Why Are ANY Republicans For This Bill?!

I don't get this at all. If we had wanted this, we might as well have voted for the Democrats in 2024!

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From Brianna Lyman at The Federalist, 4-9-26:

Here Are The 8 Most Insane Things In The ‘DIGNIDAD’ Amnesty Bill

Despite President Donald Trump winning on the promise of “mass deportations,” a handful of spineless Republicans, alongside Democrats, are trying to push a mass amnesty act known as the DIGNIDAD Act — or, for English speakers, the DIGNITY Act.

The legislation is billed as not being amnesty, but would give millions of illegal aliens — both so-called DREAMers/DACA and non-DREAMers/DACA — a legal status. But co-sponsor Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., insists it’s not amnesty, so much so that she’s screaming at people on X to “READ. THE. BILL. BEFORE. YOU. OPEN. YOUR. MOUTH.”

So I read the bill.

And frankly, it might be worse than just amnesty.

Student Loan Forgiveness For Lawyers Who Provide Legal Services To Illegals

According to a “Section-by-Section Analysis” of the DIGNITY Act by Salazar and Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, the legislation creates a special loan forgiveness program for lawyers who provide legal services to illegal aliens at “Humanitarian Campuses.” “Humanitarian campuses” would be new facilities where illegal aliens get processed. Lawyers who complete four years of full-time service get 75% of their outstanding law school loans forgiven.

In other words, Americans will have to pay for lawyers to keep illegal aliens here. 

Importation Of Illegal Aliens Who Had Already Been Deported

The legislation also opens the door for aliens who were previously deported to come back to the United States and seek relief if they would otherwise qualify under the legislation.

“With respect to aliens who were removed or departed the United States on or after January 20, 2017, and who were continuously physically present in the United States for at least 5 years prior to such removal or departure, the Secretary may, as a matter of discretion, waive the physical presence requirement under section 2102 (b)(1)(A) or section 2302(1)(A) for humanitarian purposes, for family unity, or because a waiver is otherwise in the public interest.”

The section also stipulates the secretary of state should create a procedure for aliens to apply for the “relief” even if they had been deported but would otherwise have been eligible.

Exemptions From FICA Taxes

Aliens would be exempt from Social Security/Medicare payroll taxes but have to pay a 1 percent levy on adjusted gross income, according to Salazar and Escobar’s analysis.

“Dignity participants will be exempt from paying FICA taxes. However, they will be charged a separate 1% levy on their adjusted gross income,” the legislation reads.

The exemption from standard payroll taxes shifts the tax burden away from aliens while they receive work authorization and protection from removal.

Halts Deportations

The DIGNIDAD Act also includes protections that prevent aliens from being removed while their applications are pending. Under the legislation, aliens applying under the Dream provision can be given an opportunity to file even if removal proceedings have started, and those denied a change of status can seek judicial review without being subject to removal. According to the analysis, “Aliens that receive a denial of application for adjustment may apply for judicial review. Aliens seeking judicial review are exempt from removal proceedings during the review.” The analysis also states that the Dignity Program provides, among other things, “protection from removal proceedings, if conditions are being met.”

Further, the legislation is not merely for so-called Dreamers or DACA recipients, that is, aliens allegedly brought here as children. Under the legislation, there is a separate track for illegal aliens who do not qualify as DREAMers or DACA recipients. Section 2302 states the secretary of homeland security can register illegal aliens for the program if the alien “has been continually physically present in the United States since December 31, 2020,” pays a $1,000 fine, passes a background check, provides biometric data, and isn’t disqualified by any other section.

Such a provision, combined with a prohibition on deportations with paperwork pending, would effectively end mass deportations.

Grants Permanent Residency

The DIGNIDAD Act also includes a loophole that basically hands aliens a green card. So long as an alien has entered the country before turning 18 and has been here continuously since January 1, 2021, the alien is eligible for green card status. After meeting basic education, work or military requirements and passing a background check check, the alien can get a green card status which could eventually lead to citizenship if they want to seek it.

AG Can Stop Deportation For Family ‘Hardship’

The attorney general is given broad discretion to terminate deportation proceedings for family “hardship” reasons. This means the attorney general can stop removal cases when an illegal alien claims extreme hardship to a lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or child.

Wipes 3/10 Year Bans

Illegal aliens who are in the country illegally for more than 180 days but less than a year are currently subject to a three-year re-entry ban, according to Section 212 (a)(9)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Illegals here for more than a year are subject to 10-year bans. But the DIGNITY Act lets the Secretary of Homeland Security waive those bans for eligible participants of the DIGNITY Program so long as they meet the other requirements.

Illegals With DUI Or DWI Convictions Can Stay

During an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-NY, who is co-sponsoring the bill seemingly had no idea that it allows for illegal aliens convicted of DUI and DWI’s to stay in the country.

“How about multiple DUIs?” Ingraham asked Lawler. 

“That should be included [for deportation],” Lawler agreed.

“It’s not!” Ingraham explained to him. “They can stay under this legislation!”

Under the legislation, an alien with a misdemeanor DUI or DWI conviction would still be eligible to participate in the DIGNITY program. Section 2302 Eligibility, subsection (3), states an “alien is ineligible for participation in the Dignity Program if, excluding any offense under State law for which an essential element is the alien’s immigration status, and any minor traffic offense, the alien has been convicted of any felony offense, two or more misdemeanor offenses, a misdemeanor offense of domestic violence…”

The legislation specifically carves out “minor traffic offense” from convictions that could impede eligibility. While DUI/DWI are not always classified as a minor traffic violation, first offenses are typically misdemeanors in most states. The legislation states that “two or more” misdemeanor offenses can make someone ineligible for the Dignity program. Therefore, an alien convicted of one DUI/DWI may still be eligible.

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Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2 

Good Vaccine News is Bad News For RFK, Jr.

I saw this on the news. So, because RFK, Jr. is an anti-vaxxer, the CDC is blocking a release of a study proving that the COVID vaccine works? How does that make any sense? Does he only want to print negative news so that more Americans will refuse to get vaccinated and get sick instead?  I just don't get it.

For me, the quick release of the COVID vaccine in 2021 was one of the greatest medical achievements in my lifetime, and seeing so many of us rushing to make appointments or standing in long lines for shots was one of the best things that could happen.

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CDC study shows COVID shot benefits; Trump official blocks release; Study found shots cut urgent care and hospitalization by about 50% in healthy adults.

Beth Mole – Apr 9, 2026 11:26 AM 

"Under anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been blocked from publishing a scientifically vetted study finding significant health benefits from this season’s COVID-19 vaccines, according to reporting by The Washington Post.

"The move adds to longstanding concern among health experts that chaos and political interference under Kennedy—a staunch anti-vaccine activist who has long falsely maligned COVID-19 vaccines—is deeply undermining science at federal agencies and beyond.

"CDC scientists and insiders told the Post that the COVID-19 vaccine study went through the agency’s standard scientific review process and was slated for publication on March 19 in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). But acting CDC director Jay Bhattacharya blocked the scheduled publication and is holding the study, claiming he has concerns about its methodology.

"Agency scientists talked with the Post on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from the Trump administration.

"According to a summary the Post obtained, the study concluded that between September and December of last year, healthy adults vaccinated with a 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine saw the risk of emergency department or urgent care visits cut by 50 percent, and the risk of COVID-19-associated hospitalizations cut by 55 percent, compared with healthy adults who did not get this season’s shot.

"Bhattacharya reportedly took issue with the test-negative design of the study, which is a well-established method to examine real-world data on vaccine effectiveness. This type of observational study looks at people who have symptoms related to the disease of interest (in this case, COVID-19) and have the same test-seeking behavior. Those who test positive for the disease of interest become positive cases in the study, and those who test negative are test-negative controls. Researchers then compare the two groups based on vaccination status.

Routine methods

"Test-negative case-control design studies have been widely used to assess the effectiveness of many types of vaccines. In fact, the CDC published a study in the MMWR last month—a week before the COVID-19 study was set to publish—examining this year’s flu shot effectiveness with the same design. But the method gained a higher profile during the pandemic, with hundreds of studies using it to estimate COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness. Analyses have found that, like any observational study design, there are potential biases, but it’s generally considered to produce reliable estimates when those biases are controlled.

"Andrew Nixon, spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, told the Post in a statement that “It’s routine for CDC leadership to review and flag concerns about MMWR papers, especially relating to their methodology, leading up to planned publication.”

"Nixon said Bhattacharya, who is also head of the National Institutes of Health under Kennedy, was concerned by “the observational method used in the study to calculate vaccine effectiveness” and “wants to make sure that the paper uses the most appropriate methodology for such a study.” Nixon added that the agency’s “scientific team is working to address these concerns.”

"Dan Jernigan, who headed CDC’s influenza division for six years and resigned last year in protest of Kennedy’s political interference at the agency, suggested to the Post that stalling the paper fits with Kennedy’s anti-vaccine agenda.

“The secretary has already taken steps to try and remove the availability of the vaccine from children and others, so if you’re putting out an MMWR that the vaccine is effective at preventing hospitalizations and medical care visits … that message is not in line with the direction you’ve been taking with the removal of the vaccine,” he said."

Your Eyes and Long COVID

This is by Laine Bergeson at CIDRAP, 4-8-26:

Eye symptoms may signal higher-severity long COVID  

"New-onset eye-related symptoms in people diagnosed as having long COVID may be an indicator of more-severe disease, according to a cross-sectional study published in Clinical Ophthalmology.

"For the study, researchers led by a team at Yale School of Medicine analyzed survey data from 595 adults who self-reported having long COVID in surveys conducted from May 2022 to October 2023. Participants’ median age was 46 years, and 73% were women. Overall, 57% reported new-onset ocular symptoms—which were defined as blurred or lost vision, dry eyes, or floaters or flashes—after their initial COVID-19 infection.

Worse overall health, greater financial burden

"Despite having similar pre-pandemic health profiles, participants with eye symptoms reported significantly worse overall health than those without such symptoms. Participants with symptoms also had higher rates of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (rapid heart rate upon standing) and autonomic nervous system disorders such as dizziness, tremors, and difficulty regulating body temperature (38% vs 15%); gastrointestinal issues (21% vs 11%); and migraines (15% vs 4%)

"The five most important symptoms distinguishing participants with ocular symptoms from those without were dizziness, cold intolerance, pressure at the base of the head, tinnitus (ringing or other sounds in the ears), and tremors. 

"The findings also pointed to broader clinical and socioeconomic differences. Those with ocular symptoms were more likely to report financial difficulties (20% vs 9%) and concerns about housing stability (16% vs 5%), which the researchers attributed to the effects of long COVID.

Need for clinicians to consider eye symptoms 

"The authors suggest that ocular symptoms may reflect more-severe long COVID. “Individuals with long COVID with self-reported new-onset ocular symptoms after infection may represent a more severe phenotype, with poorer health status and greater socioeconomic challenges despite similar pre-pandemic health profiles,” they write. 

"The study had several limitations. All data were self-reported, raising the potential for recall bias, and the study population was predominantly female and White, which may limit generalizability.

'Still, the findings highlight the need for clinicians to consider eye symptoms when it comes to long COVID. The researchers call for future studies to focus on the specific type of ocular problems associated with long COVID, understanding how eye issues relate to other symptoms, and identifying targeted treatments."

Damned If Trump Does, And Damned If He Doesn't

 

The Michael Ramirez cartoon above has been on my computer for many years, even before Oct.7, and if you just substitute "Iran" for "Hamas", it's still true. 

The Democrats and their twins in the liberal media have been attacking Trump for committing "war crimes" in Iran, while ignoring the real war crimes the Islamic Republic of Evil  has committed on their own population.

Now that a Pakistan-brokered temporary ceasefire is in effect, the  Democrats are even more enraged, and they want him impeached -- again.  I would have given Iran one week, not two, but otherwise, a ceasefire is worth a try even though, as I've said for years, when we (or Israel) cease, the enemy continues to fire.

The spiteful, useless Democrats and their friends in the press are nothing more than collaborators and traitors to condemn our President and our country during wartime -- especially while they're on another Schumer-Shutdown Vacation.

By the way, I see that Keir Starmer, who didn't want to get involved, is suddenly going to the Middle East to "help". Where were all our so-called allies when we needed them? 

A Real War Crime In Haifa

The U.N. and Democrats are already salivating over the thought of charging Trump with war crimes for attacking Iran. Funny, but I didn't hear any mention of war crimes when Iran slaughtered 40,000+ of their own people!

Here's a war crime for you: Iran deliberately targets population centers in Israel, with tragic consequences, and during Passover, but nobody talks about this, either.

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Entire family wiped out after Iranian missile hits Haifa residential building 

Four members of the Gershovitz family were killed when an Iranian missile slammed into their Haifa home.

By World Israel News Staff, 4-7-26

"A devastating Iranian missile strike on Haifa has claimed the lives of four members of the same family, turning what began as another barrage in an ongoing war into a deeply personal tragedy that has shaken communities across Israel.

"The victims were identified as Vladimir Gershovitz, 73, his wife Lena Ostrovsky Gershovitz, 68, their son Dimitri (“Dima”) Gershovitz, 42, and his wife, Lucille Jane Gershovitz, 29.

"Their bodies were recovered from the rubble of a residential building after a prolonged and complex rescue effort that lasted through the night, with the final victim located roughly 18 hours after impact.

"The missile struck the building during a broader Iranian barrage targeting northern Israel.

"According to reports, the projectile was at least partially intercepted, but fragments—or the remaining warhead—continued on course and slammed into the structure, causing catastrophic collapse.

"The upper floors gave way, crashing down onto lower levels where the family had been at the time.

In the critical moments before the strike, sirens had sounded across the area. However, the family faced a tragic dilemma: the nearest protected space required exiting the building, leaving them with little time to reach safety.

"News of their deaths prompted an outpouring of grief, particularly for Lena Ostrovsky Gershovitz, who was widely known in Israel’s cultural world as a revered acting teacher. Colleagues and former students described her as a central figure who helped shape generations of performers, remembered for her dedication and deep love for her craft.

"The Haifa strike is among the deadliest single incidents in Israel since the current war with Iran escalated, highlighting both the intensity of the missile campaign and the limits of even advanced air defense systems.

"The missile had reportedly been aimed at strategic infrastructure in the area, but instead struck a residential building—underscoring the unpredictable and often devastating impact of such attacks.

"As rescue teams combed through the wreckage, additional survivors were pulled from the debris, including vulnerable civilians who narrowly escaped a similar fate.

"The tragedy in Haifa has become a stark symbol of the human cost of the war—one in which entire families can be wiped out in seconds, even far from the front lines."

How To Respond to Antisemitism

I came across 10 Witty Jewish Responses to Antisemitism at Aish by Dr. Yvette Alt Miller, 3-24-26 

These are my favorites:  

Groucho Marx:

"When told he and his family couldn’t swim in the pool at a country club that excluded Jews, comedian Groucho Marx (1890-1977), whose wife was not Jewish, protested: “But my daughter’s only half-Jewish.  Can she go in up to her waist?”

"Marx was one of the few Jewish members of the exclusive Friars Club, an exclusive Manhattan private club which famously restricted Jewish members.

"In 1949, he lampooned the club’s antisemitism, resigning his membership in a telegram: “I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.”

Golda Meir

"Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir (1898 - 1978) engaged in US-mediated peace talks with Arab states in the 1970s.  On one occasion, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger explained that he was being tough on Israel because he didn’t want to be accused of favoritism to the Jewish state.  “First I am an American,” he said, “second I am Secretary of State, and third I am a Jew.”

"Prime Minister Meir simply replied: “In Israel, we read from right to left.”

Elon Gold

"After antisemites marched through the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, chanting “Jews will not replace us,” comedian Elon Gold provided a response:

“We don’t want to replace you, we just want to put braces on you…we just want to manage your portfolio…we want to place you in a 30-year fixed low interest mortgage…we want to fit you for glasses, heal you, teach you, inspire you, make you laugh, represent you in a divorce and she replaces you.”

A Successful Rescue Mission To Make Americans Proud

I just watched the military press conference about the rescue of the wounded weapons officer, and it was like the preparations for D-Day -- a lot of deception, great skill, amazing training, and the pledge to never leave anyone behind. Is it any wonder that military recruitment is so high now?

If you didn't see this press conference, you can read about the rescue mission here.

I had also read that morons had been spreading rumors all weekend, claiming that Trump was in Walter Reed Hospital. These people cannot stand the fact that he has been so successful in his Presidencies and that this rescue mission had turned out so well. They prefer bad Trump news to good Trump news and will resort to lying out of sheer desperation. I hope they all get their just desserts very soon.

Dr Ruth Report 4-5-26

Dr Ruth Ann Crystal says, "This week, I am doing an abbreviated version of the newsletter because of the holidays." Here's her 4-5-26 report:

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Dr. Ruth Report, 4/5/26 

U.S. Respiratory Illness Summary:

COVID is low in most areas, RSV is having a late season and is high especially in the Northeast and Midwest, Flu A is low, and Flu B is still high in the northeastern United States.

From: https://data.wastewaterscan.org/

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COVID Variants

4/2/26 CNN: Kids may be more likely to get the new ‘Cicada’ variant of Covid-19, scientists say. Here’s what to know about BA.3.2 https://buff.ly/eBfzxj6

BA.3 was first seen briefly in 2022, but then went silent until November 2024, when it showed up in South Africa. It re-emerged after years and started to circulate again, kind of like what the cicada insect does. For this reason, BA.3.2 has been nicknamed “Cicada”.

BA.3.2 appears to infect children ages 5 to 15 about 5x more than adults. But so far, infections with BA.3.2 are not more severe than previous COVID variants. It has shown up in countries around the world, but has not caused large waves.

Acute COVID infections, General COVID info

3/22/26 Diagnostics: Serum Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Levels in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Fibrotic-like Lung Changes: A Cross-Sectional Study https://buff.ly/mOusdoN

Higher blood mTOR levels were linked to post-COVID lung scarring

Antivirals

4/1/26 BioRxiV: VYD2311 is a promising candidate for passive immunization against COVID-19 in immunocompromised individuals https://buff.ly/5JqkrMq

David Ho’s lab at Columbia tested new monoclonal antibody VYD2311 and found that it potently neutralized XFG, NB.1.8.1, and the newer, genetically distant BA.3.2.2 COVID variant, significantly more than pemivibart.

3/17/26 Reports: Successful Treatment of Persistent and Relapsing COVID-19 with Ensitrelvir in a Patient with Obinutuzumab-Induced Long-Term B-Cell Depletion: A Case Report https://buff.ly/XFpXJ5g

Adding Ensitrelvir to Remdesivir helped an immunocompromised person to get rid of a persistent COVID infection.

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Long COVID

4/1/26 eClinical Medicine (Lancet): Long COVID and risk of incident cardiovascular disease: a prospective cohort study using the Multimorbidity Integrated Registry Across Care Levels in Stockholm (MIRACLE-S) cohort https://buff.ly/DdD4bDt

A large prospective study of over 1.2 million people from Sweden shows that Long COVID is linked to heart issues including heart failure, coronary disease and arrhythmias, even after mild COVID infection, especially in women.

3/31/26 Annals of Internal Medicine: The Effect of Fluvoxamine and Metformin for Fatigue in Patients With Long COVID: An Adaptive Randomized Trial https://buff.ly/NOkPqBS

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, adaptive trial, “Fluvoxamine, but not Metformin, may be an effective treatment for reducing fatigue and improving quality of life in patients with long COVID.”

3/31/26 Nature: Long COVID disability burden in US adults https://buff.ly/7nZ44z0

“Long COVID YLDs [years lived with disability] approximate those of Alzheimer’s and Asthma”, yet NIH funding was only 14% of what this disability burden would suggest.

3/31/26 Lancet Infectious Diseases: Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for long COVID: a case report of clinical and immunological findings https://buff.ly/OKIoCFj

In a case report, “ high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin was associated with sustained clinical recovery from long COVID over 1 year of follow-up, accompanied by immunological changes consistent with modulation of post-viral immune dysregulation, including a reduction in pathogenic T cell–monocyte synapses.”

3/31/26 J of Infectious Diseases: Comparison of Immune Activation and Gut Barrier Dysfunction between Long COVID and HIV infection https://buff.ly/ZOykHsI

“Long COVID is marked by lipid oxidation [oxidative stress] while HIV shows persistent monocyte activation” and worse vitamin K status.

3/27/26 American Heart Journal Plus: Cardiology Research and Practice: Elevated blood viscosity is associated with dysautonomia in long COVID symptoms https://buff.ly/qjp65Ew

In a Veteran’s Administration study in which only 32% of Long COVID patients were women, increased blood viscosity was linked to dysautonomia and POTS, but not to Long COVID symptoms.

3/30/26 June 2026 issue Clinical Immunology (Review): Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19: A disorder of impaired innate immune resolution – A narrative review https://buff.ly/2ShEj8y

A new review suggests that Long COVID is a disorder of failed innate immune resolution in which persistent stimuli (SARS-CoV-2, DAMPs, latent viruses, microbiota) drive chronic inflammation.

3/27/26 Study Results | NCT05965726 | RECOVER-VITAL: Effects of Paxlovid on Long COVID Symptoms https://buff.ly/xi2MM9F

Preliminary results from a study of 964 people showed that taking 15 days or 25 days of Paxlovid did not resolve Long COVID symptoms (brain fog, autonomic dysfunction or post exertional malaise).

3/28/26 RECOVER-AUTONOMIC clinical trial results shared at 2026 ACC Conference (Ivabradine) https://buff.ly/9w1YQk0

A NIH RECOVER trial shows that while Ivabradine lowered heart rate, it did not improve Long COVID POTS symptoms.

3/27/26 Preventive Medicine Reports: Exploring Long COVID diagnostic equity by sex, race and ethnicity, and insurance type https://buff.ly/cbn7vR0

Black, Hispanic and Medicaid patients are less likely to be diagnosed with Long COVID as compared to white patients and those with private insurance.

Measles

As of April 2, 2026, 1,671 confirmed measles cases were reported in the United States in 2026, with 5% (91 of 1,671 cases) reported hospitalized.

3/31/26 “The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is reporting no new cases of measles in the state since our last update Friday, keeping the total number of cases in South Carolina related to the Upstate outbreak at 997.”

Utah Department of Public Health (Measles): https://epi.utah.gov/measles-response/

362 people from Utah have been diagnosed with measles in 2026, with 142 cases reported in the last 3 weeks.

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Other News

4/3/26 CIDRAP: State public health labs step up as CDC pauses testing for various pathogens, including Rabies, Mpox https://buff.ly/lPQaC0K

4/2/26 CIDRAP: High-dose flu vaccine tied to lower Alzheimer’s risk in older adults https://buff.ly/jiBcmLm

4/2/26 CIDRAP: Similar costs associated with hospitalization in older adults for RSV and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) https://buff.ly/34zaLG3

4/1/26 Nature Microbiology: Chikungunya virus persists in joint-associated macrophages and promotes chronic disease in mice https://buff.ly/WunIy5M

The Chikungunya virus can persist in macrophages in joints, causing inflammation and arthritis.

3/30/26 Nature Immunology: Sex differences in immune responses to viruses, bacteria and vaccines https://buff.ly/kkP4u8i

There are sex-specific immune mechanisms related to gonadal hormones and to X chromosome gene activity in immune cells.

4/5/26 CBS: Big Bear bald eaglets hatch as Jackie and Shadow’s family grows by 2 https://buff.ly/ifZNb99

After losing their first 2 eggs of the season to ravens, eagles Jackie and Shadow welcomed two new baby eaglets late Saturday and early Easter Sunday.

Have a good week,

Ruth Ann Crystal MD

U.S. Weapon Systems Officer Rescued From Iran

This news was just what we needed.  What great teamwork by our military, the CIA, Israeli intelligence, and all the agencies involved to make sure this airman was rescued quickly!

Every American should feel proud today.

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Inside the daring rescue of airman behind enemy lines: How CIA assisted with 'deception campaign'; Iranian military was closing in as the overnight operation found the F-15 crew member roughly 48 hours after ejection

By Eric Mack, Fox News, 4-5-26

The "daring" U.S. military rescue of a "seriously wounded" airman is being hailed as an American success story, as President Donald Trump announced "we got him!" and detailed the "AMAZING show of bravery and talent," turning a potential American setback into a show of might.

Details about the rescue are trickling in, including senior administration officials telling Fox News how the CIA deflected enemy attention with a "deception campaign."

The CIA spread word in Iran through multiple sources that U.S. forces had already found the second of two airmen who ejected from their F-15, and were moving him out of Iran in a maritime exfiltration elsewhere, sources told Fox News, but that was designed to buy time to find the stranded weapons system officer.

The CIA picked up a distress signal, passing the intelligence on to the Pentagon and White House, which ordered the immediate rescue mission, according to sources.

There was initial fear the "beacon signal" was an Iranian "trap," sources said. "There was a lot at stake here," the source said.

Once the CIA confirmed Saturday morning that this was not a trap, the missing airman was located using advanced technical capabilities.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe informed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan "Raizin'" Caine and, ultimately, Trump.

"Within eight hours, we had planes in motion," the source said. "Within almost 12 hours we were on the ground in Iran.

"We've seen before what they do with prisoners. We were going to expend every effort to make sure we got to him first."

The U.S. used MQ9 Reaper drones to protect the area around where the airman was hiding and fired on anything that came close to that area and any area where U.S. forces were operating to prevent crowds or any Iranians from approaching, sources confirmed to Fox News.

"We executed multiple large-scale strikes in the surrounding area using every tactical jet in the U.S. inventory and B-1 Bombers to keep him safe," according to a senior U.S. official.

Trump saluted the complex operation to exfiltrate the "highly respected colonel."

"We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran," Trump wrote Sunday morning on Truth Social, announcing an Oval Office news conference set for 1 p.m. ET Monday. "The Iranian Military was looking hard, in big numbers, and getting close."

"This type of raid is seldom attempted because of the danger to 'man and equipment.' It just doesn’t happen!" Trump said. "The second raid came after the first one, where we rescued the pilot in broad daylight, also unusual, spending seven hours over Iran. An AMAZING show of bravery and talent by all!"

One night earlier, Trump hailed "one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History."

"My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND!" Trump wrote Saturday night on Truth Social.

"This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue," he said.

The injured airman was the second of two crew members from the warplane Iran claimed it had brought down with its air defenses on Friday.

Several aircraft were destroyed during the U.S. rescue mission, Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards claimed Sunday according to the Tasnim news agency. An Iranian military spokesperson said a C-130 military transport plane and two Black Hawk helicopters were among the downed craft.

Israeli intelligence had assisted the CIA in determining the location of the missing WSO and removing doubt about an Iranian "trap," halting its attacks in the area to facilitate the mission, an Israeli security official told Reuters.

"All Israelis rejoice in the incredible rescue of a brave American pilot by America's dauntless warriors," Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote in a statement Sunday morning. "This proves that when free societies muster their courage and their resolve, they can confront seemingly insurmountable odds and overcome the forces of darkness and terror."

The weekend rescue left Trump resolute in swift and decisive victory amid a 10-day deadline to reopen the Hormuz Strait to oil tankers, issuing a stunning expletive-laced warning Sunday morning.

"Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "There will be nothing like it!!!

"Open the F--in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah," he added.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, Trey Yingst and Reuters contributed to this report.

Transfused With Antivaxxer Stupidity

Nothing should surprise me by now, but this kind of deliberate, self-destructive stupidity is a bit much. If you'd rather get sicker or die because you don't want a blood transfusion from a vaccinated donor, good luck to you.  But don't deny it to your children.

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Rising number of Americans refusing life-saving blood transfusions because they come from vaccinated donors

 

By Emily Joshu Sterne, US Assistant Health Editor, Daily Mail, 4-3-26 

"Health researchers are sounding the alarm after noticing more people refusing life-saving blood transfusions because they come from vaccinated donors. 

"In a study out of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 15 patients or families of patients who needed blood transfusions rejected them because they requested blood from donors who were not vaccinated. 

"The majority of patients were children or teenagers.  

"The refusal led one patient to go into shock, another to develop anemia and others to have their surgeries delayed. 

"Now, doctors involved say they fear more Americans, spurred by vaccine-suspicious health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, will follow.  

"Over a two-year period, the researchers found requests for non-anonymous - meaning patients can choose specific donors for their transfusion - had increased because the patients specifically wanted blood from unvaccinated individuals. 

"The patients had told doctors they wanted unvaccinated blood because they believed it was safer, but their exact safety concerns are unclear. 

"Researchers noted that while the total number of these donations was small, the requests caused delayed care and could have contributed to complications of not receiving a timely blood transfusion, which can include organ failure, stroke and death. 

"In children, delays in blood transfusions can also permanently stunt development or cause severe neurological damage. 

"The study found that in at least four cases, patients experienced significant medical issues because they or their families wanted to wait for unvaccinated blood. 

"These effects included one patient doing into shock due to low levels of hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues. Two other patients had to have their surgeries delayed.

"'Despite being framed as "safer," directed donations may paradoxically increase risk,' the authors wrote in the journal Transfusion. 

"Exact figures are unclear, but the study notes that since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors across the country have had more requests for unvaccinated donors due to the popular anti-vax belief that Covid vaccinated patients can 'shed' mRNA in the shots into their blood. 

"Some anti-vaxxers also believe receiving blood from a vaccinated donor will cause them to suffer the serious but extremely rare side effects associated with the shot, such as a kind of heart inflammation called myocarditis. 

"The misinformation has come as RFK Jr has expressed doubts about the safety of Covid vaccines and referred to the shot as 'the deadliest vaccine ever made.' 

"However, there is no evidence that being vaccinated against Covid or any other vaccine-preventable illness alters the blood in any significant manner. Blood centers also do not track the vaccination status of donors. 

"The researchers noted that because donor vaccination status is not tracked, many patients seeking unvaccinated blood will ask from donations from family members or friends who they know are not vaccinated.

"The ability to donate blood to a specific person, however, depends on blood type, age and pre-existing conditions such as HIV or AIDS, hepatitis B or C, cancer and blood disorders such as hemophilia. 

"Directed donation requests can also force hospitals to skimp on or ignore screening processes used to ensure the safety of standard blood donations.  

"About 60 percent of the US population is eligible to donate blood, but only three percent donates, leaving the country in a severe blood shortage, according to the American Red Cross. The agency declared a severe shortage in January 2026 after the US blood supply fell 35 percent within a month, which could have been due to this year's harsh flu season. 

"In 2023, the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB), American Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers issued a joint statement regarding the misinformation surrounding vaccinated blood. 

"'Blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine approved or authorized for use in the US are safe for transfusion,' the agencies said.

"'Similar to other vaccines such as those for measles, mumps or influenza, COVID-19 vaccines are designed to generate an immune response to help protect an individual from illness, but vaccine components themselves do not replicate through blood transfusions or alter a blood recipients’ DNA.

'"In summary, there is no scientific evidence that demonstrates adverse outcomes from the transfusions of blood products collected from vaccinated donors and, therefore, no medical reason to distinguish or separate blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccination.'"