onthedarkside

A series of posts on off-topic political hot-button issues have been removed.

Several posts with misleading or false claims have been removed.

A post making a claim not supported by its own weblinked source has been removed.

An off-topic post and a trolling post have been removed.

Several posts, and ensuing replies, have been removed for trolling, being off-topic, misinformation and a flame.

A post misrepresenting the history of COVID and COVID vaccines has been removed, along with several replies to previously removed posts.

A post citing a disallowed YouTube source has been removed, along with an ensuing series of off-topic posts debating that YT content and its author.

This thread is another in a series of political topics/discussions being created in a subforum that's NOT supposed to involve politics. Thus the thread is CLOSED. This subforum is for: "Thailand is legendary for its entertainment, both traditional and modern. Discuss night life, restaurants, bars, music, movies, concerts, expat life, fun, or just a chat about anything not covered by other sub-forums. (No Politics)."

President Biden’s approval rating sank to a new low since Gallup conducted its first survey of the president’s approval rating in January 2021, according to a new poll it released on Friday. The Gallup poll found that 38 percent of voters approve of Biden’s job as president, down from 41 percent last month. In comparison, the president started out his term at 57 percent approval in January 2021. Broken down by party, 78 percent of Democrats, 31 percent of independents and 5 percent of Republicans surveyed gave the president a thumbs up. The polling shows a 7 percent decline in approval among Democrats since they were last polled in June and a 5 percent decrease among independents. Gallup also compared Biden’s average approval rating in the sixth quarter to that of elected presidents going back to former President Eisenhower, noting that Biden had the lowest average approval rating of them all at this point in the presidency at 40 percent. (more) https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3580356-biden-approval-rating-falls-to-new-low-in-gallup-poll/ Also: https://news.gallup.com/poll/395378/biden-job-approval-dips-new-low.aspx

Russia and Ukraine trade blame for a deadly attack on a POW prison KYIV, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine accused each other Friday of shelling a prison in a separatist region of eastern Ukraine, an attack that reportedly killed dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war captured after the fall of Mariupol, the city where troops famously held out against a monthslong Russian siege. Both sides said the assault was premeditated with the aim of covering up atrocities. Russia claimed that Ukraine's military used U.S.-supplied rocket launchers to strike the prison in Olenivka, a settlement controlled by the Moscow-backed Donetsk People's Republic. Separatist authorities and Russian officials said the attack killed 53 Ukrainian POWs and wounded another 75. ... The Ukrainian military denied making any rocket or artillery strikes in Olenivka, and it accused the Russians of shelling the prison to cover up the alleged torture and execution of Ukrainians there. An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the shelling as "a deliberate, cynical, calculated mass murder of Ukrainian prisoners." Neither claim could be independently verified. (more) https://www.npr.org/2022/07/30/1114691075/russia-ukraine-deadly-attack-prison

Death toll rises to at least 25 in Kentucky flooding as people in stricken areas remain hard to reach, governor says (CNN) - After days of fatal flooding washed away parts of eastern Kentucky and the death toll climbed to at least 25, first responders worked Saturday to account for missing residents, the state's governor said. Gov. Andy Beshear lamented that the number of deaths "is likely to increase" following what officials have described as unprecedented flooding in the region. "To everyone in Eastern Kentucky, we are going to be there for you today and in the weeks, months and years ahead. We will get through this together," Beshear said in a tweet Saturday. The death toll is expected to rise in the coming days as rescuers search new areas that are currently impassable. (more) https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/30/weather/kentucky-appalachia-flooding-saturday/index.html

Jeremy Hunt, Matt Hancock and Andy Burnham back chair of inquiry’s recommendation for compensation ‘without delay’ Three former health secretaries have called for the UK government to give immediate compensation to victims of the contaminated blood scandal. The chair of the contaminated blood inquiry on Friday called for the victims and their families to be paid “without delay” after he recommended the level of interim compensation payments. Sir Brian Langstaff said infected people and bereaved partners should be given “payments of no less than £100,000”. ... At least 2,400 people died after contracting HIV or hepatitis C as a result of receiving infected blood from the NHS in the 1970s and 1980s, and as many as 30,000 people became severely ill. The scandal has been labelled the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. (more) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/30/infected-blood-uk-government-urged-to-compensate-victims-immediately

Spain confirms Europe's first-known monkeypox-related death of current outbreak Monkeypox can be transmitted from person to person through close physical contact, including sexual intercourse, and is caused by the monkeypox virus Spain has reported Europe's first monkeypox-related death of the current outbreak - and the second outside of Africa. The country's health ministry confirmed the death on Friday, but did not release further details about the person. Brazil reported the first monkeypox-related death outside the African continent in the current outbreak earlier in the day. In its latest report, the Spanish health ministry said 4,298 cases had been confirmed in the country. (more) https://news.sky.com/story/spain-confirms-europes-first-known-monkeypox-related-death-of-current-outbreak-12661601

The nation's third-largest lottery prize grew to such an astronomical figure after 29 consecutive draws without a winner A ticket-holder has won the US Mega Millions jackpot of $1.28bn (£1.05bn) - the third biggest lottery prize in the country. Officials said the single winning ticket was bought in Illinois. The numbers drawn on Friday night were 13-36-45-57-67, with a Mega Ball of 14. The jackpot grew to such an astronomical figure after 29 consecutive draws without a winner. (more) https://news.sky.com/story/us-mega-millions-lottery-jackpot-ticket-holder-wins-nearly-1-3bn-in-illinois-12661899

A 66-year-old man is the oldest person yet to possibly be cured of HIV after undergoing a stem cell transplant, researchers announced Wednesday. The man had HIV for more than 31 years when he received a blood stem cell transplant in early 2019 for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) using cells from a donor with a rare genetic mutation that prevents HIV from entering human cells, making people who have it resistant to most strains of the virus. The man has remained free of replicating HIV since his transplant — including for the last 17 months after stopping treatment for HIV, said Jana K. Dickter, MD, a physician at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, where the patient was treated. ... He is at least the fourth person to have potentially been cured of HIV after receiving stem cells from someone with the CCR5-delta 32 mutation, and the second such case to be made public this year. (more) https://www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20220727/man-is-oldest-person-possibly-cured-of-hiv-after-stem-cell-transplant

Both San Francisco and New York have declared monkeypox emergencies as the cities continue to see cases surge among men who have sex with men (MSM) and a high demand for vaccines. "Based on the ongoing spread of this virus, which has increased rapidly and affected primarily communities that identify as men who have sex with men, and the need for local jurisdictions to administer vaccines, I've declared monkeypox an Imminent Threat to Public Health throughout New York State," said New York State Commissioner of Health Mary T. Bassett, MD, in a press statement. ... In San Francisco, city health officials declared an emergency beginning Aug 1, saying the action will help them streamline their response to the virus. Mayor London Breed said getting more vaccines into the arms of city residents was the main goal of the emergency declaration. ... Currently, there are more than 20,300 cases confirmed in non-endemic countries around the world. (more) https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/07/san-francisco-new-york-declare-monkeypox-emergencies

LONDON (AP) — U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss cemented her place as front-runner in the race to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson, winning endorsement Saturday from an influential former rival for the top job. Tom Tugendhat, who was eliminated from the contest in earlier rounds of voting by Conservative lawmakers, said Truss had the “resolution, determination, and passion” to be prime minister. The endorsement is a blow to ex-Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, the other finalist in the race for the next Conservative leader. The winner will be decided by votes from about 180,000 party members across the country. Polls give Truss an edge with Tory members, though Sunak is more popular with the general public, who don’t have a say in the race. The winner will be announced Sept. 5 and will automatically become prime minister, replacing Johnson, who stepped down as Conservative leader this month after three years in office following months of ethics scandals. (more) https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/truss-surges-ahead-wins-key-backers-in-uk-leadership-race/ar-AA108aFR

A pair of trolling posts have been removed.

A post with misinformation comments has been removed. The number of COVID patients in Thailand currently hospitalized in serious condition has increased 34.5% from 684 to 920 just during the past month. 456 of the 920 currently in serious condition are so bad off that they've required intubation in order to breathe. New daily COVID deaths reached a month-high figure of 37 on Friday. The daily COVID death numbers were in the mid teens a month ago, so those have effectively doubled from one month ago. Total COVID hospitalizations right now Thailand wide are in excess of 12,000. https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/?dashboard=30-days https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos/613370056947989

A misinformation post has been removed, along with several off-topic personal comments between members.

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Blockbuster earnings threaten political backlash as inflation rips through economies ExxonMobil and Chevron smashed profit records in the second quarter as the surging energy prices that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine delivered a windfall for the US oil supermajors. The huge earnings come as consumers reel from sky-high fuel costs that have helped drive inflation to levels not seen in decades across the US and Europe, threatening a political backlash against energy companies. Exxon’s second-quarter net profit was $17.9bn, beating analysts’ estimates of $16.9bn, according to data compiled by S&P Capital IQ. The previous record quarterly profit for the company was $15.9bn in 2012, another year of elevated oil prices. Chevron’s second-quarter profit was $11.6bn, also its highest quarterly profit and easily surpassing consensus estimates of $9.9bn. (more) https://www.ft.com/content/13f82093-1110-4c92-9fea-936067a5f29e

A post with various unsourced and unsubstantiated claims has been removed along with ensuing replies, including one with a misleading quotation.

The period between January and June this year was the driest in England since 1976 A hosepipe ban is to come into force in parts of southern England after a lack of rainfall and extreme temperatures. The restrictions for Southern Water customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will start from 5 August. Using hosepipes to water gardens, clean cars, fill ornamental ponds and swimming pools will not be allowed. The firm said the ban was a "vital step" to protect the habitats of the River Test and the River Itchen where it extracts water. (more) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-62345286

Footage shows soldier with knife and surgical gloves mutilating prisoner as he lies down with hands bound Horrific video has emerged that appears to show a Russian soldier castrating a Ukrainian prisoner who other reports suggest was subsequently murdered. The footage, reviewed by the Guardian, was originally posted on pro-Russian Telegram channels. A Russian soldier, wearing a distinctive black wide-brimmed hat, is seen approaching another figure who has his hands bound and is lying face down with the back of his trousers cut away. The prisoner is wearing blue and yellow patches identifying him as Ukrainian. The soldier in the hat, who is wearing blue surgical gloves, is holding a green-handled knife and reaches down to mutilate the prisoner as other soldiers abuse the prisoner. (more) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/29/video-appears-to-show-russian-soldier-castrating-ukrainian-prisoner