Tracker

Its been awhile since I worked in a hospital, but some 20 years ago, the statistics were that, in back surgery, a third were better, a third were no better and a third were worse. No doubt surgical techniques and procedures have gotten better since then, but how much better, who knows?

He just might be right. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good is for good people to remain silent.

Bruce Willis is lost in dementia. He is body may continue to function for years, but his persona is dormant.

https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/axoWxAW_460svav1.mp4

In a legal response to the defamation lawsuit brought by the computer shop owner, Hunter Biden’s legal team sets the stage for a big case against the GOP. Politico reported: In the 42-page legal filing Friday morning, attorneys for Biden assert six counterclaims, alleging that computer repairman John Paul Mac Isaac had no legal right to obtain and distribute data from Biden’s laptop, an issue that became central in the weeks leading up to the 2020 presidential election. Images, emails, and text messages that allegedly belonged to Hunter Biden later became public. “The object of invading Mr. Biden’s privacy and disseminating his data was not for any legitimate purpose but to cause harm and embarrassment to Mr. Biden,” the filing reads. Recent polling has shown that the Republican obsession and investigation with Hunter Biden’s laptop is hurting them politically with everyone who isn’t a Republican. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has basically admitted that the investigation into Hunter Biden’s laptop is a sham. Republicans thought that Hunter Biden would sit back and allow himself and his family to be smeared to get Trump back into the White House, but they were wrong. Biden seems to be putting together a counteroffensive, and if the judge rules that the laptop repair shop owner did have the right to copy and share the data, the door will be open for legal action against everyone in Trump world who has been involved in acquiring, manipulating, and disseminating the data. Hunter Biden is not a government official. He is not running for office, nor has he worked for the government. There is no legitimate purpose for Republicans in Congress to be investigating him, just as the only reason why his supposed data was leaked was to hurt his father.

Raccoon Dogs Likely Started COVID-19 Pandemic, New Genetic Analysis Shows A new analysis of samples collected from a Wuhan seafood market has suggested for the first time a concrete link between some of the wild animals being illegally sold there and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Atlantic reported on Thursday. The evidence points to raccoon dogs as the likely culprit, according to the analysis, which found that the animals may have been carrying and shedding the virus near the end of 2019. The research was conducted by an international team of virologists, genomicists, and evolutionary biologists, according to The Atlantic—and though it’s not 100 percent definitive proof, it’s “a really strong indication that animals at the market were infected,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist involved in the investigation. “There’s really no other explanation that makes any sense.” The magazine’s report comes just days after an Economist/YouGov poll showed that nearly two-thirds of Americans favor the lab leak theory over natural occurrence. It was reported last month that the U.S. Energy Department had concluded—albeit with “low confidence”—that the virus likely emerged from a lab. Intelligence agencies and experts elsewhere remain divided.

For LOTR/Monty Python Fans:

Sometimes, violence IS the answer:

DOJ subpoenas dozens of Mar-a-Lago staffers and Trump allies in classified documents probe At least two dozen people working at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort and residence have been subpoenaed, along with members of Trump's inside circle, in the U.S. Dept. of Justice's investigation into the ex-president's unlawful retention and refusal to return hundreds of classified documents and other government items taken from the White House. "Trump's communications aide Margo Martin, who worked in the White House and then moved with Trump to Florida, appeared before the grand jury in Washington, DC. One of special counsel Jack Smith’s senior-most prosecutors was involved in the interview," CNN reveals in an exclusive report. "Smith has sought testimony from a range of people close to Trump – from his own attorneys who represent him in the matter to staffers who work on the grounds of Mar-a-Lago, including a housekeeper and restaurant servers, sources said." One source told CNN, "They're casting an extremely wide net – anyone and everyone who might have seen something." CNN adds that "federal investigators have talked to a Mar-a-Lago staff member seen on security camera footage moving boxes from a storage room with Trump aide Walt Nauta, who has already spoken with investigators."

On a card?

Pro-Trump Social Media Site Wants To Sell Anti-Vaxxer Sperm Rolling Stone reported: FIGHTING TO SURVIVE in the crowded ecosystem of far-right social media companies, the pro-Trump platform Gettr has in recent weeks held high-level deliberations on the oddest of business pivots: remaking the site to add an online clearinghouse for human sperm. But it’s not just any sperm. The proposal would see the company expand to include a marketplace for semen from men who haven’t taken any of the vaccines against Covid-19. Three sources familiar with the matter, and a fourth briefed on the situation, describe serious, repeated discussions about creating the online anti-vax semen market, in which unvaccinated men would self-advertise and sell sperm to the highest bidder. Two of the sources say stakeholders have gone so far as to explore possible “testing requirements” to ensure specimens came from unvaccinated donors.

Florida Republican's Bill Would Ban Young Girls From Discussing Their Periods In School A Florida Republican seeking to restrict sex education for students confirmed in a committee hearing on Wednesday that his bill would also ban young girls from discussing their menstrual cycles with school officials. Rep. Stan McClain’s (R) proposed legislation, House Bill 1069, seeks to restrict the educational materials used in state schools, which critics have likened to book banning. The bill requires course material and instruction on sexually transmitted diseases, health education or material on human sexuality to “only occur in grades 6 through 12,” according to the legislation. During a Wednesday House Education Quality Subcommittee, Rep. Ashley Viola Gantt (D) asked McClain if this bill would prohibit girls younger than 6th grade from discussing their periods in school. “Does this bill prohibit conversations about menstrual cycles ― because we know that typically the ages is between 10 and 15 ― so if little girls experience their menstrual cycle in fifth grade or fourth grade, will that prohibit conversations from them since they are in the grade lower than sixth grade?” Gantt asked McClain during the committee hearing. “It would,” McClain responded. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-republican-bill-restrict-girls-discussing-periods_n_64133f06e4b00c3e607277b2

Zingers-plural? I thought he was allowed only one per season.

Well, its nearly pothole season again....

Prigozhin Says Jealous Kremlin Deliberately Stopped Wagner Taking Bakhmut -Reuters Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has stepped up his angry attacks on the Russian Defense Ministry, accusing Kremlin officials of deliberately preventing his fighters capturing Bakhmut out of sheer jealousy at his military successes. The mercenary boss dubbed “Putin’s Chef” said authorities are choosing to deprive Wagner of ammunition which has slowed progress in the blood-soaked battle to take Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. “The objective is simple,” Prigozhin said: “PMC Wagner should not take Bakhmut.” His comments, which were made during an interview with several Russian media outlets on Wednesday, are the latest development in an escalating war of words between Prigozhin and the official armed forces of Russia. “Our actions today of course cause envy,” Prigozhin said, referring to jealousy among Russia’s military establishment. “So because we have successes, while in other places successes are not what they’d like to be, then instead of—remember what grandpa Lenin said: we all thought we were all meant to live well, but instead, they made it so that everyone lived the same but poorly.” Prigozhin went on to say all of Russia “supported” Wagner after the fall of Soledar—a salt mining town near Bakhmut—a victory which he previously claimed was “solely” achieved by his mercenaries despite statements to the contrary by Russia’s Defense Ministry. After that success, Prigozhin claimed, the Kremlin’s attitude became: “Wagner should not be capturing Bakhmut under any circumstances.” He said that his mercenaries have since been deprived of ammunition bringing “shell hunger” to the fight, but that “Wagner will take Bakhmut anyway.” He said this will be done “not because Prigozhin wants it,” but: “*****, we must prove to the whole world that the Russians can!”

Chinese Sugar Daddy Arrested For $1 Billion Fraud Steve Bannon’s Chinese money man, who also has ties to other Trump figures like Jason Miller, has been arrested in New York on fraud charges. The AP reported: A business tycoon long sought by the government of China and known for cultivating ties to Trump administration figures including Steve Bannon was arrested Wednesday in New York on charges that he oversaw a $1 billion fraud conspiracy. Guo Wengui, 54, and his financier, Kin Ming Je, faced an indictment in federal court in Manhattan charging them with various crimes, including wire, securities and bank fraud. Guo was charged first in court papers under the name Ho Wan Kwok. Guo was also using a vast social media network to spread COVID misinformation, election fraud lies, and QAnon conspiracies. Wengui bought his way into Trump’s orbit and spent money on Trump figures like Mike Flynn, Bannon, and Jason Miller. If it seems like roof is starting to cave in on Trump’s criminal political venture, that’s because it is. There is always shady money ready to flow into sketchy places like Trump world because people like Guo are always looking for access to power. Steve Bannon is facing his own legal problem including New York state criminal charges for stealing from Trump supporters for his Build The Wall scam. Guo is a reminder that whatever MAGA accuses Joe Biden of doing is usually what they are doing themselves.

The number of sarcastic, creative people on this forum is remarkable.