Tag: safety

Palantir inks $300 million deal with USDA to safeguard food supply

Palantir announced a $300 million deal with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which will use the software company’s technology to manage farmland as geopolitical risks threaten global supply chains.  

The agreement builds on ongoing projects with the USDA and underscores Palantir’s growing role inside the U.S. government as it goes beyond cornerstone defense contracts supporting U.S. military modernization.

U.S. farmers are grappling with rising supply costs and are getting squeezed by an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and its major trading partners. That includes China, a key soybean purchaser, which temporarily crippled the market late last year.

In December, President Donald Trump announced a $12 billion bailout aimed at helping farmers swept up in the trade war. But rising gas prices from the war in Iran amplified the pressure, causing fertilizer costs to spike due to shipping disruptions. That’s forced many farmers to rethink what they produce, putting supply chains at risk.

China’s purchase of U.S. farmland in recent years has also drawn scrutiny from Washington and foreign policy experts.

A recent research note published by the Foundation of Defense Democracies recommended that the USDA reform reporting requirements “embedded within the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) to prevent China and other adversarial countries from exploiting commercial land transactions to gain a strategic edge over the United States.”

The USDA’s contract with Palantir signals its desire to address this issue by harnessing the company’s digital tools.

Palantir was founded in 2003 to scale U.S. defense capabilities in the wake of 9/11, and CEO Alex Karp has long touted the company’s commitment to supporting U.S. warfighters. The company has recently gained recognition for its AI-powered Maven Smart System platform, which was used by the U.S. military in Iran.

“The fact that you can now target more precisely … has shifted the way in which war is fought,” Karp told CNBC at AIPCon in March.

Palantir has also faced sharp criticism over the years for its work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security, including reports that its tools are being used by the government to surveil Americans, claims the company has denied.

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Failed Trump Assassin Actually Made One Good Point In Otherwise TDS Riddled Manifesto

The would-be assassin who tried to gun down President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner accidentally landed one undeniable truth amid his unhinged anti-Trump tirade: the security surrounding the event was, once again, dangerously, almost criminally, lax.

Cole Allen, the 31-year-old California teacher charged in the April 25 shooting at the Washington Hilton, sent a manifesto to family members just minutes before opening fire. In it, he dubbed himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and vented raw hatred at the Trump administration. Yet buried in the rant was a crystal-clear observation about the event’s pathetic protection for the President, Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and the rest of the presidential line of succession all gathered in one room.

The assassin’s own words on security laid it bare. “Security at the event is all outside, focused on protestors and current arrivals, because apparently no one thought about what happens if someone checks in the day before.”

“Like, if I was an Iranian agent, instead of an American citizen, I could have brought a damn Ma Deuce in here and no one would have noticed shit,” he also wrote, adding “I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat.”

“I had instead expected security cameras at every bend, bugged hotel rooms, armed agents every 10 feet, metal detectors out the wazoo,” he also remarked.

He wasn’t alone in noticing. Multiple high-profile attendees at the glitzy dinner confirmed the exact same failures.

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Kari Lake, Ajit Pai, and Other Attendees Expose Shockingly Relaxed Security at White House Correspondents’ Dinner: ‘No Bag Check. No Real Screening. Just Waved Through.’

A growing number of high-profile White House Correspondents’ Dinner attendees are now exposing that they experienced embarrassingly relaxed security at the event.

Guests, including Kari Lake, have noted that basic identification, ticket inspection, and screening measures were skipped or minimized at an event attended by the President, his top officials, and hundreds of media figures.

In a post shortly after the shooting, Lake wrote:

I can’t believe how lax the security was at the White House correspondents dinner tonight. Upon entering nobody asked to visibly INSPECT my ticket nor asked for my photo identification. All one had to do was flash what appeared to be a ticket and they were fine with that.

When you consider you are entering a roomful of fake news media —90% of whom hate the President you would think they would have better security. This is what happened when what sounded like gunfire erupted.

On the way out, I called-out a bunch of the disgusting Media who have been pushing hatred toward President Trump for years. They are a big part of the discord in this country.

Lake included video from inside the ballroom showing guests ducking for cover as security rushed in, along with photos from the chaotic scene.

Her account matches what other attendees reported: minimal checks, no visible ID verification, and a “flash your ticket and walk” system.

Conservative influencer and attendee Mads Campbell went even further in a now-viral thread that has been viewed over 1 million times.

Campbell wrote that she and her best friend left early because “something felt off” from the moment they arrived.

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Katie Porter Cries ‘Racism’ When Asked If Truck Drivers Should Speak English

Democrat Katie Porter, who is running for Governor of California, made it clear in the Democrat debate this week that she puts illegals above the safety of Americans.

The dangerous, and unfortunately often deadly, consequences of illegals with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) many of who can not speak English or read road signs.

Safety experts estimate that as many as 130,000 illegal-alien truck drivers may be operating in the United States, with tens of thousands believed to have obtained licenses through illegitimate means.

In November 2025, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) confessed to illegally handing out 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs to dangerous foreign drivers who have no business operating massive semitrucks or school buses on American roads.

According to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy, the discovery came as part of an ongoing audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

According to the Department of Transportation, each of the 17,000 non-domiciled CDL holders has been issued notice that their license will expire within 60 days, as it no longer meets federal requirements.

During the debate, Porter was asked, “Do you believe that English proficiency, uh, language proficiency, should be strictly enforced for truck drivers? You have 60 seconds.”

Porter responded, “I would absolutely fight the Trump administration because the job of the California governor is to protect Californians, and right now that includes protecting them from Donald Trump. Protecting Californians also includes enforcing traffic laws, and we’ve seen sometimes a need for oversight in California.”

“For example, We have seen that the Department of Motor Vehicles was not enforcing rules around DUIs and drivers who had convictions for that.”

Porter,  responding to an answer from fellow Democrat candidate Chad Bianco, then pulled the race card.  Questioning the safety of illegal drivers is ‘racism.’

“I am stunned that Mr. Bianco would say to Black and Brown Californians and immigrants who are being terrorized and racially profiled that you have to get over racism. It’s not something that you get over. It’s something that you fight. And if he doesn’t understand the importance of that, he has no business representing a state with the diversity of California.”

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Possible Link Between RSV Vaccine During Pregnancy and Health Problems: Study

Pfizer’s vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) may be associated with certain health problems in pregnant women, including hypertensive disorders, researchers said in a study published on April 21.

Ashley Michnick, a research scientist at Harvard Medical School, and researchers with Pfizer and other entities analyzed data from five systems, including CVS Health and Kaiser Permanente Northwest.

They analyzed pregnancies that occurred from Sept. 22, 2023, through Aug. 9, 2024, and found that pregnant mothers received Pfizer’s vaccine between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation. The number of included pregnancies was 13,619.

Compared with pregnant women who received a different vaccine, such as an influenza shot, during the same gestational weeks during the study period, the women who received the RSV vaccine were more likely to have pregnancy-associated hypertensive disorders, such as inpatient gestational hypertension.

The risk was also higher when the RSV vaccine recipients were compared with women who had given birth in previous years, or a historical comparator group.

The researchers also recorded an elevated risk for premature rupture of membranes among RSV vaccine recipients.

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‘Insulting’: AES sent victims’ family $50 gift card, T-shirt in wake of deadly TN explosion, attorney says

Attorneys for the families of two victims in last year’s deadly munitions plant explosion are condemning Accurate Energetic Systems’ “reckless” behavior before the tragedy and the company’s “insulting” response.

In a Thursday press conference, the legal team representing the families of victims Steven Wright and Reyna Gillahan said Accurate Energetic Systems rejected their $150 million pre-litigation demand. Their rejection came 45 minutes before the attorney’s deadline of Monday afternoon.

“We got an announcement of their defense, which their position is that workers’ compensation in Tennessee is the exclusive remedy for any injury in the workplace,” said attorney Darren Richie.

He said that the $150 million demand on a tight deadline may have seemed “outrageous,” but that was intentional.

“I wanted AES to tell me I was being outrageous. So I could turn around to them and tell them, no, your conduct and behavior, AES, is outrageous,” he said.

The press conference offered new insights into AES’s communication with families in the wake of the deadly explosion and how the victims’ loved ones grieve.

WSMV4 has reached out to AES representatives for comment on these accusations.

AES offers victims’ families ‘insulting’ gift card, shirt

So far, AES has done three things for the victims of the people killed after thousands of pounds of explosives detonated at their Hickman County plant: hosted a barbecue food truck event and sent them a $50 Walmart gift card and a T-shirt with a picture of their deceased loved one, according to Richie.

“Needless to say, that’s insulting,” he said on Thursday.

The lawyer also expressed shock that AES has declined to give families the contact information for their insurance.

“That is a professional courtesy that gets exchanged all the time to facilitate resolution of claims. But they denied it. That shows us how they really feel about their employees,” he said.

He said the team plans to file a lawsuit to demand more from AES.

“And besides saying, oh, I’m sorry, providing some barbecue, gift card, and a t-shirt, they’re acting as if nothing happened. And they’re acting as if they don’t bear any responsibility,” he said. “Well, there’s more than a hundred ways that they bear responsibility here. I want them to step up and take responsibility.”

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Non-Domiciled CDLs Targeted in a New USPS Policy

USPS Plans to Limit Certain Non-Domiciled CDLs in Contract Operations

The U.S. Postal Service has announced plans to tighten safety rules for trucking companies that move mail and freight under contract with the agency. USPS says it plans to phase out the use of drivers with non-domiciled commercial drivers licenses (CDLs) who have not gone through screening by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

The decision connects to wider federal efforts to strengthen roadway safety. It follows a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) interim rule called “Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Non-Domiciled Commercial Drivers Licenses.” The DOT rule is meant to improve oversight and documentation for drivers who fall under this licensing category.

What This Means for Trucking Safety

Drivers with non-domiciled CDLs are legally allowed to operate commercial vehicles in the United States but are not necessarily U.S. citizens or permanent residents. These licenses have received more federal attention recently due to concerns about how some states handled verification and paperwork.

USPS stated that reducing the number of unvetted drivers with non-domiciled CDLs in its contracted network may support stronger safety control. The agency said extending additional screening could improve accountability. Only drivers who pass Postal Inspection Service checks would be permitted to continue driving under this new plan.

USPS has not yet announced when this policy may begin. The agency says it plans to work with trucking contractors on a gradual rollout. USPS also did not say how many drivers could be affected or whether the shift could create staffing concerns.

Federal Safety Efforts Connected to Non-Domiciled CDLs

Federal officials have been reviewing how non-domiciled CDLs are issued across the nation. The DOT rule aims to reduce fraud risk and strengthen confidence in CDL documentation systems. Federal leaders have suggested that better control may support safer highways.

USPS said its move is meant to align with these federal safety goals. The agency hopes the added oversight of non-domiciled CDLs may help reduce risk within its transportation network.

The Postal Service relies heavily on highway trucking. According to USPS, about 55,000 truck loads move each day, totaling close to 2 billion miles annually. Due to that scale, even moderate policy adjustments can create effects across many regions and fleets.

Contracted Carriers May Need to Prepare for New Rules

Trucking companies that haul for USPS may need to review records and driver files connected to non-domiciled CDLs when the change takes effect. Carriers with affected drivers may face added screening steps to keep those drivers on postal routes.

USPS has not yet stated whether trucking companies will be required to remove unvetted drivers on their own or if the agency will manage the process directly. It is also not yet clear whether any exceptions may exist.

The impact may vary depending on how many drivers with non-domiciled CDLs operate in different regions. Some areas may see little effect. Others may see changes in driver availability. USPS has stated that the intention is focused on safety rather than reducing service.

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23 Popular Hair Dyes Test Positive for Carcinogenic Chemicals: Report

An analysis of 23 popular hair color products sold in the United States found that all of them contained at least one carcinogenic chemical.

The tests were conducted on 21 boxed dyes and two temporary hair chalk products from brands including L’Oreal Paris, Dark & Lovely, Madison Reed, Manic Panic, Revlon, and Clairol, consumer advocacy group Consumer Reports (CR) said in a recently published report.

Product samples were sent to an accredited lab, where the items were tested for heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and phthalates.

“All 23 samples tested positive for dichloromethane (methylene chloride), a volatile chemical widely used in the U.S. for a variety of products, including paint, adhesives, and pharmaceuticals,” CR said.

The chemical “is classified as a probable carcinogen for humans. Its use is restricted in cosmetics and is generally prohibited except for limited applications, such as in certain hair dye formulations.”

Six product samples contained toluene, a chemical toxic to the central nervous system and a lung irritant.

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Florida Cops Pull Dozens of Truck Drivers from Roads – Including Illegal Aliens With ‘Literally No Name’

Florida authorities announced that they recently conducted an enforcement crackdown for commercial trucks, resulting in 176 drivers being removed from service — and a few dozen immigration arrests.

Over the course of four days, Florida Highway Patrol and other agencies examined over 3,300 vehicles, according to a report from WKMG.

They observed many safety issues and tried to resolve them.

“The most dangerous things we see are cracked brakes and broken airlines,” Major Tom Pikul of Florida Highway Patrol told the outlet.

“If there is an air release in a brake line, they have no brakes.”

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass meanwhile said that authorities came across serious identification issues.

“Some of the driver’s licenses that we would find wouldn’t even have a name on the CDL — literally no name,” he revealed.

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Texas Democrat James Talarico Said Having Police in Schools Fuels ‘Culture of Violence’ in Newly Resurfaced Audio

We haven’t heard much lately from James Talarico, the Texas Democrat running for a U.S. Senate seat in November. Perhaps he has been trying to keep a low profile. Every time this guy turns around, a bizarre new video or audio clip of him surfaces somewhere highlighting his utterly bonkers view of Christianity.

Now there is another one.

In this case, Talarico says that having police in schools fuels a culture of violence. This goes directly to the idiotic Democrat idea of defunding the police.

Also, why would anyone object to having more police in schools? It could save lives.

FOX News has details:

Rising Dem Talarico denies anti-cop label after ‘culture of violence’ comments exposed

Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is pushing back on the idea that he supports defunding the police, calling it a “flat-out lie.”

Republicans are confronting Talarico with resurfaced comments from a 2019 episode of the Trey Blocker Show, in which he suggests that a heavy police presence in schools without sufficient mental health professionals contributes to a “culture of violence.”

Democrats believe they have a shot at flipping the critical Senate seat blue for the first time in decades. But the GOP hopes to defend its Senate majority by highlighting Talarico’s more controversial stances to undermine his moderate appeal.

The latest to be unearthed is from the 2019 interview, in which Talarico decried plans to increase police officer presence in schools without also placing more emphasis on mental health.

“We’re all concerned about school safety and recent school shootings, and that concern, in some ways, has been channeled unproductively toward militarizing schools and toward kind of leaning into a culture of violence and adding more law enforcement officials into campuses,” he posited.

As a solution, Talarico, a former middle school teacher, touted the first bill he introduced as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, which would have mandated a set ratio of mental health workers for every police officer placed in a school.

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