I wonder if Clueless even knows or cares about a baby formula shortage. It is his FDA that caused it. Not that they found something wrong in the manufacturing. That happens. The problem becomes major when the bureaucracy gets involved and slow walks the solution.
A couple of babies died from salmonella. The FDA presumed that there was a problem with the formula the babies received . The FDA was wrong . An investigation by Abbott, FDA and CDC found no evidence that the formulas caused infant illnesses. Micro tests conducted before distribution were negative. The FDA sampled the product from unopened containers after the events and found no evidence of contamination. So the babies that got sick got sick from other sources.
This was weeks ago .
The plant involved is still shut down. Meanwhile the shortage has become critical.
Peppermint Patty Psaki said the administration has been aware of the problem "for weeks now" . Friday Clueless was asked if the administration should've acted sooner . He said ;
“If we’d been better mind readers I guess we could’ve,” "We moved as quickly as the problem became apparent to us.”

Either they were aware of the problem and did not act. Or they were not aware of a problem that parents have known about for weeks .

My own suspicion is that Clueless would've acted sooner had it been a shortage of Ensure.

This is the new America under Biden. It's an America of shortages, exploding prices, monetary foolishness, and liberal dems angry over the loss of the "right" to have unborn babies killed.


My own suspicion is that Clueless would've acted sooner had it been a shortage of Ensure.That's a classic.

A transformer Aussie surfer(Sasha Jane Lowerson, a biological male previously known as Ryan Egan,) who had previously won the male West Coast Suspensions Longboard & Logger State Championships decided to compete in the female surfing championship. He of course dominated the competition to be the first person to win both the men and women's titles.

The world is laughing at us

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FVjPzyGWYAMc2bg?format=jpg&name=medium

The world accepted transgender long before we did. Transgenders have been around since forever. Indigenous peoples even have a term for it -- berdache ("two spirit"). These were very important tribe members who were (and probably still are) respected and who accomplished many useful tasks for their tribe.

Indigenous peoples even have a term for it -- berdache ("two spirit"). The term is a modern invention, French in origin and not native. "Berdache" was not developed by Native Americans. Wiki says, "The term berdache has always been repugnant to Indigenous people." It goes on to say, "The neologism two-spirit was created in English, then translated into Ojibwe, in 1990 at the third annual Native American/First Nations gay and lesbian conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada." It's just another invention from the LGBT crowd that is then presented as having historical context which it clearly does not have. It is true that some tribes tolerated men who wanted to engage in traditional female roles. That did happen, but "berdache" is not a Native term.

It's the usual liberal practice of appealing to fiction and presenting it as fact. The whole issue is presented clearly in Romans 1 where the final step of the rejection of God is the celebration of that which is far out of step with His will.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-spirit#Terminology

Mirriam Webster said this. "Definition of berdache
dated, offensive:
an American Indian who assumes the dress, social status, and role of the opposite sex


He of course dominated the competition to be the first person to win both the men and women's titles.It's a level of insanity that is difficult to watch.

In other words, transgender people have been part of civilization for centuries and have been accepted for their talents and abilities.

Transgender is biological, not a choice.

JL, do some honest library research!

In other words, transgender people have been part of civilization for centuries and have been accepted for their talents and abilities.That's stretching it some. Just because some native tribes tolerated them does not mean they, "have been part of civilization for centuries."


Transgender is biological, not a choice.Evidence?


JL, do some honest library research!Between the two of us, I'm the only one who did. Follow your own advice.

That's stretching it some. Just because some native tribes tolerated them does not mean they, "have been part of civilization for centuries."
Remember? Library research!!!

Between the two of us, I'm the only one who did. Follow your own advice.
You don't even know or understand the science. Once you do, then we can talk more.

Remember? Library research!!!Like you don't do?


You don't even know or understand the science. Once you do, then we can talk more.Excuses, excuses, excuses. But I'll give you a chance. The entire human genome has been mapped for quite a number of years. Where have they found the gene(s) that code for homosexuality or transgender?

(Hint: They haven't since they don't exist.)

Like you don't do?
Library research in ways you'd never understand.

Excuses, excuses, excuses. But I'll give you a chance. The entire human genome has been mapped for quite a number of years. Where have they found the gene(s) that code for homosexuality or transgender?

(Hint: They haven't since they don't exist.)
And that means you don't have a clue. Becoming transgender is not inherited. It happens during fetal development. Science, my friend!

I understand that on this site you do no research at all and, as was with the case with "berdache", your knowledge is oftentimes shown to be flat wrong. When that happens, you get offended and rather than simply admitting you were wrong, you get off on nonsense such as talking about research that you clearly have no idea how to do accurately.

And guess what drives fetal development??? If you said genetics, you get a prize. But that's the very genetics that the completed genome gives you no help with. And even at that, you have presented no evidence that people are born TG due to some development in fetal development.

So take your own advice and come back when you have done your homework and can present something of substance which you have not done in even one sentence.

This is the kind of non-committal, milk-toast conclusions you find when researching this. "Previous studies in male twins have suggested that between 40%-60% of the variability in sexual orientation is due to genes. The rest is thought to be due to environment and possibly other biologic but nongenetic causes." "Have suggested", "thought to be", and "possibly other" is the language of science when that which is being looked for has not been found.

https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/news/20050128/is-there-gay-gene

Your science is so skewed! Transgender has nothing to do with genomes and has everything to do with hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) that affect the fetus. And this topic has nothing to do with twin studies. I hope you never taught science. I weep!

what a woke day . I did not know if I should celebrate transformers month or the day slaves were shipped to America. The 3rd option of course was the wholly Halmark greeting card invented 'Father's Day' . That was out of the question .

Your science is so skewed! Transgender has nothing to do with genomes and has everything to do with hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) that affect the fetus. And this topic has nothing to do with twin studies. I hope you never taught science. I weep!What controls the hormones? It is, of course, genes, the root word of "genetics". Learn something.


And this topic has nothing to do with twin studies. You plainly did not even bother to read the article.

Tom, I didn't think Juneteenth was a remembrance of the day slaves were shipped here so much as the day the news of emancipation reached the slaves in Texas. Did I miss something?

What controls the hormones? It is, of course, genes, the root word of "genetics". Learn something.
Not when the doctor gives the pregnant woman a shot of estrogen et al. to prevent a miscarriage.

And there is zero evidence that those injections result in TG individuals. We have discussed this before. Pretty sure there is no pre-natal hormonal connection to TG, so I'm afraid you are still left with zero support.

Maybe you should try those "library research" skills you mention frequently but use scarcely ever.

TG is DEFINITELY not inherited. Read up on how estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone act on the body and especially brain of the developing fetus.

You have no library research skills? Use good key words.

We've been through all that before. There is no support for your ideas. None at all.

And guess what controls naturally produced hormones? If you guessed "genes", you win the prize.

My statement from the word "go" was that there is no evidence that genetics plays a role in a person becoming TG or homosexual. You keep pleading hormones, but genetics controls hormones, and you have presented no evidence that hormones somehow play a role. So like I said, you still have zero. I'm open to any genuine evidence, but you don't have any, so you're stuck with that.

I will again encourage you to employ those "library research" skills that you speak of so often and yet use so rarely to support your own ideas.

What site would you even accept? The only one so far seems to be FOX.

Your obvious inability to do even basic research is really stunning.

As to what I will accept, my repudiation of your usage of "berdache" was discovered on Wiki while WebMd was my source for the post about homosexual research. In the meantime, your evidence was from the Wondergirl Institute for No Research.

Your obvious inability to do even basic research is really stunning.
I've done it for you in the past. It was never good enough. Thus, do your own and honestly so, like the pious Christian you claim to be.

I will again encourage you to employ those "library research" skills that you speak of so often and yet use so rarely to support your own ideas.

You would do yourself a favor to stop being so fearful and start being open and honest. You clearly don't know, so why not just admit it?


I've done it for you in the past.When? Are you speaking of the infamous "dear reader" article you linked???

When? Are you speaking of the infamous "dear reader" article you linked???
When? Ever since you showed up on this site.

Yeah, except that you can't find a single instance. I've had two just on this thread.

Forget it.

More transformer woke insanity .

66 year old MALE blood donor Leslie Sinclare has given more than 125 pts of his blood over the years . But the last time he went to donate he was turned down .

Why ? You ask

Well this time when he went to the Albert Halls clinic in Stirling, Scotland he was asked to fill out the standard form. No problem . He had done so previously. But this time there was a question so absurd he refused to answer it .

He submitted the questionnaire without answering the question . The clinic said he had to answer the question before being permitted to donate .

The question was ;are you pregnant ?
He told them he was a MAN in his 60s . He could not possibly get pregnant .

The clinic said they were required to include the question for the purposes of "inclusiveness"
Professor Marc Turner, director of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, said: "We appreciate the support of each and every one of our donor community and thank Mr Sinclair for his commitment over a long number of years. "Whilst pregnancy is only a relevant question to those whose biological sex or sex assigned at birth is female, sex assigned at birth is not always visually clear to staff.”As a public body we take cognizance of changes in society around how such questions may be asked without discrimination and have a duty to promote inclusiveness – therefore all donors are now asked the same questions.'

Nonsense ! The questionnaire also asked if you were male of female . That should've taken care of the other question if the response to the 1st question was male

Beyond absurd .I would've been inclined to answer I don't know . Let them give me a pregnancy test . Then I would accuse them of being insensitive because they were clearly fat shaming me .

49373

Transgender woman who impregnated 2 inmates removed from N.J.’s female prison - nj.com (https://www.nj.com/news/2022/07/transgender-woman-who-impregnated-2-inmates-removed-from-njs-female-prison.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=njdotcom_sf&utm_content=nj_twitter_njdotcom)

WG says:

"A nation that allows its children to be killed while in school has no heart."

Transgender woman who impregnated 2 inmates removed from N.J.’s female prison - nj.com (https://www.nj.com/news/2022/07/transgender-woman-who-impregnated-2-inmates-removed-from-njs-female-prison.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=njdotcom_sf&utm_content=nj_twitter_njdotcom)
You use what you've got in order to achieve ecstasy and satisfaction.

As opposed to using what you have to glorify God.

As opposed to using what you have to glorify God.
As you always do....

She obviously hadn't gone through complete transitioning with HRT and surgery et al., which can take as long as seven years.

I'm afraid I most certainly do not, but it does not prevent me from making that a great goal of my life, and it does not grant me permission to excuse my failings.

My comment was actually not directed at this deceived person but rather at your comment. "You use what you've got in order to achieve ecstasy and satisfaction." It seemed a strange comment to make about such a tragic and sickening occurrence, and almost seemed to say you had no real issue with what had taken place. Perhaps I mistook your intent.

I have no clue why you're upset with me.

Her prison sentence interrupted her transitioning. (She obviously hadn't gone through complete transitioning with HRT and surgery et al., which can take as long as seven years.)

The prison was very derelict in putting her into a women's section if she still had working male genitalia. In her brain she's female but her body operates as male. She wanted sexual satisfaction, so she used the body parts available to her.

I have no clue why you think I'm upset with you.

I think your reply was good except for your confusion in thinking that a person you refer to as a "she" is capable of getting women pregnant and plainly desires to do so. I'll just file it away under the heading of, "The Great Current Deception".

"She " couldn't keep her penis in "her" pants . You would think if "she " identified as a woman "she" would not act like a perverted man . If it's any comfort to "her" I would consider castration as a suitable punishment for rape .

If I was a betting man, I would bet that "she" would vigorously oppose the idea of losing "her" male genitalia.

Who would ever have thought that federal judges would become the reasonable ones? It's certainly the case here with a fed judge denying the Biden admin a bid to tell the rest of us what to believe.


A federal judge has blocked a directive from President Joe Biden’s (https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/joe-biden) administration that allowed transgender workers and students to use school restrooms matching their gender identities.
It also allowed transgender athletes to join sports teams corresponding with their chosen genders.
The directive was blocked by Judge Charles Atchley Jr. of the Eastern District of Tennessee, a Trump appointee, (https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/donald-trump) after a coalition of 20 Republican attorneys general sued last year, Reuters reported.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-biden-admin-transgender-school-bathroom-athletes

The link includes an interview with a girl named Chloe Cole. She "transitioned" when she was 13, but now at 17 greatly regrets that decision and is living her life as the female she is.

If it's any comfort to "her" I would consider castration as a suitable punishment for rape .
And as a trans female, that's exactly where she is headed, what she wants to have done. If that very expensive procedure can be done at the state's expense, with all protocols followed, she'd be thrilled!

The link includes an interview with a girl named Chloe Cole. She "transitioned" when she was 13, but now at 17 greatly regrets that decision and is living her life as the female she is.
I read up on her. Little or no psychological counseling with family and individually with her, little or no gender testing and therapy. Just because a kid says he or she wants to be a kangaroo doesn't mean parents should knock themselves out to make that wish come true.

Just because a kid says he or she wants to be a kangaroo doesn't mean parents should knock themselves out to make that wish come true.In what way is a boy declaring himself to be a girl less outrageous than a boy declaring he is a kangaroo?

Should a white student be able to declare himself to be black in order to get a scholarship reserved for minority students?

Things happen to the fetal brain and body during pregnancy. Some of those things involve estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Since God's perfect binary system was changed and rewritten by Adam and Eve, gender identification is no longer what was originally intended. Humans, animals, insects, and even plants are now subject to non-binary possibilities.

We've been through all of that before. It's just pure conjecture on your part. All of it from hormonal influences, Adam and Eve, gender identification, and so forth. No evidence at all. It could just as well be said that species are now subject to non-binary possibilities so that a human can actually be a horse. It's just pure Polly-Anna fantasies from someone who wants it to be so but cannot demonstrate it is at all.

Binary has nothing to do with humans becoming horses. Read the first three chapters of Genesis.

Then read this:

***Unfortunately for those who believe in a gender binary, it is not scientifically or medically correct. Gender can’t be binary, because it is a personal identity and is socially constructed.

Sex, which refers to one’s biological characteristics, also exists as a spectrum, because intersex people exist. A person’s sex can be female, male, or intersex—which can present as an infinite number of biological combinations.

Today, numerous scientific fields, including biology, endocrinology, physiology, genetics, neuroscience, and reproductive science, have confirmed that both sex and gender exist as a spectrum.***

https://cadehildreth.com/gender-spectrum/

I'm not playing this silly game again with you. There is NOTHING in the first three chapters of Genesis, or anywhere in the Bible for that matter, that suggests that this non-binary nonsense is something even approaching normal or good. If you think there is, then post the passage. Otherwise, I will leave you with your fantasy world.

Now if you want to argue that we humans are broken creatures given over to sin, then you have an ally, but that is not what you're saying, or at least it doesn't seem to be so. It is, however, clearly the message of Gen. 3.

Adam and Eve used their God-given free will to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And then the universe became subject to endless possibilities, including the fact that both sex and gender are now on a spectrum.

Did earthquakes and volcanoes exist in Genesis 1 and 2? Did fruit spoil in Genesis 1 and 2? Did Adam and Eve always get a satistying night's rest in Genesis 1 and 2? Were there weeds in the Garden in Genesis 1 and 2?

And as a trans female, that's exactly where she is headed, what she wants to have done. If that very expensive procedure can be done at the state's expense, with all protocols followed, she'd be thrilled!

Na he she was going to jail anyway so he she found an easy way to get some booty .

And then the universe became subject to endless possibilities, including the fact that both sex and gender are now on a spectrum.Idle speculation which is nowhere stated in the Bible. And even in your own statement it is not presented as something that is normal, good, or desirable, but rather that which is the result of man's sin. So it is at least rewarding to see you acknowledge that much. I commend you for at last heading in the right direction!


Na he she was going to jail anyway so he she found an easy way to get some booty .That would seem to be right, and the foolish court system helped him out in that regard.

Idle speculation which is nowhere stated in the Bible. And even in your own statement it is not presented as something that is normal, good, or desirable, but rather that which is the result of man's sin. So it is at least rewarding to see you acknowledge that much. I commend you for at last heading in the right direction!
Why are there volcanoes and earthquakes? Why can't you always get a good night's sleep? Why are there weeds in your garden and flowerbed? Why do the bananas you bought turn brown?

That's all because of man's sin? MY sin? YOUR sin?

There is nothing to argue. You have laid it out that the events of Gen. 3 were sinful and produced negative consequences which are not good, pleasing to God, or normal. I certainly think we can agree on that. Now there is nothing in the Bible about your "non-binary" ideas, so you need to keep working on that, but at least we can agree that the whole TG deal is abnormal and out of the will of God.

Non-binary is definitely a shift from the original binary. How does non-binary come to exist?

Is this why men love guns and want to carry them? proof to the world they are binary males? Guns = large penises?

Are your tossings and turnings at night sinful? Are your rotting bananas sinful? Are those invasive poison ivy plants and buckthorn trees sinful? Is a drought or flood sinful?

How did non-binary come to exist? In my view it hasn't. There is certainly no mention of it in the Bible and no endorsement at all.

As to the rest of the silliness, we have already agreed that the fall was sinful and produced negative results which are neither desirable nor normal. There's not much to say past that.

I do like it when we agree.

The Bible leaves a lot (too much) to human interpretation and understanding.

The only Bible words I live my life by is "love one another".

The only Bible words I live my life by is "love one another".How do you know that one is not affected by your "human interpretation and understanding"??? Are you the one who gets to decide that?

How would you twist those words to mean something other than what they say?

The same thing can be said of many scriptures, but you don't accept them. You said that you only accept that one. I just wonder how you know that your understanding of the text is right. For instance, how do you know that the "love" called for in that passage fits your current understanding of "love"?

The same thing can be said of many scriptures, but you don't accept them. You said that you only accept that one. I just wonder how you know that your understanding of the text is right. For instance, how do you know that the "love" called for in that passage fits your current understanding of "love"?
I did NOT say that's the only one I accept!

That's a quote from Jesus. What did He mean when He said it?

I did NOT say that's the only one I accept!Of course you did. Here's what you said.
The only Bible words I live my life by is "love one another".


That's a quote from Jesus. What did He mean when He said it?There are many, many other quotes from Jesus that you do not live your life by. Why did you pick that one and that one only? How do you know your understanding of "love" fits HIS understanding of "love"?

I'm just parroting what you have said. You said there is too much left to, "human interpretation and understanding." You would have to be included in those faults since you are human. And since that is the case, then why do you trust your interpretation and understanding of that verse?

Of course you did. Here's what you said.
Cherry picking and misinterpreting again, are you?


There are many, many other quotes from Jesus that you do not live your life by. Why did you pick that one and that one only? How do you know your understanding of "love" fits HIS understanding of "love"?
What was Jesus' meaning when He said "love one another"?

You're the one who said there was ONE VERSE you accepted. I have posted no verses at all, so to accuse me of cherry-picking is just being stupid. The same is true of accusing me of "misinterpreting" when I haven't interpreted anything.

Enough is enough. I'm done. Tell someone else about how you do (and then don't) only accept one verse that, unlike everyone else, you are sure you understand correctly since, after all, you are WONDERGIRL.

Good grief.

You're the one who said there was ONE VERSE you accepted.
No, I did not say that.

"The only Bible words I live my life by is 'love one another.'"

"The only Bible words I live my life by is 'love one another.'"
The operant words are -- I live my life by.

That doesn't mean they're the only words I accept.

Lia Thomas the tranformer swimmer has been nominated by the University of Pennsylvania to receive the NCAA’s Woman of the Year award.

Prior to his competing in woman's swimming he was a mediocre competitor in men's swimming .Now he sets all types of woman swimming records and the school and the NCAA let him get away with it .
This is misogyny and utter contempt for woman's athletics . It is a travesty .

The dems have evidently found a cause they value higher than women's equality. It seems that the more nonsensical it is, the better.

https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/293916618_469484915178158_815110596934444245_n.jpg ?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=fhSBXRtWI6oAX-pRlNB&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AT_dewOEUE0id075Ok-KeqOTYfVCZaZ4UDLWELhbtpD5MA&oe=62E320B8

No, Mother Nature stepped in and tweaked the pregnancy process.

Yet another contention found nowhere in the Bible.

Genesis 3.

Babies are born with cleft palates, missing body parts, blind, deaf, etc. etc. etc. -- not part of God's original plan.

Mother Nature and pregnancy tweaking are nowhere to be found there. You are just making it up as you go along to suit your own desires.

Explanation to a literalist:
After Adam and Eve used their free will to munch on the forbidden fruit, the universe fell into chaos. Nothing was ever again perfect as God had created it.

Had Adam and Eve obeyed and kept their hands off the forbidden fruit, there wouldn't be wildfires in California, covid, monkeypox, shootings and killings, an active volcano threatening Hawaiians, and a life-threatening heatwave.

If you want to suggest that a lot of negatives occurred (wildfires in California, covid, monkeypox, shootings and killings, an active volcano threatening Hawaiians, and a life-threatening heatwave) as a result of the fall, then you have a valid position. However, you try to argue that TG and LGB blah blah blah are good things to be celebrated. That's where your argument becomes silly. You can't have goodness coming from the fall. Even for a make it up as you go alonger, that's a huge stretch too far.

We fight wildfires; we rescue people from floods; we arrest, try, and imprison killers; we offer a safe haven to people running from erupting volcanoes; we get vaxed and boosted to prevent catching covid and now are finding ways to avoid catching monkeypox; we set up cooling stations for the homeless during heatwaves; we help TGs and others in the LGBTQIA community with counseling and medical care so they can live an authentic life.

We fight wildfires; we rescue people from floodsYep, just like we should fight against the general acceptance that homosexual behavior is good, and we should rescue people from transgenderism. Like the other results of the fall, they are negatives. You are finally starting to catch on.

You misunderstand, sir. With counseling and medical care, we RESCUE trans people from gender dysphoria.

Yes. Since you are saying that TG came from the fall and therefore is a negative behavior, then we certainly should rescue people from that delusion.

Dysphoria, not delusion. You are the one who has a delusion and need rescuing.

You can't have it both ways. It either came from the fall and is thus a negative, or it didn't come from the fall. You have claimed it did, so you are in a trap of your own making. You have placed it in the same category as cleft palate, wildfires in California, covid, monkeypox, shootings and killings. It's your own words. I didn't have to close the door behind you since you did it yourself. And as usual, when you are hopelessly trapped, you turn to personal insults since you have nothing else to turn to.

It's what I have generally found. When I let a liberal dem talk long enough, they will make my case for me and never know it until it's too late.

I'm not in any trap. Transgenderism, along with the accompanying dysphoria, occurs as a problem (or, using your word, negative) for humans -- as do e.g., cleft palate, wildfires in California, covid, monkeypox, shootings and killings -- along with obesity, heart attacks, dental cavities, aplastic anemia, autism -- all as a result of the fall.

Yes, and it should be dealt with as a problem and not as what should be celebrated. I would suggest you introduce them to Jesus because He is still in the business of changing lives thank God.

It IS dealt with as a problem -- gender therapy, counseling, HRT, other interventions, and eventually surgery. What is celebrated is when the person becomes the gender he or she is meant to be. Jesus gives the medical caregivers the knowledge and skills to change lives.

Just like we get vaxed and boosted, go to a dentist to fill teeth containing cavities, go to a cardiologist who does a bypass to save our life, show up at the hematologist's office for regular blood labs and med refills to prevent death from aplastic anemia, and so on. Jesus loves us and has given us the resources for healing.

No. You allow their confusion to continue and propagate the idea that there are many genders. It’s like celebrating heart disease. I like the idea of Christ as Savior and Lord much better.

Many genders? You're very confused.

Christ as Lord and Savior has nothing to do with it and saying He does evades the issue.

It’s nice to see you concede that there are only two genders. Good for you!

Jesus has everything to do with it. Everything.

Yep, He's desperately trying to straighten out your thinking.

I regret posting the meme . Mea Culpa

Close the question, the thread, tomder!

not my place . I make it a point in trying to avold religious discussions . I violated my own rule . However if Ben is watching . I think that there should be a cap on discussions . Someone going on the board is not going to bother to read 300 + comments.

If you started the thread, which you did, you should be able to close it. Look at the top right of the page at the various jobs that you can do. "Administrative" should be one. If that's there, you can open it up to find an option to close the thread.