Random News: June 13, 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 June 13, 2025, and if you can believe it, it’s a Friday once again! I found myself thinking about how much I actually enjoy, in some ways, bringing this news to you each day. It’s odd, but it’s one of the big things I’d miss in a world where we lose our freedoms — like the freedom of speech and of the press that allows me to write this Random News column without fear of legal repercussions.

• A Pride Note…
• Are you left-handed? Do you know anyone who is left-handed?
• Why did you (or they) choose to be left-handed? Isn’t it inconvenient in a world where the big majority of people are right-handed?
• Actress and incredibly brilliant person — and lesbian — Jodie Foster recently spoke on this topic.
• “Being gay is like being left-handed — some people are, most people aren’t, and nobody really knows exactly why. It’s not right or wrong; it’s just one of the many natural ways to be. The world works best when everyone gets to live as they truly are. So if you ever feel out of place, remember: you're not broken, you're just beautifully different — and that’s something the world needs.”
• Some things in life are not a choice. They are just who you are and how you’re made, for whatever reason it works out that way.
• And like being left-handed, it’s probably not the easiest way to go. But you can’t just not be who you are.
• Next time someone expresses disdain at the LGBTQIA+ community, ask them why they are the way they are. “Why are you tall? Have you considered being shorter?"
• And for the religious folks out there, if every quality of a person is exactly what God intended it to be, then who the fuck do you think you are saying that God made a fucking mistake when He, in His infinite wisdom, created humans (and other creatures) who prefer their own gender?
• Get over yourself. Let people be who they are, be it left-handed, or tall, or a lesbian, or whatever.
• Let’s do the news.
• Before I get to the shitty shit, I actually want to start with some breaking news form this morning, because it’s very good news for the whole world.
• This morning, U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper blocked Dumpy’s attempt to overhaul elections in the U.S., siding with a group of Democratic state attorneys general who challenged the effort as unconstitutional.
• Dump’s March 25 executive order sought to compel officials to require documentary proof of citizenship for everyone registering to vote for federal elections, accept only mailed ballots received by Election Day, and condition federal election grant funding on states adhering to the new ballot deadline.
• Caspar correctly noted, “The Constitution does not grant the President any specific powers over elections.”
• She added that, when it comes to citizenship, “there is no dispute (nor could there be) that U.S. citizenship is required to vote in federal elections and the federal voter registration forms require attestation of citizenship.”
• Correct.
• The ruling is the second legal setback for Dump’s election order. A federal judge previously blocked parts of the directive, including the proof-of-citizenship requirement for the federal voter registration form.
• Okay. Now let’s give into a big pile of shit.
• Yesterday, my senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) attempted to ask a question to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference.
• Instead, he was grabbed by security, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed.
• I repeat, this is a SITTING US SENATOR.
• All he said was, "I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary," which prompted several men to physically push him out of the room. It was immediately unclear who the men were as several were dressed in plainclothes.
• Padilla was forcibly taken into a hallway outside and pushed face forward onto the ground as officers with FBI-identifying vests told the senator to put his hands behind his back. The officers then handcuffed him.
• What was he doing there? Padilla was in the federal building to receive a briefing with Air Force General Gregory Guillot, and was listening to Noem’s press conference, when, per his duties  to perform congressional oversight of the government's operations in the city and across his state, he tried to ask a question.
• He was not arrested after his detainment.
• Is it only cruel coincidence that Padilla is California’s first Hispanic senator? His parents, Santos and Lupe Padilla, immigrated from Mexico before meeting and marrying in Los Angeles, where he was born.
• So to be clear: Donnie Dump is now having his political opponents roughed up and detained, and has threatened to arrest those who disagree with him. We are a hair’s breadth away from a totalitarian dictatorship.
• I have some news for him and any other motherfucker who agrees with him: we will not accept this lying down.
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) denounced the incident on the Senate floor. "I just saw something that sickened my stomach. The manhandling of a United States Senator, we need immediate answers to what the hell went on," he said.
• Our state’s other Senator, Adam Schiff (D-CA), wrote that Padilla "represents the best of the Senate. The disgraceful and disrespectful conduct of DHS agents, pushing and shoving him out of a briefing like that, demands our condemnation. He will not be silenced or intimidated. His questions will be answered. I’m with Alex."
• And California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote that Padilla "is one of the most decent people I know." "This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now," he added.
• Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wrote, “Tragically, what happened to Sen. Padilla today is becoming normal behavior for a Trump administration which is moving us toward authoritarianism. Trump is attacking the judiciary. He is attacking the media. He is attacking law firms. He is attacking universities. He is attacking immigrants, the poor and workers in every corner of this country. And today they handcuffed a senator from the largest state in the country. The American people do not like petty tyrants. We defeated King George in 1776. We will defeat King Donald.”
• Goddamn right we will.
• The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, of which Padilla is a member, called for a full investigation and consequences for every official involved in this assault against a sitting US senator.
• Remember, in recent days, Dump's "border czar" Tom Homan suggested that Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass should be arrested.
• This will not stand. It’s time to go on the offensive. You could be looking at the beginnings of actual civil war unless some major action happens very quickly to quell people’s anger and outrage.
• There’s a VERY important side note to all of this you may have missed. But I didn’t.
• Before Padilla was slammed to the ground and cuffed, Noem spoke to reporters about the administration's actions, the subject of her appearance in Los Angeles.
• She said that DHS and its agencies, as well as the military, "will continue to sustain and increase our operations in this city.”
• “We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country.”
• Wait. I thought this was about immigration. Now she’s admitting it’s a hunt for “socialists”? That’s what they’re using our military for — illegally, I should add.
• Let’s be SUPER clear here. A US president is openly using the military to attack people whose ideologies he doesn’t like. That’s fascism. That’s a dictatorship. It’s here and now. There’s no time to “wait and see.”
• So once again, I plead with you…
• TOMORROW IS THE DAY.
• It’s a national day of defiance toward Dump and his evil regime, and it’s called “No Kings.”
• If you don’t find a local event and attend, I’m going to assume that you are either physically unable to leave your house, or you agree with what’s happening in this country.
• This may be your last chance to protest before the Constitution is declared null and void, and you lose your First Amendment rights of free speech, of freedom of religion, and — most importantly — the freedom to assemble.
• Visit no kings.org and find your local event, and just go. It costs nothing but a couple hours of your time. You don’t need to do anything other than show up.
• If you don’t give a shit about what I recommend, note that other people telling you to protest include Governor Gavin Newsom, Reps. Ted Lieu and Eric Swalwell, Secretary Hillary Clinton, and many, many more.
• I will be at my local event in front of city hall in Torrance, CA.
• Moving on…
• We have some good news/bad news when yesterday, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued a temporary restraining order directing Dickless Don to return control of the National Guard to California.
• The order, which was supposed to take effect at noon today, said the deployment of the Guard was illegal and both violated the Tenth Amendment and exceeded Dump’s statutory authority.
• Breyer said Dump overstepped his bounds in ordering the deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles after minor protests erupted over the immigration crackdown.
• I loved Breyer’s statement. “This country was founded in response to a monarch, and the Constitution is a document of limitations. I’m trying to figure out where the lines are drawn.”
• But then, not unsurprisingly, the White House appealed, and by late yesterday afternoon, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked Breyer’s order.
• The court will hold a hearing on the matter on June 17.
• So that’s still in flux. But anyone who understands the law knows that Dump is acting illegally by commandeering the National Guard in this set of circumstances.
• Now let’s move on to what might end up being the biggest story of them all.
• Israel attacked Iran’s capital early today, with explosions booming across Tehran. The attack comes as tensions have reached new heights over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. 
• As the explosions in Tehran started, Dumpy was on the lawn of the White House having a picnic. After hearing the news, he continued shaking hands and posing for pictures.
• The Israeli strikes killed three top Iranian military leaders and several other officials and nuclear scientists ahead of planned negotiations in Oman on Sunday.
• In retaliation, Iran launched 100 drones toward Israel, which it was working to intercept. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel had "prepared for itself a bitter, painful fate" and vowed a "harsh punishment."
• I don’t have to tell you the implications of what might transpire in this volatile situation. If Iran’s counterattacks on Israel are successful, the USA — as Israel’s main ally — would be compelled to join the fight.
• And then other countries would get involved. That’s a WWIII situation.
• Can we not do that? I have plans. Things to do. Music to record snd perform. Sex to have. Dogs to pet. Sunsets to see.
• Moving on.
• President TACO is starting to cave on immigration.
• And anyone with some small portion of a brain can see why.
• Yesterday morning, Dumples the Easily Manipulated Clown wrote, “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace. Changes are coming!”
• Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
• So obviously, his very wealthy pals who own hotel chains, or are in the cratering tourism business, or are his supporters in factory farms businesses, all let him know that literally no one except for immigrants can keep their businesses afloat.
• Duh.
• Let’s move on. 
• In the midst of the USA descending into fascist hell years day, the Republican-led House voted 214-212 to pass Dumpy's proposal to cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved federal funding.
• The “rescissions” package would claw back $8.3 billion for foreign aid and $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding to NPR and PBS.
• Four House Republicans — Reps. Mark Amodei (R-NV), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Mike Turner (R-OH) — voted with 208 Democrats to reject the measure. 
• Some GOP members flipped their votes from “no” to “yes” toward the end after realizing it wouldn’t pass otherwise.
• And, pissing me off, four Democrats and two Republicans missed the vote. There are also three Democratic-held seats that are currently vacant because of lawmaker deaths.
• They’re just getting started on this dismantling of America. Afterwards, House Speaker Mike Johnson stated, “There will be more of this in the days to come.”
• Let’s do a follow-up on immigration story.
• Yesterday, a federal judge in Massachusetts ordered Harvard medical researcher Kseniia Petrova released from custody as she faces charges related to the alleged smuggling of frog embryos.
• Petrova was detained by customs agents at Logan International Airport in Boston in February for allegedly trying to bring undeclared frog embryos into the U.S. as part of her research.
• Attorneys for Petrova said she has a strong case but has not yet decided whether she wants to remain in the U.S.
• I know I wouldn’t. Petrova is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday. In the four months she was detained, she was held in Vermont, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island.
• Moving on.
• While we spend tomorrow at one of over 2,000 “No Kings” activism events tomorrow, the wanna-be king in question is facing rain on his birthday parade.
• A sluggish front drifting southward toward D.C. could spark showers and thunderstorms that threaten to disrupt the celebrations.
• Lightning is perhaps the most concerning potential hazard, considering the large number of people who will be outside in open spaces and a considerable distance from shelter.
• Well, that’s a fucking shame, huh?
• And now, The Weather: “Afterlife” by Alex G
• A personal side note…
• Later today, I am attending my son’s graduation from college. He’s getting his degree in IT networking, and he did it during the pandemic… a time where it was difficult to even get the classes he needed, much less pass with honors.
• I’m very proud of him.
• Now let’s do a fucking chart so I don’t lose what’s left of my mind.
• It’s 57 years ago in mid-June 1968, and I am exactly negative one year old. Where am I?
• The world is angry while the Vietnam War rages and people demand their civil rights. Hmm.
• This is the top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at the time.
• 1. Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel). 2.  The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (Hugo Montenegro, His Orchestra And Chorus). 3. A Beautiful Morning (The Rascals). 4. Tighten Up (Archie Bell & The Drells). 5. Honey (Bobby Goldsboro). 6. Yummy Yummy Yummy (Ohio Express). 7. Mony Mony (Tommy James And The Shondells). 8. Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell). 9. Cowboys To Girls (The Intruders). 10. Do You Know The Way To San José (Dionne Warwick). 11. This Guy's In Love With You (Herb Alpert). 12. MacArthur Park (Richard Harris). 13. Think (Aretha Franklin). 14. Love Is All Around (The Troggs). 15. She's Lookin' Good (Wilson Pickett). 16. Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (Stevie Wonder). 17. Young Girl (The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett). 18. The Unicorn (The Irish Rovers). 19. Like To Get To Know You (Spanky And Our Gang). 20. I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) (The Temptations).
• From the Sports Desk… a thrilling Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals last night had the Oilers down 3-0 to the Panthers, only to come come back with a 5-4 overtime victory.
• The series is now knotted up at 2-2.
• Today in history… Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for priests and nuns (1525). Georgia provincial governor James Oglethorpe begins an unsuccessful attempt to take Spanish Florida during the Siege of St. Augustine (1740). Rhode Island becomes the first of Britain's North American colonies to ban the importation of slaves (1774). The American League of Colored Laborers, the first African American labor union in the United States, is established in New York City (1850). Twentieth opera of Giuseppe Verdi, ‘Les vêpres siciliennes’, is premiered in Paris (1855). A fire devastates much of Vancouver, British Columbia (1886). Germany launches the first V1 Flying Bomb attack on England, but only four of the eleven bombs strike their targets (1944). The United States Supreme Court rules in Miranda v. Arizona that the police must inform suspects of their Fifth Amendment rights before questioning them (1966). Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey and Bill Russell play together as an infield for the first time, going on to set the record of staying together for 8-1/2 years (1973). Pioneer 10 becomes the first man-made object to leave the central Solar System when it passes beyond the orbit of Neptune (1983). A jury in Anchorage, Alaska, blames recklessness by Exxon and Captain Joseph Hazelwood for the Exxon Valdez disaster, allowing victims of the oil spill to seek $15 billion in damages (1994). The United States withdraws from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (2002). The jury acquits pop singer Michael Jackson of his charges for allegedly sexually molesting a child in 1993 (2005). Volkswagen is fined one billion euros over the emissions scandal (2018). 
• June 13 is the birthday of Holy Roman Emperor Charles the Bald (823), Holy Roman Emperor Charles the Fat (839), physicist James Clerk Maxwell (1831), poet W. B. Yeats (1865), actor Basil Rathbone (1892), composer Carlos Chávez (1899), actor Paul Lynde (1926), sculptor Christo (1935), actor Malcolm McDowell (1943), guitarist Howard Leese (1951), actor Tim Allen (1953), actress Ally Sheedy (1962), singer-songwriter/guitarist Rivers Cuomo (1970), actor Chris Evans (1981), actress/businesswoman Ashley Olsen (1986), actress/businesswoman Mary-Kate Olsen (1986), and actress Kat Dennings (1986).

So, look… I know what you’re thinking. The USA is falling into an authoritarian fascist dictatorship. WWIII might be just around the corner. Seems like everything is falling apart, and you instinctually want to go hide somewhere. But guess what? You’re going to instead stand tall and proud, and you’re not going to capitulate to the people who want you scared and compliant. As you reach the end of your life — which is hopefully a long way away — you will never regret having tried to make things better. But you will regret sitting back and doing nothing when bullies attack you and your friends and families. Stand up and punch them right in the fucking beak. I will see you tomorrow — in person or in spirit — at the No Kings day of defiance. We got this., Those fucking pieces of shit will not defeat us. I love you all. Enjoy your day!