FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
Here in Italy it's strictly compulsory to wear a mask covering mouth and nose, and it's compulsory to respect an interpersonal distance of at least 1 metre. Nevertheless we have at least 300 to 700 deaths per day...
Greetings by Riccardo.

[Bob Harman]

And, finally, I hope that this photo brings a smile to some faces during these hard times.

My grandson, 18 months old, is really into rocks.....these are his formative years!

My daughter and her husband live in Italy, North of Genoa. Both have dual US/Italian citizenship, with both being fluent in Italian and English. The little one speaks 3 languages, English, Italian and mostly gibberish.

The photo is on a recent trip to the beaches of the Ligurian Sea, near Genoa. :). BOB

[Sante Celiberti]

Nice.
A great promise for mineral collecting, since that area is very rich in garnets, epidotes, diopsides, vesuvianites etc.
Let's hope he follows in his grandfather's footsteps. That's what I'm hoping about my grandchildren.
And let's not lose the illusion that the new generations are willing to listen to our "gibberish".

Best regards.
Sante

[Tobi]

Great, Bob!!!

I also hope that this cute little fellow will follow your footsteps. I know the proud feeling when the very young get involved in our hobby and when they seem to like it. My sons are 5 and 3 y/o and they're already interested in rocks, I hope this will endure! Good to to see that there are more little fellows who might be the FMF community of the future ;-)

Regards
Tobi

[Philippe Durand]

get vaccine :) and enjoy life

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
Here in Italy the situation is slowly improving, TOO slowly in my opinion. I got the first inoculation (AstraZeneca) on March 14 and I should get the second one next Sunday. Then... let's hope!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[Jordi Fabre]

Yet life goes on...

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
Here in Italy the situation has significantly improved from the point of view of victims and hospitalized people, but cases are increasing again, due to the Delta variant. Ok, let's hope it's not so aggressive like the other ones, however I got my second inoculation on last June 6 and printed my Green Pass. My second inoculation was AstraZeneca once again and I had no problem at all. I succeeded in doing my bicycle tour through Europe the last three weeks too, I visited Jachymov, Annaberg, Ehrenfriedensdorf, Freiberg, Lwowek Slaski (despite the mineral show was cancelled) and Lubin. Keep healthy everybody!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[Tobi]

[Dany Mabillard]

Finally after 2 weeks of rain, the summer is back .

[Roger Warin]

Hello,
As luck would have it, I was reminded of an interrupted discussion about the transport of the Corona virus in the atmosphere.
Here is what I wrote in March 2020, when I thought my life was in danger.
Aside from the few approvals of my ideas, I felt like I lived on a planet other than Earth, surrounded by an atmosphere composed in part of oxygen.
It is obvious, but it is because of this oxygen gas in the atmosphere that viruses are transported from one lung to another.
Oxygen is even the vector of clouds which can reach 800,000 tonnes during heavy storms.
And these clouds float in the atmosphere until a certain point ...
Here are my 16 month old thoughts!

[R Saunders]

While most of the article went over my head, I do feel that the virus must be blowing in the trade winds or the jet stream. Our face masks as we are told will only help catch the droplets we put out to help curb the spread.
Now a few days ago they say that 50% of all Deer in Michigan, USA may have the Corona Virus but don't know that they can spread it to Humans? So how is this possible and is it true?

[Peter Lemkin]

I have a graduate degree in Epidemiology and Public and Environmental Science - and what you wrote did not go above my head. I get your points, but I'm not sure what you are trying to propose. An active mask rather than a passive one? I can easily construct one, but it will be very expensive. I think some companies make them for the well-off. They have nano-Ag particles and other similar, so not only trap the virus, but kill it. However, once the virus dries after some unknown number of hours or days [depending on many factors] the already dead virus becomes one that can not become semi-living again. You are likely correct about the polar H2O molecules being essential for gas-like spread, and the spike protein there may serve a second function more physical than microbiological - but to my knowledge this has not been studied. UV irradiation of empty rooms or homes or work areas at night are a good idea, and not too expensive...but one MUST get the correct wavelength lights and NOT look at them or shine them on your skin! They are being sold - but so few if amazes me. Everyone thinks Covid is going away. About 1.75 years ago on this forum I'm sure I depressed everyone on another thread that Jordi started that I felt Covid would be around for years in the active pandemic form and decades after that in the form we now experience the seasonal flu.
Stupidity, racism and classism will sadly give an end worldwide death toll of between 50-250 millions or perhaps much more!...it depends on when humanity starts acting as one and not everyone for themselves. Another product sold now are room air filtration units that have the proper wavelength UV light inside, but they are usually small and can't cover a great volume of air in the time needed. Dry indoor air is uncomfortable, but not a bad half-way measure. Social distancing and masking [with an active nano-Ag etc. mask] is always going to be a GREAT idea for the next year or two or three when around others - vaccinated or not! Hopefully, a better vaccine will be produced, but distribution of this one is so problematic for all the wrong reasons, that will be a repeat...and then there are the increasingly deadly and dangerous varients here and coming!!! I warned about that too. It is what evolution has 'taught' that tiny lump of non-living RNA.

As for the statement that the virus is blowing in the Jet Stream, relax. First of all, all of the Covid-19 ever were placed together they would fill half of a small water cooler cup! Dilution and thus a lower viral load means one will NOT get the disease unless one has a totally defunct immune system. And again, this undead particles of genetic material have a 'lifetime', that according to environmental conditions and surfaces last only from some mintues to the more likely hours to the occassional few days to the very rare few weeks. After that they can not rise up like zombies ever again.

A company here in the Czech Republic tried to make an active face mask and went belly up. I have NO idea why they did...but most persons wanted a half dollar/Euro mask [or less] with MFF3 standard and not one that would cost about $5-10/Euro each. It is possible however to construct such a mask that could be cleaned and re-used many times and just alternate with a few masks and make sure the seal is good.

One of the stupidest things I regularly see are those who cover their mouths and NOT their nose. People are so ill informed about science, medicine, history and ethics. The Great Plagues killed about HALF of all living people in the areas the Plague infected. Covid could even get that bad....but I do NOT think it will for many reasons...but it WILL be MUCH worse worldwide than 99% think in their worst nightmares - and especially deadly in developing and poor nations and even in rich ones among the poor and unfortunate to not have the usuals of a home, car, etc. Ditto those who have eaten badly over their lives and have comorbidities care of Coke, McDonalds, Snickers, potato chips etc. et al. and no health care - ah, America!...where I am from.

I will look online and see if anyone is currently making active masks at a reasonable price and post what I find. I'm fully vaccinated, but still wear a NH-95 mask when indoors or close to others outdoors! [I see few in the USA using them!] that has pores smaller than the virus!....if it had nano-Ag, then the trapped viruses would also be killed in less than a minute!....cost is a problem and disposal of nano-Ag products is as well.

People yes need to deal with the virus now, but had best also realize that it, like Ebola and the growing threat of novel viruses are part and parcel of both the Climate Emergency [anthropogenic] and too many humans invading too many Natural spaces and destroyting them. I think the reason we don't hear other 'intelligent' lifeforms out in space is that many, just as short sighted as us destroyed their civilizations shortly after developing technology due to wars, resource exhaustion and destruction of their environment........

Addendum: OK, just looked for a while on internet and yes, not popular, but nano-Ag masks are available from a price range of about 4-50 dollars/Euro each. [the high end are NO better, but appeal the the snob in some, as they have a famous name on them and are designed by famous clothes manufacturers. The low end look like the others all have seen and have no logo. All seem to be hand washable. I'm going to order some for myself.

Another thought....if you are correct about the almost 'clathrate' structure the H20 around the virus forms, then those who work in biological warfare would best know how to charge the particles and thus make them not act like a 'gas', but get stuck on things - most anything. I was wondering if those air ionizing devices might do that?.... I'll see if anyone has researched this.

[Roger Warin]

Hello,
Thank you for the long nuanced answer you give me. I share your ideas. This is the first time I have received such feedback. In my message, I specified my usual caution at the beginning and at the end.
My article is not based on a bibliography. This is an advantage for me, I only looked at virions as a chemist, as I explain the origin of the color differences of copper sulphate or copper chloride.
I do not offer a solution for masks, because I do not have the skills. Although much criticized in Belgium (to the point of being seriously threatened with death - he had to live in hiding), the virologist Van Ranst saved us from a tragedy. But it's easier to stay confined behind a microscope admiring minerals and living in the countryside, one of the benefit of old age.
I think in the Namib Desert the virus will not survive. This is arguably the reason why part of Africa is escaping the virus as areas like Indonesia are hit hard. The temperature does not intervene much, I believe, except the extreme cold which dry the air.
I think we could be more wary in wet weather, which is common today.
However, Belgium is in a better position than France, a land of vacancy and mixing of peoples.

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
Here in Italy the European Greenpass will be compulsory starting from August 6 for travelling by train, bus, ferry etc, and for having meal in a restaurant (if you eat inside the restaurant) or a break in a pub (but not for having coffee on the pub desk). However I downloaded it last month, so I'm ok, even if the Munich Show requires it!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.