During March, April, May the states with the highest infections/deaths were NY, NJ, Ma. . . . . Today (June) the three have the best numbers. How ? Herd immunity ?

[BLA + 1,666]

On 7/1/2020 at 10:41 PM, Gerry Maddoux said:

I'm not sure about herd immunity, to be honest. 

 

Is it known that China was developing "gain function" CV19 for vaccine development as opposed to weaponizing it ?

[Chris Keeling + 5]

GM  A first class post on the virus and herd immunity but it seems covid and the viruses that follow have found in the USA a victim it can attack on more than one front the political.No country with a political system that devolves so much power to its parts can ever hope to defeat a virus.Yes herd immunity but in a controlled environment which only a strong central goverment can provide.I cannot see how the future control of a more deadly virus can be achieved in the political framework  of the constitution.Yes war can do it but an unseen enemy were thousands show their stupidity screaming my right not to wear a mask and then travel a hundred miles to legally spread the infection I fear for a great nation but cannot see an answer when the real killer virus comes.

[Gerry Maddoux + 3,627]

1 hour ago, Ward Smith said:

With Michael Crichton gone, fiction needs a new doctor delivering meaningful stories. Let's do this! 

In your email. Hope you like it.

[Gerry Maddoux + 3,627]

50 minutes ago, BLA said:

Is it known that China was developing "gain function" CV19 for vaccine development as opposed to weaponizing it ?

No. 

[Gerry Maddoux + 3,627]

59 minutes ago, BLA said:

Doc

I've read studies that hypothisize that low fat diets and statins increase the incidence of Alzheimer's.  They related how E/4 is involved (beyond my bio understandings) It somehow reduced the amount of fatty acids and cholesterol in the brain that is necessary to protect it.  

Most relate cholesterol to illness.  However, cholesterol is needed by human tissue and in particular the brain protective white matter and the function of the brain synapses .

Cholesterol is also important to protect cells from microbes . . viruses and bacteria.  

I'm told after the liver processes the fats and sends the lipids to the brain statins (and somehow related to E4)can reduce the cholesterol cell protection from viruses.

It's all Greek to me.  I don't understand how this all related to APO E/4.  They said 13% to 15% of the population inherit the E/4 gene thus lipoprotein and explains why some communities suffer a greater death rate from CV19 than others.

This biology is way over my head and my attempt to convey what I was told probably falls way short.  

Does it make any sense to you ?

You raise some very good points. I'm probably the wrong person to ask: I am convinced that this was the old SARS viral genome that was tinkered with on the bench at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. While all the "experts" say this couldn't be a genetically engineered virus because of all these unique bells and whistles, I'm convinced that's precisely the way we can tell that it was tweaked. 

There are an awful lot of unusual properties to this virus: ACE2, APO E4, Furin Cleavage. I suspect we're going to see many more nuances. And the APO E4 may well be one of the explanations for who dies and who lives. For example, out of many of my friends and associates who had this infection, the only one who died had Alzheimer's from an early age (<60). 

Afraid I didn't answer any of your good questions. 

[0R0 + 6,251]

@Gerry Maddoux And then there is vit D deficiency which is far more common in the winter and far more common among darker skinned people, particularly in the North, unless they work outside. There appears to be a high prevalence of vit D deficiency in CV19 deaths. It may explain in part why people in the Northern cities have so much higher CFR than the South and why it seems to be much more deadly for blacks and latinos

[Gerry Maddoux + 3,627]

^

Right, and it might explain why southern states with higher UV are experiencing a lower mortality than others. For instance, Texas is going ballistic but the death rate is lower than in many places. 

This is one complex virus! It seems to have a lot of nuances. Vit D is associated with immune function but this Covid 19 seems to be out of proportion to the immune aspect only. 

APO E4, maybe?

Got to think that was sequenced in. 

[Enthalpic + 1,496]

2 hours ago, Gerry Maddoux said:

Like to read a prepublication copy? I'll send you one. I need feedback and usually pick out someone. Don't hesitate to say no. 😊

Sure.

[Enthalpic + 1,496]

4 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

I've spoken to a lot of Chinese about the prevalence of pangolin in wet markets in China. There is none. Most Chinese have never heard of it and wouldn't eat it if it were free.

I've seen it on a travel / food show once.  The guy eating it said it was disgusting and he also felt bad because it is a threatened species.

Ever had a century egg?  I had to eat two as part of a corporate challenge event.  I don't know how people willingly eat that crap let alone pay for it.  A gross egg costs as much as a delicious chocolate bar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_egg

[ronwagn + 6,290]

17 hours ago, Marcin2 said:

@ronwagn

An example how political system works in USA.

Imagine that you are local entrepreneur and need just 1 worker for your small company.

But at the local job market only 2 workers are available: Flip and Flap.

They are bad workers: cause Flip steals from you and Flap smokes weed at work and often sleeps during his shift.

So it is a difficult choice , you have to choose one of them for your company to exist but there are No good choices at all.

This is your situation before elections this November.

Ron whom can you elect to Congress apart from Flip Party and Flap Party ?

This year they both proved to be terrible choices, much more interested in partisan battles about nothing ( he said..., she said... battles from kindergarten) than this country, while Americans suffer.

Not perfect, but still the best ever designed. The people must have the wisdom to vote for the right people. We do have primaries for numerous choices. 

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

9 hours ago, Gerry Maddoux said:

Like to read a prepublication copy? I'll send you one. I need feedback and usually pick out someone. Don't hesitate to say no. 😊

You sure can send me one!  It will get my critical eye.  But there is a fee:  I will require an autographed First Edition as payment! (Relax, I'll pay for the book.)

[Gerry Maddoux + 3,627]

3 hours ago, Jan van Eck said:

You sure can send me one! 

Where do I send it?

[0R0 + 6,251]

On 7/2/2020 at 3:39 PM, Marcin2 said:

@BLA There is a big difference between democracy ( even failed like Poland) and oligarchy which is effectively system of government in United States.

Both Parties : Democratic and Republican just fuc**d Americans big time as far as Covid is concerned, but also a lot of other issues.

And this November you would sit down on your sofa and calculate which of the parties: Democratic or Republican fuc**d you less, for which to vote.

It would be difficult because they are typical parties of establishment and they just do not care, because arithmetic of your nice oligarchy tells  you that 90% of not retiring incumbents would win their seats, seats they Usually have till death.

So you effectively have No political solution to your problems.

Whereas in Poland we can vote out the parties that suck.

There are 2 big major parties and they Usually have 60-70% of the votes, but they differ a lot in each election : at times 1st one has 40% of MPs and the 2st 25% and they often switch these positions during next election If people are not happy.

And there are also 3-4 smaller parties : each Usually has 5% to 12% of seats, and they are often part of coalition.

So in Poland your voice really matters.

This year if US would be Poland: Democrats would go down to about 35% of the seats and Republicans to 25% and 2-3 minor parties would take the rest.

And Policies would be changed.

But in US you can just sit on the sofa and contemplate about you already know what .

 

The us parties are composed of coalitions and the particular composition is a shifting mix of political groups. They shift around every few generations. But the most significant thing is that Americans vote for PARTICULAR people who come with specific subcategory of the broad party.

Today, both paries have ejected their bridge people in the center and have turned into a populist party and an extreme left party. The fiscal conservatives and moderate republicans and libertarians are pretty much off the map on both sides

The benefit is that the voters get to chose the coalition they want rather than see it form after the election with a totally deformed final product, or a failure to form one, or worse, the same repulsive parties that everyone wanted to vote out are in the coalition again, just with a different lead party.

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

20 hours ago, Enthalpic said:

I've seen it on a travel / food show once.  The guy eating it said it was disgusting and he also felt bad because it is a threatened species.

Ever had a century egg?  I had to eat two as part of a corporate challenge event.  I don't know how people willingly eat that crap let alone pay for it.  A gross egg costs as much as a delicious chocolate bar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_egg

Yes I've eaten hundred year egg. I've also eaten balut, which is much more disgusting IMHO. I'd never eat pangolin, hummingbirds or any monkey ever. 

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

22 hours ago, Gerry Maddoux said:

Like to read a prepublication copy? I'll send you one. I need feedback and usually pick out someone. Don't hesitate to say no. 😊

The book is great so far. Unfortunately I have guests and family visiting so haven't been able to dig in while lounging on a beach chair like I want to. Soon though

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

On 7/5/2020 at 1:42 PM, Gerry Maddoux said:

Where do I send it?

I'd like a copy, if you would be so kind.

[Hotone + 412]

On 7/5/2020 at 12:24 AM, Ward Smith said:

I've spoken to a lot of Chinese about the prevalence of pangolin in wet markets in China. There is none. Most Chinese have never heard of it and wouldn't eat it if it were free. The idea that they would end up in a Wuhan market, far inland is preposterous.

The pangolin was in the lab, where they were cooking this Frankenvirus. 

They don't sell pangolins in wet markets.  They are sold in wildlife markets.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/china-wet-markets-covid19-coronavirus-explained/

https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/wildlife-markets-are-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-and-not-just-in-china-20200529-p54xks.html

Edited July 7, 2020 by Hotone

[Gerry Maddoux + 3,627]

3 hours ago, Dan Warnick said:

I'd like a copy, if you would be so kind.

Be glad to. I have it cleaned up a little each day. let me know where to send you a digital copy. 

[Strangelovesurfing + 737]

On 7/4/2020 at 10:36 AM, 0R0 said:

It may explain in part why people in the Northern cities have so much higher CFR than the South and why it seems to be much more deadly for blacks and latinos

Warmer climates also keep people outside more as long as there's no AC available. I suspect this is one of the reasons SE Asia and Oceania have been mostly spared. Here in Honolulu it's almost completely opened back up but there isn't any giant spike in cases. Probably over 90% of us leave our windows open all the time, day and night. SE Asia would have a higher percentage of open windows.

Edited July 7, 2020 by Strangelovesurfing

[ronwagn + 6,290]

On 7/5/2020 at 7:06 AM, 0R0 said:

The us parties are composed of coalitions and the particular composition is a shifting mix of political groups. They shift around every few generations. But the most significant thing is that Americans vote for PARTICULAR people who come with specific subcategory of the broad party.

Today, both paries have ejected their bridge people in the center and have turned into a populist party and an extreme left party. The fiscal conservatives and moderate republicans and libertarians are pretty much off the map on both sides

The benefit is that the voters get to chose the coalition they want rather than see it form after the election with a totally deformed final product, or a failure to form one, or worse, the same repulsive parties that everyone wanted to vote out are in the coalition again, just with a different lead party.

That is not really true IMHO. The Republican Party is still controlled by a majority of moderates AKA RINO's who do not really support President Trump very well. They are more concerned about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and their big money donors than conservative principles. Many would be happy to see Trump lose the next term.

The Democrat Party is more controlled by the left wing yet realized that Bernie might not be a good bet and might cause many to lose their seats IMHO. They would like to take a more gradual approach toward socialism but the party really should be renamed as the Democratic Socialist Party to be honest. 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

On 7/4/2020 at 2:47 PM, Chris Keeling said:

GM  A first class post on the virus and herd immunity but it seems covid and the viruses that follow have found in the USA a victim it can attack on more than one front the political.No country with a political system that devolves so much power to its parts can ever hope to defeat a virus.Yes herd immunity but in a controlled environment which only a strong central goverment can provide.I cannot see how the future control of a more deadly virus can be achieved in the political framework  of the constitution.Yes war can do it but an unseen enemy were thousands show their stupidity screaming my right not to wear a mask and then travel a hundred miles to legally spread the infection I fear for a great nation but cannot see an answer when the real killer virus comes.

The death rates have fallen to a minimal amount and the rest is just fear mongering IMHO.

Here is my topic, complete with all the latest info and graphs. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MXY8T0j7k0oUBsHW4BfjJM__DRIyzqrDf_FSlV4hHpw/edit#

[Marcin2 + 724]

On 7/5/2020 at 2:06 PM, 0R0 said:

The us parties are composed of coalitions and the particular composition is a shifting mix of political groups. They shift around every few generations. But the most significant thing is that Americans vote for PARTICULAR people who come with specific subcategory of the broad party.

Today, both paries have ejected their bridge people in the center and have turned into a populist party and an extreme left party. The fiscal conservatives and moderate republicans and libertarians are pretty much off the map on both sides

The benefit is that the voters get to chose the coalition they want rather than see it form after the election with a totally deformed final product, or a failure to form one, or worse, the same repulsive parties that everyone wanted to vote out are in the coalition again, just with a different lead party.

This argumentation at the end of the day changes NOTHING in gloomy reality of US political system.

You have only 2 Parties available and both of them do not care about average American , at all.

They do not have to.

You have to choose one of them.

Think about a life with:

only 2 choices for a coffee

only 2 choices for a car

only 2 choices of newspaper

only 2 choices of TV news channel

Terrible isn’t it ?

But Fortunately we are only talking about your future and future of your country not the vital choices like which coffee you would drink in the morning and which news channel you would watch.

I always say that it is still 100% better than China.

They have only 1 Party.

Why am I talking about it ?

It considers large and rich country across the Atlantic.

US is oligarchy superpower and China is dictatorship superpower. 
No other superpowers now and in the next 60 years.
These 2 countries set the tone , act as a role models for the future of global governance.

Not a bright future.

 

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by Marcin2
Added info

[Yoshiro Kamamura + 274]

On 7/5/2020 at 3:41 AM, ronwagn said:

Not perfect, but still the best ever designed. The people must have the wisdom to vote for the right people. We do have primaries for numerous choices. 

The stupid, many times refuted myth about meritocracy again. 

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/09/meritocracys-miserable-winners/594760/

The people in power keep telling everyone they are responsible for their poverty and misery, while in fact it's pure BS. It has been scientifically proved that since middle ages, the same families and power structures are clinging to power, refusing to let it go. There is no "fair competition", no contest when the less gifted acknowledges his/her incompetence and willingly gives his/her power to a worthy candidate. 

If USA was meritocracy, Donald Trump could never be a president. 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Yoshiro Kamamura

[Yoshiro Kamamura + 274]

On 7/9/2020 at 6:35 PM, Marcin2 said:

This argumentation at the end of the day changes NOTHING in gloomy reality of US political system.

You have only 2 Parties available and both of them do not care about average American , at all.

They do not have to.

You have to choose one of them.

Think about a life with:

only 2 choices for a coffee

only 2 choices for a car

only 2 choices of newspaper

only 2 choices of TV news channel

Terrible isn’t it ?

But Fortunately we are only talking about your future and future of your country not the vital choices like which coffee you would drink in the morning and which news channel you would watch.

I always say that it is still 100% better than China.

They have only 1 Party.

Why am I talking about it ?

It considers large and rich country across the Atlantic.

US is oligarchy superpower and China is dictatorship superpower. 
No other superpowers now and in the next 60 years.
These 2 countries set the tone , act as a role models for the future of global governance.

Not a bright future.

 

 

Exactly. Communists had only one party - you could vote only for them, but from psychological standpoint, it's one party too few. Two party system is perfect - both are connected to the same people with power, and it provides the illusion of choice. The happy average American goes home from the voting booths, satisfied he has fulfilled his "civic duty" - pressing either red or blue button, both connected to the same buzzer. 

[frankfurter + 562]

uh, would you please show me the perfect political system?  the perfect society? 

people are governed by consent, and thus the form of government is relevant only to the extent it is accepted. 

re covid.. let's have a very basic comparison.  the key data is the number of resolved cases, the fractions of cured and deaths, and the fraction of death to resolved.

in USA... total recovered 1,049,000.  total deaths 137,000. the % of deaths to total resolved is 11.5%. 

in China... total recovered 80,400. total deaths 4,700. the % of deaths to total resolved is 5.5%.  

in USA... total daily new cases 67,000 with no end in sight, and no quarantines.  in China... total daily new cases 23, all from people returning from overseas, and all of them plus the 'in contact' ones are all quarantined. note; quarantine means placed in a quarantine medical facility; not self-isolated as quarantine is defined in USA.

which system and society has done the better job?  as stated, it all depends upon your values and consent.