Today is Tuesday, August 8, 2023.
It is the 220th day of the year.
145 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
TESLA’s leadership gets a shakeup and a rare bird graces Green Bay, Wisconsin. More in HIT LIST.
MARK CUBAN likes his privacy and ADELE is getting in the holiday spirit. More in SHOWBIZ.
Fisher Price is releasing a “Hocus Pocus” playset and “Little Mermaid” hits Disney+ next month. More in CASTING CALL.
Not everyone is a fan of KIM KARDASHIAN’s justice crusade. More in KARDASH.
All is still well with a few members of the House of Windsor and PRINCE HARRY. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
The state of Oregon has lifted its 72-year-old ban on self-service gas stations.
Governor Tina Kotek signed a bill last week that now allows drivers to choose between having an attendant pump their gas or doing the job themselves.
Now there is only one state that still enforces the ban: New Jersey.
WHY THE BAN?: The Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, which was passed in the Garden State in 1949, cites safety concerns for why drivers should not pump their own gas. [via ABC6]
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TESLA’s Chief Financial Officer is stepping down after more than a decade with the company.
The transition process will continue through the end of the year as Zachary Kirkhorn stays on until his replacement is up and running – that’s the company’s current chief accounting officer.
In a statement on X, ELON MUSK said, “I would like to thank Zach Kirkhorn for his many contributions to Tesla over the course of 13 often difficult years.” [via ABC News]
MEANWHILE: In a separate post, Musk says he might need surgery before he’s ready to face MARK ZUCKERBERG in the fighting ring – but that he’ll know for sure this week. [via @ElonMusk]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Zuck competes in MMA matches just for kicks, so he does have a profound leg up on his tech-billionaire rival.
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A roseate spoonbill was spotted in Green Bay, Wisconsin last week -- the first confirmed sighting of the rare pink bird in the state in 178 years.
The bird “looks like it came straight out of a Dr. Seuss book,” local birdwatcher Logan Lasee told Fox 11 News, noting its pink feathers, red eyes, partly bald head and giant spoon-shaped bill.
It is only the second sighting of the bird in the state, with the last one recorded in 1845. [via FOX 11]
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The World Scout Jamboree has brought together thousands of youth interested in learning about citizenship and life skills from around the world to South Korea this year. Now, organizers are working on evacuating everyone from the site as a typhoon threatens their massive camping facility.
BUT WAIT: Reuters reports that parents have expressed concerns over the event’s sanitation and food offerings even before the storm threat.
Event organizers are bussing the 36,000-plus to an alternate site and expect to continue program through the conclusion next weekend. [via Reuters]
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Russia’s space agency is gearing up for its first Moon mission in nearly 50 years, with the launch of the Luna-25 lander on Friday.
To ensure no one near the launch site is in danger if things go really wrong, officials have a plan to preemptively evacuate locals the day before. They also want to be sure no one is injured by falling rocket fragments.
If all goes well, the Luna lander will analyze soil samples on the Moon’s south pole and explore a nearby crater. [via Newsweek]
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DEATHS
Director WILLIAM FRIEDKIN has died.
His passing was announced by his wife on Monday, who said he died from pneumonia.
Friedkin was behind some of the most iconic movies from the 20th century, including “The Exorcist,” “French Connection” and “12 Angry Men.”
He was 87.
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Actress SANDRA BULLOCK’s longtime partner, model and photographer, BRYAN RANDALL has died.
He passed away on Saturday after a three-year battle with ALS, according to a statement from his family.
Randall and Bullock first met when he photographed her son Louis’ birthday in January 2015. One year later they took their relationship public.
He was 57.
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Actress SHARON FARRELL has died.
She passed away on May 15, though the news was only recently confirmed by her son, who said she died of natural causes.
Farrell is best known for her role on “The Young and the Restless,” which she appeared on from 1991 to 1997.
She was 82.
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College football player TAJH BOYD has died.
Liberty University broke the news Sunday. A cause of death is not yet known.
He was only 19.
WORTH ASKING: What is causing all of these young, male athletes to collapse and die?
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BREAKUPS
Actress NATALIE PORTMAN and her husband, dance choreographer BENJAMIN MILLEPIED have separated.
The news follows reports of Millepied’s infidelity, which insiders initially said the two were trying to work out. Now, it seems that will not be happening.
Portman and Millepied have been married for over a decade and share two children, 12-year-old son Aleph and 6-year-old daughter Amalia.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 407 points (1.16%) to close at 35,473 on Monday. The S&P added 40 points (0.90%) to close at 4,518. The NASDAQ added 85 points (0.61%) to close at 13,994.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $82; BRENT CRUDE at $85.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.82 on Monday.
₿ BITCOIN was up a tick Monday, trading around $29,100.
🛩 There were more than 6,860 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Monday and more than 1,450 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $1.55 BILLION jackpot or a $757.2 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
Baseball player BRYCE HARPER helped a seven-year-old boy find his family at Saturday night’s game at Citizen Bank Park.
According to the MLB, the boy got separated from his brothers when they were taking pictures with the Phillies players and coaches before the game.
After noticing the boy appeared lost, Harper stepped away from the promotional event to help reunite him with his brothers and their grandmother. [via MLB]
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Billionaire MARK CUBAN likes his privacy.
During a recent appearance on “The Really Good Podcast,” the “Shark Tank” star told host BOBBI ALTHOFF that he does his own “driving, laundry and cooking” because of his need for privacy.
“I just try to be the same person as I was when I was poor,” he explained. [via Daily Mail]
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After her show on Sunday was postponed due to bad weather, BEYONCE paid $100,000 to keep DC train stations running.
The money went to nearly 100 train stations that stayed open an extra hour so her fans could get home safely. [via Insider]
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Soccer star JULIE ERTZ is retiring from the sport.
After USWNT’s loss on Sunday to Sweden, eliminating them from the World Cup, the 31-year-old announced it would be her “last time in this crest.” As she leaves her teammates behind, Ertz told ESPN that she believes their future “is in absolutely great hands.”
She retires with two World Cup wins, 122 appearances for the U.S. and 20 goals scored in USWNT games. [via ESPN]
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A revolver once owned by ELVIS PRESELY is hitting the auction block.
The Smith & Wesson Model 53 double-action revolver, which was gifted to Elvis in November 1976 -- just 9 months before he died -- is expected to fetch between $60,000 and $90,000, according to Rock Island Auction Company. [via TMZ]
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Despite the holiday being months away, ADELE is already decorating for Christmas.
She recently shared her addiction with the crowd at one of her Vegas shows, saying “I went on eBay and suddenly discovered light-up miniature Christmas villages. I went a bit crazy. I’ve spent a lot of money.”
The problem now, Adele explained, is that she has run out of places in her Los Angeles mansion to plug them in. [via The Mirror]
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ROBERT IRWIN, the son of the late STEVE IRWIN, is leaving his family’s world-famous Australia Zoo and relocating to Perth to be closer to his girlfriend, RORIE BUCKLEY.
According to one insider, the couple want to take their relationship to the next level, but can’t do that being long distance.
Buckley is currently in school in Perth, so Robert will live with her parents for a while.
His mom, TERRI IRWIN, is reportedly “concerned” that the two are moving “too fast,” though she got engaged to Steve after just eight months of dating. [via PerthNow]
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CASTING CALL
On yesterday’s episode of the “Inside Jeopardy!” podcast, showrunner MICHAEL DAVIES explained how the game show will move forward amid the ongoing writers’ strike.
According to Davies, the upcoming fall season will feature contestants who didn’t win from Season 37. From there, winners will advance to compete against Season 37 and Season 38 champions.
The reason for this is that questions used for the new season will be recycled from past seasons of the show. There will however be some new material that was written by writers before the strike.
“Celebrity Jeopardy” will feature all new questions as those were completed prior to the strike. [via Uproxx]
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Fisher Price is releasing a new set of Little People based on the Sanderson Sisters from “Hocus Pocus.”
The 2.5 inch versions of Winifred, Mary and Sarah Sanderson will be dressed in their iconic looks from the two films.
The set goes on sale on September 15, but Amazon is taking preorders now. [via Billboard]
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The live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” will hit Disney+ on September 6.
The movie made just over $564 million worldwide during its theatrical run.
Remember, there was some controversy over HALLE BAILEY being cast as Ariel, which many speculate affected the box office numbers. [via Deadline]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
As KIM KARDASHIAN works to free MASTER P’s brother C-MURDER from prison, family of the victim are calling the move “hurtful.”
GEORGE THOMAS, the brother of C-Murder’s victim STEVE THOMAS, told TMZ that every time a celebrity gets attached to the case it “reopens the same wound” for family members.
C-Murder was convicted of second-degree murder for the beating and shooting death of Steve, who was only 16 at time. He was given a mandatory life sentence. Now, Kim thinks she can get C’s conviction removed since it was based on the testimony of two men, who have both recanted.
While George says his family wants Kim off this case, he supports her motivation to help truly innocent people. [via TMZ]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Despite all the turmoil with his brother and father, PRINCE HARRY remains close with cousins Beatrice and Eugenie.
WORTH REMEMBERING: PRINCESS DIANA was close with their mother SARAH FERGUSON, too.
An insider tells People that the cousins still talk constantly and that the ongoing rift has made things “really stressful” for the ladies. [via People]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
International Cat Day
National Happiness Happens Day
Odie Day
National Bowling Day
Top 8 Challenge Day
Scottish Wildcat Day
Dying to Know Day
National Dollar Day
National Frozen Custard Day
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ON THIS DATE
1502 - James IV of Scotland marries Margaret Tudor, the daughter of Henry VII of England. Their marriage was largely forgettable, but was responsible for the lineage that would later cause problems across the British isles.
Their union produced James V, whose daughter Mary would be notoriously imprisoned by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England when accused of trying to usurp the throne.
Mary was ultimately executed for treason for plotting to assassinate her cousin, after 18 years in captivity.
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1786 - A congressional resolution is passed allowing the US dollar to separate itself from other currencies in colonial America.
Six years later, Alexander Hamilton would call the dollar the basic unit of account.
George Washington became the first president to appear on the front of the currency.
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1876 - Thomas Edison receives a patent for Autographic Printing.
It would later be called the mimeograph when Albert Blake Dick licensed the invention from Edison in 1887.
It was revolutionary in mass-producing print materials and required little technical experience. It empowered anyone with a typewriter into a self-contained printing press.
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1908 - Wilbur Wright makes the first public flight of his and Orville’s flying machine.
News of their invention was traveling quickly, but many skeptics remained. While Orville would tour in America, Wilbur headed to Europe. In Le Mans, France, he flew for one minute 45 seconds.
The feat turned the brothers into instant international celebrities.
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1929 - The Graf Zeppelin departs for a flight around the world.
The project was backed by William Randolph Hearst, a media magnate.
The trip would take 21 days, 5 hours, and 31 minutes, covering more than 20,000 miles, with stops in Germany, Tokyo, and Los Angeles.
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1974 - President Nixon announces his resignation from office.
In an address to the country, he supported Gerald Ford as his successor and trumpeted some of his accomplishments while in office. This came exactly six years after Nixon and running mate Spirow Agnew first received the Republican Party nomination.
He would formally leave office the next day.
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1992 - The Dream Team wins gold at the Barcelona Olympics.
The team was made up of NBA superstars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing.
They beat Croatia’s team 117-85.
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2021 - The Dixie Fire becomes California’s second-largest wildfire ever.
It was named after Dixie Road, near where it started in Butte County.
The blaze would scorch over 963,000 acres before being 100% contained on October 25 of that year.
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BIRTHDAYS
Aubrey Miller - actress, “Austin and Ally” - 22
Ragan Smith - Olympic gymnast - 23
Shawn Mendes - pop singer - 25
Ryan Garcia - boxer - 25
Dani Dyer - actress, “We Still Kill the Old Way” - 27
Lauv - pop singer - 29
Casey Cott - actor, “Riverdale” - 31
Anthony Rizzo - baseball player - 34
Princess Beatrice - daughter of Prince Andrew - 35
Peyton List - actress, “Mad Men” - 37
Roger Federer - tennis player - 42
Meagan Good - actress, “Think Like a Man” - 42
Shayna Baszler - MMA fighter - 43
JC Chasez - pop singer, NSYNC - 47
Drew Lachey - pop singer, 98 Degrees - 47
Dustin Hoffman - actor, “The Graduate” & “Rain Man” - 86
Born On This Date
Slyvia Sidney - actress, “Sabotage” & “Beetlejuice” - 1910 (d. 1999)
“Dr. Bob” Smith - physician & co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous - 1879 (d. 1950)
William Bateson - biologist, originator of the term “genetics” - 1861 (d. 1926)
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