Today is Thursday, June 13, 2024.
It is the 165th day of the year.
201 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
El Salvador publicly celebrates a win against drug cartels and a lobster trapper celebrates a milestone. Details in HIT LIST.
ROB SCHNEIDER isn’t a fan of WILL SMITH and HENRY WINKLER gets rushed out of a hotel in Ireland. More in SHOWBIZ.
“Hollywood Squares” is getting a reboot. Details in CASTING CALL.
KIM transitions in KARDASH.
PRINCE HARRY wants a London crash pad. Details in ROYALS.
###
HIT LIST
The wreckage of the ship where intrepid explorer ERNEST SHACKLETON died has been located off the coast of Canada.
Shackleton died of a heart attack in 1922 while en route to the Antarctic, but the ship he died on, “Quest,” remained in service for another forty years. It sank after encountering thick sea-ice that cracked its hull while being crewed by Norwegian sealers.
While the crew survived, the ship sank to the ocean floor under 1,280 feet of water. A sonar crew spotted the ship mostly intact other than the main mast hanging over the port side.
The exploration crew that found Quest are not publicly releasing the exact coordinates of the wreckage a few miles off the coast of Newfoundland just yet. They plan a return later this year to get a closer look. [via BBC]
###
South Florida endured what meteorologists are calling a once-in-a-millennium weather event after more than eight inches of rain fell in the Tampa area over just three hours beginning late Tuesday.
One weather station in downtown Sarasota registered 8.24” Tuesday evening, crossing the 8.19” threshold to qualify as such an anomaly.
WORTH NOTING: The “once every thousand years” line doesn’t necessarily mean such a weather event occurs like clockwork every millennium; it more simply means the chance of it occurring is less than .1%. [via WFLA]
###
In a show of force against drug cartels, El Salvador’s police posted a video this week showing literal tons of cocaine on fire.
Officials seized the 2.7-ton haul of blow about a month ago more than 1,000 miles off the country’s coast and arrested seven men. On the street, the drugs could have sold for nearly $68 MILLION.
Authorities still have not announced formal charges against the drug-runners. [via KTLA]
###
TODAY: Voting ends for TESLA shareholders to re-approve ELON MUSK’s massive $44.9 BILLION compensation package, all in stock based on performance incentives. That deal, originally approved by the company’s board, was tossed by a Delaware judge in a successful nuisance suit brought last year.
MEANWHILE: Musk has withdrawn his lawsuit filed against A.I. company OPENAI. The case was certainly not strong to begin with; Musk alleged that OpenAI’s leadership breached a verbal agreement to develop artificial general intelligence technology “for the benefit of humanity” but has since done the opposite. Proving the claim and that the company’s actions do not benefit humanity would be an onerous legal task.
Musk has since started his own A.I. company, xAI. [via CNBC]
###
Virginia “Ginny” Oliver is Maine’s oldest lobster trapper.
At 104-years-old she has no plans to retire, telling WGME that while she has acquired some more aches in recent years, she intends to head out on the water this season, which will be her 96th.
As for her favorite part of the job, Ginny says it’s that she’s “still the boss.” [via WGME]
###
DEATHS
Basketball icon JERRY WEST has died.
He passed away peacefully on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Clippers, whom he worked for after retiring from the league.
West spent his playing days with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was also the inspiration for the silhouette in the NBA’s iconic logo.
He was 86.
###
Actor TONY LO BIANCO has died.
He passed away at home on Tuesday after a battle with prostate cancer.
Lo Bianco is best remembered for his roles in “The French Connection” and “The Seven-Ups.”
He was 87.
###
RELATIONSHIPS
Musician MATT HEALY is engaged to model GABBRIETTE BECHTEL.
He’s 35 and she’s 26.
The pair announced the news this week on their respective social media accounts, with Bechtel showing off her unique ring -- a black gem surrounded by pave diamonds.
Healy’s mom also confirmed the news on Wednesday.
SEVEN DEGREES OF SWIFT: Healy was previously linked to TAYLOR SWIFT, but the pair split last June.
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 35 points (0.09%) to close at 38,712 on Wednesday. The S&P gained 45 points (0.85%) to close at 5,421 and the NASDAQ increased 264 points (1.53%) to close at 17,608.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $78; BRENT CRUDE at $80.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.45 on Wednesday.
₿ BITCOIN gained on Wednesday, trading around $68,200.
🛩 There were more than 4,290 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday and more than 810 such cancellations.
💰Friday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $47 million jackpot or a $21.8 million cash payout.
###
SHOWBIZ NEWS
ROB SCHNEIDER thinks WILL SMITH is a “douchebag.”
“[Smith has] been hiding the fact of who he really is and it was exposed that night that he’s really an a--hole,” Schneider said on “The Kyle & Jackie O Show,” referring to Smith slapping CHRIS ROCK at the 2022 Oscars.
He then took aim at the slap-on-the-wrist punishment Smith received, saying the Academy is “so worried about being racist or whatever” that had he done what Smith did he would “have been hauled off to prison.”
As for Rock, whom Schneider has been friends with for a long time, he said that it took him a long time to “get to where he could react” because “it was a lot.” [via NY Post]
###
HENRY WINKLER was among the guests who got ushered out of a hotel in Dublin, Ireland yesterday after the fire alarms started blaring.
Following the all-clear, Winkler chatted with a local news station, saying he thought the noise was his wake up call, but quickly realized the seriousness of the situation. He also shook hands with and took photos with several of the responding firefighters.
As for the actual fire, it was small and contained to the roof. [via Daily Beast]
###
BRITNEY SPEARS surprised fans when she posted a video of her dancing to “Bounce” on Instagram.
The song is by TIMBALAND, but also features her ex, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, DR. DRE and MISSY ELLIOTT.
She did later delete the post, though no word on why. Perhaps she realized JT was part of the song? [via Instagram]
###
OJ SIMPSON’s longtime lawyer-turned-executor, Malcolm LaVergne, wants permission to sell off some of former football star’s belongings to settle his debts.
Some of the personal items include OJ’s Heisman Trophy, his golf clubs, his car and driver’s license.
In his plea, LaVergne argues that funds from selling off some of the memorabilia could go toward paying off the massive amount OJ owes the Goldman family. [via TMZ]
###
In honor of completing his 18-month mandatory military service, BTS’ JIN is going on a hugging spree.
One thousand of his fans were randomly selected to be part of the 3-hour hugging fest today, and another 3,000 will be on hand for a brief performance at the BTS FESTA, an annual celebration of the band’s debut anniversary.
Jin is the first of the seven band members to complete their military duty; all will have theirs completed by 2025.
Remember, in South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military -- even the ones who are international pop stars. [via Variety]
###
A one-of-a-kind set of 8 oil paintings of MICHEAL PHLEPS competing at the 2008 Beijing Olympics is being sold with a hefty price tag of around $2 million. Each of the prints has been signed by Phelps too.
He went 8-for-8 at the Games winning gold in every event. [via TMZ]
###
RICK ROSS is auctioning off some items he has acquired over the years, including 300 pairs from his sneaker collection, Versace silk shirts, designer sunglasses and even some varsity jackets to benefit entrepreneurs in his area.
Big ticket items include a custom-painted piano featuring the cover art of MICHAEL JACKSON’s “Thriller” album, and RIAA plaques.
The Push It to the Limit-Luxury & Lifestyle: A Rick Ross Auction will be hosted later this month by Julien’s Auctions. [via Billboard]
###
CASTING CALL
TRAVIS KELCE wants to become an NFL broadcaster when his playing days are over.
When asked by his brother JASON KELCE what he specifically “wanted to do,” Travis said to “be in the thick of football games, calling out the plays.”
IN OTHER NEWS: Jason is considering buying a stake in his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles. [via CBS Sports]
###
JAMES CAMERON recently revealed that KATE WINSLET wasn’t his first choice when it came to casting “Titanic’s” Rose DeWitt Bukater because of her reputation as “corset Kate.”
“It seemed like lazy casting,” he explained, noting how she had already starred in several period pieces, such as “Sense and Sensibility” and “Hamlet.”
Ultimately Cameron says he realized she was actually perfect for the part, calling her “very alive.” [via People]
###
DREW BARRYMORE will be the middle square on a reboot of the classic game show, “Hollywood Squares.”
Former NFL player NATE BURLESON will host.
HOW IT WORKS: The game sees two contestants compete against each other in a game of tic-tac-toe, but each square houses a celebrity who must answer the player’s question for them to get the spot. The first to get three-in-a-row wins. [via Decider]
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
An interview of KIM KARDASHIAN saying she is coming out as a trans-man has been circulating social media, but it's all a deep fake.
The actual footage is Kim chatting with actress CHLOE SEVIGNY for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, but through A.I. it has been altered to make it appear that she is detailing her transition.
The video has been viewed over 3.3 million times on TikTok, with many people reposting and taking it as fact.
###
WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE HARRY is house shopping — in the United Kingdom.
Friends say Harry is looking for a London crash pad so he can more regularly visit friends who don’t want anything to do with his wife MEGHAN MARKLE.
Royal observer Tom Quinn tells The Mirror, “Harry misses some aspects of his old life in the UK,” especially his army friends, “many of whom have not visited [in California] as they don’t get on with Meghan.” [via New York Post]
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
International Albinism Awareness Day
National Random Acts of Lights Day
National Seersucker Day
National Weed Your Garden Day
International Axe Throwing Day
World Softball Day
National Sewing Machine Day
National Farm Workers Day
###
ON THIS DATE
1373 - Great Britain and Portugal agree to the Treaty of Windsor.
The most important element of the pact forms the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance.
It is the longest-running modern alliance in history. Thanks to their agreement, Great Britain also fought against French and Spanish invaders into Portugal in 1807.
It also brought the UK into the Napoleonic Wars until 1815. In the First World War, the alliance impelled Portugal to assist Great Britain.
###
1525 - Rebel monk Martin Luther weds escaped nun Katharina von Bora.
von Bora was one of the 12 nuns he broke out of a Cistercian convent two years earlier by hiding them in herring barrels.
This of course clashed with the Catholic rule of celibacy for clergy, a doctrine Luther had long condemned.
While organizing a new church, Luther and his wife had six kids. She made extra money by running the family farm and opening their home to boarders.
###
1774 - Rhode Island becomes the first colony to prohibit the importation of slaves.
###
1805 - The Lewis and Clark expedition is well underway.
Meriwether Lewis and a small scouting crew of four came upon the Great Falls of the Missouri River. Lewis took note of the falls' heights - the tallest of which he accurately estimated to be 90 feet -- but before he could make further observations, a grizzly bear chased him into the river. He reportedly threatened the beast with a spear, which scared it away.
Ultimately it took a month to find a decent portage around the river. Their crew had to make eight trips back and forth through 18 miles of bugs and grizzlies to get six canoes and all their baggage to the other side.
###
1888 - Congress green-lights the creation of the Department of Labor.
Fifteen years later it would be made part of a new department: the Department of Commerce and Labor. Thirteen months later, it would become the Bureau of Labor within the Commerce and Labor Department. Nine years after that, the Bureau of Labor in the Department of Commerce and Labor broke off as its own Department of Labor.
The bureaucracy today is nothing new.
###
1920 - The US Post Office states that children cannot be sent by parcel post.
The ruling came after several instances of people seeking to mail children or themselves.
One such example took place in 1914 when a mother shipped her baby from Stillwell to its father in South Bend, Indiana. The child traveled in a container marked “Live Baby.” The trip cost 17 cents.
###
1948 - Babe Ruth says a public good goodbye at Yankee Stadium.
He was sick with throat cancer that was not going into remission. While veterans of the 1923 team played a two-inning exhibition against other former players, Babe could only watch. When the announcer finally called Babe to the plate, he shed the camel hair coat on his shoulder, and using a baseball bat for his cane, he hobbled to home plate.
The applause was thunderous.
###
1966 - The Supreme Court decides in Miranda v. Arizona.
It establishes that all criminal suspects are entitled to know their rights before interrogation.
Have you seen enough “Law & Order” to recite it?
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can, and will, be used against you in court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you."
###
1970 - The Beatles clean up the music charts. Their album “Let It Be” hits #1 and would stay there for a month.
The single “Long & Winding Road” from the album also hits #1, where it stays for two weeks.
###
1977 - James Earl Ray, convicted assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., is re-captured after a jailbreak two days earlier.
It was his second time on the FBI Most Wanted Fugitives list. Only one year was tacked on to his 99-year sentence for the escape.
###
1981 - Marcus Sarjeant tries to attack the Queen of England.
He fires six blank shots from a revolver at the monarch, who was on her horse in a parade. The shots startled the steed, but the queen regained control.
Once cops and onlookers subdued the attacker - who was just a teenager - the Queen continued along on the parade! The kid, when tackled, reportedly said, "I just wanted to be famous."
###
1997 - A jury sends Timothy McVeigh to his death for planning and executing the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing.
He would be executed four years later.
###
2010 - The Japanese Hayabusa space probe returns to Earth from the 25143 Itokawa asteroid.
The probe was the first to successfully return dust and materials from an asteroid.
The data collected is still being studied today.
###
2018 - The journal “Nature” reports that Antarctica is melting at an accelerating rate.
According to the report it is losing 200 billion metric tons a year.
###
2021 - President Joe Biden has tea with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle.
Biden was in the UK for the G7 Summit, where leaders of the world’s biggest economies discussed issues including vaccines and climate change.
###
BIRTHDAYS
Rumi & Sir Carter - Bey and Jay-Z’s twins - 7
Coco Arquette - daughter of Courteney Cox & David Arquette - 20
070 Shake - rapper - 27
Aaron Taylor-Johnson - actor, “Kick-Ass” - 34
Cody Walker - actor, “Furious 7” - 36
Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen - actresses, “Full House” - 38
Kat Dennings - actress, “2 Broke Girls” - 38
Chris Evans - actor, “The Avengers” - 43
Steve-O - reality star, “Jackass” - 50
Rivers Cuomo - rock singer, Weezer - 54
Tim Allen - actor, “Home Improvement” & “Last Man Standing” - 71
Richard Thomas - actor, “The Waltons” & “Ozark” - 73
Stellan Skarsgard - actor, “Thor” & “The Avengers” - 73
Joe Roth - director - 76
Malcolm McDowell - actor, “Clockwork Orange” - 81
Born On This Date
John Nash - mathematician - 1928 (d. 2015)
Red Grange - Galloping Ghost of football - 1903 (d. 1991)
Basil Rathbone - actor, “Sherlock Holmes” - 1892 (d. 1967)
Martha Washington - the 1st First Lady - 1731 (d. 1802)
###