World Pandemic: Coronavirus
Ball Of Confusion: Why do nearly all the people I talk to know of no one who has Covid-19 yet 12 million people have the virus and 550,000 of them have died? And where did all the hate suddenly come from as if it were also a virus?
The US just passed three million cases, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The death toll stands at 132,362. Here in Holland, we have just passed 50,000 cases, however, only 17 million people live here so it's not surprising we have a lower count. I walk my dog every day so I meet many other people during my walks and the most surprising thing is, only three people I have spoken to since the Virus became a pandemic know of anyone who has had the virus. In six months only three people? I find that quite amazing.
Bugaloo 2020
You would be correct if you were to think the world is going mad it is, figuratively and literally: Obesity diets rich in fat and sugar, processed foods, smoking, alcohol and drugs, medications, pollution, pesticides, industrial chemicals and radiofrequency radiation are destroying our DNA
A reader on TBW left a poignant comment on the blog last week, Green Sleeves wrote in regarding the sickness which has left her husband reeling:
2020 Locust Plague
China is the latest country to join the ever-growing list of countries being devastated by locust invasions stretching 3 continents including South America, Africa the Middle East, Arabia, Indo Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar all struggling to control trillions of locusts.
The Pu'er forestry authority yesterday issued an early warning, predicting a potential locust 'disaster' in China's southern border regions after the spread of the pests 'accelerated'. The authorities identified the insect to be yellow-spined bamboo locust that inhabits in south-eastern Asia.
Volcanoes
It's exciting, it's an old friend and it's the highest active volcano in Eurasia! The latest eruption of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano in Russia's Kamchatka spews ash 7,000m into the skies
The eruption of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano in Russia's Kamchatka has created spectacular scenes, producing rivers of lava and massive smoke clouds – but scientists worry that the resulting ash cloud could disrupt air traffic. The latest activity within the steep symmetrical cone of the volcano – the highest in Eurasia – blew ash some 7,000 meters into the air on Monday, the Emergencies Ministry said. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, at 4,649 meters in height, was effectively inactive for three years before it started spewing lava again last October – and the smouldering eruption has continued to some degree ever since.
Major quakes
The first two major quakes (mag 6 or higher) of July occurred last night, a powerful magnitude 6.6 struck Indonesia and a magnitude 6.2 struck Micronesia: Brings total for the year to 59
A minor stream of solar wind was buffeting Earth's magnetic field yesterday, stirring geomagnetic unrest around the poles. The gaseous material is flowing from a northern coronal hole in the sun's atmosphere. Some scientists believe solar activity around the Earth's magnetosphere can produce seismic and volcanic activity here on our planet.
Extreme Weather
Almost 40 people feared dead with at least 13 missing and 200,000 evacuated as more torrential rain hits Japan: Incredible amounts of rainfall have affected untold millions in Eastern Africa, the Middle East, Arabia, Indo Pakistan and the Far East in June and early July.
Evacuation centres are under pressure maintaining social distancing preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Hurricanes and cyclones
“I have never seen such a cyclone in my life. It seemed like the end of the world. All I could do was to pray." Death toll approaches 100 as “Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan hits India and Bangladesh
Spaceweather
Signs and wonders: Comet NEOWISE: The incredibly beautiful Comet Neowise is now visible to the naked eye and can best be seen just before dawn but by mid-month, it will shift to evening skies
Signs and wonders: The incredibly beautiful Comet Neowise is now visible to the naked eye and can best be seen just before dawn. According to Spaceweather.com, Comet Neowise is currently shining about as brightly as a 2nd magnitude star. Its core and part of its tail are easy naked-eye objects from dark, clear sites.
Framed by the colours of sunrise, it is arguably the most beautiful comet in many years. But... The last truly Great Comet was Hale-Bopp in 1997. Shining 10 times brighter than Comet NEOWISE does now, Hale-Bopp was visible to the unaided eye for an astonishing 18 months, and its tail stretched as much as 45 degrees across the sky. Comet NEOWISE doesn't come close to those thresholds of splendour.
Manmade disasters
Great Signs and Wonders: Let's look at the big picture: Less than two months into 2020 and an unprecedented explosion of disease and disasters are threatening to bring the global economy to its knees
The locust plagues are destroying crops and economies of the worlds poorest nations
The African Swine Flu outbreak (“There just isn’t enough pork in the world to fill the gap.”)
Aussie bushfire outbreak ( An incredible 66% decrease in summer crop production down to 878,000 tonnes.)
Storm Ellen is likely to be the 4th "Once In A Life Time Storm" to hit Ireland and the UK in less than two months this weekend costing billions to the insurance companies
Avian Flu, New Europe outbreak feared: 200,000 birds dead or culled in the first 2 weeks of 2020
Climate Change
The deluge continues: Incredible amounts of rainfall in countries from Africa across Arabia, Indo Pakistan, Myanmar, China and Japan since early June have killed hundreds and affected tens of millions of people.
It is estimated more than 60 people have died with more missing after landslides triggered by incredible amounts of rain have devasted Southwestern Japan this week. A further 250,000 have been ordered to evacuate their homes as torrential rains continued to hit Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu, with river banks at risk of bursting and more rain forecast for today with new evacuation orders put in place. Evacuation centres are under pressure maintaining social distancing preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Disease
A frightening new outbreak of viral pneumonia much deadlier than Covid-19 is causing concern for citizens of Kazakhstan. The situation is described as very grim: Meanwhile, an unknown disease has killed 130,000 Saiga antelope.
Between Covid-19 and the pneumonia outbreak, the diplomats described the health situation in Kazakhstan as “very grim.”
While the Chinese embassy described the illness as “unknown pneumonia”, Kazakhstani officials and media have only said it is pneumonia. It was not clear why the Chinese embassy had described the illness as “unknown” or what information it had about pneumonia. The embassy’s website, citing local media reports, said the provinces of Atyrau and Aktobe and the city of Shymkent have reported significant spikes in pneumonia cases since the middle of June.
Animal Die-Offs
Another magnificent beast in danger: 130,000 Saiga Antelopes have died this spring bringing the total to more than 350,000 in the last 5 years with experts not able to agree on the cause of deaths.
And it has, during May and early June 2020, researchers have discovered more than half of the country's herd, around 130,000 have died. The extent and speed are really unheard of according to veterinarian Steffen Zuther who believes bacteria is to blame for the death of the saigas.
Environment
The 3,500-mile-long, (5,600 km) cloud, dubbed the “Godzilla dust cloud,” travelled 5,000 miles (8,047 km) and has now arrived in the southern US where COVID-19 cases have recently spiked causing concern among doctors.
'The Godzilla dust cloud' which left the Shara earlier in the month has arrived over the U.S. Southeast, raising health concerns. Forecasters are expecting a thick brown haze raising more health concerns in states where the coronavirus crisis is worsening.
Wildfires
Early wildfires are raging across Arizona and California as the trinity of wildfires, drought, heat and gusty winds are converging once again creating ideal conditions for rapid spread. Alaska using dogs to protect firefighters from bears
Here we go again and this year they are early with a long hot summer ahead. On November the 8th 2019, California's biggest and most ruinous wildfire of the year, a wind-driven blaze that scorched 120 square miles (310 square kilometres) was declared fully contained and extinguished, however, a new horror show was just beginning in New South Wales, Australia.
According to authorities at the time, an "unprecedented" (90) number of emergency-level wildfires were streaking across New South Wales, Australia in drought-affected areas aided by gusty winds and 35 deg C (95 deg F) heat.
Religion
Tik-Tok: The hour is late, according to the seventh one in line from Adam, Eʹnoch, mankind would have 7,000 years of history: 1,000 of them years will come after Armageddon and the other 6,000 are almost up!
In the book of Jude, the last book of the Bible before A Revelation to John, one of Enoch's many prophecies is mentioned, Enoch is also mentioned in Genesis.
Enoch made many prophecies which proved to be accurate about the flood which happened in Noah's time and the fire judgment which is coming and, the two comings of the Messiah, the first being 2,000 years ago as we know. Enoch teaches us that the Messiah is the Son of God and that He will shed His blood to redeem mankind. All this was written 1,000 years before the flood.
Photo of the day
A letter from Holland: Unusual skies this week in the Amsterdam region as the world enters lockdown: Libertine, tolerant and free Amsterdam is at this moment just like the rest of the world, empty as the Covid-19 threat takes hold
As I walk my dog every day I come across only occasional other dog walkers or runners who are only too ready to distance themselves from me, eying me with caution. Empty busses pass me by as do the occasional automobile, however, Holland wouldn't be Holland without bicycles and scooters and, this is the mode of transport at the moment, especially for the kids.
