7/12/2023: Airbnb in the Toilet đ˝
PLUS: Twitterâs Intensity Upgrade; Poop On The Beach; and Charles Tweaks Andrewâs Summer Plans
Today is Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
It is the 193rd day of the year.
172 days remain.
WHATâS ON TAP
ELON MUSK dials up the intensity at Twitter even higher and a very lucky skydiver averts disaster. More in HIT LIST.
BRITNEY SPEARSâ memoir will hit shelves in October and the FBI uses TAYLOR SWIFT lyrics to urge crime reporting. More in SHOWBIZ.
Fox Nation takes a deep dive into the Murdaugh murders and âTop Chefâ gets a new host. More in CASTING CALL.Â
KIM KARDASHIAN has now angered SAG union members. More in KARDASH.
Is KING CHARLES turning the screws on PRINCE ANDREW again? More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
A tech reporter known for her inside scoops on the inner-workings of TWITTER, now that ELON MUSK has taken over, said on Tuesday that Musk has sent a company-wide email demanding staff work harder than ever.
According to ZoĂŤ Schiffer, Musk's email specifically said that the whole company needs âto ship better features faster than ever.â While the email didnât specifically mention MARK ZUCKERBERGâs rival platform âThreads,â its recent launch most likely influenced Muskâs memo.Â
WORTH REMEMBERING: When Musk bought Twitter, he said remaining staff would need to be extremely âhardcoreâ to stay employed and work at an intensity they likely werenât used to. [via @ZoeSchiffer]
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Planning a beach vacation? After checking things like the weather, and maybe current shark and riptide incidents, be sure to check local poop contamination levels.
A new report from Environment America found that more than half of the 3,100 beaches tested across the country last year had at least one day when âfecal contaminationâ reached unsafe levels.Â
Texas beaches were among the worst with 90% of the 61 beaches at unsafe levels, while beaches in Oregon were found to be the most consistently contaminated.
Swimming in âpoop waterâ can cause ârespiratory disease, ear and eye infection, and skin rash,â according to the organization. There are more than 57 million cases of these sorts of water-borne illnesses reported every year in the US. [via NY Post]
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You may have wondered in recent years if that unused spare bedroom could help you generate some extra cash if you rented it out on AirBnB, but then you think itâs not nice enough or you donât have the proper amenities, or whatever other sensible concerns hold you back â on top of the weirdness of having a stranger in your home for a couple nights.
AND THEN THEREâS THIS: David Holtzâs recent AirBnB stay has gone viral after the room he booked turned out to be little more than an air mattress in a bathroom. The bed was positioned next to the toilet, across from a walk-in shower stall, and a very small sink.Â
No word what he was expecting when he booked the space.
When Holtz took to Twitter about the experience, Airbnb offered to help, but he replied that after multiple responses, the customer support staff he had worked with âhad no interest in helping resolve the issue.â [via Dexerto]
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A Washington state man is lucky to be alive after he passed out during a skydive.
Miraculously, after the G-force knocked him out, his emergency chute opened and he landed in a tree. A rescue crew got him down, where he was shaken, but not injured.Â
He went to a nearby hospital out of an abundance of caution, but was otherwise well. [via KIRO]
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A former member of CHARLES MANSONâs murderous family has been released from prison.Â
LESLIE VAN HOUTEN walked free Tuesday after spending more than four decades behind bars. Now 73, Houten was originally sentenced to death in August of 1969 for the murders of Leno and Rosemary La Bianca. Her sentence was later reduced to life with the possibility of parole on appeal.Â
The La Bianca murders took place one day before other Manson cult members killed actress SHARON TATE.Â
Houten will spend an undisclosed amount of time at a halfway house where she will learn basic skills and be updated on the ways the world has changed in the past forty-plus years. [via NBC]
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BABY NEWS
Actors CLAIRE DANES and HUGH DANCY have welcomed their third child together.Â
No details of the birth have been shared, other than the baby is a little girl.Â
She joins big brothers 4-year-old Rowan and 10-year-old Cyrus.Â
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Tennis star NAOMI OSAKA is a mom!Â
She recently welcomed a baby girl with her boyfriend, rapper CORDAE.Â
No details of the birth have been shared.Â
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BY THE NUMBERS
đ The DOW added 317 points (0.93%) to close at 34,261 on Tuesday. The S&P added 29 points (0.67%) to close at 4,439 and the NASDAQ added 75 points (0.55%) to close at 13,760.
đ˘ WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $74; BRENT CRUDE at $79.
â˝ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.54 on Tuesday.
âż BITCOIN inched up Tuesday, trading around $30,600.
đŠ There were more than 3,630 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Tuesday and more than 147 such cancellations.
đ°Tonightâs POWERBALL drawing will be for a $725 million jackpot or a $366.2 million cash payout.Â
SHOWBIZ NEWS
BRITNEY SPEARSâ highly-anticipated memoir, âThe Woman in Me,â will hit shelves on October 24.Â
In addition to the release date, a mock up of the cover has also been revealed. On it, a much-younger Spears stands topless with her arms protectively crossed over her chest. She is positioned sideways, looking over her shoulder at the reader.Â
The memoir has been described as a âbrave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith and hope.â [via People]
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The FBI is jumping on the TAYLOR SWIFT lyrical-creativeness bandwagon and asking Swifties to report federal crimes.Â
âJustice is better than revenge. You may not be Superman, but you can help the #FBI protect the country. If you have information about a federal crime, speak now.â a tweet from the Feds reads. [via Billboard]
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Despite their ongoing (and contentious) divorce, KEVIN COSTER and CHRISTINE BAUMGARTNER are still planning to host a major fundraiser at their $60 million property -- aka the one Costner has been trying to get Baumgartner kicked out of.Â
Set for this September, the Kick Ash Bash will help raise money for the first responders of Santa Barbara County. It was founded in the aftermath of the 2018 fires and Montecito mudslides.Â
Insiders say Baumgartner plays an âessentialâ role in the community and wouldnât miss planning this event. [via Meaww]
DIVORCE UPDATE: A judge has tentatively ruled that Costner will pay close to $130,000 a month to Baumgartner in child support. That is a little over half of what she requested. [via TMZ]
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With her latest No.1 hit, âVampire,â OLIVIA RODRIGO has become the youngest artist in Billboard Hot 100 history to have three No. 1 singles. She is 20.Â
She is also the first artist to have debuted lead singles from her first and second albums at No. 1.Â
âVampireâ is from her sophomore album, âGuts,â which is due out September 8. Her other No. 1 singles were âDrivers Licenseâ and âGood 4 uâ off her 2021 debut album âSour.â [via udiscovermusic.]
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OZZY OSBOURNE isnât quite feeling up to performing just yet.Â
The BLACK SABBATH rocker has pulled out of the Power Trip Festival, a three-day music event set for October in Indio, California. The festival was supposed to be the 74-year-oldâs return to the stage amid his battle with Parkinsonâs.Â
His replacement for the event will be announced at a later date. [via Page Six]
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Actor HILL HARPER is running for Michiganâs open US Senate seat.Â
He is challenging Rep. ELISSA SLOTKIN for the Democratic nomination.Â
In his announcement, the 57-year-old âGood Doctorâ star described himself as a âsmall-business owner, union member and activist.â He also noted how not being a âcareer politicianâ would give him an advantage in Congress. [via AP News]
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Former âOne Tree Hillâ star BETHANY JOY LENZ revealed she is working on a tell-all-book about her time in a cult.Â
The actress discussed her plans on a recent episode of her âDrama Queensâ podcast telling co-hosts SOPHIA BUSH and HILARIE BURTON MORGAN, âI would love to write about my experience, you know, I was in a cult for 10 years.âÂ
â10 years of recovery after that,â she added.Â
Lenz, Bush and Morgan often discuss hard-topics on their podcast, including the things they were forced to endure during their time on âOne Tree Hill.â [via Page Six]
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MELANIE GRIFFITH has finalized the process of removing and covering up the tattoo she got in honor of her ex, actor ANTONIO BANDERA.Â
The 65-year-old showed off the new ink in Los Angeles this week.Â
Replacing the heart-shaped tattoo are the names of Griffithâs children, Alexander, Stella, Dakota and Jesse, arranged to look like a crossword puzzle.
She started the removal process in 2014, shortly after the pair split. They were married for 18 years. [via Daily Mail]Â
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CASTING CALL
Season 10 winner KRISTEN KISH will take over as host of âTop Chef.âÂ
Kish, who served as judge on the cooking competition show several times, will take over the spot left vacant by longtime host PADMA LAKSHMI.Â
Judges TOM COLICCHIO and GAIL SIMMONS are both set to return for the new season.Â
The upcoming Season 21 will be set in Wisconsin, and will explore the âenergetic and unique culinary scenes in Milwaukee and Madison.â [via Variety]
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âThe Fall of the House of Murdaughâ will air this September on Fox Nation.Â
The docuseries takes a deep dive into convicted murderer ALEX MURDAUGH, with behind-the-scenes footage from before and after the trial, home movies and an exclusive interview with RICHARD ALEXANDER âBusterâ MURDAUGH, the only living son of Alex.Â
The project will also feature âprison revelations from Alex himselfâ and insight from the defense and prosecutor involved in the case. [via Deadline]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
SAG union members were not pleased to see a recent selfie actress and more importantly SAG-AFTRA President FRAN DRESCHER took with KIM KARDASHIAN at Dolce & Gabbanaâs Alta Moda event in Italy.Â
The issue is the optics as SAG is currently in the middle of intense contract negotiations which many speculate could end in a strike, as early as this week.Â
âUnless the bargaining table has moved to Italy (along with the dress code), this is a terrible look for a union president,â a writer for âFleishman Is in Troubleâ tweeted along with a screenshot of the selfie. In response to the backlash, a SAG-AFTRA rep said Drescherâs trip was a âprior obligationâ for her âbrand ambassadorâ work.Â
WORTH REMEMBERING: Kim is currently filming one of the only scripted shows that is still up and running right now; âAmerican Horror Story.â So that doesnât help. [via Hollywood Reporter]
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WEâLL NEVER BE ROYALS
KING CHARLES might not have the full authority to evict his brother, PRINCE ANDREW, from the Royal Lodge on the grounds of Windsor, but he can surely do that thing older brothers do where they constantly do annoying things just for sport.
AS YOU MAY RECALL: Charles wanted Andrew â and ex-wife Fergie â out of the Royal Lodge so that PRINCE WILLIAM and his family could move in, but Andy has a long-term lease there and is staying put.
NOW: Charles is extending the time Balmoral remains open to the public, during the time when Andrew would typically vacation there with his family at the start of August. One insider tells the DailyMail the extended visitor dates will bring âsignificant new revenue into the estate.â [via DailyMail]Â
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Etch A Sketch Day
National Simplicity Day
National Pecan Pie Day
National Different Colored Eyes Day
New Conversations Day
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ON THIS DATE
1543 â Henry VIII marries his sixth and final wife Catherine Parr.
The King notably went through a number of wives, trying to find one who would bare him a male heir. After his second wife, Anne Boleyn, failed to produce a son and had a series of miscarriages she was erroneously executed for adultery.Â
His third wife, Jane Seymour, gave him a son, but died just two weeks later.
Catherine was widowed by Henry in 1547. He died from complications of severe obesity, a condition that began after a jousting accident in 1536, when he became unable to move without great assistance.
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1804 â Alexander Hamilton dies after being shot by Aaron Burr.
The previous day, Alexander Hamilton and sitting Vice President Aaron Burr shot it out. Hamilton was mortally wounded and carried to a friendâs home where he passed away.
Hamilton founded the US mint and was the first secretary of the US Treasury.
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1862 â US Congress authorizes the creation of the Medal of Honor.
The Medal of Honor is the highest military award and is given by the President in the name of Congress. It is awarded to those who risk their lives above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.
The first act for which the medal would be awarded occurred on February 13, 1861 when Army Assistant Surgeon Bernard Irwin rescued 60 soldiers during the Civil War. He would finally receive the Medal of Honor in 1894.
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1876 - Maria Spelterina walks across Niagara Falls on a tightrope with peach baskets on her feet. Â
The trip took 11 minutes to go out and 10 minutes to come back. One week later she did it blindfolded, and a week after that she did it with her hands and feet cuffed.
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1962 âThe Rolling Stones perform their first concert.
The show took place at the Marquee Club in London. The band was billed as âThe Rollinâ Stonesâ for their first gig.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were the only band members who were part of their inaugural performance.
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1979 â Disco Demolition Night commences at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
The promotion was one of the most memorable in baseball history second to âTen Cent Beer Nightâ in Cleveland during the 1974 season.Â
The event included the destruction of a crate of records using explosives. The idea for the promotion occurred when a popular local DJ left his job after the station switched its programming from rock to disco music.Â
Fans were able to bring disco records and gain free admission to the game. After the game had concluded the DJ walked into center field dressed in military garb and destroyed the records while leading the crowd in a âdisco sucks!â chant.
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1984 - Geraldine Ferraro is tapped to run with Walter Mondale on the Democratic presidential ticket.
Ferraro became the first woman to be nominated by either major party for a spot as vice president.
She and Mondale would lose by the biggest margin in national history -- winning only Minnesota.
Ferraro would run for Senate twice in 1992 and 1998 -- and lose both times.
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1996 - Michael Jordan signs the richest one-year contract in NBA history. Â
He agreed to a $30 million deal for the 1996-97 season with the Chicago Bulls. Â
MJ would reward the franchise by delivering its fifth league championship.
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2018 - The worldâs longest fingernails are cut.Â
Shridhar Chillalâs nails had a combined length of 358.1 inches, while the longest individual nail measured 77.87 inches.Â
The nails were cut with power tools at Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in New York City.Â
Although proud of his record, Chillal faced physical difficulties due to the weight of his fingernails, including disfigurement of his fingers and loss of function in his left hand.Â
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BIRTHDAYS
Issac Ryan Brown - actor, âRavenâs Homeâ - 18
Malala Yousafzai - civil rights leader - 26
James Rodriguez - soccer player - 32
Phoebe Tonkin - actress, âThe Vampire Diariesâ - 34
Melissa OâNeil - actress, âThe Rookieâ - 35
Sami Zayn - wrestler - 39
Topher Grace - actor, âThat â70s Showâ & âSpider-Man 3â - 45
Michelle Rodriguez - actress, âFast & Furiousâ films - 45
Steve Howey - actor, âShamelessâ & âRebaâ - 46
Brock Lesnar - wrestler - 46
Cheyenne Jackson - actor, âCall Me Katâ & âDescendantsâ - 48
Born On This Date
Charlie Murphy - comedian - 1959 (d. 2017)
Donda West - Yeâs mom - 1949 (d. 2007)
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