Post Vaccination Syndrome 💉
Where news meets rational thinking
Good morning, It’s Thursday, February 20th. In today’s news, a study from Yale uncovers disturbing effects of “Post Vaccination Syndrome,” the US and Europe are at a crossroads as a new world order takes shape, a Watchdog seeks to criminally prosecute Trudeau over the SNC-Lavalin scandal, Justin Trudeau announces $3.9 billion high-speed rail between Quebec City and Toronto, and much more.
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Study Finds Persistent Spike Protein and Immune Dysfunction in Post-Vaccine Patients
For years, people who reported lingering health issues after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine were dismissed as fringe cases, their concerns brushed aside as conspiracy theories. But a new study from Yale, Immunological and Antigenic Signatures Associated with Chronic Illnesses after COVID-19 Vaccination, suggests there may be a real biological basis for what some are calling Post-Vaccination Syndrome (PVS).
Researchers found measurable differences in the immune systems of those suffering from PVS compared to healthy vaccinated individuals. One of the most striking findings was the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in the blood of some PVS patients—up to 709 days after vaccination. This is unusual since the spike protein from the vaccine is supposed to be cleared quickly. Persistent spike protein has already been linked to “long COVID,” raising the question of whether similar mechanisms are at play in PVS.
Beyond that, the study found evidence of immune system dysfunction. PVS patients had lower levels of key immune cells responsible for fighting infections but higher levels of inflammatory markers, suggesting their immune systems were stuck in overdrive. Researchers also found that Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), a herpesvirus that remains dormant in most people, had been reactivated in many PVS cases. This same pattern has been observed in long COVID, further supporting the idea that some people’s immune systems may be struggling to recover after vaccination.
Perhaps most concerning, PVS patients showed increased autoantibody activity—meaning their immune systems were producing antibodies that attack their own bodies. Some of these autoantibodies have been linked to neurological and autoimmune diseases, raising questions about whether the vaccine could be triggering autoimmune responses.
While this study doesn’t prove causation, it provides some of the first concrete evidence that PVS is not simply psychosomatic. The sample size was small (42 PVS patients and 22 controls), but the findings are significant enough to warrant further investigation.
Persistent spike protein, viral reactivation, and immune dysfunction could be the missing pieces of the puzzle explaining why some individuals have never felt the same since their shots. Dismissing these concerns isn’t science. Investigating them is.
The US and Europe Are at a Crossroads as a New World Order Takes Shape
Over the past week, US-European relations have undergone a major shift. The Trump administration has outlined a new approach focused on negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine, urging Europe to take responsibility for its own defence, and reshaping transatlantic alliances.
At the Munich Security Conference, US officials made it clear that Washington’s priorities were changing. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Ukraine would not be joining NATO and that Europe would have to take the lead in supporting Ukraine post-war, with limited US involvement. This marks a reversal from previous US policy.
In response, French President Emmanuel Macron led a new coalition, initially including France, the UK, Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark, and later expanding to 19 nations, including Canada. Hungary and Slovakia, seen as friendlier to Russia, were not included, nor was Turkey, despite being a NATO member.
Macron emphasized that Europe must have a say in security negotiations and pushed back against the idea of the US and Russia determining Ukraine’s future without European involvement. The coalition is positioning itself as a rapid-response group, bypassing slower EU decision-making structures.
This moment could mark a major redefinition of US-Europe relations, with long-standing alliances being restructured. While the extent of these changes remains uncertain, the past week has demonstrated that a new world order is beginning to take shape.
Trudeau’s SNC-Lavalin Scandal Resurfaces: Watchdog Seeks Criminal Prosecution
Justin Trudeau’s SNC-Lavalin scandal is back in the spotlight. Transparency watchdog Democracy Watch has filed an application in the Ontario Court of Justice seeking approval to launch a private prosecution against the Prime Minister, alleging obstruction of justice and breach of trust. The move comes after newly released RCMP transcripts revealed extensive pressure from Trudeau’s top aides on then-Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in SNC-Lavalin’s criminal case.
The records expose how Trudeau’s senior officials—including Gerald Butts, Katie Telford, and Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s Chief of Staff, Ben Chin—repeatedly pushed Wilson-Raybould’s office to override prosecutors and secure a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) for SNC-Lavalin. One of Trudeau’s advisers even justified the interference by tying the decision to the Liberal Party’s re-election hopes.
Despite Wilson-Raybould’s firm refusal, the pressure campaign persisted for months. Jessica Prince, Wilson-Raybould’s Chief of Staff, described the relentless efforts to sway her, including direct involvement from Michael Wernick, the Clerk of the Privy Council, who warned that Trudeau was “in a real mood” over her defiance.
Democracy Watch argues that the RCMP failed to conduct a proper investigation, ignoring key witness testimonies, refusing to pursue secret Cabinet communications, and ultimately deciding not to prosecute anyone behind closed doors. The group is now seeking judicial intervention, claiming the RCMP’s handling of the case amounted to a cover-up.
With Trudeau’s leadership in question and Mark Carney emerging as the Liberal frontrunner, the SNC-Lavalin affair refuses to fade. As calls for accountability grow, the question remains: will Trudeau finally face legal consequences, or will another scandal slip through the cracks?
Justin Trudeau Announces $3.9 Billion High-Speed Rail Between Quebec City and Toronto
The federal government is moving forward with the next phase of a high-speed rail network between Quebec City and Toronto, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced. The 1,000-kilometre electric rail system, named Alto, will reach speeds of up to 300 km/h, cutting travel time between Montreal and Toronto to just three hours.
Trudeau pledged $3.9 billion over six years for planning, including route design, land acquisition, and environmental assessments. However, no timeline or final cost has been provided. The project, Canada’s largest infrastructure initiative, will be developed in partnership with the Cadence consortium, which includes CDPQ Infra, Air Canada, and SNCF Voyageurs.
While the Liberals tout the plan as a game-changer, the Conservatives slammed it as an expensive bureaucratic delay, pointing out that the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed in four years. The NDP, meanwhile, argues that the project should be fully publicly owned to avoid cost overruns. More
Doug Ford Has a Commanding Lead With Ontario Election Just Over a Week Away
Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives (PCs) are heading into Ontario’s snap election with a commanding 20-point lead over their closest rival, according to a Postmedia-Leger poll. The poll shows 48% of voters backing the PCs, while the Liberals under Bonnie Crombie sit at 28%, and the NDP, led by Marit Stiles, trails at 16%.
Ford is widely trusted on key issues, with 45% of Ontarians believing he is best equipped to handle relations with the US, compared to just 13% for Crombie. He also leads on economic growth, with 37% of respondents favoring his leadership in this area, while Crombie and Stiles lag at 16% and 9%, respectively. However, Ford faces a tougher battle on healthcare and education, where his advantage is slimmer.
The poll highlights that the cost of living is the top concern for Ontario voters (22%), followed by trade with the US and housing affordability (both at 11%). Traditional campaign issues like healthcare, education, and public safety rank lower in voter priorities.
Despite Ford’s strong lead, voter satisfaction is mixed. While 33% of Ontarians are satisfied with his performance and plan to re-elect him, 36% say they will vote for another party. The PCs’ strongest support comes from voters aged 55 and older (53%), while among younger voters (18-34), their support drops to 38%, though they still maintain a lead over the Liberals (32%). More
Israel Demolishes West Bank Apartment Buildings as Military Campaign Displaces Tens of Thousands of Palestinians - More
'Freedom Convoy' Organizer Pat King Given 3-Month Conditional Sentence - King was found guilty on five of nine charges in November, including mischief and disobeying a court order. More
Ottawa Purchased 500,000 Bird Flu Vaccine Doses - More
Brazil’s Former President Bolsonaro Charged Over Alleged Coup That Included a Plan to Poison Lula - Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing. “I have no concerns about the accusations, zero.” More
Suspects in Canada’s Largest Gold Heist Living Freely in India and Dubai - More
Musk’s DOGE Task Force Proposes $5,000 Rebate Checks for Americans, Tied to $2 Trillion Savings
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force has made strides in reducing the federal deficit, claiming significant savings. Building on this momentum, Musk is now exploring the idea of distributing part of those savings to American households in the form of $5,000 rebate checks. This proposal, suggested by James Fishback, is based on DOGE’s target of $2 trillion in savings, which, if achieved, would result in substantial financial relief for citizens.
While some skepticism remains regarding the task force’s savings figures, the concept of direct payments is gaining attention. If DOGE meets its goal, it could deliver a much-needed boost to Americans and spark further conversations about efficient government spending. However, whether DOGE can implement this plan without Congressional approval remains uncertain. More
Delta Air Lines Offers $30K to Each Passenger on Crash-landed Toronto Flight - More
Loblaw to Open 80 Stores in 2025 as Part of $10-Billion Investment Over Five Years - More
Quantum Search For Time's Source Finds No Difference Between Past And Future
Physicists at the University of Surrey were exploring the mysterious nature of time and why it seems to only move forward. They studied quantum mechanics in an attempt to uncover clues, but instead, they found that time could easily flow both forwards and backwards at the quantum level. Despite this, our everyday experience of time doesn’t reflect this possibility. They discovered that, at the quantum level, time doesn't have a built-in direction, which challenges the way we think about time in the physical world.
However, the team insists that their findings don’t contradict the laws of thermodynamics, as time still follows a predictable path at larger scales. Their research suggests that time may be more fluid at the quantum level, and our perception of it moving only forward could be shaped by larger cosmic forces, like the Big Bang. More
Strange Radio Signals Traced to Outskirts of Long-Dead Galaxy—and Scientists Aren't Sure Why - A dead galaxy shouldn't produce bursts of radio light. Yet this 11 billion-year-old one just did. More
Seven Chileans Charged With Burglarizing Homes of Star Athletes
Seven Chilean men have been charged in Florida federal court for allegedly running a burglary ring targeting the homes of high-profile professional athletes, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow. The group is accused of stealing around $2 million in valuables using crude break-in methods like smashing windows and prying open doors. Some members were arrested in January after a traffic stop in Ohio linked to the burglary of Burrow’s home. Evidence includes cellphone data, surveillance footage, and photos of suspects posing with stolen items. If convicted, they face up to 10 years in prison. More
MLB Will Test Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System in Spring Training—and Other Notes From Rob Manfred - More
Diddy’s Defence: Sean 'Diddy' Combs Was 'Singled Out' Because He's Black…or because he drugged and raped people, including minors. More
Bear Moves Into California Crawlspace After Wildfires, Spending His Days Relaxing By the Pool -
It's National Comfy Day—hopefully you're reading this early enough to wear track pants all day.
On This Day in 1919, a foundational NHL Club the Toronto Arenas were permitted to cease operations, and the franchise was sold, eventually rebranding as the Toronto St. Patricks. Then, in 1927, Conn Smythe purchased the team and renamed them the Toronto Maple Leafs, the name they’ve carried ever since. So while the Maple Leafs' roots go back to 1917, their identity as the "Maple Leafs" officially started in 1927 under Smythe's leadership.