Random News: January 19, 2025

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 19, 2025, and it’s a Sunday. Yesterday, as I mentioned, was a full-on work day for me. Today… some more work in advance of my business event this coming week, but I’ll also be able to take at least a little while to relax. At least I hope so.

• And now the news.
• For the first time in 11 days, I don’t feel compelled to start with a detailed update on the Los Angeles fires, which continue to burn but are much more under control for now.
• Assuming no new fires happening for now, most of our focus in that regard moving ahead will be on the recovery process of the people impacted.
• Let’s turn our attention to another climate-based situation: over 95 million Americans are on alert for brutal cold temperatures in the coming days as arctic air plunges south across the country.
• And those temps accompany a storm this weekend that will be dumping snow on several major cities along the East Coast. New York City is currently forecast to pick up around 4 to 6 inches of snow today, which could make this the biggest snowstorm in nearly three years for the Big Apple.
• Boston expects 4 to 6 inches by this evening. Washington, D.C. is expected to see between 2 and 4 inches of wet snow, which is expected to harden into ice. Philly is getting 3 to 4 slushy inches.
• But the more widespread concern is the extreme cold warning in a number of states. North Dakota, northern Minnesota, and northwestern Wisconsin may get wind chills as low as -50 degrees. Those temperatures can cause frost bite to exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes.
• And those wind chill temps will be-30 degrees in Minneapolis, -20 degrees in Chicago, below zero in New York City, and into the 10s in Houston early this week.
• Anyway, you all probably know how to stay warm. I recommend you do so.
• Moving on.
• As expected, TikTok’s app and website effectively shut down in the United States last night just before a nationwide ban against the video-sharing platform came into force.
• The company showed its millions of American users a pop-up message that thanked Donnie Dump for indicating he will work with the company on a solution when he takes office tomorrow.
• You probably saw it last night. It seemed to be reposted on various social media about a million times.
• Soon after the app went dark, Apple and Google both removed the app from their app stores — the only way for most Americans to download TikTok if they don’t already have it on their phones. The app itself remains on people’s devices, unusable, with a shadow of the last video they watched in the background.
• What do I think will happen next? It’s pretty obvious.
• Making it one of his top priorities for the entire nation — over people who’ve lost their homes in natural disasters, people who need jobs, families who need food, and so on — tomorrow Dump will issue a 90-day extension for TikTok to try to find a buyer.
• And mark my words, if there is a sale of that platform, it will go to someone close to Dumpy himself.
• And Dump will personally benefit.
• And then this morning, Dump basically said the quiet part out loud in a social post…
• “I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions. Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose.”
• There you go.
• Let’s move on.
• On Friday, President Biden declared that he considers the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution "the law of the land," a surprising declaration that does not have any formal force of effect, but that was understandably celebrated by its backers.
• The amendment would need to be formally published or certified to come into effect by the national archivist, Colleen Shogan — and when or if that will happen is unclear.
• The executive branch doesn't have a direct role in the amendment process, and Biden is not going to order the archivist to certify and publish the ERA. The archivist is required to publish the amendment once it is ratified.
• A little background on the ERA, which would be the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution if formally ratified.
• It was written by Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman and first introduced in Congress over 100 years ago in December 1923.
• It took almost 50 years to be taken seriously. After being reintroduced by Representative Martha Griffiths in 1971, it was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives that year, and by the U.S. Senate in 1972, thus submitting the ERA to the state legislatures for ratification.
• A seven-year deadline was included with the legislation by Congress. Congress later extended the deadline to 1982. Both deadlines passed with the ERA three short of the necessary 38 states for ratification.
• But in 2020, Virginia became the 38th state (after Nevada in 2017 and Illinois in 2018) to ratify it. However, some states also rescinded their ratification — a legally dubious action.
• Like most Amendments, it’s short and to the point. It says…
• Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
• Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
• Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
• That’s it.
• Anyway, it’s unclear if Biden’s opinion will matter at all. It is clear that many conservatives do not want women to have the legal protection of equal rights… especially because that might affect their reproductive freedom.
• Let’s move on.
• Tomorrow is Dumpy’s inauguration. Li’l Dumpy Wumpy will be warm inside the Capitol rotunda. Maybe someone will get him a blanky to keep him comfy cozy.
• That also means tomorrow is the day where he promised massive changes to the USA on “day one” of his second term as president.
• What are those campaign promises that will “shock and awe” the people of America as he issues law via a slew executive orders?
• Welp…
• First, a dose of reality.
• Days before inauguration, senior aides continue to debate key aspects of many of his top agenda items, while softening their language on others. 
• And Dump’s delays in vetting and hiring top staff, his Cabinet nominees’ lack of government experience, and his open hostility to the career federal workforce — the “deep state” he has long railed against — will impede his ability to carry out those executive orders.
• Those orders include…
• A large-scale deportation effort and a rapid end to birthright citizenship.
• Pardoning the 1,600 people charged for the January 6, 2021 insurrection against the USA at the Capitol.
• Ending Russia’s war in Ukraine in 24 hours.
• Enacting a 10-20 percent universal tariff on all foreign goods entering the U.S. and much higher tariffs on Chinese imports. 
• Declaring a national emergency upon taking office, though no one seems to know why.
• And there’s a lot more, but I suppose we’ll hear about them tomorrow.
• I will not be watching the inauguration. First and foremost because Dump is an asshole and I watch him as little as possible under all circumstances.
• But also because I am super busy and don’t have time for that shit regardless.
• And yes, if I was going to take time off tomorrow, it would be in honor of MLK Day. But I am too busy for any time off for any reason.
• Speaking of which… from the Not News desk, I should probably let you know…
• Toward the end of this week, I’ll be at a business event, so on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, it’s unlikely that I can post my daily news.
• I’ll probably post occasional dumb pics as evidence that I actually work for a living.
• Just a heads-up. You can find news in many places from many voices.
• And now, The Weather: “repeat the cycle” by Excuse Me Sir
• From the Sports Desk… Yesterday’s NFL divisional playoff games had the 1-seed Chiefs beating the 4-seed Texans as expected, 23-12, once again earning a spot in the AFC Championship game.
• But in the later game, the Commanders shocked the heavily-favored Lions to punch their ticket to the NFC Championships.
• Today’s games have the 4-seed Rams at the 2-seed Eagles — Philadelphia is a -6.5 favorite — and the 3-seed Ravens are at the 2-seed Bills, which is nearly dead even in betting. Baltimore is a -1 favorite, so basically a toss-up.
• Today in history… John Wilkes is expelled from the British House of Commons for seditious libel (1764). An army of 5,423 soldiers, led by General José de San Martín, crosses the Andes from Argentina to liberate Chile and then Peru (1817). Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's ‘Faust: The First Part of the Tragedy’ receives its premiere performance (1829). Giuseppe Verdi's opera ‘Il trovatore’ receives its premiere performance in Rome (1853). Georgia joins South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama in declaring secession from the United States (1861). The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, NJ (1883). German zeppelins bomb the towns of Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn in the United Kingdom killing at least 20 people, in the first major aerial bombardment of a civilian target (1915). The United States Senate votes against joining the League of Nations (1920). The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is founded (1920). Almost 72 percent of all television sets in the United States are tuned into ‘I Love Lucy’ to watch Lucy give birth (1953). The last Volkswagen Beetle made in Germany leaves VW's plant in Emden (1978). United States and Iranian officials sign an agreement to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity (1981). The Apple Lisa, the first commercial personal computer from Apple Computer to have a graphical user interface and a computer mouse, is announced (1983). The first IBM PC computer virus is released into the wild (1986). The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's probe landed on the moon, making Japan the 5th country to land a spacecraft on the moon (2024). 
• January 19 is the birthday of engineer James Watt (1736), economist/sociologist/philosopher Auguste Comte (1798), Confederate loser Robert E. Lee (1807), writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809), painter Paul Cézanne (1839), comedian/musician Ish Kabibble (1908), actress Jean Stapleton (1923), actress/animal rights activist Tippi Hedren (1930), singer-songwriter/guitarist Phil Everly (1939), singer-songwriter Janis Joplin (1943), actress Shelley Fabares (1944), NFL player/coach Dan Reeves (1944), singer-songwriter/actress Dolly Parton (1946), singer-songwriter Robert Palmer (1949), singer-songwriter Martha Davis (1951), actor Desi Arnaz, Jr. (1953), actress/singer Katey Sagal (1954), NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy (1962), NBA player Luc Longley (1969), NFL player Junior Seau (1969), actress Drea de Matteo (1972), actress Jodie Sweetin (1982), NBA player JaVale McGee (1988), and rapper Mac Miller (1992).

As always, there’s more news, but that’s enough news for this report for now. Today is the last full day where the USA and the world isn’t dealing with the results of the 2024 election. Here’s wishing luck upon us all as we enter a new era tomorrow. For those who plan to resist evil, I welcome your camaraderie in this effort. Enjoy your day.