Random News: July 19, 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 19, 2022, and it’s a Tuesday. Here’s whatever happens next…

• Steve Bannon, the guy who won the “Most Likely To Portray Baron Harkonnen from Dune in Real Life” award, had his contempt trial start yesterday.
• Trials are slow and boring. They’re still selecting a jury going into day two. Getting an impartial yet qualified jury for a high-profile case is hard. I’ll be continuing to monitor this for you.
• The next January 6 Committee hearing is on Thursday, where former Trump aides Matthew Pottinger and Sarah Matthews are expected to testify.
• Nikolas Cruz, the asshole who killed 14 students and three teachers in Parkland, FL in 2018, is having his sentencing trial, which could last months. He already pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder. The only options now are death penalty versus life in prison without parole.
• You should know, Walgreens is doing some nasty shit.
• First, a woman who purchased a pregnancy test there got added to a mail list without consent and received a baby welcome package at her home from Similac. That means they are sending your data out to God knows who, which could include government agencies in forced-birth states.
• Then following right up on that, a Wisconsin couple went to buy condoms at Walgreens and the cashier refused because of "moral objections”. The company clarified its position, which is that it’s apparently fine if their employees refuse the sale of condoms and emergency contraceptives to customers if it’s an issue for the employee’s personal faith.
• Can’t get an abortion. Can’t get contraceptives.
• I gotta wonder if these people are pro-life or if they’re just anti-sex. Hmm.
• Also, are all faiths included in this Walgreen’s policy? If I’m a Satanist cashier at Walgreens, can I refuse to sell someone a Bible without repercussions?
• Shrug.
• I was snacking on some Fig Newtons yesterday and found myself wondering to whom or what the Newton was in reference. Turns out that in 1891, the recipe was purchased by the Kennedy Biscuit Company, who named it after the city of Newton, MA near where they were located. BUT WAIT… that company then merged with the New York Biscuit Company to form the National Biscuit Company… soon shortened to Nabisco.
• I learn this kind of crazy shit daily.
• Not-Really-Interesting-At-All Fact: today, July 19, is the 200th day of 2022.
• Claes Oldenburg passed away yesterday. He was 93. You may not think you know this great pop artist’s work, but you do. He was known for giant forms of everyday items, like that huge spoon with a cherry in Minneapolis. Anyway, rest in peace.
• Quick note on monkeypox. Yes, I know, no one wants to talk about it. I don’t either. What I will say is that it is primarily transmitted through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, which is why while it’s not an STD, it’s being passed around via sexual contact, and is primarily affecting gay males to that end. Try not to have sex with random people. I know, it’s asking a lot.
• QotD: “Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” - Anton Chekhov.
• Today in history… The Great Fire of Rome starts and burns half the city down in six days (64). The Iroquois sign a treaty and cede area north of the Ohio River to England (1701). Coronation of George IV of the UK (1821). A women’s rights convention is held in Seneca Falls, NY (1848). Maurice Garin wins the first Tour de France (1903). Opening of the Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland (1952). Joe Walker flies an X-15 aircraft to 106,010 meters, beyond the start of space at 100km (1963). Ted Kennedy crashes his car at Chappaquiddick Island, MA, killing his passenger Mary Jo Kopechne (1969). The world’s first GPS signal is transmitted and received (1977). Opening of the Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union (1980).
• July 19 is the birthday of sultan of Egypt Baibars (1223), gun maker Samuel Colt (1814), painter Edgar Degas (1834), murderer Lizzie Borden (1860), Mayo Clinic co-founder Charles Mayo (1865), animator/producer Max Fleischer (1883), animator/producer Arthur Rankin Jr. (1924), guitars Bernie Leadon (1947), guitarist/astrophysicist Brian May (1947), keyboardist Keith Godchaux (1948), actor Anthony Edwards (1962), Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon (1970), actor Benadryl Cummerbund- uh, Benedict Cumberbatch (1976), and soccer player Nené (1981).

Well, it’s definitely Tuesday. I have back-to-back meetings through the morning, and a fun trip to the grocery store in the afternoon where I’ll be dodging COVID-infested zombies in the aisles. Good times. You know, someday we’ll look back on this time and… not laugh. Not at all.