Welcome to Sott.net
Fri, 05 Nov 2021
The World for People who Think

Society's Child
Map

Attention

'Almost incomprehensible': Slowdown ordered after SECOND train carrying oil derails near Saskatchewan town

A CP train derailed near Guernsey, Sask. on Feb. 6, 2020.
© Phillipe Gaudet
A CP train derailed near Guernsey, Sask. on Feb. 6, 2020.
The federal government on Thursday ordered lower speed limits for all trains carrying large amounts of dangerous goods, hours after a fiery derailment in rural Saskatchewan sent thick black smoke into the air.

A Canadian Pacific Railway freight train carrying crude oil jumped the tracks about 6:15 a.m. near Guernsey, 115 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon. Thirty-one of 104 cars derailed and a dozen caught fire, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said.

It also said there were no injuries.

"It looks like the back third of the train (derailed) and ... (there's) heavy, heavy smoke," said Blaine Weber, who lives in nearby Lanigan.

"There's probably at least 15, 20 cars ... all stacked up on the crossing that comes off the Yellowhead Highway."

A pillar of dark smoke continued to billow from the flaming wreckage well after daybreak.

Jack Gibney, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Usborne, which includes Guernsey, said about 85 residents were evacuated from homes in the agricultural community. The hamlet is surrounded by farmland and is near a potash mine operated by Nutrien.

Comment: It's not sabotage, or incompetence, but rather part of the phenomena of earth 'opening up' - as a result of changes in the sun's activity - that likely accounts for the large spate of train derailments, sink holes, earthquakes, etc. around the world, that we are currently witnessing.

Earth Changes and the Human Cosmic Connection: The Secret History of the World - Book 3

See also:


Briefcase

New Jersey jury orders Johnson & Johnson to pay $750 million in punitive damages in cancer lawsuit - judge reduces award to $186.5 million

Johnson & Johnson talcum powder cancer lawsuit
© Rick Wilking / Reuters
Johnson & Johnson was ordered by a New Jersey jury to pay an additional $750 million in punitive damages to a group of former Baby Powder users who had already been awarded $37.2 million as compensation for cancers they blamed on asbestos in the talc-based product.

After the verdict Thursday in New Brunswick, state court Judge Ana V. Viscomi reduced the punitive award to $186.5 million. State law limits the amount to five times the compensatory damages awarded to the plaintiffs last year.

Jurors in J&J's hometown concluded after about two hours of deliberation that the company's conduct in manufacturing and marketing the product warranted punishment. A separate jury in September found the company liable for the cancers claims and made the initial award for actual damages.

"The jury listened to all of the evidence and apparently determined there is a need for deterrence" to insure consumers are aware of the talc-based powders' health risks, said Christopher Placitella, an attorney for the plaintiffs. Jurors spent more than two weeks hearing evidence that showed J&J officials knew there was asbestos in its baby powder and failed to warn consumers, Placitella said.

Comment: Hidden 'for decades': Johnson & Johnson may have known about carcinogenic asbestos in baby powder since 1971
The Reuters report says that J&J failed to inform the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that at least three tests from three different labs carried out between 1972 and 1975 had found asbestos in the brand's iconic baby powder product. In one case, the levels of asbestos were reported as "rather high."

Even when the FDA was weighing limits on asbestos in cosmetic talc products in 1976, J&J assured the regulatory body that none had been detected "in any sample" between December 1972 and October 1973.



Newspaper

Epstein's victims and lawyer for killed UK teen join forces to demand US swap Prince Andrew for convicted diplomat's wife

Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew (left) is seen driving from Windsor on January 28 after being criticised by a US prosecutor for giving 'zero co-operation' during Epstein inquiry
Prince Andrew was urged by lawyers today to 'get on a plane' and answer questions from the FBI as part of a reciprocal deal that would see US spy's wife Anne Sacoolas sent to the UK where she is accused of killing teen Harry Dunn.

The demand was made in an extraordinary press conference in New York where Lisa Bloom, lawyer for alleged victims of billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, teamed up with Dunn family lawyer Radd Seiger in an attempt to break the stalemate that has ensnared both of their cases in political red tape.

Mrs Sacoolas was charged with causing Mr Dunn's death by dangerous driving in December but US secretary of state Mike Pompeo rejected an extradition request for the 42-year-old last month.

Nineteen-year-old Mr Dunn was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year.

Comment: See also:


Attention

'Dangerous tendencies': China slams German media over 'racist' reports amid coronavirus outbreak

china coronavirus
© Reuters / Antara Foto / Fikri Yusuf
Beijing has slammed "some particular" German media over spreading "discrimination and xenophobia" in the face of the deadly coronavirus outbreak. And it appears a leading German magazine has found itself in the crosshairs.

"Some particular media and media representatives, who have supposedly signed up to the values of objectivity and rationality, do not shy away from publishing racist statements and tolerating xenophobic tendencies, directed against China in particular," the Chinese Embassy in Beijing said in a damning statement as it minced no words to express its "strong protest" and "highest dissatisfaction" over the issue.

It went on to state that "freedom of the press cannot be used to foster racist sentiments in German society," adding that the Chinese and the Germans alike were "openly opposed" to the "dangerous tendencies" displayed by some media outlets. The diplomats, however, stopped short of actually naming any of them.

Yet, the condemnatory statement conspicuously came just days after one of Germany's leading magazines - Der Spiegel - came out with a cover showing a person in protective gear and a headline reading: 'Coronavirus. Made in China. When globalization turns into a deadly threat'.

Comment: See also:


People 2

'No right to privacy from the opposite sex': 13yo girl takes school trans inclusion rules to UK High Court

lgbt scarf
© REUTERS / Valentyn Ogirenko
Some British schools are trying to be more accommodating to trans students at the expense of others, a 13-year-old has alleged in court documents. She says their guidelines go against girls' desire for privacy, dignity and safety.

The new Trans Inclusion Toolkit released by Oxfordshire County Council last February instructs that students should have access to toilets, changing rooms, dorms and similar spaces, in accordance with the gender they identify as.

A 13-year-old girl has challenged the rules, saying the council never bothered to ask non-trans students like her how they felt about them. "Under these guidelines I have no right to privacy from the opposite sex in changing rooms, loos, or on residential trips," she said in legal papers filed with the High Court in London on Thursday.

The pushback against the controversial drive for greater trans inclusivity in British schools comes with the backing of a group called Safe Schools Alliance. It is being brought to court by several parents and a teacher on behalf of the girl, who was not identified for legal reasons.

The guidelines on gender-restricted spaces are aimed at offering all students - trans and non-trans alike - the most comfortable environment. Girls like the plaintiff, who don't want to share a restroom or a dormitory with a biological boy, regardless of their gender identity, are supposed to be given separate arrangements.

Comment: You already see that happening in prisons and will likely happen elsewhere if given the opportunity. See also:


Health

Cruise ship quarantined in Japanese port of Yokohama with at least 20 confirmed cases of coronavirus - UPDATE

japan coronavirus cruise ship quarantine
© Twitter / @daxa_tw
Ten additional passengers aboard a cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan have tested positive for coronavirus, just one day after 10 others on the vessel were confirmed to have the illness.

Around 3,700 people face at least two weeks of quarantine aboard the cruise ship - the Diamond Princess, now docked at the port of Yokohama - as health screenings continue. Those with symptoms have been moved to medical facilities for treatment.

Only a fraction of the ship's passengers have undergone tests so far, making it unclear whether more cases will be detected, with 10 of the 71 test results received on Thursday coming back positive.

The new infections on the locked-down cruise ship bring the total number of cases in Japan to 45, among 28,000 confirmed cases worldwide, most of them in China's Hubei province, where the outbreak originated. Nearly 600 people have died from the virus.

Comment: RT reports that as of February 5th, China confirmed a fatality count of 564 from the virus. With total confirmed cases nearing 28K, the majority of them in Hubei, China is expanding its quarantine efforts, having locked down dozens of cities and placing travel restrictions on tens of millions of citizens across several provinces. Despite reports of breakthrough treatments, the WHO has downplayed the reports, claiming there are 'no known effective therapeutics'.

See also: Update 07/02/2020:

Infections aboard the ship have now tripled to 61:
Dozens of additional passengers aboard a cruise liner in Japan have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections on the ship to 61 as 3,700 people remain trapped on the quarantined vessel.

Stuck at the port of Yokohama since earlier this week, the ship's 3,700 passengers and crew face weeks of quarantine as medical workers test for signs of the deadly contagion. The ship is now like a "floating prison," one passenger said on social media, where haunting images have emerged showing its abandoned halls, once bustling with activity.

Of the thousands of passengers on board, 273 have shown symptoms of illness, such as cough and fever, or came in contact with those who have. All of those passengers have now been tested, Japan's Health Ministry said, noting the 41 new patients will be transferred to medical facilities in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba and Shizuoka prefectures, as well as Kanagawa.

It remains unclear whether additional cases could arise on the ship, as the novel coronavirus has been found to spread person-to-person, even among those not yet showing symptoms, with a long incubation period. Some passengers already expressed fear that they could eventually end up stuck on the vessel for much longer than 14 days if new infections occur.



Eye 1

Corey Feldman says pedophilia is Hollywood's 'biggest problem' — not #MeToo

Corey Feldman
© Getty Images
Corey Feldman is working on a documentary titled "Truth: The Rape of the Two Coreys."
Corey Feldman wants the world to know: Pedophilia is "Hollywood's biggest problem."

In an interview with the Guardian, the '80s icon claims his long-awaited documentary will expose a child sex ring in which he and late actor Corey Haim were victims. Feldman, 48, who has teased potentially incriminating information for decades, says he plans to finally name the abusers of his "Lost Boys" co-star in the doc, tentatively titled "Truth: The Rape of the Two Coreys."

The "Goonies" and "Stand by Me" actor also criticized the industry for impeding his film's production by sending lawyers to block access to police reports and footage. "Nobody wants to go after the bad guys," he said.

The eccentric star also took aim at #MeToo, decrying the film industry for giving momentum to that movement while ignoring his own explosive accusations for so long. "They go to the SAG [Screen Actors Guild] awards and they get all dressed in black and they honor Patricia Arquette. But why was I not invited?" he asked.

Comment: See also:


Handcuffs

Another former cop arrested in connection to child sex ring run by high-level SWAT commander

cops in sex ring
As TFTP reported late last year, a high level Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office deputy — who commanded the SWAT team — and his wife were indicted on more than 150 felonies for unspeakable crimes against children and animals. Dennis Perkins, 44, and and his wife Cynthia Perkins, 34, are accused of multiple counts of child rape and the production of child pornography, among other disturbing charges. Now, another former cop, Melanie Barnett Curtin, 41, of Denham Springs, was arrested Saturday, Feb. 1 as she returned from a cruise in New Orleans.

Adding to the disturbing nature of this case is the fact that Curtin worked for the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office starting in 2011 — the same department as Perkins. Her ex-husband is also a former LPSO deputy.

Curtin was arrested on two charges: first degree rape and video voyeurism in connection to crimes committed with the Perkins. She was booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center Feb. 1. Judge Jeff Johnson set a bond of $250,000 for Curtin's first degree rape charge and $100,000 for the video voyeurism charge on Feb. 3, according to WAFB.

Binoculars

Breaking The Silence: 'The occupation is tearing Israel apart'

Breaking the Silence
I was one of the panelists at the Breaking the Silence event at Temple Sinai in Washington last month ("Israel and U.S. Jews must break their shared silence," Voices, Dec. 12). I never thought that after sharing experiences from my IDF service with fellow Jews I would be accused of helping to "kill Israelis and destroy Israel" ("Here's how to destroy Israel," Letters, Dec. 19).

I served in Sayeret Nahal, the special forces reconnaissance unit of the Nahal infantry brigade. I spent the first 14 months of my service in intensive training, after which my unit was deployed to the West Bank, where I served for eight months. We were then sent into the Gaza Strip during operation Protective Edge and today I am still periodically called for reserve duty in the West Bank.

We made it clear to everyone at Temple Sinai that we hadn't come to talk about the "rotten apples" of the IDF. The testimonials we shared, like the testimonies of over 1,200 IDF veterans collected over 15 years by Breaking the Silence, do not describe isolated incidents; they describe the daily experiences we faced as soldiers, having been tasked with controlling a civilian population of millions of Palestinians against their will while protecting Israeli settlers living in their midst.

This is not hearsay. These are our experiences, which we took an active part in, and feel we cannot remain silent about. As Americans and Jews, we believe this is no less than an affront to the values we were raised on — that everyone is created equal and endowed with inalienable rights; and that our faith commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Comment: See also:


NPC

Simon Bramwell, nihilist: 'Tear down' civilisation says Extinction Rebellion co-founder

extinction rebellion protest london
© Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images
Three XR members get fake oil poured over them during the demonstration in Trafalgar Square October 12, 2019, which has 'stretched' the Met Police and impacted the force's ability to respond to other crimes
The co-founder of climate alarmist group Extinction Rebellion (XR), called for activists to "take down" civilisation as a remedy for supposedly man-made climate change.

Speaking at a 'By Any Means Necessary?' meeting Simon Bramwell, the co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, advocated for humanity to return to a "wild" and "feral" state, saying that it is the duty of activist groups like XR is to "sabotage" civilisation, in order to bring about his Paleolithic utopian vision.

Comment:
The group's demands are threefold. First, they call on governments to "tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency," a similar demand to that made by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York last month. A seemingly benign demand, but one that paints opponents as 'anti-truth'.

Secondly, they demand that "government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025." Finally, the group demands that government partner up with activists, and "create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens' Assembly on climate and ecological justice."

Central to all of the group's demands is a radical expansion of state power.
Reducing greenhouse gases to net zero - if a state-led effort - would give government the power to restrict or outright deny its citizens freedom of travel, freedom to choose their own diets, and freedom to build their homes however they want. In the US, draft text of 'Green New Deal' legislation gives a sneak-peek at just how all-encompassing this would be, working wealth redistribution and reparations for "historic oppression" into the mix for good measure.