wearechange--2020-05-21--After Dam Fails, Dow Chemical Admits Floodwaters in Michigan ‘Commingling’ With Toxic Storage Ponds

Floodwaters unleashed by a dam failure in central Michigan have reached a Dow Chemical facility and Superfund site , the company admitted Wednesday , raising the possibility that the flood could turn into a full-fledged environmental catastrophe .
At 10:00am EST , Dow announced that “ there were flood waters commingling with on-site containment ponds ” at its facility .
“ Midland , Michigan is home to Dow Chemical , one of the world ’ s largest chemical companies , ” Climate Power communications director Meghan Schneider tweeted Tuesday night .
“ Dow ’ s facilities appear to be at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential to be a major environmental disaster.
” As the New York Times reported , the danger of the breach to the chemical site is clear : Union of Concerned Scientists research scientist Jacob Carter told Common Dreams that President Donald Trump ’ s assault on environmental regulations bears some of the blame for the current catastrophe .
“ This is another example of the Trump administration putting vulnerable communities in harms way by sidelining science ” said Carter .
“ There was an Executive Order that called for Superfund sites to update @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extreme floods , but it was trashed by the Trump administration a week before Hurricane Harvey hit.
” The flood is the result of drenching rains and a decaying infrastructure in the city that has led to the weakening of the dams holding back the Tittabawassee River .
The Sanford and Edenville dams breached , leading to water cascading toward the city of Midland , which is expected to be under nine feet of water , and the Dow plant .
According to the Washington Post : “ The flooding in Midland County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Tittabawassee River that has suffered from decades of contamination and illegal dumping by Dow Inc.—making it one of the most contaminated rivers in Michigan , ” said Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak .
“ High water levels also threaten the integrity of Dow ’ s facility , which we know houses dangerous chemicals .
Michiganders deserve full transparency from Dow , state and local officials regarding any contamination that results from this catastrophic event — and the immediate cleanup of it.
” The owner of the Sanford Dam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dinged multiple times by federal regulators for not repairing damages .
In 2018 , the company ’ s license was revoked , with regulators claiming Boyce had “ failed for many years to comply with significant license and safety requirements , notwithstanding having been given opportunities to come into compliance .
”

Floodwaters unleashed by a dam failure in central Michigan have reached a Dow Chemical facility and Superfund site, the company admitted Wednesday, raising the possibility that the flood could turn into a full-fledged environmental catastrophe.
At 10:00am EST, Dow announced that “there were flood waters commingling with on-site containment ponds” at its facility.
Midland, Michigan is home to Dow Chemical, one of the world's largest chemical companies. Dow's facilities appear to be at the heart of the floodwaters – this has the potential to be a major environmental disaster. https://t.co/4oXW74OQAm — Meghan Schneider (@meghanloisann) May 20, 2020
“Midland, Michigan is home to Dow Chemical, one of the world’s largest chemical companies,” Climate Power communications director Meghan Schneider tweeted Tuesday night. “Dow’s facilities appear to be at the heart of the floodwaters—this has the potential to be a major environmental disaster.”
Ominous statement from Dow Chemical on the current status of its sprawling chemical plant and headquarters complex in flooded Midland, Michigan. "At approximately 10:00 a.m. Eastern it was confirmed there were flood waters commingling with on-site containment ponds." pic.twitter.com/VYn9LY1I9X — Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) May 20, 2020
As the New York Times reported, the danger of the breach to the chemical site is clear:
With much of Midland expected to be underwater by later on Wednesday, it was likely that the floodwaters would breach the levees designed to protect the Dow compound, said Allen Burton, a professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Michigan. This meant that, at the site itself, flooding could reach storage tanks, potentially releasing chemicals onto farmland and residential areas that line the river downstream, he said.
The Superfund cleanup sites are downriver from the century-old plant, which for decades had released chemicals into the nearby waterways. The concern downriver, Dr. Burton said, is that contaminated sediments on the river floor could be stirred up by the floodwaters, spreading pollution downstream and over the riverbanks.
Union of Concerned Scientists research scientist Jacob Carter told Common Dreams that President Donald Trump’s assault on environmental regulations bears some of the blame for the current catastrophe.
“This is another example of the Trump administration putting vulnerable communities in harms way by sidelining science” said Carter. “There was an Executive Order that called for Superfund sites to update their infrastructure to protect them from future extreme floods, but it was trashed by the Trump administration a week before Hurricane Harvey hit.”
“This is not a new issue,” Carter added. “The EPA has for years recognized the vulnerabilities of superfund sites , but the Trump administration continues to ignore the scientific advice and guidance from its own employees putting public health at risk.”
The flood is the result of drenching rains and a decaying infrastructure in the city that has led to the weakening of the dams holding back the Tittabawassee River.
The Sanford and Edenville dams breached, leading to water cascading toward the city of Midland, which is expected to be under nine feet of water, and the Dow plant.
According to the Washington Post:
Major flooding begins when the Tittabawassee River hits 28 feet; flood stage is at 24 feet. As of 6:30am Wednesday, river gauges reported a level of 34.28 feet and rising.
“The flooding in Midland County poses significant risks of spreading pollution from the Tittabawassee River that has suffered from decades of contamination and illegal dumping by Dow Inc.—making it one of the most contaminated rivers in Michigan,” said Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak. “High water levels also threaten the integrity of Dow’s facility, which we know houses dangerous chemicals. Michiganders deserve full transparency from Dow, state and local officials regarding any contamination that results from this catastrophic event — and the immediate cleanup of it.”
The owner of the Sanford Dam, Boyce Hydro Power LLC, was dinged multiple times by federal regulators for not repairing damages. In 2018, the company’s license was revoked, with regulators claiming Boyce had “failed for many years to comply with significant license and safety requirements, notwithstanding having been given opportunities to come into compliance.”
Our hearts are w/ the people of Midland, who on top of #COVID19, are now forced to evacuate their homes due to historic flooding after two dams have failed. It's another reminder of how our crumbling infrastructure is failing us in Michigan.https://t.co/3QVvWSJGLM — Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) May 20, 2020
Republished from CommonDreams.org under Creative Commons


wearechange--2020-05-21--“Trust is Being Undermined”: Harvard Medical School Professor Goes After Fauci on CNBC

At a moment in time when narrative-following “ scientists ” are lauded like unquestionably omniscient supreme beings enabling dumb-as-a-rock-partisan-politicians to play omnipotent overlords without fear of blowback , the world needs more people like William Haseltine .
The last two weeks have seen markets and politicians jump exuberantly at the hope of every press release from a biotech firm that proclaims one of their pet rabbits didn ’ t die when they fed it their latest DNA-reshaping test material ( oh that is except if anyone dares say anything positive about hydroxychloroquine but that is a topic for another discussion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rests on a vaccine ( and definitely not herd immunity , don ’ t even mention it ) .
Barstool Sports ’ Dave Portnoy said it right – when did we shift from “ flatten the curve , flatten the curve , flatten the curve ” to “ we have to fund a cure or everyone ’ s going to die.
” And so , that is where we find ourselves… Every talking head proclaiming the same malarkey – we will re-open carefully , with PPE , and social distancing , and whetever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we find a vaccine in 12-18 months ” at which point the world will be made whole again and Kumbaya… All of which brings us back to the man of the day in our humble opinion .
Former Harvard Medical School professor and founder of the university ’ s cancer and HIV/AIDS research departments , William Haseltine dared to speak out today about the high level of bullshit and damage that is being done to “ trust ” in “ scientists ” and even dared to break the one holy writ that shall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr.Fauci .
Reflecting on Moderna ’ s press release this week ( which was immediately followed by massive equity raises across numerous biotech firms and upgrades from the underwriters , surprise ) , Haseltine said : The CNBC anchor desperately tried to guilt him into the official narrative of clinging to any hope as long as it lifts stocks – no matter its utter bullshittiness – but Haseltine destroyed her naive party line : Moderna did not follow the process : But , but , but… the CNBC anchorette blubbered , “ are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this was encouraging news ?
” The full interview below is a must-watch by all who care about their freedom being controlled by a narrative directed by fearmongering elites in the name of “ science ” when the “ science ” is a ) being ignored , b ) being bastardized to meet a political need , c ) being treated as if handed down on high from the man himself , or d ) being manipulated explicitly .
Why this former Harvard Med School prof says Moderna ’ s vaccine trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNBC .
Haseltine ’ s interview is perfect lead into his opinion piece in todays ’ Washington Post : Faith in medicine and science is based on trust .
But today , in the rush to share scientific progress in combating covid-19 , that trust is being undermined .
Private companies , governments and research institutes are holding news conferences to report potential breakthroughs that can not be verified .
The results are always favorable , but the full data on which the announcements are based are not immediately available for critical review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release , ” and it ’ s damaging trust in the fundamental methods of science and medicine at a time when we need it most .
The most recent example is Moderna ’ s claim Monday of favorable results in its vaccine trial , which it announced without revealing any of the underlying data .
The announcement added billions of dollars to the value of the company , with its shares jumping almost 20 percent .
Many analysts believe it contributed to a 900-point gain in the Dow Jones industrial average .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its vaccine based on eight healthy participants .
The claim was that in all eight people , the vaccine raised the levels of neutralizing antibodies equivalent to those found in convalescent serum of those who recovered from covid-19 .
What to make of that claim ?
Hard to say , because we have no sense of what those levels were .
This is the equivalent of a chief executive of a public company announcing a favorable earnings report without supplying supporting financial data , which the Securities and Exchange Commission would never allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what Moderna ’ s unsupported assertion means .
The scientific and medical literature reports that some people who have recovered have little to no detectable neutralizing antibodies .
There is even existing scientific literature that suggests it is possible neutralizing antibodies may not protect animals or humans from infection or reinfection by coronaviruses .
Such “ publication by press release ” seems to be a standard practice lately .
The National Institutes of Health announced last month that the drug remdesivir offered a clear benefit to covid-19 patients with moderate disease , shortening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several days .
But did it really ?
Twenty days after the announcement , the supporting data has still not been published .
Without the data , no doctor treating a patient can be sure they are doing the right thing .
Another paper , published the same day , found that remdesivir had no measurable effect on patient survival or the amount of virus detectable in nasopharynx and lung secretions .
What then should a practicing physician do ?
Follow the unsupported advice of a news announcement or a medical report published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not an idle question : The NIH announcement triggered a global stampede for limited supplies of the drug .
The case is more nuanced for the vaccine developed by the Jenner Institute at Oxford University , though the mileposts remain the same : It started with a public pronouncement of favorable results from an early study , this time in monkeys , well before any data was publicly released .
An NIH scientist working on a trial of the Oxford vaccine gave an interview to the New York Times , claiming the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data , released as a prepublication version more than two weeks after the story ran , didn ’ t quite live up to the early claim .
All of the vaccinated monkeys became infected when introduced to the virus .
Though there was some reduction in the amount of viral RNA detected in the lungs , there was no reduction in the nasal secretions in the vaccinated monkeys .
So the positive result reported by the Oxford group turned out not to be protection from infection at all , something most would agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , it lowered only the amount of virus recoverable from the vaccinated monkey ’ s lung .
To the Jenner Institute ’ s credit , it does warn visitors to its website that there have been many false reports about the progress of its vaccine trial .
Still , having a scientist working on the trial paint preliminary results in such a positive manner without having yet released the full data is cause for concern .
We all understand the need to share scientific and medical data as rapidly as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a media announcement alone is not enough .
There are ways to share the data quickly and transparently : posting manuscripts before review or acceptance on publicly available websites or working with journals to allow an early view .
Publishing in this manner allows doctors and scientists to reach their own conclusion , based on the evidence available .
Asking experts to opine on unsubstantiated claims is not useful .
Medicine and science are not matters of majority opinion ; they are matters of fact supported by transparent data .
This is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope to end this pandemic .
We can ’ t give up on our standards now .
So , by all means , trust in “ science ” but

At a moment in time when narrative-following “scientists” are lauded like unquestionably omniscient supreme beings enabling dumb-as-a-rock-partisan-politicians to play omnipotent overlords without fear of blowback, the world needs more people like William Haseltine.
The last two weeks have seen markets and politicians jump exuberantly at the hope of every press release from a biotech firm that proclaims one of their pet rabbits didn’t die when they fed it their latest DNA-reshaping test material (oh that is except if anyone dares say anything positive about hydroxychloroquine but that is a topic for another discussion) as the fate of global citizenry rests on a vaccine (and definitely not herd immunity, don’t even mention it).
Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy said it right – when did we shift from “flatten the curve, flatten the curve, flatten the curve” to “we have to fund a cure or everyone’s going to die.”
And so, that is where we find ourselves… Every talking head proclaiming the same malarkey – we will re-open carefully, with PPE, and social distancing, and whetever else is mandated from on-high “until we find a vaccine in 12-18 months” at which point the world will be made whole again and Kumbaya…
All of which brings us back to the man of the day in our humble opinion.
Former Harvard Medical School professor and founder of the university’s cancer and HIV/AIDS research departments, William Haseltine dared to speak out today about the high level of bullshit and damage that is being done to “trust” in “scientists” and even dared to break the one holy writ that shall go un-mentioned, throwing some shade a Dr.Fauci.
Reflecting on Moderna’s press release this week (which was immediately followed by massive equity raises across numerous biotech firms and upgrades from the underwriters, surprise), Haseltine said:
“If a CFO had tried to get away with such an opaque and data-less statement it would have bee treated with derision and possibly an investigation.”
The CNBC anchor desperately tried to guilt him into the official narrative of clinging to any hope as long as it lifts stocks – no matter its utter bullshittiness – but Haseltine destroyed her naive party line:
“we all know its an emergency, and in an emergency it’s even more important to be clear on what you know and what you do not know.”
Moderna did not follow the process:
“you don’t know what happened, we don’t know what happened, there is no data.”
But, but, but… the CNBC anchorette blubbered, “are you questioning Dr. Fauci who also said that this was encouraging news?”
“Whether [Fauci] shaded what should should have been done, I think is an important question. He’s obviously under enormous pressure for positive results but it was not the right thing to do if you can’t see the data.”
The full interview below is a must-watch by all who care about their freedom being controlled by a narrative directed by fearmongering elites in the name of “science” when the “science” is a) being ignored, b) being bastardized to meet a political need, c) being treated as if handed down on high from the man himself, or d) being manipulated explicitly.
Why this former Harvard Med School prof says Moderna’s vaccine trial ‘publication by press release’ from CNBC.
Haseltine’s interview is perfect lead into his opinion piece in todays’ Washington Post:
Faith in medicine and science is based on trust. But today, in the rush to share scientific progress in combating covid-19, that trust is being undermined.
Private companies, governments and research institutes are holding news conferences to report potential breakthroughs that cannot be verified. The results are always favorable, but the full data on which the announcements are based are not immediately available for critical review. This is “publication by press release,” and it’s damaging trust in the fundamental methods of science and medicine at a time when we need it most.
The most recent example is Moderna’s claim Monday of favorable results in its vaccine trial, which it announced without revealing any of the underlying data. The announcement added billions of dollars to the value of the company, with its shares jumping almost 20 percent. Many analysts believe it contributed to a 900-point gain in the Dow Jones industrial average.
The Moderna announcement described a safety trial of its vaccine based on eight healthy participants. The claim was that in all eight people, the vaccine raised the levels of neutralizing antibodies equivalent to those found in convalescent serum of those who recovered from covid-19. What to make of that claim? Hard to say, because we have no sense of what those levels were. This is the equivalent of a chief executive of a public company announcing a favorable earnings report without supplying supporting financial data, which the Securities and Exchange Commission would never allow.
There is a legitimate question regarding what Moderna’s unsupported assertion means. The scientific and medical literature reports that some people who have recovered have little to no detectable neutralizing antibodies. There is even existing scientific literature that suggests it is possible neutralizing antibodies may not protect animals or humans from infection or reinfection by coronaviruses.
Such “publication by press release” seems to be a standard practice lately.
The National Institutes of Health announced last month that the drug remdesivir offered a clear benefit to covid-19 patients with moderate disease, shortening the length of their hospital stay by several days. But did it really? Twenty days after the announcement, the supporting data has still not been published. Without the data, no doctor treating a patient can be sure they are doing the right thing.
Another paper, published the same day, found that remdesivir had no measurable effect on patient survival or the amount of virus detectable in nasopharynx and lung secretions. What then should a practicing physician do? Follow the unsupported advice of a news announcement or a medical report published in a leading scientific journal? This is not an idle question: The NIH announcement triggered a global stampede for limited supplies of the drug.
The case is more nuanced for the vaccine developed by the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, though the mileposts remain the same: It started with a public pronouncement of favorable results from an early study, this time in monkeys, well before any data was publicly released. An NIH scientist working on a trial of the Oxford vaccine gave an interview to the New York Times, claiming the drug was a success.
But the data, released as a prepublication version more than two weeks after the story ran, didn’t quite live up to the early claim. All of the vaccinated monkeys became infected when introduced to the virus. Though there was some reduction in the amount of viral RNA detected in the lungs, there was no reduction in the nasal secretions in the vaccinated monkeys. So the positive result reported by the Oxford group turned out not to be protection from infection at all, something most would agree is what a successful vaccine would do. Instead, it lowered only the amount of virus recoverable from the vaccinated monkey’s lung.
To the Jenner Institute’s credit, it does warn visitors to its website that there have been many false reports about the progress of its vaccine trial. Still, having a scientist working on the trial paint preliminary results in such a positive manner without having yet released the full data is cause for concern.
We all understand the need to share scientific and medical data as rapidly as possible in this time of crisis. But a media announcement alone is not enough. There are ways to share the data quickly and transparently: posting manuscripts before review or acceptance on publicly available websites or working with journals to allow an early view. Publishing in this manner allows doctors and scientists to reach their own conclusion, based on the evidence available.
The media also bears responsibility. Asking experts to opine on unsubstantiated claims is not useful. Medicine and science are not matters of majority opinion; they are matters of fact supported by transparent data. This is the backbone of scientific progress and our only hope to end this pandemic. We can’t give up on our standards now.
* * *
So, by all means, trust in “science” but choose your “scientist” well…
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-05-20--The Worst Type Of Pollution No One Is Talking About

It ’ s not just our immune system that ’ s under attack .
You know we ’ re being told to stay inside and not get Vitamin D and not to take Vitamin C or other supplements .
But to keep shopping at Walmart and eating GMO foods and taking prescription drugs and to just wait for a vaccine to save us .
But simultaneously there ’ s another immune system under attack .
By sheltering us from what you think are bad ideas ( YouTube ) , You are creating an immune response that will backfire and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above , I expand on why our intellectual immune system is really important .
And how the mainstream media is complicit in suppressing it Cause they want to protect the old guard and don ’ t want new ideas to spread .
I also talk about the ideas and information YouTube and the MSM are suppressing like : – Governments openly trying to make viruses more deadly – Studies showing Vitamin D plays a crucial role in how your body handles the virus Which makes you wonder why the government is putting such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes… Since YouTube is trying to suppress your intellectual immune system And because we are now totally demonetized And obviously at risk of being deleted… Now is the time to grab the pro free speech YOUTUBE DUCT TAPE MOUTH shirt .
Send a message to YouTube you stand with free speech And that you and I will not be censored !

It’s not just our immune system that’s under attack.
You know we’re being told to stay inside and not get Vitamin D and not to take Vitamin C or other supplements.
But to keep shopping at Walmart and eating GMO foods and taking prescription drugs and to just wait for a vaccine to save us.
That’s all happening.
But simultaneously there’s another immune system under attack.
It’s our intellectual immune system.
By sheltering us from what you think are bad ideas (YouTube),
You are creating an immune response that will backfire and will create societal sickness.
In the video above, I expand on why our intellectual immune system is really important.
And how the mainstream media is complicit in suppressing it
Cause they want to protect the old guard and don’t want new ideas to spread.
I also talk about the ideas and information YouTube and the MSM are suppressing like:
– Governments openly trying to make viruses more deadly
– A leaked Pentagon memo showing vaccines won’t save us
– Bill Gates’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein
– Studies showing Vitamin D plays a crucial role in how your body handles the virus
Which makes you wonder why the government is putting such an emphasis on locking people inside their homes…
Support Free Speech
Since YouTube is trying to suppress your intellectual immune system
And because we are now totally demonetized
And obviously at risk of being deleted…
Now is the time to grab the pro free speech YOUTUBE DUCT TAPE MOUTH shirt.
Send a message to YouTube you stand with free speech
And that you and I will not be censored!


wearechange--2020-05-22--These People Need To Be Stopped Immediately And Held Accountable!

Check out the graphic that I show you at 1:47 in the video above .
You ’ ll see who the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is funding .
It ’ s all of the institutions that have failed us .
– The Imperial College of London — You know the place with the computer models that made all the wrong projections .
And people wonder why the mainstream media all fawns over Bill Gates .
Who by the way started his “ charity ” after the government shut down his monopolistic practices , something I go over in today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gates promising to give all his money away , then his wealth doubled over the last decade .
I also get into important news surrounding New York and The AP has determined 4300 virus patients were sent to New York nursing homes .
Meanwhile there were field hospitals in New York City that had absolutely 0 patients .
Plus there ’ s the CDC which keeps changing its story and confusing everyone And which completely messed up the data by mixing up virus tests with antibody tests .
Which all leads me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to jail !

Check out the graphic that I show you at 1:47 in the video above.
You’ll see who the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is funding.
It’s all of the institutions that have failed us.
– The World Health Organization
– The Imperial College of London — You know the place with the computer models that made all the wrong projections.
– The CDC
– The NIH
– ID 2020
– Johns Hopkins — Remember them from Event 201
– The BBC
And people wonder why the mainstream media all fawns over Bill Gates.
Who by the way started his “charity” after the government shut down his monopolistic practices, something I go over in today’s video.
Along with Bill Gates promising to give all his money away, then his wealth doubled over the last decade.
I also get into important news surrounding New York and
Governor Cuomo’s criminal handling of the situation.
The AP has determined 4300 virus patients were sent to New York nursing homes.
Meanwhile there were field hospitals in New York City that had absolutely 0 patients.
Plus there’s the CDC which keeps changing its story and confusing everyone
And which completely messed up the data by mixing up virus tests with antibody tests.
Which all leads me to the conclusion that people need to go to jail!


wearechange--2020-05-22--“Single Dumbest Decision Anyone Could Make”: Cuomo Sent 4,300 COVID-19 Patients to Nursing Homes

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is facing new criticism after the Associated Press reported Friday that a state directive led to over 4,300 still recovering coronavirus patients being sent to New York ’ s “ already vulnerable nursing homes.
” “ It was a death sentence , ” tweeted Daniel Choi , a doctor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell .
He called the directive a “ horrendous idea ” and “ definitely not something any doctor taking care of nursing home patients would have signed off on.
” The state health department directive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , barred nursing homes from requiring patients deemed “ medically stable ” from being tested for Covid-19 prior to admission .
Cuomo , a Democrat , rescinded the order May 10 , but not before thousands of infected patients likely entered nursing homes and contributed to the coronavirus ’ s spread .
The estimated number tallied by the AP amounts to what would have been a “ big and indefensible problem for facilities , ” the outlet reported .
“ It was the single dumbest decision anyone could make if they wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the directive , which prompted him to pull his 88-year-old father out of a Brooklyn nursing home where more than 50 people have died .
His father later died of Covid-19 at home .
“ This isn ’ t rocket science , ” Arbeeny said .
“ We knew the most vulnerable—the elderly and compromised—are in nursing homes and rehab centers.
” CBS New York reported Friday that the conoravirus has taken the lives of almost 5 % of nursing home residents in the state , and this week the Cuomo tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Why did the state do that with Covid patients in nursing homes ?
” asked Cuomo .
“ It ’ s because the state followed President Trump ’ s CDC guidelines .
So they should ask President Trump.
” In an op-ed at the Guardian on Wednesday questioning the recent accolades heaped on the New York governor—including suggestions that Cuomo run for president—journalists Lyta Gold and Nathan Robinson of Current Affairs magazine write that “ Cuomo should be one of the most loathed officials in America right now .
” Gold and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s high death toll from the virus should sit largely with Cuomo .
“ Federal failures played a role , of course , but this tragedy was absolutely due , in part , to decisions by the governor , ” they wrote , citing as examples his failure to take swift action , delays in imposing social distancing measures , Medicaid cuts both before and after the start of the pandemic , and his partnership with Silicon Valley billionaires to “ reimagine education.
” “ This is the problem : for too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by ‘ whether they are better than Republicans , ’ wrote Gold and Robinson .
“ This sets the bar very low indeed , and means that Democrats end up settling for incompetent and amoral leaders who betray progressive values again and again .
”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing new criticism after the Associated Press reported Friday that a state directive led to over 4,300 still recovering coronavirus patients being sent to New York’s “already vulnerable nursing homes.”
“It was a death sentence,” tweeted Daniel Choi, a doctor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He called the directive a “horrendous idea” and “definitely not something any doctor taking care of nursing home patients would have signed off on.”
The state health department directive (pdf), issued March 25, barred nursing homes from requiring patients deemed “medically stable” from being tested for Covid-19 prior to admission. Cuomo, a Democrat, rescinded the order May 10, but not before thousands of infected patients likely entered nursing homes and contributed to the coronavirus’s spread.
The estimated number tallied by the AP amounts to what would have been a “big and indefensible problem for facilities,” the outlet reported.
From the AP:
“It was the single dumbest decision anyone could make if they wanted to kill people,” Daniel Arbeeny said of the directive, which prompted him to pull his 88-year-old father out of a Brooklyn nursing home where more than 50 people have died. His father later died of Covid-19 at home. “This isn’t rocket science,” Arbeeny said. “We knew the most vulnerable—the elderly and compromised—are in nursing homes and rehab centers.”
CBS New York reported Friday that the conoravirus has taken the lives of almost 5% of nursing home residents in the state, and this week the Cuomo tried to deflect blame for the directive.
“Why did the state do that with Covid patients in nursing homes?” asked Cuomo. “It’s because the state followed President Trump’s CDC guidelines. So they should ask President Trump.”
In an op-ed at the Guardian on Wednesday questioning the recent accolades heaped on the New York governor—including suggestions that Cuomo run for president—journalists Lyta Gold and Nathan Robinson of Current Affairs magazine write that “Cuomo should be one of the most loathed officials in America right now. ”
Gold and Robinson argue that blame for New York’s high death toll from the virus should sit largely with Cuomo.
“Federal failures played a role, of course, but this tragedy was absolutely due, in part, to decisions by the governor,” they wrote, citing as examples his failure to take swift action, delays in imposing social distancing measures, Medicaid cuts both before and after the start of the pandemic, and his partnership with Silicon Valley billionaires to “reimagine education.”
“This is the problem: for too long, Democrats have measured their politicians by ‘whether they are better than Republicans,’ wrote Gold and Robinson. “This sets the bar very low indeed, and means that Democrats end up settling for incompetent and amoral leaders who betray progressive values again and again.”
Republished from CommonDreams.org under Creative Commons


wearechange--2020-05-22--Controversy Erupts After Biden Tells Black Voters Considering Trump “You Ain’t Black”

Joe Biden just massively insulted black voters – telling a popular black radio host on Friday that he ‘ ain ’ t black ’ if he was still weighing whether to support Biden or Trump in the November election .
Biden ’ s comment came during an interview with “ The Breakfast Club ” host Charlamagne tha God , who challenged the former VP over his decades-long record on racial issues and asked him about possibly choosing a black , female running mate , according to Politico .
“ I ’ m not acknowledging anybody who is being considered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple black women being considered .
Multiple , ” said Biden of his ( handlers ’ ) search for a VP nominee .
It was then that an aide to the Biden campaign could be heard interjecting into the conversation , attempting to cut short the interview .
“ Thank you so much .
That ’ s really our time .
I apologize , ” the aide said .
“ You can ’ t do that to black media !
” Charlamagne retored .
“ I do that to white media and black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on at 6 o ’ clock , ” Biden shot back , apparently referring to a subsequent media appearance by Dr. Jill Biden , before adding : “ Uh oh .
I ’ m in trouble.
” “ Listen , you ’ ve got to come see us when you come to New York , VP Biden , ” Charlamagne said .
“ It ’ s a long way until November .
We ’ ve got more questions.
” “ You ’ ve got more questions ?
” Biden replied .
“ Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a problem figuring out whether you ’ re for me or Trump , then you ain ’ t black .
” Charlamagne explained that “ it don ’ t have nothing to do with Trump , it has to do with the fact [ that ] I want something for my community.
” But Biden remained adamant in promoting what he described as a career of public service devoted to advancing civil rights .
–Politico Needless to say , while Biden ’ s comment will probably go unnoticed by his MSM surrogates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter users : No word on whether Biden thinks black Trump supporters ’ kids are as bright as white kids .

Joe Biden just massively insulted black voters – telling a popular black radio host on Friday that he ‘ain’t black’ if he was still weighing whether to support Biden or Trump in the November election.
WHAT IF DONALD TRUMP HAD SAID THIS? Will Joe Biden get a pass on this??? I had to watch 3 times to make sure I actually heard what he said. Here it is verbatim: “if you have a problem figuring out if you’re for me or Trump, then YOU AIN’T BLACK” ?? https://t.co/h7xOwMecA0 — Lara Trump (@LaraLeaTrump) May 22, 2020
Biden’s comment came during an interview with “The Breakfast Club” host Charlamagne tha God, who challenged the former VP over his decades-long record on racial issues and asked him about possibly choosing a black, female running mate, according to Politico.
“I’m not acknowledging anybody who is being considered, but I guarantee you, there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple,” said Biden of his (handlers’) search for a VP nominee.
It was then that an aide to the Biden campaign could be heard interjecting into the conversation, attempting to cut short the interview. “Thank you so much. That’s really our time. I apologize,” the aide said. “You can’t do that to black media!” Charlamagne retored. “I do that to white media and black media because my wife has to go on at 6 o’clock,” Biden shot back, apparently referring to a subsequent media appearance by Dr. Jill Biden, before adding: “Uh oh. I’m in trouble.” “Listen, you’ve got to come see us when you come to New York, VP Biden,” Charlamagne said. “It’s a long way until November. We’ve got more questions.” “You’ve got more questions?” Biden replied. “ Well I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black. ” Charlamagne explained that “it don’t have nothing to do with Trump, it has to do with the fact [that] I want something for my community.” But Biden remained adamant in promoting what he described as a career of public service devoted to advancing civil rights. –Politico
Needless to say, while Biden’s comment will probably go unnoticed by his MSM surrogates, it hasn’t slipped past Twitter users:
"If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't Black." – Joe Biden Joe thinks if you’re Black, the Democratic Party owns your vote. If you’re Black and don’t want to vote for Joe… He says you aren’t Black. Racist! pic.twitter.com/br8Z06Ncqr — Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) May 22, 2020
WHAT IN THE ACTUAL RACIST F*CK? pic.twitter.com/eBCgICkbqe — Ali † (@ali) May 22, 2020
I’ve never heard anything more racist than @JoeBiden discrediting my blackness because I refuse to allow the color of my skin to dictate my politics. I’m disgusted. — CJ Pearson (@thecjpearson) May 22, 2020
#YouAintBlack I am very Black. And, I am voting for @realDonaldTrump you SEALED the deal @JoeBiden you're the worst kind of racist, one that will insult one to the face! @iamwandasykes anyone voting for Joe is sick. pic.twitter.com/fdWg1Bpe4v — Author – Carol D. Mitchell (@suzy1493) May 22, 2020
#joebiden said “If you have a problem figuring out if you are for him or Trump.. you ain’t black” Do you agree ?? — The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) May 22, 2020
Full interview here:
No word on whether Biden thinks black Trump supporters’ kids are as bright as white kids.
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-05-22--Which Side Of The ‘Vaccine Information War’ Are You On?

In a recently published opinion piece , The New York Times all but declared war against Americans who question the safety of vaccines .
Of course , the war being waged is – for the moment – a war of words , an Information War .
This skeptical and vocal group – collectively and pejoratively known as anti-vaxxers – have successfully built a movement of parents , activists , doctors , and journalists who question the safety of vaccines ; the schedule and frequency of immunizations ; the legality and morality of forced vaccinations ; and the influence of Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the NY Times , Americans who question vaccines , or those who simply support freedom of choice and bodily autonomy , are a part of the roadblock to public acceptance of a coming COVID-19 vaccine and they must be stopped .
The Times ’ piece , Get Ready for a Vaccine Information War , outlines how “ social media is already filling up with misinformation about a Covid-19 vaccine , months or years before one even exists.
” The writer goes on to outline his worst fear – “ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half the country refuses to take it ?
” “ It occurred to me that all the misinformation we ’ ve seen so far — the false rumors that 5G cellphone towers fuel the coronavirus , that drinking bleach or injecting UV rays can cure it , that Dr. Anthony Fauci is part of an anti-Trump conspiracy — may be just the warm-up act for a much bigger information war when an effective vaccine becomes available to the public .
This war could pit public health officials and politicians against an anti-vaccination movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theories and propaganda aimed at convincing people that the vaccine is a menace rather than a lifesaving , economy-rescuing miracle .
Scariest of all ?
It could actually work.
” The writer goes on to express his fear there are several reasons the “ anti-vaxxers ” might succeed in their efforts to “ sow doubt ” about a COVID-19 vaccine .
The Very Real Concerns Of ‘ Anti-Vaxxers ’ The writer admits that the “ pandemic ’ s urgency ” increases the likelihood that a COVID-19 vaccine will be fast-tracked through testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go through years of clinical trials and careful studies of possible long-term side effects , the way other drugs do , ” he concedes .
However , rather than exploring the potential pitfalls of approving an untested vaccine and attempting to inoculate the entire world , the writer focuses his efforts on making sure the reader is aware that the lack of testing “ could create an opening for anti-vaccine activists to claim that it is untested and dangerous , and to spin reasonable concerns about the vaccine into widespread , unfounded fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his editor ) seem more concerned with scoring points against the vaccine skeptics rather than investigating whether fast-tracking vaccines is the best path forward .
The second reason he believes the skeptics could succeed in creating doubt about a COVID-19 vaccine relates to those who are involved in the production and distribution of future vaccines , namely the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Health Organization .
He warns if these two organizations lead the way “ anti-vaccine activists , who have been crusading against these groups for years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to discredit them.
” Once again , rather than exploring the concerns of the public and fact-checking the many existing conflicts of interest involving Bill Gates , The Times dismisses the concerns as “ baseless conspiracy theories.
” The Last American Vagabond has repeatedly exposed how the Gates Foundation ( and the Gates-funded WHO ) are funding a nexus of various non-profits , NGOs , government bodies , and pharmaceutical companies .
Finally , The Times acknowledges that one of the biggest fears of the skeptics – that travel , work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proof of vaccination – is likely true but dismisses any attempt at dialogue on the topic .
“ Third , if and when a Covid-19 vaccine is approved for widespread use , people may be required to take it before being allowed to fly on certain airlines , attend certain schools or enter certain businesses , ” he admits .
Of course , to this writer and The NY Times , “ That ’ s a good idea , public health-wise , but it would play into some of the worst fears of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledge that many activists are concerned about mandatory vaccinations .
Beyond the one sentence acknowledgement , he does not dare dive deep into the constitutional questions surrounding forced vaccinations .
While he notes that people may be required to receive a vaccine to fly , work , attend school , or enter certain businesses , he does not bother answering the question of why Americans are concerned about such policies .
Instead , the writer and The Times stake their claims on the pro-vaccine , pro-government force side of the debate .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war ” is coming they clearly establish their position and make it known they believe in the “ need to mobilize a pro-vaccine movement that is as devoted , as internet-savvy and as compelling as the anti-vaccine movement.
” They call for the CDC and WHO to wage a “ hearts-and-minds campaign to restore faith in the medical establishment , ” social media companies to “ take the threat of vaccine-related misinformation seriously , ” and for the pro-vaccine , pro-force crowd to “ do everything we can to reach the people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-vaccine propaganda.
” While The Times believes that public desire to “ return to normal life might overpower anti-vaccine activism , ” it appears the COVID-19 pandemic has invigorated the vaccine skeptics and supporters of health freedom .
However , The Times is correct – there is an information war taking place at this very moment .
This information war has been waged throughout the history of kingdoms , churches , and states .
At this point in history one of the most crucial aspects of this information war is the vaccine information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stages of the battle for hearts and minds – the struggle between those who believe in freedom and those who believe in control .
More specifically , the fight between the principles of self-ownership , freedom of choice , freedom of association , and basic human dignity.. and those who believe in collectivism , force , and slavery .

In a recently published opinion piece, The New York Times all but declared war against Americans who question the safety of vaccines. Of course, the war being waged is – for the moment – a war of words, an Information War.
This skeptical and vocal group – collectively and pejoratively known as anti-vaxxers – have successfully built a movement of parents, activists, doctors, and journalists who question the safety of vaccines; the schedule and frequency of immunizations; the legality and morality of forced vaccinations; and the influence of Big Pharma on vaccine safety studies.
Yet, according to the NY Times, Americans who question vaccines, or those who simply support freedom of choice and bodily autonomy, are a part of the roadblock to public acceptance of a coming COVID-19 vaccine and they must be stopped. The Times’ piece, Get Ready for a Vaccine Information War, outlines how “social media is already filling up with misinformation about a Covid-19 vaccine, months or years before one even exists.” The writer goes on to outline his worst fear – “What if we get a Covid-19 vaccine and half the country refuses to take it?”
He continues:
“It occurred to me that all the misinformation we’ve seen so far — the false rumors that 5G cellphone towers fuel the coronavirus, that drinking bleach or injecting UV rays can cure it, that Dr. Anthony Fauci is part of an anti-Trump conspiracy — may be just the warm-up act for a much bigger information war when an effective vaccine becomes available to the public. This war could pit public health officials and politicians against an anti-vaccination movement that floods social media with misinformation, conspiracy theories and propaganda aimed at convincing people that the vaccine is a menace rather than a lifesaving, economy-rescuing miracle. Scariest of all? It could actually work.”
The writer goes on to express his fear there are several reasons the “anti-vaxxers” might succeed in their efforts to “sow doubt” about a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Very Real Concerns Of ‘Anti-Vaxxers’
The writer admits that the “pandemic’s urgency” increases the likelihood that a COVID-19 vaccine will be fast-tracked through testing and approval. “It may not go through years of clinical trials and careful studies of possible long-term side effects, the way other drugs do,” he concedes. However, rather than exploring the potential pitfalls of approving an untested vaccine and attempting to inoculate the entire world, the writer focuses his efforts on making sure the reader is aware that the lack of testing “could create an opening for anti-vaccine activists to claim that it is untested and dangerous, and to spin reasonable concerns about the vaccine into widespread, unfounded fears about its safety.”
The writer (and his editor) seem more concerned with scoring points against the vaccine skeptics rather than investigating whether fast-tracking vaccines is the best path forward.
The second reason he believes the skeptics could succeed in creating doubt about a COVID-19 vaccine relates to those who are involved in the production and distribution of future vaccines, namely the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Health Organization. He warns if these two organizations lead the way “anti-vaccine activists, who have been crusading against these groups for years, will have plenty of material stockpiled to try to discredit them.” Once again, rather than exploring the concerns of the public and fact-checking the many existing conflicts of interest involving Bill Gates, The Times dismisses the concerns as “baseless conspiracy theories.”
The Last American Vagabond has repeatedly exposed how the Gates Foundation (and the Gates-funded WHO) are funding a nexus of various non-profits, NGOs, government bodies, and pharmaceutical companies.
Finally, The Times acknowledges that one of the biggest fears of the skeptics – that travel, work, and normal life might not resume without proof of vaccination – is likely true but dismisses any attempt at dialogue on the topic. “Third, if and when a Covid-19 vaccine is approved for widespread use, people may be required to take it before being allowed to fly on certain airlines, attend certain schools or enter certain businesses,” he admits. Of course, to this writer and The NY Times, “That’s a good idea, public health-wise, but it would play into some of the worst fears of the anti-vaccine movement.” The writer does acknowledge that many activists are concerned about mandatory vaccinations.
Beyond the one sentence acknowledgement, he does not dare dive deep into the constitutional questions surrounding forced vaccinations. While he notes that people may be required to receive a vaccine to fly, work, attend school, or enter certain businesses, he does not bother answering the question of why Americans are concerned about such policies.
Instead, the writer and The Times stake their claims on the pro-vaccine, pro-government force side of the debate. In their declaration that a “vaccine information war” is coming they clearly establish their position and make it known they believe in the “need to mobilize a pro-vaccine movement that is as devoted, as internet-savvy and as compelling as the anti-vaccine movement.” They call for the CDC and WHO to wage a “hearts-and-minds campaign to restore faith in the medical establishment,” social media companies to “take the threat of vaccine-related misinformation seriously,” and for the pro-vaccine, pro-force crowd to “do everything we can to reach the people in our lives who might be susceptible to anti-vaccine propaganda.”
While The Times believes that public desire to “return to normal life might overpower anti-vaccine activism,” it appears the COVID-19 pandemic has invigorated the vaccine skeptics and supporters of health freedom. However, The Times is correct – there is an information war taking place at this very moment. This information war has been waged throughout the history of kingdoms, churches, and states.
At this point in history one of the most crucial aspects of this information war is the vaccine information war. We are in the final stages of the battle for hearts and minds – the struggle between those who believe in freedom and those who believe in control. More specifically, the fight between the principles of self-ownership, freedom of choice, freedom of association, and basic human dignity.. and those who believe in collectivism, force, and slavery.
Republished from TheLastAmericanVagabond.com under Creative Commons


wearechange--2020-05-22--Washington State Loses “Hundreds Of Millions” To Nigerian Unemployment Claims Fraud Scheme

Just when you thought the world has reached a level of peak absurdity , the Nigerian scheme makes a grand reappearance .
Washington state officials admitted losing “ hundreds of millions of dollars ” to an international fraud scheme , originating out of Nigeria , that robbed the state ’ s unemployment insurance system and could mean even longer delays for thousands of jobless workers still waiting for legitimate benefits .
As the Seattle Times reported , Suzi LeVine , commissioner of the state Employment Security Department ( ESD ) , disclosed the staggering losses during a news conference Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much money was stolen during the scam , which she said appears to be orchestrated out of Nigeria but she conceded that the amount was “ orders of magnitude above ” the $ 1.6 million that ESD reported losing to fraudsters in April .
While LeVine said state and law enforcement officials were working to recover as much of the stolen money as possible , she declined to say how much had been returned so far .
She also said the ESD had taken “ a number of steps ” to prevent new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but would not specify the steps to avoid alerting criminals .
Thursday ’ s disclosure helped explain the unusual surge in the number of new jobless claims filed last week in Washington , which as we showed this morning was the state with the highest weekly increase in claims .
On Wednesday , the state ’ s monthly employment report for April showed Washington with a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 15.4 % , up from 5.1 % in March .
The national unemployment rate for April stood at 14.7 % , seasonally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 , the ESD received 138,733 initial claims for unemployment insurance , a 26.8 % increase over the prior week and one of the biggest weekly surges since the coronavirus crisis began .
That sharp increase came as the number of initial jobless claims nationwide fell 9.2 % , to 2.4 million , according to data released earlier in the day by the Labor Department .
Indeed , the surge in claims made Washington the state with the highest percentage of its civilian labor force filing unemployment claims – at 30.8 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation , a nonpartisan Washington , D.C. , think tank .
Nevada , the next-highest state , reported claims from 24.5 % of its civilian workforce .
It now appears that many of those claims were fictitious and emanated from some computer in Nigeria .
The disclosure came as the state was already struggling to process an unprecedented wave of legitimate jobless claims amid one of the worst economic crises in U.S. history .
Some additional delays in benefits payments to legitimate claimants are likely as the ESD subjects all claims to more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most angry , and the most upset — that we need to delay payments to Washingtonians who need the benefits , ” LeVine said adding that “ we need to also build in more time for analysis .
So going forward , we want to set expectations that we will add an additional one to two days to our processing time.
” That delay follows a decision last Thursday to temporarily suspend benefit payments for two days .
The delay came after the ESD disclosed that it had seen a surge in bogus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be targeting the extra-generous benefits available under federal pandemic relief legislation .
That same day , the Secret Service issued an alert describing Washington as the top target so far of a Nigerian fraud ring “ exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to commit large-scale fraud against state unemployment insurance programs.
” It remains unclear how the fraudulent benefit payments made their way all the way to Nigeria .

Just when you thought the world has reached a level of peak absurdity, the Nigerian scheme makes a grand reappearance.
Washington state officials admitted losing “hundreds of millions of dollars” to an international fraud scheme, originating out of Nigeria, that robbed the state’s unemployment insurance system and could mean even longer delays for thousands of jobless workers still waiting for legitimate benefits.
As the Seattle Times reported, Suzi LeVine, commissioner of the state Employment Security Department (ESD), disclosed the staggering losses during a news conference Thursday afternoon. LeVine declined to specify how much money was stolen during the scam, which she said appears to be orchestrated out of Nigeria but she conceded that the amount was “orders of magnitude above” the $1.6 million that ESD reported losing to fraudsters in April.
While LeVine said state and law enforcement officials were working to recover as much of the stolen money as possible, she declined to say how much had been returned so far. She also said the ESD had taken “a number of steps” to prevent new fraudulent claims from being filed or paid but would not specify the steps to avoid alerting criminals.
Thursday’s disclosure helped explain the unusual surge in the number of new jobless claims filed last week in Washington, which as we showed this morning was the state with the highest weekly increase in claims.
On Wednesday, the state’s monthly employment report for April showed Washington with a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 15.4%, up from 5.1% in March. The national unemployment rate for April stood at 14.7%, seasonally adjusted.
For the week ending May 16, the ESD received 138,733 initial claims for unemployment insurance, a 26.8% increase over the prior week and one of the biggest weekly surges since the coronavirus crisis began. That sharp increase came as the number of initial jobless claims nationwide fell 9.2%, to 2.4 million, according to data released earlier in the day by the Labor Department.
Indeed, the surge in claims made Washington the state with the highest percentage of its civilian labor force filing unemployment claims – at 30.8%, according to an analysis by the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan Washington, D.C., think tank. Nevada, the next-highest state, reported claims from 24.5% of its civilian workforce.
It now appears that many of those claims were fictitious and emanated from some computer in Nigeria.
The disclosure came as the state was already struggling to process an unprecedented wave of legitimate jobless claims amid one of the worst economic crises in U.S. history. Some additional delays in benefits payments to legitimate claimants are likely as the ESD subjects all claims to more scrutiny.
“This makes me the most angry, and the most upset — that we need to delay payments to Washingtonians who need the benefits,” LeVine said adding that “we need to also build in more time for analysis. So going forward, we want to set expectations that we will add an additional one to two days to our processing time.”
That delay follows a decision last Thursday to temporarily suspend benefit payments for two days. The delay came after the ESD disclosed that it had seen a surge in bogus claims reportedly filed by identity thieves who appeared to be targeting the extra-generous benefits available under federal pandemic relief legislation.
That same day, the Secret Service issued an alert describing Washington as the top target so far of a Nigerian fraud ring “exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to commit large-scale fraud against state unemployment insurance programs.”
It remains unclear how the fraudulent benefit payments made their way all the way to Nigeria.
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-05-21--Uh Oh… What’s Going On With China And The US?!

You ’ re probably not hearing about all of the different ways the US and China are clashing and coming closer and closer to a huge conflict .
It ’ s not just over the virus that Donald Trump is calling the Chinese “ plague.
” In this video , I cover how the U.S. and China are currently clashing over : Plus I explain how other countries like Iran are involved and this has the makings of something really bad .
As well as NATO raising the alarm about the possibility of China now coming into the West and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I explain has some merit But could also be used to kick off conflict .
Also what ’ s going on now with Hong Kong ?
Is China in the process of taking over Hong Kong ?
I explain to you the latest developments in today ’ s video .
The possibility of a conflict between the US and China is getting bigger and bigger .
Do you want to have your hard earned dollars sucked out of you Then spent on wars that needlessly kill people So criminal politicians and the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s why I created this shirt and wear it all the time .
Get yours now .
And stylishly get the very important message out .

You’re probably not hearing about all of the different ways the US and China are clashing and coming closer and closer to a huge conflict.
It’s not just over the virus that Donald Trump is calling the Chinese “plague.”
In this video, I cover how the U.S. and China are currently clashing over:
– Hong Kong
– Taiwan
– Trade and economic power
– Venezuela
Plus I explain how other countries like Iran are involved and this has the makings of something really bad.
As well as NATO raising the alarm about the possibility of China now coming into the West and buying up everything cheap.
Something that I explain has some merit
But could also be used to kick off conflict.
Also what’s going on now with Hong Kong?
Is China in the process of taking over Hong Kong? I explain to you the latest developments in today’s video.
War is Murder
The possibility of a conflict between the US and China is getting bigger and bigger.
Do you want to have your hard earned dollars sucked out of you
Then spent on wars that needlessly kill people
So criminal politicians and the military industrial complex can profit?
I know I don’t.
That’s why I created this shirt and wear it all the time.
Get yours now.
And stylishly get the very important message out.


wearechange--2020-05-21--COVID-19: Slippery Slope to Despotism Paved With Lockdowns, Raids and Forced Vaccinations

You have no rights .
That ’ s the lesson the government wants us to learn from this COVID-19 business .
Well , the government is wrong .
For years now , the powers-that-be—those politicians and bureaucrats who think like tyrants and act like petty dictators regardless of what party they belong to—have attempted to brainwash us into believing that we have no right to think for ourselves , make decisions about our health , protect our homes and families and businesses , act in our best interests , demand accountability and transparency from government , or generally operate as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own lives .
We have every right , and you know why ?
Because we were born free .
As the Declaration of Independence states , we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights—to life , liberty , property and the pursuit of happiness—that no government can take away from us .
Unfortunately , that hasn ’ t stopped the government from constantly trying to usurp our freedoms at every turn .
Indeed , the nature of government is such that it invariably oversteps its limits , abuses its authority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this COVID-19 crisis , for example .
What started out as an apparent effort to prevent a novel coronavirus from sickening the nation ( and the world ) has become yet another means by which world governments ( including our own ) can expand their powers , abuse their authority , and further oppress their constituents .
Until now , the police state has been more circumspect in its power grabs , but this latest state of emergency has brought the beast out of the shadows .
We are on a slippery slope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are traveling is paved with lockdowns , SWAT team raids , mass surveillance and forced vaccinations .
It is littered with the debris of our First and Fourth Amendment freedoms .
This is what we have to look forward to in the months and years to come unless we can find some way to regain control over our runaway government .
The government has made no secret of its plans .
Just follow the money trail , and you ’ ll get a sense of what ’ s in store : more militarized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more surveillance , more lockdowns , more strong-armed tactics aimed at suppressing dissent and forcing us to comply with the government ’ s dictates .
It ’ s chilling to think about , but it ’ s not surprising .
Remember that Pentagon training video created by the Army for U.S. Special Operations Command ?
The one that anticipates the future domestic political and social problems the government is grooming its armed forces to solve through the use of martial law ?
The chilling five-minute training video , obtained by The Intercept through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , paints a dystopian picture of the future bedeviled by “ criminal networks , ” “ substandard infrastructure , ” “ religious and ethnic tensions , ” “ impoverishment , slums , ” “ open landfills , over-burdened sewers , ” a “ growing mass of unemployed , ” and an urban landscape in which the prosperous economic elite must be protected from the impoverishment of the have nots .
But here ’ s the kicker : what they ’ re really talking about is martial law , packaged as a well-meaning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security .
This COVID-19 crisis is pushing us that much closer to that dystopian vision becoming a present-day reality .
For starters , let ’ s talk about the COVID-19 stormtroopers , SWAT team raids and ongoing flare-ups of police brutality .
With millions of dollars in stimulus funds being directed towards policing agencies across the country , the federal government plans to fight this COVID-19 virus with riot gear , gas masks , ballistic helmets , drones , and hi-tech surveillance technology .
Indeed , although crime rates have fallen dramatically in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there ’ s been no relief from the brutality and violence of the American police state .
While the majority of the country has been social distancing under varying degrees of lockdowns , it ’ s been business as usual for the nation ’ s SWAT teams and police trained to shoot first and ask questions later .
In Kentucky , plain-clothed cops in unmarked cars used a battering ram to break down Breonna Taylor ’ s door and carry out a no-knock raid on her home after midnight .
Fearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technician and her boyfriend—who had been in bed at the time of the invasion—called 911 and prepared to defend themselves .
Taylor ’ s boyfriend shot one of the intruders—later identified as police—in the leg .
Police fired at least 20 shots into the apartment and a neighboring home , killing Taylor .
The drug dealer who was the target of the late-night raid lived 10 miles away and had already been arrested prior to the raid on Taylor ’ s home .
In Illinois , police opened fire in a subway station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resisted their attempts to tackle and arrest him for violating a city ordinance by passing between two cars of a moving train .
Ariel Roman , a short-order cook , claimed he was suffering from an anxiety attack when he was “ harassed , chased , tackled , pepper-sprayed , tasered and shot twice ” by police .
In Maryland , police dispatched on a nuisance call to break up a crowd of neighborhood kids ( half of them teenagers , and the other half youngsters around 4 and 5 years old ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened fire on a 29-year-old man seen exiting his car with a gun .
An eyewitness claimed , “ the officer pointed a flashlight and his gun at the group immediately and began chasing and shooting a minute or two after getting out of the patrol car.
” Police reportedly shot the man after he threw down his gun and ran in the opposite direction .
In Virginia , more than 80 local , state , and federal police agents risked spreading COVID-19 to “ a highly vulnerable population ” when they raided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an effort to crack down on six individuals suspected of selling , on average , $ 20 to $ 100 worth of drugs .
In Texas , a SWAT team backed up with a military tank Armored Personnel Carrier raided Big Daddy Zane ’ s Bar whose owner and patrons were staging a peaceful First and Second Amendment protest of the governor ’ s shutdown orders .
Police have even been called out to shut down churches , schools and public parks and beaches that have been found “ in violation ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s talk of mobilizing the military to deliver forced vaccinations , mass surveillance in order to carry out contact tracing , and heavy fines and jail time for those who dare to venture out without a mask , congregate in worship without the government ’ s blessing , or re-open their businesses without the government ’ s say-so .
There are rumblings that the Transportation Security Administration ( TSA ) will start thermal screenings to monitor passengers ’ temperatures in coming weeks .
This is in addition to the virtual strip searches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security .
Restaurants in parts of the country are being tasked with keeping daily logs of phone numbers , emails , and arrival times for everybody who participates in dine-services , with no mention of how long such records will be kept on file , with whom they will be shared , and under what circumstances .
With the help of Google and Nest cameras , hospitals are morphing into real-time surveillance centers with round-the-clock surveillance cameras monitoring traffic in patients ’ rooms .
Forget patient privacy , however .
Google has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police .
And then rounding out the power-grabs , the Senate just voted to give police access to web browsing data without a warrant , which would dramatically expand the government ’ s Patriot Act surveillance powers .
The Senate also voted to give Attorney General William Barr the ability to look through the web browsing history of any American — including journalists , politicians , and political rivals — without a warrant , just by saying it is relevant to an investigation .
If enacted , privacy experts warn that the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by potentially preventing the media from exposing abuses of power or acting as a watchdog against political leaders .
If we haven ’ t already crossed over , we ’ re skating dangerously close to that line that keeps us on the functioning side of a constitutional republic .
It won ’ t take much to push us over that edge into a full-blown banana republic .

You have no rights. That’s the lesson the government wants us to learn from this COVID-19 business. Well, the government is wrong.
For years now, the powers-that-be—those politicians and bureaucrats who think like tyrants and act like petty dictators regardless of what party they belong to—have attempted to brainwash us into believing that we have no right to think for ourselves, make decisions about our health, protect our homes and families and businesses, act in our best interests, demand accountability and transparency from government, or generally operate as if we are in control of our own lives.
We have every right, and you know why? Because we were born free.
As the Declaration of Independence states, we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights—to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness—that no government can take away from us.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t stopped the government from constantly trying to usurp our freedoms at every turn. Indeed, the nature of government is such that it invariably oversteps its limits, abuses its authority, and flexes its totalitarian muscles.
Take this COVID-19 crisis, for example.
What started out as an apparent effort to prevent a novel coronavirus from sickening the nation (and the world) has become yet another means by which world governments (including our own) can expand their powers, abuse their authority, and further oppress their constituents.
Until now, the police state has been more circumspect in its power grabs, but this latest state of emergency has brought the beast out of the shadows.
We are on a slippery slope to outright despotism.
This road we are traveling is paved with lockdowns, SWAT team raids, mass surveillance and forced vaccinations. It is littered with the debris of our First and Fourth Amendment freedoms.
This is what we have to look forward to in the months and years to come unless we can find some way to regain control over our runaway government.
The government has made no secret of its plans.
Just follow the money trail, and you’ll get a sense of what’s in store: more militarized police, more SWAT team raids, more surveillance, more lockdowns, more strong-armed tactics aimed at suppressing dissent and forcing us to comply with the government’s dictates.
It’s chilling to think about, but it’s not surprising.
We’ve been warned.
Remember that Pentagon training video created by the Army for U.S. Special Operations Command? The one that anticipates the future domestic political and social problems the government is grooming its armed forces to solve through the use of martial law?
The chilling five-minute training video, obtained by The Intercept through a FOIA request and made available online, paints a dystopian picture of the future bedeviled by “criminal networks,” “substandard infrastructure,” “religious and ethnic tensions,” “impoverishment, slums,” “open landfills, over-burdened sewers,” a “growing mass of unemployed,” and an urban landscape in which the prosperous economic elite must be protected from the impoverishment of the have nots.
But here’s the kicker: what they’re really talking about is martial law, packaged as a well-meaning and overriding concern for the nation’s security.
This COVID-19 crisis is pushing us that much closer to that dystopian vision becoming a present-day reality.
For starters, let’s talk about the COVID-19 stormtroopers, SWAT team raids and ongoing flare-ups of police brutality.
With millions of dollars in stimulus funds being directed towards policing agencies across the country, the federal government plans to fight this COVID-19 virus with riot gear, gas masks, ballistic helmets, drones, and hi-tech surveillance technology.
Indeed, although crime rates have fallen dramatically in the midst of this global COVID-19 lockdown, there’s been no relief from the brutality and violence of the American police state.
While the majority of the country has been social distancing under varying degrees of lockdowns, it’s been business as usual for the nation’s SWAT teams and police trained to shoot first and ask questions later.
In Kentucky, plain-clothed cops in unmarked cars used a battering ram to break down Breonna Taylor’s door and carry out a no-knock raid on her home after midnight. Fearing a home invasion, the 26-year-old emergency medical technician and her boyfriend—who had been in bed at the time of the invasion—called 911 and prepared to defend themselves. Taylor’s boyfriend shot one of the intruders—later identified as police—in the leg. Police fired at least 20 shots into the apartment and a neighboring home, killing Taylor. The drug dealer who was the target of the late-night raid lived 10 miles away and had already been arrested prior to the raid on Taylor’s home.
In Illinois, police opened fire in a subway station, shooting a 33-year-old man who allegedly resisted their attempts to tackle and arrest him for violating a city ordinance by passing between two cars of a moving train. Ariel Roman, a short-order cook, claimed he was suffering from an anxiety attack when he was “harassed, chased, tackled, pepper-sprayed, tasered and shot twice” by police.
In Maryland, police dispatched on a nuisance call to break up a crowd of neighborhood kids (half of them teenagers, and the other half youngsters around 4 and 5 years old) gathered in an apartment complex parking lot opened fire on a 29-year-old man seen exiting his car with a gun. An eyewitness claimed, “the officer pointed a flashlight and his gun at the group immediately and began chasing and shooting a minute or two after getting out of the patrol car.” Police reportedly shot the man after he threw down his gun and ran in the opposite direction.
In Virginia, more than 80 local, state, and federal police agents risked spreading COVID-19 to “a highly vulnerable population” when they raided a low income, public housing community in an effort to crack down on six individuals suspected of selling, on average, $20 to $100 worth of drugs.
In Texas, a SWAT team backed up with a military tank Armored Personnel Carrier raided Big Daddy Zane’s Bar whose owner and patrons were staging a peaceful First and Second Amendment protest of the governor’s shutdown orders.
Police have even been called out to shut down churches, schools and public parks and beaches that have been found “in violation” of various lockdown orders.
Now there’s talk of mobilizing the military to deliver forced vaccinations, mass surveillance in order to carry out contact tracing, and heavy fines and jail time for those who dare to venture out without a mask, congregate in worship without the government’s blessing, or re-open their businesses without the government’s say-so.
There are rumblings that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will start thermal screenings to monitor passengers’ temperatures in coming weeks. This is in addition to the virtual strip searches that have become routine aspects of airport security.
Restaurants in parts of the country are being tasked with keeping daily logs of phone numbers, emails, and arrival times for everybody who participates in dine-services, with no mention of how long such records will be kept on file, with whom they will be shared, and under what circumstances.
With the help of Google and Nest cameras, hospitals are morphing into real-time surveillance centers with round-the-clock surveillance cameras monitoring traffic in patients’ rooms. Forget patient privacy, however. Google has a track record of sharing surveillance footage with police.
And then rounding out the power-grabs, the Senate just voted to give police access to web browsing data without a warrant, which would dramatically expand the government’s Patriot Act surveillance powers. The Senate also voted to give Attorney General William Barr the ability to look through the web browsing history of any American — including journalists, politicians, and political rivals — without a warrant, just by saying it is relevant to an investigation. If enacted, privacy experts warn that the new provisions threaten to undermine the free press by potentially preventing the media from exposing abuses of power or acting as a watchdog against political leaders.
If we haven’t already crossed over, we’re skating dangerously close to that line that keeps us on the functioning side of a constitutional republic. It won’t take much to push us over that edge into a full-blown banana republic.
In many ways, this is just more of the same heavy-handed tactics we’ve been seeing in recent years but with one major difference: this COVID-19 state of emergency has invested government officials (and those who view their lives as more valuable than ours) with a sanctimonious, self-righteous, arrogant, Big Brother Knows Best approach to top-down governing, and the fall-out can be seen far and wide. It’s an ugly, self-serving mindset that views the needs, lives and rights of “we the people” as insignificant when compared to those in power. That’s how someone who should know better such as Alan Dershowitz, a former Harvard law professor, can suggest that a free people—born in freedom, endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights, and living in a country birthed out of a revolutionary struggle for individual liberty—have no rights to economic freedom, to bodily integrity, or to refuse to comply with a government order with which they disagree. According to Dershowitz, who has become little more than a legal apologist for the power elite, “You have no right not to be vaccinated, you have no right not to wear a mask, you have no right to open up your business… And if you refuse to be vaccinated, the state has the power to literally take you to a doctor’s office and plunge a needle into your arm.” Dershowitz is wrong: while the courts may increasingly defer to the government’s brand of Nanny State authoritarianism, we still have rights. The government may try to abridge those rights, it may refuse to recognize them, it may even attempt to declare martial law and nullify them, but it cannot litigate, legislate or forcefully eradicate them out of existence. Up to now, we’ve been largely passive participants in this experiment in self-governance. Our inaction and inattention has left us at the mercy of power-hungry politicians, corrupt corporations and brutal, government-funded militias. Wake up, America. As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, these ongoing violations of our rights—this attitude by the government that we have no rights—this tyrannical movement that is overtaking our constitutional republic and gaining in momentum and power by the minute—this incessant auction block in which government officials appointed to represent our best interests keep selling us out to the highest bidder—all of these betrayals scream for a response. To quote the great Rod Serling: If we don’t listen to that scream—and if we don’t respond to it—we may well wind up sitting amidst our own rubble, looking for the truck that hit us—or the bomb that pulverized us. Get the license number of whatever it was that destroyed the dream. And I think we will find that the vehicle was registered in our own name.” Republished from Rutherford.org with permission


wearechange--2020-05-21--Creator of Florida’s COVID-19 Dashboard Says She Was Fired for Refusing to Manipulate Data

Rebekah Jones doesn ’ t expect her replacement at Florida ’ s DOH ’ s Division of Disease Control and Health Protection ( DDCHP ) to provide “ the same level of accessibility and transparency ” that she had been committed to providing as geographic information system ( GIS ) manager and architect of the state ’ s lauded COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard .
Jones blames that very commitment to data accessibility and transparency as the motivating factor for her reassignment on May 5 .
In an email to a local CBS news affiliate in Tallahassee , she made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DDCHP had asked her to cook the books and “ manually change data to drum up support for the plan to reopen.
” When she refused , Jones was taken off the job and offered a settlement with the option to resign .
Just fifteen days before news of the Syracuse University graduate ’ s removal broke , Dr. Deborah Birx – a member of the White House ’ s Coronavirus Task Force – went out of her way on national television to praise the system Jones had built , suggesting Americans visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how Florida had been able to display information about COVID-19 cases and tests at a granular level , “ district by district , county by county ” .
Birx , who has not yet commented on the Jones firing , said yesterday that she was “ encouraged ” by “ clinical , laboratory data and surveillance data ” showing a 50 percent decline in new COVID-19 cases throughout the U.S. over the last month .
Meanwhile , the data dashboard Birx had extolled on “ Face the Nation ” has crashed several times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the underlying data sheets , and , according to Jones , still has not yet been “ fully repaired.
” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ’ spokeswoman , Helen Aguirre Ferré , blamed Jones ’ firing on “ insubordination ” in an email communication issued after a press conference in which DeSantis claimed not to know who Jones was .
Ferré ’ s email accused the former GIS manager of making “ unilateral decisions to modify the Department ’ s COVID-19 dashboard without input or approval from the epidemiological team or her supervisors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jones ’ narrative and adding fuel to the fire of what looks to be the beginning of a political battle at the state level .
Florida ’ s Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried , the lone Democrat holding office at the state level , addressed Governor DeSantis in an open letter decrying Jones ’ firing as undermining “ trust in our government , ” and warning that such actions are “ extraordinarily dangerous to public health.
” The chair of Florida ’ s Democratic Party followed suit by calling for an independent investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and going as far as labelling these actions as potentially “ criminal.
” U.S .
Representatives Lois Frankel and Kathy Castor also joined in condemning DeSantis and called attention to Florida ’ s “ troubling pattern ” of withholding data as it regards overall mortality rates in the state .
Despite the obvious political fodder inherent in the Jones controversy , exclusive insight provided this the author about a parallel event that recently took place across state lines in Georgia might reveal a more disturbing picture as coronavirus containment protocols open the door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of information in less and less hands .
On May 12 , a week after Rebekah Jones had been reassigned , an emergency meeting was called at Grady Health Systems – a major hospital network serving greater Atlanta to announce to the staff of telemedicine workers that the data dashboard they use to track cases of COVID-19 was being taken over by a new team of cybersecurity experts .
According to confidential sources , the meeting was a highly emotional affair as Grady ’ s in-house IT department was let go after more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s cybersecurity operations .
Outgoing members of Grady ’ s IT department had barely been given the news a day earlier .
The new team from a private cybersecurity firm called IT-CNP was introduced to the staff at the meeting .
Founded in November 2001 , IT-CNP has a longstanding relationship with the Department of Health and Human Services .
In 2017 , it was awarded a Blanket Purchase Agreement ( BPA ) contract by HHS to “ provide Next Generation IT Services ( NGITS ) application hosting , FedRAMP certified cloud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IT-CNP ’ s President , Sal Baldwin , asserted this contract would advance efforts around “ artificial intelligence in service automation and operational efficiencies in direct support of rapidly evolving HHS mission objectives.
” Given the revelations contained in a multi-part investigative series co-authored by this author with Whitney Webb , this development at Grady Health Systems coupled with the recent events surrounding access to COVID-19 case data in Florida could point to a broader national effort to clamp down on reliable and transparent information about coronavirus cases across the country , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move towards reopening .
It is also worth noting that none of the existing coverage of Jones ’ ouster makes it clear who exactly was put in charge of Florida ’ s COVID-19 dashboard .
Limiting access to raw COVID-19 case data has direct repercussions on everything from how states implement reopening protocols to how many resources are allocated through federal government programs to fight the healthcare crisis that is unfolding .
Jay Wolfson , a Senior Associate Dean at the University of South Florida ’ s Morsani College of Medicine , attributes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raw data .
One revolves around the data being deemed “ too flawed ” and the other is that it might “ reveal information that could be disturbing or contrary to stated narratives.
” Even more disturbing was an assessment made by Asal M. Johnson , assistant Professor of Public Health at Stetson University , who pointed out that “ racial and ethnic data has been consistently excluded from Florida ’ s line listing of cases ” , speculating that this was being done to “ undermine evidence-based decision making ” to further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to control the data available to both the public and the scientific community in the throes of a pandemic has far reaching implications for the future of democracy in the United States , and the fact that control over said data is being handed over to private concerns – in the case of IT-CNP – and unknown actors within the Florida DOH should be a serious concern to us all .
We would be remiss not to pay close attention to Rebekah Jones ’ story and heeding the advice she gave in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data listserv : “ They are making a lot of changes , ” warned Jones .
“ I would advise being diligent in your respective uses of this data .
”

Rebekah Jones doesn’t expect her replacement at Florida’s DOH’s Division of Disease Control and Health Protection (DDCHP) to provide “the same level of accessibility and transparency” that she had been committed to providing as geographic information system (GIS) manager and architect of the state’s lauded COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard.
Jones blames that very commitment to data accessibility and transparency as the motivating factor for her reassignment on May 5. In an email to a local CBS news affiliate in Tallahassee, she made the explosive allegation that superiors at the DDCHP had asked her to cook the books and “manually change data to drum up support for the plan to reopen.” When she refused, Jones was taken off the job and offered a settlement with the option to resign.
Just fifteen days before news of the Syracuse University graduate’s removal broke, Dr. Deborah Birx – a member of the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force – went out of her way on national television to praise the system Jones had built, suggesting Americans visit the “extraordinary” website to see how Florida had been able to display information about COVID-19 cases and tests at a granular level, “district by district, county by county”.
Birx, who has not yet commented on the Jones firing, said yesterday that she was “encouraged” by “clinical, laboratory data and surveillance data” showing a 50 percent decline in new COVID-19 cases throughout the U.S. over the last month. Meanwhile, the data dashboard Birx had extolled on “Face the Nation” has crashed several times since Jones’ firing, limiting access to the underlying data sheets, and, according to Jones, still has not yet been “fully repaired.”
Political Fodder
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ spokeswoman, Helen Aguirre Ferré, blamed Jones’ firing on “insubordination” in an email communication issued after a press conference in which DeSantis claimed not to know who Jones was. Ferré’s email accused the former GIS manager of making “unilateral decisions to modify the Department’s COVID-19 dashboard without input or approval from the epidemiological team or her supervisors,” effectively turning the tables on Jones’ narrative and adding fuel to the fire of what looks to be the beginning of a political battle at the state level.
Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, the lone Democrat holding office at the state level, addressed Governor DeSantis in an open letter decrying Jones’ firing as undermining “trust in our government,” and warning that such actions are “extraordinarily dangerous to public health.” The chair of Florida’s Democratic Party followed suit by calling for an independent investigation of Jones’ allegations of data manipulation and going as far as labelling these actions as potentially “criminal.” U.S. Representatives Lois Frankel and Kathy Castor also joined in condemning DeSantis and called attention to Florida’s “troubling pattern” of withholding data as it regards overall mortality rates in the state.
Despite the obvious political fodder inherent in the Jones controversy, exclusive insight provided this the author about a parallel event that recently took place across state lines in Georgia might reveal a more disturbing picture as coronavirus containment protocols open the door for draconian surveillance measures and increasing concentration of information in less and less hands.
Emergency Meeting
On May 12, a week after Rebekah Jones had been reassigned, an emergency meeting was called at Grady Health Systems – a major hospital network serving greater Atlanta to announce to the staff of telemedicine workers that the data dashboard they use to track cases of COVID-19 was being taken over by a new team of cybersecurity experts.
According to confidential sources, the meeting was a highly emotional affair as Grady’s in-house IT department was let go after more than two decades managing the hospital network’s cybersecurity operations. Outgoing members of Grady’s IT department had barely been given the news a day earlier. The new team from a private cybersecurity firm called IT-CNP was introduced to the staff at the meeting.
Founded in November 2001, IT-CNP has a longstanding relationship with the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2017, it was awarded a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) contract by HHS to “provide Next Generation IT Services (NGITS) application hosting, FedRAMP certified cloud, and associated managed services”. IT-CNP’s President, Sal Baldwin, asserted this contract would advance efforts around “artificial intelligence in service automation and operational efficiencies in direct support of rapidly evolving HHS mission objectives.”
Given the revelations contained in a multi-part investigative series co-authored by this author with Whitney Webb, this development at Grady Health Systems coupled with the recent events surrounding access to COVID-19 case data in Florida could point to a broader national effort to clamp down on reliable and transparent information about coronavirus cases across the country, in order to manipulate the message as we move towards reopening. It is also worth noting that none of the existing coverage of Jones’ ouster makes it clear who exactly was put in charge of Florida’s COVID-19 dashboard.
Controlling the Data
Limiting access to raw COVID-19 case data has direct repercussions on everything from how states implement reopening protocols to how many resources are allocated through federal government programs to fight the healthcare crisis that is unfolding. Jay Wolfson, a Senior Associate Dean at the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine, attributes two possible motives for restricting access to raw data. One revolves around the data being deemed “too flawed” and the other is that it might “reveal information that could be disturbing or contrary to stated narratives.”
Even more disturbing was an assessment made by Asal M. Johnson, assistant Professor of Public Health at Stetson University, who pointed out that “racial and ethnic data has been consistently excluded from Florida’s line listing of cases”, speculating that this was being done to “undermine evidence-based decision making” to further particular economic interests.
Ultimately, the ability to control the data available to both the public and the scientific community in the throes of a pandemic has far reaching implications for the future of democracy in the United States, and the fact that control over said data is being handed over to private concerns – in the case of IT-CNP – and unknown actors within the Florida DOH should be a serious concern to us all.
We would be remiss not to pay close attention to Rebekah Jones’ story and heeding the advice she gave in an email to subscribers of a COVID data listserv: “They are making a lot of changes,” warned Jones. “I would advise being diligent in your respective uses of this data.”
Republished from MintPressNews.com under Creative Commons