Random News: January 21, 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 21, 2025, and it’s a Tuesday. My marathon of overwork is getting closer to the finish line, though today promises to once again be extremely busy. That’s okay; I’m happy to be able to earn a living. Plenty of people aren’t so fortunate. As usual, lots of news to discuss. Let’s jump in.

• Yesterday, in the final minutes of his presidency, Joe Biden commuted the life sentence for indigenous activist Leonard Peltier.
• The fight for Peltier's freedom has been entangled with the Indigenous rights movements for nearly 50 years. He’d been convicted — many believing wrongly, with evidence against him falsified — in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents during a standoff on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
• Peltier, now 80 years old, will transition to home confinement.
• Biden also issued preemptive pardons for members of his family: his brothers James and Frank, his sister Valerie, and their respective spouses.
• “My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me—the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end,” Biden said.
• And he’s right.
• I didn’t watch the inauguration of Tangerine Twittler yesterday. But I was able to follow along with the news reports about it.
• I didn’t seem to miss much. Dump rehashed most of the same things he’d said he was going to do upon taking office.
• In his inaugural address, Dumpy said he would sign a "series of executive orders" that focus on immigration and the economy. He also said he would declare a "national emergency at our southern border," halting immigration and deporting "criminal immigrants."
• Shrug.
• Dump also claimed he would declare a "national energy emergency," would rescind the Green New Deal and the electric vehicle mandate, and create an "External Revenue Service" to level tariffs against other countries' goods.
• Okay then.
• He said he would make it U.S. policy that there are only two genders — "male and female."
• He also doubled down on his meaningless shit, promising to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, Mt. Denali in Alaska back to Mt. McKinley, and that the country would wrest control of the Panama Canal.
• Yawn. Old news.
• And, sure enough, Dumpy spent the day hamming it up in signing these executive orders — some of them legally dubious, but that never matters to Diaper Don.
• He pardoned about 1,500 people convicted or criminally charged in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including those who maimed and/or killed police officers.
• Never, ever say “Back the Blue” if you’re a Dump supporter. You’re all in favor of cop killers now.
• He signed documents to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreements. Note: he made the same move during his first term but Biden reversed it. And then next person after Dump will reverse it again.
• He signed another EO to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization.
• So, yes, of course, Dump will do a bunch of moronic shit to keep himself in the headlines for awhile, and then get pissy when the actual effects of his actions sink in across the USA and he receives criticism from any direction.
• Is there already pushback against what Dump is doing?
• Fuck yes there is. We were ready for all of it.
• Late yesterday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) launched a suit challenging the executive order from The Presidump seeking to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are not lawfully present.
• The order directly contradicts the Constitution, which bestows citizenship on anyone born in the United State regardless of the status of their parents.
• The ACLU suit, filed on behalf of clients whose children would not be recognized as citizens under the order, argues the order violates the 14th Amendment as well as the Administrative Procedures Act.
• And if you need a refresher, the 14th Amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdictions thereof, are citizens of the United States.”
• This is what the next four years will be all about. Dumpy grasping for power and personal gain, and mostly getting shot down by the laws of the USA.
• You were all around last time in 2016-2020. More of the same except worse. And hopefully with less pandemic.
• Seems like a good time to note some current info, just in the chance that history gets re-written over the coming years.
• As of January 20, 2025, moments before Dumpy was sworn in…
• Unemployment was at 4.1%.
• Gas averaged at $3.12/gallon.
• The inflation rate was at 2.9%.
• The S&P 500 was at 5,996.56.
• And the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 43,487.83.
• Look, I hope Dump’s second term all goes well and the USA is very prosperous and things work out fine.
• We already know it definitely won’t be fine for many of the people who actually keep this country running… women, immigrants, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and others.
• Or people who have illnesses, or are disabled, or are elderly, or are veterans, or rely on any form of government benefits for their families to stay alive.
• But somehow, we’ll make it through as we always do.
• Let’s move on.
• The Senate voted unanimously yesterday to confirm Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state, making him the first confirmed member of Dumpy's Cabinet in his second administration.
• All 99 senators voted in favor of Rubio, including Rubio himself. Rubio is expected to resign his position in the Senate shortly.
• His experience as the top Republican on Senate Intelligence Committee gave his resume the necessary credentials to earn the public backing of a number of Democrats.
• This is no surprise. Rubio was expected to have the easiest path to his new gig.
• In other news…
• It’s actually hilarious that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency managed to get more efficient immediately by dumping its co-leader before it even started.
• Elon dumped Vivek Ramaswamy. He’d made it known that he wanted Ramaswamy out of DOGE in recent days. Vivek had posted a rant on X about H-1B visas, and Musk couldn’t deal with him.
• And yes, he says he’s running for Ohio governor. But that’s in 2026. C’mon.
• As we predicted, a lawsuit claiming Elmo’s “Department of Government Efficiency” violates federal transparency rules was filed minutes after Dump’s inauguration yesterday.
• The public interest law firm National Security Counselors says that the nongovernmental DOGE panel is breaking a 1972 law that requires advisory committees to the executive branch to follow certain rules on disclosure, hiring, and other practices.
• The lawsuit alleges that DOGE meets the requirements to be considered a “federal advisory committee,” a class of legal entity regulated to ensure the government receives transparent and balanced advice.
• These groups, known as FACAs, are required by law to have “fairly balanced” representation, keep regular minutes of meetings, allow the public to attend, file a charter with Congress, and more — all steps that DOGE has not taken.
• And while we’re talking about that fucking weirdo…
• Did Elon do a Nazi salute at the inauguration? I mean, it looked like he did. I’m pretty sure he did.
• But the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) seemed to defend him. 
• “This is a delicate moment. It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety,” the ADL wrote in an ass-kissy post on Musk’s social platform X. “It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge.” 
• Bullshit. Awkward gesture my ass.
• AOC, as usual, told it like it was. Addressing the ADL, she wrote “Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity. People can officially stop listening to you as any sort of reputable source of information now. You work for them. Thank you for making that crystal clear to all.”
• Agreed. Fuck Nazis, fuck Dump, and fuck you too, Elmo.
• Look.
• I know a lot of you are angry, and I get that. But everything so far is exactly what we’ve been telling you for months or ever years regarding what would happen in a second Dumpy term.
• The entire roadmap of Project 2025. We literally held it up in front of you.
• And if you’re mad now, wait until they get to the rest of it. A national abortion ban. Making same-sex marriage illegal. Government forces stopping people in the street to prove their citizenship based on the color of their skin.
• We told you this. We told you over and over. There was no “shock and awe” from me with Dump’s flurry of executive orders. It’s all exactly what we knew was going to happen, and yes, it will indeed get worse.
• So now it’s up to you in terms of how much you are willing to just go along with the plan, and watch your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers get destroyed by his policies.
• And I recommend that you prepare to get tough, because otherwise… you may not be around when we get another chance to vote, assuming we do. If you can’t do it for yourself, maybe you can for your kids.
• I hope that’s true. And here’s a reminder for those of you who feel despair…
• These executive orders are not immediately enforceable and some will take months or even years to implement.
• And the good people the USA — you, me, a variety of leaders at levels from your local community to the state and federal governments — will fight them every step of the way.
• So the the fight against fascism and the oligarchy is not over. Tyranny requires people to shut up and fall in line. Do not obey in advance.
• And now, The Weather: “Dawgs” by Type Foundry
• A sad rest in peace going out to Cecile Richards, a women’s rights crusader who served as president of Planned Parenthood. She died yesterday at 67.
• Richards spoke openly last June about her battle with glioblastoma — an aggressive type of brain cancer that is incurable and has a survival rate of 12 to 18 months.
• From the Sports Desk… enough on football until this weekend. Pretty soon, like it or not, we’re going to have to remember that other sports exist.
• To that end, here’s who’s leading the NBA right now.
• Eastern Conference: Cavaliers (36-6), Celtics (30-13), Knicks (28-16), Bucks (24-17), Pacers (24-19), Hawks (22-20).
• Western Conference: Thunder (35-7), Rockets (28-14), Grizzlies (28-15), Nuggets (26-26), Clippers (24-17), Lakers (22-18).
• Who’s the worst team in the NBA? The Washington Wizards, with an astoundingly bad 6-35 record.
• Today in history… The first American novel, ‘The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth’ by William Hill Brown, is printed in Boston. (1789). After being found guilty of treason by the French National Convention, Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine (1793). Jefferson Davis resigns from the United States Senate (1861). New York City passes the Sullivan Ordinance, making it illegal for women to smoke in public, only to have the measure vetoed by the mayor (1908). Finland and the Soviet Union sign a non-aggression treaty (1932). The Jewish resistance organization Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, based in the Vilna Ghetto, is established (1942). American lawyer and government official Alger Hiss is convicted of perjury (1950). The first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, is launched in Groton, Connecticut by Mamie Eisenhower, the First Lady of the United States (1954). Production of the DeLorean sports car begins in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, UK (1981). The U.S. House of Representatives votes 395–28 to reprimand Newt Gingrich for ethics violations, making him the first Speaker of the House to be so disciplined (1997). Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip, officially ending a three-week war it had with Hamas (2009). Over 400 cities across America and 160+ countries worldwide participate in a large-scale women's march, on Donald Trump's first full day as President of the United States (2017). Officials in Washington state confirm the first coronavirus case on US soil (2020).
• January 21 is the birthday of anatomist Anna Morandi Manzolini (1714), businessman/soldier/politician Ethan Allen (1738), explorer/soldier/politician John C. Frémont (1813), Confederate loser Stonewall Jackson (1824), physician/activist Sophia Jex-Blake (1840), chemist Felix Hoffmann (1868), mystic Grigori Rasputin (1869), director Baldassarre Negroni (1877), fashion designer Christian Dior (1905), soldier Richard Winters (1918), actor Telly Savalas (1922), actor Paul Scofield (1922), actor Benny Hill (1924), radio host Wolfman Jack (1938), golfer Jack Nicklaus (1940), tenor Plácido Domingo (1941), singer-songwriter/guiutarist Richie Havens (1941), singer-songwriter/guitarist Mac Davis (1942), actress Jill Eikenberry (1947), singer-songwriter Billy Ocean (1950), lawyer/politician Eric Holder (1951), businessman/philanthropist Paul Allen (1953), actress Geena Davis (1956), NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon (1963), NBA player Detlef Schrempf (1963), actor Ken Leung (1970), singer-songwriter Cat Power (1972), and NHL player Jonathan Quick (1986).

Like I said, it’s okay to be sad or mad. It’s not okay to give up. Stand the fuck up and get ready for a fight. I believe in you. Enjoy your day.