Random News: April 10, 2023

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.

---

Good morning. It’s April 10, 2023, and it’s a Monday. I’m in the process of trying not to freak out the Monday before a big trade show, an annual tradition for me, but I’m mostly okay so far (the day is young, though). Let’s see what’s up that’s actually important…

• Despite being expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday, state Reps. Justin Jones (Nashville) and Justin Pearson (Memphis) have both said they will run in special elections for their seats, but could be back in the statehouse even sooner if their respective city council appoint them on an interim basis.
• Nashville’s metropolitan council is meeting today to discuss Mr. Jones’ reinstatement. Memphis’s Shelby County Board of Commissioners will do the same on Wednesday for Mr. Pearson.
• Oscar Brock, a member of the Republican National Committee from Tennessee, had an accurate realization.
• He said, “If my job, along with other members of the RNC, is to protect the brand of the Republican Party, this didn't help. You’ve energized young voters against us. Worse than squandering support, you've made enemies where we didn't need them."
• Correct. And now the Republican Party will pay for this on a national scale. I’m sure they’re really happy with the yokels in the TN House about now.
• Moving on.
• Here’s a pretty hilarious take from former Attorney General Bill Barr about the former president’s arrest and arraignment on fraud charges…
• "I think ultimately the savvy Democratic strategists know this is going to help Trump, and they want him to be the nominee because he is the weakest of the Republican candidates, the most likely to lose again to Biden.”
• Perhaps. Or maybe when people commit crimes, they should be prosecuted like anyone else. Just an idea.
• However, when asked about the Trump stolen documents case, Barr took things a bit more seriously.
• “He had no claim to those documents, especially the classified documents. They belonged to the government. And so, I think he was jerking the government around. And they subpoenaed it. And they tried to jawbone him into delivering documents. But the government is investigating the extent to which games were played and there was obstruction in keeping documents from them. And I think that’s a serious potential case. I think they probably have some very good evidence there.”
• I agree with Bill.
• In world news, China has been staging war games for the past couple of days near Taiwan. Their defense ministry stated that it has detected 11 Chinese warships and 70 aircraft around the island on Sunday, including a mix of fighter jets and bombers.
• If you don’t know about the history between China and Taiwan, I’m not going to explain it here. It’s far too complex to put into a couple of bullets.
• But China has always claimed sovereignty over democratically-governed Taiwan. You can figure it out from there.
• Interestingly, GOP lawmakers who have been so drastically opposed to the US supporting Ukraine’s fight against invading Russia are 100% in favor of offering military aid to Taiwan in its fight against China. Hmm.
• “Yes, I’d be very much open to using U.S. forces to defend Taiwan, because it’s in our national security interest to do so.” - Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC)
• Remember, it’s our kids (and grandkids and siblings and so on) who will be expected to fight whatever war they have planned.
• The railroad company Norfolk Southern has not been having a good year. Multiple Norfolk Southern train cars derailed near Pittsburgh, PA on Saturday. That’s the same railroad that was at the center of a toxic train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line in February.
• And now, The Weather: “Ghost World” by Barrie
• Do you want to be rich? I’ve got some amazing news for you. It’s easy! All you have to do is be a doctor or a CEO.
• In an idiotic report that I think some kind of AI generated, here are 10 high-paying jobs on the rise in the USA, along with their average salary.
• 1. Specialist Physician – $218,850, 2. Psychiatrist – $217,100, 3. Family and General Practitioner – $214,370, 4. Chief Executive Officer – $213,020, 5. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon – $208,000, 6. Orthodontist – $208,000, 7. Nurse Anesthetist – $202,470, 8. Pediatricians (general) – $198,420, 9. Airline pilots/co-pilots/flight engineers – $198,190, 10. Natural Sciences Manager, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering and Life Sciences – $172,990.
• That’s… actually less than I thought most of those people made, to be honest.
• Were there shootings in the USA over the weekend? Of course! Lots of them.
• Three shot at a Delaware mall. Three dead in Orlando. Two cops and a suspect in western Wisconsin. Several high schoolers shot on a South Carolina beach. One dead in Albuquerque. One dead in Minneapolis. One outside of Cincinnati. One in Mobile. Three shot in Birmingham. One in Charlotte. One in Columbia, SC. One in Iowa City. One in Tallahassee. A 15-year-old girl in Chicago. 
• That’s not even above average. That’s barely normal.
• And literally at this moment write writing this shit, there’s an ongoing mass shooting event in Louisville, KY. Authorities are reporting multiple casualties.
• The Washington State Senate passed a bill that would ban the sale, manufacture and distribution of more than 50 “assault weapon” gun models. The proposal, which passed the House last week, will go back to the House for amendments.
• It could be completed next week. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said he supports the bill and is expected to sign it if it reaches his desk.
• I expect that it will be overturned as soon as it is brought to court. At least Washington State is trying. I do note that the bill doesn’t ban the possession of these weapons (which would be in conflict with the shitty-ass Second Amendment), so maybe it has a chance.
• From the Sports Desk… Spaniard Jon Rahm closed with a 3-under 69 to win the 2023 Masters tournament. 
• He’s the fourth dude for Spain to wear the green jacket, behind Seve Ballesteros, José María Olazábal, and Sergio Garcia.
• 52-year-old Phil Mickelson matched the low score of the tournament with a 65 on Sunday to come in second. He is the oldest runner-up in Masters history. It’s so weird; pro golfers always looked like old guys to me when I was young. Now they don’t. Hmm.
• My dad was still regularly shooting in the low-70s before he passed away at age 76. Golf is a forgiving sport for the past-your-prime crowd.
• Also in sports news: The Boston Bruins have set a new NHL single-season record with 63 wins. The previous record of 62 was held by the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning. 
• Boston now also has 131 points on the season, within reach of the all-time single-season record of 132 points held by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens, and they have enough games remaining to break that record as well. Crazy.
• Today in history… Halley's Comet makes its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 3.2 million miles (837). The Virginia Company of London is established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America (1606). Robert Walpole resigns from the British government, commencing the Whig Split which lasts until 1720 (1717). The Mount Tambora volcano begins a three-month-long eruption, ultimately killing 71,000 people and affecting Earth's climate for the next two years (1815). The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh (1866). RMS Titanic sets sail from Southampton, England on her maiden and only voyage (1912). The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is first published in New York City (1925). Alcoholics Anonymous, A.A.'s "Big Book", is first published (1939). Paul McCartney announces that he is leaving The Beatles for personal and professional reasons (1970). Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope project announce the first ever image of a black hole, which was located in the centre of the M87 galaxy (2019).
• April 10 is the birthday of naval officer Matthew C. Perry (1794), journalist Joseph Pulitzer (1847), actor Harry Morgan (1915), actress Liz Sheridan (1929), actor Max von Sydow (1929), NFL coach/sportscaster John Madden (1936), singer-songwriter/drummer Bunny Wailer (1947), MLB player Ken Griffey, Sr. (1950), actor/Russian citizen Steven Seagal (1952), singer-songwriter/producer Babyface (1959), singer-songwriter/guitarist Brian Setzer (1959), guitarist Warren DeMartini (1963), drummer Tim Alexander (1965), actor David Harbour (1975), and actor Haley Joel Osment (1988).

Next time you’re bored, be thankful. Life is generally pretty great if you have the luxury of feeling bored. Me? I’m never bored. There are never enough hours in the day to do all I want to do, learn all I want to learn, and appreciate the company of the people in my life. I can’t even imagine being bored. Enjoy your day.