Flu

Professor Hualan Chen, director of China’s National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory at Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, deliberately mixed the H5N1 bird-flu virus, which is highly lethal but not easily transmitted between people, with a 2009 strain of H1N1 flu virus, which is very infectious to humans.

The researchers claim the work could help develop a vaccine.
[Source: Daily Mail]

The US’s emergency authorisation will allow the use of a kit that looks for flu genes using a polymerase chain reaction test, which has been made specific for H7N9. The kit has had preliminary tests but would normally need more exhaustive tests to be approved.
[Source: New Scientist]

Gonorrhea

“Getting gonorrhea from this strain might put someone into septic shock and death in a matter of days,” Christianson said. “This is very dangerous.” The gonorrhea strain has not yet claimed any lives, but the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have asked Congress for $54 million to find an antibiotic to treat the strain. In a Capitol Hill briefing last week, health officials said an education and public awareness campaign is crucial in minimizing the effective of HO41. William Smith, executive director of the National Coalition for STD Directors, said that if the ‘sex superbug’ spreads, it could quickly kill many people before a treatment is discovered.
[Source: RT.com]

MRSA

SARS-like coronavirus

Saudi Arabia has had 13 cases in a recent outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus that has emerged from the Gulf and spread as far as Britain and France, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, and seven of those have died.
[Source: Reuters]

Your're reading Some Worrisome Virus Updates by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

Mo-Tools Wood Inlay Axe

On the big side we have an axe, hammer and pliers. Inside the handle are a saw, bottle opener, screwdriver and blades.

I almost ordered one of these, but then thought about how cumbersome it might be using the small tools, considering the bulk and awkwardness of the entire tool. Imagine trying to unscrew a screw with this?

I think the combo of axe, hammer and pliers is just fine. But for small fiddly tasks, stick with a regular multi-tool. It’s OK to have both.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2013 Robert  Bast

Your're reading Wish List? Axe Multi-Tool by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

It is only the biggest X-Flares that we should be fearing. Anything less than say X10 isn’t worth mentioning. But as we go up the scale (each number is 10 times more than the previous), then it gets scary. To put any flare today in perspective, the Carrington Event was a pair of flares,

The biggest flares since 1976 are listed here - a couple of dozen greater than X10 and only 6 greater than X15. The best guess regarding the Carrington Event says greater than X10, but they don’t attempt to put a precise number on it.

But if see auroras in the sky, and you live somewhere within 30 degrees of the equator, it might be a good idea to go underground for a few hours…

Your're reading 15% Chance of X-Flares Today by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

Aurora during a geomagnetic storm that was most likely caused by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun on 24 May 2010. Taken from the ISS. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We are protected from solar storms by a cloud of charged particles, or plasma, that normally surrounds Earth out to a distance of four times the planet’s radius. Each Earth-directed solar outburst damages the cloud to some degree, and with time it repairs itself. A 2003 storm reduced the cloud to just 4 Earth radii. Scientists believe that a repeat of 1859′s Carrington Event would completely wipe out the plasma cloud, leaving us vulnerable for the following decade.

Certainly, in such a scenario, our satellites would be at great risk and we would expect to lose some or even all of them. Earth-based electrical systems would also face major damage. It really comes down to the odds of two Carrington Events occurring within a decade. We haven’t been observing the Sun long enough to know how likely or unlikely that is. But if we survive one, prudent survivalists would start preparing for the second one.

Source: New Scientist

(this story is from 18 months ago, BTW, I’m going through piles of unfinished business…)

Your're reading Satellites at Risk from Mega Space Storm by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

For me though, nothing has changed. 21 Dec 2012 is still the date, and IMHO we are still close enough to that date for it to be proven correct. Hopefully not.

An example of the confusion this has caused is the date of a decisive battle that shaped the course of Mayan civilisation. It occurred 1,390,838 days from the start of the count, but attempts to transcribe this into the European calendar have given estimates that vary by hundreds of years.

Anthropologists led by Douglas Kennett at Pennsylvania State University took a sample from a carved wooden lintel found at a temple in the city of Tikal. The carvings recount the key event when Tikal’s king, Jasaw Chan K’awiil I, defeated Yich’aak K’ahk, known as ”Claw of Fire”, who headed a rival kingdom at Calakmul, 90 kilometres away.

Using a technique called accelerator mass spectrometry, the team concluded the tree was cut down and carved about AD658-696. The estimate closely matches that of a decades-old benchmark for Mayan dating, the Goodman-Martinez-Thompson method, which put the battle at about AD695-712.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/world/beam-holds-clue-to-mayan-calendar-20130412-2hqqu.html#ixzz2RAAj4jWg

The tree wasn’t necessarily carved immediately after it was chopped down, so it is a very good fit.

Your're reading Further Evidence for a Dec 2012 End Date by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize

(hint: it borders Mexico and Guatemala, and the Maya live there)

So, why would you want to live there? Well, if you are happy with your current life, family and employment – and you have faith in your country remaining safe and free, I can’t see it as much of an improvement.

However, if you are a little bit paranoid (as many of my readers are), disillusioned with your current lot, have some cash and feel like a fresh start – it is a top choice. I think Australia would be better, but it costs a lot more to live here.

Some qualities Belize has:

• it is never in the news – which means that not many bad things happen there
• glorious tropical climate and pace of life
• choose from the coast. mountains, forest or farm land
• stable government
• they speak English!
• not far from the USA if you wish to visit
• broadband internet
• easy for foreigners to set up business structures
• tax free in some circumstances
• the banks are similar to those in Switzerland

There’s a guide that explains everything you need to know about escaping to Belize. It’s not for daydreamers or casual reading, but rather a complete manual that costs $297.

It is from the same people who created :

Your're reading Fancy Living in Belize? by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

A sexy swimsuit model and countless other lusty New Yorkers say tomorrow’s predicted Mayan apocalypse is a great reason to have sex, and are turning to social media and doomsday-themed parties in hopes of fully experiencing humanity’s steamy climax.

“If I die, I don’t want to die on a dry spell!” declared model Niki Ghazian.

The sexy fashion plate, who works in New York and Los Angeles, told The Post she’ll attend a fashion party with friends tonight to celebrate Doomsday Eve — and, hopefully, hook up with someone hot.

“Everybody should go out feeling satisfied,” she told The Post. “If the world’s gonna end, why hold back?”

Source: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/end_of_world_is_very_bed_news_for_QnNdRlOJ9XcFik5zjd8JvI

Your're reading 2012 Sex / Model Story by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

12-12-12 * Calendario Circular (Photo credit: jacilluch)

Although almost every 2012er focused on the end date of the Long Count calendar, few considered that it might be related to a cyclical phenomena. Even though every ancient Meso-American calendar is/was cyclical…

It has become muddled, but according to the ancient Maya and Aztec peoples, we are currently in either the 4th or 5th age/sun – representing a repeating process. Unless you believe in Gods that rule our fate, it must be a natural process. A prime candidate is of course the Sun. Our Sun. We haven’t been studying it long enough to know if it has any patterns beyond the 11-12 year solar cycle. But given its extraordinary lifespan, and natural processes, a large-scale pattern of activity wouldn’t be so surprising.

Evidence of solar activity is lacking in written records, but fortunately we do have evidence existing in tree rings – traces of Carbon-14 and Beryllium-10.

In 2012 scientist Fusa Miyake announced the detection of high levels of the isotope Carbon-14 and Beryllium-10 in tree rings formed in 775 CE, suggesting that a burst of radiation struck the Earth in the year 774 or 775…

…Prof. Miyake also considered whether a solar flare could have been responsible, but these are not powerful enough to cause the observed excess of carbon-14. Large flares are likely to be accompanied by ejections of material from the Sun’s corona, leading to vivid displays of the northern and southern lights (aurorae), but again no historical records suggest these took place.

Following this announcement, researchers pointed to an entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle that describes a ‘red crucifix’ seen after sunset and suggested this might be a supernova. But this dates from 776, too late to account for the carbon-14 data and still does not explain why no remnant has been detected.

It is sad that scientists are so lacking in imagination (or are unable to express their gut feelings). My immediate instinct is that the crucifix is related (and solar, rather than a supernova), and the one year discrepancy needs to be resolved. And why would you dismiss solar flares because we have never seen one that large in our really short period of observation? Because academics must rely on published evidence, rather than educated guesswork… And everyone knows that you can’t really expect to find records of auroras during the Dark Ages.

So, if there was a solar explosion in 775, and the start of the pattern was 3113 BC, then that equals 3888 years. If there have been 4 instances to date, then they would have occurred on:

• 3113 BC
• 1817 BC
• 527 BC
• 775 AD
• 2071 AD

It is entirely possible that we are in the 5th Sun and the next solar nasty is just 58 years away.

Certainly 2012 and 2071 are quote apart, but if you look at an oral message passed through hundreds of generations and even through various cultures and peoples, I’d say that accuracy being retained is highly unlikely!

Your're reading Solar Explosion Cycle: Hitting us in 2071? by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

Your're reading 6 Top Quality Survival Products by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog

Major quakes in the Nankai Trench happen every 100-150 years, and thankfully the last one (1330 deaths) was as recent as 1946, meaning Japan isn’t overdue for another, and has time to prepare.

HOWEVER, it just so happens that Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation has begun extracting methane from that very same trench, and there is a possibility that doing so could trigger an  earthquake. Just like the nuclear accident, that would definitely be an avoidable tragedy.

Full story at The Extinction Protocol.

Your're reading Japanese Methane Extraction Could Trigger Tsunami by Robert Bast, and originally posted at 2012 Blog