(FREE) PAINE IN THE MORNING: 10 things you need to know this Friday – February 4, 2022

There is also a full, ad-free video podcast of this broadcast available to Paine.TV members HERE.

Learn more about joining our community HERE.

Coronavirus Mandates Start Dropping in Canada as Freedom Convoy Rolls On – Regional governments in Canada have begun announcing plans to drop onerous civil rights restrictions on their citizens meant to contain the Chinese coronavirus this week following mounting pressure from national protests, most prominently the “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa.

The “Freedom Convoy,” initially led by truckers but now a movement of thousands of people, arrived in the national capital this weekend demanding an end to lockdowns, business restrictions, mask mandates, vaccine mandates, and other restrictions in effect as a result of the pandemic. Protesters have vowed to remain in the capital until the government of far-left Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lifts all such restrictions. Trudeau is currently in an undisclosed location recovering from an alleged coronavirus infection but has issued remarks from that location dismissing the protesters as racist, violent “tinfoil hat” wearers. – READ MORE

Canada: Saskatchewan Premier Says ‘Time to Look at Ending’ Coronavirus Restrictions – Premier Scott Moe of the Canadian province Saskatchewan conceded Wednesday the time may have come to “look at ending all” coronavirus measures.

In a video statement Moe said while the coronavirus has not ended and still remains a problem, the people of his province need to start considering a life with the virus. – READ MORE

GoFundMe freezes Freedom Convoy fundraiser after it hits $10 million as Ottawa city councillor presses prime minister to ‘cut off’ group’s funds – GoFundMe has paused the viral fundraising page for Canada truckers’ 2022 Freedom Convoy after it hit $10 million on Wednesday, according to Fox News.

The fundraiser has been created to primarily offset costs of fuel and contribute to food and lodging for demonstrators. – READ MORE

Czech Court Abolishes Vaccine Passports For Restaurants and Hotels – The Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic has ordered the abolition of vaccine passports for restaurants, hotels, and other venues, arguing that the measure is tantamount to vaccination coercion, and therefore not legal.

The court has given the Czech government seven days to reply to the ruling, which would remove all vaccine passport requirements from the country’s restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels once that period expires. – READ MORE

U.S. Army Begins Immediate Discharge Of Soldiers Who Refuse COVID-19 Vaccine – On Wednesday, the United States Army announced that it will “immediately” begin to discharge soldiers who refuse to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

“The United States Army announced today that it will immediately begin separating Soldiers from the service who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19,” the U.S. Army issued a statement. – READ MORE

I Didn’t Exhale: Garcetti Claims He Held Breath in Maskless Photo, Therefore OK – Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti claims that he held his breath when snapping that viral photo of him maskless alongside NBA legend Magic Johnson at the Rams game.

On Sunday, Magic Johnson tweeted several photos of himself standing alongside Eric Garcetti, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), and San Francisco Mayor London Breed, all of whom were maskless in violation of their own coronavirus restrictions. – READ MORE

UK Government Looks to Further Tighten Criminal Restrictions on Online Speech – A further tightening of criminal restrictions on online speech is being looked at by the UK’s Conservative Party government.

UK Conservatives within government are looking at the possibility of further tightening restrictions on online speech, with officials looking at criminalising posts that are “likely to cause harm” as part of a new Online Harms Bill. – READ MORE

77% tested at Baltimore high school read at elementary level, some at kindergarten level – A Baltimore City teacher came forward with devastating information that showed 77% of students tested at one high school are reading at an elementary school level.

The teacher works at Patterson High School, one of the largest high schools in Baltimore with a 61% graduation rate and a nearly $12 million budget. We agreed not to identify this source who fears retribution for giving Project Baltimore the results of iReady assessments. – READ MORE

‘What a f**king embarrassment’: Twitter savages Biden after he wanders from podium, appears to need help getting off the stage – Following a speech announcing plans to relaunch the White House’s “Cancer Moonshot” initiative on Wednesday, President Joe Biden seemed to lose his way as he left the podium, first wandering in the wrong direction, then turning back to shake hands with several officials before apparently being reminded by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to put on his mask. Ultimately, Biden was led off the stage with a little help from first lady Jill Biden.

As always, the folks on Twitter can be counted on to call out the president’s failings. First, Biden did that creepy whisper thing again. Why doesn’t anyone tell him to stop doing that? – READ MORE

Unreliable Speed Cameras Line Government Pockets – Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s new National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) promotes speed cameras nationwide to make our roads safer. But research shows that speed cameras are subject to error and actually end up serving as a means to generate government revenue.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) cited the rise in fatal car crashes, with an 18.4 percent rise in 2021 compared to 2020 according to DOT statistics, as the reason for new safety measures. The DOT wants to take a more active role in centralizing highway safety, with one of the policies in this strategy promoting speed cameras. – READ MORE