Ireland becomes latest nation to halt rollout of AstraZeneca vaccine following new reports of blood clotting
Ireland has put the brakes on plans to administer the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, following in the footsteps of other countries that have suspended its use over concerns that the drug may be linked to blood clotting.
The Irish Department of Health confirmed to the media that the rollout of the jab had been “temporarily deferred.”
The decision came at the urging of Ireland’s National Immunisation Advisory Committee, following four new cases of “serious” blood clotting that occurred in adults who received the vaccine in Norway.
Ireland’s deputy chief medical officer, Dr. Ronan Glynn, said shelving the drug was a “precautionary” measure and stressed that there was no established link between the medical issues and the vaccine.
The European Medicines Agency is currently investigating the issue. AstraZeneca has said that it is conducting its own review and will share any new information “without delay.”
The new advisory comes just two days after Irish medical officials approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for people older than 70. Officials had previously determined that only people under the age of 65 should be given the drug, amid concerns about limited data on its efficacy for older age groups.
Denmark announced on Thursday that it would suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for two weeks after some recipients of the jab developed blood clots. Norway followed suit, describing the move as a “cautionary decision.”
Austria, Iceland, Italy, and a number of other countries have also postponed or restricted their rollout of the jab after reviewing the worrying reports about potential adverse reactions.
The World Health Organization has insisted that the vaccine can still be used, as there is no established link between the drug and blood clotting.
Exposing the left’s radical version of ‘normal’
One of the most effective things that Marxists do is to commandeer language and steer it toward revolutionary goals
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Given the level of insanity erupting at all levels in America, it wasn’t really a shock when the huge, multinational corporation Unilever announced in early March that it was pulling the word “normal” from at least half of its products.
No more soap for “normal skin care,” or shampoo for “normal hair.” It’s offensive.
A global study by Unilever found that the word “normal” made 56% of the respondents feel excluded and that 70% felt that using the word on packaging has a negative impact on people. So, “normal” has to go.
Unilever has 400 brands in 190 countries and claims 2.5 billion customers. The company’s beauty and personal product lines include Dove, Lifebuoy, Axe, Aviance and Brut. It owns food giants Continental, Hellmann’s, Breyers, Lipton, Knorr and Pure Leaf Tea. Also, Ben & Jerry’s. Could it be that the Vermont-based ice cream company’s radical politics took over its host when Unilever acquired it? Just a theory.
One of the most effective things that Marxists do is to commandeer language and steer it toward revolutionary goals. The border crisis created by Joe Biden is just a “border challenge,” for example, with “irregular” crossings. The coming tax increases will be “revenue enhancements.”
Meanwhile, everything gets politicized, even skin care products. Unilever’s surrender to the cancel culture’s hyper-sensitivity mirrors what’s happening in the media, entertainment and social media.
In January, Disney removed “Dumbo,” “Peter Pan,” “Aristocats,” “The Lady and the Tramp,” “The Jungle Book” and “Swiss Family Robinson” from children’s accounts on Disney-Plus.
In late February, Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), became persona non grata after the Loudoun County School Board in Virginia announced that it was removing six of the author’s books over racial “undertones.” The board said it would not feature him on Read Across America Day, which commemorates the author’s March 2 birthday.
Within days, the publisher pulled “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer.”
In his proclamation about Read Across America Day, Joe Biden obediently omitted any mention of Dr. Seuss, unlike his predecessors Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
This is not a trivial side show. Exposing the left’s insane attacks on normalcy helps to galvanize citizens against their radical agenda, such as an unsecured border, the $1.9 trillion Democratic “COVID-19 relief” slush fund, an end to fair elections (“For the People Act”) and the criminalization of Christianity (“Equality Act”). They’re also teeing up a newly hatched gun-grabbing bill and the wacko Green New Deal.
It’s the same power-mad people whose culture vultures are purging Dr. Seuss, Dumbo and conservative media content.
In February (Black History Month), Amazon removed the popular streaming documentary “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words.” The film began airing on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in May and streaming for free as part of Prime memberships in October. It was among the top-streaming documentaries, and is still selling well.
“For a while our film was, briefly, No. 1 in documentaries,” the film’s director, Michael Pack, told Wall Street Journal columnist Jason L. Riley. “And I think it’s still No. 25 or 30 or so.”
The movie rating website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 99% audience approval rating. Not surprisingly, Amazon still streams two less-popular documentaries about Anita Hill, Justice Thomas’ accuser at his 1991 confirmation hearing.
On Feb. 10, Lucasfilm announced it had fired popular actress Gina Carano from its hit Disney/Star Wars series “The Mandalorian” over her conservative social media posts.
In early March, the Gannett newspaper chain announced that it would no longer distribute the comic strip “Mallard Fillmore,” inked for 27 years by conservative humorist Bruce Tinsley and featured prominently in The Washington Times. His crime? He criticized Joe Biden’s transgender agenda, which includes biological males participating in women’s sports.
This brings us back to the war on “normal.” We’re living in a culture where bizarrely made-up men in dresses perform Drag Queen Story Hour for small children who must be protected from exposure to Dr. Seuss. It’s all about “tolerance,” and it’s a test of whether America is still the “land of the free and home of the brave.” If they get away with this, they can get away with anything.
As usual, prescient passages in George Orwell’s “1984” help explain what’s going on. The protagonist, Winston, works with a colleague, Syme, in the Records Department of the Ministry of Truth, where they rewrite history to fit Big Brother’s agenda. They employ the language of Newspeak.
“You haven’t a real appreciation of Newspeak, Winston,” Syme says. “You don’t grasp the beauty of the destruction of words. Do you know that Newspeak is the only language in the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year?”
Syme goes on: “Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thought-crime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.”
So, out with “normal” and anything smacking of normal. Out with “husband” or “wife.” In with genderless pronouns, “diversity,” “racism,” “woke” and nonsense terms like “Pro-Life Evangelicals for Biden.”
People with evil intent are working very hard with useful idiots to rewire our once-free America into an authoritarian nightmare. By their language, you will know them.
Don’t give them the time of day.
Marines Say They ‘Messed Up’ After Joining Military Attacks Against Tucker Carlson
(The Epoch Times) The U.S. Marines said they “messed up” after joining in attacks lobbed by military officials at Fox News’s Tucker Carlson.
The official Twitter account for the II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group used a pejorative in responding to Carlson’s recent statements on how the military should be focused more on adversaries and less on culture issues.
The Marines shared a picture of a female soldier carrying a male one and tagged Carlson, writing that the photo showed “what it looks like in today’s armed forces.”
“Get right before you get left, boomer,” the account said, using a widely considered pejorative.
After intense pushback for using an official military account to attack a private citizen, the Marines group said: “We are human and we messed up. What was intended as a tweet in support of our female Marines and sisters serving in uniform was clearly not aligned with our standard practices or an appropriate representation of the Marine Corps. We will do better and serve the people.”
“We can do better and we will collectively take a knee, review our procedures and get back in the fight. Our focus is to train, fight and win and we have a hard time doing that without your support,” the Marines added in another tweet.
The Department of Defense’s inspector general didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The situation was the latest development in an ongoing clash between Carlson and the military, with some of the force’s highest officials lambasting the Fox News host for his views.
Carlson on March 9 on his show played comments from President Joe Biden, who has made elevating women in the military a priority in recent weeks.
In remarks on International Women’s Day the day prior at the White House, Biden highlighted how he’d nominated two women for four-star command positions in the armed forces. The nominations will underscore to young women just beginning their careers in the military that “no door will be closed to them,” Biden said.
Military leaders realize “there’s much, much more work to be done to ensure that women’s leadership is recognized and we have more diverse leaders” and that “all women feel safe and respected in our military,” he continued, adding: “Some of it is relatively straightforward work where we’re making good progress designing body armor that fits women properly; tailoring combat uniforms for women; creating maternity flight suits; updating—updating requirements for their hairstyles.”
Carlson then told viewers: “So we’ve got new hairstyles and maternity flight suits. Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It’s a mockery of the U.S. Military. While China’s military becomes more masculine as it’s assembled the world’s largest navy, our military needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine, whatever feminine means anymore since men and women no longer exist. The bottom line is it’s out of control, and the Pentagon is going along with this.”
The segment drew criticism from John Kirby, the Department of Defense’s press secretary. He told reporters that “the diversity of our military is one of our greatest strengths.”
“We are better and more effective not only when we represent the American people—all the American people—but also, when we have the moral courage to include other perspectives and ideas into our decision-making; perspectives that, as the secretary himself noted Monday, are based on lived experience. It’s that experience, and the professionalism and commitment of our people, that has always been our decisive advantage,” he said, adding that one contributor to that advantage is the women who serve in the military but that the armed forces need to work on making the military more inclusive.
“We pledge to do better and we will. What we absolutely won’t do is take personnel advice from a talk show host or the Chinese military. Now maybe those folks feel like they have something to prove; that’s on them. We know we’re the greatest military in the world today, and even for all the things we need to improve, we know exactly why that’s so,” Kirby also said.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “shares the revulsion of so many others to what Mr. Carlson said in his opening statement,” according to the press secretary.
In addition, the Space Force Command’s senior enlisted leader Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Scott Stalker, while wearing his uniform, said in a video that Carlson’s opinion is “based on zero days of service in the armed forces.” Army Sgt. Major Michael Grinston was among other officers criticizing Carlson.
Carlson on March 11 said the Pentagon had effectively “declare[d] war on a domestic news operation.”
He also amped up his critique of what he described as the military’s focus on identity politics, noting that Biden recently announced the Pentagon would pay for gender reassignment surgery for active duty personnel.
“How do sex changes in the military make this country safer? That’s not a trick question. It’s not another volley in the culture war. It’s the only question that matters—literally, the only question that matters. But no one bothered to ask it, probably because no one can remember why the U.S. military exists,” he said.
“Here’s a reminder: the US military exists to fight and win wars. That’s its only purpose. The U.S. military is not an NGO. It is not a vehicle for achieving ‘equity.’ It’s not a social experiment. It’s definitely not an employment agency. Nobody has a God given right to work in the military. No one does, and then includes all of us.”
Did boxer Marvin Hagler die from the COVID-19 vaccine?
(World Boxing News) Former middleweight rival Thomas Hearns has claimed Marvin Hagler’s death at the age of 66 was linked to the coronavirus vaccine he received recently.
Hearns, known as ‘The Hitman’ during his career, took to social media to report that Hagler was ‘fighting for his life in the ICU’ on Saturday.
The ex-boxer also added that Hagler was there due to the ‘after-effects of the vaccine.’
In a sad final statement, Hearns said he believed ‘he’ll be just fine, but we could use the positive energy and Prayer for his full recovery.’
Sadly, that didn’t happen, and Hagler passed away a short time later. Hearns’ revelation will be a massive blow to the continued roll-out of the vaccination program.
Reports in Europe of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine causing blood clots in three patients already dealt a debilitating thud as countries have paused using the UK-based jab.
Social media conspiracy theories have gone into overdrive, and there will be some work to be done to assure those taking the vaccine that it’s safe.
Hagler and Hearns met in 1985 inside the ropes. Their three-round battle was one of the most memorable, especially the first round.
Those three minutes have been labeled the greatest round of boxing ever by more than one publication over the years.
MARVIN HAGLER TRIBUTES
Tributes continued to flood in for Hagler as news filtered around the world on Sunday.
One-time Mike Tyson trainer Teddy Atlas said: “He was a no-frills solid man.
“He brought a lunch pail filled with power, guts, pride, will, talent and character. And he fought everyone, anytime, anywhere. And he was great.
“He was Marvin Hagler. R. I. P. Champ.”
Carl Weathers, the Hollywood actor who played Apollo Creed in the ‘Rocky’ saga, added: “RIP, Marvelous Marvin Hagler. So many fans held you in high regard.”
Another former middleweight ruler, Chris Eubank, stated: “Rest in Peace to the legendary Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
“I grew up studying this man & always trying to emulate the same ferocity and grit he would use to beat his opponents. You’ll be missed, Champ.”
Finally, WWE legend Mick Foley offered his thoughts.
“I’m very sorry to learn of the passing of the great Marvin Hagler.
“I was privileged to watch many of his greatest fights and was thrilled to meet him backstage at a WWE event in the late ’90s.
“We talked about our love of New Hampshire’s White Mountain.”
Marvin Hagler, we will miss you!
$1.5 Million In Counterfeit, China-Made Vaping Pens Seized By CBP
$1.55 million worth of counterfeit vaping pens were seized in Chicago by Customs and Border Protection officers.
Chicago O’Hare’s International Mail Branch uncovered over 77,000 vape pens with Rick and Morty insignia originating from Shenzhen, China.
The shipment of 258 boxes was heading to a distribution company in Georgia.
“Often CBP seizes vape pens because they violate FDA guidelines, but these parcels violate copyright laws which adds to the charges and complexity of the case,” said Shane Campbell, Area Port Director-Chicago. “Counterfeit products are unsafe for consumers, harm the economy, damage the revenue and image of the companies, and could cost American jobs.”
“Sold in underground outlets and on third party e-commerce websites, counterfeit commodities fund smugglers and members of organized crime. Consumers often believe they are buying a genuine product but soon realize the item is substandard,” the agency’s press release noted.
HR 1 contains ‘religious test for redistricting,’ FRC warns
A prominent conservative think-tank warns that a provision in H.R. 1 passed by the U.S. House contains an unconstitutional “religious test” for those wanting to serve on independent redistricting commissions.
The Family Research Council, a socially conservative think-tank based in Washington, D.C., asserted in a piece on its website that the “For the People Act,” also known as H.R. 1, contains a “religious test for redistricting.”
The For the People Act, billed as a necessary reform to expand voting rights, passed the House on an almost party-line vote on March 3, with one Democrat joining all Republicans in voting against the measure.
The Act calls for the establishment of independent redistricting commissions in every state. The commissions would draw voting districts every 10 years to reflect the most recent census population figures. Currently, the method used to draw districts for the House of Representatives varies from state to state, with some states vesting that authority in the legislature and others relying on independent redistricting commissions to draw the districts.
Section 2412 of the For the People Act establishes guidelines for who is eligible to serve on the nonpartisan redistricting commissions the legislation calls for. Candidates for the commissions must fill out an application listing “the reason or reasons the individual desires to serve on the independent redistricting commission, the individual’s qualifications, and information relevant to the ability of the individual to be fair and impartial.”
Applicants are asked to share personal information, including “any involvement with, or financial support of, professional, social, political, religious, or community organizations or causes.” The portion of the proposed application calling on people to disclose “involvement with” or “financial support of” religious organizations raised concerns for the Family Research Council.
“While it may appear minor, this is incredibly problematic because it suggests that religious affiliations may affect an individual’s ability to be impartial, and thereby may make them ineligible to serve on the commission,” wrote Travis Weber, the vice president for policy and government affairs at Family Research Council and the author of the blog post. “Article 6, Clause 3, of the U.S. Constitution states that ‘no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.’”
“As cancel culture rages, it is easy to see how this provision will be utilized to target conservative Christians, whose biblical values are increasingly at odds with the culture’s embrace of certain favored ideologies,” he warned.
The Family Research Council’s warning that H.R. 1 has a religious test hidden in the nearly 800-page bill is not the only part of the legislation causing conservatives and Republicans concern. Hans von Spakovsky, an election expert with the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, previously told The Christian Post that H.R. 1 will “make it easier to cheat and easier to manipulate election results.”
Von Spakovsky also expressed concern that the For the People Act will “restrict and chill First Amendment-protected political activity” by requiring nonprofit organizations to “reveal who their donors are.”
Like Weber, von Spakovsky and 20 state attorneys general believe that certain parts of the bill are unconstitutional, specifically because they vastly increase the federal government’s role in managing elections despite the fact that the U.S. Constitution grants states broad discretion when it comes to setting election policies.
While the For the People Act passed the House, where legislation can pass with a simple majority, its future remains uncertain in the Senate, where legislation requires 60 votes to pass. Democrats have a narrow 50-50 majority in the Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote.
In order for the For the People Act to overcome a filibuster, it would need to secure the support of 10 Republicans. Top Senate Democrats have threatened to invoke the so-called “nuclear option” to abolish the filibuster and enable legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority.
Because Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia has reaffirmed his support for maintaining the filibuster, Democrats might find themselves unable to accumulate the votes required to abolish the filibuster and pass H.R. 1.
