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What happens in Tokyo, stays in Tokyo; a look at the miraculous recovery of a nation

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Photo by Jezael Melgoza on Unsplash

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Japan logged fewer deaths last year for the first time in 11 years, which may be linked to a sharp fall in seasonal influenza infections as people took infection prevention measures amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.”

The bars are packed, the trains are crowded, and the mood is celebratory; if you were to go to Japan, it would be difficult for you to even tell that the country was in the middle of a global pandemic.

Many are baffled by what exactly is behind the miraculous recovery that was made in Japan. Unlike other places in Europe, Asia and North America, Japan has never had anything close to a lockdown, just a series of states of emergency. When there was a state of emergency, the measures were not lockdowns but requests that focused mainly on bars and eateries, which were asked to close early and not serve alcohol. People continued to commute on crowded trains, and attend sports and cultural events at stadiums with some social distancing controls.

I was contacted by one of our readers all the way in Japan. He had sent me an email sharing his disgust and dismay at what he was seeing. After reading what he had sent, I knew it was imperative to speak with him. After finally figuring out our time zones, I had a chance to speak with him, and what he told me not only shocked me, but also actually made me disappointed that I was living in Canada.

Throughout the pandemic, the government has systematically misrepresented the risk to Canadians by providing out-of-context numbers. By withholding important context, using extremely fear-inducing language, and de-emphasizing the most important parts of the story, mainstream media in Canada has succeeded in telling exactly the opposite story told by the facts.

Many of the public health measures were clearly a violation of long-established pandemic planning guidelines. They should never have been used. Others were measures that were only appropriate to extremely severe epidemics – the highest levels on the scale. Despite these measures, and the push for vaccination, our COVID-19 cases are going up again, and people are still getting very sick. How is this possible when we are supposed to have the best healthcare system in the world? What has Japan done right that most other countries have done wrong?

Jaime Paquin decided to move to Japan about fifteen years ago. He has made a life there, and established himself in the wine and spirit industry. He expressed his frustration with what he was seeing in his home country, and wanted ALL Canadians to know that what we are going through is unnecessary, and tyrannical.

“It’s been a major contrast to what Canadians have been subjected to,” Jaime shares with me. “As I mentioned, after about five weeks in March/April 2020 when many things were closed such as gyms, everything else was open as usual.  The masks are everywhere, but not where it really counts. You will see people wearing masks in their cars and on the street, yet spend hours in restaurants, and public baths, mask less. 

 I am told that Japan is much stricter in attributing causes of death and both the COVID-19 death count, and the overall mortality is extremely low. Mortality was the lowest in eleven years (2020) despite the demographics of ageing Japan. The per capita deaths attributed to COVID-19 are about 1/3 of what Canada’s flu deaths were in 2019.

When I see the media from Canada and talk to friends and family there, I feel like people have been indoctrinated. They are impervious to data that shows them their fears are vastly overblown and their information is often faulty.” 

Jaime shared with me that when the pandemic was first announced, Japan had the same reaction as the rest of the world did. They taped things down, shut down stores, supermarkets told you to wear a mask, and use alcohol to clean your hands.

“If you took a ride on a train in Tokyo six weeks after the initial state of emergency, it is as if nothing has changed. Last December I was invited to dinner by a group of friends. I watched people show up with their masks at the door, and then they closed them into a room with a group of people, and the masks came off.

Our wine business didn’t shut down at all, and when I saw what was happening in Canada, I knew I had to speak to my family and friends. Just look at the data, I told them. Something is not right. We are living our normal lives here. During the Olympics, the stadium was on lockdown, but in a stadium close by, there were thousands of people watching games together. Of course they would never show that on mainstream media. It would go against the narrative that they are trying to push.”

I have to admit that I was a little shocked at what I was hearing. Jaime then connected me with other people who live in Japan so that they could share what they had been experiencing:

“Much of Asia has come through this pandemic relatively well. There are all kinds of theories floating around to try to explain Japan’s success. So far: mask usage, general hygiene, no handshaking, and lower incidence of obesity, but these are inconclusive.”

“Yes, our “state of emergency” was not a lockdown, with the exception of a couple weeks in the spring 2020 schools kept meeting face-to-face, workers commuted as usual, and restaurants stayed open with shorter hours. Japan actually started their vaccine program late.”

 “There is less fear-mongering in the press here. Japan is a stoic nation.”

 “There was a little more transparency too. Adverse effects were more openly reported.”

“General feeling was that this is a “foreign” virus, and the remedy is a “foreign” vaccine, so people were not gung-ho on the vaccine here. There was a lack of enthusiasm.”

I read about twenty of these messages, people reaching out and sharing with me their experiences. I can’t share them all here, but I really want readers to think about it; how did Japan manage to flatten their curve in only six weeks without extreme measures? If they were able to do it, why weren’t we?

We, as humans are guaranteed certain things in life: stressors, taxes, bills and death are the first thoughts that pop to mind. It is not uncommon that many people find a hard time dealing with these daily life stressors, and at times will find themselves losing control over their lives. Simone Jennifer Smith’s great passion is using the gifts that have been given to her, to help educate her clients on how to live meaningful lives. The Hear to Help Team consists of powerfully motivated individuals, who like Simone, see that there is a need in this world; a need for real connection. As the founder and Director of Hear 2 Help, Simone leads a team that goes out into the community day to day, servicing families with their educational, legal and mental health needs.Her dedication shows in her Toronto Caribbean newspaper articles, and in her role as a host on the TCN TV Network.

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Forgetting isn’t just something to be annoyed about, it’s a smart way to survive

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Photo credit - Press Foto

BY KHADIJA KARIM

Have you ever forgotten someone’s name, or where you left your phone and thought, “Why can’t I remember anything?” Forgetting might feel frustrating, but it turns out that forgetting things can actually be good for you. Experts believe forgetting might be an important part of human survival and could even have benefits.

You probably think that remembering everything would be better, right? If you remembered every tiny detail, like what you had for breakfast three weeks ago, or the colour of every car you saw today, you would be overwhelmed. Our brains are constantly receiving information, and if we didn’t forget some of it, we wouldn’t be able to focus on what really matters at that time.

Forgetting helps you clear out information you don’t need, and it helps your brain remember the most useful memories. Think about how hard it would be to focus on important things if your mind was filled with random thoughts. Forgetting helps you stay focused and keeps your mind from getting lost.

So, why would evolution make us forget things? Early humans had to deal with dangerous environments that changed quickly. They needed to remember things that helped them survive, like where to find food, or how to avoid predators. They didn’t need to remember every small detail, like what happened last week. Forgetting information, they didn’t need allowed them to make quick decisions based on what was most important at that moment in time.

For example, if you remember a recent storm, you might make sure to stay inside or find shelter. If you remembered every storm you’d ever seen, it would be harder to make decisions about the present. Forgetting irrelevant details helps you stay on your feet and helps you react faster to new situations. This ability to forget likely helped early humans survive and make better decisions in their everyday lives.

Next time you forget something, don’t be too hard on yourself! Forgetting is a natural part of how our brains work and can actually help you stay focused on the important things. It might seem annoying at times, but it’s helping you make better decisions. Forgetting isn’t just something to be annoyed about, it’s a smart way to survive in a world that’s always changing!

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Blink equity dives deep into the gap between people of colour and decision-making roles in Canadian law firms

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Photo Credit: AI Image

BY ADRIAN REECE

Representation in the workforce has been a topic of conversation for years, particularly in positions of influence, where people can shift laws and create fair policies for all races. Representation in the legal system is an even more talked about subject, with many Black men being subjected to racism in courts and not being given fair sentencing by judges.

The fear of Black men entering the system is something that plagues mothers and fathers as they watch their children grow up.

Blink Equity, a company led by Pako Tshiamala, has created an audit called the Blink Score. This audit targets law firms and seeks to identify specific practices reflecting racial diversity among them in Toronto. A score is given based on a few key performance indicators. These KPIs include hiring practices, retention of diverse talent, and racial representation at every level.

The Blink Score project aims to analyze law firms in Ontario with more than 50 lawyers. The Blink Score is a measurement tool that holds law firms accountable for their representation. Firms will be ranked, and the information will be made public for anyone to access.

This process is ambitious and seeks to give Canadian citizens a glimpse into how many people are represented across the legal field. While more and more people have access to higher education, there is still a gap between obtaining that higher education and working in a setting where change can be made. The corporate world, at its highest points, is almost always one race across the board, and very rarely do people of colour get into their ranks. They are made out to be an example of how anyone from a particular race can achieve success. However, this is the exception, not the rule. Nepotism plays a role in societal success; connections are a factor, and loyalty to race, even if people are acquainted.

People of colour comprise 16% of the total lawyers across the province. Positions at all levels range from 6% to 27%. These numbers display the racial disparity among law practitioners in positions of influence. Becoming a lawyer is undoubtedly a huge accomplishment. Still, when entering the workforce with other seasoned professionals, your academic accolades become second to your professional achievements and your position in the company.

What do these rankings ultimately mean? A potential for DEI-inclusive practices, perhaps? That isn’t something that someone would want in this kind of profession. This kind of audit also opens law firms up to intense criticism from people who put merit above all other aspects of professional advancement. On the other hand, there is a potential for firms to receive clientele based on their blink score, with higher ones having the chance to bring in more race-based clients who can help that law firm grow.

It is only the beginning, and changes will undoubtedly be made in the legal field as Blink Equity continues to dive deep into the gap between people of colour and decision-making roles in these law firms. This audit has the power to shift the power scale, and place people of colour in higher positions. There are hierarchies in any profession, and while every Lawyer is qualified to do what they are trained to do, it is no shock that some are considerably better than others at their jobs. The ones who know how to use this audit to their advantage will rise above the others and create a representative image for themselves among their population.

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“The Pfizer Papers!” Documentation of worldwide genocide

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

We are living in a world where promises of health and safety came packaged in a tiny vial, one injection was promoted by powerful governments, supported by respected institutions, and championed by legacy media worldwide. Sadly, beneath the surface, a darker truth emerged.

Reports from around the globe began to tell a different story—one that was not covered in the news cycles or press conferences. Families torn apart by unexpected losses, communities impacted in ways that few could have foreseen, and millions questioning what they had been told to believe.

Those who dared to question were silenced or dismissed (the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper being one of those sources). “Trust the science,” we were told. “It’s for the greater good.” As time went on, the truth became impossible to ignore.

Now, I bring more news to light—information that demands your attention and scrutiny. The time to passively listen has passed; this is the moment to understand what’s really at stake.

I reviewed an interview with Naomi Wolf, journalist and CEO of Daily Clout, which detailed the serious vaccine-related injuries that Pfizer and the FDA knew of by early 2021, but tried to hide from the public. I was introduced to “The Pfizer Papers: Pfizer’s Crimes Against Humanity.” What I learned is that Pfizer knew about the inadequacies of its COVID-19 vaccine trials and the vaccine’s many serious adverse effects, and so did the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA promoted the vaccines anyway — and later tried to hide the data from the public.

To produce “The Pfizer Papers,” Naomi, and Daily Clout Chief Operations Officer Amy Kelly convened thousands of volunteer scientists and doctors to analyze Pfizer data and supplementary data from other public reporting systems to capture the full scope of the vaccines’ effects. They obtained the data from the Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency, a group of more than 30 medical professionals and scientists who sued the FDA in 2021 and forced the agency to release the data, after the FDA refused to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request.

It was then that the federal court ordered the agency to release 450,000 internal documents pertaining to the licensing of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The data release was significantly and the documents so highly technical and scientific that according to Naomi, “No journalist could have the bandwidth to go through them all.”

The “Pfizer Papers” analysts found over 42,000 case reports detailing 158,893 adverse events reported to Pfizer in the first three months The centerpiece of “The Pfizer Papers” is the effect that the vaccine had on human reproduction. The papers reveal that Pfizer knew early on that the shots were causing menstrual issues. The company reported to the FDA that 72% of the recorded adverse events were in women. Of those, about 16% involved reproductive disorders and functions. In the clinical trials, thousands of women experienced: daily bleeding, hemorrhaging, and passing of tissue, and many other women reported that their menstrual cycle stopped completely.

Pfizer was aware that lipid nanoparticles from the shots accumulated in the ovaries and crossed the placental barrier, compromising the placenta and keeping nutrients from the baby in utero. According to the data, babies had to be delivered early, and women were hemorrhaging in childbirth.

Let us take us to another part of the world, where research has been done on other pharmaceutical companies. A group of Argentine scientists identified 55 chemical elements — not listed on package inserts — in the: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, CanSino, Sinopharm and Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines (according to a study published last week in the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice, and Research).

The samples also contained 11 of the 15 rare earth elements (they are heavier, silvery metals often used in manufacturing). These chemical elements, which include lanthanum, cerium and gadolinium, are lesser known to the general public than heavy metals, but have been shown to be highly toxic. By the end of 2023, global researchers had identified 24 undeclared chemical elements in the COVID-19 vaccine formulas.

Vaccines often include excipients — additives used as preservatives, adjuvants, stabilizers, or for other purposes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), substances used in the manufacture of a vaccine, but not listed in the contents of the final product should be listed somewhere in the package insert. Why is this important? Well, researchers argue it is because excipients can include allergens and other “hidden dangers” for vaccine recipients.

In one lot of the AstraZeneca vaccine, researchers identified 15 chemical elements, of which 14 were undeclared. In the other lot, they detected 21 elements of which 20 were undeclared. In the CanSino vial, they identified 22 elements, of which 20 were undeclared.

The three Pfizer vials contained 19, 16 and 21-23 undeclared elements respectively. The Moderna vials contained 21 and between 16-29 undeclared elements. The Sinopharm vials contained between 17-23 undeclared elements and the Sputnik V contained between 19-25 undetected elements.

“All of the heavy metals detected are linked to toxic effects on human health,” the researchers wrote. Although the metals occurred in different frequencies, many were present across multiple samples.

I am not going to go any further with this; I think you get the picture. We have been sold wolf cookies, very dangerous ones. These pharmaceutical companies must be held accountable. I am proud of anyone who has gone after them for retribution, and have received it. Regardless, in many ways, there is no repayment for a healthy life.

REFERENCES:

https://ijvtpr.com/index.php/IJVTPR/article/view/111

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/why-a-judge-ordered-fda-to-release-covid-19-vaccine-data-pronto

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender_category/toxic-exposures/

Pfizer’s ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ — and Legacy Media’s Failure to Report on Them

55 Undeclared Chemical Elements — Including Heavy Metals — Found in COVID Vaccines

 

Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency

FDA Should Need Only ‘12 Weeks’ to Release Pfizer Data, Not 75 Years, Plaintiff Calculates

Judge Gives FDA 8 Months, Not 75 Years, to Produce Pfizer Safety Data

Most Studies Show COVID Vaccine Affects Menstrual Cycles, BMJ Review Finds

Report 38: Women Have Two and a Half Times Higher Risk of Adverse Events Than Men. Risk to Female Reproductive Functions Is Higher Still.

 

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