2/13/2024: Raccoon Fight! 🦝
PLUS: Shipwreck Recovered; Beyonce Goes Country; and Royal Pen Pals
Today is Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
It is the 44th day of the year.
322 days remain.
PROGRAMMING NOTE
For February 14-16 and 19-20, the daily newsletter content will be scaled back slightly as half our two-man team takes a couple of days off.
We will be back at full force starting February 21.
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WHAT’S ON TAP
A small victory in Israel and the European Tractor Rebellion expands. Details in HIT LIST.
TAYLOR SWIFT’s blinged-out clutch was a gift from SHAQ and SWIZZ BEATZ is unbothered by his wife’s Super Bowl performance. More in SHOWBIZ.
BILLY JOEL’s 100th concert at Madison Square Garden will air as a special on CBS. Details in CASTING CALL.
YE honors Alexander McQueen with his Super Bowl look. More in KARDASH.
Find out who have become royal penpals in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
A special operation conducted in southern Gaza late Sunday freed two Israeli hostages held by Hamas since the October 7 terrorist attacks last year.
The successful rescue marks a small win as Israel Defense Forces close in on Rafah, Gaza, the last stronghold of Hamas’ operations, and likely the site where more than 100 hostages remain.
As the search for the remaining hostages continues, Israel’s military believes they’re being held in a sprawling network of underground tunnels. [via CBS News]
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English farmers have joined the European Tractor Rebellion.
The latest demonstration near the Port of Dover protests Britain’s “sustainable farming incentive” program that pays farmers not to grow crops and policies to bring in cheap imports that undercut farmers’ own domestic sales.
About 30 farmers gathered with tractors to slow down traffic in the area. Police eventually intervened to get streets moving again, but protest organizers promise there will be more to come. [via The Guardian]
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An Oklahoma woman says a recent battle with a backyard raccoon sent her to the hospital after fighting off the rodent to protect her dogs.
Deborra Allen says she spent 20 minutes trying to shoo away the trash bandit, and throughout the conflict threw a lantern, a garden hoe, and a metal pole at the hissing raccoon. Even after throwing the objects, the raccoon stayed put and her dog was still gunning for a fight.
She finally landed a blow with a long metal pole – but the ordeal triggered a heart attack and Allen spent four days in the hospital recovering from the throwdown.
The local humane society eventually recovered the raccoon for testing. Local officials say it’s best to call animal control first rather than going toe-to-toe yourself. [via 3 News Now]
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After years of enforcing its murderous one-child policy that only loosened slightly in recent years, a joint study from Victoria University in Australia and the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences predicts China’s population will plunge to just 525 million by the year 2100.
By contrast, the country’s population is believed to have peaked at around 1.4 BILLION people in 2022.
In an official Party document published in 1980, the CCP left no question about their end goal: “bringing the fertility rate down to 1…each couple having only one child.” Now, China is approaching exactly that metric: one child per woman of childbearing age, as a result of selective births – aborting babies who were female in the interest of having a son – and a general decline in overall desire to have families. [via WSJ]
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A merchant ship that sank in Lake Superior in 1940 has been found by shipwreck researcher Dan Fountain.
The Arlington, a 244-foot bulk carrier, was found about 35 miles north of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula in about 650 feet of water.
Leaving Port Arthur, Ontario on April 30, 1940 under the command of Captain Frederick “Tatey Bug” Burke, the Arlington ran into heavy fog and storms, and began taking on water. It started to sink in the early morning hours of May 1, 1940. As the crew abandoned ship, Captain Burke stayed and went down with the boat.
In a statement, Fountain says he hopes “this final chapter can provide some measure of closure to the family of Captain Burke.” [via AP]
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WEDDINGS
USHER tied the knot with girlfriend JENNIER GIOCOECHEA just hours after his Super Bowl halftime performance in Vegas on Sunday.
The pair reportedly obtained a marriage license on February 8, in anticipation of the big day.
He’s 45 and she’s 39. They have two young children together.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW gained 125 points (0.33%) to close at 38,979 on Monday. The S&P lost 4 points (0.095%) to close at 5,021 and the NASDAQ lost 48 points (0.3%) to close at 15,942.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $76; BRENT CRUDE at $82.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.19 on Monday.
₿ BITCOIN climbed past $50,000 on Monday for the first time since late 2021.
🛩 There were more than 3,535 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Monday and more than 160 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $425 million jackpot or a $202 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL gifted TAYLOR SWIFT a crystal-encrusted Judith Leiber football clutch featuring TRAVIS KELCE’s jersey number on it.
Swift brought the purse along to Sunday’s big game, where she was decked out in other Chiefs gear.
Ahead of the game, Shaq told Page Six that he was hoping to get a photo with Swift, who he called a “cultural icon.”
BY THE WAY: Swift was gifted a sparkly Judith Leiber microphone clutch for her birthday from the Hunt family, who own the Chiefs. [via Page Six]
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SWIZZ BEATZ addressed the social media speculation that he was perhaps upset about how close USHER got to his wife ALICIA KEYS during their Super Bowl Halftime performance.
As the two performed their 2004 hit “My Boo,” Usher wrapped his arms around Keys, leaving many keyboard warriors to question how Beatz felt about witnessing the intimate moment.
On Monday, Beatz shot down all concerns, posting on X about how “amazing” the performance was. [via ET]
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The obnoxious orange tracksuits BEN AFFLECK and MATT DAMON wore in the Dunkin’ Super Bowl ad sold out in just 19 minutes after going live on Monday.
The DunKings track jacket, track pants and bucket hat went so quick that it set a new record for fastest collection to sell out in Dunkin’ history. [via TMZ]
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Moments In Time is selling a piece of paper signed by all four of THE BEATLES for $100,000.
The paper features JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, GEORGE HARRISON and RINGO STARR’s signatures.
Making it worth the extra dough, however, is the fact that Lennon signed it as St. John Leper, referencing his controversial “we’re bigger than Jesus” comment. [via TMZ]
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GHISLAINE MAXWELL is working on a tell-all behind bars.
Insiders say she is hoping to “dispel the misinformation” regarding her relationship with sex offender JEFFREY EPSTEIN. “The truth will only come out when her book does,” the sources added.
No other details about the tell-all are known.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida federal prison. [via The Sun]
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DOLLY PARTON has no bad blood toward country singer ELLE KING and doesn’t want her fans to have any either.
“Elle is really a great artist. She’s a great girl, and she’s been going through hard things lately,” Parton told Extra.
The sentiment comes after King was “[effing] hammered” during her Grand Ole Opry performance celebrating Parton’s 78th birthday in Nashville last month.
“She just had a little too much to drink, so let’s just forgive that and forget it,” Parton continued. [via Extra]
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Reality stars TODD and JULIE CHRISLEY have not spoken to one another in over a year as they serve out their prison sentences.
Insiders say the pair have not been able to communicate directly to one another since surrendering to their separate prisons in January 2023.
Radar Online reports that while Julie’s warden approved their communication request, Todd has been “refused” the ability to call his wife over “retaliation” for him speaking out about the horrid conditions at the prison.
As previously reported, Todd is serving his 12-year sentence for bank and tax fraud at Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, while Julie is serving her 7-year sentence for the same crimes at Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
Oral arguments for their appeals are set for April 19. [via Radar Online]
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BEYONCE announced “Act II” of her 2022 “Renaissance” album during a Super Bowl ad -- and it’s going to be a little bit country.
Following the big game, Bey posted a teaser clip on Instagram, and two songs from the forthcoming album hit streaming service, Tidal. Those singles are “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.”
“Act II” drops on March 29. [via Variety]
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CASTING CALL
BILLY JOEL’s 100th concert at Madison Square Garden will be streamed for all to see.
The two-hour special, titled “The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden -- The Greatest Run Of All Time,” will air on CBS on Sunday, April 14.
The special marks the first time one of Joel’s concerts will air on a broadcast network.
Joel’s residency at the Garden runs through July. [via THR]
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The Labrador retriever that appeared in Budweiser’s “Old-School Delivery” Super Bowl ad belongs to actors GOLDIE HAWN and KURT RUSSELL.
Goldie gave the pup a shoutout during the big game, writing, “Don’t get me wrong I love watching football but tonight was all about watching our dog Roy Hawn Russell star in his first super bowl commercial.”
Her daughter, actress KATE HUDSON, also posted about the commercial, calling the pooch a “star.” [via People]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
YE appeared to honor the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen with the vintage mask he wore to the Super Bowl.
On Sunday, which was the 14th anniversary of McQueen’s death, Ye showed up to the Super Bowl wearing a black mask from the designer’s 1996 “Dante” collection that featured a three-dimensional white crucifix between the eyes.
He layered the mask over a full headpiece that was also black.
Complementing his look, BIANCA CENSORI also wore a black headpiece, though her face was visible.
ALSO: Ye’s ex-wife KIM KARDASHIAN was spotted at the Super Bowl with some gal pals, just hours after she was seen at the Wynn hotel with rumored boyfriend ODELL BECKHAM JR. [via Page Six]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
KING CHARLES and SARAH FERGUSON have become pen pals to support each other as they both now battle cancer.
One palace insider says the two are “incredibly fond of one another and now they have bonded over their respective cancer diagnosis with an exchange of letters.” Fergie was diagnosed with skin cancer late last year.
In the meantime, the King is expected to rest at Sandringham and travel to London once a week for treatments. [via The Mirror]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Mardi Gras
Galentine’s Day
World Radio Day
Pancake Day
National Cheddar Day
International Condom Day
Kiss Day
Extraterrestrial Culture Day
Get a Different Name Day
Employee Legal Awareness Day
Self Love Day
National Tortellini Day
National Apology Day
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ON THIS DATE
1633 - Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome to face trial.
He was accused of heresy for arguing that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
He pled guilty in exchange for living under house arrest rather than going to prison.
Galileo spent the rest of his life confined to his villa near Florence.
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1861 - Colonel Bernard J.D. Irwin leads the effort to rescue 60 soldiers who were captured by Apache Indians.
The valiant rescue earned him the first Medal of Honor, which at the time was not an official award.
He would not receive official recognition until 1894.
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1920 - The League of Nations recognizes Switzerland as a perpetually neutral state.
Switzerland had been a confederation of German, French, and Italian communities, until Napoleon Bonaparte unified them.
The Congress of Vienna in 1815 approved Switzerland as a neutral state, and has since then held up to its obligation during international conflicts.
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1945 - A British firebombing raid devastates Dresden, Germany.
Dresden was the hub of Germany's industrial war production. By some estimates, more than 100,000 died in the mayhem.
The saturation bombing strategy was not target-specific; in fact, it was designed to inflict harsh civilian casualties. Before the age of the atomic weapon, firebombing was the most deadly and terrible type of airborne attack.
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1984 - Konstantin Cherenenko assumes control of the Soviet Communist Party and the Soviet Union.
He would prove to be one of the last hard-line dictators who tried to maintain communism within the borders of the Soviet Union. He was succeeded by Mikhail Gorbachev, who ultimately oversaw the dissolution of the Soviet Empire in 1991.
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1991 - Sotheby's auction authenticates a manuscript of “Huckleberry Finn” that was written in Mark Twain's own hand.
The manuscript even featured Twain's notes and annotations. It was found by a librarian in Los Angeles. She was sorting through old papers in trunks that had been sent to her by her aunt.
In 1995 Random House published an updated version of Huckleberry Finn, with Twain's notes used as a guide in the rewrite.
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2017 - Kim Jong-nam – the older brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un – is killed at the airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, likely at the direction of agents of the rogue nation.
Two women were recruited by North Korea to physically smear Kim Jong-nam with a lethal nerve agent. They maintain they believed they were participating in a bizarre reality show, where such pranks are common – though not with the goal of killing the unsuspecting victim – and that they had no idea the substance would kill him.
Both women were convicted but later had their sentences revoked.
Kim Jong-nam was the eldest son of Kim Jong-Il, and at one point the heir apparent for the regime, but was exiled for advocating for reforms in the early 2000s.
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2021 - Former President Donald Trump is acquitted in his second impeachment trial, this time on charges he fomented insurrection on January 6.
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BIRTHDAYS
Sophia Lillis - actress, “It” & “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase” - 22
Jaden Ivey - basketball player - 22
Isabel Jones - bassist, SM6 - 23
Prince Jackson - son of Michael - 27
Sydney Chandler - actress, “Don’t Worry Darling” - 28
Memphis Depay - soccer player - 30
Aston Merrygold - pop singer, JLS - 36
Mena Suvari - actress, “American Beauty” & “American Pie” - 45
Randy Moss - football player - 47
Robbie Williams - pop singer, Take That - 50
Kelly Hu - actress, “The Scorpion King” - 56
Neal McDonough - actor, “Band of Brothers” & “Suits” - 58
Peter Gabriel - rock singer, Genesis - 74
Kim Novak - actress, “Vertigo” - 91
Born On This Date
Jerry Springer - TV show host - 1944 (d. 2023)
Chuck Yeager - test pilot & first to break the sound barrier - 1923 (d. 2020)
Bess Truman - First Lady - 1885 (d. 1982)
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