3/3/2023: Tastes Like Crickets!
3/3/2023: Tastes Like Crickets!
PLUS: Government FunnyMoney: An Analysis; Murdaugh Verdict; and No One to Serenade Charles
Today is Friday, March 3, 2023.
It is the 62nd day of the year.
303 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Vitamin D may help prevent dementia and SIRHAN SIRHAN’s release has been denied. More in HIT LIST.
The government again spends like drunk sailors and the president apparently has no idea what it all adds up to – just another Friday in THE SWAMP.
JAY LENO debuted his new face this week and MADONNA is bringing back her iconic bra. More in SHOWBIZ.
BUSY PHILLIPS has joined the cast of the “Mean Girls” musical and “Yellowstone” isn’t ending…yet. More in CASTING CALL.
###
HIT LIST
A new study suggests taking Vitamin D supplements plays a role in preventing dementia. In a sample of more than 12,000 participants aged 71 or older, people who took Vitamin D supplements saw a topline 40% reduction in dementia diagnoses.
Overall, those who had no Vitamin D exposure represented 75% of all dementia diagnoses. [via SciTechDaily]
###
A 40-year-old Pennsylvania man tried to get a suitcase with explosives through airport security this week.
The explosive device was immediately spotted by security personnel after he checked his bag at the counter. Officials paged for the suspect, who was spotted leaving the airport on security camera footage. Law enforcement eventually tracked him down at his home where he was arrested. The suspect has reportedly admitted to planting the explosive device. No motive has yet been established.
WORTH NOTING: This could be chalked up to stupidity. The suspect’s lawyer says the device was an improvised firework; the suspect has also admitted to daily use of marijuana and recent use of meth. [via 6ABC]
###
SIRHAN SIRHAN’s parole board turned down his request for release late on Wednesday.
The 78-year-old man who shot Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 was previously approved for release, but remained behind bars at the orders of California Governor GAVIN NEWSOM. No word yet what changed in the parole board’s mind between now and the last time he sought release.
MEANWHILE: An appeal of Newsom’s rejection remains under consideration by a Los Angeles County court – and Sirhan’s lawyer isn’t sure how this parole rejection will influence that decision. She believes the parole board was pressured by Newsom. [via Associated Press]
###
Archeologists have discovered a new, previously undiscovered passage in the Great Pyramid of Giza.
They found the small, 30-foot tunnel using infrared scans. It might not lead anywhere, or it could help unearth all kinds of mysteries. A 2017 study revealed there are two giant stretches of empty space, called “voids,” within the Great Pyramid’s walls, but they’re still not sure what might be inside, or even how to get there without destroying walls. [via New York Post]
###
While some food companies are trying to hide bugs in their recipes, or you might get a chocolate-covered bug as a novelty, one German ice cream parlor is going all in, with a cricket-flavored ice cream.
You can get a scoop of the bizarre delicacy, complete with a dried brown cricket on top. The shop’s owner says that in the past he’s made liver sausage and gorgonzola cheese-flavored ice creams. [via Associated Press]
###
CHARTS
What’s Streaming?
New to Hulu:
Triangle of Sadness (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%)
New to Netflix:
Love at First Kiss (No Score)
###
DEATHS
Legendary musician WAYNE SHORTER has died.
He passed away Thursday morning at a hospital in Los Angeles, according to a statement from his publicist. No cause of death was shared.
Shorter co-founded the jazz fusion band Weather Report.
He was 89.
###
STEVE MACKEY, the bassist for the British rock band Pulp, has died.
He passed away Tuesday from an unknown illness, according to a statement from his wife.
Mackey was 56.
###
SICK BAY
Senator DIANNE FEINSTEIN, 89, has been hospitalized and is receiving treatment for shingles.
She is expected to make a full recovery.
###
THE SWAMP
One of President JOE BIDEN’s favorite accomplishments – based on what he touts at speeches – is cutting the deficit by $1.7 TRILLION.
Of course, this is just theater: The deficit went down that amount from 2020 to 2021 because the country wasn’t spending on covid relief.
But now Biden’s in trouble for misspeaking – he claimed to have cut the debt by $1.7 billion (with a B). It was an obvious misstatement, and his clumsy handling of economic vocabulary isn’t the problem. But the New York Post points out that the debt has actually increased by $3.8 TRILLION since Biden took office.
HERE’S THE THING: The debt and deficit are certainly related, but unless you have an economics degree or are really plugged into the news and politics, you might not know the difference – though you’d hope the President of the United States does.
The real problem is that the deficit decreased by nearly $2 trillion year over year and the national debt still increased by $3.5 trillion.
IN OTHER WORDS: Even though the government spent TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS less than it did in 2020, the debt STILL INCREASED BY TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
###
The Biden White House called on Congress Thursday to allocate $1.6 BILLION to investigate people who illegally took various forms of covid bailout funds over the last few years. The administration says that federal agencies simply don’t have enough money as it is to do this work as it stands.
WORTH ASKING: How is this possible? Aren’t we “all in this together”? Can’t the government ever find out how to do more with less, like small businesses have done every day since their lockdown measures upended the livelihoods of millions of people? Can’t the government lay off workers in bureaucratic bureaucracies and staff up where people are needed? Why is the only answer ever to spend more money? And when you spend your life in government, as an elected official or some bureaucrat, how can you possibly know how much things actually cost in the real world, when all you know is spending borrowed money well above and beyond the government’s actual means?
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 341 points (1.05%) to close at 33,003. The S&P added 29 points (0.76%) to close at 3,981 and the NASDAQ added 83 points (0.73%) to close at 11,462.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $77; BRENT CRUDE at $84.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.37 on Thursday.
₿ BITCOIN slid Thursday, losing 0.91% and trading around $23,410.
🛩 There were more than 2,788 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States and more than 570 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $167 million jackpot or a $84.5 million cash payout. Tomorrow night’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $161 million jackpot or a $82.2 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
These albums drop today:
Adi Oasis, “Lotus Glow”
Beach Weather, “Pineapple Sunrise”
Constand Smiles, “Kenneth Anger”
Daisy Jones & The Six, “Aurora”
Drayton Farley, “Twenty on High”
Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach, “The Songs of Bacharach & Costello”
Fake Names, “Expendables”
Frank Zappa, “Zappa 80: Mudd Club/Munich”
Genesis, “BBC Broadcasts”
HAKEN, “Fauna”
Hans Zimmer, “Hans Zimmer Live”
Hello Mary, “Hello Mary”
I’m Kingfisher, “Glue”
Kali Uchis, “Red Moon in Venus”
Kate NV, “WOW”
Kendrick Scott, “Corridors”
Michael Cleveland, “Lovin’ Of The Game”
Morgan Wallen, “One Thing At A Time”
Roge, “Curryman”
Steve Mason, “Brothers & Sisters”
Truth Cult, “Walk the Wheel”
Various Artists, “Creed III” (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Willie Nelson, “I Don’t Know A Thing About Love”
###
JAY LENO debuted his new face during an appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” this week, months after suffering third degree burns.
The 72-year-old got a standing ovation as he took the stage, while Kelly noted how he missed his last scheduled appearance on her show due to the accident.
Kelly told Leno he “looked great,” to which he replied, “Only for the second time in my career am I the new face of comedy.” [via Daily Mail]
###
MADONNA will wear her iconic cone bra during her upcoming Celebration Tour.
The 64-year-old first debuted the Jean-Paul Gaultier-designed corset during her Blonde Ambition World Tour in 1990.
An insider told the Daily Mail that Madonna will also wear other costumes from throughout her career during the tour.
The Celebration Tour kicks off this July and runs through next January. [via Daily Mail]
###
The midnight-blue earrings TAYLOR SWIFT wore to the 2023 Grammy Awards will be included in an upcoming auction from Joopiter, the digital-first auction house founded by PHARRELL WILLIAMS.
The Lorraine Schwartz earrings feature more than 136 carats of natural purple sapphires, paraiba tourmalines and diamonds, set in 18-karat white gold. They are said to be valued at around $3 million.
Also in the auction is a 50-carat D Flawless, Type IIa heart-shaped loose diamond and an 18-karat white gold diamond and Colombian emerald bib necklace with matching earrings that were reportedly once worn by BEYONCE.
The auction goes live on March 17. [via The Hollywood Reporter]
###
CHAKA KHAN thinks Rolling Stone editors “need hearing aids” after they ranked her at No. 29 on “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” list.
Speaking with ANDREW GOODMAN on his “The Originals” podcast, the legendary musician said that she is also appalled to be listed behind ADELE and MARY J. BLIGE.
“These are blind bitches! They are blind as a mother[effing] bat! They need hearing aids…These must be the children of Helen Keller!” she exclaimed.
Khan did however give credit where credit was due, saying she agrees with the late ARETHA FRANKLIN being No. 1 and WHITNEY HOUSTON landing the No. 2 spot. [via Page Six]
###
BLINK-182 has postponed the first 11 dates of their reunion world tour while drummer TRAVIS BARKER heals after undergoing finger surgery.
The trio were set to kick things off on March 14 in Lima, Peru. They have not played together as a band in over a decade.
Barker first injured his ring finger in early February. He then re-injured it a few weeks later. [via Daily Mail]
###
An Argentian grocery store owned by soccer superstar LIONEL MESSI’s in-laws was shot up yesterday.
According to TMZ, two men fired at least a dozen shots into the shop before leaving a threat that read, “Messi, we’re waiting for you.”
No one was injured in the shooting, but there was significant property damage.
Local police officers believe the incident was “an attempt to attract attention” and not a legitimate threat. [via TMZ]
###
CASTING CALL
BUSY PHILIPPS is the latest actress to join the cast of the “Mean Girls” movie musical adaptation.
She will play Regina George’s mom, according to Deadline.
Philipps announced the news on Instagram, writing “You know something? I really never have been a regular mom.” [via Deadline]
###
Former WWE superstars NIKKI and BRIE BELLA are set to host a new competition series, titled “Twin Love.”
According to Deadline, the show is a social dating experiment that explores the love lives of identical twins. Ten sets of twins will be split up and placed into two houses of identical casts, where they will begin their search for love.
The series, set to launch this summer, will be on Prime Video. [via Deadline]
WORTH NOTING: Nikki and Brie are identical twins.
###
“Yellowstone” actresses PIPER PERABO and LAINEY WILSON were asked about the rumors surrounding the show this week.
“Don’t believe everything you hear,” they replied.
Reports have surfaced that KEVIN COSTER, who plays John Dutton, is not willing to film the latter half of season five, but his attorney calls the claim “an absolute lie.” Paramount Network also shot down the rumor.
The second half of Season 5 is expected to debut this summer. [via Fox News]
###
COURT CASES
Disgraced South Carolina lawyer ALEX MURDAUGH was found guilty in the murder of his wife and son.
The jury took less than three hours to reach the verdict on Thursday.
In 2021, Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were found dead from gunshot wounds at the family’s hunting property.
Sentencing is set for this morning. [via AP News]
###
JUSSIE SMOLLETT’s attorneys filed their appeal of his conviction for hate crime hoax charges this week in an attempt to keep him out of jail.
The actor was released a year ago pending the appeal, after serving six of his 150-day sentence.
His appeal was originally supposed to be filed last August, but his team was awarded five extensions beyond the deadline. [via Variety]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Smollett was convicted in December 2021 of lying to police about being assaulted by two men who shouted racist and homophobic slurs, poured a chemical on him and put a rope around his neck in Chicago.
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
Former “Real Housewives of New York City” star BETHENNY FRANKEL is not impressed with KIM KARDASHIAN’s SKKN beauty line.
In a new interview with New Beauty, the 52-year-old said that Kim’s line was exciting when it was first announced, but has “not been sustainable since.”
This isn’t the first time Frankel has spoken out about the reality star. Last year she called Kim “superficial” and said she “promotes unrealistic beauty standards on social media.” [via New Beauty]
WORTH NOTING: Frankel often reviews beauty and skin products on her social media pages, and just like everything else in her life, she does not hold back.
###
WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Several more artists have turned down performing at KING CHARLES’ Coronation.
In addition to ADELE and ED SHEERAN saying no, HARRY STYLES, the SPICE GIRLS, ELTON JOHN and ROBBIE WILLIAMS have also declined the invitation, according to Rolling Stone.
None of the artists offered an explanation as to why they were not able to perform, except John, who reportedly has scheduling issues. [via Rolling Stone]
WORTH REMEMBERING: John was very good friends with the late PRINCESS DIANA.
###
LIST OF THE WEEK
TripAdvisor is out with its annual list of the world’s best beaches – just in time to start planning that spring or summer getaway all this snow has you dreaming about:
10. Ka’anapali Beach - Mau, Hawaii
9. Varadero Beach - Cuba
8. Spiaggia del Conigli - Sicily
7. Radhanagar Beach - India
6. Praia da Falésia - Portugal
5. Grace Bay Beach - Turks & Caicos
4. Reynisfjara Beach - Vik, Iceland
3. Cable Beach - Broome, Australia
2. Eagle Beach - Aruba
1. Baia do Sancho - Brazil
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
Overseas NHS Workers Day
National I Want You To Be Happy Day
World Wildlife Day
National Day of Unplugging
National Canadian Bacon Day
International Irish Whiskey Day
National Mulled Wine Day
National Employee Appreciation Day
National Dress in Blue Day
National Cold Cuts Day
National Salesperson Day
What If Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day
National Anthem Day
###
ON THIS DATE
1873 - Congress enacts the Comstock Act.
This law extended obscenity laws, prohibiting the distribution of obscenities by mail.
One of these obscenities included contraceptive devices and information about abortion by mail.
The law is still on the books, but the test of what qualifies as obscene remains up to the courts.
###
1923 - The first issue of Time Magazine hits newsstands.
It was the first weekly newsmagazine in the United States, marketed as an easy-to-read summary of news and events from the week, plus commentary.
Time remains in print today, with European and Asian spinoffs, reaching 25 million subscribers.
###
1931 - Congress passes a resolution making “The Star-Spangled Banner” the national anthem.
The lyrics came from a poem written by Francis Scott Key, describing the attack on Fort McHenry by the British navy during the War of 1812.
Before that, “My Country ’Tis of Thee,” was an unofficial national song frequently sung at large public events and gatherings.
###
1938 - The world’s fastest steam-powered locomotive is completed.
The Mallard was built by London and North Eastern Railway in Doncaster, England. The record-setting test run happened four months later, on July 3.
###
1969 - Apollo 9 is launched from Kennedy Space Center.
The mission was the first to feature the complete Apollo spacecraft, including the Lunar Module. The crew never left the earth’s orbit, testing docking and undocking maneuvers essential to a complete moon-landing mission.
The crew safely splashed down on March 13.
###
1991 - Los Angeles police officers severely beat motorist Rodney King.
The incident was caught on amateur video, which later led to riots after the officers were acquitted.
The rioting lasted six days with 63 deaths and 2,383 injured.
###
2005 - Steve Fossett completes the first nonstop, unrefueled, solo airplane flight around the world.
For the flight, Fossett piloted a specially designed craft with a carbon-composite airframe and a single Williams jet engine.
He took off from Saline, Kansas and headed east returning to Saline 67 hours and 2 minutes later, after flying 25,000 miles.
He would make the flight again a year later.
###
2019 - SpaceX’s Dragon capsule successfully docks at the International Space Station during its demonstration run.
The commercially-developed, unscrewed space capsule arrived at the orbiting lab after completing a one-day rendezvous in Earth’s orbit, following its launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
###
BIRTHDAYS
Thomas Barbusca - actor, “Shameless” & “The Thundermans” - 20
Jayson Tatum - basketball player - 25
Camila Cabello - pop singer - 26
Sam Asghari - model & husband of Britney Spears - 29
Josh Duggar - eldest of the 19 Duggars - 35
Jessica Biel - actress, “7th Heaven” & “Summer Catch” - 41
Tobias Forge - metal singer, Repugnant - 42
Ronan Keating - pop singer - 46
Buddy Valastro - chef - 46
Tone Loc - rapper - 57
Herschel Walker - football player - 61
Julie Bowen - actress, “Happy Gilmore” & “Modern Family” - 53
George Miller - director, “Mad Max” films - 78
Born On This Date
Jean Harlow - actress, “Dinner at 8” & “Bombshell” - 1911 (d. 1937)
Alexander Graham Bell - inventor, telephone - 1847 (d. 1922)
###