Random News: July 1, 2022

DISCLAIMER: Zak's Random News is very random and doesn't cover many things, and not everything may be accurate, because I'm just some guy. Go find a real news source.

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Good morning. It’s July 1, 2022, and if you can believe it, it’s a Friday once again! I have no idea what I’m about to write…

• The Supreme Court finished this round of terror with a few more decisions. In a nutshell, fossil fuel companies don’t have to abide by the EPA greenhouse gas emission rules in West Virginia v. EPA (boo), and Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy is over in Biden v. Texas (yay).
• In much, much, much more horrifying news than just about anything, the SCOTUS also agreed to hear Moore v Harper, a case that advocates for an extreme interpretation of the Constitution that could make it easier for state legislatures to suppress the vote, draw unfair election districts, and enable partisan interference in ballot counting.
• So we’ve got that to look forward to being fucked by next year, apparently.
• Expand the Court. The USA has expanded it in the past from six to nine justices. The number is set by Congress… not the Constitution. Move it to 12 associate justices plus one chief justice.
• Also, fuck it… drop the filibuster. What’s gonna be more important than this? What better place than here? What better time than now?
• The hacking collective Anonymous claimed yesterday that “Data from menstrual tracking apps have been hacked and deleted to avoid identifying possible abortion in states where abortion is now banned.” It’s sad that I have to count on these people to do the right thing. Sincerely, thanks once again, Anonymous.
• Abortion rates will not change; what gets diminished are safe abortions. You’re not saving any babies. You’re just killing moms.
• What’s this I’m hearing about checkpoints on state borders? Where they stop you for being a woman, or to see if you have a woman in the car? After all, if she’s leaving the state, it might be for an abortion and she must be questioned and/or inspected. Is that the America where you want to live?
• Me neither.
• You said we were being alarmist when we predicted this SCOTUS would overturn Roe. Don’t say shit to me when I tell you right now, there will be interstate travel checkpoints and possibly even bans for women to leave certain forced-birth states. Governor Kristy Noem already said there “will be a debate” about how to handle cases of South Dakota women traveling out of state for the procedure.
• You’re going to get pulled over for being female. They’re going to forcibly check to see if you’re pregnant. This is what Republicans want. FUCKING VOTE.
• Sigh.
• Two more people were gored by bison at Yellowstone this week. Bison are huge and fast and can easily kill you. Try and stay away from bison. This is the kind of valuable advice you only get here.
• A bit of happiness this week happened when a radio station in Vancouver, BC was being taken off the air, and some of the DJs commandeered the easy listening KISS-FM station and played Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing In The Name” over and over for 18 consecutive hours. They were taking requests, and then played the same RATM song regardless of what was asked for. I salute those DJs, and in the immortal words of Zach de la Roche, “Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me.”
• It’s July. The month was named after Julius Caesar, being the month of his birth. Fun Fact: before then, it was called Quintilis, being the fifth month of a year that used to start with March.
• July’s birthstone is the ruby. July’s flowers are the larkspur or water lily. While June was LGBTQ+ Pride month, July is National Hot Dog Month, which is good news if you like weiners.
• Side note on the topic of dates: July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (or 183rd in leap years); there are 183 days remaining. So like, half, if you’re into math.
• QotD: “Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Today in history… Cortez’s conquistadors have to fight their way out of Tenochtitlan after nightfall (1520). The Battle of Gettysburg begins in the American civil war (1863). The United States Department of Justice formally comes into existence (1870). The first international phone call is made — it was between New Brunswick and Maine (1881). SOS is adopted as the international distress signal (1908). Battle of the Somme in WWI, with 19,000 British Army dead and 40,000 wounded in one day (1916). United Airlines begins service as Boeing Transport (1931). ZIP codes are introduced for the US mail (1963). Sony introduces the Walkman (1979). The PG-13 rating is introduced by the MPAA (1984). 
• July 1 is the birthday of French author George Sand (1804), businesswoman Estée Lauder (1906), blues musician Willie Dixon (1915), actor Jamie Farr (1934), musician Delaney Bramlett (1939), musician Debbie Harry (1945), actor Dan Ackroyd (1952), Princess Diana (1961), actress Pamela Anderson (1967), rapper Missy Elliott (1971), singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens (1975), and actress Liv Tyler (1977).

Okay, let’s go out and kick ass. I mean literally. Find someone who is an ass and kick them. Legal disclaimer: this is likely assault and you may face civil and criminal punishment for any asses you actually kick. Kick ass at your own risk.