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11/14/2022: Dems Hold The Senate
PLUS: FTX Explainer; Dieting Miscalculations; and Kris Jenner to the Rescue
Today is Monday, November 14, 2022.
It is the 318th day of the year.
47 days remain.
TRENDING
Saturday was National Happy Hour Day.
LSU linebacker Harold Perkins was trending Saturday after tying a school record with four sacks in his team’s 13-10 win at Arkansas.
B-17 was trending over the weekend after a fiery collision between two planes flying in a show over Dallas. More in Hit List.
Twitterverse reacted as it became known that the Democrats would retain control of the Senate. In response, the hashtag #DemocracyWins was trending. More in Swamp.
Sunday was World Kindness Day.
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HIT LIST
Two acronyms you’re going to hear a lot this week: SBF and FTX.
SBF is the moniker given to SAMUEL BANKMAN-FRIED, a 30-year-old crypto zillionaire who founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX (by the way, that’s not an acronym for anything). Grossly oversimplified, such an exchange facilitates the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies, like a financial management firm does with stocks and foreign currencies.
As recently as January, FTX was valued at $32 billion.
Bankman-Fried also started a firm called Alameda Research, whose data and analytics was to be used to inform trades at FTX – a kind of vertical integration that’s fraught with peril.
With billions in crypto assets under management, Bankman-Fried went on a marketing spending spree, particularly an ad at last year’s Super Bowl starring LARRY DAVID.
As the global financial markets started to tank in recent months, Bankman-Fried apparently used the assets of customers at FTX to pay for expenses at Alameda Research, and borrowed against the company’s own value to plug .
IT GETS WORSE: Most of the assets FTX held were an invented cryptocurrency of their own making that only has value as long as enough people agree it has value. In recent days, those people decided it was, actually, not worth much.
So with a Ponzi-like scheme at play and loans backed by worthless collateral, things got hairy fast. At the start of last week, Bankman-Fried told investors he needed $8 billion to replace the funds he borrowed and leveraged to fill financial holes elsewhere. Investors balked.
Now Bankman-Fried is filing bankruptcy. He jetted off to the Bahamas to get out of dodge, but it was reported early Sunday morning that authorities there detained him.
WORTH NOTING: The bankruptcy filed is Chapter 11 – which means under reorganization the company will have an opportunity to get at least some money back to clients. The newly-appointed CEO is John Jay Ray III – the same guy who took over Enron after its collapse.
MEANWHILE: Some analysts say FTX customers shouldn’t expect to get more than 5 cents on the dollar. Meaning if they had $1 million in crypto assets the best they’ll hope to get back is $50,000.
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Prosecutors have recommended that convicted fraudster ELIZABETH HOLMES should get 15 years in prison and pay back $800 million in restitution.
She was convicted of lying about her blood-testing company Theranos’ capabilities over the course of years.
Holmes’ camp has requested leniency and house arrest – for 18 months.
The formal sentencing date is set for Friday.
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A two-plane collision during the Wings Over Dallas airshow on Saturday has killed all involved in the crash. Six have been confirmed dead.
A B-17 Flying Fortress and P-63 Kingcobra collided at 1:20 pm Saturday. Dozens of videos of the crash have already circulated online.
No word yet what caused the collision.
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The November 16 launch window for the Artemis I rocket remains open, despite the tropical storm that hit Florida last week.
NASA officials say the storm caused minor damage, but the mission is proceeding anyway. The two-hour launch window starts just after midnight central time on Wednesday.
If successful, the rocket will carry the Orion crew capsule – with no one on board – to the moon and back.
MEANWHILE: NASA announced last week that a section of the space shuttle Challenger has been found at the bottom of the ocean. The segment of the shuttle that exploded during takeoff in 1986 was found earlier this year by a dive crew looking for plane wreckage from World War II.
For now, it will remain at the bottom of the ocean as NASA decides whether or not to attempt to retrieve it.
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Even if you’re on a diet, you’re probably not eating as healthily as you think you are.
A study conducted in Pennsylvania shows that three-fourths of dieters overestimate how well they’re sticking to calorie restriction and consuming only healthy foods.
The study compared a self-assigned score to their eating habits against a score given by nutrition experts based on the participants’ own eating habits.
IT GETS WORSE: Even after a year of dieting and observation, participants overall improved their healthy eating score by one point – but self-reported an 18-point improvement.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The Dow added 32 points (0.096%) on Friday to close at 33,747. The S&P added 36 points (0.92%) to close at 3,992 and the Nasdaq added 209 points (1.88%) to close at 11,323.
🛢 West Texas Intermediate closed just under $89 on Friday. Brent Crude was just under $96.
⛽ The national average price of a gallon of gas was $3.77 on Sunday.
₿ Bitcoin tumbled further Sunday, losing nearly $400 in value and trading under $16,400.
🛩 There were 2,855 flights delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and 51 such cancellations.
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CHARTS
Weekend Box Office
10. Armageddon Time: $352k (up from 12)
9. Till: $618k (down 8)
8. One Piece Film: Red: $1.4 million (down from 2)
7. The Banshees of Inisherin: $1.7 million (stayed at 7)
6. Prey for the Devil: $2 million (down from 5)
5. Smile: $2.3 million (down from 4)
4. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile: $3.2 million (up from 6)
3. Ticket to Paradise: $6.1 million (stayed at 3)
2. Black Adam: $8.6 million (down from 1)
1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: $180 million (new)
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DEATHS
GALLAGHER, the comedian famously known for smashing watermelons, has died.
He passed away in hospice care in Palm Springs early Friday morning after suffering massive organ failure, according to his longtime manager.
He was 76.
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KEVIN CONROY, who voiced the animated Batman, has died.
He passed away Thursday after a short battle with cancer, according to his rep.
He was 66.
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BABY NEWS
NICK CANNON’s 11th child arrived on Friday.
The TV personality, 42, announced the birth of his daughter, Beautiful Zeppelin Cannon, on Saturday on Instagram. The newborn is his third child with DJ ABBY DE LA ROSA, 31. The two are already parents to twin boys Zion and Zillion, 1.
De La Rosa confirmed she was pregnant with Cannon’s baby last week, just days before model ALYSSA SCOTT, 28, announced she is expecting her second child with Cannon, which will be his 12th. Scott is due next year.
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BREAKUPS
MTV reality star CT TAMBURELLO, 42, has filed for divorce from his wife LILIANET “Lili” SOLARES, 32, after more than four years of marriage.
It is unclear what led to the divorce, but earlier this year rumors of a split plagued the couple, though they were denied at the time.
CT and Lili share one child, Christopher Jr., 6.
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WEDDINGS
TIFFANY TRUMP, 29, the youngest daughter of former president DONALD TRUMP, married entrepreneur MICHAEL BOULOS, 25, at her family’s Mar-a-Lago estate over the weekend.
Tiffany’s siblings, DON JR, ERIC, IVANKA and BARRON, were all on hand to celebrate the nuptials.
Tiffany and Michael met in Greece in 2018 and got engaged in January 2021.
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THE SWAMP
MIDTERMS UPDATE: Incumbent Democrat Arizona US Senator MARK KELLY has been declared the winner in his race.
MEANWHILE, IN UTAH: Incumbent Democrat CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO beat Republican ADAM LAXALT by just a few thousand votes.
BALANCE OF POWER: Democrats now hold 50 seats once again. All eyes on next month’s runoff contest in Georgia between RAPHAEL WARNOCK and HERSCHEL WALKER.
WORTH REMEMBERING: Republicans remain likely to reach the 218-seat threshold for a majority in the House of Representatives.
STILL UNCALLED: The Arizona Governor’s race, where Republican KARI LAKE trails Democrat KATIE HOBBS by several thousand votes.
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Customs and Border Protection Commissioner CHRIS MAGNUS has resigned.
As recently as Friday, Magnus had told the Los Angeles Times he intended to stay at his post, after Department of Homeland Security chief ALENJANDRO MAYORKAS called on Magnus to step down earlier in the week. Insiders say Magnus failed to attend meetings and wasn’t on the same page as the rest of the administration when it came to border policy.
WORTH NOTING: It looks like the administration is looking for a post-midterms head to roll as it will grapple with the millions of illegal immigrants who have entered the country in the last two years. Multiple outlets report that Magnus’ progressive politics and reform ideas for the Border Patrol clashed with boots-on-the-ground law enforcement – but that conflict does not explain the widespread problems facing the Biden Administration’s immigration policy.
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LOTTERY
No winner for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Tuesday night’s drawing will be for a $207 million jackpot or a $102.8 million cash payout.
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No winner for Saturday night’s Powerball drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be for a $59 million jackpot or a $29.6 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
AARON CARTER died without a proper will, meaning the State of California will decide who inherits his estate.
Insiders told TMZ that after the birth of his son, Prince, Aaron was advised to make a will, but never got around to it.
Per state law, Prince would be the one to inherit all of Aaron’s estate, but the kicker in this instance is that the singer was reportedly living “hand-to-mouth,” with sources saying he would “spend what he earned in short order.”
His home was on the market at the time of his passing, so Prince may have some financial security in any equity from the sale.
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Actor BRADLEY COOPER and his ex, model IRINA SHAYK, are working on making baby #2.
A source told Page Six that after a recent family getaway -- with their 5-year-old daughter Lea -- the pair have been considering getting back together and adding to their family.
The couple split in 2019.
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DOLLY PARTON was gifted $100 million from Amazon founder JEFF BEZOS to be donated to her favorite charities.
The singer was the latest recipient of the “Bezos Courage & Civility Award,” which honors those who “pursue solutions with courage and civility.”
It is unknown where Dolly will donate the funds.
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LIZZO will receive The People's Champion Award at the 2022 People’s Choice Awards.
The award-winning singer, songwriter, rapper and actress “will be recognized for her groundbreaking contributions to music and television, as well as her commitment to championing overall diversity and inclusivity across race, gender, sexuality, and size,” the press release stated.
The 2022 People’s Choice Awards, hosted by KENAN THOMPSON, will air live on NBC and E! on December 6 from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
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LEONARDO DICAPRIO celebrated his 48th birthday on Friday with a huge bash attended by a gaggle of famous friends.
Some of the celebs spotted heading into the shindig, which was held at a private mansion in Beverly Hills, included, LEBRON JAMES, BRADLEY COOPER, TOBEY MAGUIRE, JAMIE FOXX, STELLA MAXWELL, NICKY HILTON, and CAYLEE COWAN.
Prior to entering all guests were asked to ditch their phones, leaving mere mortals in the dark as to what went down.
DiCaprio’s rumored girlfriend, GIGI HADID, was not spotted arriving or leaving the bash.
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ALEC BALDWIN is suing several crew members, as well as the armorer, from the set of “Rust” for “failing to maintain safety on set.”
According to the actor’s attorney, the tragic death of cinematographer HALYNA HUTCHINS was due to the negligence from those listed on the document after they “handed [Baldwin] a loaded gun on set.”
The lawyer explained that the suit has been filed so Baldwin can “clear his name” and those responsible can be “held accountable for their misconduct.”
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CASTING CALL
The red carpet premiere of TIMOTHEE CHALAMET’s new film “Bones and All” had to be canceled after swarms of fans surrounded the area.
The film was set to open at the Space Cinema Odeon in Milan until local police officers shut it down due to the chaos.
A severely scaled back screening did happen, insiders told The Post.
“Bones and All” stars Chalamet and TAYLOR RUSSELL as a pair of cannibalistic lovers. The movie is set to debut in the U.S. on November 23.
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“Selling Tampa” has run out of real estate and some are having a hard time letting go.
After news broke that the show will not be renewed for a second season, some of the cast -- which is made up of all Black women -- told Page Six that they feel “racial discrimination” played a role in Netflix’s decision.
A source close to production told Page Six that the decision was made “solely on performance.”
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New episodes of “Behind the Music” are heading to Paramount+.
The documentary series will take a look behind-the-scenes with JENNIFER LOPEZ, BOY GEORGE, JASON ALDEAN and REMY MA.
The series hits the platform on November 29.
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CHRISTINA APPLEGATE says her role on Netflix’s “Dead to Me” could be her last as her battle with multiple sclerosis makes filming too difficult.
Speaking to Variety, the 50-year-old actress revealed that she is unsure how “capable” she would be of taking on any more acting roles, but says she would like to explore other opportunities, such as producing.
Applegate was diagnosed with MS in 2021.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KIM KARDASHIAN revealed that the iconic Marilyn Monroe dress that she wore to the 2022 Met Gala almost didn’t happen.
Speaking in a confessional on Hulu’s “The Kardashians,” Kim said that after flying to Florida to try on the dress, Ripley’s decided they were no longer on board with the idea.
But, after a quick phone call to her mom, KRIS JENNER, the deal was done.
When asked about how she pulled off the near-impossible feat, Kris told the camera “I cannot tell you my secrets.”
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
ANDREW MORTON, author of “Diana: Her True Story,” says watching the life of PRINCESS DIANA play out in the newest season of “The Crown” has left him “shaken.”
The fifth season, which is airing now on Netflix, Diana, played by ELIZABETH DEBICKI, is seen recording her answers to Morton’s questions at Kensington Palace.
“When you see Diana talking, you’re really seeing what happened, and she’s using many of the words which she sent me through tape recordings. It left me breathless, and it took me back all those years,” Morton said on “Good Morning America.”
Morton added that he was consulted by the show for the episode.
WHAT’S NEW: Morton’s latest book, “The Queen: Her Life,” takes a deep dive into Queen Elizabeth’s legacy as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
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SPORTS
TOM BRADY told reporters over the weekend that he has “zero” regrets about un-retiring to play another season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite the team’s lackluster record so far.
“I returned because I felt like I wanted to compete. I don’t really regret those types of things -- I think when I commit to it, I mean it,” he explained.
Brady and the Bucs beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 in Munich, Germany on Sunday, a first for the league.
WORTH NOTING: No one asked about his un-retirement and how it relates to his divorce.
WORTH CONSIDERING: Maybe the whole thing is a chicken or the egg scenario. Perhaps divorce was already on the table, leading to Brady’s decision to un-retire and not the other way around.
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DAY OF THE YEAR
World Orphans Day
National Spicy Guacamole Day
World Diabetes Day
National Pickle Day
Operating Room Nurse Day
Loosen Up Lighten Up Day
Children’s Day
Odd Socks Day
National American Teddy Bear Day
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ON THIS DATE
1851 – Herman Melville's novel “Moby Dick” is published.
It follows the whaling ship Pequod, and its captain, Ahab, in pursuit of a giant white whale.
The first words are among the most famous in American literature: "Call me Ishamel."
At first the book didn't sell very well, which disappointed Melville, who had written several successful novels. After his death, in the early 1920s, “Moby Dick” resurfaced, and became the must-read it is today.
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1896 – Britain amends its speed limit for horseless carriages.
Some 30 motorists had taken to the streets of London and some were causing trouble. Parliament had recently repealed the "Red Flag Act." This was a bizarre law that required cars to be accompanied by someone walking alongside it, holding a red flag to alert pedestrians and horses to its presence. The “Red Flag Act” limited speeds to 4 miles per hour.
The new law increased the speed limit to 14 miles per hour.
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1910 – Eugene Ely becomes the first pilot to get a plane airborne from a naval vessel.
With 83 feet of runway sloped at five degrees, Ely managed to get his Curtiss Pusher airborne off the bow of the scout cruiser Birmingham just off the coast of Virginia – but not after first skipping off the water and damaging his propellor.
He was also the first man to land a plane on a ship, a feat he would achieve the following year.
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1922 – The British Broadcasting Company begins its daily radio news updates.
It featured a 6pm nightly newscast, originating in London.
A broadcast license fee cost 10 shillings at the time -- that's about $30 today. The BBC was looking to cheaply spread its programming and build an extensive network.
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1969 – The second manned mission to the moon blasts off from Cape Canaveral.
On board are Charles Conrad Jr., Richard F Gordon Jr. and Alan Bean. President Nixon was on hand to witness the launch.
On liftoff, a bolt of lightning shocked the rocket, killing the power. Miraculously, the ascent continued and power was eventually restored.
The third and fourth men on the moon conducted more tests and looked into the crash site of the Surveyor 3 probe, which impacted the moon in 1967.
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1970 – A plane carrying the Marshall University football team crashes over West Virginia, killing more than 60 players, doctors, and coaches.
The team had lost their game earlier that day.
Huntington, North Carolina was the home of the University and it uncharacteristically shut down in the days after the crash.
The next season, a new coach started to build a team from scratch—and managed to win the first home game since the crash.
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2013 – Whitey Bulger is sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 5 years for his crimes.
The Boston crime boss was arrested earlier this year after hiding from the FBI for more than 16 years.
He was tried and found guilty in August on 31 of 32 counts against him and found to have been involved in 11 murders.
Bulger was killed by fellow inmates in prison in 2018.
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2020 - The World Health Organization reports a record global daily total of more than 660,905 COVID-19 cases.
The health organization also reports that a total of 54 million cases have been tallied globally, since the start of the pandemic.
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BIRTHDAYS
Francisco Lindor - baseball player - 29
Stella Maeve - actress, “Golden Boy” & “The Magicians” - 33
Yuna - pop singer - 36
Kalisto - wrestler - 36
Spencer Charnas - metal singer, Ice Nine Kills - 37
Lil Boosie - rapper- 40
Travis Barker - drummer, Blink-182 & Mr. Kourtney Kardashian - 47
Chip Gaines - reality star, “Fixer Upper” - 48
Patrick Warburton - actor, “Ted” & “Big Trouble” & “Men in Black II” - 58
Joseph “Run” Simmons - rapper & producer, Run-D.M.C. - 58
MIke Prior - football player, Packers - 59
Yanni - composer - 68
Condoleeza Rice - former Secretary of State - 68
James Young - guitarist, Styx - 73
King Charles - British royal - 74
Born On This Date
Frankie Banali - heavy metal drummer, Quiet Riot - 1951 (d. 2020)
Joseph McCarthy - WI Senator who claimed communists infiltrated the govt - 1909 (d. 1957)
Claude Monet - painter - 1840 (d. 1926)
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