Random News: January 4, 2024

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 January 4, 2024, and it’s a Thursday for some reason. I’m up and about, and trying to get past a big-ass ball of stress. It’s no fun, but the only way through it is to keep on keeping on, which is what I shall do.

• If you were expecting some giant revelatory news from yesterday’s unsealing of Jeffrey Epstein-related court documents, you’re probably disappointed.
• None of the names who were unveiled were unexpected, having been in previous media reports. No specific new information was offered that would incriminate or even indicate specific wrongdoing by anyone.
• As we were already aware, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are mentioned in newly unsealed court documents.
• Clinton, who sometimes flew aboard Epstein's private plane, is listed repeatedly in the documents because he was the topic of an argument over the credibility of a witness who said she saw the former president when he was a guest of Epstein.
• Trump’s name appears in a document in which Epstein is quoted as saying he would invite the then-real estate mogul to join him at a casino. In another document, a witness said she was never asked to engage in sexual relations with Trump.
• The unsealed documents also list prominent individuals who have denied accusations against them, including Prince Andrew of Great Britain and prominent litigator Alan Dershowitz.
• Nevertheless, I think it’s a good idea to never allow anyone on that list to be President (again).
• Moving on.
• As I’m writing this, there’s an active shooter incident at Perry High School in Iowa, about 25 miles northwest of Des Moines. It’s the school first day back in class after their winter break.
• I don’t have any details available to share, and it’s probably only coincidental that Dumpy has been campaigning in that state, telling people that Democrats were coming for their guns.
• Of note… Iowa has no state permit required to purchase guns, no firearm registration, no assault weapon law, no magazine capacity restriction, no owner license required, no permit required for concealed carry, no permit required for open carry, and no background checks for private sales.
• Moving on.
• Yesterday, Florida’s top health official called for a halt to using mRNA coronavirus vaccines like those from Moderna and Pfizer, contending that the shots could contaminate patients’ DNA.
• This is a fringe conspiracy theory that has been roundly debunked by public health experts, federal officials and the vaccine companies.
• Florida’s health department couldn’t answer about whether the new stance would affect vaccine access for the state’s patients and health providers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that Florida lags far behind most states when it comes to the percentage of its population that has received an updated booster dose.
• Meanwhile, COVID hospitalizations have been on a sharp rise nationally, with almost 30,000 Americans newly hospitalized the week of December 23.
• Sigh.
• In more Florida news, Michael Shapiro, 72, of Greenacres, FL was arrested yesterday in connection with threats to kill Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and his children.
• Shapiro was released on bail and has an arraignment scheduled for January 24. The five voicemail messages Shapiro is alleged to have made from his Florida home on December 19 included threats to "come after you and kill you" and a threat to "come and kill your children."
• Sounds like a MAGA Republican to me.
• Moving over to Texas, where the Justice Department sued the state yesterday over a new law that would allow police to arrest migrants who enter the U.S. illegally, taking Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to court again over his escalating response to border crossers arriving from Mexico.
• Texas is also fighting separate court battles to keep razor wire on the border and a floating barrier in the Rio Grande.
• But SB4, the state law Abbott signed last month, poses a broader and bigger challenge to the U.S. government’s authority over immigration. In addition to allowing police anywhere in Texas to arrest migrants on charges of illegal entry, the law also gives judges the authority to order migrants to leave the country.
• How does a police officer look at someone and become suspicious that they are an “illegal”? Is it the color of their skin? How fashionable their clothing is? What kind of car they drive? Is it an American policy to demand to see someone’s papers?
• We spent an entire war fighting against these kinds of actions.
• The new lawsuit asks a federal court in Austin to declare the Texas law unconstitutional for a very specific reason. It calls the measure a violation of the Supremacy Clause, which establishes that federal laws in most cases supersede state law.
• You can’t just make your own laws about immigration to the USA, state by state. Otherwise, why have a country?
• Moving on to some breaking news about the prick who once called himself President.
• Evidence has come to light this morning that Donald John Trump's businesses received at least $7.8 million from 20 foreign governments during his presidency — and most of it came from China.
• Remember: everything they complain about is what they’re guilty of.
• There are no less than six different cases looming before the Supreme Court that will affect the 2024 presidential election and the future of the USA. Want to know what they are? Sure you do.
• Dump’s eligibility to run for President under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause. Two states — Colorado and Maine — have ruled that Trump is ineligible to serve as president again due to his role in stoking the January 6, 2021 insurrection.
• Dump facing criminal charges for his attempted election subversion that same day. The court’s ruling on whether Dump (and future Presidents via precedent) is immune from criminal charges may determine whether El Dumpo will have to stand trial on those charges — a trial that could sideline the Smelly Orange for months during the heart of the campaign.
• The crime “obstruction of an official proceeding” — which carries a 20-year maximum jail term — has been the leading charge against more than 300 of those who breached the Capitol on January 6. The law is also the basis for two of Trump’s four felony charges in Washington, D.C., and is still under debate.
• Dumpy’s gag order will hit the high court as well. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan imposed a gag order on Dumpy in October because his attacks on witnesses and prosecutors threatened the integrity of the case. the order was upheld by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals last month. Dump has since moved for a rehearing. Regardless of the outcome, the losing side is likely to appeal the matter to the Supreme Court.
• Dump wants the courts to declare him immune from prosecution in Washington, but he’s also going to ask the Supreme Court to declare him immune from civil lawsuits arising from things he did while president. Today, the 2nd Circuit turned down Trump’s request for a rehearing on the matter.
• Finally, Dump’s case in Georgia might end up with the SCOTUS as well via his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows. Meadows is seeking to transfer his case out of Georgia state court and into federal court. Both a federal district court and an appeals court panel in Atlanta shot down Meadows’ effort. He’s likely to appeal to the SCOTUS, which would allow El Dumpo to do the same.
• And now, The Weather: “Something to Say” by Little Kid
• From the Sports Desk… there are only eight league divisions in the NFL, but four of them remain up for grabs heading into the final game of the regular season this weekend.
• The AFC East, AFC South, NFC East and NFC South remain without a final leader. My most notable of these is the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, who play head to head on Sunday.
• If Buffalo wins, they’ll be the number two seed in the entire AFC. If they lose to the Fins… they’re out of the playoff entirely! That seems crazy, but that’s just how it works.
• Today in history… The Netherlands, Great Britain, and France sign the Triple Alliance (1717). After having been kidnapped and sold into slavery in the American South, Solomon Northup regains his freedom; his memoir ‘Twelve Years a Slave’ later becomes a national bestseller (1853). Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state (1896). Rose Heilbron becomes the first female judge to sit at the Old Bailey in London, UK (1972). Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura is sworn in as governor of Minnesota (1999). Spirit, a NASA Mars rover, lands successfully on Mars at 04:35 UTC (2004). The 110th United States Congress convenes, electing Nancy Pelosi as the first female Speaker of the House in U.S. history (2007). The Burj Khalifa, the current tallest building in the world, officially opens in Dubai (2010). 
• January 4 is the birthday of mythologist Jacob Grimm (1785), educator Louis Braille (1809), circus performer General Tom Thumb (1838), Japan prime minister Katsura Tarō (1848), writer/activist Max Eastman (1883), engineer/businessman Leroy Grumman (1895), pianist/composer Lionel Newman (1916), actress Barbara Rush (1927), NFL coach Don Shula (1930), boxer Floyd Patterson (1935), actress Dyan Cannon (1937), guitarist John McLaughlin (1942), singer-songwriter Patty Loveless (1957), actor Matt Frewer (1958), and singer-songwriter Michael Stipe (1960).

I’m going to try and have a reasonably good day. I’m going to be so happy when I get this shit with my teeth taken care of, but it’s still a long way off until the start of February when I have a bunch of surgery scheduled. Still, I’m confident I’ll make it there. Enjoy your day.