COVIDiocy Propaganda: How to see through anti-vaxxer attempts to mislead you

Recently someone posted this graph, claiming Ivermectin has stopped the spread of COVID in Japan, so much so they stopped using vaccines altogether. 

COVID-19 in Tokyo - Japan 
Sharp drop after ivermectin recommendation? Really? 

Note that this is a multi-layered lie, and we have to take it apart layer by layer. 

First, is this graph real? 

Answer: Yes, the data seems to be real, and seems to match the official Tokyo Metropolitan Government website's COVID page. 

Did "Tokyo Medical Association" recommend use of Ivermectin? 

Answer: Yes, its chairman Haruo Ozaki did conduct a press conference lobbying for the official Japanese government guidance to include Ivermectin. However, they do NOT represent the Japanese government or even the Tokyo Metropolitan government. They are merely one of the lobbying groups, and a sub-group within the Japan Medical Association, also a lobbying group.

What does the Japanese government say about Ivermectin? 

The official guidance from the Japanese Ministry of Health on Ivermectin, according to AFP, states that "compared to standard treatment and placebo, ivermectin did not reduce deaths, shorten the hospitalization period and improve time of virus disappearance."

The health minister stated in August that they need to see proven effect before any update to the guidance will be issued. 

What about claims that Japan had stopped rollout of COVID vaccine? 

False. Japan continues to use three types of COVID vaccines. 68 percent of Japanese population has had two doses. 

So what caused the drop? 

Tokyo and major cities declared a state of emergency, targeting alcohol sales and crowd sizes at large events. People are voluntarily masking up and businesses adopted anti-infection methods. The emergency measures were not lifted until October 2021. 

It is the lockdown, masking, and vaccination, that caused the drop of COVID cases. 

Who started the lie?

The lie appears to have originated from a conspiracy theorist-oriented "Hal Turner Radio Show" website, which had been fact-checked before by AFP for spreading misinformation. Turner had previously claimed that 50K Chinese soldiers had invaded Maine from Canada in December 2020 and were killed, but US covered it up as an earthquake. Yes, it's as stupidly crazy as it sounds. 

Turner was previously convicted of threatening to assault three federal appeals court judges in 2010 and was banned from radio for 3 years. 

So it was just a big coincidence? 

As they say on CSI, "correlation is not causation". Japan never adopted Ivermectin as treatment, so it can't be the cause of lower COVID cases. And TALKING about ivermectin has no therapeutic effect. 

So there you go. Don't fall for COVIDiot propaganda. 

Who Goes to Sushi Restaurant to NOT Eat Rice?

Image via WikipediaA self-proclaimed diabetic that's lawsuit-happy, that's who.

A man paid for "all-you-can-eat sushi buffet" at a restaurant in the Greater LA. He grabbed a plate of sushi, but instead of eating them, he picked off just the fish, at those, and tossed the rice. When he head back for seconds, he was refused. When asked why did he tossed the rice, he claimed he was diabetic. The chef offered to let him have 2 orders of sashimi (which comes out to be LESS than the buffet), the guy refused, paid, and left

Two weeks later he came back with a lawsuit. He wants $4000 for humiliation.

His lawyer claims that the restaurant is not "diabetic friendly".

The owner says the guy is abusing the "all you can eat" policy, because the restaurant is offering "all you can eat SUSHI", not all you can eat sashimi.

I am with the owner, and I am diabetic.

Who the **** goes to SUSHI restaurant for DIABETIC FRIENDLY cuisine anyway?

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20110218,0,1228883.column

Shark Fin Ban is Much Ado About Nothing (and may even be racist)

Image via WikipediaJust today, there's news that a couple state reps want to ban "shark fins" in California. Assemblyman Paul Fong claim that 70 million sharks are slaughtered per year, mostly for their fins.

Well, marine biologist says that figure is bull****. That's the highest end figure available. A truer figure is about 38 million. It could be as low as 26 million. This was again, cited by National Geographic, who's not going to publish the "100 million" or even "70 million" figure.

Furthermore, Japan and China are the primary importers of shark fins. According to an importer, 95% of stock is going to China and Japan. China, with its growing economy (just passed Japan for #2 economy in the world) is the biggest importer of shark fins.

Thus, banning shark fin imports or sale in California will NOT significantly affect shark finning at all.

In fact, most of the sharks harvested are done in poor third-world countries like Ecuador, Indonesia, and so on. Though Japan has its own port full of shark finning. Except in this case, the carcasses are NOT tossed back into the ocean for the ultimate recycling. And according to Japanese government stats, their shark catch have HALVED since the 1960's (to about 35000 tons per year, and that's the whole sharks, not just the fins).

In fact, a 2010 film, called "The Shark Con", asks whether the "plight of sharks" and "shark finning" have been drummed up by so-called ecologists as a bit of fear-mongering.

Furthermore, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore are also consumers of shark fin. Yet it seems only Chinese are targeted.

Frankly, this is a purely symbolic gesture. It won't do anything significant to reduce the consumption of shark fins.

Related articles

• Sen. Leland Yee Opposes Shark Fin Ban Bill (sfist.com)
• California Proposes Ban on Sale of Shark Fins (treehugger.com)
• California legislation would ban sale of shark fin (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• California legislation would ban sale of shark fin (sfgate.com)
• Leland Yee Opposes Proposed Ban on Shark Fin Soup (blogs.sfweekly.com)