Random News: September 10, 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 September 10, 2024, and it’s a Tuesday. Tons of stuff to talk about today; let’s jump right in.

• I did something back on June 27 that I thought was the right thing to do: that morning, I encouraged all of you to watch the debate between Donnie Dump and then-2024 presidential candidate Joe Biden.
• And under normal circumstances, I’d say that telling people to watch a presidential debate is a noble idea and something every American who cares about our country should do.
• But we all saw what happened. Joe had been on a grueling travel schedule and was suffering from a cold, and his age was starting to catch up with him… and as a result, he had a terrible debate performance.
• It was so bad that within hours afterwards, the media was calling it a foregone conclusion that Dump would be re-elected president. It was a depressing time, and I didn’t have much to say in spinning it into some optimistic story.
• Fast forward to July 21. After much consideration, Joe stepped aside from the election, and put his endorsement behind his vice president, Kamala Harris.
• And we all saw what happened after that. In the next few days, endorsements for Harris came pouring in at an unprecedented rate, and then a groundswell of support that’s never been equalled.
• So here we are today, just 55 more days until the election. It’s eight weeks from today, in fact. And here we are with another presidential debate tonight.
• Am I nervous? No. My confidence in Harris being able to handle Dump is much higher than it was for Biden.
• Harris comes from the background of being a prosecutor… an attorney general… and a Senator. She has a great track record of debates.
• So, once again, I will recommend that you watch the debate tonight.
• The debate rules are the same as they were in June: no live audience, no props and muted microphones when the other candidate is speaking.
• Of note: Harris and Dump have never met in person.
• Dump actually has the more difficult job here. He is trailing badly among women voters, and if he comes off as his true self to Harris — sexist, condescending, and patronizing — it will further alienate him from them and a good number of men as well.
• If Trump slips into his usual mode of personal attacks instead of sticking to issues, it won’t bode well for him. 
• But make no mistake: debates rarely change anything among partisan voters. What both candidates will be doing is going after the very small number of undecided voters, who will make a difference in this tight election.
• The debate starts tonight at 9PM EDT/6PM PDT on ABC. It will also be streamed on various platforms; I will probably watch via YouTube.
• Let’s move on.
• Yesterday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the United Nations said that the UN has offered to monitor any cease-fire in Gaza and demanded an end to the worst death and destruction he has seen in his more than seven-year tenure.
• Guterres admitted that it’s unrealistic to think the U.N. could play a role in Gaza’s future, either by administering the territory or providing a peacekeeping force, because Israel is unlikely to accept a U.N. role.
• But he said “the U.N. will be available to support any cease-fire.” The United Nations has had a military monitoring mission in the Middle East, known as UNTSO, since 1948, and “from our side, this was one of the hypotheses that we’ve put on the table,” he said.
• “Of course, we’ll be ready to do whatever the international community asked for us,” Guterres said. “The question is whether the parties would accept it, and in particular whether Israel would accept it.”
• I think we know the answer to that. It’s a horrible situation and I can’t envision any way out under Israel’s current leadership.
• Moving on.
• I can’t believe I’m having to write this, but here goes: no immigrants are coming to eat your pets.
• Police in Springfield, OH, said yesterday they had received no credible reports of immigrants harming pets, contradicting a claim by Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance. 
• The Ohio senator, as well as other Republican lawmakers and several conservative commentators, have in recent days asserted without evidence that the arrival of thousands of immigrants from Haiti had created chaos in Springfield. 
• Literally none of it is true.
• While we’re in education mode here, there is a long history of conservative politicians and pundits denigrating Haitian immigrants in particular, including with baseless allegations of cannibalism.
• The people spreading this literal 100% lie include conservative commentators Charlie Kirk and Jack Posobiec, who posted about it on X more than 30 times Sunday and Monday. Others echoed the allegations, including X owner Elon Musk, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH).
• I repeat: it’s not true. It never happened. Wake the fuck up, you morons. Can’t you tell when you’re being used?
• Let’s talk about something else.
• Here’s some potential good news on the 2024 Senate race. As you know, the Senate is just barely a Democratic majority since 2022. Only one seat flipping would shift the balance of power there.
• In Michigan, Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin is leading former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers by 7 points. Meanwhile, Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin are ahead in their reelection bids by 7 points and 8 points, respectively.
• Enthusiasm behind Kamala Harris — and the first presidential election year after the repeal of Roe v. Wade by Donald Trump’s Supreme Court — are factors that are lending a hand to these Senate candidates in battleground states.
• However, with eight weeks remaining, there are no guarantees here. And with the near-certain loss of West Virginia due to Joe Manchin’s retirement, the balance of power in the Senate is even tighter.
• Reminder: it’s been tied or nearly tied for the past nearly eight years, so much that VPs Mike Pence and Kamala Harris have often been called to cast the tie breaking vote.
• Let’s move on.
• The manhunt continues for Joseph Couch, the Kentucky man suspected of opening fire on vehicles on Interstate 75 and severely injuring five people. Multiple counties in the area hunkered down and schools remained closed amid warnings from officials to keep watch for the suspect on the loose.
• Authorities believe Couch is contained to a wooded area near Interstate 75, where a line of at least a dozen vehicles riddled with bullet holes was found on Saturday evening. They are combing areas in nearby Daniel Boone National Forest.
• Due to our Second Amendment “freedoms,” Couch, 32, was able to purchase an AR-15 and nearly 1,000 rounds of ammo on Saturday with no waiting period before opening fire on innocent people.
• Moving on.
• The far right is having feelings… and they’re upset at Dump’s 2024 campaign for being too liberal.
• No, I’m serious. Stop laughing.
• Paul Dans, the former director of Project 2025, is sharply criticizing Dumpy’s campaign, accusing its two top advisers of a series of missteps, lack of preparation and overconfidence that he says have jeopardized Dump’s chances in November.
• So sad, too bad.
• Dans, a longtime supporter and close ally of Dumples, oversaw Project 2025 for more than two years until the public became aware of its proposals and turned it into a political liability for Dump.
• He blames Dump’s senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles for the race against Kamala Harris being so close, and urged Dump to fire the two consultants.
• Dans’ complaints are similar to many others on the far right, with media figures, activists, and former Dump administration officials saying they are worried by what they see as strategic mistakes and the campaign trying to engage centrist voters.
• It’s funny, because literally yesterday, Dump made a statement supporting the weed legalization initiative in Florida, a move that is blatant pandering toward less conservative voters.
• The bane of all politicians is wanting to appear that they are everything to everyone, when that’s literally impossible.
• In other news…
• Can I mention something that I should’t have to mention?
• Because you know I will anyway.
• Taylor Swift is an internationally renowned musical performer. Everything she does, from how she ties her shoes to what fruit juice she prefers, is scrutinized and interpreted by media and rabid fans.
• So over this past weekend, she attended the US Open with her boyfriend, her boyfriend’s coworker, and the coworker’s wife. That’s a normal thing for people to do. It’s probably something you’ve done.
• But because the boyfriend’s coworker’s wife is a Dump supporter, I read far too many social posts claiming, “Oh noes, Taylor is a MAGA and has abandoned us!”
• That is fucking insane. If you think that, you are insane. And let me tell you, if I look through the families of any of your significant other’s coworkers and find a MAGA there, would it be fair for me to assume you’re one too?
• Jesus people. And note that I’m not saying anything about whatever Taylor’s political preferences may or may not be. I am saying that her being cordial with Brittany Mahomes doesn’t mean she’s secretly wearing a fucking MAGA cap.
• C’mon. Don’t be one of those people.
• And now, The Weather: “You're On Your Own This Time, Again” by Molly Payton
• Rest in peace to the great James Earl Jones. The renowned actor died yesterday at age 93.
• Interestingly, Jones had a terrible stutter as a child. It was so severe that he often could communicate only in writing.
• When he got into high school, an English teacher, upon learning that Jones composed poetry, encouraged him to read his writing aloud in class.
• And he grew up to have one of the most mellifluous and eloquent speaking voices of a generation. His resonant, unmistakable baritone was most widely known as the voice of “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader.
• But Jones’ acting career spanned over 60 years, from acclaimed Broadway roles to other lauded voice acting gigs like that of King Mustafa in Disney’s animated feature “The Lion King.”
• Among his more than 80 film credits, Jones’ notable movies include “Dr. Strangelove,” “The Man,”“Conan the Barbarian,”“Field of Dreams,” “The Sandlot,” “Cry, the Beloved Country,” and many more.
• Let’s do a chart. It’s the top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for early November 2020.
• A side topic: why don’t I post more charts from the past 20 years? Is it because I hate new music?
• No, of course not. Every single day in this very report, you get a bullet called “The Weather” that usually includes a song that’s been released in the past couple of weeks.
• But these are the pop charts, and I’ve never been a big pop guy. The new music I post tends to be independently released music… indie rock, indie pop, experimental, avant garde, shoegaze, dream pop, and other related sub-genres that I personally enjoy.
• I’m not saying that all new pop is terrible. It’s just rare that it aligns with the sounds that I’m personally into. That’s all.
• Anyway, these are the biggest pop hits the week that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 election, knocking Donnie Dump out of the White House — hopefully once and for all.
• 1. Mood (24kGoldn Featuring iann dior). 2. Positions (Ariana Grande). 3. Laugh Now Cry Later (Drake Featuring Lil Durk). 4. Blinding Lights (The Weeknd). 5. I Hope (Gabby Barrett Featuring Charlie Puth). 6. Savage Love (Laxed - Siren Beat) (Jawsh 685 x Jason Derulo). 7. Lemonade (Internet Money & Gunna Featuring Don Toliver & NAV). 8. 34+35 (Ariana Grande Feat. Doja Cat & Megan Thee Stallion). 9. Dakiti (Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez). 10. WAP (Cardi B Featuring Megan Thee Stallion). 11. Holy (Justin Bieber Featuring Chance The Rapper). 12. For The Night (Pop Smoke Featuring Lil Baby & DaBaby). 13. Rockstar (DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch). 14. Before You Go (Lewis Capaldi). 15. Go Crazy (Chris Brown & Young Thug). 16. Dynamite (BTS). 17. Watermelon Sugar (Harry Styles). 18. Forever After All (Luke Combs). 19. Kings & Queens (Ava Max). 20. Said Sum (Moneybagg Yo).
• From the Sports Desk… last night’s opening Monday Night Football game continued the week one trend of rusty teams. Mistakes and poor performances on both sides of the ball culminated in a 32-19 win by the 49ers over the Jets, even though the Niners played without star running back Christian McCaffrey.
• Aaron Rogers had a particularly mediocre game, going 13-for-21 for just 167 yards and an interception. The Jets gave up eight straight scoring drives, something they hadn't done in 45 years.
• And a side note: neither Rodgers nor any of the Jets’ starters played in the preseason
• Welp.
• From the “I Wish It Wasn’t Sports Desk… a new civil lawsuit filed yesterday in Houston accuses Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery in October 2020, when he was a member of the Houston Texans.
• Watson, 28, has already served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. Watson settled 23 of the 24 civil lawsuits filed against him in the summer of 2022.
• According to the new lawsuit, when Watson visited the woman’s house for a dinner date, the woman walked out of her bathroom to find Watson completely naked on her bed
• After demanding that the woman massage him, Watson "partially disrobed Jane Doe and penetrated her vagina without consent, implicit or explicit," according to the lawsuit, which also alleges that Watson sexually assaulted the woman for several minutes before she escaped.
• Sigh. Why are people the way they are?
• Today in history… Nathan Hale volunteers to spy for the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War (1776). Elias Howe is granted a patent for the sewing machine (1846). A sheriff's posse kills 19 unarmed striking immigrant miners in Lattimer, PA (1897). Abebe Bikila becomes the first sub-Saharan African to win an Olympic gold medal, winning the marathon in bare feet (1960). Hearings began in the United States Senate on the nomination of Clarence Thomas to be an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court (1991). Switzerland, traditionally a neutral country, becomes a full member of the United Nations (2002). The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, described as the biggest scientific experiment in history, is powered up in Geneva, Switzerland (2008). Death of Queen Elizabeth II; King Charles III is formally proclaimed as monarch (2022).
• September 10 is the birthday of singer-songwriter/lute player Nicholas Lanier (1588), composer Henry Purcell (1659), mathematician/philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce (1839), activist Laura Cornelius Kellogg (1880), physicist Arthur Compton (1892), film director Robert Wise (1914), MLB player Ted Kluszewski (1924), golfer Arnold Palmer (1929), fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld (1933), journalist Charles Kuralt (1934), MLB player Roger Maris (1934), singer-songwriter/guitarist José Feliciano (1945), NBA player Bob Lanier (1948), journalist Bill O’Reilly (1949), guitarist/songwriter Joe Perry (1950), actress Amy Irving (1953), actor Colin Firth (1960), singer-songwriter/guitarist David Lowery (1960), MLB player Randy Johnson (1963), film director Guy Ritchie (1968), policy analyst Neera Tanden (1970), NBA player Ben Wallace (1974), and MLB player Joey Votto (1983).

That’s plenty of news. Do try and watch the debate tonight. Even if you can’t stand either of the candidates (or both), seeing how the next POTUS acts in real time is part of being a good American, or global citizen. Enjoy your day.