Random News: October 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.

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Good morning. It’s October 10, 2023, and it’s a Tuesday. I like my sugar with coffee and cream; I deliver information in many themes. Let’s roll.

• Some of you (probably most of you) may need a little brushing up on your geopolitical knowledge, so let’s talk about who Hamas is.
• Hamas is an acronym for Ḥarakah al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah, which translates to “Islamic Resistance Movement”. It’s a Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization in Palestine. Their leader, Ismail Haniyeh, is based in Qatar.
• Many national entities, including Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.
• Other entities do not consider Hamas as terrorists. These include Brazil, China, Egypt, Iran, Norway, Qatar, Russia, Syria, and Turkey.
• They are the dominant political force within Palestinian politics and the de facto governing authority of the Gaza Strip. Hamas holds a majority in the parliament of the Palestinian National Authority. It supports Islamic rule, rejects a proposed two-state solution to the conflict, and holds that the existence of Israel is inherently illegitimate
• Sounds pretty shitty to me. But are they real representatives of the Islamic religion?
• In the same way that many Christians profess to believe in a certain set of principles and then act seemingly in the exact opposite way, Islam has very specific rules regarding warfare.
• Terrorists like those in Hamas who profess to be acting as Muslims are ignoring the key tenets of their own religion. Such as?
• Protection of civilians and non-combatants: Islamic law makes it abundantly clear that all fighting on the battlefield must be directed solely against enemy combatants. Civilians and non-combatants must not be deliberately harmed during the course of hostilities.
• Prohibition against indiscriminate weapons: In order to preserve the lives, and the dignity, of protected civilians and non-combatants, classical Muslim jurists prohibited indiscriminate weapons of various kinds, like catapults and poison-tipped or fire-tipped arrows. I assume this would be applicable to rockets fired into civilian centers in the modern era.
• Prohibition against indiscriminate attacks: Muslim jurists also prohibited al-bayāt (attacks at night) and al-tatarrus (the use of human shields).
• Protection of property: In the Islamic worldview, everything in this world belongs to God. Hence, even during the course of hostilities, wanton destruction of enemy property is strictly prohibited. Abu Bakr instructed his army commander thus: “do not cut down fruit-bearing trees; do not destroy buildings; do not slaughter a sheep or a camel except for food; do not burn or drown palm trees.”
• Prohibition against mutilation: Islamic law strictly prohibits mutilation.
• Treatment of prisoners of war: Islamic law requires that POWs be respected and treated humanely. They must be fed and given water to drink, clothed if necessary, and protected from the heat and the cold and from cruel treatment. Torturing POWs to obtain military information is prohibited.
• So once again, you have this polar discrepancy between the alleged beliefs of a religious group versus their actions. It’s similar to a Christian in the USA who would purposefully have a family of immigrants die of hunger or thirst rather than allow them safe passage into our country.
• Love thy neighbor, you piece of shit.
• It’s often said that the first casualty of war is truth, and nowhere is that more evident than the social network formerly known as Twitter.
• Misinformation has run rampant on Elmo Muck’s X in the couple of days since Hamas militants’ surprise attack on Israel, with users sharing false and misleading claims about the conflict and Musk himself pointing users to an account known for spreading misinformation.
• Multiple users over the weekend shared a fake White House news release falsely claiming the US was sending billions of dollars in new aid to Israel in response. Accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers quickly spread the phony press release.
• Mucky Muck himself added to the information chaos on Sunday by recommending X users keep up with the Israel-Hamas conflict by following an account known for spreading misinformation, including a fake report earlier this year of an explosion at the Pentagon.
• The most recent updates says that Israel is pounding Gaza with deadly airstrikes, displacing more than 100,000 people and sending waves of injured Palestinians to overwhelmed hospitals.
• Israel’s UN ambassador says the country’s priority is "to obliterate Hamas terrorist capabilities" after the militant group threatened to kill civilian hostages and broadcast the executions if airstrikes target Gaza without warning.
• Hamas is holding somewhere in the range of 100-150 hostages in Gaza.
• Eleven US citizens have died in the conflict in Israel, per President Joe Biden yesterday, and an unknown number remain missing.
• He also said it is likely that American citizens may be among those being held hostage by Hamas.
• One of the Americans who died was Deborah Matias, who was shot and killed by Hamas gunmen while shielding her teenage son from their bullets.
• Let’s talk about what the US is doing, and why our own political bullshit is holding us back.
• The US has a carrier strike group and an amphibious ready group off the coast of Gaza, prepared to jump into the fray. However, due to the antics of Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-LA), who has held up the promotion of chiefs in the Navy and Air Force, those soldiers will be in greater peril going into harm’s way in the Middle East.
• It’s been postulated by some that the purpose of military obstructions (by Tuberville) and diplomatic obstructions by Sen Rand Paul (R-KY) was to leave the Biden administration looking unprepared in a crisis, and deluding the public into believing that a strongman is needed to restore US power and influence.
• If it ever can be proven, those men and the other people involved need to face the most severe punishment allowable by law.
• In other US news relating to the Israel/Hamas war, there have been demonstrations supporting both sides in various cities across the country. So, we’re just doing what we always do.
• Moving on.
• The race for the House Speaker role is wide open. Today, the House GOP conference will hear from its two declared candidates for Speaker: Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) — neither of whom have emerged as a front-runner in the race.
• Many Republican lawmakers and aides said neither conservative can garner the 217 votes needed to wield the speaker’s gavel.
• But guess who said yesterday he’s open to being Speaker? Why, it’s Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who was just ousted from the role. McCarthy said he is willing to resume serving as House speaker if enough of the Republicans who voted in favor of his ouster last week are open to his reinstatement.
• Let’s move on.
• An ExxonMobil executive who runs the business unit that’s involved in a $60 billion mega-merger with Pioneer Natural Resources was arrested last week in Texas for committing sexual assault.
• David Scott, senior VP of ExxonMobil Upstream, was arrested on Thursday at the La Quinta Inn & Suites hotel in Magnolia, TX, on a sexual assault charge. He’s being held on a $30,000 bond.
• Scott, 49, is charged with sexual assault, a second degree felony that could carry a sentence of two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
• Fuck that rapist. Side note: everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Even the piece of shit rapists who destroy our environment.
• In other news…
• It’s the time of year for Nobel prizes, and I wanted to be sure to salute Claudia Goldin, a Harvard University professor, who was awarded the Nobel economics prize yesterday for research that helps explain why women around the world are less likely than men to work and to earn less money when they do.
• Only about half the world’s women have paid jobs, in contrast to 80% of men. Economists regard the gap as a wasted opportunity; jobs have often failed to go to the most qualified people because women either weren’t competing for work or weren’t being properly considered.
• Also, a persistent pay gap — women in advanced economies earn, on average, about 13% less than men — discourages women from pursuing jobs or continuing their education to qualify for more advanced job opportunities.
• Goldin noted, “Women are now more educated than men. They graduate from college at much higher rates than men. They do better in high school than men do. So why are there these differences?”
• Good question.
• Ironic side note: out of 93 Nobel prize economics winners, Goldin is just the third woman to be awarded the prize and the first woman to be the sole winner in any year.
• Baby steps, I guess.
• Got a little good news to balance all this shit.
• Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) is leading both former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (R) and Sen. Krysten Sinema (I-AZ) in a hypothetical three-way race for Sinema’s Arizona Senate seat.
• A poll from Public Policy Polling shows Gallego receiving 41 percent support, Lake receiving 36 percent and Sinema receiving 15 percent in a hypothetical three-way matchup. A separate 8 percent of respondents said they were not sure.
• Gallego is a really good guy and will have my full support going into 2024.
• And now, The Weather: “Wild Times” by Cherry Glazerr
• A Louisiana public school principal saw a video of Kaylee Timonet, a 17-year-old student government president and scholarship candidate, dancing at an off-campus party.
• Jason St. Pierre told Kaylee that she would be removed from her position with the student government association and that he would no longer recommend her for college scholarships because she wasn't "living in the Lord's way.”
• In a statement yesterday, district officials said St. Pierre had requested to take leave for the remainder of the school year. I highly recommend that he continue his leave of absence for the rest of his shitty life.
• Got a chart for you. It’s October 1991. I’m 22 and in the midst of my music major work at Cal State Dominguez Hills. I drive a Toyota truck that’s falling apart.
• 1. Use Your Illusion II (Guns N' Roses). 2. Use Your Illusion I (Guns N' Roses). 3. Ropin' The Wind (Garth Brooks). 4. Emotions (Mariah Carey). 5. Metallica (Metallica). 6. Unforgettable: With Love (Natalie Cole). 7. No More Tears (Ozzy Osbourne). 8. The Commitments (Soundtrack). 9. Luck Of The Draw (Bonnie Raitt). 10. C.M.B. (Color Me Badd). 11. Cooleyhighharmony (Boyz II Men). 12. On Every Street (Dire Straits). 13. Time, Love And Tenderness (Michael Bolton). 14. Gonna Make You Sweat (C+C Music Factory). 15. No Fences (Garth Brooks). 16. Psychotic Supper (Tesla). 17. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (Van Halen). 18. Out Of Time (R.E.M.). 19. The Fire Inside (Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band). 20. Extreme II Pornograffitti (Extreme)
• From the Sports Desk… the LA Dodgers are on the brink of elimination after taking a two game deficit against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS, losing 4-2 last night. They’re gonna get swept after winning 100 games this season.
• Also from the Sports Desk, the Las Vegas Raiders eked out a 17-13 win against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football last night. Both teams played pretty horribly. The Raiders missed two field goals and squandered many chances to score, while the Packers’ Jordan Love threw three interceptions. Ugly.
• Today in history… Sten Sture the Elder, the Regent of Sweden, with the help of farmers and miners, repels an attack by King Christian I of Denmark (1471). The crew of Christopher Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria, attempt a mutiny (1492). Triton, the largest moon of the planet Neptune, is discovered by English astronomer William Lassell (1846). U.S. President Woodrow Wilson triggers the explosion of the Gamboa Dike, completing major construction on the Panama Canal (1913). U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower apologizes to Ghanaian finance minister Komla Agbeli Gbedemah after he is refused service in a Delaware restaurant (1957). The Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty comes into effect (1963). U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew resigns after being charged with evasion of federal income tax (1973). The United States Congress approves the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (2002).
• October 10 is the birthday of Japan emperor Saga (786), organist Johann Nicolaus Bach (1669), physicist Henry Cavendish (1731), composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813), actress Helen Hayes (1900), artist Alberto Giacometti (1901), pianist Thelonious Monk (1917), filmmaker Ed Wood (1924), playwright Harold Pinter (1930), singer-songwriter John Prine (1946), actor Ben Vereen (1946), musician Midge Are (1953), singer David Lee Roth (1954), singer Tanya Tucker (1958), actress Julia Sweeney (1959), singer Crystal Waters (!964), politician Gavin Newsom (1967), NFL player and fraud suspect Brett Favre (1969), race car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1974), musician Lzzy Hale (1984), MLB player Andrew McCutchen (1986), and NFL player Geno Smith (1990), and NFL player Courtland Sutton (1995).

Okay, well… let’s all agree that war fucking sucks. It’s barbaric, it’s anachronistic, and there’s gotta be a better way in 2023 to resolve our problems. I’m going to try and have a normal, productive Tuesday and do what I can to keep things flowing smoothly. Enjoy your day.