Today is Wednesday, July 3, 2024.
It is the 185th day of the year.
181 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Americans disclose what amount of money they need to live comfortably. Details in HIT LIST.
JAMIE FOXX details last year’s health scare. More in SHOWBIZ.
“Wicked” release gets bumped. Details in CASTING CALL.
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HIT LIST
A Bankrate survey shows the typical American thinks earning $186,000 will empower them to live comfortably -- a figure only about 1 in 20 adults earn in the US.
In this case, “comfortable” was loosely defined as paying all bills, saving, with enough money left over for fun.
THE RICH: Living comfortably doesn’t imply any measure of wealth, either; the same survey says Americans would need to earn $520,000 a year to feel wealthy. [via Bankrate]
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Most museums feature bones, tools and other artifacts, but one in northern Arizona is showing off a different part of history with piles of dung.
The Poozeum has over 7,000 samples on display, from giant T-Rex poop to teeny, tiny termite turds.
For those concerned about the smell, Poozeum owner George Frandsen says it evaporated millions of years ago, when the excrements were covered with sediment and replaced by minerals, making them rock-hard. [via AP]
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The FDA approved a new Alzheimer’s drug this week that slowed down memory loss and maintained thinking abilities in clinical trials for people already diagnosed with the disease.
The drug, donanemab, which will be marketed under the name Kisunla, attacks a specific kind of protein in the brain that is a telltale sign of Alzheimer’s. [via ABC]
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW increased 162 points (0.41%) to close at 39,332 on Tuesday. The S&P ticked up 34 points (0.62%) to close at 5,509 and the NASDAQ increased 149 points (0.84%) to close at 18,028.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $83 on Tuesday; BRENT CRUDE at $87.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.50 on Tuesday.
₿ BITCOIN was trading around $61,907.
🛩 There were more than 2,936 FLIGHTS delayed within, into or out of the United States on Tuesday and more than 105 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $138 million jackpot or a $65.8 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
JAMIE FOXX says last year’s health scare started after he took an Advil for a bad headache, telling fans “I was gone for 20 days.”
“I don’t remember anything,” he recalled, while adding that he is finally “on the road to recovery.”
Foxx was hospitalized in April 2023 after suffering a medical complication while filming the Netflix movie “Back in Action.” He was treated at an Atlanta-area hospital, where doctors spent many hours trying to figure out what was going on. From there he went to a rehabilitation center in Chicago for further treatments.
It has never been disclosed exactly what occurred. [via NY Post]
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Dad of a dozen NICK CANNON explained his decision to insure his baby-makers for $10 million, telling “ET” that he considers them his “most valuable assets.”
“You hear about like all these different celebrities insuring their legs…so I was like, ‘Hey, well, I got to insure my most valuable body part,’” he told the publication.
IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY: Cannon’s ex-wife (and mom to two of his kids), MARIAH CAREY, insured both her voice and legs for $35 million…each. [via ET]
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LILY ALLEN is the latest celeb to jump on OnlyFans. She won’t be showing off too much, however, just her perfectly pedicured piggies.
For those with a foot fetish, they can check out her tootsies for just $10.
Allen recently spoke about her decision on the “Miss Me?” podcast, after revealing her feet have a 5-star rating on Wikifeet. [via TMZ]
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In honor of FLAVOR FLAV’s attempt to save the restaurant chain, Red Lobster has named a menu item after him.
The combo meal features some of his favorites, including a Maine lobster tail, snow crab legs, garlic shrimp scampi, bacon mac and cheese and a choice of side.
Remember, last month Flav went to his nearest location and ordered every single item on the menu in an attempt to save the franchise and its cheddar bay biscuits amid its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [via Billboard]
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CASTING CALL
Universal Pictures bumped up the premiere date for “Wicked” so it won’t compete against Disney’s “Moana 2.”
Originally set to hit theaters on November 27, “Wicked” will now open on November 22.
Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, “Wicked” tells the story of two witches of Oz, the misunderstood Elphaba (CYNTHIA ERIVO) and the popular Glinda (ARIANA GRANDE).
The movie is split into two parts; Part two will premiere on November 26, 2025. [via EW]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Compliment Your Mirror Day
American Redneck Day
National Independent Beer Run Day
Disobedience Day
International Plastic Bag Free Day
National Stay Out of the Sun Day
National Chocolate Wafer Day
Air Conditioning Appreciation Day
National Eat Your Beans Day
National Fried Clam Day
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ON THIS DATE
1775 - George Washington assumes control of the Continental Army.
A veteran of the French and Indian War, he had been commissioned to lead the troops by the Continental Congress. In the spirit of service to the colonies fighting for independence, he refused compensation beyond reimbursement for expenses.
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1863 - On the last day of fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate Major General George Pickett leads an infantry assault into the middle of the Union line.
The Confederate men were supported by overwhelming artillery power that was supposed to intimidate and weaken the front Union lines, but turned out to be ineffective. Under fire from Union cannons and troops who were well-fortified, the men in Pickett’s Charge suffered a nearly 50 percent casualty rate.
Their defeat marked a decisive end to the Battle of Gettysburg, and the farthest the Confederates would ever push north.
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1890 - Idaho becomes a state -- it’s number 43.
Its first governor was George L. Shoup, who resigned after only a few months to become one of the state’s first senators.
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1938 - The Mallard breaks the world speed record for steam locomotives.
It clocked in at 126 miles per hour and still holds the record.
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1957 - Nikita Khrushchev commits a purge to eliminate opposition in the highest ranks of the Soviet government.
For the United States, it was a political victory, with some of the stauncher communists being pushed out of power.
Khrushchev’s ascension to power was the first time one dictator had absolute control since the death of Stalin four years earlier. In the interim, the communist regime had been ruled by a 10-member council.
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1969 - In one of the most powerful non-nuclear man made explosions in history, the Soviet N-1 Rocket fails to launch, crashes back to earth, and destroys itself and its launchpad.
During the night launch, a bolt was reportedly knocked into an oxygen pump, causing a massive explosion.
By some accounts, the fireball was visible 35 kilometers away. The destruction took 18 months to clean up and completely rebuild, dealing a significant blow to the Russians’ already lagging space program.
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1986 - President Ronald Reagan presides over the relighting of the newly renovated Statue of Liberty.
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2020 - The MLB All-Star Game is canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The game was set to be played on July 14 at Dodger Stadium. It would have been the second All-Star Game held there.
The cancellation was the first for an All-Star Game since 1945, when it was skipped in compliance with wartime travel restrictions.
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BIRTHDAYS
Cole Tucker - baseball player - 28
Kylie Morgan - country singer - 29
Nathalia Ramos - actress, “True Jackson, VP” - 32
Elle King - pop singer - 35
Mike Ryan - country singer - 36
Olivia Munn - actress, “The Newsroom” - 44
Andrea Barber - actress, “Full House” - 48
Patrick Wilson - actor, “Watchmen” & “The Conjuring” - 51
Julian Assange - WikiLeaks founder - 53
Audra McDonald - actress, “Private Practice” & “ The Good Wife” - 54
Thomas Gibson - actor, “Dharma & Greg” - 62
Tom Cruise - actor, “Jerry Maguire” & “Mission: Impossible” films - 62
Kurtwood Smith - actor, “That ‘70s Show” - 81
Born On This Date
Margaret McFarland - child psychologist, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” - 1905 (d. 1988)
Franz Kafka - novelist, “Metamorphosis” - 1883 (d. 1924)
Samuel de Champlain - French explorer & founder of Quebec City - 1567 (d. 1635)
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