genocide"

Oct. 22nd. Colombia's Senate chief denied opposition right to file motion of no confidence

Oct. 22nd. Is Colombia's aviation agency trafficking for Sinaloa Cartel this time?

Oct. 21st. Three days of anti-government protests in Colombia culminate in national strike.

Oct. 21st. Colombia takes intimidation of press to a whole new level

Oct. 21st. Colombia calls to trial Police who discovered 2018 election fraud plot

Oct. 21st. Colombia refuses protection for war crime victims and witnesses

Oct. 20th. Colombia's teachers join indigenous, increasing pressure on Duque

Oct. 20th. Colombia's indigenous receive warm welcome in Bogota

Oct. 20th. The ties between Colombia's government and organised crime

Oct. 19th. Duque goes blank as Colombia's economic crisis turns catastrophic

Oct. 19th. Will a fashion show stop the mass killing of Colombia's indigenous?

Oct. 19th. MINGAI Part 3: Colombia's indigenous vs. authoritarianism

Oct. 18th. MINGAI Part 2: Colombia's indigenous vs narco-guerrillas

Oct.17th. White supremacy in Colombia Part 1: Kill the Indians 

Colombia Reports seems to be a slightly left-wing newspaper, but they certainly do seem to know what is going on and are fearless in reporting it. Some of their statistics may be a little suspect, but CR is our main source of reasonably reliable political information.

On that note, a comment about our own political leanings could be in order. We have basically a centrist political attitude and our main interest is in fairness, justice and incorruptibility. Probably an impossible goal these days. We do not like either extreme right or extreme left governments.

We support Trump in the US because he seems to be the most honest and supportive of traditional conservative values. He is certainly not extreme right.  He has also continued to do what he promised to do. And we do not believe that he is in any way corrupt. On the other hand, look at the Socialist Bidens who would sell, and have sold, their country down the river to enrich themselves. The evidence for this is compelling and has only just begun to be revealed in provable detail, as we wrote about earlier.

On the other hand, we do have an extreme right wing government in Colombia. As if that wasn't enough, they have also raised corruption to new levels. There is nothing "fair" about them. The problem is that if they are eventually supplanted by another government, either by force or normal electoral process, the rebound effect is likely to be diametrically opposite - i.e. extreme left. That will not serve Colombia well either. 

NUEVA ZELANDA - New Zealand

Active cases have risen to 66 - from 46 last week - a 43.5% increase. The reason for such a large rise in total active cases is that foreign fishing boat crews, mainly from Russia and the Ukraine, fly to NZ to man large fishing vessels in NZ's economic zone. They all tested negative before leaving apparently, but a number have now tested positive in NZ. They are all in managed quarantine and the boats are swinging round their moorings! Such hypocrisy, with the continuing ban on cruising yachts who would bring much needed work and $$$$$$$'s to Northland boatyards. The cruising yachts are much less likely to bring any kind of contagious disease than these fishing crews, or indeed superyachts that we commented on before. And of course these incidents will only increase  as NZ tries to tread a fine line between total border shutdowns and the necessity to maintain some contact with the rest of the world.

There have also been a couple of other cases arising from a technician's visit to a ship at Port Taranaki to work on its electronic systems. He since developed some symptoms and subsequently tested positive. Then he was in a hotel in Auckland and there have been some infections from there. It all just shows how easy it is for the C Virus to infiltrate and corroborates yet again our assertion that all countries just have to manage the virus with sensible precautions such as masks in confined spaces and hand washing etc. And not let the C Virus dominate our lives.

AUSTRALIA

Active cases are now 1,410 - an increase of 5 or 0.36% over last week's figures. There have been some restrictions eased and let's hope that they realise the futility and utter stupidity of draconian lockdowns.

We have to say that there does seem to be a noticeable propensity for lockdowns with more left leaning governments - such as Victoria's and many of the US states such as New York and California.     

Well, that's it for another week. Any comments - either for or against always welcome.

Lotsaluv to all our family and friends - stay well......................

Jim and Jean

Medellin - the City of Eternal Spring

Colombia.

Latest Chinese Virus statistics since 14/08 - 63 days (9 weeks) ago

Hi to all,

Once more hoping this finds everyone in the pink.

We have had an interesting week as regards the C Virus. Mainly because that Communist Chinese stooge, the World Health Organisation, which at Chinese direction back in January, deliberately misled the world about the lack of human to human transmission, then said the C Virus was no more than the flu, not to worry about masks, then masks are essential and now they're saying masks do almost nothing to stop transmission of the virus, and could even increase the risk of becoming infected! They are now also saying that the massive lockdowns throughout the world should never have been implemented, despite themselves saying at the time that they were essential. Probably they are now changing their lies in an attempt to blame individual countries for the widespread economic and humanitarian damage caused by the lockdowns. No doubt they will be hoping by this duplicitous means, to deflect blame for all the collateral economic damage from their masters, the Communist Party of China. The bottom line is that they are all incompetent liars with definite political agendas, and so unfortunately there ultimately appears to be no reliable source of information for any issue surrounding the Chinese Virus.

Communist China, meanwhile was actively spreading the C Virus world-wide by continuing to allow international flights to everywhere but at the same time disallowing any domestic travel. It took President Trump's prescience in late January to order the US border to be closed to all flights from China. Of course he was then accused of racism etc. But it has now been accepted that that one action saved tens of thousands of American lives. Now all the Dems can do is criticise him for not doing enough to control the virus, but he has been as effective as possible in controlling a situation that has never happened to the same extent in any of our lives. 

Europe and the UK appear to be heading into a further Chinese Virus crisis. At this time there is great reluctance to shut down as comprehensively as before because it is generally realised that shutdowns do more humanitarian and financial damage than any lives they might save. We hope that this new found resolve is maintained.

In Colombia last week active cases had increased by 23,718 (3,388 per day) or 41.2% from 57,472 the week before to a new total of  81,190. How could there be an increase of 41.2% in just one week when it is being claimed that the C Virus situation is being controlled? Now the number of active cases is 81,694, which is another weekly increase of 504 or 0.62% - much less than the week before. What is going on? We guess that there is one consolation, inasmuch as the weekly rate of increase has itself decreased markedly. Let's hope that the previous rate of decline returns in coming weeks and a much larger weekly decline manifests itself as time goes on. But we think that the C Virus is here to stay, albeit at a much reduced rate. People will just have to learn to live their lives in a manner which deals with the new Chinese reality. Just don't buy anything made in China!!

Anyway, here we go again with another round of numbers, despite the considerable doubts. Note also that the figures in brackets relate to the comparative figures of 9 weeks ago.:

MUNDO - World -  note that the total world population is now estimated at 7,818,938,147 - weekly increase is 1,557,692.

Total cases - 39,391,665 - (21,168,111) - up 18,223,554 or 86.09%

Deaths - 1,105,998 - 2.8% (759,329 - 3.6%) - up 346,669  or 45.7%

Recoveries - 29,510,661 - 74.9% (13,984,843 - 66.1%) - up 15,525,818 or 111.0%

Therefore active cases - 8,775,006 - 22.3% (6,425,939 - 30.3%) - up 2,349,067 or 36.6%. Of the total population of 7,818,938,147 (7,804,380,455), the percentage of active cases is 0.112% (0.082%) of the total world population.

Once again, the numbers give no cause for celebration or complacency - notwithstanding that there is no doubt considerable inaccuracy in their reporting. Active cases are up 36.6% compared to last week at 26.1%. As we said in the previous paragraph, the C Virus is here to stay and total elimination is a fantasy. 

ESTADOS UNIDOS - United States

Total cases - 8,235,136 (5,429,115) - up 2,806,021 or 51.7%

Deaths - 223,045 - 2.7% (170,781- 3.2%) - up 52,264 or 30.6%

Recoveries - 5,329,170 - 64.7% (2,844,535 - 52.4%) - up 2,484,635 or 87.4%

Therefore active cases - 2,682,921 - 32.6% (2,413,829 - 44.6%) up 269,092 or 11.2%. Of the total population of 331,568,664 (331,236,184), the percentage of active cases is 0.809% (0.729%) of the total population.

The US figures are still increasing. However, it is necessary to realise that the US has a federal political system which makes it impossible for the federal government to manage the virus on a consistent national level. All states have much political autonomy and it is clear that some states are better at managing the Chinese Virus than others. And there are political reasons as well for decisions that blue states take - to damage the president's re-election campaign. In New York some months ago the inept clown of a Governor managed to kill at least 11,000 more people by ordering that infected people be sent back into rest homes, in spite of Trump having sent a USN hospital ship as well as establishing a large Army hospital in Central Park. The murderous fool of a Governor hardly used these facilities which were there to be used and waiting on tap.   

The best statistic is the active case one - up 11.2% this week against 26.1% last week.

Another issue is the deliberate mis-reporting of statistics. It has been shown that whenever there's a spike in C Virus cases, there's a corresponding decline in flu cases. This is another mis-reporting issue. Work that out for yourselves.

In fact, wherever you look, mis-reporting is rife - not only from the virus but also involved in mail-in ballots. The examples so far reported show a very disturbing trend for fraudulent practices. That is why the Democrats continue to badger Trump on the subject of a peaceful transfer of power, should, God forbid there's a Biden win - on paper. Trump has said that if he's satisfied that everything is fair and aboveboard, then there will be an unconditional transition, but the way things are going with widespread electoral fraud, it looks like chaos emerging. Unless the president wins by such a landslide, that the result cannot be in doubt. Then the Dems will be crying into their Chardonnays and Lattes once again.

There was a situation just this morning where in several counties in several states there have been more ballots returned than the total voting population! We are sure that you can work out exactly what is going on there.

We've had the Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Barrett to the Supreme Court. The one thing everyone has taken away from that is that she is the finest person for the life-time position. She is a totally ethical, brilliantly qualified jurist, from both an academic standpoint and a legal experience standpoint. The other thing which unfortunately stood out was the Democrats' desperate attempts to smear her name. They failed so miserably that it just reinforced their hypocrisy to the usual ridiculous extent. It seems a certainty that she will be confirmed and that she will be a wonderful asset to the 3rd. branch of the US government.

President Trump has been having a punishing schedule again since recovering from the Chinese Virus. He has had many rallies all over the country and just recently in Florida he faced a "Town Hall" with a MSNBC host who was so blatantly hostile to him that it was disgraceful. Any political candidate must face tough questions, but not the two-faced behaviour meted out by this sad example of a TV woman presenter. To Trump's credit, he parried her at every turn and totally destroyed her credibility, which of course is why they hate him so much. His obvious good health and projected energy at 74 is an example to us all.

He has been holding very well attended rallies all over the country - often as many as 3 per day. His energy is prodigious. He and his staff fly in on Air Force One and usually hold the rally at the airport. Then they fly on to the next one. Tens of thousands of fans have been at these rallies which have lately been held at less well-known places - e.g. Ocala, Florida; Muskegon, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota. And many more. 

And we've had the "Soviet Russian" spectacle of Twitter and Facebook blocking the accounts of the Trump Campaign and of the White House Press Secretary, Kayley McEnany. This is censorship at its worst, all on the flimsiest and most spurious grounds. The open hostility to Trump from the mainstream media and the powerful IT companies is approaching seditious behaviour and is so far from being democratic, it's just appalling.

The other issue that is now being exposed in spades is irrefutable evidence of the Biden Family's criminal corruption. Trump openly refers to them as a "crime family". Once more the mainstream media is ignoring it, but they cannot do so for much longer. It is such an example of Joe Biden's criminal character over many years, that we feel that it is almost inevitable that he will be forced to withdraw from the campaign. There's no time nor space to go into it in detail here, but you could access Newsmax or Judicial Watch or Fox News on the internet. You certainly won't find any of this in the Granny NZ Herald rag. Or on Colombian television! Suffice it to say that Joe Biden and his family have been bribed to the extent of at least 1.5 BILLION dollars by Communist China. Should he gain the presidency, America will belong to China. The US economy will tank and China will do whatever they like in SE Asia and the SW Pacific. Look out NZ. There is a raft of Hunter Biden emails being released into the public domain right now and they just confirm what has been well known for years.  

All the more sophisticated polls we've seen just recently point to a Trump victory because he is actually further ahead now than in his campaign against Crooked Hillary at the same time in 2016. You can't help but feel the support and approval of the crowds Trump generates everywhere; it's infectious - and not with the C Virus!!!! This support is not reflected in the polls, because people will not divulge their voting intentions because they fear repercussions.

The American people are more and more realising the lies and blatant attempts to destroy Trump's campaign and of course the Dems and their cohorts tried the same in 2016. The most egregious example of that was the notorious "Russian dossier" - paid for by Crooked Hillary to the tune of 9 million dollars. These people are so crooked they should all be in jail.

COLOMBIA

Total cases - 936,982 (433,805) - up 503,174 or 116.0 %

Deaths - 28,457 - 3.0% (14,145, - 3.3%) - up 14,312 or 101.2%

Recoveries - 826,831 - 88.2% (250,494 - 57.7%) up 576,337 or 230.1%

Therefore active cases - 81,694 - 8.7% (169,196 - 39.0%) - down 87,502 or 51.7%. Active cases only one week ago were 81,190 so there has been an increase of 504 in one week. Of the total population of 51,039,928 (50,948,628), the percentage of active cases is 0.16% (0.332%)

As indicated in the introduction, the active cases increased sharply 2 weeks ago, but last week had shown a dramatic reduction, albeit still with a much smaller increase. The inconsistency must increase the lack of credibility of these figures - something we've commented on in the past.

In two days' time, a march of thousands of indigenous people whose ancestors were (and still are) suffering land thefts and outright murderous attacks, will arrive in Bogota in their quest to meet the president, who has a legal obligation to meet them and grant them rights already agreed. If he doesn't meet them he will be breaking the law (but what's new?), and if he does meet, he risks considerable wrath from his own Democratic Centre Party who could force his resignation. This would usher in a further constitutional crisis - but again, what's new? But with 1000's of people who have marched a considerable distance, if their immediate demands for a meeting are not met, the chances for a very nasty situation developing are high. The Interior Minister has rescinded permission for them to camp on the National  University's grounds - another not so subtle attempt to stifle free speech. So the leftist Mayor of Bogota is finding another site for them to camp on. This government is appalling in their narrow-minded and childish attempts to avoid any discussion with these groups. It's therefore only a matter of time before there is really serious trouble unless there's a big change in attitude.

The government is getting very sensitive to criticism. They are now apparently blocking the renewal of foreign journalists' visas. 

It seems clear that this right wing government is determined to push on with their agenda, regardless of justice or simply listening to people and responding to their situations. This is the way in which you carry people with you - not by being totally authoritarian. That simple lesson is hard for some people to learn. Past wrongs need to be addressed, otherwise the potential for increasing bloody conflict must remain high. But former President Uribe has been involved in leasing some of this stolen land to a wealthy media mogul, so as usual the  government has been dealing illegally with the land and this will just inflame the situation further. 

This corrupt and duplicitous behaviour is ruining Colombia which is otherwise a wonderful country with warm and friendly people.

On a personal level, we are well and life has more or less returned to normal, but it seems that commercial activity, particularly in the real estate area, has a way to go. We've only had one nibble on our apartment in 6 months and there is no sign of activity for the development at Llanogrande that we have been interested in. The most significant thing though, is that the swimming pool has opened at long last in our building on a booking basis. This system was suggested by yours truly back in March/April, so it's taken 7 months for our suggestions to be adopted. We have permanent bookings 3 times a week for 1 hour at 9 am. It has now been proved that Vitamin D has a strong anti Chinese Virus effect and of course the main source is sunlight. We've been taking D vitamin capsules, but people have been denied access to the natural variety for all of that time. Utter nonsense and stupidity to deny healthy exercise in the fresh air where the risk of contracting the C Virus is almost negligible. Mask wearing is quite another subject which we have commented on before.  

NUEVA ZELANDA - New Zealand

Total cases - 1,880 (1,714) - up 166 or 9.7%

Deaths - 25 - 1.3% (22 - 1.4%) - no change from last week

Recoveries - 1,809 - 96.3% (1,531 - 95.6%) - up 278 or 18.2%

Therefore total active cases - 46 - 2.4% (49 - 3.0%) - down 3 or 6.1%. Of the total population of 5,002,100, the percentage of active cases is 0.0009% (0.001%) of the total population.

New Zealand has just dodged a very nasty bullet. The Socialist Government of Jacinda Ardern has just been re-elected for another 3 years in a landslide. This fortunately means that they will not need the Greens to govern; they can govern alone. This also means that they will not be subject to potential blackmail by the Greens to institute a Wealth Tax  - as referred to in our last blog. If that was ever implemented, NZ would be in an even worse situation than it currently is and many people who have worked all their lives - and paid tax - would be largely ruined. That's the Greens bottom line so let's hope that they never get into any position of power.

Voters have even deserted other parties to vote for the Ardern toothy grin. Shows how utterly shallow most people are. And NZer's are more and more it seems, determined to live in their own little cocoon of border closure at the bottom of the S Pacific. The country is obsessed by a cowardly attitude of avoiding ANY risk at all costs as evidenced by the unconscionable decision to exclude up to 300 cruising yachts from the S Pacific, who would have brought much needed money into the country via the need to maintain their boats. We know a little about this!! They also need the traditional refuge of NZ during the cyclone season and this has been denied them in a shameful display of a cowardly lack of humanitarianism.  

This attitude of no risk and hiding from the world, has come at massive economic cost and damage. The consequences have yet to be even partially felt, but felt they will be.

AUSTRALIA

Total cases - 27,371 (23,035) - up 4,336 or 18.8%

Deaths - 904 - 3.3% (370 - 1,7%) - up 534 or 144.3%

Recoveries - 25,062 - 91.6% (13,634 - 59.2%) - up 11,428 or 83.8%

Therefore active cases - 1,405 - 5.1% (9,022 - 39.2%) - down 7,617 or 84.4%. Of the total population of 25,585,431 (25,536,804), the percentages of active cases is 0.0055% (.04%) of the total population. 

The figures are all going in the right direction. But once again, Victoria and Queensland are still shut down with God knows what economic damage. They should start listening to the WHO!!!!!!!!! Should at least be appealing to the Socialist Premier of Victoria - he can listen to his Communist masters.

Well, that's it for another week - only another 16 days to the most momentous democratic election in the world's history. Leaves the toothy grin in the shade. We are still quietly confident of a Trump victory. We've said it before, but anything else is absolutely unthinkable. If that happened China would be running NZ from the Chinese Embassy in Wellington and the B&RI would be a fait accompli. Is it actually signed yet? No-one is saying. So, keep your fingers crossed with us for 4 more years of President Trump.

And finally we couldn't end without recording a Clint Eastwood sketch at a Republican convention:

He was addressing the gathering with an empty chair beside him. He said to an imaginary person in the chair  - "what did you want me to tell Romney?" Then after a short imaginary conversation - "I can't tell him that - I can't tell him to do that to himself! You're crazy. You're gettin' as bad as Biden!" 

For those who don't know - Mitt Romney is a Republican Senator who is a bit of a snowflake; he doesn't often take Trump's side. There is no love lost.

Lotsaluv from the City of Eternal Spring..................

Jim and Jean

www.tiaretaporo3.blogspot.com  

P.S. Chinese Virus deaths per 1M of population country by selected country:

Peru 1,018               Belgium 893               Spain 722               Bolivia 720               Chile 709               Ecuador 698               USA 676

Mexico 663              UK 641                        Italy 604                 Panama 590            Sweden 585          Argentina 576             Colombia 564

France 511               Canada 258                Costa Rica 232      Portugal 212            World 143              Germany 117              Turkey 109

Poland 93                 Australia 35                 Japan 13               New Zealand 5

Virus-free. www.avg.com

Latest Chinese Virus statistics since 14/08 - 56 days (8 weeks) ago

Hi to all,

Hope this finds everyone in the pink!!

Below are the latest C Virus stats together with appropriate Chinese Virus as well as personal and political comment. Alternative comments welcomed by return. The comparative figures in brackets are as at 14/08/20.

The stats are derived from www.worldometres.com and as the figures are supplied by various government agencies, they must therefore be viewed with caution. 

MUNDO - World. Note that world population is estimated on the basis of a 1,557,692 net increase every week.

Total cases - 36,954,994 (21,168,111) - up 15,786,883 or 74.6%

Deaths - 1,069,611 - 2.9% (759,329 - 3.6%) - up 310,282 or 40.9%

Recoveries - 27,783,861 - 75.2% (13,984,843 - 66.1%) - up 13,799,018 or 98.7%

Therefore active cases - 8,101,522 - 21.9%  (6,425,939 - 30.3%) - up 1,675,583 or 26.1%. Of the total population of 7,817,380,455 (7,804,918,919) the percentage of active cases is 0.104% (0.082%) of the total world population.

Still not good. In 8 weeks total cases up by 74.6%, deaths up by 40.9%, recoveries up by 98.7% and therefore active cases up by 26.1%. As a percentage of population, active cases are actually increasing. High recovery figures are helping to keep a lid of sorts on active cases, but new infections keep increasing. It seems that President Trump's approach is the correct one. Don't hide in a basement!! Be sensible, but meet life head on and probably a reliance on therapeutics and maybe a vaccine is the only way forward.    

ESTADOS UNIDOS - United States

Total cases - 7,861,227 (5,429,115) - up 2,432,112 or 44.8%

Deaths - 218,125 - 2.8% (170,781 - 3.2%) - up 47,344 or 27.7%

Recoveries - 5,041,020 - 64.1% (2,844,525 - 52.4%) - up 2,196,495 or 77.2%

Therefore active cases 2,602,082 - 33.1% (2,413,829 - 44.6%) up 188,253 or 7.8%. Of the total population of 331,531,610 (331,236,184) the percentage of active cases is 0.785% (0.729%) of the total population.

Compared to world figures as percentages, total cases are better, also deaths, but recoveries not as high and active case increase is much less. So, a mixed bag but as a percentage of the total population, active cases remain higher at 0.785% compared to the total world figure of 0.104%. So, a long way to go, but as noted under the World, the non-lockdown approach is probably the only way forward. Certainly total lockdowns, as seem to be favoured by the blue states and cities for purely political reasons, are DEFINITELY NOT the way forward. NZ take note with borders shut tight. All this also encourages polarised attitudes which are only going to increase violent disagreement and crime as we've seen in the last 24 hours with the attempted kidnap plan for the socialist Governor of Michigan, who is still forcibly imposing draconian lockdowns in her state with no justification. There has been enough of that over the past months with arson and riots throughout the blue (Democrat) states and cities.

It has been proved that some cash-strapped hospitals have been fraudulently recording many deaths as Covid deaths when the cause of death is actually some other cause. The reason for doing this is that the government pays them MORE for a Covid death and of course it causes the Covid figures to artificially inflate, which in turn discredits Trump.

This fraud is considered widespread, but under a Trump proposal they will probably lose their Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements. They may develop a latent case of honesty as a result!! There are other frauds as well, some of which have been documented in previous blogs.

So of course there must be serious doubt as to the reliability of the country's figures.

The SWAMP is pulling out all their crooked stops to prevent Trump's re-election - no matter what!!

We had the uplifting experience on Wednesday night of seeing Vice President Mike Pence completely demolishing the outright lies of Democrat Vice Presidential candidate, Kamala Harris.

Pence had a very apt line when addressing Harris - "you are entitled to your opinion, but not to your facts". She blatantly lied like a flatfish!!

One of Harris's more memorable lies occurred when she claimed that President Abraham Lincoln back in 1864 refused to nominate his preferred appointee for a Supreme Court Justice vacancy - apparently because he considered that such a nomination should not be made so close to an election - an obvious dig at Trump with Judge Barrett. However, the REAL reason was that the Senate was not in session at the time and in the total absence of rapid means of transport, electronic communication and Zoom, etc., it obviously wasn't possible to hold a hearing prior to the presidential election. In the event, Honest Abe was then re-elected and his choice as the newest nomination for the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) was nominated and confirmed in one day once the Senate was back in session.

Selective history indeed. You cannot believe a word the Democrats say.

We have, starting Monday, the Senate hearings to confirm Judge Amy Barrett as the newest appointment to the Supreme Court. The Democrats are screaming and tearing their collective hair out because they know that she will be confirmed. We can only hope that she is not subjected to the vile hate rantings that accompanied Justice Kavanaugh's hearing 2 years ago. Next week there will probably be plenty to say on that subject.

Neither Harris nor Biden will answer the legitimate question that in the unlikely event that they won the election - would they "stack" the Supreme Court with additional liberal left-leaning Justices, who will follow their own politically left ideologies instead of the law and the US Constitution? Of course this would be in order to guarantee that their pernicious legislation can survive any challenge. The SCOTUS has had nine justices for the last 150 years. This has maintained the 3 branches of government in a workable status quo for all of that time, but if they increased the number of Justices to (say) 15, the judicial branch would then become just a rubber stamp for the legislative branch. This would destroy democracy in America and it would make it impossible for the Conservatives (Republicans) to ever win another election. This is what's at stake in this election, but unfortunately there are so many people who are influenced by personalities - e.g. dislike of Trump - that they are blind to the real issues. The Democrats are expert in taking advantage of these people, except that it seems that the Dem's longstanding hold on the black and hispanic populations is now also weakening considerably. This is an encouraging trend due to President Trump's achievements in reducing unemployment for those groups and also his significant work in reforming the criminal justice system, which previously badly disadvantaged these minority racial groups. And the Dems have the absolute cheek to denigrate Trump as a racist!! The Dems have historically needed 85% minimum of the black vote to attain power, but this figure is likely to be very much eroded.  

The other thing which at the very least has the potential to upend the election results, and by extension democracy in the US, is the expected widespread election fraud surrounding the pernicious practice, encouraged by the Democrats, of mail-in voting. 81 million ballots have been mailed out, in some cases to deceased persons. The US Postal Service is totally unable to cope with such a sudden flood of mail and the states themselves lack the capacity to actually count the votes from returned ballots. Given this chaotic situation, Trump will be totally within his rights to refuse to accept a close result, or even a close Biden win as a result of already well documented examples of fraud, which will only get much worse. So far just as an example, 50,000 voters in Ohio have received totally incorrect ballot forms. This is only the tip of a very murky iceberg. The worry then with a contested election result is that civil unrest will increase with some suggesting the beginning of another civil war. History would repeat itself because the Democrats also started the first one in 1861. And everyone these days has plenty of guns!  

We also have the spectre of the 80 yr old House Speaker (and that is just what she is - a spectre!!) of attempting to invoke legislation based on the 25th. Amendment to the Constitution. This deals with physical or mental inability on the part of a president to carry out his/her duties satisfactorily, and a corresponding ability for Congress to follow a legal procedure to remove the president from office. She is engaging in this overtly political activity, to  discredit President Trump, although she well knows that she wouldn't have a leg to stand on with any attempt to remove him. 

Instead of this insane political posturing, she should be spending her time working constructively with the White House on a further stimulus package to actually help Americans who are still hurting from job losses and former business owners who have lost their livelihoods for good. Trump wants this to go through as a matter of urgency, but is being stymied by the Democrats and Nervous Nancy who can only make herself a figure of fun with all her futile rantings. More importantly though the main motive of the Democrats is to clear the way to remove Biden from the presidency, should he, God forbid, win the election. His age (78) and declining cognitive ability are his Achilles Heels. The Democrats have never really wanted him, because his 48 yr Senate record is lacklustre and actually demonstrably racist. However, he presented the only slightly electable face to voters in the whole sorry Democrat primary lineup, so he was chosen as the best of a bad bunch. Kamala Harris dropped out of the primary contention very early on having been rejected by the voter based Democrat selection machine, but now the system is being set up to insert her as the United States President at the earliest opportunity. In spite of the fact that she was rejected in the primaries, she will almost certainly become president early into Biden's 1st term, free to enact her destructive policies. All they need is some crooked doctors (not difficult), and then she would be the US President, although having previously been rejected in the Primaries.

This, along with election fraud, which is just stage one in this evil plan, will all enable their overall plan which is to destroy the Supreme Court along with the 240 year old American democratic dream, the like of which the world has never seen and will probably never see again.   

The economy is already in bad shape due to years of neglect by successive administrations since Nixon (1972), as well as the Chinese Virus, so such a move would see America become a shadow of her former self resulting in a total Chinese takeover of the world. This is what the Democrats want. Their position that they would deny the UK a Free Trade Deal is just part of this Globalist World Order. Britain must be punished for daring to overturn the World Order by leaving EU control.

And now there's a new word in the English language - or should that be Americanese? The word is "mansplaining". Think that's the correct spelling but yours truly is open to correction. Apparently the term specifically refers to a man telling a woman something. Doesn't matter what it is; you must not tell them anything because they know everything and the delicate flowers must not be upset by your mansplaining. Another skillfully propagated Democrat propagandist lie.

COLOMBIA

Total cases - 886,179 (433,805) - up 452,374 or 104.3%

Deaths - 27,331 - 3.1% (14,145 - 3.3%) - up 13,186 or 93.2%

Recoveries - 777,658 - 87.8% (250,494 - 57.7%) up 527,164 or 210.5%

Therefore active cases - 81,190 - 9.2% (169,196 - 39.0%) - down 88,006 or 52.0 %. However, active cases only one week ago were 57,472 so there is an increase of 23,718 in one week, or 3,388 per day. Of the total population of 51,029,561 (50,948,628), the percentage of active cases is 0.159% (0.332%).

New infections seem to be rising considerably. They are up by 50,000 last week alone. Deaths as a percentage are rising also. Not surprising if new cases are rising. Recoveries, although numerically up, are down as a percentage of total cases. Active cases down by 52.0% over 8 weeks, are also well down as a percentage of total cases, but are up by 23,000 in one week. The percentage of active cases to total cases has also risen from 6.9% to 9.2% this week. This completely reverses the previous trend which was continuing substantial weekly reductions. Disquieting, and such is the scale of the reversal, hard to believe - either previous figures or these ones. Next week may be the key.

Just completed our 2019 tax returns - 2nd for Jim and 1st for Jean. Certainly something we haven't been used to during our itinerant lifestyle on the boat! But the local rates are way less than in NZ. 

Other than that, nothing much to report. 

Except that politically nothing has changed. The Defence Minister has at long last obeyed a 12 month old Supreme Court order to apologise to victims' families for the police brutality during peaceful demonstrations back then, although there is no sign of a Court ordered apology in relation to the killing of 14 demonstrators in Bogota just a few weeks ago.

And there are disturbing reports that many foreign journalists have been having problems in renewing their visas - most probably because they have been publishing well researched anti Government articles. No doubt using the Chinese Virus excuse for more draconian restrictions on free expression.

 

NUEVA ZELANDA - New Zealand

Total cases - 1,866 (1,714) - up 152 or 8.9%

Deaths - 25 - 1.3% (22 - 1.4%) - no change.

Recoveries - 1,800 - 96.5% (1,531 - 95.6%) - up 269 or 17.6%

Therefore active cases - 41 - 2.2% (49 - 3.0%) - down 8 or 16.3%. Of the total population of 5,002,100 (STILL NO CHANGE), the percentage of active cases is 0.001% (.001%) of the total population.

Active cases are down, but at the moment all attributable to returning citizens/permanent residents (mainly from India) and all in isolation.

The national election is due next Saturday the 17th. It seems likely that Labour(Socialists) will be the front runner, but may need the support of the Greens to form a workable coalition government. That will cause a big problem for many people, because the Greens are insisting on a Wealth Tax as their price for agreeing to coalesce. This tax will be calculated on NET assets at the rate of 1% up to one million dollars ($10,000) and 2% on two million dollars ($40,000). It is not clear whether there are any higher thresholds with even higher tax rates. This will affect thousands of older homeowners who typically may own a debt-free home, but very little in the way of liquid assets. So they will be forced to sell their houses just in order to pay the tax. This is outright theft. Labour has said that they will not institute such a tax, but of course will be forced to if they need the Greens. And, given NZ's parlous debt situation after a severe lockdown and continuing border closure, Labour in truth will welcome the extra tax income.

And now NZ's relationship with Communist China. Has the NZ Government signed the CCP's Belt and Road Initiative. This subject is now never mentioned in any news reporting and that in itself indicates that the agreement is in fact signed. Bit like Biden and Harris refusing to answer whether they will "stack" the Supreme Court - the judicial branch of the US Government. There are three branches of government in the US - designed to interact, but at the same time providing checks and balances. These are the Legislative - the 2 Houses of Congress, the Executive - the President and the White House management, and the Judicial - the Supreme Court.  

When information is hidden, voters should become very suspicious. We won't go into the detail of the B&RI here because it has already been well covered in previous blogs, but it will only increase NZ's dependence on China and there are many examples of what happens then. People need to do some homework.

And just a brief mention of the yachting situation covered extensively in last week's blog. The prohibition to entry remains with a shocking anti-humanitarian situation just reported. A British yacht in French Polynesia suffered a horrendous loss when their 14 yr old son was killed while snorkelling when a boat hit him. His remains have since been repatriated to the UK and the family wish to get their yacht to NZ so that they can sell her and return home themselves. 

The only realistic jurisdiction where such a sale might be possible, is NZ. But the NZ Government is maintaining its stance of barring entry to yachts. 

So, there is now the situation of a grieving family with their son's body having been repatriated home on the other side of the world.

This is a perfect example of draconian rules maintained by inflexible, ignorant bureaucrats. Unfortunately right now the world is full of them, and the Chinese Virus has been the perfect excuse. Just like Germany's situation in the 1930's created the perfect storm to allow the rise of Hitler and the Nazis.

AUSTRALIA

Total cases - 27,229 (23,035) - up 4,194 or 18.2%

Deaths - 897 - 3.3% (370 - 1.7%) - up 527 or 142.4%

Recoveries - 24,972 - 91.7% (13,634 - 59.2%) - up 11,338 or 83.2%

Therefore active cases - 1,360 - 5.0% (9,022 - 39.2%) - down 7,662 or 84.9%. Of the total population of 25,579,775 (25,536,804), the percentage of active cases is 0.005% (0.04%) of the total population.

New cases are showing a small rise but recoveries are easily dealing with that. As a result active cases are now way down.

We wonder how their export trade is faring with China very early on taking repressive action against their beef and barley exports to China. And all because they had the temerity to demand a proper inquiry into the circumstances of the source of the Chinese Virus. At least they haven't signed the B&RI with the Communists.

CHINA MUST AND WILL PAY.

With lotsaluv and all very best wishes to our family and friends                      stay well.

Jim and Jean

Medellin

Colombia

www.tiaretaporo3.blogspot.com

Recent blog

Sorry, we have to confess a mistake with the Green Party "Wealth tax". In defence we just took the figure from an article without checking it, but this pernicious tax is still bad enough. On net assets of one million dollars the tax at 1% would amount to $10,000 and on two million it would be $40,000. Not difficult these days to be caught by this wealth theft. Unclear about any proposal above 2 million. Of course this is totally unjust to say the least as it is directly equivalent to the old Death Duty which Jim's father's estate had to pay back in 1972. And it is a tax on tax paid assets. Totally iniquitous. Fortunately it doesn't affect us in NZ because our total assets are in Colombia, but we feel for anyone potentially affected.

The most dangerous situation would be if Labour needed to coalesce with the Greens, in which case the Greens would make a wealth tax a condition of coalition. Now is the time to wish for higher polling for NZ First!!! If Labour could govern on its own, it has said they would never introduce such a tax, but how much reliance can you place on political promises, especially when the idea has been placed into their thinking and when NZ's economic situation could well be dire in the near future due to the draconian Chinese Virus Socialist lockdowns?

That's enough of a rant for now but be very vigilant if you value keeping your own wealth.

Cheers and lotsaluv from the City of Eternal Spring.......

Jim and Jean

Latest Chinese Virus statistics since 14/08 - 49 days ago

Hi to all,

Below are the latest C Virus stats - 

MUNDO - World - estimated net increase in world population per week is 1,557,692

Total cases - 34,561,080  (21,168,111) - up 13,392,969 or 63.3%

Deaths  - 1,028,843 - 3.0% (759,329 - 3.6%) - up 269,514 or 35.5%

Recovered  - 25,715,969 - 74.4% (13,984,843 - 66.1%) - up 11,731,126 or 83.9%

Therefore active cases - 7,816,268 - 22.6% (6,425,939 - 30.3%) - up 1,390,329 or 21.6%.

Of the total population of 7,815,822,763 (7,804,918,919) the percentage of active cases is 0.10% (0.082%) of the total world population.

Not very encouraging. Everything is up and the C Virus is obviously still with us. Active cases as a percentage of total population are continuing to rise, even though the total population is increasing - by 0.12% over the last 6 weeks. Active cases are up by 21.6% over the same period.

ESTADOS UNIDOS - United States

Total cases 7,501,186 (5,429,115) - up 2,072,071 or 38.2%

Deaths 212,730 - 2.8% - (170,781 - 3.2%) - up 41,949 or 24.6%

Recovered 4,737,664 - 63.2% - (2,844,525 - 52.4%) - up 1,893,139 or 66.6%

Therefore active cases 2,550,792 - 34.0% - (2,413,829 - 44.6%) - up 136,963 or 5.7%. Of the total population of 331,494,557 (331,236,184), the percentage of active cases is 0.76% (0.729%) of the total population.

Figures are still not great. Active cases are still up on the figures of 6 weeks ago, in spite of healthy increases in recoveries which are well surpassing deaths. However, active cases as a percentage of total population show a slight increase over 6 weeks but the percentage is unchanged from 2 weeks ago. Possibly there is a plateau effect here? Notwithstanding all that there is no doubt some serious and deliberate misreporting, including that deaths which would have occurred anyway from co-morbidities, are treated as C Virus deaths only.

This past week we have had the Presidential Debates. What a shambles - mainly due to the Moderator, Chris Wallace, a Fox News contributor AND a registered Democrat!! His unprofessional bias showed which no doubt led Trump to behave in a somewhat immoderate manner - for which we do not blame him at all. He claimed that he was debating the Moderator as well as the liar, Biden. Biden's lies were so obvious and Trump was forced to do his best to repudiate them, but the Moderator always tried to prevent Trump from completing a point. Fortunately he was not always successful. But, because of all that it was not a debate - it was a shambles, but in no way attributable to Trump. God knows what the next 2 "debates" will be like with Moderators from 2 of the most fake news, left wing networks in the US.

Now we have the President and First Lady testing positive for the Chinese Virus. We  hope that they both survive unscathed. Probably they will because they live energetically and healthily and Trump does not touch alcohol. Not sure about the efficacy of that - if he drank the best Scotch Malt Whisky he might really beat Biden up!! Anyway, the 2nd debate might have to go by the board due to Trump's indisposition, but probably no loss considering the 1st debate shambles. The effect on the election is unknown but probably not significant.

We have just in the last 24 hours or so had the disgusting spectacle of some low-life Democrat commentators saying that they wish that Trump would die. Where's the humanity gone? If the networks in question had any gumption, they would fire these scum and make sure they never worked in any sort of news organisation again. 

What will be significant, will be the Democrat cheating already in full swing. Ballots in favour of Trump have already been found dumped in several locations. And "ballot harvesting" is rife. If the initial election outcome proves suspect, then the lawyers will be busy. By all accounts the Dems have 600 lawyers all ready to obstruct any legal action the Republicans might try, but their main purpose will be to try and continue the state of indecision past Jan. 20th.,whereupon the Speaker of the House, currently Nancy Pelosi, could become acting president if the Dems still control the House. Of course if they don't, the Speaker would be a Republican.Then the final outcome would depend on a vote in Congress, and it's likely that the Republicans would carry the day. But neither of these scenarios are predictable -  predictions are impossible.

But what is obvious is the Dems cheating and misrepresenting just about everything going on. For example describing the BLM riots where they destroyed buildings and vehicles by fire as "peaceful protests"!!! Various blue state Mayors have encouraged and indulged this dangerous fantasy - one is tempted to ask what they are on, but they are funded by Soros et al so there's their incentive. Follow the money; that's all there is to it.   

The Democrat MO is lie, cheat and spin. That sums them up - they have no substance and would be a disaster for America.

This slogan needs repeating - Trump MUST win!  

COLOMBIA

Total cases 835,339  (433,805) - up 401,534 or 92.6%

Deaths - 26,196 - 3.1% - (14,145 - 3.3%) - up 12,051 or 85.2%

Recovered - 751,691 - 90.0% (250,494 - 57.7%) - up 501,197 or 200.1%

Therefore active cases - 57,472 - 6.9% (169,196 - 39.0%) - down 111,724 or 66.0%.. Of the total population of 51,019,195  (50,948,628), the percentage of active cases is O.113% (0.332%)

The improving figures of active cases are almost unbelievable with recoveries being the reason for the decline in active cases. But total cases are up 92.6% in 6 weeks and that remains a concern. Of course it could be the "new normal" with continuing infection. And the rate of decline in active cases per week is down by almost half - all concerning with an eye on the future.  Either a vaccine, or ever improving therapeutic drugs hopefully will in the end keep something of a lid on things.  

Life continues in Colombia, although not with any excitement to speak of. We both went to the dentist this morning (Saturday) in Laureles for a dental clean and it was good to see Sandra again after all these months during which she was closed due to the Chinese Virus. She spent an hour with each of us and the total cost was the equivalent of NZD72. She's a far better dentist than most we have had in NZ, although the dentists on Phuket and Langkawi were also very good. As this is being written Jean is making asparagus soup out of Peruvian asparagus and is about to make pumpkin soup from some excellent Colombian pumpkin which we bought this morning.

On the political front no change. The Defence Minister openly defied the Supreme Court and should have been arrested and imprisoned for contempt of the Supreme Court, but NO - surprise surprise!! He also threatened to arrest his critics!!! Some good news is that the Supreme Court is continuing to investigate the former President Alvaro Uribe for alleged vote rigging and coercion in the 2018 presidential elections. Uribe continues to be under house arrest. But the investigations into his war crimes and witness tampering/blackmail have been transferred back to the State Prosecution Service which has been notoriously and corruptly negligent in the past in investigating anything concerning people with close ties to the government. We'll just have to hope but with Colombia it often seems 2 steps back and 1 forward!  

NUEVA ZELANDA - NewZealand

Total cases 1,848 (1,714) - up 134 or 7.8%

Deaths 25 - 1.4% (22 - 1.4%) - up 3 or 13.6%

Recovered - 1,780 - 96.3%(1,531 - 95.6%) - up 249 or 16.3%

Therefore active cases 43 - 2.3% (49 - 3.0%) - down 6 or 12.2%. Of the total population of 5,002,100 (STILL NO CHANGE!!), the percentage of active cases is (0.001%) of the total population.

With such low numbers it is really irrelevant to comment. Suffice it to say,the low numbers have been achieved at massive economic cost,but never mind; the Reserve Bank of New Zealand is printing 100 billion NZ dollars out of thin air and then all will be rosy in the garden! And the moronic population can continue their love affair with the toothy grin. God save NZ.

AUSTRALIA

Total cases 27,109 (23,035) - up 4,074 or 17.7%

Deaths 890 - 3.3% (370- 1.7%) - up 520 or 140.5%

Recovered 24,788 - 91.4% (13,634 - 59.2%) - up 11,164 or 81.8%

Therefore active cases 1,431 - 5.3% (9,022 - 39.2%) - down 7,591 or 84.1%. Of the total population of 25,574,118 (25,536,804), the percentage of active cases is 0.006% (0.04%) of the total population. 

Obvious improvements all round and no thanks once again to the Socialist Premier of Victoria who was one of those disgusting individuals expressing contempt for President Trump and wishing him extreme harm. He also signed a version of the Belt and Road Initiative with the Communists.The Federal Government should charge this revolting individual with sedition, throw him in the worst jail and throw away the key.  

We notice that the World Health Organisation is currently odds on favourite to win the Nobel Peace Prize. If this is the case, then a once prestigious award is totally, hypocritically and permanently degraded.  During those critical first weeks the WHO acted as a stooge for the murderous Communist Party of China in deliberately down-playing the Chinese Virus's ability for human to human transmission, which lulled the world into a false sense of security, and has been the major influence in (so far) over one million people dying from the C Virus. No doubt many of those had co-morbidities, but in most cases their lives have been cut shorter than they otherwise would have been by the pernicious effects of this damned virus.

Not to mention the personal tragedies that the C Virus has caused, but also the world-wide economic damage which will take years to recover from and which has already caused immutable changes in daily life - not all of which are in any way desirable.

If we were President Trump, who has now been nominated for a 3rd time for this poisoned award, we would have refused all the nominations for the reasons expressed above. His apparent acceptance does him no credit.

And the NZ Prime Minister, Jacinda Adern's standing in the rankings does neither her nor New Zealand any credit either. What has she ever done for world peace - appearing at Christchurch mosques after a horrific massacre in which 51 people died ON HER WATCH, and wearing a Hijab? As a non Moslem she isn't even entitled to wear such a garment, which after all is nothing more than an active symbol of repression of women. We saw enough of that in Malaysia to know that is true.

And, talking of NZ, we have been appalled at the treatment that our country has meted out to the crew of a German yacht - "Anita" - which, after giving the required notice of arrival to NZ border authorities, arrived at the Customs Port of Opua in the Bay of Islands. They had just completed a  non-stop 78 day passage from the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia - a distance of over 3,500 miles. By comparison, the longest non-stop passage we ever achieved was Bay of Islands, NZ to Noumea, New Caledonia - a distance of 1,000 miles.

Obviously they had effectively quarantined at sea for well over the required minimum period of 14 days but no doubt would have complied with any additional quarantine that the NZ health authorities may have considered necessary. The crew had had Covid tests before sailing and had tested negative. On arrival in NZ further tests were also negative. 

But, not to be. In a fit of bureaucratic, shameful nonsense the crew has been taken into Police custody and as this is being written, they have probably already been deported on the first available flight to Germany! The boat is very likely to be forfeited.

This saga makes us totally ashamed to have to admit to being New Zealanders.

We feel further ashamed to read that superyachts and their crews are being given special entry status provided quarantine requirements are met.

This is exactly the same situation as we have already reported with 300-350 yachts in various of the Pacific Islands and wishing to exit the general area ahead of the cyclone season which generally runs from early November to mid April. These boats mostly every year come to NZ where they spend millions of dollars on repairs and refits. The businesses which mostly benefit from this are family owned boatyards in Northland and historically these businesses have provided a service which has earned them an enviable international reputation.

But all this, together with NZ's reputation for openness and hospitality, is at risk as NZ has stated that its borders remain closed and they will not allow entry to any of these boats which in total would hold approximately 1,000 crew. These boats, apart from needing in some cases urgent repair, will be subject to unacceptable risk from unpredictable cyclones by remaining in the Islands.

Already the appropriate people have put in place all necessary measures to ensure that necessary health protection quarantine is in place at NZ ports of entry.

Apparently some clown in NZ's Health Ministry stated that there was no problem because there were no cyclones around right now!!! Wilful and deliberate ignorance and misinformation we would say, because the time factors necessary to avoid such cataclysmic events need to start  being put in place no later than mid October if a catastrophic non-staggered sudden arrival of all these boats is to be avoided. You don't wait for a cyclone to appear before deciding there is a major problem!!

We have no confidence in any common sense on the part of NZ's health authorities, so this will almost certainly be the uncontrolled outcome as the skippers and crews of these boats become increasingly fearful for their safety. Another point is that Masters of internationally flagged vessels, and any vessel for that matter, by international law have a legal obligation to ensure safety of their vessels and personnel on board to the best of their ability. If this means moving from a potential cyclone zone to one free of cyclones, so be it. We believe that NZ has a legal obligation to allow them to arrive, subject to normal arrival notifications and whatever health quarantine arrangements as may be required. 

This situation should also be seen against the continuing repatriation flights for NZ citizens and permanent residents - many of whom are infected before they board their flights. By contrast the yacht crews are tested negative before being allowed to clear out of whichever ports they are currently in and they often effectively practise quarantine during their passages to NZ. They represent a far less health threat than do these repatriation flights. 

Would NZ after all the shouting has died down, be prepared to assist in cleaning up and removing all the wrecks and repatriating the human remains of the crews to their home countries after the devastation caused by 180 mph winds of a typical cyclone? They should because this situation would be 100% NZ's fault. It's actually not easy to remove derelict yacht wrecks. How do you cut up the steel or fibreglass and then dispose of it in an environmentally acceptable manner? Not to  mention all the fittings, aluminium masts, engines, electronics etc etc. These NZ health people are idiots. 

Some years ago NZ tried to enforce claimed safety requirements over foreign flagged vessels clearing out of NZ, and were shot down in legal flames when an American took the NZ Marine Dept to court in NZ. We suspect some of the same legal arguments could apply in this situation too. Maybe a class action.............?

It should be noted that at the moment NZ has only 43 active and non critical C Virus cases. All of course are well quarantined. All this in a total population of just over 5 million. NZ needs to get a grip, get over their collective socialist induced cowardice and rejoin the world in a controlled manner.

So, in the end, what it all comes down to is dollars. There is no greater virus risk with small yachts than with superyachts - in fact the risk is probably greater with the larger vessels. NZ is going to lose its reputation of marine expertise and hospitality by refusing entry to cruising yachts and instead earn a reputation for extreme hypocrisy and inhospitality. Once again the reputational and commercial damage to NZ will be enormous and completely unnecessary. All for some half-baked epidemiological  theories which can easily be overcome by the application of straight out humanitarian common sense.

Colombia in contrast has opened its borders with limited international flights in and out. Negative tests are required by any incoming passengers and also any departing. Colombia still has 57,000 active cases in a total population of 51 million.

And finally, we understand that the Conservative Party of NZ is trying through the Ombudsman and the Official Information Act to once and for all find out whether NZ has signed the Belt and Road Initiative with Communist China. Anti China sentiment is growing world-wide, including in SEAsia where talks are taking place to establish military alliances between such unlikely allies as India, Russia,Japan and all the countries ringing the South China Sea who have had their maritime lands stolen by China while the Obama/Biden traitors stood by and let it happen. NZ will find itself more and more an outlier against world opinion and the B&RI seems to be a strategically disastrous course to follow. The world is full of ironies - while NZ fell over itself backwards sympathising with the Christchurch Moslems, China has demolished a Uighur mosque in Xinjiang province in China and built a public toilet over the site. And of course there is the systematic genocide going on with the "re-education" camps. And NZ is cozying up to a regime like that??  

We have been continually urged to vote in NZ's election on October 17th. We have come to the reluctant conclusion that we cannot vote for anyone because we know that National, ACT and Labour/NZ First and no doubt the Greens ALL favour the B&RI agreement with the Communists. The only exception is the New Conservative Party with whom we have had some discussions recently. But we think it is now too late to vote from overseas. The real threat to individual liberty is not so much Labour if they can govern alone, but if for whatever reason they decide or are forced to coalesce with the Greens, who have made it clear that they will insist on a Wealth Tax as part of any coalition agreement, then there will be a draconian tax instituted which in many cases would cause forced sales of assets to fund this horrible tax. The proposed rate of tax is 1% of 1 million dollars and 2% over 2 million dollars. The lower amount is $50,000. This would be ruinous for many people and is entirely probable if the Greens are ever part of a government. It isn't hard to have a net worth of 1 million dollars these days.  

We repeat our feeling of shame with NZ's selfish and wilfully ignorant actions and hope that the majority of the population do too. But in this "woke" age - we very much doubt it. Good luck NZ, because in the end that is all that may work.

With lotsaluv and all very best wishes to  our families and friends....................stay well.

Jim and Jean

Medellin

Colombia

www.tiaretaporo3.blogspot.com