Origin Stories

Nicholas Wade, formerly of Nature, Science and the NY Times, takes a long look at the origin stories for the COVID virus. Lots of interesting science points to a lab leak rather than a direct jump from nature. 

One of many intriguing factoids - whatever folks may have thought a year ago, its weird that evidence supporting natural origin has not yet been found:

Doubts about natural emergence

Natural emergence was the media’s preferred theory until around February 2021 and the visit by a World Health Organization commission to China. The commission’s composition and access were heavily controlled by the Chinese authorities. Its members, who included the ubiquitous Dr. Daszak, kept asserting before, during and after their visit that lab escape was extremely unlikely. But this was not quite the propaganda victory the Chinese authorities may have been hoping for. What became clear was that the Chinese had no evidence to offer the commission in support of the natural emergence theory.

This was surprising because both the SARS1 and MERS viruses had left copious traces in the environment. The intermediary host species of SARS1 was identified within four months of the epidemic’s outbreak, and the host of MERS within nine months. Yet some 15 months after the SARS2 pandemic began, and a presumably intensive search, Chinese researchers had failed to find either the original bat population, or the intermediate species to which SARS2 might have jumped, or any serological evidence that any Chinese population, including that of Wuhan, had ever been exposed to the virus prior to December 2019. Natural emergence remained a conjecture which, however plausible to begin with, had gained not a shred of supporting evidence in over a year.

Mr. Wade also notes (as did Nicholson Baker of New York Magazine) that the global community of virologists has a stake in continued funding and research grants. A lowering of the Cone of Silence may have guided their pooh-poohing of the lab leak notion. Dr. Fauci gets dragged as well, since the NIH helped fund coronavirus research at the Wuhan lab in question.

4. The US Role in Funding the Wuhan Institute of Virology

From June 2014 to May 2019 Dr. Daszak’s EcoHealth Alliance had a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, to do gain-of-function research with coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Whether or not SARS2 is the product of that research, it seems a questionable policy to farm out high-risk research to unsafe foreign labs using minimal safety precautions. And if the SARS2 virus did indeed escape from the Wuhan institute, then the NIH will find itself in the terrible position of having funded a disastrous experiment that led to death of more than 3 million worldwide, including more than half a million of its own citizens.

The responsibility of the NIAID and NIH is even more acute because for the first three years of the grant to EcoHealth Alliance there was a moratorium on funding gain-of-function research. Why didn’t the two agencies therefore halt the Federal funding as apparently required to do so by law? Because someone wrote a loophole into the moratorium.

The moratorium specifically barred funding any gain-of-function research that increased the pathogenicity of the flu, MERS or SARS viruses. But then a footnote on p.2 of the moratorium document states that “An exception from the research pause may be obtained if the head of the USG funding agency determines that the research is urgently necessary to protect the public health or national security.”

This seems to mean that either the director of the NIAID, Dr. Anthony Fauci, or the director of the NIH, Dr. Francis Collins, or maybe both, would have invoked the footnote in order to keep the money flowing to Dr. Shi’s gain-of-function research.

Troubling. We know the Chinese government would desperately want to cover up a lab leak. But the global virology community AND the esteemed Dr. Fauci of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases? Let's put it this way - instead of asking who benefits from a cover-up of the COVID origin, it might save time to ask "Who doesn't?".

Comments

[henry]

WaPo can get worse, and just made a big step in that direction.

@WSJ

Sally Buzbee has been named executive editor at the Washington Post after serving as executive editor of the Associated Press since 2017. She is the first executive editor to be chosen since Jeff Bezos bought the newspaper in 2013.

[henry]

“Who doesn’t “?

Trump. Mission Accomplished. Enjoy the plant based veal at the North Slope FEMA camp.

[sbwaters]

Adelle M. Banks, national reporter with Religion News Service
Those who will be speaking at the AP Christian
Reparations song and dance.

- The Rev. Dr. Iva E. Carruthers, General Secretary at Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference in Chicago
- The Rt. Rev. Eugene T. Sutton, Bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Maryland
- The Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs, Director of Community Engagement and Racial Justice at
Minnesota Council of Churches
- Nicole Saffold Maskiell, Assistant Professor of History, University of South Carolina

[sbwaters]

Whoops! Move Adelle down.

[Narciso]

Its full of derp

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/05/10/the-federal-bureau-of-intentional-lying-claims-fuel-pipeline-cyber-attack-is-darkside-ransomware/

[MissMarple2]

sbwaters,

Thanks. Not interested. All are social justice people.

By the way, Elizabeth Yore reported on War Room that the Vatican Conference with Fauci, Chelsea Clinton, Cindi Crawford, etc. was a complete flop as far as anyone watching on line.

Of course, that doesn't mean that they didn't plot and plan while they were meeting.

[henry]

Very Carter / 70s. How will Biden bring back polyester without fossil fuel feedstocks?

@cnbc

Inflation is here. Prices are going up across a number of sectors, and all-time-highs are expected ahead of tomorrow's CPI report. @steveliesman shares exclusive new inflation data. cnb.cx/3fbSrmq

[Narciso]

Mcawful the other part of the eb 5 scam

[Narciso]

Tebow may end up playing for the jaguars.

[Narciso]

With mayorkas

[Narciso]

My fishwrap has covid concerns on ranadan as their lead story

[Neo]

The words 'Black Lives Matter' have been paved over on DC's 16th St north of the White House

Mayor Bowser painted the words in a jab at then-President Trump, successfully changing the topic when protesters were criticizing her
https://twitter.com/stevennelson10/status/1392119021882023936

[MissMarple2]

henry,

Boy, do I remember waiting in those gas lines and then going to odd-even days! Coming soon: 18% mortgages and more Iranian hostage-taking.

[Davod]

"Vatican Conference with Fauci, Chelsea Clinton, Cindi Crawford, etc."

Vatican - something doesn't quite dwell here.

[Neo]

Donald Trump Jr was right with his Tweet about Biden being more like Carter (than FDR)

[Davod]

Dwell should read gel.

[henry]

The Iranians never stopped taking hostages.

[MissMarple2]

Lauren Boebert
@laurenboebert
·
52m
You’ve got to wonder what else can be easily hacked in our country if it was so easy for foreign actors to hack a pipeline that passes through 17 states.

[Narciso]

Hold my billy beer

https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/ccp-can-exploit-climate-change/

[Narciso]

Remember nakashima who last handed us the scary guiliani story, lied about a hack of the grid back in 2017.

[Narciso]

But it wasjust an idea then

https://mobile.twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1392015019517177857

[MissMarple2]

New York Post
@nypost
·
1h
Why people are finding dryer sheets in their mailboxes https://trib.al/muMJ5VO

Answer: apparently they deter yellow jackets from building nests.

News you can use!

[Melinda]

Holy White Supremacy, Batman!

Washington Examiner
@dcexaminer
Newly released data show that the majority of former President Donald Trump’s supporters in the 2020 election were women and people of color.

Trump also increased his support among all racial demographics in 2020, with the exception of white men.
washex.am/2R9tSi5

https://twitter.com/dcexaminer/status/1392131708028338189

[MissMarple2]

Taylor Young
@TaylorYoungNews

We are traveling around the Carolinas today bringing you the latest on the gas situation

So far seeing one of two things: crazy lines at some places... complete ghost town at others because they have run out of fuel @FOX46News

[Melinda]

Kurt Schlichter
@KurtSchlichter
HAHAHAHAHAHA

McKay Coppins @mckaycoppins
"The conflict here does not stem from Cheney’s refusal to move on from the lies that sparked the Capitol riot, but from the fact that the Republican Party has embraced those lies as foundational to Republican identity in 2021." theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

https://twitter.com/KurtSchlichter/status/1392127623929548800

[henry]

The price of a blue Governor: drop from 10 to 22.

https://biztimes.com/wisconsin-falls-in-chief-executive-magazines-best-states-for-business-rankings/

[MissMarple2]

Disclose.tv

@disclosetv
·
12m
NEW - Israeli army says 80 jets are conducting wide-scale strikes in Gaza now.

[Jim Eagle]

Going to Publix and my local fuel station to see if we have lines in The Hammock.

narc, Tebow is trying out for Tight End. I think he is 34y.o. now. Tough position at that age but he is a work-out-aholic.

[Narciso]

Hey i was looking for good news anywhere i can find it.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9563679/Four-bedroom-1880-s-Victorian-home-blueberry-farm-market-595-000.html

18 acres, beautiful vintage home with original stained glass and woodwork. Near Lake Michigan. What's interesting to me is that this is in the UK edition. Pictures at the link.

[MissMarple2]

Virginia folks are fed up, too:

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Davod from last thread;
--The raptor and a crow are flying around together. I saw this the other day as well.--

Crows [and blackbirds] commonly harass any raptor that gets too close to their territory. They're like a US fighter escorting a Russian bomber when they get too close to our airspace.

[Narciso]

Top men amd women

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/05/11/white-house-said-there-was-no-gas-shortage-before-acknowledging-problems-hours-later/

[Narciso]

I remember when danube was 'emthused' about the prospect of tebow that was 9 years ago.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

For some time, anyone with any sense has dismissed the obvious 'natural origin' fable and considered the only real question to be was it released accidentally or intentionally.

[Davod]

Ignatz. It was the raptor that was following the crow. The raptor must be scaring the birds and squirrels, because all the food I put out yesterday evening was still there this morning.

[Narciso]

No one with sense is published in bezos carlos slims or ruperts on the subject

[MissMarple2]

Getting a Kroger order ready, which is going to take a while while I inventory what I have, what I need, and what is on sale worth stocking up on.

[Davod]

MM2. When I order from Safeway for delivery, I have to take into consideration that they may not have what I want. I like sourdough bread, so I have to order different types in case one type is not available. This does cause problems. When I looked in the freezer yesterday it was full of bread and little else.

[Narciso]

Indeed

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlexBerenson/status/1392158811008405506

[Narciso]

Well then

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-republican-nominee-governor-convention/2021/05/10/c31a9bbe-ae8b-11eb-acd3-24b44a57093a_story.html

[Narciso]

Well they moved up their lead

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/state/2021/05/11/desantis-political-committee-rakes-millions-april-ahead-2022-re-election-campaign/5035711001/

[Narciso]

Remember she was the atty for coool million jefferson

https://www.wsj.com/articles/robert-muellers-revenge-11620684758?mod=opinion_lead_pos8

[Narciso]

They tried to backtrack

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/05/walt-disney-company-dismayed-by-america-inspired-by-china.php

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Ignatz. It was the raptor that was following the crow. --

Davod,
Is it a red shouldered hawk or perhaps a Cooper's Hawk?
They're smaller and more agile than large, soaring buteos like red tailed hawks. The red shouldered hawk is a I think technically a buteo but it is smaller and more agile, adapted to forest flying similar to accipiters like the Cooper's.
In fact Cooper's Hawks routinely harass buteos.

[Narciso]

Mountebanks and truth tellers

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/05/10/climate-book-shelf/

Lubchenco the alchemist is back

[henry]

Moar lawsuits!

@empowerwi

Milwaukee allowed liberal groups funded by Mark Zuckerberg to set the rules and help administer November’s presidential election, according to a new complaint filed Monday on behalf of five Milwaukee citizens. wisconsinspotlight.com/elections-comp… #wiright #wipolitics @VickiMcKenna

https://twitter.com/empowerwi/status/1392130954777579521?s=21

[matt - deplore me if you must]

We have red tail hawks, red shoulder hawks, Cooper's, and golden eagles that I have seen locally, usually back in the canyons. But some of them do like the freeway verges for mice and such.

We had hawks nesting in the trees when I lived in the canyon.Not a lot of other birds around when the hawks were about. Have seen that same territorial behavior between smaller birds and crows and hawks as well.

[Neo]

On March 22, the FBI had raided U.S. Private Vaults. The federal agents were armed with a warrant allowing them to seize property belonging to the company as part of a criminal investigation—and even though the warrant explicitly exempted the safe deposit boxes in the company's vaults, they were taken too. More than 800 were seized.

Guess they forgot to mark the box “Hunter Biden hard drive enclosed”

[matt - deplore me if you must]

So regarding the origins of the Wuhan Virus, they didn't mention that Chinese government obstructionism and destruction of evidence at the Wuhan lab. They also didn't mention the co-option of the W.H.O.

Nor did they mention the total lockdowns and the lies about infection rates and deaths in China while they allow the rest of the world to become a charnel house.

If it walks like a duck and smells like a duck and swims like a duck.....

[Manuel Transmission]

I think there were a couple of links previously on the employer jab mandate. This link is a 5 page document to shove under the nose of your employer that clearly places all obligation on him if he insists.

https://pandemic.solari.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Form_Employees_Whose_Employers_Are_Requiring_Covid-19_Injections.pdf

[Jim Eagle]

Special Sirloin burgers with all the trimmings tonight and outside.

Just a beautiful, warm (high 80's), day today. Perfect for our pedestrian dinner. Pretty soon it will be 3 of us but Frederick wants to go work in my SIL's winery, South France. Best way for him to learn French then at a school in Wales:)

[Narciso]

Ahead of those tech billionaires

https://mobile.twitter.com/elenaevdokimov7/status/1392008080393596931

[Jim Eagle]

Mean't to mention that on the subject of hawks we have an Osprey who uses our roof to nest. We are on the beach and it is an easy flight for him to catch his dinner. Beautiful sight when they come in toward me with a nice catch in their talons.

[Narciso]

Chaser to wades work

https://mobile.twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1392176879826870274

[Narciso]

First link

Sen. Rand Paul has Anthony Fauci dead to rights on the charge of sending taxpayer money to the Wuhan virus lab.

From 2014 to July 13, 2020 (!), NIAID sent $3.75 million to EcoHealth Alliance to study "bat coronavirus emergence." EHA then sent $600k of that to the Wuhan lab.

[Jane]

Fauci clearly helped finance the making of the virus. I wonder if it was his intent to spread it.

[clarice]

i'm in FB JAIL FOR 24 HOURS FOR REPOSTING A POST ABOUT TUCKER'S show on Fauci and the wuhan lab.Obvi--they want to sit on this as hard as they have on Hunter's peculations,

[Dave (in MA)]

Dindu Nuffsky

[Jane]

How rude Clarice!

[Narciso]

In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act

[Jane]

150 rockets shot from Palestine into Tel Aviv.

[Jim Eagle]

This guy Putin is the biggest ego in the geo-political world. Someone should find a way to take him down a notch or two without starting WW3.

[Melinda]

It's like they're outing themselves, everywhere at once::

Quigley is on Foxhole
@CarrollQuigley1
Peter Mandelson was close with Epstein & Oleg Deripaska.

Side note:
Why don't we ever hear about Epstein's yachts? Did he ever own one? 🤔

Professor Emeritus Dr. Strategy @inthesedeserts
for US followers interested in UK politics: the new leader of the Labour party has brought on a strategist from the Blair years to get the party back on its feet. It's the guy on the left in this photo

https://twitter.com/CarrollQuigley1/status/1392197655460253696

[Neo]

File this under "Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should"

TripAdvisor has apologized for a review of the Auschwitz Museum in Poland by a user who joked about bringing a baby to the gas chamber of the Nazi concentration camp and called the site “fun for the family.”

The travel website initially said the tasteless entry complied with its submission guidelines — but later backtracked, removed the review and banned the author.

[Melinda]

Electroverse
@Electroversenet
ARCTIC SEA ICE EXTENT HIGHEST IN 8 YEARS + LOW SOLAR ACTIVITY AND GLOBAL COOLING

While modern civilization writhes in this dark age of self-serving agendas, virtue signalling and dreams of socialism, the reality of our cosmological journey spins on: #GSM

electroverse.net/arctic-sea-ice…

https://twitter.com/Electroversenet/status/1392186607290159105

[Narciso]

Mendelson hes their stephanopoloulos

[Melinda]

Oh, And that cute Michigan blueberry farm is only a 2.5 mile "walk" to the most crowded beach area in Southwest Michigan, South Haven.

[Neo]

'Absolute stupidity': Cybersecurity experts condemn White House for breaking with FBI and suggesting private companies could pay ransomware demands as gas pumps run dry amid Darkside pipeline hack
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9566489/Cybersecurity-experts-condemn-White-House-suggesting-companies-canpay-ransomware-demands.html

[Momto2]

Just returned home from a very sad funeral.
A 19-year-old young man heading to the Marines gets headaches, diagnosed with Glioblastoma, and only lived for 4 months. His grandparents are my neighbors.

ANYWAY...I have to rant about the cell phones! First, I'm speaking with a family I haven't seen in years and their teenage daughter never makes eye contact and is staring at her phone & texting the entire time.
Then, 3 phones go off during the service - THREE! Finally, because it was so crowded, I opted to stand up behind the last row of seats in the church. There were two adults seated on the row that were texting during the entire funeral!
I felt these people were all so rude and distracting others from the very serious reason they were there. (:::rant over:::)
Am I being an old fogey?

[Neo]

Things we do together .. alone

[Dave (in MA)]

Momto2, I don't get it. Sometimes I have to think about where I left my phone when I'm getting ready to go out. Last time I went to a Sox game, I was waiting for the train and looked around and the only ones waiting who were not on their phones were me and my brother in law. Even the ones who were apparently in groups were all staring at their little glass rectangles.

[Jane]

I get it Momto2. Very rude.

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

My 30 something yo niece with 3 young boys all under 7 has been having health issues and was diagnosed last Friday with DIC Blood Disorder. The doctor's give her a 53% chance of living 3 more months. It is such a rare disease that Emory has treated 3 people for it ever.

She needs a liver transplant, but it takes 6 months to get through the program onto the list (assuming the panel approves your situation), so the prognosis is terrible. The doc says he is not sure she could survive the surgery.

Prayers for her would be welcome. She's a former heroin addict who is clean for 10 years and now this. :(

OH and the hubs is in the hospital here in PC. :( He's got double vision and bad headaches and eye pain, and the opthalmalogist says his eye muscles in his left eye are not working properly, so they sent him to the hospital across the street from his practice for testing for strokes, diabetes, etc. All negative so far. Just completed an MRI and waiting results. He's chomping to leave the hospital after his 1st 24 hours there.

[Momto2]

Wow, Stephanie! I will certainly pray for your niece and your husband.

[Narciso]

Prayers for both of them stephanie.

[clarice]

so sorry, stephanie. I hope for the best for both of them.

[Jim Eagle]

Do you feel with Biden, the country as a whole is on edge, and people are more depressed and bitchy. Damn if it doesn't feel that way down here in Red country. Bad vibes. And its not the vaccine.

[Buckeye]

A 19-year-old young man heading to the Marines gets headaches, diagnosed with Glioblastoma, and only lived for 4 months.

My brother’s story. He was 4 and we shared a bedroom. About the time I was out of school for the year he started complaining of headaches. By October he was gone.

[Buckeye]

Praying for your niece, Steph.

[Jim Eagle]

Buckeye,

Wow! No one needs to lose a sibling that young. Feel for you. I lost a sister but she was 24 and an auto accident. Prayers for your brother.

[Buckeye]

Prayers for your husband, Steph.

Please let us know what they find.

[Buckeye]

It was 1964 Jack, but it still have vivid memories.

My mom never really was the same person after.

[Neo]

Following its coldest APRIL since 1922, England is now on for its coldest MAY since record-keeping began some 362 years ago–since the Maunder Minimum (1645-1715)!
https://electroverse.net/england-on-for-its-coldest-may-since-records-began-back-in-1659/

[Dave (in MA)]

So sorry, Stephanie.

[Dave (in MA)]

A mob of Biden voters are demonstrating in foggy bottom, chanting "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

[henry]

Dave, they forgot the “of Palestinians” part at the end. Idiots.

[jimmyk]

Prayers for your niece and hub, Steph. Awful for the niece and family.

[Davod]

Jim Eagle. Political satire cartoons were good for taking down the likes of Putin. Where did they go?

[henry]

Looks like Wayne Lapierre’s stupidity, greed, and ego have killed NRA.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/11/judge-dismisses-nra-bankruptcy-case-group-faces-new-york-lawsuit.html

[Narciso]

A prog judge https://newrepublic.com/article/161913/we-are-bellingcat-spooked-private-investigators

[Neo]

As New Evidence Emerges For COVID "Lab-Leak" Theory, Journalists Who Screamed “Conspiracy” Humiliate Themselves
https://mtracey.substack.com/p/as-new-evidence-emerges-for-covid

[Dave (in MA)]

Howie Carr caller,

"It's time for some common-sense ransomware reform."

"Has the intelligence community determined the preferred pronouns of the pipeline attackers yet?"

[Dave (in MA)]

John [email protected] ·

The 15 year-old who killed Uber Eats driver Mohammad Anwar has pled guilty to felony murder. Because of her age, she will be remanded to juvenile detention and will be released when she turns 18.

[Narciso]

Some most inside the bubble dont know, yes belling is european fusion

[matt - deplore me if you must]

Steph, I feel your pain. My daughter's DOC was alcohol. We are waiting to see if she gets on the transplant list.

I am praying like all the saints that she can somehow recover without one.

[matt - deplore me if you must]

What is happening on the East Coast with gasoline prices and supplies?

I do hope the Republicans pin this on Biden's sheer stupidity and incompetence. Nothing will sour voters like long lines and high gas prices.

[henry]

How many pipelines are in the infrastructure bill? Oh, just removal of some? Be a shame if anyone talked about that.

[lurkersusie]

Stephanie, prayers for your husband and niece.

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

Thanks y'all. Just got back from taking the hubs a Little Debbie Oatmeal pie, mountain dew and his phone charger. We'll see if it all makes it upstairs or if the nurses confiscate any of it. LOL

The DIC diagnosis for my niece is absolutely horrendous. They are having to drain her abdomen every few days and she has internal bleeding. It basically is like her blood just fell apart. Coagulates on her organs instead of normal. Doesn't coagulate where it should, plasma transfusions, platelet transfusions and two days later, she looks 9 months pregnant. No energy and 3 super active boys and what a recipe for disaster.