Radishrain

There are two pneumonia vaccines: Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax. Pneumovax came first (but they recommend being vaccinated with Prevnar 13 first for some reason). Prevnar 13 is more proprietary, and probably more advertized and expensive as a result. The prices of both vaccines have risen a lot since I first assessed their costs in 2009.

Anyway, pneumonia is a condition that affects the lungs. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or chemicals.

The pneumonia vaccines help protect against bacterial pneumonia by vaccinating against bacteria that can cause it.

Prevnar 13 vaccinates against 13 kinds of pneumococcal bacteria.

Pneumovax vaccinates against 23 kinds of pneumococcal bacteria.

However, pneumococcal bacteria can be responsible for a lot more than pneumonia. The vaccines may lessen your likelihood to get sinus problems, ear infections, COPD complications, meningitis, endocarditis, and I assume other things.

It should also be noted that the protection is nice if you get viral pneumonia, since bacterial pneumonia is often a complication of viral pneumonia. This is especially helpful if you get the bird flu or something (which is known to kill about 60% of the humans it infects, and what happens is the people get viral pneumonia, and many of those probably get bacterial pneumonia with it). There's no bird flu vaccine to my offhand knowledge, but there is a bacterial pneumonia vaccine, and it will probably increase your chance of survival, should the bird flu evolve to spread from human to human (humans can currently get it from birds, but not other people, exactly). FYI: Most birds that get it die, too, so I've read. Some people act as if the bird flu has already struck and that the scare there is over. Nope; it hasn't; sure, some people got it from birds (but most people aren't exposed to sick birds: it hasn't been a pandemic, yet, and hopefully it won't be for a long time, if at all). The scare years ago was about what might happen (not what was happening).

Basically, if you know what's good for you, you'll probably want to get these vaccines. Your need for antibiotics throughout your life will probably be reduced greatly. You may save loads of money. You'll be less likely to make other people sick. You may be more confident when epidemics strike. Sure, you may still catch whatever is going around, but at least you'll be less likely to get bacterial pneumonia as a complication.

Do not confuse these vaccines with the flu shot. They are not the same thing. The flu changes a lot; so, we need lots of kinds of flu shots. However, you only need the pneumonia vaccines once before you're 65 and once afterward. You don't need them yearly, as with a flu shot.

You may not realize it, but pneumococcal bacteria do spread from person to person, and colonize them. I don't believe this necessarily causes illness, but if you're colonized, you're probably more likely to get additional illness when you get sick. You probably don't want to colonize everyone you meet.

The disappointing truth, however, is that they only recommend that people who are most at risk from pneumonia get the shot. Nevermind that a high percentage of people who aren't in the target age groups get pneumonia, ear infections, sinus problems, meningitis, etc. Nevermind that probably most people have used antibiotics when they've been sick from the flu at some point in their lives (and many might not have needed them had they been vaccinated). I think they should make these vaccines in the same recommendation class as MMR, tetanus, and all that. Actually, I think it should take priority over those (but I don't think the emphasis on those should go down).

I first began posting about beneficial viruses at the following location: https://www.growspice.com/Beneficial-virus-helps-plants-including-tomatoes-tolerate-high-heat-td1765.html

This thread is for more articles about the beneficial impact of viruses:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161128151050.htm

The above article tell about how viruses helped us be able to digest starch, among other things.

I read another about how they help (not as in past tense) proper intestine development. I don't have the link offhand.

https://geneticsdigest.click/optin-36882656?%3Ftclid=CjBhZjBhZjU5MS0zMmYxLTQxNmUtYjAwNi1hMmM1YzcwNTcyMmQtdHVjdDRmNzg4NjASJXRhYm9vbGFhY2NvdW50LW1lZGlhYnV5Y3JpZ2VuZXRpY3Njb20&utm_campaign=taboola&utm_content=2882763656&utm_medium=cbsinteractive-cbssports&utm_source=3853027&utm_term=1038585

Um, that URL looks scary in about four ways. So, I don't blame you if you refuse to visit it, but it talks about Dusty Crawford, a Montana man who is a member of the Blackfeet tribe. He got a genetic test that said he had ancestors from the Americas from before the land bridge (17k years).

There's a video, too. I didn't watch it, except the beginning to see what Dusty looked like.

Here are some (not all) of my favorite Inspirational Messages (they're done by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints):

[Edit: Look these up on YouTube if the links don't work.]

Moments That Matter Most https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2011-06-012-moments-that-matter-most?lang=eng

Gordon Hinckley: Lessons I Learned as a Boy https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2009-01-01-gordon-hinckley-lessons-i-learned-as-a-boy?lang=eng

Flecks of Gold https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2011-09-016-flecks-of-gold?lang=eng

You Never Know https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2014-00-008-you-never-know?lang=eng

My New Life https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2010-05-10-my-new-life?lang=eng

God Will Lift Us Up
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-library/video/2012-02-003-god-will-lift-us-up?lang=eng

Also see this article that goes along with the above video:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2013/08/operation-happiness?lang=eng

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2010-07-14-forgiveness-my-burden-was-made-light?lang=eng

A Shower of Heavenly Blessings https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2015-03-009-a-shower-of-heavenly-blessings?lang=eng

The Civility Experiment https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2011-04-008-the-civility-experiment?lang=eng

Families Can Be Together Forever https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2011-02-001-families-can-be-together-forever?lang=eng

Wrong Roads https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2013-09-016-wrong-roads?lang=eng

Honesty: You Better Believe It! https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2011-05-011-honesty-you-better-believe-it?lang=eng

The Reason Behind Christmas https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2013-11-018-the-reason-behind-christmas?lang=eng

Having Children in Faith https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2013-03-006-having-children-in-faith?lang=eng

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2018-01-0160-come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing?lang=eng

Continue in Patience https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2010-09-18-continue-in-patience?lang=eng

The Savior Wants to Forgive https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2014-04-004-the-savior-wants-to-forgive?lang=eng

Migration: A Yearning for Home https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2019-01-0010-migration-a-yearning-for-home-1080p-eng?lang=eng

Going to Grandma’s https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2017-01-002-going-to-grandmas?lang=eng

Reclaimed
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-library/video/2012-08-008-reclaimed?category=mormon-messages-2012&lang=eng

The Coat
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-library/video/2011-12-001-the-coat?lang=eng

Bullying - Stop It https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2014-02-003-bullying-stop-it?lang=eng

Your Potential, Your Privileges https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2013-01-001-your-potential-your-privileges?lang=eng

Voice of the Spirit https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2010-08-16-voice-of-the-spirit?lang=eng

Rescued by Christ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2012-01-008-rescued-by-christ?lang=eng

Looking through Windows https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2012-01-004-looking-through-windows?lang=eng

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One thing I've learned about learning is that if you have trouble with one thing, learning other things can eventually contribute to your ability to learn the first thing.

The other things need not be obviously related.

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This thread is just a general grow log for me to keep track of information that doesn't seem best-suited to a more specific forum.

I'm planning to start seeds next week. I have my containers ready (I found some that seem good online; they arrived, today). Yesterday, I got a supply of worm castings (with some peat moss mixed in) for my seed-starting mix. Thankfully, they weren't out! I got five bags. I plan to save some mix for next year, and not to use any in foam cups. For the foam cups I plan to use regular garden soil, as that worked well last year for cucurbits (this is in an unheated greenhouse; I wouldn't want to do that indoors). So, the worm castings are for Solanaceae plants, herbs, and things.

I've been worn out from last year's stuff over the winter, but I'm getting ready to go again. Hopefully it won't be so stressful, this time.

I don't plan to cage more than a few tomatoes, if that, this year.

I plan to dig up the Jerusalem artichokes to eat. Then, hopefully we'll put black plastic where they are and the area north of them. I could put tomatoes there, if we can get them there early enough (otherwise, watermelons). Maybe I'll put watermelons there anyway.

Some ground has been appropriated for cabbages, kale and other stuff. So, I can't put tomatoes or muskmelons there as I probably would have intended. But there's plenty of ground, even if I have to cut down on my cucurbit growlists. I may or may not grow gourds, squash, and as many muskmelons as intended, I mean.

I might grow a few Glass Gem corn plants.

I don't plan to grow as many burr gherkins. Maybe a few plants.

I plan to start plenty of Marion tomatoes.

I still need to freeze most of my seeds.

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https://latterdaysaintmag.com/measuring-our-spiritual-and-temporal-preparedness-in-the-midst-of-crisis/

The above article isn't about COVID-19, but as people are hoarding supplies because of the virus, and the article has a theme of racing to get the last gallon of milk, I thought it fit in here just fine.

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https://thepreppingguide.com/quail-farming/

Here's the cached page: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:CRrtUM3WYNsJ:https://thepreppingguide.com/quail-farming/+&cd=19&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=ubuntu

The above linked article talks about the viability of farming Coturnix quail (that's a genus, rather than a breed, btw; a genus contains species; a species has breeds).

Something I really like about the article is what it says about the vitamin A content of quail eggs, and how those who have trouble with chicken eggs might not with quail eggs.

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Here's an article about a family who runs a donkey dairy. It talks about how the family believes it cures and/or treats PANDAS:

https://okcfox.com/news/local/donkey-milk

My guess is that the milk is raw, and that it contains live cells from the donkey, which help to train the immune system. I'm also guessing it contains good milk bacteria. I read an article about how human milk helps babies via the living cells in it; so, that's the inspiration for my thought.

I've reard similar things to this article about other kinds of raw milk and allergies (cow and camel, to be exact). I'm not sure if they compared raw donkey milk to other raw milks (or if they only compared it to pasteurized cow milk). Whatever the case, I'm not skeptical about raw milks, personally, but getting it in pill form might involve other things than anticipated.

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It's my personal view that microscope research is one of the most important things a government can fund (i.e. to get better, easier-to-use, and less expensive, microscopes). Just think about it.

By funding it, I don't mean incentivizing via intellectual property (which can slow progress, due to patents making it so no one else can use the idea—that's a problem when the patent-owner can't or won't use the idea).

As this is one of the first posts in this forum, note that this is on-topic because it is about microscopes. Microscopes are objects, and objects are on-topic.

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