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 November 6, 2023, and it’s a Monday. It’s the first weekday after the end of Daylight Saving Time, and while I’m slightly discombobulated, I must admit it was nice having a bit of sunlight when my alarm went off at 6am. Let’s do some news.
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony headed to the occupied West Bank yesterday, meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in his latest bid to ease civilian suffering in the Gaza Strip and begin to sketch out a post-conflict scenario for the territory.
- He made this unannounced visit in an armored motorcade and under tight security just hours after Israeli warplanes struck a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 40 people and wounding dozens.
- It’s unknown if anything good (or bad) came from the meeting. I am glad we have a Secretary of State with the balls to make such a trip.
- In news back here in the USA…
- Despite Mississippi’s status as a conservative stronghold, the gubernatorial race which should be decided in tomorrow’s election could be surprisingly competitive as Democratic challenger Brandon Presley seeks to unseat Republican Gov. Tate Reeves.
- Go Presley!
- The GOP holds a trifecta in the state, controlling the governor’s office, the state House and Senate, but the nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report shifted its assessment of the gubernatorial race last week from “likely” to “lean” Republican.
- You know how Presley could unseat Reeves? If all the people in Mississippi voted. End of story. VOTE!
- Heading over to Virginia, where Republicans hope to gain full control of the state legislature and clear a path for Governor Glenn Youngkin to enact his proposals on abortion, education, taxes and other key policy priorities.
- Democrats seek to maintain control of at least one chamber and possibly flip the other to continue to serve as a check against Youngkin’s horrible agenda.
- Republicans in Virginia hold a narrow 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates and swept every statewide constitutional office. Meanwhile, VA Democrats hold a slim 22-17 majority in the state Senate. An additional state Senate seat most recently held by a Republican is vacant.
- All 40 state Senate seats and 100 state House seats in VA will be on the ballot, but the balance of power will likely be determined by a handful of competitive districts in northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., central Virginia near Richmond, and southeast Virginia in the Hampton Roads area.
- If all eligible voters in Virginia vote, Democrats win. VOTE!
- And, of course, tomorrow in Ohio, the fate of ISSUE 1 that will determine the path for women’s reproductive rights gets decided. VOTE YES ON ISSUE 1, OHIOANS!
- We can do this.
- Moving on.
- With the nation reeling from the deadliest mass shooting of the year, the Supreme Court this week will hash out a Second Amendment dispute that could have enormous consequences for victims of domestic violence.
- Tomorrow, the court will hear oral arguments about a law banning people who are subject to a domestic violence restraining order from owning a gun. Studies indicate that women are five times more likely to die from domestic violence if a gun is present.
- The case centers on a Texas man involved in five shootings between 2020 and 2021 who pleaded guilty to a federal crime: possessing a firearm despite being the subject of a domestic violence restraining order. His appeal to the Supreme Court could have sweeping implications for other gun prohibitions.
- The votes of Roberts, Kavanaugh, and Coney Barrett will be the deciding factors. We already know where the others stand. Alito and Thomas will always vote for more guns for everyone regardless of whether more innocent people get killed.
- And remember kids, this is what happens when you vote for people who clearly state they are doing things against your own best interests. SCOTUS justices are appointed by Presidents. Their outlook on topics like guns and abortion will affect you directly. Remember this next year.
- Moving on.
- Dumpty Dump is on the witness stand right now, giving testimony that could decide the fate of his business empire in New York.
- El Dumpo is testifying in the civil fraud trial brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is seeking $250 million in damages and to bar the former president from doing business in the state. James alleges that Trump and his co-defendants committed repeated fraud in inflating assets on financial statements to get better terms on commercial real estate loans and insurance policies.
- Can he keep his shit together? Will he purposefully lash out to try and get the optics of a contempt charge? No one knows. Frankly, I don’t give a shit either.
- I will say that Dumpy’s propensity to lie whenever possible could get him into serious trouble while he’s testifying under oath.
- Let’s talk about polls. I’m sure you’ve seen the screaming headlines.
- “Former President Donald Trump holds an edge over President Joe Biden in a series of hypothetical matchups among registered voters in four key swing states, new polling from The New York Times and Siena College shows.”
- And sure, those sound terrible. This poll has Trump beating Biden in Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, and Michigan. End of the world, right?
- Let’s rewind the clock back to this exact point in 2011, when President Obama was starting to campaign for his second term.
- “Harvard poll predicts Obama loss”. President Obama was trailing NEWT FUCKING GINGRICH as well as Mitt Romney in swing states at this point in 2011.
- I should also add that at this point in 1983, Reagan was losing. At this point in 1991, George H. W. Bush was way ahead.
- Relax people. Let’s do what we do. Encourage people to vote. Make them aware of what’s on the line. We’ve got one year. Let’s make the most of it.
- And now, The Weather: “think i better go” by Jesop
- From the Sports Desk… I have to mention the Las Vegas Raiders. They fired their head coach, GM, and offensive coordinator last week. They demoted their starting quarterback. They promoted their linebacker coach to temporarily head the team. And what happened?
- Under rookie QB Aidan O’Connell, they beat the shit out of the New York Giants 30-6 yesterday. The Raiders may not be playoff bound with their current 4-5 record, but it was good to see a little of the old Raiders swag with this team.
- Today in history… Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th president of the United States with only 40% of the popular vote, defeating John C. Breckinridge, John Bell, and Stephen A. Douglas in a four-way race (1860). Rutgers College defeats Princeton University 6–4, in the first official intercollegiate American football game (1869). President William McKinley is re-elected, along with his vice-presidential running mate, Governor Theodore Roosevelt of New York (1900). The 1st Ukrainian Front in WWII liberates Kyiv from German occupation (1943). ‘Meet the Press’, the longest running television program in history, makes its debut on NBC (1947). Art Modell announces that he signed a deal that would relocate the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore (1995). Tammy Baldwin becomes the first openly gay politician to be elected to the United States Senate (2012). The Democratic Party wins the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections (2018).
- November 6 is the birthday of sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1494), instrument designer Adolphe Sax (1814), economist Charles Dow (1851), composer John Philip Sousa (1854), basketball inventor James Naismith (1861), film director Mike Nichols (1931), actress Sally Field (1946), singer-songwriter/guitarist Glenn Frey (1948), journalist Maria Shriver (1955), actress Rebecca Romijn (1972), NBA player Lamar Odom (1979), actress Emma Stone (1988), and comedian Bowen Yang (1990).
Okay. I have to go work out, and it feels later than it is. That’s okay. We’ll all get used to it soon enough. Enjoy your day.
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