MAGIC DAY AND NATIONAL DOORBELL DAY UPDATES
So Appropriate, Right?!
-As Israeli tanks begin moving into Gaza City and Benjamin Netanyahu rejects calls (from President Biden among others) to withhold his attacks while fending off louder calls for his resignation for allowing the Hamas terrorist attacks to occur, worldwide tensions pivoting off the events of the last few weeks continue to build. It would take multiple updates to catalog the incidents of anti-Semitism and attacks on all Palestinians (from airports to the halls of Congress, with American college campuses a particular focus), but suffice it to say one thing that is clearly happening is that many people are conflating fears and outrage over the human cost of the action on both sides with the complex politics of the Middle East and claims both legitimate and illegitimate of defending bad parties on each side, resulting in a toxic mix of anger and hopelessness.
-When, for example, gun control advocate Fred Guttenberg is attacked after an appearance on a radio talk show to discuss the Maine mass killing because he did not mention any Palestinian deaths - therefore concluding that Guttenberg is somehow pro-killing-of-Palestinians - it becomes virtually impossible to try to discuss the surrounding issues without expecting an immediate attack for trying to do so.
-If you want my view, I adopt the view of The Rude Pundit: "I'm just opposed to slaughter. Is that not allowed?"
-Continuing ...
The question of Israeli (and Ukrainian) aid (SLAVA UKRAINI!) has turned into the first test and self-created conflict for new House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Jay-EE-zuz!, LA). Johnson first "drew a line in the sand" with the White House and Senate (including Mitch McConnell) for his insistence on breaking up aid between the two countries, then drew further (and apparent bipartisan) criticism for support of giving Israel $14.3 billion of support - but doing so by zeroing out monies earmarked for tax collection and enforcement to the IRS. The move was labelled "a non-starter" by the White House, and even criticized by some on his side of the aisle for mixing UltraMAGA domestic political goals with what is normally non-partisan foreign policy legislation. The ability of the once-obscure Johnson to shepherd his fractious four-vote majority and also working with the other half of Congress and the legislative branch is going to be on display - or not - quickly ...
-While on a 'campaign event' on Monday, Ex-President Trump XCI gave a shout-out to the good people of Sioux Falls, SD. That would not have raised too many eyebrows except for the fact that the MC of the event had to walk up to Trump and tell him that Trump was in Sioux City, IA - a note that genuinely surprised Trump. The incident was so noteworthy, in fact, that it prompted the New York Times to note that Trump, 77, has made a number of such confusing statements in his recent appearances - including insisting he beat Barack Obama in 2016, calling Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban the ruler of Turkey, and marveling at discovering for the first time in human history that the first two letters of the name of this country form the word "US!" - and that maybe, juuuuuuuuust maybe, all the attacks on President Biden's age might instead need to be made on the overwhelming favorite of the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination. Further word will wait for further stories on Trump's mental state.
-That mental state does not seem to be doing well as of last night. After Judge Tanya Chutkan re-installed the gag order she imposed on him on Sunday evening (it was lifted pending a fuller review of the first request by Special Prosecutor Jack Smith), Trump unleased a series of what by many observers seemed like a total stomping of every gag order imposed on him. Among the posts were direct attacks on potential witness Bill Barr, continued attacks on NY Attorney General Tish James and Fulton County DA Fani Willis, continued insistence that all the cases against him were being manipulated and ordered by the aforementioned senile mastermind Joe Biden (the NY case was started while Trump was President), and continued apparent insistence that the act of running for President is protected absolutely by the Constitution (uh ... no). Whether any of this will result in something any other defendant would have gotten - like a real gag order and jail time for flagrantly ignoring said orders - will remain to be seen.
-We'll end a note of hope and celebrity trivia. The note of hope: reports from SAG-AFTRA seem hopeful that their strike against Hollywood producers may be getting closer to conclusion with tentatively positive reports on negotiations. With the UAW strikes over, that remains the highest-profile strike still in place.
-The trivia: congratulations (as if they need them) to Magic Johnson and Taylor Swift, who both have been named billionaires in the last week - trivia in that Johnson is the fourth athlete to become a billionaire (the other three: LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Tiger Woods) while Swift is the fourth musician (the other three: Jimmy Buffett, Jay-Z, and Rihanna) to become a billionaire - though in her case she became a billionaire solely from her music (the others did so from other investments and 'side hustles,' shall we say). Lucky guy, that Travis Kelse ...
-On this date in 1517, Martin Luther posted his "Ninety-Five Theses" on a church door in Germany, starting the Protestant Reformation. On this date in 1922, Benito Mussolini assumed power in Italy. On this date in 1968, Lyndon Johnson ordered an end to the bombing in Vietnam on the eve of that year's Presidential election. Debuts on this date: THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (1892), Mount Rushmore (1941), WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962). And on this date in 2011, Earth hit a population of 7 billion people.
-Happy Birthday to Jan Vermeer, John Keats, Juliette Gordon Low, Chiang Kai-shek, Ethel Waters, Cal Hubbard, Dale Evans, Ken Keltner, Illinois Jacquet, Barbara Bel Geddes, Lee Grant, Michael Collins, Dan Rather, Donald Pritzker, Eric Nesterenko, Michael Landon, Dave McNally, David Ogden Stiers, Brian Piccolo, Brian Doyle-Murray, Stephen Rea, Deidre Hall, Frank Shorter, Jane Pauley, John Candy, Nick Saban, Ken Wahl, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Larry Mullen Jr., Peter Jackson, Dermot Mulroney, Fred McGriff, Johnny Marr, Adam "Ad Rock" Horovitz, Annabella Lwin, Adam Schlesinger, Steve Trachsel, Leticia Wright, Marcus Rashford, and Willow Smith. (Wowzers!)
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Harry Houdini, George Halas, Indira Gandhi, Joseph Campbell, John Houseman, Joseph Papp, Federico Fellini, River Phoenix, Ring Lardner Jr., Studs Terkel, Maurice Lucas, Willie McCovey, MF Doom, and Sean Connery.
-Feed the Worms: British ultra-sexual predator Jimmy Savile and profoundly unfunny one-time SNL cast member Rob Schneider entered Earth on this date. Former Apartheid South African leader P.W. Botha bought it on this date.
-Christopher Columbus and Vanilla Ice were born on this date. You decide if they get Happy Birthdays or if they Feed the Worms.
-The Number One Movie in America on this date ... in 2023, FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S ... in 2013, BAD GRANDPA ... in 2003, SCARY MOVIE 3 ... in 1993, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS ... in 1983, NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN ... and in 1973, BILLY JACK.