We’ll be keeping track of what we determine to be the most relevant updates on the coronavirus situation. New items will go at the top. If you have something to report — news, science news, or a check-in from your local area — please send to editors@planetwaves.net. Stay in touch and help us out by sharing this resource with others. This blog is published by Chiron Return, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, which is an affiliate of the Pacifica Radio Network.
The Year in Review Printable PDF
What Our Investigative Team Learned Covering Covid for 300 Days
You may return to the current page here.
Health ‘freedom’ movement sells out cheap to RFK Jr., the alleged alien ‘threat’ is all about power | added April 29
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Dear Friend and Reader:
[April 28, 2023] Note, the podcast above is the new STARCAST, covering the Scorpio Full Moon eclipse one week from today. Chart is below, at the bottom.Two housekeeping notes. First, I’ve solved the issue of the newly revived Planet Waves FM – Pacifica Radio Mixlr stream stalling out. It should now be there when you look for it. I am planning to do special programs for this stream, as well as live programs; mostly it will host classic shows as well.
Second, for Planet Waves (astrology) subscribers, we have released the May monthly horoscope a day late, a dollar extra, after quite a week. For my paying Substack subscribers, I will prepare that post and have it to you Saturday. Today, I’m prepping tonight’s program.
Planet Waves FM usually posts on its home page by well before 10 pm Eastern Time each Friday night.
The mystery ‘virus’ by Mike Stone | added April 29
Read more at Antiviral Substack
One of the beauties of the germ theory of disease is that there are many escape clauses that have been built into the theory that allow for the lie to persist in the face of contradictory evidence. For example, if the researchers find the “virus” or bacteria within a host without disease, the person must be an asymptomatic carrier.
If they are unable to find the specific “virus” or bacteria in someone with the symptoms of disease associated with it, that person must have one of the many other “viruses” or bacteria that cause the exact same symptoms. If the researchers attempt to infect someone with the “virus” but no illness occurs, then the person must have been exposed at some earlier time and built up antibodies and immunity.
If the same “viral” particles are found in electron microspe images of fluids and tissues where they shouldn’t be, then they are not the “virus” but must be some other “virus-like” particles or normal cellular constituents. All of these examples allow for the “viral” hypothesis to exist in face of contradictory evidence that should falsify the hypothesis.
CDC plans to end tracking community ‘covid’ cases despite new variant ‘arcturus’ | added April 29
Editor’s Note: It all goes back to the PCR testing and the ‘covid’ investigation team has covered this exclusively. When the testing disappears, so does ‘covid’. — mmd
Read more at WGAL
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the program providing information on how to track COVID-19 cases will soon come to an end. The CDC is expected to move away from tracking community-level transmission.
According to a CDC spokesperson, it’s tied to the end of the public health emergency, which will change the way we receive COVID-19 data. Dr. John Goldman with UPMC says this shouldn’t be a problem. “So, if you look at the volume of PCR testing that’s occurred in the country, it’s gone down in the last several months. Some of that is because we don’t have as much COVID,” Goldman said.
The other part of it is more people are taking at-home COVID-19 tests. And often, the results of those tests aren’t reported to the CDC. “So, we’ve known for a long time that the number of cases are almost certainly well underreported,” Goldman said. Goldman said the most accurate data comes from deaths and hospitalizations. Over the last few months, both have steadily declined.
AI babies born from sperm-injecting robot | added April 29
Editor’s Note: So, biotech and artificial intelligence has been working to create sperm-injecting robots in the guise of helping infertile women. If this doesn’t sound every alarm then not sure what will considering how once again the root causes of infertility like exposure to environmental pollutants and lack of nutrition are completely ignored. What would happen if all the money used to fund these experiments like the ‘covid’ inoculation campaigns, was used to actually alleviate the root causes? Humans are not robots. ‘Covid’ is digital. — mmd
Read more at The New York Post
The first babies ever made with a sperm-injecting robot reportedly were born thanks to a cutting-edge procedure that experts say could lower the cost of IVF by thousands of dollars. Engineers used a robotic needle to insert sperm cells into eggs at the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City — resulting in two healthy embryos and ultimately two baby girls, according to MIT’s Technology Review.
“It’s wild, isn’t it?” said one of the infants’ fathers, who asked to be anonymous. “Until now it had always been done manually.” The fertility breakthrough involved using a remote-controlled needle and a camera to penetrate the eggs in a petri dish, potentially eliminating the need for highly-paid embryologists, according to the report.
The technology could one day eliminate the need for patients to visit a fertility clinic, where a single attempt at getting pregnant can cost $20,000 in the US, said Santiago Munné, chief geneticist of the Spanish company Overture Life, which developed the sperm robot. Munne believes the fertilization process could one day be automated and carried out by a gynecologist, but he didn’t elaborate on how multiple eggs would be grown and retrieved in that setting.
Lawmakers from both chambers introduce bills to keep AI from going nuclear | added April 29
Read more at Next Gov.
Congress has undertaken a flurry of new activity targeting artificial intelligence technologies in recent weeks, following the rapid advancement and ambiguous implications of AI systems. Lawmakers from both chambers—namely Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Reps. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Don Beyer, D-Va., and Ken Buck, R-Colo.—introduced new legislation Wednesday to respond to the mounting concern of unregulated AI systems making important societal decisions and manning infrastructure operations.
The bicameral and bipartisan bill aims to better regulate AI systems that could govern U.S. nuclear weapons. Titled the “Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous AI Act of 2023,” it primarily seeks to mandate a human element in all protocols and systems which govern state nuclear devices.
“As we live in an increasingly digital age, we need to ensure that humans hold the power alone to command, control, and launch nuclear weapons—not robots,” said Markey in a news release. “We need to keep humans in the loop on making life or death decisions to use deadly force, especially for our most dangerous weapons.” Building off of the U.S. Department of Defense’s 2022 Nuclear Posture Review and Geneva Convention regulations, the bill would codify a required “meaningful human control” within any autonomous weapons systems.
John Owens: Daughter wants hospital to admit they shouldn’t have sent ‘covid’ positive father | added April 29
Read more at BBC
A woman whose father died in the first wave of the Covid pandemic has said she feels let down by a hospital review. Sharon Wilson said her father, John Owens, should never have been sent home from hospital, two days after lockdown was announced.
He was later readmitted to Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital and died just days short of his 82nd birthday. Health bosses said staff had done their “very best” and followed “guidance available to them” at the time. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is undertaking a review as part of Welsh government’s national nosocomial Covid-19 programme looking at healthcare-acquired infections in the wake of the pandemic. Ms Wilson said: “All I want from the Royal Gwent is for them to say he shouldn’t have been sent home.
“They sent him home in full knowledge he had Covid. “That caused distress to me and I have nothing like the equipment a hospital has. “I was distressed and didn’t know what to do and all my father was doing was sleeping,” she said. Mr Owens was admitted to hospital with pneumonia on 27 February 2020 and discharged on 25 March, nine days after he had tested positive for Covid.
Ohio prisoner sues Norfolk Southern over toxic vinyl chloride spill complaining of severe side-effects and no clean bottled water | added April 29
Read more at WFMJ 21
An inmate who was sitting in a prison cell nearly 20 miles from East Palestine when a Norfolk Southern train hauling toxic chemicals went off the tracks is suing the chief executive of the railroad for $25 million.
A lawsuit filed by 30-year-old Josh Turner in U.S. District Court against Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw claims that the spillage of vinyl chloride in the February 3rd derailment and subsequent decision for a controlled burn sent toxic chemicals into the environment. Turner, who is serving a four-year sentence for robbery and felonious assault at the Ohio Penitentiary on Coitsville-Hubbard Road in Youngstown, alleges in the partially hand-written complaint that he has been suffering from rashes, headaches, chest pain, wheezing, and breathing problems which he attributes to impact of vinyl chloride.
Claiming that prison officials have made no effort to provide inmates with bottled water, Turner alleges that his constitutional rights are being violated. Alan Shaw has not filed a response to the suit, which is just one of nearly thirty civil lawsuits filed against the railroad by residents, businesses, and government entities since the derailment.
Tyranny through weaponized bureaucracy | added April 28
Editor’s Note: This is documented in the Planet Waves covid chronology 2020 in March when the CDC changes guidelines on diagnosing primary causes of death as ‘covid’. The entire ‘covid’ investigative team has worked hard to document how control over people was established by institutions with mandates and falsified data. — mmd
Watch on YouTube
[April 17, 2023] Dr. Jordan B. Peterson and Dr. Scott Jensen walk through his accomplished professional life in family medicine, as well as his successful run as a Minnesota senator, all before having his reputation in both fields dismantled for what may be purely political reasons. Six investigations across nearly five years and numerous allegations without cohesion, proof, or relation have amounted to nothing, save for the clarification of Dr. Jensen’s newest goal: to take on the medical board that had no justification for its actions. Given the parallels between Dr. Jensen and Dr. Peterson’s experiences, this interview was not only inevitable but paramount.Dr. Scott Jensen has practiced family medicine in Carver County, Minnesota, for 35 years. Jensen then served in the Minnesota Senate (2017-2021) and was vice-chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, as well as the Republican Governor candidate in the 2022 election.
He has served many organizations as a board member or chair including the Waconia School Board, numerous Rotary and Lions clubs, several Chambers of Commerce, and bank boards. He is an avid pilot and writer, publishing his first book in 2015, “Relationship Matters” and his second book, “We’ve Been Played” in 2022. In 2001, he founded Catalyst Medical Clinic which now has offices located in Watertown and Chaska.
Canadian Armed Forces doctors were told not to report serious adverse ‘covid’ vax reactions, according to veterans’ lawyer | added April 28
Read more at The Epoch Times
Following the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) doctors were told not to report serious adverse vaccine reactions, according to a lawyer for Canadian veterans. “I have military doctors who provided sworn evidence that they were told not to report vaccine injuries, or if they asked how [to report] they were told, ‘just be quiet,’” Catherine Christensen, founder of Valour Law and Valour Legal Action Centre for military law, testified at the National Citizen’s Inquiry (NCI) hearing in Red Deer, Alberta, on April 26.
“They were told to diagnose them as other things, such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome [GBS], when young men were collapsing in the shower after injections. … They were vaccine injured.” According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), GBS is a rare neurological disorder that causes the immune system to damage nerve cells, and “a small number of people” have developed GBS after receiving the COVID-19 viral vector vaccine, by AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson.
Christensen, who represents 360 soldiers affected by the CAF vaccine mandate, spoke about the impacts of the mandate. The NCI is examining how the pandemic measures put in place by all levels of government impacted Canadians in the categories of health, fundamental rights and freedoms, social well-being, and economic prosperity. Christensen—who provided the NCI with a 1,226-page legal brief that included 19 affidavits from military members allegedly harmed by the COVID vaccination policy—said she believed the CAF purposely did not track vaccine injuries.
CDC eases ‘covid’ vax restrictions on international travelers | added April 28
Read more at CBS News
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved Thursday to formally loosen its COVID-19 vaccination requirement on foreign visitors, which will now allow some to board flights into the U.S. with only a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna.
“Because some traveler vaccine records might not specify whether recent Moderna or Pfizer doses received were bivalent, CDC will consider anybody with record of a single dose of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine issued on or after August 16, 2022, to meet the requirements,” the agency said in updates published Thursday to its website. The agency said it chose August because it is the “earliest that travelers could have received a bivalent vaccine.”
The change comes after the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration decided earlier this month to simplify the COVID-19 vaccine schedule, allowing for most unvaccinated Americans to skip the original two “monovalent” mRNA shots many got early in the pandemic. Instead, virtually all adults are able to be “up to date” on their shots after getting a single “bivalent” dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, regardless of what they have or have not gotten previously.
SUNY announces ‘covid’ vax mandates will no longer be required for students to attend campus | added April 28
Editor’s Note: SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee might want to explore meeting with ‘covid’ vax injured before deciding whether people can congregate together to learn. When institutions refuse to see the hard data, i.e. false testing protocols and manipulation of ‘covid’ data, their integrity is questioned. — mmd
Read more at The Record
NEW YORK — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. recently announced that a COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be mandated for students to attend SUNY’s 64 campuses, effective for summer courses.
Moving forward, COVID-19 vaccinations will be strongly encouraged for students. Faculty and staff will also be encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations. “The safety of SUNY’s students is our first and foremost priority, and while COVID is no longer an emergency, we will not lose sight of the impact it continues to have on us,” SUNY Chancellor King said in a press release. “Across SUNY we will continue to monitor cases and make adjustments as needed, but even more importantly, we will look to increase the overall health and wellness support we provide our students.”
The decision came at the recommendation of SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee, which is comprised of physicians and experts in infectious disease, public health, and neuroscience. The group was convened earlier this year to collect and review data on vaccinations, as well as trends in infection rates from newer variants. SUNY also worked with State health officials in making this decision.
Sandra Byron: Thousands await ‘covid’ vax injury compensation after adverse reactions | added April 28
Read more at News AU
Sandra Byron will have to deal with her crippling affliction for the rest of her life. She spends her days mainly chairbound or bedridden, suffering chronic pain, with her limbs hypersensitive and swollen like balloons.
She carries 20kg of fluid from lymphoedema, a brain injury and severe gastrointestinal injuries. What made her this way? According to three separate specialists, it was the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine she was given in May 2021. The agony felt by the previously “perfectly healthy” 59-year-old Sydneysider is being compounded by an excruciating wait for compensation.
It has been almost two years of hell for Ms Byron and her family, who have spent over a year battling for compensation through the Government’s Covid-19 Vaccine Injury Compensation Scheme. A senior federal government minister has appealed to his colleagues regarding concerns around the severely vaccine-injured Sydney mother’s claim for compensation as her family’s frustration boils over.
Looks like Sorensen jumped the gun with ‘covid’ as a digital phenomenon, and yet people are getting sick there is no denying this fact.
Johnson & Johnson cuts production of ineffective and low demand ‘covid’ jabs | added April 28
Editor’s Note: Sometimes it’s only a matter of time. Let’s not forget this was the same company that added talc to baby powder. Trust is earned not mandated, especially when there’s the possibility of blood clots involved. — mmd
Read more at Fierce Pharma
After mounting a large research and production effort in support of its COVID-19 vaccine, Johnson & Johnson is scaling back production because of low demand, The Wall Street Journal reports. In recent months, the company has ended COVID-19 vaccine production partnerships with contract manufacturing giant Catalent and pharmaceutical powerhouse Sanofi, according to the newspaper. Plus, after J&J inked a highly touted deal with pharma compatriot Merck, the companies are entering arbitration because the deal failed to meet expectations, WSJ reports.
J&J “continues to focus on ensuring our COVID-19 vaccine is available where people are in need, and we currently have hundreds of millions of doses available to vaccinate people around the world,” a spokesperson said Tuesday.
The moves come after J&J’s 2021 launch of the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine. Initially viewed as a promising alternative to the mRNA shots from Pfizer and Moderna, J&J’s vaccine stumbled almost immediately when federal officials paused the launch to investigate the risk of rare blood clots. The pause only lasted 10 days but had an outsized effect on the public’s perception of the shot and its uptake trajectory. Since the vaccine’s debut in early 2021, nearly 19 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the U.S.
The Burnet Institute defends ‘covid’ mask mandate after study published by its own researchers | added April 28
Read more at ABC
The Burnet Institute is defending a COVID-19 mask mandate study published by its researchers, despite a scientific journal marking it with a notice of concern after a review identified multiple “weaknesses” in its findings.
The work by Burnet researchers, published in mid-2021, focused on the relationship between mask use and COVID-19 transmission during Victoria’s second wave after a mask mandate was first introduced in Melbourne in July 2020. The study’s methodology relied on a model that identified a “hinge day” eight days after the mask mandate was introduced when it was expected the effects of the policy were evident.
“We used two forms of data to assess change in mask usage: images of people wearing masks in public places obtained from a major media outlet and population-based survey data,” the study said. Researchers said they also considered potential confounding factors such as daily COVID test and COVID cases among “population subsets affected differentially by the mask policy” such as healthcare workers. It concluded “the mandatory mask use policy substantially increased public use of masks and was associated with a significant decline in new COVID-19 cases after introduction of the policy”.
Senate introduces bill to ensure train safety | added April 28
Read more at News Channel 3
Train derailments and issues have caught national headlines and the concern of the public over the last few months, especially after the disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, with the derailments bringing a spotlight to an industry that runs through all of our cities, but we may not know much about.
Legislation introduced into Michigan’s legislature is aiming to resolve current and potential issues with the rail system that runs through the Mitten. Sen. Erika Geiss, D-Taylor, has sponsored two bills in the Senate that would require shorter train lengths and mandate a minimum two-person crew on trains, as some trains only operate with one-person crews.
Senate Bill 139 would require a railroad to keep its work trains shorter than 7,500 feet. Any railroad violating the policy would face a civil fine up to $5,000. “These are bills that would have been brought up even if the horrible tragedy in East Palestine had not occurred, because they are things that we are seeing, and then you add on top of that the derailment factor,” Geiss said. Geiss added her bills could not only save lives, but they could save Michiganders from issues with long train crossings that get in the way of commutes.
East Palestine train wreck sparks inquiry from toxic chemical spill in South Carolina nearly 20 years ago | added April 28
Watch on WSOC-TV 9
A train derailment spilled toxic chemicals across East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year, but it brought back memories of one of the worst Hazmat crashes on record — the Jan. 6, 2005 crash in Graniteville, South Carolina.
The community in Graniteville is still recovering from that crash nearly 20 years after that dangerous spill. Ninety tons of toxic chlorine spewed into the air while the small town slept. But the same types of train cars that carry those potentially deadly chemicals also travel along Charlotte’s railways.
Madison Carter with the 9 Investigates team is looking into what’s passing through the Queen City, and we ask if enough is being done to keep the chemicals from going off the rails.
The Kemner Brief | added April 27
Read more at Planet Waves
Monsanto is striving to take over the world by taking over the biology of food production. They promise us it’s perfectly safe. But the company has a disturbing history that is not being reported in the media.
Many people feel that the jury is still out on the issue of genetically modified foods, though Europe and the UK have led the international backlash against crops which have had their genetic codes modified in the lab, much like computer software is rewritten by technicians. For many, the idea of tinkering with the programming of life is a kind of modern wonder — the contemporary equivalent of “better living through chemistry.” We can, for example, insert some fish genes into a plant and create a supposedly better tomato. Genetic engineering is an extension of mankind’s control over the planet; it is yet another way of conquering nature. To most people it, makes no difference at all that this year, one-third of the U.S. corn used in everything from Doritos to Pepsi to beef feed will be grown with genetically-modified seed.
But for some, the issue of genetically modified foods is on the level of a religious matter.
Tampering with genetics is not like playing God, it is literally doing so. Think about it for a few moments and a flood of questions can arise. What will the long-term effects be? How can we turn loose pollen with rewritten DNA codes into the environment in an uncontrolled experiment? Will it mutate other forms of life? Where will the future of this science take us, and how can we possibly deal with the ethical questions raised by corporations patenting life and selling it back to us? Can they patent human genetics? Have we not learned any lessons from the breaking of the atom, which led to the nuclear arms buildup and hundreds of atomic energy plants, any of which could become another Chernobyl or Three Mile Island any day?
Is there a DNA equivalent to this kind of disaster-about-to-happen?
There are many troubling issues. Yet the one question that’s not being asked is, who exactly is this deity that is experimenting with cutting and pasting the scripts and data of life like so much computer code?
One answer is Monsanto. Over the past ten years, Monsanto, once a chemical industry giant, has divested itself of its chemical interests and has gone exclusively into what it calls “life sciences.” After investing untold billions in research, development and marketing, Monsanto genetically modified wheat, corn, flax and other crops to withstand application of its own herbicide, Roundup (these are called “Roundup Ready” seeds).
Australian government and medicines regulator hit with ‘covid’ vax injury class action lawsuit | added April 27
Read at Daily Mail
A landmark Covid-19 vaccine injury class action lawsuit has been filed against the Australian government and the medicines regulator. The nation-wide suit, which reportedly has 500 members including three named applicants, seeks redress for those allegedly left injured or bereaved by the Covid-19 vaccines.
One of the applicants who suffered a severe heart condition after getting the Pfizer jab is even claiming there was ‘cover-up’ during the vaccine rollout which hid the potential risks. The federal government, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the Department of Health – in addition to a number of senior public servants – are all named as parties to the class action, which was filed in the New South Wales Federal Court on Wednesday.
The named parties are accused of negligence in their approval and monitoring of Covid-19 vaccines, breach of statutory duty and misfeasance in public office. The lawsuit was organised by Queensland GP Dr Melissa McCann who raised over $105,000 through crowd funding.
Scammers take advantage of East Palestine residents after toxic chemical spill | added April 27
Read more at Broadview
It has been nearly three months since a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, but excavation and clean-up continues – community members that lived close to the derailment site are still living in temporary housing and the community continues to rely on bottled water. And in mid-April, a truck carrying toxic soil overturned and spilled contaminated soil along the highway.
If you didn’t know that East Palestine was the site of one of the most high-profile toxic chemical train derailments in recent U.S. history, you might not even notice that much was different. On a recent visit, stores were open for business and people were driving or walking through town. A few homes had multiple cases of water bottles piled up outside, and a church at the centre of town hosted a sign advertising free water for distribution.
It may not look like it, but this is a community that has faced a crisis and is being taken advantage of by outsiders under the guise of help. But they continue to need support and donations from independent organizations. It may not look like it, but this is a community that has faced a crisis and is being taken advantage of by outsiders under the guise of help. “People want to help when a disaster happens, but sometimes they also just want to get rid of their junk,” said Meg St-Esprit, a local journalist and friend who lives in nearby Pittsburgh and grew up in a rural area 30 minutes from East Palestine.
Norfolk Southern estimates toxic train disaster costs $387 million dollars and will likely increase | added April 27
Read more at TRIB Live
OMAHA, Neb. — Norfolk Southern expects February’s fiery Ohio derailment to cost it $387 million, but that total will likely increase over time and that doesn’t reflect how much the railroad’s insurance companies will eventually cover. The railroad provided a detailed estimate of the cost of Feb. 3 derailment outside East Palestine, Ohio, Wednesday along with first-quarter earnings.
That derailment, and others since then, sparked a nationwide focus on railroad safety. Regulators and members of Congress have proposed reforms like capping freight trains lengths and setting standards for the trackside detectors used to spot problems. CEO Alan Shaw told Congress that he backs some proposals like enhanced standards for tank cars, but insists the data doesn’t support other ideas like minimum two-person crews. Shaw reiterated his often-stated promise Wednesday to “do whatever it takes to make it right for East Palestine and the surrounding areas.”
The $387 million estimate includes the $30.9 million the railroad has pledged to help residents and the community around East Palestine recover from the derailment. Norfolk Southern said it has already spent about $55 million to dig up and remove nearly 39,000 tons of contaminated soil and trucked away another 14.8 million gallons of tainted water. Yet those who live near the derailment site close to the Ohio-Pennsylvania border are fearful of possible long term health impacts even though officials say that repeated testing hasn’t shown harmful levels of chemicals in the air or drinking water.
“I don’t want Norfolk Southern’s money, I want my backyard so my grandkids can play”: East Palestine residents live in hotels three months after chemical train spill | added April 27
Read more at FOX News
In early February, Stella Gamble watched from her front porch as a toxic plume of smoke filled the sky over East Palestine, Ohio.She soon learned that a Norfolk Southern train had derailed, spilling hazardous materials into the air, water and sky. In the days following the incident, Gamble’s family complied with evacuation orders. However, when they returned home, symptoms linked to the toxic chemicals in that train derailment drove them away again.
Almost three months later, Gamble believes that most of her family, including her four foster kids, have spent more nights in hotels and on the road than in the community they call home.”We can’t do this forever, but for the first time ever I don’t feel hopeful, I don’t feel safe in my own home,” Gamble said. “If your government is telling you it’s safe come back home, your first instinct is to trust what they’re telling you. But it didn’t take too long for me to figure out that things were not okay.”
Gamble tells Fox News she doesn’t know what comes next for her family as they start to consider a move. “If we want to have any piece of mind, we’d probably move – but those who say ‘just move’ – do I just move and take my entire family, and they can all find new jobs and I can tell all my grandkids you won’t graduate from the school you’ve gone to? There’s a lot more to it than just move,” Gamble said. “Even if there’s assistance… I don’t want Norfolk Southern’s money, I want my backyard so my grandkids can play without getting sick.”
Pharma giant Merck exceeds first-quarter expectations despite a decrease of ‘covid’ treatments | added April 27
Read more at The Seattle Times
Merck beat first-quarter expectations and hiked its 2023 forecast even as sales plunged for its COVID-19 treatment and a strong dollar hurt revenue. Soaring sales of the drugmaker’s top seller, the cancer treatment Keytruda, helped counter those hits, a drop expected by analysts.
Merck said Thursday that sales of the COVID-19 treatment Lagevrio sank 88% in the quarter to $392 million.Lagevrio and Pfizer’s Paxlovid debuted well over a year ago, as COVID-19 cases were surging and patients were eager to try the first pill treatments for the virus. Sales of Lagevrio have since cooled in both the U.S. and United Kingdom. Merck’s drug inserts tiny errors into the coronavirus’ genetic code to slow its reproduction. U.S. regulators have said it should be used cautiously.
In February, a European medical committee recommended rejection of the drug. The drugmaker’s total revenue fell 9% to $14.49 billion in the quarter. That beat analyst expectations for $13.79 billion, according to the data firm FactSet. Not counting Lagevrio and the impact of foreign exchange rates, sales climbed 18%, Merck said.Merck still expects about $1 billion in sales from Lagevrio this year.
Tyranny and misinformation with human rights activist, Dr. Naomi Wolf | added April 27
Watch on YouTube
[March 2022] In this very timely and insightful Independent Conversation, bestselling author, feminist and human rights activist Dr. Naomi Wolf is interviewed by Dr. Graham H. Walker (Executive Director, Independent Institute) to discuss how truth, science, ethics and constitutional rights have all been trampled in the elite media stampede and government mandates of the COVID-19 pandemic.As new revelations appear almost daily on the lies and corruption of the COVID crisis, what has happened to informed dissent in America? Have women in particular become voiceless subjects of pharmaceutical power? Are concerns about COVID tyranny overblown, or should we be worried? Is there a disturbing spiritual dimension to the individual and institutional failures we are witnessing around us? And, what can and should be done now?
Japan arranges a lift of current ‘covid’ border control measures | added April 27
Read more at Kyodo News
Japan is making arrangements to bring forward the lifting of its current COVID-19 border control measures to Saturday in anticipation of an increase in overseas travelers during the Golden Week holidays, government sources said Wednesday.
The government had originally planned to end the border measures on May 8, the same day the legal status of the novel coronavirus will be downgraded to common infectious diseases such as seasonal influenza. But it coincides with the end of the holidays starting this weekend. Currently, all entrants are required to present certification of at least three COVID-19 vaccination doses or a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of departure.
While the requirement is now expected to be dropped from midnight Friday, the government is planning to introduce a voluntary testing system targeting entrants with symptoms such as fever at five airports, with the aim of detecting new infectious diseases. After the reclassification, COVID-19 patients that need to be admitted are also expected to be accepted at around 8,400 medical facilities, including 90 percent of hospitals, to ensure the health care system can support a larger number of patients than during the Omicron outbreak, the sources said.
“The more you tell the truth, the stronger you become”: FOX fires Tucker Carlson over vax stance | added April 27
Watch on Mark Crispin Miller Substack
Robert F. Kennedy today on Facebook:
Fox fires Tucker Carlson five days after he crosses the red line by acknowledging that the TV networks pushed a deadly and ineffective vaccine to please their Pharma advertisers. Carlson’s breathtakingly courageous April 19 monologue broke TV’s two biggest rules: Tucker told the truth about how greedy Pharma advertisers controlled TV news content and he lambasted obsequious newscasters for promoting jabs they knew to be lethal and worthless. For many years, Tucker has had the nation’s biggest audience averaging 3.5 million — 10 times the size of CNN. Fox just demonstrated the terrifying power of Big Pharma.
It’s all about the checks and balances…
Psychologist dies from brain blood clots due to Oxford-AstraZeneca ‘covid’ shot | added April 26
Read more at BBC
The death of a psychologist after his Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab was due to “unintended complications of the vaccine”, an inquest has ruled. Stephen Wright, an NHS employee in south-east London, died 10 days after his first dose in January 2021, senior coroner Andrew Harris found. Dr Wright, 32, suffered a blood clot to the brain after receiving the vaccine.
His wife Charlotte has been trying to get the “natural causes” wording on her husband’s death certificate changed. She is pursuing legal action against the pharmaceutical company, along with dozens of other people. At London Inner South Coroner’s Court, Mr Harris described it as a “very unusual and deeply tragic case”.
Dr Wright suffered from a combination of a brainstem infarction, bleed on the brain and “vaccine-induced thrombosis”, the inquest heard. His condition rapidly worsened, but the nature of the bleed meant he was unfit for surgery. After the inquest, Mrs Wright, from Sevenoaks in Kent, said: “It was made clear that Stephen was [previously] fit and healthy and that his death was by vaccination of AstraZeneca. For us, it allows us to be able to continue our litigation against AstraZeneca. This is the written proof.”
East Liverpool residents concerned about toxic soil after plume of white puffs out of waste facility | added April 26
Read more at 19 News
EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio (WOIO) Tuesday afternoon, a plume of white puffs out of the smokestack at Heritage Thermal Services in East Liverpool.
Those who see it, live in the East End neighborhood near the waste facility wonder what exactly is being incinerated but some people have made it their business to know, like Dean Leisure. 19 News cameras were rolling as he pulled out a list.
“We don’t want it burned here because they’ve proven they can’t be trusted, we don’t even know what is in that dirt,” said Amanda Kiger, Executive Director of River Valley Organizing and East End resident. The non-profit works for a safer, cleaner, and more community-oriented environment. Back in March, the U.S. EPA approved Heritage Thermal Services in East Liverpool as one of four locations to properly burn waste from the train derailment in East Palestine back on February 3.
Since that time tons of soil has been hauled from the site which is about 20 miles north of the site. 19 News found documents from 2018 that show Heritage was cited by the EPA for violations of the Clean Air Act and the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants over the years. It’s just one of the reasons why many East Liverpool residents are on high alert and on edge. They tell 19 News they don’t want East Palestine’s toxic soil here in their community after all they’ve endured.
Union Pacific train derails after a grade-crossing accident with tractor-trailer truck | added April 26
Read more at Trains
YATES CENTER, Kan. — Five locomotives and approximately 24 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed Monday morning after a grade-crossing accident with a tractor-trailer truck, a railroad spokesman told KOAM-TV.
The train’s crew was not injured, UP said. The truck driver was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Woodson County Sheriff Jeffrey McCullough. The accident occurred about 10 a.m. at a grade crossing on 80th Road in Woodson County, on Union Pacific’s Coffeyville Subdivision. The nearest community is Yates Center, about 4 miles to the northeast. The accident scene is approximately 100 miles east of Wichita and 105 miles southwest of Kansas City, Kan.
No hazardous materials were involved. UP spokesman Mike Jaixen said most of the railcars were empty, but some were carrying cottonseed, plastic pellets, and fertilizer. The Wichita Eagle reports that the driver of the truck, 63-year-old Gregory Lewis of Leon, Kan., failed to yield at a stop sign before crossing the railroad tracks, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol report.
Researchers design a vax printer to produce ‘covid’ jabs on demand | added April 26
Read more at The Epoch Times
Researchers have designed a vaccine printer that can produce COVID-19 mRNA vaccines on the go, as part of the intense effort to get more people inoculated. Published on April 24 in Nature Biotechnology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) scientists said their current vaccine printer prototype can produce 100 thumbnail-sized patches in 48 hours, with the potential to be scaled up to generate up to hundreds of vaccine doses a day.
“We could someday have on-demand vaccine production,” Ana Jaklenec, a scientist from MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research said. “If, for example, there was an Ebola outbreak in a particular region, one could ship a few of these printers there and vaccinate the people in that location.”
There are limitations in the distribution of vaccines, including the infrastructure and expertise needed, such as doctors who can administer the shots, safe needle disposal, and vaccine refrigeration. “When COVID-19 started, concerns about vaccine stability and vaccine access motivated us to try to incorporate RNA vaccines into microneedle patches,” lead author John Daristotle said.
Hearings resume for class-action lawsuit filed over British Columbia’s pandemic health orders | added April 26
Read more at Canuck Law
Monday, April 24, the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver is set to resume certification hearings for a proposed class action lawsuit. It was brought by a group called CSASPP, the Canadian Society For The Advancement Of Science In Public Policy.
This is not a Trial, but simply procedural hearings to determine if the class action is to be certified (approved), and can go ahead. Even if certified, there is still a lot to be done afterwards. There won’t be livestreaming of the proceedings, but at least one person, Eva Chipiuk, is promising real-time updates on Twitter. It’s explained here, in a short video clip.
The hearings started on December 12, 2022, and were supposed to have been concluded during the week of the 12th to the 16th. But things took a lot longer than expected, to be blunt. CSASPP provides a page for their status updates, which is in reverse chronological order. If the court documents themselves are a bit overwhelming, this will provide a “Coles Notes” version. Videos of the December 2022 hearings are available online.
Many parents choose not to inoculate children due to concerns over long-term side effects | added April 26
Read more at Earth
Although 92 percent of US adults have already received a Covid-19 vaccine, the rate of vaccination among younger individuals is much lower, with only 39 percent of children aged 5 to 11 and 68 percent of teenagers aged 12 to 17 currently vaccinated, despite efforts by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and pediatric clinicians to increase vaccine uptake among these age groups too.
According to a new study led by the University of Southern California (USC), the main causes why so many children remain unvaccinated are parental concerns about the vaccine’s long-term effects and fears that parents will be deemed responsible if their children get sick after vaccination. During the first Omicron variant wave between February and March 2022, when pediatric Covid-19 cases peaked, the researchers’ survey of parents in the nationally representative Understanding America Study revealed that 45 percent of parents considered that the Covid-19 vaccines’ long-term risks to their children’s health outweighed the risks of not receiving a vaccine.
“Parents’ hesitancy may be partly driven by apprehension about the vaccine, stemming from its rapid development and the use of newer techniques,” explained lead author Ying Liu, a research scientist at USC. Moreover, 18 percent of parents argued they felt a heightened sense of responsibility if their children became sick after vaccinations. “People often exhibit a more cautious approach when making medical decisions for others, including their own children, than for themselves. Some tend to do nothing rather than vaccinate their child, even though such inaction could result in negative consequences,” Liu said.
Air pollutions kills more than 1,200 children and teenagers in Europe every year, according to EEA report | added April 26
Read more at Euro News
Air pollution kills more than 1,200 children and teenagers per year in Europe, according to a report released by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Monday. It also significantly increases the risk of disease later in life. Despite improvements made in recent years, the level of key air pollutants in many European countries remain “stubbornly above” World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the report warns.
Central-eastern Europe and Italy are particularly severely affected. Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to air pollution because their bodies and immune systems are still developing. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide and ozone in the short term, and fine particulate matter – also known as PM 2.5 – in the long term can affect children’s lung function and development. This can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma, which affects nine per cent of young people in Europe.
Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is additionally linked to low birth weight and risk of preterm birth. The report estimates that air pollution causes more than 1,200 premature deaths per year among those under age 18 across the EEA’s 32 member countries, which do not include the UK, Switzerland or Ukraine. Although this number is still low compared to overall deaths from air pollution, which was estimated at 311,000 in 2021, the impact of death or chronic illness in early life is considered greater.
EPA releases pollution strategy to reduce production of single-use plastics | added April 26
Read more at Plastics Recycling Update
Although it doesn’t use the word “ban,” the U.S. EPA released a plastics pollution strategy that supports steps to reduce production of single-use and difficult-to-recycle plastics. EPA on April 21 published a draft of its “National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution,” and the agency is seeking comments on it.
The 48-page document lays out a number of steps to reduce plastic pollution, including addressing impacts during plastic production and post-use material management, including preventing plastic from entering waterways and cleaning up the material that’s already in the environment. In the document, EPA touched on a point of sharp contention: reducing plastic production.
In a section focused on reducing “production and consumption of single-use, unrecyclable, or frequently littered plastic products,” the EPA suggested a number of steps should be taken. Specifically, the agency called for creating a list of these products and alternative materials, then sharing it with public and private entities around the country so they can use it in their purchasing decisions. And EPA called for the setting of a new national voluntary goal to reduce production of the items on the list. “This new goal would help galvanize action across the country, support and promote the use of alternative products and reuse programs,” the plan states.
Fauci claims no responsibility for shutting down schools during ‘covid’ pandemic | added April 26
Read more at Fox News
Dr. Anthony Fauci struck a defensive tone during a recent interview in which he reflected on his and the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, admitting that mistakes were made despite his best efforts.
“Show me a school that I shut down and show me a factory that I shut down. Never. I never did,” Fauci said when asked about the consequences of “heavy-handed” public health policies in a New York Times interview published Tuesday. “I gave a public health recommendation that echoed the CDC’s recommendation, and people made a decision based on that. But I never criticized the people who had to make the decisions one way or the other.”
The response was just one of several in which Fauci defended his guidance during the pandemic, pushing back against critics who have accused him of being wrong about everything, from masks to how effective vaccines would be. While Fauci, who recently retired from his post as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said public health officials were sometimes wrong, he argued that the ever-changing nature of the evidence meant it was nearly impossible to get everything right.
Hygiene Theatre three years ago…
At the end of the day, everyone is encouraged to explore ways they feel most protected.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T the unknown. Not every way is for every one.
Ambridge area school district sues Norfolk Southern over chemical spill negligence and endangering residents’ safety | added April 25
Watch on WTAE
Another school district in Beaver County has filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern in the aftermath of the February train derailment. The Ambridge Area School District is the third district to sue the rail company in the nearly three months since the disaster. The Blackhawk and Western Beaver County School Districts have filed their own lawsuit against Norfolk Southern.
All three suits allege that Norfolk Southern was negligent and exposed residents to dangerous toxins and chemicals.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has reached out to Norfolk Southern for comment. We are waiting to hear back.
Reiner Fuellmich’s ‘coronaviruses’ | added April 25
Watch on Dr. Sam Bailey
We are entering an interesting phase with regard to the impact of team ‘no virus‘. Many in the health freedom community realise that the virus existence issue cannot be ignored indefinitely and are now making public statements.
Lawyer and freedom figure Dr. Reiner Fuellmich is well aware of the problems with virology and agrees that SARS-CoV-2 is a fictional construct. However, like many people, he appears unable to reject the virus model completely and he has made claims about “endemic coronaviruses” in a recent publication.
Let’s have a look at where he gets it right, where he gets it wrong, and why the virus existence issue cannot be ignored…
Florida Surgeon General allegedly altered state-driven study on ‘covid’ vax safety | added April 25
Read more at Politico
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo personally altered a state-driven study about Covid-19 vaccines last year to suggest that some doses pose a significantly higher health risk for young men than had been established by the broader medical community, according to a newly obtained document.
Ladapo’s changes, released as part of a public records request, presented the risks of cardiac death to be more severe than previous versions of the study. He later used the final document in October to bolster disputed claims that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were dangerous to young men. The surgeon general, a well-known Covid-19 vaccine skeptic, faced a backlash from the medical community after he made the assertions, which go against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics.
But Ladapo’s statements aligned well with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stance against mandatory Covid-19 vaccination. Researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and University of Florida, who viewed Ladapo’s edits on the study and have followed the issue closely, criticized the surgeon general for making the changes. One said it appears Ladapo altered the study out of political — not scientific — concerns.
Northern Ireland families call for ‘covid’ inquiry into handling of pandemic | added April 25
Read more at BBC News
A woman whose mother died with coronavirus is not fully satisfied with names called to give evidence as part of a inquiry into the pandemic. It comes as the final preliminary hearing of the first module of the UK’s Covid-19 inquiry is taking place.
Module one will assess if the pandemic was properly planned for and whether the UK was adequately ready. Brenda Doherty’s mother, 82-year-old Ruth Burke, was the fourth person in Northern Ireland to die with the virus. Mrs Doherty, a leading figure in the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, said it was important that Northern Ireland did not become a footnote of the inquiry.
“There needs to be more breadth and I think there needs to be more reference to Northern Ireland,” she told BBC News NI. “Our trusts are completely different, they’re a lot more complex so therefore, we need people who know Northern Ireland and its systems.” approach should have been taken. Her mother went into hospital shortly after the Cheltenham Gold Cup and a major football match between Atalanta and Valencia in Milan that was seen as escalating infections across Europe.
Pennsylvania’s DEP claims East Palestine chemicals not detected in soil or water | added April 25
Read more at Trib Live
A train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio near the Pennsylvania border in February spilled toxic chemicals into a stream, immediately prompting concerns about the area’s soil and water quality. Initial testing done by federal agencies showed treated municipal water, well water, and soil in the area were safe.
Additional testing from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental (DEP) protection indicates that “chemicals from the derailment have not been detected in either soil or water,” DEP acting secretary Rich Negrin said Monday. “We are thrilled that the results so far do not show signs of contamination in Pennsylvania from this derailment, but we are going to remain vigilant and continue our monitoring to ensure that any contamination from the derailment site does not spread.”
A Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed on Feb. 3, starting a fire that burned for days. The rail company conducted a controlled burn of five tankers that had been hauling vinyl chloride to avoid a potential explosion. It sent a dark plume of smoke over the East Palestine area. Negrin said the state understands that many Pennsylvania residents, particularly in Beaver County near the derailment site, still have ongoing environmental concerns.
Norfolk Southern must do more considering people are still getting sick and farmers are worried over chemical contamination | added April 25
Read more at The Columbus Dispatch
Far fewer camera crews and reporters can be found in East Palestine since the days after a Norfolk Southern freight train stretching nearly 2 miles derailed and 100,000 gallons of hazardous chemicals it transported were burned. Black plumes filled the air. Residents were sickened and more than 43,000 fish and other animals were killed.
The nation’s attention has waned, but the needs of the people impacted by the derailment persists. So has the call to strengthen regulations to prevent other tragedies as trains get bigger and longer and the size of the crews on board manning them diminish. According to the Association of American Railroads, “freight railroad crew sizes have been reduced from five to three to two people pursuant to collective bargaining agreements with labor unions under the procedures outlined in the Railway Labor Act.”
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw reiterated his pledge ‘to do the right thing’ in East Palestine repeatedly during a meeting with the Columbus Dispatch Editorial Board and USA TODAY Network Ohio reporters and editors. He also gave testimony about the derailment last week at the Ohio Statehouse. Ohioans and elected officials here and in Washington, D.C., must see that the company keeps Shaw to his pledge to heal the people of East Palestine and prevent future tragedies.
Ohio families still living in limbo in wake of toxic train derailment | added April 25
Read more at AP News
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — Jeff Drummond spends days and nights alone in a tiny room with fake wood paneling, two small beds and a microwave atop a mini refrigerator that serves as a nightstand — his pickup truck parked just outside the door at the roadside motel where he’s taken refuge since early February.
Shelby Walker bounces from hotel to hotel with her five children and four grandchildren while crews tear up railroad tracks and scoop out contaminated soil near their four-bedroom home. Almost 3 months after a fiery Norfolk Southern train derailment blackened the skies, sent residents fleeing and thrust East Palestine into a national debate over rail safety, residents say they are still living in limbo. They’re unsure how or whether to move on from the accident and worry what will happen to them and the village where they have deep family roots, friendships and affordable homes.
“I have no idea how long we can continue to do this,” says Walker, while washing clothes at a laundromat. Walker, 48, also works at a small hotel where many workers are staying, so is constantly reminded of the accident. She remembers the scorched rail tanker at her property line and a backyard flooded with water from the burn site. “Sometimes I just break down,” she says. About half of East Palestine’s nearly 5,000 residents evacuated when, days after the Feb. 3 derailment, officials decided to burn toxic vinyl chloride from five tanker cars to prevent a catastrophic explosion.
Edible vaccines? | added April 25
Read more at Peter A. McCullough Substack
The recent debate in the Missouri House of Representatives on HB 1169 which is transparency legislation for disclosure of genetic material in the food supply has raised the question: how far along is this whole field? Neither the US Cattleman’s Association nor the National Cattleman’s Beef Association has issued an opinion on HB 1169. Many farmers have been using the Merck Sequivity mRNA vaccine line in swine for several years. While the current products used in livestock are meant to protect the animals with short lifespans from immediate infectious disease threats, there is concern over the future use of food as an intentional means to vaccinate the consumer.
Kurup and Thomas published one of many papers describing the lofty goals of using foods, mainly plants, to deliver vaccines to humans in order to induce mucosal immunity. Protection in the sinuses, oral cavity, and GI tract is not strong from intramuscular injections unless the pathogen is invasive and blood born in severe cases.
This paper summarizes a WHO meeting: “In January 2005, WHO conducted a meeting regarding the regulatory evaluation of plant-based vaccine. The meeting ended up by concluding that the existing guidelines for development, evaluation, and use of vaccines made by conventional methods can be applied in the production of edible vaccines. There were specific issues related to edible vaccine. Plant-derived vaccines should be clinically tested under US investigational new drug application, and also must follow all the regulatory and GMP requirements.”
Children diagnosed with new ‘covid’ variant show conjunctivitis symptoms | added April 25
Read more at The Epoch Times
Medical professionals are reporting that children diagnosed with the new Omicron subvariant of COVID-19, XBB.1.16, display conjunctivitis symptoms. According to the Sun Sentinel, multiple health experts have reported children coming in with “itchy conjunctivitis with sticky eyes, not seen in earlier waves.”
In an April 6 Twitter post, Vipin M Vashishtha, former convenor of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics and consultant pediatrician at the Mangla Hospital and Research Center in Bijnor, India, stated that he had seen a rise in children coming in to be treated for COVID-19 infections displaying conjunctivitis and “sticky eyes.”
“For the last 2 days, have [sic] started getting pediatric Covid cases once again after a gap of 6 mo! [sic],” he wrote. “An infantile phenotype seems emerging,” he wrote, adding that children coming in to be treated displayed high fevers, colds, and coughs and “non-purulent, itchy conjunctivitis w/sticky eyes [sic], not seen in earlier waves.” Elsewhere, Dr. Srikanth R, a pediatric ophthalmologist at Apollo Spectra Hospital in Chennai, India, told Health Shots, “Of late, a lot of children have been developing conjunctivitis post Covid-19 infection.
Hidden agendas | added April 25
Watch on YouTube
Let’s not get it twisted.
Thousands of people develop tinnitus, fatigue, vertigo, anxiety, depression after ‘covid’ vax | added April 24
Editor’s Note: People reporting they have developed these symptoms is evidence and proof. It’s absolutely ridiculous that mainstream media outlets refuse to accept what is obviously a true experience for thousands of people by disregarding the legitimacy of their side-effects. The fact these experimental emergency-use drugs were mandated for an entire global population without taking into consideration everyone’s unique constitution is criminal. — mmd
Read more at CBS News
Thousands of people say they’ve developed tinnitus after they were vaccinated against Covid. While there is no proof yet that the vaccines caused the condition, theories for a possible link have surfaced among researchers. Shaowen Bao, an associate professor in the physiology department of the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona, Tucson, believes that ongoing inflammation, especially in the brain or spinal cord, may be to blame.
Bao, a longtime tinnitus sufferer and a representative of the American Tinnitus Association’s scientific advisory board, has studied tinniuts for more than a decade. A Facebook group of people who developed tinnitus after getting a Covid vaccine convinced Bao to look into the possible link. He ultimately surveyed 398 of the group’s participants. The cases tended to be severe. One man told Bao that he couldn’t hear the car radio over the noise in his head while driving.
Along with ringing in their ears, participants reported a range of other symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, vertigo, ear pain, anxiety and depression. Significantly more people first developed tinnitus after the first dose of the vaccine, compared with the second. This suggests “that the vaccine is interacting with pre-existing risk factors for tinnitus. If you have the risk factor, you will probably get it from the first dose,” Bao said.
East Palestine, Ohio residents concerned about home value after toxic train derailment, “nobody really wants to come to this town” | added April 24
Read more at CNN
Melissa Henry already had a lot on her plate before a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine about a mile away from her home on February 3, spilling toxic chemicals into the air. She was going through a divorce and getting her home ready to put on the market. All she had left to do was photograph the home before it was to be listed.
But the process of selling her home since then has been “a nightmare,” she told CNN. “If the train wouldn’t have derailed, we would have sold within a couple of days,” Henry said. “But since the train derailed, nobody really wants to come to this town.” Needing to move on with her life, she listed her four bedroom, 1,100-square foot home three weeks after the accident for $150,000. The first offer she received was $50,000 below the asking price.
She reduced the price in March to $140,000 and ultimately went into contract with a first-time home buyer who offered $25,000 below the asking price. Henry said she believes the lower price for her home is a direct result of the accident — and she is clear who she thinks should make up the difference: Norfolk Southern. “I think for everybody in this town who wants to move, Norfolk Southern should pay for them to move,” Henry said. “We shouldn’t be forced to stay somewhere we don’t feel comfortable. We don’t feel safe.”
Raised concerns over carcinogens from incinerated chemical waste hits Ohio town | added April 24
Read more at The Allegheny Front
On a quiet street near the Ohio River in the city of East Liverpool, Ohio, Amanda Kiger peers through a chain link fence at a smokestack, billowing out a puff of white vapor. She hopes it’s just steam.
This is one of several facilities where Norfolk Southern is sending nearly 40,000 tons of soil laced with vinyl chloride to be disposed of – and it’s in the middle of a neighborhood. It’s separated from houses by just a single street. “It’s not even a whole street. It’s an alley,” she said. “I don’t know if you could pass two cars beside each other right here.”
Kiger is the executive director of River Valley Organizing, a local activist group, and she’s fought for years to tighten regulations on this hazardous waste incinerator. It’s owned by an Indiana-based Heritage Thermal Services. The plant, which has processed 2,000 tons of soil so far, is a few miles downriver from the Pennsylvania border. And it has a history of pollution. “We do know what they have put through there,” Kiger said. “We know they got us with dioxin. We know they got us with lead. We know they got us with an array of chemicals.”
Industrial disasters raise concern over Erie’s plastic recycling plans | added April 24
Read more at Go Erie
Remember the East Palestine train derailment in Ohio on Feb. 3? The chemicals it spewed are used to make plastic resin and are hazardous to life. Officials burned off the massive spill, releasing a giant, black plume of toxic smoke into the air for days and dispersing chemicals that could not only impact the residents of East Palestine, but those downstream and downwind.
On April 12, a truck carrying 40,000 pounds of contaminated soil from the site to dispose it somewhere else in our country overturned on a highway in Youngstown, Ohio. Where were they going? And at what risk to those communities? Remember the equipment malfunction at the ethane cracker plant in Monaca on Feb. 13? That’s the one in Beaver County where a large flame burned off toxic chemicals into the air for an entire day — to prevent an explosion.
You may be confusing it with the March 15 event, where two loud booms occurred at the same plant, followed by an orange glow in the night sky as more chemicals burned off into the air. At the time of this writing, the plant has had dozens of “malfunction” reports since 2022. This plant makes plastic out of natural gas. Many in Pennsylvania touted this propped-up plant — Shell received $1.65 billion in tax credits from the state to build it — as an economic win. A win for whom?
East Palestine teens advocate for transparency following chemical train derailment: “We want answers just like adults” | added April 24
Read more at Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Not many 17-year-olds need to think about the long term consequences of chemical exposure to their health.
But since February, Jenna Cozza has been wondering if she and other teenagers will develop cancer in a decade’s time or if they will have infertility problems when they want to have children of their own one day. The high schooler saw her hometown plunge into chaos after a 38-car train derailment and a fiery explosion sent a massive plume of vinyl chloride and other toxins for miles.
Jenna, born and raised in East Palestine, felt like she had to speak out as concerns mounted over the safety of the town and the health of its residents. She says kids and teens share the same worries as the adults in their lives.
“We want answers just like adults,” she said. “And what I’m trying to do is be a speaker for the youth, and I’m trying to get them strong enough to speak for themselves.” In the aftermath of the crash, Jenna saw family members speak up at community town halls and felt compelled to do the same. “That’s how I’ve been raised,” she said. “My family, we’re solid and we’re not quiet.”
Loss of smell following ‘covid’ diagnosis linked to reduced brain activity | added April 24
Editor’s Note: Exposure to industrial chemicals such as carcinogenic PCB’s, dioxins, heavy metals also cause the loss of smell and reduced brain activity. Yet again, everything is being blamed on ‘covid’ without taking responsibility for polluted waters, environment, food, etc.
— mmd
Read more at NBC News
A recent study examining the lasting impacts of the coronavirus concluded that people living with long COVID who suffer from anosmia — the loss of smell — experienced a significant shift in brain activity.
Researchers from University College London found the link between smell loss and reduced brain activity after studying three groups of people: those with long COVID who lost their sense of smell, those whose smell returned after recovering from the virus, and those who never tested positive. Loss of smell became one of the key symptoms of COVID in the early months of the pandemic, typically lasting one to two weeks. In some cases, though, symptoms have lasted much longer and any persisting longer than 12 weeks has become known as long COVID.
Using MRI scans, the neuroscientists determined the loss of smell is due to a change in the person’s brain that stops it from correctly processing smells due to impaired communication between two parts of the brain. The UCL team studied the scans out of the United Kingdom during a six-month period during the second half of 2020. There is hope, they point out. A number of subjects participating in the study were able to reverse the alterations to the brain.
China rewrites ‘covid’ narrative amid censorship of research study data | added April 24
Read more at The New York Times
Early in 2020, on the same day that a frightening new illness officially got the name Covid-19, a team of scientists from the United States and China released critical data showing how quickly the virus was spreading, and who was dying.
The study was cited in health warnings around the world and appeared to be a model of international collaboration in a moment of crisis. Within days, though, the researchers quietly withdrew the paper, which was replaced online by a message telling scientists not to cite it. A few observers took note of the peculiar move, but the whole episode quickly faded amid the frenzy of the coronavirus pandemic.
What is now clear is that the study was not removed because of faulty research. Instead, it was withdrawn at the direction of Chinese health officials amid a crackdown on science. That effort kicked up a cloud of dust around the dates of early Covid cases, like those reported in the study. “It was so hard to get any information out of China,” said one of the authors, Ira Longini, of the University of Florida, who described the back story of the removal publicly for the first time in a recent interview. “There was so much covered up, and so much hidden.”
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tests ‘covid’ positive for third time | added April 24
Read more at The Epoch Times
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Sunday that he had tested positive for COVID-19, the third known infection, adding that while he was not seriously ill, he would take a few days off.
Lopez Obrador, 69, who had a serious heart attack in 2013, reported mild symptoms from both of his previous bouts of COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic. “It’s not serious,” he wrote on his official Twitter account. “My heart is at 100%.” Lopez Obrador said Interior Minister Adan Augusto Lopez would host his regular morning news conference.
In January 2022, Lopez Obrador underwent cardiac catheterization and was found to be in good health. Back then, the government said the president has regular check ups that include lab tests, electrocardiograms, stress tests and CT scans.
‘Covid’ control mechanisms would dissipate when data sharing ends | added April 24
Editor’s Note: The digital seduction of ‘covid’ was discussed in this interview with Dr. Sam Bailey and investigative reporter, Eric Coppolino. When false testing protocols, data-sharing applications, fear mongering articles from media outlets go away, it’s possible so would ‘covid’. — mmd
Read more at CNN
Joel Wakefield isn’t just an armchair epidemiologist. His interest in tracking the spread of covid is personal.
The 58-year-old lawyer who lives in Phoenix has an immunodeficiency disease that increases his risk of severe outcomes from covid-19 and other infections. He has spent lots of time since 2020 checking state, federal, and private sector covid trackers for data to inform his daily decisions.
“I’m assessing ‘When am I going to see my grandkids? When am I going to let my own kids come into my house?’ ” he said. Many Americans have moved on from the pandemic, but for the millions who are immunocompromised or otherwise more vulnerable to covid, reliable data remains important in assessing safety.
“I don’t have that luxury to completely shrug it off,” Wakefield said. The federal government’s public health emergency that’s been in effect since January 2020 expires May 11. The emergency declaration allowed for sweeping changes in the U.S. health care system, like requiring state and local health departments, hospitals, and commercial labs to regularly share data with federal officials.
The corrupted science behind President Joe Biden’s mandate of experimental ‘covid’ drugs | added April 24
Read more at The New York Post
[April 13, 2023] President Joe Biden decreed on Sept. 9, 2021, that more than 100 million Americans must get COVID-vaccine injections. But newly disclosed emails show that the Food and Drug Administration finding behind that order, official certification of the jabs as “safe and effective,” was the result of a bureaucratic bait-and-switch.The FDA had approved COVID vaccines on an emergency-use basis in December 2020, before Biden even took office. The White House assumed that was the silver bullet to enable Biden to save Americans from COVID. But it soon became clear that many Americans were hesitating to get jabbed, in part because the FDA approval was solely for emergency use.
Many Americans have long been wary of vaccines, including health-care workers who avoid flu shots. The president championed vaccines with evangelical fervor. “You’re not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations,” he insisted in a July 21, 2021, CNN town hall. Biden’s claim was false, spurred by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decision to ignore any “breakthrough” COVID infections that did not result in death or hospitalization.
At the end of the day… Follow your heart. The art of science is transparency, innovation, experimentation, and a method that does not deny what is evident.
PWFM — our purpose is social and spiritual | added April 22
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Dear Friend and Listener:
[April 21, 2023] Thank you and welcome to our many new subscribers. Note, I’ll have the new weekly horoscope for paying subscribers later today.I’m planning an edition of Planet Waves FM tonight. The program is usually available before its scheduled 10 pm New York time. I’ve done a series of shorter podcasts this week that pertain to the astrology and the political environment. You can find those all on the home page of the Planet Waves FM – Chiron Return Substack area.
Unlike most podcasts, vlogs, shows and channels, the primary purpose of Planet Waves FM is social and spiritual.
While the program is informed on core issues and has presented many credible witnesses over the years, my primary intention is to offer a quiet place to hang out. I create a sanctuary where reflection and inner work are possible.
It is not really about providing you with information, though I do some of that. In the spirit of Planet Waves, I read the world like a tarot spread and make the meaning of the events that I discuss personal. The great loss we have experienced under digital conditions as been about our inner life. Therefore, Planet Waves FM is crafted as an interior space rather than an external one.
A false collectivism has arisen and interfered with our ability to be social, and to take care of ourselves and one another. Planet Waves FM is about how we can reconnect.
On tonight’s program, I’ll be discussing the current astrology, related to the Sun and other planets in Taurus; the deeper implications of the RFK Jr. candidacy; the chart for the Chernobyl nuclear incident in 1986; and, energy permitting, I’m planning Tantra Studio on what is left of sex and sexuality here in the digital world.
CDC: Weekly ‘covid’ deaths hit new record low since late March 2020 | added April 22
Read more at ABC News
Editor’s Note — This absurd claim cannot stand without rebuttal. They are still pretending there is a deadly virus, which has been discredited and disproven many times. By “covid deaths” they mean “died after a PCR positive test result.” But everyone — everyone — knows that the test is a fabridation, and that the “virus” was designed in a computer, and that a person cannot catch it. It has no biological existence; it is a figment of the digital realm. The entire body of work of Covid19 News and our team have led to this conclusion. It is more than an observation; nobody, not a single agency, can produce a scientific paper showing that the virus was found in a person. There is no virus, there is no “covid,” and there was no pandemic. — efc.
COVID-19 deaths hit a new low this week, reaching levels not seen since late March 2020, when the pandemic was just beginning. An estimated 1,160 Americans died from the virus this week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The next lowest point was the week of March 18, 2020, with 169 deaths. Over 1 million people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic. “It’s very unlikely that COVID deaths will go to zero, because we have a virus that is now here to stay and, in all likelihood, will constantly evolve to outpace our immunity,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an ABC News contributor and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Cases have also significantly declined, with less than 100,000 people testing positive this week. Experts have warned that case counts may be a gross underestimate due to the widespread availability of at-home tests. The new XBB.1.16 omicron subvariant may be responsible for a recent surge of cases in India. It now makes up nearly 10% of new cases in the U.S. but does not appear to be more severe than similar subvariants, experts say.
EPA completes first phase of soil testing in East Palestine claiming dioxin levels around “median” or average number | added April 22
Read more at WKBN
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – The Environmental Protection Agency held a meeting in East Palestine on Thursday to release results of soil testing. The EPA finished its first phase of soil testing. Mark Durno, EPA response coordinator, went over preliminary reports with residents.
Overall, most of the soil samples taken showed dioxin levels around what Durno calls the “median” or average number. However, he wanted to clarify that the type of sampling they did was not a risk assessment, but instead, it was a comparison study in order to compare possibly contaminated levels to outside areas. Durno says 4.8 ppt (parts per trillion) is the average standard they use when it comes to dioxin testing. He says anything lower than or around that number would not cause serious concern for exposure.
“You gotta understand what that lowest effect level means. It means that somebody is exposed to that level of contamination, 4.8 ppt, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. That’s not realistic,” he said. The EPA tested 148 locations. Each location was sampled for both shallow and deep samples. The results show that dioxins were found in the samples, but Durno says they expected that.
Graniteville, South Carolina survivors of deadly chlorine leak share advice for East Palestine residents | added April 21
Read more at Spectrum News 1
GRANITEVILLE, S.C. — The residents of Graniteville, S.C. said they are keenly aware of the train derailment and vinyl chloride leak in East Palestine. “When I hear a tale of another trainwreck, just something goes all the way through me, and I feel sorry for the people because I know what they’re going through,” Adine Corley said.
In January 2005, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Graniteville. One of the freight cars was punctured. It caused a chlorine leak that spread throughout the town. Nine people died. Damages were extensive. Negative health effects followed. Corley lives blocks from ground zero of the disaster. She was later diagnosed with asthma and said she is only able to utilize 60% of her lungs.
Louisiana Wright Sanders, a community activist who helped open the Graniteville Recovery and Chlorine Epidemiology Study Center (GRACE) said her brother’s health suffered until his death years after the accident. Her younger brother, Joe Walker, said his health has never fully recovered. “I have a lot of problems with my lungs,” Walker said. “And I didn’t have that problem before.” Charity Capers-Williams, a registered nurse and Director of Clinical Operations at Rural Health Services, said she treats many people, like Walker, as patients.
Ohio River that supplies drinking water to millions of people is endangered | added April 21
Read more at NPR
Ten rivers across the country make one conservation group’s list of most endangered rivers, including the Ohio River.
AILSA CHANG, HOST: The Ohio River supplies drinking water to millions of people between Pennsylvania and Illinois. It’s also one of the most endangered rivers in the country, according to a new report from the conservation nonprofit American Rivers. NPR’s Seyma Bayram joins us now to discuss why. Hey, Seyma.
SEYMA BAYRAM, BYLINE: Hi, Ailsa.
CHANG: So I understand that you recently visited the Ohio River where it starts in Pittsburgh. What did you see there?
BAYRAM: So I had this beautiful view from this overlook in Pittsburgh where you can actually see the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers come together to form the Ohio River. There are barges going up and down the river, a reminder that this nearly thousand-mile long river is still a main way to transport goods. You know, it’s important to remember the Ohio River gave life to Pittsburgh’s coal, petroleum and steel industries, which sustained the local economy, but also polluted the waterways.
I met this woman, Judy Baumgartner. She’s a Pittsburgh native. She remembers seeing big pipes from the plants going into the river and the smell.
JUDY BAUMGARTNER: It had a sweet, different smell. It wasn’t fresh water. You know, you just got used to it.
Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center reinstates new mask mandate after dozens of hospital workers test ‘covid’ positive | added April 21
Read more at The Press Democrat
More than a dozen hospital workers at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center, along with “some patients,” have tested positive for COVID-19, prompting new masking rules at the facility, hospital officials said.
“In response, effective immediately, physicians and staff are required to mask in the Santa Rosa hospital and emergency department while providing direct patient care,” Kaiser officials said in a written statement late Wednesday. Visitors will be required to wear a mask while inside the hospital building, which includes the emergency department, officials said.
Kaiser, the largest health care provider in Sonoma County, says it adheres to all applicable federal, state and local regulations about masking and other public health mitigation measures. The California Department of Public Health lifted statewide masking requirements, including for health care facilities, on April 3, as the outlook for COVID-19 infections continued to improve. The more lenient masking recommendations are tied to lower COVID-19 “community levels,” as determined by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
EPA finds toxic substances, including asbestos and chemical war compound at major fire in Richmond | added April 21
Read more at Indiana Environmental Reporter
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air monitoring near the site of a major fire in Richmond has found multiple toxic substances, including asbestos and hydrogen cyanide, a compound used as a chemical weapon during World War I. The EPA has conducted 24-hour air monitoring and sampling at the site and in neighborhoods surrounding the 175,000-square feet “My Way Trading Warehouse” since the recycled plastics in the building went up in flames April 11.
The agency said it found debris containing asbestos in neighborhoods surrounding the warehouse. The EPA said air monitors detected the presence of hydrogen cyanide, benzene, chlorine, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds within the half-mile evacuation zone. The agency sent the collected samples to a laboratory to learn more about the extent of the contamination.
The Wayne County Emergency Management Agency has since lifted the evacuation order for residents living within the evacuation zone, but the chemicals detected by the EPA could potentially cause a series of health problems for residents. EPA officials are warning residents not to remove any fire debris on their own. Instead, they can call the Richmond Community Helpline at (765) 973-9300 to report the suspected debris and register their information with the EPA to receive help from the EPA’s asbestos removal professionals.
Toxic fire at a scrap plastic business in Indiana raises major health concerns for people in area | added April 21
Read more at Manufacturing Net
A fire at a scrap plastics business in Indiana raises numerous health concerns for people in the area — particularly with the discovery of asbestos in debris, experts said Friday. An evacuation order for about 1,500 residents of the town of Richmond near the Ohio line remained in effect as firefighters doused hot spots while federal, state and local agencies monitored air and water for contamination.
It might take weeks for the fire to be fully extinguished, officials said. Plans are being developed to deal with asbestos fragments in nearby neighborhoods, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said. Inhaling asbestos can cause lung diseases, including cancer.
“Probably the worst thing you can do if you have debris in your yard would be to mow and break up that material” and possibly inhale it, EPA on-scene coordinator Jason Sewell said. Crews were taking air measurements at 34 sites, he said, with some samples being sent for laboratory analysis. Monitors in the evacuation zone detected hydrogen cyanide, benzene, chlorine, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. Also spotted was particulate matter, or soot, which is common with fires.
CDC records 28 deaths due to ‘covid’ | added April 21
Read at Oklahoma News 4
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Officials say the CDC has recorded over two dozen additional COVID-19 deaths in Oklahoma since last week’s data. The Oklahoma State Department of Health announced in March 2022 that it was discontinuing its daily situation updates that monitor the daily case counts, and instead, release weekly data on Thursdays.
According to OSDH, data shows the state has had 1,304,154 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March of 2020. That is an overall increase of 2,246 cases since last Thursday.
Health officials believe there are 2,555 active cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.According to officials, there were 115 Oklahomans hospitalized with COVID-19 on average over the past three days. Officials also noted that there were 18 pediatric hospitalizations for COVID-19 included in that number.
Participation in East Palestine sports low due to air quality concerns from toxic train derailment | added April 21
Read more at WTAE
East Palestine Schools, located approximately a mile and a half from the site of February’s toxic train derailment, has had a number of other districts refuse to come to campus to compete in track meets, costing the students the chance to compete and East Palestine money.
“Historically, we host four large invitationals here each year at East Palestine. They’re a big deal. We typically have between 20-30 schools. This year has kinda been a down year. Our largest has been 13,” Athletic Director Dwayne Pavkovich said. “We’re having a meet on Saturday, which last year we had 22. We have 7.” Pavkovich said parents in other districts are worried about the air quality so close to the derailment site.
“I understand parents’ concerns. I am a parent, and I respect. But the only thing I would ask is that we are fact-checking some of the information that we may be relying on,” Pavkovich said. The air in the area has been monitored around the clock by the Environmental Protection Agency since shortly after the derailment. The numbers are available online and indicate the air is safe. “They’re taking what they say is the safer approach, even though there is nothing that says it’s unsafe here,” Pavkovich said.
Coroner confirms death in UK was result of AstraZeneca ‘covid’ shot | added April 21
Read more at The Epoch Times
A coroner formally has officially recorded that the likely cause of Dr. Stephen Wright’s death was the AstraZeneca vaccine, making him potentially the first person in the UK to have died from the vaccine, according to his wife.
More than two years after 32-year-old Stephen Wright, an NHS psychologist in south-east London, died, an inquest has ruled that it was after taking Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19. Stephen Wright’s wife Charlotte Wright has been fighting to try to get the “natural causes” wording on her husband’s death certificate changed. On Wednesday, the London Inner South Southwark Coroners Court confirmed that the death was due to “unintended consequences of vaccination.”
The report noted that Wright was a “fit and healthy man who had an AstraZeneca COVID vaccination” on Jan. 16, 2021, awoke with a headache on Jan. 25, 2021, and later developed “left arm numbness.” “He attended an A&E department just after midnight where he was found to have high blood pressure and a sagittal sinus venous thrombosis. He was transferred to Kings College Hospital at 06.39 but due to the extent of the bleed and very low platelets, was unfit for surgery, dying at 18.33,” it said.
Illinois Labor Relations Board overturns ‘covid’ shot mandate imposed on city employees | added April 21
Read more at WTTW
The Illinois Labor Relations Board overturned the COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed on city of Chicago employees in October 2021 by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, ruling that her administration failed to bargain with employee unions as required by law.
The board ordered the city to rehire employees that were terminated after they refused to get the vaccine and awarded back pay – plus interest – to those employees who were disciplined because they refused to comply with the vaccine mandate. The ruling came in response to a complaint filed by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, known as AFSCME, and the Coalition of Unionized Public Employees, which represents more than two dozen labor organizations representing city employees.
Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter said Lightfoot, who will leave office in less than a month, unilaterally imposed the vaccine mandate. It is unclear how many employees would be rehired if the ruling stands. “The right call is collaboration,” said Reiter, adding that the complaint was not prompted by the debate over whether employees should – or should not – be vaccinated against COVID-19. “This is the right decision.”
Editor’s Note: It’s important we realize as humans that how we treat all beings ultimately sows the seeds for the kind of future we lead. This so-called ‘organic’ dairy farm abuses cows and treats them like commodities by robbing them of their babies and throwing them out like garbage. — mmd
Confidence in childhood vaccines dipped 44 percent in 52 countries due to ‘covid’ pandemic, according to new report | added April 20
Read more at The Epoch Times
A new report on immunisation suggests that confidence in childhood vaccines has fallen up to 44 percent in 52 countries coinciding with the largest sustained backslide in childhood immunization in 30 years, fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The only three countries where vaccine confidence remained steady were China, India, and Mexico. The data from these countries indicates the perception of the importance of vaccines held firm or even improved. The report attributed this trend to several factors, including uncertainty about the response to the pandemic, growing access to a wider range of information, and political polarization.
Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF, said that this data is a worrying warning signal. “At the height of the pandemic, scientists rapidly developed vaccines that saved countless lives. But despite this historic achievement, fear and disinformation about all types of vaccines circulated as widely as the virus itself,” Russell said in a press release.
“We cannot allow confidence in routine immunizations to become another victim of the pandemic. Otherwise, the next wave of deaths could be of more children with measles, diphtheria or other preventable diseases.”
CDC simplifies ‘covid’ jab recommendations for immune compromised | added April 20
Read more at CDC
Following FDA regulatory action, CDC has taken steps to simplify COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and allow more flexibility for people at higher risk who want the option of added protection from additional COVID-19 vaccine doses.
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met today to discuss these COVID-19 vaccine recommendation changes, and the associated implications and implementation. Although there was no vote at this meeting, ACIP members expressed their support for these recommendations.
These changes include:
CDC’s new recommendations allow an additional updated (bivalent) vaccine dose for adults ages 65 years and older and additional doses for people who are immunocompromised. This allows more flexibility for healthcare providers to administer additional doses to immunocompromised patients as needed.
Monovalent (original) COVID-19 mRNA COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be recommended for use in the United States.
CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 years and older receive an updated (bivalent) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they previously completed their (monovalent) primary series.
Individuals ages 6 years and older who have already received an updated mRNA vaccine do not need to take any action unless they are 65 years or older or immunocompromised.
For young children, multiple doses continue to be recommended and will vary by age, vaccine, and which vaccines were previously received.
Facebook’s Meta quietly ends ‘covid’ content labels finding they did little to end misinformation | added April 20
Read more at CNN
Late last year, Facebook-parent Meta quietly phased out certain content labels on its platforms that for much of the pandemic had directed viewers to its central Covid-19 information page, after internal research concluded the labels may be ineffective at changing attitudes or stopping the spread of misinformation, according to a report Thursday by the company’s external oversight board.
Facebook rolled out the labels in early 2021, after coming under criticism for the spread of Covid-19 misinformation on its platforms during the first year of the pandemic. The company applied the labels to a wide range of claims both true and untrue about vaccines, treatments and other topics related to the virus.
But Meta’s use of the labels began slowing on Dec. 19, and ended completely soon after, the report said, following the internal research. Study results provided to the Meta Oversight Board, a quasi-judicial body, showed that the company’s labels appeared to have “no detectable effect on users’ likelihood to read, create or re-share” claims that had previously been rated as false by third-party fact-checkers or that discouraged the use of vaccines, the report said.
HHS announces $1.1 billion dollar public-private partnership to maintain ‘covid’ shot access and treatments for uninsured | added April 20
Read more at American Hospital Association
The Department of Health and Human Services on April 19 announced a $1.1 billion public-private partnership to help maintain access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment for uninsured individuals through pharmacies, health centers and state and local public health departments after the federal government no longer pays for or distributes them, a transition expected this fall.
Under the HHS Bridge Access Program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will purchase and distribute COVID-19 vaccines to local health departments and participating health centers, and contract with pharmacies to continue offering COVID-19 vaccines and designated treatments with no out-of-pocket costs to uninsured individuals. The contracts also will allow uninsured individuals to receive access to certain COVID-19 treatments, including the drugs Paxlovid and Lagevrio, from participating pharmacies with no out-of-pocket costs, HHS said.
HHS said it has identified COVID-19 supplemental funds to support the program through 2024. “As a more permanent measure, both the FY 2023 and FY 2024 President’s Budgets proposed the Vaccines for Adults program, which would be modeled after the successful Vaccines for Children program that already covers recommended immunizations for children, including vaccinations for COVID-19, with no cost-sharing,” the agency said.
‘Omicron’ variant spreading in Connecticut | added April 20
Read more at CT Insider
A new subvariant of the Omicron family of COVID-19 is emerging worldwide. The subvariant, XBB 1.16 called “Arcturus” by virologists, is thought to be partially responsible for a massive surge of new cases in India.
“It was only a matter of time before a new variant came about,” said Dr. Scott Roberts, associate medical director of infection prevention at Yale New Haven. “This is another Omicron descendent, but my suspicion is that we’ll have some cross-protective immunity based on natural infection or the bi-valent booster.” This subvariant appears to have a new symptom, particularly in pediatric cases. According to the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Global Center for Health Security, pediatricians in India are seeing children with “itchy conjunctivitis,” also known as pink eye, in COVID-19 cases.
Right now the current hotspot for this new variant is in India but the World Health Organization reports that XBB 1.16 has been detected in 29 countries, including the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 7.2% of all cases of COVID-19 in the US are caused by Arcturus. In the New England region the CDC estimates that Arcturus is causing 2.4% of all cases while just over the border in the region that contains New York the prevalence is roughly 10%.
U.S. appeals court rules Biden’s ‘covid’ vax mandates for federal contractors was valid | added April 20
Read more at Reuters
April 19 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden had the power to require employees of federal contractors to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Wednesday, throwing out a judge’s ruling that had blocked the mandate in Arizona. A panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the 2021 mandate that applied to millions of workers nationwide fell under the broad powers granted by the federal Procurement Act, which enables the president to adopt rules that promote economy and efficiency in federal contracting.
The decision came in a challenge to the mandate by the office of former Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, on behalf of the state.The court reversed a federal judge in Phoenix who blocked the mandate in Arizona last year. The judge had said allowing the vaccine requirement would grant the president “a breathtaking amount of authority.”
The decision creates a split with three other appeals courts that have said Biden, a Democrat, likely exceeded his authority and blocked the vaccine mandate in 13 Republican-led states. The office of Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes, a Democrat who took office in January, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Department of Justice and the White House also did not respond to requests for comment.
Flexner’s fraud and the Rockefeller Institute | added April 20
Watch on Dr. Sam Bailey
[Oct. 2022] F. William Engdahl is an award-winning geopolitical analyst, strategic risk consultant, author, professor and lecturer. In July 2022, he published a brilliant essay titled “Toxicology vs Virology” that exposed the Rockefeller Institute’s role in creating virology. Using Polio as an example, it outlines how fictional “viruses” are used to advance medical tyranny.He revealed:
Flexner’s fraudulent experiments
The corruption of the American Medical Association
How the Rockefellers controlled the Polio narrative
The real causes of Poliomyelitis
How it relates to COVID-19 and current globalist agendas.
and much more!
Kentucky and California doctors received millions for administering ‘covid’ jabs to medicaid patients | added April 20
Read more at The Defender
The federal government and insurers incentivized healthcare providers in Kentucky and California to vaccinate Medicaid patients against COVID-19 by offering bonuses based on the percentage of patients successfully vaccinated.
“[This is] truly sickening and I am embarrassed for my profession by this,” Dr. Meryl Nass, an internist and biological warfare epidemiologist, wrote on her Substack, where she posted several documents relating to the COVID-19 vaccine provider incentive programs. (See Nass’ posts here, here, here and here.) The documents help to draw a picture of the broader effort at the federal, state and local levels to unleash a range of strategies targeting low-income and people-of-color communities, which tended to have lower vaccination rates.
The strategies included providing hundreds of millions of dollars for the creation of “culturally tailored” pro-vaccine materials and for training “trusted” and “influential messengers” to promote COVID-19 and flu vaccines to communities of color in every state. Nass’ revelations showed these efforts went beyond advertising, fear campaigns, payments to patients and payments to trusted community actors and included, in some cases, direct financial incentives to healthcare providers.
WHO launches mRNA vax technology hub in Cape Town, Africa | added April 20
Read more at Al Jazeera
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially launched its mRNA vaccine technology hub in Cape Town, a facility established during the COVID-19 pandemic to help poorer countries struggling to access life-saving medication.
In 2021, the WHO picked South African biotech firm Afrigen Biologics for a pilot project to give poor and middle-income countries the know-how and licences to make COVID vaccines. At the time, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called it a historic step. Afrigen Biologics has used the publicly available sequence of Moderna Inc’s mRNA COVID vaccine to make its own version of the shot, AfriVac 2121, at lab scale and is now scaling up production.
The vaccine candidate, which must still be tested on people, is the first to be made based on a widely used vaccine without the assistance and approval of the developer. It is also the first mRNA vaccine designed, developed and produced at lab scale on the African continent. “I am … here in Cape Town with our partners to support a sustainable model for mRNA technology transfer to give low- and middle-income countries equitable access to vaccines and other lifesaving health products,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement on Thursday, the day the vaccine hub was launched.
Saint Bobby Jr. — Will he save us? A conversation with Michael Bryant and Jesse Zurawell | added April 19
Listen on Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Hello — Is anyone in my reading audience versed in the history of Rockefeller medicine? Please reach to me personally. I am looking for a true historian of the issue, including the background on the Flexner affair. Pleae reply or comment below. Thank you.
Dear Friend and Reader:
On this special edition of Planet Waves FM, I speak with reporter Michael Bryant and TNT Radio host Jesse Zurawell about the possibility of a Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. presidential candidacy (expected to be officially announced in Boston on Wednesday, the day of a solar eclipse).
Kennedy is the head of Children’s Health Defense (CHD), an organization involved in publishing and broadcasting, and a number of freedom of speech and vaccine related lawsuits, including serving as co-counsel on the Gardasil Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) case, a federal liability lawsuit brought by more than 40 individuals injured by the claimed anti-HPV injection given to teeagers.
U.S. government approves first-ever ‘covid’ vax injury payouts from myocarditis, CDC still recommends children get boosted | added April 19
Editor’s Note: This story is not mainstream and yet the government clearly acknowledges the risk of multiple ‘covid’ drugs inducing myocarditis in people. — mmd
Read more at Komo News
WASHINGTON (TND) — The government has approved the first-ever COVID-19 vaccine injury claim payouts. Three claims were approved by the government for people who could prove that there was some injury by the shots. One of the payments was for anaphylaxis while the other two are for myocarditis.
Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute Jeffrey Singer joined The National Desk’s Jan Jeffcoat Wednesday morning to discuss the story. “As far as the anaphylaxis is concerned, that’s a severe allergic reaction. That to me doesn’t indict the vaccine because you could get anaphylaxis for virtually any substance but when it comes to myocarditis it’s been pretty established now for quite some time, particularly in young males under the age of 30,” he said. “You can get myocarditis with each additional mRNA shot so in fact in European public health agencies, many of them have been not recommending that anyone under the age of 30 get the third shot let alone boosters.”
Singer says in the U.S. the CDC is still recommending children aged six months and up get the booster and many colleges won’t let you on campus unless you get vaccinated.“I think as we see more claims made about myocarditis and the vaccine, maybe it’s going to get our CDC and a lot of universities to think that policy isn’t gonna stay,” he said.
The great lie and the data that shows it | added April 19
Read more at The Viral Delusion
I confess. I still think it’s worth calling out the lie behind the covid cult.
Mike Yeadon, former VP and Chief Scientist for Respiratory Disease at Pfizer, seems to agree. He just penned a piece pleading with the scientific community to join him in exposing the ruse at the heart of the covid narrative: there was no virus. There never was a virus. It was all a fraud. He’s not alone. For three years now, Tom Cowan, Andy Kaufman, Amandha Vollmer, and so many other doctors, scientists and journalists, have made clear that the virology “experiments” justifying the covid narrative were profoundly fraudulent: that no “SARS-CoV-2 virus” was ever actually found.
They have been met with a chorus from the mainstream that has shouted them down and told them to shut up and trust the science, not critique it, and from much of the “critical community” that continually shrinks away from calling out the Great Lie behind the Great Reset, claiming that the science is just too hard to comprehend, and that they will lose their audiences if they speak about it. So still we sit in this stew of lies, with nary a nabob to call the emperor naked.
But if we can take just a moment to look at the all-cause mortality data, the case that a deadly new disease ever ravaged the world in 2020 reveals itself as entirely absurd.
EPA: Five tank cars carrying almost 900,000 pounds of human carcinogen that derailed in East Palestine was headed for South Jersey | added April 19
Read more at Courier Post
Five tank cars that spewed flames and a toxic chemical at a derailment site in Ohio in February were bound for South Jersey, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The cars were carrying almost 900,000 pounds of vinyl chloride, a human carcinogen, from Texas to Salem County, said the EPA.
They were among 61 cars that went off the tracks in East Palestine on Feb. 3, prompting evacuations and health concerns in that area. The five cars were traveling to an OxyVinyls facility in Pedricktown, the EPA noted in an administrative order for “removal actions” at the Ohio derailment. “The derailment resulted in a large fire affecting numerous rail cars, including rail cars carrying hazardous materials,” the order said. It noted the fire continued for days and that the EPA then ordered vinyl chloride to be vented from the five cars and burned to avoid “a catastrophic explosion.”
The tank cars, which were part of a 149-car Norfolk Southern freight train, had started their journey at an OxyVinyls facility in La Porte, Texas. That community, near Houston, is more than 1,500 miles from South Jersey. An OxyVinyls representative could not be reached for immediate comment. The Pedricktown plant produces resins and PVC, or polyvinyl chloride products, according to a website for its parent firm Oxy, also known as Occidental Petroleum Corp.
GOP senator claims ‘covid’ origin investigations points to lab leak | added April 19
Read more at FOX News
Republicans have made investigating the origins of the coronavirus pandemic a top priority after garnering control of the House and making strides in the Senate, but a recent report from Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall has uncovered stunning developments in the search for answers. After more than two years of research, Sen. Marshall revealed on “Mornings with Maria” Tuesday that a “preponderance of evidence” points to two lab leaks in China as the cause of the global pandemic.
“This is big. It is a bombshell that the preponderance of evidence shows that there were two lab leaks,” Sen. Marshall said. “If we had a scale in front of us and we put all the evidence on one side that supports a natural spillover, the other for the lab origin of this, I think that 95% of that evidence is on the lab origin.”
Sen. Marshall released his findings on Monday, detailing how the two separate, unintentional leaks spiraled into perhaps one of the most devastating events in recent history. “The first one occurring probably somewhere around the September timeframe in a Wuhan laboratory, an unintentional lab leak sometime in September of 2019. The Chinese then begin vaccine research. And we think that is when this epidemic, which became a pandemic, actually exploded. Most likely they were developing this vaccine in a laboratory in the Wuhan University working on primates. We think that’s when some type of an aerosol was accidentally released from that laboratory or a lab worker walked out of that with this very, very contagious virus.”
Norfolk Southern’s CEO reiterates apologies to Ohio lawmakers for hazardous chemical spill in East Palestine | added April 19
Read more at CBS News
Norfolk Southern’s CEO reiterated apologies Tuesday for the East Palestine train derailment and vows to make things right during his first testimony to Ohio lawmakers since the fiery accident, expressing support for some additional safety proposals but resistance to others.
An Ohio Senate panel on rail safety questioned Alan Shaw over a wide range of topics related to the derailment and subsequent controlled chemical release that rocked the small village on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, including long-term support systems for the community, two-person crew mandates and tanker car safety standards. Shaw has promised millions of dollars to help the community recover but also faces a lawsuit from Ohio’s Attorney General Dave Yost over costs for the toxic chemical spill cleanup and environmental damage, even as they work together to establish funds for resident health care, property value issues and water protections.
The federal government has also sued the railroad. Shaw said he supports Congress’ efforts in railway safety legislation, spearheaded by Ohio U.S. senators and representatives, including provisions to increase inspection oversight for railways, further investment in wayside detectors and stricter standards for tanker cars, such as those that were carrying hazardous materials on Feb. 3.
Supreme Court rules in favor of The Constitution and separation of powers | added April 19
Read more at Bobbie Anne Cox Substack
In a shockingly rare occurrence, the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on Friday had a unanimous ruling… in favor of the Constitution! I have to say, I am quite surprised, but so thrilled. And it wasn’t just any old constitutional win. It’s on the sacred Separation of Powers doctrine – my fave – and the challenge was against the ever-growing administrative state (i.e. agency power).
I was on America’s Voice Live to discuss the dangers of the overreaching, ever-present administrative state, and you can watch that interview here. I have also written on separation of powers, and more specifically the importance of keeping the power-crazed administrative state in check, numerous times in the past: The Constitution Is The Answer; Regulation Nation; Our Constitution Was Written to Keep The Government In Check, Not The People; Catch Me If You Can
For anyone who may be unclear about what separation of powers is exactly, I’ll give a quick refresher from grade-school history class. (I know it’s been quite a while since most of us sat through a civics class, if ever). So, here in the United States, we have three branches of government (judicial, executive and legislative). All three branches are co-equal with one another, meaning that none is more powerful than, or has control over, the others. Each branch has its own separate powers and duties as laid out in our Constitution. The president (or governor at the state level) and their agencies are in the Executive Branch of government. The Executive Branch enforces the laws that the Legislative Branch (Congress, or state legislature) creates.
Dozens of patients sue AstraZeneca over injuries from ‘covid’ shot | added April 19
Read more at The BMJ
[March 28, 2023] Dozens of patients and families are launching legal action against AstraZeneca over a rare side effect of its covid-19 vaccine. Lawyers have sent the company pre-action protocol letters, the first step in a legal claim on behalf of around 75 claimants. Some have lost relatives and some have survived withcatastrophic injuries following blood clots.Many millions have had the vaccine without suffering complications but in 2021 the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency confirmed a possible link between the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria, and a rare condition involving blood clots along with abnormally low platelet levels. Those taking legal action have been diagnosed with vaccine induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia.
The claimants are pursuing a two pronged strategy: taking legal action under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 as well as claiming payment under the government run Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. The scheme has paid out in several cases, but is limited to £120 000 per claim and applicants must prove severe disablement.1 Payment under the scheme does not preclude a claim for personal injury through the courts. Those taking action under the Consumer Protection Act must show that the vaccine was not as safe as the public were entitled to expect.
In memory of those who died suddenly in the U.S., April 10-17, 2023 | added April 19
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller Substack
Jonah Winn, age 25, passed away unexpectedly as a result of a pre-existing medical condition on April 4, 2023, at his family home in Eden Prairie. While his life was all too brief, Jonah touched the lives of all the people he knew. Jonah was thrilled as he prepared to embark on a new career at the University of Chicago, in his favorite city.
Winn’s death was described as sudden and unexpected on Facebook:
Dear Friends, with great sadness, I share with you Tom Winn’s sudden, unexpected loss of his eldest grandchild, Jonah Augustine Winn, who is the son of Christian Collins Winn, whom many of you also know.
Quincy, IL – Former news anchor, Lesley Swick-Van Ness, passed away from a sudden illness Monday morning while vacationing with her family. Lesley, a Tri-state native, started at WGEM as a reporter in 2003. She became weekend anchor in 2006 and weekday evening anchor in 2008. In 2016, she become a recruiter for the company. Former colleagues remember the 42-year-old as a leader in the newsroom, a force to be reckoned with, and a trusted member of the community.
Graham Hancock on Plato’s Atlantis | added April 19
Watch on YouTube
Graham Hancock discusses evidence of the great advanced ancient civilization known as Atlantis. Funny how certain sectors of modern society tend to forget ancestors of this planet…
Researchers question East Palestine narrative and ‘controlled chemical release’ | added April 18
Read more at Truthout
Holidays in my childhood were spent at my grandparents’ farm in Plain Grove, Pennsylvania, 35 miles from East Palestine, Ohio. My grandfather’s grandfather fought at Gettysburg and homesteaded the 160-acre farm after the Civil War. My grandmother sold it in the 1960s for $13,000, lacking a male heir to do the work; but my relatives still live in the area.
I have therefore taken a keen interest in the toxic chemical disaster that resulted when a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3, although it is not my usual line of research. The official narrative doesn’t seem to add up. Something else must have been going on, but what?
A Litany of Anomalies
The 150-car train was 1.76 miles long, and 10 of the 38 derailed cars contained hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride. The decision was made to create a hole in each of the suspect cars and allow the contents to flow into a pit, which was then lit on fire. As reported in Newsweek: The toxic mixture of chemicals and carcinogens released … could spread many miles out from the crash site, experts say.
The chemicals—including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)— were being carried aboard the train when it derailed. …
Doctors who once advocated for ‘covid’ shots stand down | added April 18
Watch the video on Dr. Sam Bailey
COVID-19 has so many facets to its fraud that sometimes it is hard to know where to begin. However, only the most fanatical doctors claimed that there is nothing wrong with the COVID shots, face masks and social isolation experiments.
Do these doctors still stand by such claims or is there a change in the air? In this video we take a look at a group of doctors who once cheered on COVID interventions, but note that their website has quietly disappeared…
Hazardous chemicals travel across the U.S. amid booming plastic industry | added April 18
Read more at The New York Times
When a freight train carrying more than 100,000 gallons of hazardous chemicals derailed and burned in East Palestine, Ohio, this year, it set off a panic over rail safety and the toxic fallout for communities downwind. But less has been known about the origins of the chemicals themselves and their intended destination.
Much of the train’s vinyl chloride freight — which was ultimately incinerated by emergency responders to avert a wider explosion — came from a chemicals plant in La Porte, just outside Houston, Texas, that is run by OxyVinyls, the chemical arm of Occidental Petroleum, according to the shipment records released by the Environmental Protection Agency. The chemicals were on a 1,600-mile journey to an Oxy plant in Pedricktown, N.J., that makes plastic used in PVC flooring.
The details of the cargo were included in an administrative order filed last month by the E.P.A. that was based on shipment data provided by Oxy and other shippers. Oxy had more than 700,000 pounds of vinyl chloride on the train that derailed, the records show. An E.P.A. official on Monday confirmed the accuracy of the information.
Norfolk Southern’s CEO to testify before Ohio Senate over rail safety | added April 18
Read more at WKBN
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Norfolk Southern’s CEO is set to testify before an Ohio Senate rail safety panel Tuesday, more than two months after a fiery train derailment including hazardous materials rocked the village of East Palestine.
Alan Shaw has promised millions of dollars to help the Ohio-Pennsylvania border community recover, but also faces a lawsuit from Ohio’s Attorney General Dave Yost over costs for the toxic chemical spill cleanup and environmental damage. The federal government has also sued the railroad. Shaw previously testified before the Pennsylvania legislature as well as Congress over the derailment, but now faces Ohio lawmakers, who recently passed a state transportation budget that would impose new rail safety measures on Norfolk Southern and other railroads traveling through their state.
Whether they’re allowed to do so, however, remains a point of debate. The Ohio Railroad Association, a trade group, has argued that several of the measures are preempted by federal law. Legislators say the General Assembly can put statewide safeguards in place to help protect constituents. No one was injured during the Feb. 3 derailment, but half of the nearly 5,000 East Palestine residents were evacuated for days.
Rail safety questions continue as CPKC reopens line after derailment | added April 18
Read more at The Press Herald
A rail line in northern Maine has reopened after a train carrying lumber and hazardous materials derailed early Saturday, sending three people to the hospital and igniting a small swath of woodland on fire.
Crews were still at the site 15 miles east of Jackman on Monday, cleaning up debris from the derailment, according to spokesperson Doniele Carlson of CPKC, the Calgary, Alberta-based rail company that was formed when Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern merged on Friday. CPKC and the Federal Railroad Administration, which is tasked with overseeing the railroad industry, declined to provide details around how the tracks near Jackman were inspected leading up to the derailment.
Typically, railroad tracks are required to be inspected once a week, according to the railroad administration website. Three locomotives and six cars containing lumber, wiring and other materials derailed. The three people injured were train crew members who were hospitalized with non-life-threatening conditions.
Unfalsifiable and the ‘covid’ pandemic | added April 18
Read more at Mike Stone Antiviral
Beyond adherence to the scientific method, a key factor in determining whether or not the evidence gathered during research is indeed scientific rather than pseudoscientific is a simple concept known as falsifiability. This idea was introduced by scientific philosopher Karl Popper in 1935 in his book The Logic of Scientific Discovery.
Essentially, what falsifiability means is that, in order for a hypothesis or theory to be scientific, it must have the abilty to be disproven. Someone should be able to conceivably design an experiment that could prove the hypothesis or theory wrong. If a hypothesis or theory is capable of being proven wrong and yet it is supported by experimental evidence of its truth, then it can be considered as a scientific hypothesis or theory.
Popper explained his reasoning for this criterion in his 1963 book Conjectures and Refutations. Falsification was an attempt to draw a line between science and pseudoscience. He was bothered by the ways in which observations could be easily fit to confirm whatever theory was believed by the eye of the beholder. In this way, it is easy to create a confirmation bias where one ignores contradictory information in order to claim that the vast majority of the observations fit within their own theoretical paradigm.
FDA: Single bivalent ‘covid’ jab enough for most individuals | added April 18
Read more at The Hill
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday announced it was simplifying its recommended COVID-19 vaccine schedule, stating a single dose of the bivalent vaccine specific to the BA.4 and BA.5 strains of the omicron variant is enough for most individuals.
Going forward, the FDA announced all coronavirus vaccines administered to those six months and older would be the bivalent doses. The original forms of the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are no longer authorized for use in the U.S., the agency said. The announcement on Tuesday indicated a shift away from the two-dose vaccine schedule that has become the standard throughout the U.S. when it comes to mRNA vaccination.
Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine was originally the only authorized shot in the U.S. that was administered in a single dose. According to the FDA, individuals who haven’t gotten a bivalent shot yet or haven’t gotten vaccinated at all are still eligible for a dose, but those who have received a single dose already are “not currently eligible for another dose.”
NY hospitals scale back ‘covid’ testing, medical mandates | added April 18
Read more at NBC 5
The University of Vermont Health Network – Alice Hyde Medical Center and The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital are rolling back COVID-19-era masking requirements for patients, visitors and employees in most settings.
Starting Wednesday, the hospitals will make masking optional for staff while they are in public areas and optional for patients and visitors in all areas. Anyone who has COVID-19-like symptoms, including but not limited to fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, loss of taste or smell, or diarrhea, will be required to wear a mask.
Employees continue to be required to wear masks while in patient rooms, exam rooms, and while providing direct patient care. Free surgical/procedural masks will remain available at entrances for both hospitals. AHMC and CVPH also won’t require asymptomatic patients to be tested for COVID-19 before their procedure or admission. Officials from the two health care facilities are asking anyone who develops symptoms of the virus within a few days of their scheduled procedure to contact their provider.
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part.
— Shakespeare from As You Like It
Train carrying hazardous flammable chemical derails in northern Maine | added April 17
Read more at Portland Press Herald
[April 15, 2023] The train that derailed in northern Maine on Saturday was carrying the hazardous chemical pentamethylheptane, which is highly flammable and toxic to humans, according to the railroad.Canadian Pacific Kansas City railroad said the train was also carrying ethanol. Both chemicals are flammable, and pentamethylheptane is classified as highly flammable by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Cleanup continued Sunday at the site, where six cars derailed and started a small forest fire. The cars containing the hazardous materials were not involved in the fire, and there were no leaks or spills, according to the railroad.
There were no evacuations, the railroad said Sunday. The derailment happened at 8:30 a.m. Saturday about 15 miles east of Jackman near the village of Rockwood, in Somerset County, and was caused by a track washout, the railroad said in a statement Sunday. Three locomotives and four lumber cars derailed into a wooded area, where they caught fire and started a small forest fire. No other cars were impacted by the fire, the railroad said.
Train collision in Wise County leaves two injured, according to officials | added April 17
Read at WFAA
Developing story —A train collision in Wise County injured an engineer and a conductor on Sunday night, according to officials. In a statement to WFAA, officials with Union Pacific said that at around 7 p.m. a southbound Union Pacific train hit an unoccupied train that was parked in a siding, which is like a passing lane.
This happened near County Road 1540 in Chico, about 14 miles northwest of Decatur. The train company said a locomotive engineer and a conductor were injured and are being treated. Their conditions are currently unknown. According to the company, 15 grain cars and three locomotives derailed in the collision. Union Pacific added that there were no hazardous materials on the train.
Various agencies such as the Wise County Office of Emergency Management, Wise County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the scene of the crash. Further details were not released as the investigation continues.
Norfolk Southern reports completed excavation of chemical-laced soil, ready to resume partial service | added April 17
Read more at Cleveland
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Norfolk Southern says it has completed excavation of the impacted soil underneath the south track at the site of the East Palestine train derailment and will finish restoration of the track in the coming days. The railroad company made the announcement in a press release, adding that remediation work on the north track will begin soon.
Norfolk Southern said the 1,900-foot section of the south track was reinstalled after EPA-approved testing confirmed the impacted soil under the removed track had been excavated. The Norfolk Southern press release said remediation work on the north track is expected to begin next week.
The company said trains may temporarily run on both tracks “to ensure the replaced track properly settles and is safe for normal train traffic.” Traffic will stop on the north track to continue remediation work, including removing impacted soil and water and conducting daily environmental monitoring, the company said.
Arcturus ‘covid’ variant continues to cause ‘itchy’ symptoms worldwide | added April 17
Read more at NBC News
Thought COVID was done with the surprises? Not yet, apparently. Those itchy, red eyes you have that you assumed were just the start of allergy season? It could very well be something called “Arcturus” instead.
XBB.1.16, a subvariant of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus that has acquired that unusual stellar label, appears to be spreading quickly in some parts of the world. For now, the worst of it appears to be in India, where local media reported Friday that daily cases are surging – up almost 50% in just the last couple of days.
But it’s growing in the United States as well. The CDC’s variant tracker, updated Friday, shows XBB.1.16 has nearly doubled its proportion in the last week, and is now at 7.2% of all samples sequenced, though may be as high as 11.3%. In HHS Region 2, which includes New York and New Jersey, that figure is now over 9%. The CDC estimates its prevalence could be as high as 14.9%.
‘Long-covid’ symptoms appear to manifest like seasonal flu, according to Queensland study on highly vaxed population | added April 17
Read more at SciTech Daily
Comparison with influenza in the Australian state of Queensland during the Omicron wave in 2022 suggests Long COVID’s burden on health systems may not stem from severity, but from volume.
In the highly vaccinated population of Queensland exposed to the Omicron variant, long COVID appears to manifest as a post-viral syndrome of no greater incidence or severity than seasonal influenza, according to new research being presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark (April 15-18).
The study by Queensland Health researchers suggests that despite the similarity of clinical outcomes after COVID-19 and influenza, long COVID’s impact on public health systems is likely to stem from the volume of those infected with SARS-CoV-2, rather than the severity of long COVID symptoms.
Florida bill makes progress in House to ban ‘covid’ vax and mask mandates | added April 17
Read more at The Center Square
The Florida House is considering a bill that would ban COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates and codify several COVID-related executive orders by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
House Bill 1013 was reported favorably by the House Health & Human Services Committee on Monday and is sponsored by Rep. Phillip Griffitts, R-Panama City Beach. The bill would prohibit business entities, governmental entities and educational institutions from imposing COVID-19 testing, mask and vaccination mandates.
DeSantis issued executive orders in 2021 that superseded school mask mandates and another that prevented the requirement of vaccine passports by government entities or businesses. In January, the second-term Republican governor said Florida was a “refuge of sanity” during COVID and that he wanted lawmakers to pass reforms related to mandates.
‘Covid’ blamed for leading cause of U.S. deaths, according to Federal health officials | added April 17
Editor’s Note: This is absolutely not true according to the Centers for Disease Control’s own website which states heart disease and cancer as leading causes of death. What about drug overdoses and the opioid deaths? When do officials who mandated experimental drugs which cost people their health, lives and livelihoods take responsibility that it was not a miracle cure? Those cases matter. — mmd
Read more at The Washington Post
Millions of Americans gathered maskless in homes and houses of worship this month for Passover, Easter and Ramadan — the latest evidence that coronavirus has retreated from public view as the pandemic winds down.
But retreat is not the same thing as eradication: Federal health officials say that covid remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States, tied to about 250 deaths daily, on average, mostly among the old and immunocompromised. Few Americans are treating it as a leading killer, however — in part because they are not hearing about those numbers, don’t trust them or don’t see them as relevant to their own lives.
“We’re not presenting the data in a way that resonates with the American people,” said Deborah Birx, who served as the first White House coronavirus coordinator under President Donald Trump, citing research that finds elevated risks of health complications and death in the months after a covid infection.
Texas senator proposes bill that would fine residents for filing multiple complaints about environmental pollution | added April 17
Editor’s Note: When environmental pollutants land on the food animals eat they accumulate in the adipose tissues which gets consumed by people who eat them. Not to mention the levels of adrenaline that get released from animals who are slaughtered. Also, citizens of the planet (all of Earth’s inhabitants) have a right to complain, question and require testing when these industrial chemicals are prevalent. — mmd
Read more at The Texas Tribune
GUNTER — From the big glass windows in her dining room, Linda Hunter has seen her view transformed from grand, green pastures to a row of side-by-side concrete batch plants.
The 59-year-old, who lives on her 224-acre ranch, says the plants have disrupted what used to be a tranquil area. The bright lights from the nearby plants keep her up at night, she says, and so does the rumbling of trucks that start passing her house as early as 2 a.m. And when Hunter tries to tend to her garden, dust from the plants stings her eyes and irritates her asthma.
“The only time I breathe [easily] and my blood pressure is down is on Saturday and Sundays,” Hunter said. Those are the days the concrete batch plants typically don’t operate. Over the past five years, Hunter said, she has made numerous complaints to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality about dust clouds and water runoff from nearby plants into her property.
Under a bill filed in the Texas Senate, residents like Hunter could face fines if they make three or more complaints to environmental regulators in a calendar year and their complaints don’t result in an enforcement action. Senate Bill 471, filed by Republican Sen. Drew Springer of Muenster, doesn’t specify the amount of the fine but says it would be “less than or equal to the cost” of investigating the complaint.
Man returns from the dead after dying from ‘covid’ two years ago, unclear where he has been | added April 17
Read more at NDTV
Dhar, Madhya Pradesh: A man whose last rites were performed by his family members after he was declared “dead” due to COVID-19 at a hospital has returned home after two years in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district.
The family members of Kamlesh Patidar, 35, were taken by surprise on Saturday when he knocked the door of his maternal aunt’s house in Karodkala village at around 6 am, almost two years after they performed his last rites, a family member said. Kamlesh Patidar had fallen ill during the second COVID-19 wave. He was admitted to a hospital and later doctors declared him dead. After the hospital handed over the “body” to them, the family members performed his last rites, his cousin Mukesh Patidar told reporters on Saturday.
“Now, he has returned home but he has not revealed anything about where he stayed during this period,” the cousin said. Kanwan police station in-charge Ram Singh Rathore said according to the family members, Kamlesh Patidar suffered from the coronavirus infection in 2021 and was admitted to a hospital in Vadodara (Gujarat).
Now on PWFM: The Spaghetti Western known as ‘covid’ | added April 15
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Dear Friend and Listener:
This week, Chiron Return (the nonprofit reporting team) published a major investigative feature by Michael A. Bryant, documenting what occurred and did not occur in Italy in March 2020. I did the photo research, and was amazed at how many images of claimed events in northern Italy were used to sell the crisis in the United States. It was a Spaghetti Western!
That is a genre of films dating back to the 1960s, which gets its name from how many of them were shot in Italy, and also many other parts of Europe — and then were presented as having happened in the United States. Many of those photos from Italy were used to persuade and convince the American public that the crisis was real.
We speak with author Michael Bryant about how that happened.
Let’s Talk Frankly About Space Aliens
Two weeks ago, we scooped the world press corps and the Substackosphere in announcing RFK Jr’s candidacy for president. I have a serious question for him, that may sound like a joke, but is not. It concerns what he would do in the event of a claimed alien invasion. Such is on the list of things that could happen during the next presidential administration.
New ‘covid’ variant induces red or pink eye, according to scientists | added April 15
Read more at NBC News
Since the pandemic began more than three years ago, numerous variants have emerged as the virus that causes COVID-19 evolved. As the COVID public health emergency ends, case numbers drop and concerns subside, another new variant has caught the attention of scientists. While it does have a higher transmissibility rate than previous strains, the variant “Arcturus,” also known as omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, stands out for bringing along a new COVID symptom – conjunctivitis, known as red or pink eye, which is often combined with itchiness.
The World Health Organization has considered the strain a “variant under monitoring” since March 22, and as of Friday, cases have been confirmed in around 20 countries. “Arcturus” is responsible for a surge in case counts in parts of the world, including India, where itchy or “sticky” eyes have been most often reported in children.
XBB.1.116 has surfaced in the U.S., and although it hasn’t led to high case numbers, there’s the possibility the strain “may become more prominent in coming weeks,” said Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic. In fact, newly-released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the virus’ spread has grown nationwide since it first surfaced.
Biden’s HHS holds on to some ‘covid’ response powers despite an end of pandemic | added April 15
Read more at STAT News
WASHINGTON — Even though the Biden administration is ending its highest-profile Covid-19 emergency declaration next month, it’s still going to hold on to some pandemic-era powers. The Department of Health and Human Services gave governors a heads-up on Friday that it is planning to keep pharmacists’ ability to administer Covid-19 and flu vaccines past the end of the public health emergency.
The legal definition of the Covid-19 emergency is a complex web of different laws that control different areas of the pandemic response. The White House and HHS are in the process of winding those powers down, but they all operate separately from another. “While COVID-19 is not over, we are in a position to end the emergency phase of our response because of the Administration’s whole-of-government approach to combatting the virus,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote in a letter to governors.
While the Covid-19 public health emergency will end on May 11, HHS is choosing to extend some powers related to a separate law called the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, which offers extra protections to companies and providers making, distributing, and administering medicines and vaccines in times of emergency.
Pfizer hid data on waning immunity and ‘covid’ jab efficacy | added April 15
Read more at The Epoch Times
In late 2020, the airways became saturated with triumphant reporting of Pfizer and Moderna’s “95 percent effective” COVID-19 vaccines. Millions rolled up their sleeves with the belief that reaching herd immunity would end the pandemic.
But by June 2021, the pandemic endgame story had gone off script. Highly vaccinated countries like Israel were experiencing a new wave of COVID infections, vaccination rates were starting to slow, and public scepticism was snowballing. Authorities tried to allay fears by saying that new infections were “rare breakthroughs,” but the data became too difficult to ignore.
By early July, the Israeli Ministry of Health reported that vaccine effectiveness against infection and symptomatic disease had fallen to 64 percent. Three weeks later, revised estimates put Pfizer’s vaccine at just 39 percent effective.
Delayed Disclosure
Regulatory filings date stamped from April 2021 show Pfizer had strong evidence that its vaccine’s efficacy waned—results the company did not publicly release until the end of July. Peter Doshi, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, accessed these documents from the Canadian drug regulator, Health Canada.
Norfolk Southern offers close up view of how they are cleaning up their hazardous train derailment | added April 15
Read more at Trib Live
Chris Hunsicker has done environmental cleanup work for 30 years, but he said he’s never been involved in a project as extensive as the one that began after the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine in early February.
“This is a very unique event and a very significant event,” Hunsicker, Norfolk Southern’s regional manager of environmental operations, said as a long-arm excavator shoveled soil at the derailment site. “This is the biggest one I’ve ever been involved with — and it’s not just about my experience. (Those involved in the project have) probably hundreds of years of experience,” he added.
Thirty-eight Norfolk Southern rail cars, including 11 containing hazardous materials, derailed Feb. 3. A fire at the site burned for days, and authorities ordered people living nearby to evacuate the area. On Friday, Norfolk Southern took another step forward in the cleanup, inviting members of the news media to the site for the first time to get an up-close look at the remediation efforts.
Factory farm pays Wisconsin DOJ $215K for agricultural pollution that reached private wells | added April 15
Read more at CBS News
A factory farm has agreed to pay the Wisconsin Department of Justice $215,000 to settle pollution allegations. The Legislature’s finance committee is slated to approve the deal during a meeting Tuesday.
According to an analysis of the deal by the Legislature’s attorneys, the deal will settle allegations that Kinnard Farms improperly spread manure in Kewaunee and Door counties between 2018 and 2022, failed to timely submit an engineering evaluation for a feed storage area and failed to timely submit annual nutrient management plan updates.
The settlement also calls for Kinnard Farms to upgrade two waste storage facilities and a feed storage area. The Kinnard operation includes 16 industrial farms with about 8,000 cows. The company has struggled with agricultural pollution for years as contaminants began showing up in private wells. Kinnard Farms owner/operator Lee Kinnard said in a statement that the farms decided to settle rather than face a lengthy and costly dispute. He said the farms “look forward to pursuing state-of-the-art manure management technology.”
India’s ‘covid’ cases exceed 53,000 signaling pandemic concerns | added April 15
Read more at Mint
India has been witnessing a continuous rise in daily Covid-19 cases as the country’s active caseload has gone up to 53,720, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. On Friday, the country had 49,622 active cases. A total of 4,42,23,211 persons have recovered from the coronavirus infection so far since the pandemic began, while 5,31,091 people succumbed to the virus, the data shows.
Six deaths were recorded in Delhi, followed by four in Maharashtra, three in Rajasthan and one each in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The figure also includes six deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 6.78 while the weekly positivity rate was pegged at 4.49. The total tally of Covid cases is at 4.48 crore (4,48,08,022). The active cases now comprise 0.12 percent of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.69, according to the ministry website.
White House announces $5 billion dollar program to fund ‘next-generation covid shots’ | added April 14
Read more at USA Today
The Biden administration has announced a $5 billion program to accelerate the development of next-generation COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Like Operation Warp Speed, which developed and distributed vaccines in the early days of the pandemic, Project NextGen will cut across government agencies and involve public-private collaborations, a senior Biden official told USA TODAY.
Current vaccines, developed rapidly in the heat of the emergency, are “really good, but they’re not great,” said Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist who worked with the administration to develop the new program. “There is a substantial amount of work (to be done) to take these good vaccines and hopefully achieve better vaccines.”
Project NextGen, announced Monday, has three primary goals, which Osterholm and colleagues laid out in a “road map” in February: Develop a nasal vaccine to prevent infection as well as severe disease; develop longer-lasting vaccines; and create “broader” vaccines that protect against all variants and several coronaviruses.
Yeah, something doesn’t balance out correctly…
EPA details update on cleanup, recovery efforts in East Palestine | added April 14
Watch the video on YouTube
EPA admin Debra Shore details cleanup, recovery and responsibility in East Palestine, Ohio. Shore said Norfolk Southern after the soil was dug up, wanted to fill the trenches before it was tested. The railway company responsible for hazardous train derailment, resumed service just after the evacuation was lifted. “This was a second assault on the people of East Palestine,” said Shore.
PA Sen. John Fetterman visits Beaver and Lawrence counties to speak with farmers in wake of hazardous train derailment | added April 14
Read more at CBS
ENON VALLEY, Pa. (KDKA) — Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. John Fetterman visited Beaver and Lawrence counties to talk to farmers impacted by the toxic train derailment across the border in East Palestine, Ohio.
Fetterman held a roundtable with farmers and leaders to talk about the train derailment and how it’s impacted farming and to hear their wider concerns ahead of the upcoming farm bill negotiations he’ll participate in as part of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
The senator also toured a dairy farm in Enon Valley. “It was an honor and a privilege to sit down with the hardworking farmers of Beaver and Lawrence Counties to hear their concerns following the train derailment in East Palestine, what they want to see from my office moving forward after the derailment, and to hear their wider agricultural concerns ahead of Farm Bill negotiations that are upcoming later this year,” Fetterman said in a press release.
Threatening vision clots are rare after ‘covid’ shots, according to study | added April 14
Read more at Med Page Today
Retinal vascular occlusion (RVO) did not occur more frequently in the 3 weeks following administration of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine compared with influenza and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines, a retrospective study showed.
In a propensity score-matched analysis using 3 million electronic health records (EHRs), a new diagnosis of RVO, a serious, potentially vision-threatening condition, occurred in 0.003% of patients within 21 days of COVID vaccination, reported Rishi P. Singh, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute in Ohio, and colleagues.
The relative risk for a new RVO diagnosis after the first dose of mRNA COVID vaccine was not significantly different from that after influenza vaccination (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.54-1.01) or Tdap vaccination (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.44-1.38), they said in JAMA Ophthalmologyopens in a new tab or window. Furthermore, a post-hoc analysis performed by the researchers showed a fourfold higher risk of RVO after COVID infection versus after mRNA vaccination (RR 4.25, 95% CI 3.24-5.56), in line with prior researchopens in a new tab or window showing an increased RVO risk after infection.
Disease and water pollution that stems from dairy farming | added April 14
Editor’s Note: Increased cancer risks, including breast, bone, ovarian and prostate have all been linked to dairy consumption and industry. These animals are held against their will and used as commodities. We are the only species that drinks the milk of another species. Is it necessary? Is it kind? — mmd
Read more at Sentient Media
Dairy farming often slips under the radar, even though the industry is one of the largest perpetrators of animal abuse in the world. On top of that, the dairy industry is also a rampant polluter of the world’s waterways which are vital sources of clean water for humans and local ecosystems.
So, how does dairy farming cause water pollution? This issue is just beginning to rear its head. In the U.S., fifty percent of dairy comes from the 3 percent of farms that have 1,000 cows or more, with the largest possessing as many as 15,000 animals. The dairy industry is producing unsustainable amounts of untreated manure that seeps into the groundwater, threatening the livelihood of millions of people, eradicating entire ecosystems, and deepening the divide between the industry and its critics.
Dairy farming is the practice of breeding and raising cows to extract their milk and it almost always happens on an industrial scale. The conventional milk cow, the Holstein-Friesian, has been selectively bred to produce excessive amounts of milk. The U.K. average for milking cows is 20 liters a day when lactating, with the most productive individuals producing as much as 60 liters per day.
About 100,000 U.S. nurses left workplace during ‘covid’ due to burnout and stress | added April 14
Read more at ABC 7
About 100,000 registered nurses in the US left the workplace due to the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the results of a survey published Thursday by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
Another 610,388 registered nurses, who had more than 10 years of experience and an average age of 57, said they planned to leave the workforce by 2027 because of stress, burnout or retirement. The same was true of 189,000 additional nurses with 10 or fewer years of experience and an average age of 36.
The survey found that there were over 5.2 million active registered nurses and 973,788 licensed practical nurses or vocational nurses in the US in 2022. The researchers analyzed data from 29,472 registered and advanced nurses and more than 24,000 licensed practical or vocational nurses across 45 states. More than a quarter of those surveyed said they plan to leave the industry or retire in the next five years, the study says.
Researcher and professor criticizes the handling of ‘covid’ vax clinical trials at National Citizen’s Inquiry hearing: “We don’t know the effects” | added April 14
Read more at The Epoch Times
A researcher and a professor criticized the way COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials were conducted in their testimony at the April 13 hearing of the National Citizen’s Inquiry (NCI) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Drug companies rushed their trials and failed to account for factors such as long-term data, long-term safety and efficacy, and post-infection natural immunity and protection against severe disease, they said.
“These biological products being rushed like this is absolutely unprecedented,” said Jessica Rose, a Canadian researcher with master’s, PhD, and post-doctoral degrees in immunology, computational biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry.
“We don’t know the effects. We should have done studies for years, perhaps even decades, to see if this was going to become a problem from a genomic point of view.” The NCI describes itself as a “citizen-led and citizen-funded initiative that is completely independent of government.” It is hearing from Canadians and experts in order to investigate governments’ COVID-19 policies in a “fair and impartial manner.”
Jamie Foxx suffers medical emergency, Gene Simmons falls ill on stage; Kathy Griffin gets MRI “after lung cancer battle” | added April 14
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller Substack
The actor’s daughter Corinne Foxx, 29, took to Instagram on April 12 to announce that her father recently needed medical care. “We wanted to share that my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday,” Corinne wrote.
“Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery. We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers.” She added, “The family asks for privacy at this time.” Corinne—who the 55-year-old shares with ex Connie Kline—didn’t share additional details about the incident.
Gene Simmons fell ill during a KISS concert on Wednesday night (April 12th) in Manaus, Brazil, and was forced to perform part of the set sitting down. As originally reported by Brazilian journalist Igor Miranda, Simmons appeared woozy during the performance and eventually asked a member of the road crew for a chair.
Italy 2020: Behind the claim of ‘covid’s’ Ground Zero, by Michael Bryant | added April 13
Listen on Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Editor’s Introduction:
THE FALL OF THE LOMBARDY REGION of Italy in March 2020 presaged the shutdown of the world: within weeks, 4.4 billion people — more than half of the globe’s population — were under lockdown, restricted movement, house arrest or actual arrest. China can do what it wants; Italy is real to Europeans and Americans.
Yet what actually happened, when you look beyond the shock and awe campaign? Michael Bryant has prepared the most comprehensive investigative report you’re likely to find covering the events of Italy in early 2020. Verging on book-length, this is not for casual readers. Those with a serious interest in “covid” history will appreciate Michael’s in-depth work. We warm it up with a short interview.
Please note that it is the finding of this news organization, based on a separate three-year investigation, that what was claimed to be “SARS-CoV-2” was never isolated, purified or sequenced; that by the government’s own admission, there is no valid test for the claim of “viral infection”; and that “covid-19” as a disease or syndrome was never defined in a cohesive way. No government can produce a scientific paper showing that the claimed virus has ever been extracted from a human host.
— Eric F. Coppolino
THREE YEARS AGO, the Western world came to a standstill.
The official COVID-19 narrative was born: the claim of a strange, suddenly-super-spreading, deadlier-than-flu virus allegedly hailing from China that somehow landed in northern Italy. “COVID” is the World Health Organization’s name for “coronavirus disease” that was allegedly caused by the “sudden acute respiratory syndrome virus (SARS) type-2, claimed to be a new novel virus to which no person had natural immunity.
This was a compelling scenario, especially as a science fiction treatment — though it was presented as irrefutable fact.
On February 20, 2020, the first alleged case was discovered in the western world in the Lombardy town of Codogno. Later that day the Italian government reported their first claimed “COVID-19 death.”
A look at how programs like 4-H and FFA indoctrinate children by using animals as commodities | added April 13
Read more at VOX
The story of a California girl and her goat named Cedar, which captured national and international headlines this past week, almost reads like it could have been penned by a Hollywood screenwriter. The tale of a child battling cruel adults for the life of a beloved animal companion has been the plot of everything from a classic children’s story (Charlotte’s Web), sci-fi film (2017’s Okja), and even an episode of The Simpsons (“Apocalypse Cow”).
The tale begins in the experience of millions of children who enroll annually in their local 4-H clubs — a more than century-old national youth organization run by the US Department of Agriculture that teaches personal development skills through agricultural and home economics projects. Last year, the 9-year-old daughter of Jessica Long, a resident of Shasta County in northern California, acquired a baby goat for a 4-H “livestock project.” The idea was that she would raise the goat until he was ready to be auctioned for slaughter at the local county fair, a common activity for 4-H members.
But raising Cedar led Long’s daughter to care deeply for him and, on the eve of the auction last June, she pleaded for the goat to be spared. The fair organizers refused. Then, Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle, a farmer and unsuccessful 2022 California gubernatorial candidate, submitted a winning bid of $902 for Cedar’s meat, of which $63.14 was to go to the fair. Later that night, in a last-ditch effort to save Cedar the goat from slaughter, Long and her daughter took him from the fair.
EPA pressured for new water pollution regulations due to concentrated animal feeding operations | added April 13
Read more at Civil Eats
As a result of a series of recent developments, industrial farms that raise thousands of animals in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are facing new regulations aimed at preventing water pollution. And the American public will soon have additional information about just how much pollution the facilities create each year.
Last week, advocacy groups logged victories in two significant court cases. In one, a judge decided that CAFOs that were previously exempt from environmental impact assessments will now be required to complete them in order to access government loans. In another, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed to respond by August to a petition it had ignored for more than five years. In the petition, advocacy groups detail loopholes in CAFO permitting and outline a plan for the agency to more closely regulate the facilities under the Clean Water Act.
“This issue has gone unaddressed for so long by the agency that it really forces us and our allies to put more and more pressure on EPA to get something done,” said Emily Miller, a staff attorney for Food & Water Watch, one of the organizations involved in the lawsuits. “It has been years—decades, really—since they’ve taken a hard look at this industry and its pollution.”
How hog waste and biogas pollutes the planet | added April 13
Read more at The Bitter Southerner
The Rev. Jimmy Melvin’s church in Magnolia, North Carolina, is surrounded by industrial hog operations and spray fields on all sides. In 2016, the county tested the water at the church and declared it contaminated. The notice read, “Mt. Zion AME Zion Church water has high levels of nitrate. Do not give the water to infants under 6 months old or use it to make formula.” The county gave the church and its parishioners 90 days to come up with $4,000 to dig a new well.
While the new 225-foot well was being dug, the reverend performed baptisms with bottled water. But Danielle Melvin Koonce, the reverend’s daughter, said water contamination from Smithfield Foods, the largest hog producer in the country and a major employer in the area, has been a part of daily life for decades. A doctoral student at the University of Maryland studying sociology and social movements, Koonce is writing her dissertation on how rural Black communities engage in environmental justice.
She returned to North Carolina to conduct dissertation research, and when she arrived, the first letter in her mailbox was a request to check the water quality. “It really hurts — what they are doing with the water,” Koonce said, explaining that locals had been collecting signatures and documenting the quality of the area’s water for more than 20 years. “Most people will cook with [tap water] but don’t drink it,” Koonce said. “Even my parents, we don’t drink our tap water.”
Farmers are not required to use mRNA on livestock, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture | added April 13
Read more at AP News
“There is no requirement or mandate that producers vaccinate their livestock for any disease,” U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson Marissa Perry said in an email. “It is a personal and business decision left up to the producer and will remain that way.”
Jason Menke, a National Pork Board spokesperson, said in a statement that the “decision to use vaccines and other medical treatments to protect animal health and well-being are made by the farmer under the direction of the herd veterinarian.” In terms of COVID-19 specifically, there are no licensed mRNA vaccines against that disease for animals, Perry said.
Some animals, particularly those in zoos considered susceptible, have received vaccines against COVID-19. But those immunizations do not rely on mRNA technology, said Suresh Kuchipudi, a veterinary scientist and chair of emerging infectious diseases at Penn State University. Experts also say there are no animal vaccines currently licensed in the U.S. against any disease that use the same mRNA approach as humans’ COVID-19 vaccines, which entails delivering the mRNA by using a fatty coating called lipid nanoparticles — though some are being researched.
Ontario: ‘Covid’ hospitalizations and deaths were higher in 2022 than 2021 | added April 13
Read more at The Epoch Times
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ontario were 31 percent higher in 2022 than in 2021, while deaths from the disease were 39 percent higher than the previous year, according to a new report from Public Health Ontario.
The newly-released data said there were a total of 22,559 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ontario in 2021, and 29,524 hospitalizations from the disease in 2022. Additionally, there were 5,485 deaths from COVID-19 in 2021, and 7,625 COVID-19 deaths in 2022. The report said that the difference in hospitalizations and deaths between 2021 and 2022 was impacted by differences in circulating SARS-CoV-2 variant characteristics—such as transmissibility and immune evasion—as well as different public health measures, population immunity, COVID-19 vaccine uptake, and COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against variants.
The highest increase in hospitalizations was seen in the elderly population, with the data showing those aged 60-79 had 11,212 hospitalizations in 2022 compared to 8,562 in 2021, while those aged 80 and over had 11,885 hospitalizations in 2022, compared to 4,712 in 2021; increases of 30 percent and 152 percent respectively. Younger Ontarians also had a dramatic rise in hospitalizations in 2022.
In memory of those who “died suddenly” in India, Uzbekistan, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, April 3-April 10, 2023 | added April 13
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller Substack
Tirupati – Senior journalist Pasham Jagannatha Naidu passed away at his home in Yogimallavaram village near Tiruchanoor here on Monday morning. He was 65. Naidu worked in various capacities in Andhra Jyothi, Udayam, Eenadu and Vaartha in Hyderabad, Kadapa, and Tirupati. After his retirement he ran a Telugu daily also for sometime.
Now a similar case has come to light in Varanasi. National basketball player and Bareka employee Ajay Kumar Singh [40] of Banaras Rail Engine Factory (Bareka) died of a heart attack while playing football on Thursday. At the time of the incident, they were playing football in the sports ground of Bareka Inter College. Everyone is shocked by this sudden incident. Giving information about the incident, Bareka Sports Officer Bahadur Prasad said that Ajay suddenly fell down while playing football.
In a tragic incident, a 19-year-old student, Shaik Kasim Pasha, who had taken degree first-year exams recently, suffered a massive heart attack and died in Khammam town. According to information available with TNIE, Shaik Kasim Pasha of Repallivada village in Enkoor mandal, was the son of Nagulmeera, a daily wage worker. He was a BSc first-year student at SR and BJNR Degree College in Khammam town and was living with his grandfather.
Google ends ‘covid’ jab mandates for entry into company buildings | added April 13
Read more at Outkick
Tech conglomerate Google has finally accepted reality and ended its proof of vaccination requirement to enter their offices. Amazingly, Google apparently maintained this policy well into 2023. According to CNBC, Google VP of Global Security Chris Rackow sent a company wide email to assuredly terrified employees announcing the change.
“Vaccines will no longer be required as a condition of entry to any of our buildings,” Rackow said. He further explained that the COVID situation is far different than it was when their mandate was put in place. “Last month marks three years since the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic,” Rackow wrote in his memo.
“We put in place emergency measures such as our Covid-19 vaccine policy to keep everyone safe, but now the world is in a very different place. Most people today have some level of immunity against COVID-19, case rates and hospitalizations have stabilized for many months now, and governments all around the world — including the U.S. — are ending emergency declarations, lifting restrictions and ending vaccination mandates.”
New Optimus Prime sounding ‘covid’ variant, ‘arcturus’ believed to be one of the most infectious variants to date | added April 13
Read more at Daily Voice
The so-called Arcturus strain — officially known as XBB.1.16 — is believed to be one of the most infectious versions of Omicron to date. Shortly after the World Health Organization began monitoring the variant in late March, cases had been reported in about two dozen countries.
Arcturus has been sparking a surge of cases in India, prompting Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19, to say of the new variant, “This is one to watch,” at a briefing earlier this month. “One of the big uncertainties we face going forward is the virus itself,” Van Kerkhove said. “It hasn’t settled into a predictable pattern. It continues to evolve.”
The WHO says Arcturus is a “recombinant” of COVID subvariants BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75. In addition to New York, XBB.1.16 has also been confirmed in California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and 19 other states. “We will continue to see waves of infection,” Van Kerkhove said. “The peaks of those infections may not be as large as we saw before and likely will not be because we have population-level immunity that has increased around the world from vaccination and also from past infection.
Farmers around toxic train derailment in East Palestine await test results for safety assurance | added April 12
Read more at WKBN
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – The Ohio Department of Agriculture is starting a new series of soil testing in and around the East Palestine area. It’s looking for signs of ground contamination from the train derailment more than two months ago.
Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine visited a cattle farm a few miles outside East Palestine Monday. State officials say they are going to be collecting soil and plant samples to determine whether or not volatile chemicals or compounds are still present. Farmers say they need those results before they try to sell the crops grown on their land or the beef or dairy products from their cows.
“Has to be done, and we have to assure the public and us landowners. The testing is a necessary step,” said Scott Lindsay, with Lindsay’s Pine Hill Jersey Farm. Inspectors with the Department of Agriculture will send their samples to Ohio State for analysis. Results should be available in about three weeks.
Billionaire Warren Buffett calls Norfolk Southern’s handling of hazardous train derailment, “tone deaf” | added April 12
Watch the video on YouTube
Warren Buffett said Norfolk Southern Corp. did a poor job in the aftermath of its February train derailment in Ohio. “I think they’ve handled it terribly,” Buffett, whose BNSF railroad competes with Norfolk Southern, said Wednesday in an interview on CNBC. “They were tone deaf.”
SUNY will no longer mandate students be inoculated with ‘covid’ shots | added April 12
Read more at The Daily News
ALBANY – The State University of New York will no longer require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attended classes beginning with the system’s summer session.
COVID-19 vaccinations will be strongly encouraged for students, along with other viruses including influenza and mpox. Faculty and staff will also be encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations, SUNY officials said Tuesday in announcing the change. The changes, which coincide with next month’s official end of the national public health emergency, will be in affect for all 64 SUNY campuses.
“The safety of SUNY’s students is our first and foremost priority, and while COVID is no longer an emergency, we will not lose sight of the impact it continues to have on us,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said in a news release. The decision came at the recommendation of SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee, which is comprised of physicians and experts in infectious disease, public health, and neuroscience.
Hospitals struggle to treat ‘long covid’ patients with debilitating after effects | added April 12
Read more at U.S. News
COVID-19, a puzzling virus in itself, has continued to vex doctors and patients with its sometimes serious, debilitating aftereffects. These persistent symptoms, labeled long COVID and affecting every demographic, are proving particularly worrying as the effects on children and teens are increasingly being recognized.
Speaking at a recent virtual event convened by U.S. News & World Report, Dr. Laura Malone, co-director of the Pediatric Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation Clinic at Baltimore’s Kennedy Krieger Institute defined long COVID as persistent or sometimes new symptoms that last “for four weeks or longer” after an acute COVID infection – though precise definitions can vary.
One challenge in treating the condition is that many people still question that COVID in general and long COVID in particular are real threats to children, said Dr. Amy Edwards, director of the Pediatric COVID Recovery Clinic and associate medical director for infection control at UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland. But kids do get COVID, she said.
Collier County Commission unanimously passes “health freedom bill of rights” to protect personal liberties in wake of ‘covid’ | added April 12
Read more at Naples Daily News
The Collier County Commission unanimously passed a “health freedom bill of rights” on Tuesday that supporters say protects personal liberties in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and government overreach. Opponents to the ordinance argued state laws enacted by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2021 already spell out prohibitions, like mask mandates and vaccine requirements, and so a local ordinance is redundant.
A resolution that says the county will protect individual liberties in case something similar to another pandemic hits in the future passed 4-1 with Commissioner Burt Saunders casting the only dissenting vote. He expressed concern about one provision in the resolution about patient visitation rights in hospitals and controlling spread of an infectious disease.
Commissioner Chris Hall, elected to the board last November, proposed both documents, saying he ran for the county seat because of government overreach during the pandemic. Hall said he wanted to make sure people have the right to make their own health care decisions and not have anything “shoved down their throats.”
Serum Institute of India to begin re-manufacturing ‘covid’ jab Covishield amid rising cases | added April 12
Read more at The Indian Express
Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla on Wednesday said the company has restarted manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine Covishield amid rising numbers of cases of the virus infection.
He said the company already has six million booster doses of Covovax vaccine available and adults must take the booster shot. “Just as a precaution, at risk we have done it so that people have Covishield as a choice if they want it,” Poonawalla told PTI on restarting manufacturing of the vaccine.
The company had stopped manufacturing of Covishield in December 2021. The restarting of manufacturing of Covishield by SII comes at a time when the number of COVID-19 cases in the country is rising again. According to Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday, India registered a single-day rise of 7,830 new coronavirus infections, the highest in 223 days, and the count of active cases in the country reached 40,215.
Switzerland will not recommend ‘covid’ shots for any citizens during spring and summer seasons | added April 12
Editor’s Note: Important to note the various recommendations from different world governments. The United States has added the ‘covid’ inoculation to the list of recommended vaccines for children. However, apparently in Switzerland the virus has off during the Spring and Summer months. — mmd
Read more at KATU ABC 2
SWITZERLAND (TND) — Switzerland will not recommend a COVID-19 vaccine for its citizens during the spring and summer seasons, even for those at high risk of experiencing severe illness from contracting the virus.
The country’s latest recommendation regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots came directly from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), which declared most people in the country had either already been vaccinated “and/or contracted and recovered from COVID-19” at this point.
“Their immune system has therefore been exposed to the coronavirus,” the FOPH insisted in its guidance, adding that “in spring/summer 2023, the virus will likely circulate less.” The FOPH also noted that current variants of COVID-19 “cause rather mild illness,” but pointed out that if a wave of infections were to emerge, the recommendation would be adjusted.
Scientists uncover new understanding of ‘covid’ causing severe multi-organ injury and cytokine storms | added April 12
Read more at Newswise
Newswise — Scientists have uncovered a new understanding of how COVID-19 causes severe multi-organ injury in some patients and the pathways to stopping the cytokine storms behind them, according to new research published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight.
“The research inspires a paradigm shift in how we think about cytokine-storm related illness,” said RUSH nephrologist Sumant Chugh, MD, senior author of the article “Cytokine storm-based mechanisms for extra-pulmonary manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection.”
Using mouse models and creating a method for mirroring the levels of organ injury and inflammation that COVID-19 can cause, the researchers uncovered pathways to reducing that injury to vital organs. COVID-19 is known to create a severe immune reaction in which the body releases too many cytokines into the blood too quickly.
Beijing seeks to write its own victory battle with ‘covid’ | added April 12
Editor’s Note: This further reiterates how ‘covid’ became political and not about communicable disease and protecting people. — mmd
Read more at The Wall Street Journal
Two months after declaring victory over Covid-19, Beijing is trying to shape the way the pandemic is remembered in China by withholding data on its impact and censoring people who contradict the government line that its handling of the virus was a triumph.
One of the biggest questions—how many people died—remains unanswered, with the government restricting access to records that could help shed light on the issue. Official reports on the number of bodies cremated, normally released quarterly, disappeared or haven’t been updated on schedule in more than 30 provinces, cities or districts, a Wall Street Journal review found.
One city erased records going back to the beginning of 2020, the Journal found. Authorities have also been censoring discussions on social media that dwell on the long-term psychological toll of the government’s “zero-Covid” policy, which upended daily life and largely closed off China from the outside world for three years, until Beijing abruptly abandoned the rules late last year.
Glad Easter wasn’t cancelled | added April 12
Watch on YouTube
FYI: They have isolated stugots a 19.
Truck carrying toxic soil from East Palestine overturns in Columbiana County | added April 11
Read more at WKBN
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – A truck carrying toxic soil from the East Palestine train derailment site overturned just before 1 p.m. Monday in Columbiana County. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a commercial vehicle hauling 40,000 pounds of contaminated soil from the train derailment site was involved in a crash on state Route 165 near Waterford Road.
The driver was 74-year-old Phillip Falck, of McDonald, Pennsylvania. He suffered minor injuries from the crash and was cited for operating a vehicle without reasonable control. The northbound tractor-trailer traveled off the right side of the roadway, hit a ditch and utility pole and overturned onto its right side. Highway Patrol estimates that approximately 20,000 pounds of soil spilled onto the roadway and berm.
The local fire department and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency were called to the scene. According to the Ohio EPA, the spill was contained and is not a threat to nearby waterways. The Ohio Department of Transportation closed Route 165 at state Route 617 in Mahoning County and at state Route 14 in Columbiana County, but the roads have since be reopened
Resident of East Palestine reports traces of vinyl chloride in urinalysis | added April 11
Read more at WTAE
Linda Murphy has an appointment in East Palestine’s brand new health clinic, run by East Liverpool City Hospital. Murphy’s urinalysis was performed by Colorimetry, but after receiving the results, she consulted with Dr. Erin Haynes, the chair of the Department for Epidemiology at the University of Kentucky, which revealed 600 micrograms of chemicals that formed after the vinyl chloride metabolized.
“I know there’s risks of liver cancers,” she said. “I know there’s risks of brain cancers. I know there’s central nervous system disorders that come along with this.” She has questions for the staff based on results from her urinalysis she received nearly two weeks ago, showing traces of vinyl chloride. Hundreds of residents in the village of East Palestine described similar symptoms in the days following the Norfolk Southern train derailment on Feb. 3.
Murphy and her husband Russell chose not to drink their well water immediately following the incident, instead opting to have water buffaloes shipped to their house, but that still did not prevent the chemicals from entering her system. “Just felt like my eyes were tired and swollen, extremely sore throat, almost like I drank hot liquids,” Murphy said. “My voice was going in and out. I had a lot of trouble breathing, difficulty taking a deep breath, especially at night.”
Permanent health clinic opens in East Palestine following toxic train derailment | added April 11
Read more at WBNS 10
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The formal opening of a permanent health clinic in East Palestine is expected to provide residents with a space where they can get ask questions, get tested and better understand any health concerns they may have two months after a toxic train derailed.
Since that Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine derailed on Feb. 3, residents have complained about a variety of symptoms including headaches, burning lips, rashes and breathing troubles. The train derailment – a subsequent controlled burn – released chemicals like vinyl chloride into the area. Despite a large fish kill in area creaks and residents posting videos of a chemical sheen in the water – ongoing monitoring and testing of the air and water have so far been deemed safe.
But there is still uncertainty and mistrust among residents who have complained about off and on symptoms since the derailment occurred. Charisse Munyon told 10 Investigates that she’s experienced an ongoing cough. Her fiancé has experienced ailments like burning eyes. “I’ve had a nasty cough from the week about since it happened,” she said, adding that she’s uncertain whether it’s the change in the weather or something else. “It’s all very frustrating that’s the best word I can describe it.”
East Palestine: Conflict of interest controversy continues as polluter tests for toxic contaminants | added April 11
Read more at The Huffington Post
Two weeks after the fiery derailment of a Norfolk Southern train hauling toxic chemicals, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan traveled to the rural town of East Palestine, Ohio, and urged area residents to “trust the government.”
“I know that’s hard. We know there’s a lack of trust,” Regan said during a Feb. 17 visit. “We’re testing for everything that was on that train.” Securing public trust in such a conservative town and state was always going to be an uphill battle for the Biden administration. Ohio Republicans didn’t do the administration any favors, quickly and repeatedly condemning the federal response while applauding Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and state agencies despite their own missteps.
Public trust has only continued to crumble since Regan’s initial visit — especially when it became evident that responders weren’t initially testing for all hazardous materials on the train after all. Many area residents have been clear about their lack of confidence that officials have been transparent about current and future health and environmental risks.
Virology for developing countries | added April 11
Watch on Dr. Sam Bailey
It has become clear that there are several permitted narratives when it comes to COVID-19 or any alleged “viral” illnesses. However, all of these narratives come back to the “virus” and the concept of contagion. The ‘no virus‘ arguments remain completely suppressed.
In order to sustain the virus fraud, there needs to be universal acceptance of the virologists’ pseudoscientific methodologies. Let’s take a look at a 2017 WHO document that “anticipated” the need for all of the world to establish virology labs.
And why do some health freedom leaders continue to support the WHO sponsored anti-science of virology?
President Biden signs law that terminates the ‘covid’ national emergency | added April 11
Read more at NBC News
President Joe Biden on Monday signed into law a Republican-backed resolution that immediately terminates the coronavirus national emergency first declared in March 2020. The measure ends the national emergency a month earlier than the Biden administration had planned. A separate public health emergency tied to Covid will remain until May 11.
Biden had signaled his opposition to ending the national emergency but said he wouldn’t veto the legislation. The Senate passed the measure 68-23 at the end of March, with nearly two dozen Democrats supporting it. The House passed the legislation, introduced by Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., in late January in a 220-210 vote along party lines.
The vote to end the national emergency before May has caused the administration to wind down some of its emergency programs more quickly over the past few months and notify those affected by the change, a senior administration official said. Among the affected programs are mortgage forbearance at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and relaxed Veteran Affairs Department requirements for home visits to evaluate eligibility for caregiver assistance, the official said.
Uncovering ‘covid’ fraud part 13 | added April 11
Read more at Mike Stone Antiviral Substack
There were many odd moments early on during this “pandemic” that should have made people stop in their tracks, raise up their hands towards the heavens, and shout:
“What the @#$% is going on here?!?!”
At the height of this madness, one truly cringe-worthy scenario that played out was when hard-working everyday people were arrested and sentenced to time in jail for standing up for their own rights. These people wanted nothing more than to earn a living in order to support their families and to keep their small businesses alive. However, if they defied their own states unlawful orders and decided to continue running their businesses as usual, they were treated as criminals and lambasted in the mainstream media in order to be made an example of.
As these ordinary citizens, who did not break any laws, were taken to jail, violent criminals were being freed and released back into the populace out of fear of the “virus” spreading between inmates. These were people who actually committed crimes, having broken the law and were in the process of serving sentences. However, the threat of the “virus” freed these offenders while those who committed no crimes were punished. It truly showcased how backwards society can become based upon nothing but fear propaganda supplied 24/7 by the mainstream media.
Los Angeles County ends ‘covid’ drug mandate for deputies, firefighters, employees | added April 11
Read more at LA Times
Los Angeles County has ended its COVID-19 employee vaccination requirement, allowing workers — including sheriff’s deputies and firefighters — to be hired even if they haven’t gotten a shot.
The policy change, which took effect Monday, is the latest COVID-19-related rule to be relaxed in L.A. County as officials continue to steadily unwind the emergency phase of their pandemic response. “There is no longer a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for new hires or existing county employees, unless otherwise mandated by federal, state or local regulations or orders,” said Jesus Ruiz, a spokesperson with L.A. County’s chief executive office.
According to a statement issued on behalf of L.A. County officials, the end of the employee vaccination requirement is “in line with decisions to end the state of emergency by the Board of Supervisors.” The board voted unanimously to rescind that emergency declaration in late February, and the move became official a week ago. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday also approved the repeal of a rule requiring certain contractors for the county to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or to have received a medical or religious exemption.
UK study reveals mask mandates during ‘covid’ did little to stop ‘omicron’ from spreading | added April 11
Read more at The Epoch Times
Wearing a mask in health care settings had little, if any effect on the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 among patients, according to British researchers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, mask mandates for hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes became a staple of many countries’ attempts at curbing the spread of the virus. In the UK, all staff and visitors at health care facilities were required to wear splash-resistant surgical face masks until June 2022, after which individual hospitals could decide their own mask policies.
“A low-tech, low-cost intervention without well-established benefit was reasonable in the context of the early pandemic,” scientists at St. George’s Hospital in London said. “However, with a reduction in the severity of COVID-19 disease, in later variants, the risk-benefit balance becomes more questionable.” For their study, the scientists analyzed routinely collected infection control data at St. George’s between Dec. 4, 2021, and Sept. 10, 2022—a 40-week period spanning from the first week when the Omicron variant became the country’s dominant cause of infection during the pandemic to the point when the British government ended pre-admission COVID-19 tests at hospitals.
Vandana Shiva on Dutch farmers’ revolt: They’re lying | added April 11
Watch on YouTube
Funny how essential nitrogen gets left out the climate change discussion.
Purdue University researchers fall sick after investigating toxic train derailment in East Palestine | added April 10
Read more at News Nation
Research teams from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Purdue University fell sick after being sent to evaluate environmental hazards in East Palestine, Ohio, after the toxic train derailment. These researchers experienced many of the same symptoms the town’s residents have been reporting. Andrew Whelton was a member of a Purdue University team of researchers who began experiencing symptoms after testing the environment in East Palestine.
“Well, the fact that we were not told that CDC investigators got sick is a real issue,” said Whelton. “The government agencies that are responding to this disaster need to be more transparent, share the information that they have with the people, because for over a month, people are complaining that they were getting sick. And government testing results kept saying that the air and water is safe, so therefore, you’re not getting sick.”
Last month, an independent environmental firm identified “probable carcinogens” in the river water surrounding East Palestine that the Ohio EPA did not previously detect. The firm did not definitively determine that the compounds found came from the controlled burn conducted at the derailment site, but said the test results suggested they had. “I think there really needs to be an alignment of government investigators getting data to answer very specific questions,” Whelton told NewsNation.
Missing equipment found along Norfolk Southern rail line following East Palestine derailment | added April 10
Read more at FOX 8
[April 6, 2023] COLUMBIANA COUNTY, Ohio (WKBN) – The First News team has been digging into every aspect of the East Palestine train derailment. WKBN spent several weeks working to locate the hot bearing detectors along the rail line running through East Palestine and even discovered changes made after they began asking questions.A hot-bearing detector is a device used on railroads to detect axle and signal problems as well as temperature increases in the wheel bearing. They can act as warning devices for potential train derailments due to heated bearing conditions. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was probing an overheated bearing as a potential cause of the East Palestine train derailment on Feb. 3.
“But I can tell you this much, this was 100 percent preventable,” said NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy during a news conference in February. The NTSB‘s report mentioned three hot-bearing detectors that WKBN was able to find. Mile-marker 79.9 on the line in Sebring is the location of the first hot-bearing detector referenced in the NTSB preliminary report. When the train that derailed passed over that detector, the bearing believed to have caused the derailment was 38 degrees above air temperature, not a concern yet.
Chinese scientist claims ‘covid’ may have originated from humans | added April 10
Read more at CNN
The Covid-19 virus may have originated from humans, a Chinese scientist has claimed. The genetic sequences of viral samples taken from the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan – thought to be the ground zero site of the pandemic – were “almost identical” to those of patients infected with the coronavirus, suggesting that Covid-19 may have originated from humans, said Tong Yigang of the Beijing University of Chemical Technology.
Tong, who was speaking at a press conference held by the Chinese State Council regarding research into the origin of the virus, said more than 1,300 environmental and frozen animal samples had been taken at the market between January 2020 and March 2020, and researchers had isolated three strains of virus from the environmental samples. He also said there was not yet sufficient evidence to back up recent studies that had suggested racoon dogs were the origin of the Covid-19 virus.
Speaking at the same event, a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researcher, Zhou Lei, called for global scientific collaboration in tracing the origins of the virus, saying that the site where Covid-19 was first discovered was not necessarily where it originated.
Canadian politicians sign CCP letter promoting Beijing’s ‘covid’ response | added April 10
Read more at The Epoch Times
Senator Victor Oh and former Ontario cabinet minister Michael Chan were signatories among those who signed a 2020 letter from an Ontario-based Chinese-Canadian business association to a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official saying the association has been promoting China’s image in fighting COVID-19 and pledges continuing support of the “great motherland.”
Oh signed as the association’s honorary president as well as a Canadian senator and “chair” of the Canada-China Legislative Association (CACN). Oh’s biography on the Senate of Canada website indicates he is the “Vice-Chair” of CACN, though his name currently is not on the members page of the association.
Chan, for his part, signed as CACN’s honorary president as well as a former minister of international trade of Ontario and an honorary citizen of Jiangsu Province. The correspondence was in response to a letter issued by the CCP official to Jiang Rui, president of Richmond Hill-based Jiangsu Commerce Council of Canada (JCCC), as reported in April 2020 by the Chinese-language media ccmedia.news, and first reported in English by the Found in Translation newsletter on Substack. The ccmedia.news website includes copies of the two letters.
Just one particle, no excuses | added April 10
Read more at Mike Stone Antiviral Substack
Last week, I took a look at the very illogical excuse that virologists make in regard to why they are unable to purify and isolate the particles that are claimed to be “viruses” directly from the fluids of a sick human or animal.
It is claimed that there are just not enough of these “viral” particles within the fluids and thus, the purification procedures will result in too little of the “virus” remaining after these steps are performed. Due to this lack of particles, it is claimed that the “viruses” can not be found in electron microscopy images, and it is for this very reason that the “virus” particles must be grown in cell culture so that the “virus” can replicate to a large enough number in order to be visualized and studied.
When virologists claim incredible numbers like that, it is pretty reasonable to conclude that there should be plenty of “viral” particles within the fluids of a sick animal or human in order to purify, isolate, visualize, characterize, and study. Alas, virologists defiantly cling to their laughable excuse in order to cover up for the fact that they just cannot find the assumed “viral” particles anywhere directly within the fluids
Free cash alleviated poverty and ‘covid’ in Stockton, California | added April 10
Read more at CBS News
When Stockton, California, resident Gregory Gauthier had to take time off from his job at auto dismantler Pick-n-Pull to recover from hernia surgery, he was grateful to have a financial cushion courtesy of the city: a guaranteed paycheck. The $500 no-strings-attached monthly stipend also proved vital for a 48-year-old woman who came down with COVID-19 early in the pandemic, before vaccines and treatments were widely available. The money allowed her to stay home from work and isolate while she was sick without having to worry how she would make ends meet.
The stipend also helped Stockton residents buy or repair cars so they could get to their jobs, pay to dry-clean their work uniforms, and seek out better-paying job opportunities. More generally, recipients said the extra cash led to improved physical and mental health, findings from the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) show.
“It really proved so much of our thinking around economic security isn’t rooted in data, it is rooted in racism,” said former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, who launched the SEED initiative in 2019, when he was in office. “Because the data shows the literal opposite of all the negative things people surmised would happen if you gave people a small cushion with which to survive and live with dignity.”
New Delhi conducts nationwide drill to plan for another public health emergency | added April 10
Read more at NDTV
New Delhi: A nationwide drill is planned today and tomorrow to review emergency preparedness of both public and private hospitals amid a spike in Covid-19 cases. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will oversee the drill at All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Haryana’s Jhajjar. Mansukh Mandaviya in last week’s review meeting had asked state health ministers to stay alert and check the preparedness of health facilities.
He had said that irrespective of the new variants, the five-fold strategy of ‘Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and adherence to Covid-Appropriate Behaviour’ remains the tested strategy for Covid management. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, the health minister assured that the government is prepared to deal with the recent spike in infections. ICU beds, oxygen supply, and other critical care arrangements are in place, he said, adding that there’s a weekly review of preparedness.
On a possible fourth wave of the covid pandemic, the health minister said there’s a need to be alert. The last Covid mutation was BF.7 sub-variant of Omicron, and now XBB1.16 sub-variant is causing the surge in infections, he said, adding that in the ministry’s experience, sub-variants are not too dangerous. With most parts of the country witnessing a rise in COVID-19 cases over the last few days, several states have made masks mandatory again, while others advised to observe caution.
East Palestine and Paulsboro, N.J. marred by hazardous trains carrying vinyl chloride | added April 10
Read more at The Wall Street Journal
PAULSBORO, N.J.—A small town in Ohio was marred this year by a freight train derailment that released toxic chemicals and spurred an environmental cleanup. A decade earlier, a train derailment in this small New Jersey town spilled the same hazardous substance, vinyl chloride, into its waterways and air.
“The whole house rocked,” said Gary Stevenson, who worked on projects at an oil refinery and served as the town’s assistant fire chief in November 2012 when a Conrail train derailed. Mr. Stevenson, now the town’s mayor, recalled throwing on his firefighting gear around 7 a.m. and seeing a vapor cloud emerging from the train cars that were in a creek underneath the rail bridge, which was about 150 feet away from his home.
The accident briefly hurt local businesses and property values, and residents said a lingering stigma from it temporarily kept visitors away. The cleanup took about a month, and a new bridge replacing the old one opened for rail traffic in 2015. But residents say the industrial town is humming today, thanks in part to community pride and major employers such as Exxon Mobil Corp. and PBF Energy Inc. that have remained.
Our Constitution was written to keep the government in check, not people | added April 10
Read more at Bobbie Anne Cox Substack
It is a true shame that civics is no longer taught in schools today. In fact, I think many Americans in this day and age, especially the younger ones, don’t even know what civics means! The American Heritage Dictionary defines “civics” as, “the branch of political science that deals with civic affairs and the rights and duties of citizens.” It’s basically the study of how government works in relation to our society.
I truly believe that if Americans understood the basic premise that We the People are in charge, not the government, our lives would be a lot more “free” than we are today. As an attorney in the world of Constitutional Law, it is quite obvious to me that we have become a “Regulation Nation,” where we are governed by an “Administrative State”.
What do I mean by that? I mean that we are being governed by regulations issued by administrative agencies, instead of being governed by laws duly passed by our elected officials in our legislatures. Why does that matter? Because agencies are run by unelected, government bureaucrats who are beholden to nobody but the person who appointed them. They do not serve We the People. They don’t care what the voters think or want or don’t want. They don’t have to care.
A dance for you, me and freedom | added April 10
Watch on Mark Crispin Miller Substack
You and me, my freedom
This is where it all begins
Time may well stop
For a new dance
You and me, my freedom
Tonight the city is asleep
Humans have their minds elsewhere
Do you know that for you my friend
I will sing for hours
I will open the windows wide
To contemplate the joys of the sky
And I will see you appear
Like a flash, a spark
This is where it all begins
Time may well stop
For a new dance
You and me, my freedom
This is where it all begins
Time may well stop
For a new dance
You and me, my freedom
Discussions with NY prosecutors about the Trump charges. Question for presidential candidate RFK Jr. The 1957 Sputnik chart. | added April 8
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Good morning from New York.
[April 7, 2023] On tonight’s edition of Planet Waves FM, the first of the spring season, I’ll catch up on current astrological developments since Pluto entered Aquarius, and look ahead at the events of April.I’ve been speaking with prosecutors I know about the Trump indictment, and will have some comments about the proceeding from their point of view. And in terms of politics, is this really about bringing a powerful person to justice? Or is something else going on?
Please add your comments below.
It Wasn’t a Joke After All
Strangely, it turns out that my April Fool’s joke about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running for president was somehow impeccably accurate news reporting. Go figure! (Read the follow-up here.)
Now that he’s officially a candidate, I have a question for Mr. Kennedy, whom I have been covering for the past year, about the possibility of a false-flag alien invasion (which I am aware is ‘on the table’ so to say).
— efc
Derailed toxic train in East Palestine traveled through multiple water ways | added April 8
Editor’s Note: Important to note the EPA admitted before the derailment the water in East Palestine is susceptible to contamination due to the lack of protective clay layer and the presence of contaminants already in the area. — mmd
Read more at WKBN 27
COLUMBIANA CO., Ohio (WKBN) – In the third installment of a 27 Investigates piece, Digital Reporter Jennifer Rodriguez and Storm Team 27 Meteorologist Ryan Halicki dig into the path of the Feb. 3 train derailment and how it could have had a different outcome.
Since the Feb. 3 derailment, East Palestine’s municipal water supply has been under a microscope. The derailed train traveled through several communities and through several drinking water supply protection areas.
Shortly after the East Palestine disaster, Halicki reached out to a former administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, Sarah Feinberg, to get her take on the situation unfolding. She said legislating fixes for issues that caused the derailment would be challenging and timely for the Federal Railroad Administration.
“This rule-making process, this regulatory process that you have to go through showing the costs, showing the potential benefits, showing the lives that will be saved. Accounting for all of that is really a long process that ends up whittling down any kind of safety regulation into a regulation that is certainly better than, you know, better than not having one. But it’s generally not as strong as any safety regulator would like,” Feinberg said.
Ohio judge appoints four attorneys to consolidate 31 lawsuits over toxic train | added April 8
Read more at CBS News
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (KDKA) — A judge in Ohio appointed four attorneys to take the lead in the legal fight over the derailment in East Palestine and consolidate 31 lawsuits. A Pittsburgh lawyer says this will benefit both his clients and the public.
The Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine more than two months ago but the lawsuits keep on coming. Pittsburgh attorney Bob Peirce represents victims of all kinds. “Our law firm was retained to represent a variety of people impacted by this derailment. We currently represent business owners. We represent property owners. We also represent individuals who are forced to leave their homes and incurred expenses due to this accident,” Peirce said.
A federal judge just ruled to consolidate 31 lawsuits against Norfolk Southern, including Peirce’s suit. The consolidation designates four attorneys to steer the litigation.”I believe the consolidation makes a lot of sense,” Peirce said. “All of the plaintiff lawyers to date who have filed a variety of claims in the northern district of Ohio have agreed for this one judge to voluntarily bring these cases together, and it really does make a lot of sense. The railroad has agreed to it as well, and we thank them for doing that, and not opposing it.”
East Palestine community holds event to support local businesses after hazardous train derailment | added April 8
Read more at WKBN 27
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – The East Palestine community is still in recovery following the February train derailment. The village Chamber of Commerce is supporting area businesses that took a hit. Now, they want you to spend the day supporting local businesses in a Spring Fling event.
Since the derailment, business owners, community members and others have expressed the need to continue supporting local shops in town. The spring fling invites everyone to head to the village and visit plenty of locations.
The incentive? Tickets for prizes. The chamber will be collecting tickets you pick up from a list of businesses participating. The tickets must be turned in by 4 p.m. at the Spring Fling headquarters at the Municipal building on Market street.
East Palestine families express concern over future in wake of chemical train explosion | added April 8
Read more at USA Today
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio − Atop a hill near the Pennsylvania border, where her family farmhouse sits, Sidney Smith stared up at a fiery orange sky. As smoke filled the air, she was curious and mystified. More than anything, she feared what would come next.
A train carrying hazardous materials had derailed a quarter mile from the house, near the center of town. And an explosion lit up the sky. “I just thought to myself, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,'” Smith recalled of the Feb/ruary 3 incident. Even then, before the extent of the damage was clear, Smith worried what this would mean for her town, for her family, for the life she intended to build here with her fiancé.
Two months later, she’s still worried. The derailment didn’t cause any injuries that night, but some train cars were carrying dangerous chemicals. A spill of those chemicals, followed by a controlled chemical burn, released toxins into the air, water and soil in and around East Palestine, Ohio.
We’ll be fighting in the streetsWith our children at our feetAnd the morals that they worship will be goneAnd the men who spurred us onSit in judgement of all wrongThey decide and the shotgun sings the song
— Won’t Get Fooled Again, The Who
NYC life expectancy dropped 4.6 years in 2020, according to city’s health department | added April 8
Read more at The New York Times
A wave of illness hit New York City, with little warning. Soon, it was sending the death rate rocketing upward. It was 1834. New York City was just expanding its first railroad line. The penny press was flourishing. Cholera had struck. And smallpox was resurgent.
It would be nearly 200 years before another shock that seismic, when the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 caused the death rate in New York City to once again climb about 50 percent over the previous year, according to new data released Friday by the city’s health department. Additionally, life expectancy dropped citywide from 82.6 years in 2019 to 78 years in 2020, a drop of 4.6 years.
Throughout the 19th century, periodic outbreaks of cholera, smallpox, and other infectious diseases caused the city’s death rate to surge. But by the early 20th century, vaccines, improved sanitation and a variety of public health advances — from the disinfection of drinking water to the pasteurization of milk — had largely subdued this cycle of epidemics. The city’s death rate began to see drops and plateaus, a pattern that largely held for more than a century — until 2020.
China health officials respond to WHO criticism over ‘covid’ origin investigation calling it “offensive and disrespectful” | added April 8
Read more at The Seattle Times
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese health officials defended their search for the source of the COVID-19 virus and lashed out Saturday at the World Health Organization after its leader said Beijing should have shared genetic information earlier.
The WHO comments were “offensive and disrespectful,” said the director of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shen Hongbing. He accused the WHO of “attempting to smear China” and said it should avoid helping others “politicize COVID-19.”
The global health body’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said March 17 that newly disclosed genetic material gathered in Wuhan in central China, where the first cases were detected in late 2019, “should have been shared three years ago.” “As a responsible country and as scientists, we have always actively shared research results with scientists from around the world,” Shen said at a news conference.
The origins of COVID-19 are still debated and the focus of bitter political dispute.
Senator Ron Johnson seeks another term for ‘covid’ vax injured | added April 8
Read more at The Epoch Times
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has revealed that one of the main reasons for him to seek another term in the 2022 midterm elections was to advocate for those who have suffered an injury after COVID-19 vaccination.
During an appearance on “Fox Business” on Thursday, Johnson said not enough people are advocating for the vaccine-injured, arguing that postvaccine injuries are “not all that rare.” “One of the main reasons I ran again … is nobody else is advocating for the vaccine-injured,” Johnson said. “These vaccine injuries are real. They’re serious. They’re not all that rare.”
During the midterms, Democrat Mandela Barnes conceded the Senate race to Johnson after numerous election projections showed the Wisconsin Republican prevailing. Johnson, who’s been vocal on adverse reactions that can occur after COVID-19 vaccination, also said during a sit-down on EpochTV’s “American Thought Leaders” program in late March that he’ll continue to use his position to support the vaccine-injured because “nobody else is really stepping up the plate to do this.
Chinese analysis of 2020 ‘covid’ swabs reveals genetic material from wild animals | added April 7
Read more at BBC
A research team in China has published analysis of samples taken more than three years ago from the market linked to the outbreak of Covid-19. The Huanan seafood and wildlife market has been a focal point in the search for the origin of the coronavirus. But this is the first peer-reviewed study of biological evidence gathered from the market back in 2020.
By linking the virus with animals sold in the market, it could open new lines of inquiry into how the outbreak began. The research reveals swabs that tested positive for the virus also contained genetic material from wild animals. Some scientists say this is further evidence that the disease was initially transmitted from an infected animal to a human.
But others have urged caution in interpreting the findings and it remains unclear why it took three years for the genetic content of the samples to be made public.
Another theory has centred on the suggestion that the virus accidentally leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan. The Chinese research team posted an early version of their study online back in February 2022, but they did not publish the full genetic information that was contained in the samples gathered from the market.
East Palestine family sick from toxic train derailment opts for independent soil and water testing | added April 7
Read more at 19 News
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WOIO) – It’s been more than two months since a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine setting off a chain of events that the people who live in the small town never could have imagined. The Murphy family has lived at their home in East Palestine for the past 22 years.
They love their home and their farm. They didn’t plan on moving but now because of the toxic train derailment they might. Their family has been sick including their horses. On Thursday they had independent testing done to try to get some more clarity on their situation. “Norfolk Southern your train may have crashed but it derailed my life and now there are pieces that I don’t know how to pick up,” said Linda Murphy.
After two months of living in fear and uncertainty, the Murphys are desperate. “My vision is blurry,” said Linda. “I have almost like cognitive issues where I can’t remember stuff. My train of thought wanders. I’ve had a lot of shortness of breath, and throat issues like something different than I’ve ever had before like if you drink something hot and you’ve burned your throat. That was what it was like.”
East Palestine Water Department announces hydrant flushing to cause discolored water | added April 7
NewsBreak
The Village of East Palestine is notifying residents of hydrant flushing that will take place during the last week of April. The East Palestine Water Department will be flushing hydrants starting April 24.
Due to the flushing, residents will experience low pressure or discolored water throughout the week of April 24 until the flushing is complete.
Senate lawmakers to take lead on updated railway legislation by late April | added April 7
Read more at Washington Examiner
The Senate is aiming for a late April markup of the Railway Safety Act of 2023, which would further regulate railroads after the East Palestine, Ohio, disaster. The Feb. 3 38-car train derailment led to a chemical spill in that Ohio town of about 4,700 people, a few miles west of the Pennsylvania state line.
The episode became a controlled burn, with a temporary evacuation of most locals, and triggered disputes over possible soil and air contamination. For now, the railroads are not publicly fighting the legislation. “[The Association of American Railroads] has not opposed the bill but has noted there are elements that could use closer evaluation,” Ted Greener, spokesman for the AAR, which represents railroads before Congress, told the Washington Examiner.
Whether that amounts to the railroads keeping their powder dry, however, remains to be seen. That likely will have a lot to do with the final shape that the bill takes. Greener pointed to the congressional testimony of his boss, AAR CEO Ian Jefferies, before a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing. “Contrary to statements that have been made, the AAR has not taken a position on this bill,” Jefferies said on March 22. “Frankly, I think there’s a feasible path forward on almost every provision in there.”
Democratic Party appears to have forgotten about hazardous Ohio train derailment | added April 7
Read more at OutKick
Remember about 4 crises ago when that train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio? It took Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg nearly 3 weeks to visit that site and as for Joe Biden, he hasn’t gotten around to it yet.
But as for the people of East Palestine, Ohio, well they are still suffering and many in silence because just as I feared would happen, as soon as the outrage moved on to something else Joe and Co EFFED up, the people of East Palestine would be largely forgotten by us all. Well, not me. And while this shocking and concerning headline may have slipped through the cracks, I want to bring it to the surface because the people of that town deserve it.
Seven of the 15 CDC government investigators who went to East Palestine have fallen ill with the same symptoms the government- at large- scoffed off when the residents of that town sounded the alarm. Sore throats, headaches, coughing and nausea and more. Yeah, no duh, the place is toxic and the people there have been abandoned. These poor people are stuck breathing and drinking vinyl chloride which is an explosive and cancer-causing substance but for some reason, no one seems to care.
This is outrageous.
Second Harvest Food Bank says donors were misled over East Palestine train wreck | added April 7
Read more at WKBN
(WKBN) – For about two months now, we have seen multiple organizations raising money and collecting bottled water and food for the residents of East Palestine. One of those organizations is the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley. However, there is a warning from the organization.
Second Harvest believes people were misled regarding donations to the nonprofit. Executive Director Mike Iberis says The Ohio Clean Water Fund claimed to have a partnership with the nonprofit although it did not. “We never authorized this group to raise money to be a partnership in this money, because we don’t have partnerships,” he said.
Iberis said he is frustrated over the actions taken by The Ohio Clean Water Fund, a 501(c)(4) started by Mike Peppel, a Columbiana County resident. Peppel wouldn’t answer our questions on camera, but provided a statement. He said, in part, “We decided to register as a 501(c)(4) because it was the fastest way to start raising money. To register as a 501(c)(3) would take months to do because we would have to get registered in every state we solicit money from.”
Montana Rail Link reports ‘significant cleanup progress’ after twenty-five car derailment | added April 7
Read more at 8 KPAX
MISSOULA – Montana Rail Link (MRL) reports they’ve made significant cleanup progress at the site of the Paradise train derailment. Twenty-five cars went off the track just behind Quinn’s Hot Springs in Sanders County Sunday morning with some landing in the Clark Fork River. A few cars were carrying cases of beer that spilled into the water.
In a statement Thursday, MRL says they’ve made progress in removing the damaged cars, cleaning up debris, and beginning site remediation. MRL officials say infrastructure in the affected area has been replaced and train traffic is expected to start later Thursday when all safety measures have been met. They add they will continue investigating what caused the derailment along with addressing any other impacts.
Read the full Montana Rail Link statement below:
“We have made significant progress at the incident site to remove many of the damaged cars, clean up debris, and begin the process of site remediation. Additionally, infrastructure in the affected area has been replaced and we are expecting train traffic to resume later today when all safety measures have been met. In the coming weeks, we will be continuing the investigation into the cause of the accident, making progress on remediation in the area, and addressing any other impacts.”
University of Miami study reports ‘covid’ can be passed from pregnant mother to fetus causing brain damage | added April 7
Editor’s Note: This is only two cases. Meanwhile, there are numerous cases of children born with liver disease, eczema and psoriasis and diabetes. Interesting to note, world governments have also admitted to having no isolate of ‘covid’ virus. Heavy metals and environmental pollutants also cause brain damage. — mmd
Read more at CBS
MIAMI – A new study out of the University of Miami found that COVID-19 can be passed from a pregnant mother to her fetus. UM researchers found in two cases, COVID was able to breach the placenta and cause brain damage in the newborn.
While admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Holtz Children’s Hospital at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, “both infants tested negative for the virus at birth, but had significantly elevated SARS-CoV-2 antibodies detectable in blood.
Researchers said that indicated that either antibodies crossed the placenta, or passage of the virus occurred and the immune response was the baby’s,” according to a statement from UHealth-the University of Miami Health System. Both infants experienced seizures, small head sizes, and developmental delays, and one infant died at 13 months of age.
‘Covid’ nasal swabs used on hamster shows stronger immune response, according to researchers at German Institute of Virology | added April 7
Read more at The New York Post
A new study has shown promising results for a nasal COVID-19 vaccine, according to researchers at the Institute of Virology at Freie Universität Berlin in Germany. When two doses of the live nasal vaccine were administered to hamsters, the animals showed a stronger immune response compared to their response to two doses of the vaccines that are currently available.
The study was published in the journal Nature Microbiology on Monday. The lead author of the study told Fox News Digital this week, “We find that a live attenuated vaccine prevents virus replication — this could be a game changer in controlling SARS-CoV-2 transmission.” Today, there are four approved COVID vaccines in the US — all of which are administered via injection into the muscle, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are both mRNA vaccines, which use mRNA (messenger RNA) to trigger cells to produce a viral protein. This prompts the immune system to create antibodies. Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen is a viral vector vaccine, which delivers DNA “instructions” to the body’s cells via a different, non-harmful virus. The Novavax vaccine is a protein subunit vaccine, which uses some proteins of the virus that causes COVID-19 — known as the “spike protein” — to “train” the immune system to act against future spike proteins.
Big food profits off sick kids | added April 7
Watch the video on YouTube
Wishing this was a joke. Big food and Pharma do profit on processed foods causing diabetes. Then again, we can just blame it on ‘covid’… oh wait.
EPA update: Cleanup of contaminated waterways from East Palestine train derailment is ‘nearly complete’ | added April 6
Read more at WKBN
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – According to an update Wednesday from the EPA, the cleanup of the waterways contaminated by the train derailment is nearly complete.
Surface water continues to improve as workers are forcing air into the water at Sulphur and Leslie runs to help break down chemicals. In addition, work continues to vacuum the water to remove contaminants. The Ohio EPA’s website has an interactive map with sampling results that shows the effectiveness of the work.
An air monitoring bus (TAGA bus) continues to check the air quality near the derailment site and in the surrounding community. New maps of TAGA’s daily routes have been published, and the bus has been active since early March roaming nearly every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Response By the Numbers:
More than 14,000 tons est. of contaminated soil shipped
Over 10 million est. gallons of liquid wastewater shipped
627 indoor air screenings
The Welcome Center has received 448 visitors
Thirty train cars carrying gravel derails in Brown County, Ohio | added April 6
Read more at Journal News
SARDINIA, Ohio — Multiple train cars carrying gravel derailed in Brown County on Tuesday. Officials with Eastern Joint Fire and EMS said the train was carrying 390 tons of gravel when it derailed in Sardinia. Fire captain Levin Troutman said 10 cars went off the tracks, with two of them flipped over.
There were a total of 30 cars.
“They were running 10 miles per hour, and then all of a sudden they went down to two, and that’s when the engineer realized, well, something is going on, why did I just slow down for no reason, and he realized the trains went off the tracks,” said Troutman. “We know that it rained a lot this morning, so I don’t know if that has a factor in it or not. I’m sure I know their whole team is coming to do a whole investigation on it.”
Corboy Road was closed Tuesday and Wednesday as crews cleaned up. Officials said no one was injured.
Exposed: Environmental hypocrisy in the treatment of waste water from toxic train derailment | added April 6
Editor’s Note: Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott denied the treatment of wastewater from East Palestine because the facility Back River WWTP was in violation of several federal Clean Water Acts. Despite hundreds of millions of tax-payer funded money to upgrade the facility operation to ensure clean water, the city leadership failed to establish proper management.
— mmd
Read more at Bay Action Plan
Commentary by Gerald Winegrad:
In politics, as in life, there is nothing more abhorrent to me than hypocrisy. The colossal outrage expressed by Baltimore City and County elected officials, joined by state and federal counterparts, against the proper treatment of wastewater from the Feb. 3 Ohio train wreck by Clean Harbors of Baltimore reeks of extreme hypocrisy.
Clean Harbors was set to treat 675,000 gallons of wastewater collected from the cleanup site. It was then to pass through the Back River wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Dundalk owned by Baltimore City. The major chemical of concern is vinyl chloride, one of many volatile organic chemicals.
The proposed treatment would remove nearly all of the chemicals including polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) through a carbon adsorption process followed by inorganic metal removal. This would leave the wastewater at no more than 4 parts per trillion vinyl chloride which is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required level for drinking water.
Vinyl chloride is a colorless, flammable gas that evaporates quickly. Human exposure should be avoided or at least reduced to extremely low levels to avoid health effects. This compound is widely used for such products as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, wire coatings, vehicle upholstery and plastic kitchen ware. PVC pipes are long lasting and widely used in plumbing, conveying sewage and drinking water, and in drainage and irrigation systems. Higher than normal levels can be present inside new cars from vinyl products.
Millions of Americans to lose Medicaid with the end of federal government’s ‘covid’ national emergency | added April 6
Read more at The Epoch Times
Starting in April, millions of Americans who are enrolled in Medicaid despite being ineligible will be removed from the program with the ending of the federal government’s covid-19 national emergency.
The national emergency declaration, signed into to law by former President Donald Trump in March 2020, allowed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive or modify some requirements for enrollment in Medicaid. On March 29, the U.S. Senate voted 68–23 to terminate the emergency declaration. Of the 68 who voted in favor, 21 were Democrats.
Biden will reportedly not veto the bill, despite earlier opposition to the measure. In a Jan. 30 Statement of Administration Policy (pdf), the Biden administration announced plans to extend the covid-19 public health emergency to May 11. The reasoning was that an “abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system—for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans.”
Johnson & Johnson agrees to pay $8.9 billion over cancer-causing talcum powder | added April 6
Read more at The New York Times
Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday that it had agreed to pay $8.9 billion to tens of thousands of people who claimed the company’s talcum powder products caused cancer, a proposal that lawyers for the plaintiffs called a “significant victory” in a legal fight that has lasted more than a decade.
The proposed settlement would be paid out over 25 years through a subsidiary, which filed for bankruptcy to enable the $8.9 billion trust, Johnson & Johnson said in a court filing. If a bankruptcy court approves it, the agreement will resolve all current and future claims involving Johnson & Johnson products that contain talc, such as baby powder, the company said.
In a statement, a group of lawyers who represent nearly 70,000 plaintiffs, including families of people who died of ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, described the deal as a “landmark” and a “significant victory for the tens of thousands of women suffering from gynecological cancers caused by J.&J.’s talc-based products.”
German Health Minister Karl Lauterback states ‘covid’ pandemic is over | added April 6
Read more at Politico
BERLIN — The covid-19 pandemic is over in Germany, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said Wednesday. Lauterbach, an epidemiologist, said at a press conference he made this assessment based on looking at virus variants, vaccination rates and hospital cases.
“We have successfully overcome the pandemic in Germany and also with a good balance sheet,” the Social Democrat added. Lauterbach, known for his initially cautious covid-19 policies during the global health crisis, has adopted a different tone lately. He was an MP at the start of the pandemic, but still had considerable influence on the government, then led by conservative Angela Merkel, as an expert in the field, frequently appearing on talk shows and gaining attention on social media.
Lauterbach said he could understand that there was an interest in asking what had gone wrong during the crisis, but argued Germany’s strategy as a whole had worked out “because, after all, the reasonable ones and those who have been helpful in Germany have mastered the challenges.” However, Lauterbach added, there are some things that, in retrospect, should have been done differently. “I believe that the long school closures were not so necessary,” he said.
South Korea plans sewage water testing to track spread of ‘covid’ | added April 6
Read more at ABC News
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea this month will begin weekly tests of sewage produced by its major cities and towns to track the spread of covid-19 and identify future waves. Officials at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Wednesday that wastewater surveillance will potentially provide a cheaper and more sustainable tool in the country’s pandemic response. They say it could also improve the detection of other outbreaks, such as influenza, norovirus or drug-resistant bacteria.
According to the plans, health workers will conduct tests on sewage samples collected from 64 wastewater facilities nationwide at least once a week and regularly release analyses of the test results on its website. KDCA said its recent trial runs with cities and provincial governments showed that the levels of pathogens found in sewage samples largely aligned with infection trends in those areas, confirming the value of testing water released from faucets, toilets and bathtubs. Similar tests have also been adopted in the United States.
South Korea had maintained a stringent covid-19 response based on aggressive testing, contact tracing and quarantines during the earlier part of the pandemic, but has eased most of its virus controls since last year as the omicron variant’s surge rendered those containment strategies irrelevant. Government officials are also eager to revive a devastated service sector economy and attract more tourists.
WHO monitoring a new ‘covid’ subvariant called XBB.1.16 that is allegedly in India | added April 6
Read more at TIME
The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring a new covid-19 subvariant called XBB.1.16, which has been circulating throughout India for a few months and is causing a new surge of cases there. The Times of India reported on Apr. 3 that more than 3,600 new covid cases had been recorded in the country since the previous day, marking India’s largest single-day jump in case numbers in more than six months.
“In India, XBB.1.16 has replaced the other variants that are in circulation,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s covid-19 technical lead, during a Mar. 29 press conference. “So this is one to watch.”
XBB.1.16 is one of more than 600 omicron subvariants that are currently circulating, according to WHO. It’s similar to the XBB.1.5 variant that has dominated the U.S. throughout 2023 but is distinguished by a mutation in the spike protein that “may give it some additional growth advantages,” says Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. In lab studies, this additional mutation “shows increased infectivity, as well as potential increased pathogenicity,” Van Kerkhove said. “It has potential changes that we need to keep a good eye out on.”
In memory of those who ‘died suddenly’ in the U.S., March 27 – April 3 | added April 6
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller Substack
N’Neka Garland, an Emmy-winning producer on General Hospital who spent the past 22 years with the venerable ABC soap opera, has died. She was 49. Garland suffered a heart attack at her home in Sherman Oaks and died Monday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, her friend Cori Murray told The Hollywood Reporter. Garland, whose late half-brother was rap legend Tupac Shakur, served as coordinating producer on General Hospital since 2018 and then producer since 2021. She shared Daytime Emmy nominations for outstanding drama series in 2019, ’20 and ’21, winning two years ago.
Brian “Brizz” Gillis, one of the original co-founders of the ’90s boy band LFO, has sadly passed away. His former bandmate Brad Fischetti confirmed his death in a statement on social media. He was 47 years old. Despite the cause of death not being officially disclosed to the public, Extra reported that a since-deleted social media post from Brian’s friends stated his unexpected death was related to a heart attack or a similar event. LFO member Brad Fischetti was among the first to comment on Brian’s death in an Instagram tribute post.
Brian, alongside the late Rich Cronin (1974-2010), founded LFO in Massachusetts in 1995 — they connected with Brad in Orlando in 1996, where they signed with Lou Pearlman’s Transcontinental Records. The trio achieved modest success in the late ’90s, but by 1999, Brian was frustrated with the lack of progress the band made, so he left to pursue a solo career.
Classroom kitty cats | added April 6
Watch the video on YouTube
Trump prosecution is the next divide and conquer routine. He’s not a saint, but this is dark | added April 5
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
TUESDAY AFTERNOON, Donald Trump is scheduled for arraignment in a Manhattan federal court. He faces “more than two dozen counts” or “more than 30 counts” stemming from a hush money payoff to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Scam Alert — at its roots, this is a “sex scandal.” They are all bullshit; they are all the emotional plague.
The indictment itself has not been released to the public or the press. Nobody but the prosecutors, Trump’s attorneys and Trump himself know what’s in it. The courtroom will be closed to cameras.
All three charts for Trump prosecutions or convictions have the same condition: the Moon is void-of-course. This is the foul ball to left field that could have been an historic home run but is just fun a souvenir ball for some kid from Long Island who caught in the grandstand.
Trump is a Criminal. But This Prosecution is Not Legit.
Trump is no saint. He was on duty for the shutdown of the United States and the world, which was falsely blamed on “covid.” We may have forgotten his brown-shirts at campaign rallies throwing people out into the cold, his Muslim ban, his big beautiful wall, his financial scams, his family’s racist housing policies, and much else.
However, the charts for this proceeding do not reflect legitimate legal goals.
East Palestine residents express concern over waterways after hazardous train derailment | added April 5
Listen on WBUR
The creeks and rivers that run through East Palestine, Ohio, are contaminated with chemicals from the train derailment that occurred in early February. A cleanup is underway, but some residents and scientists are questioning whether it’s being done correctly.
Julie Grant of The Allegheny Front reports.
Crews face difficult cleanup after Montana train spills beer and clay | added April 5
Read more at AP news
PARADISE, Mont. (AP) — Crews could face a difficult cleanup task after a 25-car train derailment spilled powdered clay and cases of beer beside a scenic western Montana river, leaving some cars off the tracks in a narrow, century-old tunnel with limited access, officials said.
“It’s a terrible spot to get in and out of,” Bill Naegeli, manager for Sanders County Disaster and Emergency Services, said of the derailment on the Clark Fork River. “The biggest issue is the cars derailed inside the tunnel” with little clearance. Montana Rail Link has said nobody was hurt and no hazardous materials spilled Sunday morning in the derailment that left some cars precariously close to the banks of the river and some slightly dipping into the water in an area where the railroad tracks run between the base of the mountain and the river.
Seven cars are believed derailed in the narrow tunnel where it will be hard to extricate them, Naegeli said. The train derailed Sunday across the river from Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort in Paradise, spilling the clay and cases of Coors Light and Blue Moon beer, in cans and bottles, the Missoulian reported. A tanker car carrying butane was on its side, but it did not leak, Naegeli said.
A growing oil and gas industry linked to recent train derailments | added April 5
Read more at VOX
There’s a common thread linking many of the high-profile chemical spills that have made headlines across the country lately: the oil and gas industry.
Philadelphia residents were on high alert after the Trinseo latex plant 20 miles from the city released at least 8,100 gallons of acrylic polymers into a tributary for the Delaware River on March 24. Those acrylic polymers were made up of compounds known as butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate; all are produced from fossil fuels.
Last month, East Palestine, Ohio, faced a Norfolk Southern train derailment with highly volatile toxic chemicals, including butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride — which is also derived from oil. On March 28, 10 barges, including one containing 1,400 metric tons of methanol — yup, you guessed it, made from oil or gas — broke loose in the Ohio River in Kentucky.
Many other incidents don’t make national news: The Guardian reported that the US has averaged a chemical accident every two days so far in 2023. Every year, there’s an average of 202 accidental chemical releases at facilities, according to EPA data.
Diabetes in severe and deceased ‘covid’ patients approximately 50% higher than all hospitalized patients, according to new data | added April 5
Read more at HCP Live
New data shows the prevalence of diabetes in severe and deceased covid-19 patients is almost 50% higher than in all hospitalized patients, indicating a correlation between covid-19 severity and global diabetes prevalence. Researchers from the China-Australia Joint Research Center for Infectious Diseases found that diabetes contributed to 9.5% of severe covid-19 cases and 16.8% of deaths, with variations depending on country income, healthcare accessibility, and disease burden.
“A high population prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes may be a public health concern during the covid epidemic,” investigators wrote. “A strategy of sufficient diabetes screening in the community and optimal glucose control for those with diabetes should be effective to prevent covid-19–related severity and mortality.” Over the years, viral pandemics, including the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic and the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, have suggested those with diabetes have a significantly greater risk of severe disease outcomes.
The current large global burden of disease due to both covid-19 and diabetes is likely to be a significant public health concern worldwide, making it crucial to quantify the impact of diabetes on the pandemic and develop management strategies to mitigate its risk. The investigative team led by Lei Zhang and Guihua Zhuang looked to quantify the prevalence of diabetes in various covid-19 disease stages at the global, regional, and country levels and estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of diabetes to covid–related severity and mortality.
Texas Senate votes to prohibit government from enforcing vaccines or mask mandates over ‘covid’ | added April 5
Editor’s Note: Way to go Texas. However, what happens if there is another pandemic? Will mandates be acceptable then? Medical mandates over the masses under any circumstance violates sovereignty and freedom. It would be common sense to protect the larger community and oneself when there is no question. However, it’s clear as with ‘covid’ there were too many falsified reports as to what was really going on. The suppression of human rights and the blatant disregard to ‘covid’ vaccine injuries and death. — mmd
Read more at KVUE
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Senate on Monday voted to approve a bill that would prohibit governmental entities from implementing or enforcing a vaccine mandate, mask requirement or private business or school closure to prevent the spread of covid-19.
Senate Bill 29 was authored by State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) and co-authored by more than a dozen other state senators. The bill states that a governmental entity may not implement, order or otherwise impose a mandate requiring a person to wear a face mask or other face covering to prevent the spread of covid-19; requiring a person to be vaccinated against covid-19; or requiring the closure of a private business, public school, open-enrollment charter school or private school to prevent the spread of covid-19.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the Texas Senate, released a statement following the passage of SB 29. “In March 2020, when the world locked down, I went on Fox News and suggested that Texas reopen our economy as quickly and safely as possible. I took an extraordinary amount of criticism but, in hindsight, everybody can now see that I was correct. Texas is thriving and our economy is the strongest in the world,” Patrick said.
Madison School District looks to end ‘covid’ vax mandates | added April 5
Read more at Madison
Staff in the Madison School District may no longer be required to be vaccinated against covid-19 under a proposal that was met with mixed reviews from school board members Monday night. The mandate was implemented in September 2021 as teachers and students began returning to in-person learning, and required all staff to be fully vaccinated against the virus, with some medical or religious exemptions with regular testing.
But the mandate is now “out of date” as the nation shifts its approach to the virus now three years from the start of the pandemic, according to a memo from Nancy Molfenter, associate superintendent of student services, Kari Stampfli, the district’s lead nurse and a student service coach, and Leia Esser, executive director of student and staff supports.
“A lot has changed since September of 2021,” Stampfli told the Madison School Board at a work group meeting Monday. The original mandate requires staff to have the primary series of the covid-19 vaccine, which is either the first two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but it has not been updated with any of the boosters that have been introduced and administered in the nearly two years since.
Respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan says it’s time to limit mask mandates over ‘covid’ | added April 5
Read more at South China Morning Post
China should do away with mandatory mask wearing in most places despite the risk of an outbreak of covid-19 cases caused by the highly transmissible XBB omicron subvariant, according to one of the country’s top respiratory disease experts.
Zhong Nanshan told a seminar at his research institution Guangzhou Lab on Friday there could be a new wave of infections in China but it would probably be limited in scale at the local level. Zhong also said mask wearing should be scrapped in general from April, saying masks were necessary only in a select group of public places such as hospitals.
“If people wear a mask for a long time – especially children … it is not conducive to the development of natural resistance to disease,” Zhong said. Masks are no longer mandatory at universities, primary and middle schools and kindergartens, according to a directive jointly issued last month by the Ministry of Education, the National Health Commission and the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention.
NIH reports frequent ‘covid’ testing in nursing facilities prevented deaths | added April 5
Editor’s Note: This is like Norfolk Southern funding their own dioxin testing and reporting there’s no dioxins. It’s imperative we keep organizations accountable by discerning reports that are funded by the companies who benefit from such results. — mmd
Read more at NIH
During the covid-19 pandemic, residents of skilled nursing facilities have been at particular risk of dying from the disease. These nursing facilities are for people who need daily medical care from trained professionals. Although less than 2% of the U.S. population either lives or works in such facilities, they accounted for more than 20% of the deaths from covid-19 through 2021.
Staff members who contracted an infection outside of work likely seeded most covid-19 outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities. Modeling studies have suggested that frequent testing of staff members could help reduce this risk, so such approaches have been widely adopted. But few studies have examined how well this strategy worked in real life.
In new NIH-funded research, a team led by Dr. Brian McGarry from the University of Rochester and Dr. Michael Barnett from Harvard University looked at data collected and reported by more than 13,000 skilled nursing facilities during the pandemic. The team examined rates of staff covid-19 testing during three main periods between November 2020 and March 2022: before vaccines became available; after vaccines were widely distributed but before the omicron wave; and during the omicron wave. Tests included rapid antigen testing done on site and PCR testing, which had to be sent to an outside lab.
Why long trains keep derailing | added April 4
Read more at Pro Publica
JUST BEFORE 5 A.M., Harry Shaffer’s wife called to him from across the living room, where he’d fallen asleep on the couch, exhausted from installing an aboveground pool. Did he hear that sound, that metallic screeching from up the valley? She opened the door of their double-wide trailer and walked outside as Shaffer closed his eyes.
A moment later came a thunderous crack of splintering lumber. Debris shot through the living room. Shaffer opened his eyes again to find a hulking train car steps from where he lay. It had shorn off the roof, exposing the murk of the pre-dawn sky. He jumped up and ran outside and saw the garage next door in flames. Though it sat at the floor of a valley along a busy stretch of railroad tracks, the quiet town of Hyndman, Pennsylvania, hadn’t seen a major derailment in recent memory. Trains didn’t frighten residents like Shaffer even though 21 of them trundled through the town’s center day and night.
But unbeknownst to them, the corporations that ran those trains had recently adopted a moneymaking strategy to move cargo faster than ever, with fewer workers, on trains that are consistently longer than at any time in history. Driven by the efficiency goals of precision scheduled railroading, companies are forgoing long-held safety precautions, such as assembling trains to distribute weight and risk or taking the proper time to inspect them, ProPublica found.
BREAKING — Big 10 health freedom guys line up behind RFK Jr.’s candidacy | added April 4
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Follow-up on the ‘News’
SOME OF THE NATION’S MOST PROMINENT health freedom presenters were falling all over themselves to align their views with those of godfather Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who on Friday afternoon announced his presidential candidacy, according to a parody newsletter.
While this move was expected, observers were stunned that Kennedy had conceded that after “much contemplation and discussion with people I didn’t want to agree with,” SARS-CoV-2 has never been isolated or properly sequenced.
Kennedy said he came to upstate New York, in the state his father once represented as its U.S. senator, to meet last week with dissident health freedom leaders and journalists. They convened in the Broadway Lights Diner in Kingston.
The outliers seem to be concentrated in the otherwise freakishly “woke” upstate area, where currently most of the population is wearing flotation devices and rafting helmets. Last weekend, yuppies visiting the upstate towns of Hudson, Woodstock, Kingston and New Paltz, were walking around wearing parachutes and propeller hats.
‘I Know What This Means’
“As an attorney, I know what it means for an agency to say ‘no records found’, and someone has collected such responses from 213 of them around the world,” Kennedy said Sunday on a special April 1 edition of Tucker Carlson is a Regular Guy, Just Like You on the Foxy Nudes network. “This cannot be a coincidence.”
What the EPA did not mention during last week’s Ohio train derailment hearing: There are only six full-time staff members assigned to East Palestine emergency response | added April 4
Read more at The Hill
Since February, a small, brilliant team of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers has been tasked with remedying the damage caused by the Norfolk Southern train derailment, which released a flood of hazardous chemicals into the environment and endangered the health of the local community and wildlife.
Last week, Ohio EPA Director Anna Vogel and Regional Administrator Debra Shore testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to discuss the ongoing government response in East Palestine. Vogel and Shore delivered powerful remarks on the cleanup status and acknowledged escalating needs for transparency and corporate accountability.
But what failed to come up throughout the hearing is the issue which is central to EPA’s emergency response: the agency is in the midst of a mounting staffing crisis. In her testimony, Administrator Shore noted that there are more than 80 EPA personnel on-site in East Palestine. What wasn’t mentioned was that there are only six full-time EPA staff members in Ohio assigned to emergency response.
Ohio judge hears competing proposals for lead roles in Norfolk Southern lawsuits | added April 4
Read more at Reuters
(Reuters) – Two groups of attorneys vying for lead roles in more than two dozen lawsuits against Norfolk Southern over last month’s Ohio train derailment faced off before a federal judge on Friday, presenting competing proposals to steer the litigation – with one group emphasizing its national experience and the other touting its local roots.
U.S. District Judge Benita Yalonda Pearson in Youngstown had asked the lawyers to present their plans for leading the lawsuits that stem from the Feb. 3 crash of a Norfolk-operated train in East Palestine that caused cars carrying toxic vinyl chloride and other hazardous chemicals to spill and catch fire.
The lawsuits are seeking compensation for property damage, ongoing medical monitoring for the community, and punitive damages. Seth Katz of law firm Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine on Friday argued for a team led by attorneys from four national law firms including his own, Grant & Eisenhofer, Morgan & Morgan and Simmons Hanly Conroy with the support of roughly two dozen attorneys in Ohio, Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
CDC studies health impacts of workers who fell ill in East Palestine | added April 4
Read more at News 5 Cleveland
CNN) — Seven US government investigators briefly fell ill in early March while studying the possible health impacts of a toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed to CNN on Thursday.
The investigators’ symptoms included sore throats, headaches, coughing and nausea — consistent with what some residents experienced after the February 3 train derailment that released a cocktail of hazardous chemicals into the air, water and soil.
The investigators who experienced symptoms were part of a team conducting a house-to-house survey in an area near the derailment, and they immediately reported their symptoms to federal safety officers. “Symptoms resolved for most team members later the same afternoon, and everyone resumed work on survey data collection within 24 hours. Impacted team members have not reported ongoing health effects,” a CDC spokesperson said in the statement.
Train derailment in Netherlands leaves one dead and several injured | added April 4
Read more at AP News
VOORSCHOTEN, Netherlands (AP) — A passenger train slammed into a construction crane and derailed near The Hague in the early hours of Tuesday, sending two carriages into a field next to the tracks. One person died and 19 were hospitalized, Dutch emergency services said.
Police opened an investigation to establish if any crime was committed. Another independent probe was opened into the cause of the crash. Television images showed people using temporary bridges and ladders to cross a narrow drainage canal running alongside the rails to reach the stricken train in the darkness. Many windows in the train carriages were broken. It was not clear if that happened during the accident or as passengers attempted to escape.
Two of the bright yellow and blue train carriages came to rest perpendicular to the tracks across the small canal and partially in a field. What appeared to be the front of the train was badly damaged. Other parts of the train were partially derailed. Video footage from inside the train in the immediate aftermath of the crash showed chaotic scenes as passengers tried to get out of the wreckage in darkness.
Louisiana Department of Health secretary responsible for mass ‘covid’ vax rollout and testing resigns | added April 4
Read more at Nola
Louisiana’s Department of Health Secretary Dr. Courtney N. Phillips has resigned three years after she assumed leadership of the department at the height of the covid-19 pandemic, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday.
Phillips’ resignation — the latest by an official in Edwards’ administration as the end of his term in the governor’s mansion nears — will take effect on Thursday. Longtime LDH attorney Stephen Russo will replace her atop the department, Edwards said in a statement.
“Secretary Phillips is one of the hardest working, most capable, and most accomplished people I’ve ever met,” Edwards said. He praised her handling of an “unprecedented” mass testing program, vaccine rollout and distribution efforts during the pandemic. Under Phillips’ leadership, LDH also made strides in areas like health equity and maternal mortality, the governor said.
College student seriously injured by Moderna ‘covid’ shot: tremors, dystonia of the face, neck, torso, diaphragm and more | added April 4
Read more at The Defender
At age 21, Philadelphia native Andre Cherry had an active life and a promising future, as he worked toward completing his bachelor’s degree in English. Cherry’s studies ground to a halt, however, shortly after his second dose of the Moderna covid-19 vaccine.
Within hours, Cherry experienced an adverse reaction that was moderate at first but grew more intense. To this day, Cherry experiences the random, daily onset of tremors, muscle spasms, involuntary vocalizations and temporary paralysis. Cherry, now 23, shared his experience with The Defender. He provided extensive medical documentation to support his story.
‘Only time I don’t have symptoms is when I’m asleep’ Cherry received the two-dose Moderna series on May 26, 2021, and June 23, 2021. After the second dose, he developed a “moderate tremor in my left arm, where I was injected both times,” he said. But what started as a moderate tremor quickly spiraled into a range of severe adverse reactions, which continue to afflict Cherry to the present day.
Cherry told The Defender: “I experience tremors in all of my limbs. Dystonia of my face, neck, torso, diaphragm and extremities. Muscle spasms throughout my body. Violent involuntary movements such as punching, kicking, jumping, walking and running — known as ballismus [hemiballismus]. Involuntary speech, laughter and screaming. And flaccid paralysis of my neck, torso and extremities. “All of these symptoms are intermittent and random, varying in duration, combination and intensity on a daily basis.”
Why are we doing this? A discussion on the freedom community rift between “pro-virus” and “no-virus” stance | added April 4
Watch the video on Dr. Sam Bailey
This video is something different from what we have ever done before…
The Baileys are joined by Dr Thomas Cowan and Dr Andrew Kaufman to release a joint statement “Why Are We Doing This?” It addresses the rift that has developed within the freedom community between the “pro-virus” and “no-virus” positions.
Following the statement, each of the four of us will share our personal views of the current situation and where we think things need to go.
‘Covid’ spike protein linked to post infection memory loss | added April 4
Read more at Medical Express
Patients diagnosed with post-covid-19 syndrome often experience cognitive and memory impairments. A new study by researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and UniRio provides insight into the mechanism behind this phenomenon.
The study suggests that the Spike protein, responsible for the virus’s entry into human cells, could be responsible for memory loss in post-covid-19 syndrome. The study also identifies TLR4 receptor as a potential therapeutic target for the symptoms. The study, published in Cell Reports, involved experiments with mice, where the researchers infused the Spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 into the brains of the animals.
The results showed that the infusion induced delayed memory impairment, similar to post-covid-19 syndrome in humans. The scientists observed an increase in the quantity and activation state of microglia, a type of brain cell involved in the innate immune response, and whose role is essential in neuroinflammatory diseases. The study leaders, Claudia Figueiredo and Giselle Passos from the UFRJ’s School of Pharmacy, explained that the activation of the TRL4 receptor by the viral protein induces neuroinflammation, leading to the elimination of synaptic proteins by microglia through a phagocytosis process. This results in memory impairment.
Montana Rail Link derails into Clark Fork River | added April 3
Read more at Daily Inter Lake
A Montana Rail Link freight train derailed in Sanders County on Sunday morning, sending multiple railcars into the Clark Fork River. No one was injured in the incident along Montana 135 near Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort between Paradise and St. Regis. Fourteen rental cabins at the resort were evacuated during the initial response.
Officials with Montana Rail Link were working to determine the cause. Company spokesperson Andy Garland said there were no risks to public safety and no Hazmat release associated with the derailment. Garland said the train was traveling westbound Sunday at 9 a.m. when a portion of the train derailed.
Approximately 25 railcars were involved. The tunnel the train was passing through was full of derailed cars, with the front engines just outside of the north end of the tunnel. One car full of propane derailed, but crews determined that none of the gas had leaked. A hazmat team onsite was monitoring the propane car.
Debris was strewn below some of the wrecked railcars above the Clark Fork River, including Coors and Blue Moon beer, and some clay material. Other railcars involved contained food products, and one empty molasses car was derailed.
Dennis and Lisa Braudrick, from Washington state, witnessed the wreck.
“We saw the train go by and then heard what sounded like thunder,” Dennis said.
EPA pressured for transparency over dioxin testing after saying preliminary results are, “similar to typical background levels” | added April 3
Read more at NBC News
The Environmental Protection Agency says levels of cancer-causing chemicals called dioxins in East Palestine, Ohio, are “similar to typical background levels” after a train derailment and chemical burn last month, but it has yet to publicly share specific data about the potent toxic compounds in the soil.
The gap between statements from the EPA and data shared with the public has been a source of frustration for some East Palestine residents as the agency tries to both gain community trust and reassure residents concerned about the potent toxins.
“As far as dioxins go, this testing isn’t coming fast enough,” said Jami Wallace, of East Palestine, a community organizer with River Valley Organizing. “We need transparency, or people are going to assume.” The EPA has said “final results” will be available in the “coming weeks,” according to updates from its incident response center. The agency held a community meeting Thursday in part to discuss questions about soil sampling and its preliminary findings.
NYC Health + Hospitals announce updated Pfizer ‘covid’ jab is now available for infants | added April 3
Read more at AMNY
The NYC Health + Hospitals announced today that the updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, otherwise known as the bivalent booster, is now available for infants as young as six months old to children up to four years old.
The booster, which targets both the original covid-19 virus strain and variants, is being administered to both adults and children who have completed their first three doses. The third dose must have been injected at least two months prior to receiving the update.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will be available at the pediatric practices at all 11 NYC Health + Hospital locations across the city. “The best way out of this pandemic is by making sure that everyone in your family, even the little ones, have the most updated protection against covid-19,” said Mitchell Katz, president of NYC Health + Hospitals. “Most New Yorkers have completed their primary series. We have to keep that momentum going. The vaccine is safe and effective for people of all ages.”
UPDATE: President Biden still has not visited East Palestine after toxic train derailment | added April 3
Read more at FOX News
President Biden still hasn’t visited East Palestine, Ohio, one month after saying he would visit the town impacted by the toxic chemical spill “at some point.” On March 2, almost a full month after the Feb. 3 train derailment that dumped toxic chemicals in the Ohio town, Biden said he would be heading to East Palestine sometime in the future.
“As the president said, he will go to East Palestine,” a White House official told Fox News Digital Friday. “Today he is in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, a community that has suffered immense loss: 13 lives tragically lost, homes destroyed, businesses leveled.
“We’re committed to helping this community recover just as we’re committed to continuing to support the people of East Palestine, where federal teams at the president’s direction remain on the ground to this day to support response efforts and hold Norfolk Southern accountable. “The CDC has been going door to door to check in on families and has collected over 1,000 health surveys to date,” the official added. “And the Department of Justice announced that it is suing Norfolk Southern to seek damages and hold them accountable.”
A systematic review of the serious harms of ‘covid’ shots | added April 3
Read more at The Epoch Times
Commentary
Recently, my colleague and I completed a systematic review of the serious harms associated with covid-19 vaccines. My co-author Peter Gøtzsche, is a Danish physician with four decades of research experience, publishing 97 papers in the “big five” (BMJ, Lancet, JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, and New England Journal of Medicine) and 19 Cochrane reviews.
My previous report on how serious harms were downplayed or excluded from the covid-19 trials, became the impetus for this review. Also, concerns have been raised about the reliability of clinical trial data because of the pharmaceutical industry’s long history of falsifying data and deliberately hiding harms.
In the case of covid-19 vaccines, neither the vaccine manufacturers, nor the drug regulators allowed independent researchers to examine the raw trial data, forcing transparency advocates to sue the FDA for access to the documents. In our review, we focused on serious adverse events (SAEs) associated with covid-19 vaccines, documented in the published literature (search cut-off date was April 4, 2022).
Scientists push for universal shot from fear of ‘covid’ combining with MERS | added April 3
Read more at The Daily Beast
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is highly contagious but the current dominant strains are not very lethal. Its much rarer cousin in the betacoronavirus family of pathogens, MERS-CoV, is highly lethal but not very contagious. Now imagine a blend of the two—a respiratory virus with the most dangerous qualities of both. Contagious and lethal.
It’s a real risk, according to a new study from China. And it’s a strong argument for a new, more widely effective vaccine. Different viruses from the closely related families can combine through a process called “recombination” and produce hybrids called “recombinants.” This recombination requires the viruses to share an infection mechanism. For the first time, a team of scientists in China has identified the mechanism by which SARS and MERS could combine—by entering human cells via colocated receptors.
Basically, the cells’ entry points for external molecules. If a single person ever catches SARS and MERS at the same time through neighboring receptors and the two viruses combine, we could have a whole new pandemic on our hands—one that could be far worse than the current covid-19 pandemic.
Padres’ Matt Williams has colon cancer; Ref/announcer Kevin Pierce has cancer; “Chickadee” Cardwell has adrenal cancer; “Miranda Lambert falls ill, cancels concert” | added April 3
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller
SAN DIEGO — Padres third-base coach Matt Williams has been diagnosed with colon cancer and will take a leave of absence from the club beginning Friday, when he is scheduled to undergo surgery.
Williams, who is entering his second season with the team, spoke Wednesday and said he’s experiencing no symptoms. He will be on hand for Opening Day on Thursday, but, understandably, wouldn’t put a timeframe on his potential return. Mike Shildt, an advisor with the team, will serve as third-base coach in Williams’ absence.
Williams said the cancer was discovered as the result of routine blood work earlier this spring. He continued coaching, but recently informed the team he would step away, though he will remain in San Diego for the procedure and recovery. “It’s a strange thing, because I wouldn’t have known otherwise,” Williams said. “I feel as good as I’ve felt in 20 years, able to continue to still do my job and everything else. “It’s just a question of: It’s there, and we have to go get it. So now we start that process.”
Herbicide atrazine promotes breast cancer development, according to Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety study | added April 3
Read more at The Defender
A study published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety finds that the commonly used herbicide, atrazine, promotes breast cancer development through suppression of immune cell stimulation, and thus function, and upregulation of enzymes mediating tumor development.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is a disease that causes breast cells to grow out of control, with the type of breast cancer depending on the cells themselves. Several studies and reports, including U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, identify hundreds of chemicals as influential factors associated with breast cancer risk.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, causing the second most cancer-related deaths in the U.S. Past studies suggest genetic inheritance factors influence breast cancer occurrence. However, genetic factors only play a minor role in the incidence of breast cancer, while exposure to external environmental factors (i.e., chemical exposure) appears to play a more notable role.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills tests ‘covid’ positive for second time in less than a year | added April 3
Read more at Sun Journal
Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced Sunday that she has tested positive for covid-19, the second time in less than a year that the governor has contracted the virus. In a statement Sunday evening, the governor said she tested positive after experiencing a scratchy throat Sunday morning.
Mills said she plans to follow Maine and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines by isolating for a minimum of five days. That means Mills will not be able to accompany first lady Jill Biden on Wednesday when she visits Southern Maine Community College in South Portland.
“Other than a scratchy throat, I feel fine,” Mills said. “I will work remotely over the next few days, and I look forward to getting back to the office later this week.” Mills attributes her mild symptoms and prognosis to being fully vaccinated and boosted. The governor has been a staunch supporter of covid-19 vaccines. She tested positive for covid in April 2022 but recovered within a matter of days. Mills turned 75 in December.
‘Covid’ shots found to knock 2.5 decades off life, according to CDC data | added April 3
Read more at The Expose
The long-term consequences of covid-19 vaccination are now being realised… A year ago, doubly vaccinated Australians were 10.72x more likely to catch omicron than the unvaxxed. Now they are 20x more likely and the triply or more vaxxed are 35x more likely, as the latest NSW Health stats show (see below).
Meanwhile, the latest Cleveland Clinic Data and the latest US data analysed by Josh Stirling, founder of Insurance Collaboration to Save Lives and former #1 ranked Insurance Analyst, shows a really really disturbing trend. The damage to health caused by each vaccine dose does not lessen over time. It continues indefinitely. In fact, CDC All-Cause Mortality data show that each vaccine dose increased mortality by 7% in the year 2022 compared to the mortality in year 2021.
So if you have had 5 doses then you were 35% more likely to die in 2022 than you were in 2021. If you have had one dose then you were 7% more likely to die in 2022 than you were in 2021. If you are unvaxxed then you were no more likely to die in 2022 than you were in 2021.
BREAKING — Bobby Jr. announces candidacy, denounces virus | added April 1
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., DEFENDER of convid and hero of Health Freedom activists everywhere, announced his bid for the American presidency Friday afternoon.
He will first compete against Pres. Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. And when the 2024 general election comes, he is expected to defeat Donald Trump, Jr., for whom he once babysat when the Trump family was visiting Hyannis Port in 1985.
Bobby, as he is known to his ever-swelling flock, made the traditional trip to Concord, New Hampshire from Massachusetts on horseback, braving 54 degree temperatures without gloves or an overcoat.
There, he stood on the same steps where his father and two of his uncles declared they were seeking the presidency of the United States in decades past, joining a rich tradition of political success.
CDC health investigators fall ill in probe over toxic East Palestine train derailment | added April 1
Read more at BBC News
Authorities say seven US health investigators fell ill while probing the impact of the 3 February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the investigator’s symptoms included nausea and headaches. Locals in East Palestine have reported similar illnesses.
The train was carrying vinyl chloride and other potentially hazardous substances.The CDC investigators formed part of a team that was conducting house-to-house interviews in the area of the derailment last month, according to authorities. They immediately reported their symptoms to federal authorities after they fell ill.
“Symptoms resolved for most team members later the same afternoon,” the CDC said in a statement. “Everyone resumed work on survey data collection within 24 hours. Impacted team members have not reported ongoing health effects.” In the wake of the derailment, state and federal officials repeatedly sought to reassure East Palestine residents that local air and water supplies were safe. Residents, however, reported headaches, nausea, burning eyes and sore throats, sparking fears that their long-term health could be impacted.
DOJ sues Norfolk Southern over violations of the clean water act | added April 1
Read more at WTAE
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern seeking to hold the company accountable for the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last month. The civil lawsuit on behalf of the EPA seeks injunctive relief and monetary penalties from Norfolk Southern for the response costs to the derailment.
The DOJ alleges Norfolk Southern violated provisions of the clean water act by discharging pollutants and oil into a local waterway. “With this complaint, the Justice Department and the EPA are acting to pursue justice for the residents of East Palestine and ensure that Norfolk Southern carries the financial burden for the harm it has caused and continues to inflict on the community,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
“No community should have to go through what East Palestine residents have faced,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “With today’s action, we are once more delivering on our commitment to ensure Norfolk Southern cleans up the mess they made and pays for the damage they have inflicted as we work to ensure this community can feel safe at home again.”
Remembering James Whitlock, dioxin researcher, died at 80 | added April 1
Read more at Stanford Medicine
James Whitlock, MD, professor emeritus of molecular pharmacology at Stanford Medicine who studied dioxin, the toxic chemical in Agent Orange, died from prostate cancer Feb. 16 at his home in San Francisco. He was 80.
“Dr. Whitlock’s research into the long-term impacts of dioxin, a chemical that caused harm to countless people during the Vietnam War, has had a profound impact on the medical community,” said Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the Stanford School of Medicine. “Within Stanford Medicine, he was a well-loved teacher and colleague who left an indelible mark on all fortunate to work with him. He will be greatly missed.”
Agent Orange was used to defoliate the forest and crops surrounding Vietnamese soldiers during the Vietnam War; in addition to being an herbicide, it had negative impacts on human health. The main chemical found in Agent Orange is dioxin, a pollutant that accumulates in the fatty tissue, causing cancer as well as reproductive problems and birth defects, among other disruptive health issues.
Lab tests on dead cats in East Palestine show no signs of toxicity from train derailment | added April 1
Read more at WKBN
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – The laboratory test results have been returned on two dead stray cats found in East Palestine. The tests were conducted to see if their deaths could be connected to the East Palestine trail derailment and the following release of chemicals from the train cars.
According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, those tests showed no evidence of chemical toxicity as a cause of death. The cats had been in veterinary care with upper respiratory issues prior to the submission to the ADDL.
Those who are interested in having the death of an animal tested should contact their veterinarians for further consultation and guidance. The general public cannot submit an animal or tissue sample to the ADDL without a veterinarian order. State officials have said so far, testing of deceased wildlife from the East Palestine area has not shown evidence of chemical toxicity.
Where’s the virus? | added April 1
Read more at Mike Stone Antiviral Substack
“No virus has been obtained in an absolutely pure state. Not even the washed granules of vaccine virus can be accepted as representing only virus. Therefore it is impossible to say that virus alone is being filtered rather than virus attached to aggregates of protein or particles of degraded cells.”
-Thomas Rivers, Filterable Viruses: A Critical Review
The above statement is from prominent virologist Thomas Rivers in a paper he wrote in 1927 critically reviewing the evidence for filterable “viruses.” This statement came before particles as small as the alleged “viruses” could be seen by the electron microscope as it was not invented until 1931, and the technology did not go into wide use until the 1940’s.
At the time Rivers wrote this paper, there was no visual evidence for the existence of any “virus.” Virologists would assume that if they passed the fluids of a sick host through a filter that would not allow bacteria to flow through, this action would ensure that only the “virus” particles were present in the aftermath. However, as noted by Rivers, there was more than just the assumed “virus” in the fluids as they could not obtain a pure sample of only the assumed “viral” particles since aggregates of proteins and particles of degraded cells were said to be present within the fluids after filtration.
Health risks of using cell phone on the toilet | added April 1
Watch on Dr. Sam Bailey
Many of us know that there are risks associated with cell phones. However, the mainstream generally ignores these real risks and creates cover stories to suit other agendas.
Germ theory continues to spin out of control and in the covid-19 era it has been used to shut down the world through fear campaigns and fraudulent mass vaccination. Let’s have a look at one of the latest places where the ‘experts’ claim that germs are out to get you.
And if you are looking for a way to combat the constant contagion propaganda directed at children, stick around to the end to hear about a new solution…
Former Norfolk Southern employee shares perspective on the degradation of rail industry | added April 1
Read more at The Real News Network
The catastrophic derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3 has devastated the local community and led to a wholly justifiable uproar by the public. The response by federal agencies and the rail carrier itself left residents frustrated and without any definitive answers on how to move forward.
What is perhaps most devastating about the East Palestine disaster, though, is the fact that it was avoidable. Norfolk Southern has spent the last five years deferring maintenance, furloughing employees, rushing inspections, cutting corners on repairs, and threatening (and retaliating against) employees who didn’t comply with any of the directives put in place to accomplish their ultimate goal of an operating ratio below 60%.
Those of us who work in the rail industry knew it was only a matter of time before a disaster like this happened. Unfortunately, we were ignored, and the people of East Palestine (like, as of this week, the people of Raymond, Minnesota) are the ones paying for it.
Lawsuit filed against St. Luke’s University Health Network for discriminating against people with religious exemptions from ‘covid’ jabs | added April 1
Read more at WFMZ
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – At Allentown attorney has filed a lawsuit against St. Luke’s University Health Network claiming religious discrimination. The class-action lawsuit says Jessica Jennings, an LPN at St. Luke’s, was one of roughly 500 employees who received a religious exemption from getting a covid-19 vaccination in 2021.
The lawsuit says exemptions were also granted for people who had previously tested positive for covid, had medical issues that wouldn’t allow them to get vaccinated, and pregnant women. Attorney William Mansour says in 2022 St. Luke’s then excluded those with religious exemptions from a discount in health care costs.
“No other employee of St Luke’s, including other unvaccinated employees who received medical exemptions and deferrals, are having to pay this $1100 increase, only my client and her 500 colleagues,” said Mansour. A court will now decide if other St. Luke’s employees with religious exemptions can join the suit seeking reparations. “We’re asking the court to permanently halt St Luke’s enforcement of this policy to prevent them from adopting any similar policy in the future.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announces an end to ‘covid’ executive order while pushing ‘covid’ jabs for immune compromised | added April 1
Read more at KOAT 7 Action News
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the covid-19 executive order extended March 2023 is final. In a press release, Lujan Grisham encouraged all New Mexicans to take safety precautions.
“I urge all New Mexicans, and particularly those who are older or who have compromised immune systems, to get vaccinated or get their booster shots if they have not done so already,” Lujan Grisham said. “While we’re still seeing covid cases, our preparedness and collaborative work have helped turn a once-in-a-century public health emergency into a manageable situation. We are working diligently across state agencies to make sure New Mexicans continue to be supported as federal covid programs wind down.”
This decision comes after President Joe Biden made the announcement January 2023 to end the country’s covid-19 emergency order May 11, 2023. “I definitely am on the fence. I may not get sick, but when I get sick, it’s a little harder to actually bounce back into being the regular me. We like having company and people coming to see us, but at the same time, if you’re sick, don’t come over,” Morada Quintessence Senior Living Community resident, Sandy Rhodes, said.
U.S. sues Norfolk Southern for polluting the nation’s waterways, according to court records | added March 31
Read more at WKBN
The United States has filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern following last month’s train derailment in East Palestine.
The civil lawsuit claims Norfolk Southern unlawfully polluted the nation’s waterways.
According to court records, the U.S. Attorney General says the derailment led to the combustion of hazardous materials carried by the train, and their release into the air, soil, groundwater and waterways. The U.S. is asking Norfolk Southern pay the full cost of environmental cleanup.
The lawsuit also asks the judge to make Norfolk Southern take action to ensure the safe transport of hazardous materials.
Developing story…
In memory of those who “died suddenly” in the U.S., Mar. 20-27, 2023 | added March 31
Read more at MCM Substack
Gunter Nezhoda, best known for appearing in “Storage Wars,” has died aged 67 following a battle with cancer. Nezhoda died in his sleep on Tuesday night after being diagnosed with lung cancer just six months ago, his son Rene confirmed to TMZ. Rene said his father was diagnosed in September after being a smoker for over 30 years. He said chemotherapy left holes in his dad’s lungs, prompting him to fly to Utah for emergency surgery. Unfortunately, medics told them there was nothing more they could do.
Erik Lomis, the admired distribution executive who handled numerous blockbusters and Oscar winners during his three-decade career in Hollywood, died suddenly Wednesday at his home in Santa Monica. He was 64. As MGM’s head of distribution, Lomis was in the midst of helping parent company Amazon Studios prepare for the release of Ben Affleck’s Air, which opens in theaters April 5. Amazon recently signed Lomis — a champion of the big-screen experience — to a new deal after officially acquiring the storied film studio.
No cause of death reported.
Rapper T.I.‘s former road manager Claybourne “Clay” Evans Jr. [left, above] passed away in an Atlanta hospital after suffering a massive stroke earlier this month. Evans died on Friday, March 24, according to an Instagram post by his family. “It is with a heavy heart that the Evans family announces the untimely passing of my Father, Claybourne Evans Jr,” the post read. “He fought a good fight and transitioned peacefully surrounded by close family and friends on today, March 24, 2023. He lived an extraordinary life filled with Love, Hard Work, and Laughter. He touched many lives…Continue His Legacy.” Evans reportedly suffered a massive stroke at his home on March 8.
No age reported.
Hours of footage leading to East Palestine train derailment has been ‘overwritten’, according to NTSB | added March 31
Read more at Global News
Hours of video footage that documented the events leading up to and the aftermath of a massive train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, have been lost, according to the head of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The video was recorded from a camera within the train’s cab, and could have provided crucial information about the derailment and what the train’s crew was doing before the fateful accident. The camera in the train had 12 hours of recording time, but “all of that, except 15 minutes before the derailment and 5 minutes after, was overwritten after the accident because they put the locomotive immediately back in service,” said Jennifer L. Homendy, chair of the NTSB.
The NTSB is investigating the Feb. 3 incident, which saw a 38-car train carrying toxic chemicals run off the rails and catch fire, threatening to explode and flatten the nearby small town of East Palestine. Emergency crews eventually drained the hazardous materials, including known carcinogen vinyl chloride, into a trench for a controlled burn, which sent up a massive black plume of phosgene gas and hydrogen chloride into the air.
Ohio lawmakers pass rail safety rules after toxic train derailment in East Palestine | added March 31
Read more at AP News
Rail safety measures proposed after the February train derailment and toxic chemical burn in East Palestine are closer to becoming law in Ohio, as part of a nearly $13.5 billion transportation budget that cleared the Legislature on Wednesday.
A compromise budget plan that chiefly funds work on bridges and highways over the next two years passed both Republican-led chambers with bipartisan support, sending it to GOP Gov. Mike DeWine for expected final approval.
Nearly two months after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a fiery crash in eastern Ohio, lawmakers approved the plan that includes several railway safety provisions. Among them, it would mandate a two-person crew for freight trains; require personnel who receive messages about defects picked up by a railroad’s wayside detector system immediately notify a train operator; and order the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to submit written reports to the Legislature regarding the transportation of hazardous materials and waste.
Minnesota train derailment underscores rail safety problems when carrying hazardous materials | added March 31
Read more at VOX
A train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in Raymond, Minnesota, on Thursday, the latest such accident in recent months. Thursday’s incident comes in the wake of a major train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3, when a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals went off the tracks, spewing contaminants into the town’s air and water.
Although train derailments involving hazardous chemicals are relatively rare, the occurrence of the Minnesota derailment so close to the Ohio one has raised questions about train safety and whether new regulations are needed to prevent more of these dangerous incidents from happening in the future. According to the Washington Post, there were 1,049 train derailments last year, and 10 train incidents that involved the spillage of hazardous materials, both figures which are lower than years past.
The train derailment in Minnesota involved a 40-car train, 14 of which were hauling hazardous chemicals including ethanol, according to CNN. BNSF Railway, the company operating the train, says 22 cars derailed and four cars ignited and caught fire. Residents living within a half-mile radius of the accident were asked to evacuate as a safety precaution, though they were able to return home on Thursday afternoon. The train was also carrying corn syrup, and derailed around 1 am Central time.
Authorities lift evacuation in Minnesota town after no environmental safety issues detected | added March 31
Read more at Reuters
Authorities have lifted an evacuation order and said no environmental safety issues were detected after a freight train carrying ethanol derailed near a small town in Minnesota early on Thursday.
The BNSF Railway-operated train derailed at 1:02 a.m. CDT (0602 GMT) and caught fire, forcing some residents to evacuate in the town of Raymond, Minnesota, about 110 miles (180 km) west of Minneapolis. No injuries were reported. The evacuation order was lifted by the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office which also said there was no impact to ground water.
BNSF said “groundwater is unaffected by the incident, and the air monitoring indicates no detectable levels of concern.” The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Railroad Administration are investigating. BNSF, which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N), said earlier approximately 22 cars carrying mixed freight, including ethanol and corn syrup, were reported derailed with four cars that had caught fire.
‘Covid’ pandemic led to nearly six-fold increase of global vax injuries, according to Oxford University | added March 31
Editor’s Note: Interesting choice of words to use “scheme” when associating ‘covid’ vax injury claims for compensation. Typically a scheme is associated with manipulation not handling injuries from experimental medical procedures that have caused death and serious injuries. Especially considering the mandate of these drugs as if they are miracle cures when clearly they are not. — mmd
Read more at Reuters
The covid-19 pandemic led to a nearly six-fold increase in the number of non-fault compensation schemes for vaccine injuries globally, said Oxford University researchers who on Friday made public an online database tracking the schemes.
Regulators globally have shown that covid-19 vaccines are safe and adverse events are extremely rare. But in those rare cases, the pandemic exposed problems in some countries — such as in the United States — with vaccine compensation schemes when large proportions of populations are inoculated. The Oxford project’s website could help people who want to make a claim as well as governments, policymakers and academics to see what schemes are available in their country and compare them to elsewhere, the university said in a statement.
The first phase of the three-year research project, funded by drug industry lobby IFPMA (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations), found that at least 146 countries operated a scheme related to covid-19 vaccines. In January 2020, when the pandemic began, only 26 vaccine compensation schemes existed.
WHO warns new ‘omicron’ subvariant has potential changes that ‘we need to keep a good eye out on’ | added March 31
Read more at U.S. News
The World Health Organization on Wednesday said that it is monitoring XBB.1.16, an omicron subvariant that has been documented mostly in India. “We’re monitoring it because it has potential changes that we need to keep a good eye out on,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s covid-19 technical lead, said at a press conference.
The strain has been reported in 22 countries, with the majority of cases coming from India. “In India, XBB.1.16 has replaced the other variants that are in circulation,” Van Kerkhove said. “So this is one to watch.”
India is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases. According to WHO, India is experiencing the highest proportional increase in infections of its region, reporting over 10,500 new cases over the past four weeks compared to nearly 3,000 infections during the previous four weeks. The subvariant has been circulating for a few months, Van Kerkhove said, noting that it doesn’t appear to cause more severe disease.
MP Andrew Bridgen scolded for “conspiracy theories” over WHO ‘covid’ response role | added March 31
Read more at The Epoch Times
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt has scolded independent MP Andrew Bridgen for sharing “conspiracy theories” after he raised concerns about the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the House of Commons.
Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, told the Commons on Thursday that he was concerned about “proposed changes to the WHO international health regulations which will not require a vote” from Parliament to be approved.
He asked: “Can we urgently have a government statement on these proposed changes which could look set to hand over huge powers to an unelected, unaccountable, discredited supra-national body which is hugely funded by the same people who fund big pharma?” Commons Leader Mordaunt replied: “I think it is incredibly important that we have the facts of whether it is such treaties, whether it is facts about vaccines and so forth out in the public domain.”
Former pharma executive tells RFK Jr. that U.S. military runs ‘covid’ vaccines | added March 31
Read more at The Defender
The U.S. government’s covid-19 vaccination effort is a biological weapon project run by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), according to Alexandra Latypova, a former pharmaceutical research and development executive with 25 years of industry experience.
Latypova, who oversaw compliance for more than 60 clinical trials, knows the regulatory standards pharmaceutical companies historically were required to meet before bringing a product to market. “People misunderstand that this is just another instance of Big Pharma corruption,” she told Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., chairman and chief litigation counsel for Children’s Health Defense, during an episode of “RFK Jr. The Defender Podcast.” “It’s much, much bigger than that.”
Latypova said we have government reports describing the covid-19 vaccines as a biological weapon. “I have a question to our government,” she said. “What is it that they’re exactly forcing on us?” The DOD is “fully in charge” of the covid-19 vaccine clinical trials and the vaccine’s manufacturing and distribution, and it owns the vaccine “until it is injected into a person,” she said.
Discerning media lies about ‘covid’ coming from raccoon dogs | added March 30
Watch on Rumble
Eric Coppolino discusses how world governments have admitted to not having an isolate of an alleged ‘covid’ virus and the importance of taking East Palestine train wreck seriously by evacuating the town.
Derailed Minnesota train hauling ethanol and corn syrup sparks ordered evacuation of nearby homes | added March 30
Read more at News 5 Cleveland
A train hauling ethanol and corn syrup derailed and caught fire in Minnesota early Thursday and nearby residents were ordered to evacuate their homes, authorities said. The BNSF train derailed in the town of Raymond, roughly 100 miles (161 kilometers) west of Minneapolis, about 1 a.m., according to a statement from Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson.
The Associated Press left messages seeking comment from BNSF officials and with Tollefson. The train “had numerous rail cars derail” and several caught fire, Tollefson said. Homes in an area 1/2 mile (0.8 kilometers) around the site were evacuated, according to Tollefson, and residents were taken to a shelter in nearby Prinsburg.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN that about 14 cars were carrying hazardous materials, including ethanol. “We’ve been in touch with the governor,” Buttigieg said, and Environmental Protection Agency officials were en route to the site “given the hazardous material situation.”
East Palestine residents test positive for vinyl chloride exposure after train derailment | added March 30
Read more at WKBN
NEW WATERFORD, Ohio (WKBN) – Tuesday night in New Waterford, members of the community and surrounding area sat in on a town hall. The topic: the Norfolk Southern train derailment. According to organizers, the train company was originally supposed to be at the meeting but they were a no-show.
WKBN spoke to two women who say they have positive tests for vinyl chloride exposure. Shelby Walker, of East Palestine, says the Norfolk Southern tracks are practically in her backyard. “I am approximately 900 feet from the burn site,” she said. She has been staying off and on in a hotel since the derailment because she is afraid for her health. Walker showed us some of her toxicity test results.
“It came back as vinyl chloride,” she said. “It’s not in my blood, it’s been in my urine tests.” Walker says her entire family has been experiencing symptoms. Eleven people lived in her home prior to the derailment, including her grandchildren. “I’m now on an inhaler that I’ve never had to before. My voice gets raspy on and off. We get headaches,” Walker said.
Washington state ranks 14th in the nation for most train derailments | added March 30
Read more at Komo News
WASHINGTON — There’s a push for new railroad safety measures following recent derailments– including one near Anacortes earlier this month. Federal data recorded 35 train derailments in our state last year, ranking it 14th for most derailments nationwide from 2018 to 2022. In that time, reportable derailments in our state totaled $15,539,225, with zero deaths and one injury.
From the fireball in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, in which 38 cars derailed, and a chemical fire forced the evacuation of 2,000 people– to a BNSF derailment two weeks ago in Washington’s Skagit County and other recent incidents have prompted calls for safety changes to the rail industry.
“This easily could’ve been a different scenario given the materials that are transported in and out of these facilities,” said Samish Indian Nation Chairman Thomas Wooten last week in a KOMO interview after the derailment on the Swinomish Reservation near Anacortes.
‘Covid’ shots no longer mandatory for healthcare workers in France | added March 30
Read more at Yahoo News
PARIS, March 30 (Reuters) – France’s public health authority Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS)on Thursday eased its vaccination guidance for professionals in the health sector, saying the shot was no longer mandatory, but still strongly recommended, in light of recent epidemiological data.
“This recommendation to lift the obligation to vaccinate against Covid-19 does not in any way call into question its previous … recommendations which were made in different healthcare-related and epidemiological contexts”, the HAS said in a statement. The government usually follows the body’s recommendations.
France’s decision at the height of the pandemic to suspend the work contracts of doctors, nurses and other health workers who refused to take a covid-19 vaccination, was highly controversial. The government had argued the move was necessary to keep hospitals safe, while unions said it further reduced available workforce in France’s chronically under-staffed health sector.
Top Massachusetts court rules in favor of ‘covid’ vax mandate despite appellate judge’s order not to enforce experimental jab | added March 30
Read more at The Boston Herald
The state’s top court has ruled in favor of the city in the battle over its covid-19 mandate, throwing out the preliminary injunction against the Wu administration and clearing the way for future versions of such policies.
Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Elspeth Cypher wrote the opinion issued Thursday, throwing out an appellate judge’s order not to enforce the vaccine-mandate police from December 2021 — a policy under which no one’s ever …
AstraZeneca ‘covid’ jabs may have caused more serious heart injuries in women, according to analysis of Britain’s immunization and death records | added March 30
Read more at The New York Times
Young women who received at least one dose of the covid vaccine made by AstraZeneca might have been more likely to die of a heart problem in the 12 weeks after their vaccination, according to an analysis of immunization and death records in Britain released on Monday.
Those findings carry a big caveat: Britain withdrew AstraZeneca’s vaccine use for young people under 30 in April 2021, citing the risk of rare but dangerous blood clots. By that time, the young women who were immunized would have been mainly health care workers or those who were medically vulnerable, because people at high risk of covid from their age, health or employment were vaccinated first. So the results of the study may not apply to the general population.
“It could be that the people who are clinically extremely vulnerable are more susceptible to side effects from vaccination,” said Vahé Nafilyan, a senior statistician for Britain’s Office for National Statistics and one of the lead researchers on the study. The results were published on Monday in the journal Nature Communications.
House Democrats frustrated over Biden’s lift of the national ‘covid’ emergency declaration | added March 30
Read more at The Hill
House Democrats are sounding off against the White House after President Biden indicated he’ll sign legislation to lift the national emergency declaration surrounding covid-19 — a move that came less than two months after Democrats had opposed the same measure en masse at the administration’s request.
Almost 200 House Democrats had voted on Feb. 1 against the Republican proposal for an immediate repeal of the emergency designation, after the White House warned it “would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system.” Administration officials said they needed a longer wind-down window, and would remove the designation unilaterally on May 11. It passed the House 229-197 with 11 Democrats voting in favor.
Yet Senate Democrats on Wednesday brought the same repeal proposal to the floor, where it passed easily by a vote of 68 to 23, and a White House official said Biden would sign it into law. The president’s shift in position caught House Democrats off guard, and a number of lawmakers — particularly frontliners, who are facing tough reelection contests next year — were quick to air their frustrations when they learned the news Wednesday evening.
“Truth alone will endure, all the rest will be swept always in the tide of Time.” — Ghandi.
Ohio businesses to benefit from toxic train derailment, according to attorney general | added March 30
Read more at WKBN
(WKBN) — The Ohio attorney general has been very adamant that Norfolk Southern will pay for every aspect of the East Palestine train derailment cleanup. Wednesday, he got the railroad to agree and go a step further.
Norfolk Southern is under an EPA order to clean up the accident site and around it. Ohio’s attorney general Dave Yost has gotten the railroad to agree to use Ohio companies for all aspects of the cleanup. Yost says Ohio didn’t ask for the train derailment, but since the work has to be done, it might as well benefit Ohioans.
“Since the accident did happen, I am excited that it is Ohio, his businesses, and businesses right here in the Valley that are going to benefit from the money that has to be spent on the cleanup and remediation from this act,” Yost said. The agreement does not impact the attorney general’s lawsuit against Norfolk Southern. He says that involves issues that are longer term and include environmental damages which won’t even be added up for a couple of years.
EPA to conduct internal investigation of Ohio train wreck response | added March 29
Read more at Off Guardian
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s internal watchdog division is opening an investigation into the handling of the East Palestine train wreck which caused a toxic disaster in the small Ohio town.
An agency spokesperson declined to comment on why it is launching the investigation, but a public memo from the EPA office of inspector general states that it will “conduct interviews, gather data, and analyze a variety of issues, including hazardous waste disposal, air and water monitoring, soil and sediment sampling, and risk communication”.
The agency’s response to the train crash has drawn intense criticism from the town’s residents and public health advocates who say it has failed to fully protect East Palestine from toxic chemicals released from train cars and a controlled burn of vinyl chloride in the days after the wreck. Critics say the Joe Biden administration has not been cautious enough in its approach, or taken strong enough action against Norfolk Southern, the rail company behind the disaster.
Baltimore-area wastewater treatment facility blocks contaminated water from East Palestine | added March 29
Read more at WKBN
(WKBN)- A Baltimore-area wastewater treatment facility will not treat contaminated water from East Palestine after pushback from local lawmakers. Clean Harbors announced yesterday they will not process any wastewater from the derailment site.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott denied the request over “grave concerns” after learning 675,000 gallons of water would be sent to the city for treatment, then released into the city’s sewer system.
Earlier this month, U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan sent letters to state officials, warning them not to try and stop the waste shipments. It’s not clear where the water will go now.
PA wants Norfolk Southern to reimburse farmers for lost meat sales after East Palestine train derailment | added March 29
Read more at Post Gazette
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania will work with Ohio to start testing tissue from animals that might have been affected by environmental fallout from last month’s Norfolk Southern train derailment, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding told lawmakers Tuesday.
Mr. Redding’s remarks came during legislative hearings about the Pennsylvania state budget, during which Dr. Debra Bogen, the acting health secretary, said her agency is also exploring its role in monitoring the long-term health of residents following the catastrophe.
“The survey that we have been doing showed that people for sure had a lot of symptoms, particularly right after the train derailment,” Ms. Bogen said.
Their appearances before lawmakers came as federal officials continue their investigation of the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, just west of the Pennsylvania border. It led to fires and a decision three days later — which authorities said was prompted by concerns that derailed cars carrying toxic chemicals might explode — to release vinyl chloride from several train cars and burn it.
Erin Brockovich and EP resident, Jamie Wallace: It’s not safe and there’s a cover-up | added March 29
Watch the video on YouTube
Next Monday marks the two-month anniversary of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that devastated a small community. On Tuesday, Congress held a hearing on the environmental response to the derailment while residents in East Palestine held another town hall. Why are the people still getting sick? East Palestine resident Jamie Wallace was at the town hall meeting, which she called a “huge success.” Environmental activist Erin Brockovich, who has been advocating for East Palestine residents, argues that the response to the train derailment is tantamount to a “cover-up.”
House Subcommittee holds hearing on government response to East Palestine train wreck | added March 29
Watch the video on YouTube
A House subcommittee holds a hearing on the government response to the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Witnesses include Columbiana County Health Commissioner Wesley Vins, Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Debra Shore, and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Anne Vogel.
NTSB’s Michael Hiller explains common reasons trains derail | added March 29
Watch the video on The Wall Street Journal
The train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, was just one of over 1,000 that happen every year. NTSB’s Michael Hiller explains the most common reasons trains come off the tracks and what can be done to prevent them.
Congressman Bill Johnson demands answers for the “still suffering” East Palestine residents | added March 29
Read more at WKBN
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBN) – Holding his first hearing as chairman of a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on last month’s toxic train derailment, Valley Congressman Bill Johnson’s goal was simple.
He said he wanted to get answers for the “still-suffering” residents of East Palestine. Johnson called Columbiana County’s Health Commissioner, as well as state and federal environmental officials, to discuss the cleanup during a hearing in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Anne Vogel used a map to show lawmakers the wreck happened a mile and a half from the village’s local wells. “The derailment would not have affected the municipal water source, and we knew that very quickly after the derailment,” Vogel said.
Canadian Pacific train derails in North Dakota with hazardous materials aboard | added March 29
Read more at AP News
WYNDMERE, N.D. (AP) — A Canadian Pacific train derailed in rural North Dakota Sunday night and spilled hazardous materials. But local authorities and the railroad said there is no threat to public safety.
There were no injuries and no fire associated with the derailment, which occurred in a rural area outside Wyndmere, a town of several hundred people about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Fargo. Canadian Pacific spokesperson Andy Cummings said 31 of the 70 cars on the train, including several carrying hazardous materials, left the tracks around 11:15 p.m. Sunday.
Four cars filled with liquid asphalt and two railcars filled with ethylene glycol spilled some of those chemicals in the derailment. And Cummings said a car carrying propylene was punctured and released some vapor. It wasn’t immediately clear how much of the chemicals were released, but there are no waterways nearby and the chemical spills were contained at the site of the derailment.
Philadelphia tap water remains safe through 3:30 pm Tuesday following chemical spill in tributary, according to officials | added March 29
Read more at NBC Philadelphia
Tap water in Philadelphia remains safe to drink and use through 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday following a chemical spill in a tributary to the Delaware River, officials announced during a press conference on Monday.
A latex product spilled along the Delaware River tributary near Bristol Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, late Friday, March 24, shortly before midnight. Officials believe about 8,100 gallons of a “water soluble acrylic polymer solution” poured into the tributary.
The company responsible for the chemical spill, Trinseo, said the latex emulsion product that spilled into the river was “approximately 50-percent water and the remainder latex polymer.”
According to the company, the latex emulsion is “a white liquid that is used in various consumer goods.” The company said the chemical has a pigmentation that “makes the water-soluble material visible in surface water.” The latex is non-toxic to humans, and no known adverse health effects have been reported in the county, according to officials.
WHO revises ‘covid’ jab recommendations for healthy kids and teenagers stating they may not need to get shot | added March 29
Read more at CNN
The World Health Organization’s vaccine experts have revised their global covid-19 vaccination recommendations, and healthy kids and teenagers considered low priority may not need to get a shot.
The updated roadmap is designed to prioritize covid-19 vaccines for those at greatest risk of death and severe disease, according to the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).
It is being issued to reflect the omicron stage of the pandemic and because of countries’ high population immunity levels due to vaccines and infection, the group announced following a recent meeting. The new streamlined recommendations focus on high-, medium- and low-risk groups. SAGE recommends additional booster doses of covid-19 vaccine for high-priority groups such as older people, immunocompromised people of all ages, front-line health workers and pregnant people six or 12 months after their last booster dose.
EPA guidance from 2022 expressly prohibits open detonation, dump and burn operations | added March 28
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
EPA violated its own rules when it allowed the dumping and burning of 125,000 gallons of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) in East Palestine on Feb. 6, 2023. Public officials claim that doing this was preferable to risking an explosion — a potential scenario that itself has not been challenged thoroughly enough.
A June 7, 2022 guidance memo from EPA interpreting federal regulations and bans the open detonation/open burning of toxins.
Let me say this again. EPA violated its own rules and committed crimes when it authorized the dumping and open burning of 125,000 gallons of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). My source is a former official in EPA’s enforcement division.
Public officials are so shameless that they have tried to pin responsibility for the dump and burn operation on the local fire chief. A proper recovery operation was initiated the night of the derailment, but was called off, according to a source close to the railroad industry.
Read the rules for yourself.
My source just followed up and wrote to me:
“I read the June 7, 2022 policy directive in more detail and am even more convinced that it is the key to demonstrating that the East Palestine disaster was an egregious environmental crime. I’m surprised that it was still on the EPA website a month ago when I discovered it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it disappears as soon as they realize that the public knows of its existence. It really is damning evidence.”
Chronology of Feb. 3, 2023 derailment of train 32N in E. Palestine, OH | added March 28
Read more at Planet Waves FM
Problems with the standard East Palestine narrative — something is missing…
— There has never been a dump and burn in railroad history, even in the decade prior to its being banned by 1980 regulations. There is always dump and remove, or decant (into tankers) and remove. These incidents happen every two weeks — the burn part is totally unprecedented and there is rarely a need to dump…
— Fully enclosed hazmat tanker truck driver recovery operation (entirely routine procedure when there are damaged tanker cars) was initiated Friday Feb. 3, and then called off within 24 hours (on Friday night or Saturday). Who called it off? I have this from two reliable sources
— Fire lines pulled from keeping tankers cool
— No samples of soot or wipe samples from inside the tanker cars — missing crucial data that would reveal the true nature of the incident
— Point source soot samples are also missing
— Decision to breach, dump and burn was totally irrational and nobody understands it. EPA was involved.
— No state or federal emergencies declared, depriving governments of emergency powers and agencies of certain kinds of authority (we now from “covid” how much power a state of emergency grants; in this case, that was never done).
Something is very wrong with East Palestine, Ohio train derailment narrative | added March 28
Read more at Celia Farber
Problems with the standard East Palestine narrative — something is missing…
I’ve been staring at East Palestine for six weeks, and there appear to be elements of the fact pattern that do not add up to the claim of the standard narrative. This is what I know, based on our investigation for the chronology we are developing. You can read that here. There are actually two — one is a list of lawsuits.
The question I am seeking to answer is, re dump and burn, why was this decision made? Here are my story notes-in-progress, which I would summarize as, “Good morning, it’s Opposite Day.”
— There has never been a dump and burn in railroad history, even in the decade prior to its being banned by 1980 regulations. There is always dump and remove, or decant (into tankers) and remove. Spills happen every two weeks — the burn part is unprecedented and there is rarely a need to dump. The typical approach is to take the contaminated dirt to a hazardous waste landfill.
— A 2022 EPA guidance, which says how to interpret laws and regs, repeats the ban on dump and burn except only after careful consideration when there is absolutely no other alternative (which has never happened in civilian society; it happens in the military).
Why our trains are toxic: The dioxin backstory | added Mar. 28
Read more at Science and Environmental Health Network
In recent days, dozens of news reports have described the February 3, 2023 train derailment that devastated East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border. Many reports have asked, “Why doesn’t our government require railroads to install the best available safety equipment?”
A better question might be, “Why is any train allowed to criss-cross farms, towns, suburbs and cities carrying a cargo so toxic that a derailment requires everyone for miles around to evacuate their homes and businesses, then to worry forevermore whether they, their families, and their unborn children and grandchildren may have been permanently poisoned?”
Since 2015 in the United States, 106 train derailments have released hazardous chemicals, about one each month for the last eight years.
Passing through East Palestine February 3, the locomotive was pulling 150 rail cars, 38 of which suddenly thundered off the tracks, including five that carried a total of 116,000 gallons of vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride, a poison known to cause cancer in humans, is the raw material for plastics that now contaminate the ocean, the air, the food supply, and human babies.
When the enormous heap of train wreckage caught fire, railroad officials feared the five vinyl chloride tank-cars might explode, so they dumped all the vinyl chloride into a ditch and set it afire, producing the gigantic cloud of toxic smoke pictured above. With that, things went from bad to worse.
NTSB states pressure relief devices show no sign of debris or material migration into tank | added March 28
Read more at NTSB
[Mar. 21, 2023] On March 15 and 16, 2023, the National Transportation Safety Board investigators performed a detailed examination and functional testing of the pressure relief devices (PRDs) removed from the five vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) tank cars that derailed on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio at a testing facility. The examination and testing revealed the following:Melted aluminum debris from the protective housing covers entered the PRD discharge areas of some PRDs but there was no evidence of debris or material migration into the tank or internal PRD components. The NTSB continues to assess if the melted aluminum debris within the discharge area of the PRDs had any effect on their venting and discharge operation (see Figure 1).
NTSB testing found anomalies with the function of some PRDs that will require further testing and evaluation. The valve stems of some examined PRDs were seized in the top guide bushings, in one case preventing the PRD from operating, even above its rated pressure (see Figure 2). Also, according to the manufacturer’s part specifications, one of the installed PRD’s internal springs was coated with aluminum, which is not compatible with the VCM lading.
Hearing held Friday in federal court to determine procedure of class action lawsuits filed in wake of toxic train derailment | added March 28
Read more at WKBN
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A hearing will be held Friday in federal court to determine how class action lawsuits filed in the wake of the East Palestine train derailment case should proceed.
U.S. Judge Benita Y. Pearson issued an order Friday in the U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio for a hearing on how to appoint an interim attorney to oversee the class action lawsuits, to devise a plan on how the cases should be structured and a status report on the current cases. As of Friday, 29 lawsuits have been filed over the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, which spilled some of the chemicals the cars were carrying.
A few days after the train derailed, the chemicals, which were still in the rail cars, were burned off rather than removed to prevent an explosion. Pictures of the resulting plume of smoke, which caused an inversion of clouds, have been broadcast across the country. Those who have filed suit have almost universally said in their complaints that the derailment has released toxic chemicals in the air and water that will have an adverse effect on their health, residences and businesses.
EPA to testify in D.C. over train derailment | added Mar. 28
Read more at NBC 4
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBN) – The U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA will testify Tuesday in Washington, D.C. over the East Palestine train derailment. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing and Critical Materials will meet to discuss the train derailment.
Columbiana County Health Commissioner Wesley Vins, as well as officials from the U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA will testify. The hearing starts at 10 a.m. in Washington D.C.
Boardman firefighters ask for reimbursement for equipment ruined by train derailment | added March 28
Read more at WFMJ
Boardman firefighters are asking to be reimbursed for equipment that was ruined while responding to the train derailment in East Palestine. Boardman fire officials are asking for $30,000 to replace personal protective equipment, such as boots, coats and hats that were contaminated during the derailment and are no longer usable.
The fire department met with township trustees to approve an invoice for what the department needs to replace. That invoice will then be sent to Norfolk Southern.
“It’s in the Ohio Revised Code that you can seek reimbursement for a hazardous material incident. Each municipality can apply for that and you can bill for your apparatus or any lost equipment,” Boardman Fire Chief Mark Pitzer said.
The township plans to submit its request to the City Administrator of East Palestine, who will then get reimbursed from Norfolk Southern.
Carbon water filters to be installed in East Palestine municipal water supply | added March 28
Read more at WKBN
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — Monday night in East Palestine, village council laid out steps it’s taking to keep the municipal drinking water supply safe. While officials say the water is perfectly fine now, they are taking precautions to make sure it stays that way with the implementation of a filter system.
Village council members updated residents about the progress of cleanup following the Norfolk Southern train derailment on Feb. 3. East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway says soil removal around the tracks is ongoing.
In an update on Monday, Gov. Mike DeWine said test results show 50 feet of sampled soil on the south rail line have not met clean standards. More soil will be removed from the area to be tested again. Once the soil meets safety standards, rebuilding of the track will begin.
The south track is expected to be completed next month, but there’s no word on when soil removal will start on the north track.
Conaway anticipates the removal process will last several more months.
Norfolk Southern’s money trail leads to local East Palestine, Ohio politicians | added March 28
Read more at WKBN
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Norfolk Southern’s impact on politics is profound. It’s no secret that heavy-duty campaign and PAC contributions total into the multi-million dollar range for the railroad.
Norfolk Southern’s corporate political contribution and lobbying expense for 2021 totaled approximately $4.3 million, according to the company’s disclosure documents. Some local politicians who have spoken out against Norfolk after the train derailment took money from the company for their campaigns.
WKBN received questions from viewers and dug into the financial records. For instance, on Jan. 4, 2023, one month before the East Palestine train derailment, the Mike DeWine and Jon Husted Transition Fund received $10,000 from Norfolk, according to campaign finance records from the Ohio Secretary of State. The DeWine Husted for Ohio campaign also received $5,000 from Norfolk in 2022 as well as $1,000 in 2020 and $5,000 in 2019.
East Palestine resident: I live near the train derailment and it’s not safe | added March 28
Read more at Off Guardian
On the evening of 3 February I was at home in East Palestine, Ohio, watching a movie with my granddaughters, when my daughter Adyson called and asked, “Dad, what’s going on downtown?” I looked out the window and there was an orange glow in the sky. I turned the movie down to talk to my daughter but she’d hung up. Ten minutes later she called back and said, “We’re coming to get you.”
We went to try to figure out what had happened and it was like driving into a cloud – smoke was billowing overhead. A Norfolk Southern freight train had derailed. You could see the flames over the tops of nearby houses and feel the heat from several hundred feet away. Huge clouds of smoke were spreading from the crash site over our town.
We initially thought that a coal train had caught fire. We learned later that 38 cars of industrial supplies, including at least 11 cars of toxic chemicals, had derailed. Another 12 cars were damaged by fire. The train’s spilled cargo included vinyl chloride, a chemical that causes liver cancer. People in the immediate area of the derailment were ordered to evacuate, in case of an explosion. The rest of us were told to shelter in place.
Emergency legislation proposed to stop wastewater headed to Maryland after Ohio train derailment | added March 27
Read more at WBAL TV11
Wastewater collected from the Ohio train derailment site could be headed to Maryland for treatment, Baltimore City and Baltimore County officials announced Friday afternoon.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the city received a letter late Thursday from contractor Clean Harbors Environmental and Industrial Services, stating that the company is one of many sites across the country selected to accept, treat and discharge the wastewater collected from rainwater at the derailment site. The wastewater would be treated at the city-run Back River Waste Water Treatment Plant in Dundalk.
Clean Harbors wrote in its letter: “Clean Harbors proposes to begin receiving this wastewater immediately once approval is granted. The initial known quantity currently loaded in rail cars is 675,000 gallons.” This comes more than a month after a fiery train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
Norfolk Southern pushes away from one-person train crew agenda to focus on employees’ quality of life | added March 27
Read more at ABC News
Railroad Norfolk Southern is backing away from its push to reduce its train crews down to one person, the company said Thursday in a joint announcement with the nation’s largest rail union.
The two sides said they will instead focus on quality of life issues for employees, such as scheduling and days off, during their ongoing contract talks. Railroad safety, including staffing levels, has come under scrutiny since a fiery freight train derailment involving cars carrying toxic chemicals in early February led to evacuations in East Palestine, Ohio.
No one was immediately injured in the Feb. 3 derailment, but state and local officials decided to release and burn toxic vinyl chloride from five tanker cars, prompting the evacuation of half of the roughly 5,000 residents. Billowing smoke above the village and reports from residents that they still suffer from illnesses, turned high-level attention to railroad safety and how dangerous materials are transported.
NBA great Eric Montross has cancer; NFL tight end Foster Moreau has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma; pro wrestler Black Bart has liver cancer; reality TV’s Patrick Macon has gallbladder or bile duct cancer | added March 27
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller
The family of former North Carolina and NBA big man Eric Montross says he has begun treatments for cancer. Montross’ family issued a statement through the school on Saturday announcing the 51-year-old’s diagnosis, though it didn’t specify the nature of the cancer. “We are all touched by the responses our entire family has received since the news became public,” the family said. “Your support is more than appreciated; it is welcomed as a necessary part of beating cancer one day at a time. Our family is dealing with Eric’s diagnosis head-on — the only way we know how. And we are all in this fight together.”
Montross is a radio analyst for UNC game broadcasts and works for the Rams Club, the fundraising arm of UNC’s athletics department. Montross was a two-time Associated Press second-team All-American with the Tar Heels. He was the starting center on the late Dean Smith’s second NCAA championship squad in 1993. Montross went on to be the No. 9 overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft and played eight years in the league.
During a routine physical with the Saints this month, [Foster] Moreau learned that he has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. As a result, he will put his football career on hold. “Through somewhat of a miraculous process, this Free Agency period has been life changing for me,” Moreau tweeted. “During a routine physical conducted by the Saint’s medical team down in New Orleans, I’ve come to learn that I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and will be stepping away from football at this time to fight a new opponent: Cancer.
Debunking the germ theory funk | added March 27
Read more at Mike Stone Antiviral Substack
I’ve been asked numerous times to participate in debates on the validity of virology and germ theory over the course of the past few years. I have taken part in many conversations over that time on Facebook and other platforms, attempting to have honest discussions with people claiming to be virologists, biologists, scientists, doctors and educators.
However, one thing became very clear during these exchanges that really soured me on this entire experience. It is very difficult to have an honest conversation with people who are emotionally invested and attached to their education, training, and their chosen professions. Admittedly, these people have put in a lot of money, time, and effort into learning their particular field.
Thus, they do not take too kindly to those who challenge them on their long-held beliefs. I can understand this mindset as it is very difficult to even entertain that what one has spent a great deal of time on could actually be fraudulent. I am well aware that myself and others who expose the flaws of germ theory and virology are a threat to these people, not only to their careers, but also to their egos.
Fifth Ward residents push state’s environmental agency to conduct further dioxin testing after traces found in 47 soil samples | added March 27
Read more at Houston Public Media
[Sept. 29, 2022] Fifth Ward residents on Thursday continued to push the state’s environmental agency to conduct further testing after a toxic chemical was found in nearly 50 soil samples collected near the Union Pacific railyard.The Houston Health Department announced last week that they had found traces of dioxin — a highly toxic chemical compound — in 47 soil samples collected around the Fifth Ward area. During a press conference in Kashmere Gardens, residents were joined by Jacqueline Metcalf, the executive director of the nonprofit Texas Health and Environmental Alliance, who demanded the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to “take a holistic approach to healing the health of these communities” by conducting robust health studies to accurately examine how the neighborhood has been effected by cancer-causing chemicals.
“Adults, children, and animals have lived and played on top of yards with this chemical in the soil,” she said. “These communities have been overburdened, overlooked and shortchanged for far too long.” Metcalf added that the TCEQ’s studies have “narrowly focused on a handful of adult cancers.” Additionally, Metcalf said that the agency has only looked into seven types of birth defects — as opposed to 49 in total. “Dioxin is known to cause birth defects,” she said. “We must use all of our voices to stand up and ask the state to study the birth defect registry in its entirety.”
VA links veterans’ diseases to exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides during military service | added March 27
Read more at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
VA assumes that certain diseases can be related to a Veteran’s qualifying military service. We call these “presumptive diseases.” VA has recognized certain cancers and other health problems as presumptive diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service. Veterans and their survivors may be eligible for benefits for these diseases.
- AL Amyloidosis
A rare disease caused when an abnormal protein, amyloid, enters tissues or organs - Bladder Cancer
A type of cancer that affects the bladder where urine is stored before it leaves the body - Chronic B-cell Leukemias
A type of cancer which affects white blood cells - Chloracne (or similar acneform disease)
A skin condition that occurs soon after exposure to chemicals and looks like common forms of acne seen in teenagers. Under VA’s rating regulations, it must be at least 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure to herbicides. - Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
Risk of death from ‘covid’ shots and cardiac diseases in young people | added March 27
Read more at Nature
Several studies have reported associations between covid-19 vaccination and risk of cardiac diseases, especially in young people; the impact on mortality, however, remains unclear.
We use national, linked electronic health data in England to assess the impact of covid-19 vaccination and positive SARS-CoV-2 tests on the risk of cardiac and all-cause mortality in young people (12 to 29 years) using a self-controlled case series design. Here, we show there is no significant increase in cardiac or all-cause mortality in the 12 weeks following covid-19 vaccination compared to more than 12 weeks after any dose. However, we find an increase in cardiac death in women after a first dose of non mRNA vaccines.
A positive SARS-CoV-2 test is associated with increased cardiac and all-cause mortality among people vaccinated or unvaccinated at time of testing. On the 8 December 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) began administering vaccines against covid-19 according to the priority groups determined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Notre Dame third-year tight end medically retires due to heart condition | added March 27
Read more at Yahoo Sports
With spring practice beginning today for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, there is always updates on players and their futures. For junior Will Schweitzer, today was always going to be difficult. In a post made to Twitter, the third-year tight end from California has medically retired from football due to a congenital heart condition.
He will continue to be a part of the Irish football family and stay enrolled in school to finish out his degree. It is unfortunate that Schweitzer and his family had to go through this, but on the bright side, he has made a full recovery and his future prognosis looks very promising. As a prospect, Schweitzer was rated as the 592nd overall prospect and the 64th best linebacker in the country according to the 247Sports composite. We wish Will nothing but the best in his future endeavors.
The fallout of mandated experimental ‘covid’ drug shots on military service members | added March 27
Read more at Military Times
The new year brought a major victory for thousands of service members who refused the covid-19 vaccines – and the conservative lawmakers and pundits who backed them. The Pentagon was forced to repeal its coronavirus mandate by a largely-GOP-backed requirement added to the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in December. But many troops who balked at taking the shots still face uncertain futures.
The controversy shows how healthcare became a political football, with both the far right and some on the left objecting to mandated covid vaccinations, mask-wearing, and other government public health responses. It also revealed how covid disinformation spread and caught fire, stoking deepening mistrust of government among wide segments of American society.
More than 17,000 service members balked at taking the shots, citing safety fears linked to the vaccine’s speedy development and spurred by misinformation about messenger ribonucleic acid technology, as well as concern over fetal cell lines used in formulation and testing. The more the controversy raged in the news, the more troops asked to skip the shots, Military Times reporting found.
Perhaps it’s better to not have all your eggs in one basket…
EPA claims preliminary soil test results from Pennsylvania farms show no signs of contamination | added March 26
Read more at Farm and Dairy
DARLINGTON, Pa. — Preliminary soil test results from farms in Pennsylvania show no signs of contamination from the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. EPA. Volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds were not detected in the samples, taken from 15 farms in Beaver and Lawrence counties that were impacted by smoke from the chemical burnoff following the derailment in nearby East Palestine, Ohio.
Levels of dioxins came back within expected background levels for a rural area. Dioxin is carcinogenic chemical compound that is a byproduct of combustion and found throughout the environment. Final results and analysis are expected back in the coming weeks. “The EPA and DEP presenters felt these were good indications our soils are clean,” said Cliff Wallace, president of the Beaver-Lawrence Farm Bureau. Representatives from the DEP, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency met with farmers March 22 to discuss the preliminary results and other concerns.
The test results are good news for farmers in the region, some of whom have lost business due to the stigma of existing near the derailment. Some farms were enveloped by the plume of smoke that spread throughout the area Feb. 6 after five derailed tank cars of the hazardous chemical vinyl chloride were vented and burned off in an effort to prevent an uncontrolled explosion.
Pennsylvania school district sues Norfolk Southern for negligence over toxic train derailment | added March 26
Read more at CNN
A Pennsylvania school district is suing Norfolk Southern for negligence stemming from last month’s train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and the subsequent “controlled” release of toxic chemicals at the derailment site, according to a complaint filed Thursday.
The Blackhawk School District in Beaver County is alleging “the toxic fires and deadly plumes dumped a lethal cocktail on (their) buildings, property, soil, and water supplies where deposits of the toxic materials have been found,” the complaint states. The school district is just over the state border and within a 15-mile radius of East Palestine.
Blackhawk School District is demanding a trial by jury and compensation for its students and staff for injuries and damages causing medical problems, the risk for future diseases, and the need for future monitoring of its properties, the complaint continued. Norfolk Southern declined to comment, citing pending litigation. The February 3 incident resulted in the derailment of 10 cars carrying hazardous materials. Five of the train cars were carrying vinyl chloride, a potentially explosive chemical. An evacuation zone was established and a controlled release of the chemical followed three days later.
Hours of video footage deleted from hazardous train derailment in East Palestine, according to officials | added March 26
Read more at Huffington Post
Hours’ worth of video footage was deleted from the Norfolk Southern train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, according to officials investigating the accident. The footage, which could provide crucial information about the cause of the 50-car derailment that led to a dangerous chemical spill in February, was automatically deleted after the train was put back in service immediately following the incident.
Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, testified before a congressional committee Wednesday to explain the federal agency’s findings. “In the East Palestine accident, the locomotive was equipped with an inward- and forward-facing recorder,” Homendy said. “However, since NS [Norfolk Southern] put the locomotive immediately back in service following the accident, data was overwritten and only provide about 15 minutes of data before and 5 minutes following the derailment.”
That means hours of recordings were wiped out, leaving just those 20 minutes of video evidence around the derailment. Homendy told ABC 6 that it’s vital for investigators to know what happened prior to the accident. “It’s just as important to see what was going on before that,” Homendy told the local outlet. “The train was going in the 35-40 mph range earlier and then between 40-50. So we don’t even have what was occurring around the first and second wayside (defect) detectors, much less before that, all of which is key to investigations,” she added, referring to devices along railroad tracks that can identify problems with trains.
Cumulative Impact Assessment: Research and Regulatory Activities at EPA | added March 26
Watch the video on YouTube
During this webinar, the assistant administrator for research and development moderated a panel of representatives from several EPA offices working to incorporate cumulative impacts into research, policy, law, and decision making. Each panel member gave brief remarks followed a questions and answers session with attendees. The moderator was Chris Frey. Panelists included Sarah Mazur, Charles Lee, Ann Wolverton, Alan Walts, and Helen Serassio.
“They told us all it was safe and to go home”: Tamaroa residents see similarities between East Palestine, 2003 train derailment | added March 26
Read more at KSDK
TAMAROA, Ill. — For more than a century trains have run through the heart of Tamaroa, Illinois. “We never notice the trains at all,” said Beth Cassity. On Feb. 9, 2003, that changed for Beth Cassity and roughly 1,000 people in the tiny Perry County town. “We got a call from my sister-in-law saying there had been a train derailment,” said Beth Cassity.
“I could hear the noise when I was in here getting ready for church, and I didn’t think nothing of it,” said Brian Cassity. Initially, the derailed train became a site-seeing attraction for those who lived near the tracks. “There was smoke coming out of it and there was fire,” said Brian Cassity. “You could hear the reef valves going off on the tankers.”
“They told us all it was safe to go home, and we did,” said Beth Cassity. “When we came home there were people uptown in hazmat suits.” “We had to evacuate,” said Brian Cassity. “We had 15 minutes to get out of town.” “When you go on vacation it’s because you want to be,” said Jeff Brocaille. “When someone tells you to be gone because you have to be gone it’s different.”
Peaceful protest in support of East Palestine residents says they don’t want to be forgotten | added March 26
Read more at WKBN
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — There was a Peaceful Protest in support of the residents of East Palestine on Saturday. Over two dozen residents met on Main Street to voice their ongoing concerns about the train derailment. Protestors held up signs about holding Norfolk Southern, EPA and Gov. Mike Dewine accountable.
The community says they don’t want to be forgotten.
“We want to keep this in the forefront of the news because they still don’t have independent testing and I believe that’s what we need,” said Marilyn Figley, an East Palestine resident.
Young kids joined in the protest, too.
Baltimore set to receive 675,000 gallons of wastewater from toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio | added March 26
Read more at WMAR Baltimore
BALTIMORE — Baltimore is set to receive 675,000 gallons of wastewater from the aftermath of last month’s train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The federal Environmental Protection Agency selected Baltimore City’s Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant to treat and discharge the potentially toxic materials.
According to a letter sent to the City, the water may contain vinyl chloride which can be dangerous when released into the environment. Back River will be tasked with treating and filtering the wastewater using carbon adsorption. A recent explosion at the plant would not impact those efforts. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski on Friday did express major concern about the operation.
“The County Executive and I have grave concerns about the waste from this derailment coming into our facilities and being discharged into our system,” said Scott. “As such, we will exercise additional caution due diligence and ask for additional testing, before authorizing the discharge of any treated water from this event to the public wastewater collection system.”
East Palestine Activism Therapy Session | added March 24
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
A New Conversation with Zsuzsa Gyenes
Greetings Friends Far and Near,
Planet Waves FM is off this week, though recent editions have been excellent. I may take another week off from the full program, as this run-up to the sign changes and all this journalism have been a bit intense.
Today I do have for you a new conversation with our East Palestine correspondent, Zsyzsa Gyenes, wherein we talk about what’s happening in town, the EPA’s strategy of attrition, and different classical approaches to activism.
I reference the “power analysis” chart from the Midwest Academy and provided that and also a similar “power mapping” chart. Anyone with questions or thoughts about these charts, please put them into the comments. They are the distillation of many years of experience.
At the bottom is a mini-documentary about East Palestine. Thanks for tuning in. As ever, it’s good to be with you.
Plan to test for dioxins near train derailment in East Palestine is flawed, according to researchers | added March 24
Read more at Off Guardian
A plan to test for toxic dioxins near the site of a February train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio, is flawed and unlikely to find the dangerous substances, independent chemical pollution researchers in the US who reviewed the testing protocol told the Guardian. Initial soil testing already revealed dioxin levels hundreds of times above the threshold that Environmental Protection Agency scientists have found poses a cancer risk, but that sampling was limited in scope.
Regulators have said further testing being conducted by the Norfolk Southern-funded contractor Arcadis US will provide a broader picture than the initial samples. But, among other problems, the plan relies on what experts characterized as an “unconventional” process to check for dioxins, and the results are “unlikely to give a complete picture”, of contamination in East Palestine, said Stephen Lester, a toxicologist with the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.
“It is very limited and I don’t think it’s going to answer the questions people in East Palestine have about dioxin exposure and the risk they have from dioxin exposure,” Lester added. Arcadis noted its plan was developed “in consultation with” the EPA, but, among other concerns, dioxin researchers who reviewed the plan noted:
Arcadis will largely rely on visual inspections of the ground to find evidence of dioxins, instead of systematically testing soil samples that may contain the compounds, which is standard protocol. The plan does not say how low the levels of dioxin the company will check for will be.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to maintain long-term residential assistance in Darlington Township | added Mar. 24
Read more at WFMJ
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced plans for his administration to maintain a long-term, physical presence in Darlington Township, Beaver County to continue assisting residents impacted by the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine.
Starting on Thursday, March 23, staff from the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and Health will be onsite at the Darlington Township Building, 3590 Darlington Rd., Darlington, PA 16115 every Thursday from Noon to 5:00 p.m. to meet with residents. Additional staff will be available through video conferencing during that time, as well. In addition, state agencies are working with Township staff to ensure they can help residents access state resources related to the derailment.
Staff from Commonwealth agencies and Beaver County also plan to hold open house events Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. to offer one-on-one discussion to individuals who attend, as well as provide resources and information. Residents will continue to have access to expert staff and be able to ask questions about their health, pets, farm animals, and inquire about air, soil, and water quality testing. Resource materials will also be available for pickup, including on days when agency staff are not on site.
NTSB official tells hearing train derailment video comes up short | added March 24
Read more at The Vindicator
The locomotive on the Norfolk Southern train that had a mass derailment in East Palestine was “put immediately back into service,” and all but 20 minutes of video from it right before and after the accident is gone, the National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman testified at a Senate committee hearing in Washington.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said Norfolk Southern video on the derailed train, which had an inward facing camera, “was overwritten. That means the data only provided about 15 minutes of video before the derailment and five minutes after the derailment.” She testified during Wednesday’s hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
The NTSB is investigating the East Palestine derailment that occurred Feb. 3 after a wheel bearing overheated. Homendy called for changing the video policy to be in line with requirements for Amtrak and commuter railroads, which are required to maintain 12 hours of nonstop video, because it is vital to investigations. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and ranking Republican on the committee, said he was shocked when he heard what Homendy said.
“Any time there is a locomotive involved in a serious derailment, it is lunacy that video is not preserved and that locomotive is put into alternative service,” he said. “I’m confident we can get unanimity from this committee on that.” Asked about the minimal video from the derailment, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said his company “followed protocols.”
Vinyl chloride disregulates metabolic homeostasis and enhances diet-induced liver injury in mice | added March 24
Read more at Pittsburgh Liver Research Center
[March 2, 2018] Dr. Juliane Beier recently published a manuscript in Hepatology Communications that was the focus of the March 1st editorial.Anna L. Lang, Liya Chen, Gavin D. Poff, Wen-Xing Ding, Russel A. Barnett, Gavin E. Arteel, Juliane I. Beier. “Vinyl chloride dysregulates metabolic homeostasis and enhances diet-induced liver injury in mice.” Hepatology Communications 2018;2:270-284.
ABSTRACT: Vinyl chloride (VC), a common industrial organochlorine and environmental pollutant, has been shown to directly cause hepatic angiosarcoma and toxicant-associated steatohepatitis at high exposure levels. However, the impact of lower concentrations of VC on the progression of underlying liver diseases (e.g., nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD]) is unclear. Given the high prevalence of NAFLD in the United States (and worldwide) population, this is an important concern. Recent studies by our group with VC metabolites suggest a potential interaction between VC exposure and underlying liver disease to cause enhanced damage. Here, a novel mouse model determined the effects of VC inhalation at levels below the current Occupational Safety and Health Administration limit (<1 ppm) in the context of NAFLD to better mimic human exposure and identify potential mechanisms of VC-induced liver injury.
Firefighters didn’t have training and equipment for East Palestine hazardous train derailment | added March 24
Read more at CNN
Many of the first responders who helped fight the fire that erupted after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last month were ill-equipped and untrained to fight the massive chemical blaze that some now call “the hell fire.” In testimony Wednesday before the US Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, lawmakers heard about myriad issues that snarled the response and that put firefighters who rushed to the scene at greater immediate risk – and may raise risks to their health throughout their lives.
About 300 firefighters from 50 departments dashed to the scene of the derailment in East Palestine on the night of February 3. Many of them were volunteers without hazmat training or specialized equipment. Officials investigating the derailment testified that these first responders weren’t able to access information about the chemicals that were in 11 overturned cars carrying hazardous materials.
Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, the agency investigating the crash, urged senators to consider meaningful changes to help inform exposed communities and first responders. “People deserve to know what chemicals are moving through their communities and how to stay safe in an emergency, That includes responders who risk their lives for each of us every single day. They deserve to be prepared,” Homendy said.
Senator Sherrod Brown at East Palestine town hall, “People want their community back, they want to see Norfolk Southern take care of what it’s promised” | added March 24
Read more at Spectrum News 1
[Feb. 27, 2023] EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Sen. Sherrod Brown visited East Palestine Monday and met with residents and business owners. “To say it’s a new experience, I mean, it definitely is,” said 1820 Candle Company co-owner Melissa Smith. Her shop stands right in the middle of East Palestine, a place she said she’s spent more time cleaning lately than anything else. “We had to do all the cleaning and the duct work cleaning and the air quality and the water testing,” said Smith.Business owners, like Smith, got the chance to attend a meeting with Brown. “ One of things that’s really struck me is how resilient this community is,” said Brown. He expressed that community leaders remain frustrated, something he said is making him determined to get them answers.
“People want their community back, they want to see Norfolk Southern take care of what it’s promised,” said Brown.The removal of toxic waste from the town is just the first step toward a return to normal. Brown said he remains committed to making sure Norfolk Southern meets all of its obligations to this community. “The first round of resources is that everybody keep their receipts, whether they’re testing their well or their hotel rooms or the clean up that everyone keeps the receipts. And I will make sure that that that Norfolk Southern is accountable,” Brown said.
‘Covid’ death rates varied dramatically across the U.S., shows major new analysis | added March 24
Read more at ABC News
Death rates from covid-19 varied dramatically across the United States, a major new analysis finds. The report, published Thursday in medical journal The Lancet, looked at the rate of deaths throughout the country between January 2020 and July 2022.
Covid death rates in states like Arizona and New Mexico were roughly four times higher than in states like Hawaii, New Hampshire and Maine, researchers found. The highest covid-19 death rates were seen in Arizona with 581 deaths per 100,000 and Washington D.C. with 526 deaths per 100,000. By comparison, the lowest rates of death were seen in Hawaii with 147 deaths per 100,000, New Hampshire with 215 deaths per 100,000 and Maine with 218 deaths per 100,000.
The authors of the study noted that Arizona’s high death rate from covid-19 deaths may be due to “inequality, some poverty…ultimately [low] vaccination rates and behaviors didn’t line up to have good outcomes.” States that did well, like Hawaii, New Hampshire and Washington state, are states — in most cases — “[that] have done a good job restricting travel, and in some cases have less poverty, less inequality, and relatively high vaccination rates.”
Immune suppression blamed on getting sick with ‘covid’ before inoculation | added March 24
Read more at The New York Post
People who contracted covid-19 before they got vaccinated appear to have damaged a key part of their immune-cell response, Stanford University researchers have found. The study, published last week in the journal Immunity, reported a “major reduction” in the body’s quantity and quality of CD8+ T cells — known as “killer T cells” for their ability to kill infected cells — in people who had survived a bout with covid-19.
“You have damage that, even in recovery from the infection, you haven’t really recovered your ability to make those CD8+ cells. So something happened in the course of infection to prevent that, to damage your response,” Stanford professor Mark Davis, head of the university’s Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, told CBS News.
Researchers analyzed how CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells, known as “helper T cells,” respond to covid-19 infection and vaccination by studying blood samples from three groups of volunteers. The first group had never been infected with covid-19 and received two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The second group had previously been infected with the virus and also received two vaccine doses. The third group had covid-19 and was unvaccinated.
Lucky neighbor | added March 24
Watch the video on YouTube
We come from different walks of life, but be nice to your neighbors.
East Palestine soil loaded with dioxins | added March 23
Watch the video on YouTube
“Recent catastrophic train crash and chemical spill – contains dioxin levels hundreds of times greater than the exposure threshold above which Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists in 2010 found poses cancer risks.
The EPA at the time proposed lowering the cleanup threshold to reflect the science around the highly toxic chemical, but the Obama administration killed the rules, and the higher federal action threshold remains in place.
Though the dioxin levels in East Palestine are below the federal action threshold and an EPA administrator last week told Congress the levels were “very low”, chemical experts, including former EPA officials, who reviewed the data for the Guardian called them “concerning”.
East of East Palestine with locals, scientists and concerned residents | added March 23
Watch on YouTube
Interviews with East Palestine residents and business owners report transparency and health concerns in wake of toxic train derailment.
Pfizer’s former chief scientist Mike Yeadon: Why I don’t believe there ever was a ‘covid’ virus | added March 23
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
‘Lab leak’ or ‘natural origin’ claim the same thing — there was a virus. This conceals the ongoing debate over whether that’s really true. An internationally-respected research scientist explains the problem.
By Dr. Mike Yeadon
I’VE GROWN INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED about the way debate is controlled around the topic of origins of the alleged novel virus, SARS-CoV-2, and I have come to disbelieve it’s ever been in circulation, causing massive scale illness and death. Concerningly, almost no one will entertain this possibility, despite the fact that molecular biology is the easiest discipline in which to cheat.
That’s because you really cannot do it without computers, and sequencing requires complex algorithms and, importantly, assumptions. Tweaking algorithms and assumptions, you can hugely alter the conclusions.
This raises the question of why there is such an emphasis on the media storm around Fauci, Wuhan and a possible lab escape. After all, the ‘perpetrators’ have significant control over the media. There’s no independent journalism at present. It is not as though they need to embarrass the establishment. I put it to readers that they’ve chosen to do so.
Advocates raise lead contamination concerns near site of metal factory explosion in Ohio | added March 23
Read more at CNN
Health advocates are urging Ohio state environmental officials to test for lead contamination in a community near the site of a metal factory explosion last month. A maintenance worker was killed and 12 other people were injured in the February 20 explosion at the I. Schumann & Co. facility near Oakwood Village, outside of Cleveland, officials said at the time. The site is a brass and bronze alloy manufacturer, and lead is often used to improve the metals’ machinability.
Debris from the explosion was found scattered on surrounding buildings and parking lots and the blast blew out windows nearby, a witness said. Multiple fire departments responded to put out a fire that sent black smoke billowing into the air over the factory. Now local advocates are raising concerns that people living nearby weren’t notified about the potential risk of being exposed to hazardous materials like lead.
“There is no safe level of contamination, and we have to do everything in our power to make sure that we’re protecting our communities and the most vulnerable citizens. So we have to make sure that we’re protecting our babies,” Yvonka M. Hall, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition and president of the Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing, a coalition of local non-profit organizations and local leaders, told CNN.
Nearly 64% of residents in Oakwood Village are Black or African American, according to US Census data.
Nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm announces class action lawsuit filed against Norfolk Southern Corporation | added March 23
Read more at Business Wire
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Norfolk Southern Corporation (“Norfolk Southern” or the “Company”) (NYSE: NSC) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Norfolk Southern securities between October 28, 2020 and March 3, 2023, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”). Investors have until May 15,2023 to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
Norfolk Southern is a rail transportation company that implemented a strategy known as “Precision Scheduled Railroading” (“PSR”), which is associated with hyper-efficient operational changes designed to increase revenues and decrease costs. Operational changes typically include reductions in staff; longer, heavier trains that can stretch up to miles in length; and tighter schedules.
The Norfolk Southern class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Norfolk Southern’s PSR, including its use of longer, heavier trains staffed by fewer personnel, had led to Norfolk Southern suffering increased train derailments and a materially increased risk of future derailments; (ii) Norfolk Southern’s PSR was part of a culture of increased risk-taking at the expense of reasonable safety precautions due to Norfolk Southern’s near-term focus solely on profits.
A log of lawsuits filed against Norfolk Southern Corporation | added March 23
Read more at The Repository
[March 2, 2023] EAST PALESTINE – The number of federal lawsuits over the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine continues to grow. At least 25 suits have been filed in the U.S. District Court’s Northern District of Ohio since Feb. 7.Housing market is a concern:Would you buy a home in East Palestine? Perception hurts. A 26th lawsuit was filed by shareholders against Norfolk Southern in the U.S. District Court’s Southern District of Ohio on March 16. The train was carrying hazardous materials to Conway, Pennsylvania, when it wrecked and caught fire, forcing evacuations. A controlled release of vinyl chloride, a toxic and flammable gas, in five cars was conducted Feb. 6 to prevent a possible explosion.
The lawsuits filed seek class-action status, compensatory and punitive damages and other actions. Most of them target Norfolk Southern. Here’s a look at each one by plaintiffs, defendants, filing date and notable information in the claims (latest to oldest): Bucks County Employees Retirement System suit
Plaintiffs: Bucks County Employees Retirement System
Defendants: Norfolk Southern Corp., Alan H. Shaw, James A. Squires and Mark R. George
Filing date: March 16 (in Columbus)
East Palestine mother on toxic train derailment: ‘My 7-year-old asked me if he is going to die from living in his own home’ | added March 23
Read more at ABC News
Some East Palestine, Ohio, residents are still grappling with the aftershock of last month’s train derailment, with one mother offering compelling testimony about how the incident traumatized her young child.
The night of the incident, a “huge fireball” was visible from East Palestine resident Misti Allison’s driveway, she testified to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, vowing, “We will never forget the night the train derailed.” “My 7-year-old has asked me if he is going to die from living in his own home. What do I tell him?” she asked lawmakers Wednesday.
Allison said the accident “put a scarlet letter on our town” that has resulted in tumbling home values and financial strain for the village. “I’m here to put a face on this disaster,” said Misti Allison, a mother of two who lives in East Palestine. “This isn’t just a political issue. It is a people issue.” Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw has repeatedly refused to commit to certain points on rail and worker safety and commitments to the East Palestine community.
NTSB chair says more freight train images and recordings are essential for investigation | added March 23
Read more at NBC News
WASHINGTON — The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday that freight trains should be required to have inward- and outward-facing image and audio recorders in the wake of the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy testified before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee that the Norfolk Southern train involved in the Feb. 3 derailment had only an inward-facing camera and that the data was overwritten.
“Since the locomotive was put immediately back into service following the accident, the data was overwritten,” she said. “That means the recorder only provided about 15 minutes of data before the derailment and five minutes after.” Major derailments of commuter trains near Los Angeles and Philadelphia in the last 20 years led to a law that required Amtrak and commuter railroads to have “crash- and fire-hardened inward- and outward-facing image recorders for locomotives that have a minimum of a 12-hour continuous recording capability,” Homendy said.
Norfolk Southern CEO faces Senate Commerce Committee over toxic train derailment | added March 23
Watch the video on YouTube
Alan Shaw, CEO of Norfolk Southern, faces the Senate Commerce Committee to discuss the East Palestine train derailment disaster.
White House ‘covid’ response coordinator reports a disbanding of team in May | added March 23
Read more at The Guardian
The Washington Post reported that Ashish Jha, Joe Biden’s covid response coordinator, is likely to leave the administration once the team is dissolved, as the president seeks to move forward from a pandemic which has killed more than 1.1 million in the US.
The covid national and public health emergencies are set to end on 11 May, bringing to a close some of the benefits to which Americans have been entitled since the pandemic began, including free coronavirus testing and treatment. The disbandment of the White House covid response team comes as Republicans in Congress have launched multiple investigations into the origins of the virus.
Republican members of the Congress have pushed theories that the virus came from a lab leak in China, while the stacking a coronavirus House committee with representatives who have a history of spreading misinformation about covid. “As a result of this administration’s historic response to covid, we as a nation are in a safer, better place than we were three years ago,” a senior administration official told the Washington Post.
China approves first domestically made mRNA ‘covid’ jab | added March 23
Read more at Al Jazeera
China has approved its first domestically developed mRNA vaccine against covid-19, its manufacturer said on Wednesday, months after the relaxation of strict zero-covid regulations sparked a surge in cases.
The vaccine, developed by CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd, has been approved for “emergency use” by Beijing’s health regulator, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. It showed high efficacy in a trial in which it was used as a booster shot for people who have been given other types of vaccines, the company added, without offering further details.
China, whose home-grown vaccines are seen as less effective than the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA shots, has been racing to develop vaccines using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology since early 2020. While traditional vaccines use a weakened or inactivated germ to prepare the body for a future attack from the real virus, mRNA deploys snippets of genetic material that carry instructions showing the body’s cells how to produce a protein – in this case, the spike protein on the coronavirus that causes covid.
NTSB investigative report presents ‘anomalies’ in derailed train cars’ pressure relief devices | added March 22
Read more at WKBN
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBN) – Testing by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed some anomalies in the pressure relief devices removed from the five rail tank cars that were hauling vinyl chloride.
The testing was done as part of an NTSB investigation of the train derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine. According to the NTSB, the pressure relief devices, or PRDs, regulate the internal pressure of rail tank cars by releasing material when under pressure, reducing the potential for a catastrophic tank failure. NTSB investigators recovered the PRDs and tested them at a facility in Texas.
The examination and testing revealed the following findings:
NTSB testing found anomalies in the function of some PRDs that may have compromised their pressure-relieving capability. This will require further testing and evaluation to assess the impact on the operation of the PRDs.
According to the manufacturer’s part specifications, one of the installed PRD’s internal springs was coated with aluminum, which is not compatible with vinyl chloride.
While aluminum debris from melted protective housing covers entered the PRD discharge areas, there was no evidence that melted aluminum entered the tank. The NTSB continues to assess if the debris impacted the PRD operation.
Norfolk Southern CEO supports parts of bipartisan Senate bill for tougher railroad safety regulations | added March 22
Read more at AP News
WASHINGTON (AP) — Norfolk Southern’s CEO is offering support for some parts of a bipartisan Senate bill to put tougher safety regulations on railroads after last month’s fiery hazardous materials train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
CEO Alan Shaw is under pressure from senators and federal safety regulators to step up his commitment to safety regulations as he appears before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday. Under aggressive questioning from senators earlier this month in a separate hearing, he committed to voluntary safety upgrades and earnestly apologized for the derailment that upended life in East Palestine, Ohio. But Shaw had stopped short of endorsing proposed safety regulations under the Railway Safety Act of 2023.
This time, Shaw says in prepared remarks released Tuesday that Norfolk Southern will “support legislative efforts to enhance the safety of the freight rail industry.” But he does not address several key provisions of the Railway Safety Act, including increased fines for safety violations and designating trains that carry flammable liquids as highly hazardous.
Norfolk Southern CEO apologizes to East Palestine residents for hazardous train derailment by vowing to “make this right” | added March 22
Read more at Yahoo News
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw apologized to the residents of East Palestine, Ohio, and vowed to “make this right,” during testimony before a Pennsylvania Senate committee on Monday.
Shaw stated that Norfolk will “make good on its promise” to clean the site safely and thoroughly. He also noted that Norfolk has already set aside $7.5 million to support a community relief fund related to the toxic derailment.
“I want to begin today by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the impact this derailment has had on the citizens of East Palestine and the communities in western Pennsylvania,” Shaw told the committee.
“I’ve been to East Palestine and Pennsylvania many times over the past six weeks. I’ve talked with community leaders, business owners, school officials, faith-based leaders and others throughout the community. They’ve shared their stories and their concerns about the health of their families, their businesses and the future of the community they love. I am determined to make this right,” he added.
U.S. lawmakers to hear testimony on safety record of Norfolk Southern | added March 22
Read more at USA Today
A committee of U.S. lawmakers are expected to hear testimony Wednesday morning on the safety record of Norfolk Southern, the Atlanta-based railroad operator, whose train derailed last month in East Palestine, Ohio.
The hearing comes just days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan told reporters that he believed Norfolk Southern should be moving faster to remove contaminated soil from East Palestine more than a month after the Feb. 3 train derailment, and that at the current rate, the site would take roughly three months to clean up.
The derailment near the rural town of 4,700 people along the Ohio-Pennsylvania border resulted in massive black plumes of smoke and concerns about air, water and soil quality. Five of the derailed cars contained the highly toxic carcinogen, vinyl chloride, which Norfolk Southern officials released and burned off to prevent an explosion.
East Palestine Ohio family shares devastating impact of toxic train derailment in their community | added March 22
Listen on WESA 90.5
For the past six weeks the nation’s attention has turned to East Palestine, Ohio, after a Norfolk Southern train derailed there, releasing toxic chemicals. And while the company continues to clean spilled chemicals — and as law makers debate how to respond — community member lives have been upended. Patrick and Ruth Souders are one such couple. They bought their dream home there, six years ago.
WESA’s Oliver Morrison spoke to them about all the ways the derailment continues to disrupt their lives, from the moment they saw the flames out their front window.
Railroad industry under scrutiny: How many U.S. train derailments happened in 2023? | added March 22
Read more at Independent
The Ohio train derailment of 3 February, in which carriages from a 150-car freight liner carrying toxic chemicals crashed off the tracks in the town of East Palestine, is just one of more than a dozen rail accidents reported to have already taken place in the US since the start of 2023.
The accident was not even the first to have occurred in Ohio this year, according to Newsweek, with another derailment having taken place on 19 January between Trinway and Adam’s Mill.
In that incident, an Ohio Central Railroad train comprising 97 cars and stretching for 1.2 miles slid off the rails, although they were empty at the time so leaked no cargo and no one was hurt. “A thorough investigation into the cause is still underway,” a corporate spokesman told The Zanesville Times Recorder in its aftermath, adding that he expected his crew to have the cars upright and the scene cleared within a week.
Ten lawsuits filed thus far since toxic East Palestine, Ohio train derailment | added March 22
Read more at FOX 19
[Feb. 20, 2023] CINCINNATI (WXIX) – Norfolk Southern Railway and/or Norfolk Southern Corp. now face 10 lawsuits over the Feb. 3 train derailment and release of chemicals, including some that cause cancer, in East Palestine, Ohio.Norfolk Southern is the same company working to buy Cincinnati’s municipally owned railway for $1.6 billion. The first suit was filed on Feb. 7 in federal court in the Youngstown area of northern Ohio, the seventh and eighth were filed Thursday, the ninth was filed Friday and the tenth one was filed Monday, court records show.
The suits seek class-action status with more than $5 million in damages, court records show. They allege similar claims of negligence and carelessness that allegedly caused the train derailment and subsequent unleashing of toxic chemicals.
The most recent lawsuit, filed on behalf of residents Tina Ibel and Sheryl Tomor, alleges a train car was “sparking” and/or “burning” 20 minutes before it reached East Palestine and a “hotbox” detector in Salem, Ohio, should have detected this activity and alerted the crew, but it is not known if this occurred.
The suit was filed by attorneys Terence Coates and Justin Walker with the downtown Cincinnati law firm Markovits, Stock & DeMarco. It notes that one of the residents, Tina Ibel, lives just four or five houses away from one of the burnt railcars.
The misconception of ‘covid’ origins | added March 22
Watch on Dr. Sam Bailey
The United States Government purports to be investigating the “origins of covid-19”. But how do you investigate something that doesn’t exist?
Unfortunately, many health “freedom” leaders are claiming that this is the smoking gun for gain of function lab leaks. Although, they admit that there has been a huge amount of fraud going on during the scamdemic, why are they propagating virology’s pseudoscience?
We’ve been going over the fundamental flaws in the virologists’ methodologies for quite some time and it looks like we still have more work to do…
Moderna to price ‘covid’ jab at $130 a dose | added March 22
Read more at The Wall Street Journal
Moderna Inc. MRNA -0.83% decrease; red down pointing triangle will price its covid-19 vaccine at about $130 a dose when it shifts to commercial distribution of the shots later this year, much higher than what the federal government has paid.
The plans could add to criticism of the company from lawmakers who are scheduled to explore the cost of the shots at a hearing Wednesday.
The cost could vary depending on contracts reached with health systems, pharmacies, federal health programs and other potential buyers, but the company has settled on a price of about $130, Moderna President Stephen Hoge said.
“We tried to think very reasonably about the price of this, and I think we’ve landed on a price that is consistent with value,” Dr. Hoge said.
Moderna, like other covid-19 vaccine makers, has been developing a list price for its shots and negotiating contracts as the federal government winds down its exclusive pandemic purchasing arrangements.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testifies before Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee in Harrisburg, PA | added March 21
Watch the video on YouTube
After answering questions about the toxic Ohio train derailment during a U.S. Senate committee hearing earlier this month, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw will now testify in Pennsylvania before the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee in Harrisburg.
Scientists scan for toxins as East Palestine residents struggle to breathe near train derailment | added March 21
Read more at Nature
Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, have complained of symptoms including headaches and difficulty breathing following a nearby train derailment that spilled millions of litres of industrial chemicals last month. Officials at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local, state and federal agencies, as well as the train’s operator, Norfolk Southern, have been monitoring water and air quality in the town — but community members haven’t been satisfied with official reports claiming that levels of the chemicals are low and safe.
Some independent researchers have arrived on the scene, hoping to help with more measurements and analyses. Others have been invited by residents who want a second opinion. The teams think they can help to fill the gaps left by authorities.
“The residents had a disconnect between them experiencing some symptoms, and everybody telling them everything was okay,” says Ivan Rusyn, director of the Texas A&M University Superfund Research Center in College Station. Rusyn is part of a group of researchers at Texas A&M and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that drove a mobile laboratory around East Palestine on 20 and 21 February to measure air quality. Many of their measurements agreed with the EPA’s.
But the researchers did detect levels of acrolein — a chemical irritant that affects the eyes, skin and respiratory system — that were three times as high as those in downtown Pittsburgh, some 80 kilometres away. (On a normal day, rural areas such as East Palestine usually have lower levels of air pollutants than do urban ones.) The scientists say that, if this level persists, it could affect residents’ health.
Retired Norfolk Southern engineer blames reduced safety protocols for toxic train derailment | added March 21
Read more at FOX News
MONROEVILLE, Pa. – A recently retired Norfolk Southern engineer, who worked the very same rail route where the horrific derailment unfolded last month in East Palestine, Ohio, says it could have been prevented had the industry not seen a reduction in safety protocols.
“It was very likely due to not having enough time given to the car inspector at the originating point to be able to fully assess that car or any of the other cars and train, for that matter… They used to have between five and eight minutes to inspect a car,” Scott Wilcox of Avonmore, Pennsylvania, who retired from an 18-year career with Norfolk Southern in July of last year, said in an interview with Fox News.
“But now, from what I’ve heard from car inspectors, is they’re down to like between 30 seconds to a minute. So, they may not have time to check everything. The length of some of these cars, it’ll take you 30 seconds just to walk the length of it.”
Norfolk Southern CEO to testify in front of Pennsylvania State Senate Committee | added March 20
Read more at WKBN 27
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw will testify in front of a Pennsylvania State Senate Committee. Shaw was subpoenaed to testify earlier this month but was unable to attend. The hearing was rescheduled for 10 a.m. Monday. The Pennsylvania Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee has waited weeks for this hearing with Alan Shaw.
The last meeting on the derailment was on March 8. Even though Shaw was supposed to testify but didn’t, a lot was discussed. The committee considered two Senate bills and one resolution. All had overwhelming support. One of the bills was to establish the Train Derailment Emergency Grant Program. The resolution was to recognize the impact of the derailment on Pennsylvania residents. State Senator Doug Mastriano (R-33) says all they want is the truth.
“I hope he’s forthcoming as he has been in other interviews. He’s under subpoena, he’ll be under oath. It behooves him to testify with honesty, clarity and ask the questions and not to filibuster…” Mastriano said. Mastriano says they will not allow for time to be wasted. He says both Republicans and Democrats are working together to ensure residents get answers.
Women unsure whether to return home after conflicting chemical test results from East Palestine train explosion | added March 20
Read more at WKBN 27
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — When the EPA administrator visited East Palestine the first time, he went inside a home and watched an air test. The home owner says she just wants to come home, but there are still some hurdles to clear before she feels comfortable in doing do.
Krissy Ferguson invited First News reporter/anchor Dave Sess into her home to get a sense of the conditions. It’s quiet, dark, and there’s definitely something in the air. “It never smelled like this before, and I’ve lived here all my life,” she said.
The home was built in the 1930s. Its family run started with Ferguson’s great-grandmother. The home was eventually moved over a creek, which runs through town, to it’s present location on East Rebecca Street. When the train derailed, Ferguson and five other family members left. “Nobody wants to leave. All my memories: Of being a child, my daughter, my father passed away in this home. It’s been our home,” Ferguson said.
Florida’s Collier County rejects CDC/NIH grant that coerces poor communities to get ‘covid’ injections | added March 20
Read more at Stand For Health Freedom
On February 14, 2023, the Collier County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously (5-0) to reject a $1.2 million-dollar grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including refunding the $167,000 that has already been spent. Although the grant was promoted as being for “health education,” the Covid-19 Extra Mile Migrant Farmworker grant appears to have been more focused on coercing those in poorer communities to get vaccinated against covid-19.
And worst of all, in classic side-stepping of informed consent, the information provided about the shot made no mention of side effects or the fact that the jab does not even prevent the injected from contracting covid-19. Attorney Jeff Childers explained on his Substack, “the CDC’s outdated ‘education materials’ were indistinguishable from pharma marketing materials.
In fact, it’s worse than that. Pharma is required by law to state their drugs’ side effects in their drug ads. But now they’ve found a way to get around that requirement: by having official U.S. government agencies do the marketing for them. It’s so simple!”
EPA estimates three month cleanup for East Palestine train derailment despite no dioxin test results | added March 20
Editor’s Note: The toxic train derailment response in East Palestine, Ohio by officials sounds very familiar to the three mile nuclear meltdown in Pennsylvania where residents were told it was safe but later came to find it was not. — mmd
Read more at CNN
Cleanup of the toxic train derailment site in the Ohio town of East Palestine will likely take about three months, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency said Friday. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said 6.8 million gallons of liquid waste and more than 5,400 tons of solid waste have already been transported to designated facilities – including 1,600 tons in the past 48 hours.
The train wreck early last month ignited a dayslong fire, spewed poisonous fumes into the air, killed thousands of fish and temporarily displaced residents. The derailment prompted fears of a catastrophic explosion of vinyl chloride – a highly flammable chemical linked to an increased risk of cancer. After a mandatory evacuation order, crews released vinyl chloride into a trench and burned it – averting an explosion but spawning new health concerns.
Nearly half of the total excavation of contaminated soil from under the tracks was completed as of Thursday, including the entire south track, Regan told reporters. North track excavation should be completed by early next month, he said. Train operator Norfolk Southern is handling and paying for all necessary cleanup. The company has sent some hazardous waste out of state, fueling more concerns about safety.
Ohio representatives introduce bipartisan bill to improve railroad safety after hazardous train explosion | added Mar. 20
Read more at Akron Beacon Journal
Two U.S. representatives from Ohio have introduced a bipartisan bill to try to improve railroad safety in light of last month’s train derailment in East Palestine. U.S. Representatives Bill Johnson (R-6) and Emilia Sykes (D-13) on Friday introduced the Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act.
Under the act, the secretary of transportation would be directed to issue new rules to improve safety based on the findings of the NTSB investigation, in conjunction with the Federal Railroad Administration. The act would increase inspections on all trains, including those carrying hazardous materials; increase maximum penalties for violations of rail safety regulations; and audit federal rail inspection programs.
The act would also strengthen regulations to prevent wheel bearing failures, which caused the East Palestine train derailment, and strengthen requirements for safety placards that would have helped emergency responders in identifying the hazardous materials in the rail cars on-site, as well as increase funding for hazardous materials training for first responders.
Two healthy hellbender salamanders found in North Fork Little Beaver Creek considered ‘positive discovery’ after chemical train wreck, according to state officials | added March 20
Read more at CBS Pittsburgh
Two healthy hellbender salamanders were found in North Fork Little Beaver Creek, something Ohio state officials called a “positive discovery” after the toxic train derailment in East Palestine.
Gov. Mike DeWine’s office said hellbenders, an endangered aquatic amphibian, are considered an “indicator species” because their absence or presence is an indicator of the ecosystem’s health. They can only survive in cool, clean water.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources with partners from the Ohio EPA and Ohio State University found a hellbender estimated to be 7 years old and a juvenile. Both were released back into North Fork Little Beaver Creek.
Residents fall ill after East Palestine train wreck, “I just don’t trust their results” | added March 20
Read more at WKYC
“I just don’t trust their results,” Miller said of state and federal officials. “We’re all ending up sick, and they’re telling us its safe and everything’s at a safe level. Then why are we all sick?” She shared those test results with 3News. The samples were taken on Feb. 22, and show dioxins and other chemicals known to cause cancer and numerous health issues.
“I would like to say that I was shocked, but I really wasn’t because [of] the amount of people that are sick and the amount of people that are trying to say, ‘Hey, we’re right here. Pay attention. We’re sick.'” One test showed 130 picograms of dioxins per liter. According to the World Health Organization, 70 picograms per kilogram of body weight a month is safe to be ingested without “detectable health effects.”
After calls for dioxin testing, on March 2, the EPA required Norfolk Southern to begin directly testing those levels. Miller says morale in the village is only declining, with residents feeling like they’re still not being heard and not trusting what they’re being told. “There are less and less of us that are showing up to these town hall meetings,” she added. “Everyone is just so sick of the crap that they’re trying to give us.”
“Jeep Invasion 2023” rides through East Palestine, Ohio in support of small businesses; plastic ducks for kids and free t-shirts | added March 20
Read more at WFMJ 21
It’s been a little more than six weeks since the disaster in East Palestine and many businesses there are still struggling. On Saturday, visitors from three different states drove home the message that businesses there need help. Downtown East Palestine shortly after 11:00 a.m. hundreds of Jeep owners, their families and friends drove down North Market Street as part of the Jeep Invasion.
The Jeep owners who traveled a distance are here to support local businesses that have been struggling since the Norfolk Southern train derailment. “The Jeep community is huge! We love to support local towns and we benefit so many other people and places. We’ve traveled all over the country doing this kind of stuff,” Jacob Tate said.
He and his wife and children took part in the parade then went shopping. Kids faces lit up along with adults as they stood curbside to watch. Jeep owners are known for ducking, which means they keep ducks with notes on them handy then for other jeep owners. At this Jeep Invasion they also tossed plastic ducks to kids and adults along the street as a way to put smiles on faces. Each person who took part was able to receive a free T-Shirt that says First annual East Palestine Jeep Invasion 2023.
Pfizer and CDC withheld ‘covid’ vax injury data, according to leaked documents by Project Veritas | added March 20
Read more at The Defender
Pfizer and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) withheld evidence that covid-19 vaccinations led to an increased risk of myocarditis, especially in young males, according to two sets of documents made public this week.
Confidential Pfizer documents leaked Thursday by Project Veritas show the company had “evidence that suggests patients who receive a covid-19 vaccine are at an increased risk of myocarditis.” And heavily redacted CDC documents obtained by Children’s Health Defense (CHD) via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request indicate the agency provided an undercounted figure of post-covid-19-vaccination myocarditis cases to Israel’s Ministry of Health in early 2021.
The latest revelations come as Germany, Japan and other governments are raising questions about the significant numbers of severe adverse events recorded in individuals following administration of the covid-19 vaccines. According to researchers at the National Organization for Rare Disorders, myocarditis can result from infections, or it may result directly from a toxic effect such as a toxin or a virus.
Bruce Springsteen, Amanda Bynes, Rod Steward, George Ezra, Jeno rapper and two South Korean bands cancel shows due to illness | added March 20
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller Substack
Bruce Springsteen’s past health struggles have been revisited following the postponement of his supposed concert in Ohio. Nationwide Arena released a statement on Twitter confirming the postponement of Springsteen and The E Street Band’s show at the venue on March 9 due to illness. It did not disclose the exact issue and the identity of the band member who is currently sick.
In the past months, several members of the band missed some shows due to covid, including Soozie Tyrell, Jake Clemons, Nils Lofgren, and Steven Van Zandt. Although it remains unknown whether Springsteen or someone else has been afflicted, talks about the singer’s past health issues reemerged. The 2023 tour marked Springsteen and the band’s first performance since 2017. Before his comeback, Springsteen faced health issues that almost affected his career.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Springsteen opened up about the throat surgery and depression he went through. For his throat surgery, he revealed that he had to receive an operation to fix the chronic numbness in his left side that affected him whenever he played the guitar. During the procedure, the doctors cut his throat open and tied his vocal cords temporarily so that they could insert the disc into his neck.
New PWFM is ready — Now it’s time for Pluto in Aquarius | added March 19
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
The full program is ready — and usually posts well ahead of its scheduled time of 10 pm ET. Here is the associated article on Substack. I’ll have more resources overnight or tomorrow, but here is the Biggus Dickus scene from Life of Brian. Here is Sam Bailey and I on the the Digital Seduction of Covid. And here is my tribute to Lou Reed, called Hey Sugar. Oh, one last — Made in America: Anaretic Pluto, with a special edition of STARCAST.
New East Palestine winery opens within a quarter mile of toxic chemical train explosion | added March 19
Read more at WKBN 27
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — It’s been a month and a half since the devastating train derailment in East Palestine, and after years of work, a small business opened its doors less than a quarter mile from the derailment site.
Ashlee and Mike McKim officially opened their Taggart Street location Friday night after years of working out of their home. On Saturday, McKim’s Honeyvine & Winery held a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We’ve been at this for about seven years now, we started out of our home making small batches,” Ashlee McKim said.
The McKims spent about two years working and remodeling the Taggart Street business. They say the derailment hasn’t delayed their work, and they’re glad to be open. “The community has been absolutely phenomenal,” Mike McKim said. “We’ve been through a lot in the last month and a half, but we’re coming together.” The McKims have heard concerns from people in the area, but say they’re using bottled water for all their products and have been doing independent water testing, which has been promising.
Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford tracks ‘covid’ vaccinations via government sources | added March 19
Read more at The New York Times
The data is compiled from government sources by the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford. A vaccinated person refers to someone who has received at least one dose of a vaccine, and a fully vaccinated person has received either a single-dose vaccine or both doses of a two-dose vaccine, such as the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots.
Many countries started to administer additional doses toward the end of 2021 after research found that vaccine effectiveness wanes over time. More than 2.72 billion additional doses have been administered worldwide. Additional doses include booster doses given to fully vaccinated individuals when the protection from the original shots has begun to decline, as well as extra shots given to people, such as the immunocompromised, who did not have a strong immune response from their initial doses.
Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, the manufacturers of two of the most widely used covid-19 vaccinations, have developed updated vaccines that more effectively protect against the newer omicron variant. These are currently being administered in many countries, including the United States and Britain. Vaccination rates around the world have stagnated in recent months, with public demand dropping even as vaccine supply has become more abundant.
Del Bigtree is tripping balls | added March 19
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Hello — Where is Discussion of the Missing Virus Problem?
THERE EXISTS A LITTLE PROBLEM with how no government, institutional entity or public health agency can produce evidence of a sample of SARS-CoV-2 found in a human host. Whatever the source of the claimed virus — natural or human-made — nobody has any of the stuff, or a record of anyone who does.
Mind-blowing, I know. It must be wrong. This cannot be right.
You’re all crazy, you who believe this. That’s the position of the mainstream “health freedom” movement that has emerged from the ruins of 2020, which is having a hard time handling the issue.
Read my history of how SARS-CoV-2 is the product of metagenomic transcription — the sequences claimed to be viruses were created in China using artificial intelligence. If they escaped from anywhere, it was by email.
Pro-Russian voices linked to ‘misleading’ claims about East Palestine toxic train explosion, mass animal die-offs and media coverups | added March 19
Read more at AP News
WASHINGTON (AP) — Soon after a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals in Ohio last month, anonymous pro-Russian accounts started spreading misleading claims and anti-American propaganda about it on Twitter, using Elon Musk’s new verification system to expand their reach while creating the illusion of credibility.
The accounts, which parroted Kremlin talking points on myriad topics, claimed without evidence that authorities in Ohio were lying about the true impact of the chemical spill. The accounts spread fearmongering posts that preyed on legitimate concerns about pollution and health effects and compared the response to the derailment with America’s support for Ukraine following its invasion by Russia.
Some of the claims pushed by the pro-Russian accounts were verifiably false, such as the suggestion that the news media had covered up the disaster or that environmental scientists traveling to the site had been killed in a plane crash. But most were more speculative, seemingly designed to stoke fear or distrust. Examples include unverified maps showing widespread pollution, posts predicting an increase in fatal cancers and others about unconfirmed mass animal die-offs.
Norfolk Southern shareholders sue railroad for prioritizing profit over safety | added March 19
Read more at Reuters
Norfolk Southern Corp (NSC.N) shareholders have accused the railroad of defrauding them by prioritizing profit over safety prior to last month’s derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio.
In a lawsuit filed on Thursday in Columbus, Ohio, federal court, shareholders said Norfolk Southern played down the risks of using what is called “Precision Scheduled Railroading,” which relies on longer and heavier trains that require fewer workers. Shareholders said Norfolk Southern embraced a “culture of increased risk-taking” that left it vulnerable to increased train derailments, making its public statements about the safety of its operations materially false or misleading.
A Norfolk Southern spokesman declined to comment, saying the Atlanta-based company does not discuss pending litigation. Other defendants include Chief Executive Alan Shaw, his predecessor James Squires, and Chief Financial Officer Mark George. Norfolk Southern has faced many lawsuits over the Feb. 3 derailment, including cases brought by local residents and Ohio’s attorney general.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic to miss Miami Open over refusing ‘covid’ jab | added March 19
Read more at ESPN
Novak Djokovic will miss next week’s Miami Open after being denied an exemption that would have allowed him to enter the U.S. despite not being vaccinated against covid-19, tournament director James Blake said Friday.
“We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn’t able to happen,” Blake told Tennis Channel. “Obviously, we’re one of the premier tournaments in the world. We’d like to have the best players that can play. We did all that we could. We tried to talk to the government, but that’s out of our hands.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott were among those calling on the Biden administration to allow Djokovic to enter the U.S. and compete at the tournament he has won six times, most recently in 2016.
Concerning levels of dioxins near East Palestine train derailment, according to newly released data | added March 17
Editor’s Note: The confirmation of dioxin levels in any soil sample that is 14 times higher than most states limit is reason enough to evacuate the entire area. It is unacceptable the results have taken this long. Meanwhile, on February 10, the EPA stated soil samples were being taken, over a month ago. — mmd
Read more at The Guardian
Newly released data shows soil in the Ohio town of East Palestine – scene of a recent catastrophic train crash and chemical spill – contains dioxin levels hundreds of times greater than the exposure threshold above which Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists in 2010 found poses cancer risks.
The EPA at the time proposed lowering the cleanup threshold to reflect the science around the highly toxic chemical, but the Obama administration killed the rules, and the higher federal action threshold remains in place. Though the dioxin levels in East Palestine are below the federal action threshold and an EPA administrator last week told Congress the levels are “very low”, chemical experts, including former EPA officials, who reviewed the data for the Guardian called them “concerning”.
The levels found in two soil samples are also up to 14 times higher than dioxin soil limits in some states, and the numbers point to wider contamination, said Linda Birnbaum, a former head of the US National Toxicology Program and EPA scientist. “The levels are not screaming high, but we have confirmed that dioxins are in East Palestine’s soil,” she said. “The EPA must test the soil in the area more broadly.”
“I don’t think anyone’s coming, customer-wise”: Business owners stuck in East Palestine chemical zone after train explosion | added March 17
Read more at WKBN 27
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – Business owners in East Palestine are struggling more than a month after the toxic chemical spill. Nate Velez builds and repairs small engines. This time of year, Velez Engines would normally be busy getting mowers ready to run, but it hasn’t had a customer since the train derailment. He is hoping something changes.
“I know the business is probably dead. I don’t think anyone’s coming, customer-wise,” he said. Velez started the company as a side job in 2014 and made it his main source of income three years ago. He moved to East Palestine from Wexford. He’s paying a mortgage but not living at the home because it’s on the street right next to the chemical spill. “From day one, I’ve said to my wife over and over again, “We’re on our own.” We figured out how to do it once and now we just gotta do it again,” Velez said.
“I don’t know what they’re doing. Cleaning the creek,” Velez said. Taggart Street is open coming from East Palestine to Velez Engines, but one of Velez’s biggest problems is that the road is coming from the east. It still cuts off most of the traffic. Velez misses working in the shop, tuning an engine, going on test drives, even concentrating so hard that he forgets time. The simple things.
Child and teen deaths surged during ‘covid’ pandemic due to homicide, suicide | added March 17
Read more at USA Today
Child and teen deaths surged during the covid-19 pandemic, driven by fatal injuries, in a dramatic change after decades of progress from medical advancements in pediatric diseases, according to an editorial published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers analyzed death certificate data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and found pediatric mortality increased by 20% between 2019 and 2021 – the largest increase in 50 years. For decades, the overall death rate among Americans 19 and younger has been steadily decreasing because of breakthroughs in prevention and treatment for conditions like premature births, pediatric cancer, and birth defects, said lead author Dr. Steven Woolf, director emeritus of the Center on Society and Health at Virginia Commonwealth University.
But the new findings represent a reversal in this trend, “meaning that our children are now less likely to reach adulthood.” “It’s very tragic,” he said. “The progress that we’ve made in reducing death rates in children is the product of decades of research … and to see all of that progress be reversed by a handful of factors is really troubling.”
Made in America: Anaretic Pluto | added March 17
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Dear Friend and Reader:
IN THE MIX OF ALL THE PLANETARY FANFARE we are witnessing — Mars, Saturn and Pluto changing signs, the completion of Mars square Neptune, and the forthcoming New Moon on the Aries equinox — it’s easy to forget about the U.S. Pluto return.
That was the big astrological news before the “pandemic.” But it got lost in the gritty sauce of Saturn conjunct Pluto on Jan. 12, 2020 and all that followed. (See full coverage of the unusual events of January 2020.)
Pluto is now in the last degree of Capricorn, after gradually transiting that sign since 2008. When a planet or luminary is in the last degree of a sign, it can behave in strange ways.
This is sometimes described as being “void of course,” which usually applies to the Moon but which can apply to the Sun or any planet. Yet when a planet is in the very last degree, contemporary astrologers call that “anaretic.”
There are many different ways of calculating whether a planet is anaretic, most of them lost to antiquity. Yet in our times, the term means “a planet about to change signs.”
From Greek, the definition of this word is “the destroyer.” This term is not recorded in any etymology dictionary that I know of, and the concept barely makes it into contemporary astrology texts. (So too does the fact that a planet can be void-of-course just like the Moon or the Sun can be.)
— efc
Ohio train derailment hotline reveals call logs containing warnings about dioxin | added March 17
Read more at Grid
On Feb. 17, a woman called an Environmental Protection Agency hotline set up to help respond to the train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio. She reported that her son was sick — a croupy cough, a headache, his chest hurt, and he had a fever. They had been to the doctor, who could find no obvious cause.
“I mean the plume of smoke went right over our house and ever since then he has been sick,” the caller said, according to a transcription of a voicemail she left with the hotline. She reported getting in touch with a toxicologist working with Norfolk Southern, the rail company responsible for the derailment, but to no avail.
“That was a joke,” she said. “They are just trying to push it under the rug. I am hoping you aren’t going to do the same …. I’m concerned about his health. I’d like some answers and cooperation.”
The call is one of more than 250 that Ohio residents, scientists and even a member of Congress’ staff placed to the federal hotline starting about a week after the derailment Feb. 3 — looking for answers about the derailment, subsequent chemical spill and dramatic controlled burn of vinyl chloride. Grid obtained a log of calls from Feb. 8-21 through a Freedom of Information Act request. Together they show the cost of the confused and slow response in raw human terms.
East Palestine residents able to get free medical assistance from virtual Florida-based wellness company | added March 17
Read more at FOX News
[Feb. 27, 2023] As residents of East Palestine, Ohio, continue to struggle in the aftermath of the train derailment and subsequent toxic chemical fires earlier this month, a health-focused company has pledged to provide free medical care for victims.The Wellness Company of Boca Raton, Florida, is a virtual provider of health care, supplements and wellness services. It is now offering free online consultations with a licensed doctor or medical provider via its website. On Feb. 3, a train carrying vinyl chloride, a potentially hazardous chemical, derailed just outside the small town of East Palestine.
Railroad officials ordered a controlled burn of the chemicals, sending plumes of contaminated smoke into the sky. Since the derailment, East Palestinians have reported various degrees of sickness. One resident told Dr. Marc Siegel of New York City, a Fox News medical contributor, that she has experienced shortness of breath, headache, lightheadedness, irritated throat and swollen eyes. Her husband reported a gravelly voice, a headache that lasted for weeks, dizziness and a tingling sensation in his gums.
International team of virus experts link ‘covid’ to raccoon dogs in Wuhan illegal wildlife trade | added March 17
Read more at The New York Times
An international team of virus experts said on Thursday that they had found genetic data from a market in Wuhan, China, linking the coronavirus with raccoon dogs for sale there, adding evidence to the case that the worst pandemic in a century could have been ignited by an infected animal that was being dealt through the illegal wildlife trade.
The genetic data was drawn from swabs taken from in and around the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market starting in January 2020, shortly after the Chinese authorities had shut down the market because of suspicions that it was linked to the outbreak of a new virus. By then, the animals had been cleared out, but researchers swabbed walls, floors, metal cages and carts often used for transporting animal cages.
In samples that came back positive for the coronavirus, the international research team found genetic material belonging to animals, including large amounts that were a match for the raccoon dog, three scientists involved in the analysis said. The jumbling together of genetic material from the virus and the animal does not prove that a raccoon dog itself was infected. And even if a raccoon dog had been infected, it would not be clear that the animal had spread the virus to people.
German minister states ‘covid’ shots can cause permanent disabilities | added March 17
Read more at The Epoch Times
Germany’s Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach, who once claimed that covid-19 vaccination is free of side effects, admitted last week that he was wrong, saying adverse reactions occur at a rate of one in 10,000 doses and can cause “severe disabilities.”
On Aug. 14, 2021, Lauterbach said on Twitter that the vaccines had “no side effects,” further questioning why some Germans refused to get vaccinated against covid-19. During an interview on ZDF’s “Heute Journal” on March 12, Lauterbach was asked by anchor Christian Sievers about the claim he made in the summer of 2021, confronting the health minister with his previous tweet that stated the shots are virtually free of side effects.
Lauterbach responded that the tweet was “misguided” and an “exaggeration” he made at the time, noting that it “did not represent my true position.” “I’ve always been aware of the numbers and they’ve remained relatively stable … one in 10,000 [are injured],” Lauterbach said. “Some say that it’s a lot, and some say it’s not so many.” Lauterbach’s remark on vaccine adverse events came after the German network played a segment of several Germans who’ve been seriously injured after getting the shot, including a 17-year-old gymnast who previously competed in the German Artistic Gymnastics Championships before she was hospitalized for more than one year shortly after receiving the second dose of the BioNTech covid-19 vaccine.
In memory of those who ‘died suddenly’ in the United Sates, March 6-13 | added March 17
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller Substack
Rick “Shecky” Scheckman, who for more than 30 years came up with oddball footage for David Letterman’s late-night programs while also finding his way on camera for wacky comedy bits, has died. He was 67. Scheckman had “multiple health issues” and died early Friday morning at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, his friend Leonard Maltin told The Hollywood Reporter.
Austin Majors, a former child actor best known for his role on “NYPD Blue,” has died, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office. He was 27. He died February 11, 2023. The cause of death is still under investigation, according to medical examiner records. His family called Majors “an artistic, brilliant, and kind human being, who loved camping and fishing, graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and had a passion for directing and music producing. Austin was the kind of son, brother, grandson, and nephew that made us proud and we will miss him deeply forever.”
Train carrying hazardous materials derails in northern Arizona, no chemical spill reported | added March 16
Read more at The New York Post
A train carrying hazardous materials derailed in northern Arizona late Wednesday evening, according to local officials. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said the train derailed at the Topock Bridge near Interstate 40, but there was no indication that the potentially dangerous chemicals spilled.
Authorities have not yet reported any injuries or deaths relating to the derailment. The crash happened just north of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, near the border of California. Its cause is also unknown at this time. Anita Mortensen, a spokesperson of the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, said information coming from the derailment was preliminary, and an investigation is still ongoing.
The BNSF Railway and the National Transportation Safety Board, are assisting in the investigation, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The derailment is the latest in an unconnected series of derailments across the country, including one of the country’s worst derailments in East Palestine, Ohio. The Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio, which took place on Feb. 3, resulted in air and water pollution and affected nearby residents and wildlife.
Senate Democrats propose funding increase for local emergency first responders in wake of East Palestine train explosion | added March 16
Read more at ABC News
Democrats in Congress are proposing additional aid for local first responders amid the ongoing conversation concerning rail safety in the wake of the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
In the time since the Feb. 3 derailment, lawmakers in Washington have focused on the state and federal response to the spilling of toxic chemicals that contaminated soil and water in East Palestine and neighboring Darlington, Pennsylvania. Now, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey is introducing legislation that would give local emergency workers additional resources to deal with similar incidents in the future.
According to U.S. Department of Transportation data, there have been an average of 1,475 train derailments per year from 2005-2021. Firefighters, police and other local agencies that deal with hazardous material are often the first to arrive on the scene of hazardous derailments, even before state and federal teams can be deployed. Casey’s bill, set to be introduced Thursday, would create a new fund which would be used to reimburse emergency responders for costs incurred when responding to a train derailment in their communities.
Brahmapuram dump site in India shows dangerous levels of dioxin contamination in wake of fire | added March 16
Read more at The News Minute
Studies on previous minor fire incidents at Brahmapuram dump site by National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology have shown dangerous levels of dioxin contamination. For the past 12 days, firefighters have been trying to douse the smouldering fire that spread on waste heaps at Brahmapuram in Kochi, a massive dump site spread over 110 acres housing an unwieldy mix of garbage — biodegradable and otherwise.
Multiple fire tender units are pumping in several thousands of litres of water per minute into the dump with help of earth movers which upheave the mounds so that water can reach the layers beneath. An update from the District Collector on March 12 said they have been successful in containing fire in five out of the seven sectors of the dump site, identified to streamline the firefighting operations. The remaining two sectors were both marshy lands where the fire tender units could not venture in.
Brahmapuram dump yard isn’t new to fires and an outbreak was witnessed as recently as in January 2022. But the blazes were controllable, and rarely lasted for more than two days. The incident in 2020, however, had concerned Justice AV Ramakrishna Pillai – then chairperson of the State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC), an authority constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) – enough to write to the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) seeking a study of the dioxin emission at Brahmapuram.
Toronto joins communities along the Ohio River seeking reimbursement for Norfolk Southern’s hazardous train derailment | added March 16
Read more at Herald-Star
Toronto is among communities along the Ohio River expected to seek reimbursement for expenses arising from the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern trail derailment in East Palestine. On Monday, Toronto Council authorized Mayor John Parker to enter into an agreement by which the Morgan and Morgan Complex Litigation Group and the Weirton law firm of Frankovitch, Anetakis, Simon, DeCaptio and Pearl will pursue claims on the city’s behalf.
After the meeting, Parker said costs for the law firms’ representation will come from whatever funds they’re able to secure for the city. Following the derailment, Toronto personnel and others at water treatment plants along the Ohio River have reported taking additional measures to prevent butyl acrylate and other chemicals spilled by the train from entering their water supplies.
“We’re treating (the water) with triple the amount of chemical and paying for testing on top of what we would normally do,” said Parker. He and other Toronto officials said as a more modern facility, the city’s water plant is well equipped to address such situations. Garry Daugherty, the city’s water superintendent, earlier reported that state officials had recommended using 30 pounds of powder activated carbon, a charcoal like filter, to remove any butyl acrylate present and while the Toronto plant normally uses 60 pounds of carbon per day, it has been raised to 125 pounds as a safeguard.
Virginia fines Norfolk Southern $27K for dumping 13,000 tons of coal into Roanoke River | added March 16
Read more at WRIC ABC 8
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A national rail giant will pay just $27,300 to Virginia after a derailment in 2020 dumped over 1,300 tons of coal into the Roanoke River. In an enforcement order published on March 10, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) published their report outlining the impact of the accident and the penalties Norfolk Southern would face.
The derailment occurred on October 30, 2020 when 26 cars jumped the tracks on a train bridge over the Roanoke River West of Salem, Virginia. 16 of those cars, carrying approximately 2,600 tons of coal, ended up in the river below. In the weeks after the derailment, Norfolk Southern removed a total of 1,349 tons of coal from the river, though the VDEQ report notes that recent rain and high waters at the time of the event meant that much of the coal was swept downstream.
The biggest impact of the derailment was the shuttering of the nearby Salem Water Treatment Plant for a month. The plant, which was 3.4 miles downstream from the derailment, had to close until the coal has been cleaned up — or swept downstream. The $27,000 fine was agreed to by Norfolk Southern, who signed the consent order in February, but local environmental groups objected to VDEQ’s decision, claiming the law would have allowed for a much harsher fine.
General timeline of toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio | added March 16
Editor’s Note: Planet Waves investigative team is also working on a more comprehensive timeline of events. —mmd
Read more at The New York Times
On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, igniting a fire and setting off fears of an explosion. The authorities carried out a controlled release and burn-off of some of the train’s hazardous cargo, but residents on both sides of the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line are concerned about the impact on their health and the environment.
Here is a timeline of the derailment and its aftermath, from the evacuations during the emergency response to the investigations and cleanup.
February
FEB. 3
The train was on its way from Madison, Ill., to Conway, Pa., when, around 9 p.m., 38 of its 150 cars derailed in East Palestine, a village of 4,700 residents about 50 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. A fire ensued, damaging an additional 12 cars. Shortly after the derailment, 1,500 to 2,000 residents were told to evacuate.
FEB. 6
Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania expanded the evacuation zone to a one-mile-by-two-mile area around East Palestine, on both sides of the line between the two states.
Uncovering the ‘covid’ fraud, part 11 | added March 16
Read more at Antiviral Substack by Mike Stone
I finally awoke to the dangers of vaccination around the middle of 2014. It was a long, drawn-out process that had initially started a few years prior due to a friend’s Facebook post that I had come across. I remember reading about the toxic ingredients contained within these injections along with the potential adverse reactions and thinking to myself that this was interesting, but for some reason, I ultimately brushed it aside.
Fortunately, the information was powerful enough to stick with me and, unknowingly at the time, had started the process of breaking apart the chains keeping me attached to this lie. While the post had piqued my curiosity, it didn’t fully awaken me to the deadly game of Russian roulette I was playing with myself and my loved ones. My wake-up call to the dangers of this toxic practice came after a year of allowing these poisonous injections into my son.
I remember feeling devastated after his first set of shots, and I’m uncertain why I did not stop right then and there. Watching the tears immediately stream down his face and hearing my baby boy scream in agony was heart-wrenching. Taking a part in what I can only see now as torture and abuse had stirred some doubt inside of me, but not enough to stop participating. My job was to be my sons protector and instead of doing so, I was allowing these people to puncture his skin and cause him harm with their piercing needles filled with remnants of poisonous cell cultured soup.
FDA says EUA of Pfizer’s ‘covid’ Paxlovid pill to stay for high-risk adolescents | added March 16
Read more at U.S. News
The U.S. health regulator said on Thursday the current emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer’s covid-19 antiviral pill for high-risk adolescents will continue to remain in effect even if it receives full approval for use in some adults.
Paxlovid has been authorized for emergency use in mild-to-moderate covid patients aged 12 years and older since late 2021, but Pfizer’s application for full approval only covers high-risk adults.The Food and Drug Administration, in a presentation released ahead of its advisers’ meeting, said the discussion will not focus on Paxlovid’s use in children as drug development for the population group is ongoing.
“Should this new drug application be approved, FDA anticipates that the EUA for Paxlovid will remain in effect to continue authorizing treatment of adolescents with mild-(to-)moderate covid-19 and further address other access needs,” the regulator added. A full approval would provide doctors more flexibility in prescribing the drug and also allow the company to expand its advertising campaign.
FDA approves fourth ‘covid’ jab for infants and children under 5 years-old | added March 16
Read more at The Defender
Infants and children 6 months through age 4 who received the three-dose primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech covid-19 vaccine are now eligible for a fourth dose — Pfizer’s bivalent booster shot. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday amended the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of Pfizer bivalent covid-19 booster vaccine for the younger age group, but only for those children who received the three-dose series before the FDA authorized Pfizer’s bivalent omicron booster as the third shot in the primary series.
Under the amended authorization, children can receive their fourth shot two months after completing the three-dose primary series. Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the authorization gave parents the opportunity to “update their children’s protection.”
But critics including Peter McCullough, M.D., MPH, an internist and cardiologist, said the shots pose long-term safety concerns for children. “I am greatly concerned about the long-term safety of accumulating novel mRNA and Wuhan spike protein in previously healthy children,” McCullough told The Defender. “Continued shots are not natural and cannot make their bodies healthier.”
Ohio sues Norfolk Southern over hazardous chemical train explosion and environmental damage | added March 15
Read more at AP News
Ohio filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage caused by a fiery train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month, the state’s attorney general said Tuesday.
The federal lawsuit also seeks to force the company to pay for groundwater and soil monitoring in the years ahead and economic losses in the village of East Palestine and surrounding areas, said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “The fallout from this highly preventable accident is going to reverberate throughout Ohio for many years to come,” Yost said.
No one was hurt in the Feb. 3 derailment, but half of the roughly 5,000 residents of East Palestine had to evacuate for days when responders intentionally burned toxic chemicals in some of the derailed cars to prevent an uncontrolled explosion, leaving residents with lingering health concerns. Government officials say tests over the past month haven’t found dangerous levels of chemicals in the air or water in the area.
EPA snow day: Soil sampling delayed due to snow cover | added March 15
Editor’s Note: How does the EPA get a snow day from testing soil after such a hazardous explosion? Why not test the snow as it falls? Acid rain falls, according to the EPA’s own website. — mmd
Read more at EPA.GOV
Due to snow cover, today’s soil sampling efforts were delayed. Tomorrow, EPA and Norfolk Southern plan to resume sampling at agricultural, residential, commercial, and recreational properties in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. EPA has highlighted what community members can expect to see during the sampling process on our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Pennsylvania hearing focuses on the decision to vent and burn derailed train carrying hazardous chemicals | added March 15
Read more at WKBN 27
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – The Pennsylvania House Democratic and Republican Policy Committees held a joint hearing Tuesday on the impact of the Norfolk Southern train derailment. The hearing was hosted by Reps. Rob Matzie (D-Beaver) and Jim Marshall (R-Beaver). They met with local officials and representatives from the Shapiro administration to discuss the impacts the train derailment on the Ohio border is having on Pennsylvania residents in Beaver County.
The first to testify was PEMA Director Randy Padfield who said that in the initial response, many decisions were made by officials in Ohio but that information was exchanged freely. Padfield said that the controlled vent and burn was concerning and that many residents and elected officials want more answers about that decision.
“We don’t have all the answers, but the picture is clearer. There is still much to do. We will ensure the safety of residents,” Padfield said. Padfield said that rail companies have the latitude to do what they need to do and that Norfolk officials have said that they thought they were making the decision to vent burn as part of a “unified command” situation, but Padfield said Pennsylvania did not have a “seat at that table.”
Residents express continued concern over dioxins after East Palestine train explosion | added March 15
Read more at State Impact Pennsylvania
From a window in her house, Tamara Freeze stood and watched a fire spreading along a line of train cars across the street from her house in East Palestine, Ohio. It was a Friday night, February 3, and she’d just gotten home from work, at the Family Dollar in the middle of town.
“It was almost like if you pass by a really, really bad accident or like a big tanker that spilled in the middle of the freeway,” she said. “You don’t want to watch, but you can’t help but watch.”
She and her husband, Nelson, were mainly worried about casualties from the derailment–luckily there were no injuries. They weren’t thinking about what was in some of those tank cars. Nelson heard that night they were carrying ‘vinyl flooring’ – that didn’t seem so bad. “Vinyl flooring…I’ve seen it burn,” he said. “That gives off black smoke. But then I heard it was vinyl chloride. And then I said, ‘Oh, no, that is not good.’”
East Palestine Fire Department issues warning over CDC and Norfolk Southern impersonators handing out activated charcoal | added March 15
Read more at WTAE
The East Palestine Fire Department is issuing a warning about a scam targeting people impacted by the train derailment.
In a Facebook post, the department says they have been told that people are going door-to-door in the one-mile evacuation zone and handing-out a letter and book.
Authorities said the scammers are impersonating the CDC and Norfolk Southern, telling people they were handing out activated charcoal, but have run low on stock. The department says if you come in contact with these people, call police.
You are also asked not to accept any of the charcoal samples. If you are given samples turn them into the police department.
Over 100 groups demand EPA testing for dioxins near derailed train site | added March 15
Editor’s Note: Based on coordinates of the train derailment at 40.8360°N 80.5227°W, the entire surrounding area must be tested efficiently especially considering the number of homes and businesses in the area. Planet Waves has also recommended testing procedures. — mmd
Read more at Common Dreams
While welcoming a federal order that Norfolk Southern test for dioxins near a derailed train that was carrying hazardous materials through East Palestine, Ohio, over 100 groups on Monday shared “recommendations on how this testing should be conducted to improve transparency, rebuild public trust, and comprehensively address possible releases.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told the rail company to develop a plan to test for dioxins—carcinogenic chemical compounds that persist in the environment and human body and are tied to developmental, reproductive, and immune system problems—only after nearly a month of pressure from residents across Ohio and Pennsylvania.
River Valley Organizing (RVO), Toxic-Free Future, and other organizations signed the letter sent on Monday to agency leaders including EPA Administrator Michael Regan—which states that “to date, Norfolk Southern has done an extremely poor job of building trust with the community of East Palestine and other communities impacted by the disaster.”
Three East Palestine manufacturers sue Norfolk Souther Railroad over chemical contamination and physical symptoms of exposure | added March 15
Read more at WFMJ
Three East Palestine manufacturers have joined the myriad of businesses and residents filing negligence suits against Norfolk Southern Railroad over the February 3 derailment and subsequent controlled burn of chemicals in tank cars.
The complaint filed in U.S. District Court says that the derailment occurred adjacent to the East Taggart Street property where ceramic refractory CeramFab has a plant. Also named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit are CeramFab’s sister companies, CeramSource and WYG Refractories, which share an address less than a mile west of the derailment site.
The lawsuit filed by Alabama Attorney Jon Conlin states that since the derailment, none of the company’s employees have been able to report for work due to what Conlin characterizes as “chemical contamination, physical symptoms of exposure, and noxious odor that persists within the facility.” CeramFab says both of its production lines have now been fully shuttered, and all work on four new production lines has been forced to stop.
East Palestine residents develop rashes, sore throats, nausea and headaches after chemical train explosion | added March 15
Read more at CNN
[Feb. 17, 2023] Some residents of East Palestine, Ohio, say they have developed rashes, sore throats, nausea and headaches after returning to their homes this week, and they’re worried these new symptoms are related to chemicals released after a train derailment two weeks ago.The February 3 incident caused a massive fire and prompted officials to evacuate hundreds of people who lived near the site because of fears that a hazardous, highly flammable material might ignite. To prevent a potentially deadly explosion, toxic vinyl chloride gas was vented and burned, releasing a plume of black smoke over the town for days.
Other chemicals of concern at the site include phosgene and hydrogen chloride, which are released when vinyl chloride breaks down; butyl acrylate; ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate; and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. All these chemicals can change when they break down or react with other things in the environment, creating a stew of potential toxins.
Three managers at a senior living company charged in connection with 14 ‘covid’ deaths | added March 15
Read more at NBC News
A senior living company and three of its managers were charged in connection with 14 covid-19-related deaths Tuesday by Los Angeles County prosecutors. The investigation into Silverado Beverly Place began after the facility reported the April 20, 2020, death of a 32-year-old employee, Brittany Ringo, according to the county’s top prosecutor.
The center was closed in March 2020 to visitors by Irvine-based Silverado Senior Living Management Inc. in keeping with protocol at the time, but an exception was made to admit a patient from New York, the district attorney’s office said. “Ms. Ringo died from covid-19 after being exposed while working as a licensed vocational nurse for Silverado when she was directed on March 19, 2020, to admit this new resident who came directly to the facility from the airport,” LA County District Attorney George Gascón said at a news conference Tuesday.
“This individual had just arrived from a clinical setting in New York — a covid-19 hot-spot at the time.” The district attorney said the new resident, who began displaying covid-19 symptoms the morning after arriving and tested positive that evening, had not immediately been tested for covid-19 and had not been required to quarantine in isolation prior to admission as required by health protocols in place at the time, according to the district attorney.
NDP campaigners laugh off ‘covid’ vax injuries | added Mar. 15
Watch on Mark Crispin Miller Substack
A mother who lost a son due to vaccine injuries speaks to Rachel Notley’s campaign team about freedom and injustice.
Road rage Wednesday | added March 15
Watch the video on YouTube
Just breathe…
Oklahoma Governor Sitt blocks toxic waste arriving from East Palestine train explosion | added March 14
Read more at News 4
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – There won’t be any toxic waste from the East Palestine train derailment brought into the state after Governor Stitt turned away Norfolk Southern’s shipment. For weeks, the country has watched as East Palestine, Ohio, dealt with a train derailment that turned into an environmental disaster.
Norfolk Southern is the company responsible for the cleanup in East Palestine. In a statement, an EPA spokesperson said Norfolk Southern is contracted with Lone Mountain Landfill Facility, located in Waynoka and operated by Clean Harbors, and is able to accept the waste. “EPA has safeguards in place to ensure communities are protected every step of the way,” said Maria Michalos, EPA spokesperson.
Saturday afternoon, the Governor received an email from the EPA informing him of Norfolk Southern’s intentions to ship waste to the Lone Mountain facility. By Sunday, Governor Stitt stopped the idea in its tracks. “There are too many unanswered questions and ultimately I made the decision that this is not in the best interest of Oklahomans,” tweeted Stitt. He wasn’t alone. Senator James Lankford also tweeted his support for the Governor.
Live stream 1 pm: Impact of Norfolk Southern train derailment | added March 14
Watch on Pagoppoplicy
On Tuesday, March 14, the committees will meet in Darlington with local officials and representatives from the Shapiro administration to discuss the impacts the train derailment on the Ohio border is having on Pennsylvania residents. It will feature testimony from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Pa. Department of Health and the Pa. Department of Environmental Protection, as well as a Beaver County Commissioner and the Darlington Township Supervisor.
The hearing will be hosted by Reps. Rob Matzie (D-Beaver) and Jim Marshall (R-Beaver) at the Darlington Fire Company, 3590 Darlington Rd., Darlington, Pa. at 1 p.m. This hearing is open to both the media and the public and will be livestreamed at pagoppolicy.com.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to hold virtual news conference 2 pm today | added March 14
Read more at WKBN 27
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKBN) – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost will lay out the next steps “toward accountability for Norfolk Southern” regarding the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine.
Yost is holding a virtual news conference at 2 p.m. today.
Health services alerts local gardeners not to eat food after chemical release near Martinez Refinery | added March 14
Read more at FOX KTVU
MARTINEZ, Calif. – Contra Costa Health Services is advising local gardeners not to eat any foods they grow if their soil was impacted by a chemical release near the Martinez Refinery. The health department released the safety advice on Tuesday, more than three months after flaring at the Martinez Refining Company on Pacheco Boulevard sent roughly 20 tons of spent catalyst into the air.
The white powder covered neighborhoods at least one mile away from the refinery. Spent catalyst is a power dust used in the oil refining process, according to Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Public Health Director for Contra Costa Health Services. “The substances of concern that we found in the spent catalyst were heavy metals,” he said. “When you eat something that’s incorporated with heavy metals there can be significant health effects, but they’re not immediate.
They’re the sort of thing that builds up in your body over repeated ingestion.” It’s why the agency is advising local gardeners not to eat any food grown in soil that may have been exposed to the white powder. “Go ahead and plant, but don’t yet harvest and eat or ingest that were exposed to the spent catalyst until we have those results back or if you don’t want to worry about it, bring in some fresh soil and plant in that,” Tzvieli said.
EPA to hold ‘Community Resources Open House’ at East Palestine school gym | added March 14
Read more at EPA
EPA will hold a Community Resource Open House on March 16, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. at the East Palestine school gym (360 West Grant Street). This will be an opportunity for residents to talk face-to-face and ask questions to representatives of responding agencies. Residents will also have the opportunity to learn more about the scientific equipment that EPA uses to monitor the quality of the air.
At the same time, Beaver County, along with the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection, and Health and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the CDC, the Environmental Protection Agency, Norfolk Southern, and State Representative Jim Marshall will host a Community Resource Open House for Pennsylvania residents. That open house will take place at Darlington Township Volunteer Fire Department (3590 Darlington Road, Darlington, Penn.).
EPA and Norfolk Southern contractors continue to take soil samples at agricultural, residential, commercial, and recreational properties in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. This soil sampling effort will help identify if contaminants, including SVOCs and dioxins, are present and may have been caused by the train derailment. EPA and Norfolk Southern contractors have collected 62 soil samples. Contaminated waste from the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine is being shipped to appropriate disposal facilities. Contaminated soil is currently being moved offsite and contaminated liquid continues to move quickly.
Scientists say mushrooms could be safer and cheaper solution to cleaning East Palestine chemical waste | added March 14
Read more at FOX News
Mushrooms could be a safer — and cheaper — solution to cleaning up the chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, and could carve a new response plan for future toxic waste incidents, according to a fungi expert. “This will happen again,” Tradd Cotter, a microbiologist and mushroom expert, told Fox News. “If we could in Ohio do some testing and give mushrooms a chance to prove that this could work, it would benefit towns across the world because this happens everywhere and we need good science.”
On Feb. 3, about 50 cars on a freight train derailed in the 4,700-person Ohio town. A number of the cars contained and released hazardous material, including the colorless toxic gas vinyl chloride. Residents were initially evacuated until workers burned the chemicals to prevent an explosion. Over about 1.8 million gallons of wastewater and 700 tons of contaminated soil have been removed from the location.
Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown and JD Vance sent a letter to federal and state environmental agencies last month warning of the dangers of dioxins that may have been created by the vinyl chloride burning, which can cause cancer and various other health problems if exposed. Cotter, who published the book “Organic Mushroom Farming and “Mycoremediation,” recommended a process called “mycoremediation” to clean up polluted water and soil at the spill site rather than moving toxins to another location. He said the process is both safer and more cost-effective than moving contaminated material.
Pennsylvania senator hospitalized after visiting East Palestine train derailment site | added March 14
Read more at Penn Live
A 39-year-old state senator from Montgomery County was hospitalized overnight after falling ill while returning from a Thursday committee hearing on the toxic train disaster that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio. As of early Friday afternoon, Democratic Sen. Katie Muth was still a patient in UPMC Somerset Hospital but said she expected to be released later in the day.
Muth, who admitted feeling tired on Friday afternoon from not getting any sleep from all the tests and scans she underwent, said she was cleared of any serious medical problem but was told her potassium levels were low. The senator said she had experienced a headache on Wednesday while she was in Beaver County, located near the site of the train derailment, and didn’t feel well during the hearing but “I sucked it up.”
Then when driving back from the hearing, she stopped at a rest area along the Pennsylvania Turnpike and said she felt like she was in fog and lightheaded. “I felt really slowed down. It was really weird,” Muth said. Her mom died at age 38 in 1995 from a brain aneurysm. Muth also said she has had covid-19 twice. Given how she was feeling and with that health history, she was concerned about getting back behind the wheel. She called her husband who called for an ambulance to transport her to the hospital.
Mercury toxicity with Dr. Damian Wojcik | added March 14
Watch on Dr. Sam Bailey
Medicine and clinical research in metal detoxification. After suffering from mercury toxicity himself, Damian has worked hard to help others with the same predicament.
Here is what he said about:
Symptoms and tests for mercury toxicity
Treatments for mercury toxicity
Fish and mercury
Amalgams and mercury
Natural methods for mercury detoxification
his own research findings
and much more!
East Palestine, Ohio residents unable to sell homes in wake of hazardous train explosion | added March 14
Listen on NPR
The Norfolk Southern train derailment and the release of toxic chemicals that followed has hurt the housing market in East Palestine, Ohio.
East Palestine family finds temporary home in Kentucky due to health concerns: “We were sitting ducks” | added March 14
Read more at Cincinnati Enquirer
When a grease fire damaged her Newport apartment and ruined almost everything she owned, Jessica Helpy took her two sons and started over. She found comfort moving to a familiar place: Her hometown, East Palestine, Ohio.
She and her family were among hundreds of victims in the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment. The train, traveling from Madison, Illinois, to Conway, Pennsylvania, derailed when it passed through East Palestine, an Ohio village of less than 5,000 residents near the Pennsylvania border. An overheated wheel bearing caused a dangerous derailment that spilled more than 100,000 gallons of toxic chemicals into the air and a fire burst into flames that night.
Since her East Palestine home is within a mile from the derailment site, Helpy received a text message on the night of Feb. 3 recommending that she evacuate. She decided to go. She gathered her teenage sons and rented a hotel for the night 11 miles away in North Lima, Ohio. Having just paid monthly bills two days earlier, however, she was starting to feel financial pressure mount due to the unplanned disruption. “We were sitting ducks,” she said.
East Palestine: Aches, rashes and trauma continue after toxic train explosion | added March 14
Read more at AP News
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — Heather Bable speaks rapidly, recalling the terror of the night when a train loaded with hazardous chemicals derailed less than a half-mile from her home in East Palestine, Ohio. She heard an earthshaking boom and, from her bathroom window, “all you saw was the flames.”
Mind racing, she thought of the nearby filling station — its gasoline pumps, its diesel and propane tanks. “I kind of kept myself under control, told my kids, ‘OK, guys, we have to leave,’” Bable says. “… The only thing I knew was I had to get my kids to safety. Take just the necessary things and get out of there.”
Her voice catches, tears welling in weary eyes, as she describes the physical and emotional toll following the Feb. 3 disaster and subsequent chemical burn: eight days in a hotel and an uneasy return home; hoarseness, congestion, nausea and itchy rashes; inconclusive doctor visits; the “god-awful smell” that disturbs her at night; anger at train company Norfolk Southern over the crash and government agencies she thinks responded too slowly.
Former CDC director states he has “no doubt” Fauci likely founded ‘covid’ with gain-of-research | added March 14
Read more at The Defender
Dr. Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on Wednesday said he has “no doubt” the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Anthony Fauci funded gain-of-function research that likely resulted in the creation of covid-19 and its subsequent leak.
Redfield made the statement during the first formal hearing of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. The hearing included testimony related to the lab leak theory as a plausible explanation as the origin of covid-19 and how the theory was shut down early in the pandemic in favor of narratives that covid-19 had zoogenic — or natural — origins.
Committee members and witnesses also debated the future of gain-of-function research. Other witnesses Wednesday included: Jamie Metzl, Ph.D., J.D., senior fellow at the Atlantic Council; Nicholas Wade, former New York Times science editor and former deputy editor of Nature; and Paul G. Auwaerter, M.D., MBA, clinical director in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic pushes against mandatory U.S. ‘covid’ drugs in order to enter country | added March 14
Read more at The New York Times
Late last month, Novak Djokovic and the tight group of managers and coaches who help run the life of the world’s best male tennis player realized they had a problem. Djokovic had recovered from the hamstring tear he suffered in January, just ahead of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam event of the year. He won the tournament, of course, but with his injury healed he was ready to return to the ATP Tour.
The next two important tournaments were in the United States, which does not allow foreigners who have not been vaccinated against covid-19 into the country. The rule, which even some staunchly pro-vaccine experts say is obsolete, has been in effect since late 2021. It includes certain exemptions, but it wasn’t exactly clear how Djokovic, who is unvaccinated against covid-19 and has long said that vaccination should be an individual’s choice, might qualify for a waiver.
He desperately wanted to play, and so began a flurry of phone calls and lobbying of people Djokovic and his team knew who might have connections to the Biden administration, including Billie Jean King, one of the game’s greats. The process, for now, has proved unsuccessful, but it is likely to continue in the coming weeks as the tennis tour shifts from the BNP Paribas Open, which begins this week in Indian Wells, Calif., to the Miami Open, which starts later this month.
Poor sleep the night before getting ‘covid’ jab affects immune response, especially for men | added March 14
Read more at CNN
If you’re scheduling an appointment for a vaccination — whether for covid-19, the flu or for travel to another country — make sure you’re getting a long, restful night’s slumber before you head to the doctor. Sleeping less than six hours the night before you get the shot may limit your body’s response to the vaccine, reducing protection against the virus or bacteria, according to a new study.
“Good sleep not only amplifies but may also extend the duration of protection of the vaccine,” said senior author Eve Van Cauter, professor emeritus at the University of Chicago’s Department of Medicine, in a statement. But there was one odd detail in the study’s findings: The impact of poor sleep on immune response to a vaccine was only scientifically relevant in men.
“Research that used objective measures of sleep deprivation, such as that of a sleep lab, found a decrease in the ability to respond to the vaccine that was particularly and statistically significant in males, but not females,” said study coauthor Dr. Michael Irwin, distinguished professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine. Why would a man’s immunity be affected when a woman’s was not?
New PWFM is ready: E. Palestine, a new conversation with Zsuzsa Gyenes and a visit to the senate hearing with Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw | added March 11
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
The new program is ready. That’s the link!
So is the video introduction to Pluto in a Strange Land. Get a fantastic video astrology reading while supporting your favorite investigative team and radio program!
Lots of reading options here. More fun and more informative than therapy. And a heck of a lot cheaper. Thanks for checking out my astrology work, which is created to the same standard of integrity as my news reporting.
With love,
— efc
What’s really happening in East Palestine: People are getting sick and pets are dying, according to residents | added March 11
Watch the video on YouTube
We went down to East Palestine for a week to get residents’ side of the story after the Ohio rail disaster. People told us they’re getting sick and their pets are dying, while Norfolk Southern is trying to cover it up.
Norfolk Southern hired firms to conduct safety testing after chemical explosions, experts say they lack credibility | added March 11
Read more at The Guardian
Last month, Brenda Foster stood on the railroad tracks at the edge of her yard in East Palestine, Ohio and watched a smoky inferno billow from the wreckage of a derailed train. The chemicals it was carrying – and the fire that consumed them – were so toxic that the entire area had to evacuate. Foster packed up her 87-year-old mother and they fled to stay with relatives. With a headache, sore throat, burning eyes and a cough, Foster returned home five days later – as soon as authorities allowed. So when she saw on TV that there was a hotline for residents with health concerns, she dialed as soon as the number popped up on the screen.
The people who arrived offered to test the air inside her home for free. She was so eager to learn the results, she didn’t look closely at the paper they asked her to sign. Within minutes of taking measurements with a hand-held machine, one of them told her they hadn’t detected any harmful chemicals. Foster moved her mother back the same day.
What she didn’t realize is that the page of test results that put her mind at ease didn’t come from the government or an independent watchdog. CTEH, the contractor that provided them, was hired by Norfolk Southern, the operator of the freight train that derailed. And, according to several independent experts consulted by ProPublica in collaboration with the Guardian, the air testing results did not prove their homes were truly safe.
East Palestine businesses struggle in wake of toxic train explosion | added March 11
Read more at News Nation
Nate Velez, owner of Velez Engines in East Palestine, hasn’t had one customer since Feb. 3. That’s the day 50 train cars, 10 of them carrying hazardous materials, derailed in the small village on the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania. No one was injured in the derailment, but three days after it happened, authorities burned the vinyl chloride found inside five tanker cars. Since then, residents have reported animals dying, health concerns, and even an odor in the village.
Take a walk down Market Street in East Palestine, and you’ll see in most windows signs of solidarity — and signs apologizing for new store hours. Some business owners like Velez are officially in the red. “If anyone sees East Palestine, they’re like ‘Oh, crap,” and then as soon as I say where my shop is (they’re) like ‘Oh, crap,” Velez said. That’s because his shop is right behind the site where the trains derailed. Sulfur Run, a creek people have concerns about, is right by Velez Engines.
“Everyone knows most of the contaminants are in that water, and it’s connected to that hole,” he said. To get by, Velez has had to sell some of his items, but even that has become difficult. Someone messaged him, asking if his dirt bike has any vinyl chloride. Another guy, “trolling” Velez, asked how many chemicals were on the paint of a truck he was selling. A GoFundMe page has been set up for Velez to help him during this tough financial time.
Beaver County families: “We’re afraid to drink the water” | added March 11
Read more at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Nights have been long for Sharon Laderer ever since a fiery Norfolk Southern train derailment spilled thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month. The incident unfolded nine miles from her home in Chippewa. Her daughter and three young grandchildren live in Darlington, just a few miles away from the derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio.
“I’m so obsessed and worked up over the whole thing,” she said. “I’m losing sleep over it.” Mrs. Laderer has been wrestling with unknowns about the long-term health effects and her grandsons’ future at a home they recently moved into. But she, along with other Beaver County residents, have also been burdened by immediate stress over the most basic of resources: water. More particularly, well water.
“That’s what everybody’s worried about,” Mrs. Laderer said. “What’s going to happen? What the long term effects are going to be with the water? My well is not deep.” Beaver County residents impacted by the derailment, many of whom rely on private wells as their primary water source, have been seeking out well water testing for contaminants. And it’s not been without a fight.
East Palestine residents frustrated with Norfolk Southern’s CEO testimony: “Sorry isn’t paying my rent” | added March 11
Read more at WKBN 27
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — After Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testified Thursday in a Senate hearing in Washington, D.C, East Palestine residents and business owners are expressing continued frustration with the response surrounding the derailment.
Jessie Wince owns Cuttin’ Loose Family Hair on East Taggart Street, close to the derailment. She says she has some frustrations surrounding the derailment and has some thoughts on the apology Shaw made during the Thursday hearing. “‘Sorry’ isn’t getting my kids groceries, ‘sorry’ isn’t paying my rent down here, ‘sorry’ isn’t getting customers to come back in here,” Wince said.
Wince expressed frustration, saying she’d like to see more help from both the railroad and federal government for business owners. “We wouldn’t be in this situation if it wasn’t for a derailed toxic train in front of my business,” she said. She has young kids in East Palestine Preschool and she’s five months pregnant. Wince worries for her own safety and her kids’ safety, too. “Do I feel safe? Not necessarily. But this is my income,” she said.
EPA admits dioxin concerns after East Palestine chemical train explosion | added March 11
Read more at NBC News
When the Environmental Protection Agency last week ordered testing for dioxins after the recent train derailment and fire in East Palestine, Ohio, it acknowledged that residents could be facing a familiar and infamous foe from its past.
Contamination by dioxins — toxic chemicals known to cause cancer, disrupt the immune system and cause reproductive harms — have been at the center of notorious environmental cleanups from Times Beach, Missouri to Love Canal, New York to “Mount Dioxin” in Pensacola, Florida.
Dioxins don’t break down easily. Once in the food chain, the compounds tend to accumulate in people and animals. In key ways, the smoke-belching fire in East Palestine offered the right recipe to create these compounds, experts say. “I saw that cloud up above East Palestine, and I was immediately concerned about dioxins,” said Dr. Ted Schettler, a retired physician who is the science director for the Science and Environmental Health Network, a nonprofit group. “This is exactly the circumstance where you expect dioxins to form.”
The House unanimously passes bill to require the Direction of National Intelligence to declassify ‘covid’ origins | added March 11
Read more at NPR
The House has unanimously passed a bill to require the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information regarding the origins of the covid-19 pandemic. It cleared the chamber 419-0, with 204 House Democrats joining Republicans in support of the bill. A Senate version of the measure, which was introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley, passed that chamber by unanimous consent earlier this month.
Biden told reporters he hadn’t decided yet whether he will sign the bill. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president is committed to “get to the bottom” of the origins of covid but also wants to protect classified information.
Ohio Republican Rep. Mike Turner, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, voiced his support of the bill during floor debate. “The American public deserves answers to every aspect of covid-19 pandemic including how this virus was created, and specifically whether it was a natural occurrence or was the result of a lab related event,” Turner said.
Legendary pro golfer Annika Sorenstam to raise funds for East Palestine, Ohio residents | added March 11
Read more at FOX News
The chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, hit home for legendary golfer Annika Sorenstam. Mike McGee is the son of four-time PGA Tour winner Jerry McGee and the husband of LPGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam. McGee grew up with his sister Michelle in East Palestine, Ohio. A freight train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in the small town on Feb. 3, spurring environmental and health concerns among residents.
Mike’s ties to the area run deep. His mother is a native of the area and was a schoolteacher for 20 years. His father was a volunteer basketball coach. Jerry McGee died two years ago at age 77. Although Mike and Annika no longer live in the area, they are still connected to the community. “My mom has some friends she talks to and the world feels like it’s ending every day,” Mike said. As the community faces an uphill battle, Sorenstam and her husband are lending a helping hand. The couple created the “Annika Fore East Palestine” campaign.
According to Golf Week, the campaign is the result of a partnership with Youngstown Mahoning Valley United Way, The Way Station and businessman Ed Muransky, owner of The Muransky Companies. “What happened and continues to happen in East Palestine is a tragedy that makes everyone’s heart hurt,” Sorenstam said. “Mike’s connection to the area brings this suffering right to our doorstep. His first job in high school was at the Lake Club, and my father-in-law was the pro emeritus there after he retired from the Champions Tour.”
East Palestine residents pack into high school gym for EPA ‘resource fair’ | added March 11
Read more at Cleveland 19 News
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WOIO) – Dozens of East Palestine residents packed the high school gym once again on Thursday for a resource fair hosted by the EPA. “Without them, we would know nothing so I think the volunteers, the people who come into the city have really helped,” said resident, Sherri Burney. “Everyone’s afraid to drink the water.”
The EPA along with the CDC, Norfolk Southern, local health departments, and the Salvation Army were set up in the school gym. Their goal is to connect residents with resources including financial assistance, healthcare, hotel accommodations, therapy, and private air and well water testing.
“I don’t feel comfortable here and if we had kids which we don’t I wouldn’t feel comfortable having them playing outside I just want to be able to get answers to know what our future is gonna be like here,” said resident Olivia McDonagh. Kristin Battaglia said her 8-year-old son spent last night in the emergency room. She said his health problems started after the derailment.
Indiana testing of E. Palestine finds every dioxin and furan analyzed for — 10 varieties | added March 10
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
INDIANAPOLIS, In. — Analysis of contaminated soil originating from East Palestine by the State of Indiana has confirmed the presence of every dioxin and dibenzofuran the lab looked for. This includes tetrachlorinated dioxins (TCDD) and furans (TCDF), the most toxic chemicals known to medical science.
The contaminated soil from the Feb. 3 train derailment was transported to Indiana for disposal in a hazardous waste facility. Dioxins and furans are not only carcinogens and cancer promoters; they are also endocrine disruptors, they can cause birth defects, sterility, and endometriosis, and have been demonstrated to cause genetic damage for at least three generations.
The analysis found a total of five different dioxins and five different dibenzofurans — getting hits on every variety the lab analyzed for using a standard EPA protocol. Based on the results, the soil qualified as “safe” — for deposit in a hazardous waste landfill — without being burned to bring the levels down.
Chiron Return has published proposed testing guidelines.
‘It’s just sickening, and it keeps happening’
According to a March 8 memo prepared by the state’s Department of Environmental Management, the soil is acceptable for disposal at the Heritage Waste Landfill, a dump site for hazardous waste. The analysis was done at Pace Labs in Minneapolis.
The location from which the soil was removed was not revealed in the state’s news release or the memo with the results. There has still been no reported testing of soot taken from the point source, nor have there been any known wipe samples taken from nearby rooftops.
Health concerns rise weeks after East Palestine hazardous train wreck | added March 10
Read more at The New York Times
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — When the railroad crossing gate lowered in front of Greg Mascher’s Chevy Tahoe, his youngest granddaughter shrank down in the back seat and pulled a worn American flag blanket over her eyes. She worried that the train was going to wreck — again.
“Tell me when it’s all over, Papa,” his granddaughter, Raylix, 7, pleaded as the rail cars rumbled through — ones much like the Norfolk Southern cars that had derailed here almost three weeks earlier, resulting in a toxic spill that appeared to cause symptoms of chemical poisoning in hundreds of households. Mr. Mascher, 61, who is raising three granddaughters with his wife, Traci, had not sent them back to school since they had developed rashes, vomiting and headaches. He glanced at Raylix, still cowering under the blanket, in his rearview mirror.
“When it’s all over, huh?” he sighed, adjusting the crucifix around his neck. “Not sure anybody can tell you girls that.” Mobile health clinics and camera crews have begun to pack up and leave this town of 4,700, but for the Mascher family and their neighbors, frightening questions remain: How could they know if they had been poisoned by the spill?
Hazardous dioxins force entire towns to relocate; EPA still has no test results from East Palestine | added March 10
Read more at Yahoo News
When the Environmental Protection Agency last week ordered testing for dioxins after the recent train derailment and fire in East Palestine, Ohio, it acknowledged that residents could be facing a familiar and infamous foe from its past.
Contamination by dioxins — toxic chemicals known to cause cancer, disrupt the immune system and cause reproductive harms — have been at the center of notorious environmental cleanups from Times Beach, Missouri to Love Canal, New York to “Mount Dioxin” in Pensacola, Florida.
Dioxins don’t break down easily. Once in the food chain, the compounds tend to accumulate in people and animals. In key ways, the smoke-belching fire in East Palestine offered the right recipe to create these compounds, experts say. “I saw that cloud up above East Palestine, and I was immediately concerned about dioxins,” said Dr. Ted Schettler, a retired physician who is the science director for the Science and Environmental Health Network, a nonprofit group. “This is exactly the circumstance where you expect dioxins to form.”
West Virgina train derailment leaves three injured and polluted waterway with diesel fuel | added March 10
Read more at NPR News
SANDSTONE, W.Va. — An empty coal train hit a rockslide along tracks in West Virginia on Wednesday morning, causing a fiery derailment that injured three crewmembers, CSX Transportation said in a statement. Four locomotives and 22 empty cars derailed in Summers County near the New River, CSX said. The lead locomotive, which carried a conductor, an engineer and an engineer trainee, caught fire and the crewmembers were being evaluated and treated for non-life threatening injuries, the company said.
CSX said an unoccupied locomotive was partially in the waterway where an unknown amount of diesel fuel and oil spilled, officials said. Environmental teams were deploying containment measures. The derailment occurred in a remote area just south of Sandstone inside the New River National Park and Preserve, according to a statement from the West Virginia Emergency Management Division.
Several state agencies are monitoring the situation and said public water systems downstream have been notified and are monitoring for any potential public health impacts. No hazardous materials were being transported and there was no danger to the public, CSX said. The company said employee and community safety was a top priority as it sends teams to assess the situation and develop a recovery plan.
Norfolk Southern CEO apologizes to Congress over toxic train derailment in Ohio | added March 10
Read more at ABC News
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper, D-Del. pointedly asked Shaw: “Yes or no: Will you commit that Norfolk Southern will be there for as long as it takes to make East Palestine, Ohio, Darlington Township in Pennsylvania, and the surrounding communities whole from this disaster?”
“I’m terribly sorry for the impact this derailment has had on the folks of that community. And yes, it’s my personal commitment that’s Norfolk Southern that we’re going to be there for as long as it takes to help East Palestine thrive and recover. That’s my personal commitment,” Shaw responded during a hearing that spanned more than three hours.
“I am determined to make this right. Norfolk Southern will claim the site safely, thoroughly and with urgency. You have my personal commitment,” he said earlier in his opening statement. On the eve of his Senate testimony, Shaw said his company was committed to improve rail safety in a Washington Post op-ed. “We are not waiting to act” while NTSB investigates what happened in East Palestine, and probing Norfolk Southern’s safety culture overall, Shaw wrote.
Norfolk Southern train derails in Alabama hours before CEO appears before Congress | added March 10
Read more at The New York Post
A Norfolk Southern train derailed in Alabama early Thursday, just hours before the embattled railway’s CEO appeared before Congress to apologize for last month’s derailment in Ohio that released gallons of toxic chemicals into the air. The latest incident took place around 6:45 a.m. in the White Plains area, the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency said on Facebook.
According to preliminary reports, about 30 train cars derailed. Officials said there were no injuries and “no reports of leaks” of hazardous materials. Representatives of Norfolk Southern have responded to the scene in Alabama. “There is NO danger to the public,” the agency’s statement stressed.
Norfolk Southern said the train originated in Atlanta, Georgia, and was traveling westbound to Meridian, Mississippi. Thursday’s derailment in Alabama, Norfolk Southern’s fourth in just over a month, came just hours before CEO Alan Shaw was raked over the coals by Ohio’s two US senators — one Democrat and one Republican — over his company’s response to the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The crash sparked mass evacuations and contaminated 1.1 million gallons of water and 15,000 pounds of soil in the small community.
NYC rats catch ‘covid’, according to study | added Mar. 10
Read more at CNN
The millions of Norway rats that live alongside New Yorkers are among the animals that can catch the virus that causes Covid-19, a new study says. However, reports of the virus spreading from any types of animals to humans remain rare.
Pets like cats, dogs and hamsters; zoo animals such as big cats, primates and hippos; farmed mink; and wildlife such as deer and anteaters are among the animals in which Covid-19 infections have been reported. For the study, published Thursday in the American Academy of Microbiology’s journal mBio, the researchers captured 79 rats from three sites in Brooklyn in fall 2021 and tested them for exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
“Most of the rats were trapped in city parks within Brooklyn, although some were captured near buildings outside of park boundaries,” study co-author Dr. Tom DeLiberto, SARS-CoV-2 coordinator with the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said in a news release. Thirteen, or 16.5%, of the 79 rats were found to have IgG or IgM antibodies against the virus, suggesting a previous infection with SARS-CoV-2.
Japan reports first ‘covid’ vax related death: “It cannot be denied” | added March 10
Read more at Japan Times
A health ministry panel said Friday that a causal link between the November death of a 42-year-old woman and the COVID-19 vaccine shot preceding it “cannot be denied” — the first acknowledgement of such a link among nearly 2,000 reports so far of deaths following COVID-19 vaccinations in Japan.
The woman received a Pfizer shot targeting the omicron variant on Nov. 5 at a mass vaccination center. She felt sick seven minutes later, and her breathing stopped after about 15 minutes. Initially suspected to be having an anaphylactic shock, a doctor at the center performed CPR and tried to administer an adrenaline shot, but could not because IV access could not be obtained, according to a report submitted to the vaccine side effects committee under the ministry’s Health Sciences Council.
The woman was taken to a hospital but died of acute heart failure an hour and 40 minutes after receiving the COVID-19 shot. A postmortem CT scan showed that she had experienced acute pulmonary edema, a sudden buildup of fluid in the lungs, the report said. The woman was obese and had high blood pressure and diabetes, the report added, noting that no autopsy was performed.
Americans want safer railroad regulations, according to new poll | added March 10
Read more at Five Thirty Eight
Last Saturday, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in Springfield, Ohio, taking out power for over 1,000 people and prompting authorities to issue a temporary shelter-in-place order for nearby residents. And no, this wasn’t the one that generated headlines with images of billowing clouds of smoke and toxic runoff in nearby streams. That was the other train that derailed in Ohio last month.
Saturday marked the second train disaster in as many months for Norfolk Southern, one of the largest railway companies in the U.S. This most recent crash did not involve hazardous materials, unlike the first derailment near East Palestine, Ohio, which prompted officials to order the evacuation of around a third of the town’s residents. But it has still sparked an outcry from residents, and government officials have scrambled to respond.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited East Palestine to tour the damage and renewed a push for stricter crew staffing rules from the Federal Railroad Administration. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee called in Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw on Thursday to testify about the disaster. And Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance announced a joint bill beefing up railroad safety regulations and increasing maximum fines for companies that violate them.
Every lab matters.
Indiana testing finds every dioxin and furan they looked for in East Palestine soil | added March 9
Editor’s Note: There is no safe level of dioxins. These poisons are toxic to all life at any level. How is it that Indiana provides dioxin test results and none have been reported from the actual site of the toxic train explosion in East Palestine? This is absolutely unacceptable and must be addressed for the residents of East Palestine who have evacuated their homes. — mmd
Page from Indiana’s dioxin test results. See full memo here.
Read more at WRTV
INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Eric Holcomb says third party testing of toxic waste brought to a Putnam County landfill from Ohio does not contain any harmful levels of dioxins when compared to acceptable levels established by the EPA. Holcomb ordered the testing after tons of waste arrived at the landfill near Roachdale. He also says the landfill site operator is lawfully permitted to dispose of the waste at the site.
You can read Holcomb’s full Wednesday statement below. “Pace Labs has completed and shared the full results of their third-party dioxin testing I had ordered and expedited last week. Initial samples were taken on Saturday morning, March 4, and testing began that same day at their Minneapolis laboratory.
These results indicate that the material tested does not contain any harmful levels of dioxins when compared to acceptable levels established by the EPA. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that the site operator is lawfully permitted to dispose of that material at its site. We have informed the EPA and the site operator of these testing results. We will have Pace Labs continue to test samples of any future loads that may arrive in Indiana from East Palestine to confirm that none of the material contains harmful levels of dioxins.”
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw to apologize before Congress for toxic train explosion | added March 9
Read more at FOX News
Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw is to apologize before Congress Thursday for the Feb. 3 East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. “I am deeply sorry for the impact this derailment has had on the people of East Palestine and surrounding communities, and I am determined to make it right,” Shaw will say before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, according to a copy of his prepared remarks released beforehand.
“We will clean the site safely, thoroughly, and with urgency. We are making progress every day. Working now under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent Unilateral Administrative Order, we have submitted a long-term removal plan that will guide our comprehensive testing program for the community’s water, air, and soil,” he’s to say. “That testing is guided by science, and we will continue to share the results transparently.
The Ohio and U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies, as well as other local agencies, are continually monitoring the air and water quality in East Palestine and report that both the air and water are safe.” Shaw said to consider the financial assistance from the railroad operator so far as just a “down payment.” “Financial assistance cannot change what happened, but it is an important part of doing the right thing. To date, we have committed to reimbursements and investments of more than $20 million in total, including by helping more than 4,200 families through our Family Assistance Center located in East Palestine,” he will say.
Approximately three trains derail every day in United States | added March 9
Read more at NPR
A Norfolk Southern train derailed Saturday night in Springfield, Ohio, with 28 cars going off the rails, the company said. No one was injured. The incident came about a month after a calamitous accident in East Palestine, Ohio, where a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed near the small town.
Toxic chemicals leaked into the air and water, some of which were in danger of exploding, which promoted authorities to conduct a “controlled burn” and temporarily evacuate the area. The environmental recovery effort is still underway. Residents and transportation watchers have been alarmed by the Ohio derailments, but while experts say the amount of damage caused by the accident in East Palestine is unusual, two derailments in one month is not.
In fact, derailments occur far more frequently than that — but typically without such significant fallout. Still, after such a concerning incident, there has been a renewed push in the past month to tighten safety measures on the nation’s railroads. There were at least 1,164 train derailments across the country last year, according to data from the Federal Railroad Administration. That means the country is averaging roughly three derailments per day.
Officials at East Palestine train explosion say they were not initially informed of hazardous materials until hours later | added March 9
Read more at WKBN 27
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKBN) – It took six hours for crews on the ground in East Palestine to learn what was in the train that derailed on Feb. 3, later leaking chemicals into the area. Representatives with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) discussed the delay during a hearing before the Ohio Senate Select Committee on Rail Safety on Wednesday morning. Committee members are looking for ways to make the movement of hazardous chemicals on trains safer.
ODOT’s Deputy Director Thomas Corey said if they knew what was in the rail cars earlier, they would have been more proactive in their approach. Thirty-eight rail cars derailed, causing a fire that damaged an additional 12 cars. There were 20 total hazardous material cars — 11 of which derailed, according to the NTSB. ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks said they’ll be monitoring the health of their employees. So far, they haven’t shown any signs of illness due to the chemical exposure, but he said they will be following up.
It was the Committee on Rail Safety’s second meeting since the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine. Local Senator Michael Rulli, R-33, serves as vice chair of the committee. He spoke passionately about local residents’ concerns during the committee’s last meeting on March 1. Wednesday, he criticized the delayed information from Norfolk Southern, saying that had crews known the train cars were carrying hazardous materials, they could have better equipped themselves with the proper safety equipment.
Biden pays no visit to East Palestine; Dioxins present in East Palestine despite no testing | added March 9
Read more at Workers World
Why hasn’t President Joe Biden taken time to visit East Palestine, Ohio, following the disastrous derailment of a Norfolk Southern train there on Feb. 3? He was probably made aware that the train had been carrying vinyl chloride, among other hazardous materials. Burning vinyl chloride, as was done in East Palestine, is known to release dioxins — highly toxic chemicals that remain in the environment, especially in soil, for years.
Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency clearly understands this. The agency has been evaluating and assessing the risk of exposure to dioxins for decades and knows the danger of exposure to these carcinogenic chemicals. The EPA is very familiar with two historic U.S. environmental catastrophes — Love Canal, New York, (1970s) and Times Beach, Missouri, (1985) — where dioxin contamination forced the evacuation of entire towns.
Yet the EPA did no testing for dioxins anywhere in the vicinity of East Palestine. It is acting as if dioxin exposure is no big deal, while it clearly knows otherwise. Finally on March 2, the EPA gave in to residents’ demands and agreed to require Norfolk Southern to test for dioxins, yet the government agency did not agree to do its own independent study. According to the Feb. 18 Huffington Post, “The testing that Ohio authorities relied on to declare the municipal water in East Palestine safe to drink . . . was funded by the railroad operator itself and did not initially comply with federal standards.” Letting Norfolk Southern hire firms to test soil for dioxins is no more reliable than doing no tests at all.
East Palestine residents on toxic train explosion: “We just grabbed the baby and took off” | added March 9
Read more at The Washington Post
“I have some cognitive dissonance with the decision I made,” says Ben. “We just grabbed the baby,” says Jami. “And took off.” Their choices had to do with the creek. It meanders, from the site of the train derailment, through the heart of town. Past the copper fabrication plant and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, directly under the bakery and the mayor’s office, toward the park, where the tennis league is supposed to start at the end of the month.
Jami Cozza’s ground-floor apartment is seven paces from the creek, on the south side of the railroad tracks. Ben Ratner’s three-story house is on the north side of the tracks, uphill a bit, which means the creek, named Sulphur Run, isn’t potentially leaching hazardous chemicals into his basement, with all those bags of T-ball and soccer gear.
The air and drinking water in East Palestine are being tested routinely. The government says it’s okay to breathe, drink and bathe. But then what about those strange smells on the breeze? What about the pallets of bottled water trundling into town? “You can’t say that everything’s okay when people are getting sick,” Jami says. “You know, we’re not all imagining our lips and tongues tingling.”
Just stay away from the creek, the government says. Just come to the Environmental Protection Agency’s community welcome center, the government says, if you have questions.
The real reason EPA won’t test for dioxin | added March 9
Read more at The Guardian
The decision to release and burn five tanker cars of vinyl chloride and other chemicals at the site of a 38-car derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, just over three weeks ago unleashed a gigantic cloud full of particulates that enveloped surrounding neighborhoods and farms in Ohio and Pennsylvania. It is well documented that burning chlorinated chemicals like vinyl chloride will generate dioxins. “Dioxin” is the name given to a group of persistent, very toxic chemicals that share similar chemical structures.
The most toxic form of dioxin is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin or TCDD. TCDD is more commonly recognized as the toxic contaminant found in Agent Orange and at Love Canal, New York and Times Beach, Missouri, both sites of two of the most tragic environmental catastrophes in US history. Dioxin is not deliberately manufactured. It is the unintended byproduct of industrial processes that use or burn chlorine. It is also produced when chemicals such as vinyl chloride are burned such as occurred in East Palestine.
The organization I work for, the Center for Health, Environment & Justice, has worked with communities affected by dioxins for over 40 years. We have seen the impact of exposure to dioxins in communities from Love Canal and Times Beach to Pensacola, Florida. And now, we are asking, why isn’t EPA testing for dioxins in East Palestine, Ohio? Are dioxins present in the soil downwind from the site of the accident?
Microplastics pass placental barriers in rats leading to impaired fetal development | added March 9
Read more at The Defender
The authors of a peer-reviewed study showing microplastics passed pregnant rats’ intestinal and placental barriers, leading to impaired fetal development, concluded the same could be true for humans. The study, published in Nanomaterials, is the first to show that microplastics fed to pregnant mammals can reach fetal tissues.
Researchers fed five pregnant rats specially marked nanoscale microplastics. Through imaging, they determined the particles permeated the placentas. They detected particles in the livers, kidneys, hearts, lungs and brains of the fetuses. The authors said what they observed in the rats could happen in humans — and given the anatomical difference between rats and humans, the placental barrier in humans “could be more permissive” and allow for “greater passage” of microplastics to the fetus.”
“Much remains unknown, but this is certainly cause for concern and follow-up study,” said Philip Demokritou, Ph.D., the study’s corresponding author and professor of nanoscience and environmental bioengineering at Rutgers University. Commenting on the study, Dr. James Thorp, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, said it was a “no brainer” that microplastics would pass through the placenta into fetal issue. “It is certainly not surprising that nano-sized pieces of plastic would cross from the maternal blood through the placenta into the fetal blood circulation,” Thorp told The Defender.
Gov. Gavin Newson tests ‘covid’ positive for second time in less than a year | added March 9
Read more at CBS News
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom has tested positive for covid-19 for the second time in less than a year, his office announced Wednesday night. A spokesperson from Newsom’s office told KPIX that Newsom is exhibiting “mild symptoms”, while First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom had tested negative.
The governor plans to work remotely and self-isolate in accordance with California Department of Public Health guidance. Currently, CDPH recommends isolation for at least five days after start of symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection or lack of symptoms.
According to The Sacramento Bee, Newsom had recently returned from a personal trip to Baja California, Mexico. The newspaper also reported that the governor’s upcoming tour of the state, which will take place of his usual State of the State speech, is still expected to take place March 16-19. Newsom last tested positive for covid-19 in May of 2022, following a high-profile meeting in San Francisco with then-Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern. During his previous infection, Newsom also experienced “mild symptoms” and was prescribed the antiviral drug Paxlovid.
Proposed testing protocols for dioxin-like compounds, East Palestine, Ohio | added March 8
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Dear Friends and Readers:
This is my proposed testing protocol to determine the extent of contamination by dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, starting at the point source, for East Palestine, Ohio. Under this plan, sampling would start where levels are expected to be the highest, and move outward from there.
Comments welcome.
— efc
Biden says he intends to visit East Palestine despite no scheduled trip | added March 8
Read more at NBC News
WASHINGTON — With pressure mounting to visit the site of the toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, President Joe Biden said last week that, yes, he does intend to go. But there is no trip in the works. Nothing on his schedule. Nor are there any plans in motion for Biden to visit the hard-hit area any time soon, administration officials said.
Ask the White House if Biden is going and the answer gets fuzzy: “When or if the president should go is of course a question we would talk about, but I don’t think this is something we’ve been agonizing over in real-time,” a senior White House official said. More than a month into the train derailment that has threatened this village’s health and economic future on the Pennsylvania border, Biden’s absence thus far has left past and present officials mystified.
“I’m shocked that it hasn’t happened,” former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio said. “I just don’t understand. This is not a hard one.” “It’s imperative that he shows up there and not just shed light on it [the cleanup] today but make sure the effort is sustained,” added Ryan, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020 and Senate in 2022. Opponents are relishing Biden’s discomfort.
Even the NYT calls for dioxin testing | added March 8
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Editor’s Note — The New York Times has been horrid on the dioxin issue — going so far as to declare dioxin exposure as dangerous as a week sunbathing on vacation. While I am working on a new presentation of this landmark 1993 article telling that story by Vicky Monks, here is the old one. Malcolm Gladwell, formerly of the Washington Post, has been just as bad.
We have reviewed the EPA’s absurd proposal to have Norfolk Southern conduct the tests, issued last Thursday night. People do not understand what a brutal and rigged game dioxin testing is. In this recent Substack, I critique the EPA’s proposal to have the perpetrator gather evidence from the crime scene.
I gave my best-ever presentation on the issue of “acceptable risk,” at the top of last week’s Planet Waves FM.
Yesterday, I released my own proposal for testing and analysis for dioxins in East Palestine. The target document on that page is a PDF. Please read on a computer if you have an issue opening it on your phone.
The Norfolk-Southern derailment affects everyone. There are 125,000 farms in Ohio and Pennsylvania, many of them small family farms that supply health food stores and provide organic, grass-fed meats and dairy to customers. There are many, many more reasons that this is a global problem and not a local one.
Thanks to Ellen Connett and Will Huston for passing this article forward.
Researchers find high levels of toxic chemicals in East Palestine weeks after train derailment | added March 8
Read more at WESA
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon and Texas A&M say they detected high levels of one hazardous air pollutant in the town of East Palestine, weeks after a train derailment and chemical fire. Levels of acrolein, a chemical found in manufacturing and formed in combustion, were up to three times as high as samples taken previously in Downtown Pittsburgh.
“This is a rural area, so you would expect that the concentrations [in East Palestine] would be lower than Pittsburgh,” said Weihsueh Chiu of Texas A&M, one of the researchers on the project. The researchers said levels of other volatile chemicals they measured were normal and in line with measurements reported by the US EPA. But they said they still need to comb through the data to see if there are other chemicals that could pose a health threat.
They stayed away from assigning blame to health problems experienced by the town’s residents on acrolein or any other chemical. Residents have suffered rashes, headaches, scratchy throats and congestion in the weeks since the derailment and subsequent fire. “Because it was only a snapshot in time, we’d be hesitant to attribute particular health effects to acrolein at this time,” said Chiu. “There’s a lot of other things that could be could be going on, and we don’t have a clear sense as to how much variation day to day there is.”
Federal investigators open probe into nation’s rail industry safety protocols since 2014 | added March 8
Read more at GPB News
Federal investigators are opening a wide-ranging investigation into one of the nation’s biggest railroads following a fiery derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month and several other accidents involving Norfolk Southern, including the death of a train conductor Tuesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday it will begin a broad look at the company’s safety culture — the first such investigation within the rail industry since 2014. The board said it has sent investigation teams to look into five significant accidents involving Norfolk Southern since December 2021.
The agency also urged the company to take immediate action to review and assess its safety practices. The Federal Railroad Administration also announced its own investigation of Norfolk Southern on Tuesday. The administration will issue a public report after conducting a 60-day safety assessment, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Transportation. In the release, the railroad administration said Norfolk Southern must go beyond the steps it announced Monday and take actions “that match the severity of recent incidents.”
What it’s like to live 4 miles downwind from East Palestine: acrid smells and smoke debris | added March 8
Read more at Slate
If the Norfolk Southern train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, last month had slid off the tracks seven minutes later, it would have been on Dave Anderson’s farm. Echo Valley Farm, where Anderson lives with his wife and six of their children, is in Pennsylvania, about 4 miles east of where the train did derail. Which means that it is also 4 miles east of where the chemical tanks on board started leaking, and 4 miles east of where clouds of smoke from the eventual controlled burn of those chemicals floated away.
On the Anderson farm, that burn meant the air was tinged with an acrid smell for over a week. “What can you be thankful for?” Anderson said on a recent phone call, of the derailment. “Well, I’m just glad it wasn’t seven minutes later.” Here is the thing about living right next-door to a chemical spill: It really doesn’t matter how safe officials promise the spilled chemicals are. It doesn’t really matter if you understand intellectually that a controlled burn is the best way to deal with the disaster.
When you are the one whose air smells different because of the train cars full of chemicals being incinerated, it feels awful and unnecessary and stupid to be anywhere near it. That feeling is amplified for Anderson, 58, who works on his farm full time these days, but was previously employed for decades as an air traffic controller. “I have a lot of experience in transportation, safety, risk management, and weather, which are all relevant to the situation in East Palestine,” he told me.
Scientists admit massive chemical spills affect surrounding ecosystems for years to come | added March 8
Read more at ABC News
Scientists will be likely monitoring the ecosystem surrounding the areas affected by a massive chemical spill in Ohio for years to come. The tens of thousands of aquatic life that have died as a result could potentially point to whether ecosystems are safe enough for human activity to persist nearby, experts tell ABC News.
A train carrying several toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3, spilling cars full of hazardous materials onto the soil surrounding the derailment. A controlled burn that occurred over the next several days then expelled even more toxic gases, prompting a mandatory evacuation for residents living within a 1-mile radius of the crash site due to the potentially deadly risks posed by inhalation in high concentrations.
Health officials immediately began testing the soil, air and land to ensure humans were safe to return. While the evacuation order was lifted on Feb. 8, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources announced on Feb. 14 that at least 3,500 aquatic animals along the Ohio River had died as a result of pollutants from the controlled burn seeping into the streams. By Feb. 23, the number of animals that had died in and around East Palestine jumped to more than 43,000. This is significant because Ohio uses the fish community as an overall indicator of water quality, Michael Booth, a research professor of fish and aquatic ecology at the University of Cincinnati, told ABC News.
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality collects public comments on 2020 Norfolk Southern train derailment in Roanoke County | added March 8
Read more at WDBJ 7 News
ROANOKE Co., Va. (WDBJ) – As cleanup continues in East Palestine, Ohio from a Norfolk Southern toxic train derailment last month, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is collecting public comment on a Norfolk Southern train derailment in Roanoke County back in 2020.
The DEQ is proposing an enforcement action against Norfolk Southern for state and local violations. You have until this Friday to submit public comment on this order issued by the Department of Environmental Quality, which details how Norfolk Southern violated several laws and now will have to pay a fine.
A representative for DEQ declined to speak with us about the proposed enforcement action. According to the order, more than 1,300 tons of coal have since been removed from the river. There were around 2,600 hundred tons of coal in the train cars, but it’s still undetermined how many tons of coal went directly into the water. The discharge from the coal caused high levels of iron and thallium in the Roanoke River. During the last sampling event in July 2021, the DEQ said the water was free of coal particles.
Railroad workers discuss why Wall Street is to blame for unsafe rail conditions | added March 8
Watch on YouTube
What caused the Norfolk Southern train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio, and who should be held accountable? Is the issue at hand just a problem of brakes, or is there a more systemic cause behind the 1000+ train derailments each year in the US? Retired railway workers Jeff Kurtz and Mark Burrows join TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez to explain how railroad workers’ long fight for better conditions against Wall St profiteers is at the heart of this tragic story.
Two people dead and 16 injured after train derails in Cairo, Egypt | added March 8
Read more at CNN
At least two people were killed and 16 others injured after a train derailed north of Cairo on Tuesday, according to Egypt’s Health Ministry. The passenger train crashed into a train station platform in the city of Qalyub, the Ministry of Transport said in statement.
The incident occurred at 7:20p local time, according to a statement by Egyptian National Railways, after the train failed to respond to a semaphore signal, ultimately hitting a buffer stopper which caused part of the train to jump the tracks. About 20 ambulances rushed to the scene to assist the wounded.
Kamel El-Wazir, Egyptian transport minister, has ordered a committee to be formed to find out what caused the derailment and “to identify those responsible and limit the damage” the statement added. Separately, Egypt’s Ministry of Social Solidarity said in a statement released on Tuesday that the government will offer EGP 100,000 (the equivalent of about $3,254) to the families of those killed.
Only fans | added March 8
Watch the video on YouTube
Matt Rife is a twenty six year old Veteran of standup comedy. Beginning at the age of fifteen, Matt has developed an extremely unique perspective on everything from women, self awareness, race, and some of the worlds darker issues.
‘This is not enough’: East Palestine activists pressure Norfolk Southern to agree on limited relocation plan | added March 7
Read more at Common Dreams
Local organizers in East Palestine, Ohio on Monday said their activism has successfully pressured rail company Norfolk Southern to agree to a limited relocation plan for some residents affected by last month’s train derailment, but added they have no intention of backing down from their demand for justice for thousands of people in the area who are struggling in the aftermath of the accident.
The company’s plan to offer financial assistance to people who live within a one-mile radius of the crash site “is not enough,” said River Valley Organizing (RVO), which last week released a list of five demands for the people of East Palestine and the surrounding area. While calling the proposal a “win,” RVO noted people will only be able to relocate temporarily and said the disaster “has had a far-reaching impact.” ”
We’re going to keep pushing until the community gets the help it is owed,” said RVO. “We need to stop letting Norfolk Southern put their profits ahead of the people of our community.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which late last month ordered Norfolk Southern to take full financial responsibility for cleaning up contamination from vinyl chloride, a carcinogenic chemical the train was carrying, acknowledged Monday that residents have complained of lingering odors in the town as the company continues to remove thousands of tons of contaminated soil.
Norfolk Southern announces new six-point safety measure plan to include “hot bearing” or “hot box” detectors | added March 7
Read more at CNN
As federal investigators visit the site of another Norfolk Southern train derailment in Ohio, the company vowed new safety measures in response to its toxic train wreck that ravaged the town of East Palestine. Norfolk Southern will revamp its hot bearing detector network as part of a new six-point safety plan, the company announced Monday.
“Hot bearing” or “hot box” detectors use infrared sensors to record the temperatures of railroad bearings as trains pass by. If they sense an overheated bearing, the detectors trigger an alarm, which notifies the train crew they should stop and inspect the rail car for a potential failure. After the February 3 toxic derailment in East Palestine, investigators discovered hot bearing sensors detected a wheel bearing heating up miles before it eventually failed – but didn’t alert the train’s crew until it was too late, according to a February 23 preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Currently, the average distance between detectors on the Norfolk Southern network is 13.9 miles. On Monday, the company announced it would examine every area where the distance between detectors is greater than 15 miles and would develop a plan to deploy additional detectors where needed. Norfolk Southern said other new safety measures would include: Working with manufacturers of “multi-scan” hot bearing detectors, which are able to “scan a greater cross-section of a railcar’s bearings and wheels” to accelerate development and testing.
Norfolk Southern responds to death of conductor after truck incident | added March 7
Read more at WKYC
CLEVELAND — A Norfolk Southern employee — identified as a conductor — has died following an incident in Cleveland early Tuesday morning. Norfolk Southern released the following statement to 3News shortly after 9 a.m.: Norfolk Southern Corporation stated that Louis Shuster, a Norfolk Southern conductor, was fatally injured early Tuesday morning at the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works property in Cleveland, Ohio.
At this time, officials are reporting that the conductor was struck by a dump truck as a Norfolk Southern train was moving through a crossing at the facility. Norfolk Southern has been in touch with the conductor’s family and will do all it can to support them and his colleagues. We are grieving the loss of a colleague today. Our hearts go out to his loved ones during this extremely difficult time.
The company is working with the Cleveland Police Department and Cleveland-Cliffs representatives to confirm the details and learn everything possible about the incident. Further, the company has been in contact with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, SMART-TD union leadership, and Cleveland-Cliffs leadership. More information will be released in coordination with law enforcement as it becomes available. A spokesperson for Cleveland-Cliffs previously told 3News that a collision happened between a Norfolk Southern train and the dump truck on a Norfolk Southern rail line that runs through Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works property.
Dashcam video captures latest train derailment in Springfield Township, Ohio | added March 7
Read more at FOX News
A dashcam video has captured the moment a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Springfield Township, Ohio, following the toxic disaster in East Palestine weeks earlier. Footage taken from a vehicle waiting at a Clark County railroad crossing gate on Saturday, March 4 shows two of the train’s cars suddenly rising upward as it travels along the tracks.
As one of the cars separates from the rails, it smashes into the crossing gate, sending debris flying as the driver starts to back up from the scene. Toward the end of the video, another car farther down the train can been seen coming off the tracks.
Officials said 28 of that train’s 212 cars came off the tracks, but the cars on that train carrying liquid propane and ethanol did not spill, according to The Associated Press. “A lot of the cars that were actually derailed were empty boxcars,” Norfolk Southern general manager Kraig Barner said. The video has surfaced as Norfolk Southern announced Monday the rollout of a six-point safety plan to “immediately enhance the safety of its operations” following the toxic derailment on Feb. 3 in East Palestine.
East Phillips, Minneapolis residents not convinced arsenic-polluted land is safe | added March 7
Editor’s Note: At the 10 minute mark of Democracy Now, resident Casey Holmes speaks about losing her son to a heart disease he was not born with from being at this toxic site in addition to her best friend also losing a son at a young age to a heart condition he was not born with. The correlation to ‘covid’ induced heart conditions and heart disease by toxic chemical exposure must be acknowledged by the health officials who claim to be protecting citizens. Adequate testing for environmental poisons in addition to safety regulations when handling chemicals must be mandated instead of forced experimental drugs. — mmd
Read more at Sahan Journal
When officials with the city of Minneapolis held a press conference last week to lay out their plan for the demolition of the Roof Depot building, they were adamant they could remove the warehouse without harming the surrounding community.
But residents of the East Phillips neighborhood remain skeptical that demolition of the vacant warehouse, which sits on a former superfund site that was contaminated by arsenic, would be carried out safely. A February 24 judicial order temporarily blocked the demolition of the Roof Depot warehouse, which was scheduled to begin this week, to allow the case to be heard by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
That ruling means the nonprofit East Phillips Neighborhood Institute can continue its legal fight to preserve the building and rally more support behind its cause. No timetable for the case to be heard on appeal has been set, and it could be months before the city can begin demolition. Community members and the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute want to use the building and 7.5-acre parcel of land as an urban farm, community hub, and affordable housing. The city plans to expand its public works facility at the site, located at E. 28th Street and Longfellow Avenue.
East Palestine derailment avoidable with proper safety regulations, according to experts | added March 7
Read more at The New York Times
The rail crash in East Palestine, Ohio, has highlighted a glaring gap in federal safety regulations that has left the railroad industry to set its own standards for the use of sensors that can warn train crews about impending derailments.
As Norfolk Southern’s Train 32N traveled toward East Palestine on Feb. 3, it passed a series of detectors along the track designed to pick up overheated wheel bearings, a major cause of derailments. The temperature of a bearing on the train’s 23rd car rose before the train reached the town. But then there wasn’t another heat detector for almost 20 miles, by which time the temperature had soared to critical levels, setting off an alarm.
As the crew engaged the brakes, the bearing broke, and the car and 37 others derailed, spilling a cargo of toxic chemicals and prompting officials to authorize a controlled burn of hazardous substances. The accident has devastated East Palestine’s economy, stoked anger and anguish among its residents, and forced an examination of whether freight railways, which have grown much more profitable in recent years, have gone too far in pushing for greater efficiency at the expense of safety, staffing levels and working conditions.
No virus international | added March 7
Watch the video on Dr. Sam Bailey
People around the world are becoming more aware of the ‘no virus’ argument as the “science” of virology has been exposed. However, there is often a language barrier when it comes to reaching some countries. Many of the best-known critics of virology are in the English-speaking world and have developed strong alliances with large followings.
The good news is that the movement for truth is truly international and this video will look at some of the advancements being made in regions that are perhaps lesser known to most of our English-speaking audience.
And could the madness of covid-19 end up bringing the world closer together?
One in four parents allegedly lied about child’s ‘covid’ status, according to nationwide study | added March 7
Read more at U.S. News
Public health officials offered a lot of advice to prevent the spread of covid-19 early in the pandemic, but some parents apparently tuned it out. About 1 in 4 misled others about their child’s covid status, vaccination and related details, a nationwide survey found.
“Like everyone else, parents worried about getting sick with covid-19 or about losing their job, but parents also had to manage juggling job responsibilities while their children were home in quarantine,” said study co-author Andrea Gurmankin Levy, a professor of social sciences at Middlesex Community College in Middletown, Conn. “And it’s quite possible that some parents misrepresented their child’s covid-19 status or didn’t adhere to testing or quarantine rules in an attempt to ease some of this burden.”
The findings — published March 6 in JAMA Network Open — follow up on earlier research by the same team that concluded 4 of 10 American adults misled others about whether they had covid or adhered to public health measures. This time, researchers used information from a subset of 580 participants in the original study who reported being parents or guardians of children under 18. The participants were asked additional questions about choices they made on behalf of their kids.
The syphilis scam by Mike Stone | added March 7
Read more at Mike Stone Antiviral Substack
Syphilis is a disease that I had never given much thought about for the majority of my life. I was born at a time when syphilis was moved aside as the big bad sexually transmitted disease in order to make room for its successor to the throne in HIV. Growing up, we were never really taught much about syphilis in school or at home as it seemed to be relegated as a relic of the past.
Instead, we were bombarded by horror stories of the terrifying death that awaited anyone unlucky enough to be diagnosed with HIV. We were taught to fear blood, needles, and drug use, concepts much easier for children to grasp over sexual intercourse. Thus, when I found out that a family member of mine had been diagnosed with syphilis in the past, I didn’t know what to make of it other than it didn’t seem as terrifying to me as HIV. The news about this past diagnosis did not provoke much of a reaction in me at all.
Eventually, my relative, who had not suffered any symptoms for decades, was told to get a series of three penicillin injections in order to cure a “latent infection.” Even though we were hesitant about the use of antibiotics, we accepted the decision as we were told that, even though there were no symptoms presently, the bacteria could resctivate at any time, leading to severe neurological complications, blindness and ultimately death. It was decided that it was best for this person to finally be rid of this label that they had been burdened with for decades.
let’s NOT let this happen…
Negligible risk: premeditated murder? | added March 6
Read more at Planet Waves FM
IS PESTICIDE AND DRUG RISK ASSESSMENT sponsored by government or polluters evidence of premeditated murder?
The issue is important because of a recent Bush Administration proposal to expand “negligible risk” decision-making in federal pesticide regulation (see Journal of Pesticide Reform 9(4):20). It’s also important because every discussion about the “safety” of vaccines involves an assessment of how many people any product will kill, which is the “risk” level. Risk is not about the statistical odds of being hurt by a product. Rather, it is the predicted incidence level of injury and death among consumers, caused by a product and its maker. This pertains to all chemicals and all drugs.
Risk Assessment
First, let’s dispel a crucial myth: Pesticide “risk assessments” can never predict what the risks are to an individual. The term risk assessment implies a statistical randomness that does not exist. Risks to individuals from pesticide exposure are in reality governed by such factors as individual dose and susceptibility, factors that are not foreseeable and never equal.
The notion that all persons in a pesticide-exposed population are at equal risk may be credible for public relations purposes, but it defies common sense. When a gunman fires into a crowd, everyone in the crowd is not at equal risk: the people nearest the bullet’s trajectory are far more susceptible to injury than the person standing behind a thick tree.
Fundraiser for East Palestine resident Zsuzsa Gyenes and son | added March 6
Read more at Go Fund Me
My name is Zsuzsa Gyenes and 3 weeks ago, Friday Feb 3rd, around 9pm my 9yr old son and I were painting his Minecraft Valentine’s Day box in our living room when a train carrying toxic and highly carcinogenic chemicals explosively derailed about a mile from our home. It immediately burst into flames hundreds of ft tall, massive plumes of black choking smoke, and consequently began spewing over a million lbs of lethal gases and liquids right on top of our little town of only 4,700.
We followed local authorities orders to shelter in place but we began smelling the noxious gases in our home around 3am. This caused my son and I both to become violently ill forcing us to quickly evacuate. The situation took an even darker turn a few days later when one of the hazmat tankers destabilized leading to a massive intentional burn controlled by local government. The plume was seen on satellite radar and has become infamous for its resemblance to a mushroom cloud bomb.
Shockingly, the evacuation order was lifted only two days later and trains ran through the newly built tracks within 3 minutes. Despite our air testing safe by the railroads team, my home still has an overwhelming smell of chemicals and continues to make me terribly sick every time I try to return home. The railroad will not provide assistance after their test says the air is ok, even if you are getting sick with chemical exposure symptoms.
New plan to incinerate contaminated soil from East Palestine train explosion is ‘horrifying’ says expert | added March 6
Editor’s Note: NIH admits the effect of misunderstanding the chemical properties of environmental contamination, especially dioxins and yet residents were told it was ‘safe’ to stay in East Palestine. — mmd
Read more at The Guardian
Contaminated soil from the site around the East Palestine train wreck in Ohio is being sent to a nearby incinerator with a history of clean air violations, raising fears that the chemicals being removed from the ground will be redistributed across the region.
The new plan is “horrifying”, said Kyla Bennett, a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official now with the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility non-profit. She is one among a number of public health advocates and local residents who have slammed Norfolk Southern and state and federal officials over the decision. The company behind the Ohio train derailment was on a years-long, multimillion-dollar campaign to influence federal regulators. “Why on earth would you take this already dramatically overburdened community and ship this stuff a few miles away only to have it deposited right back where it came from?” Bennett asked.
Incinerating the soil is especially risky because some of the contaminants that residents and independent chemical experts fear is in the waste, like dioxins and PFAS, haven’t been tested for by the EPA, and they do not incinerate easily, or cannot be incinerated. A Norfolk Southern train carrying vinyl chloride used to produce PVC plastic derailed on 3 February in the small industrial town of 4,700 people, located at the edge of the Appalachian hills in Ohio.
Cattle farmer says calf died due to smoke inhalation from train derailment | added March 6
Read more at WKBN 27
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – Test results have come back on a calf that died shortly after the train derailment in East Palestine. The Ohio Department of Agriculture found that lab tests show that a calf that died on Feb. 11 showed no outward evidence of chemical irritation or exposure, according to an update by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
“Although a specific cause of death could not be identified, there is nothing to support chemical toxicity as a cause of death,” the update said. The cattle farmer said through an Ohio agricultural news outlet that the calf died of smoke inhalation.
Several other animals have been tested, too, following the derailment and none have come back as having a cause of death related to the derailment and vent of vinyl chloride. There is no information to suggest that pets are not safe outside, but if you believe your domestic animal has been sickened as a result of the train derailment, please contact your local veterinarian.
Train boss tells crew to skip inspections with problem cars, according to leaked audio | added March 6
Read more at The New York Post
A leaked recording of a manager at one of the nation’s largest rail companies, reveals them telling workers to skip inspections and not report cars with the same type of problem blamed for last month’s massive train derailment in Ohio. The Norfolk Southern derailment and subsequent investigation into its cause have invited increased scrutiny into the rail industry’s safety practices.
The audio, obtained by the Guardian, hears the manager telling a former employee of Union Pacific to stop tagging railcars for broken bearings. The manager says doing so delays other cargo. A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board into the Norfolk Southern derailment found that a wheel-bearing failure was responsible for the catastrophe. Federal regulators also previously raised concerns about rail companies cutting down on their workforce sizes, and industry leaders have repeatedly fought new safety regulations around braking systems.
Train derailments at the nation’s largest freight companies have jumped over the past decade, to two derailments for every million miles traveled in 2022, up from 1.71 derailments in 2013. The recording came to light as residents in the small town continue to raise concerns about their safety following the disaster, which saw responders conduct a controlled burn of toxic chemicals on board the derailed train cars, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the air and raising widespread concerns about the health impacts.
Heavy rain near East Palestine raises major concern as poisonous containment dam overflows | added March 6
Editor’s Note: In Woodstock, New York during the summer of 2021 the air smelled like burning plastic. Turns out, the western wildfire smoke had blown over to the East Coast. This is an example of how the elements carry these poisons. Testing for dioxins and chemicals need to be a regular occurrence like ‘covid’. “You don’t need a weather man to know which way the wind blows,” sang Bob Dylan. — mmd
Read more at WTAE Abc 7
Friday’s heavy rain sent water overflowing from a large pool of water near East Palestine’s city park, causing concern among residents and on social media in light of last month’s train derailment. Mary McCarron, a public information officer for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, tells Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 the large pool was a containment dam that “was actually part of mitigation work surrounding the storm.”
Vacuum trucks were used to pull up the released water. McCarron said the system allows them to control the runoff in the derailment area. She also said no visible waste was released into nearby streams. The ponded water is also being tested, and the EPA says those results are expected in two to three days. A release from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s office said that the dam near the confluence of Sulphur Run and Leslie Run “continues to work as expected.”
Thomas A. Crosson, senior director of strategic communications with Norfolk Southern, said the dam area lies a mile and a half away from the derailment site, and that the derailment site remains contained. “This water is not coming from the derailment site,” Crosson said. “We have purposely dammed this area to raise water levels to allow for aeration. In heavy rain events, those waters can rise and is not a reason for concern.”
Iceland leads excess deaths in Europe, Philippines excess mortality hits 123 percent | added March 6
Read more at Mark Crispin Miller Substack
“Excess deaths are nowhere to be found as high as in Iceland”—p. 2 of Morgunblaðið, one of Iceland’s two major daily papers. NB: The article, which ran on February 20, reports that Iceland’s rate of excess deaths is now the highest not in all the world, but of any European country.
Moreover, the impact of those excess deaths must be especially heavy in a country with so small a population. (My thanks to Gunnar Kjeld for sending me this information.) And, from Texas Lindsay, a similar report concerning excess deaths in the Philippines: Our World in Data has not updated Excess Mortality data for the Philippines since July 31, 2022. Usually when a delay this long occurs (in the Covid Era) the data in the interim isn’t flattering for the narrative.
Governments don’t want to face backlash for mandating a “vaccine” in which the data continues to show did far more harm than good. After the vaccine rollout, there were more Covid Cases, more Covid Deaths and higher Excess Mortality than all of the deaths seen in the Philippines in 2020. The data continues to show the mRNA products do not work—not just in the Philippines, but in every country that used the mRNA products) around the world—yet they continue to be pushed upon humanity despite the unknown long term health data for a new novel mRNA product.
Boulder County Public Health campaign targets Latino parents to vaccinate children ages 0-11 years old | added March 6
Read more at The Defender
A Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) campaign to persuade parents — especially Latinos — of children ages 0 to 11 to vaccinate their kids for covid-19 has some of the Colorado county’s parents up in arms. The BCPH in May 2022 hired Godot, a “creative” consulting agency, to conduct focus groups and develop the campaign.
The agency’s final report — dated October 2022 and obtained in January by local citizen’s group No Vax Mandates Colorado through numerous Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requests — describes the agency’s findings and lays out a proposed ad campaign strategy to convince the “vaccine-hesitant” to give their small children the shot.
According to the report, “Vaccine hesitancy is not binary.” So the consultants set out to characterize people on a spectrum, from “anti-vaccine” to “vaccine champions” in order to identify those individuals who may be susceptible to “moving the needle” toward having their young children vaccinated through an effective advertising campaign. Cindy Baker, a member of No Vax Mandates Colorado for months has been trying to foster a dialogue about the project with BCPH at public meetings.
Ohio law enforcement links activist Erin Brockovich events in East Palestine to potential for “special interest terrorism” | added March 6
Read more at Yahoo News
Ohio law enforcement issued a report late last month warning that events planned in East Palestine by the environmental activist Erin Brockovich could prompt a terrorist threat from violent extremists, according to an intelligence bulletin obtained by Yahoo News.
Dated Feb. 24 and distributed to law enforcement agencies by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Ohio Statewide Terrorism Analysis & Crime Center Terrorism Analysis Unit Situational Awareness [STACC TAU] report obtained by Yahoo News “assesses that special interest extremist groups will continue to call for changes in governmental policy, which may lead to protests in/around East Palestine and/or at the Statehouse in Columbus.”
The report then singles out the reaction by Brockovich, a whistleblower who helped build a successful lawsuit against the California utility company Pacific Gas and Electric in a case involving contaminated groundwater, to the Feb. 3 train derailment and release of toxic chemicals in East Palestine. “On 24 February, environmental activist Erin Brockovich is scheduled to be in East Palestine to explain residents’ legal rights. Brokovich has urged the community to use common sense and ask questions. Brockovich is also placing blame solely on Norfolk Southern.The STACC TAU assess this event could potentially increase tensions within the community.”
Overtime: Sen. Bernie Sanders, Russell Brand, John Heilemann join Bill Maher | added March 6
Watch the video on YouTube
Sanders admits ‘covid’ degregated mental health of youth, Maher says aliens are possible…
Update for East Palestine and surroundings re the EPA’S proposed plan for dioxin testing | added March 5
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Dear Friends in East Palestine and Surrounds:
This is an update for residents of E. Palestine and surroundings; it’s a briefing on how the EPA is planning to scam the dioxin tests. This is readily apparent from the plan they outlined in Thursday’s press release.
Here is my response. I recommend that the plan be rejected in its entirety. Once you understand it, you will see how it’s a pass for Norfolk Southern to leave the contamination where it is and move on.
In the audio above I left out three crucial issues.
One, it’s outrageous that the railroad’s consultant will be the only people doing the sampling. Two, there must be two consultants and two labs — split sampling.
Three, there must be citizen witnessing of the sampling. If this plan goes forward, it can waste six months of your time —while people continue to get exposed.
The problems I cover.
In the recording above and my response, I describe the issues with the locations of sampling, the types of samples that will be taken (air, water, soil and sediment verge on useless for dioxins at this time). In the recording above, I confront the “background level” study they say they are planning to do — this is where significant cheating can occur.
Here are my dioxin resources for journalists and citizens.
Now on Planet Waves FM: Who decides what is ‘acceptable’ | added March 5
Listen on Planet Wave FM
The new program is ready. Thank you for tuning in.
The U.S. EPA has said that it’s ordered Norfolk Southern to test for dioxin in East Palestine to determine whether “contaminants from the derailment pose any unacceptable risk to human health.” That implies that there is an acceptable risk. Who decides what is acceptable? And What, exactly, is “risk”? Find out tonight on Planet Waves FM. Helpful resources are located below the players.
This program is listener-supported; your donations fund all of our investigative reporting efforts. Thank you for doing your part. Even very small donations make a significant difference. The button below takes you to PayPal. This link take you to our Stripe donation portal.
Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio: company says there were no hazardous materials aboard | added March 5
Read more at Yahoo News
Nearby residents were asked to shelter in place after a Norfolk Southern train derailed near a highway in the Springfield, Ohio, area on Saturday. Norfolk Southern confirmed in a statement to CBS News that 20 cars of a 212-car train derailed. The railway company said there were no hazardous materials aboard the train, and there were no reported injuries.
Residents within 1,000 feet of the derailment were asked to shelter-in-place out of an “abundance of caution,” the Clark County Emergency Management Agency reported. The derailment occurred near State Route 41. The derailment left more than 1,500 residents without power, Clark County reported.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted Saturday night that he had been briefed by Federal Railroad Administration staff about the derailment, and had also spoken to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. “No hazardous material release has been reported, but we will continue to monitor closely and FRA personnel are en route,” Buttigieg said. In a tweet, DeWine said that, along with speaking to Buttigieg, he also received a phone call from President Biden. DeWine reiterated that “we don’t believe hazardous materials were involved.” He said multiple state agencies were on scene.
Residents of East Palestine feel forgotten after toxic train derailment: ‘No one is coming to save us’ | added March 5
Read more at The Guardian
As a dense cloud of toxic smoke descended across Darlington in western Pennsylvania, Patrick Dittman knew that the catastrophic train derailment across the state line in East Palestine could also pose a danger to his family.
The 30-year-old bartender lives and works just a few miles from East Palestine, Ohio, where the Norfolk Southern’s 1.7-mile-long freight train carrying a hotchpotch of dangerous chemicals partly derailed and caught fire on 3 February. Three days later a billowing smoke plume and the stench of burning plastic blew east into Pennsylvania after crews conducted a controlled burn of the vinyl chloride onboard the derailed train to nullify the risk of a potentially deadly explosion.
The toxic cloud engulfed Darlington Township, a small rural community with 1,800 residents, coating lawns, crops and cars in black soot. “We wanted to get away even though we live outside the evacuation radius, but had nowhere to go. Over this way we’ve not been told anything about the implications – it’s very concerning,” said Dittman. Regulators overseeing the clean-up in East Palestine have pledged to make the multibillion-dollar railroad company foot the bill, but neighbouring communities feel forgotten.
Federal agency issues new advisory urging freight rail companies to take immediate safety measures | added March 5
Read more at CNN
A federal agency has issued a new advisory urging major freight rail companies “to take immediate safety measures to look at the performance of the protective coverings over the pressure relief valves,” a spokesperson for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said Thursday.
The advisory, which does not mandate the measures, came as federal investigators probe further into the February 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Several cars from the Norfolk Southern train were carrying the highly combustible chemical vinyl chloride when they derailed. The fiery wreck has since sparked outrage and health concerns in the local community. Pressure relief devices are designed to prevent pressure inside tank cars from building up and potentially causing an explosion.
After the train derailed, officials determined at least one train car containing vinyl chloride had malfunctioning safety valves, and authorities worried pressure buildup in that car could lead to a catastrophic explosion of the chemical – hurling toxic fumes and deadly shrapnel up to a mile away. Crews averted such an explosion by breaching cars containing vinyl chloride, draining the hazardous chemical into a trench and burning it off.
Union officials alert Biden administration that Ohio derailment site workers have become sick | added March 2
Read more at MSN
U.S. union official alerted the Biden administration to health problems caused by the Norfolk Southern derailment in February, saying that some workers have become sick. In a letter obtained by CNBC, union representative Jonathon Long said on Wednesday that rail workers have fallen ill at the East Palestine, Ohio crash site.
“Many other Employees reported that they continue to experience migraines and nausea, days after the derailment, and they all suspect that they were willingly exposed to these chemicals at the direction of NS [Norfolk Southern],” the letter reads.
“This lack of concern for the Workers’ safety and well-being is, again, a basic tenet of NS’s cost-cutting business model,” the letter added. On February 3, a freight train derailed in East Palestine, releasing hazardous materials. Nearby residents were evacuated while workers burned the chemicals in an attempt to dispose of them.
The Grayzone from East Palestine: Norfolk Southern pays private police and environmental consultants | added March 2
Watch the video on YouTube
Reporter Jeremy Loffredo reports for The Grayzone from East Palestine, Ohio, where Norfolk Southern’s detonation of a train filled with vinyl chloride has poisoned the town’s waterways and left residents wondering if they have to permanently relocate. While there, Loffredo learns of private police and environmental consultants paid by Norfolk Southern to enforce the corporation’s narrative of a successful clean-up.
How chemical poisons such as DDT get passed down through family generations | added March 2
Read more at CBC News
[June 18, 2021] New research is providing worrying evidence that your grandparents’ exposure to toxic pollutants like DDT could increase the risk of illnesses for you and all your future offspring.A recent study suggests that granddaughters of women who were exposed to DDT decades ago are more likely to menstruate early, more susceptible to becoming obese and may even have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Michele La Merrill, an environmental toxicologist from the University of California, Davis, is one of the authors of this multigenerational human study, but she also studies this in animals.
She said that her group has also found in animals that DDT impedes how calories are burned, which leads to more calories getting stored as fat. But other work suggests that the effects of pollution exposure could last well beyond three generations. Michael Skinner, a biologist from Washington State University, studies how environmental toxicants, like DDT, affect epigenetic inheritance.
Controversial waste removal site with multiple violations to receive materials from train derailment | added March 2
Read more at NBC News
EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio — For 30 years, this small city along the Ohio River has been home to the Heritage Thermal Services incinerator, a controversial hazardous waste facility that has been cited for multiple violations and faced numerous lawsuits. In 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency said in a report that the Heritage site had repeatedly exposed the community to chemicals that can cause cancer and miscarriages.
The facility has denied any wrongdoing and continued to operate, and is now receiving toxic waste from last month’s Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, 20 miles away.
“I think at some point, the powers that be are just like, ‘You know, they’ve been getting it forever. We’ll just put that there instead of polluting a new community,’” said Amanda Kiger, 49, who added that she has had cancer twice and knows many others in the area who’ve been diagnosed as well. “They just pile it on us.”
CEO of Norfolk Southern railroad to testify in Congress over failed precautions when transporting hazardous materials | added March 2
Read more at AP News
The CEO of Norfolk Southern railroad will testify in Congress next week about last month’s fiery Ohio derailment and the precautions the railroad takes to prevent similar crashes.
The railroad said Wednesday that Alan Shaw had agreed to appear before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works next Thursday. He is likely to face tough questions about whether the railroad has been investing enough in safety as it slashed jobs and streamlined operations in recent years to rely on fewer, longer trains.
Already, several lawmakers have proposed a series of rail safety reforms in response to the Feb. 3 derailment that forced the evacuation of half the town of East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border because of concerns about the toxic chemicals that were on fire. The National Transportation Safety Board has said that an overheating bearing likely caused the derailment that sent 38 cars, including 11 carrying hazardous materials, off the tracks.
CHD calls for congressional investigation into secret “problem codes” placed in files of unvaxed NYC educators | added Mar. 2
Read more at The Defender
Children’s Health Defense (CHD) today called for a bipartisan congressional investigation into the secret “problem codes” New York City officials placed into the files of educators who lawfully declined covid-19 vaccines.
The city’s “unwillingness to be transparent about how and when these codes are used and under what circumstances requires a thorough and complete investigation,” said CHD President Mary Holland, lead author of a letter sent to congressional leadership and the New York delegation.
Holland added: “We must uncover the city’s purpose for these designations and what punitive measures it contemplated or carried out against employees for their personal healthcare decisions. “City Hall recently denied that these Problem Codes have any external impact on employees or former employees, but that is incorrect.”
Novavax hits three-year low after ‘covid’ vax maker raises concerns over future of business | added March 2
Read more at Global News
Novavax Inc.’s shares plunged to a three-year low on Wednesday, a day after the covid-19 vaccine maker raised doubts about its ability to remain in business.
The American company had previously signed a deal with the federal government to produce covid-19 vaccines in Montreal, and saw its stock fall as much as 28.3 per cent to US$6.64 as of 1:30 p.m. ET, while its Frankfurt-listed shares slumped nearly 30 per cent.
The company — which has its covid-19 vaccine as the only marketed product after 35 years in business — on Tuesday flagged significant uncertainty around its 2023 revenue, funding from the U.S. government, and pending arbitration with global vaccine alliance Gavi.
Man finds undetonated blasting cap on property 1.4 miles away from East Palestine toxic train explosion | added March 2
Read more at The Epoch Times
Like many residents who live within a few miles of Norfolk Southern Railway’s Feb. 3 train derailment, Jerry Corbin evacuated before the railroad decided to conduct a controlled burn of five freight cars containing the toxic vinyl chloride on Feb. 6.
When he returned to his home in Darlington Township, Pennsylvania—around 1.4 miles from the crash site—Corbin discovered two surprises. Black debris that resemble ash was strewn all over his yard and on his roof, and an “undetonated blasting cap” landed in a pasture near his house.
On the evening of Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern train carrying 151 cars derailed in East Palestine, a village of 4,761 located in eastern Ohio near the Pennsylvania border. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), “38 rail cars derailed, and a fire ensued which damaged an additional 12 cars.”
CSIS intelligence officer fired for complaining over lack of masking during height of ‘covid’ pandemic | added March 2
Read more at Global News
A Canadian intelligence officer has been fired for speaking publicly about what he felt were inadequate covid-19 policies at CSIS headquarters during the height of the pandemic. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service dismissed Gary Vos Smith for giving an interview to Global News about the lack of mandatory masking at the agency’s building in Ottawa.
A disciplinary committee found that Vos Smith had acted “in an inappropriate manner,” according to a termination letter he received from CSIS director David Vigneault on Nov. 16, 2022.
The letter, obtained by Global News, also said he should have known his actions “could pose a notable risk to the organization as a whole and from an identity management perspective.” “The committee has recommended the termination of your employment, which I support given the seriousness of your actions,” read Vigneault’s letter.
Toxic removal crews to clean hazardous waste in Ohio nearly four weeks after train explosion | added March 1
Read more at MSN
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine are set to visit the toxic train derailment site in East Palestine Wednesday for an update on the removal of the hazardous waste from the wreck.
Crews are expected to begin removing the train tracks as soon as Wednesday to clean the hazardous waste underneath the derailment site, nearly four weeks after the fiery February 3 crash and subsequent release of dangerous chemical vinyl chloride from its cars, according to the governor’s office.
The governor and first lady will also visit Sulphur Run and Leslie Run – two contaminated Ohio waterways – for an update on water testing and washing of the sediment in the streambeds. The visit comes as the US Environmental Protection Agency is deploying a mobile laboratory to conduct “real time” air monitoring and sampling in the small town, regional EPA Administrator Debra Shore said Tuesday.
Attorney Ralph Kirk writes to reporter Eric Coppolino on wrongful death case due to PCB exposure | added March 1
Read more at Planet Waves FM from Chiron Return
Eric,
I am pleased to report that a hearing was held on 6/2/21 at which time the Judge ruled in favor of the widow, Patricia Hall and awarded death benefits for death arising out of and in the course of employment. Dr. Basri, our consultant, opined and testified that the Martin Hall, deceased, in the post explosion cleanup was subject to extreme exposure to benzene meta derivatives caused by the blast mechanism of the transformer explosion.
He spoke as an physician with specialty in internal medicine, a chemist, a volunteer fireman with 33 years of experience and from his research relative to transformer explosions including research into the post 9/11 and ConEd fires with explosion of transformers on 14th street NYC. He testified the exposure contributed to the development of coronary artery disease in April, 1999 and Acute Myeloid leukemia in May, 2007 and death in 2015.
The insurance carrier consultant agreed. They had a difficult time finding a consultant to do a records review. When they did they unwittingly tightened the noose around their own neck. The Judge had wiggle room to go either way, before he provided a corroborative opinion. Check and match.
In any event, I wanted to thank you for your assistance.
High detection of chemicals in Ohio sparks major concern for nearby states | added March 1
Read more at CNN
The aftermath of the toxic train wreck in Ohio keeps spreading to more states as scientists say tests in East Palestine show unusually high levels of some chemicals.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is the latest out-of-state official to say he was stunned to learn hazardous waste from the Norfolk Southern train derailment and subsequent release of toxic chemicals was headed to his state.
“After learning third-hand that materials may be transported to our state yesterday, I directed my environmental director to reach out” to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Holcomb said in a written statement Tuesday. “The materials should go to the nearest facilities, not moved from the far eastern side of Ohio to the far western side of Indiana,” Holcomb said. “I want to know exactly what precautions will be taken in the transport and disposition of the materials.”
After surprise shipments of hazardous waste to Texas and Michigan, the EPA approved two sites in Ohio to handle safe disposal of the waste.
EPA opens office near Ohio train explosion while claiming tests show no water and air contamination | added March 1
Read more at Yahoo News
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday he doesn’t want any stigmas attached to the Ohio community where a train derailed and spewed toxic gases three weeks ago and that he’s pushing the railroad to clean up the mess as fast as possible.
The agency is continuing to monitor the air around East Palestine and working to protect the area during the cleanup, said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. State and federal officials say testing has shown no signs of contamination from the derailment in the air or the village’s water system.
“We don’t want a black eye on this community,” he said. The agency on Tuesday opened an office where people can sign up for air monitoring inside their homes and cleaning services at their homes and businesses. Residents can also go to the office to ask officials other questions about the cleanup effort.
Bipartisan group of senators introduce legislation to prevent toxic rail disasters after East Palestine explosion | added Mar. 1
Read more at NBC News
A bipartisan group of senators will introduce legislation Wednesday aimed at preventing rail disasters after the devastating derailment in East Palestine last month.
The Railway Safety Act of 2023 would create more stringent safety requirements for trains carrying hazardous materials and increase the frequency of rail car inspections. It would also require trained, two-person crews to work aboard every train carrying hazardous materials and levy heightened fines for rail carriers’ wrongdoing.
The Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying vinyl chloride led to a spill of toxic chemicals. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden administration officials to prioritize addressing the crisis, while some Democrats have faulted former President Donald Trump with undoing rail safety rules during his tenure.
Officials investigate Florida train derailment carrying thousands of gallons of propane | added March 1
Read more at USA Today
Officials are investigating a train that derailed in Florida on Tuesday which left mangled tracks and a tanker carrying thousands of gallons of propane tipped over, the latest incident after the high-profile derailment in East Palestine, Ohio earlier this month.
The Seminole Gulf Railway train jumped its tracks near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, and fire and rescue officials said there were no reports of injuries reported and no evidence of leaks at the site.
Southern Manatee Fire District Chief Robert Bounds told the Bradenton Herald that six box cars tipped over, including one carrying 30,000 gallons of propane. Another carrying propane came off the tracks but did not tip over.
Scientists warn of long-term health risks despite EPA claiming no health concerns | added March 1
Read more at The New York Post
An independent analysis of Environmental Protection Agency data from the Ohio train derailment site found that many of the toxic chemicals detected could pose long-term health risks if they continue at current levels.
Scientists from Texas A&M and Carnegie Mellon University studied the measurements of air pollutants collected by the EPA and said nine of the pollutants were at higher than normal levels.
“If they continue at these levels, they may be of health concern,” the researchers wrote on Twitter. A chemical called acrolein — which can cause inflammation and irritation of the skin, respiratory tract and mucous membranes, according to the CDC — had the highest levels among the pollutants found in East Palestine, according to their research.
EPA still has not investigated all dangerous side effects of pesticides on endocrine function | added March 1
Editor’s Note: While endocrine malfunction is an unfortunate side effect of these poisons, the glands and organs responsible for the production of specific hormones in proportionate amounts: hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, pineal is where we have seen most of these health issues arise first. The central nervous system, i.e. command center “BRAIN” is under attack — especially with the rollout of these mRNA shots. — mmd
Read more at The Defender
In 1996, Congress ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to test all pesticides used on food for endocrine disruption by 1999. The EPA still doesn’t do this today.
Nor does it appear close to doing so, argue the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against the agency in December 2022 for its ongoing failure to implement the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program.
“As of the time of this filing, more than 25 years after the passage of the Food Quality Protection Act, [the] EPA has yet to implement the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program it created and further, has failed to even initiate endocrine testing for approximately 96% of registered pesticides,” the lawsuit states.
FBI director states ‘covid’ most likely leaked in a Chinese lab | added March 1
Read more at The Guardian
Christopher Wray, the FBI director, has weighed in on the debate over the origins of the covid-19 virus, using an appearance on Fox News to endorse the theory that the virus potentially originated from a leak in a Chinese laboratory.
“The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan,” Wray told Fox News’ Brett Baier, adding that the assessment was based on research the agency’s analysts, including scientists, had conducted and that “our work related to this continues”.
Wray’s high-profile public comment highlights the divide within the US intelligence community about the origins of the pandemic, with some federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Energy, concluding that the covid-19 virus probably originated from a lab leak in China, while others have concluded that it first spread from infected animals to humans.
Cardiologists allege ‘covid’ virus carries higher risk of developing heart-related issues than shots | added March 1
Read more at CTV News
Nearly three years since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, a growing body of research is showing links between covid-19 and heart-related problems, particularly in young people.
One study published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine on Feb. 7 found that rates of conditions such as heart failure and stroke were substantially higher in people who had recovered from covid-19 than those who had never contracted the virus. Even people who had experienced a mild case of covid-19 were at risk, the study found.
“Overall, when you sort of zoom out and look at all the evidence, it does look as if covid, as a rule, as an illness, regardless of its severity, does increase the risk of developing cardiac complications,” cardiologist Christopher Labos told CTV News Channel on Feb. 11. “And it seems to affect all people of all age brackets.”