6/18/2024: Double the Love
PLUS: Executive Search; Schnapp Gets Sloshed; and Buckingham Palace to Open
Today is Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
It is the 170th day of the year.
196 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
MCDONALD’s reverses course and a deep space probe celebrates a victory. Details in HIT LIST.
SCOOTER BRAUN is stepping away from music management and MORGAN FREEMAN blasts Black History Month. More in SHOWBIZ.
TOM BRADY makes his broadcasting debut. Details in CASTING CALL.
No Father’s Day love for CAIT in KARDASH.
A years-long restoration project is set to debut. Details in ROYALS.
###
HIT LIST
After months of disasters and near-misses, BOEING’s CEO in March announced he would be stepping down from the company’s top job.
Now, the Wall Street Journal reports that the aircraft manufacturer is having trouble finding an executive willing to take the helm of the beleaguered organization.
Executives from multiple competitors have turned down offers to even be vetted or interviewed.
In the meantime, Boeing’s chairman is considering stepping into the CEO role during a transitionary period. [via WSJ]
MEANWHILE: A new report has identified the states with the rudest, and most considerate, flyers. The survey was based on observed behavior and even self-reported malfeasance -- like hogging overhead bin space and ripping farts while cruising at 30,000 feet.
The worst offenders come from Iowa, followed by Illinois, Virginia, Texas, and Georgia.
But the most considerate travelers come from Arkansas, Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio, and Kansas. [via USA Today]
###
MCDONALD’s is scrapping IBM-powered artificial intelligence technology it had been testing at 100 locations since 2021, after the system had trouble processing different accents and dialects at the drive-thru.
In theory, the system would have eliminated the need for a person to man the cash register and take your order through a garbled speaker -- but it’s not quite refined enough to expand the program or, at minimum, keep trying to make it work.
On a conciliatory note, a rep for the Arches says that “IBM remains a trusted partner and we will continue to utilize many of their other products across our system.” [via CNBC]
###
DOUBLE THE LOVE: A Cleveland-based NICU is feeling the pressure after welcoming multiple sets of multiple births over the course of just a couple of days.
“We’ve been feeling double the love caring for 7 sets of newborn twins, at the same time,” Hillcrest Hospital wrote on Facebook.
Of the sets, there was only one boy-girl pair, with the rest being either girl-girl or boy-boy. [via News5]
###
The Voyager 1 probe is fully back online after a few months of sending back garbled data and shutting down two of its primary instruments as engineers on the ground scrambled to fix the problem.
Now, after sending software updates in April and testing two sensors in May, all four scientific instruments are sending back good data, allowing the farthest human-made spacecraft to return measurements on plasma waves, magnetic fields, and particles back to Earth for study.
NASA says it needs to update its timekeeping software and maintain a digital tape recorder first put to use in the 1970’s, when the space probe first launched, to continue interpreting the information it sends back. [via The Verge]
###
Any number of factors can ruin a beach trip: bad weather, douchebag travelers, poor service -- or for one resort in Singapore, an oil spill.
After two ships collided on Friday, the oil from one seeped into the water six miles from the coast of Sentosa, an idyllic tourist town home to high-end hotels and pristine golf courses.
Crews have been deployed to clean up beaches and rescue oil-soaked birds trapped on the beach. Off the coast, skimmer vessels are releasing absorbent chemicals to contain the spread. [via CNN]
###
DEATHS
Former baseball player MIKE BRUMLEY has died.
He passed away Saturday in a car accident in Mississippi. No further details were shared.
Brumley played for six teams during his career after being drafted by the Red Sox in 1983.
He was only 61.
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW increased 188 points (0.49%) to close at 38,778 on Monday. The S&P increased 41 points (0.77%) to close at 5,472 and the NASDAQ increased 168 points (0.95%) to close at 17,857.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $80; BRENT CRUDE at $81.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.44 on Monday.
₿ BITCOIN was mostly flat on the day, trading around $66,600.
🛩 There were more than 4,250 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Monday and more than 65 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $61 million jackpot or a $29.3 million cash payout.
###
SHOWBIZ NEWS
After 23 years in music management, SCOOTER BRAUN announced Monday that he is stepping away.
He will remain the CEO of HYBE American -- the US-extension of a South Korean-based multi-hyphenate entertainment company that works with a gaggle of global artists.
SEVEN DEGREES OF SWIFT: Braun is the one who led TAYLOR SWIFT to re-record her first six albums after he sold her masters for hundreds of millions of dollars. [via TMZ]
###
GEORGE STRAIT set an all-time attendance record for a ticketed concert in the United States over the weekend.
The milestone was set at his show in Kyle Field at Texas A&M in College Station where 110,905 fans were in attendance.
The record was previously held by the GRATEFUL DEAD, who set it in 1977 with 107,019 fans at their show at Raceway Park in New Jersey. [via Billboard]
###
MORGAN FREEMAN is once again slamming Black History Month, saying he “absolutely detests” it.
“You’re going to give me the shortest month in a year? And you are going to celebrate ‘my’ history?! This whole idea makes my teeth itch. It’s not right,” he told Variety.
Freeman first shared his thoughts on the matter in 2005, when he called the idea “ridiculous,” and said that the way to get rid of racism is to “stop talking about it.” [via Variety]
###
ARMIE HAMMER finally spoke out about the shocking cannibalism allegations made against him on the “Painful Lessons” podcast.
The whole thing started after two of Hammer’s exes accused him of being violent and aggressive during their time together, including one who said he wanted to “break [her] rib and barbeque it.” In response, Hammer said, “Do you know what you have to do to be a cannibal? You have to eat people! How am I going to be a cannibal?! It was bizarre.”
The fallout was extreme for Hammer, who lost not only his movie career, but also his wife, reality star ELIZABETH CHAMBERS. But now he says it all helped him learn “self-love” and “self-validation.” As for his career, he revealed that he is currently working on a screenplay. No word on if he also plans to cast himself. [via Page Six]
###
Former NFL player RASHARD MENDENHALL just sold his Los Angeles home for over $3.6 million.
He had initially listed the 6,000-square-foot pad for $4,236,000 -- a nod to his NFL career rushing total of 4,236 yards. Even with the smaller amount, he still turned a profit as he purchased the home in 2017 for $2.5 million.
The house sits on over 2.2 acres and features a gourmet kitchen, library, billiard room, guest house and pool house, which each have their own kitchens. There is also a dance studio, tennis court, putting green and space to house horses.
HISTORY LESSON: The house was previously owned by comedian RICHARD PRYOR, who famously set himself on fire in 1976, after dousing himself in rum while doing cocaine. He suffered burns on more than 50% of his body. [via TMZ]
###
COLDPLAY accidentally sent out an email formally announcing their next album early Monday morning that included dead links to pre-order the album for download and on vinyl.
Excited fans were met with “sold out” notices when the materials hadn’t been ready for sale in the first place.
But the band’s management took the snafu in stride and announced the album, “Moon Music,” within the ensuing hours.
MEANWHILE: The band announced that a select run of vinyl albums will be made with garbage cleaned up from the Las Vacas River in Guatemala by The Ocean Cleanup Project. [via @TheOceanCleanup]
###
KATIE LEDECKY is heading to her fourth Olympic Games after landing a spot on Team USA with her 400-meter freestyle win at the US Olympic swimming trials over the weekend.
The 27-year-old seven-time Olympic gold medalist had a winning time of 3:58.35.
The win makes her the ninth US swimmer to qualify at least four times for the Olympics. [via People]
###
“Stranger Things” star NOAH SCHNAPP was booted from a bar in NYC early Sunday after having too much to drink.
By the way -- he’s only 19.
Insiders say he got “angry” at other patrons for refusing to take shots with him. He eventually became so belligerent that club security had to escort him out. From there Schanpp reportedly popped a squat on the curb because he was “unable to stand” on his own. [via The Blast]
###
ALEC and HILARIA BALDWIN were shamed on social media over a Father’s Day post showing their 10-year-old daughter wearing makeup.
Many questioned why the young girl would be allowed to wear mascara and lip gloss, while others pointed out that sometimes kids just like to play dress up.
The bashing will likely only get worse as the family is soon set to appear in their own reality show. [via Daily Mail]
###
CASTING CALL
TOM BRADY’s FOX broadcasting debut during the UFL Championship game in St. Louis was a rough one.
As the former QB awarded the MVP Trophy to Birmingham QB Adrian Martinez, he was met with a chorus of boos from the fans, who are likely still bitter over the Rams’ loss to Brady and his Patriots in the 2002 Super Bowl.
His official NFL debut will take place on September 8 when the Browns play the Cowboys at home. There will likely be some booing there as well. [via NY Post]
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
CAITLYN JENNER shared several Father’s Day posts on Sunday -- but none from her youngest, KYLIE and KENDALL JENNER.
The posts were initially shared by some fans and Cait simply reposted them, adding her own caption of: “Love all the Father’s Day posts from the followers! The best thing I ever did was be a father, my two youngest.”
Kendall did acknowledge the day, but only to promote her 818 tequila brand. No mention of dear old dad.
Perhaps there is still some bad blood brewing over the fact that Cait agreed to participate in the “House of Kardashian” documentary, which dives into how the Kardashian-Jenner family became one of the world’s most iconic families. None of the other family members are part of the doc. [via Daily Mail]
###
WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
A six-year renovation of Buckingham Palace is almost complete and ready to open to the public.
The project has replaced 190 miles of electrical cabling and 40,000 floorboards in the massive facility. Cleaning crews also eliminated asbestos that had been found deep between some walls.
Since the facelift began, the monarch -- first QUEEN ELIZABETH and now KING CHARLES -- have made other palaces their primary residences; the Queen was fond of her Windsor estate and the King has lived at nearby Clarence House while in Central London.
The refurbished East Wing will open to the public for the first time on July 15, where visitors will get a glimpse behind the scenes of the corridor that leads to the iconic balcony where the Royal Family gathers for major public events. [via DailyMail]
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
International Sushi Day
Sustainable Gastronomy Day
Autistic Pride Day
National Cherry Tart Day
National Splurge Day
National Accounts Payable Day
National Go Fishing Day
International Picnic Day
International Panic Day
Clean Your Aquarium Day
###
ON THIS DATE
618 - Li Yuan becomes Emperor Gaozu of Tang.
This imperial dynasty seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire. The Tang Dynasty’s capital city, present-day Xi’an, was the world’s most populated city at the time.
The rule of the Tang Dynasty is usually regarded as a high point in Chinese civilization. It is known for having a powerful and organized bureaucracy. During this time, Chinese literature and philosophy also flourished.
###
1858 - Charles Darwin begins to shop his manuscript “Origin of Species” to publishers.
The work was inspired partly by a paper from Alfred Russel Wallace, another British ecologist, which echoed Darwin’s ideas of evolution almost perfectly.
Charles decided to rush his theory to publication so as to not have his research scooped by a rival.
###
1873 - Susan B. Anthony is fined $100 for attempting to vote in an 1872 presidential primary.
It wasn’t until 1920 that women would be granted the right to vote through the 19th amendment.
###
1928 - Amelia Earhart successfully flies across the Atlantic Ocean as a passenger, and becomes the first woman to do so.
She would become the first woman to make that trip solo in 1932.
Five years later in 1937, Earhart would attempt to fly around the globe, only to vanish over the central Pacific Ocean. Her disappearance remains a mystery to this day, though recent discoveries suggest she may have ended up on a remote Pacific island, where artifacts linked to her have been found.
###
1940 - Winston Churchill delivers his “Finest Hour” speech.
The speech was delivered to the British House of Commons and came in response to the leader realizing that Britain stood alone against Hitler’s military machine.
In the weeks prior, Hitler’s army had conquered Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium and Paris, which led to the French army asking for an armistice.
He knew that if the allies were to fail, the world would be doomed, and that victory was necessary: “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, This was their finest hour.”
###
1981 - AIDS is recognized by medical professionals in the U.S. for the first time.
Medical professionals noticed a high concentration of an immune system deficiency disease in the San Francisco area. Although previously unrecognized it became clear that these cases were related.
The CDC officially recognized AIDS later that year.
###
1996 - The Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski is indicted on ten criminal counts of terrorism.
He had been waging a one-man war using homemade bombs that killed three people and injured 23 more from 1978 to 1995.
He was caught after his manifesto was published in the New York Times and Washington Post, to whom he promised the bombings would stop if they printed his writing. Kaczynski’s siblings recognized his writing style and tipped the FBI to his whereabouts.
He remains in prison serving eight life sentences without the possibility of parole.
###
2018 - President Trump orders the U.S. military to set up a sixth branch -- a space force.
Its mission is to “organize, train, and equip space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force. Its responsibilities include developing military space professionals, acquiring military space systems, maturing the military doctrine for space power, and organizing space forces to present to the Combatant Commands.”
###
BIRTHDAYS
Bailey Bass - actress, “Avatar: The Way of Water” - 21
Willa Holland - actress, “The O.C.” - 33
Josh Dun - drummer, Twenty One Pilots - 36
O.T. Genasis - rapper - 37
Matt Walsh - journalist, Daily Wire - 38
Richard Madden - actor, “Game of Thrones” & “The Eternals” - 38
Jimmie Allen - country singer - 39
Scooter Braun - music producer - 43
Antonio Gates - football player - 44
Blake Shelton - country singer - 48
Darren “Dizzy” Reed - keyboardist, Guns N’ Roses - 61
Isabella Rossellini - actress & model - 72
Paul McCartney - rock singer, The Beatles - 82
Dudley Herschbach - chemist known for molecular dynamics - 92
Born On This Date
George Mikan - HOF basketball player - 1924 (d. 2005)
Jerome Kate - chemist, Manhattan Project - 1919 (d. 2013)
Anastasia Nikolaevna - youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II - 1901 (d. 1918)
###