A Russian IFR student told me that his parents back in Moscow are participating in a Phase 3 trial of a COVID-19 vaccine. I responded that I was informed by the U.S. media that this vaccine development had been rushed, that it was likely extremely dangerous, and that Americans would expect the Russians to be testing this on condemned criminals. How did his parents end up as guinea pigs?
“My dad is the CEO of a big industrial company,” he responded. “And found out that all of the top politicians were getting it. So he managed to get himself and my mom into the trial.”
How about masks? “My parents complain that nobody is wearing them. They’re compulsory in the metro, though, and also disposable gloves. But the gloves are provided.”
(Separately, we did an IFR training trip to Washington, D.C. He and his (Russian) wife walked around the White House and Mall, their first time in the Nation’s Capital. What did they think? “I was amazed at how many police with military weapons there are,” he responded. “Even the Kremlin is not that intensively guarded.” I wonder if the $64 million White House fence is done!)
From a 2017 trip to Moscow:
The militarization of the police in the US post 9/11 is a serious issue that has promoted lots of serious police misconduct often with no repercussions for the police. For those of a legal bent check out the weekly short circuit newsletter which for free you can receive from The Institute for Justice at shortcircuit@ij.org. The weekly newsletter often has lots of stories of militarized police destroying people’s homes and maiming and killing them, often in error because the police went to the wrong home or whatever. This happens all across the country. The newsletter links to the court decisions, and the facts are usually astounding.
In a way this is old news: I read about the Russian vaccine trials and the participation of their industrial/economic and political elites as early as April and reported in July by Bloomberg Quint:
https://www.bloombergquint.com/politics/russian-elite-got-experimental-covid-19-vaccine-from-april
The Russians don’t mess around: their objective is to get everything on their side of the pond squared away as quickly as possible while we disintegrate right in front of their eyes. It’s going to work, too.
Here in America we’re relying on astrology for the timeline on when we’ll have any vaccine available. It’s about as good as the rest of the Science we’re doing, so why the hell not?
“The company’s president says it’s now on track to apply to the US Food and Drug Administration for authorization to put the vaccine on the market in early December “if all the stars align.”
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/22/health/moderna-covid-19-vaccine-trial-30000-participants/index.html
Phillip, there is a Russian joke for you:
Teacher at school asks children who they want to be:
“Masha, who do you want to be?”
“I want to be relief worker and help people in Africa!”
“Very well, Masha. Vasya, who do you want to be?”
“I want to study well and become a doctor and heal people!”
“Very well, Vasya. Petya, who to you want to be?”
“I want to become a man who can support his wife, get her to tropical vacations, live in the penthouse, buy her latest Ferrari and get her into COVID vaccine testing!”
“OK. What about you Vova?”
“Well, I wanted to be a cosmonaut, but now I want to be Petya’s wife!”
Anyway, I know regular people who are not children of CEOs and who applied and got into vaccine trials in Russia. It’s interesting that apparatchiks decided to vaccinate by untested vaccine, but Russia elite is really unscientific and superstitious, so most likely some of them got, bragged about it, and now everyone has to have it.
Not that different from the real life story of the Harvard undergrad we knew who said “I used to want to be an investment banker, but then I realized that I could just marry an investment banker.” (see also https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2013/04/08/women-elite-education-work-less/ )
Yes, you will easily reach the wrong conclusion about this without some knowledge of Russian culture.
Untested, almost certainly useless stem cell anti-aging treatments have been popular at Moscow clinics for years. Putin reportedly got some of these injections.
Do not take this vaccine enthusiasm as a signal of likely efficacy.
It’s great for propaganda value, especially here in the United States as we shuffle toward Armageddon. Let’s see if you’re correct.
Trump did a good job but Biden’s COVID wins the debate. #Science!
Biden is also definitely in cognitive decline. It’s extremely evident. But that doesn’t matter. He doesn’t have to think about anything anymore.
Moderator stopped Trump almost all the time. Biden got those good long looks at the camera. It’s almost like someone planned it! Then the news coverage!
Well, folks, that’s it. Biden’s tough days to come will just have him substitute Bernie Sanders.
St. Basil’s was much smaller than I expected.