Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, August 10, 2020

The pneumoniavirus is scheduled to finish by the end of October—at least that’s what it would seem like from international news. India, Mexico, Great Britain, even the US—October’s end and the pneumoniavirus’s end coincide with a great number of predictions, plans, lockdown spans, and, don’t forget, America’s election season.

Did Trump really lose a donor? Reports that he did come only from people commenting on his side of a single phone call. Remember, no one makes the amount of money under discussion by being offended. We must choose to either be offended or be rich; this donor’s choice was obvious.

There’s no way in money’s green Earth a man who has given so much and made so much more would change his strategy of our political future and security based on a misunderstanding in a single phone call. But, the voters such a rouse is meant to target haven’t learned that. The political establishment class seeks to keep poor people poor by playing on common misconceptions about the wealthy, rather than trying to educate the masses on the easy and simple principles of success. If you want to win, never let yourself get offended. No one is ever as offended as the bull about to die in the ring of a bullfight.

Beirut—there’s too much suspicion. The proximity of the grain storehouses, the fact that half of the shock wave went safely out to sea, why an undelivered shipment wasn’t removed to save the expense of wasted warehousing on prime real estate, and an aloof political class to easily blame—conspiracy theories can’t not fly. It’s not about evidence of conspiracy, but rather circumstances that sing in unison. This tragedy will provide valuable telemetry to indifferent researchers in the context of escalating global tension. What will cities look like when bombs go off? Thanks to this “accident” in Beirut, we now know. Motives and alibis are everywhere.

The yeah-boo is that Lebanese are accustomed to living in a war-ravaged country. They will shine through this smelly tragedy better than most in the West would—with sorrow, perseverance, and well-earned grudges. The West will watch, help, and hopefully learn. Maybe some of us will learn to shine from the Lebanese people.

Encore of Revival: America, July 20, 2020

America is facing a crisis. Powerful forces with big money pull the strings. Had they pulled the strings differently, the world might not be in the situation it is in. Look at the Gates Foundation funding of the World Health Organization. What kind of sway was squandered in that influence?

While an epidemic that seemed to be passing resurges, Democratic voters turn to government guidelines while Republican voters turn to the Republican party. People are distracted with solving the current crisis, in a strong struggle over how.

Meanwhile in Washington, Senator Biden toys with the idea of removing the Senate rule allowing the filibuster—that would require only 51 Senate votes for most laws to pass instead of 60. With Americans—from both sides of the political schism—turning to government to solve today’s problems, a powerful Senate could become the most dangerous tool in the world.

As for Trump’s re-election, we see a massive push from Left-leaning media to paint the election as a Republican failure. Their arguments are based on what is right and reasonable from a Left wing view. But, whether correct or a matter of opinion, elections aren’t determined by what is right or wrong or reasonable; elections are determined by the popular vote. Right now, right or wrong, reported or ignored, Trump supporters are the majority.

We can’t trust surveys to say otherwise because those surveys always forecast Republican failure around this time in every election year. No Republican victory was ever reported as anything other than a surprise by the media, not even Fox News in 2016. So, if a Republican victory looks like it would be a surprise, historically speaking, that only makes it all the more likely.

Biden’s campaign is based on encouragement through difficult times and incompetence of the current president. His ads are long. Without difficult times or incompetence of the incumbent, Biden has no message. His appeals are akin to Jimmy Carter’s in the election he lost.

Trump’s campaign is built on his own competence, campaign promises he kept through laws, orders, and appointments, and resolve to continue pushing. His ads are short and sometimes censored on the internet.

The difference in the two campaigns, by itself, is enough to determine the outcome. As for the Democratic view that Trump was incompetent with the pneumoniavirus outbreak, Trump supporters blame Democratic politicians, Bill Gates, and China. They fear as much as Democratic voters, and they have their reason to keep their Republican vote unchanged. The epidemic doesn’t change votes, it only increases how adamant voters are on not changing their votes.

Unlike Republican voters, Democrat voters know the issues to address, but they don’t know how things happen in the world. So, the inevitable Trump victory in November will surprise them. Then, they will go into rage and possible riots. The Senate could grab for power as could China.

In tough times, people awaken. These are tough times. We will get through them. But, it won’t be smooth sailing.

Election

Even Donald Trump knows he is in deep, deep trouble in the 2020 race // CNN

Congress

Joe Biden signals possible support for ending filibuster that could completely change how US laws are made // Independent

Scandal, Graft & White Collar Crime

Coronavirus update: Florida labs not reporting negative test results, report says // Fox News

Spin control… truth 10%, not 98% …so the Tweet was false?
Florida’s recent record day for COVID-19 might not have been quite that high // wtsp.com

Pandemic

Target, CVS join Walmart in requiring face masks at all U.S. stores // WA Post

A Simple Step to Help Keep You Safe: Walmart and Sam’s Club Require Shoppers to Wear Face Coverings // corporate.walmart.com

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, May 25, 2020

The Left’s reckoning is on its way. Many police officers in many states and counties refuse to enforce lockdown orders from governors. It may seem that the reckoning is already here, but we haven’t reached November yet.

While Democratic governors irritate and aggravate the public—thinking it will stir victory in November—some voters may be throwing in the towel. The DNC and mainstream news narrative was that “Trump stole the election”. Democratic voters may be statistically inclined to believe what government and news say, but they are not as stupid as the DNC thinks they are. If Trump stole the election, some might think there is no point in voting in the next election.

Then, there are pneumoniavirus death rates. The Guardian reports that three times as many Black people died as White. If that were true—considering that the DNC prides itself as the party for minorities—that means Democrats lost voters. With Democratic governors and their lockdown orders not having saved Black lives that matter, why would remaining Blacks continue to support Democrats? If indeed “medical murder” were involved as some have claimed… Let’s just say that the more stories that get uncovered, the more it looks like the Democratic Party-news cartel only hurts itself as the only solution to hurting itself.

Then there are lies, then darn lies, then statistics. The press cartel often uses reporting and polling to sway public opinion. But, they make sure to include a few last-page “could-be” stories so that when their false reporting doesn’t change the election outcome as they wanted, they can still claim that they are credible news sources. Harry Enten at CNN looked over polling history of presidential re-election years and found correlations to other re-elected presidents, suggesting that—silent on the matter of Democratic governors having gained such public trust—there is a chance that Trump could be on a pathway to re-election. Ya think?

Russianewsgategate

Andrew McCarthy: Unmasking Michael Flynn — here’s what the FBI was really up to // DNyuz

Election

Trump advisers warn McSally is in trouble // Politico

Zelensky seeks probe over leaked audio of Biden linking US aid to Ukraine prosecutor’s ouster // Fox News

Whitmer says she’s not ready to welcome Trump, but he’s coming to Michigan anyway // Yahoo News

Joe Biden’s phone calls with former Ukraine president Poroshenko released // NY Post

Trump has a real shot of winning // CNN

Val Demings’ stock rises on VP shortlist // Politico

State & Local

Morning Parking Ban to Crush Chicago Churchgoers: Entire Neighborhood Gets No Parking/Tow Warning // Wirepoints

Alderman: Mayor’s Office Bans Parking On Ravenswood Streets Near Church That Plans To Hold Sunday Services // CBS Chicago

Undercover agents enforcing state health rules at restaurants, bars // MSN News

Texas salon owner travels to Michigan to back defiant barber // Yahoo News

Republicans

Long-suffering California GOP sees revival in rare House win // Yahoo News

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

Just anti-Trump
Trump threatens to permanently pull funding from WHO and ‘reconsider’ US membership // CNN

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins spars with Trump after video shows her removing mask in WH briefing room // Fox News

Security & Public Safety

Senate confirms Ratcliffe as next director of national intelligence // Fox News

Science, Weather & Health

A majority of coronavirus deaths in the US were in disproportionately black counties // The Verge

Black Americans dying of Covid-19 at three times the rate of white people // Guardian

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, May 18, 2020

Democrats are in full-swing takeover mode and they aren’t sneaking past anyone. Their Regressive-Feudalist base knows it and supports it. The Conservatives know it. Trump knows it. It is an act of desperation from the Democratic Party machine that seeks permanently-dependent classes—and now, apparently, permanently-dependent States.

Polls argue that Trump is ahead in Michigan. But, Michigan residents will likely blame Michigan’s current disaster on Gretchen “Whitless” Whitmer, who is the Democratic VP Nominee Apparent. Biden needs her from such a battleground because he doesn’t stand a chance any other way.

The word is out about Bill Gates’s plans for depopulation—AKA mass genocide. Germans have had enough of uneeded lockdowns. One man held a sign adopted from the Tarantino film “Kill Bill” overlayed with a picture of the Microsoft Bill. The public will not go quietly into the night. Americans who oppose the lockdowns are by no means alone.

While Pelosi seeks to change election rules to accommodate for a virus, she clearly hopes to push this current crisis through November. · · · →

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, May 11, 2020

China must brace itself for war. Regardless of any plot from America being true or false, how Beijing handled Wuhan—or rather mishandled—will not be overlooked by the free world. Regardless of how different governments handled the outbreak, the West will see an outbreak that wouldn’t have happened if China had followed the same forthright standards that the West does. The West thought China was on its way to following standards. But, Confucian Communism knows no standard except its own authoritarianism.

How did China get this far? There is so much in China to be desired, including the Bible-based government Dr. Sun Yat-Sen started over a century ago. Chinese medicine addresses many matters of health that elude Western pharmacy. Politeness, indirection, family, and respect—these are virtues the West could have learned from China. Except, just look at what’s happening now.

The term kowtow came from Hong Kong Cantonese. Bowing and placating the bully emboldens the bully. · · · →

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 27, 2020

China is under global attack from all sides. It’s not just the government, but a sizeable portion of the Chinese people who cooperate with that government. We don’t know how many in China are part of the problem or the solution. Reports from China remain silenced and Chinese culture is beaten down and overtly compliant even to tyranny. While Chinese students at Western universities volunteer themselves as mouthpieces for Chinese Communist propaganda, they join the party deemed guilty by the jury of the world.

African governments are in panic about Chinese government gentrification of their own nations. China is seen as the villain who covered up information vital to the EU. Great Britain is fed up with China, claiming the Chinese don’t just lack or hide information, but lie about it. Trump has been warning the world about China since before he was president—arguably that got him elected.

Then again, there’s Taiwan again. Former US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, has a petition for Taiwan to be admitted to the WHO. Even in a recent scuffle over some infected Navy sailors who walked around in Taiwanese public, there still are no new person-to-person virus cases in Taiwan 14 days later. The staggering success is largely accredited to Taiwan’s miraculously brilliant and swift handling of the situation. It’s all based on a germ-phobic population, slow and steady sectional school closing protocols, but it started with immediate and utter lockdown against the since-become world villain: China.

Taiwan has foresight. Maybe that’s why China wants Taiwan out of the WHO. And now, the truth isn’t hiding anymore.

Great Pacific

“Rebel from the outside”
Bookseller urges external HK resistance // Taipei Times

Kaohsiung police hold three over HK bookseller attack // Taipei Times

Bookseller who fled Hong Kong attacked with red paint in Taiwan // Yahoo News

China

Virus Outbreak: China tried to block EU criticism // Taipei Times

DOMINIC LAWSON: We’ve been far too cosy with China, but a Tory revolt is fighting back // Daily Mail

China Vs Foreigners Blacks & Africans!!! This Is Why Multiculturalism Doesn’t Work!!!? // YouTube @ American Curlss

US and UK propagandists put their Chinese rivals to shame // SCMP

Coronavirus: two congressmen want Americans to be able to sue China for ‘deaths, pain and suffering’ // SCMP

Taiwan

Petition by Nikki Haley backs Taiwan’s WHO bid // Taipei Times

Survived another oops: Taiwan stays clean
Virus Outbreak: No local infections for 14th day: CECC // Taipei Times

It’s actually under discussion!
Virus Outbreak: No lockdown needed in Taiwan: Chen // Taipei Times

Taiwan’s navy ship outbreak threatens its coronavirus success // Straits Times

Hong Kong

Hong Kong leader replaces five top officials // Taipei Times

5 Hong Kong ministers replaced in cabinet reshuffle // HKFP

Korean Peninsula

US monitoring intelligence that North Korean leader is in grave danger after surgery // CNN

Military Faceoff

US aircraft passes south of Taiwan for 12th time // Taipei Times

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 20, 2020

Just when we thought China couldn’t make itself more unpopular, China made itself more unpopular. Perhaps it was charity. Perhaps it was delusion. We don’t like thinking bad things about others, especially if we sacrificed our jobs and economies to have our stuff made more cheaply by them. Saying bad things about China was as politically incorrect as blaming the Karan for militants wanting to kill their enemies. Thinking bad things about China made Americans feel almost as guilty as thinking that voting against Obama wasn’t racist. No one wanted to say that China might be up to no good.

Why governments and global economy jockeys supposedly didn’t see it coming remains unexplained. But, all of a sudden, China is global enemy number one. The Western press has been educating the world about Taiwan in almost every Taiwan news story for the past decade. Anybody who is anybody at least asks, “What’s the relationship between China and Taiwan?” To Western taxpayers and voters, no acceptable answer will be in China’s favor. These days, China is damned if it does and more damned if it isn’t.

Governments are paying factories to dump China’s manufacturing. But, that’s not the biggest problem for the Chinese.

No one gives as much money to the World Health Organization as the US, behind that is Bill Gates, then the UK. China is among the smallest donors. So, why is so much Western money being used along the propaganda points of such a puny donor as China? If so much money is being usurped, the US would be obligated to pull the plug. And, that’s what it looks like, especially with the WHO siding with China on the matter of Taiwan. While Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHO indicates bias, Western countries are concerned about the WHO helping cover up what happened in China.

With president Trump now calling for investigations in China about the pneumoniavirus, other problems could come up, such as the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. China won’t allow that, not even to regain control of all that US money in the WHO. The world won’t have it. Global hatred toward China is only beginning.

Great Pacific

‘Suppress and lift’: Hong Kong and Singapore say they have a coronavirus strategy that works // Science

Singapore’s Ho Ching thanks ‘friends in Taiwan’ after quibble over masks donation // SCMP

Trade & Tech

Coronavirus: American Factory boss says pandemic will change China’s role in global supply chain // SCMP

Huawei founder to leave board of Shanghai Huawei Technologies // Taiwan News

China

National coronavirus updates: Trump says US wants investigators to go to China // Seattlepi.com

Trump warns China over Covid-19 outbreak as Europe approaches 100,000 deaths // Guardian

Navarro: China went from net exporter of protective equipment to net importer // YouTube @ Fox News

As Coronavirus Fades in China, Nationalism and Xenophobia Flare // NY Times

Coronavirus: China’s economy shrank for the first time since 1976 in first quarter // SCMP

Nancy Pelosi calls Zoom ‘a Chinese entity’ // CNBC

Taiwan

Good news: Taiwan reports zero new coronavirus cases // Taiwan News

Hong Kong

US and UK condemn arrest of Hong Kong democracy activists // Guardian

More than 1,000 Hong Kong homeowners could see loans exceed value of properties in first quarter // SCMP

Cathay Pacific to lay off nearly 300 cabin crew in US, calling bases in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles ‘no longer viable’ // SCMP

Korean Peninsula

North Korean defector becomes first to win South Korea parliamentary seat // BBC News

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, April 20, 2020

The pneumoniavirus’s biggest casualty is Democratic politics. As the party of ostensibly “helping people”, Democratic governors gambled that “taking action” would sway public opinion in their direction. Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia governors did not need to create the greatest restrictions among the States. But, their Democratic Party’s moral compass guided them there. They might have added a dose or two of theatrics—especially understandable when one is in the DNC spotlight for the VP candidacy; clear your throat while saying, “Michigan.”

It is a fascinating turn of the usual pendulum: States stepping on Constitutional rights while the Federal government defends them, all the while, States calling for more Federal powers while they object to the Federal powers stopping them.

The other factor is kookery. Since when did young Democratic voters, especially Sanders supporters, trust numbers put out by a Republican-controlled Federal government? Requirements for deciding “cause of death” do not include a diagnosis of disease, yet a disease is being declared the cause of death for many who have not been diagnosed. Those numbers come from a Republican-controlled Federal government, then Democratic voters enshrine those numbers to support Democratic governors’ action.

What numbers are made-up and what is real remains another question that can’t be answered now. The big takeaway is a meltdown in the Democratic voter base. Their justification of numbers doesn’t make sense, nor does their idea that steps toward martial law will be popular. We could be looking at an even greater, greater Republican victory this November. That’s interesting since the reported number of pneumoniavirus deaths hasn’t come close to the number of abortions.

Trump

Roger Stone denied new trial; gag order lifted // CNN

Oh Thank God: Trump Appoints Ivanka and Jared to Council to Reopen America // Vanity Fair

Federal System

U.S. coronavirus crisis takes a sharp political turn // Yahoo News

State & Local

Defiant healthcare workers clash with anti-lockdown protesters in Colorado // Daily Mail

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says schools to remain closed for rest of academic year but eases some coronavirus restrictions // Dallas Morning News

Michigan manbaby protest: Wait, we thought conservatives were ‘rugged individuals’ // Salon

US in the UN

Trump announces formal freeze on WHO funding, pending an investigation // STAT

What you need to know about Trump’s suspension of WHO funding // Quartz

Global condemnation of Trump’s decision to suspend WHO funding during pandemic // Times of Israel

Trump’s Call To Suspend U.S. Funds For WHO: How Would It Affect Efforts To Fight The Coronavirus? // NPR

Prices, Rates, Oil & Food

Rep. Doug Collins on bringing the supply chain back to the US // YouTube @ Fox Business

Science, Weather & Health

U.S. coronavirus death toll passes 35,000, cases top 700,000 // Yahoo News

Wild animals are reclaiming cities during coronavirus lockdown // NY Post

Stanford study suggests coronavirus is more widespread than realized // The Spectator

Coronavirus began months earlier and not in Wuhan, bombshell UK report claims // Daily Star

No plan in sight: Test troubles cloud Trump recovery effort // AP

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, April 6, 2020

The pneumoniavirus is having a detrimental effect on China. While Xi Jinping kicks China’s economy into full swing, the rest of the world is on full alert. Manufacturing moves home—whether to or from China. Countries seek alternate supply sourcing. Taiwan shines like a star of brilliance, set up as if to shame China by design. China’s big mistake was going along with feeling shamed, as if by design. China could have played its hand with Taiwan the way the UK did with the American Revolution—claiming it lost a few colonies, but that it didn’t matter. By pretending not to care, the world might not care and China would be unstoppable. Instead, China is taking every step possible to create new enemies and make old enemies worry.

In that wake, Taiwan grows in military and respect, even donating medical masks to other countries. The WHO now faces shame and doubt because of an evermore apparent bias toward China. Australia cooperates with the US in efforts to confront China. Critical voices in China are silenced or otherwise go missing. An employee of Hong Kong CEO Carrie Lam resigned, then killed himself. Kim Jong-Un makes more threats. East Asia is more volatile than ever. Times like these are what some call an “opportunity”.

Great Pacific

Hong Kong official reprimands TV station over WHO interview that mentioned Taiwan // Guardian

C.I.A. Hunts for Authentic Virus Totals in China, Dismissing Government Tallies // NY Times

Martha McSally calls on WHO director to resign // Politico

Hong Kong broadcaster accused of breaching ‘one-China principle’ after reporter presses WHO official on Taiwan membership // SCMP

Trade & Tech

Now TSMC involved!
Huawei Warns of ‘Pandora’s Box’ If U.S. Curbs Taiwan Supply // Yahoo News

China

‘Shameless’: anger as China quarantines freed human rights lawyer 400km from home // Guardian

Drums of war!
The coronavirus pandemic is the breakthrough Xi Jinping has been waiting for. And he’s making his move. // Maclean’s

Many wonder if China’s coronavirus recovery can be trusted // CNN

Chinese county goes into coronavirus lockdown as country tries to get back to work amid fear of second wave // SCMP

A Chinese Millionaire and Gadfly of the Communist Party Has Vanished After Staging an Art Performance Criticizing Xi Jinping // artnet News

China Concealed Extent of Virus Outbreak, U.S. Intelligence Says // Bloomberg

Expats face hostility after second wave of virus cases hits China and Hong Kong // Financial Times

Taiwan

Donating masks to allies! ?
Virus Outbreak: Taiwan joins global COVID-19 battle // Taipei Times

Is Taiwan Really Buying the ‘Wrong’ Weapons? // The Diplomat

Masks mandatory on Taiwan trains, inter-city buses starting today // Taiwan News

An American Perspective on Australia’s Approach to the Taiwan Strait // Ketagalan Media

Why Taiwan has become a problem for WHO // BBC News

Senior WHO adviser appears to dodge question on Taiwan’s Covid-19 response // Guardian

Hong Kong

Ramifications, ramifications…
Former employee of Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Office dies after falling from residential building // SCMP

Korean Peninsula

North Korea rips Pompeo, says ‘if the US bothers us, it will be hurt’ // Fox News

Military Faceoff

Lockheed Martin Wins $4.8B Deal to Procure 78 F-35 Jets // Yahoo News

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, April 6, 2020

Conspiracy theories fly. That’s to be expected when the whole world is told to stay home. Some say 5G is the killer. Though suspicious as interesting, that doesn’t explain everything. The more disturbing part is that the video was censored by Facebook and, reportedly, YouTube. Elsewhere, people are reporting empty hospitals around the world, contrary to reports by big news media. Most disturbing of all was the decision for governors to close schools, which runs against common sense. Consider an article published by AAPS in which a doctor from Cadillac, Michigan explains that keeping schools open would have had the best affect on containment.

Public panic and shutting down the economy by closing the schools that would have slowed viral spread aside, look how the greater damage from overreacting is helping in other ways.

Trump only grows in popularity. Michigan’s governor is in the spotlight and will be a likely pick for a typical establishment Democratic VP candidate come November. If she runs, the voters in Michigan she unemployed may vote against her in the general election. If that happens, she would likely be a one-term governor, facing a double loss like Scott Walker did after he lost in the 2016 presidential primaries.

More importantly, unexpected things are shifting. Businesses are forced to reinvent. While the masses go into panic mode, money is moving toward those who keep calm and level heads.

Russianewsgategate

FISA court orders DOJ to review flawed surveillance applications and provide names of targets // WA Examiner

Trump fires intelligence community watchdog who told Congress about whistleblower complaint that led to impeachment // CNN

DOJ’s FISA report contradicts claims by Dems, media figures that surveillance rules were strictly observed // Fox News

Election

Next failed VP candidate?
Michigan Gov. Whitmer slammed by home state paper for allegedly playing politics in middle of coronavirus crisis // Fox News

Biden confirms he’s considering Whitmer for VP // The Hill

White House

IRS Gives Stimulus Check Distribution Details, Says Payments To Begin Within Three Weeks // Forbes

Washington as Usual

Pelosi responds to claim that impeachment distracted Trump from virus // YouTube @ CNN

Graham: Pelosi comment on Trump is ‘most shameful, disgusting statement by any politician in modern history’ // The Hill

State & Local

Why these 8 Republican governors are holding out on statewide stay-at-home orders // CNN

Here are the states restricting travel from within the US // CNN

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

MSNBC treads water during jam-packed news quarter, fails to add viewers // Fox News

Prices, Rates, Oil & Food

U.S. dairy farmers dump milk as pandemic upends food markets // Yahoo News

Feds direct airlines to refund passengers for canceled flights // CNN

Science, Weather & Health

Censored: nCoV caused by 5G – Truth or Lie? // BitChute

Hoax? If not, what?
Citizen reporters go out and do what the media won’t! (empty hospitals) // YouTube @ Didi Vanh

Sobriety from a doctor
Coronavirus COVID-19: Public Health Apocalypse or Panic and Anti-American? // AAPS

Put your own mask on first
3M is selling lifesaving PPE to foreign countries over US: Florida Official // YouTube @ Fox News

US freezes shipments of protective gear overseas // CNN

Coronavirus: US ‘considers cloth face masks for public’ // BBC News

Why People Aren’t Listening to Experts About Face Masks // TIME

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, March 30, 2020

https://youtu.be/ayqbj-b8SKg

Blame! Both general theories about where this virus originated fail to do two things: They don't acquit anyone and they don't tell us how to treat it. The theories no longer seem to matter since fear has taken over the world.

Initially, we had a theory that the virus passed from wildlife to humans at a kind of so-called exotic meat market in Wuhan, a city in China. Then, a Chinese government official—later seen as a lone wolf not speaking for the pack—blamed the US Army specifically, as opposed to the US Military or CIA as the usual conspiracy theory suspects go. We'll look at the Army's place in Chinese politics later.

Upon review, there is a convincing case that the 2019-nCoV had its origin at a military laboratory and got out into the American public last summer before the CDC shut down that laboratory. But, this still doesn't explain how it would have gotten to Wuhan. And, both China and the US still face scorn for coverups and delayed response.

Then, we have China's negative PR campaign, two actually. Blaming the US "Army" feeds Chinese kook theory because the Chinese military is called the "Army". Even China's Navy is called the "People's Liberation Army Navy". It seemed from the outset as intended to tip Chinese cultural sentiment against America, not intending to be based in fact. Now, a few weeks later, the Chinese people fear "foreigners" (Westerners and 'Black People'). Old Chinese superstition still lingers, that Black People are cursed by the gods or by nature because black is the bad color in their culture.

As anti-foreign sentiment grows in China, the world grows more irritated with China. And, as the WHO digs its heels in on keeping Taiwan out, the world sees China controlling too much of the world through its deep pockets—a concern the international finance community had brought up from an article from Harvard Business Review, How Much Money Does the World Owe China?. When a WHO official hung up on an interview twice, we see that Harvard's curiosity wasn't irrelevant.

The world is responding in hatred toward China with such venom, people beat up Asians of any nationality, even those without any connection to China. Yes, the world propped up China for a grand fall into global disfavor. But, China still hasn't done anything to help itself. One little virus, no matter where it came from, was all it took to push the world over the brink.

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, March 23, 2020

China's in trouble—deep trouble. America pauses with the same hush of silence that swept the country from the outskirts of Washington to New Orleans in 1812, gathering around the radio in 1941, or staring at the same TV images on repeat in 2001. While America pauses and reflects, China accuses, taunts, and threatens, as if the world wasn't already angry enough about the jobs lost to a Communist country that promotes leaders for party loyalty rather than governing competence.

There is no PR campaign, no cooperation, no compensation that can buy back decades of ill will. That ill will against China was only fueled by governments and leaders who allowed themselves to be trodden on, quite an evil thing the West did to set China up for such embarrassment. But, the Communist Chinese do themselves no service by fitting the stereotype handed to them.

While China faces Western scorn, Taiwan shines like Venus at twilight. They have the breakout under control almost as much as they have public panic on mute. The Taiwanese premier jokes about everyone having only one butt hole, then encourages everyone to buy, buy, buy—it helps the economy, after all, and there is plenty of supply. While Taiwan clips right along, clamping down as needed, China's jealousy only simmers and froths. The Communists across the Straight want the results of capitalism and competence, without any of the actions or guiding virtues.

When scorn and jealousy mix and reach a critical boiling point, like fudge, China will start to harden. If these are the days when China invades Taiwan, a roused and ready America won't be the only thing stopping them. Taiwanese are already well-stocked at home from a virus that China perceivedly caused. They can stay at home. They have the defenses and pantries to hold out for America, who is alive and well and hungry to kick someone's butt.

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, March 23, 2020

https://youtu.be/jIIGZZOx0b0

Revival has returned. It's not in the streets yet and evil hasn't fled. But, revival has landed and is making its way across the country. Chicago rings church bells five times a day. Everywhere, Americans look up and ask whether God is trying to get our attention.

Duh.

As they were once called in the 80s, the "Kansas City Prophets" always said that God's judgments are merely intended to help us love more. Pain removes everything that limits our capacity to love and receive love. When crisis hits, we examine our priorities and look deep inside, hoping to have the one thing that matters most. And, we find it in our hearts. Of all the things we gain and lose in the world, the one thing we hope to have when everything else is shaken is our ability to still love. Once we find that we still have that ability, no matter how small, we feel like the richest in the world, having remembered that truly, all that matters is love.

Revival has returned.

The Communist Chinese thought that by refusing to supply America with pharmaceutical ingredients, panic would spread across America. But, they were as wrong as the Grinch who thought he could steal Christmas from Whoville.

As crisis rises, not from a virus as much as our overreaction to it, America is returning in full swing to its core. Maybe we'll learn to ditch our drama. Maybe we'll learn a happy medium between our two favorite poles of fear and apathy. Even as we decide, small companies and neighbors are helping each other. We're seeing America at its best, just as it is during any time of crisis. We return to God, revival returns in return, and, like a giant rousing from its sleep once again, the American machine of love-in-crisis is in full swing.

Revival has returned.

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, March 9, 2020

Things are fairing worse and worse for China, but better and better for Taiwan.

The KMT-Nationalist party is abandoning its long-standing agreement to cooperate with the Chinese Communists, much how the American Democratic party is abandoning socialism within its ranks. Taiwan's handling of the 2019-nCoV Wuhan virus is top notch, possibly the best in the world. The irony is that Taiwan is not a member of the WHO, for mere reasons of political pressure from China. The world will interpret Taiwan's absence from the WHO through the poor response to the virus from WHO members. And the world will, accordingly, blame China not only for the virus, but for the lack of Taiwan's valued input in the WHO.

This week, when things seemed as though they couldn't get worse in China, a hotel collapsed, which housed many people being observed for the virus. Not all had been diagnosed, but at least 10 are dead from the collapse.

Interestingly, this does not fair well for Taiwan. The more respect Taiwan earns from the international community, and the more spite China earns from the international community, the more envy will boil and bubble as China froths with rage against Taiwan. China's government is not functioning with any trace of sobriety. Recent events are pushing the Chinese government over the edge in their ancient desire to invade Taiwan. While that would leave them vulnerable at home and hated even more throughout the world, such things never stopped them before and certainly aren't stopping them now. continue reading

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