The Dose - 1-7-22
An open thread for gentle discussions of all things Covid.
Hey! Good Morning!
US reports global record of more than 1m daily Covid cases
As the highly transmissible Omicron variant wreaks havoc in the US, more than 1.08 million people across the country tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday – a global daily record, data from Johns Hopkins University revealed.
The deluge of infections is forcing government officials, employers and citizens to weigh their risk tolerance as Americans enter year three of a devastating pandemic that has upended lives and livelihoods.
Although evidence suggests Omicron is generally more mild and less lethal than other strains, the volume of new cases has been followed by an increase in hospitalizations, threatening to once again overwhelm beleaguered hospitals.
Medical experts are sounding the alarm that the Omicron wave could be particularly harmful to children, as pediatric admissions of patients with Covid-19 reach record highs.
“This narrative that it’s just a mild virus is not accurate,” Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN. “We’ve just done a terrible job vaccinating our kids across the country. So even though there’s a lot of happy talk about the Omicron variant, less severe disease, when you add up all the factors … we’ve got a very serious situation facing us in this country, especially for the kids.”
Digital Vaccine Passports: Convenient Or The Beginning Of Surveillance State?
New studies reinforce belief that Omicron is less likely to damage lungs
A growing body of evidence indicates that the Omicron Covid variant is more likely to infect the throat than the lungs, which scientists believe may explain why it appears to be more infectious but less deadly than other versions of the virus. Six studies – four published since Christmas Eve – have found that Omicron does not damage people’s lungs as much as the Delta and other previous variants of Covid. The studies have yet to be peer-reviewed by other scientists.
“The result of all the mutations that make Omicron different from previous variants is that it may have altered its ability to infect different sorts of cells,” said Deenan Pillay, professor of virology at University College London.
“In essence, it looks to be more able to infect the upper respiratory tract – cells in the throat. So it would multiply in cells there more readily than in cells deep in the lung. This is really preliminary but the studies point in the same direction.”
If the virus produces more cells in the throat, that makes it more transmissible, which would help to explain the rapid spread of Omicron. A virus that is good at infecting lung tissue, on the other hand, will be potentially more dangerous but less transmissible.
Researchers from the University of Liverpool’s Molecular Virology Research Group published a pre-print on Boxing Day that shows Omicron leading to “less severe disease” in mice, according to Prof James Stewart. The paper showed that mice infected with Omicron lose less weight, have lower viral loads and experience less- severe pneumonia.
Kim Iversen: Emails REVEAL Fauci & Collins COLLUDED To Smear Scientists, SHUT DOWN Scientific Debate
Chicago public schools cancel classes after teachers’ union vote
Leaders of Chicago public schools canceled classes on Wednesday after the teachers’ union voted to switch to remote learning due to the surge in Covid cases, the latest development in an escalating battle over pandemic safety protocols in the nation’s third-largest school district.
Chicago has rejected a districtwide return to remote instruction, saying it was disastrous for children’s learning and mental health. But the union argued the district’s safety protocols are lacking and both teachers and students are vulnerable.
The Chicago Teachers Union’s action, approved by 73% of members, called for remote instruction until “cases substantially subside” or union leaders approve an agreement for safety protocols with the district. Union members were instructed to try to log into teaching systems on Wednesday, even though the district said there would be no instruction and did not distribute devices to students ahead of the union votes, which were announced just before 11pm on Tuesday. ...
Before the vote, Chicago’s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, also warned that teachers who did not show up for work on Wednesday would be put on a no-pay status, criticizing union leaders for “politicizing the pandemic”. “There is no basis in the data, the science or common sense for us to shut an entire system down when we can surgically do this at a school level,” said Lightfoot during a press conference on Tuesday before the vote.
Chicago Public Schools leaders have now locked teachers out of their virtual classrooms following the vote to move to remote learning, reports Block Club Chicago, a local media publication, with many teachers attempting to conduct remote learning being denied access to their online classroom resources.
Joe Rogan Joins Gettr After Interviews With Drs. Malone, McCullough REMOVED From Social Media
Covid hospitalizations among US children soar as schools under pressure
Covid-19 hospitalizations among children in the US are soaring, fueled by the Omicron variant and the holidays, and adding pressure to already-strained health systems and schools. An average of 672 children were being hospitalized every day in the US, as of 2 January - more than double the average just a week before. And the rate is rapidly increasing.
Cases are also rising. There were more than 325,000 new cases among kids in the week ending 23 December, a 64% increase from the previous week and nearly double the cases two weeks earlier, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported on Monday.
“We have about four times as many children admitted currently as we have had in any other wave,” Dr Elaine Cox, the chief medical officer for Riley Children’s Health in Indiana, told reporters on Tuesday. They are also seeing the severity rise among the children who are admitted to the hospital, Cox said. “So there are more of them, and they are sicker.” More than half the hospitalized children have had to spend time in the intensive care unit, and at least 40% of those kids need to be put on a ventilator, she said.
More than 1,000 kids have died in the US from Covid during the pandemic so far, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 830,000 people have died in the US from Covid so far.
Media IGNORES Good Omicron News AGAIN
Crisis, what crisis? Florida Republicans deny Omicron is straining hospitals
While Florida has experienced a record number of Covid-19 cases and sharp increase in hospitalizations in recent weeks, there is disagreement between Republicans and Democrats over whether the Omicron surge has actually overwhelmed the state’s healthcare system.
For example, Florida Republican senator Marco Rubio posted on Twitter that there “is no Omicron hospital ‘surge’ in Florida. People admitted for non-Covid reasons get tested. If they test positive they get counted as a ‘Covid patient.’”
Infectious disease experts and Florida hospital leaders say that – while there is some validity to the assessment that data showing an increase in Covid hospitalizations and cases can in part be attributed to increased testing – the state’s hospitals still face potentially serious staffing shortages. One hospital in the state had to close its maternity ward because of a Covid outbreak among staff.
But in short, Florida has become a focal point of the often politicized debate over whether the Omicron variant is dangerous enough to overwhelm hospital systems and requires precautions taken earlier in the pandemic. ...
Florida, which its rightwing Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, touts as a place free of federal and other states’ draconian Covid-related restrictions, has seen a 566% increase in Covid cases over the past two weeks and a 246% increase in Covid hospitalizations during that time, according to data from the New York Times.
CNN Medical Ethicist: DESTROY Lives Of Unvaxxed Americans
French president vows to 'piss off' the unvaccinated
Also of interest:
Indiana life insurance CEO says deaths are up 40% among people ages 18-64
Comments
That clip
from Sager and Krystal interviewing the medical
ethicisteugenicist from NYU (!) is interesting. The man is clearly full of himself. Everything he said with such assurance and conviction is nauseating. He also said that it is the unvaxxed who don't wear masks....a statement that is patently ridiculous.Thanks for the dose jsp and good morning to you.
edited for clarity
Looks like ethics aren't required
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
Universities and hospitals have been firing their
ethics teachers and doctors for not getting jabbed. They say that it’s unethical to mandate an experimental gene therapy that is still under emergency authorization which it is. Go figure. The trials won’t be finished for another 1-3 years.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
I know
Thought I'd never post in these Covid threads,
but I might as well. Had a person sitting at the next table over in a restaurant at lunch on New Year's Eve cough all over me, while I had my mask down to eat. I got us moved to a different table, but apparently too late.
Developed high fever, major headaches, sore throat, laryngitis, and an annoying cough that still persists today, a week later. Results came in this morning. Tested positive, no word in the test results on which specific variant.
Had all three jabs, take Vit. C and D, Astragalus, various other proactive preventive efforts. Am thankful for any reduction in symptoms that came as a result, but prevention clearly didn't happen.
Am not at all thankful to the Typhoid Mary who laughed about her coughing with a flip comment about "Freedumb", which I regard as the highest possible form of assholery. Will be quarantining until all symptoms gone and continuing with my forever-masking; and staying out of restaurants for the foreseeable future. Doctor said "as long as there are assholes, everyone is going to get it eventually".
Polite plea follows. If you are symptomatic, and you *know goddamned well* that you are symptomatic, please don't go out into crowded public spaces. Thank you.
Bottom line: haven't died yet. That is all.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Get well quickly...
As I wrote yesterday had a friend and his entire family come down. Fortunately they recovered in about three days. People mistake the expression that Omicron is mild, it does make you sick, but not likely to send you to the hospital.
The FLCCC protocol cocktail has proven successful for many.
lower left hand mixture, for what it is worth.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I'm thinking that protocol
protected me from getting a bad case of COVID but did not prevent it from infecting my mucus membranes where it malingered for weeks on end until I used the nebulizer to knock it out. I was unable to use the gargle due to my stroke. See below for description.
First off,
That person was like that Before ‘rona I’d bet, just an inconsiderate jerk.
Nothing against you, but can Anyone explain the mandate when this shit keeps happening?!? Triple vaxed and little to no ‘protection’? Sure, MAYbe lessened the severity, and that’s a Good Thing.
But that means it’s a Therapuetic, NOT a vax.
I’m thinking maybe a t-shirt;
I Will Not:
Bow Down
Comply
Go Quietly
Yeah, two lines from a song(what isn’t?), just a random neuron sparking in a Vast darkness. . .
Edit;spelling.
Doh
Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .
Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .
If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march
Oh, my
Get better soon and please document your recovery in detail. I'd like to know just how effective---\s, the jabs and precautions have been in mitigating symptoms when a healthy person gets whatever it is you have.
NYCVG
Hope your getting better with each passing day, hour
It's a case of wanting her cake and eating it too, and unsurprisingly the State Propaganda just goes along w/Lightfoot and doesn't question the hypocrisy at all.
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
I also developed a constant cough
plus a persistent "scratchy" throat (very unusual for me) with lots of sticky phlegm in early November that had persisted for several weeks to the point of disturbing my SO during the night (coughing and heavy snoring). After reading some of the articles brought up here in C99% I finally broke down and bought an AC powered nebulizer.
I started using it three times per day using a 0.1% food grade hydrogen peroxide made by mixing 1/4 teaspoon of 12% food grade hydrogen peroxide with 5 ounces normal saline water (1 teaspoon non-iodized sea salt mixed with 16 ounces of distilled water). Don't make up a large batch because the hydrogen will bubble out of solution in a week. Keep refrigerated to prevent this from happening.
I add 1 drop of Lugol's Solution 2% (Distilled water 94%, Potassium Iodine, 4% Iodine 2%) to the nebulizer cup. Relax and take normal breaths alternating in-out from nose and mouth with occasional deep breaths. I did a lot of sneezing for the first couple of days. But the good effects started within a day. My cough and phlegm and very annoying scratchy throat completely dissipated within a week. My SO says I no longer snore (my normal condition) so she also sleeps better. After 1 week on the 3 per day regime I now am down to one per day as a maintenance preventative.
Keep in mind that high concentrations of H2O2 using non saline water is dangerous.
I was never tested for COVID. But in my neighbourhood very few wear a mask and we talk to each other w/o giving a damn who is vaccinated or who isn't. Some households have mixed due to requirement for job to get the jab. I know of one lady that got a very bad reaction from the jab that has required a relative to care for her full time for over a month.
Good advice!
Been thinking of getting one too. Thanks for the reminder.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I had found that I cannot gargle very well
at all due to the ischemic stroke last April which has effected my tongue and jaw muscles (which also affects my speech). I also found I cannot reach parts of my mouth to clean food particles off my teeth and gums under my cheeks. Swirling liquids is a non-starter. It's like feeding a 4 mouth old baby - I need a bib.
Take care of yourself.
I have to believe every person in the restaurant who was eating or drinking, coughing or not, had their mask dropped. Any one of them could have been a spreader.
Consequently, I have not eaten in a restaurant in approximately 2 years. My cooking has improved!
I had not put my finger on the problem until I read Greenwald's article yesterday, wherein lefties start by demonizing their opponents, then push towards criminalizing them.
This is very similar to what is happening with the right and left.
I just can't demonize anybody, and can't in my wildest dreams wish for a new criminal statute to be put in the books.
My New Year's Resolution was to be more understanding, sympathetic, and where possible, lend a helping hand.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Re patronizing restaurants,
Both of us here need to get out of the house once in a while after 2 yrs; not going to the occasional eatery has not really been an option. Easier, obviously, when the weather is warmer and we can eat outdoors with no problem.
I only consider restaurants as a remote possibility
My Dear One and I did look for a Texas bar/honky tonk one afternoon, found one that out door seating so we could listen to the music, have a couple of
bearsbeers. It was closed.We order, go pick it up from the door or window.
We either take a portable grill with us and cook for ourselves, or get a cabin/condo/motel room with a kitchen.
Going to the Post Office is a must, as is grocery shopping. Dining out can wait.
ETA: Only when I have had more than 2 beers would I spell it "bears". Uncharacteristically, I made the typo after one beer. Now, I am on my third, and got editorial approval before I clicked.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I guess it's
ETA: Going out occasionally, being among some small portion of the masses, may actually be helpful, per a note from Vanden Bossche, as far as slowly building the innate immune system's Covid resistance for those of us unvaccinated. He emphasizes slowly, gradually. My ex just got the virus after attending a large unmasked Xmas party in an indoor house setting. Not smart, she now agrees, to go suddenly from being around zero people in her house on a regular basis to 100.
I am as social creature as it gets,
I have to avoid lots of public places so as not to run into some opposing party that takes exception to my cross-examination of them that day in court, and picks that restaurant or bar or parking lot to get even with me. I have been avoiding that for 36 years, so avoiding some virus is more of the same.
We all need to choose our precautions, and take them. Seems nobody is right, and nobody is wrong.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Perhaps so. But
the real icing on the cake (so to speak) was when the manager was moving us to a different table on the other side of the place, and asked her if she was aware her coughing was disturbing other patrons. Her answer was, and I quote, "I don't care, it's a free country". KThksBai.
I think we can certainly agree on one point, though. Everyone who was in that restaurant with us is *now* a spreader, whether they were when they went in or not.
Thus, my polite plea in the next-to-last paragraph. Thanks for the kind words! And I'll now be done with the subject.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
The woman was rude and uncaring.
It is mandatory that no mask be worn when giving oral argument or testimony for a court reporter to transcribe.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
The whole issue of infection after taking all three
vaccinations is explored really well in this article. Hope it helps and hope you feel better...
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/01/do-post-vaccination-...
I think we all forget that the vaccines were developed at least two variants ago. Most articles say that they it is still better overall to get them in terms of avoiding catastrophic illness and long term Covid, but we are entering a new phase with all of this, and it's just going to be quite a learning experience.
"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin
Sorry that you were attacked, such things should really be
punished, if only some kind of fine or maybe a record for assault, which is what that shit is,
Good luck and get well.
have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
So sorry you're sick
Food as medicine? I don't know but it wouldn't hurt to try as long as you use the foods you know agree with you. Broths and soups are a great vehicle for a variety of good ingredients, fresh herbs, and spices.
Onions are a good source of quercetin https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12410539/
Another article postulates other natural compounds that might prove useful therapeutically to treat covid and should be further studied. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8551738/
This article mentions Curcumin, Piperins, etc. . I found it very interesting.
Digital vaccine passports (like "ID2020") ARE a VERY BAD IDEA!
(WTO) GATS makes "any new financial service" mandatory for countries that have signed it and made financial service commitments, this means that "trade barriers" like Medicare for All are super forbidden, because they reduce profits. Also is an express train to massive digital surveillance and abolition of cash. And makes it easy for governments to track peoples lives and prevent travel(cut people off from social services and travel of all kind, as they are now supposed to privatize our once-public roads, bridges and highways! Thats what the services deal did. )
Something quite similar is implemented in China and they use it to basically make it impossible for people to live if the government has blacklisted them. Its straight out of Orwell.
This is why billionaires like Bill Gates are pushing it. The left doesnt exist in this country. Biden is not a left winger, he is like Hillary Kissinger, a part of a scary right wing state which had taken over decades ago and still is in charge. A right winger.
Since GATS we live in totalitarianism, thats just the first step of a giant global theft, thats being pushed in order top force a corporate takeover of the planet.
Cashless means that the government can cut people off from money. Also if we have a big solar storm, the system might go down globally for years, leading to mass starvation.
I had not considered weather/climate
disasters. Where I live, it is not unusual for a light rain and light winds to shut down power for a day or so. The day I cannot buy food, fuel, medicine, or whatever the hell I want, is the day I will turn pretty wild and crazy.
That is an important consideration, zed.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Legality of mandates
Robert Barnes, celebrated attorney in landmark cases representing clients as diverse as RFK, Wesley Snipes, Alex Jones and the Covington Catholic students who successfully sued several MSM outlets for public defamation, sits down with Chris to discuss today’s legal battle royale: vaccine mandates.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBk2HW2YIgc]
It is an hour, but if you want to know what recourse people have to mandates it is good.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
What we've been writing about
Nothing new here but from a source I wasn't previously aware of:
"And the truth of this is all over the data that anyone can see and the stories that anyone can hear. The country is right now sicker than it has ever been in our lifetimes.
What a stunning repudiation of state policy — the worst failing of public health and public policy perhaps in the history of the U.S., if not the entire world. We are right now living in its last days.
Remember these days, my friends. They are legion and mark what is likely the end of the great fiasco."
This is from Jeffrey Tucker in The Daily Reckoning. The article is called "Hell to Pay--For Decades."
NYCVG
Airlines cannot fly
Schools are closing because teachers are out sick.
Etc.
NYCVG
China has come out from this pandemic very well
Unmentioned
Also, they do immediate lockdowns in major cities in China whenever they detect an outbreak, a zero-tolerance approach with significant restrictions on personal freedom that we are probably not going to tolerate over here at this point. Perhaps early on, when it would have really mattered, we could/should have gone to a nationwide lockdown for 2-3 months with other serious measures and that probably would have ended it, had there also been coordination with most other countries.
The Chinese system would not work in the US
There are very basic differences between China as a “Civilization-State” and the 'West' as exemplified by the US. The Chinese are willing take the vaccines w/o the requirement of mandates. They have explicit trust in their government and its health departments.
Filial piety is the reason a billion passengers are on the move at this time - Chinese New Year. It is the time to be spent with family.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYAcYiGAyT0]
China operates very differently
Unlike the USA now. Apres moi, le deluge. Rape pillage ruin and who cares about anything else. Ruin our own country and everybody else's country while we're at it, and the planet, who cares.....
NYCVG
I am anxious to hear the Supreme Court's
ruling on mandates. It will be make or break.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
You might enjoy Chris' conversation
with the lawyer above...time allowing.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I should be able to watch it this afternoon.
I am not convinced they would do anything positive toward controlling the spread of the virus. They do exert control over people in ways that go beyond going to work. I have a problem with employees giving health info to anyone in their workplace.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
If anyone mandates it
then they should have to cover the costs for adverse effects. Lots of people don’t have insurance and even those who do are still left paying thousands that their insurance doesn’t. Pfizer’s not going to have to pay a penny.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
I’m listening to it now
I recommend it too.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
I can’t recommend it enough
Lots of great information in it. People should post it again in case others miss it today.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
The government is arguing that the vaccines keep
people from getting very sick or hospitalized but no longer to keep people from getting infected. Bullshit. There’s no way to prove that. More countries are seeing vaxxed people filling up hospitals because they are getting sicker than the unvaxxed. Changing why you want to make a law should disqualify it. And only congress can make laws, not the president. If the supremes remember that it should get struck down. IF.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Would be relevant
Congress of course can always come along later and ratify the order by passing a bill to the same effect in each chamber. Ds would be expected to fall in line almost unanimously, so passage in the House and likely passage in the senate by 50-50 + Kamala, although I haven't heard on this from maverick types like Manchin and Cinema.
So a judge is ordering
the FDA to speed up the release of documents related to Pfizer's coronavirus vax. Originally these documents were set to be released in 2096. https://www.rt.com/news/545350-fda-pfizer-vaccine-documents/
Great news!
NYCVG
8 months
You can read about the decision here. from the lawyer who sued for the FOIA and the court’s decision is there too.
The FDA was saying that it would take that long because only one person was working on it. Aaron argued that with all the billions Pfizer made they have plenty of money to hire more help. But if it’s thousands of pages who read through them before authorization was given? Hmmm…
Also here’s an update on what the supreme court is thinking.
Alex thinks that they will strike the OSHA mandates for over reaching by the executive, but leave the one for medical staff who work in hospitals that get funding from the government.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
8 months is
mandates aren't.
So, good news all around.
TY, snoop.
NYCVG
Big win for CHD today
Great ruling!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
This is awesome. Thanks for breaking it down,
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
Interesting finding on Pfizer’s gene therapy
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
It's Friday! Let's have some fun!
"The Diary of a Scientist in New Zealand
Oh yeah? Who should make this decision for us?
So much for first do no harm that has been the rule for doctors going back to Hippocraties…or whoever made that rule. Greeks had to swear the Hippocratic oath before they entered medical school because of the humans propincity (sp) for being inhumane. But that seems to be the decision made for the world without our consent since billions have gotten jabbed but have suffered no ill side effects. Those who have or well luck of the draw and you’re on your own.
John Deere has just made a tractor that needs no human to drive it. Great news for Gates who is buying farmland. No more pesky humans to pay if the farm is completely automated.
State media that tells us what the truth is seems like something right out of Orwell’s 1984. We are already seeing government changing the definitions of words since the pandemic started. It’s like the room in Orwell where newspeak gets updated or back dated daily. Of course it was supposed to be partly fiction. Good grief there are enough warning bells going off, but too many people are not paying attention to them. Heh I might be dead sooner than I planned on being, but this ain’t no world I want to live in.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
...
Driverless tractors have been in use in China
for several years now due to their superior BeiDou Satellite Navigation System