6,418 thoughts on “Sandbox (4)”

1. J-Mac: If you prove me viruses can mutate. I will e-transfer you $500

   In order to guide your efforts into a more constructive direction, would you be so good as to continue this discussion in the designated thread Allan created for you? Could you phrase into two or three sentences your reasons for believing viruses (that don’t exist) cannot mutate?

   Also, how are you doing? Is life treating you OK?

2. Inflation rate projected to hit 6% in the second quarter, top economic forecasters say

   The recent surge in inflation is likely to get worse over the next several months, according to a survey Friday from the nation’s top economists.

   Consumer price inflation is projected to hit 6% for the first quarter, according to the Survey of Professional Forecasters, a blue-ribbon group that is polled each quarter by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

   In the most recent forecast three months ago, the panel put the expected consumer price index gain at just 2.7%. However, that was just before the U.S. and Israel launched attacks against Iran, hostilities that have sent energy prices soaring while pushing inflation data well past the 2% mark the Fed targets.

3. Who is a fan of dr. Robert Malone show invented yada…yada?
   I don’t want all the virologists on this forum to faint:

   
   This is what he said about the likelihood of catching the Huntya vihrus

4. J-Mac:

   I don’t want all the virologists on this forum to faint:

   I wouldn’t worry about that. Laughter is the more likely response.

5. J-Mac,

   I don’t want all the virologists on this forum to faint:

   “Try not to faint when you see what she looks like now” vibes. I suppose we’re long past the point of getting an actual argument out of ‘im.

6. New CBS/YouGov poll with stunningly bad numbers for Trump. A year and a half into his term, only 8% of independents think Trump is making them better off financially:

   All adults:
   

   Independents:
   

7. 

8. How do I view the screen shots?

9. Flint,

   They should render automatically. I’ve verified that they work in both Chrome and Firefox on the desktop and on my phone. Which browser are you using?

   One caveat: I’ve noticed at times that Chrome will display the link instead of the image. Usually this happens after I’ve edited the comment. Refreshing the page fixes it.

10. The Congressional Research Service reports that the US has lost 42 aircraft so far in the Iran war.

    From a news article on the report:

    Among the losses are four F-15E fighter jets, one F-35A fighter, one A-10 ground-attack aircraft, seven KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft, one E-3 airborne early warning-and-control system aircraft, two MC-130J special operations aircraft, one HH-60W combat search-and-rescue helicopter, 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton drone.

11. 

    Not sure how many of them will vote this time, but either way, it’s a stunning drop.

12. To answer the above question, the latest New York Times/Siena poll found that of the people who didn’t vote in 2024, 48% say they are “very likely” or “almost certain” to vote in 2026.

    On the generic ballot, those people favor the Democrats by a margin of +31. Wow.

13. I don’t think your life should matter after this report:

    I also have heard that Trump can handcuffed Aliens but can’t handcuff the Crooked Hormuz…

14. TIL that at the height of the Islamic Golden Age, the caliph in Baghdad was an enlightened guy who founded an institute and library called the House of Wisdom, embraced Greek rationalism, sponsored the translation of texts from around the world, welcomed Christian and Jewish scholars, promoted science, mathematics and engineering — and then started an inquisition, imprisoning and torturing scholars and officials who refused to swear publicly that the Qur’an was created, not eternal.

    People are funny.

15. 

    A drop of 73 points, and those are Republicans.

16. Ditto for gas prices:
    

    Again, those are Republicans.

17. keiths:
    Ditto for gas prices:

    Again, those are Republicans.

    The important question is whether Trump’s perceived failures among Republicans translates into votes for Democrats in November. I can tell you there isn’t even a hint of this in Alabama.

18. Flint:

    The important question is whether Trump’s perceived failures among Republicans translates into votes for Democrats in November. I can tell you there isn’t even a hint of this in Alabama.

    Yeah, I know a bunch of people in Indiana who are like that too. They’ll never vote for a Democrat. However, some of them will stay home on Election Day, and each of them who does that still contributes to the Democratic side, though only half as much as if they actually voted Democratic. I’ll take it.