The Word Merchant

The Word Merchant by Stephen Heins explores environmental impacts, energy policies, and the economic dimensions of renewable versus traditional energy sources. It critically examines green energy initiatives, climate change narratives, and the role of fossil fuels, with an emphasis on factual information and questioning mainstream environmentalist perspectives.

Environmental Impacts of Energy Sources Economic Analysis of Energy Policies Debates on Renewable vs. Traditional Energy Critiques of Climate Change Narratives Political and Economic Influences on Energy Environmental Advocacy and Activism Global Energy Security and Infrastructure Ethical and Human Rights Perspectives on Climate

The hottest Substack posts of The Word Merchant

And their main takeaways

URGENT: A new court ruling shows the insane overreach of the PREP Act, which effectively bars ALL suits over the Covid jabs (not just against Pfizer/Moderna, against anyone)

60 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legal system Court rulings
  1. The PREP Act provides extensive immunity against lawsuits related to Covid-19 jabs, making it almost impossible to hold anyone accountable for administering unwanted vaccines.
  2. The act has narrow exceptions for suits involving 'willful misconduct', but the criteria are defined very strictly, limiting the chances of successfully suing under such circumstances.
  3. Cases where individuals are pressured, forced, or receive vaccines against their will due to various reasons are not covered by the compensation program, leaving many without recourse for damages.

As the border collapses, a measles cluster is growing at a migrant shelter in Chicago

57 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Immigration Vaccination Border Public Health
  1. Legal immigrants to the United States are required to get various vaccinations, including a Covid shot, even if they have had Covid before.
  2. There is a growing cluster of measles cases at a migrant shelter in Chicago, raising concerns about vaccination rates among asylum-seekers.
  3. Media attention on outbreaks can vary, with a Florida measles outbreak receiving significant coverage, while a similar-sized cluster in Chicago is largely ignored.

Turns out Unreported Truths readers love free swag as much as anyone else

9 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
💼 Business Marketing E-commerce Subscriptions Promotions Customer Service
  1. Readers enjoy free merchandise like T-shirts as a thank you for their support. It's a fun way to engage subscribers and show appreciation.
  2. The standard-tier subscribers will still have access to all content and features, ensuring no one misses out by not upgrading.
  3. If there's a billing issue or confusion about subscription charges, it's best to reach out directly instead of going through the credit card company.
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On the arrogance (and stupidity) of Pfizer's Super Bowl ad - PART TWO

58 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Pharmaceuticals Marketing Leadership Stock Market Advertising
  1. Pfizer's Super Bowl ad highlighting its history and association with great scientists received mixed reviews, with many criticizing it as overreaching and lacking in substance.
  2. Pfizer, though a major pharmaceutical company, was not historically known for scientific leadership, until it partnered with BioNTech for the creation of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
  3. Despite initial success and recognition, Pfizer's stock price and reputation have suffered due to waning effectiveness of mRNA vaccines and lack of scientific advancements compared to competitors.

On the hard days ahead, and the trap we are (eagerly, so eagerly) setting for ourselves

61 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Addiction Behavior Consequences Drugs Mental health
  1. Drug use, gambling, and certain kinds of sex are not moral neutrals and can easily lead to despair.
  2. America is facing challenges like declining life expectancy, preventable deaths, and social issues like lesser rates of marriage and having children.
  3. Stronger drugs, widespread gambling, and push for non-traditional relationships are causing harm and escalating societal issues.

On the Ohio State study showing vaccinated Covid patients had a HIGHER risk of death than the unvaccinated

54 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccination COVID-19 Research Immunity Healthcare
  1. Vaccinated Covid patients in the Ohio State study had a higher risk of death compared to the unvaccinated, even after matching by age and comorbidities.
  2. Studies have shown that vaccinated Covid patients may not have a survival advantage once they are hospitalized. Other research supports the finding that vaccinated patients had higher mortality rates.
  3. The mRNA vaccines may not provide significant protection against severe disease or death in Covid-hospitalized patients according to multiple studies, contradicting previous claims about the effectiveness of the vaccines.

Hey Unreported Truths readers: Which is more annoying: temporarily paywalled articles or subscriber drives?

23 implied HN points • 07 Dec 24
📰 News Journalism Media Digital Subscriber Content
  1. Paywalled articles and subscriber appeals can be annoying for readers. It's important to find a balance so readers feel appreciated without being overwhelmed.
  2. Subscriber churn is a natural part of reader-supported journalism. It’s crucial for content creators to encourage existing subscribers to stay engaged.
  3. The goal should be to spread true news widely, so any method that complicates this mission, like frequent paywalls, should be reconsidered.

Jab math for children: Vaccinate almost 38,000 kids (with hundreds of serious side effects), stop one Covid hospitalization

55 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccination Children Side Effects Study Risk Factors
  1. Vaccinating almost 38,000 kids may prevent one COVID hospitalization, but with hundreds of serious side effects.
  2. For people aged 5-15, the mRNA COVID jabs are not very effective, according to a British study.
  3. The study indicates that vaccination effectiveness varies by age group, with the shots being more beneficial for the elderly than for children.

VERY URGENT: CORRECTION/RETRACTION OF JUST RELEASED ARTICLE

51 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Corrections Vaccine Infection Immunity Apology
  1. A crucial line in the study was misread, leading to the need for a retraction of the article.
  2. The article incorrectly claimed that unvaccinated people were part of the study, when in fact all participants were vaccinated.
  3. The broader point still stands that there is increasing evidence vaccines may not prevent deaths once they stop preventing infection.

Yet again, the better we get at "harm reduction," the more people overdose and die

54 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Addiction Public Health Policy Overdose
  1. British Columbia's program of providing legal medical prescriptions for opioids to addicts as a harm reduction strategy has led to a catastrophic increase in overdose hospitalizations and deaths.
  2. Harm reduction strategies, such as naloxone availability and supervised consumption sites, implemented in British Columbia have not been effective in reducing opioid overdose deaths.
  3. The failure of harm reduction strategies in British Columbia highlights the need for societies to control drug use by highlighting harms and making users legally responsible.

Let's try this again

16 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Commentary Elections Public Policy Media Government
  1. The author mistakenly forgot to enable comments on a previous post, which caused confusion and a request for forgiveness. It's important to communicate clearly to your audience.
  2. The author shared five things they liked about Donald Trump's first week as President, indicating they found it eventful and noteworthy.
  3. There’s a mention about needing a paid subscription to join the conversation or read full posts, which suggests that some content is behind a paywall.

URGENT: Giving mRNA Covid vaccines to pregnant rats caused brain changes and autism-like behavior in their young, a new study shows

48 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Pregnancy Autism Research Risk Assessment
  1. A study showed that giving mRNA Covid vaccines to pregnant rats caused brain changes and autism-like behaviors in their offspring.
  2. Pregnant women were excluded from the initial vaccine trials, but they have been strongly encouraged to get the shots due to Covid risks associated with pregnancy.
  3. Understanding the potential impact of vaccines on autism and brain changes in offspring would require extensive and costly research.

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

43 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines
  1. After three years of mass mRNA vaccinations for Covid, a clear picture has emerged of their effectiveness, despite media coverage.
  2. According to the post, evidence suggests that mRNA jabs may not save lives once people are hospitalized with severe Covid.
  3. The author encourages readers to subscribe for more detailed information or to wait for a week for a summary.

How Berenson v Biden has been caught up in two big Supreme Court cases over government efforts to control free speech

47 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech Supreme Court Lawsuit First Amendment
  1. The Supreme Court is involved in important cases regarding government control of free speech.
  2. Berenson v Biden lawsuit focuses on censorship, involves multiple defendants, and can proceed independently of the Missouri case.
  3. Additional free speech case before the Supreme Court involves the NRA and New York state's actions against the organization.

Today's the day! Join the Unreported Truths team!

18 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Journalism Constitutional Law Free speech Public Health Civil Rights
  1. Unreported Truths focuses on straightforward, no-frills journalism that aims to inform readers about important issues without commercial distractions.
  2. It aims to protect the rights of unvaccinated individuals and challenge potential government overreach regarding free speech.
  3. The platform keeps content mostly free, relying on reader support to maintain its operations and provide accessible information to everyone.

The founding members have spoken

6 implied HN points • 24 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political News Media Membership Public Engagement
  1. Founding members will receive free T-shirts as a thank-you for their support. It's a nice way to show appreciation and recognize their commitment.
  2. Substack is considering creating a swag shop if there's enough interest from members. This could let more people get branded items.
  3. The shirts will be light grey with a specific blue logo, making them special for those who know the brand. It's a fun way to connect members and celebrate their support.

A quick programming note! Tomorrow morning Chris Cuomo and I are having a live video chat/debate about the failure of US politics, right here on Substack!

19 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Debate Political crisis Public Policy Current Events Media
  1. There will be a live video chat tomorrow about US politics. It's at 11 AM Eastern time.
  2. Chris Cuomo and the host will discuss issues like the overdose crisis and housing shortage.
  3. The discussion will take place on the Substack app and they invite everyone to join in.

My Pensacola lecture: why the First Amendment matters, and why I fear for its future

35 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech College Defamation Social media Elites
  1. Many Americans, especially young people on the left, are losing belief in free speech and the First Amendment.
  2. Social media censorship is a crucial issue, with concerns about misinformation and how it is defined.
  3. Elite institutions, journalists, and academics have shown a diminishing appetite for free expression, with Donald Trump's election in 2016 being a significant trigger.

My Pensacola lecture on the First Amendment (part two)

31 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment Covid response
  1. Covid skepticism on Twitter caused elites to censor individuals, leading to a divide between Team Reality and Team Apocalypse.
  2. Social media played a significant role in challenging lockdowns and promoting vaccine skepticism, despite elite control attempts.
  3. The legal complexities of Section 230 allowed social media companies power over user content, impacting free speech and censorship decisions.

URGENT: A new study shows VACCINATED people with blood cancers were four times more likely to die after Covid infections than the unjabbed

29 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🏥 Health Politics Vaccination COVID Studies Infection
  1. A study initially claimed vaccinated people with blood cancers were more likely to die after Covid infections than the unvaccinated, but it was incorrect; those with 'hybrid' immunity were actually less likely to die.
  2. Data from a larger study suggests that vaccines might offer little protection against deaths once they stop preventing infection.
  3. In a group of blood cancer patients, unvaccinated individuals had lower death rates and developed severe Covid less frequently compared to vaccinated and boosted individuals.

Free speech under attack: the weaponization of defamation law

28 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech Climate change Legal system Debates
  1. Defamation cases in the United States are challenging to win due to strong protections for free speech, including the absolute defense of truth, the requirement of 'actual malice' for public figures, and the exclusion of defamatory opinions.
  2. Anti-SLAPP laws have made defamation suits even harder by encouraging quick dismissal of cases, potentially forcing plaintiffs to cover legal fees, and providing additional defense for defendants.
  3. The story of a defamation lawsuit involving climate scientist Michael Mann and the challenges faced due to the comparison to the Sandusky scandal highlights the complexities and implications of free speech limitations in defamation cases.

The Unreported Truths discount offer expires in three hours

4 implied HN points • 22 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media bias Independent Journalism Public Discourse Vaccination Debate Subscription Models
  1. There is a limited time discount for a subscription to Unreported Truths, making it more affordable for new members.
  2. The community values free speech and aims to provide truthful information that mainstream media often overlooks.
  3. Subscribers can engage with the content more deeply, accessing archives and live chats, while supporting independent journalism.

Should the US make a Chinese company sell TikTok?

20 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics National Security Foreign Relations Legislation
  1. TikTok, a popular social media app, uses an algorithm to keep users engaged by showing videos tailored to their preferences, which can be addictive and distracting.
  2. There are concerns about TikTok being owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance, as it has been accused of spreading misinformation and collecting data on American users.
  3. The US House of Representatives passed a bill to make ByteDance sell TikTok to a non-Chinese company within six months, highlighting the ongoing debate about national security and foreign ownership of popular apps.

For founding members only

1 implied HN point • 04 Mar 24
💼 Business Media
  1. The post reaches out to founding members of Unreported Truths, asking for input and feedback.
  2. It acknowledges the financial support of founding members and treats all readers equally.
  3. Some readers have generously donated significant amounts to support the work of the author.