NATIONAL HAPPY HOUR DAY UPDATES

If It's Five O'Clock Somewhere, It's Five O'Clock EVERYwhere!

-As the rest of the world observed Veteran's Day/Armistice Day with ceremonies at national cemeteries, wearing poppies, and moments of silence before the National Anthems, Ex-President Trump went ... in a different direction. In a social media post, and followed up in a speech in New Hampshire, the overwhelming favorite to win the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination promised to "honor" veterans by "root(ing) out the Communists, Marxists, Fascists, and Radical Left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our Country." The reference to vermin is a direct reference to Nazi language - indeed, Trump hero Adolph Hitler (multiple reports note Trump had a copy of MEIN KAMPF in his night stand) used that same word in reference to Jews. The language follows up a New York Times story that reported a second Trump Presidency would include mass deportations and detention camps, and an interview in which Trump promised that he would “go after” political opponents and prosecute them (because that’s what he thinks is happening with him).

-In case you're worried about President Biden's age or anything ...

-Now, to be fair, ALSO in that NH speech Trump, while continuing to attack Biden on Biden's alleged cognitive declines, appeared to model such cognitive decline himself - most notably in a passage in which, while praising the authoritarianism of Hungarian President and UltraMAGA hero Viktor Orban, claimed Orban was asked "What would you advise President Obama? ... It's very simple. (Orban) said he (Obama, according to Trump) should immediately resign and be replaced by President Trump, who kept the world safe." So much wrong there, from AGAIN mixing up the man who beat Trump in 2020 who is the current President with Barack Obama (who is not) to the notion that the man who arguably did more to spread COVID-19 than any other individual in the world "kept the world safe."

-Meanwhile, back in the States, we are back on Government Shutdown Watch, as the UltraMAGA House got word from newly anointed leader Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Jay-EE-Zus!, LA) that Johnson wants a 'two-tiered' set of legislation to keep the government open: a continuing resolution that would fund departments like defense until January 19 and a second "CR" that would fund the rest of the government until February 3, 2024. (Neither bill would include supplemental spending for Israel, Ukraine (SLAVA UKRAINI!), or border security.) Initial reactions to Johnson’s proposal included several UltraMAGAts, among them leader Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Z-Q-R, GA), declaring full opposition to the plan, as well as skepticism from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

-Since Johnson recessed the House for the weekend so he could speak at a far-right political conference in Paris and the rest of the House returning on Tuesday, it will give them until Friday to attempt to keep the government open and Social Security payments moving as the holiday season beckons. Gird your loins ...

-In an interview on MEET THE PRESS this morning, Israeli President Netanyahu said he would be 'open' to allowing some hours in a day to attempt to negotiate hostage releases while Israeli bombardment of Gaza City continues in their war against HAMAS. Two hospitals in the city are now out of power or nearly out of power, and negotiations to get humanitarian aid and allow babies to be taken from the facilities (which are believed to contain HAMAS weapons caches and hideaways for HAMAS leaders as well as hostages) is also under negotiation. Netanyahu is coming under increased pressure by world leaders as Israeli attacks continue to kill innocent Palestinian citizens as well as HAMAS terrorists and sympathizers, and a plan to occupy Gaza post-war is being severely criticized by the White House.

-Remember last Tuesday when the state of Ohio resoundingly voted to enshrine abortion rights into their state Constitution after first beating back a GOP effort in the state to change the rules about how to change the state's constitution? Well, seems the GOP in the Buckeye State aren't done letting go of their desire to rule over women's bodies. GOP officials in Ohio's General Assembly on Friday, claiming "foreign election interference" in the Tuesday vote, are now arguing that the language of the amendment is "dangerously vague and unconstrained" - and that a law must therefore be passed that would prevent the Ohio Supreme Court from enforcing the new amendment because of its "vagueness," effectively neutering the amendment and enshrining the current six-week abortion ban over the decisive vote of the state of Ohio. Legal experts believe most of this is posturing, as the State House will not be able to pass any kind of bill before the Amendment is in force in early December - though it continues a trend by Republicans that most want their Party to continue to push for a total abortion ban despite now conclusive evidence that the issue is a driving force behind Democratic wins, especially in deep red states.

-Shall we end with fun celebrity romance news? We shall, and you probably have already guessed which celebrity romance news we'll end with - and for that, we go to Argentina and the hottest video social media clip of the last 24 hours (even beating Trump's latest Biden/Obama gaffe): Taylor Swift, on her Eras Tour in Buenos Aires, tweaking her hit "Karma" to sing "Karma is the guy on the Chiefs/Coming straight home to me!" while her boyfriend - YEAH I SAID IT! - Travis Kelce got nudged playfully by his dad - HIS DAD!!! - as she sang it, then ending it with her going over to him and giving him a nice long smooch. (I really don't think it's a work, y'all!)

-On this date in 1859, the first flying trapeze act without a net was performed - and performed by a man wearing an unique one-piece garment that forever bears his name: Jules Leotard. On this date in 1892, William "Pudge" Heffelfinger was paid $500 to play for a football club in Pittsburgh, thus making him the first professional football player. On this date in 1931, Abbey Road studios opened. On this date in 1954, Ellis Island closed as an immigrant processing center. On this date in 1980, the Voyager 1 probe reached Saturn. And on this date in 2021, Britney Spears was freed from her father's financial conservatorship.

-Happy Birthday to Jacques Charles, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Auguste Rodin, Harry Blackmun, Kim Hunter, Grace Kelly, Mills Lane, Wallace Shawn, Al Michaels, Booker T. Jones, Neil Young, Tracy Kidder, Buck Dharma, Megan Mullally, Nadia Comaneci, Naomi Wolf, Vic Chestnutt, Kathleen Hanna, Ryan Gosling, Anne Hathaway, and Russell Westbrook.

-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to William Holden, Eve Arden, Charles "Honi" Coles, Wilma Rudolph, Kenny Kirkland, Penny Singleton, Ira Levin, Mitch Mitchell, Liz Smith, David Pearson, and Stan Lee.

-Feed the Worms: Conservative political funder and crappy beer brewer Joseph Coors and all-time Infamy Hall of Scum member Charles Manson entered Earth on this date.

-Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen, steroid freak Sammy Sosa, and Tonya Harding were born on this date. You decide if they get Happy Birthdays or if they Feeds the Worms.

-The Number One Song In America On This Date ... in 2023, "Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault] by (who else?) Taylor Swift ... in 2013, "Royals" by Lorde ... in 2003, "Baby Boy" by Beyonce featuring Sean Paul ... in 1993, "I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meat Loaf ... in 1983, "All Night Long" by Lionel Richie ... and in 1973, "Keep On Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks.