Random News: August 20, 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 August 20, 2022, and it’s a Saturday. Various thoughts while I procrastinate doing normal human things for awhile…

• Ever since the leak of the Dobbs decision that allowed the far-right Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade, women in every state have been registering to vote in unprecedented numbers.
• That’s one reason that the measure to outlaw abortion in Kansas was defeated so soundly. That’s what happened in a very red, conservative state.
• Other states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina also have seen huge spikes in women’s voter registration. In Kansas per above, 70% of the new voter registrants since the SCOTUS ruling are women.
• The only states where there’s less of a gap between genders in registration are those where abortion rights are already more protected.
• Fuck around, and find out… on Tuesday November 8.
• Before we canonize all women for saving this country, let’s also keep in mind groups like Moms for Liberty. They are, by any definition, a hate group whose latest mission is to gather LBGTQIA children in public schools and put them in “special classes, like for example children with autism, Down Syndrome”, ostensibly for reprogramming.
• They are also against diversity and inclusion, and are pro white supremacy.
• Fuck those ladies.
• Vote, because your life really depends on it.
• Moving on.
• A judge has rejected Senator Lindsay Graham’s (R-SC) second effort to quash the subpoena for his grand jury testimony in the case against Trump’s tampering in the 2020 election in Georgia. He’s currently scheduled to testify Tuesday. he’s still fighting it.
• Just tell the truth, Lindsay. If you have nothing to hide, you won’t be in any trouble. Right, law and order people?
• 37 people in four states got sickened with E. coli from eating at Wendy’s. Maybe skip that for awhile.
• Update your iPhones/iPas/Macs immediately. A security flaw could allow someone to get total access to your shit.
• From the Sports Desk, a big hats off to the seemingly immortal Albert Pujols. He pinch hit a grand slam for his 690th home run this week. He’s fifth on the all-time home runs list behind Rodriguez (696), Ruth (714), Aaron (755) and Bonds* (762).
• And now, The Weather: “Paper Fog” by Cory Hanson.
• A new study is finding that COVID is resulting in an increased risk of brain disorders two years after the initial viral infection. The risks measured were for dementia, epilepsy, psychosis and cognitive deficit (aka brain fog).
• Today in history… Charles Darwin first publishes his theory of evolution through natural selection (1854). Andrew Johnson declares the Civil War officially over (1866). Tchaikovsky debuts his ‘1812 Overture’ in Moscow (1882). The first commercial radio station, now called WWJ, begins operations in Detroit (1920). The American Professional Football Conference, now called the National Football League, is organized in Canton, OH (1920). Lou Gehrig hits his 23rd grand slam, a record that stood for 75 years (1938). NASA launches the Viking 1 probe toward Mars (1975). Nasa launches the Voyager 2 spacecraft (1977). More than 100,000 people rally at the Soviet parliament building protesting the coup to depose Gorbachev (1991). Joe Biden gives his acceptance speech as the Democratic presidential nominee (2020). 
• August 20 is the birthday of 23rd POTUS Benjamin Harrison (1833), writer H. P. Lovecraft (1890), pedal steel legend Sneaky Pete Kleinow (1934), journalist Connie Chung (1946), golden god Robert Plant (1948), bass rocker Phil Lynott (1949), singer-songwriter John Hiatt (1952), news anchor Al Roker (1954), rapper KRS-One (1965), guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott (1966), singer Fred Durst (1970), actress Amy Adams (1974), and singer Demi Lovato (1992).

Okay then. I’ll take a shower and get dressed now. It seems like the right thing to do. Enjoy your day.