Discover more from Morning Martini
10/7/2022: Biden Family Crime Syndicate Strikes Again
PLUS: Peloton Layoffs; “Scrubs” Producer Charged; and Tucker Chats With Ye
Today is Friday, October 7, 2022.
It is the 280th day of the year.
85 days remain.
PROGRAMMING NOTE
There will be no daily newsletter next week, October 10-14. Writing will resume for Monday, October 17.
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TRENDING
#MadeByGoogle landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends on Thursday following the release of new phones, tablets and watches.
RIP Bernie was trending as fans of the late actor-comedian Bernie Mac remembered him on what would have been his 65th birthday.
#LegalizeIt was trending after Biden pardoned marijuana offenses. More in The Swamp.
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HIT LIST
Remember when Peloton’s head said even though the company lost billions of dollars it was headed in the right direction?
Turns out that’s not a sustainable outlook. Now, BARRY MCCARTHY – the CEO – tells the Wall Street Journal the company has six months to turn things around or it’s kaput. He also said the company is bracing for another round of layoffs that will affect 500 employees, or about 12% of its workforce before year’s end.
FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH: He also tells WSJ, “I can see in the numbers the business starting to change course—which is part of what gives me confidence when I say that I think this is the last step in the process.”
MEANWHILE: Amazon says it’s hiring 150,000 seasonal staff to support demand this holiday shopping season. While analysts predict the slow economy will suppress sales, it’s the same number of additional staff they hired last year.
WORTH NOTING: Amazon might experience an uptick in business as people turn to reliable free shipping and buy more, cheaper things.
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New York City was one of the longest covid restriction holdouts in the world, and the policies have destroyed its once robust real estate market.
To make things worth, the looney toons working there are some of the last to embrace actually going back to their desks and offices.
Bloomberg estimates this personnel crunch has wiped out $453 BILLION in valuation of real estate holdings. Once the premier place to do business, remote work threatens that greatly. Data show that about half of workers are back to in-person, and the overall office vacancy rate is double what it was pre-pandemic.
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Vatican Police detained an American tourist who got so mad when he was told he couldn’t see the Pope that he smashed two marble statues.
The only details on the perp is that he’s from the US and in his 50s. At first he knocked over one marble bust, and when he tried to flee, he stumbled into another one.
Fortunately, Vatican reps say the damage is fixable.
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Annie Ernaux has earned this year’s Nobel Prize in literature.
The committee calls her, “an extremely honest writer who is not afraid to confront the hard truths.” Ernaux has written on controversial topics like promiscuity and abortion.
She’s taking home 10 million Swedish kronor for the effort – worth about $900,000.
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It’s hard to make your day worse after getting into a car crash — unless the accident exposes the $2.7 million in meth you had stashed in the wrecked vehicle.
Police outside Fort Worth, Texas, seized the drug stash while investigating the accident. In total, an astonishing 60 pounds of meth was rounded up.
No word yet on who was involved in the collision or the other circumstances.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The Dow lost 347 points (1.15%) Thursday, to close at 29,926. The S&P dropped 39 points (1.02%) to close at 3,744 and the Nasdaq lost 75 points (0.68%) to close at 11,073.
🛢 West Texas Intermediate ticked up to $88 on Thursday. Brent Crude closed at $94.85.
⛽ The national average price of a gallon of gas was $3.87 on Thursday.
₿ Bitcoin sunk Thursday, losing more than $216 (1.07%) and trading around $19,944.
🛩 There were 2,212 flights delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Thursday and 140 such cancellations.
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CHARTS
New To Amazon Prime:
Catherine Called Birdy (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%)
New to Disney+:
Drumline (Score: 82%)
New to Netflix:
Doll House (No Score)
Luckiest Girl Alive (No Score)
Old People (No Score)
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DEATHS
JERRY VAINISI has died.
The former Chicago Bears general manager passed away Tuesday. No cause of death was shared.
He was 80.
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PEBBLES, the world’s oldest living dog, has died.
The toy fox terrier passed away from natural causes at her home in Taylors, South Carolina, with her owners by her side, Guinness Records reported this week.
Pebbles earned the title of “Oldest Dog Living” in May at 22 years and 50 days old.
Her death comes just five months shy of her 23rd birthday.
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BREAKUPS
Broadway star ADAM PASCAL, 51, and his wife, food writer CYBELE PASCAL, 53, have called it quits after 24 years of marriage.
Cybele filed for divorce this week, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
The former couple share two grown sons, Lennon, 20, and Monte, 18.
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THE SWAMP
On Thursday, the Washington Post (!!!) reported that federal investigators have enough evidence to prosecute HUNTER BIDEN for tax crimes and lying on his gun application – the proof of which has been evident for years.
It is now up to the US Attorney in Delaware to decide whether or not to prosecute. That man is DAVID WEISS, a Trump appointee.
TOTALLY COINCIDENTALLY AND NOT AT ALL RELATED TO THIS NEWS AS A STUNT TO CHANGE THE NEWS NARRATIVE OF THE DAY: President JOE BIDEN authorized a blanket pardon for anyone convicted of federal charges for simple marijuana possession Thursday. He called on governors to do the same for those convicted on state charges and authorized the Fed to look into whether to reclassify marijuana to a lower category than drugs like LSD and Heroin.
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You know how the boss of an organization really sets the tone for how things get done?
That’s apparent in the Vice President’s Secret Service detail – which got into a small accident while transporting KAMALA HARRIS Monday morning.
The Washington Post reports that the SUV carrying her hit a curb hard enough to wreck the tire, which had to promptly be replaced. Harris was whisked away in a backup vehicle.
As the Post notes in its reporting, “The routine nature of the travel and the high level of training required for agents who drive the president and vice president led many in the Secret Service, as well as Harris, to question how such an accident could happen.”
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The three-judge panel for the US 5th District Court ruled Wednesday that the “Dreamers” program implemented by former President BARACK OBAMA was illegally implemented. The policy largely protects children of illegal immigrants from deportation and prosecution.
So far, more than 600,000 have been formally protected by the law. The court ruled that though it was illegal, those who have current protections can keep them.
In a statement, President JOE BIDEN bemoaned the decision, and called on the legislature to take action. “It is long past time for Congress to pass permanent protections for Dreamers, including a pathway to citizenship,” he said.
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LOTTERY
No winner for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be for a $410 million jackpot or a $213.8 million cash payout.
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No winner for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing. Saturday night’s drawing will be for a $378 million jackpot or a $198.7 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
These albums drop today:
Bonny Light Horseman, “Rolling Golden Holy”
Broken Bells, “Into the Blue”
Charlie Puth, “Charlie”
Chloe Moriondo, “Suckerpunch”
Courtney Marie Andrews, “Loose Future”
The Cure, “Wish (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)”
Daphni, “Cherry”
Indigo Sparke, “Hysteria”
Johanna Warren, “Lessons for Mutants”
Quavo & Takeoff, “Only Built for Infinity Links”
Sorry, “Anywhere But Here”
Will Sheff, “Nothing Special”
Willow, “<CopingMechanism>”
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Pop duo Right Said Fred claims BEYONCE allegedly “sampled” their song “I’m Too Sexy” in her new track “Alien Superstar” without their permission.
“Normally the artist approaches us but Beyonce didn’t because she is such an arrogant person,” the duo told The Sun.
As for what happens next, the brothers said “There is nothing we can do. It is s**t.”
WORTH NOTING: Singer KELIS also accused Bey of sampling her 2000 hit “Get Along With You” for her song “Energy.” She has since removed the sample from her track.
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JADA PINKETT SMITH is set to publish her yet-to-be-titled memoir.
According to PEOPLE magazine, the actress plans to drop the book, which she says “chronicles lessons learned in the course of a difficult but riveting journey -- a rollercoaster ride from the depths of suicidal depression to the heights of personal rediscovery and the celebration of authentic femine power,” next fall.
Jada’s husband, WILL SMITH, published his bestselling memoir, “Will,” in November 2021.
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JUSTIN BIEBER is postponing the rest of his Justice World Tour.
A month after announcing he was taking a break to focus on his mental health, Justin revealed Thursday that it will be at least six months before the tour resumes.
It had been set to end in late March 2023 in Poland, but that now appears to be when it will kick off again. Justin last performed in early September.
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WYNONNA JUDD told PEOPLE magazine there is “no animosity” between her and ASHLEY JUDD over their late mom NAOMI JUDD’s estate, despite several outlets reporting they were “fighting” this week.
If anything, the loss of their mom has only brought them “closer together,” Wynonna added.
WORTH NOTING: Naomi’s widow is in charge of her estate, not the sisters.
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“DWTS” pro CHERYL BURKE may be heading back to court with her ex-husband, actor MATTHEW LAWRENCE over custody of their dog, Ysabella.
Speaking on her iHeart podcast, “Burke in the Game,” the 38-year-old detailed how she and Lawrence continue to fight over their french bulldog.
“That’s my dog. Ysabella is my daughter; I’m a dog mom, and that’s it,” she stated, holding back tears.
When asked about the issue, Burke’s attorney told PEOPLE magazine that “the firm does not comment on pending litigation.”
Many may recall, Burke filed for divorce earlier this year, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason. The divorce was finalized in September, minus custody of their pooch.
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Insiders say the idea of divorce is nothing new when it comes to GISELE BUNDCHEN and TOM BRADY.
Speaking to TMZ, sources close to the couple say the supermodel has threatened divorce “several times over a period of years” and it was all after “arguments over football.”
This time, however, insiders say the threat “feels different.”
ON THAT NOTE: Brady was spotted without his wedding ring on Thursday, just days after Bundchen was spotted out without hers.
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CASTING CALL
“Dahmer: Monster -- The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” has become a Netflix hit.
The limited series, starring EVAN PETERS as the notorious serial killer, racked up more than 299 million hours viewed during its second week on the streamer.
That puts it behind only “Stranger Things 4” (335 million hours), on Netflix’s most watched English-language series list.
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“Arthur,” the longest-running children’s animated series in the history of American TV, is getting its own podcast.
“The Arthur Podcast,” set to launch on October 20, will feature an eight-episode first season that will be available on PBS Kids, the Arthur YouTube channel and all major podcast listening platforms, according to Variety.
The podcast will pull content from the show’s 25 years, retelling classic episodes in a new audio format.
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JARED LETO is set to star in a film about fashion designer KARL LAGERFELD.
He will also produce the movie alongside Lagerfeld’s House of Karl Lagerfeld.
The exact storyline is being kept under wraps, but Deadline reports that it will “cover key relationships in Lagerfeld’s life.”
Lagerfeld died in February 2019.
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CELEBRITY CELLBLOCK
Producer ERIC WEINBERG has been charged with 18 counts of forcible rage and assault.
The 62-year-old, who was behind shows such as “Scrubs” and “Anger Management,” allegedly assaulted five women from 2014 to 2019, according to a Los Angeles D.A.
Weinberg was initially arrested in July and posted a $5 million bond. He is due in court on October 30 for arraignment.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KANYE WEST isn’t backing down when it comes to the drama surrounding his “White Lives Matter” clothing.
Taking to Instagram, Ye responded to more backlash writing, “Here’s my latest response when people ask me why I made a tee that says white lives matter…THEY DO.”
MEANWHILE: BLM is doubling down on their stance that Ye’s messaging is “harmful” to those “fighting injustice.”
ON THE TOPIC: Fox News’ TUCKER CARLSON stopped by Ye’s office Thursday for a chat about the drama. Part one of the interview aired last night on Tucker’s show.
THE INTERVIEW: What started as a conversation about the message on his clothing quickly turned into something much deeper. Carefully choosing his words, Ye spoke about the “battle” our country is facing against the “godless agenda of the media.” He brought up his ex-wife KIM KARDASHIAN several times, referencing his shock at her close relationship with HILARY CLINTON and how her “handlers” wanted to use him to promote political agendas for the left, such as promoting COVID-19 vaccinations.
TOPIC OF TRUMP: Tucker asked Ye about his support of former President DONALD TRUMP and his explanation was on point. “Trump wanted nothing but the best for this country. The realest people are going to make you feel uncomfortable at first.”
FRIENDS WITH ELON MUSK: Ye said “I think he is a great team player.”
PART 2: The interview continues tonight on Tucker’s show.
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
KING CHARLES’ coronation ceremony is set to take place on June 3, 2023 at Westminster Abbey.
Palace sources told Bloomberg that they are “hoping” the ceremony will be on that day, but it is not officially set in stone.
While Charles technically ascended the throne two days after QUEEN ELIZABETH’s death, the upcoming coronation ceremony will mark the official beginning of his reign as monarch.
CAMILLA PARKER-BOWLES will be crowned alongside him.
WORTH NOTING: Charles will be 74 by the time of the ceremony, making him the oldest person to be crowned king in British history.
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SPORTS
Tennis superstar NAOMI OSAKA’s new book, “The Way Champs Play,” is all about young girls seeing “the beauty and benefits [of] sports.”
“I want to reach young girls in a way that they would enjoy and understand and it was really fun to simplify and celebrate girls in sport,” she told PEOPLE magazine this week.
The book hits shelves on December 6.
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LIST OF THE WEEK
Top 10 Halloween Costumes for Kids in 2022:
Paw Patrol
Justice League
The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy)
Darth Vader
Harley Quinn
Kid Jailbird
Inflatable T-Rex
Black Panther
Five Nights At Freddy’s (Foxy)
Sonic the Hedgehog
Top 10 Halloween Costumes for Adults in 2022:
Inflatable T-Rex
Wonder Woman
Buddy the Elf
Batman
The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy)
Captain Marvel
The Force Awakens (Rey)
Harley Quinn
Ride a Beer Buddy
Elvis
*info courtesy of MarketWatch
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Bathtub Day
World Smile Day
National Frappe Day
Plaidurday
Kids Music Day
National Forgiveness and Happiness Day
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ON THIS DATE
1691 - The monarchs of England, Scotland and Ireland grant a royal charter to the Province of Massachusetts Bay in the New World.
The area had been inhabited by European settlers for 70 years, but faced constant struggles with natives, and always feared running out of food.
With a royal charter, they were guaranteed certain protections from the British government, but the government also increased its control over the settlers.
The charter for the Province of Massachusetts Bay is different from the Massachusetts Bay Colony; the province encompassed several colonies, including Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Martha's Vineyard, New Brunswick, and the Province of Maine.
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1763 - King George III forbids settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.
The decree followed Great Britain's acquisition of French territory after the end of the French and Indian War. The Crown sought to stabilize the colonies politically and economically, then establish trade and commerce with the Native Americans.
The move was certainly a point of tension in the colonies, but not a major impetus for the Revolutionary War. Just 5 years later, new lands were progressively opened up for settlement, under the authority of the British monarch.
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1862 - The Granite Railway begins operations in New England.
Its principal purpose was to move granite to Quincy, Massachusetts for the construction of a monument to those who died at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
But the railway was not powered by steam locomotives. It was an express route for horse-drawn wagons to effectively haul materials across a three-mile stretch.
The technology was still new, and quickly turned into a tourist attraction.
It was not until 1871 that Old Colony and Newport Railway took over control of the tracks and retrofitted them with contemporary technology for steam trains.
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1949 - The German Democratic Republic establishes a constitution, and formally becomes a Soviet-powered cog in the communist machine following World War II.
East Germany would be one of the Soviet's most prosperous countries, though the people lived under dictatorial rule and were shot for trying to leave the country.
The regime collapsed alongside other Soviet bloc countries, and the Soviet Union, in 1990.
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1959 - The Soviets notch another win in the space race, capturing the first pictures from the far side of the moon.
Luna 3's closest approach to the moon was just over 6,200 kilometers.
In total it took 29 pictures, mapping roughly 70% of the far side of the Moon.
Being a Soviet project, the Reds were only able to capture 17 of the 29 photos taken—and they weren't even that good.
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2003 - Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected governor of California in the recall of Gray Davis.
It was the first time a California governor was successfully recalled.
Schwarzenegger won in a landslide, beating Democrat lieutenant governor Cruz Bustamante by more than a million votes.
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2008 - Spotify is launched.
The music, podcast and streaming service was created by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon.
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2020 - Hurricane Delta makes landfall on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula with winds reaching 100-mph.
It was the 25th named storm of the year.
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BIRTHDAYS
Trent Alexander-Arnold - soccer player - 24
Lauren Platt - pop singer - 25
Kira Kosarin - actress, “The Thundermans” - 25
Nicole Maines - actress, “Supergirl” - 25
Lewis Capaldi - pop singer - 26
Mookie Betts - baseball player - 30
Ayla Kell - actress, “Make It or Break It” - 32
Holland Rhodes - actress, “Teen Wolf” & “House of Dust” - 36
Allison Munn - actress, “One Tree Hill” & “That 70s Show” - 48
Thom Yorke - rock singer, Radiohead - 54
Toni Braxton - R&B singer - 55
Simon Cowell - talent manager - 63
Vladimir Putin - President of Russia - 70
John Mellencamp - rock singer - 71
Joy Behar - TV show co-host, “The View” - 80
Born On This Date
Desmond Tutu - Archbishop of South Africa & Nobel Peace Prize winner - 1931 (d. 2021)
Reid Shelton - actor, “Annie” - 1927 (d. 1997)
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