Random News: September 28, 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 September 28, 2022, and it’s a Wednesday. Here are various things that may be of interest to various people…

• Hurricane Ian seems to be approaching Category 5 strength, with sustained winds of over 155mph. It’s too late to leave for most, so I hope your hatches are battened down and that you have necessary supplies to get through it.
• Something I’ve said before about Texas and other places… whether your state is “red” or “blue” or various shades of purple like most, that has no bearing on my perception of the people of that state. We’re all Americans and we help each other when we’re in need.
• Remember, when COVID first hit, then-president Trump chose to delay any response because they felt it was mostly affecting blue states like California and New York. But life doesn’t work that way. What affects any of us affects us all. I am here to help support Floridians affected by this hurricane any way I can.
• In a rather rare occurrence these days, top Senators from the Republican and Democrat parties are working together to push through the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin III (D-WV) and endorsed by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
• The bill seeks to prevent future efforts to subvert presidential election results as per what was attempted by the MAGA faction on January 6, 2021. It amends the Electoral Count Act of 1887 and reaffirms that the vice president has only a ministerial role at the joint session of Congress to count electoral votes.
• Only one member of the Senate Rules Committee voted against this bill. His name is Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).
• “I understand why Democrats are supporting this bill. What I don’t understand is why Republicans are,” said Cruz, while probably giving Donald Trump a hand job.
• Anyway.
• Meet Kyle Young.
• He’s a 38-year old Trump fan who brought his teenage son along as he assaulted then-D.C. police officer Mike Fanone and another officer at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
• Yesterday, Kyle was sentenced to more than seven years — 86 months — in prison.
• Fuck around, find out.
• Speaking of Jan 6, the Select Committee public hearing that had been scheduled for today has been postponed due to Hurricane Ian. One of the committee’s nine members, Rep. Stephanie Murphy, represents a district that includes parts of Orlando.
• That’s the right thing to do.
• Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano said in 2019, when he was a state Senator, that women who violated his proposed abortion ban should be charged with murder.
• Vote please. His opponent is a decent human being, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro.
• Incumbent Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin says that all federal spending should be discretionary, meaning it’s reviewed annually by Congress, and if it’s not reapproved, it ends. 
• That includes Social Security and Medicare.
• Please vote. His opponent is the state’s current lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes, and is a good guy (and very much thinks Social Security and Medicare should stay as mandatory programs).
• And now, The Weather: “Garter Snake” by Macie Stewart.
• Students in Virginia staged a massive statewide walkout over Governor Glenn Youngkin’s policy change toward transgender kids. Youngkin has mandated that all students use school facilities, including bathrooms or locker rooms, according to the sex they were assigned at birth.
• Heh… I’m just telling you now, as more of Gen Z hits voting age, this far-right extremist bullshit and the people who push it are going to be so, so fucked. I am looking forward to their demise. I truly am. I am working out every day and staying healthy just so I can be sure to witness it personally.
• Today in history… Pompey arrives in Egypt and is assassinated by order of King Ptolemy XIII (48 BC). King James I of Aragon conquers Valencia from the Moors (1238). Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo of Portugal arrives at what is now San Diego, California, becoming the first European in California (1542). The Congress of the Confederation votes to send the newly written United States Constitution to the state legislatures for approval (1787). The Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire is drafted, and will be made public on 13 October (1821). The Brazilian Parliament passes a law that frees all children thereafter born to slaves, and all government-owned slaves (1871). Race riots begin in Omaha, Nebraska (1919). Alexander Fleming notices a bacteria-killing mold growing in his laboratory, discovering what later became known as penicillin (1928). Ted Williams achieves a .406 batting average for the season, and becomes the last major league baseball player to bat .400 or better (1941). CBS makes the first color televisions available for sale to the general public, but the product is discontinued less than a month later (1951). Falcon 1 becomes the first privately developed liquid-fuel ground-launched vehicle to put a payload into orbit (2008). 
• September 28 is the birthday of philosopher Confucius (551 BC), plumber/inventor Thomas Crapper (1836), broadcaster and CBS founder William S. Paley (1901), TV host Ed Sullivan (1901), singer and refugee Maria Franziska von Trapp (1914), spy Ethel Rosenberg (1915), poet/singer Tuli Kupferberg (1923), actor/singer Marcello Mastroianni (1924), singer Koko Taylor (1928), actress Brigitte Bardot (1934), guitarist/inventor Emmett Chapman (1936), singer Ben E. King (1938), NFL player/politician Steve Largent (1954), guitarist George Lynch (1954), hockey goalie Grant Fuhr (1962), comedian Janeane Garofalo (1964), actress Mira Sorvino (1967), model Dita Von Teese (1972), rapper Young Jeezy (1977), musician St. Vincent (1982), and singer Hilary Duff (1987). 

Well, I have no idea what’s in store today. We always like to assume that we know how things will go. We’re usually right. But an earthquake could happen. Some random company could call me up and become a new high-paying business client. One of my posts could go crazy viral and I get hired as a political commentator on a high-profile media outlet. A meteor could fall from space and land on my head. The higher likelihood is that I’ll just do work, have meetings, and try and enjoy the normalcy. That’s fine too. Enjoy your day.