11/29/2023: Construction Genie Joy Ride
PLUS: EV Dealers Revolt; Diddy Steps Down; and A Scandalous Oversight
Today is Wednesday, November 29, 2023.
It is the 333rd day of the year.
32 days remain.
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TOP SHELF IS COMING
Another day and another round of gratitude for another wave of pledges for our new Top Shelf premium subscription rolling out on Monday, December 18.
REMEMBER: We intend to keep the daily email free – but here’s some of what paid subscribers will have access to:
A Year in Review over the Christmas break when we take a brief step back from the daily newsletter.
Beginning in January, a Saturday email focusing on campaigns and elections heading into next Election Day.
Original reporting and features on many of the topics you enjoy in the daily email.
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WHAT’S ON TAP
JEFF BEZOS is bringing Amazon with him to Miami and the TSA announces a new milestone. Details in HIT LIST.
APPLE MUSIC has named their Artist of the Year and KROY BIERMANN gets hit with another lawsuit. Find out more in SHOWBIZ.
MARK CUBAN is leaving the tank and the “Spinal Tap” sequel gets some famous faces. More in CASTING CALL.
KIM KARDASHIAN was “traumatized” after her divorce from YE. Find out who says so in KARDASH.
An editorial oversight sheds light on some scandalous claims leveled by the Sussexes. What’s going down in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
A 12-year-old Michigan boy remains in police custody after stealing a massive construction vehicle from outside a neighborhood middle school on Saturday night.
The kid hijacked a Construction Genie GTh-636 Telehandler, which comes with a 35,000-pound forklift, before taking it on an hour-long joyride through city streets. Fortunately, no one was injured and police eventually stopped the vehicle during a very low-speed chase – maxing out around 20 miles per hour.
The driver’s identity has not been released because he is a minor. [via NBC News]
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Even though JEFF BEZOS has stepped down from day-to-day operations at AMAZON, his move to Miami has the company looking for 50,000 square feet of office space in the area.
There’s already about 400 Amazon employees working in the Miami area.
Bezos has been snapping up hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate in the area of Miami, with plans to build an enormous compound on the ritzy Indian Creek island. [via NY Post]
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The Transportation Security Administration said Sunday was the biggest air-travel day in American history.
Nearly three MILLION people went through the screening process that day – just enough to beat the previous record set on June 30 this year. [via The Hill]
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More than 3,000 car dealership owners across the country have signed onto an open letter calling for a change in regulations that will require two-thirds of all vehicle sales to be electric by 2032.
That’s about 16% of all dealerships nationwide.
The letter acknowledges there’s excitement for EVs in the market, but they note that customers simply don’t have enough interest to meet the demand, “even with deep price cuts, manufacturer incentives, and generous government incentives.”
The signers also note, “many people just want to make their own choice about what vehicle is right for them.” They’re calling for more time to develop domestic sources for gathering the raw materials necessary to make batteries and building a wider infrastructure for things like charging stations. [via EVVoiceOfTheCustomer.com]
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North Koreans went to the polls on Tuesday, where an unexpected number of people voted against the ruling communist party.
State media reported that over 99% of voters selected Party-approved candidates – a departure from the typically unanimous numbers elected officials receive.
Analysts say even these results are cooked – the country wants to create the appearance of choice and freedom, even if it’s to the tune of dozens of votes. [via Reuters]
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DEATHS
CHARLIE MUNGER has died.
The longtime lieutenant to Berkshire Hathaway head WARREN BUFFET died Monday morning in a California hospital. Munger became a billionaire in his own right over the years, amassing a fortune worth an estimated $2.5 BILLION.
He was 99.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 83 points (0.24%) to close at 35,416 on Tuesday. The S&P ticked up 4 points (0.098%) to close at 4,554 and the NASDAQ added 40 points (0.29%) to close at 14,281.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $76; BRENT CRUDE at $81.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.24 on Tuesday.
₿ BITCOIN gained nearly 2% Tuesday, trading just under $38,000 in the evening.
🛩 There were more than 2,635 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Tuesday and more than 40 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $374 million jackpot or a $173.5 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
TAYLOR SWIFT has been named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year.
In addition to being the most listened-to artist by Apple Music subscribers, Swift also set a new all-time record for most listeners for any artist in a single year on Apple Music.
Last year’s Artist of the Year was BAD BUNNY. [via Variety]
MEANWHILE: A moving truck was spotted within TRAVIS KELCE’s new three-acre compound, fueling speculation that Swift is hunkering down with him for the next few weeks before she resumes touring with dates in Japan in February. [via DailyMail]
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After multiple women came forward with sexual assault allegations against him, SEAN “Diddy” COMBS has decided to take a step back from his role as chairman of Revolt.
The company, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, is currently being run by CEO Detavio Samuels and Chief Brand Officer Deon Graham.
Revolt issued a statement on the decision on X, saying it “helps ensure that [the company] remains steadfastly focused on [their] mission to create meaningful content for the culture.” [via XXL]
BY THE WAY: For those unfamiliar, Revolt is a TV service featuring rap and R&B music, and social justice news. [via Revolt]
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There won’t be any wedding bells in AL PACINO’s future, according to his girlfriend NOOR ALFALLAH.
“I’m not the marrying type,” she told TMZ photogs, while adding that she does love him though.
Noor and Al’s relationship is an interesting one, they share a baby boy, which she has full custody of and gets child support payments for, and they reportedly live separately; but are very much together and in love.
Also…he’s 83 and she’s about to turn 30. [via TMZ]
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MIKE “The Situation” SORRENTINO recently opened up about his past drug addiction, revealing that he spent around $500,000 on the habit.
“I did spend about half a million dollars on cocaine and oxycodone,” he told Entertainment Weekly, while explaining that his “Jersey Shore” salary helped fuel his dependency. He appeared on the show from 2009-2012.
It wasn’t until 2015, when Mike hit his lowest point, that he took the first step and checked into a rehab center. He has been sober ever since. [via ET]
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KROY BIERMANN is now being sued by Chase Bank, who claims the former football player owes more than $10,000 in credit card debt.
According to the suit, Kroy owes $13,071.88, which the bank says they want ASAP.
This is just the latest in a long list of companies seeking payments from Kroy and his on-again, off-again wife KIM ZOLCIAK. [via TMZ]
SPEAKING OF KIM: She still has Biermann on her Instagram handle -- and the cops have not been called to their Georgia mansion in a week or so -- so things must be good at home.
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Country duo the BROTHERS OSBORNE are going on tour.
Brothers JOHN and TJ OSBORNE announced this week they will hit the road next spring for their “Might As Well Be Us” tour -- a nod to a song off their new self-titled album.
They will make 35 stops across North America, kicking things off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in March. [via People]
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CASTING CALL
MARK CUBAN is leaving the tank.
The billionaire announced that he will not be returning to “Shark Tank” after Season 16, meaning he has one more year with the ABC series.
Cuban has been with the show as a permanent shark since its third season.
ABC has not officially announced his exit. [via People]
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After seven weeks in theaters, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” has surpassed the $250 million mark.
Broken down, that’s $178.2 million at the domestic box office and $71.8 million globally.
The movie quickly became the highest-grossing concert film ever just a week after it hit theaters in October. [via Deadline]
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ROB REINER has recruited original cast members of “This Is Spinal Tap” for the forthcoming sequel.
CHRISTOPHER GUEST, MICHAEL MCKEAN and HARRY SHEARER will return to their roles, and will be joined by musical icons PAUL MCCARTNEY, ELTON JOHN and GARTH BROOKS, according to Reiner.
“This Is Spinal Tap” wasn’t a hit when it first debuted, but has since become a cult classic; even landing in the National Film Registry in 2002.
The sequel was originally set to be released in March 2024, but the duel Hollywood strikes have pushed that back. Filming is set to begin in February. [via Daily Beast]
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Warner Bros. has landed the rights to an adaptation of T.J. NEWMAN’s bestselling novel, “Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 421.”
PAUL GREENGRASS will direct and produce the film, which follows the story of the rescue effort of passengers trapped in a downed plane stuck on an undersea cliff in the Pacific Ocean.
Greengrass is known for his other films, including the “Bourne” franchise, “United 93” and “Captain Phillips.” [via Deadline]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
Celebrity psychic and body language expert Inbaal Honigman says KIM KARDASHIAN was left “traumatized” by her marriage to YE.
According to The Mirror, Honigman says that a Tarot card reading offered some insight into Kim’s feelings for her ex a year after their divorce. The cards showed that she has “been left with a lot of emotional deposits, meaning that she’s a bit traumatized by what she experienced while married to him.”
Honigman also said that the reading showed Kim is “absolutely not interfering” in Ye’s marriage to BIANCA CENSORI. [via The Mirror]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Kim and Ye’s divorce was finalized in November 2022 and he married Censori that December.
WORTH NOTING: The tarot reading was not one initiated by Kim. It was something Honigman did independently.
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
For all its notorious sensationalism, British tabloid media still occasionally circles the wagons to protect the Royal Family – as appears to be the case in the wake of OMID SCOBIE’s new book, Endgame.
SOME BACKGROUND: When MEGHAN MARKLE and PRINCE HARRY sat for an interview with OPRAH WINFREY in 2021, Meg claimed that a senior member of the Royal Family expressed concerns over PRINCE ARCHIE’s skin color before he was born – but Meg refused to name that royal.
NOW: Scobie’s reporting reveals that TWO members of the Royal Family had these racist views, but also did not name names, claiming fear of a defamation lawsuit.
BUT WAIT: The Dutch translation of the book apparently does mention one Senior Royal who made these claims by name – but the Daily Mail and other British tabloids continue to protect that person’s identity.
WE DID SOME DIGGING: A picture of the Dutch translation reveals it was KING CHARLES who questioned his grandson’s skin color before he was born.
The Dutch publisher of Endgame has pulled the title from shelves. No official word yet on where the wires got crossed to have the King mentioned in this context and no public comment yet from The Firm. [via DailyMail, @theapollogrey]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Square Dancing Day
Electronic Greeting Day
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting
Package Protection Day
National Chocolates Day
International Jaguar Day
Throw Out Your Leftovers Day
National Lemon Cream Pie Day
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ON THIS DATE
1830 - Polish locals rise up against Russian control.
Young Polish officers in Warsaw serving at the military academy revolt and quickly get widespread public support.
The uprising spread to nearby Lithuania and Belarus. Though the fighters fiercely stood for independence, they were no match for the Imperial Russian Army, which would squash the rebellion less than a year later.
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1877 - Inventor Thomas Edison first demonstrates his phonograph machine.
He showed it off to editors of the Scientific American magazine. The small machine was able to record sounds, and when a crank was turned, replay them.
Edison developed the invention while trying to record telegraph messages. He would get the patent for the invention the following February.
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1929 - Explorer Richard Byrd and three others fly over the South Pole. The crew took to the skies in a Ford Tri-Motor outfitted with extra fuel tanks for the long trip.
They became the first to cross the geographical landmark by air. The roundtrip flight from the Ross Ice Shelf and back took 18 hours and 41 minutes.
Byrd dropped an American flag over the exact spot of the pole to commemorate the occasion.
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1945 - The Constituent Assembly of Yugoslavia declares the country's monarchy abolished, and replaces it with what they call a republic.
The new regime was in cahoots with the Soviet Union to proliferate communism across Europe and elsewhere from the start. The new leftist state even had the chutzpah to shoot down American planes flying over their airspace the following year.
The US and its allies quickly distrusted the new leader, Josip Tito – but foreign relations slowly softened over the course of the Cold War.
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1972 - Atari announces the release of the hit video game Pong.
The arcade unit came complete with a cabinet, shipped as one set. At first the factory could only churn out about 10 a day, though demand was through the roof.
In 1974, Atari would announce a version compatible with a home television.
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1990 - The UN Security Council passes Resolution 678, which demands that Iraqi forces withdraw from Kuwait by January 15 of the following year. Member states would have authority to use all necessary means to force Iraq out, should it not comply.
On January 14, France proposed that the UN make another proposal to call on the Iraqis to get out of Kuwait, but actually mean it this time.
That wouldn't be the case. Aerial bombings began on January 17th, coordinated by Air Force Lieutenant General Chuck Horner. Norman Schwarzkopf would eventually take over the mission.
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2016 - NFL player Darren Sharper is sentenced to 20 years in prison for a series of rapes.
Two victims testified against the Super Bowl champion, saying he drugged and raped them after night of partying.
His arrest came as the league was dealing with off-field problems with multiple players accused of crimes ranging from spousal abuse to murder.
He would be eligible for parole after serving half the sentence.
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2019 - A thumb-sized wood fragment believed to be from Jesus’ manger is returned to Bethlehem.
A procession and mass were held in Jerusalem to mark the return, which was described as a “gift” from Pope Francis to a Franciscan order of monks in Bethlehem.
After a day of celebrations, the piece was transferred from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where it would go on permanent display at St. Catherine’s Church.
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BIRTHDAYS
Dane Jackson - football player - 27
Laura Marano - actress, “Austin and Ally” & “Saving Zoe” - 28
Stefon Diggs - football player - 30
David Lambert - actor, “The Fosters” - 30
Russell Wilson - football player - 35
Dana Brooke - wrestler - 35
Gemma Chan - actress, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” & “Sherlock” - 41
Janina Gavankar - actress, “True Blood” - 43
The Game - rapper - 44
Lauren German - actress, “Chicago Fire” & “Lucifer” - 45
Anna Faris - actress, “The House Bunny” & “Mom” - 47
Don Cheadle - actor, “Hotel Rwanda” & “Crash” - 59
Howie Mandel - game show host, “Deal or No Deal” - 68
Jerry Lawler - wrestler - 74
Born On This Date
Chadwick Boseman - actor, “Black Panther” & “42” - 1976 (d. 2020)
Vin Scully - sportscaster - 1927 (d. 2022)
C.S. Lewis - children’s author, “Chronicles of Narnia” books - 1898 (d. 1963)
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