Random News: November 16, 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 November 16, 2022, and it’s a Wednesday. Feels nice to be almost completely past the elections, and not so nice to once again look at the myriad other issues going on, but if I’m gonna be aware of things, so are you. Let’s roll…

• Yesterday, we had a bit of a scare on a global level when a missile hit Poland, not far from the Ukraine border. Two Poles died in the incident.
• At first it was thought that the missiles originated in Russia. That triggered an emergency meeting of the Group of Seven and NATO leaders.
• If you’re not aware, Poland is a NATO member, and NATO Article 5 clearly states that if a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.
• However, the origin of the missile is murky. Moscow has firmly denied involvement in the attack. Based on the trajectory of the missile, U.S. officials suggested that it could have been Ukrainian forces firing a missile to intercept a Russian one.
• Anyway, no one wants WWIII to start. Not now, not ever. Hopefully this gets resolved and everyone calms the fuck down.
• Rest in peace to Virginia McLaurin, who passed away at age 113 yesterday.
• You may remember her as the tiny old lady who met the Obamas at the White House and danced excitedly with Barack and Michelle in 2016, when she was just 106.
• She marveled at the time: ”A Black president. A Black wife! And I'm here to celebrate Black history."
• The Senate is scheduled to vote today on the first procedural vote on the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation to codify federal protections for same-sex marriages.
• This bipartisan bill will shore up protections against the far-right conservative Supreme Court in case, as is likely, they repeal the Obergefell decision that made same-sex marriage legal throughout the USA.
• It’s being called the most consequential gay rights measure in history.
• I think we’re close enough in the election counts to predict the final outcome. The Democrats have held the Senate, while the GOP will claim the House. I believe the final outcome will be 221 Republicans to 214 Democrats, give or take 1-2 slots.
• Situations where the two parties split the chambers is called a “lame duck congress”, because it’s nearly impossible to get anything done. Lucky us.
• I found it incredibly funny that the social media cycle yesterday was dominated by people trying to buy Taylor Swift tickets and completely nonplussed by some maniac’s announcement about running for president.
• To that end, there are already a number of lawmakers talking about invoking the 14th Amendment, whose Section 3 prohibits anyone who has previously taken an oath of office from holding public office ever again if they have "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the United States.
• Every wondered if your vote made a difference?
• In New Hampshire following a recount, Democrat Maxine Mosley has defeated Republican Larry Gagne in the Hillsborough 16 House District by a final total of 1799 to 1798.
• Vote. Every time you have the opportunity, use it… or lose it.
• And now, The Weather: “They Quiet the Room” by Skullcrusher
• You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned the economic disaster involved in the crypto world. That’s because I’ve always found it to be flaky as fuck.
• But when you have what amounts to be unregulated and unprotected banks with pretend currency and run by unscrupulous tech bros… what did you think was going to happen?
• In news that might signal the end of humanity, sperm counts around the world have fallen by more than half since the 1970s.
• A study published yesterday found that the average sperm concentration fell by 51.6 percent between 1973 and 2018, while total sperm counts fell by 62.3 percent in the same period.
• Worse still, the rate of decline appears to be speeding up, and is happening globally. Reasons are unclear, but the foods we eat, the medicines we take, and the climate we all live in could be factors.
• Today in history… Missouri trader William Becknell arrives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, over a route that became known as the Santa Fe Trail (1822). A Russian court sentences writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky to death for anti-government activities linked to a radical intellectual group (1849). The National Rifle Association of America receives its charter from New York State (1871). English engineer John Ambrose Fleming receives a patent for the thermionic valve, aka vacuum tube (1904). Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory join to form Oklahoma, which is admitted as the 46th U.S. state (1907). The United States and the Soviet Union establish formal diplomatic relations (1933). The Arecibo message is broadcast from Puerto Rico (1974). Pop group Milli Vanilli are stripped of their Grammy Award (1990). 
• November 16 is the birthday of Roman emperor Tiberius (42 BC), composer Paul Sartorius (1569), Hawaiian king Kalākaua (1836), trumpet player W. C. Handy (1873), actor Burgess Meredith (1907), musician Hubert Sumlin (1931), actress Marg Helgenberger (1958), MLB player Dwight Gooden (1964), musician Diana Krall (1964), actress Lisa Bonet (1967), actress Maggie Gyllenhaal (1977), NBA player Amar'e Stoudemire (1982), and actor Pete Davidson (1993).

Okay then. I’m going to work out and then go do Wednesday stuff. Enjoy your day.