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11/11/2022: A Dozen Little Cannons
PLUS: Diamond In The Rough; Madonna Gets Weird; and Lionel Richie Goes Country
Today is Friday, November 11, 2022.
It is the 315th day of the year.
50 days remain.
TRENDING
Veterans Day was trending Thursday as Twitter users got a headstart on thanking those who are currently serving and have served.
John Wick landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends after a trailer for the fourth installment in the franchise was released. More in Casting Call.
Nick Cannon was trending yesterday as news broke he may have another baby on the way. More in Baby News.
#WakandaForever was trending all day Thursday as fans geared up for the “Black Panther” sequel’s theatrical debut.
Happy Birthday Marines! The United States Marine Corps celebrated 247 years on Thursday.
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HIT LIST
ELON MUSK wants the remaining employees at his new social media toy to get back to work – literally. He formally ended the remote working policy, and said in an email he expects everyone to put in at least 40 hours a week at their desks.
WORTH NOTING: Musk did acknowledge that people with legitimate reasons could continue to work from home – but chances are “I’m afraid of a cough” won’t be reason enough.
In a widely circulated leaked email to employees, Musk acknowledged a tightening economy that will mean advertisers spend less on ads, and he wants to quickly pivot so that half the company’s revenue comes from subscription revenue. Musk says that’s why he worked so fast to get the new $8-a-month Twitter Blue service up and running.
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A husband-and-wife couple convicted of espionage will spend about 20 years behind bars for selling nuclear naval technology to a foreign intelligence agency.
That’s where details get murkier. Public documents about their treason only refer to their relationship with “Country1” – so it’s not certain who they were spying for. The magazine “Slate” says it likely was France.
They reportedly used old-school spycraft to share the information, in one instance hiding a memory card inside a peanut butter sandwich and pack of gum.
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Officials in Jackson, Mississippi have apprehended a suspect in a spate of arson cases from Tuesday night, when seven separate fires broke out in different buildings, two of which were a church.
No word yet on motive or how he started the blazes.
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Two hikers on a road trip for their tenth anniversary stumbled on a rare find while on a hike in Arkansas last week.
Jessica and Seth Erickson found a 1.9 carat diamond at – of all places – Crater of Diamonds State Park.
It’s a tourist draw, known for having little flecks of valuable rocks, but rarely something so giant. Visitors still have to dig and sift to find anything of value.
The find is worth at least a few thousand bucks.
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How much money buys happiness? An annual household income of about $123,000.
A recent study gave 200 lucky participants from around the world $10,000 – but they had to spend it all within three months, on whatever they wanted. Then, researchers asked how their happiness levels compared to before they got the gift.
People in low-income countries reported that after spending the money they were three times as happy as those from high-income countries.
And people who made just $10,000 a year were twice as happy as those making $100,000 a year.
On average, there was no change in happiness for households earning $123,000 a year.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The Dow roared back Thursday as midterm outcomes became more certain. It added 1,201 points (3.7%) to close at 33,715. The S&P added 207 points (5.54%) to close at 3,956 and the Nasdaq added 760 points (7.35%) to close at 11,114.
🛢 West Texas Intermediate traded at $86 Thursday; Brent Crude at $93.
⛽ The national average price of a gallon of gas was $3.80 on Thursday.
₿ Bitcoin rallied Thursday, adding back more than 12% after a huge selloff Wednesday. It’s back to approaching $18,000.
🛩 There were 1,826 flights delayed within, into, or out of the United States Thursday and 1,358 such cancellations as Tropical Storm Nicole grounded much of the American Southeast.
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CHARTS
New to Disney+:
Fire of Love (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%)
New to HBO Max:
Fruitvale Station (Score: 94%)
New to Hulu:
Code Name Banshee (Score: 0%)
First Love (Score: 40%)
Fruitvale Station (Score: 94%)
Pil’s Adventures (No Score)
New to Netflix:
Don’t Leave (No Score)
Monica, O My Darling (No Score)
My Father’s Dragon (Score: 93%)
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DEATHS
“Survivor” contestant ROGER SEXTON has died.
He passed away at the end of October after a battle with Lewy Body Dementia, according to a statement from his family.
Sexton appeared on the sixth season of the reality competition series, where he lasted 21 days in the wilderness.
He was 76.
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FRED HICKMAN has died.
The CNN sports anchor passed away Thursday after a battle with cancer. No further details were shared.
He was 66.
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BABY NEWS
NICK CANNON, 42, is soon-to-be dad to a dozen.
ABBY DE LA ROSA, 31, who is already mom to Cannon’s one-year-old twin boys Zion and Zillion, confirmed that she is once again expecting another little Cannon.
The DJ revealed her pregnancy in June, but did not share whether Cannon was again the father at the time.
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THE SWAMP
A US District Judge has ordered that President JOE BIDEN’s illegal and unconstitutional blanket student loan forgiveness program is illegal and unconstitutional. In the ruling, he called it “one of the largest exercises of legislative power without congressional authority in the history of the United States.”
The White House says they’re keeping all the applications that have already been submitted while the Justice Department appeals the decision.
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TODAY: Election officials in Arizona should finally have their act together and announce a winner in the governor and US Senate race there. Republican candidates for both offices have gained significant ground since Tuesday night, but both continue to trail in total ballots.
MEANWHILE, IN NEVADA: Nevada Republican Senate candidate ADAM LAXALT maintains a lead over his Democrat opponent with 90% of the ballots counted.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has already committed $7 million for their ground game ahead of Georgia’s runoff next month, specifically to mobilize thor voters. By now the Democrat Get Out The Vote playbook is solid, and is responsible for flattening the Red Wave That Wasn’t on Tuesday night.
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President JOE BIDEN will meet in person with Chinese premier XI JINPING, who recently consolidated power and extended his rule beyond term limits set by his recent predecessors.
Publicly, there’s no specific issue in mind for the talks – the official statement says they’ll discuss “transnational challenges that affect the international community” and “a range of regional and global issues.”
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LOTTERY
No winner for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be for a $189 million jackpot or a $91 million cash payout.
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No winner for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing. Saturday night’s drawing will be for a $47 million jackpot or a $23 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
These albums drop today:
Ben LaMar Gay, “Certain Reveries”
Bill Nace, “Through A Room”
Bruce Springsteen, “Only The Strong Survive”
Colin Stetson, “Chimaera”
Drowse, “Wane Into It”
Dumb, “Pray 4 Tomorrow”
Fitz And The Tantrums, “Let Yourself Free”
GloRilla, “Anyways, Life’s Great”
Gold Panda, “The Work”
The Human League, “The Virgin Years”
Jimmy Edgar, “Liquids Heaven”
Louis Tomlinson, “Faith In The Future”
MGMT, “11-11-11”
Nas, “King’s Disease III”
Run The Jewels, “RTJ CU4TRO”
The Shapeshifters, “Let Loose”
Soul Blind, “Feel It All Around”
Tyondai Braxton, “Telekinesis”
The White Buffalo, “Year Of The Dark Horse”
Young Culture, “You Had To Be There”
Yuna, “Y5”
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GISELE BUNDCHEN and TOM BRADY are exes and now neighbors.
The supermodel recently purchased an $11.5 million home in Miami, right across the creek from where Brady is building his new pad.
Insiders told TMZ that the move only has to do with co-parenting, making it easier for the kids to go between homes.
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NICK LACHEY appeared to shade his ex-wife JESSICA SIMPSON on the Season 3 reunion of “Love Is Blind.”
While chatting with contestant MATT BOLTON, who was married to his highschool sweetheart before saying “I Do” on the show, Lachey said, “Marriage is always better the second time.”
Fans were quick to call him out for the “dig” on social media, with one writing “nick lachey did not have to bring jessica simpson into this.”
WORTH NOTING: Lachey co-hosts the show alongside his current (and second) wife VANESSA LACHEY. He and Simpson were married from 2002-2006.
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JASON MOMOA revealed this week that he has adopted a wild pig who he worked with on his new show, “Slumberland.”
After showing off the animal, the actor told followers he has possible names narrowed down to Lau Lau and Manapua -- both popular Hawaiian pork dishes.
This is not his only pet. He also shares a donkey, two half-wolves, a ball python and a dog with his ex-wife LISA BONET.
MEANWHILE: “Slumberland” follows a girl named Nemo whose stuffed pig toy comes alive at night. He plays a genie-like character who helps the girl travel through her dreams.
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BRITNEY SPEARS says she was not “present” during her wedding ceremony.
She made the revelation on social media, writing how she hasn’t “had real consciousness in 3 years.”
“..when you can’t breathe your body can’t relax…” she continued, before clarifying that she “can breathe clearly now.” She did not elaborate any further.
Spears and SAM ASGHARI tied the knot in June.
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MADONNA’s social media posts keep getting weirder.
On Thursday, the Material Girl posted a “disturbing” video of her licking water out of a dog bowl and posing provocatively with condiments on what appears to be the floor of a garage, all while the song “I Wanna Be Your Dog” played in the background.
Several fans commented on the bizarre post, with one writing that she is “destroying the Iconic Madonna that [she] created!”
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LIONEL RICHIE announced plans to create his first-ever country album.
“I am so vested in country music, you have no idea,” he told Billboard.
While it will be his first release, Richie is no stranger to the genre, having re-recorded many of his funk, disco and R&B songs alongside country stars like KENNY ROGERS, WILLIE NELSON, RASCAL FLATTS and more.
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CASTING CALL
CHRIS ROCK will be the first artist ever to perform live on Netflix.
The streamer announced the news Thursday, stating that the yet-to-be-titled comedy special will stream globally in early 2023.
More details will be announced on a later date.
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Time Studios and Roc Nation are teaming up on a documentary about CHRISTINA AGUILERA.
The project will “offer unprecedented access to her life story, opening up her personal archive for a look into the past and present,” according to the official description.
It will feature never-been-seen footage and behind-closed-door moments, showing fans a deep dive into her life as a singer, mom and performer.
No word on when or where the doc will premiere.
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The official trailer for “John Wick: Chapter 4” dropped on Thursday.
The film takes place three years after 2019’s “John Wick: Chapter 3 -- Parabellum,'' and follows Wick, played by KEANU REEVES, as he “uncovers a path to defeating the High Table,” the crime organization that he fights with in the franchise’s third installment, according to the synopsis.
The new film also stars BILL SKARSGARD (“It”), LAWRENCE FISHBOURNE (“The Matrix”) and IAN MCSHANE (“Hercules”).
“John Wick: Chapter 4” hits theaters on March 24.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
The lawsuit over KENDALL JENNER’s 818 Tequila has been settled.
The model’s company was sued by the owners of Tequila 512, who claimed the 818 is a “rip-off” of their label. What’s more, the labels are both very similar in appearance with yellow with black lettering.
CEO of Tequila 512, Nick Matzorkis, told TMZ that both companies have agreed to make changes to their labels to clarify they are separate.
WORTH NOTING: 818 is the area code for the San Fernando Valley, where the KarJenners put down roots and 512 is the area code for Austin, Texas, where 512 Tequila is based.
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
It is unlikely that KATE MIDDLETON will appear on MEGHAN MARKLE’s “Archetypes” podcast.
Royal correspondent RICHARD PALMER told the Daily Express Thursday that while an offer was extended to Kate, she reportedly turned it down as the two women’s relationship “is still bruised.”
Meanwhile, royal expert NEIL SEAN told the publication that Kate “would maybe” appear on a forthcoming episode of her sister-in-law’s podcast as Meg was so “generous” in telling Kate “she could have the whole episode to herself.”
WORTH ASKING: What would they discuss? Harry’s new book? The time Meg made Kate cry?
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SPORTS
The office of D.C. Attorney General KARL A. RACINE announced it has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Commanders, owner DANIEL SNYDER, the NFL and Commissioner ROGER GOODELL.
The suit accuses them of “colluding to deceive and mislead customers about an investigation of the team’s workplace to maintain its fan base in pursuit of revenue.”
Racine’s office says it is seeking “financial penalties under the CPPA for every incident in which [the defendants] lied to District residents dating back to July 2020.” They could face millions of dollars in fees.
The team and the league have denied the allegations.
WORTH NOTING: The D.A.’s office has no criminal enforcement authority in the matter, according to a league source.
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LIST OF THE WEEK
In honor of Veterans Day, here are five things Americans can do to honor our country’s heroes.
Put out an American flag or decorate with USA-themed decor.
Express your appreciation in words and pictures, perhaps have your kids color some USA-themed pictures and drop them at your local American Legion.
Share leftover Halloween candy with Veterans through Operation Gratitude, whose mission is to thank every military member who serves or has served.
Sign-up for Wreaths Across America and donate a wreath. The WAA coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as thousands of other locations across the US.
Wear clothing that shows off your American pride or purchase veteran-appreciating apparel.
*list courtesy of Lifestyle Magazine
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Singles Day
National Metal Day
National Sundae Day
World Origami Day
Pocky Day
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ON THIS DATE
1675 – Gottfried Leibniz becomes the first person on record to use calculus to find the area of an object.
Though he would not publish these findings until 1684, today was the first time his equations appeared in his journal.
By today's standards, Leibniz's findings were rudimentary and not very useful. In fairness, the same could be said of Isaac Newton's similar discoveries. They were hodgepodge and unclear. But they were necessary to bring mathematics where it is today.
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TWO Presidential marriages, 24 years apart.
The first: 1834 – Franklin Pierce weds Jane Appleton. She was a devout Calvinist. He was episcopal.
When Pierce became president a little less than 20 years later, the family had endured much tragedy. Three of their sons died before reaching adulthood and Franklin dealt with alcoholism.
The second: James Garfield marries Lucretia Randolph in 1858. They're both members of the Disciple of Christ Church.
They met while students at the Hiram Eclectic Institute in Ohio. He was a teacher. She started a literary club.
The Garfields also suffered the loss of a child in 1863.
Garfield only spent 4 months in office—he was assassinated on July 2, 1881.
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1918 – At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, major fighting in World War I ends.
Germany signed an armistice with Allies that morning in France.
What was at the time called the "War to End All Wars" killed 9 million soldiers and injured 21 million. At least 5 million civilians died from the effects of war.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed the next year to prevent the conditions that lead to the first World War. Of course, that thinking was folly. Fighting in World War II began in 1939.
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1973 – Standing in opposition to the overthrow of Chilean President Salvador Allende, the Soviet soccer team refuses to play Chile in a scheduled game set for November 21.
The International Football Federation (meaning soccer) DQ'd the Reds, marking the first time a team was booted for making a political stand.
The Soviets would have played on their home turf or in a neutral country, but no agreement was ever made.
In similar circumstances, the US boycotted the Olympic games in Moscow in 1980.
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2008 – The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth II sets sail for the final time.
On the final voyage, she ran aground near England. A series of 5 tug boats finally got her moving again.
Crews eventually got everything working again. In the farewell ceremony, she was accompanied by the yacht of the ruler of Dubai and 120 other smaller boats.
The QE2 is now property of Dubai.
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2020 - The UK becomes the first European country to record over 50,000 COVID-19 deaths.
It is the fifth country to exceed that number, following the US, Brazil, India and Mexico.
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BIRTHDAYS
Tye Sheridan - actor, “Joe” & “Ready Player One” - 26
Toby Wallace - actor, “Neighbours” & “The Society” - 26
Ellie Simmonds - paralympic swimmer - 28
Connor Price - actor, “Cinderella Man” & “The Haunting Hour” - 28
Camille Hyde - actress, “Katy Keene” - 29
Adam Rippon - figure skater - 33
Vinny Guadagnino - reality star, “Jersey Shore” - 35
Victor Cruz - football player - 36
Leonardo DiCaptio - actor, “Titanic” & “The Revenant” - 48
Davinia Taylor - actress, “Hollyoaks” - 45
Demi Moore - actress, “Ghost” & “Indecent Proposal” - 60
Stanley Tucci - actor, “The Terminal” & “The Hunger Games” films - 62
John Pappas - actor, “Tremors” & “Days of Our Lives” - 71
Corrine Brown - corrupt politician - 76
Born On this Date
Kurt Vonnegut - author, “Slaughterhouse Five” - 1922 (d. 2007)
George S. Patton - WWII general - 1885 (d. 1945)
Abigail Adams - First Lady - 1744 (d. 1818)
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