INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MASTERING CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER UPDATES

A Longish Update After A Busy Weekend

-Speculation continues that Fox Corporation and Dominion Voting Systems are attempting to negotiate a settlement, with the defamation trial Dominion brought forward having been delayed by one day to theoretically cut a deal. The suit, which has already brought out internal memos, emails and voice recordings revealing Fox executives and hosts clearly knew their claims that Dominion voting machines were falsely tallying votes for Joe Biden instead of Ex-President Trump (they were now) while also showing many of the hosts openly disdain and hate Trump and their own viewers, could expose Fox to damages well beyond the $1.6 billion in direct damages Dominion is demanding.

-And as other commentators have noted, even if Fox does settle (remember, as a publicly traded corporation Dominion does have a duty to listen to such offers) there is a second lawsuit from a second voting machine company, Smartmatic, that could prove even more expensive and damaging - and Dominion has already shared much of its evidence to Smartmatic for their case. So, Fox is still deep in it no matter what happens. (Sad!)

-The motive for the 21-year-old Air Force National Guardsman charged with revealing classified information on the war in Ukraine (SLAVA UKRAINI!) appears to be nothing more than a desire for the man to impress his online gamer friends (albeit friends who apparently also have anti-Semitic and racist views, at least according to their posts). Nonetheless, the posts have been touted as bold truth-telling by pro-Putin GOP thought leaders, including Fox host Tucker Carlson and UltraMAGA GOP House Leader Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Z-Q-R, GA), who are attempting to elevate the man and his views as heroic.

-Intelligence experts note, by the way, that the information exposed were not super-top-secret (like many of the documents that are likely still in the likely-illegal possession of Ex-President Trump), but that there may now be issues with governments simply worried the U.S. can hold secrets. (Not to mention why 21-year-old reservists even have access to such information.)

-In would-be GOP Presidential Election News, two Governors who may think they see a potential opportunity to run in 2024 despite Trump reporting $12M raised since his indictments are attempting to show GOP primary voters how more-than-Trump they could be. In FL, erstwhile and perhaps once-but-not-now front runner Ron DeSantis ignored flooding in Ft. Lauderdale to sign a six-week abortion ban into law at 11 pm last Thursday before flying off to unofficial campaign events in the Midwest. Apparently not to be outdone, TX Gov. Greg Abbott (corrected!) is promising to pardon a man who was convicted of murdering a Black Lives Matter protestor in 2020 (and who, surprise surprise, has social media accounts full of racist diatribes) if the Parole Board - made of people he himself appointed - 'suggests' such a course of action. Abbott is plotting this because he is contemplating a run himself. All while Trump continues to be leading polls for the nomination ...

-Speaking of clown shows, a hearing will be held in New York today by the House Judiciary Committee to "highlight" what Judicial Chair Jim "Gym" Jordan claims is Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg's wasteful prosecution of Trump instead of the "epidemic" of crime in New York. Democrats on the Committee are reportedly plotting turning tables on Jordan by demanding he answer questions ranging from why he is not looking into his home town of Mansfield, OH, which has a crime rate four times as high as New York City, or why Jordan helped cover up the sexual assaults of over 100 Ohio State University wrestlers by the team doctor while Jordan was a coach there. Could be interesting ...

-In schadenfreude-in-extremist news, the move by the TN Republican Party to expel two young House members - both black men - for daring to break rules to demand action on gun violence continues to backfire spectacularly, particularly with TN House Speaker Cameron Sexton. Sexton, who was the mastermind behind the now-failed expulsions of Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, has been exposed as having purchased a $600,000 home in a district he does not represent while claiming he did live in that district, has been shown that he has not paid property taxes on the home, may be involved in a separate scandal involving per diem meal and travel expenses he never designated for expenses, and apparently having an affair with a lobbyist. Rumblings in his district to demand Sexton's resignation have begun.

-To end on a note of history, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA closed in New York yesterday, ending the longest run of a show ever on Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Weber's adaptation of the Gaston Leroux novel ran for 13,981 performances, opening on January 26, 1988, only closing after tickets post-COVID slowed down. Lloyd Webber attended the show last night along with original cast member Sarah Brightman and Broadway luminaries including Glenn Close and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

-On this date in 1961, Fidel Castro repelled an attempt by exiles to remove him from office in a battle at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. On this date in 1964, Ford debuted the Mustang. On this date in 1970, the Apollo 13 crew splashed down, successfully returning to Earth after fuel cells were destroyed while in flight to the moon. And on this date in 2011, GAME OF THRONES premiered on HBO.

-Happy Birthday to Cap Anson, Isak Dinesen, Senor Wences, Thornton Wilder, William Holden, Harry Reasoner, Don Kirshner, Daffy Duck, Jan Hammer, Michael Sembello, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Pete Shelley, Dwayne Casey, Nick Hornby, Boomer Esiason, Joel Murray, Maynard James Keenan, Liz Phair, Adam McKay, Jennifer Garner, Victoria Beckham, and Rooney Mara.

-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Benjamin Franklin, Eddie Cochran, Frank McGee, Dick Shawn, Louise Nevelson, Ralph David Abernathy, Linda McCartney, John Paul Getty Jr., Kitty Carlisle, Danny Federici, Michael Sarrazin, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Doris Roberts, and Barbara Bush.

-The world's first mega-banker, J.P. Morgan, entered Earth on this date. You decide if he gets a Happy Birthday or if he Feeds the Worms.