Billy D
@sdwilly.bsky.social
285 lbs of twisted steel and sex appeal
Elections cancelled. Unqualified, Russian backed stooge appointed. EU succession talks cancelled. This pot is definitely going to boil over.
Georgian lawmakers have voted in far-right former soccer star Mikheil Kavelashvili as the next president of the country, where popular anger has mounted over the government’s halt to EU accession talks
Georgian government votes in far-right former soccer player as president | CNN
Georgian lawmakers have voted in far-right former soccer star Mikheil Kavelashvili as next president of Georgia, amid mounting popular anger over the government’s halt to EU accession talks.
www.cnn.com
December 14, 2024 at 12:35 PM
Elections cancelled. Unqualified, Russian backed stooge appointed. EU succession talks cancelled. This pot is definitely going to boil over.
Dec 13, 2024 (observation): Leaving X for @bsky.app is like sneaking away to the den to catch up with your cool cousins while your drunk uncle is embarrassing himself in the living room.
December 13, 2024 at 9:00 PM
Dec 13, 2024 (observation): Leaving X for @bsky.app is like sneaking away to the den to catch up with your cool cousins while your drunk uncle is embarrassing himself in the living room.
…another 2-timer.
December 12, 2024 at 2:30 PM
…another 2-timer.
29 House Republicans don’t think you should be able to file your taxes for free. They think an automated form filing process is “government overreach” and that you should continue to pay a 3rd party provider like TurboTax to do this. www.businessinsider.com/republicans-...
29 House Republicans want Trump to scrap the IRS's free direct tax filing tool on day one of his presidency
GOP lawmakers are framing the IRS's free direct tax filing system as an example of the "weaponization of government against Americans."
www.businessinsider.com
December 12, 2024 at 12:42 PM
29 House Republicans don’t think you should be able to file your taxes for free. They think an automated form filing process is “government overreach” and that you should continue to pay a 3rd party provider like TurboTax to do this. www.businessinsider.com/republicans-...
A GI surgeon pal of mine asserts that bowel cancer is essentially curable if all screening starts at age 45. It took years and the ACA to drag insurers kicking and screaming to cover colon cancer screenings this early in life.
Bowel cancer is rising in younger people around the world, so it may not just be down to Western diets. www.newscientist.com/article/2459...
Bowel cancer is rising in younger people around the world
More and more people under 50 have been diagnosed with bowel cancer in different parts of the world over the past few decades
www.newscientist.com
December 12, 2024 at 12:04 PM
A GI surgeon pal of mine asserts that bowel cancer is essentially curable if all screening starts at age 45. It took years and the ACA to drag insurers kicking and screaming to cover colon cancer screenings this early in life.
Kroger bought local NC grocer Harris Teeter 10 years ago. Kroger claims they’ve lowered prices, but weekly shopping for staples has shown that Harris Teeter prices are routinely higher than the local Walmart. The only thing that keeps them in check is competition from Publix/Wegmans/Aldi/Lidl.
A federal judge just blocked Kroger's $24.6B acquisition of Albertsons.
Four corporations control 70% of retail grocery sales in America. Kroger and Albertsons are two of those corporations.
Less competition means more opportunity to price gouge.
This deal was a rotten egg.
Four corporations control 70% of retail grocery sales in America. Kroger and Albertsons are two of those corporations.
Less competition means more opportunity to price gouge.
This deal was a rotten egg.
Federal judge blocks Kroger’s $25 billion mega-merger with Albertsons | CNN Business
A federal judge in Oregon blocked Kroger’s proposed $25 billion tie-up with Albertsons, ruling that the largest merger in US supermarket history would limit competition and harm consumers.
www.cnn.com
December 12, 2024 at 5:05 AM
Kroger bought local NC grocer Harris Teeter 10 years ago. Kroger claims they’ve lowered prices, but weekly shopping for staples has shown that Harris Teeter prices are routinely higher than the local Walmart. The only thing that keeps them in check is competition from Publix/Wegmans/Aldi/Lidl.
Dec 11, 2024: (labor): On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti is literally my all time favorite interviewer. I swear I grow new brain matter every time I listen to her show (lots of room there). Case in point, today’s episode with @sohrabahmari.bsky.social. www.wbur.org/onpoint/2024...
The conservative case for labor in America
Conservative politics and labor advocacy don't often go hand in hand, unless you are columnist Sohrab Ahmari. Ahmari says conservative politicians have the chance to change material conditions for wor...
www.wbur.org
December 12, 2024 at 4:48 AM
Dec 11, 2024: (labor): On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti is literally my all time favorite interviewer. I swear I grow new brain matter every time I listen to her show (lots of room there). Case in point, today’s episode with @sohrabahmari.bsky.social. www.wbur.org/onpoint/2024...
Dec 11, 2024 (political): Once the Israeli corruption courts soften him up, let the ICC have a go at this miserable wretch. apnews.com/article/isra...
Netanyahu's trial for alleged corruption centers on these three cases
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will testify in court for the first time, facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate affairs.
apnews.com
December 12, 2024 at 4:23 AM
Dec 11, 2024 (political): Once the Israeli corruption courts soften him up, let the ICC have a go at this miserable wretch. apnews.com/article/isra...
One of those ballots Griffin would have see tossed was my US Citizen, lifelong NC raised son and registered voter who just happened to vote absentee while he is working abroad. This is personal…
December 12, 2024 at 4:02 AM
One of those ballots Griffin would have see tossed was my US Citizen, lifelong NC raised son and registered voter who just happened to vote absentee while he is working abroad. This is personal…
“The upper class keeps all of the money, pays none of the taxes. The middle class pays all of the taxes, does all of the work. The poor are there just to scare the shit out of the middle class… keep on showing up at those jobs.”
— George Carlin
— George Carlin
You may be paying a higher tax rate than a billionaire. Our story from 2021:
You May Be Paying a Higher Tax Rate Than a Billionaire
A new ProPublica analysis of a trove of IRS documents revealed that the richest 25 Americans pay a tiny fraction of their wealth in taxes. But even if you use the most conventional yardstick — income…
propub.li
December 12, 2024 at 1:12 AM
“The upper class keeps all of the money, pays none of the taxes. The middle class pays all of the taxes, does all of the work. The poor are there just to scare the shit out of the middle class… keep on showing up at those jobs.”
— George Carlin
— George Carlin
Dec 11, 2024 (personal): Flu shot in the left shoulder and Covid shot in the right. Feeling the achey heat. Rackmonster is calling…
December 12, 2024 at 1:05 AM
Dec 11, 2024 (personal): Flu shot in the left shoulder and Covid shot in the right. Feeling the achey heat. Rackmonster is calling…
Dec 11, 2024 (medicine): The geographic variation in kidney cancer cannot be fully explained by known risk factors. To understand global differences in the incidence of kidney cancer, researchers have conducted the largest survey of kidney cancer DNA mutations to date. www.cancer.gov/news-events/...
Mutational Signatures Point to Possible Kidney Cancer Causes
The largest-ever survey of DNA mutations in kidney cancer has revealed clues about possible causes of the disease in different parts of the world.
www.cancer.gov
December 12, 2024 at 12:50 AM
Dec 11, 2024 (medicine): The geographic variation in kidney cancer cannot be fully explained by known risk factors. To understand global differences in the incidence of kidney cancer, researchers have conducted the largest survey of kidney cancer DNA mutations to date. www.cancer.gov/news-events/...
One of those conversations I was compelled to finish listening to in the parking lot. I was a little late to my doctor’s appointment but they were understanding.
For @npr.org listeners, I'm about to hop on to On Point from
@wbur.org to discuss my new book, We Have Never Been Woke, out now with @princetonupress.bsky.social
You can listen to the program live today from 10am - 11am EST, or catch up after on your favorite podcasting platform.
@wbur.org to discuss my new book, We Have Never Been Woke, out now with @princetonupress.bsky.social
You can listen to the program live today from 10am - 11am EST, or catch up after on your favorite podcasting platform.
December 11, 2024 at 7:25 PM
One of those conversations I was compelled to finish listening to in the parking lot. I was a little late to my doctor’s appointment but they were understanding.
The Krug is back (short retirement dude) - @paulkrugman9.bsky.social resuscitating a substack to give us all little history lesson on performative fraud waste and abuse commissions. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-fraudu...
The Fraudulence of “Waste, Fraud and Abuse”
History repeats itself, the first time as farce, the second as clown show
paulkrugman.substack.com
December 11, 2024 at 6:03 PM
The Krug is back (short retirement dude) - @paulkrugman9.bsky.social resuscitating a substack to give us all little history lesson on performative fraud waste and abuse commissions. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-fraudu...
I was waiting for a cogent analysis of Russia’s options in Syria after the fall of Assad. @cfr.org has provided some early insight. www.cfr.org/expert-brief...
What Assad’s Fall Means for Russia in the Middle East
The flight of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to exile in Russia poses a major strategic challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the Kremlin’s influence in Syria and the region should not…
www.cfr.org
December 10, 2024 at 6:41 PM
I was waiting for a cogent analysis of Russia’s options in Syria after the fall of Assad. @cfr.org has provided some early insight. www.cfr.org/expert-brief...
I figured @frontlinepbs.bsky.social would have the real depth and breadth on this unprecedented moment in history…
To understand how the Syrian conflict reached this moment, watch FRONTLINE’s reporting about the fight, its ongoing toll and the ripple effects across the world.
PLAYLIST: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
PLAYLIST: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Syria - YouTube
Documentaries and reports examining the war in Syria, the Assad regime and its relationship with Iran, the role of militias and the rise and evolution of ISIS.
www.youtube.com
December 10, 2024 at 6:05 AM
I figured @frontlinepbs.bsky.social would have the real depth and breadth on this unprecedented moment in history…
While New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law Monday to prohibit public and school libraries from banning books in the state, over in Utah we have this bullshit going on…
Fourteen books have already been banned in Utah’s K-12 schools.
Another 25 are on the shortlist.
The bulk of the reports to the Utah State Board of Education come from just two school districts.
www.kuer.org/education/20...
Another 25 are on the shortlist.
The bulk of the reports to the Utah State Board of Education come from just two school districts.
www.kuer.org/education/20...
With Utah’s statewide book bans, 2 school districts have steered the conversation
According to a KUER analysis of public records, 25 books are teetering on the edge of being banned statewide.
www.kuer.org
December 10, 2024 at 5:59 AM
While New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law Monday to prohibit public and school libraries from banning books in the state, over in Utah we have this bullshit going on…
Dec 10, 2024 (Technology): “As a first demonstration of Willow’s power, the researchers showed that it could perform, in roughly 5 minutes, a task that would take the world’s largest supercomputer an estimated 10^25 years…” www.nature.com/articles/d41...
‘A truly remarkable breakthrough’: Google’s new quantum chip achieves accuracy milestone
Error-correction feat shows quantum computers will get more accurate as they grow larger.
www.nature.com
December 10, 2024 at 5:39 AM
Dec 10, 2024 (Technology): “As a first demonstration of Willow’s power, the researchers showed that it could perform, in roughly 5 minutes, a task that would take the world’s largest supercomputer an estimated 10^25 years…” www.nature.com/articles/d41...
A species of fungus has shown a sort of consciousness and intelligence, possessing memory and decision-making abilities despite not having a central nervous system. to.pbs.org/4fAfs0z
How a new fungi study could affect how we think about cognition
A species of wood-eating fungus didn’t need a brain to pass a cognitive test with flying colors, and researchers say this first-of-its-kind discovery could have broader implications.
to.pbs.org
December 8, 2024 at 3:50 PM
A species of fungus has shown a sort of consciousness and intelligence, possessing memory and decision-making abilities despite not having a central nervous system. to.pbs.org/4fAfs0z
Dec 8, 2024 (junk science?): This CNN Health depiction of a conference poster showed up in my FB feed today. Pilot study of n=32 (expanded to 80). If this ever gets published, I’d love to read how the authors are going to explain away all the lean people with Alzheimer’s. www.cnn.com/2024/12/02/h...
Belly fat linked to brain decay and early signs of Alzheimer’s, study finds | CNN
Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, may contribute to brain atrophy and early markers of Alzheimer’s disease, new research found.
www.cnn.com
December 8, 2024 at 12:07 PM
Dec 8, 2024 (junk science?): This CNN Health depiction of a conference poster showed up in my FB feed today. Pilot study of n=32 (expanded to 80). If this ever gets published, I’d love to read how the authors are going to explain away all the lean people with Alzheimer’s. www.cnn.com/2024/12/02/h...
I wonder if Assad is flying to Austin, Texas to go stay with Tulsi Gabbard? www.bbc.com/news/article...
Where is Bashar al-Assad? Rumours swirl despite denials he's fled Damascus
Rumours surround the whereabouts of the Syrian president, as rebels make advances near the capital's suburbs.
www.bbc.com
December 8, 2024 at 5:26 AM
I wonder if Assad is flying to Austin, Texas to go stay with Tulsi Gabbard? www.bbc.com/news/article...
Dec 7, 2024 (data science): @pkrugman.bsky.social turned me on to @ourworldindata.org. If you are looking to have your preconceived notions about the world radically challenged (or in some cases completely upended), spend an hour or two here noodling around. ourworldindata.org
Our World in Data
Research and data to make progress against the world’s largest problems
ourworldindata.org
December 7, 2024 at 2:56 PM
Dec 7, 2024 (data science): @pkrugman.bsky.social turned me on to @ourworldindata.org. If you are looking to have your preconceived notions about the world radically challenged (or in some cases completely upended), spend an hour or two here noodling around. ourworldindata.org
Dec 6, 2024 (science): Wondering why milk is now being tested for bird flu? Looks like we are one mutation away from human to human transmission. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A single mutation in bovine influenza H5N1 hemagglutinin switches specificity to human receptors
In 2024, several human infections with highly pathogenic clade 2.3.4.4b bovine influenza H5N1 viruses in the United States raised concerns about their capability for bovine-to-human or even human-to-h...
www.science.org
December 6, 2024 at 11:30 PM
Dec 6, 2024 (science): Wondering why milk is now being tested for bird flu? Looks like we are one mutation away from human to human transmission. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Dec 6, 2024 (politics): Tim Miller and Sam Harris are having the conversation that many of us are having, only I think they do it a little better. youtu.be/ULVYHwRMSjA
The GOP Never Cared About Experience! It Was All a SCAM (w/ Sam Harris) | The Bulwark Podcast
YouTube video by The Bulwark
youtu.be
December 6, 2024 at 8:54 PM
Dec 6, 2024 (politics): Tim Miller and Sam Harris are having the conversation that many of us are having, only I think they do it a little better. youtu.be/ULVYHwRMSjA