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2/16/2023 7:35 am  #1


Let the coverup begin

https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-environmental-protection-agency-ohio-pennsylvania-business-a686a906bc165d890097646b77412b1d



EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — Residents of the Ohio village upended by a freight train derailment packed a school gym to seek answers about whether they were safe from toxic chemicals that spilled or were burned off.Hundreds of worried people gathered Wednesday in East Palestine, near the Pennsylvania state line, to hear state officials insist yet again that testing shows local air is safe to breathe so far and promise that air and water monitoring would continue.With the community in the national spotlight, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan is slated to visit Thursday to assess the ongoing response and hear from impacted residents.

Last edited by griff (2/16/2023 7:35 am)


If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis Brandeis
 

2/16/2023 2:55 pm  #2


Re: Let the coverup begin

We deregulated railway safety standards and union-broke the workers, immediately followed by Chernobyl'ing the Ohio river basin. But will we learn the lesson from this?


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2/16/2023 5:49 pm  #3


Re: Let the coverup begin

Too many subjective fears.  Too few facts and virtually no numbers.

Fire creates phosgene?  So what?  Foods are sealed and shipped in phosgene.  Near zero phosgene is perfectly safe.  Numbers must say how much phosgene.  Subjective is why lies and panic are created.

One fact that demands more facts.  Sensors detected the failed bearing.  Crew tried to stop that train.  Too late.  And so a question: why was it not detected 20 miles earlier?

Last edited by tw (2/16/2023 5:50 pm)

 

2/19/2023 11:53 am  #4


Re: Let the coverup begin

Fox News did not start hyping 'the end of the world' until a week after the derailment.  It took them that long to realize they could recruit more emotional (not adult thinking) viewers.  Steal them from NewsMax.  It was not about news or honesty.  It was about the purpose of Fox News,  Hate and fear to promote their political agenda.

Previous derailments occured in downtown Baltimore and Paulsboro NJ.  But those did not need to burn off a dangerous material.  So those got virtually no attention.

The Paulsboro derailment was near the high school.  Why no major hype?  Because it did not create emotionally inspiring, big black clouds.  There are about 1000 derailments every year.  Why do so many others not get hyped for political purposes?

Ironically the president of Norfolk Southern said he wanted all older petroleum tank cars removed from his railroad. Made especially dangerous by Balkan fracking petroleum.  But could not due to Federal Regulations.

In 2011, Norfolk Southern also wanted electronic braking on all rail cars.   They even demonstrated entire trains with electronic braking a few years later.  That requirement was to be implemented by the Obama administration.  Then Trump killed that requirement.  A rumored $60 million in campaign contributions pushed to stifle electronic braking.  Electronics braking means a train can stop 60% faster.

So which railroad is getting the bad press?  One that kept demanding better safety standards including DOT-117 tanker cars and electronics braking.

But none of that inspires Fox News or the hate that its viewer need.  Fox eventually discovered political advantages by hyping black clouds and chemical fears - by withholding facts.  And not discussing who is actually demanding safer railroads.  Trump discovered another way to enrich himself at the expense of Americans. With Fox New doing his promotions; casting blame not where it is deserved.

Meanwhile, what facts are talking about bearing failures some 20 miles earlier.  Why was a failure not detected long before the derailment?  That is a relevant fact.  Why is so much hype promoted by fear; not facts?
 

 

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