1/27/2023: Drink More (Non-Alcoholic) Beer!
1/27/2023: Drink More (Non-Alcoholic) Beer!
PLUS: Biden Biffs on Tax Code; The Other Kushner; and Booted from Buckingham
Today is Friday, January 27, 2023.
It is the 27th day of the year.
338 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Science! reveals a surprising beverage to help recover from an intense workout and a roundup of major stock booms and busts. More in HIT LIST.
At an event Thursday, President JOE BIDEN was way off on the US tax code – why? More in THE SWAMP.
BRITNEY SPEARS addresses fans’ concerns and actor REGE-JEAN PAGE is one handsome human. More in SHOWBIZ.
KING CHARLES has booted one member of the Royal Family from Buckingham Palace. More in ROYALS.
###
HIT LIST
For all the hand-wringing about ELON MUSK dividing his attention between TESLA, TWITTER, and his various other companies, the electric vehicle company announced record profits on Wednesday anyway.
In an earnings call, the company said it posted $3.7 billion in profits in the fourth quarter last year, a nearly 60% increase year-over-year. The company also announced surging demand for its vehicles after it deeply cut its prices.
HOWEVER: There’s still a steep climb ahead to regain its footing, after Tesla lost $675 billion in value over the last year.
MEANWHILE, AT BED BATH & BEYOND: Amid its bankruptcy considerations, Bed Bath & Beyond announced Thursday its banks have shut off its credit lines after it defaulted on payments.
MEANWHILE, AT HASBRO: Toy manufacturing company Hasbro announced Thursday it will layoff about 15% of its workforce, amounting to about 1,000 jobs. The news comes after it reported a 17% decrease in revenue year over year. [via WSJ]
###
Astronomers have discovered a distant planet due to collide with its sun in about 3 million years – which is just a blink of an eye in the cosmic time scale.
One of the lead researchers on the project says observing this star will allow them to test theories about what happens when a sun swallows a planet – which is expected to happen to Earth in a distant five billion years. [via SciTechDaily]
###
A new study reveals a surprising beverage for recovering after an intense workout: non-alcoholic beer.
The research shows that drinking non-alcoholic beer 45 minutes before a workout helped keep the participants hydrated about as much as drinking water, and also kept up their levels of sodium and potassium. The combination of water and carbohydrates help aid metabolic recovery, the study concluded. It also suggests such beverages are healthier than sports drinks. [via WaPo]
###
North Korea is locking down Pyongyang again – but they’re not saying it’s because of covid.
An official government notice orders inhabitants to measure and report their temperatures four times a day to a local hospital. Without apps and email to handle this, they must call in the information.
WORTH NOTING: The notice calls this procedure a “special anti-epidemic period” that they’re blaming on flu and other respiratory diseases, but not specifically covid. [via NBC News]
###
The CDC reports that more than two-thirds of Americans aren’t getting the recommended 20 minutes a day on average of exercise.
WORTH NOTING: The data comes from a 2020 survey – and the lockdowns certainly affected peoples’ ability to get to the gym.
###
CHARTS
What’s Streaming
New to Amazon Prime:
Shotgun Wedding (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%)
The King’s Speech (Score: 94%)
New to Hulu:
Maneater (Score: 17%)
The Deer King (Score: 56%)
New to Netflix:
You People (Score: 38%)
###
DEATHS
Former Detroit Lions linebacker JESSIE LEMONIER has died.
The team confirmed his death on Thursday. No further details were shared.
He was only 25.
###
WALLY COMPO, narrator of “The Little Shop of Horrors,” has died.
He passed away January 14 of natural causes in Studio City, his son told The Hollywood Reporter.
Compo was 99.
###
THE SWAMP
Does President JOE BIDEN know the tax code of the country he runs?
Here he is yesterday, addressing a crowd hosted by the Steamfitters union in Springfield, Virginia:
"Up to $139,000, you pay slightly more [taxes] the more you make. But it stops there. So if you make a billion dollars, you pay the same amount if you make $139,000,” he says.
WORTH NOTING: This is incorrect. An individual making $139,000 a year pays a 24% marginal tax rate; this bracket ranges from about $89,000 to $170,000, and it’s right in the middle of tax brackets that go all the way up to 37% for an individual earning $539,000 or more. The last time someone making $139,000 – the amount Biden used as an example – paid the top tax rate was 1983.
WORTH ASKING: How can this man possibly negotiate the country’s tax policy and manage its finances if he doesn’t have a simple grasp on tax brackets?
ALSO WORTH ASKING: Everyone in the press pool has to know that’s not true. Where was the follow up? The calls for the 25th Amendment because the president obviously doesn’t have the mental capacity to do the job?
###
Congress can’t wait to get its dirty, corrupt mitts on new artificial intelligence programs that have shown startling promise in recent weeks.
Democrat Rep. TED LIEU writes in the New York Times, “as a member of Congress, I am freaked out by AI, specifically AI that is left unchecked and unregulated,” and proceeds to argue for a whole new federal agency to regulate such technology. [via NYT]
WORTH NOTING: We, too, are freaked out by a government body that’s able to trade stocks on insider information with no repercussions and continue collecting paychecks for themselves and their staffs who work in snuggies on their couches for months on end while they tell small business owners it’s illegal to open their doors – but here we are.
ALSO WORTH NOTING: If the federal government can regulate artificial intelligence, it gets to decide what it can and cannot say and compute. That’s a dangerous precedent for free speech and thought.
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 205 points (0.61%) to close at 33,949. The S&P added 44 points (1.10%) to close at 4,060 while the NASDAQ added 199 points (1.76%) to close at 11,512.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $81; BRENT CRUDE at $87.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS increased to $3.50 on Thursday.
₿ BITCOIN was volatile but ultimately mostly flat on Thursday, trading just over $23,000.
🛩 There were more than 4,040 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Thursday and more than 215 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for $20 million or a $10.5 million cash payout. Saturday night’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $572 million jackpot or a $308.9 million cash payout.
###
SHOWBIZ NEWS
These albums drop today:
The Arcs, “Electrophonic Chronic”
Ava Max, “Diamonds & Dancefloor”
Electric Mob, “2 Make U Cry & Dance”
Elle King, “Come Get Your Wife”
H.C. McEntire, “Every Acre”
Heavy Blanket, “Moon Is”
Joe Henry, “All The Eye Can See”
Jonah Yano, “Portrait Of A Dog”
Kimbra, “A Reckoning”
King Tuff, “Smalltown Stardust”
Meg Baird, “Furling”
The Mother Hips, “When We Disappear”
Quinn XCII, “The People’s Champ”
R. Ring, “War Poems, We Rested”
Sam Smith, “Gloria”
Samia, “Honey”
Tyler Hubbard, “Tyler Hubbard”
White Reaper, “Asking for A Ride”
Widows Gold, “Love Drops”
You Me At Six, “Truth Decay”
###
BRITNEY SPEARS appreciates the concern, but says she doesn’t need anyone checking up on her.
In a statement, the singer said that officers showing up to her gate in the middle of the night made her feel “bullied.” Going forward, she has asked that everyone respect her privacy.
As previously reported, several fans called the Venture County Sheriff's Office this week concerned about Spears after she deleted her Instagram account. [via TMZ]
Brit’s full statement on the matter:
###
PAMELA ANDERSON once walked in on actor JACK NICHOLSON having a threesome.
She details the encounter in her new memoir, “Love, Pamela,” writing “Mr. Nicholson had two beautiful women with him. They were all giggling and kissing up against the wall, sliding all over each other.”
The excerpt was shared by Variety Thursday, in which Anderson has the cover story.
Elsewhere in the magazine, the former Playboy model defended the flashing incident with TIM ALLEN, saying “it’s his job to cross the line. I’m sure he had no bad intentions.”
She later added, “Times have changed though. I doubt anyone would try that post #MeToo. It’s a new world.” [via Variety]
###
THE SCIENCE SAYS: Actor REGE-JEAN PAGE is the most beautiful man in the world.
According to digital face-mapping software, which measures physical perfection based on the Greek Golden Ratio of Beauty Phi, the 34-year-old “Bridgerton” alum’s facial symmetricality is 93.65%.
Others who scored near perfect perfection include, CHRIS HEMSWORTH (93.53%) and MICHAEL B. JORDAN (93.46%). [via People]
Check out Page’s facial breakdown here:
###
THOMAS BANGALTER, one half of the French electronic duo DAFT PUNK, has announced his first solo album, “Mythologies.”
Bangalter also revealed his face for the first time through a realistic illustration. The duo were famous for performing in elaborate helmets.
“Mythologies” is due out April 7. [via Variety]
WORTH NOTING: Daft Punk broke up in 2021.
###
JOSH KUSHNER, the younger brother of JARED KUSHNER, has more moola than his big bro and DONALD TRUMP.
Bloomberg reported this week that Josh, who founded Thrive Capital, has a net worth of $3.7 billion.
Jared and his wife, IVANKA TRUMP, are worth between $206 million and $803 million, while Trump is worth an estimated $2.6 billion, according to the outlet. [via Bloomberg]
ALSO: Josh is married to supermodel KARLIE KLOSS, which only helps in the finance department.
###
Model AMBER ROSE, 39, no longer wants or needs a significant other.
“I want to be single for the rest of my life,” she recently exclaimed on the “Sofia With an F” podcast this week.
It’s not like she hasn’t given the idea of a relationship a shot. Rose dated YE (formerly Kanye West) from 2008 to 2010, then tied the knot with rapper WIZ KHALIFA in 2013, though the two called it quits a year later. In 2017, she moved on with rapper 21 SAVAGE, but that didn't last long either. In 2018 she started a relationship with music executive ALEXANDER “AE” EDWARDS, before splitting in 2021.
IN OTHER NEWS: Edwards, 36, is currently dating CHER, 76. The two have sparked engagement rumors, though that has not been confirmed.
###
CASTING CALL
“The Last of Us” star PEDRO PASCAL will make his hosting debut on “Saturday Night Live” on Saturday February 4. He will be joined by COLDPLAY as the musical guest, who will make their seventh appearance on the show.
This weekend, actor MICHAEL B. JORDAN will host, with musical guest LIL BABY. [via Deadline]
###
“Avatar: The Way of Water” has surpassed $2.054 BILLION globally, making it the No. 5 highest-grossing movie ever worldwide.
The move bumps “Avengers: Infinity War” to No. 6 on the list.
No. 4 on the list is “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” If it tops that, director JAMES CAMERON will have three of the four highest-grossing titles -- “Avatar,” “Titanic” & “Avatar: The Way of Water.” [via Variety]
###
Netflix dominated Nielsen’s US streaming charts last year with 13 of the top 15 original streaming programs.
“Stranger Things” came in first with 52 BILLION minutes viewed, followed by “Ozark” with 31.3 BILLION viewing minutes. “The Addams Family” spinoff, “Wednesday,” came in third with 18.6 BILLION minutes viewed.
Rounding out the rest of the list, were “Cobra Kai,” “Bridgerton,” “Virgin River,” “Dahmer,” “Love Is Blind,” “Inventing Anna,” “The Crown,” “Great British Baking Show,” “The Umbrella Academy” and “The Last Kingdom.”
Prime Video had the remaining two spots with, “The Boys” & “The Rings of Power”. [via Deadline]
WORTH NOTING: “Wednesday” only has one season of eight episodes, which pales in comparison to the others that have dozens of episodes.
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE was spotted shopping with his new bride, BIANCA CENSORI at Balenciaga in Beverly Hills this week.
The retail choice is odd as Balenciaga cut ties with Ye last year after his antisemitic rants. The brand also faced its own scandal after many were outraged over an ad campaign showcasing toddlers holding teddy bears in BDSM-inspired outfits. [via TMZ]
ALSO: During the shopping spree, the rapper wore a shirt featuring the coat of arms of the German Reisch, which was used by the Nazis before they adopted the swastika.
WORTH ASKING: Does he think the clothing choice will help his odds at getting into Australia?
###
WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE ANDREW has been kicked out of Buckingham Palace.
According to The Sun, the disgraced royal has been told by KING CHARLES to find a new place to live “immediately.”
WORTH NOTING: Don’t worry, Charles isn’t leaving his younger brother to sleep on the streets; he reportedly has been given the option of moving into another royal residence, St. James’ Place, and Andrew still shares a 31-room Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor with his ex-wife SARAH FERGUSON. [via The Sun]
###
LIST OF THE WEEK
In light of KYLIE JENNER revealing her son’s new moniker, here are some other unusual names celebs have given their offspring [via Page Six]
Malibu Barbie - daughter of YouTuber Trisha Paytas & Moses Hacmon
X Æ A-XII — X, Exa Dark Sideræl - Grimes & Elon Musk’s kids
Zillion Heir Cannon - son of Nick Cannon & DJ Abby De La Rosa
Summer Moon Honey Davis - daughter of reality star Scheana Shay & Brock Davies
Wednesday Grint - daughter of actor Rupert Grint and Georgia Groome
North, Saint, Chicago, Psalm West - Kim Kardashian & Ye’s kids
Blue Ivy - daughter of Beyonce & Jay-Z
Pilot Inspektor - son of actor Jason Lee & Beth Riesgraf
Seven, Puma, Mars - singer Erykah Badu’s kids
Banjo - son of actress Rachel Griffiths and painter Andrew Taylor
Zuma Nesta Rock - son of Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale
Moon Unit, Diva, Dweezil, Ahmet - Frank Zappa’s kids
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
National Chocolate Cake Day
National Geographic Day
National Fun at Work Day
World Breast Pumping Day
###
ON THIS DATE
1888 – The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C.
Thirty-three men composed the original society.
Their academic and professional backgrounds included, geography, exploration, education, law, finance, and the military. All took an interest in scientific and geographical knowledge.
Their mission was to take sometimes dry subjects and make them interesting for the masses and also raise money for more exploration and study.
###
1928 – Scottish inventor John Logie Baird demonstrates the first television system.
The display in London was called a pictorial-transmission machine, or a "televisor."
(In Spanish, "televisor" is still the word for a TV set).
The first image displayed two ventriloquist dummies, who were being filmed live out of view of the audience.
Baird improved the design of Paul Nipkow, who was only able to make crude, unintelligible pictures appear on the screen of his invention.
Later that year, Baird even demonstrated a color version of the TV.
###
1943 – American forces conduct their first European-theatre bombing raid against the Nazis in World War II.
Sixty-four planes took off, and shot down 22 Germans. Only 22 allied planes were lost.
The B-17s and B-24s made it to the Wilhelmshaven port, and unleashed destructive fury.
The 8th Air Force bombers would become one of the most effective and deadly flying groups throughout the war.
###
1944 – Soviet troops break the Leningrad siege line that had been formed by Nazi troops for almost 900 days.
Hundreds of thousands of Russians died of famine and starvatio as a result of the blockade.
Though Leningrad was well-defended, the entrenched German military also made it impossible to receive reinforcements and resources.
Occasional shipments by boat or sled teams were able to make it into the city.
###
1967 – Three US astronauts die in a launch pad fire.
Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chafee perished in a simulation of the Apollo 1 launch scheduled for the following month.
A faulty electrical wire is suspected to have started the blaze. Pressure inside the cabin made it nearly impossible to open the escape hatch.
###
2006 – Western Union discontinues its Telegram and Commercial Messaging services.
The service began in 1851 as the Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph. In 1856 it became Western Union Telegraph Company. By 1861, during the Civil War, it had created a coast-to-coast network of lines.
The decline of telegram use dates back to the 1980s, when long-distance telephone service became cheap enough to offer a viable alternative. Faxes made telegrams even more obsolete, especially for corporate use, and email would be the final nail in the coffin.
In its last year, 20,000 telegrams were still sent.
###
2013 - Magnus Carlsen wins the Tata Steel Chess Tournament at 22-years-old.
He would become the new world chess champion later that year.
###
BIRTHDAYS
Bailey Zimmerman - country singer - 23
Noah Schnacky - country singer - 26
Braeden Lemasters - actor, “Men of a Certain Age” - 27
Freddy Carter - actor, “Free Rain” - 30
Iain Stirling - comedian - 35
Rosamund Pike - actress, “Gone Girl” - 44
Patton Oswalt - actor, “The King of Queens” - 54
Alan Cumming - actor, “The Good Wife” & “GoldenEye” - 58
Cris Collinsworth - sports broadcaster - 64
Born On This Date
John Witherspoon - actor, “The Boondocks” & “The Wayans Bros” - 1942 (d. 2019)
Edward Smith - Captain of the SMS Titanic - 1850 (d. 1912)
Lewis Carroll - author, “Alice in Wonderland” - 1832 (d. 1898)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - composer - 1756 (d. 1791)
###