Tracker

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.

The GOP continues to cover themselves with excrement and their followers continue to applaud and shower them with money. The rich, like Koch and Thiel see them as useful idiots and the unwashed masses see them as messiahs.

This is the crux of the problem. Putin's KGB/FSB background allowed him to build a network of informants and executioners that have kept him in power by constraining or killing of anyone who might pose an opposition, so it really comes down to whoever can enforce their agendas most effectively.

'Had to borrow $10 million': MyPillow CEO complains company in debt due to pushing Trump 2020 election lies Right-wing extremist and MyPillow CEO, Mike Lindell, said during an interview with former President Donald Trump strategist, Steve Bannon, his successful company is in debt thanks to "voting machine companies." Bannon and Lindell have both "repeatedly pushed Trump's baseless claims that the 2020 election was 'stolen' through an unprecedented, nationwide voter fraud conspiracy" — one Fox News has admitted was false. Former federal prosecutor and Republican Ron Filipkowski shared a clip from the interview via Twitter, writing, "Mike Lindell reveals that MyPillow is going broke because of his battle to prove Trump won, and he had to borrow $10 million to keep things going." READ MORE: 'Like a cover-up': Mike Lindell says he will sue Kevin McCarthy for sharing January 6th footage with Fox News Bannon asked the multi-millionaire, "The loan you took out at MyPillow — people were all over you about this?" Lindell replied, "Yeah, last year, actually there were three separate loans, as the machine companies continue to sue us for billions of dollars." The CEO continued, "we had to borrow almost $10 million dollars. We're an employee owned company. It just baffles me, Steve, you've got all these machine companies — these voting machine companies, that nobody even knew their name before, but everybody protects them. And yet you attack a USA company, MyPillow, and my employees, and it's just disgusting. https://www.alternet.org/mypillow-ceo-10-million-debt/

Tennessee GOP congressman pocketed $25,000 donated for his stillborn son's memorial: report Freshman Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN) appears to have pocketed $25,000 he crowdfunded to build a memorial for his stillborn son, reportedThe New Republic on Wednesday. "An investigation by NewsChannel5 found that Ogles set up a GoFundMe in 2014 after his son was stillborn. Ogles said he wanted to build a garden where families could bury their stillborn children and sit on benches by the gravestones. The GoFundMe raised almost $25,000, but the garden was never built," said the report. "GoFundMe confirmed that Ogles received the money. He declined to answer any of NewsChannel5’s questions about what happened to the funds." https://www.alternet.org/tennessee-republican-25000-sons-memorial/

Putin is a psychopath from all reports- he will not respond to any logic and, like Hitler may not be attached to reality.

Whew! I was expecting a Hilti gun.

You forgot the classic "Having A Spine Is Overrated" by Craig Dickenson.

I am ecstatic (I think) to announce that I received a call from the orthopod surgeon's office this morning to advise me that I am booked for my knee replacement sometime in May- date to be announced. Even though I have worked in the healthcare field for some 40 years, I am experiencing some trepidation. I have never had the end of my femur and tibia sawed off before, Gotta be better than 33 months of chronic pain, though.

They are doing that already. Trump and DeSantis are at each other's throats, as are Taylor-Green and Boebert as they jockey for position to become Trump's footstool, and the Republican PAC is suing Trump for siphoning off money. This is just the beginning- as the GOP sinks further and further in the polls and donations dry up, it will be down to axes in a trench warfare as each seeks to save their own skins and find someone else to blame. Besides the usual suspects- socialists, Jews, Muslims, gays, Asians and so forth.