11/3/2022: Cornhole Scandal
PLUS: Biden Does Primetime as Dems Panic; “Uh-Dale”; and New Mom Wins IRONMAN
Today is Thursday, November 3, 2022.
It is the 307th day of the year.
58 days remain.
TRENDING
#AvatarTheWayOfWater landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends on Wednesday after director James Cameron released some new footage from the film.
Wednesday was Old Souls Day aka The Day of the Dead. The day is used to honor those who have passed on.
Wayne Brady says Robin Williams’ death made him address his own depression issues. The story led to the late comedian to trend on Twitter Wednesday, with users sharing their favorite memories and roles he played. More on Brady’s story in Showbiz.
#TrumpIsDead was trending Wednesday. He isn’t. It is unknown why or where the hashtag started.
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HIT LIST
The American Cornhole League is embroiled in scandal.
The Wall Street Journal reports that competitors at August’s World Championships in South Carolina used bags that were too thin and underweight.
The game consists of teams of two lobbing bean bags into a hole on an angled board from 27 feet away.
With a $15,000 championship prize on the line, competitors were shirking poorly-enforced rules and regulations to try to win. Now, the Journal reports that they’re working on refined regulations to be sure this doesn’t happen again – especially with money on the line.
BY THE WAY: Proficient cornholers could make a killing on the circuit. The ACL reportedly has thousands of events a year and top players take home around $250,000.
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You’ve heard of bitter exes getting even with a lost lover, but a Miami man has taken his passion to dangerous new levels: 47-year-old Nisan Ortega is accused of showing up at his ex-wife’s house, hammered-drunk, and driving his SUV into the front porch when she refused to let him in.
Seven people were inside at the time, including the ex’s niece. Fortunately, all are safe – and Ortega now faces seven counts of attempted murder.
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Walgreens and CVS are ponying up billions to settle lawsuits connected to OxyContin’s overprescription and abuse.
Regulatory filings show that CVS will pay $5 billion over the next 10 years and Walgreens will pay $5.7 billion over the next 15 years to settle multiple suits filed by state and local governments across the country. In doing so, neither pharmacy acknowledges doing anything wrong.
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Italy’s new government is working hard to make right the totalitarian demands that all healthcare workers get covid vaccines.
On Wednesday, all unvaccinated healthcare workers who were fired were allowed to get their jobs back.
Additionally, the government repealed the law that fined people over 50 years old for not getting the jab.
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If you think your local government is full of crooks, get a load of this: A small-town mayor in Oregon has been arrested on charges for suspicion of attempted murder and attempted assault.
Rufus, Oregon, is outside Portland and has less than 270 residents. On Halloween night, its mayor, a man named Dowen James, was allegedly spotted driving erratically and suddenly pulled over to the side of the road.
Another driver – with his family on board – noticed the dangerous driving, and pulled close to see if the driver was okay.
According to a police report, that’s when James stepped out and fired shots from a handgun at the passing driver’s vehicle. Fortunately, no one was injured.
James has been booked into the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections facility.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The Dow lost 505 points (1.55%) on Wednesday to close at 32,147. It is down 12% year-to-date. The S&P lost 96 points (2.5%) to close at 3,759. It is down 21% year-to-date. The Nasdaq lost 366 points (3.36%) to close at 10,524. It is down 33% – ONE THIRD – year-to-date.
🛢 West Texas Intermediate traded at $89 Wednesday; Brent Crude at $95.
⛽ The national average price of a gallon of gas was $3.76 on Wednesday.
₿ Bitcoin lost more than $300 on Wednesday, trading just north of $21,100.
🛩 There were 2,103 flights delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday and 95 such cancellations.
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CHARTS
Everyone has heard about the Man on the Moon, but has anyone ever seen a Smiling Sun?
NASA shared this photo last week.
WORTH ASKING: Is this cool or creepy?
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DEATHS
JOHN MCVAY has died.
The former 49ers’ general manager and Giants coach passed away Monday. No other details were shared.
He was 91.
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BABY NEWS
Country singer GABBY BARRETT, 22, and her husband, singer CADE FOEHNER, 26, have welcomed their second baby.
The newborn, a boy named Augustine, arrived on October 27, joining big sister Baylah, 1.
Barrett and Foehner met on Season 16 of “American Idol.”
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THE SWAMP
In a prime time speech last night, President JOE BIDEN — who campaigned on unifying the country and moving past divisive rhetoric — blamed DONALD TRUMP and his supporters for the attack on PAUL PELOSI last weekend, without evidence.
He then connected this erroneous assertion, without evidence, to next week’s midterm elections, suggesting that a vote for anyone aligned with Trump politically is a threat to freedom and democracy in America.
Biden also claimed, without evidence, that Trump supporters are a small minority of the Republican Party — despite Trump getting more votes than any incumbent president in the country’s history.
Biden said that anyone who still supports Trump and questions the security and legality of things like vote-by-mail and ballot harvesting is “damaging, corrosive, and destructive” to the country.
IN OTHER WORDS: If you supported Trump and you have asked any of these questions, Biden said in a prime time address that you are the problem and you don’t deserve to be heard.
WORTH NOTING: The most hilarious thing about this speech is that in a week’s time we’re going to hear a lot from Democrats about why the results of their midterm salad-tossing shouldn’t be accepted as legitimate.
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It’s absurd that one social media site can drive the day’s political news, but here we go –
The Biden White House is loudly celebrating that social security recipients are getting the biggest annual increase ever.
In a tweet, the Biden administration celebrated this increase is a result of “President Biden’s leadership.”
THEY’RE NOT WRONG: Biden’s abysmal leadership has triggered record inflation that threatens to close one-third of small businesses, as Bloomberg reported earlier this week. As a result of that inflation, the checks have increased to keep up with statutorily-mandated cost of living increases that were already in place.
IN OTHER WORDS: Biden had nothing to do directly with the increase in social security payments – other than managing an economy so poorly that safeguards kicked in so that seniors on fixed incomes don’t die from starvation.
BUT WAIT: Twitter flagged the post as worthy of a fact-check, pointing exactly all this out. Apparently realizing how boneheaded this tweet was, the White House took it down Wednesday morning – and hopefully fired whatever dweeb is in charge of posting.
THEN: Watch White House Media Commissar KARINE JEAN-PIERRE spin like a hamster wheel to make the tweet ACKSHUALLY about the dangers that Republicans present to America.
WORTH ASKING: Why isn’t the White House celebrating actual accomplishments? Why do they need to bend the truth and lie to get elected?
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As the dust settles on ELON MUSK’s Twitter acquisition, rumors swirl about his plans for the platform – which is a favorite especially for journalists and politicians.
Musk has said he will likely charge users to keep their “blue check” – the signal that the user is a real person or an official brand, not just some internet troll. Rumored prices have ranged from $4-to-$20 a month. (BY THE WAY: Currently no one pays to be verified).
One such “real person” with an opinion about charging for verification is Rep. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, who tweeted: “Lmao at a billionaire earnestly trying to sell people on the idea that ‘free speech’ is actually a $8/mo subscription plan.”
WORTH NOTING: You have to pay for an internet connection to share your speech. You have to pay for news site subscriptions. You have to pay for satellite radio (but not, of course, free, over-the-air FM broadcasts!).
IT GETS BETTER: Musk replied to the tweet, writing, “Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8.” He later posted a screen grab of AOC’s campaign store, noting that she sells sweatshirts for $58.
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LOTTERY
No winner for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Friday night’s drawing will be for a $119 million jackpot or a $59.1 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
DWAYNE WADE’s ex-wife is accusing him of using their trans daughter ZAYA for his own financial gain.
SIOHVAUGHN FUNCHES-WADE was not on board when Dwayne petitioned to legally change the teen’s name in August, telling Page Six that she believes their child’s transition put Dwayne in a position to “profit from [...] contracts and marketing opportunities including, but not limited to deals with Disney.”
She has filed an official objection with the court, asking that Zaya make these decisions when she is “at the age of majority” aka 18-years-old.
Dwayne has not responded to her objection.
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TOM BRADY was not ready to give up on his marriage with GISELE BUNDCHEN.
An insider told PEOPLE magazine this week that the Buccaneers QB “wanted to do whatever he needed to do to fix things.”
The divorce “was not Tom’s idea,” the source added, “but from Gisele’s end it was too little, too late.”
The couple confirmed their divorce last Friday, after 13 years of marriage.
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Everyone has been pronouncing ADELE’s name wrong all these years, according to the Grammy-winning singer herself.
In a recent Q&A session, the 34-year-old praised a London-based fan who pronounced her name correctly.
Turns out, it's not ah-dell, it's uh-dale.
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WAYNE BRADY opened up about his mental health in a recent interview with Verywell Mind’s Winter Issue.
The actor and TV host revealed that he struggled with mental health issues throughout his 30s, and said that his depression reached a point when he was 42 that he “couldn’t shake off anymore.”
He also shared how the death of actor and comedian ROBIN WILLIAMS motivated him to seek help. Williams died by suicide in August 2014.
Brady said he wanted to open up about his own struggles in hopes that it “might motivate someone else to seek the care they need.”
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CINDY CRAWFORD has hired a lifestyle coach to help her navigate the stress in her life.
The 56-year-old supermodel told Haute Living magazine that she “might be going through a midlife crisis” as she deals with heading into the “second half of her 50s” and needs some help managing it all.
The things causing her stress include, being a wife, mom, working and other obligations. All things she says “come with responsibility” that “overwhelms” her.
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CHRISTINA APPLEGATE opened up about her struggles with multiple sclerosis, telling the New York Times that since her diagnosis she has gained 40 pounds and can no longer walk without a cane.
“It’s been a tough road. But, as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some asshole blocks it,” she added.
Applegate chatted with the publication about the upcoming season of her Netflix show, “Dead to Me,” which premieres on November 17.
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“Dancing With the Stars” pro CHERYL BURKE appeared on Wednesday’s episode of JADA PINKETT SMITH’s “Red Table Talk” where she discussed the domestic violence she dealt with as a teen.
“I’ll never forget, the person I was with on and off for about four years whipped me with a belt. And I had bruises all over my legs. I remember his parents watching it. Didn’t do anything,” she explained.
Burke said that she wanted to speak out about what she experienced “in hopes that it will help others feel they are not alone.”
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A little Harry Potter nerdery and pretext for this story: You may remember that at the end of the seventh movie – SPOILER ALERT! – Dobby the house elf is buried on a cliff overlooking a beach.
In the second movie, Harry freed Dobby – who was until then basically a slave – by tricking Dobby’s owner, Lucius Malfoy, into giving Dobby a sock.
The burial scene was filmed in Wales, at a place called Freshwater Beach – where Harry Potter fans have been flocking and leaving their socks as a tribute to the very fictional and very dead house elf.
Conservationists at the beach would like people to cut it out. "Items like socks, trinkets, and paint chips from painted pebbles could enter the marine environment and food chain and put wildlife at risk,” officials said.
BY THE WAY: The 2010 version of “Robin Hood” starring RUSSEL CROWE was also filmed at the beach.
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CASTING CALL
Hank Aaron’s attempt to break Babe Ruth’s record of 714 home runs all while under 24/7 police protection due to racist hate mail and death threats, will be the focus of a new film from producer MIKE TOLLIN.
The movie will focus on Aaron and Ruth, two black men, who were confronted with the depths of bigotry in the Deep South as they dominated on the ball diamond.
Insiders told Deadline the plan is to release the film on the 50th anniversary of Aaron’s record-breaking home run, which will be April 8, 2024.
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LUPITA NYONG’O will star in “A Quiet Place: Day One,” a spinoff film based on 2018’s “A Quiet Place” and 2021’s “A Quiet Place Part II.”
While plot details are unknown, Deadline reports that JOHN KRASINSKI and wife EMILY BLUNT, who starred in both films, are not expected to return for the next installment.
“A Quiet Place: Day One” is set to hit theaters on March 8, 2024.
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COURT CASES
Former NFL coach BRITT REID has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.
The charge stems from a highway crash from 2021 in which Reid’s vehicle struck another that was pulled over on an exit ramp, injuring then 5-year-old Ariel Miller, and four others.
The New York Times reported this week that Reid, the son of Chiefs head coach ANDY REID, was taken immediately into custody after the sentence was handed down.
UPDATE ON ARIEL: Following the crash, Ariel was in a coma for 11 days. While she has come a long way since then, she is still not fully recovered. According to a victim impact statement read by her mom in court, “Ariel drags her right foot when she walks [...] she has terrible balance [...] she takes longer to process information [...] she will have to be in special ed and she wears thick glasses that she never wore before.”
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
All the rumors of KIM KARDASHIAN and PETE DAVIDSON talking in secret and possibly rekindling their romance are *unfortunately* not true.
Speculation began when fans spotted a Jasmine (as in the princess from the Disney movie “Aladdin”) candle on top of her 42nd birthday cake. Many thought Davidson sent it to her in a sweet reference to the first time they kissed while dressed as Jasmine and Aladdin on “Saturday Night Live.”
TMZ reported Wednesday that sources adamantly told them the former couple has “moved on” and “are not still in communication.”
As for holding out hope for the future, the insider stated that getting back together down the road is “highly unlikely.”
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
An Australian chef revealed the “simple” dish he cooked QUEEN ELIZABETH and guests for her 80th birthday dinner in 2008.
PAUL SMART, who worked at The Ritz London, told the Daily Mail that Her Majesty and about 300 of her closest friends and family members took over the ground floor of the iconic hotel for the celebration. As for the menu, Smart says the birthday girl wanted something “very simple done well.”
Knowing the Queen loves her seafood and lamb, Smart said he created a fish dish for the entree and lamb dinner for the main course.
Unfortunately, Smart says he didn’t get to meet Her Majesty, but says he did get to see KING CHARLES who stopped by the kitchen and shook hands with the head chef.
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SPORTS
CHELSEA SODARO, 34, won the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii last month.
Not only is she the first American to win the competition in 25 years, and the first rookie to win in 15 years, she is also only 18-months out from giving birth to her first child.
The IRONMAN World Championship requires contestants to complete a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.
She completed the race in 8 hours, 33 minutes and 46 seconds.
WHAT’S MORE: Sodaro had only ever completed one IRONMAN prior to the World Championship -- in June 2022.
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Sandwich Day
World Jellyfish Day
National Housewife Day
Cliche Day
Smart Home Day
National Men Make Dinner Day
International Project Management Day
International Stout Day
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ON THIS DATE
1493 – Christopher Columbus lays eyes on the Caribbean island Dominga for the first time. He named it for the day of the week he spotted it, which was a Sunday.
It would change hands from the French to the British in 1763, which they would keep until 1978, when it would become an independent nation.
Today the small island holds nearly 72,500 inhabitants. It’s a popular tourist spot known for its untouched rainforests and thriving exotic animal populations.
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1903 – The Panamanians declare independence from Colombia.
The separatist faction was powered principally by the Panama Canal Company, a joint French-American company looking to build what would become the Panama Canal. A treaty was ratified that would have the US pay the Colombian government for use of the land for building the canal.
When the Colombians reneged on the agreement, President Roosevelt ordered support for a rebellion in Panama. By November 6, the Republic of Panama was officially recognized by the US, and a new treaty was negotiated with the new government. The terms were $10 million up-front and $250,000 annually, beginning 9 years later.
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1957 – The Reds put the first animal into space–a dog named Laika—on board the Sputnik 2 spacecraft.
The Siberian husky had been a stray living in Moscow before being rescued and put into the space program. She was hooked up with electrodes to monitor her vitals, and relay the information back to Soviet engineers and doctors.
She died when the life-support system crapped out.
Of the 12 recorded launches of dogs into space by the Soviets, at least 5 died. They were all paving the way for the launch of the first human into space.
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1976 – The horror flick, “Carrie,” based on Stephen King’s novel, opens in theaters nationwide.
The horror film launched Sissy Spacek’s acting career – she even received a Best Actress nomination for the role. John Travolta also had a part.
The movie’s success helped to explode Stephen King’s writing career, with many of his tales being adapted for film. Among them: “The Shining,” “Stand by Me,” “Misery,” “Dolores Claiborne,” and “The Green Mile.”
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1986 – A Lebanese magazine publishes a story exposing American arms sales to Iran in exchange for the release of the 7 American hostages held in that country.
US intel would confirm the reports 3 days later, shocking even some inside President Reagan’s inner circle. The scandal exploded when it was revealed by the Attorney General that the money from the sales went to fund anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua. Congress was outraged; it had passed the Boland Amendment in 1982 which prohibited the use of any federal funds “for the purpose of overthrowing the government of Nicaragua.”
While Reagan admitted knowledge of the sales to Iranian rebels, he did not claim to know anything about spending money on the Contras.
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1992 – Bill Clinton is elected President of the US, defeating incumbent President George H. W. Bush.
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2014 – New York’s 104-story One World Trade Center officially opens; 13 year after the September 11 attacks.
Also referred to as The Freedom Tower, WTC 1, 1 World Trade Center or One WTC, it is the tallest building in the US, as well as in the Western Hemisphere. It is ranked #6 among tallest buildings in the world.
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2019 - Olivia Newton-John’s black leather outfit from the film “Grease” sells for $405,700 at a Beverly Hills auction.
The final sale was more than double what the outfit was expected to bring in. Half of the proceeds would go toward the actress’ cancer treatment center in Australia.
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BIRTHDAYS
Bodhi Sabongui - actor, “Legends of Tomorrow” & “A Million Little Things” - 15
Stephen Sanchez - pop singer - 20
Carson Rowland - actor, “I Am Frankie” - 25
Kendall Jenner - model & reality star - 27
Ella Mai - R&B singer - 28
Nav - rapper - 33
Angus McLaren - actor, “H2O: Just Add Water” - 34
Cameron Lynn - wrestler - 35
Colin Kaepernick - football player - 35
Elizabeth Smart - activist - 35
Dolph Lundgren - actor, “Rocky IV” & “The Expendables” - 65
Roseanne Barr - actress, “Roseanne” - 70
Anna Wintour - Vogue editor-in-chief - 73
Larry Holmes - boxer - 73
Born On This Date
Bob Feller - HOF pitcher - 1918 (d. 2010)
Adolf Dassler - entrepreneur, Adidas - 1900 (d. 1978)
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