Flotsam and Jetsam - DOE Endorses Lab Leak Theory

Yep, the DOE, with its collection of national laboratories did the research and concluded the available evidence suggests the lab leak origin hypothesis for the WuFlu, not conclusively, but more likely than Fauci's favored bat/pangolin natural origin theory.  Dave Strom at Hat Hair, Yet another government agency acknowledges COVID was from lab. 

Only willful blindness would prevent anybody from at least suspecting that the COVID virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

And by suspecting, I mean believing that the virus’ emergence into the human population likely resulted from a lab leak. Unless the Chinese admit that this is the case we may never have definitive proof, but other scenarios strain credulity.

So it is no surprise that yet another government agency has concluded that COVID likely originated in a lab. This time it is the Department of Energy, which has surprising resources directly related to making such a judgment.

Insty, 

from Sunday Smiles

I REMEMBER WHEN THIS WAS DISMISSED AS A RIGHT-WING CONSPIRACY THEORY: WSJ: Lab Leak Most Likely Origin of Covid-19 Pandemic, U.S. Agency Now Says: Energy Department’s revised assessment is based on new intelligence. Vodka Pundit, YOU DON’T SAY: Lab Leak Most Likely Origin of Covid-19 Pandemic, Energy Department Now Says. “The Energy Department’s conclusion is the result of new intelligence and is significant because the agency has considerable scientific expertise and oversees a network of U.S. national laboratories, some of which conduct advanced biological research.” I’m so old, I remember when even suggesting the possibility was enough to get a blogger deplatformed and demonetized. At Twitchy, Your crow is served: The COVID lab leak theory was dismissed by many – Twitter reminded them today. Stephen Kruiser at PJ Media, Score Another One for the Tinfoil Hat COVID 'Disinformation' Crowd. At NYPo, Jonathan Turley makes the case the COVID lab leak is a scandal of media and government censorship. From Da Wire, Biden National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Downplays Report Saying COVID Likely Came From Chinese Lab.  At The Pipeline, Dave Cavena says Let the Great Covid Reckoning Begin. No quarter for those who accused us of racisms, and anti-scientism, etc etc, for doubting the value of lockdowns,  masking, social distancing, and the Chinese origin story.

A Truth and Reconciliation Commission is urgently called for—minus the "reconciliation," of course. Fauci should be ignominiously stripped of his pensions, the hopelessly inept Rochelle Walensky of the CDC should be summarily fired. The state governors who willfully violated the First Amendment should be recalled (if not gone already) and disqualified from voting or ever holding public office again. But it will never happen.

Why? Because from the perspective of our cultural elites, nothing "went wrong" at all. You got what was coming to you. Now it's time to return the favor.

I&I, Amtrak Joe Couldn’t Be Bothered To Visit A Train Wreck. As Sarah Arnold at Town Hall notes Biden Can't Remember If He's Talked to East Palestine Mayor Amid Toxic Train Derailment. Da Caller,  ‘We’re Still Here’: Three Years After COVID Lockdowns, Toxic Train Derailment Hits Ohio Businesses Again. Fox, Michigan, Texas officials unaware Ohio contaminated soil, water, taken to their areas: 'We were sandbagged' "A Michigan congresswoman said that officials weren't 'given a heads up'" There's a lot of toxic waste moved around the country, and really, the government mostly justs trust industry to do it right. Mostly they do, sometimes they don't. Salena Zito at the Freep, ‘We Don’t Know What We Are Breathing’: A Report from East Palestine. Virginia Kruta at Da Wire, Erin Brockovich Torches Biden Over East Palestine Debacle: ‘You’re Not Gonna Gaslight Me!’ Chris Roach at Am Great sees how Mayor Pete Keeps Failing Upward. "Cautious, ambitious, “well-rounded,” and soulless, Pete and his ilk are the dominant human type in charge of the world today—the managerial class." Don't forget gay, that's most of his appeal. Declan Leary at Am Con calls Trump A President for Palestine. "Donald Trump’s visit to East Palestine is a reminder of how the 45th president made politics human again."

Nick Arama at Red State highlights Biden's Clueless Response to Poll on How Bad Americans Think Things Are, "You make the ne — I mean you interview for the news. Can you think of anything turn on the television and go, 'God, that makes me feel good?'" Western Journal wants you to watch as Reporter Has to Finish Sentence for Biden as He Speaks Complete Nonsense. At Breitbart Obama’s Former WH Physician fears Biden’s Cognitive Decline ‘Brings Us Closer to an All-Out War’ with Russia, China. Senile hands on the button. Dan Chaitin at Da Wire sees Acorn Stairlifts making hay from Biden Falling On Air Force One Steps Becomes Fodder For Viral Ad. At Outkick, SNL Is Afraid To Pardoy Biden, Remains Focused On Trump. Breitbart has a Poll: Nearly 60% of Voters ‘Have Less Money in Their Pockets’ During Biden Presidency. Bob Spencer at Front Page, Biden, the Black Jewish Puerto Rican Child, Says He Really Wanted to Be Polish, "When there's no one left to lie to." Also, New Poll: 50% of Democrats Want Old Joe Biden for 2024. "What is wrong with these people?" At Da Wire, Biden: My Classified Doc Scandal Different Than Trump’s Due To Different ‘Degrees Of Irresponsibility.’ He's been irresponsible far longer. From the Free Bacon, Whistleblower Says He Gave DOJ Damning Information on Biden Family Foreign Business Deals, "Gal Luft is threatening to 'name names' after being detained on what he claims are 'politically motivated' charges."

At Front Page, a Video, Biden Nominee Won’t Answer If She Supports Sex Offender Registry "Are you suggesting that restricting sex offenders from living near children is making them homeless?" Another nominee, from the Free Bacon, ‘Utter Silence’: Biden Judicial Nominee Pushed To Unmask a Sexual Assault Victim’s Identity. Her Parents Want To Know Why Democrats Won’t Speak Out Against Him.

Sundance at CTH issues a challenge, Sunday Question – The Inversion and Awakening

In the Trump -vs- DeSantis storyline the following data points are generally agreed:

♦Approximately 75% of the Big Con “INFLUENCERS” (Big $) and punditry Support Ron DeSantis
♦Approximately 25% of the Small “Influencers” (Small $) and Indy punditry Support Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, amid the voting base the inverse is true:

♦Approximately 25% of the conservative, working-class, base voters support Ron DeSantis
♦Approximately 75% of the conservative, working-class, base voters support Donald Trump

Reconcile this inversion. What does it mean?

For me? Two factors. First the long-time Republican pols almost instinctively resented and hated Trump. That hasn't changed. Second, I think all the noise, unfairly or not, has damaged Trump to the point that winning might not be an option. Run of the mill Republican voters have not bought into either, either out of inertia, or sheer stubbornness. 

At Town Hall, Derek Hunter has Some Basic Questions Democrats Can’t (Or Won’t) Answer

If trans women are every bit as much women and real women, why do they need the prefix “trans”? If trans women are real women why is it that zero straight elected Democrats have ever dated one? Wouldn’t Bill Clinton have gotten what he got from Monica from one by now? Wouldn’t Hunter Biden, who filmed himself having sex with what sure came off as human trafficked, forced prostitutes have filmed himself having sex with a tucked partner, if only by accident? When the chips are down it sure seems like Democrats do, in fact, know what a woman is. Why is that?

At Da Blaze, 11-year-old confronts school board by reading aloud from 'smut' he found at his middle school library. Insty, WELL, SURE, IT’S POOR SALESMANSHIP FOR THEIR POSITIONS: Virginia teachers union, Democrats oppose teaching about victims of communism. At Liberty Unyielding, Teaching kids racial guilt turns them into progressive Democrats; unfortunately, indoctrination works. 

At WaEx, Two Democratic committees made payments to group that released GOP military records. Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN, Zuckerbucks redux: Social media mogul funds recruitment of progressives to administer elections. "Clerk Work has recruited hundreds of candidates to run for local elections offices. "You can influence quite literally who is administering elections," said founder of program's parent organization Amanda Litman, who was email director for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign." As Stalin is sometimes credited with saying "Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything." Shawn Fleetwood at Da Fed reports Alabama Secretary Of State Discovers Popular Leftist Voter-Roll Group’s Address Is Bogus. At Am Think, Jay Valentine claims to know The Solution to Ballot Fraud. Of course we can do it. The problem is that one of the two parties involved doesn't want to.

Sarah Arnold reports McCarthy and Jeffries Form Task Force to Boot Lawmakers from Committees. The tit for tat strategy seems to be paying off. At Am Think Ted Noel ponders The Puzzle That Is Kevin McCarthy. Did he trick the Freedom Caucus into "forcing" him to institute reforms he secretly favored? That would be cool. At Da Caller, Early Signs Show Adam Schiff Could Soon Be Headed To The Senate. Forget it Jake, it's California. 

At Am Think, Ian MacConnell thinks about Tucker Carlson and the January 6 Tapes "I think this shows some solid strategic thinking by Kevin McCarthy."

Sundance, Sunday Talks, Trump Lawyers Discuss Fiasco of Georgia Grand Jury and Foreperson Media Tour.  Insty cites NRO, MICHAEL BESCHLOSS, TRUTHER "While the Georgia foreman forewoman foreperson was thrilled to talk with CNN and MSNBC, there are curious limitations as to which cable news networks she’ll appear on: ‘Cat’s Got Her Tongue?’: Fox News Anchor Wonders Why Talkative Grand Juror Passed On Invite"  and at Substack, Mike Pence, Dick Cheney, and the Constitution "What is a Vice President's job, anyway?" Warm bucket of spit.  Ace explores The Weaponization Of The Law By The Left. Vicky Taft at PJ Media sees that  Washington State Dems Want 'Minority Report' Commission to Destroy Conservative Wrong-Think.

At Da Fed, Margot Cleveland explains How Trump Derangement Gave Birth To The Censorship-Industrial Complex. It existed before Trump, but he certainly sent it into hyperdrive. The Peacock is worried that  The ‘Henderson test’ could weaken Big Tech’s favorite law and change free speech on the internet. Twitchy, That’s gonna leave a mark: Matt Taibbi delivered a Twitter body slam on Aaron Rupar and LOL. Who? At Am Spec, Jeremy Lott explains the story  Of Elon Musk, Alex Jones, the Bible, and a Little Funeral. 

And so Sam Harris, of all people, put the question to Musk: What about InfoWars’ Alex Jones? I don’t think he, or anyone, was quite prepared for Musk’s answer.

“Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven,” he wrote, borrowing Jesus’s words in the Gospel of Matthew.

Then Musk explained what he’d meant, and the explanation really got me.

“My firstborn child died in my arms,” he wrote. “I felt his last heartbeat. I have no mercy for anyone who would use the deaths of children for gain, politics or fame.”

Jazz Shaw at Hat Hair is outraged,  Yikes. People are falling in love with chatbots. In a world with Bronies and Furries, nothing surprises me. Thad McCotter at Am Great perceives that In AI Tech, the Left Replicates Itself.  "Just when you thought cancel culture couldn’t get any worse,  the Left appears to seek to perfect humanity, or  supersede it altogether, with immortal AI machines."

Jon Haidt, Social Media is a Major Cause of the Mental Illness Epidemic in Teen Girls. Here’s the Evidence. "Journalists should stop saying that the evidence is just correlational" The only way out may be a "Carrington Event."