The Child of Gaza

It's a one-day wonder, and I post it for the children:

"Sick Gaza child caught in Israeli permit system dies alone" by Isabel Debre and Fares Akram Associated Press, June 12, 2019

JERUSALEM — A photo of Aisha smiling softly in her hospital bed, brown curls swaddled in bandages, drew an outpouring on social media. The wrenching details of her last days have shined a light on Israel’s complex and stringent system for issuing Gaza exit permits. It is a bureaucracy that has Israeli and Palestinian authorities blaming each other for its shortfalls, while inflicting a heavy toll on Gaza’s sick children and their parents.

Israel admits at least 14 Gazans die every day waiting for medical treatment (and that was ten years ago; I'll bet it is more now).

So far this year, roughly half of applications for patient companion permits were rejected or left unanswered by Israel, according to the World Health Organization. That has forced more than 600 patients, including a dozen under 18, to make the trek alone or without close family by their side.

The system stems from the Hamas militant group’s takeover of Gaza in 2007, when it ousted the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. Israel and Egypt responded by imposing a blockade that tightly restricted movement in and out of Gaza.

I hate to keep going back into the files, but:

"Hamas overwhelmingly won Palestinian Parliament elections in 2006.... Hamas won Palestinian parliamentary elections in early 2006.... In 2006, Hamas won Palestinian legislative elections.... Hamas won the last parliamentary elections in 2006.... Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006.... Hamas won a majority in 2006 elections"

There haven't been elections since, and oh, btw, Hamas also foiled a COUP ATTEMPT.

Given that the American jew$media knows all these things, one can only conclude it is willful distortion or outright deception in the way they frame the situation -- and yet they have appointed themselves as the arbiter of truth as they fail and scream fake news at real truth-tellers.

Israel permits Palestinian patients to seek medical treatment at hospitals in Israel and the West Bank once they pass a series of bureaucratic hurdles. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the Israeli agency that issues the permits, says it insists that all patients cross with an escort, usually a close relative, unless they wish to go alone or require immediate treatment that doesn’t allow time for security screening.

In order to get a permit, patients must submit a diagnosis to the Palestinian Health Ministry, proving that their treatment isn’t available in Gaza. Then a Palestinian liaison requests exit permits from COGAT, which passes them to Israel’s Shin Bet security agency for background checks.

After being diagnosed with brain cancer, Aisha received immediate approval to get out of Gaza for what was hoped to be life-saving surgery, but when her parents approached the Palestinian Civil Affairs Commission for escort permits, their process ground to a halt. To their bewilderment, Palestinian officials told them not to apply, saying it was too risky.

I can't imagine how she got that.

At 37, Waseem is below the age that Israel deems acceptable for swift entry on security grounds. Today, all men under 55 require extra screening, which means waiting, usually for months, according to Mor Efrat, the Gaza and West Bank director for Physicians for Human Rights Israel. As for Aisha’s mother, Muna, her upbringing in Egypt left her without an Israeli-issued ID card required to receive a permit.

‘‘We tell families to find a companion that won’t give Israel any reason to refuse,’’ said Osama Najar, spokesman for the Palestinian Health Ministry. ‘‘We want to save the child and, yes, that can mean sending them alone.’’

Muna said she had no choice but to sign COGAT’s consent form and whisk her daughter out of Gaza for immediate treatment. She said the frustration of the bureaucracy, and the memory of her 5-year-old daughter crying for her on the phone during her last days, haunts her.....

--more--"

Here is a brief sample of what life in Gaza is like these days, as told by my Zinoi$t-controlled pre$$:

"Thousands rally in Gaza but Hamas mostly restrains crowds" by Fares Akram Associated Press, March 30, 2019

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Tens of thousands of Palestinians rallied in the Gaza Strip on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of their mass protests along the Israeli border, as the territory’s Hamas leaders largely restrained the crowds ahead of a hoped-for cease-fire deal.

Demonstrators largely kept their distance from the border, though small crowds of activists approached the perimeter fence and threw stones and explosives toward Israeli troops on the other side. The forces responded with tear gas and opened fire, killing two Palestinians and wounding 64.


Palestinian protesters ran for cover from tear gas fired by Israeli forces during clashes east of Gaza City on Saturday.(MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)

Hamas had pledged to keep the crowds away from the fence as Egyptian mediators were working to cement a deal that Hamas hopes will ease a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade of the crowded territory. Hamas officials say that Israel is offering a package of economic incentives in exchange for calm along the volatile border.

PFFT!

I'm sure that flew about as well as Kushner's extermination plan.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, said the group had received ‘‘positive signs’’ from the Egyptians. He added that the Egyptian team was to return to Israel on Sunday to continue the talks.

Saturday’s protest comes at a sensitive time, with Israel and Hamas, bitter enemies that have fought three wars and dozens of skirmishes, both having an interest in keeping things quiet.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking his fourth consecutive term in April 9 elections, but is facing a serious challenge from a group of ex-army chiefs who have criticized what they say is his failed Gaza policy. With a lack of alternatives, Netanyahu has been forced at times to rely on Hamas to maintain stability along Israel’s volatile southern front.

That's a laugh!

In the final stretch of the campaign, Netanyahu needs to keep the Israel-Gaza frontier quiet, without seeming to make concessions to Hamas.

This is crap.

Hamas, meanwhile, faces growing unrest in Gaza as a result of worsening conditions after more than a decade of an Israeli-Egyptian blockade. The two countries imposed the blockade in 2007 after Hamas, an Islamic militant group that seeks Israel’s destruction, seized control of Gaza from the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority. 

Oh, now they seized control, and I guess some elections are indeed not recognized.

Good luck in 2020, Democrats.


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (center) on Sunday unveiled a "Ramat Trump,” or "Trump Heights," sign to mark the site of a settlement in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, in a gesture of appreciation to the president who in late March recognized Israeli sovereignty over the part of the strategic plateau it seized from Syria in 1967.(Jalaa Marey/AFP/Getty Images)

The photo says it all, doesn't it?

The blockade has helped drive unemployment over 50 percent, led to chronic power outages and made it extremely difficult for Gazans to travel out of the territory.

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At least the mail finally came after they had to fight for it.

Looks like another war with Gaza is likely, even imminent -- meaning there will be more GI Jews to “preserve their history, their language, and their traditions in a big victory.”

Then they can ease restrictions on Gaza while demolishing West Bank homes.

Related: 

"Major European countries have issued a rare joint statement warning Israel against its planned demolition of a Bedouin encampment in the West Bank. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom said on Monday its strategic location is important to maintain ‘‘contiguity of a future Palestinian state.’’ ‘‘The consequences a demolition and displacement would have on the residents . . . as well as on the prospects of the two-state solution would be very serious,’’ their statement said. Israel says Khan al-Ahmar, an encampment of corrugated shacks east of Jerusalem, was illegally built and has offered to resettle residents 7 miles away. Critics say its removal is meant to make room for an Israeli settlement. Israel’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal last week and the hamlet is expected to be demolished soon."

That map on the right was back in 2005. That means there is even less green now. 

I don't see how you create a two-state solution, even with land swaps.

Also see: Future Vision of Israel 

Looks like the only solution to me.

Palestinians file war crimes claim over West Bank hamlet

The Palestinians filed a new complaint against Israel with the International Criminal Court, move comes a day after the United States closed the Palestinian de facto embassy in Washington because of its leaders’ refusal to enter peace talks with Israel. National security adviser John Bolton also lashed out at the Palestinians for their attempts to have Israel prosecuted at the ICC, denouncing the court’s legitimacy, and threatening sanctions if it targeted Israel and others.‘‘The Trump administration wants to dismantle the international order to ensure that it can stay above the laws and escape accountability.’’ Israel has long denounced Palestinian efforts to globalize their conflict by turning to external bodies with what it considers bogus claims. In particular, it says the ICC lacks jurisdiction because Israel is not a member of the court. Israel says Khan al-Ahmar was illegally built and has offered to resettle residents 7 miles away.

It's called ethnic cleansing.

That was back in September, and meanwhile, "in a separate case Monday, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from American victims of terrorist attacks in the Middle East more than a decade ago. The justices did not comment in ending a lawsuit against the PLO and Palestinian Authority in connection with attacks in Israel in 2002 and 2004 that killed 33 people. A lower court tossed out a $654 million verdict against the Palestinians."

Finally, a victory for Palestinians and a celebration that at least one branch of the government isn't under complete Zionist control.

Back to the border fence:

"Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians, one of them an 11-year-old boy, and wounded at least 248 others taking part on Friday in weekly protests at the fortified Gaza Strip border, Palestinian medical officials said....."

The Israeli military said it used force necessary to repel 13,000 Palestinians who massed at several points at the fence before turning back to the West Bank and detaining a US student.

Looks like the wheels are coming off, and were it not for Israel, Hamas would topple Abbas, even though they torture people to crush dissent before tossing them into the Dead Sea as the fighting erupts yet again:

A ball of fire could be seen Monday above the building housing the Hamas-run television station al-Aqsa TV in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike (AFP/Getty Image).

Only one was killed.

Related:

Death toll climbs as Gaza militants fire more than 600 rockets into Israel, which responds with airstrikes

In Gaza, Israeli strikes toppled buildings as high as seven stories. The Israeli military said an armored brigade and two infantry brigades had mobilized to the border area and were prepared for ‘‘offensive’’ action. Officials also said they had carried out the first targeted assassination of a Hamas militant in ‘‘several years.’’

Is there no one who can save the Palestinians? 

Related: Documentary ‘Standing Silent’ recounts efforts to uncover abuse in Orthodox community

I watched it, and you should, too!

For Israel, it will be time come down from the Golan Heights and invade Syria before pushing through all the way to Oman. stopping in Saudi Arabia on the way:

"A Saudi prince accused of reneging on an agreement to pay Boston Children’s Hospital $3.5 million for the care of a sick Middle Eastern child denied that he owes the money......"

He's being sued now, and they have been hanging around Trump too long.

{@@##$$%%^^&&}

"5-month-old boy dies after found unresponsive at Waltham daycare" by Breanne Kovatch and Danny McDonald Globe Correspondent and Globe Staff, June 12, 2019

Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan on Wednesday revealed an investigation into the death of a 5-month-old boy who was found unresponsive at a day care in Waltham.

Emergency crews rushed to a licensed day care facility on Falmouth Road on Tuesday night. Staff at the day care immediately administered CPR on the infant, Ryan said in a statement.

He was pronounced dead at an area hospital. No foul play is suspected in the infant’s death, the district attorney’s office said.

The cause of his death has not yet been determined, according to the statement.

Ryan disclosed the investigation in a statement announcing a new resource her office will provide to families who experience the unexpected death of a child.

State Police detectives assigned to her office will now provide the families with informational material from the Massachusetts Center for Unexpected Infant and Child Death, according to the statement.

Ryan said she decided to add the resource following a legislative hearing on Tuesday, during which families whose children died of sudden infant death syndrome spoke of their difficulties connecting with resources.

“The loss of a child is the most devastating tragedy a family can endure. We know that the trauma of this loss has immediate impacts on those who loved and cared for that child,” said Ryan in the statement.

Why did Gaza just cross my mind?

“Yesterday’s hearing exposed a gap in services that our office has the capability to address,” she continued. “I applaud the Legislature’s efforts to codify the practice of providing these resources, but given the immediate need to address this problem we are acting now.”

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Gotta get 'em out of there:

"Woman who did not properly secure nephews in seats before fatal crash was not reckless, SJC rules" by John R. Ellement Globe Staff, June 12, 2019

A woman in Brimfield who failed to properly secure two young nephews inside a car before they were killed in a crash did not act in the “reckless” manner needed to support a conviction for involuntary manslaughter, the state’s highest court ruled Wednesday.

The Supreme Judicial Court unanimously overturned the conviction of Suzanne Hardy, who was behind the wheel of a car that crashed in Brimfield on June 20, 2014, killing her 4-year-old nephew, Dylan Riel.

A second nephew, Jayce Garcia, 16 months old, also died. Hardy was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in his death by a Hampden Superior Court jury in 2015, the SJC noted.

The crash, which left Hardy with severe injuries, also injured her 4-year-old son, who was riding in the rear seat with his two cousins, according to the SJC.

Prosecutors pursued charges of involuntary manslaughter on the grounds that Hardy’s inattentiveness while traveling at 55 miles per hour — coupled with the failure to comply with state law mandating proper safety seats for children — was reckless.

The children would not have suffered fatal injuries, prosecutors contended, if Hardy had not acted in a reckless manner by ignoring laws that required a booster seat for Riel and a rear-facing seat for Garcia.

I'm sure she feels terrible about it.

Hardy’s son “was in the rear driver’s side of the vehicle in his booster seat, Jayce was in the frontfacing safety seat behind the front passenger’s seat with the straps set at an improper height, and Dylan was buckled into the rear middle seat with a shoulder and lap belt but no booster seat,” Justice Elspeth Cypher wrote for the court.

Hardy was traveling at the speed limit as a dump truck with a trailer was stopped ahead, waiting to make a left turn with its turn signal activated, the court said. Hardy approached the truck without slowing, swerved into a guardrail on the east side of the road, and caromed into the west side of the road, where she hit a car head-on.

The SJC said that Massachusetts case law on involuntary manslaughter, dating back to the 1942 Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire disaster in Boston, which left 492 people dead, cannot be applied to Hardy’s actions.

“This was not a situation where the defendant’s conduct had a likely consequence of substantial harm,’’ Cypher wrote. “There was not sufficient evidence for the jury to find that the defendant was aware, or that a reasonable person would have been aware, that failing to secure Dylan in a booster seat created a high degree of likelihood that substantial harm would result.”

The SJC has sympathy for her, as opposed to the rotten jury.

Hardy was also convicted of reckless endangerment of a child. Both the involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment convictions were voided by the SJC.

“Our cases demonstrate that something much greater than negligence is necessary to affirm convictions of involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment of a child,’’ Cypher wrote.

The court left intact, however, her two convictions for negligent motor vehicle homicide.

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Anybody thirsty?

"Prosecutors drop all criminal charges in Flint water crisis" by Mitch Smith New York Times, June 13, 2019

The Michigan attorney general’s office dismissed all pending criminal cases tied to the Flint water crisis Thursday, ending the prosecutions of eight current and former officials accused of neglecting their duties and allowing Flint residents to drink tainted, dangerous water.

Cough, cough, cough, cough!!

Went down the wrong pipe!

The decision, announced years after the first charges were filed, left open the possibility for new prosecutions against some or all of the same people, but it was seen by some in Flint as a sign that their crisis was being forgotten.

Not only that, covered-up and buried.

The prosecutors overseeing the case, Fadwa Hammoud and Kym Worthy, blamed missteps by the previous prosecution team for their decision.

That's what authorities do, they f**k up the case on purpose (think Blackwater, folks).

Flint’s water crisis, a failure of government at all levels, began in 2014 when an emergency manager appointed by the governor switched the city’s drinking water source to the Flint River, a decision intended to save money. Almost immediately, residents began complaining that their water tasted foul, smelled strange, and was discolored, but state and local officials shrugged off the concerns and insisted the water was safe to drink.

How many glasses did they chug?

Those officials were horribly wrong: Children drank water with dangerous quantities of lead. At least 12 people died in a Legionnaires’ outbreak that prosecutors linked to the water change. Trust in government was ruined.

Aww, poor, lying, negligent government.

Anyone going to be charged?

As officials scrambled to fix the water system and rebuild trust, prosecutors began investigating and announcing charges for the government breakdown, but from the start, some questioned whether there was prosecutorial overreach.

That is not something you get back; there will always be doubt, like in the case of a cheating spouse.

Under Michigan’s previous attorney general, a Republican, 15 people were charged with crimes related to the water crisis. Several pleaded no contest and were convicted. The new attorney general, Dana Nessel, a Democrat, appointed a new team of prosecutors to oversee the remaining cases after she took office this year.

And they are supposed to be the good guys who do care about you. Uh-huh.

Oh, btw, we are talking CHILDREN here!

Nessel defended her prosecutors’ decision to drop the charges, but she also sought to reassure Flint residents. “I want to remind the people of Flint that justice delayed is not always justice denied,” she said.

OMFG!

I'll bet Gladstone is spinning at light speed in his grave!

This is the kind of up$ide-down government we have, where authority is unaccountable.

That message was a tough sell in Flint, where residents said they had waited for years for justice and been disappointed with the results.....

Awwwwww.

Poor DA!

--more--"

I guess former emergency managers charged in Flint can breath easy now, and here is some good news regarding the man-made water crisis:

"Flint water has fallen below federal lead limit" by David Eggert Associated Press, January 24, 2017

LANSING, Mich. — Residents, whose mistrust in government remains high nearly three years after a fateful switch of the city’s water source in April 2014, are being told to continue using faucet filters or bottled water because an ongoing mass replacement of pipes could spike lead levels in individual houses. The replacement of the lines is expected to take years.

It's called neglected infrastructure, and that's what happens when all the money is poured into the war machine, aid to Israel, corporate welfare, and funding the lavish lifestyles of the politicians.

Flint’s public health emergency began when officials failed to properly treat lead lines for corrosion while the city was under state management.

State officials acknowledged the lead problem in October 2015. Lead from old pipes leached into the water supply because corrosion-reducing phosphates were not added due to an incorrect reading of federal regulations.

Elevated levels of lead, a neurotoxin, were detected in children, and 12 people died in a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that experts suspect was linked to the improperly treated water. An ongoing investigation has led to charges against 13 current or former government officials, including two managers Governor Rick Snyder had appointed to run the city.

So much for the charges, 'eh?

Snyder has apologized for the crisis that has largely been blamed on his administration.

‘‘The remarkable improvement in water quality over the past year is a testament to all levels of government working together and the resilient people of Flint helping us help them through participation in the flushing programs,’’ he said in a statement. ‘‘There is still more work to do in Flint, and I remain committed to helping the residents recover and restore their city.’’

These guys are really living in a bubble and just don't get it.

While it is important for cities to be below the federal limit, experts say there is no safe level of lead in water....

You know, managing water is the government’s “most important policy challenge,” and I know he ate lead as child, but: 

‘‘I'm sure when I was 2 years old I was somewhere eating a paint chip,’’ he said with a chuckle, and he encouraged parents to get medical checkups for their children. ‘‘They will be fine . . . as long as we’re looking after them’’

Ummm, no they won't be, jerk. The damage from lead poisoning is irreversible!

Yeah, don't you miss him?

--more--"

Time to wash your hands:

"Flint hit with bacterial illness as residents shun city water" by Christine Hauser New York Times, October 4, 2016

Residents of Flint, Mich., affected by the contaminated-water crisis have added a new complication to their lives: an outbreak of Shigellosis, a bacterial illness that is easily transmitted when people do not wash their hands.

Health department officials in Genesee County, where Flint is the largest city, said there has been an increase in the gastrointestinal illness that can lead to severe diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, and stools containing blood and mucus, according to a statement issued last month.

Make sure you flu$h.

“Shigella cases are on the rise across Michigan,” the county health department statement said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Shigellosis affects 500,000 people in the United States every year. It is transmitted through the accidental ingestion of fecal matter containing the bacteria, for instance when food handlers do not wash their hands.

You are literally eating $h!t -- like Palestinians!

Trust in Flint’s water has been severely low since a lead-contamination crisis after residents raising the alarm over the foul odor and rusty appearance of their water. A decision by officials in 2014 to switch the city’s water source to the Flint River from Lake Huron was suspected in health problems like rashes and hair loss, and symptoms in children including weight loss and problems with coordination.

The city later switched the water source back, but in July, state prosecutors filed criminal charges against six government workers, accusing them of concealing information about the lead contamination and doing nothing to stop it. The charges brought to nine the number of government employees implicated, but residents have expressed outrage that high-ranking officials have so far escaped any consequences.

Three years later, everyone has!

Residents have been relying on bottled water to drink at home but still recoil from using tap water for other purposes, such as washing and cooking. They have adapted their personal hygiene habits, including where and how they take showers. Residents are also using baby wipes, which they get free at bottled-water-distribution centers, to clean their hands, but that may be contributing to the current transmission of the Shigella bacteria.

Even “baby wipes are not effective.”

It’s not the first time that a disease outbreak has been linked to the Flint water system. It was also associated with an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease from June 2014 to October 2015.

The outbreak coincided with Flint’s change to the new water source, and officials said they could not rule out a connection.....

??????

Did they rule in what everyone knows was the cause and effect?

--more--"

"Flint residents must start paying for water they can’t drink unfiltered" by Brady Dennis Washington Post  February 28, 2017

WASHINGTON — Residents in Flint, Mich., are about to start paying the full cost of their water again, even though what’s flowing from their taps has yet to be declared safe to drink without an approved filter.

On Wednesday, state officials will end a program that has helped pay residents’ bills since a series of ill-fated decisions by state-appointed emergency managers left the city’s water system contaminated with lead. Since that 2014 disaster, the state has spent roughly $41 million in credits to help offset local utility bills. Residents have gotten a 65 percent credit each month on their water use, while commercial accounts received a 20 percent credit.

Anna Heaton, a spokeswoman for Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican, said the credits are ending ‘‘because the city’s water meets all federal water quality standards under the Lead and Copper Rule and Safe Drinking Water Act, the same standards as other cities.’’

Here is a tall glass for you, now drink!

She said the threshold honors an agreement reached by Snyder, the Flint government, and state lawmakers who originally appropriated money for the utility bill credits. Even so, she added, the state will continue to provide water filters and filter replacement cartridges ‘‘to assure residents that the water is safe for consumption even as lead service line replacement is underway.’’

I guess slinging BS and telling lies is a job requirement for government spokespeople.

The news about the relief program is fueling another round of frustration in Flint, which has one of the highest water rates in the country.

‘‘They want to make it look like they’ve resolved this thing, that it’s fixed,’’ said Tim Monahan, a carpenter who survived a harrowing bout of Legionnaires’ disease after the water problems began. ‘‘It’s been three years, and we still can’t drink the water.’’

At a recent news conference, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said the state should continue to pick up the tab for residents’ water until it is ‘‘tap-drinkable without a filter.’’

‘‘This is a trust issue, that’s what it is,’’ said Weaver, who criticized state officials for giving short notice about the credits ending. She had urged that they continue through March and possibly longer.

Last month, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality said the latest analysis showed the city system tested ‘‘below action levels of the federal Lead and Copper Rule and at levels comparable to cities with similar size and age of infrastructure in Michigan and across the nation.’’

‘‘This is good news and the result of many partners on the local, county, state and federal levels working together to restore the water quality in the city of Flint,’’ Director Heidi Grether said at the time. ‘‘The Flint water system is one of the most monitored systems in the country for lead and copper, and we remain committed to continuing work in Flint as the city recovers.’’

As usual, this is all about image and public relations!

Such results, however, don’t necessarily ensure that the water is safe. City residents continue to be advised not to drink the water unless it has been properly filtered, and many residents still refuse to use it for cooking or bathing. They rely instead on bottled water.

That is where my print faucet shut off while the web faucet kept running:

Now that Flint residents will be responsible for paying the full amount of their water bills, the number of delinquent accounts in the cash-strapped city is expected to rise. If that happens, it could further hamper local officials’ ability to pay for water from Detroit while working toward connecting to a more permanent water source. In addition, residents with delinquent accounts aren’t eligible to have their aging pipes replaced — despite many lines containing a significant source of lead.

Monahan said he and other residents worry the state will also end distribution of bottled water, though officials have insisted that won’t happen anytime soon. His monthly water credit has been negligible, only about $15 or $20 since he uses so little water these days. Even so, ‘‘it’s the principle of the whole thing,’’ Monahan said. ‘‘We shouldn’t be paying for the water at all.’’

I hope he isn't dehydrating himself.

For decades, Flint paid Detroit to have water piped in from Lake Huron, with anti-corrosion chemicals added along the way. Then in early 2014, with the city under the control of an emergency manager appointed by Snyder, officials switched to Flint River water in an effort to cut costs, but state officials failed to ensure the corrosion-control treatment was continued, and that oversight allowed rust, iron, and lead to leach from aging pipes and wind up in residents’ homes. The debacle exposed thousands of vulnerable children to high levels of lead, which can cause long-term physical damage and mental impairment.

Yet we are constantly told be our leaders and government bureaucrats that they care so much about the children!

The contamination also has been linked to the deaths of a dozen people from Legionnaire’s disease. More than a dozen state and local officials have been charged with crimes in connection with the water crisis.

State-sanctioned murder, then, with no accountability whatsoever, hoping you would forget!

Nearly three years later, many residents still don’t trust the water, and they trust government officials even less.

Don't worry, they will win that back even if the kid is suffering some sort of lead poisoning!

--more--"

Related:

Congratulations to Mona Hanna-Attisha and Marc Edwards, winners of the 2017 Disobedience Award

Now raise your glass!

"Flint's drinking water became tainted when the city switched from the Detroit water system and began drawing from the Flint River in April 2014 to save money. The impoverished city was under state control at the time. Regulators failed to ensure the water was treated properly, and lead from aging pipes leached into the water supply. Elevated lead levels have been found in at least 325 people, including 221 children. Lead contamination has been linked to learning disabilities and other problems. The bill would also authorize $1.9 billion to help restore Florida's Everglades and combat algae blooms that have fouled the state's beaches and rivers. It also would bolster flood-prevention projects in Baton Rouge, La."

The measure went to the House, but it came months too late and they had to again shut off the water.

Yes, the Flint crisis should have generated "a greater sense of urgency," but:

"A clean-water advocate said she is concerned about high lead levels in school buildings, but said she is confident school districts are taking appropriate steps to keep children safe. “By the time parents are hearing of these results, the schools have eliminated the exposure,” said Becky Smith, the Massachusetts campaign director for Clean Water Action, a nonprofit advocacy group. “Parents should feel the water is safe to drink.”

That was Nov 2016.

Now see: Bills on tap at State House target lead in school water

That was March 2019.

Problem is everywhere:

"In this chronically struggling city along the Hudson River, residents beset by poverty, high crime, and boarded-up homes now have an entirely new worry: that their tap water may have exposed them to a chemical linked to cancer. State officials recently launched an ambitious effort to offer blood tests to Newburgh’s 28,000 residents after the chemical PFOS — used for years in firefighting foam at the nearby military air base — was found in the city’s drinking-water reservoir at levels exceeding federal guidelines. ‘‘The fact that I’ve been drinking that water for years, and my daughter’s been drinking and bathing in it, that’s shocking to me,’’ said Stuart Sachs, who moved to Newburgh from Brooklyn 14 years ago. ‘‘My daughter is 11. What diseases is she going to have to look forward to? It’s scary.’’ PFOS, or perfluorooctane sulfonate, has been linked to cancer, thyroid problems, and other serious health issues. Results of the blood testing won’t tell people whether they are actually at increased risk for any specific health problem, but will show how their exposure compares to others."

How long ago did they make the Erin Brokovich movie?

Looks like piss, doesn't it?

Flint water crisis prompts call for more federal oversight

So how does the water taste now?

Too much contamination flows from tap water, study finds

And about that blood test:

Blood tests may underestimate toxic lead levels, regulators warn

The tests in question were made by Magellan Diagnostics, a leading testing company, according to the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Maybe that is why the kids are coming down with colon cancer, 'eh?

Just be careful where you bury them, and then worry about carbon in the air.

Also see:

A small turtle sculpture sparks big controversy on Beacon Hill

Kids are being burnt.

Better get to the hospital:

"Roxbury Community College’s nursing program loses accreditation" by Deirdre Fernandes Globe Staff, June 13, 2019

State health regulators have pulled the approval of Roxbury Community College’s struggling nursing program, delivering a blow to a beleaguered campus that educates many of the city’s low-income and black and Hispanic students.

The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing withdrew its approval of the program this week, citing multiple longstanding leadership and academic problems at the community college.

The revocation is the latest setback to the 1,900-student campus, which in recent years has been dogged with infighting, leadership shuffles, and financial mismanagement.

“It’s very sad and very concerning.” 

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Related:

New scholarships honor slain teacher

You can roll right through it, if you like.

Suit challenges school-funding formula, but it’s unclear if it will spur Legislature to act

It has to be a crisis, doesn't it?

Otherwise it is business as usual.