We need to change the Educational System and stop disgarding the Genuis kids who could help to build a brighter future.

English: Albert Einstein Français : portrait d...

English: Albert Einstein Français : portrait d’Albert Einstein (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My Taylor Wilson post has started to make me wonder. Taylor is a young man who recently graduated from highschool. During his highschool years he built a nuclear fusion reactor in his parents garage. Clearly he is a genius.

When I was in highschool, there was a genius in our class. Frank was a tall big-boned, heavy-set kid. The toughs would give him verbal shots, but nothing physical. One good smack in the head from Frank and the big mouth would have been out cold.

Not that Frank would ever stoop to violence. The toughs did not want to push their luck and find out. It also turned out that Frank was a wrestling fan and when the gym teacher started to teach wrestling, Frank was undefeated. For some reason, after seeing a display of Frank’s wrestling skills the toughs never bothered him again.

I think it was in Grade 11, Frank was not to be seen in school. A year of two later I was in a Beer Store and yes there was Frank behind the counter. We spoke briefly. He seemed to be embarrassed. I found out that an accident had happened to Frank’s Dad and he had to quickly become the bread earner of the family. Any thoughts of him going to University were gone.

That got me thinking about my sibling’s kids. I believe that each of them is a genius. Sure I’m biased, but that does not diminish the fact that they are extremely intelligent. Their parents wanted them to attend a certain highschool, which had a unique program. Unfortunately, kids get dumped into schools within a small and specific geographic area near their place of residence. That school was past the boundary line.

Why should your kid be limited to the highschools in his or her area, near their home? What about the really smart kids in the high welfare parts of town? Too bad for them, as some bureaucrat would prevent them from attending a highschool in a far better part of town.

I won’t beat around the bush. Teachers teach so as to bring every kid in their class along. They do not teach to challenge the really smart kids to further develop their genius. In a poor part of town, the kids do not have the resources at home that wealthier kids have. The teachers are stuck trying not to leave any kid too far behind.

I am not being prejudiced. I know all about prejudice and have a nice lump on the top of my head from being slammed into a brick wall by some white Anglo-Saxon kid, all because I was the kid of a very recent Canadian immigrant. It may been long ago, but that lesson about prejudice was never forgotten.

Just because someone was unfortunate enough to be born into a very poor family, does not mean that they are not intelligent. Intelligent poor kids should be given the same opportunity that less smart kids, from far wealthier families, get.

Highschools should be organized into two levels. The levels would be defined by grade requirements. The lower level would remain as it is presently. The higher level would be for the kids with the highest grades. Yes kids from wealthy family have better support systems at home. They could get private tutoring. The key is that if a smart kid from a poor family can get the high grades, they should be given the opportunity to expand their knowledge and grow their genius by attending the higher level highschools.

In my highschool classes, you had one or two kids who in hindsight were clearly at a superior intelligence level. For instance, Frank no doubt was. Unfortunately he was stuck in classrooms full of other kids (like me) who were far less smart and some who never developed any ambition to better themselves. There were also one or two, whose claim to fame was their ability to easily procure drugs, sell drugs and get high during lunch.

As a society we should be nurturing our most vital resource. If the smart kid’s grades were to allow them to go from say Scarborough to a highschool in Thornhill, we should help and encourage that. If the kids parents do not have the funds, then the City should provide free Metro Passes for public transit.

That leads me to University. Yes is it rather more democratic on the surface. You get the marks and you may get accepted. Of course kids from wealthy families spent years at private highschools. The kids in the high welfare parts of Toronto were not so blessed and yet some of those poor kids could be far more intelligent.

Finally the cost of University. Very smart kids should be given free university educations. Does not matter if the kid is from a rich family or a poor family. The benefit of leveling the playing field by using grades is that poor kids would be in contact with wealth kids. Those networking personal connections will come into play after they leave University.

At present wealthy kids know other wealthy kids. Poor kids know other poor kids. Never the twain shall meet.

Franks’ story is sad. We, as a society,  lost out on the things that he could have accomplished and created. We as a society should have been there to help in his family’s situation and helped him to go to university. He would have ended up being a very high wage earner and his taxes would have paid back the help that society “could” have given him – but didn’t.

Intelligent young people can change our world, if we give them the chance. I really believe that as a society we have to rethink the school system, especially highschool and university. Let smart kids focus on improving their grades instead of worrying about getting summer jobs to help pay for course books and their student loans.

An extremely high percentage of Chinese students, complete at least a college level of education. That is per a TED speech which was given by a self-made Chinese Billionaire Ms. Yang Lan. How many kids in the West are permitted to drop out of highschool? If we are planning to compete with China, then we have to stop disgarding our young minds and start nurturing them.

We as a society, can no longer afford yet another Frank to fall thru the cracks and not develop their great minds and full potential. We can no longer afford to have poor, but very intelligent kids stuck in schools where they will never be challenged to grow their minds and their potential. We can no longer afford to have a great mind not be able to attend university due to circumstances beyond their control or the lack of funds.

We as a society can help and should help. Our combined future depends on it.

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Looks like Bed Bath & Beyond Inc stock price (BBBY) is breaking out

I was checking the QQQ Stock chart on Finviz and noticed that the chart of BBBY looks to me like it is breaking out.

In my opinion the first target could be $10 which is just under the 200 day MA. Back when I traded equities, I would Swing Trade and not buy and hold. The chart also looks to me like it formed a “W” shaped bottom. Price hit bottom below $4 and moved up. Then the price corrected back down. Now this leg back up also went higher than the prior high set back in April.

This post is not meant as investment advice. Please seek out the help and advice of your own Investment Advisor. You can lose money, even all of it, when placing bets at the Stock & Options Market Casinos. Posted for my own education. I’m trying to learn ways to trade the QQQ Options and happened to notice the stock chart of BBBY.

Posted by Vincent Banial

The Truth About Vaccines Documentary is available to view for FREE

The Truth About Vaccines is a 9-episode documentary series featuring some of the most renowned vaccine and health experts in the world. It took Ty and Charlene Bollinger many years of research to prepare this Documentary.

The Truth About Vaccines is brought to you by TTAV Global, LLC.

Parents should be informed about both the benefits and the risks associated with vaccines — without pressure, propaganda, or agenda.

So they brought together more than 60 of the world’s foremost health experts to investigate both sides of this contentious debate to give you the science, the history, and the untold story… the REAL information you need to make an informed decision on how to best protect your child.

Episode 1 — The History of Vaccines, Smallpox, Vaccine Safety & the Current CDC Schedule  (Airs on April 22nd at 9pm Eastern)

Episode 2 — What’s in a Vaccine? Are Vaccines Effective? … and … What About Polio? (Airs on April 23rd at 9pm Eastern)

Episode 3 — An Analysis of the MMR & DTaP Vaccines & Vaccinating for the Greater Good (Airs on April 24th at 9pm Eastern)

Episode 4 — Examining Influenza, the HIB and Pneumococcal Vaccines & Herd Immunity  (Airs on April 25th at 9pm Eastern)

Episode 5 — Considering the HPV and Hepatitis B Vaccines, SIDS & Shaken Baby Syndrome (Airs on April 26th at 9pm Eastern)

Episode 6 — A Closer Look at the CDC, Chicken-Pox and Rotavirus Vaccines & Retroviruses (Airs on April 27th at 9pm Eastern)

Episode 7 — Natural Immunization, Homeoprophylaxis & Fundamental Freedom of Choice (Airs on April 28th at 9pm Eastern)

Episode 8 (bonus) — Censorship & Suppression (Airs on April 29th at 9pm Eastern)

Episode 9 (bonus) — WHO’s Not Telling the Truth? (Airs on April 30th at 9pm Eastern)

You can either copy and paste the following URL into a web browser windows or just click on the link to start viewing the Documentary : https://go.thetruthaboutvaccines.com/?ref=cf34163a-6841-4ae0-ab68-ab4d3867c449

Disclaimer: The information in this post is presented for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or prescribe for any medical or psychological condition, nor to prevent, treat, mitigate or cure such conditions. The information contained herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a doctor or qualified healthcare professional. Therefore, this information is not intended as medical advice, but rather a sharing of knowledge and information based on research and experience. The Truth About Vaccines encourages you to make your own health care decisions based on your judgment and research in partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

 

 

Coronavirus COVID-19 has mutated into 33 different strains, per new study by Professor Li Lanjuan and colleagues from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China

A new study paper on Cornavirus (COVID-19) has been published on the medrXiv preprint journal, titled: “Patient-derived mutations impact pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2”. The research was done at the Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. The researchers involved in the study were: Hangping Yao, Xiangyun Lu, Qiong Chen, Kaijin Xu, Yu Chen, Linfang Cheng, Fumin Liu, Zhigang Wu, Haibo Wu, Changzhong Jin, Min Zheng, Nanping Wu, Chao Jiang, Lanjuan Li

Click on this link to visit the medrXiv preprint journal’s website post about this article titled: “Patient-derived mutations impact pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2”.

From the study: “In total, 33 mutations were identified (including 10 mutations observed in
120 mixed-populations), and 19 of these mutations were novel, according to the comparison
121 with 1111 genomic sequences available at GISAID on 3/24/2020.”

Since there are many mutations, creating a COVID-19 Vaccine will be that much more difficult. I suspect that there are many more mutations, say in Europe.  As such, I am of the opinion that a viable Vaccine will not be developed.

One can Download a PDF of the research study paper on the website via the above mentioned link to the medrXiv website.

Click on this link to The Jerusalem Post website to read their article titled: “Coronavirus has mutated into at least 30 different strains new study finds”.

 

Posted by Vincent Banial

Bought some QQQ Call Options yesterday at Open April 15 2020

 Chart is courtesy of www.finviz.com

When I saw the price close above the 50 Day Simple Moving average and the Day SMA curvng back up I fugured that I’d buy some QQQ call Options.

Bought 10 QQQ CALL Option contracts at a $220 Strike Price and also 10 QQQ Option contracts at a $230 Strike Price. I wanted to see if one could make more money buying an Option which was further out of the Money (the $230 Strike price). Both option sets have an Expiry of 05/15/2020 and were bought at Open on April 15 2020.

QQQ2015E2202020/05/15 on POWERSHARES QQQ TRUST CALL at $220.00 10 contracts

Bought at $4.07 ea

Price at Close on 04-16 2020 $5.26

Total Value at Close on 04-16 2020$5,260.00

Change +$1,280.00(32.16 %)

Total Gain on the $220 Call so far $1,190.00(29.24 %)

QQQ2015E2302020/05/15 on POWERSHARES QQQ TRUST CALL at 230.00 10 Contracts

Bought at $1.47 ea

Price at Close of 04-16 2020 $1.88

Total Value at Close on 04-16 2020 $1,880.00

Change +$580.00(44.62 %)

Total Change  on the $230 Call so far +$410.00(27.89 %)

Total Gain from both sets of Calls +$1,600.00(28.88 % Gain)

So the $230 Call was lower in cost. The closer to being In The Money the higher the cost of the Option. Percentage wise the gain on the $ 230 Call was greater. Because the $220 costs more (it is closer to being In The Money) the Dollar amount gained is greater.

All funds in US Dollars.

The Calls were purchased with an Expiry on May 15 2020, to give things more time to rise.

This post is not meant as investment advice. Please seek out the help and advice of your own Investment Advisor. You can lose money, even all of it, when placing bets at the Stock & Options Market Casinos. Posted for my own education. I’m trying to learn ways to trade the QQQ Options.

 

Posted by Vincent Banial

“Hot In Cleaveland” sitom can provide a break from the stress during this Coronavirus Crisis. We all need to be reminded how to laugh.

We all find ourselves in distressing times during this Coronavirus Crisis. Watching a comedy can give our bodies a break from the stress of it all. Laugh at the foolish antics on the TV or Computer screen, found in a great comedy can be helpful.

I started to binge out on Seinfeld episodes on Youtube.com. Watching Cramer’s antics put a smile back on my face, for at a short time. One day after watching a Seinfeld episode, another comedy starting playing. Youtube sometimes will show you things it thinks you would like. The show was called Hot in Cleveland. Yes a strange name for a comedy but then so was calling a show Seinfeld.

Hot In Cleveland reminded me of Seinfeld, so I started to watch more episodes. One episode featured a Seinfeld actor. The guy who played Neuman is a neighbour on Hot In Cleveland. I’m not a Neuman fan, but found that his character fit will in this show. So far he has appeared in one episode.

Hot In Cleveland stars Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick, and Betty White. All the actresses are awesome. Betty White delivers some amazing one liners. The show will grow on you, as it has one me. If a good laugh will help improve you day of Social Distancing via Self Isolation, then I would highly suggest to visit Youtube.com and do a search on “Hot in Cleveland”. Watch a few episodes and it will grow on you, much like Seinfeld did..

Posted by Vincent Banial

 

 

 

New Research Study done at the University of Ottawa suggests that Coronavirus was spread to Humans by Dogs and not by Bats.

A newly published research study by Xuhua Xai, a full Professor and researcher at the University of Ottawa (in Canada), points to Dogs and not Bats as causing the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 to Humans.

The following is the Abstract from the study published in the Journal of Molecular Biology and Evolution:

Abstract

Wild mammalian species, including bats, constitute the natural reservoir of Betacoronavirus (including SARS, MERS, and the deadly SARS-CoV-2). Different hosts or host tissues provide different cellular environments, especially different antiviral and RNA modification activities that can alter RNA modification signatures observed in the viral RNA genome. The zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) binds specifically to CpG dinucleotides and recruits other proteins to degrade a variety of viral RNA genomes. Many mammalian RNA viruses have evolved CpG deficiency. Increasing CpG dinucleotides in these low-CpG viral genomes in the presence of ZAP consistently leads to decreased viral replication and virulence. Because ZAP exhibits tissue-specific expression, viruses infecting different tissues are expected to have different CpG signatures, suggesting a means to identify viral tissue-switching events. I show that SARS-CoV-2 has the most extreme CpG deficiency in all known Betacoronavirus genomes. This suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may have evolved in a new host (or new host tissue) with high ZAP expression. A survey of CpG deficiency in viral genomes identified a virulent canine coronavirus (Alphacoronavirus) as possessing the most extreme CpG deficiency, comparable to that observed in SARS-CoV-2. This suggests that the canine tissue infected by the canine coronavirus may provide a cellular environment strongly selecting against CpG. Thus, viral surveys focused on decreasing CpG in viral RNA genomes may provide important clues about the selective environments and viral defenses in the original hosts.

 

Click on this link to visit the Journal of Molecular Biology and Evolution website to download a PDF of the Research Study titled:”Extreme genomic CpG deficiency in SARS-CoV-2 and evasion of host antiviral defense”.

Click on this link to visit the Journal of Molecular Biology and Evolution website.

Click on this link to visit the University of Ottawa page for Xuhua Xai.

Posted by Vincent Banial with permission from the Journal of Molecular Biology and Evolution and the author Xuhua Xai.

Dr. Dyan Hes, a Pediatrician thinks that 80% of kids likely have Coronavirus. Probably 80 to 90% of them, are asymptomatic. No one knows exact numbers, because Children are not being tested for COVID-19.

Dr. Dyan Hes, a New York based Pediatrician thinks that 80% of kids likely have Coronavirus. Probably 80 to 90% of them, are asymptomatic. No one knows exact numbers, because Children are not being tested for COVID-19, due to the severe shortage of Coronavirus Test Kits. On a brighter note he thinks that the mortality rate is way, way less than 0.5% for children who have it because it is so prevalent. If he is correct then that could bode well with Dr Wittkowski’s ideas on society needing to develop Herd Immunity.

Click on this link to visit the CBS News website to read their news article titled: “Pediatrician says 80% of kids likely have coronavirus, but they’re so asymptomatic you’d never know”.

 

Posted by Vincent Banial

 

New Study indicates link between walking and lowered mortality

A new Observational study has been published by the American Medical Association’s Jama journal. It showed that the more steps one takes walking the lower the risk of all cause mortality. walking is that good for you. It does not matter if your walked fast or slow, the key was to try take as many steps as possible.

From the report: “The unadjusted incidence density for all-cause mortality was 76.7 per 1000 person-years (419 deaths) for the 655 individuals who took less than 4000 steps per day; 21.4 per 1000 person-years (488 deaths) for the 1727 individuals who took 4000 to 7999 steps per day; 6.9 per 1000 person-years (176 deaths) for the 1539 individuals who took 8000 to 11 999 steps per day; and 4.8 per 1000 person-years (82 deaths) for the 919 individuals who took at least 12 000 steps per day.”

There was a huge drop in Mortality for those who took 8000 or more steps, compared to those who took only 4,000 steps.

So if you want to live a longer and healthier life, it might a good ideas to walk more and sit less.

Click on this link to visit the Jama site to read the research article abstract titled: “Association of Daily Step Count and Step Intensity With Mortality Among US Adults”.

Posted by Vincent Banial

Vitamin D may help build resistance to respiratory infections, including COVID-19

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin (Trinity) and Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) have found that taking Vitamin D supplements may enhance resistance to respiratory infections such as Covid-19, or limit the severity of the illness for those that do become infected.

“Dr Declan Byrne (St. James’s Hospital and School of Medicine, Trinity) and Dr Daniel McCartney (TU Dublin), co-authors of the article published in the Irish Medical Journal on Friday, recommend that adults living in Ireland take 20-50 micrograms of vitamin D per day.”

Click on this link to visit the Irish Medical Journal website to read the article titled “Optimisation of Vitamin D status for Enhanced Immuno Protection against COVID-19.”

Since there is no official treatment for Coronavirus COVID-19 infection, then preventative measures to build resistance to Respiratory Infection should be a consideration. It has been stated by researchers that humans in northern climate changed their skin colour so as to facilitate creating Vitamin D from sunlight. Our skin creates Vitamin D from exposure to UV Rays in sunlight. During winter months there may be a deficiency of Vitamin D in Humans living away from the equator where there is far less sunlight during Winter months.

During the Coronvirus Crisis with Social Distancing and Stay at Home orders, humans are exposed to precious little sunlight and hence may develop a Vitamin D deficiency making our bodies more prone to a Respiratory Infection. Since Vitamin D helps our bodies to build a resistance to Respiratory Infection, it may a consideration to take Vitamin D supplements daily.

Download a PDF of a Healthcare Professional summary of – Optimisation of Vitamin D Status for Enhanced Immuno-protection against Covid-19 – is available here.

Always discuss with your Doctor, if you wish to take Vitamin D Supplements. Your Doctor could test your blood to check the level of Vitamin D deficiency and could suggest and monitor the level of supplementation.

Posted by Vincent Banial

 

 

Dr. Knut Wittkowski views on social distancing and lockdown on COVID-19

Professor Knut Wittkowski, for twenty years was the head of The Rockefeller University’s Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design, discusses his professional views on social distancing and lockdown. He firmly believes that Schools should be opened to allow kids to become infected with COVID-19. This will allow Herd Immunity to develop, as Kids usually get mild if any symptoms.

One issue that Dr. Wittkowski does not touch on is the immense burden Coronavirus has placed on Hospitals. If you don’t have beds or ventilators for all patients then “SOCIAL DISTANCING” could reduce the burden on Hospitals. If the Healthcare system could handle the case load then this Doctor’s premise about leaving the situation alone, so as to reach “Herd Immunity” could apply. But the Healthcare system cannot even provide N95 facemasks to Frontline Doctors and Nurses. The other important factor is the lack of a SpecificTreatment for COVID-19.  Infected people go to the Hospitals as their infections get worse. Without a specific treatment those infections grow worse and people end up dying.

Dr. Wittkowski discussed data which indicated that in China and South Korea, Herd Immunity may have already been reached before Social Distancing was started.

Video is courtesy of the Journeyman Pictures YouTube channel

Interview highlights:

00:36-Dr. Wittkowski explains his recommendations for how to best deal with COVID-19

01:36-Is self-isolation prolonging the duration of COVID-19?

02:33-Are policies of self-isolation or shelter-in-place a good idea?

03:46-The pandemic is over

04:27-Did China lie about its COVID-19 statistics?

05:03-The truth behind the statistics given by the government of the United States

07:52-Are we even reporting flu deaths anymore?

08:16-Why are hospitals being overwhelmed?

09:16-Shortage of medial supplies

10:19-Has social distancing prevented deaths from COVID-19?

11:55-Staying indoors can make the virus worse

16:02-Why social distancing won’t work for an airborne contagion

17:41-Do we need a vaccine for COVID-19?

18:31-Humans can grow immune to this virus

18:55-The data doesn’t say that COVID-19 is more contagious than the flu

22:43-Changes in reporting COVID-19 cases

25:33-What makes COVID-19 different than the Swine Flu

27:05-What are the possible health risks of sheltering in place?

27:43-The “Second Wave” of COVID-19

30:10-The truth about #FlattentheCurve

31:10-What should we do about sheltering in place?

32:24-Why we need to achieve natural herd immunity

34:17-Should we be testing everyone for COVID-19?

35:35-The real effects of COVID-19

38:53-The percentage of people who won’t have any symptoms

39:34-What should we do about COVID-19 at this point?

40:40-Is this really a pandemic?

40:50-What you should know

 

Click on this link to visit the medRXIV site to read a Research paper published by Dr. Wittkowski titled “The first three months of the COVID-19 epidemic: Epidemiological evidence for two separate strains of SARS-CoV-2 viruses spreading and implications for prevention strategies”

 

 

Watching a comedy may give us a break from dealing with the Coronavirus crisis 24/7. Might I suggest Watching a few episodes of Seinfeld

We are all going thru some stressful times. I have found that watching a comedy can relieve some of the stress. When life is no longer anything to laugh at, maybe the antics or Cramer and George from the Seinfeld series can make us laugh for at least a brief moment.

Long ago I learned that Google.com is our friend. Google also runs Youtube.com. I have found many full episodes of Seinfeld to be found on Youtube.com

You can find episodes by visiting www.youtube.com and doing a search for Seinfeld.

While doing a Google search on Seinfeld I came across the Canadian TV Channel “CTV” which is making available a couple of Seinfeld episodes and lots of other stuff.

Click on this link to visit the CTV webpage: https://www.ctv.ca/Seinfeld

Well I hope that watching a few episodes of Seinfeld will help take your mind off the worry during this time of Coronavirus crisis. Laughing at a great comedy can help relieve some stress…

The Beer Store now allows empty bottle returns at 71 outlets.

Starting on April 06 some Beer Store locations in Ontario will now receive your empty Beer and Liquor bottles. I was surprised when I dropped by a local Beer Store and there was a sign saying that they no longer allow bottle returns at that location. This policy was due to the Coronavirus situation, as the Beer Store wanted to properly protect their Ontario employees.

At present only 71 Beer Store locations in Ontario will accept returns of empty bottles. They are listed below:

Click on this link to visit the official Beer Store website to read their official posting regarding Empty Bottle Returns.

Dark skinned Americans face alarming rates of Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection and Death, in some US States

Authorities like the CDC are not tracking Coronavirus Infections and Death rates based on whether the patient was Dark Skinned or White. In certain US States where such data is available, there seems to show alarming rates of Coronavirus Infection among Dark Skinned citizens.

Click on this link to view the New York Times article titled: “Black Americans face alarming rates of Coronavirus Infections in some states.”.

Click on this link to view the Chicago Tribune article titled: “Chicago’s coronavirus disparity: Black Chicagoans are dying at nearly six times the rate of white residents, data show“.

I suspect that part of the problem is the ability of US Citizens to get tested. Secretary Alex Azar, who leads the Department of Health and Human Services,had stated that a Doctor or Public-Health Official would need to approve and prescribe a Coronavirus Test. The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration initially had stringent rules that allowed only Americans who had traveled abroad to get tested. I suspect that many could not be tested until it was too late. There are unfortunately many US Citizens who cannot afford to see a Doctor to get a note asking that the patient be tested for Coronavirus.

I had read about a young male who was rejected at a testing center because allegedly he did not qualify. He later died. After his death, they tested him and he in fact was infected by Coronavirus. Sadly his Death, somehow qualified him to be tested.

Click on this link to visit the Independant News site to read their article titled: “Coronavirus: Teenage boy whose death was linked to COVID-19 turned away from urgent care for not having insurance“.

Click on this link to the Poynter.org article titled: “‘We have it totally under control.’ A timeline of President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic“.

Sadly the Coronavirus COVID-19 is not under control and citizens are dying.

QQQs have moved up. Stock Market rally continues

The stock chart of the QQQ is courtesy of finviz.com.

Note that the price move up above the 200 Day Moving Average. Note also, that the 20 day MA seems to have bottomed and looks to be starting to curl back up. When the price sits between the 200 Day MA and the 50 Day MA it could break up above the 50 Day MA. I suspect that the price will now sit between the 50 Day MA and the 200 Day MA

The rise IMHO is not the result of non professional stock traders. It takes deep pockets to move the market so rapidly. Note also that a ” W” shape has formed which IMHO is a bullish sign. All this points to a market bottom having been established??? If so I’m surprised and shocked at this turn around.

One idea that has crossed my mind is that if the stock markets stay down then the sitting US president will likely not get re-elected. That would mean the potential for future taxes on the wealthy instead of further Tax Breaks. If the US Stock Market goes back near or above the prior Highs, then the sitting president will very likely get re-elected. Those who can protect themselves, will. It is just strange to see this, as this is vastly different stock market behaviour say compared to 2007 and 2008. Back then the rally back up started around 2009.

I got interested in the QQQ ETF because there are Options available. With one low cost option, I can control 100 shares of the QQQ. I caught the drop around Apr 01 via a QQQ PUT Option trade.

DATE TRADE TYPE SYMBOL QUANTITY TARGET PRICE PRICE COMMISSION TOTAL CASH VALUE
4/2/2020 9:57 AM Option: Sell to Close at Market Open QQQ2003P190 (QQQ 190 – Fri 2020) 10 $7.92 $19.50 $7,900.50
4/1/2020 10:00 AM Option: Buy to Open at Market QQQ2003P190 (QQQ 190 – Fri 2020) 10 $6.46 $19.50 $6,479.50

I have not played the rally  but I hope that this rally back up continues…

This post is for my educational purposes. Please seek out the advice of your own professional Investment Advisor before placing any bets at the Stock Market Casinos. You can lose money playing the Stock Market, even all of it.

Queen Elizabeth tried to comfort her Nation

Queen Elizabeth tried to comfort the United Kingdom, during this time of  Coronavirus sweeping across Britain.

Click on the following link to view the Queens address and comments about it from Piers Morgan:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8191867/PIERS-MORGAN-Queen-inspired-people-overcome-coronavirus-crisis.html#v-430511319956078954

Symptoms that you may be infected with Coronavirus / COVID-19

The symptoms shown by those infected with Coronavirus can vary widely. When searching the Internet, for symptom lists, you will find that often (but not always the Symptoms of a COVID-19 infection are similar to those found with respiratory illnesses including the flu and common cold. They include:

  • Cough – usually a Dry Cough
  • Sneezing
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Pneumonia in severe cases

Video is courtesy of the Science Insider YouTube channel.

Two unique symptoms which have recently been discovered, is the loss of Taste and Smell. One person described it to be like eating some Chocolate Ice cream and not being about to discern the Chocolate taste. The loss of one’s sense of smell can also point to a Coronavirus infection.

Stomach issues have also been mentioned by people who have suffered thru thru COVID-19 infection. One person mentioned pain in her stomach and wanting badly to burp but unable to do so.

Diarrhea has also been mentioned. Along with that is the idea of Fecal transmission of COVID-19. It is recommended to close the lid on a toilet before flushing. That would limit the spread of particles into the air in the washroom.

I might suggest that if at all possible, to limit the use of Public Washrooms. It is not just the idea of Fecal Transfer but an infected person would touch the Toilet’s Flush handle potentially leaving COVID-19 particles on the handle. If using a Public Washroom, please make sure to wash your hands using plenty of soap and hot water before leaving the Washroom. If possible dry your hands using paper towels. Why? It has been said the the hot air hand dryers may spread the  COVID-19 virus particles into the air, which you then breathe.

For more info about Coronavirus Symptoms you can visit the Mayo Clinic’s website by clicking on this link.

Click on this link to visit a website setup by the Government of Canada to provide info about Coronavirus / COVID-19.

on April 3, 2020, Ontario updated the list of Essential Businesses that can Remain Open. The restrictions are aimed at further reducing contact between people and stopping the spread of Coronavirus / COVID-19.

Following advice from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, on April 3, 2020, Ontario updated the list of essential businesses that can remain open. The restrictions are aimed at further reducing contact between people and stopping the spread of COVID-19.

By 11:59 p.m. Saturday, April 4, 2020, businesses that are not identified on this list must close their physical locations.

You can visit the Government of Ontario website to view the Order Update by clicking on this link.

I have included the updated text below:

“For the purposes of this order, businesses include any for-profit, non-profit or other entity providing the goods and services described herein.

This does not preclude the provision of work and services by entities not on this list either online, by telephone or by mail/delivery. This also does not preclude the operation or delivery of services of any publicly funded agency or organization that delivers or supports government operations and services, including operations and services of the health care sector.

Teleworking and online commerce are permitted at all times for all businesses.

Supply chains

  1. Businesses that supply other essential businesses or essential services within Ontario, or that supply businesses or services that have been declared essential in a jurisdiction outside of Ontario, with the support, products, supplies, systems, or services, including processing, packaging, warehousing, distribution, delivery, and maintenance necessary to operate.

Food

  1. Businesses that primarily sell food, beverages and consumer products necessary to maintain households and businesses including:
    1. Supermarkets and grocery stores.
    2. Convenience stores.
    3. Discount and big box retailers selling groceries.
    4. Restaurants (take-out, drive-through and delivery service only).
    5. Beer and wine and liquor stores.

Services

  1. Pharmacies.
  2. Gas stations and other fuel suppliers.
  3. Laundromats and drycleaners.
  4. Security services for residences, businesses and other properties.
  5. Vehicle and equipment repair and essential maintenance and vehicle and equipment rental services.
  6. Courier, postal, shipping, moving and delivery services.
  7. Funeral and related services.
  8. Staffing services including providing temporary help.
  9. Veterinary services (urgent care only) and other businesses that provide for the health and welfare of animals, including farms, boarding kennels, stables, animal shelters, zoos, aquariums and research facilities.
  10. Home child care services of up to six children as permitted under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, and child care centres for essential workers authorized to operate in accordance with Ontario Regulation 51/20 (Order Under Subsection 7.0.2 (4) of the Act – Closure of Establishments) made under the Act.
  11. Hotels, motels, other shared rental accommodation including student residences, except for seasonal campgrounds and any pools, fitness centres, meeting rooms and other recreational facilities that may be part of the operations of these businesses.
  12. Cheque cashing services.

Services to the public that are restricted to alternative methods of sale

  1. Stores that sell any of the following items and provide them to the customer only through an alternative method of sale such as curb side pick-up or delivery, except in exceptional circumstances:
    1. Hardware products.
    2. Vehicle parts and supplies.
    3. Pet and animal supplies.
    4. Office supplies and computer products including computer repair.
    5. Safety supplies.

Financial services

  1. Businesses that provide the following financial services:
    1. Capital markets and related securities trading and advisory services.
    2. Banking/credit union activities including credit intermediation.
    3. Insurance.
    4. Land registration services.
    5. Real estate agent services.
    6. Pension and benefits payment services.
    7. Financial services including payroll and payment processing and accounting and tax services.

Telecommunications and IT infrastructure/service providers

  1. Information Technology (IT) services, including online services, software products and the facilities necessary for their operation and delivery.
  2. Telecommunications providers and services (phone, internet, radio, cell phones etc.) and facilities necessary for their operation and delivery.
  3. Newspapers, radio and television broadcasting.

Maintenance

  1. Maintenance, repair and property management services strictly necessary to manage and maintain the safety, security, sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial, industrial and residential properties and buildings.

Transportation services

  1. Businesses and facilities that provide transportation services, including,
    1. transportation services provided by air, water, road, and rail, including taxis and other private transportation providers, and
    2. support services for transportation services, including,
      1. logistical support, distribution services, warehousing and storage, truck stops and tow operators,
      2. services that support the operations and safety of transportation systems including maintenance and repairs, and
      3. marinas, but only to the extent that the marina is necessary to enable individuals to access their primary place of residence.
  2. Businesses that provide and support online retail, including by providing warehousing, storage and distribution of goods that are ordered online.

Manufacturing

  1. Businesses that extract, manufacture, process and distribute goods, products, equipment and materials, including businesses that manufacture inputs to other manufacturers, (e.g. primary metal/ steel, blow molding, component manufacturers, chemicals, etc. that feed the end-product manufacturer), regardless of whether those other manufacturers are inside or outside of Ontario, together with businesses that support and facilitate the movement of goods within integrated North American and global supply chains.

Agriculture and food production

  1. Businesses that produce food and beverages, and agricultural products including plants, including by farming, harvesting, aquaculture, hunting and fishing.
  2. Businesses that process, manufacture or distribute food, beverages, crops, agricultural products, animal products and by-products.
  3. Businesses that support the food or agricultural products supply chains and the health and safety of food, animals and plants.

Construction

  1. Construction projects and services associated with the healthcare sector, including new facilities, expansions, renovations and conversion of spaces that could be repurposed for health care space.
  2. Construction projects and services required to ensure safe and reliable operations of, or to provide new capacity in, critical provincial infrastructure, including transit, transportation, energy and justice sectors beyond the day-to-day maintenance.
  3. Critical industrial construction activities required for,
    1. the maintenance and operations of petrochemical plants and refineries,
    2. significant industrial petrochemical projects where preliminary work has already commenced,
    3. industrial construction and modifications to existing industrial structures limited solely to work necessary for the production, maintenance, and/or enhancement of Personal Protective Equipment, medical devices (such as ventilators), and other identified products directly related to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.
  4. Residential construction projects where,
    1. a footing permit has been granted for single family, semi-detached and townhomes
    2. an above grade structural permit has been granted for condominiums, mixed use and other buildings, or
    3. the project involves renovations to residential properties and construction work was started before April 4, 2020.
  5. Construction and maintenance activities necessary to temporarily close construction sites that have paused or are not active and to ensure ongoing public safety.

Resources and energy

  1. Businesses that provide and ensure the domestic and global continuity of supply of resources, including mining, forestry, aggregates, petroleum, petroleum by-products and chemicals.
  2. Electricity generation, transmission, distribution and storage and natural gas distribution, transmission and storage.

Community services

  1. Businesses that deliver or support the delivery of services including:
    1. Sewage treatment and disposal.
    2. Collecting, transporting, storing, processing, disposing or recycling of any type of waste.
    3. Potable drinking water.
    4. Critical infrastructure repair and maintenance including roads, dams, bridges etc.
    5. Environmental rehabilitation, management and monitoring, and spill clean up and response.
    6. Administrative authorities that regulate and inspect businesses.
    7. Professional and social services that support the legal and justice system.
    8. Government services including but not limited to policing and law enforcement, fire and emergency services, paramedics, coroner and pathology services, corrections and court services, licences and permits.

Research

  1. Businesses and organizations that maintain research facilities and engage in research, including medical research and other research and development activities.

Health care and social services

  1. Organizations and providers that deliver home care services or personal support services to seniors and persons with disabilities.
  2. Businesses that sell, rent or repair assistive/mobility/medical devices, aids and/or supplies.
  3. Regulated health professionals (urgent care only) including dentists, optometrists, chiropractic services, ophthalmologists, physical and occupational therapists and podiatrists.
  4. Organizations that provide health care including retirement homes, hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, independent health facilities and mental health and addictions counselling supports.
  5. Laboratories and specimen collection centres.
  6. Manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers of pharmaceutical products and medical supplies, including medications, medical isotopes, vaccines and antivirals, medical devices and medical supplies.
  7. Manufacturers, distributors and businesses that provide logistical support of or for products and/or services that support the delivery of health care in all locations.
  8. Not-for-profit organizations that provide critical personal support services in home or residential services for individuals with physical disabilities.
  9. Not-for profit organizations that support the provision of food, shelter, safety or protection, and/or social services and other necessities of life to economically disadvantaged and other vulnerable individuals.

Requirements that apply to businesses

Compliance

    1. The person responsible for a place of business that continues to operate shall ensure that the business operates in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the regulations made under it.
    2. The person responsible for a place of business that continues to operate shall operate the business in compliance with the advice, recommendations and instructions of public health officials, including any advice, recommendations or instructions on physical distancing, cleaning or disinfecting.

Restricting access to businesses and providing alternative methods of sale

    1. Subject to subsection (2), the person responsible for a place of business that continues to operate and that engages in retail sales to the public, except for pharmacies and businesses that primarily sell food and beverages at retail, shall, to the fullest extent possible, restrict public access to the place of business by providing alternative methods of sale such as curb side pick-up or delivery.
    2. The person responsible for a place of business described in paragraph 15 of Schedule 2 shall restrict public access to the place of business and shall provide all items to the public using an alternative method of sale such as curb side pick-up or delivery, except in exceptional circumstances.

Short term rentals

    1. Every person who provides short term rentals in rental accommodations shall ensure that any rentals booked after April 4, 2020 are only provided to individuals who are in need of housing during the emergency period.
    2. Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of hotels, motels and student residences.

Open houses prohibited

    1. Every person who is responsible for a business that provides real estate agent services shall ensure that the business does not host, provide or support any open house events.
Updated: April 3, 2020
Published: March 23, 2020″

 

Facts about Vitamin D and Immunity. Vitamin D can protect against Colds and Flu

There was also an informative article published by The Harvard Gazette. Click on the link to view that article:
“Study confirms vitamin D protects against colds and flu”

This info about Vitamin D may also help patients suffering for Coronavirus. See a prior post on this site for more info about Vitamin D and Coronavirus.

Can early and high intravenous dose of vitamin C prevent and treat Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)?

Vitamin C is not a patented drug and so is low cost. The use of Vitamin C as a treatment protocol for Coronavirus infections is rarely mentioned in the main news media. When one gets sick, Vitamin C  in your body is depleted.

There were initial reports out of China that Coronavirus patients were being given intravenous Vitamin C. Vitamin C is also know to help patients who get Sepsis, which can also be the result of acquiring Coronavirus.

Some New York Hospitals have also treated Coronavirus patients with intravenous Vitamin C.

A new report has been published by Medicine in Drug Discovery, a peer reviewed journal by Elsevier, which details treating Coronavirus Patients using intravenous Vitamin C.

Click on the report title link below to visit the Elsevier’s Medicine in Drug Discovery site to read the report:

Can early and high intravenous dose of vitamin C prevent and treat Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

The report is as follows courtesy of Elsevier and Medicine in Drug Discovery:

Author links open overlay panel Richard Z.Cheng

Under a Creative Commons license
open access

The COVID-19 (SARS-2-Cov) pandemic, first reported in Wuhan, China, is now spreading to many continents and countries, causing a severe public health burden. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral drug for this deadly disease. A quick, deployable and accessible, effective and safe treatment is urgently needed to save lives and curtail the spreading. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a key factor of fatality. Significantly increased oxidative stress due to rapid release of free radicals and cytokines is the hallmark of ARDS which leads to cellular injury, organ failure and death. Early use of large dose antioxidants, such as vitamin C (VC) may become an effective treatment for these patients. Clinical studies also show that high-dose oral VC provides certain protection against viral infection. Neither intravenous nor oral administration of high-dose VC is associated with significant side effects. Therefore, this regimen should be included in the treatment of COVID-19 and used as a preventative measure for susceptible populations such as healthcare workers with higher exposure risks.

Coronaviruses and influenza are among the pandemic viruses that can cause lethal lung injuries and death from ARDS [[1], [2], [3]]. Viral infections could evoke “cytokine storm” that leads to lung capillary endothelial cell activation, neutrophil infiltration and increased oxidative stress (reactive oxygen and nitrogen species). ARDS, characteristic of severe hypoxemia, is usually accompanied by uncontrolled inflammation, oxidative injury and damage to the alveolar-capillary barrier [4]. Increased oxidative stress is a major insult in pulmonary injury including acute lung injury (ALI) and ARDS, two clinical manifestations of acute respiratory failure with substantially high morbidity and mortality [5,6].

In a report of 29 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, 27 (93%) showed increased hsCRP, a marker of inflammation and oxidative stress [7]. Transcription factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2 (nfe2)-related factor 2 (nrf2), is a major regulator of antioxidant response element (ARE)-driven cytoprotective protein expression. Activation of Nrf2 signaling plays an essential role in preventing cells and tissues from injury induced by oxidative stress. VC, an important component of the cellular antioxidant system [8], is beneficial to critical care management [9]. Cytokine storm is observed in both viral and bacterial infections [3] and results in increased oxidative stress via a common and non-specific pathway. Since the prevention and management of oxidative stress could be realized by large dose of antioxidants, this approach may be applicable to COVID-19 with intravenous high-dose VC based on the outcome of three previous clinical studies involving a total of 146 patients with sepsis [10].

Hemila and colleagues reported that various high-dose intravenous VC infusions (e.g., 200 mg/kg body weight/day, divided into 4 doses) shortened the intensive care unit (ICU) stay by 97.8% [11], accompanied by a significant reduction in the mortality rate [12]. Such an experience was reproduced among patients ill with severe influenza [13,14]. Indeed, dietary antioxidants (VC and sulforaphane) were shown to decrease oxidative stress induced acute inflammatory lung injury in patients receiving mechanical ventilation [15]. In addition, oral VC (e.g., 6 g daily) was able to reduce viral infection risk [16] or to improve symptoms [17].

High-dose intravenous VC has also been successfully used in the treatment of 50 moderate to severe COVID-19 patients in China. The doses used varied between 2 g and 10 g per day, given over a period of 8–10 h. Additional VC bolus may be required among patients in critical conditions. The oxygenation index was improving in real time and all the patients eventually cured and were discharged [18]. In fact, high-dose VC has been clinically used for several decades and a recent NIH expert panel document states clearly that this regimen (1.5 g/kg body weight) is safe and without major adverse events [19].

Because the development of efficacious vaccines and antiviral drugs takes time, VC and other antioxidants are among currently available agents to mitigate COVID-19 associated ARDS. Given the fact that high-dose VC is safe, healthcare professionals should take a close look at this opportunity. Obviously, well-designed clinical studies are absolutely needed to develop standard protocols for bedside use.

References

© 2020 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Posted at Uniquely Toronto by Vincent Banial

Vitamin D could be an adjunctive treatment protocol to help patients with Coronavirus.

Severe Coronavirus infections could result in the patient getting an acute respiratory Tract Infection requiring the use of a Ventilator to sustain life. Vitamin D could be an adjunctive treatment protocol to help patients with Coronavirus.

Vitamin D deficiency contributes directly to the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

https://scholar.harvard.edu/kennethbchristopher/publications/vitamin-d-deficiency-contributes-directly-acute-respiratory

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data

https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583

Low Vitamin D Status Occurs in 90% of Patients with ARDS and Is Associated with Longer Duration of Mechanical Ventilation

https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2016.193.1_MeetingAbstracts.A1846

Please discuss the above with your Medical Doctor to see if the information may be of help. Self Medicating without the advice of your Medical Doctor(s) is not recommended.

Posted by Vincent Banial

 

Details about Paige Thompson, the person who allegedly hacked into Capital One

Page A. Thompson was arrested for allegedly hacking into Capital One Financial Corp’s Cloud servers and allegedly stealing  customer information. The following is some insight into the person who allegedly was able to complete such an extraordinary Hack of Capital One Financial Corp.

Click on this link to download the official Paige Thompson Indictment – 12 pages.

Paige Thompson Indictment - pg1

Paige Thompson Indictment - pg2

Paige Thompson Indictment - pg3

From the Capital One News Release:

“Beyond the credit card application data, the individual also obtained portions of credit card customer data, including:

No bank account numbers or Social Security numbers were compromised, other than:

About 140,000 Social Security numbers of our credit card customers

About 80,000 linked bank account numbers of our secured credit card customers

For our Canadian credit card customers, approximately 1 million Social Insurance Numbers were compromised in this incident.”.

Paige used GitHub and also had a page on GitLab. She setup the GitLab page under Netcrave. She also posted using the handle “erratic”. Her GitLab page is still there. Click on this link to visit Paige’s GitLab page.

She had posted her resume on Scripd. Click on this link to view Paige Thompson’s resume.

Paige had a Twitter account which is still active. Click on this link to view Paige’s Twitter feed.

Click on this link to visit Paig Thompson’s GitHub page.

Having spent some time going over some of her web pages, I do not get the impression that Paige is into Black Hat Hacking. I get the impression of a skilled Programmer and Techie. IMHO her alleged hacking of Capital One could be a case of her testing herself and her skills. She apparently had to put her pet cat down and such an event can be traumatic. Trauma can impact one’s thinking. If she is guilty of the alleged Hack of Capital One, I have doubts whether the allegedly stolen info was placed or sold on DarkNet.

The bigger and more important question is: Why was the Firewall protecting Capital One’s Cloud resources allegedly incorrectly configured and allegedly incorrectly configured by whom. Was it the fault of Capital One or was it the fault of their Cloud Provider?

UPDATE Jul 31. Well known IT Security site KrebsOnSecurity.com has posted about the capital One Data Breach. They were able to access the Slack channel when Paige had been posting to. Slack provides “secure” private messaging within a company. I’ve used it at a job. I was not aware that slack also had “open” channels available. Will look into this. Click on this link to visit the KrebsOnSecurity website to read their post titled: “Capital One Data Theft Impacts 106M People”.

The paragraph below was from their posting. Posted under Fair Use provisions.

“KrebsOnSecurity was able to join this open Slack channel Monday evening and review many months of postings apparently made by Erratic about her personal life, interests and online explorations. One of the more interesting posts by Erratic on the Slack channel is a June 27 comment listing various databases she found by hacking into improperly secured Amazon cloud instances.”

This IMHO this points to someone who maybe did the Hacking as a challenge versus someone who would do something like this for greater criminal intent such as Extorting Capital One, or using the stolen data to apply for Credit Cards or selling the data on DarkNet markets. We’ll learn more if there is trial. If she pleads guilty, then there will be no trial.

Myself, I would like to know who was responsible for the allegedly misconfigured Firewall (per the FBI).

How many other Firewalls, supposedly protecting Cloud based data may also be “misconfigured”???

 

Posted by Vincent Banial

Capital One was Hacked. Data and private info of 100 million people in the United States and 6 million in Canada was stolen.

Capital One was Hacked. Data and private info of 100 million people in the United States and 6 million in Canada was stolen. 

Capital One has posted a News Release about this incident. Click on this link to read Capital One’s News Release.

As per the FBI, allegedly a Firewall was incorrectly configured. The Hack had occurred on Mar 22 and 23rd of 2019.

A female (PAIGE A. THOMPSON) had been arrested. Click on this link to visit the US Attorney General Western District of Washington to view their info about Case MJ19-0344. You can also Download the PDF of the Indictment from their webpage. If you wish you can download the document by clicking on this link.

Approximately 140,000 US Social Security Numbers were stolen. Approximately One Million Canadian Social Insurance Numbers (SIN) were stolen.

According to the criminal complaint, THOMPSON allegedly posted on the public information sharing site GitHub about her theft of information from the Cloud servers storing Capital One data. When the FBI arrested the female who allegedly breached Capital One’s Cloud storage, the FBI executed a search warrant at THOMPSON’s residence and seized electronic storage devices containing a copy of the data. 

Video courtesy of the RT America YouTube Channel

Capital One had all this info posted to an un-named Cloud Service. The arrested female allegedly was a former Tech employee of Amazon Web Services.

Video is courtesy of the NewsBOT YouTube Channel

The Alleged female Hacker will be in court this coming Thursday (Aug 01) for a Bail Hearing.

 

Posted by Vincent Banial