Covidiots

The Daily Beast reports: In an Instagram video posted Sunday, hours after Spotify announced plans to fight the spread of pandemic misinformation, Rogan apologized to the streaming service and said he’ll do more research before allowing COVID quacks onto his podcast show in the future. The host said he’ll “try harder to get people with differing opinions on” and “do …

Rolling Stone reports: In the aftermath of Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren pulling their music from Spotify, the streaming service announced plans Sunday to add a “content advisory” warning to any podcasts that feature discussion about Covid-19. In a post on Spotify’s For the Record blog, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek wrote that while “there are plenty of individuals …

Charlotte’s ABC News reports: A Burke County man’s decision not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine means he also won’t be getting a much-needed kidney transplant. Chad Carswell, a double amputee who has undergone several major surgeries on his heart, now faces a different battle. Carswell told Channel 9′s Dave Faherty his kidney is only operating at about 4%. Carswell learned …

The Associated Press reports: Some parked on the grounds of the National War Memorial and danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, others carried signs and flags with swastikas and some used the statue of Canadian hero Terry Fox to display an anti-vaccine statement, sparking widespread condemnation. The convoy of truckers and others prompted police to prepare for the …

The Tampa Bay Times reports: A state appeals court Thursday said a family did not have a “legal right” to force Mayo Clinic Florida to administer the controversial drug ivermectin to try to keep alive a COVID-19 patient who was on a ventilator. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal released a 12-page opinion that detailed reasons …

From an October 2021 report by Fox News: A Washington State trooper, who was forced to step down after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, explained why he told Democrat Governor Jay Inslee to “kiss my ass” after serving the public for 22 years. Robert LaMay joined “Fox & Friends First” on Monday to discuss his decision to resign, the …

The right wing New Jersey Globe reports: A South Jersey gym owner who gained national prominence for refusing to follow Gov. Phil Murphy’s business closures and mask mandates during early months of the coronavirus pandemic, will announce next week that will run for Congress. Ian Smith wants to challenge two-term Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) in New Jersey’s 3rd district. He …

“The stated goal is to depopulate the planet and the ones that are left, either make them chronically sick or turn them into transhumanist cyborgs that can be manipulated externally by 5G, by magnets, by all sorts of things. “I got dragged through the mud by the mainstream media when I said that in May of last year in front …

The Associated Press reports: Police in Canada’s capital have called in reinforcements as the first trucks in a convoy organized to protest the Canadian government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truck drivers arrive in the capital. Several thousand people are expected in Ottawa as part of group demanding an end to vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions. Some of the group’s …

The Daily Beast reports: Fox News host Dan Bongino’s website has been temporarily suspended from monetizing with Google ads over “persistently” breaching the company’s guidelines on publishing COVID-19 misinformation. “We have strict publisher policies in place that explicitly prohibit misleading and harmful content around the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrably false claims about our elections. When publishers persistently breach our policies, …

The BBC reports: BBC research has cast doubt on the timing of the positive Covid test Novak Djokovic used to enter Australia to try to compete in the Australian Open. It was provided to exempt him from rules barring unvaccinated people. However, the serial number on his test on 16 December appears out of sequence with a sample of tests …

CTV News reports: A “Freedom Convoy” of truckers and supporters departed Kingston, Ont. shortly after 8:30 a.m., according to police there. They are scheduled to arrive in Ottawa around 12 p.m. Ottawa police are scheduled to hold a news conference at 11 a.m. on their preparations for the convoy’s arrival. Ottawa police and Ontario Provincial Police are urging residents to …

The Associated Press reports: Pope Francis denounced fake news about COVID-19 and vaccines Friday, blasting the “distortion of reality based on fear” but also urging that people who believe such lies are helped to understand true scientific facts. Francis met with Catholic journalists who have formed a fact-checking network to try to combat misinformation about the pandemic. Francis has frequently …

Upper East Site reports: A half dozen NYPD officers were called to Elio’s restaurant on Second Avenue Wednesday night after a man dining with the former Alaska Governor on the Upper East Side roughed up a news photographer filming them dining outdoors. “Are any of you guys concerned she tested positive for covid?” he asked. The moment the words came …

The Washington Post reports: D.C. officials said Thursday they are suspending the liquor license of an H Street bar for violating of the city’s vaccine and mask regulations. Conservatives rallied to defend the Big Board earlier this month after it received two $1,000 citations as well as written and verbal warnings for unmasked employees and not checking customers’ vaccine status. …

The Hill reports: Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Thursday that “Canadian truckers rule” as drivers made their way toward Ottawa to protest against a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The mandate at issue was instituted by the Canadian government and applies to truck drivers who cross the U.S.-Canadian border, Reuters noted. Ottawa police have already signaled they are on high alert …

The New York Daily News reports: After COVID-stricken Sarah Palin was spotted dining at two Manhattan restaurants and walking maskless on city streets, Mayor Adams’ office issued a warning to New Yorkers who cross her infected path. “We encourage any New Yorker who came into contact with Sarah Palin to get tested, just as we encourage all New Yorkers to …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Marvel and Lost actress Evangeline Lilly is slamming vaccine mandates. The 43-year-old star posted on Instagram that she attended a rally in Washington D.C. this weekend to protest “bodily sovereignty” – a.k.a. Covid-19 vaccine mandates. It was apparently the same Sunday rally where speaker and devout anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made headlines by comparing vaccine …

Buffalo’s ABC News affiliate reports: A West Seneca couple is accused of using fake COVID-19 vaccine cards to enter Highmark Stadium for a Buffalo Bills game. The Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced 34-year-old Michael Naab and 37-year-old Amber Naab were arraigned Monday in Orchard Park Town Court. Both are charged with one count of criminal possession of a forged …

The Guardian reports: Prominent figures in the anti-vaccine movement including Dr Joseph Mercola [photo] and Alex Berenson have large followings on Substack, which has more than 1 million paying subscribers who sign up for individual newsletters from an array of authors. Research by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a campaign group, showed that Mercola’s newsletters made a minimum of …