Editor’s Commentary: I am always extremely skeptical of stories that discuss the next great “pandemic” or talk of diseases that are going to wipe out large portions of the population. Generally, they fall to the wayside faster than Monkeypox fell out of the news cycle. But we also know the powers-that-be — whether in the CCP, the WHO, or our own government — are working on ways to do exactly what they warn us about incessantly.
The article below by Michael Snyder from End of the American Dream is not fearmonger per se because it deals with a known challenge that even “fringe” scientists and alternative media accept as real: “Antimicrobial Resistance.” We are an over-medicated society that turns to Big Pharma for the vast majority of our ailments and as such we’ve created a perfect biological storm for “superbugs” to rise. Whether by design or sheer societal stupidity, we are medicating ourselves into complete vulnerability. Well, some of us are. Thankfully, many of us avoid anything Big Pharma puts out like it’s the literal Black Plague because eventually it likely will be. With that said, here’s Michael’s report…
The rise of the “superbugs” is here. The death toll is already in the millions each year, and it won’t be too long before “superbugs” are killing tens of millions of people each year. In my last book I identified a number of long-term trends that threaten to collapse our society, and now you can add this one to the list. The clock really is ticking for humanity, but most people in the general population simply do not understand what we are facing. They just assume that life will go on as it always has, but that is simply not going to be possible.
If you are not familiar with “antimicrobial resistance”, the following is a decent definition from the official CDC website…
Antimicrobial resistance happens when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow. Resistant infections can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat.
According to Dr. Chris Murray, antimicrobial resistance “is actually now one of the leading causes of death in the world”.
It accounts for more deaths than tuberculosis, it accounts for more deaths than malaria, and it accounts for more deaths than HIV/AIDS.
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So we are talking about a crisis that is already incredibly serious.
Sadly, this is just the beginning. USA Today is reporting that antimicrobial resistance is now killing more than 5 million people a year, but the death toll is “expected to grow into the tens of millions within a few decades”…
In 2019, the last year data is available, more than 2.8 million Americans had antimicrobial-resistant infections and more than 35,000 died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Worldwide, deaths already top 5 million a year and are expected to grow into the tens of millions within a few decades.
If “superbugs” are soon killing tens of millions of people per year, that will mean that there will be hundreds of millions of deaths by the end of this century.
And that is actually an optimistic forecast. There are some that believe that the death toll could be far worse because “bacteria are mutating to evade antibiotics at a pace far faster than many researchers had previously forecast”.
Scientists tell us that one of the big reasons this is happening is because we have been overusing antibiotics.
Way too often, doctors are prescribing antibiotics for their patients when they don’t really need them.
But even more importantly, in recent decades it has become common practice to feed antibiotics to livestock so that they will get bigger…
The commercial raising of animals for food has contributed to the problem. For decades, breeders have fed their livestock antibiotics. At first, they started out trying to help sick animals get well. But they noticed that animals fed antibiotics got big faster. So it became standard practice to include antibiotics in the feed of every animal, from poultry to fish to pigs to cows.
So now resistance to antibiotics is spreading like wildfire, and we are seeing some tremendous tragedies as a result.
For example, when a 24-year-old woman scraped her knee on some rocks in 2012, she never imagined it would lead to all four limbs being amputated…
In her recent talk, Wilson told the story of Aimee Copeland, a 24-year-old grad student when she fell off a zip line in 2012 and scraped her knee on some rocks in the river below.
Copeland’s leg was stitched up and she was sent home with antibiotics, but the wound quickly got infected. Available drugs were no match for the naturally antibiotic-resistant bacteria she had picked up in the water.
Kidney and heart failure followed, along with the amputation of all four limbs.
In the early days of antibiotics, something like this would not have happened. But now the era of the “superbugs” has arrived, and we are extremely vulnerable.
Just consider what is happening on the front lines in Ukraine. It is being reported that patients are showing up with bacteria that are “showing extreme antibiotic resistance”…
Bacteria found in hospital patients in Ukraine is showing extreme antibiotic resistance, making it harder to treat the wounded and ill in this war-torn country, new research warns.
“I am quite thick-skinned and have witnessed numerous situations involving patients and bacteria,” said study author and bacteriologist Kristian Riesbeck. “However, I must admit that I have never encountered bacteria as resistant as this before.”
This should deeply alarm all of us.
In one case, a Ukrainian soldier actually became infected with six different kinds of extremely resistant bacteria…
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is fueling a dangerous rise in bacterial drug resistance—an alarming reality made clear by a recent case report of an injured Ukrainian soldier who became infected with six different extensively drug-resistant bacteria, one of which was resistant to every antibiotic tested.
Health experts are sounding the alarm that the nearly unbeatable germs will likely spread beyond the war-torn country’s borders. “Given the forced migration of the population, multidrug resistance of wound pathogens is now a problem not only for Ukraine but also for healthcare systems around the world, especially in the EU,” Ukrainian scientists and doctors wrote in a recent letter in the Irish Journal of Medical Scientists.
We have now entered a time when literally any infection can potentially be life-threatening.
It has been estimated that antimicrobial resistance will cost the global economy 100 trillion dollars by the year 2050.
To put that in perspective, the U.S. national debt is 32 trillion dollars right now, and that is the largest single financial debt in the history of the entire world.
It would help if the big pharmaceutical companies were feverishly working to develop new antibiotics, but that just isn’t happening…
Despite the crucial need for new antibiotics, there has been little innovation in the past 20 years. According to a report from the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, “more than 82% of all antibiotic approvals occurred prior to the year 2000.” The last new antibiotic class was oxazolidinones, which were developed in the early 2000s.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies have failed to invest in new classes of antibiotics because the market is seen as “risky and relatively unprofitable,” according to a report from Elias Mossialos of the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Pharmaceutical companies make money by getting people hooked on their very expensive drugs for long periods of time.
But antibiotics are often used for just a week or two, and so there is little incentive to develop them…
Right now, there’s no financial incentive for a company to spend as long as a decade and upward of $1.5 billion developing an antibiotic that someone will use only for a week or two ‒ limiting the amount a company can charge ‒ and which might be obsolete in four or five years as bacteria become resistant.
As a society, our priorities are so messed up.
Instead of doing the things that really need to be done for our long-term good, we are focused on stuff like this…
A Japanese native has transformed himself into a canine after forking out more than $14,000 for a custom-made collie costume.
The private citizen, who goes only by Toco online, says the unusual garment has helped actualize his dream of “becoming an animal.”
Footage shared to Toco’s YouTube channel, where he boasts more than 32,000 subscribers, shows him clad in the costume as he frolics on a lawn, rolls on a floor, and plays fetch.
Sometimes I wonder how we even made it this far.
If we don’t start taking antimicrobial resistance very seriously and devote more resources to fighting it, the yearly death toll will soon be catastrophic.
And when you add in all of the other cataclysmic threats that humanity is now facing, the long-term outlook for our society is exceedingly bleak.
Sound off about this topic on my End Medical Tyranny Substack.
Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
