The header image of the word Interesting for today’s offering is courtesy of Shutterstock and Google Images.
Health Friday is a series devoted to information regarding Big Pharma, vaccines, general health, and associated topics. There are Important Notifications form our host, Wolf Moon; the Rules of our late, good Wheatie; and certain caveats from Yours Truly, of which the reader should be aware. They are linked here. Note: AI-generated items in today’s offering are cited as such. if readers wish to post AI-generated items to today’s discussion thread, they must cite their source. Thank you.
Some Interesting Links:
Regarding the November 2025 exposure of an employee at the Rocky Mountain Lab (part of the NIH) to the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus. The virus is being experimented on at this facility. Our good Aubergine posted a comment on this situation, which began a discussion: https://theqtree.com/2026/04/03/health-friday-4-3-2026-open-thread-where-the-focus-needs-to-be-now-an-opinion-piece/#comment-1595800. It has been proven that this virus does indeed shed; the shedding can be present in the body secretions and blood of the exposed / infected person. The published paper regarding shedding of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus is here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7078823/, “Monitoring Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus RNA shedding in a body secretions and serological status in hospitalized patients, Turkey, 2015.” Dilek Yagci-Caglayik, et al. 12 March 2020. (Yours Truly: While the paper is about the shedding of this virus in hospitalized patients, it, in my opinion, opens up the possibility that the virus can shed from non-hospitalized exposed or infected persons.)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
In Maryland, if a newly-proposed law there comes into effect, pharmacists will be able to order certain “vaccines” for patients; while, at the same time, placing the names of those persons into the Maryland state database for immunization tracking: https://jonfleetwood.substack.com/p/maryland-bill-lets-pharmacists-order, “Maryland Bill Lets Pharmacists Order Vaccines for You — Logging Your Name in State Tracking System Without Any Patient-Request Requirement”, 3 April 2026. A screenshot from this article is below:
Note that this bill regards pharmacists being granted permission to order vaccines — and to do so without the patient’s knowledge, consent, or request. The name of the patient is put into a state tracking database. The vaccines are paid for by private insurance (if the patient’s private insurance information is on file at the pharmacy), or are covered by Medicare/Medicaid. This opens up the potential for both the pharmacy and the state to “keep tabs” on the patient in order to get “vaccine compliance” from the patient.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Why hasn’t James Lloyd Austin, III, Secretary of Defense under former “President” Joe Biden, been held to account for his “mandating” over 90% of United States military personnel being “vaccinated” with modRNA COVID-19 bioweapon “vaccines”? https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-study-half-of-covid-19-vaccinated, “BREAKING STUDY: Half of COVID-19 Vaccinated Military Personnel Suffered Subclinical Heart Stress”, Nicolas Hulscher, MPH, 31 March 2026. The paper cited in the article is here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.128535, “Transient elevation of NT-proBNP after mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations in healthy adults: A longitudinal biomarker analysis.” Pavel Dlouhy, et al. 30 April 2026.
Note that this paper studies heart issues that appeared in 50% of 83 healthy, adult military personnel after their being “vaccinated” with either BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) or with mRNA-1273 (Moderna.) The military personnel were stationed at the Air Transportation Base Facility in Prague, Czech Republic. The troponin levels of their hearts were found to have gone up. Elevated troponin levels in the heart indicate stress on the heart muscle. Elevated troponin levels can indicate heart problems even if there are no overt symptoms. If that is what occurred in half of the “vaccinated” personnel tested at an air transportation base in the Czech Republic, how many thousands of United States military personnel potentially had the same effect after they were “mandated” to be “vaccinated” by former Defense Secretary Austin? (Austin was the former Secretary of what is now called the Department of War.)
Note also that the military personnel at the air transportation base in Prague were well over the age of 17 — in fact, the mean age of the 83 tested personnel was 39 years. This blows clean out of the water ALL of the claims of Big Pharma, Establishment Medicine, the CDC, the FDA, the AMA, and many other entities, that heart problems associated with COVID-19 “vaccination” are “rare” —and, are “confined mostly to persons between the age of 12 and 17 years.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Another example of how a physician who stood up against Big Pharma, the CDC / FDA, the AMA, and the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), was persecuted: his License to Practice Medicine in his home state (Oregon) was suspended in 2020; then, his License to Practice Medicine was revoked in the state where he had been credentialed (Washington State); then, his board credentials in the AAP were revoked; then, he had to surrender his License to Practice Medicine in Oregon in 2022 (https://omb.oregon.gov/Clients/ORMB/Public/VerificationDetails.aspx, effective 5 December 2022.) This was the journey of Dr. Paul Thomas, a highly-respected pediatrician: https://www.2ndsmartestguyintheworld.com/p/doctor-published-study-showing-vaccinated, “Doctor Published Study Showing Vaccinated Children Have 500% Increase In Chronic Diseases Only To Have License Suspended & Get Cancelled By BigPharma”, 8 April 2026. The study was Retracted by MDPI, the preprint publisher. It is available here: https://www.researchgate.net/publications/346088816_Relative_Incidence_of_Office_Visits_and_Cuulative_Rates_of_Billed_Diagnoses_Along_the_Axis_of_Vaccination. James Lyons-Weiler, Paul Thomas. 22 November 2020. (Yours Truly: Note that this paper was accepted and peer-reviewed before it was published.)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dr. Peter A. McCullough addresses the nexus among cancer patients who then get COVID-19 “vaccinated” and thereupon afterwards present with symptoms of Long COVID: https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/the-hollow-promise-of-protection, 7 April 2026. A screenshot from this article is below (access to the entire particle is for subscribers only):
The paper cited in the above article is here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2847136. “Postacute Sequelae Following Omicron COVID-19 in Patients With Cancer.” Ling En Wee, MPH, et al. 31 March 2026.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A related topic to the heart issues situation found in the military personnel at the air transportation base in Prague who had been COVID-19 “vaccinated”: This one regards subclinical myocarditis/pericarditis in COVID-19 “vaccinated” persons: https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-peer-reviewed-paper-finds, “BREAKING: Peer-Reviewed Paper Finds mRNA “Vaccines” Convey Silent Heart Damage—Presents Approach to Diagnosis and Management”, Nicolas Hulscher, MPH, 31 December 2025. A screenshot from this paper is below:
The paper is found here: https://doi.org/10.1810/mra.v13i11.7078, “COVID-19 Vaccine-Induced Subclinical Myopericarditis: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Clinical Management.” Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, M. Nathaniel Mead, MSc, PhD, Nicolas Hulscher, MPH. 30 November 2025.
Yours Truly: The above paper speaks to subclinical myocarditis/pericarditis in COVID-19 “vaccinated” persons — and makes it clear that, although many of the reported cases were found in “vaccinated” males under age 21, there were cases found in other “vaccinated” persons (male and female), and in other age groups. On the other hand, there is also the real phenomenon of “vaccine” shedding from “vaccinated” persons onto others, including onto non-COVID-19 “vaccinated” persons. Who knows how many non-COVID-19 “vaccinated” persons (including children) have been exposed to the ingredients and mechanisms of these “vaccines” that induce heart problems? At the same time, there are other factors that need to be considered when talking about what engenders or aggravates heart issues. Examples of other factors can include, but are not limited to: chronic stress; hypertension; family history of / predisposition to, heart disease; and, COPD (https://www.ummhealth.org/health-library/copd-and-heart-disease.)
THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE HUMAN BODY FOR AN mRNA, A modRNA, AN saRNA, OR A taRNA PRODUCT OF ANY KIND, IN ANY FORM.
ALL GAIN-OF-FUNCTION ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES MUST BE STOPPED, NOW.
ALL COVID-19 BIOWEAPON “VACCINES” MUST BE PULLED OFF THE MARKET AND REMOVED FROM USE IN THE UNITED STATES, NOW.
Peace, Good Energy, Respect: PAVACA
Well, I’m back. The hospital refused to admit me. Apparently I [and dear wife] thought I was in worse shape than I really was.
So it’s doubling up on the antibiotics and the drug that makes the water leave to see if that handles it.
“Not as bad as you thought” is always good news!
Amen!
AGREED!
Yay! 
<<< Well, hold off on that one. 
Good news! 👍😎
With news like that, maybe you should go more often 😁
Very good to hear! Hopefully, that treatment does the trick.
Yay!!!
Wow, good news!
Wow PGroup, that’s Great News!!! PTL
I don’t know if this might help you at all, but it has helped me with occasional leg swelling. Getting my leg elevated, even higher than heart level, has had gravity help move fluids. When it’s gotten really bad I elevated the leg with numerous pillows or even put it onto the back of my couch & fell asleep. It would seem like the fluids would shift to my bladder but after a few hours of elevation most of the swelling would be gone.
I had painfully swollen ankles during Dad’s hospital stay. When I finally got to lay down in the pretty uncomfortable bedside chair that elevated footrest helped. I should have used it more whenever I’d sat down so maybe the condition wouldn’t have lingered as long.
My dad uses compression socks to help with reducing swelling in his legs, fwiw.
“When it’s gotten really bad I elevated the leg with numerous pillows or even put it onto the back of my couch & fell asleep.”
___________
I do it like this 👍
Usually without the baby (or the Tommy gun).
.
(The X post is in almost all caps.)
“SAME SHIELD THAT CRACKED HUNDREDS OF TIMES LAST MISSION”
______________
You’d think they’d have replaced it with a new shield.
right? ANY NASA engineer knows that!
“TOO STEEP? TOO SHALLOW? THEY DON’T MAKE IT. PERIOD.”
_____________
What does it matter, when they’re using the same shield that has hundreds of cracks in it from the last mission?
I think he’s referring to THE TYPE of heat shield, i.e. another instance, NOT the same one. He is laying on the doom and gloom a little thick, though. And I don’t think he’s old enough to have seen the Project Mercury missions and their heat shields…
Interesting to me was that we have always landed over water, while the Russians landed on land… (Vostok, et. al.)…..
wait…I’ve seen this movie…Apollo 13…
It is. really cool, what they’ve done. Looking forward to safe splash down and recovery.
Outlier here. NASA inspires confidence. 🙃
At least he’s a handsome Nazi, and doesn’t look like a Wojak extra from The Toxic Avenger movies 😂
What does an islamo-fascist do with a ceasefire?
As-salamu break ’em 😁
so consider this their first and only warning and then bomb this crap out of them. liars gonna lie and cheaters always cheat.
Hi guys this is just a drive by comment again as I’m so wiped out.
Thank you for many of your prayers for my dad, myself, & my extended family. Here’s where things are right now:
Dad was discharged from U of M around lunchtime Thursday & went home with my sister-in-law to stay again at my brother’s house for the short term. He’d been staying there since Easter Weekend due to his decline, likely connected to that urinary tract infection. We’re not yet sure whether he might be able to return to living in his own home.
I just checked the taking care of Dad family group chat & they put out some pictures of Dad smiling & on their deck enjoying their view of nature & critters. I can’t reply until morning as my brother had asked me to stop providing updates after midnight previously.
Dad & I were in the ER for 30+ hours, many hours in the waiting room, first ER exam room in time to catch the last of University of Michigan’s National Championship in Basketball (Dad is both a U of M Ann Arbor AND U of M Dearborn graduate so it was special to be AT U of M while U of M won it’s first Basketball Title in my kids’ lifetimes–last one in 1989), second ER Exam room for many hours as they waited for a bed on the telemetry floor to open up. There were 50 patients in a similar boat w/ the ER as a patient overflow.
Dad got his bed on the Telemetry floor, likely from an abundance of caution due to his heart history, late Tuesday night & thankfully they use battery packs for the patients now (unlike Josiah’s experience last year where he was wired to the telemetry monitor so way more involved to get to the restroom, etc.).
They had started IV antibiotics in the ER but then changed to Ceftriaxone IV every 24 hours while on the floor. He is being discharged on Vantin/cefpodoxime as his oral antibiotic for 10 days then he is to start taking Prilosec/omeprazole as it can interfere with the antibiotic.
They did a swallow study at our request because there were some issues there, that have been noted over the last year, & he has a GI referral as follow-up.
They discontinued his Lisinopril as lower BPs were noted & it may have been a factor in his fall. The only other meds they noted on his discharge were Eliquis (blood thinner), Flomax, & Kenalog, one of his dermatology meds (he has others he knows when/how to use).
Per a Brave search that appears to be AI driven: “Flomax (tamsulosin) is a prescription alpha-blocker medication used to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) in men, such as difficulty urinating, weak stream, and urinary frequency.
It works by relaxing the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck to improve urine flow, though it does not shrink the prostate itself
Key facts about Flomax include:
Dad had many challenges with toileting that mostly involved needing to pee almost immediately upon standing, which he has been dealing with for a long time now, like years. Subtle undergarments, like pull ups seemed to provide sufficient backup.
His communication was much more challenging then it had been just 2 weeks ago. He has significant pauses as he searches for a word (he was Always like that to a lesser degree so my mom had a habit of completing his sentences periodically for 60+ years. Given that he had a very successful career at Ford as a mid-higher level exec who could sign deals worth some millions of dollars whatever his speech quirkiness he had in younger years didn’t inhibit his employment & many other activities.) He also was quite indecisive often answering “I don’t know” to simple questions like do you want a drink or what would you like to eat. Some of this might be related to confusion w/ the UTI.
My SIL was quite diligent to get Dad up & walking, she says they did that at their home too, & she clocked 450 feet with him the day before discharge. The dry erase chart on the wall for that unit had walking 250 feet as the top goal for patient mobility. Though they made him wear a “belt” around the chest as a precaution, it was never needed. It went home with Dad in case it was needed, so that’s a backup support. Dad being a rule-following type was distressed when he got up without having the belt on since they said it was required (floor protocols). He was never unsteady on his feet thankfully.
He wanted to leave, when asked, & my SIL claimed he was functioning at the level of March 29, a day she did paperwork with him for 8 hours & said he was “perfectly fine”. I did not perceive “perfectly fine” but did not interfere with getting him out of the hospital since SIL appeared comfortable with him where he was functioning early yesterday. He is definitely improved compared to how he was in the ER, so we are thankful.
I’m not sure where we’re going with Dad, but in the short term he’s at my brother’s house & will get his meds there & possibly some Out Patient PT since he never completed his cardiac rehab due to travel challenges during Winter weather.
I personally am very exhausted & sore so passed out within a couple hours of coming home. I plan to apply myself diligently to our tax preparation with the hopes of getting them done on time & not filing an extension. This year procrastination is kicking my butt. Oh well, we do what we can, what we must, to get by.
I’d appreciate ongoing prayers for my Dad & his complete recovery, wisdom for our family as we have discussions & make plans for his living situation, & strength, peace, & favor for me as I take care of multiple layers of business for my family & for my dad. I don’t think I can afford a lengthy recovery process like I need from my own experiences being there for the entirety of Dad’s first experience as a U of M patient. I was thankful to be at a hospital of great familiarity to me for 30 years now, so that was a blessing in navigating this particular event.
Because Dad was on the same floor where my son Josiah was last year for his Severe Pancreatitis hospitalization I made myself walk by where Josiah’s room was, & the various locations where significant events/conversations happened in the lead up to & aftermath of my mom’s death. It was surreal to be facing those places & acknowledging, though not experiencing, the pain now that we’re about a month from the first anniversary of Mom’s death. God used 3 male staff members to minister to me during Dad’s stay, 2 janitors, & one nurse. Each of those conversations had one or both of use choking back tears. I don’t like to trod those painful emotional places & typically cauterize my pain to cope & get on with what needs to be done. I was thankful for the extension of compassion & acknowledgement of the historical events the trauma of which was subtly alluded to by locational & temporal association, at least for me. Thankfully I was able to traverse the courtyard as I made my way to the car upon heading home. I have a number of special memories in that location but was thinking of both of my parents with me in 2013 as we took Josiah in his wheelchair after getting his liver transplant so that he could experience that special place of beauty in the midst of the hospital. I was thinking that was as close to “forest bathing” as I was likely to come for some time. It’s the little things…
Love to you all. Don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to do “full catch up reading” here & it will be likely more than a week before I might even try. I miss keeping track of the ins & outs of Q-Treeper personal journeys & am so appreciative of those of you who keep bringing cutting edge info & analysis here. This is the Best Tree to be in!!!
In Jesus’ Love, Valerie
May God bless you and your dad, and give you strength, comfort, and wisdom as you take on extra caregiving duties. 🙏
Thank you TT. God bless you 😊
Thank you so much for the update. Good to hear that your father made it through and is out of the hospital.
I understand about wanting to get the taxes done, but, IMO, this might be a situation of “Circumstances Alter Cases.” Can you turn the finishing up over to a local tax-prep office and let them do it?
Please, your own health is important. Taking time to rest and recharge is important.
Just my thoughts. Sending Good Energy, Deep Healing, and prayers.
Thanks for your reply PAVACA. I was thinking of you when traversing that courtyard & how you’ve faced issues with losses of family etc. You inspire me 🙂
I’ve Never not done my own taxes so am not going to use a tax prep service at this point. It would stress me out more to try to gather all the materials to organize for such an operation than to follow my own process. Filing an extension is in my back pocket. I don’t prefer to do that, if possible, but it depends on how much I can get done & how many times I have to step away to attend to other things.
I can’t help falling into a deep sleep between bathroom (& Q-Tree) breaks through the night. Hopefully I can shower & dig in on the tax crap after sunrise. Hubby gets up in an hour & I may still be up to see him on to his work day, playing by ear.
Thanks for your thoughts, prayers, & insights. Blessings!
When I used to do tax prep, my personal return always went on extension. I felt more loyalty to my paying customers than I did to the IRS.
I have zero loyalty to the IRS & look at income tax as tyrannical, unnecessary (unconstitutional?) thievery. Glad to know the pros can use extension too 🙂
My dad’s late hunting buddy had a troubled childhood & his abusive dad apparently worked for the IRS. Clyde ultimately went into business & provided tax prep services for a longtime dedicated client base. As I understood it he made it his personal mission to ensure that the IRS never got any more funds than were minimally legally necessary. I think his whole career he was motivated by sticking a finger in the old man’s eye. He repeatedly offered to do my dad’s taxes for free but dad never took him up on it. The 2024 taxes were the first time Dad accepted help & that was from my brother who his is financial/estate person. Thankfully they finished up the 2025 taxes a few days before Dad’s situation escalated, that monkey is off their backs!
Sounds like you could use some rest! Glad to hear your Dad was ready to be discharged and is able to be in the comfort of a family member’s home instead of the hospital.
Keeping you in my prayers.
i have to say that this sounds like a potential source of concern.
Are you going to have to find ways to clean the ceilings?
you and your family are always in my prayers Valerie. you know where we are when you need to talk!
Good for Dad!
Couple thoughts. (Rarely shy of an opinion.)
Skip catching up QTree. Pick up QTree at any point, today, tomorrow, moving forward.
Taxes. Easiest decision today. Extension. Stop fretting over taxes.
Leave cellphone and tablet in the kitchen. Computer off. R E S T !
See ya when you’ve recharged, a lot.
it’s a shame we need ANOTHER law to enforce the CURRENT law.
Lots of stuff I missed at CTH today, or technically yesterday.
Looks like DJT picked the wrong week to forget to stop himself from destroying all the anti-Trump podcast grifters in one fell swoop 😂
.
.
President Trump Blasts the Grifters, Blackpillers and Anti-MAGA Podcasters
April 9, 2026
SD: “I’m really glad to see this from President Trump, because it clears up the big question of whether he recognized what the blackpill/grifter crowd was doing to split the larger MAGA coalition. Turns out, yes — he definitely sees it.
.
Not only does he see it, but he takes the issue head-on. Very nice to see.”
.
[Via Truth Social] – “I know why Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones have all been fighting me for years, especially by the fact that they think it is wonderful for Iran, the Number One State Sponsor of Terror, to have a Nuclear Weapon — Because they have one thing in common, Low IQs.
They’re stupid people, they know it, their families know it, and everyone else knows it, too! Look at their past, look at their record. They don’t have what it takes, and they never did! They’ve all been thrown off Television, lost their Shows, and aren’t even invited on TV because nobody cares about them, they’re NUT JOBS, TROUBLEMAKERS, and will say anything necessary for some “free” and cheap publicity.
Now they think they get some “clicks” because they have Third Rate Podcasts, but nobody’s talking about them, and their views are the opposite of MAGA — Or I wouldn’t have won the Presidential Election in a LANDSLIDE.
MAGA agrees with me, and just gave CNN a 100% Approval Rating of “TRUMP,” not Hand Flailing Fools like Tucker Carlson, who couldn’t even finish College, he was a broken man when he got fired from Fox, and he’s never been the same — Perhaps he should see a good psychiatrist! Or Megyn Kelly, who nastily asked me the now famous, “Only Rosie O’Donnell,” question, or “Crazy” Candace Owens, who accuses the Highly Respected First Lady of France of being a man, when she is not, and will hopefully win lots of money in the ongoing lawsuit.
Actually, to me, the First Lady of France is a far more beautiful woman than Candace, in fact, it’s not even close! Or Bankrupt Alex Jones, who says some of the dumbest things, and lost his entire fortune, as he should have, for his horrendous attack on the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims, ridiculously claiming it was a hoax.
These so-called “pundits” are LOSERS, and they always will be! Now Fake News CNN, The Failing New York Times, and all of the other Radical Left “News” Organizations, are “hailing” them, and giving them “positive” press for the first time in their lives. They’re not “MAGA,” they’re losers, just trying to latch on to MAGA.
As President, I could get them on my side anytime I want to, but when they call, I don’t return their calls because I’m too busy on World and Country Affairs and, after a few times, they go “nasty,” just like Marjorie “Traitor” Brown, but I no longer care about that stuff, I only care about doing right for our Country.
MAGA is about WINNING and STRENGTH in not allowing Iran to have Nuclear Weapons. MAGA is about MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and these people have no idea how to do that, BUT I DO, because THE UNITED STATES IS NOW THE “HOTTEST” COUNTRY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!”
~ President DONALD J. TRUMP
“Marjorie “Traitor” Brown” I hadn’t seen this one before. “Brown” vs “Green” is that implying she’s a pile of..
Just an excerpt, but it’s from BTTF III
https://clip.cafe/back-the-future-part-iii-1990/get-out-of-shit/
From OT:
Tucker Carlson Jumps the Shark – Attacks Rev. Franklin Graham and Samaritan’s Purse with Ridiculous Smears and Lies
April 9, 2026
SD: “Apparently, Tucker Carlson thought it would be a good idea to use his platform to attack Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse and the faith-based community. Tucker Carlson made a big mistake.
There are situations that we sometimes have a great deal of familiarity with. The work of Samaritan’s Purse and Franklin Graham is one of those situations for me. Readers here will know of my time spent as a CERT volunteer during national disasters, most of which involve hurricane relief.
I have worked closely with Samaritan’s purse, spent time inside that organization and know the scale of assistance they provide. They are, quite simply, the single most effective emergency response mission in our nation.
On his podcast, Tucker Carlson and guest “Bro” Nathan Apffel spin a conspiracy tale that’s wildly out of touch with reality.
At the same time, they mock Christianity and Christian beliefs while taking aim at Franklin Graham, accusing him, among other things, of profiting from the Samaritan’s Purse mission.
You can watch Carlson and Apffel HERE. I’m not going to promote it, because it is sick, twisted, very dark and full of flat out lies.
Carlson even goes as far as to claim: Franklin Graham has a billionaire doomsday bunker in Alaska which he created from the donations to the organization, Samaritan’s purse has a $2.5 billion war chest and ownership of private airplanes worth $15o million which Graham and his leadership use for personal travel and self-enrichment.
Let me be very specific and very clear, every single thing they claim is false; demonstrably false and easily disproven for anyone who spent even five-minutes looking at the IRS filings of the organization [SEE HERE].
Why Tucker Carlson would choose to attack Franklin Graham and Samaritan’s Purse is a bewildering question. President Trump’s decision to ostracize Carlson from any contact with the White House completely makes sense now.
Listening to the dark voices and whispers on your shoulder, is dangerous. That internal gnawing inside the spirit of Carlson is NOT the voice of God.”
(more…)
Speaking of Union Pacific’s collection of “show-off” locomotives, there is this one —
The scale of this locomotive is massive. It registers to your mind more like a building than a mechanism…..and then it snorts, and hisses, and chugs, and pieces of it start to move — and then the whole thing lurches and staggers and begins to roll.
The largest bit of this locomotive is its boiler. In front, that’s where smoke comes out, and in back that’s where the steam overflow valves are on top. Near the cab is a firebox, and tubes flow the heat through the water chamber into the front, where occasional puffs of steam blow smoke up the smokestack.
Just in front of the boiler assembly, mounted down low, are two semi-cylindrical elements in an assembly. The top one is valves and the bottom one is the actual piston assembly for power. Unlike automobile engines, pistons in steam engines are driven both forward and back by the steam.
The drive wheels are fixed to a solid axle between the sides of the locomotive, and the drive points are offset by 90 degrees. Accordingly, one side of the engine will be going “pull-idle-push-idle” while the other side goes “idle-push-idle-pull”, leaving little in the way of dead spots.
The Big Boy has two drive cylinders on each side. It would be lovely to think that they are all situated 1/8 of a turn from each other, but this is unrealistic. In operation, steel wheels frequently slide on steel rails. Regular steam locomotives have two domes on top of the boiler — a steam dome to dry out the steam, which has gauges and whistles on it — and a sand dome, where there is a mechanism to dribble sand between the wheels and rails.
I have the Trix H0 model of the loco (1:87) and IT’S HUGE and HEAVY! One-and-a-half feet long and almost THREE POUNDS!
And they were talking about a 4-8-8-8-8-4…. but the infrastructure couldn’t take it… in fact most of the remaining trackage isn’t able to handle the 4000-series locos, with Milpitas(!) being one of the places where the 4014 can get refreshed and relaxed, and maybe listen to some Mariachi music while downing some Margaritas and diesel… (I made that last part up 🙂 )…..
Similar problem to the A380 getting berth space (berth control?)….
They made these for hauling freight trains over mountains between the Pacific Coast and the Great Plains. There is no business reason whatsoever to run them in 30 states, despite them being glorious monsters…..
From OT:
.
Susan Kokinda on Trump’s Gambit: Civilizational Expansion or Nihilistic Western Decline
April 9, 2026
SD: “Susan Kokinda from Promethean Action gives her perspective on the negotiated ceasefire with Iran. Kokinda notes the key players were Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey (she missed China).
In a lesser reported part of the background, Chairman Xi Jinping summoned the Pakistani negotiators to Beijing prior to the terms of agreement with Trump. The summoning happened right after Trump said he was going to target the full force of the U.S. military against Iranian infrastructure.
Why does that matter to China? Belt and Road. Beijing has built a railway from China into Iran for the transport of goods and raw materials (including energy products) out of Iran (sanctions avoidance) in exchange for shipments of weapons. If President Trump targeted the railway infrastructure, in combination with the oil shipments being hampered, ¹China would be in a very bad place. Hence the summoning to get a ceasefire.
Focusing too narrowly on the British Empire as the source of all problems and you miss things. Mrs Kokinda missed this:
[SOURCE]
¹China in a bad place due to the middle east in crisis, means China becomes more dependent on Russia for oil, gas and ultimately fuel. Internally, Russia isn’t a big fan of their Chinese dependencies.
If FUBAR in Iran remained the statis, the two countries not in any crisis would be the USA and Russia, both with oil/gas and extra refining capacity. The countries/regions in biggest crisis would be China, Europe and Southeast Asia.
The U.S. and Russia less affected. China and the EU more affected. A significant geopolitical paradigm shift, all things considered…. and it appears that Beijing saw it coming.”
The last few C&Cs (Coffee&Covid) have had quite a lot of info on this….
A worthy prayer request from someone outside our tree…..
https://www.laughingwolf.net/2026/04/09/urgent-prayer-request/
sending up prayers.
I loved October Sky. truly an inspiring and at times funny movie.