Science Culture
Anthrax took-off as a media-frenzy story when tabloid photographer Bob Stevens from Florida was the first confirmed person murdered by it.
Three physicians diagnosed him, miraculously actually, within 24 hours - first Anthrax case in 30 years - but theythese dudes locked into it almost immediately. Of them, Wolf and Abrams were subsequently convicted, separately, of runningrunning, separate Oxycontin drug-pushing dispensaries - while the third, Larry Bush, aka Doctor Bug, rode his Celebrity Scientist license to bullshitfame all the way to Covid. In 2020, he headedended-up heading the AZ trial.trial in the US.
To quarantine the fall-out, Bruce, personally, unfortunately, had sacrificial lamb written all over him (look away Pete Daszak).
By 2008, heBruce's goose was fuckedcooked. He'd gone from top, respected scientist - inPentagon deepAward depressionfor bio-warfare defense - itto hadsole allsuspect. gone
Long Duebefore tothat, there were bloggers pressing for an investigation into a Fort Detrick lab-exit event, Mueller belatedly tightenedresponded - began tightening the noose, but get this, on the wrong neck.
Another scientist, Steven Hatfill. The FBI outed him as their person of interest - he had a reputation as a cowboy Bio-defense scientist - which he was - but innocent of the Anthrax attack. Finally paid-out out 5.8 million for wrongful persecution.
But then Bruce IvinsIvins, their expert advisor did become the FBI's chief suspect,suspect. quietly, Quietly, this time, outside the public's eye, thethough FBIfull-throttle focusedstate-surveillance. on theIvins mandenied whoit. Bruce was theirin leaddeep adviser. depression, Under a heap ofunder pressure from the Feds,Feds. Ivins sadlySadly took his own life in July 2008 - an overdose of Tylenol - his wife found him dead at home - lying on his bed - a note said Let me sleep.
The FBI said it was set to execute an arrest but he'd beaten em to it. Conveniently so - disappearing a messy public show trial - Ivins had maintained his innocence innocence - so there'd have been a contest. Mueller ruled he was as a loner acting alone. Case closed.
HisIvin's colleague remarked: They seemed to harp on he was a loner. He was not a loner. …. He had a lot of friends ..
Indeed, 20 to 30 colleagues showed up at his 1st & 2nd death anniversaries - he was something of a hero.
lvins was a weirdo though - make no mistake - had a not-so-secret fetish - known around the office - for secret initiations of Ivy-League sororities - that included stalking - breaking-and-entering. But when ya enmeshed in the fenced-off-society of the well-off science community - you'll get away with that shit - you can hide it in plain sight sight - it's called: eccentricity.
He also had access to the exact same anthrax strain and a money motive. Would it've stood up in court? - id've thought line-ball call. call - there was a bungle in the collection of the key evidence - the danger is where it may have spread. So it's left open ended. Meanwhile the real crime was: pretending Bruce Ivins dropped out of the sky
- it wasn't like that that -
Ivins was the inevitable result of a culture. In this instance the science community - a close-knit society - unaccountable - monied-up - playing secret power shenanigans shenanigans with security organizations - functioning with impunity.organizations.
I don’t know much about nothin - but i know that’s a recipe for corruption.