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New York's vaccine passport program is already failing

Jordan Schachtel
The Dossier
Mon, 05 Apr 2021 09:27 UTC
excelsior pass
© AFP
Liberty advocates, rejoice! The idiocracy is going to save us from another form of COVID tyranny. Thanks to a combination of bungling authoritarians and decaying legacy corporations, these entities are simply too incompetent to pull off a functioning vaccine passport program.

New York's rollout of its vaccine passport already has the markings of a five alarm dumpster fire. The New York State "Excelsior Pass" vaccine passport system, which was created by IBM, has so many issues that I wouldn't be surprised if the program was scrapped altogether before the end of the calendar year. It has massive security flaws, a shrinking customer base by design, it remains incredibly impractical, and it's incredibly easy to manipulate. Excelsior Pass sucks, thanks to the idiocracy that was responsible for its design and implementation.

A rigid system

Say you want to attend a Knicks game this evening at Madison Square Garden, a partner to the Excelsior Pass program. It's 9 a.m. and your event is at 7:30 p.m. If you don't have the vaccine yet, that means you will need to obtain a negative COVID-19 test to receive your pass. Want to take that test this morning? Not so fast! The antigen test needs to have been administered within the last 6 hours, so you better plan your entire day around navigating that short window between your COVID test and the event this evening.

Comment: See also:

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Info

Hunter Biden says his name was like 'gold' to Burisma

Rob Crilly
Washington Examiner
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 09:50 UTC
hunter biden
President Joe Biden's son Hunter said his family name was "gold" to Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company that recruited him to its board when his father was vice president, even as he complained that his prominent family was a burden to him.

In his latest interview to promote his new memoir Beautiful Things, the 51-year-old told the BBC he simply had not expected the level of scrutiny he received even though his father was the Obama administration's point man on relations with Ukraine.

"I don't belong to an administration, I belong to a family," he said.

Comment: See also:

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Info

Neck restraint used on George Floyd 'absolutely' violated dept policy, Minneapolis police chief says in Chauvin trial


RT
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 01:36 UTC
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo Derek Chauvin
© Reuters / Jane Rosenberg
A courtroom sketch shows Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo as he testifies on the sixth day of Derek Chauvin's murder trial, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 5, 2021.
Former Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin broke with department policy during the fatal arrest of George Floyd, the city's police chief said, joining other officers who argued the neck restraint he used was not part of his training.

Testifying on the sixth day of Chauvin's murder trial, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said the former officer "absolutely" violated MPD policy when he kneeled on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during a botched arrest last May. Floyd was suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill.

"It's not part of our training, and it is certainly not part of our ethics and our values," Arradondo said on Monday, adding that the officers' use of force should have ended "once Mr. Floyd stopped resisting," and especially after he "was in distress and verbalized it."

Comment: See also:

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Eye 1

A secretive Home Office unit has hoarded data on millions of people

Samuel Woodhams
Wired
Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:59 UTC
Data Services Analytics unit
© Getty Images / WIRED
A data analytics team close to the heart of government has collected data on more than 650 million people, including children under the age of 13, according to newly unearthed documents.

The Data Services & Analytics unit is described as "one of the most advanced data analytics centres in government" and forms part of the Home Office's Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) department. It builds decision-making tools and provides data-driven insights to the rest of the Home Office - although details of exactly what it does remain tightly guarded.

The huge amount of data being analysed and the Home Office's lack of transparency has prompted accusations from privacy campaigners that the unit could be creating a "super database" that risks exacerbating racial biases among law enforcement agencies.

On top of transparency concerns, two of the unit's projects are currently being reviewed by the Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group, a government advisory body investigating "ethical issues in the use of complex datasets". When asked what these projects were and on what basis they were being looked at, a Home Office spokesperson declined to comment.
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Attention

'Question of discrimination': WHO dismisses Covid passports, as governments consider them to reopen travel


RT
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 13:41 UTC
World Health Organization (WHO)
© REUTERS / Denis Balibouse
The World Health Organization (WHO) has rejected the use of Covid passports over fairness concerns and fears they would not prevent the spread of the virus, as experts worry vaccinated people could still transmit the disease.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris ruled out supporting the use of Covid passports due to "the question of discrimination" and because they "are not certain at this stage that the vaccine prevents transmission."

"WHO are saying at this stage we would not like to see the vaccination passport as a requirement for entry or exit."

There has been some opposition to the use of Covid passports until everyone has been offered a vaccine, due to the belief it would discriminate against citizens domestically and internationally who, through no fault of their own, have been prevented from getting inoculated.

A number of governments are currently considering introducing Covid passports to fully reopen their economy, as well as looking at whether they can be used to allow inoculated tourists to avoid having to quarantine.

Comment: Interestingly, in the UK both parties seem to be in agreement on this issue:
Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a significant defeat in the House of Commons after the Labour Party warned it will join Conservative Party rebels to oppose "discriminatory" plans to introduce Covid vaccine passports.

The UK government is facing mounting opposition from backbench MPs and members of the Labour Party over plans to use Covid vaccine passports to fully reopen the country's economy. On Monday, Boris Johnson refused to deny reports that the measure was set to be introduced and, a day later, Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi confirmed the plans are being considered.

Labour leader Keir Starmer and Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth have come out in opposition to the measure, a break from the party's previous policy of supporting the government's Covid restrictions. Speaking on Tuesday, Ashworth stated he's"not going to support"the policy, calling it discriminatory and suggesting that requiring individuals to carry an ID card showing their vaccination status is not fair.

Up to 70 Conservative MPs could rebel against the government in a vote on vaccine passports, with 41 having openly declared their opposition to the measure. The Liberal Democrats, which have 11 MPs, also vowed to block the proposal, stating that it would be wrong to be"separating society into haves and have-nots."
Among the plans being considered:
The UK government has refused to rule out a mandate requiring Brits to show a Covid-19 vaccine passport upon entering a clothing store.

In a Monday report on what it calls "Covid status certificates", the government said vaccine passports - which would show whether a person has been vaccinated, recently tested, or has antibodies from previous exposure - "should never be required" for "essential public services" like supermarkets and public transport, but made no mention of 'non-essential' services like clothes shops.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesperson also refused to rule out vaccine passports for clothes shoppers, telling reporters that passports "will not be required" for essential services, but failing to comment on non-essential retail.
Opposition to vaccine passports appears to be mounting in the US as well:
Ron Paul has warned that Covid-19 vaccine passports could be used by the US government to restrict freedoms, stirring up an already heated debate over whether such IDs are necessary.

The former US congressman and physician said on Monday that requiring certificates to verify vaccination for international travel or daily activities would "solidify the whole idea that our lives belong to the government."

"They own liberty and now you are going to get permission to use a little bit of it. They are going to divvy it out a little bit. You'll never get back what you should have," he said while speaking on his program, the Ron Paul Liberty Report.

The Biden administration has acknowledged that it is collaborating with tech companies to develop a variety of potential vaccine passport apps. At the state level, New York has already created its own digital certificate that grants entry to venues.


Paul warned that the initiative could be used to regulate nearly all aspects of life, including where you will be allowed to go and what kind of activities you will be permitted to participate in. He said he hoped Americans would "finally wake up" and oppose vaccine IDs. If people don't "take a stand" now things are going to get "bad," the former Texas lawmaker predicted.

He called on his supporters to reach out to family and friends in order to start a grassroots movement against identification programs, adding that those who choose to do so should understand "what life and liberty is."

The message resonated with many. Some commenters echoed Paul's fears that the initiative could be used to usher in a dystopian nightmare.

Others said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' pledge to ban the use of vaccine passports should be emulated nationwide and expressed hope that the Supreme Court will ultimately rule the IDs unconstitutional.


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Stop

Twitter confirms it suspended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's account 'in error'

Mark Moore and Emily Jacobs
New York Post
Mon, 05 Apr 2021 10:19 UTC
marjorie taylor greene
© AP
Marjorie Taylor Greene called out Twitter for suspending her account after a tweet on Easter Sunday.
Twitter confirmed Monday that it suspended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's account "in error" because she tweeted on Easter, "He is risen" — the second time the social media giant has sidelined the Georgia Republican in a month.

Greene announced that she was back online in a post.

"@Twitter suspended me again by 'mistake' yesterday after I tweeted, 'He is risen.' Everyone knows that's a LIE, and it was no mistake," she wrote on Twitter.

Comment: It's kind of funny that all these technical glitches only seem to affect Twitter accounts of controversial figures when they say something the lefties find objectionable. Your average Twitter account doesn't seem to be plagued by these mistaken suspensions.

See also:

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Light Saber

'Just like the Communists' - Pastor who kicked police out of church has choice words for lockdown tyrants

Jordan Lancaster
Daily Caller
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 13:08 UTC
Screenshot - Artur Pawlowski
© Screenshot - Artur Pawlowski
Pastor Artur Pawlowski, who went viral after kicking several officers out of his church, spoke to the Daily Caller about the months of harassment he says his church has experienced at the hands of police.

One Calgary police officer and officials from Alberta Health Services and City of Calgary Bylaw services interrupted a Passover service Saturday night at the Street Church in Alberta, Canada. They had entered the church building uninvited on its holiest, most anticipated day for parishioners, Pawlowski told the Caller.

Pawlowski claimed he had been harassed by authorities for 13 months. He has asked repeatedly that officials not enter the church building in their capacity as law enforcement, or harass and intimidate the parishioners.

"If they want to talk or inspect the building, they can call me and we can arrange that," the pastor explained. But instead of meeting with him, he said, "they preferred a method of storming."


Comment: This case has garnered such wide-spread attention we wouldn't be surprised if the Calgary police got a call from on high to have Pawlowski "made an example of". See also:

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Quenelle - Golden

Democratic Florida mayor slams 60 Minutes segment criticizing Gov. DeSantis

Kenneth Garger
The New York Post
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 12:02 UTC
Mayor David Kerner
© Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County Mayor David Kerner, right, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, left, speak at a COVID-19 vaccine center.
A Democratic Florida mayor claimed Monday that a "60 Minutes" segment "intentionally" falsified a report that criticized Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' vaccine rollout.

The Sunday report suggested that DeSantis favored Publix grocery stores in Palm Beach County for COVID-19 vaccine distribution because the chain had donated to his PAC, Fox News reported.

The segment came under fire when it was revealed a clip of the governor's response to a question about the grocery chain's exclusive rights was heavily edited, according to Mediaite.

Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner was one of several state officials to come to the governor's defense on Monday.

Comment: The truth has come out about 60 MINUTES blatant attempt to besmirch DeSantis - who is one of a number of governors who refuses to bend his state to the whims of medical Tyranny. See also:

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Yellow Vest

'Activism, not journalism': CNBC called out for article pressuring corporations into taking position on Florida voting laws


RT
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 00:03 UTC
florida voting
© REUTERS/Gregg Newton
CNBC is the latest network being accused of mistaking activism for journalism, thanks to a piece calling out and shaming corporations that have not issued statements on proposed 'restrictive voting bills' in Florida.

Disney, Geico, Expedia and others have "backed Florida lawmakers who are now sponsoring restrictive voting bills," CNBC journalist Brian Schwartz tweeted on Monday, adding that "since 2018 thousands of dollars have flowed from these corporations into the campaigns of Florida lawmakers sponsoring the bills." Schwartz followed up by pointing out that the named corporations and others have not issued public comments about where they stand on multiple voting proposals in Florida.

Similar to the recent controversial voting law enacted in Georgia, the Florida proposals would put new requirements on voting, such as needing a driver's license number or social security number to request a mail-in ballot, restricting who can drop off ballots, and adding heightened security to ballot drop boxes, among other things. Liberal lawmakers in the state have argued the proposals equate to voter suppression, while Republicans deny they would have such an effect.
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Whistle

Espionage Act banned me and now Daniel Hale from defending ourselves - Kiriakou on first whistleblower to be convicted under Biden


RT
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 23:50 UTC
us air force
© REUTERS / Josh Smith
The Biden administration is set to see its first conviction over a leak proclaimed to be a violation of the Espionage Act. Daniel Hale faces the same unfair system as others before him, CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou told RT.

Hale, 33, pleaded guilty last week to one count of violating the archaic US Espionage Act. He is facing up to 10 years in prison after sentencing, which is scheduled for July 13. His alleged crime was leaking classified documents on US drone warfare programs to a journalist, identified by the media as an Intercept reporter. His likely conviction would be the first of its kind under President Joe Biden - but one of many similar cases in the US.

Kiriakou, a former CIA analyst who likewise was prosecuted under the Espionage Act for exposing US torture of terror suspects under George W. Bush, says the 1917 law is inherently unfair to whistleblowers like Hale or himself. It prohibits them from explaining their motives for leaking during trial - which means they cannot argue a public-interest defense.
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