winsor

Out of curiosity, what do you think I do for a living? What in particular do you claim is "false" and on what basis? You appear to categorize me as an 'anti vaxxer.' If so, precisely what leads you to that conclusion?

Okay, this is what I meant by orthodoxy. If you want to address anything I have said line and verse, fine. If all you have is abuse, you have nothing. Just because I never finished High School does not mean my understanding of epidemiology is too weak to consider the effects - medical, political, social, economic and historic - of this virus. I have a passing familiarity with viruses, their treatment and prevention. Again, I am underwhelmed by the numbers for any of the vaccines, and contend that they offer insufficient protection against SARS-CoV-2. The extent of breakthrough infections, and the fact that virus shedding is equivalent between the unvaccinated and the vaccinated somewhat reduces the overall benefit of vaccination. Given natural selection, the virus that proliferates in a vaccinated individual is more likely to be resistant to the vaccine. Thus, the virus being shed by a breakthrough infection is more likely to result in further breakthrough infections. In any event, the vaccines have benefit, but they are certainly not harmless and their efficacy falls well short of 100%. It behooves us to continue research on other means of treatment and prevention if we are to get a handle on this bug. BSBD, Winsor

The article obliquely addressed my concern with the definition of what constitutes a "case," and that has varied. The probability of false positives or false negatives using PCR is a function of cycles. If it takes 40 cycles to detect, you're in pretty good shape; if you're positive at 10 cycles you're hosed. CDC guidelines seem to have changed over time, and it stood at 20 PCR cycles the last time I checked, where previously labs such as Quest Diagnostics would run 30 or 40. I've been tested repeatedly (negative so far), and when I've asked how many cycles they ran I didn't get much of an answer. I tend to look at case fatality rates to gauge the progress of the disease, but that is still less than exact. As far as how effective the vaccine is at suppressing the disease, Gibraltar is enlightening. I couldn't find a fringe web page for the data, so Reuters will have to do: https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/gibraltar/ This may be no big deal, but basically every recent case has been in an overvaccinated population (they show 150%). If vaccination reduces the death rate, that's great. If it reduces permanent damage from the proliferation of blood clots of various sizes, that's wonderful as well. I suspect that, like HIV, it will take something along the lines of 3CL protease inhibitors to put the brakes on the disease. HIV is still around, but it is not wreaking havoc the way it did 30 years ago. BSBD, Winsor

DING DING DING! We have a winner!

I thought that was rather a given. I agree that the Astra Zeneca and J&J vaccines are outright bad news; having said that, check the adverse events released by Pfizer per FOIA and get back to me. I don't expect to change much of anyone's mind. As an aside, usually people ask for an open mind with the same sincerity that goes with entreaties to be 'reasonable.' In all fairness, your responses lack the raw vitriol that is now typical in this forum. I don't claim to be right, but it strikes me that anyone who thinks that the current vaccines will suffice is delusional - and no, I'm not aware of any "cure" that's out there BSBD, Winsor

I'm reminded of the old Dial soap commercials. Aren't you glad you use killfiles? Don't you wish everyone did? Anyhow, my objection to orthodoxy is that anything that flies in the face of the 'accepted truth' is deemed heresy. When doing research, it is due diligence to double check one's assumptions, and I'm leery of the results obtained by someone who doesn't. The mRNA vaccines are but one arrow in the quiver and have merit. but are certainly a mixed bag. The efficacy is iffy, and the adverse events are off the scale by comparison to other normally approved vaccines. The fact that the mode of operation involves generating spike proteins, which are themselves cytotoxic, and have demonstrated clot formation, suggests that looking for something better should continue. The pandemic is bad, but these vaccines are shy of a panacea. I know rather a few fully vaccinated people with breakthrough infections, and studies indicate that they shed virus with the best of them. I don't suggest for a second that one should be complacent with this virus, nor do I recommend being satisfied with anything but a sterilizing cure. PCR is nice, but I'd like to see undetectable TMA results. BSBD, Winsor

We went to McDonalds when it was just one Ray Kroc location, and it was pretty much as you describe. Your options were burgers with or without cheese, fries and a soda or milkshake, all for pocket change. Nothing to write home about, and bears faint resemblance to the McDonalds of today. Anyhow, the point of the post including the article is that data quality makes quite a bit of difference, and the 'gold standard' PCR can generate rather misleading results, depending on how it's used. A lot of statistics are bandied about, and most can be interpreted one way or another, depending upon the criteria. Did George Floyd die of COVID? His autopsy indicated that he had a pretty advanced case of it, as I recall. That would add to the tally of the COVID Pandemic. Did he die if a Fentanyl overdose? His autopsy also indicated better than LD50 quantities in his system. That would up the numbers of the Opioid Crisis. Having said that, I'm cool with attributing his passing to the evil sonofabitch kneeling on his neck and be done with it. I agree that it is a bad bug, but the decision making surrounding its treatment has an element of panic, which is generally counterproductive. BSBD, Winsor

Being an Atheist I hold orthodoxy suspect. I much prefer Machiavelli to most of what the Vatican didn't ban. So delete the link and address the content. How hard is that?

Agreed

The issue of false positives vs PCR cycles has repeatedly been raised and ignored. Would that ignorance was bliss: https://brownstone.org/articles/pcr-tests-and-the-rise-of-disease-panic/ 'Cases' remind me of the McDonalds sign '100 Billion Served!' What's a 'served?' Order items? Entrees? Cash register sales? Please define your terms. Similarly, what's a 'case?' Positive test and medical intervention required? Positive test? Medical diagnosis of 'you have COVID?' These data are vastly different. The fact that PCR is used makes the resulting data suspect. BSBD, Winsor

Death isn't the biggest factor by a long shot. For every death there are many more who suffer permanent damage from blood clots, varying from plugged capillary size to plugged aorta size (thought the latter are usually fatalities). Even eliminating death from the equation leaves an awful lot of damage amongst the undead. BSBD, Winsor

Gear and Rigging has a discussion on tin-foil frap hats.

The practice of Medicine is simply the process of postponing the inevitable. Responsible treatment of the environment is similar. Given the propensity of our species for self-destructive stupidity, conserving the means of our survival is, indeed, doomed. Unfortunately, stupidity is our only inexhaustible resource.

Even if we 'solve' 'climate change,' we're still screwed: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/humans-are-doomed-to-go-extinct/ I suppose it serves as a distraction in the meantime. BSBD, Winsor

It's so cute when you try to be demeaning of things you don't understand.

You are lumping me into a group with which I don't begin to agree. Just because I don't buy into the idea that if one 'self identifies' as something that makes it a reality does not mean that it becomes 'the truth' does not mean that I approve of bullying, ostracizing, shunning or any of the behaviors typical of the fundamentally insecure. We have had people who described themselves as 'Engineers' because of their work assignments, but had to remove it from their business cards because they did not meet the legal definition. Passing the P.E. exam became our sole criterion, even if one had a Ph.D. in the subject. If a little kid from Guadalajara decides they are Swedish, so what? Coming up with Lutefisk might be a problem, but I can't see it being that big of a deal otherwise. Similarly, I don't see the problem if someone wants to otherwise live as something they are not. A guy who sees himself as female may be treated as such as a courtesy, but demanding legal recognition as a 'woman' is something else altogether. About the only time I had a problem with it was when one of our flight attendants decided to transition, and sued to have OUR INSURANCE COMPANY pay for the surgery. The sexual preferences of our flight attendants was largely a matter of indifference, but when I'm expected to foot the bill I have a dog in the fight. If the guy decided he was a kangaroo and paid for the transition, my only concern would be if he could still do his job - so long as he sprung for the 'work.' Beyond that it is none of my concern. I liked the treatment the Cheyenne gave Little Horse in the movie Little Big Man. He wasn't a Brave and adopted a female role, but nobody really cared one way or another. Thus, I suspect your claiming anger and hatred on my part is a matter of projection. Maybe not. BSBD, Winsor

Nah, you made it up so you can keep it. It fits you well.

If you hear people speaking Romansch, you're likely in a remote valley somewhere. Casual target shooting across valleys - at significant ranges - is rather the norm in rural areas. The Gov't supplies large amounts of ammo, and people are happy to make sure that it is used up while fresh. They tend to be pretty good marksmen.

Pfizer did a pretty good presentation about how protease inhibitors can address COVID-19: https://www.covidviruslifecycle.com/ Unfortunately, given that SARS-CoV-2 and all its variants are now effectively endemic, the utility of protease inhibitors is largely limited to suppression of existing infections, with best results being with accurate testing and early detection. Like HIV, SARS-CoV-2 is out there and being happily spread around. Its incubation period and tendency toward shedding virus while asymptomatic make its elimination unlikely. Welcome to the new reality. BSBD, Winsor

This article: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pfizer-new-covid-19-protease-inhibitor-drug-is-not-just-repackaged-ivermectin/ is a pretty interesting (to me) treatment of the progress toward the use of protease inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2. This article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-020-01577-x gets more into the nuts and bolts of the process. Protease inhibitors are very useful for chronic but difficult to transmit viruses. HIV and Hepatitis C are examples, where their transmission requires up close and personal exchange of bodily fluids (blood et al.). SARS-CoV-2, OTOH, is airborne, so one can receive an infectious inoculum just by being in the vicinity of someone shedding virus. Given the 'life cycle' of the virus and its demonstrated propensity for reinfection, successful treatment for demonstrated exposure is unlikely to prevent subsequent infection. My guess is that, when the Pfizer offering is approved, its utility will be for people testing positive and any known contacts, so that the disease does not progress to full-blown COVID-19, repeat as necessary. We'll see. BSBD, Winsor

WTF? Are you trying to reinforce the concept that Woke is all about garbled thinking? If so, you nailed it.

It's kinda creepy that you even think in those terms. I certainly don't.

I apologize. Systemic racism is perfectly okay, so long as you call it "affirmative action." What was I thinking?

You're projecting again.

I bet you a dollar it's already here.