Gary in PR

@pr-gary.bsky.social

1709 Followers 1889 Following

In the first 4 months of the War in Afghanistan (October 7, 2001 – January 31, 2002), 14 U.S. military personnel were killed. This total is derived from Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) data: October 2001: 3 deaths (all non-hostile). November 2001: 4 deaths (all non-hostile). December 2001: 4 deaths (3 hostile, 1 non-hostile). January 2002: 3 deaths (1 hostile, 2 non-hostile). The majority of these early casualties were due to accidents, including aircraft crashes and friendly fire incidents, rather than direct enemy combat, which intensified later in 2002 during operations like Anaconda.
However, the overall impact of tariffs depends critically on how much of this cost increase is passed along to domestic consumers and producers, a concept known as pass-through. Empirical research has found that the pass-through rate is generally high (often near 100 percent), meaning that the burden of tariffs typically falls on domestic consumers and firms rather than foreign exporters.
What Harvard Researchers Actually Found Researchers from Harvard University and the University of Chicago, including Gita Gopinath and Brent Neiman, studied trade data and found that U.S. buyers—not foreign governments or suppliers—are picking up nearly all the cost of tariffs. Their research demonstrated that: 94% of tariffs were passed along to U.S. buyers in 2025 Foreign exporters reduced prices by only about 6% of the tariff size If a 10% tariff is imposed, U.S. importers pay 9.4% more for the product, inclusive of the tariff Neiman stated: "In terms of who's paying for more of it, it's disproportionately, almost entirely so far, on the U.S. side"
The “Innovation Requires Profit” Myth, Demolished. The standard gospel of Big Pharma holds that life-saving drugs require billions in private investment, astronomical pricing, patent hoarding, and corporate incentive structures to exist. Cuba — a state with a GDP smaller than many U.S. states — developed CIMAvax under state direction, without venture capitalists or pharmaceutical sales reps. It proves that scientific innovation can be driven by societal utility rather than shareholder return.
Current Ranking & Statistics Followers: Trump has approximately 16.6 million followers, placing him well outside the top 10 (which requires over 80 million followers). He ranks significantly lower than leaders like Khaby Lame (162.3 million) and Charli D’Amelio (159.1 million). Total Likes: His account has accumulated roughly 121.8 million likes. Recent Claims: On Monday morning, President Trump falsely claimed to be "number one by far," stating that Taylor Swift was number eleven. In reality, Swift has 33.5 million followers, nearly double Trump's count, and is also not in the top ten.
Susan Dell before Mar a Lago face surgery
President Donald Trump's motorcade drove directly over the newly coated sections of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Thursday, May 7, 2026.  • Timing of Application: Work on the "American Flag Blue" coating had begun just over a week prior, around April 24–27, 2026.  Photos from the site confirm that active painting and sealing were still ongoing as late as May 14 and May 26, meaning the surface Trump drove on was likely only partially coated and certainly not fully cured.  • Condition of the Surface: Experts note that polyurea coatings typically require strict application windows (often less than 24 hours between layers) and significant cure time before bearing heavy loads. Driving heavy SUVs across the surface just days after application likely compromised the bond between the coating and the granite substrate, contributing to the delamination and peeling observed after the pool was refilled in June.  • Immediate Aftermath: Trump exited his vehicle onto the wet or tacky surface to speak with reporters, praising the color and durability, unaware or unconcerned that the heavy traffic might be damaging the fresh industrial liner. 
Adam Smith quote - "No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable."
The first article of the Iran MOU - 1 — The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war are signing this MOU to declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other, and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon and other provisions of this paragraph.
Photo of Italian PM Giorgia Meloni standing behind a lectern with the Green, White and Red striped Italian flag draped over it.
Gary's Axiom - Anytime Trump mentions a numerical figure it is always wrong, and always exaggerated in the direction most favorable to his (incorrect) views. With every repetition, the distance from the true figure increases in the same direction.
Overview of Florida's Free Kill Law Florida's "Free Kill Law" is a controversial statute that significantly limits the ability of certain family members to seek compensation in medical malpractice cases. Specifically, it restricts adult children over the age of 25 and parents of deceased adults from filing wrongful death claims for emotional damages. Key Provisions Affected Individuals: Adult children over 25 cannot file claims for emotional suffering when a parent dies due to medical malpractice. Parents are barred from seeking damages if their adult child (25 years or older) dies from medical negligence. Legal Context: The law is part of Florida's Wrongful Death Act and was enacted to reduce medical malpractice insurance costs and retain healthcare providers in the state. Implications of the Law Criticism and Concerns Lack of Justice: Families of victims argue that the law denies them justice and accountability for negligent medical practices. Unique to Florida: Florida is the only state with such specific restrictions on who can file wrongful death claims in medical malpractice cases, creating a disparity compared to other wrongful death scenarios, such as those involving car accidents. Support for the Law Insurance Costs: Proponents argue that limiting claims helps keep medical malpractice insurance premiums lower, which is intended to stabilize the healthcare system.
Photo of Trump, Vance, Hegseth and their military handler at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery.
Image of Maxwell Smart and Chief of Control under the 'cone of silence' with the caption, "That's the second dumbest indictment I've ever seen!"
Picture of Mister Ed, the talking horse from the 1960s sitcom.
Image of dog holidays calendar
Homer Simpson drooling
Side by side pictures of Miller in his normal (bald) head next to a picture of his epic "spray-on hair" fail.
“It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion.” ― Adam Smith
A photo of Sen John McCain's grave site at the US Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, MD
The spread of measles and vaccine misinformation in the U.S. is predominantly associated with right-leaning political groups, though the anti-vaccine movement historically had roots on both sides of the political spectrum. - Republican and conservative media audiences are significantly more likely to believe false claims, such as the debunked link between the MMR vaccine and autism. A 2025 KFF survey found 35% of Republicans believed this claim was definitely or probably true, compared to 10% of Democrats. - Political figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump, along with conservative media outlets and influencers, have amplified vaccine skepticism, often framing it as an issue of "medical freedom" and government overreach. - While the anti-vaccine movement once had stronger support among left-leaning, "natural living" communities, it has shifted rightward since 2015, especially after conservative political networks adopted vaccine mandates as a libertarian cause. - Outbreak data and vaccination rates reflect this divide: counties with higher support for Trump have lower vaccination rates and higher measles transmission. Thus, while vaccine hesitancy exists across the political spectrum, current misinformation is heavily concentrated in right-leaning and conservative circles.
"That will be a 'no thanks' from us" Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the Greenlandic prime minister, wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday. "President Trump's idea to send a US hospital ship here to Greenland has been duly noted. But we have a public health system where care is free for citizens." he said.
[defense attorney] McBroom said the government was silencing free speech through a prosecution that depended on multiple officials repeating false statements. “There’s a level of terror to this, in that he was being held in jail for exercising his first amendment rights, and it was a collaborative effort to hide the truth that was keeping him in custody. It’s terrifying.”
Image of 2024 referendum vote for PR statehood showing 58.2 voting for statehood, 29.54 voting for Free Association (Territorial status) and 12.27 voting for Independence.
On Monday, Popular Information revealed that the Trump administration’s $20 billion bailout package for Argentina directly benefited Rob Citrone, a well-connected hedge fund billionaire. Citrone is a longtime friend of a former colleague of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who announced the package. (According to Citrone, he helped Bessent become wealthy when the two worked together for George Soros.) Citrone’s hedge fund, Discovery Capital, has invested heavily in Argentina since the election of President Javier Milei, a right-wing ideologue.
photo of Trump grabbing and preparing to plant his lips on the American flag
Text block of J6 Impeachment vote info The U.S. Senate voted 57–43 to convict Donald Trump on the charge of incitement of insurrection following the January 6 Capitol attack, but this fell short of the two-thirds majority (67 votes) required for conviction, resulting in his acquittal. Seven Republican senators joined all Democrats and independent senators in voting to convict, marking the most bipartisan vote for impeachment conviction in U.S. history
3 photos: Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Rupert Murdoch
A photograph of the 2024 GOP Convention with attendees waving "Mass Deportation NOW! " SIGNS
During his first year in office during his second term, which began on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump's administration carried out military strikes in at least seven countries. These countries are Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Syria, Nigeria, and Venezuela. Additionally, the U.S. conducted a bombing campaign targeting alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, though these operations were not directed at sovereign nations. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) reported that the U.S. carried out or was a partner to 622 overseas bombings using drones or aircraft since the start of Trump’s second term. This marks a significant increase in military activity compared to previous administrations, with nearly as many airstrikes in the first five months of 2025 as President Joe Biden conducted during his entire four-year term.
Financial chart showing a steady upward climb of the NY Times stock price except for the post-Covid full market correction.
The release of the Epstein files was not supposed to be this way. The fight was to get them released, and then all would be revealed. Instead, social media is filled with a bewildering number of documents — some real, many not — and photographs with celebrities and without context. The contents have clearly been selectively released by the Department of Justice, a lot of it highly redacted, revealing little but stirring up much. (Referring to some of these materials, the department has said it “simply reproduced” redacted content.) The flood of files has created the worst possible outcome, an even more hyperpartisan blame game that is completely unfocused on justice for the victims.
Then, over the weekend, just one day after McDonough was released on bail, his family home went up in flames. Charred human remains were found in the rubble, but the police have yet to conclusively identify the body or the cause of the fire. McDonough is still classified as “unaccounted for,” the local ABC affiliate reports. The home’s other occupants made it out of the blaze safely
For private health insurers, approximately 82–88 cents of every dollar goes toward actual health care costs, meaning 12–18 cents are spent on administration, profits, marketing, and overhead. In contrast, Medicare spends about 98 cents of every dollar on health care, with only 2 cents going toward administrative costs. This difference highlights significantly lower overhead in public insurance compared to private plans, largely due to economies of scale, lack of marketing expenses, and less complex billing processes in Medicare.
Overview of Health Insurance Profits Post-ACA Since the inception of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, health insurance companies have seen substantial increases in profits. Financial data shows that America’s largest insurers have collectively earned over $371 billion in profits since the law's passage in 2010. The top five health insurers alone saw their annual profits jump by 230 percent, with a significant portion of those gains going to UnitedHealth Group, which accounts for more than 40% of the total net income among major insurers. This surge in profitability began in earnest after 2014, when the ACA was fully implemented, bringing with it expanded enrollment through Medicaid and insurance exchanges, government subsidies, and new revenue streams for insurers.
Connection Between Nathan Peternel and TPUSA Yes, Nathan Peternel and Life Church have a direct connection to Turning Point USA (TPUSA). Life Church in Noblesville hosted the TPUSA Faith Kickoff event on July 24, 2022, which aimed to mobilize the faith community around conservative values. Peternel has also publicly participated in TPUSA events, including the TPUSA Faith Pastors Summit in San Diego, where he appeared alongside Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith in August 2022. Additionally, a dedicated website—tpusafaithlc.org—exists for TPUSA Faith at Life Church, encouraging members to "get connected" and "return our nation to God," further indicating an organized local chapter within the churc
His cartoon features Trump in the back seat with a toy steering wheel, while Musk and Vance occupy the front. Musk is driving, while Trump, childlike and deluded, believes he is in control. The caption reads: "So Cute! He Thinks He's Steering!"
Comparison with Top Wealth Brackets In stark contrast, the top 10% of U.S. households control $113 trillion in wealth, more than double the amount held by the bottom 90%. The top 1% alone holds 31% of national wealth, with a minimum net worth of $11.2 million required to enter this group. This means that the richest 10% own more than twice as much wealth as the bottom 90%, underscoring a deeply unequal economic structure. The top 1%'s wealth has grown by over $4 trillion in just one year, driven largely by surging stock market values.
18.3.2.1 Clearly Illegal Orders to Commit Law of War Violations. The requirement to refuse to comply with orders to commit law of war violations applies to orders to perform conduct that is clearly illegal or orders that the subordinate knows, in fact, are illegal. For example, orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal.
As of Nov. 29, 2025, 39 incumbent members of the U.S. House of Representatives—16 Democrats and 23 Republicans—have announced that they will not seek re-election in the 2026 election cycle. Of the 39 U.S. House incumbents who are not seeking re-election: Fourteen—nine Democrats and five Republicans—are retiring from public office. Twelve—six Democrats and six Republicans—are running for the U.S. Senate. Twelve—one Democrat and 11 Republicans—are running for governor.
Image of Nixon with his quote - "When the President does it, that means that it's not illegal."
Quote from Richard Nixon during an interview with David Frost - "When the President does it, that means that it's not illegal"
Failed Drug and Role of Vivek Ramaswamy’s Mother The drug in question is intepirdine (RVT-101), an Alzheimer’s treatment originally developed by GlaxoSmithKline. It failed multiple Phase 2 clinical trials before being acquired in 2014 for $5 million by Axovant Sciences, a subsidiary of Vivek Ramaswamy’s Roivant Sciences. Ramaswamy’s mother, Dr. Geetha Ramaswamy, a geriatric psychiatrist, led a new Phase 2 trial in 2015 involving 684 patients. This trial reported positive results, suggesting the drug was effective enough to advance to Phase 3, which helped fuel a $350 million IPO for Axovant in 2015. However, the Phase 3 trial failed in 2017, causing the stock to plummet and the company to eventually rebrand. Critics have alleged that the 2015 trial led by Dr. Geetha Ramaswamy was used to inflate the drug’s prospects, enabling Ramaswamy to profit from the IPO and stock sales before the failure became public.
Table showing YoY inflation rates from Oct '24 to Sep '25 Month Inflation Rate (Year-over-Year) October 2024 2.6% November 2024 2.7% December 2024 2.9% January 2025 3.0% February 2025 2.82% March 2025 2.39% April 2025 2.31% May 2025 2.36% June 2025 2.67% July 2025 2.70% August 2025 2.92% September 2025 3.01%
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates self-deportations by analyzing changes in survey data, primarily from the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. This survey samples around 60,000 households and tracks demographic trends, including the foreign-born population. DHS, citing analysis from the conservative Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), interprets a significant drop in the number of undocumented immigrants appearing in these surveys as evidence of mass self-deportation. The assumption is that fewer undocumented immigrants responding to the survey indicates they have voluntarily left the U.S. due to increased enforcement pressure. However, experts from nonpartisan organizations like the Migration Policy Institute and critics warn that this method is highly speculative. They argue the decline could stem from immigrants' growing reluctance to participate in government surveys, not actual departure. The Census Bureau itself advises against using the CPS to determine the size of the foreign-born population due to sampling limitations. Additionally, DHS has stopped publishing detailed, real-time deportation statistics, making it difficult to verify claims independently. As a result, the 1.6 million self-deportation figure is considered a preliminary estimate by its authors and lacks direct empirical confirmation
B&W picture of Mr. Ed, the talking horse from the 1960s TV comedy.