The Tradicat Fact Checking Method

JMJ

I've had some interesting in-person conversations lately regarding my perspective on:

COVID-19:

Yes, I believe it is a pandemic and ...
I am researching whether or not it is on the same order of magnitude as the 1918 pandemic.

Morality of getting immunized

Yes, it is moral with the appropriate conditions
No, I don't care what ++Vigano and + Schneider say on the matter. I've done the research and they're wrong.

Safety of the vaccines

NO, I don't believe that I will die in 15 to 21 months because of the vaccine.

Efficacy of the vaccines

Yes, I believe they evoke an immune response.
For the record the Moderna response was found to be greater than that of the Pfizer.

What no one has asked is how I arrived at these perspectives.

Tradiate mentioned that I should, for your benefit, outline how I approach these topics.

Experience: I am familiar with the scientific process and environment.

I have the benefit of decades of experience working in a science environment on medical devices with scientists, engineers, software developers, technologists and trades people.
I have published my own research and also been author on other scientific papers.
I am familiar with how scientific papers are structured and presented. I've read hundreds of scientific papers in my career - dry reading but very necessary to try to build an understanding on a topic.

Study: I am curious about many things, so I read and study things that interest me.

Regular readers of this blog know that I will do deep dives into topics that interest me to gain an understanding. In many cases I present my findings here on this blog.
Right now I am very curious about comparing the 1918 Pandemic (Spanish Influenza) with the 2019 SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.
I will read the source material in order to draw my own conclusions.
I have read a number of scientific documents on masks, vaccines, pandemics and pandemic responses.

Media: In general I avoid all talking heads on YouTube etc because after numerous checks I have found them to be promoting their own FUD invoking narrative. This has created a new classification: Fud-Muckers.

When a friend asks me to investigate or I come across an interesting article / video, my first step is to download the article or transcript of the video.

Time is too precious to waste on listening to someone with hair like Michael Voris drone on about how bad it is etc.
By downloading the text / transcript I can scan it for the important elements - such as their actual 'assertions' and any supporting information. These videos have a lot of hand waving and wringing so I go for the written word.

I cross check the person speaking / author of the "Media Article" to see if they "should" know what they are talking about.

The internet is a breeding ground for snake-oil salesmen / women and the SARS-CoV-2 has created an exponential explosion.
If the person doesn't have applicable credentials then I look for reputable information sources cited by the persons. If these are absent, they get an automatic fail because I have no confidence that they know what they are talking or writing about.

I look for any and all original articles that are referenced in the video or written article.

Are the sources from reputable journals or organizations?
I read the paper to see if I can understand the basic science and approach.
What are the conclusions of the study?

I compare the "Media Article" with the conclusions of the original

Are the conclusions made in the original article or by the video personality consistent with those of the study?
If not, then in most cases the article is just added to recycle bin and I move on. In some cases, I will save it for the basis of an article (one is in the hopper now).
If yes, well then I have to adjust my assessment ... but [spoiler alert] ... in the cases that I have fact checked - not one has passed the test.

Fact-checking articles typically take about three hours of research and at least one hour to write up my findings. Most of my articles on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic take at least one to two hours and many could use more editing.

So, as you can see, this process takes time and time is a scarce commodity.

Once I have satisfied myself on a topic I don't keep searching, unless new verifiable information is brought forward in one of my scans.

So there you have it, I hope this helps people to understand that my conclusions are based on a reasoned process following Catholic principles. To change my mind, I need facts and references to original research, not hand wringing or waving.

Nota Bene: Not all comments are of the hand wringing / waving nature.

P^3

Facts and Opinions - An Explanation

+ JMJ When a person's assumptions are events outside of their control they form an opinion and, in my experience, assert this opinion to be fact. So ... it is important to define some terms:

The Curious Case of Steve Skojec and the Dangers of Deep Diving into the Crisis Sub-Titled: The Failings of Others

+ JMJ It's been a while now since Steve Skojec sold 1P5 and abandoned the Catholic Faith. I've been a 'Trad' since 1982 and in those 40+ years I seen this death-spiral before with a similar end point. It seems that anyone who jumps into the fray unprepared for the enormous task of righting wrongs will, eventually, become discouraged by not the task but the people who surround them. I remember when Skojec complained of the treatment his family received from a traditional priest. This seems to have been the start of the end for him. So what can we learn from the likes of Steve Skojec, Michael Voris (maybe?), Louie Verrecchio, Gerry Matatix and other celebrity Catholics? Probably quite a lot about what not to do. First, don't burn out on the crisis? When you burn out, on work or anything else, little things assume a more greater importance than they are due. This is one of my 'canary in the coal mine' signals that I've been stretching myself too thin

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

Comparision of the Tridentine, Cranmer and Novus Ordo Masses

+ JMJ I downloaded the comparison that was linked in the previous article on the mass (here) . ... a very good reference! P^3 From: Whispers of Restoration (available at this link) . CHARTING LITURGICAL CHANGE Comparing the 1962 Ordinary of the Roman Mass to changes made during the Anglican Schism; Compared in turn to changes adopted in the creation of Pope Paul VI’s Mass in 1969 The chart on the reverse is a concise comparison of certain ritual differences between three historical rites for the celebration of the Catholic Mass Vetus Ordo: “Old Order,” the Roman Rite of Mass as contained in the 1962 Missal, often referred to as the “Traditional Latin Mass.”The Ordinary of this Mass is that of Pope St. Pius V (1570) following the Council of Trent (1545-63), hence the occasional moniker “Tridentine Mass.” However, Trent only consolidated and codified the Roman Rite already in use at that time; its essential form dates to Pope St. Gregory the Great (+604), in whose time the R

What the heck is a congregation of "Pontifical Right"

+ JMJ In a discussion with a friend the question occurred to me that I didn't actually know was is involved in being a religious order of 'pontifical right'. I had a vague notion that this meant they reported to Rome as opposed to the local diocese. I'm also aware that, according to the accounts I have heard, the Archbishop received 'praise' and the written direction to incardinate priests directly into the SSPX. This is interesting because it implies that the SSPX priests were no longer required to incardinate in the local diocese but in the SSPX. This is something that belongs to an order of 'pontifical right'. Anyway here's some definitions: Di diritto pontificio is the Italian term for “of pontifical right” . It is given to the ecclesiastical institutions (the religious and secular institutes, societies of apostolic life) either created by the Holy See or approved by it with the formal decree, known by its Latin name, Decretu

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