Today is Monday, October 28, 2024.
It is the 302nd day of the year.
64 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
ELON MUSK makes a bold prediction and DELTA drops a long-awaited lawsuit. Details in HIT LIST.
More bad news for DIDDY and SNOOP DOGG jumps on a party bus. More in SHOWBIZ.
SAG-AFTRA continues discussions with video game companies. Details in CASTING CALL.
KIM reacts to the MENENDEZ BROTHERS’ news in KARDASH.
One royal observer suggests the end is near for the House of Sussex. Details in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
THERE ARE 8 DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY and here is the state of the race:
– KAMALA HARRIS supporters in Houston were disappointed Friday night when BEYONCE spoke at a rally but never performed. Multiple news outlets had reported the Texas native would indeed sing.
YOU MAY RECALL: DNC organizers leaked that Beyonce would be a surprise performing guest at the convention earlier this year to prop up viewership of Harris’ keynote address, but Bey never showed.
After Saturday rallies in Michigan, Harris and Michigan Governor GRETCHEN WHITMER sat down for a pint, which felt very familiar.
– At a competing Michigan rally over the weekend, DONALD TRUMP received the endorsement of Muslim community leaders. On Sunday, he held a massive rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
– Trump and JOE ROGAN recorded a three hour podcast Friday afternoon that was released hours later. Topics included Trump’s ear scar from the first assassination attempt, whale psychiatry, and his tax and tariff plan in a second administration. On YouTube alone the interview surpassed 30 MILLION views on Sunday.
– The Washington Post announced Friday it would not publish an endorsement this year, at the direction of owner JEFF BEZOS.
ALSO: The daughter of the owner of the L.A. Times said the paper withheld an endorsement this year because Harris isn’t progressive enough on the war in Gaza. In a statement to the New York Times, NIKA SOON-SHIONG says, “the endorsement was an opportunity to repudiate justifications for the widespread targeting of journalists and ongoing war on children,” as related to the war in Gaza. She also falsely accused Israel of genocide paid for by the United States.
– Axios reports that the Harris camp has ignored JOE BIDEN’s team to book him on the campaign trail with her. He’s instead doing a Pittsburgh campaign event this week entirely on his own, which reportedly took the Harris team by surprise.
– In a story not getting nearly enough attention, Chinese hackers gained access to phones used by Trump and JD VANCE. So far no info on what, if any, data was taken.
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ELON MUSK said over the weekend he expects SPACEX to begin sending its massive Starship rockets to Mars in two years, when the “transit window” providing the most efficient distance reopens.
Musk says these initial launches will not have a human crew, but if “the first wave does not increment the crater count on Mars,” human crews will follow 26 months later, some time in late 2028/2029 — suggesting humanity will step foot on the Red Planet before the end of the decade. [via Elon Musk]
MEANWHILE, AT BOEING: Following a streak of recent bad incidents for BOEING — including the disastrous Starliner crew capsule that has left two astronauts stranded for months aboard the I.S.S. and the unexplained explosion of a satellite in orbit — the aviation company is looking to sell off its entire space business.
WORTH NOTING: Before SpaceX’s recent string of successes, including development of reusable rocket technology, Boeing was a primary contractor for NASA, but moved slowly and inefficiently while gorging on government contracts but not delivering on milestones at the same pace.
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The long-anticipated lawsuit from DELTA Airlines against IT company CROWDSTRIKE dropped on Friday.
The suit follows a massive July outage that crippled the airline’s internal systems for days. Delta seeks to recoup the half a BILLION dollars in claims it lost plus punitive damages and legal costs. It also accuses Crowdstrike of failing to properly test the update before making it live.
Previously, Crowdstrike has said its liability is limited to less than $10 MILLION, as laid out in their service contract. [via ABC News]
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An employee at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden had his thumb amputated on Friday after a bonobo monkey partially bit it off.
The worker was feeding and giving medicine to the primate when it chomped through a protective mesh barrier he was wearing.
Reps for the zoo say the incident happened behind the scenes and no visitors witnessed the fiasco. The bonobos exhibit reopened by Saturday. [via NBC News]
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In an effort to make their tiny town appear more populous, residents of Ichinono, Japan have stitched together their own population of puppets.
Some of the life-size, hand-stitched dolls are propped up on swings, while others push firewood carts, and ride bikes or scooters around town. There are even some positioned outside of homes and in windows, greeting people with their eerie looking smiles.
Fewer than 60 people live in Ichinono, with most being past retirement age, as younger generations were urged to move elsewhere for education and jobs.
The youngest resident (and only child) is a 2-year-old boy, who was the town’s first birth in two decades when he arrived. [via The Guardian]
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DEATHS
Rocker PHIL LESH has died.
He passed away Friday morning, according to a post on his official Instagram account.
Lesh was a bassist and founding member of the GRATEFUL DEAD.
He was 84.
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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
10. Transformers One: $720k (down from 8)
9. Piece by Piece: $721k (down from 7)
8. Anora: $867k (up from 18)
7. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: $3.2 million (down from 4)
6. Terrifier 3: $4.7 million (down from 3)
5. We Live in Time: $4.8 million (stayed at 5)
4. Conclave: $6.5 million (new)
3. The Wild Robot: $6.5 million (down from 2)
2. Smile 2: $9.4 million (down from 1)
1. Venom: The Last Dance: $51 million (new)
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 259 points (0.61%) to close at 42,114 on Friday. The S&P was mostly flat at 5,808 and the NASDAQ gained 103 points (0.56%) to close at 18,518.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $71 on Friday; BRENT CRUDE at $75.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.13 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN was trading around $67,700 on Sunday evening.
🛩 There were more than 2,700 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and more than 50 such cancellations.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $250 million jackpot or a $117.3 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $28 million jackpot or a $13.4 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
A Staten Island resident named Miles Mitchell won Sunday’s inaugural TIMOTHEE CHALAMET lookalike contest in Manhattan, taking home $50 in cash and a trophy.
The “Dune” star made an appearance at the event, which was busted by officers for being an unlawful gathering without a permit.
Hundreds of people attended the contest; no word on how many lookalikes there were. [via NY Post]
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Judge Arun Subramanian rejected SEAN COMBS’ attorneys’ request to prevent government officials from leaking information to the media as he remains behind bars.
In his ruling, the New York-based judge insisted that federal agents, investigators and Combs’ team must follow the laws forbidding them from leaking grand jury proceedings that can interfere with a fair trial.
“The Court will take appropriate action for any violation of the rules,” Subramanian added.
The ruling comes after Combs’ attorneys accused the feds of leaking security footage of him abusing ex-girlfriend CASSIE in an effort to “mortally wound the reputation and the prospect of [Combs] successfully defending himself against these allegations.” [via USA Today]
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Actor ZACHERY TY BRYAN was arrested on Friday for DUI and driving without a license in Oklahoma.
Officers first approached the “Home Improvement” star while he was allegedly asleep in the back of his vehicle. After a brief conversation, they left, only to then pull him over soon after he decided to drive off.
During the traffic stop, Bryan told officers that he had “too much” to drink the night before and was “running from California” because he “hates that place.”
After failing several sobriety tests, he was arrested.
FOR THE RECORD: In 2020, Bryan was charged with two counts of menacing, two counts of assault in the fourth degree, coercion, felony strangulation, harassment and interfering with making a report after an altercation with his then-girlfriend. Earlier this year, he was arrested for suspected DUI in California -- one of many such arrests. [via Page Six]
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MATTHEW PERRY’s Los Angeles mansion has been purchased by movie producer and Arizona-based real estate developer Anita Verma-Lallian for $8.55 million.
The four-bedroom, mid-century modern property will be used as a vacation home, according to insiders.
Perry, who was found dead in the hot tub of the home, purchased the abode in 2020. [via L.A. Times]
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ONE DIRECTION fans want a memorial erected in honor of LIAM PAYNE in his home city of Wolverhampton.
More than 2,600 fans have signed a petition begging the local council to consider a permanent monument, touching on how his “recent passing” has “touched the hearts of many.”
Elsewhere, a petition calling for “Liam’s Law” received over 110,000 signatures, leading to a planned discussion in parliament. The law would aim to protect the mental health of young pop stars, including regular check-ups and adequate rest periods. [via Daily Mail]
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In the middle of her performance Saturday, ADELE spotted one of her musical idols, CELINE DION.
In fan captured footage, Adele halted her performance to go out into the crowd and embrace Dion. Both women appeared to get emotional during the interaction, wiping tears from their eyes.
Once back on stage, Adele called for a standing ovation for Dion, whom she called “one of my favorite people of all time.” [via EW]
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The NFL will not fine BAKER MAYFIELD for using Zyn, a smoke-free nicotine pouch, during last week’s game against the Ravens.
The league did send him a letter, however, “reminding him that he should not be using the product on the sideline,” with a reminder that future use could result in a fine, per the league’s policy against tobacco products on the field. [via ESPN]
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SNOOP DOGG crashed a random bus party over the weekend, shocking those on board.
After picking their jaws off the floor, partygoers blasted his hit song “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang,” which Snoop danced to while lighting up a blunt.
Snoop posted the stunt on X, along with the caption, “To whoever party bus I just crashed…hope yall enjoyed.” [via X]
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CASTING CALL
The strike against major video game publishers continues, after three days of scheduled talks failed to resolve the ongoing dispute over the Interactive Media Agreement.
According to a statement from SAG-AFTRA, the new dates for returning to the table with the video game companies’ bargaining committee will be announced soon.
The ongoing strike, which began in July, is over the use of generative A.I. in games, particularly in regard to motion and performance capture. [via Variety]
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Actress SUSAN OLSEN says she believes her political stance is why CBS canceled the reboot of her former show, “The Brady Bunch.”
“Things were looking good,” she explained, but then her agent called and said, “Well, the network has a problem with you.” Apparently an old homophobic comment she made in 2016 resurfaced, causing an issue with producers.
Olsen called the claim “fake news,” saying she has “been an ally to the gay community since way before it was cool.” [via Decider]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KIM KARDASHIAN spoke out in response to ERIK and LYLE MENENDEZ’s resentencing news, calling the decision a “second chance at life” for the brothers.
“They could be released in as early as 6 months,” she added, while thanking D.A. GEORGE GASCON for revisiting the case.
Kim met with the brothers in September, along with her mom and sister KHLOE. [via EW]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Royal observer Hugo Vikers tells “The Sun” he expects MEGHAN MARKLE to leave PRINCE HARRY at some point – just because leaving behind close people follows a common pattern in her life. Over the last six years of their marriage, Markle has ostracized close friends and even family.
The couple haven’t been seen publicly in weeks, especially as Harry tends to his own causes abroad.
"I hate to say it but her form is that she dumped her father, she dumped her first husband, she dumped her Canadian chef lover … She then dumped the dumped the entire British Royal family,” Vickers says. [via The Sun]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Chocolate Day
National Immigrants Day
International Animation Day
National First Responders Day
Wild Foods Day
Plush Animal Lover’s Day
Chucks-N-Pearls Day
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ON THIS DATE
1775 - British General George Howe locks down the city of Boston.
No citizens were allowed outside its boundaries and the men were ordered to form militias to fight in the name of the Crown against insurrection.
Boston remained occupied until March 27 of the following year, when an army led by George Washington, chased out the Brits.
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1886 - Grover Cleveland dedicates the Statue of Liberty, which had recently been delivered to New York Harbor.
It had been finished two years earlier in France.
In July of that year, the first stones were laid for the statue's pedestal. It was delivered in June 1885 in more than 200 crates. The copper sheets were slowly put together - finally finished on this date in 1886.
In 1924, the Statue of Liberty would become a national monument.
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1919 - Congress overrides President Wilson's veto of the Volstead Act. It was designed to enforce the provisions of the 18th Amendment, effectively enforcing Prohibition.
The amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transport of booze, but not its possession.
These laws endured 14 years. During that time, organized crime flourished while building large distribution networks for alcohol.
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1922 - The first nationwide radio broadcast of a college football game is played on the radio.
Princeton and the University of Chicago squared off at Stagg Field in Chicago -- Princeton won. Listeners heard a re-enacted broadcast, based on the reporting of a reporter at the stadium, who was wiring in the events.
The first live broadcast with announcers at the game would be in 1924 -- with Michigan taking on Wisconsin at Ferry Field.
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1967 - Construction ends on the St. Louis Arch, officially called the Gateway Arch, and the marker for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.
The 630-foot steel parabola was designed by Finnish designer Eero Saarinen. Its location marks the beginning of President Jefferson's expansion initiatives. St. Louis was a key trade point for settlers and explorers headed westward.
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2005 - Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff Scooter Libby is indicted for obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements to a grand jury and federal investigators, in relation to the Valerie Plame scandal.
He would resign soon after.
Libby's trial began in January of the following year, with his conviction coming that following March. He would receive 30 months in prison, a $250,000 fine and a two-year probation after his release.
President Bush would later commute the sentence, but the felony conviction remained, along with the fine and probationary period.
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2015 - The Kansas City Royals beat the New York Mets 5-4 in the longest ever first game of the World Series.
The game went 14 innings that lasted five hours and nine minutes.
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2020 - Global COVID-19 cases record a one-day increase of more than 500,000 for the first time.
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BIRTHDAYS
Stephen Nedoroscik - gymnast - 26
Nolan Gould - actor, “Modern Family” - 26
Joy-Anna Duggar - reality star, “19 Kids and Counting” - 27
Wyatt Shears - punk singer, The Garden - 31
Frank Ocean - pop singer - 37
Troian Bellisario - actress, “Pretty Little Liars” - 39
Finn Wittrock - actor, “All My Children” - 40
Matt Smith - actor, “The Crown” - 42
Gwendoline Christie - actress, “Game of Thrones” & “Wednesday” - 46
Joaquin Phoenix - actor, “Joker” & “Gladiator” - 50
Terrell Davis - football player - 52
Brad Paisley - country singer - 52
Ernie Mills - football player - 56
Julia Roberts - actress, “Pretty Woman” & “Erin Brockovich” - 57
Andy Richter - TV show host, “Conan O’Brien” - 58
Bill Gates - co-founder of Microsoft - 69
Annie Potts - actress, “Ghostbusters” & “Young Sheldon” - 72
Caitlyn Jenner - reality star - 75
Lenny Wilkens - basketball player & head coach - 87
Bernie Ecclestone - motorsports impresario, Formula One Group - 94
Born On This Date
Jonas Salk - created the Polio vaccine - 1914 (d. 1995)
John Laurens - Revolutionary War hero - 1754 (d. 1782)
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