Random News: April 30, 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.

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Good morning. It’s April 30, 2023, and it’s a Sunday. I’ve awakened and made coffee; so far, so good. Let’s see what’s happened…

• Last night was the White House correspondents’ dinner. President Biden had some good jokes and well-timed delivery. 
• I don’t think any president will be as good as Obama was at this. But I’ll give Biden some points on a few zingers.
• “In a lot of ways, this dinner sums up my first two years in office: I’ll talk for 10 minutes, take zero questions and cheerfully walk away."
• "I believe in the First Amendment and not just because my good friend Jimmy Madison wrote it."
• "Elon Musk tweeted that NPR should be defunded. Well, the best way to make NPR go away is for Elon Musk to buy it."
• "MSNBC is owned by NBCUniversal. Fox News is owned by Dominion Voting Systems."
• And finally…
• "I want everybody to have fun tonight, but please be safe. If you find yourself disoriented or confused, either you're drunk or Marjorie Taylor Greene."
• ZING!
• Alright, let’s do some shitty news.
• A man from Riverside County, CA was convicted of killing three teenagers because they ding-dong-ditched his home.
• Anurag Chandra was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder.
• No words.
• In other news…
• California continues to lead the nation in climate action. New big rigs and buses that run on diesel will not be sold in California starting in 2036, per new rules approved by state regulators.
• The new rule, which still approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, tackles pollution from heavy trucks used to transport goods through ports and requires companies to disclose their use of these so-called drayage trucks by 2024.
• If the EPA approves California's rule, other states could later adopt the same standards.
• CA regulators previously voted to require that all new cars, pickup trucks and SUVs be electric or hydrogen by 2035. They also banned the sale of new products run by small gas-powered engines, including leaf blowers, lawn mowers and portable generators.
• I like my state. A lot.
• As we head into the next election systole, the one thing that Republicans don’t want you thinking about is women’s reproductive rights.
• They know that the grand majority of Americans are very opposed to government control of women’s choice.
• A recent survey by the Pew Research Center recently found that Americans, by a margin of two to one (!), believe medication abortion should be legal, for example.
• Unfortunately for the GOP candidates at all levels, after the reversal of Roe v. Wade, the forced-birth faction of that party are pushing more and more for a total abortion ban nationwide, and they want their candidates to commit to that.
• "As Republicans, we need to read the room on this issue because the vast majority of folks are not in the extremes. We’re going to lose huge if we continue down this path of extremities." - Nancy Mace (R-SC)
• Correct.
• And now, The Weather: “If I’m Right” by Snowy
• In weather news, the Mississippi River was cresting in Iowa yesterday as melting snow from Minnesota and Wisconsin continues to push up river levels.
• The weather service said Saturday’s levels came close to 1993 and 2001 records, between 23.9 and 25.4 feet.
• Do you get the feeling that this Supreme Court is slow-walking cases? If so, you’re not wrong.
• 100 years ago in 1923, the Supreme Court had issued 157 rulings by May 1. A century later, the current justices have disposed of just 15 cases by the same date.
• The court has decided fewer cases at this point of the term — which begins each October and ends in June — than at any time in the last 100 years.
• Why? Well, the SCOTUS faces a firestorm of scrutiny on multiple fronts. But also they’ve sidetracked from their daily work by a series of high-profile cases that have arrived at the court on an emergency basis.
• However, it also means that there again will be a flurry of blockbuster decisions in June, much like last year’s last-minute overturn of Roe v. Wade.
• The Democrats retain a razor-thin margin of majority in the Senate, but if we’re not careful, that will flip in 2024, which would be disastrous on many levels. Here are the top ten states that might flip — mostly to the GOP, unless we kick ass at getting people to vote…
• 1) West Virginia — Incumbent: Democrat Joe Manchin. 2) Montana — Incumbent: Democrat Jon Tester. 3) Ohio — Incumbent: Democrat Sherrod Brown. 4) Arizona — Incumbent: Independent Kyrsten Sinema. 5) Nevada — Incumbent: Democrat Jacky Rosen. 6) Wisconsin — Incumbent: Democrat Tammy Baldwin. 7) Michigan — Incumbent: Democrat Debbie Stabenow (retiring). 8 ) Pennsylvania — Incumbent: Democrat Bob Casey. 9) Texas — Incumbent: Republican Ted Cruz. 10) Florida — Incumbent: Republican Rick Scott.
• We will address this in tangible ways eventually. It’s too early for me to be going into election mode and continue that for a fucking year and a half.
• I did have a show yesterday in Second Life, benefitting the Feed-a-Smile charity. It was great and successful in its goal. I’ll write more about that elsewhere.
• From the Sports Desk… I’m sure some of you are looking breathlessly at “NFL Draft Grade” articles. Let me tell you something: there is nothing more ridiculous than this in life.
• If you want to grade a draft, it’s simple: grade the one from 2020, because there’s actual evidence on whether the draft picks panned out, about three years later.
• However, if you like the absurdity of pundits deciding how well your team chose based on nothing at all…
• The top-graded drafts: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Seattle Seahawks.
• The worst-graded drafts: Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans, and Washington Commanders.
• Meaningless.
• Today in history… Henry IV of France issues the Edict of Nantes, allowing freedom of religion to the Huguenots (1598). On the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, George Washington takes the oath of office to become the first President of the United States (1789). The United States purchases the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, more than doubling the size of the young nation (1803). The Territory of Orleans becomes the 18th U.S. state under the name Louisiana (1812). J. J. Thomson announces his discovery of the electron as a subatomic particle, over 1,800 times smaller than a proton, at a lecture at the Royal Institution in London (1897). Automaker Dodge Brothers, Inc is sold to Dillon, Read & Co. for US$146 million plus $50 million for charity (1925). NBC inaugurates its regularly scheduled television service in New York City, broadcasting President Franklin D. Roosevelt's N.Y. World's Fair opening day ceremonial address (1939). Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide after being married for less than 40 hours (1945). In Nevada, Boulder Dam is renamed Hoover Dam (1947). U.S. President Richard Nixon announces that White House Counsel John Dean has been fired and that other top aides, most notably H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, have resigned (1973). CERN announces World Wide Web protocols will be free (1993). U.S. media release graphic photos of American soldiers committing war crimes against Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison (2004). Chrysler files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (2009). 
• April 30 is the birthday of physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777), dentist Mary Haviland Stilwell Kuesel (1866), memoirist Alice B. Toklas (1877), actress Cloris Leachman (1926), author Larry Niven (1938), actress Jill Clayburgh (1944), singer-songwriter/activist Mimi Fariña (1945), guitarist/singer-songwriter Wayne Kramer (1948), NBA player Luis Scola (1980), actress Gal Gadot (1985), and singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco (1990).

Okay then. It’s still pretty early here and the sky is deeply overcast, foreshadowing our typical May Gray weather that precedes June Gloom here at the beach. And yes, I like it. Enjoy your day.