9/12/2022: The King’s Speech
PLUS: Balloon Ride of a Lifetime, Brady’s Last Season (?), and Cowell Defends Styles
Today is Monday, September 12, 2022.
It is the 255th day of the year.
110 days remain.
TRENDING
Saturday was World Suicide Prevention Day.
#TalesofTheJedi was trending Saturday after Lucasfilm dropped the first trailer for the upcoming animated “Star Wars” series.
#KingCharlesIII landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends Saturday after British Prime Minister Liz Truss and senior members of her government took oaths of loyalty to King Charles III in the House of Commons.
Sunday was National Day of Service and Remembrance.
#NeverForget, #September11, #911Anniversary and #PatriotDay landed in Twitter’s Top 10 Trends Sunday as Twitterverse remembered and honored the anniversary of the terrorist attack.
Football Sunday was trending as football fans celebrated the first Sunday of games in the new NFL season.
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LONDON BRIDGE IS DOWN
The funeral for QUEEN ELIZABETH II will be held on Monday, September 19 in a service at Westminster Abbey. During the funeral, a nationwide two minutes of silence will be observed in Britain.
Her casket was in Scotland Sunday, and is expected to arrive in London by air today or tomorrow, before lying in state at Westminster Hall for five days. Viewings by the public will be available 23 hours a day during that time.
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In a taped speech Friday, KING CHARLES III remembered his late mother and committed a life of service to his country as his mother did.
He formally bestowed the title of Prince of Wales to his son and heir WILLIAM. Charles notably said he sends his love to PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE, but said nothing more.
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The official beekeeper at Buckingham Palace says he continued a centuries old tradition of telling the hive communities that the monarch has died and would be replaced.
The DailyMail says it dates back to an “old superstition that not to tell them of a change of owner would lead to the bees not producing honey, leaving the hive or even dying.”
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HIT LIST
The federal reserve reports that American household net worth fell by $6 trillion just in the second quarter of the year, or about 4.1%.
FOR THE UNINITIATED: Household net worth is calculated by subtracting all liabilities from all assets.
Say you have $100,000 in stocks, savings, and checking, but owe $50,000 on your house; your household net worth would be $50,000.
IT MAKES SENSE: Americans are borrowing more to meet basic needs, even using buy-now-pay-later programs to purchase groceries that extend beyond just swiping a credit card. This is on top of an explosion of typical consumer credit card debt as inflation continues to pressure household budgets.
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Ukrainian forces have taken back key territory held by Russian troops for weeks, in an offensive hoping to fortify their position heading into winter.
Ukraine’s President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY continues to drum up support from European allies and America, and the timing of these victories could be key in building a winning narrative to keep resources flowing into a hopeful cause.
Moscow has been largely silent about the defeats.
MEANWHILE: Low-ranking bureaucrats in St. Petersburg have written a formal proposal to Russia’s parliament, the Duma, calling for treason charges against VLADIMIR PUTIN and calling for his removal from office.
No word yet on repercussions for the bold statement, like which story of window they’ll be thrown out from.
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NASA is undertaking a mission to test a theory that it can change the trajectory of an asteroid – especially if one is ever on a doomsday collision course with Earth.
On September 26, the Double Asteroid Redirect Test spacecraft – or DART (get it?) – will crash into a small asteroid called Dimorphos.
The goal at this point isn’t to change the total trajectory of the asteroid, and make it fly off into space in the other direction – that’s not how astrophysics works, apparently. For now, the mission is to attempt to change Dimorphos’ speed.
Dimorphos is traveling at about a foot per second as it orbits a larger asteroid called Didymos, which is zinging through space at around 20 miles per second.
Obviously, NASA will have an easier time measuring the change in speed of something traveling a foot per second.
The information and data gathered from this test will play a key part in testing the theory on larger asteroids, and safeguard the planet in the future.
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This sounds like the beginning of an adventure in a dystopian future: A pair of Chinese men were using a large hydrogen balloon to pick pine nuts from a tree – but the balloon and basket got untethered, causing it to drift away.
One man jumped out and survived, but the one who remained behind traveled 200 miles.
Fortunately, cell phone data helped authorities contact the man and helped him bring the balloon back to the ground – he was fine, save for a sore back from standing for two days while a search team scrambled to locate him.
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The Dow added 377 points (1.19%) on Friday to close at 32,151. The S&P added 61 points (1.53%) to close at 4,067 and the Nasdaq added 250 points (2.11%) to close at 12,112.
🛢 West Texas Intermediate was trading at $86.33 Sunday and Brent Crude was in the low-$90s.
⛽ The national average price of a gallon of gas was $3.71 on Sunday.
₿ Bitcoin was mostly flat Sunday, trading around $21,700.
🛩 There were 4,743 flights delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and 132 such cancellations.
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CHARTS
Weekend Box Office
10. Spider-Man: No Way Home: $1.3 million (re-release)
9. Minions: The Rise of Gru: $1.6 million (down from 7)
8. Beast: $1.8 million (down from 6)
7. Lifemark: $2.2 million (new)
6. The Invitation: $2.6 million (down from 5)
5. DC League of Super-Pets: $2.8 million (down from 4)
4. Top Gun: Maverick: $3.1 million (down from 1)
3. Bullet Train: $3.2 million (down from 2)
2. Brahmastra Part One: Shiva: $4.4 million (new)
1. Barbarian: $10 million (new)
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WEDDINGS
Actor JOSH DUHAMEL, 49, married beauty queen AUDRA MAI, 28, in North Dakota on Saturday.
Eyewitnesses told Page Six that the two were spotted “posing and happily pumping their fists in the air” after saying “I do” at Olivet Lutheran Church.
The pair got engaged in January.
WORTH NOTING: Duhamel is from North Dakota, originally.
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THE SWAMP
GET A LOAD OF THIS: On Meet the Press Sunday, on the twenty-first anniversary of 9/11, CHUCK TODD interviewed Vice President KAMALA HARRIS.
Here’s how he teed up one question: “We’re now as a nation battling a threat from within. Is the threat equal or greater than what we faced after 9/11?”
IN OTHER WORDS: Who’s worse? Al-Qaeda or Trump voters?
WORTH NOTING: This is not a question of a serious journalist.
WATCH:
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THEN, GET A LOAD OF THIS: Last week, President JOE BIDEN publicly supported a bill in the California legislature that would make it easier for farmers to unionize.
California Governor GAVIN NEWSOM doesn’t want it to pass. If nothing else, an organized agricultural labor movement would mean higher food costs in an already expensive state.
But that’s not the office’s official reason for opposing the bill.
No – here’s how Politico explains it: Newsom’s office doesn’t like the bill, because farmers could vote by mail. And what’s the problem with vote-by-mail, per Newsom’s office, as reported by politico? It’s "an untested mail-in election process that lacks critical provisions to protect the integrity of the election."
BUT WAIT: You may be asking, “didn’t California lead the nation in mail-in voting in the 2020 presidential race?”
Yes, they did.
WORTH ASKING: Why is a relatively small mail-in voting process susceptible to fraud, but letting any a-hole who’s 18 mail away their votes to elect the Leader of the Free World not?
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LOTTERY
No winner for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing. Tuesday night’s drawing will be for a $231 million jackpot or a $125.8 million cash payout.
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No winner for Saturday night’s Powerball drawing. Tonight’s drawing will be for a $193 million jackpot or a $105.3 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
TOMMY LEE is on OnlyFans.
The Motley Crue drummer announced his latest venture while performing in Vegas on Friday night.
Many may recall that last month Lee posted a full frontal pic on Instagram, which was swiftly removed by the platform for violating its nudity clause. This won’t be the case on OnlyFans.
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TOM BRADY is likely to retire after the 2022-23 NFL season.
NFL Network’s IAN RAPOPORT claimed Sunday that sources told him the Buccaneers QB is thinking “the end is coming.” Brady himself has not stated his future plans, however.
When he is done playing, Brady is set to begin a 10-year contract with Fox worth $375 million to call games.
The speculation comes amid reports that Brady and his wife, model GISELE BUNDCHEN, have been fighting over his decision to un-retire from the league.
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SIMON COWELL says there is no way HARRY STYLES would spit on anyone, let alone his costar, CHRIS PINE.
“Harry’s very polite and charming, he wouldn’t do that,” Cowell told JIMMY KIMMEL on his late night talk show last week.
Cowell first met the singer-turned-actor on “The X-Factor” in 2010, and went on to create Styles’ old band One Direction.
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DIXIE D’AMELIO showed off her new buzz cut at the 2022 Harper’s Bazaar Icons & Bloomingdale’s 150th Anniversary party over the weekend.
The social media personality also posted a video to her YouTube channel, explaining her decision to chop all her hair off, saying she wants a “restart.”
ALL IN THE FAMILY: The D’Amelio name may ring a bell, as just last week Dixie’s sister and mom were announced as the first two cast members on the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars.”
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BRITNEY SPEARS is distraught over her strained relationship with her sons, PRESTON and JAYDEN.
After bashing them on social media last week, calling them “money-hungry” and “hateful,” she now says she feels like she has “no purpose anymore,” calling the boys her “joy” and her “everything.”
As previously reported, Spears’ ex-husband KEVIN FEDERLINE revealed in an interview that the boys had not seen their mom in over six months.
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CASTING CALL
HARRISON FORD appeared at the D23 Expo 2022, a biennial convention for all things Disney, over the weekend to promote his upcoming “Indiana Jones” film.
“I’m really, really happy that we have a really human story to tell, as well as a movie that will kick your ass,” Ford said in an emotional tribute to the flick.
He later indicated this will be his last Indiana Jones project, saying “This is it. I will not fall down for you again.”
The fifth installment is due out next June.
WORTH NOTING: Ford is 80.
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Disney dropped the first trailer for the upcoming live-action film “The Little Mermaid” on Friday.
HALLE BAILEY stars as the mermaid princess.
The film is scheduled to be released in May 2023.
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DAVID HARBOUR, FLORENCE PUGH and JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS have joined the cast of Marvel’s “Thunderbolts.”
Harbour and Pugh are reprising their respective “Black Widow” roles as Alexei/Red Guardian and Yelena Belova, with Louis-Dreyfus taking on the role of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
While plot details are scarce, Deadline reports that the movie revolves around a group of villains who are sent on missions commissioned by the government.
“Thunderbolts” is due out in July 2024.
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Disney’s Pixar has announced plans for a sequel to their 2015 film “Inside Out.”
The original follows the emotions of a young girl named Riley. The sequel will “take place inside Riley’s head, only this time she’s a teenager, with a whole new set of emotions,” star AMY POEHLER told Deadline.
The yet-to-be titled movie is set for a summer 2024 release
EMOTIONAL DRAMA: Puck journalist MATTHEW BELLONI revealed that MINDY KALING and BILL HADER, who voice Disgust and Fear, respectively, are not joining the sequel over a pay issue. Poehler, who voices the lead character Joy, was offered $5 million “plus additional fees and bonuses,” while others were offered just $100,000 and no bonuses. Belloni says Disney later upped its offer, but Kaling and Hader still declined.
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JOSH GROBAN will star opposite H.E.R. in the animated and live-action special, “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.”
Groban will take on the role of Beast alongside H.E.R. as Belle. JOSHUA HENRY will play Gaston, with RITA MORENO serving as narrator.
The two-hour special will air on ABC on December 15. It will be available to stream on Disney+ the following day.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
JORDYN WOODS, the former best friend of KYLIE JENNER, recently modeled a pair of KANYE WEST’s new chrome Yeezy Gap sunglasses on Instagram.
But that’s not all. She was also wearing a full all-black outfit from Ye’s label.
The post did not appear to be an ad or promotion for Ye’s Gap line, but clearly Jordyn has declared herself Team Kanye.
YE LETS GO: On Friday Ye posted two photos of the late QUEEN ELIZABETH on Instagram, along with the caption, “Life is precious. Releasing all grudges today. Leaning into the light.” The inspirational post comes less than a week after he shared a barrage of posts blasting his ex, KIM KARDASHIAN.
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
PRINCE WILLIAM, KATE MIDDLETON, PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE put on a united front while observing the flowers and cards that mourning Brits placed outside of Windsor Castle.
Multiple outlets reported that William was the one who extended an invite to his estranged brother and sister-in-law to walk behind him and Kate as they took in the public display of tributes.
It is yet-to-be seen if the couples will be able to put aside their differences long enough to make it to QUEEN ELIZABETH’s funeral on September 19.
WORTH NOTING: It is not yet clear what capacity Harry and Meg will be allowed to participate in the mourning period and/or funeral as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family. Especially after KING CHARLES reportedly told Harry not to bring Meghan to Balmoral as the family said their good-byes to Her Majesty.
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Following QUEEN ELIZABETH’s death, several members of the Royal Family received new titles.
Prince Charles is now King Charles III.
Duchess Camilla is now Queen Consort.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are now the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince and Princess of Wales. (Princess Di was also the Princess of Wales)
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis went from being the Princes and Princess of Cambridge to being the Princes and Princess of Wales.
Harry and Meghan’s kids, Archie and Lilibet, are now Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet -- if their parents allow the titles.
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PRINCE ANDREW and his ex-wife SARAH FERGUSON will take over care for Muick and Sandy, QUEEN ELIZABETH’s two corgis.
Andrew gifted his mom Muick in 2021, and Sandy was a gift from PRINCESS BEATRICE and PRINCESS EUGENIE for Her Majesty’s 95th birthday.
WORTH NOTING: Andrew is the most obvious choice for who should care for the dogs. It’s not like he has anything else to do.
FUN FACT: Over Elizabeth’s lifetime, she owned more than 30 corgis.
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SPORTS
DEREK JETER, his wife HANNAH JETER and their three daughters were on hand Friday to celebrate him being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The event was held at Yankee Stadium. The former shortstop had not stepped foot in the stadium since his No. 2 was retired in 2017.
Jeter led the Yankees to five World Series titles and was a 14-time All-Star in his 20-season career. He retired in 2014.
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Video Games Day
National Chocolate Milkshake Day
National Day of Engagement
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ON THIS DATE
1609 - After discovering the mouth of a wondrous new river the day before, explorer Henry Hudson sails into it.
He was in search of the Northwest Passage, a secret route across North America that might lead to the Far East.
Today that river is known as the Hudson River.
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1777 - The Continental Congress receives word that George Washington and his troops have been soundly defeated at Brandywine. 1,100 Continental soldiers died. 600 Brits lost their lives.
In order to rally the young army, the delegates dispatched correspondence to their newly-found states, encouraging citizens to send reinforcements.
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1848 - A war between Swiss Catholics and Protestants that resulted in 100 casualties culminates with the signing of a new constitution. The riots were also the last armed conflict to happen on Swiss territory.
The constitution established Switzerland as a federal state and drew parameters for Swiss citizenship. It formalized the relationship between the 26 independent states that were bound by political treaties and often functioned as a singular political unit.
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1885 - The record is set for the biggest blowout ever in professional soccer.
Arbroath scored 36 goals against Bon Accord, which managed none in the 1885 Scottish Cup. Everyone saw it coming.
Bon Accord was actually a cricket club that had entered the wrong tournament. But rules stipulated that any organization could enter.
By some accounts the Arbroath goaltender spent the entire game under an umbrella, trying to stay warm in the rain.
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1942 - German U-Boat 156 fires on the British troop carrier Laconia.
German Captain Werner Hartenstein was soon informed by the survivors he picked up that Italian POWs were on board. Hartenstein called for aid from nearby Axis ships.
Allied vessels sped to the rescue. Though the German sub insisted they had surfaced for humanitarian reasons, the Allies suspected a trap. A B-24 raid on the U-Boat caused it to immediately submerge. 1,400 drowned.
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1984 - Rookie Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden throws his 246th strikeout for the season, setting the record for the most by a rookie.
He would ultimately throw 276 for the season, and still holds the record.
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2005 – The first Disneyland in Hong Kong opens in Penny’s Bay.
Its four themed areas are Main Street, U.S.A., Fantasyland, Adventureland, and Tomorrowland.
It’s the smallest of all Disneyland parks, able to hold no more than 34,000 visitors a day.
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2018 - The oldest known human drawing is discovered in Blombos Cave, South Africa.
The hash-tag-like abstract drawing with red ochre is believed to be more than 73,000 years old.
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BIRTHDAYS
Jayden Federline - son of Britney Spears - 16
Laine Hardy - country singer - 22
Sydney Sweeney - actress, “Euphoria” - 25
Colin Ford - actor, “Under the Dome” & “Daybreak” - 26
Ryan Potter - actor, “Hero 6” - 27
Kelsea Ballerini - country singer - 29
Patty Walters - pop singer - 31
Freddie Freeman - baseball player - 33
Andrew Luck - football player - 33
Emmy Rossum - actress, “Shameless” - 36
Jennifer Hudson - pop singer - 41
Yao Ming - basketball player - 42
Benjamin McKenzie - actor, “The OC” & “Gotham” - 44
2 Chainz - rapper - 45
Louis CK - comedian - 55
Hans Zimmer - composer - 65
Born On This Date
Paul Walker - actor, “Fast & Furious” films - 1973 (d. 2013)
Neil Peart - drummer, The Rush - 1952 (d. 2020)
Barry White - R&B singer - 1944 (d. 2003)
George Jones - country singer - 1931 (d. 2013)
Jesse Owens - Olympic runner - 1913 (d. 1980)
Henry Hudson - explorer - 1565 (d. 1611)
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