No thread about East Palestine, OH?

Even if one allows the argument that the Biden team should have reversed Trump's bullshit (an entirely fair position, if not one that FF and that crowd can credibly make) the initial Obama rule was published in 2015 with a target date for full implementation in 2021. IF Biden had ordered the reversal of Trump's corrupt bullshit on Day One, we'd be basically 2 years into a six year implementation cycle (which the railroads, like any massive corporation, would have spent pouring money into politicians' pockets trying to change the change, rather than actually complying)

And speaking as someone who's made Westinghouse locomotive pneumatic brakes for a living, I concur.

Assume, for the sake of argument, that the railroad executives decided to implement the rule as soon as Obama published it. It would have taken about a year to design and test a new system. Even if the tech was largely finalized, it'd still take about that long, as you've got to design specific components for the job. Then, you've got to train people on how to make them, how to install them, and how to repair them. Next comes the rollout. You've got to come up with a two-track distribution method: One for people building new cars, and one for retrofitting existing cars. That takes time.

I am dubious that if they had started using the new brake systems by 2021 that they'd have everything switched over by now, even without pandemic delay issues.

If that's the case, then that's good to know. I'm glad he also tells people that he wouldn't trust the water, either. No one should be drinking that water or, hell, breathing that air, either. The particulate from that fire/explosion made its way up into Canada, and this is a case where Norfolk Southern should be turned over a stump and whipped like a red headed step child, but it won't happen.

A Truthout/Huffpo article talks about how the tests performed on the city's water supply were flawed and unreliable: https://truthout.org/articles/rail-...e-water-is-safe-after-funding-sloppy-testing/

Yet Mike DeWine stated that the water was safe before the reports from the independent agency came in. Considering how much money Norfolk Southern donates to various politicians, I suspect people in East Palestine are getting the Flint, Michigan treatment, fake water sip and all.

[Edited to add article]

Contamination of the bacteria of rotting meat can be quite deadly and hazardous. It is also an effect of the poisons that have killed the fish. If the fish are dying from toxic levels of chemicals, and the water is now polluted with a visible level of film from their decaying biomass, that is a dual whammy of don't drink or eat from this contaminated water source.

Logically it is actually worse than just having the chemicals in it at toxic levels for fish, which would be harmful for any animal life consuming water from the source. So you have two increasingly toxic problems with the water. That is not an improvement or a good sign. That actually says things are worse.

Here's a handy collection of conspiracy theories that have sprung up about this. Never mind that they're tweets, you can feel the crazy coming off of them.

hmm....

Probably worth another thread, but now that Metrolinx has insinuated itself into public transport throughout the continent, worth talking about how PPP aren't very good for the public.

People don't really think about the idea that this isn't so much a conspiracy, as just shit falling apart because deregulation has fucked us over.

Yeah, the rightful complaint is corporate greed more than the effect of this specific regulation on this accident.

$10 billion in stock buybacks THIS year while cutting staff, fucking them in labor negotiations, and influence peddling via lobbyists to keep costs down and profits incredibly high... there's where the villainy lies.

As always, there's an origin story:



Which, to be fair, is in turn derivative from the Powell Memo.

It's funny how much of this horseshit can be traced back to old Ronny Raygun.

All that horrible domestic policy was worth it to beat the Russkies.
We've never had to contend with them ever again.
Thanks, Ronnie.

Interesting. According to these stats, derailments are at an all time low.

https://twitter.com/mike10010100/status/1627344918220767232?s=46&t=4VAbPHOn-o7-Jjb7Lgyevw

There may be a silver lining to this catastrophe.

Is it hard wood?

Explosion at factory in Bedford, Ohio, 14 injured.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/explosion-rocks-ohio-metals-plant-local-media-2023-02-20/

I need everyone who believes deregulation is a solution to see this and understand why it's a horrible, horrible idea to leave safety up to the people who view human beings as an ever shifting labor pool not worth healthcare or decent pay.

Looks like the Biden Administration turned down a request assistance. Oops.

BREAKING: The EPA has taken charge of the cleanup of the East Palestine train derailment and chemical disaster, and ordered Norfolk Southern to foot the bill.

https://twitter.com/moreperfectus/status/1628094266000932866

Source? Like an actual source. Not Billy Bob’s Page of Biden Fuckups or one of your YouTubers.

Finally, some good news!

Wonder if this why DeWine tried to keep control and the Feds out.

I wouldn't doubt it. People think because he did the bare minimum during the worst part of COVID means he's reasonable, but he's not. He's corrupt, and it is in his interests, and the interests of his Norfolk Southern investors, to downplay the massive impact this explosion and derailing has on the people and the environment. I think if the EPA comes in and starts testing everything, they'll see a Three Mile Island/Bhopal/Chernobyl situation, and have a collective shit fit. So yes, I think DeWine wants the EPA out because they'll start to connect dots he doesn't want connected.

But a random tweet from random twitter guy is fine?

Here you go: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/ep...all-cleanup-actions-associated-east-palestine

But what would the EPA know about what the EPA is doing.

A random tweet from a random guy that has the EPA as a source?

Yeah, that is different High Speed.

https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/biden-administration-knab/?utm_source=appnotify&utm_medium=app

So, they didn't turn it down, they tasked FEMA with doing what it could in coordination with state agencies but said FEMA doesn't have the resources to deal with this kind of disaster alone, so they are investigating other measures.

A totally nuanced and logical response which naturally is beyond a fucking moron like FF. And hence why FOX is spreading the same lie like shit on a field of wheat.

Oh, you meant this from last week?

https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/02/17/ohio-train-derailment-fema/

Trump shows up to hand out Trump brand water and hats.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1628481268072456194?s=46&t=VL5d_2vaJf4u9Yw_OHRQLw