Random News: July 30, 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 30, 2022, and it’s a Saturday. Some mostly light weekend thoughts ahead, mixed in with some sorta shitty shit as usual…

• Congrats to the person in Des Plains, IL who woke up today a billionaire. I never, ever play any lotteries (the last time I did was probably 10 years ago), but but that kind of dough, I bought some tickets because I could actually do world-changing stuff had I won.
• My “what would you do if you’d won?” answer is easy. I’d immediately bring in some accounting and investment consultants, set up some trusts, and then give as much of it away as possible.
• It would go to charitable funds that support human rights, universal heath care, housing, racial and gender equality, and more. If I wanted to become a full-time philanthropist, I’d probably put together my own non-profit as such.
• I’d buy a house, paid in full, both as an investment and a place to live. But I don’t need material possessions beyond basic necessities, and I prefer a more streamlined life than being weighed down by… stuff. I don’t need much stuff at all.
• I know a lot of you say, “I’d never work again.” I’m sorry, but that’s insane to me. I think your definition of “work” is skewed by the type of employment you’ve experienced or seen. To me, work means a lot of things, and “not working” means wasting what little time you have in life.
• I’d work. A lot. Doing things I really love. Making music, writing, helping people, being creative, and so on. But I can’t stand days of doing nothing.
• The US House of Representatives voted 217-213 to ban “assault weapons” yesterday.
• It was, from a practical standpoint in the current environment, a symbolic gesture. The Senate will not have enough sane votes to pass it. And then if challenged to the current Supreme Court, we know how it would go. 
• But I’m still glad they did it.
• Fun Fact: The average human ejaculation contains about 15.8 terabytes of information. You might need an upgraded Dropbox.
• From the Sports Desk… meet poor Andrew Mevis. He was a rookie kicker at training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In warmups this week, he attempted three field goals. Two went wide left and the other went so far wide right that it hit a bystander, who happened to be former Cowboys coach Dave Campos. The Jags released him yesterday and signed veteran kicker Elliot Frye.
• QotD: “Work is much more fun than fun.” - Noel Coward
• Today in history… Baghdad is founded (762). The Virginia General Assembly convenes for the first time (1619). Uruguay wins its first FIFA World Cup (1930). Congress decides that “In God We Trust” is the new national motto (1956). Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Social Security Act, establishing Medicare and Medicaid (1965). Apollo 15 lands on the moon with the first lunar rover (1971). Jimmy Hoffa disappears and is never seen again (1975). 50,000 people demonstrate in Communist Poland (1981). 
• July 30 is the birthday of Ming emperor Hongzhi (1470), pianist Maria Anna Mozart (1751), novelist Emily Brontë (1818), engineer/businessman Henry Ford (1863), baseball player Casey Stengel (1890), banker Henry W. Bloch (1922), puppeteer Sid Kroft (1929), guitarist Buddy Guy (1936), director Peter Bogdanovich (1939), singer Paul Anka (1941), saxophonist David San born (1945), actor/politician Arnold Schwarzenegger (1947), drummer Rat Scabies (1955), lawyer Antia Hill (1956), NBA great Bill Cartwright (1957), singing goddess Kate Bush (1958), actor Lawrence Fishburne (1961), actress Lisa Kudrow (1963), NBA player Chris Mullin (1963), actress Vivica A. Fox (1964), actress Hilary Swank (1974), and soccer player Hope Solo (1981).

Enjoy your Saturday. I know I will. I already am.