vxbush 2/27/2023 5:53:53 AM

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Today's weird news story: Energy Department determines COVID arose from lab leak

But...Why on earth is the ENERGY department making this news? Why isn't it, oh, the CDC, the DOD, NIH, etc? Of all the weird assignments, sending the Energy department to determine this is crazy. Except, actually, it's not: 

The Energy Department’s conclusion is the result of new intelligence and is significant because the agency has considerable scientific expertise and oversees a network of U.S. national laboratories, some of which conduct advanced biological research.

Oh. Okay....then why is the first time I have heard them say word boo about COVID, if they have all this experience? And why on earth is ENERGY running biological labs? 

Everyone seems to be focusing on the fact that the Energy department finally agrees with the right-wingers, and isn't focusing on how weird it is that Energy is talking about this at all--or why Energy has bio labs. (I can understand them attempting to generate energy from biological forces, but I don't assume that means they have expertise on viruses, epidemiology, etc. Of course, the experts have handled this all horribly, so expertise may now mean the opposite of what it should.)

doppelganglander 2/27/2023 6:46:27 AM

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In #1 vxbush said: Why on earth is the ENERGY department making this news?

That's a darn good question. I suspect a lot of shenanigans are hidden in departments that have nothing to do with the department's stated purpose. 

Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 7:04:08 AM

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In #1 vxbush said: And why on earth is ENERGY running biological labs? 

See, also: Why on earth the Department of Education (or pick one) needs AR-15s and gazillions of rounds of ammo. 

JCM 2/27/2023 7:31:14 AM

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It was absolutely irrefutable evidence that COVID was manipulated when they sequenced in 2022 and found restriction enzymes.

Restriction Enzymnes are use to cut, and patch genetic sequences when doing genetic experiments. These enzymes are based on enzymes in nature but to make them easier to use have added non-sense sequences. This extra parts do not appear in nature.

This may be why DoE has the report.

Biological and Environmental Research

JCM 2/27/2023 7:31:59 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 3:

Parents are getting uppity in school board meetings. They might need to be put down.

vxbush 2/27/2023 8:47:51 AM

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In #4 JCM said: This may be why DoE has the report. Biological and Environmental Research

Key sentences from that link: 

The Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program supports scientific research and facilities to achieve a predictive understanding of complex biological, earth, and environmental systems with the aim of advancing the nation’s energy and infrastructure security. The program seeks to discover the underlying biology of plants and microbes as they respond to and modify their environments. This knowledge enables the reengineering of microbes and plants for energy and other applications. 

So, government groups involved in microbial issues: 

• FDA, parent of
• CDC, parent of
• NIAID
• DOD (biological warfare)
• Energy (reasons stated above)

I'm sure I've missed more. I could see a case being made for the Dept of Ag being involved. Department of Ed is because of all the not-usually-at-risk kiddies being in small spaces together.

How many government organizations have "and other applications" in their guiding statements? I'm not sure I want to know. 

Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 9:13:03 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 6:

Leviathan knows all, and is involved in all, peasant. 

JCM 2/27/2023 9:56:39 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 6:

Let's take even a bigger step back.

How many current agencies all under the enumerated powers?

Let's take an easy one. Park Service. I love the nation parks. But they are not enumerated.

The right way is a amendment. An amendment is a slam dunk no brainer.

EPA.... sure but drastically limits it's power. Makes sense to have Federal Agency to make sure MN doesn't pollute the Mississippi.

Dept. of ED..... hell no.

Dept. of Energy, okay but very limited to make sure one state doesn't cut of power to another, and a cooperative grid.

Stuff like that.

Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 10:41:51 AM

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Reply to JCM in 8:

all of these things are already contemplated under the Good n’ Plenty Clause.

JCM 2/27/2023 11:15:27 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 9:

No doubt.....

So many ills came out of Wickard v. Filburn.

I would really like someone to take a run at the "precedent".

Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 11:57:48 AM

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Last night I re-watched Beverly Hills Cop; what a fun, thoroughly enjoyable movie.

In one scene, Axel Foley is bluffing his way in as a guest at the Beverly Hills Hotel; the manager offers him a suite at the single-room rate. "And how much is that?" Foley asks. "$235" is the reply. Foley is then obviously trying to hide his shock at the high price.

Now, adjusted for inflation, that's $689.94 today. I just looked at the Beverly Hills Hotel website; their lowest room rate is almost twice that.

What is the Biden Administration doing about this?! We know they're valiantly fighting the hidden resort fee menace; but what about the scourge of Beverly Hills Hotelflation?

lucius septimius 2/27/2023 12:01:27 PM

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Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 12:06:35 PM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 12:

Did you by any chance bluff your way into a suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel?  If so, were you packing a Browning Hi-Power, and did you send out a room service evening snack to the cops who were staking you out? 

lucius septimius 2/27/2023 12:13:18 PM

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In #13 Occasional Reader said: If so, were you packing a Browning Hi-Power, and did you send out a room service evening snack to the cops who were staking you out? 

But of course!

lucius septimius 2/27/2023 12:15:27 PM

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Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 12:17:44 PM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 14:

And did you put a banana into anyone's tailpipe?

Wait... let me rephrase that... 

Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 12:19:16 PM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 15:

Heh.

I recall Andrew Sullivan, before his lost his mind (since, partially regained, maybe), noting that Frodo is deadweight in LOTR, and the real hero is Sam. 

vxbush 2/27/2023 12:54:39 PM

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In #17 Occasional Reader said: I recall Andrew Sullivan, before his lost his mind (since, partially regained, maybe), noting that Frodo is deadweight in LOTR, and the real hero is Sam. 

That has been noted for many, MANY decades. 

Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 12:57:27 PM

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If you have an iPhone, know that Apple added a "feature" that deliberately makes your phone's performance worse... in the name of corporate virtue-signaling.  

Fortunately, you can turn it off.  

Kosh's Shadow 2/27/2023 4:55:28 PM

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As for why the DEO would have biological research:

Government labs are generally under one department, but are run by academic institutions, so there is a wide variety of expertise available. Thus, a DOE run lab (such as, I believe, Los Alamos and Sandia) would be associated with academic institutions which have various subject experts who all want part of the funding. 

Now, where I work is funded mostly by DoD, but also by DHS. There is bio work there under both DoD and DHS, although that is quite understandable (like how would a bioweapon spread)

As for COVID, the closest virus is 96% genetically similar - about the same as humans and chimps. But viruses evolve faster, so that only is 40-70 years of viral evolution. So how could it jump to be quite infective to people but not bats, without having infected people (and thus be detected) unless that was done in a lab? Viruses are subject to survival of the fittest, and don't get good at some trait (like infecting people) unless there is a survival advantage. Like gain of function research.

Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 6:27:09 PM

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Kosh's Shadow 2/27/2023 7:23:39 PM

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In #21 Occasional Reader said: Kwisatz Haderach.

In the parody, Doon, it was the Kumkwat Haagendaaz,

The parody was about the dessert planet, Doon, whose vast sugars were the only know source of the giant pretzels and the mysterious mind altering substance known as "beer".

Kosh's Shadow 2/27/2023 7:41:05 PM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 21:

Humans cannot pronounce or understand my Vorlon and Shadow pronouns

Occasional Reader 2/27/2023 7:58:41 PM

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Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 23:

“Shadow” sounds rayciss