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 February 16, 2025, and it’s a Sunday. I’m just waking up and rubbing my eyes while I sip coffee and try and figure out the reasons for the world being the way it is.
- It’s funny — not “ha ha” funny — that for much of my life, the Republicans were known for wanting a strong force to defend our nation from attack.
- At least that’s what they always said.
- But the Dump/Musk administration ousted 405 employees at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in an ongoing workforce purge that has affected other federal agencies and departments.
- Hundreds of trained workers at FEMA were cut, meaning we have much less help for disaster relief. Over 130 employees were terminated at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), making all of us more vulnerable to the more and more common attacks of that nature.
- And in related news, Dump’s sweeping freeze on U.S. foreign assistance has threatened programs intended to counter al-Shabab bombmakers, contain the spread of al-Qaeda across West Africa, and secure Islamic State prisoners in the Middle East.
- Dump’s pause on foreign aid programs affects programs were specifically designed to respond to national security threats. Their suspension endangers America and its international allies.
- So let’s be honest here… they’re not really trying to increase the security of American citizens. That much is obvious.
- Moving on.
- I will always fill you in on information regarding the nation’s efforts to resist the immoral and often illegal actions of the Dumpy Gang.
- Last night, a federal appeals court panel again turned down Dump’s request to follow through with his effort to fire a federal official from a post overseeing enforcement of workplace protections for federal employees.
- The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 not to disturb a temporary restraining order a lower court judge issued preventing Dump from removing the of Office of Special Counsel chief Hampton Dellinger.
- An interesting note about this case: it’s an early test of the sweep of Dump’s power, and could wind up at the Supreme Court within days or even hours. Dumpy’s lawyers had signaled they would likely rush the case to the justices if they did not prevail at the D.C. Circuit.
- Prevail they did not. Keep an eye on this.
- Let’s move over to some world news for a moment. I sometimes call this “international news,” but I want to be clear that this stuff affects everyone, everywhere.
- Yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the time has come for the creation of an “armed forces of Europe,” because the U.S. may no longer be counted on to support the continent.
- Based on statements from the current administration, I don’t blame him for this sentiment.
- Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hit back at Americans for meddling in his country’s election after U.S. Vice President JD Vance scolded European leaders over their approach to democracy and met with the leader of a German far-right party.
- By “far-right,” let’s be clear that the AfD is essentially a neo-Nazi party that’s being endorsed by Dump, Vance, and Musk.
- Founded in 2013, the AfD is a nationalist party whose political identity centers around blaming immigrants for many of Germany's problems. Germany's domestic intelligence agency has put the AfD under surveillance for suspected extremism.
- And in fact, last year, the group became the first far-right party since the Nazis during the World War II era to receive the most votes in a state election.
- Anyway, it seems like Ukraine is being shut out of any potential negotiations over their war with Russia.
- Zelenskyy rejected a Dump request this week that Kyiv hand over 50 percent of its mineral resources — a ludicrous demand that would overshadow the value of all the aid that’s been sent to Ukraine.
- Ukrainian officials are working on a counterproposal that would still offer Washington more access to the country’s natural resources but would bolster U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine.
- This is fucked up.
- Let’s move on.
- Do you like the natural beauty of the USA? I do.
- We even sing about “purple mountain’s majesty” and all that.
- But Dumpy is firing about 3,400 workers for the US Forest Service, and another 1,000 workers from the National Park Service.
- This will affect sites such as the Appalachian trail, Yellowstone, the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr., the Sequoia national forest, and my beloved Joshua Tree National Park.
- We used to have nice things in this country before you elected a guy to burn it all down.
- And now, The Weather: “777” by L.A. WITCH
- In real weather news, at least four people have died and more than 10 million were under flood warnings or flash flood emergencies from Ohio to Mississippi early today as a powerful storm races across the eastern US.
- Video footage captured in multiple states shows toppled trees, vehicles submerged in floodwaters, and inundated houses with widespread reports of flooded roads, businesses, and homes in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia.
- Stay safe, my friends.
- From the Sports Desk… lacking other sports news that I am able to give a shit about at the moment, let’s mention one of the best kickers in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens Justin Tucker.
- Seven more women have accused Tucker of engaging in sexually inappropriate misconduct at high-end spas.
- Sigh.
- This increases the total to 16 therapists from eight different spas to make allegations of inappropriate behavior by Tucker. All of the incidents reportedly occurred during sessions from 2012 to 2016, which were Tucker's first five seasons in the NFL.
- Dudes… don’t be dicks. It’s really not that hard. Just go jack off by yourself, or be in a relationship, or pay people to fuck you, or something.
- Either way, no matter what your sexual proclivities are, make them consensual.
- Today in history… Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, becomes British Prime Minister (1742). Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (1923). Wallace H. Carothers receives a United States patent for nylon (1937). General Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Donelson, TN for the Union army (1862). Wallace H. Carothers receives a United States patent for nylon (1937). The Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945, the first anti-discrimination law in the United States, was signed into law (1945). Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown (1959). In Haleyville, AL, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service (1968). The first computer bulletin board system is created — CBBS in Chicago (1978). The National Hockey League cancels the entire 2004–05 regular season and playoffs (2005). The last Mobile army surgical hospital — aka MASH — is decommissioned by the United States Army (2006).
- February 16 is the birthday of US vice president Henry Wilson (1812), journalist Henry Adams (1838), engineer/businessman Henry M. Leland (1843), ventriloquist/actor Edgar Bergen (1903), actor/musician/politician Sonny Bono (1935), politician Kim Jong-Il (1941), actor William Katt (1951), singer-songwriter James Ingram (1952), model/actress Margaux Hemingway (1954), actor/producer LeVar Burton (1957), rapper/actor Ice-T (1958), tennis player John McEnroe (1959), guitarist/songwriter Andy Taylor (1961), NFL player Jerome Bettis (1972), politician Jon Ossoff (1987), actress Elizabeth Olsen (1989), and singer-songwriter The Weeknd (1990).
Okay, time to get out of this robe (boo!) and into the shower (yay!) and into clothes (umm) and then whatever. Enjoy your day.
No comments:
Post a Comment