Today is Friday, September 6, 2024.
It is the 250th day of the year.
116 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
A popular restaurant chain emerges from bankruptcy and a new blood test delivers where a notorious fraudster failed. Details in HIT LIST.
HARVEY WEINSTEN is off the hook in the UK and a New Mexico prosecutor is not ready to let ALEC BALDWIN walk away. More in SHOWBIZ.
ANNA DELVEY’s “DWTS” casting required some serious approval and fans are losing excitement for the upcoming MINECRAFT movie. Details in CASTING CALL.
See who the richest KarJenner is in KARDASH.
While the princes squabble over apologies, another path back into the fold emerges. Details in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
Fraudster ELIZABETH HOLMES is in prison for bilking investors out of millions of dollars for touting a revolutionary technology that did not exist but promised to yield multiple biometric results from a single drop of blood.
NOW: A company based in Austin, Texas, has brought to market technology that tests 11 different markers from a pea-sized amount of blood collected from a pharmacy technician.
BetterWay lets customers select their tests, depending on how much they want to spend, from $15 to $200. Tests analyze metrics like cholesterol levels and kidney function, among others. The customer gets a text message with their results the next day.
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A pot dispensary in Spokane, Washington, has had quite the string of bad luck with robberies this year – most recently, when a stolen SUV backed into its front, shattering the glass, so thieves could make off with bags full of merchandise.
At least eight suspects were spotted on security footage running inside the shop, and later leaving in two different vehicles.
GET THIS: The shop’s owner says this is the fifth time a “crash-and-grab” scheme has damaged the store, which is still rebuilding from the last attack two weeks ago. He says that the city’s government will not allow him to build protective bollards in front of his store to stop such vehicle crashes – but they do have them erected to protect City Hall just a few blocks away.
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RED LOBSTER lives to die another day: a bankruptcy court has approved plans for the company to exit restructuring proceedings later this month, meaning it has settled up repayment plans with creditors and does not have to submit regular reports to the court.
A new investment group will take control of the company by the end of September. The former head of P.F. Chang’s will take the helm and its current CEO will step down.
The incoming CEO said in a statement, “With our new backers, we have a comprehensive and long-term investment plan — including a commitment of more than $60 million in new funding — that will help to reinvigorate the iconic brand while keeping the best of its history.”
The ‘Lob will continue to operate 544 restaurants in North America. [via CNBC]
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The Kansas City Chiefs fan known by his social media handle @Chiefsaholic and his zany costumes has been sentenced to 17-and-a-half years in prison after admitting to robbing nearly a dozen banks across seven states in 2022 and ‘23.
30-year-old Xaviar Babudar typically robbed bank tellers at gunpoint and ultimately made off with nearly $850,000, which he used to buy game tickets and travel extensively with the Super Bowl champions.
In addition to time in the clink, Barbudar will pay more than half a million dollars in restitution. He also owes more than $10 MILLION to a bank teller in Oklahoma who was terrorized and assaulted during one stickup. [via Associated Press]
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Four years later and the Covid-19 fallout continues.
According to data from the FDA, there are over 2,000 pharmaceutical manufacturing firms that have not been inspected since before the pandemic. These plants make critical medicines, including antibiotics, blood thinners and cancer therapies -- all things people still need and needed during the pandemic.
Per the FDA’s own guidelines, “factories that haven’t been inspected in five or more years are considered a significant risk and are supposed to be prioritized for mandatory inspections.” In short, this means that any issues with medications -- possibly leading to death by users -- won’t be caught until it's too late.
Let this be a lesson in the absurdity of the world shutting down and only concerning itself with one virus. [via AP]
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BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW lost 219 points (0.54%) to close at 40,755 on Thursday. The S&P lost 16 points (0.3%) to close at 5,503 and the NASDAQ increased 43 points (0.25%) to close at 17,127.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $69; BRENT CRUDE at $72.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.30 on Thursday.
₿ BITCOIN fell Thursday, trading around $56,000.
🛩 There were more than 2,460 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Thursday and more than 75 such cancellations.
💰Tonight’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $740 million jackpot or a $366.3 million cash payout. Saturday night’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $112 million jackpot or a $55.3 million cash payout.
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SHOWBIZ NEWS
New Music Friday
Arrested Youth, “Too Late to Start Over”
The Dare, “What’s Wrong with New York?”
George Strait, “Cowboys and Dreamers”
The Heavy Heavy, “One of a Kind”
Jessie Murph, “That Ain’t No Man That’s The Devil”
Max Richter, “In a Landscape”
Nala Sinephro, “Endlessness”
Rex Orange County, “The Alexander Technique”
Tamar Berk, “Good Times for a Change”
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HARVEY WEINSTEIN no longer faces indecent assault charges in the UK.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced their decision to drop the charges this week, after a deep “review of the evidence.”
Weinstein was hit with two charges of indecent assault in June 2022, in connection to incidents that allegedly took place in London in the mid-1990s.
The 72-year-old disgraced producer is currently serving a 16-year sentence in California and will face a retrial for an overturned 2020 conviction in New York this November. [via Deadline]
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New Mexico special prosecutor Kari Morrissey filed a motion last week requesting Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer “reevaluate” her decision to drop the involuntary manslaughter charge against ALEC BALDWIN.
Judge Sommer dropped the case after ruling that the prosecution failed to enter some additional ammunition into evidence.
In her filing, Morrissey argued that the case should not have been dropped as “there was no violation of the Defendant’s due process rights.” [via NBC]
MEANWHILE: “Rust” armorer HANNAH GUTIERREZ REED will plead guilty to bringing a gun into a Santa Fe bar. With the plea, she will be sentenced to 18 months probation. The sentence will begin after she completes her 18-month prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. [via Variety]
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Just 15 minutes into their set in Detroit, the members of GREEN DAY were pulled from the stage because of a potential security issue.
Moments later a note pops up on the screen letting the audience know the show is taking a brief pause.
According to the Detroit PD, someone flew a drone into the stadium, causing a scare for the band and employees.
The band returned to the stage 10 minutes later and finished their show. [via TMZ]
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Country singer ZAC BROWN is selling his Georgia lake house amid his divorce from wife, KELLY YAZDI.
He is asking $3.25 million for the 9,448-square-foot home that is situated between Lake Lanier and a stunning wooded area. It features seven bedrooms, four bathrooms and a pool.
Brown and Yazdi split last December after only four months of marriage. [via People]
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CASTING CALL
Con artist ANNA DELVEY needed to get permission from the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement before being allowed to compete on “DWTS.”
“I had to request ICE for permission to travel out of state because it’s being filmed in Los Angeles and I’m based in New York,” she explained.
The topic has created some controversy with fans who do not believe that a convicted individual -- who will be dancing with an ankle bracelet on -- should be glorified.
Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, was arrested in 2017 for defrauding major financial institutions while pretending to be the daughter of a German oil tycoon. She was sentenced to 12 years in 2019, but was set free in 2021. From there she was detained by ICE who claims she overstayed her visa, and sentenced to house arrest.
There is a Netflix series all about her crimes, called “Inventing Anna.” [via NY Post]
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MINECRAFT fans are losing enthusiasm for the upcoming movie based on the video game following the release of a teaser trailer.
“My expectations were low. They should’ve been lower,” one fan wrote, while another commented how predictable the plot will likely be.
Not much about the actual storyline is revealed in the teaser, other than JACK BLACK plays the main character, Steve, who lives in the game.
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AMY ADAMS will produce and star in “Lazy Susans,” a new comedy from 20th Century Studios.
The movie is about a group of moms who form a rock band, and is inspired by a real group of moms from Boston who did just that during the pandemic.
No word on where it will land. [via Deadline]
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“Lover of Men: The Untold History of Abraham Lincoln” hits select theaters today.
The documentary takes a deep dive into Lincoln’s alleged relationships with men, including one by the name of Joshua Speed. According to those featured in the film, Lincoln fell into a deep depression after the alleged relationship ended.
He did, of course, go on to marry Mary Todd in 1842 and have four sons.
TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION: At the time the concepts of being gay or bisexual didn’t exist yet. [via People]
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TRAVIS KELCE makes his acting debut later this month in “Grotesquerie.”
The official trailer for the FX series dropped this week.
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
Ranking the KarJenners from richest to poorest:
Kim: $1.7 billion
Kylie: $700 million
Kris: $170 million
Kourtney: $65 million
Khloe & Kendall: $60 million
Rob: $10 million
Note the huge difference from Kylie to Kris -- maybe the momager needs to up her take. [via Cosmo]
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WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
While insiders say that PRINCE HARRY wouldn’t return to the royal fold unless he gets an apology that PRINCE WILLIAM has no intention to give, there could be another route back: a request from PRINCE CHARLES for Harry to step in.
But if both Charles and William fulfill the wishes of the late QUEEN ELIZABETH, that Harry can’t be half-in and half-out, it’s unlikely his father will capitulate, either. People close to Harry say any return to royal duties would not be full time, either, and be on his own terms – really defeating the point of his grandmother’s commitment to service. [via DailyMail]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
National Lazy Mom’s Day
National Coffee Ice Cream Day
Bring Your Manners To Work Day
National Food Bank Day
Fight Procrastination Day
National Chianti Day
National Read a Book Day
National Color Blind Awareness Day
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ON THIS DATE
1522 - The first recorded ship to circumnavigate the globe docks in Sanlucar de Barrameda in Spain.
The Vittoria was only one of five ships under the command of Ferdinand Magellan to return to Europe after setting sail almost three years prior. Magellan didn’t make it either. He died in the Philippines during the voyage.
The ship survived a trip around the southern tip of South America, across the Pacific Ocean; a run-in with natives on the Philippine island of Cebu; a sail through the Indian Ocean and around the Cape of Good Hope. The Vittoria finally landed in Seville a couple days later.
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1781 - Benedict Arnold solidifies his reputation as a traitor to America when he orders that New London, Connecticut be burned to the ground.
Only 25 soldiers were there to protect the garrison, which was built to hold supplies. With pressure from Arnold's forces and other loyalists, the Continentals were soundly outnumbered, and forced to retreat.
Under Arnold's orders, the British soldiers burned down every building in the small town.
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1819 - Thomas Blanchard is granted a patent for the profile lathe, which allows him to efficiently construct gun stocks. The machine did the work of 13 smiths, drastically reducing the time and cost of production.
Blanchard was eventually hired to produce gun parts at an armory in Springfield Massachusetts. The patent would be extended twice, through 1948.
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1901 - President McKinley is shot while attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.
Leon Czolgosz ("CHA-glotz") was the culprit. He was an unemployed anarchist from Detroit.
With his gun hidden under a handkerchief disguised as a bandage, Czolgosz approached the president and fired twice, hitting McKinley in the abdomen and the ribs.
Security quickly contained the gunman. An ambulance arrived for McKinley 11 minutes later.
There was no electricity at the hospital, and doctors were unable to locate the bullet, so McKinley was sewn back up with the slug inside him. He would die on September 14th, after making an apparent recovery.
Ironically, an X-Ray machine was on display at the exhibition, but was not used since its side-effects were unknown.
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1946 - The All-American Football Conference's first game is played between the Cleveland Browns and Miami Seahawks.
The NFL-alternative was founded by Chicago Tribune sports editor Arch Ward in 1944.
At first, eight teams would play 14 games in a double round-robin.
The league actually enjoyed better average attendance than the NFL, but was eventually absorbed by the NFL anyway. Three teams survived: The Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Colts.
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1995 - Cal Ripken plays in his 2,131st consecutive MLB game.
The streak broke Lou Gehrig's record.
President Clinton and V.P. Al Gore were on hand to witness the milestone, along with Joe DiMaggio.
Ripken would finish his career with 2,632 games played in September 1998.
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1997 - Nearly half the planet tunes in to watch the funeral of Princess Diana.
Elton John was on hand to perform a re-written version of "Candle in the Wind," which was originally a tribute to Marilyn Monroe.
The renamed song, "Candle in the Wind 1997," is one of the best-selling singles of all time.
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2017 - Hurricane Irma makes landfall on the Caribbean Islands of Barbuda, Sent Maartens and British Virgin Islands.
The first Category 5 storm of the season, Irma caused widespread damage throughout the Caribbean and the Florida Keys.
It would be the most intense hurricane to hit the States since Katrina in 2005.
The intensity of the storm would lead to the creation of the word “Irmageddon” to describe the damage left behind.
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2020 - A strain of bacteria nicknamed “Conan the Bacterium” survives three years attached to the International Space Station.
The bacteria (real name, Deinococcus radiodurans) was placed outside the ISS by a team of Japanese researchers who wanted to study its survival in outer space.
Experts believed it could lead to better understanding of whether life might exist on other planets.
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BIRTHDAYS
Pearce Joza - actor, “Zombies” films - 22
Julian Newman - basketball player - 23
Lil Xan - rapper - 28
Maddie Phillips - actress, “Supernatural” - 30
John Wall - basketball player - 34
Max George - pop singer, The Wanted - 36
Braun Strowman - wrestler - 41
Foxy Brown - rapper - 46
Anika Noni Rose - actress, “Dreamgirls” - 52
Idris Elba - actor, “The Wire” & “Luther” - 52
Macy Gray - soul singer - 57
Roger Waters - rock singer, Pink Floyd - 81
Born On This Date
Dolores O’Riordan - rock singer, The Cranberries - 1971 (d. 2018)
Marquis de Lafayette - Revolutionary War general - 1757 (d. 1834)
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