By Frank Vernuccio
Shortly before the end of
the Trump Administration,
The U.S. State Department
provided information about
the deadly COVID-19’s origins
in China. The Biden Administration
has removed this
data, for reasons undisclosed
and highly questionable, particularly
in light of the Biden
family’s fi nancial relationship
with Beijing.
The World Health Organization
added to the problem.
Heavily infl uenced by China,
it completely failed to provide
or disclose urgently needed
information.
The now-deleted State Department
report found that
for more than a year, the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP)
systematically prevented a
transparent and thorough investigation
of the COVID-19
pandemic’s origin, choosing
instead to devote enormous
resources to deceit and disinformation.
It notes that “The
CCP’s deadly obsession with
secrecy and control comes at
the expense of public health in
China and around the world.”
There are several key
points that require intensive
review.
First, the illnesses that occurred
within the Wuhan Institute
of Virology (WIV.) Several
researchers inside that
By George Havranek
The Vaudeville Era was a
time whenswift audience reactions
let performers instantaneously
know success or failure.
The phrase- “Save the applause,
throw money” is attributed to
the vaudevillian dynamic ofi mmediatecritique.
From 1978-
1989the catch phrase “How am I
doing” becamethe brand of the
late, charismatic,three term
NYC Mayor Ed Koch.
New York City is faced with
a severe economic quandary;
however, evidence suggests
Covid-19, is related, not causal
to this overwhelming predicament.
Reliable news sources,
including NBC revealedNYC’s
fi rst case of Covid-19 was offi -
cially confi rmed on March 1,
2020. One year prior to the pandemic,
March 2019, Milton Ezrad
chief economist at Vested
stated, “ The city is running a
defi cit…already in a fi nancial
spot but would be in a diffi cult
fi nancial situation with any
kind of setback.” In addition,
respected economist, Paul C.
Earle from the American Institute
for Economic Research remarked,
“NYC could go bankrupt,
absolutely.” In an April
institution became sick in
2019 with COVID-like symptoms.
Despite this, WIV senior
researcher Shi Zhengli
alleged that there was “zero
infections” on his staff. Accidental
infections in labs have
caused several previous virus
outbreaks in China and
elsewhere, including the 2004
SARS outbreak in Beijing that
infected nine people, killing
one.
Second, Beijing has prevented
independent journalists,
investigators, and global
health authorities from interviewing
researchers at
the WIV, including those who
were ill in the fall of 2019.
Third, starting in at least
2016 – and with no indication
of a stop prior to the COVID-19
outbreak – WIV researchers
conducted experiments involving
RaTG13, the bat coronavirus
identifi ed by the WIV
in January 2020 as its closest
sample to SARS-CoV-2 (96.2%
similar). The WIV became a
focal point for international
coronavirus research after
the 2003 SARS outbreak and
has since studied animals including
mice, bats, and pangolins.
The WIV has a published
record of conducting “gainof
function” research to engineer
chimeric viruses. But the
WIV has not been transparent
2020 brief,New York City Independent
Budget Offi ce, a bipartisan
fi scal watchdog, projected
NYC to lose a staggering
400 million dollars in real-property
tax revenue in fi scal years
2021 and 2022. Property tax is a
staple component of New York
City’s revenue stream. The Citizens
Budget Committee estimates
property taxes account
for nearly 45% of all City tax
revenues. Pandemic related closures
and restrictions dramatically
reduced NYC revenues
from income tax, sales tax, and
other sources.
Property owners, especially
those in low-density communities,
face a strong possibility
of future tax hikes. In 2018
City Hall promoted the implementation
of revenue neutrality
property tax. This ideology
stipulated any property
tax decreases must be offset
or consistent about its record
of studying viruses most similar
by increases.However, this is
a one-sided system that lacks
reciprocity. If enacted, neutrality
property tax increases
ARE NOT mandated to be offset
by decreases. The potential
for “Pandemic Related” across
the board residential property
increases in low-density communities
isa harsh reality. It
is reasonable to surmise that
our city willbe confronted with
tough conversations and diffi -
cult choices.In Koch like fashion
City Hall can inquire- how
am I doing; however, like the
poor vaudeville acts, do not anticipate
widespread applause
or throws of money from NYC
property owners.
Community Footnotes:
From our stellar Community
Board 10: FDNY/ Red
Cross partnership through a
grant from Homeland Security
provides free smoke-carbon
monoxide detectorinstallation
to NYC residents. A mere
two minutes can be the difference
in successfully escaping
a house fi re. Please call 877-733-
2767 for registration / more information
about this important
community service.
Applause for ourDepartment
of Sanitation: Despite cutbacks
in budget and personnel New
Yorks Strongest has admirably
serviced our footprint during
these periods of heavy snowfall
and harsh winter weather.
Tax season means an increase
in Social Security and
I.R.S. scams. Never release
your Social Security number or
other sensitive information on
the telephone or Internet. Neither
the Social Security administration
nor the Internal Revenue
Service uses these tools to
gather personal information.
Unemployment Insurance,
Stimulus Payments, Recovery
Rebate Credit etc.… has
brought complexity to tax preparation.
The altruistic John
Cerini aka “Bronx Taxman”
will sort it out. Call 718-829-1040
for safe, secure, and dependable
tax services.
Area senior citizens and disabled
individuals, incapable
of performing mandated snow
removal duties please register
for Councilman Mark Gjonaj
“Snow Removal Program”.
Please call 718-931-1721 for registrationor
to discuss any community
concerns. Councilman
Gjonaj is working hard to make
CIVIC CENTER
American Legion
Korony Post 253
our community cleaner, safer
and better.
Video evidence on social
media shows nefarious individuals
lurking around parked
vehicles and encroaching on
private property during the
overnight hours. Do not become
a victim. Please lock car doors,
remove all valuables upon exiting
your vehicle and report all
incidents.
Our community has traditionally
exhibited a “We are
Family attitude” Now, is the
time to let it shine through any
fog of uncertainty. Communicate;
make that phone call,
text message, or e-mail. Please
check on family, friends, and
neighbors especially the elderly
and vulnerable. This virus is
indiscriminate, follow protocols,
always implement cautious
contact, cleanliness, and
commonsense. Any area homeowner
or renter interested in
membership to the all inclusive
Spencer Estate Civic Association
in box George Havranek
on Facebook or send-email to
spencerestatecivic@gmail.com
Community=Common-Unity
and Inclusion brings Solutions.”
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, F 40 EB. 19-25, 2021 BTR
to the COVID-19 virus, including
“RaTG13,” which it
sampled from a cave in Yunnan
Province in 2013 after several
miners died of SARS-like
illness.
These and other unanswered
questions must be reviewed.
Why were WHO investigators
denied access to the records
of the WIV’s work on bat
and other coronaviruses before
the COVID-19 outbreak?
As part of a thorough inquiry,
they should have had a full accounting
of why the WIV altered
and then removed online
records of its work with
RaTG13 and other viruses.
What was the nature of China’s
military at the WIV, and
throughout the pandemic?
One year ago, I interviewed
a doctor who had left Wuhan.
She told me that the presence
of the military in the aftermath
of the outbreak was
signifi cant. As the Biden-deleted
State Department report
notes, Secrecy and non-disclosure
are standard practice
for Beijing. “For many years
the United States has publicly
raised concerns about China’s
past biological weapons work,
which Beijing has neither documented
nor demonstrably
eliminated, despite its clear
obligations under the Biological
Weapons Convention…Despite
the WIV presenting itself
as a civilian institution it has
collaborated on publications
and secret projects with China’s
military. The WIV has engaged
in classifi ed research,
including laboratory animal
experiments, on behalf of the
Chinese military since at least
2017.”
The Federation of American
Scientists has revealed
that China has the infrastructure
to develop biological
weapons.
It also has the diplomatic
and fi nancial clout to avoid
public discussion of that reality.
It is extraordinary that
there has been, within the
United States, little published
expressions of anger at the unprecedented
damage done by
the Chinese Communist Party
leadership.
Editor’s note: Published letters
refl ect only on that of the
author and not of the Bronx
Times Reporter.
CIVIC CENTER
Community Action
Civic Association
by Tony Salimbene
The next 3rd Sunday, February,
regular post meeting, will
be remote on Zoom like last time.
The commander or adjutant will
send the number and passcode.
Looking forward to in-person
meeting again in March? I hope
so, we miss our long time meeting
location and all of you.
The TN Business Improvement
District (BID) will be hosting
a COVID testing van at De-
Rosa-O’Boyle Memorial by PS
72. Days and times will be announced.
Assistance may be
available for making vaccine appointments
too.
Councilmember Gjonaj’s food
opportunity continues at the
Greek Church, Bruckner Blvd.,
Pelham Bay. Again, don’t be shy!
And don’t forget VA Veggies for
Vets (yes, I made that name up) at
J.J. Peters, Kingsbridge VA Hospital.
Always call to make sure
the project is still on 718.584.9000.
Vaccines help but are not a magic
cure, you need to stay healthy
by getting healthy food items (I
should talk).
Until Next Time: Aspire to Inspire
before you Expire.
CIVIC CENTER
Spencer Estates Civic
Association
link
link
