Today is Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
It is the 163rd day of the year.
203 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Home ownership costs exploded over the last four years and some closure in a bizarre fraud trial. Details in HIT LIST.
BEN and JEN spent some time together in their recently listed mansion. More on that in SHOWBIZ.
DENISE RICHARDS is getting her own reality show. Details in CASTING CALL.
KRIS’ bad edits get called out in KARDASH.
A power attorney manages a prominent divorce. Details in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
The costs of home ownership -- not including mortgage payments -- are up 26% in the last four years.
Expenses like taxes, insurance, utilities, and the basic items to keep a house running -- things like furnace filters and rock salt for the water softener -- have surged alongside relentless, year-over-year, compounding inflation.
Homes in Utah were hardest hit, with maintenance costs increasing 44% since March 2020.
Overall, the average cost of annual home maintenance added up to $18,118 a year. [via Bloomberg]
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FOLLOW UP: Last week, a juror on a Minnesota fraud case reported someone tried to bribe her to let the defendants off the hook. She was dismissed before deliberations began.
NOW: That jury panel convicted five of the seven defendants for their effort to embezzle $40 MILLION in pandemic-era government funding that was earmarked for child food programs.
More than 60 more people face trial in the widespread fraud; together they walked away with $250 MILLION. [via CNN]
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If you’re going to get drunk and rob a house, maybe grab a coffee first for a little pick me up.
A Georgia man has been arrested after breaking into an empty house, stealing a jar of change, and using the coins to buy what police called “copious amounts of adult beverages.” Then the thief returned to the same home to get loaded and passed out.
The homeowner’s parents eventually came back and held the burglar at gunpoint until cops arrived, who then took him into custody.
In a cheeky statement from the Franklin County Police Department, officers warned, “If you do allegedly commit a burglary, don’t allegedly burglarize a residence that is protected by parents who believe in the 2nd Amendment.” [via Fox Carolina]
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The frosty relations between North and South Korea are getting weirder.
In recent weeks, the North sent balloons carrying garbage and human waste into the South, in a response to the South’s pamphlets it sent calling for the people to rise up against the Kim regime.
The South has resumed blasting messages through loudspeakers into the North, calling for a similar revolution.
In a statement published on state media, KIM YO JONG, the sister of North Korean despot KIM JONG JUNIOR, promised “the new counteraction of the DPRK” if South Korea keeps it up -- whatever that might entail. State media also reports that the South sent 1400 propaganda balloons into the North over the weekend. [via Reuters]
MEANWHILE: Russian dictator VLADIMIR PUTIN is planning a trip to North Korea and Vietnam later this month. North Korea has been supplying Russia with munitions to support its war in Ukraine. [via Reuters]
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A group of Dutch medical researchers are looking into deaths caused by vaccine mandates and lockdowns from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Examining data from 47 western countries -- including the United States -- the researchers found that months into the lockdowns and vaccine rollout, death rates remained higher than in pre-pandemic years.
When looking solely at the US, the team noted double-digit increases in alcohol-caused fatalities and drug-overdose fatalities. These findings coincide with what two researchers from the University of Chicago reported: that deaths in the US from alcoholism, drug addiction, car accidents, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes exceeded a “normal” year by over 100,000.
IT GETS WORSE: Those “deaths of despair” were among younger people, resulting in many more years of life lost than an elderly person succumbing to the virus.
AND: Even when it was obvious that lockdowns were not working, officials continued to enforce them.
PLUS: When it became clear that children were not getting sick or dying from the virus, the CDC still pushed for school-age children to continue at-home-learning, leading to severe learning losses. [via BMJ Public Health]
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW gained 69 points (0.18%) to close at 38,868 on Monday. The S&P increased 13 points (0.26%) to close at 5,360 and the NASDAQ increased 59 points (0.35%) to close at 17,192.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $78 on Monday; BRENT CRUDE at $80.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.44 on Monday.
₿ BITCOIN was mostly flat on the day, trading just under $69,600.
🛩 There were more than 3,430 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Monday and more than 100 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $30 million jackpot or a $13.9 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
TAYLOR SWIFT is holding on strong to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart, with “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Spending its seventh week at the top, the album matches Swift’s 2012 album, “Red” for fourth-most weeks at No. 1. Ahead of those are “1989” and “Fearless” with 11 weeks and “Folklore” with eight.
She also extends her reign as the solo artist with the most career weeks at No. 1, with 76; tying with JAY-Z. [via Billboard]
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BEN AFFLECK and JENNIFER LOPEZ spent about four hours inside their Beverly HIlls mansion over the weekend -- the same home that recently hit the market.
It is not known what the couple did during those four hours -- from 5pm to 9pm -- but social media has some ideas.
Did they divvy up their possessions? Rekindle their romance? Watch Jen’s Netflix flick? The list is endless. [via Page Six]
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MAREN MORRIS came out as bisexual.
She made the announcement alongside a slideshow of photos from her “RSVP Redux” tour, writing “happy to be the B in LGBTQ+ happy pride.”
The news comes just months after her divorce from country singer RYAN HURD. [via US Weekly]
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CARRIE UNDERWOOD took a tumble while performing at the Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach over the weekend.
After belting out her biggest hits -- in the rain no less -- she stumbled down some steps at the back of the stage.
She later posted about the show, making things appear to be A-OK. [via TMZ]
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SABRINA CARPENTER is collaborating with Van Leeuwen on an espresso-flavored ice cream, inspired by her hit single, “Espresso.”
In other news, her new album, “Short n’ Sweet,” will be released on August 23. [via People]
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CASTING CALL
DENISE RICHARDS is no stranger to reality TV, but her time with the “Housewives” franchise has always been a group activity. Now, she will be front and center as she is set to star in “Denise Richards and the Wild Things,” a new reality show about her family.
The series will follow Richards, her husband AARON PHYPERS, and her three daughters, Sami, Eloise and Lola.
Richards did previously have her own show on E!, called “Denise Richards: It’s Complicated,” but it only lasted for two seasons.
A premiere date has been set for 2025. [via Page Six]
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“Practical Magic 2” is in the works at Warner Bros.
NICOLE KIDMAN and SANDRA BULLOCK, who play the witchy Owens sisters in the 1998 flick, are in talks to return.
The original movie follows the sisters, who attempt to break a curse placed on the family by their matriarch. [via Variety]
Watch the official trailer for the 1998 version here>
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DWAYNE JOHNSON’s two young daughters landed roles alongside him in “Moana 2.”
While he reprises his role as Maui, it is unknown what their roles are. What is known, however, is that they each made over $1,500, for their time on set -- which may have been as short as only a day.
By the way -- the girls are 8 and 6. [via The Blast]
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SHAQUILLE O’NEAL was spotted filming for the forthcoming season of Brooklyn-set crime series,“Gravesend.”
He will play Mustafa, a powerful man who runs Bed-Stuy.
A member of his crew will be played by former Steelers player JAMES HARRISON.
Season 3 is expected to premiere this summer. [via Page Six]
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IAN MCKELLEN says he is open to reprising his role as Gandalf in the forthcoming “Lord of the Rings” movie, “The Hunt for Gollum,” but only under one condition: if he is still alive.
In a recent interview with UK’s The Times, the 85-year-old said he approaches each new role as if it might be his last, and the idea of getting to play the iconic character again is “tempting.”
News of “The Hunt for Gollum” being in the works came just last month. [via UK Times]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KRIS JENNER is the latest Kardashian to be accused of bad editing.
In a recent Instagram post, shared in honor of her best friend Shelli Azoff, Kris appears alongside her friend in a black and white polka-dot bikini with an abnormally flawless complexion.
Trolls were quick to call out the bad edit, writing that it’s the “worst Photoshop” ever, and a “big fail.”
Of the entire clan, KYLIE JENNER seems to be the only one who sees an issue with Photoshop, previously stating that she worries about their “impressionable young fans.” [via Radar Online]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
As we reported yesterday, PRINCESS DIANA’s brother CHARLES SPENCER and his wife are headed for divorce.
In a tragically ironic twist, Spencer has retained the same attorney that represented then-PRINCE CHARLES in his divorce from Diana.
Power lawyer FIONA SHACKLETON, who has the perfect name for an English power lawyer, also repped PRINCE ANDREW in his split from SARAH FERGUSON. Other notable clients include PAUL MCCARTNEY in 2008 and some Jordanian royalty. [via People]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Making Life Beautiful Day
National Call Your Doctor Day
KBG Syndrome Awareness Day
International Lynx Day
National German Chocolate Cake Day
National Corn on the Cob Day
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ON THIS DATE
1692 - Residents of Salem, Massachusetts hang Bridget Bishop, a woman convicted of practicing witchcraft.
Her ordeal began earlier that year when a Reverend took his daughter and niece to the doctor for strange illnesses. Naturally, the doc said they were under a spell put on them by a witch.
Women were arbitrarily accused of witchcraft and put on trial. In the end, 150 women were accused of witchcraft for various incidents; 19 were eventually executed.
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1776 - Four days after Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduces an act to separate the 13 colonies from Great Britain, the Continental Congress appoints five men to draft the declaration.
These men are: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston
This "Committee of Five" eventually hammered out the language in what is today historically known as “The Declaration of Independence.”
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1837 - The Broad Street Riots break out in Boston. Yankee firefighters squared off with an Irish funeral procession. Some drunk firemen, having returned from putting out a fire, started pushing around those in the funeral.
A fight broke out and the firemen retreated to the station to rally their troops. So did the Irish.
A thousand men fought in the brawl. Somehow, no one died but some houses were burglarized and the rioters exchanged a hail of rocks and missiles.
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1920 - The Republicans nominate Warren G. Harding for President. He had been a Senator from Ohio. His running mate was Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge.
They would both win in the general election.
Interesting fact: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the VP candidate on the Democratic ticket.
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2001 - Timothy McVeigh is put to death for planning and executing the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995.
That terrorist attack killed 168 people and injured 450 more in April 1995.
McVeigh was arrested shortly after, and convicted in June 1997.
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2004 - Ronald Reagan’s funeral is held at the Washington National Cathedral.
The former President passed away on June 5 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 93.
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2009 - The WHO declares H1N1 swine flu to be a global pandemic.
Between 10-200 million people would be infected, with as many as 150,000 deaths. There were likely many more, but the agencies tracking such numbers gave up counting after a while.
The following year, the WHO would defend itself against claims that it overstated the severity of the pandemic because of pressure from vaccine companies.
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2019 - “Toy Story 4” has its world premiere.
The Disney-Pixar flick grossed $1.073 billion, becoming the highest grossing film of the franchise and the fifth-highest grossing animated film of all time during its theatrical run.
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BIRTHDAYS
Kodak Black - rapper - 27
Sadie Robertson - reality star, “Duck Dynasty” - 27
Claire Holt - actress, “The Vampire Diaries” - 36
Shia LaBeouf - actor, “Even Stevens” & “Transformers” - 38
Diana Taurasi - basketball player - 42
Joshua Jackson - actor, “Dawson’s Creek” - 46
Peter Dinklage - actor, “Game of Thrones” - 55
Mehmet Oz - TV doctor, “The Dr. Oz Show” - 64
Hugh Laurie - actor, “House M.D.” - 65
Joe Montana - football player - 68
Robert Munsh - author, “The Paper Bag Princess” - 79
Born On This Date
Henry Hill - mobster & FBI informant - 1943 (d. 2012)
Gene Wilder - actor, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” & “Blazing Saddles” - 1933 (d. 2016)
Vince Lombardi - HOF football coach, Green Bay Packers - 1913 (d. 1970)
Jacques Cousteau - oceanic explorer, Calypso - 1910 (d. 1997)
Jeannette Rankin - first woman elected to US Congress (R-Montana) - 1880 (d. 1973)
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