Doomsday Clock moves to 100 seconds to midnight
This past Thursday, the Doomsday Clock moved from 2 minutes to 100 seconds to midnight – the closest symbolic point from an “apocalypse” since 1953. The closer to midnight we are, the more danger we're in,
The decision was made by The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which announced it from the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.
The Clock, which warns of impending disasters and takes into account nuclear weapons, rising political tensions, as well as changes to the environment, was created in 1947 at the beginning of the arms race between the U.S. and what was then-Soviet Union.
The Clock represents the “hypothetical” - how close the world is to a global catastrophe with the two key factors being nuclear attacks and climate change.
During the press conference, Rachel Bronson, the President and CEO of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, said "We argued that the global situation was abnormal" of the decision to keep last year's Clock the same, but noted that nuclear and climate situations are "worsening".
Astrophysicist Robert Rosner, who also sits on the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said "the fact that the clock is now a mere 100 seconds from midnight signals really bad news. What we said last year is now a disturbing reality in that things are not getting better."
Rosner added that a particular concern is the undermining of the public's ability to understand what's true from what's false.
Sharon Squassoni, a Georgetown University professor and member of the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, noted how extreme the nuclear weapons situation has become. She cited the recent collapse of the Iran nuclear deal, the reemergence of North Koreass nuclear capabilities and the continued buildout of weapons from the U.S., Russia and China.
"In sum, the situation is extremely dangerous and demands an emergency response," Squassoni said.
Sivan Kartha, a senior scientist at the Stockholm Environment Institute, noted that time is running out for the planet to get to the emissions goals set at the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. "Emissions need to head towards zero," adding, "there's no question this is an
emergency."
Since 2007, climate change has been a factor in the group's decisions. In 2018, BAS moved the clock to two minutes to midnight. North Korea’s continuing nuclear weapon and ballistic missile tests and heightened tensions between the U.S. and Russia. The clock remained at two minutes to midnight in 2019, though Bronson said the lack of change "should be taken, not as a sign of stability, but as a stark warning to leaders and citizens around the world."
The clock was farthest from midnight in 1991, when it was moved back to 17 minutes after the U.S. and Soviet Union signed the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "Although the picture is bleak, not all hope is lost, we must act and work together. Not a single country or person can do it alone. We need all hands-on deck and we can all work together."
1-23-20
Two cities in China are on lockdown. This is a huge deal because it is disrupting Lunar New Year travel plans for millions. A very mysterious “SARS-like virus” that doctors have never seen before is causing much concern among global health officials. It has been identified as “a virus”, that covers a very broad range of illnesses. If you have a common cold right now, it was caused by a strand of this virus. The difference being we have medicine for the common cold; this new strand of virus, we do not.
Wuhan coronavirus: the Chinese government said the lockdowns are needed because some of the people who have died from the virus did not have any pre-existing conditions before they became ill.
Ground Zero for the pneumonia-like respiratory virus is a city called Wuhan. Wuhan is one of China's most important cities. It is considered the political and economic capital of central China. The Wuhan strain has been linked to a market in the city that was selling seafood and live animals,
This is 1 of the 2 cites who's "temporarily" closed its airport and railway stations. Wuhan is a city of 11 million people and now all public transportation services have been suspended until further notice. This past Thursday afternoon, transportation authorities began shutting down some of the main highways leaving Wuhan,
The wearing of face masks is now mandatory in all public places in the city, including hotels, restaurants, parks, cafes, and shopping malls. A spokesperson for the city of Wuhan said "People who don't obey the requirements shall be dealt with by authorities in accordance with their respective duties and laws".
The 2nd city is 50 miles east of Wuhan, taken similar measures by cutting off the city. The city's subway and train stations will close. This 2nd city has a population of 7.5 million; Wuhan has 11 million.
For perspective – NY has a population of 8.3 million, LA has 3.7 million, Chicago has 2.7 million, and Houston has 2.2 million people. So imagine if all of NY, LA, Chicago and Houston were shut down over Thanksgiving or Christmas. All theaters, internet cafes and indoor public culture, tourism and entertainment facilities will also stop business. Hundreds of thousands of people will be affected.
There was an unusual flurry of activity around the train stations in Wuhan early Thursday morning. Passengers at the train stations -- most of them wearing face masks -- scrambled to leave the city before the lockdown began.
Local news reported families unloading their cars and hurrying to get into lines that already stretched outside the doors. Wuhan's railway station is one of the country's busiest high-speed rail hubs. Officials were using thermal detectors to scan for people for fevers as crowds were shoulder to shoulder waiting for trains out of the city. The cries in other cities in China were "Wuhan people, get out of Shanghai". One person posted, "Don't sneak in and spread chaos."
Cases have been reported in other parts of Asia including Thailand, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.
Lunar New Year which began on January 25th is considered the biggest human migration on the planet with hundreds of millions of people visiting families and travel in China and throughout Asia.
"The government policy is nobody should leave Wuhan and nobody should come into Wuhan".
The numbers are changing but so far there are 600 KNOWN cases of the virus. Of those who have died, the time period from symptoms to death is between 10 days and three weeks.
The first case has reached the U.S. Now John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, LAX, San Francisco International Airport -- are checking incoming passengers for symptoms such as fever, cough and trouble breathing. Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are all about to follow suit.
For more details, click here.
In summary, the Doomsday clock went from 120 seconds to 100 seconds. Scientists have a great concern for global nuclear weapons. In Asia, we have an outbreak that began in one market and has worked its way around the globe. Will people understand that this is a picture, a glimpse, of what it's going to be like when the Tribulation period starts? In fact, this is nothing compared to what the Tribulation will be like and yet how many Christians aren't even concerned about that time frame?
In Revelation, you have three sets of judgments. The first judgment will cause painful sores upon those “who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image” (Revelation 16:2). When that bowl is poured out, imagine the world having those painful sores.
The second bowl is that the sea will become blood and cause all life in it to die (verse 3).
The third bowl is on fresh water, the rivers and springs of water will become blood (verse 4).
The fourth bowl will cause the sun to become so hot as “to scorch men with fire” (verse 8). This is getting towards the end of the Tribulation period where the world will be in such chaos that the only real, proper response is to turn to God and yet, we're told in Scripture that men won't do that.
What does it take for God to get the attention of his Creation? It's time to turn your heart to Him.
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