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5/5/2022: Alien Space Rocks

PLUS: Star Wars Day, Amber Heard Testifies, and London NFL Games

May 5, 2022

Today is Thursday, May 5, 2022

It is the 125th day of the year.

240 days remain.

HIT LIST

Elon Musk may not keep Twitter a private company for very long.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Musk has plans to retake the social media company public after three years.

WORTH NOTING: Many detractors have suggested Musk isn’t serious about his acquisition and that it isn’t a money-making opportunity. But this news suggests Musk sees potential in changing some of the core operational infrastructure of the company that could make it very profitable indeed.

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NASA scientists have for years been excited about the opportunity to study in-person rocks and samples from another planet. At the current rate of trips to Mars, that likelihood is increasingly becoming a reality.

NPR reports that NASA is developing protocols for returning samples currently being harvested by the Perseverance rover back to Earth, and landing in the Utah desert to be studied.

The Perseverance mission itself doesn’t have capability to get the samples back to Earth, but plans are in place to send a recovery craft to Mars, pick up the samples, and fly them back, scheduled to launch as soon as 2027. But ensuring the integrity of the samples is a complicated process, including sealing it in layers of protective tubes that are heat-treated to destroy any potentially harmful substances on the exterior.

One NASA official tells NPR, “I liken this to welding your metal lunchbox shut while trying to keep your lunch nice and cold inside.”

BUT WAIT: Turns out there’s an entire organization committed to stopping this from happening at all. The International Committee Against Mars Sample Return fears the release of a pathogenic substance, if there’s anything alive in the alien space rocks.

And perhaps rightfully so, given the experience of the last two years. Just imagine if a novel virus were actually dangerous to most people.

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The world’s tallest living woman has notched a couple other world records.

Rumeysa Gelgi of Turkey stands 7 feet, 7 inches tall, and was certified as the world’s tallest living woman last October.

Now she also has the longest fingers (4.4 inches), hands (right hand is 9.8 inches; left is 9.55), and back (23.58 inches).

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The Federal Reserve unanimously voted to raise interest rates a half a percentage point, the biggest hike in 22 years.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell says regular increases are going to be the way of the future, for now, even if inflation slows down, at which point it’ll increase by a quarter-point after each meeting.

The Fed meets eight times a year to decide on interest rates and other factors.

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The Dow responded positively to news of a federal interest rate hike, surging 932 points in the last 90 minutes of trading, adding 2.8%.

The S&P also picked up nearly 3%.

Both Brent Crude ($110.39) and West Texas Intermediate ($107.96) picked up in price Wednesday as well.

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CHARTS

In honor of Stars Wars Day aka May 4th, Disney released a trailer for the upcoming series “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

WATCH:

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RELATIONSHIPS

Actress KALEY CUOCO, 36, is dating actor TOM PELPHREY, 39.

The pair confirmed the new relationship on Instagram, sharing snapshots from a getaway in the mountains.

Cuoco was previously married to KARL COOK. She filed for divorce in September after three years of marriage.

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Actress KAT GRAHAM, 32, is engaged to director and producer DARREN GENET, 52.

Insiders told PEOPLE that Genet proposed during a vacation in Mexico a few weeks ago.

The couple started dating in 2017 after meeting on the set of “The Vampire Diaries.”

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THE SWAMP

In March, the Biden administration issued economic and diplomatic sanctions on a handful of Russian oligarchs, in order to put pressure on VLADIMIR PUTIN to end his war in Ukraine.

Notably absent from any official sanction has been Vladimir Yevtushenkov, a 73-year-old Russian billionaire whose company has produced the drones for dropping bombs on Ukrainians.

Yevtushenkov has been formally sanctioned by the United Kingdom and Australia.

But not the United States.

WORTH ASKING: Why not?

WORTH NOTING: Emails from HUNTER BIDEN’s laptop show he had meetings with Yevtushenkov in February and March 2012, both in Russia and the United States.

The Daily Mail reports, “Emails show the president's son and his business partners were courting Yevtushenkov for an investment in their real estate company in 2012 and 2013.”

WORTH ASKING: Is this coincidence?

MEANWHILE: The owner of the repair shop who alerted authorities to the laptop’s contents has filed a lawsuit against Rep. ADAM SCHIFF, CNN, the Daily Beast, and Politico.

The suit contends that Schiff’s statements and the media’s reporting that his story was Russian disinformation caused financial and reputational damage.

He’s seeking $1 million in compensatory damages and a punitive amount as well.

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LOTTERY

No winner for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Friday night’s drawing will be for a $70 million jackpot or a $41.3 million cash payout.

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SHOWBIZ NEWS

The man who rushed the stage, tackled DAVE CHAPPELLE and drew a gun on him has been identified as 23-year-old ISAIAH LEE.

The incident went down late Tuesday night toward the end of Chappelle’s show — part of the “Netflix Is a Joke” festival.

Dave was okay, but the attacker had to be taken to the hospital after being tackled by security.

GET THIS: CHRIS ROCK walked on stage after the attack. He hugged Chappelle and asked, “Was that Will Smith?”

Lee will be charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon though sources told TMZ the gun ended up being fake.

MEANWHILE: On “The View,” co-host SUNNY HOSTIN blamed DONALD TRUMP for Lee’s assault on Chappelle, claiming the former president “released some incivility” across the country.

WORTH NOTING: Lee’s motive is still unknown, and may have *gasp* nothing to do with politics.

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“Toddlers and Tiaras” star KAILIA POSEY took her own life, according to a statement released by her family.

Posey’s death, which shocked the pageant world this week, has “devastated” her family, a source told TMZ.

As previously reported, she was only 16.

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The trailer for Disney+ series “Obi-Wan Kenobi” dropped yesterday, May 4th aka Star Wars Day.

The series stars EWAN MCGREGOR, who reprises his role as the legendary Jedi after 17 years.

The trailer also gives fans a glimpse of HAYDEN CHRISTIENEN as Sith Lord Darth Vader.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” will debut on Friday, May 27.

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DOLLY PARTON, DURAN DURAN, PAT BENETAR, EMINEM, LIONEL RICHIE, EURYTHMICS and CARLY SIMON will all be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The inductees were carefully selected through the Hall’s membership voting process.

The Hall of Fame ceremony is set for Saturday, November 5 in Las Vegas.

WORTH REMEMBERING: Parton asked the HOF to remove her name from the list as she felt she was not worthy of such an honor. She was told it was too late to do so and that she was most definitely worthy.

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Fans at GARTH BROOKS’ concert at Louisiana State University’s Tiger Stadium last week had the place rockin’.

A professor at the college told PEOPLE that when Brooks sang LSU’s unofficial alma mater song, “Callin’ Baton Rouge” the movement in the stadium — of 102,000 fans — was equivalent to that of a small earthquake.

Prior to the concert a Twitter user asked if someone at LSU was running the seismograph for when the single was played, to which the official LSU account replied, “Actually…yes.”

In addition to the earthquake, several concertgoers reported that their Apple Watches alerted them to “harmful noise levels” during the performance.

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CASTING CALL

JACK HARLOW’s second album “Come Home The Kids Miss You” drops tomorrow.

The 15-track list features LIL WAYNE, DRAKE, PHARRELL WILLIAMS and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE.

“Nail Tech” and “First Class” — Harlow’s two most recent singles — are on the album.

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BILLIE EILISH hopes to combat climate change as she heads to the UK on her Happier Than Ever World Tour.

The 20-year-old announced this week that she will be presenting a six-day climate conference called Overheated in partnership with Support + Feed and REVERB at London’s O2 Arena next month.

The conference will feature musicians, climate activists and designers all discussing climate change and working together to make a difference.

WORTH NOTING: The nonprofit Support + Feed was created by Eilish’s mom MAGGIE BAIRD.

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“West Side Story” star ARIANA DEBOSE will host this year’s Tony Awards.

The event will air live from New York’s Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 12.

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Netflix has renewed “Sweet Magnolias” for a third season.

The romance drama stars JOANNA GARCIA SWISHER, BROOKE ELLIOTT and HEATHER HEADLEY as best friends Maddie, Dana Sue and Helen who are all trying to juggle relationships, family and careers in small town Serenity, South Carolina.

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HBO Max has renewed “Julia” for a second season.

The series, starring SARAH LANCASHIRE as Julia Child, is inspired by the French chef’s life and long-running television series.

Season 1 dropped on March 31.

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COURT CASES

AMBER HEARD took the stand Wednesday in ex-husband JOHNNY DEPP’s defamation case against her.

The actress told jurors how difficult it has been to “relive [her] troubled marriage.”

Her testimony comes after a psychologist -- hired by Heard’s team -- testified that she suffers from PTSD from the multiple acts of abuse inflicted on her by Depp.

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A judge accepted former Minneapolis police officer DEREK CHAUVIN’s plea agreement in the federal civil rights case centered on GEORGE FLOYD’s death.

Chauvin pleaded guilty on December 15 to violating Floyd’s civil rights, resulting in his death on May 25, 2020.

As a result, he will be sentenced to 20 to 25 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

WORTH REMEMBERING: Chauvin is already serving a 22.5 year sentence for his murder conviction. The federal sentence would be served concurrently with the state sentence.

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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS

KANYE WEST is being sued over one of the songs on his “Donda” album.

Bishop DAVID PAUL MOTEN claims Ye’s lyrics for his song “Come To Life” were from his own religious speeches.

Moten says his voice and sermon are used in the song intro and looped throughout the track.

He is suing not only Ye, but also UMG Recording, Def Jam Recordings and G.O.O.D Music for damages.

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WALTER MOSLEY, who served as executive producer on BLAC CHYNA’s reality show “Rob & Chyna,” is accusing the trial judge of bias.

During a sit-down for the “It’s Tricky with Raquel Harper” podcast, Mosley said that he was not surprised when the Kardashians won the fierce legal battle.

He also noted how the famous family was able to hire a whole team of lawyers, while Chyna only had one by her side.

As previously reported, Chyna’s team plans to appeal the ruling.

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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS

Former Vanity Fair editor TINA BROWN believes PRINCE HARRY will return to the Royal Family after QUEEN ELIZABETH passes away.

“I think there will be an effort to reel [Harry and MEGHAN] back in at a certain point,” Brown stated on BBC Radio Four this week.

Brown also noted that it will be hard to re-establish trust with the Sussexes after all of the “grenades” they have been throwing at the family.

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SPORTS

The NFL confirmed on Wednesday that the Minnesota Vikings will play the New Orleans Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on October 2.

The league also announced that the New York Giants will play the Green Bay Packers at Wembley Stadium in London on October 9.

The games will both kickoff at 9:30am ET.

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DAY OF THE YEAR

Cinco de Mayo

National Astronaut Day

National Cartoonists Day

National Hoagie Day

National Silence the Shame Day

National Totally Chipotle Day

National Day of Prayer

National Day of Reason

World Password Day

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ON THIS DATE

1821 – Exiled European ruler Napoleon Bonaparte dies.

His final days were spent on the island of Saint Helena, where he had been for six years.

The official report concluded he died of stomach cancer, though some suggest he was the victim of arsenic poisoning.

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1904 – Cy Young records the first perfect game in the modern era of baseball, pitching for the Boston Americans.

Before Young, only two other pitchers had thrown perfect games. In 1880, Lee Richmond (Worcester Worcesters) and John Ward (Providence Grays) pitched perfect games within five days of each other.

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1961 – Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space.

On board the Freedom 7, Shepard reached altitudes of 116 miles in a flight that lasted 15 minutes.

Though a huge step forward in space exploration, the Americans still lagged behind the Soviets until the success of the Apollo missions to put a man on the moon.

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1973 – Thoroughbred racehorse Secretariat wins the Kentucky Derby in record time.

The 1 minute, 59 and two-fifths second lap time still stands as a course best.

That year the horse won the Triple Crown — taking home victories at The Preakness and Belmont as well — the first to do so in 25 years.

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2000 – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn align with the Sun and Moon.

The rare astronomical event was not visible from Earth, since the planets were behind the sun, relative to Earth’s position.

The event will happen again in 2438.

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2013 – The National Rifle Association reports record membership numbers, exceeding 5 million.

The feat was announced at the organization’s annual convention in Houston, Texas by Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.

This came on the heels of a failed gun control bill in Congress that would have heavily regulated firearm sales in America.

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2020 - Global cases of COVID-19 reach 3.65 million.

Deaths in the US pass 70,000.

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BIRTHDAYS

Mitch Marner - hockey player - 25

Remington Leith - rock singer, Palaye Royale - 28

Younes Bendjima - model & ex of Kourtney Kardashian - 29

Chris Brown - R&B singer - 33

Adele - pop singer - 34

Brooke Hogan - singer & daughter of Hulk Hogan - 34

Henry Cavill - actor, “Man of Steel” & “The Witcher” - 39

Vanessa Bryant - model & wife of Kobe - 40

Craig David - pop singer - 41

Danielle Fishel - actress, “Boy Meets World” & “Girl Meets World” - 41

Kyan Douglas - TV personality, “Queer Eye” - 52

Born On This Date

Sage Stallone - actor & eldest son of Sylvester Stallone - 1976 (d. 2012)

Tammy Wynette - country singer - 1942 (d. 1998)

Ann B. Davis - actress, Alice in “The Brady Bunch” - 1926 (d. 2014)

John Batterson Stetson - hat manufacturer - 1830 (d. 1906)

Karl Marx - philosopher - 1818 (d. 1883)

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