TallGuyJohninBKK

A federal judge in Maryland has ordered the Trump administration to return a Venezuelan man who was sent to a megaprison in El Salvador despite having protection from removal. April 25, 2025 A federal judge in Maryland has ordered the Trump administration to return a Venezuelan man who was sent to a megaprison in El Salvador despite being part of a class action settlement that should have protected him from removal. U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher said Wednesday that other migrants covered by the settlement should also be shielded from deportation or transfer to El Salvador until their asylum cases are processed. The case marks the second time a judge has ordered the Trump administration to return a migrant it sent to El Salvador on March 15. (more) Washington Post https://archive.ph/P4WQ6

April 25, 2025 "President Donald Trump’s approval ratings on immigration, relatively strong in the early weeks of his second term, have dipped into negative territory, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, a sign that his administration’s hard-line and, in some cases, legally dubious enforcement tactics are losing public support. A majority of Americans, 53 percent, disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration, with 46 percent approving, a reversal from February when half of the public voiced approval of his approach. Negative views have ticked up across partisan groups over the past two months, with 90 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of independents and 11 percent of Republicans now disapproving of the way the president has managed one of his core policy issues. The findings buttress other recent polls that have tracked falling approval ratings for Trump on immigration, though he still draws higher marks on the issue than on other matters. They come amid mounting public frustration more broadly over his presidency as it closes in on its first 100 days, which have been marked by a blizzard of unilateral actions sometimes violating the constitutional bounds of presidential authority. (more) Washington Post https://archive.ph/4bo20

More people encountering false information "Vaccine hesitancy is fueled partly by misinformation about measles and the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. A recent KFF poll shows most adults and parents have encountered false claims about the vaccine, particularly the discredited autism link. High-profile figures, including HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have amplified some of these myths, creating confusion about reliable health information. Public health experts warn this misinformation undermines vaccine confidence, contributing to declining immunization rates and increasing future outbreak risks." Health Security Decoded Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Health-Security-Decoded---April-24--2025.html?soid=1107826135286&aid=wqIATCnpVig

The current measles vaccine (standard two doses) is 97% effective in preventing the disease, and confers protection for life. That's a pretty good deal for youngsters who need that protection. "Most people get the MMR vaccine as children. It’s given in two shots, the first typically when a child is between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second when they are 4 to 6 years old. It’s a live vaccine, meaning that it contains a small, weakened dose of the virus. No vaccine is 100% effective against measles, but two MMR shots are 97% effective. (Two shots are 88% effective against mumps, and a single shot is 97% effective against rubella.) Most people who are vaccinated will never get the measles; although a small percentage have “breakthrough” cases, the symptoms are usually mild. The MMR vaccine is also safe, according to the CDC, which notes that most people have no side effects. If side effects do occur, the most common are soreness at the vaccination site, fever, and pain and stiffness in the joints. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/should-you-get-a-measles-vaccine-booster

"Without a 5% higher measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination rate, measles may revert to endemicity in the United States within 25 years, while a 10% decline in vaccination could lead to 11.1 million cases of the highly contagious illness in that timeframe, according to predictions from a simulation model published today in JAMA. Also today, the World Health Organization (WHO); UNICEF; and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance warn that burgeoning outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases threaten to reverse years of progress. ... "Widespread childhood vaccination has eliminated many infectious diseases in the US," the study authors wrote. "However, vaccination rates are declining, and there are ongoing policy debates to reduce the childhood vaccine schedule, which may risk reemergence of previously eliminated infectious diseases." (more) https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/precipice-disaster-measles-may-be-endemic-25-years-if-vaccine-uptake-stays-low-model

Re COVID vaccines, let's try look at the actual facts -- which I know is a stretch for this venue: Per the U.S. CDC: Reports of deaths Reports of death after COVID-19 vaccination can be concerning. CDC is committed to providing clear and accurate information so that you can make informed, confident decisions about your health. Several factors explain reports of death after COVID-19 vaccination. These include: FDA rules that require healthcare providers to report any death after vaccination to VAERS (even if it is unclear that the vaccine was the cause). CDC's reporting requirements for vaccine providers. Increased public awareness of COVID-19 vaccines. Data shows that people who receive COVID-19 vaccines are less likely to die from COVID-19 or COVID-19-related complications than those who are unvaccinated. [emphasis added} COVID-19 vaccines do not increase the risk of death from non-COVID causes when compared to those who have not been vaccinated.27282930 [emphasis added] ttps://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/covid-19.html

https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/slides-2025-04-15-16/04-Link-Gelles-COVID-508.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/slides-2025-04-15-16/04-Link-Gelles-COVID-508.pdf

"Vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine was 33% against COVID-19–associated emergency department (ED) or urgent care (UC) visits among adults aged ≥18 years and 45%–46% against hospitalizations among immunocompetent adults aged ≥65 years, compared with not receiving a 2024–2025 vaccine dose. VE against hospitalizations in immunocompromised adults aged ≥65 years was 40%. [emphasis added] What are the implications for public health practice? These findings indicate that 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccination provides additional protection against COVID-19–associated ED/UC encounters and hospitalization, versus no 2024–2025 vaccination and support CDC and ACIP recommendations that all persons aged ≥6 months receive 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccination. ... COVID-19 vaccination averted approximately 68,000 hospitalizations during the 2023–24 respiratory season.... During September 24, 2023–August 11, 2024, approximately 800,000 COVID-19–associated hospitalizations occurred in the United States (1); adults aged ≥65 years accounted for 70% of these hospitalizations." [emphasis added] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a1.htm

The MMR vax rates have changed, and have been declining, including in the U.S. at large and in Texas. See below... Measles Cases Are Surging—These 6 Charts Reveal Why Measles continues to spread in Texas and other states and has caused the first reported U.S. death from the virus in a decade. Vaccination data over time reveal vulnerabilities in protection https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-how-measles-outbreaks-flourish-where-vaccination-rates-fall/ "because the disease is highly contagious, 95 percent of a population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity—protection that stops disease spread. The state of Texas has an MMR vaccination rate among kindergartners that is slightly below that threshold, at 94.3 percent, and measles has spread rampantly." And the areas at the heart of the Texas outbreak have even lower vax rates in the low 80%s, which significantly elevates the risks there:

All a bunch of anti-vaxers that no one's ever heard of, and have no standing or credibility whatsoever in the field of public health or vaccines. But that's what we've come to expect from this particular poster. If there was ANY truth to what's being claimed, does anyone really think it would only be being reported by a bunch of nobody anti-vaxers..... Please!!!

It's starting and early days yet, with a virus that is among the most highly infectious out there -- basically if an unvaccinated person comes into contact with someone with measles, they're highly likely to be infected. The case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths are going to continue growing as long as there's a sufficient pool of unvaccinated folks out there waiting to be fodder.

Will be getting the current version in the coming months. It's been a year since my last COVID vax, so I'm overdue... as someone at greater risk of bad COVID outcomes because I'm now age 65+. The latest CDC data says the current COVID shot reduces the risk of COVID hospitalization in people age 65+ by about FORTY FIVE percent, compared to people who have not received the latest version. Interim Estimates of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years — VISION and IVY Networks, September 2024–January 2025 Weekly / February 27, 2025 "Vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine was 33% against COVID-19–associated emergency department (ED) or urgent care (UC) visits among adults aged ≥18 years and 45%–46% against hospitalizations among immunocompetent adults aged ≥65 years, compared with not receiving a 2024–2025 vaccine dose." [emphasis added] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a1.htm

The fact you refer to the COVID pandemic as a "plandemic" says all anyone needs to know about your conspiracy theory partisan mindset.

Re the Texas outbreak, the CDC has recently reported that almost all of the cases there are from native residents, and only a small portion for international imports. Also, as has been reported, much of the Texas outbreak originated among unvaccinated Mennonite community members, and they're homegrown, not crossing the border from Mexico... But nice try at unsubstantiated deflection on your part, anyways.... 😞

I did a couple of those back in the old days... After weighing that approach vs. my typical Taiwan layover with EVA, I found myself grateful for the in-flight break in Taiwan and the chance to walk around a bit, hit some of the coffee shops or restaurants there, stretch out and relax... before re-boarding for the next segment. Non-stop to LA from BKK makes for a very long trip, especially when you're doing the 14-hour-plus version going against the currents. And as best as I can recall, at least in the old days, taking the nonstop on Thai Air wasn't any bargain pricewise compared to the other carriers' one-stop routes.

In theory PERHAPS a good move aimed at preventing price exploitation. But in reality, other than generating a lot of bureaucratic workload, it probably will mean little to nothing for the typical Thai consumer. And there a lot of them throughout the country who earn minimal wages and don't have the spare money to spend thousands of baht on quality/effective air purifiers... Instead, they and their children just breathe in PM2.5 and pay the health consequences of doing so. Hey, here's an idea... How about the Thai government actually doing something meaningful to reduce the agricultural burning that is the main culprit in the country's seasonal air pollution? If they did THAT, then all of us would have less need to be buying and using air purifiers...

But lets give federal tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires instead...

US pulls back $12 billion in funding to state health departments March 27, 20257:21 AM GMT+7 https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-government-pulls-back-over-11-billion-funding-state-health-departments-2025-03-26/ And in "measlesland".... Federal public health cuts could cost Texas $700 million State and local health agencies are having to cut programs and staff to make up the loss and more cuts could be coming. April 9, 2025 https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/09/texas-public-health-federal-funding-cuts-pandemic/ Trump clawed back billions in federal health grants. Here’s how much California is losing California may lose more than $1 billion in public health and mental health funding as a result of new federal budget cuts that target COVID-19 pandemic response grants, according to the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency website. March 27, 2025 https://calmatters.org/health/2025/03/trump-budget-cuts-health-grants/

Trump has cut and tried to cut vast amounts of federal funding that normally would go to support all the various state and local health departments. That leaves them hamstrung and unable to respond due to loss of funding and manpower. I have no idea what "unvacant" means, since nothing I posted above related to that, whatever you think it means.

It's probably best to just ignore certain comments that are so far divorced from any reality that engaging in discussion is pointless.

https://archive.ph/txXD0

You want to cede the primary role of international leadership to China? Because that's exactly what Trump's withdrawal from international cooperation activities is doing.

It's U.S. citizens who are being sickened and in some cases dying from measles right now while the Trump Administration fiddles, cuts DOMESTIC health funding, and appoints a bunch of anti-vaxers to senior federal health jobs: "Last month, H.H.S. moved to cut billions of dollars allocated to local health departments. (A judge temporarily blocked the funding cuts after a coalition of states sued the Trump administration.) And layoffs at the C.D.C. eliminated entire divisions of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, who had been helping states ensure that their hospitals were equipped to treat patients with an airborne respiratory disease. The response has also been hamstrung by muddled messaging from the country’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has downplayed vaccinations and the seriousness of measles infections while promoting unproven treatments, like cod liver oil." New York Times https://archive.ph/txXD0

Got news for you -- infectious diseases like COVID, the measles, avian flu, polio, malaria, etc etc DO NOT respect national borders. When the U.S. under Trump abandons its historically major role in supporting international public health initiatives and guts the U.S.'s own public health organizations, it makes the WHOLE world less healthy and less safe, including the United States.