Thank-you Lancet, Billy, Dan
(Very under reconstruction) If your quest is to trace back Covid's Cover-up to its source material, you wind up with two documents:
The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2
The Lancet Statement
The old one-two.
They are both dear to my heart, coz, they formed my entry-point into: Investigating the Origin of Covid
Here's how it went down:
Jan 24, 2020: (Japan) Dan started a thread on Formosahut titled nCov. We (/he, firstly) began noticing/recording some striking anomalies.
In early Feb, I mentioned a couple of these to my sister in a phonecall, Emeritus Professor in Microbiology at Melbourne University at the time.
The reaction was oddly bristling. I sensed a wall being thrown up around the subject. That took me aback - somewhat. Luckily/unluckily, i've grown to recognize oddly bristling as a symptom of ... : something ... deeper ... (often related to insecurity ...)
Sent her a Feb 23 story from Taipei Times on a scientists' symposium in Taiwan.
Fang Chi-tai (方啟泰), National Taiwan University: Mutations of viruses that occur naturally only result in small, singular changes. One would not normally see a naturally mutated virus suddenly take on four amino acids.
While such a large mutation is not impossible, it is highly unlikely.* (bold added)
Email from:
Interesting hypothesis.
I haven’t see (sic) any support for the idea.
The mutation of the corona to add 4 aa (amino acids) is unusual – but certainly not impossible.
Email to: Technically, that NTU symposium is support for the idea, no? Those who raised questions about its origin (Taiwan's leading uni) were also scientists from Taiwan and France.
Shouldn't a lab-origin be at least investigated? As you say, nature adding 4 aa is highly unusual at best, so why not consider simpler explanations?
Email back:
The expert (sic) don’t believe in a conspiracy
https://www.thelancet.com/
The relevant 4 amino acids are different between SARS-1 and SARS-2 => see below. But the evolution pattern is clear. See below.
Cheers
I glanced at the graph - it does illustrate that SARS evolution pattern emerged for the first time - in the history of humanity - 2300 odd years ago. That in itself is curious. I then clicked-on-the-link. Innocently. Not comprehending the quantum journey it was about to send me on. It was:
I read it. It's not very long. It's 27 world-leading experts declaring (to the world) that:
Covid is definitely not a lab-leak
Which they know, coz:
The CCP totalitarian regime controlling the lab/info in question is:
"open and transparent"
The language is weirdly over-the-top - condemning conspiracy theorists (who dare to question the above premise) - raving about unity/solidarity/standing together. With the CCP! There's an attached petition which you can digitally sign to show your solidarity.
Email to. Don't sign that. It's unscientific to demanding (sic) solidarity with China (notorious for censoring/distorting information) on a subject that's still under investigation, and to be howling down any dissenting view as a conspiracy. Why did you send me that?
There was no reply.
However; my sister had recently decided to call me regularly, on Zoom, which she'd enthusiastically uptaken, to demonstrate how you can keep us all together in a socially distant world.
From my perspective, I'm ... somewhat of a hermit. Therefore; social distancing, the practicalities, didn't bother me - at all.
I was already doing back-to-back 14-day quarantines, divided by one day of shopping for supplies (which i loathed/loathe), long before Covid came along. So on that level it's low impact.
Philosophically though, weighing its radical overnight lockdowns & auto-assault-mode on basic freedoms ... (which came straight-out-of-the-playbook of the organization that likely caused CovidCovid) - that bothers the shit out of me.
So, long-story-long, my reasoning was: if i have to participate in these invasive Zoom calls, i'd like to: make it real
Some chit-chat, no worries, but at least one meaningful, civilized discussion relating to the the origin of the phenomenon that has utterly engulfed us.
In my mind: it'd be weird not to
In that spirit , following an obligatory period of auto-forget chit-chat, i bring up: The Lancet Statement
I know, i'm stepping into a no-go-zone - all the bristling signals made that clear .clear. That's why it's called bristling. Which It implies an even more hostile reaction if you don't desist. Wouldn't it be better to simply drop it, talk about her interests, get off the phone, no dramas?
On the other hand ... , she did send me the Lancet Statement link, it's super-topical, MSM has globo-platformed it, ... so ... according to my meaningful ground-rules ... i gotta bring it up at some point. At least ask questions?questions ...
I read your Lancet Statement. Can i say, China is not "open & transparent"? Take it from someone with a degree in political-sociology who lived next-door to the CCP for 23 years in Taiwan. Why did you send me that? Did you seriously think i was gonna sign it?
Look, it's 27 of the most qualified virology experts in the world saying Covid's origin is definitely zoonotic. That's the main take-away. They've studied the data, they know what they're talking about. They know a lot more than you.
I'm sure they do - all 27 of them combined. That's why it's so strange that it's one of the dumbest things i've ever read. Do they know that CCP is a totalitarian regime?
(scoffs) Of course.
Then they would know WIV is a top-security lab, right, dedicated to coronaviruses?
Look, i work in a high-security lab, including BSL-4 - i know how strict the protocols are. There's no way it could happen. It's not possible.
Well, it's definitely possible, coz it's happened before. Happened with SARS half-a-dozen times, right?
I've not seen any credible evidence for that. Regardless, standards are much stricter today.
Ok, it did happen. 6 times. Ironically, SARS coronavirus only exists in labs now, right?
That's true. It's no longer extant in nature. Though there are other known bat coronaviruses.coronaviruses that do.
None thatof which were known to infect humans in their natural state, right?
That's true, but the potential was there.
Right, & scientists were working on fulfilling that potential. Way faster than nature.
Well, it's to beat nature to the punch. We know it's inevitable, we need to get ahead of nature to develop vaccines against it. Covid is a great example of that process at work. Vaccine research is already well-advanced.advanced thanks to that research.
Did you know Obama banned GoF research in the US in 2016 due to a rash of lab-accidents?
I don't know about that. Anyway, it's irrelevant. In times of crisis you have to listen to the experts. That's what they're there for. This is 27 world-leading experts saying its origin is zoonotic, most likely from a wet-market in Wew-han.
Ok, but-
Likely helped along by climate change, especially deforestation. It's a man-made mess that was bound to happen. As Scientists we had-
Man-made mess bound to happen - i agree - but likely helped along by scientists in a lab, butnot Climate Change/deforestation?deforestation. How-the-heck does-does Climate-
As Scientists we had long been warning about exactly this type of eventuation . The only question now is: How to handle it in a calm, rational way.
Sure, but there were also warnings that GoF research-research would-
Look, this is a crisis situation - Now is the time to trust the experts - give them the space to get on with the job they're trained to do.
Yeah, i'm not big on blind-trust as-a-rule. I'm more evidence evidence-based. Saying 'Listen to the Experts' is not in & by itself a proof, right?
Look, this is a highly specialized field. It's not something where an outsider with an internet connection can magically crack the origin of Covid.
Ok, then let's stick with the premise of the Lancet Statement, shall we? WhichThat's something that someone with an internet connection can access - basically coz you sent it to me on the internet. The statement is not scientific, it's short & simple. If you can read English, you can understand the main points - so presumably it can be discussed in layman's terms:terms?
It's written so laymen can understand the key points. That doesn't mean you can understand the science behind those conclusions.
Ok, so focussing on one of the key points: Do you thinkagree that a totalitarian regime controlling a top-security lab would influence what their scientists can or cannot say to the world?
It's irrelevant. As scientists, we don't play politics, we report the facts. Politics plays no part in it.it, whatsoever. Our job is to be the ones above that. International scientists, including Chinese ones, collaborate every day on a purely scientific level. I know, because i do it. Advancing science is about collaboration. There are no borders.
Well, there are borders, & politics, that's easily proven. But you still didn't answer the question: Would a totalitarian regime control what their scientists can or cannot say in a crisis situation?
I don't believe that's what happened, but America would do the same.
I totally agree! They already did do the same with the Anthrax terrorist attacks, but that doesn't make it right.
The Anthrax terrorist attacks? They were done by Al Qaeda. Why are you talking about that?
No, it was no Al Qaeda. Lot of people think that, though. According to the FBI.FBI, Itit was a lab-leak from Fort Detrick - by a top scientist, named Bruce Ivins.
I don't believe that's correct.
Go ahead check it. Search: Bruce Ivins anthrax FBI
I don't think I'm gonna do that. Being on the internet doesn't make it true.
Sure, i don't auto-believe FBI reports either, it was likely bigger than one rogue scientist, but-
Look, i'm not going down any conspiracy theory rabbit-holes about Anthrax. Let's just agree to disagree. Please, let's talk about something else.
Ok, that's fine, butonly want to say: Don't sign The Lancet Statement ... & stop disseminating informationdisinformation thaton isthe transparently false.internet.
How is it false?disinformation? It's 27-
How is it false?disinformation? TheWell, the CCP are "open and transparent" about not being open and transparent.
Condemning people as Conspiracy Theorists coz they question that premise is: illogical
Calling for solidarity/unity with CCP is: illogical/dangerous
It's not illogical. Science is logic in it's purest form.
WhatOk, what do you think is logically motivating these 27-expert Scientists to pedal disinformation on CCP's behalf?
The Greater Good. There are bigger issues at play.
Ok, what bigger Greater-Good issues, exactly?
Look, we are facing an existential global emergency with Climate Change, that's beyond scientific doubt. The cold-hard-fact is, China is showing the most leadership on that issue. On the other hand it's Donald Trump. We are so close to the precipice - scientists have been unanimous in this - Trump would shove us straight over the edge.
Ok, but that's not an excuse for scientists to lie to the world. I thought you were leaving the politics out?
The Greater Good? No, it's not about that - the opposite - stay away from it - i'm pleading with you - you will get badly burned.
Ok, look, I shouldn't have sent it to you, that's my mistake, I'm sorry, I forgot about your Taiwan leanings. Let's talk about something else ...
Taiwan leanings? Like biased towards democracy & openess?
Look, in a year's time, nobody will even care or remember about Covid.
No, i don't think that's gonna happen. In a year's time the media might resume to not giving-a-shit about elderly people with co-morbities dying, but it's not gonna magically go away as an issue.
Ok, we'll see in a year's time, but until then, I'm sick of talking about coronavirus - I do it all day - it's everywhere. Have you been doing any woodwork?
Not too much, i've been researching/writing about The Origin of Covid.
Next Zoom-call, a couple of weeks later, The Topic, in The World, was still Covid. Even more so. Exponentially more so, It was no longer like SARS - as the experts had all told us (that killed 774 then disappeared). We're now living in a post-silent-bang world of fully-swamped hysteria. It wasn't even me who introduced the topic.
The thing about scientists is that before the event, we're the nervous nellies, warning of it happening, but once it happens, we're the calm ones.
So why they histrionic reaction to anyone questioning the origin if scientists are so calm?
Scientists are working around the clock to try & find a cure for this - they don't need to waste time debunking conspiracy theories from right-wing Trump nutters. Have you seen this? It explains pretty well in layman's terms.
animated cartoon (i think ABC has tidied up it's headline, but the gist is the same, promoting China's transparency/response/lockdown mentality - ridiculing the US's/Trump's.)
Having watched it, my initial response was: Why are you sending me CCP propaganda?
That's not CPP propaganda. It's just a cartoon.
Looks exactly like it. Who made it?
Her partner, another Mike, was also on the Zoom-call. He fact-checked it as we spoke. He hadn't been engaging in the debate verbally, though he thought the cartoon was spot on.
Actually it is propaganda. It does say this was produced by the CCP. The ABC's Key Points section says ... :
- Personified Lego characters representing the US and China satirised the Trump Administration
- The videos appear to be part of China's retort to claims over its coronavirus mismanagement
- Donald Trump has continued to repeat an unverified claim about the virus's origin
Ok. This is a good example of the crazy world we're living in where CCP propaganda is being plugged by the ABC? Why is a tax-payer funded org spreading CCP propaganda?
Leann: Maybe because it's right.
(Edit: More than 2 years later - there's still no evidence of the ABC having done a single investigative piece on the origin of the most impactful event of our lifetimes. What does that mean?) (Re-edit, 5 years later, there's still no evidence of the ABC having done a single investigative piece on the origin of the most impactful story of our lifetimes.)
Ok, let's agree to disagree on the cartoon. I read Proximal Origin of SARS-Cov-2 - it was cited by the Lancet Statement as its scientific evidence.
Yes, I read it. The most parsimonious explanation is it came from pangolin sold at a wet-market.
Right. Records show there were no pangolin sold at the market, though.
Ok, it could've been black-market. Off-the-records. Pangolin are known to be trafficked from Malaysia into China through Guang Dong. They are considered a delicacy.
But how did they get infected by bats from Yun-nan - 1000km away west? Then get to Wuhan - 1000km north?
Look, it's been examined by the world's leading experts, this is the most parsimonious explanation.
Right. I looked into the authors - they've all world-leading experts, that's correct, but they've got massive CCP COIs. Ian Lipkin really jumped-off the page, do you know him?
Yes, I've heard of him. He was involved with SARS-1.
Yeah, that's him, he's actually a Celebrity Scientist, he was the expert advisor on a Hollywood movie. That guy's got CCP COIs up to his eyeballs, dating back to SARS-1. He's good friends with Chinese Ministers.
Look (full physical bristle)-
Eddie Holmes, the Aussie from Sydney Uni-
Yes, look i talk about Covid all day long. Let's move on, tell me about your woodwork ...
The cartoon conversation was followed up with another email from:
Conspiracy theories near you!! (her bold)
Police break up anti-5G protesters spouting controversial COVID theory
It was meant as a Strawman-style insult - anyone who questions The Science's origin of Covid is a tin-foil hat-nutter, haha! Though, if you click on the link, the protesters are saying 5G depletes immunity - therefore makes people more susceptible to disease. That's not crazy thinking according to a paper in Nature (of all places) on the subject:
The next phone conversation was our last. My personal experience of The Great Covid Rift. (despite the enforcement of unity, it achieved the opposite effect. By then i'd dug a bit deeper. Started reading the papers cited by the The Lancet Statement, specifically Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2 (aka the Pangolin Paper)
Do you know that WIV was in fact doing GoF research on coronaviruses?
Maybe they are, so what? It's a high-security lab. There's no chance of an escape. I work in these environments.
Not maybe, definitely, Shi Zheng-li has published papers on it.
Look, anyone who knows anything about epidemiology knows that Coronavirus is natural in Origin. I really don't need to talk with you about this subject.
I agreed to disagree about being banned. Asked: Why do scientists have so little interest in discovering the truth? Her last words to me I'm sick to death of hearing about your boring conspiracy theories. Then hung up.
The End.
That's sad. Another silent casualty of Covid. I know this person is well-intentioned at heart. Part of this journey is trying to understand how good people came to behave in reactionary ways - to cover-up the truth. Then figure out how to bring them back - to re-communicate - in a way that doesn't vilify them - but - where the past is not swept under the carpet. That can't be the answer. We can't jump from censorship/ridicule to
- we've moved on -
In order to move-on, you've gotta be there in the first place . I can't move on from Timbuktu, for example, coz i've never been there.
First job for society is to develop a space where questions are allowed to be asked about this event that changed every human's life. Let's get there, set up camp, explore - then we can talk about how to move on. Otherwise we're moving on to the exact thing we need to move away from.
If the system is broken, which it is - we can still fix it.
But i'm getting ahead of things. The point is: by the time i'd digested The Lancet Statement, i knew:
this new virus is a lab-leak
There was/is no other reason for scientists to be issuing blatantly unscientific statements.
I checked a paper that the Lancet Statement cited in support of its premise - it was called Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2.
Welcome to The Rabbit Warren
Started researching/writing/discussing Prox O on Formosahut with Dan - first posted on May 18, 2020. Don't know how many drill-down referenced analyses of Prox O & its authors' COI's there were at that time - not many - none that i saw - by world-leading scientists or not.
It was quickly clear the pangolin premise was rubbish, but the fascinating part was the authors who concocted it. The COI's were glaring.
Formosahut is a tiny forum - it's Dan and I basically -with a small readership - the recess of the recesses of the internet. Privately, I posted extensively on Lipkin's and Holmes's Wikipedia pages - painstakingly referencing every statement - no personal opinions - no adjectives - mainly using their own words. Information only. I thought it would be bullet-proof for those reasons, controversial as it was. It lasted two weeks. Pretty sure Lipkin and Holmes saw it. Lipkin in particular went from all-over-the-media-like-a-rash to radio silence.
After that it was like being attacked by those octopus machines from Matrix. The lead Wikipedia vandal was a user called Thucydides411 - but he had significant back-up. I was overwhelmed - blanked n blocked - with the usual conspiracy theorist name-calling. If you accept that the United Front Work Dept is a well-organized force, then you'll know that Wikipedia is a prime medium to infiltrate/control. What it did show is:
This is an information war.
On one side: the so called right-wing nutter conspiracy theorists, who calmly present referenced information, ask reasonable questions.
On the other side: the so-called progressives, who get angry, resort to name-calling, refuse to discuss details, use their power to censor/ban the discussion. Then replace it with misinformation - telling themselves it's for the common good.
This is the world we are living in.
In some ways it was satisfying to hit a nerve - but being shut down at every turn when all you're trying to do is investigate what the fuck happened here - it's not pleasant.
Then - out of the blue - some contact came the other way - an intrepid Covid-origin researcher somehow found me. I knew he was intrepid coz no-one else had done it. That was:
@Billy Bostickson from Drastic - the Great Man (though i didn't know who he was at the time)
Rabbit warrening - lonely is not the right word - a lot of it's exciting - some of it is very funny - but you are alone - in the warren. You lose touch with some stuff - it's normal. The wall of rejection/censorship when you try to share your findings - there's a reason why they call it the wall. (At first i couldn't work it out - why is the media refusing to report the story of the millennium when the facts are staring them in the face? Wouldn't that run against their instincts?) But that's ok, the thing about a challenge is you're not meant to be happy all the time - if you are - it's not a challenge.
But you are happy knowing there's someone in the real world shining a light. With others - a hardworking network. Showing leadership/energy/positivity. People have different abilities to different extents - Billy is Olympic-standard at light-shining - right when the world needed it - when the people we had trusted to do it - the experts - were betraying that principle.
Billy could retire tomorrow, play golf, grow tomatoes, history will immortalize him. Unless it turns out like the edited CCP ending to Fight Club - in which case he's fucked...
The censorship on the origin of Covid persists to this day. There's still been no open-investigation anywhere as to who is directing it or why. No-one has been held to account.
The outright vilification of origin-researchers has dropped off though - skipped a beat as a sentiment - but barely - before re-deployment to the vaccine-hesitant.
Meanwhile, the Covid Atrocity presents two challenges:
1. Expose the conspiracy to commit fraud
2. Prevent the desired outcomes of the frauders from becoming entrenched reality
The second one is the hardest - the most important - the most urgent.
It's no good proving Covid was a lab-exit if the perps get everything they wanted - more funding for a global bio-state - run by One-Everything.
* From humble beginnings of the 4 mutations to Covid highly unlikely (but not impossible) - Zoonotic Origin morphed (overnight) into extremely likely (World Health Organization Investigation into the Origin of Covid ruled (to the World) that non-zoonotic origin was "extremely unlikely"