I find it quite stimulating. I think the elevator pitch premise - there is a "real" SARS-CoV-2 that is going to reassemble itself at any moment, aka deattenuation, or, it already happened, hard to tell which one is supposed to be the point - isn't very illuminating. But the model that viruses need to build up a bit (multiple exposures) before becoming infectious, that they are a swarm of genes, that's all brilliant.
You know what's really funny? There are still people contending that, "This virus has never been isolated!" (Many of them claiming it doesn't exist at all). Yet here you can order a vial of it. Sheesh!
It's tantamount to flat-eartherism. Total epistemic insulation. I respect the act reacting to an essentially rigged game by "flipping the board" - why not, we've all got lives to live - but it's a bit farcical to try to sit back in on the game afterward and yell "fake!"
Yeah, well, the next time I see someone who says, "The virus has never been isolated!" I'll show 'em that link. And the next time I see someone who says, "COVID isn't caused by a virus", I'll offer to buy 'em a vial of that isolate and ask if they're willing to snort the contents.
In case I am being read by any flat-earthers: This really was not a back-handed complement. The world of science is infested with sketchy fantasies that take an insane amount of time to sort out; it's just as well not to try.
Wait, what? So, not a compliment, or yes a compliment just not a back-handed one? Or just an entirely fore-handed non-compliment?
Actually, I don't really care what you meant there... but I would like a pinch of clarification on that last statement. It sure reads like you're casually dissuading the unwashed masses from attempting to engage in DIY critical thinking. I suppose we should just place our faith in alt-experts like your esteemed self? Gosh, that sounds so much easier. But, how am I supposed to find the good and true counter-narratives, just groping around in my blind ignorance?
Or did I just find myself on the wrong side of Poe's law again? Dammit! Nevermore!
I’m neither dissuading nor suading, and as the ambiguity of my comment implies, the last thing I want to do is presume authority.
Modern American ignorance is an allergic reaction to the media/expert class’s routine declarations and displays of god-like power over man and the universe. I have come to respect it.
The only attitude I find more irritating than cocky self-proclaimed expertise is smug self-assured relativist absolutism, wherein all claims are eternally suspended in some foggy truthiness-neutralizing limbo where they never interact in any meaningful way. So I appreciate that you'd draw a line somewhere, for yourself at least.
I texted a friend this article yesterday mentioning the bypass of Ace2. Isn't there also a reference to using a different backbone? Thats the one that worries me . . . conjures the memory of Bill Gates' beaming smile while saying "Wait until you see Pandemic #2".
Have only skimmed it, but seems to have been passage of SARS-CoV-2QLD02, another "wild type" (pre-D614G) isolate. The lentivirus vector is mentioned for editing culture / lung cells to express desired versions of ACE2.
Well for the price conscious mad scientist who doesn't crave the cache of luxury that made in Paris exudes there is this $199 isolate with the all-important made in the USA characteristic. Of course, this was taken from a patient who didn't actually have any symptoms so your mileage may vary.
“The isolate was obtained from an upper respiratory tract specimen (oropharyngeal swab) from a 62-year-old woman who was part of a small local cluster of COVID-19 cases, originating from a household contact who likely acquired the virus while traveling in Italy. The patient herself did not show any signs or symptoms at the time the sample was taken (3). The swab sample (ESwab; Copan, Italy) tested SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive at the Institute for Microbiology, Virology, and Hygiene at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), as described previously (4).
4. Pfefferle S, Reucher S, Nörz D, Lütgehetmann M. 2020. Evaluation of a quantitative RT-PCR assay for the detection of the emerging coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 using a high throughput system. Eurosurveillance 25:2000152. doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.9.2000152. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]”
Maybe the following is of some interest to you:
https://harvard2thebighouse.substack.com/p/the-last-interview-the-sirotkins
I find it quite stimulating. I think the elevator pitch premise - there is a "real" SARS-CoV-2 that is going to reassemble itself at any moment, aka deattenuation, or, it already happened, hard to tell which one is supposed to be the point - isn't very illuminating. But the model that viruses need to build up a bit (multiple exposures) before becoming infectious, that they are a swarm of genes, that's all brilliant.
You know what's really funny? There are still people contending that, "This virus has never been isolated!" (Many of them claiming it doesn't exist at all). Yet here you can order a vial of it. Sheesh!
Sample verified by Drosten PCR I'm sure. I'm building a rocket in . . .
It's tantamount to flat-eartherism. Total epistemic insulation. I respect the act reacting to an essentially rigged game by "flipping the board" - why not, we've all got lives to live - but it's a bit farcical to try to sit back in on the game afterward and yell "fake!"
Yeah, well, the next time I see someone who says, "The virus has never been isolated!" I'll show 'em that link. And the next time I see someone who says, "COVID isn't caused by a virus", I'll offer to buy 'em a vial of that isolate and ask if they're willing to snort the contents.
So thank you for finding and posting that link!
In case I am being read by any flat-earthers: This really was not a back-handed complement. The world of science is infested with sketchy fantasies that take an insane amount of time to sort out; it's just as well not to try.
Wait, what? So, not a compliment, or yes a compliment just not a back-handed one? Or just an entirely fore-handed non-compliment?
Actually, I don't really care what you meant there... but I would like a pinch of clarification on that last statement. It sure reads like you're casually dissuading the unwashed masses from attempting to engage in DIY critical thinking. I suppose we should just place our faith in alt-experts like your esteemed self? Gosh, that sounds so much easier. But, how am I supposed to find the good and true counter-narratives, just groping around in my blind ignorance?
Or did I just find myself on the wrong side of Poe's law again? Dammit! Nevermore!
I’m neither dissuading nor suading, and as the ambiguity of my comment implies, the last thing I want to do is presume authority.
Modern American ignorance is an allergic reaction to the media/expert class’s routine declarations and displays of god-like power over man and the universe. I have come to respect it.
That said, when “virus truthers” (host theory absolutists) reply to my comments directly I am rather curt.
The only attitude I find more irritating than cocky self-proclaimed expertise is smug self-assured relativist absolutism, wherein all claims are eternally suspended in some foggy truthiness-neutralizing limbo where they never interact in any meaningful way. So I appreciate that you'd draw a line somewhere, for yourself at least.
I texted a friend this article yesterday mentioning the bypass of Ace2. Isn't there also a reference to using a different backbone? Thats the one that worries me . . . conjures the memory of Bill Gates' beaming smile while saying "Wait until you see Pandemic #2".
Have only skimmed it, but seems to have been passage of SARS-CoV-2QLD02, another "wild type" (pre-D614G) isolate. The lentivirus vector is mentioned for editing culture / lung cells to express desired versions of ACE2.
Kids! Be the first on your block to do GoF experiments just like the professionals! On sale for $2299.99 until Christmas!
Well for the price conscious mad scientist who doesn't crave the cache of luxury that made in Paris exudes there is this $199 isolate with the all-important made in the USA characteristic. Of course, this was taken from a patient who didn't actually have any symptoms so your mileage may vary.
https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/sars-cov-2-isolate-usa-wa1-2020-culture-fluid-heat-inactivated-2/22158364
“The isolate was obtained from an upper respiratory tract specimen (oropharyngeal swab) from a 62-year-old woman who was part of a small local cluster of COVID-19 cases, originating from a household contact who likely acquired the virus while traveling in Italy. The patient herself did not show any signs or symptoms at the time the sample was taken (3). The swab sample (ESwab; Copan, Italy) tested SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive at the Institute for Microbiology, Virology, and Hygiene at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), as described previously (4).
4. Pfefferle S, Reucher S, Nörz D, Lütgehetmann M. 2020. Evaluation of a quantitative RT-PCR assay for the detection of the emerging coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 using a high throughput system. Eurosurveillance 25:2000152. doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.9.2000152. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]”
You can make fun of the price, but the customer service is incredible.