More ballroom inanity; Don's diapers; Trump photo on passports; just how self-aware are AIs?; quantum experiment could end universe; make Pluto a planet again
It's National Shrimp Scampi Day!
Josh Johnson looks at how the GOP is scrambling to use the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner to hard-sell Trump's $400 million ballroom on the pretense of national security, with American taxpayers footing the bill. Plus, Jordan Klepper finds out if other countries have security ideas better than just "ballroom."
The Ballroom Truthers have a theory. The fake-assassination-attempt conspiracy keeps growing. (The Atlantic gift article)
Justice Department legal argument for the White House ballroom reads like a Trump social media post. (AP)
House Democrat on new Trump ballroom push: ‘No one gives a s—‘ (The Hill)
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The newsletter is published Monday through Thursday (holidays and medical procedures excepted).
—Kevin G. Barkes
(Most) everything you need to know for today:
April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 246 days remain until the end of the year. As of this writing, 996 days remain in Trump’s term of office.
Knee-deep in the hoopla:
The latest on the Iran war from the Associated Press. (Use this link if other is not working. Then check back later and use the first link.)
Donald Trump ‘diaper’ rumors spiral after suit bulge spotted during 60 Minutes interview. Donald Trump is facing renewed rumors that he "wears adult diapers" after the president faced online ridicule for a noticeable bulge visible beneath his suit pants. (The Daily Express)
After an assassination attempt, a grim political math sets in. The latest attack may inspire parts of his base to turn out to support his party in the midterms, but whether it’s a midterm election or the rest of his presidency, history offers little hope that a near miss will reset his presidency. (New York Times gift article)
Trump learns his ‘belligerent bombast’ actually has consequences. (Alternet)
James Comey indicted over seashell photo that officials say threatened Trump. The former FBI director posted a beach photo last year showing shells in the shape of "8647," which Trump allies portrayed as a threat against the president. It's the second time the Trump administration has indicted Comey. (NBC News)
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma set to dissolve after judge approves its criminal sentence. “It was a purposeful, intentional and sophisticated crime scheme.” (AP)
Not The Onion: US will issue commemorative passports with Trump’s picture for America’s 250th birthday. (AP)
As Trump greets Charles, the White House calls them ‘TWO KINGS’. (Reuters)
Did you know that AIs are basically passing every test of self-awareness? In fact, they’ve passed so many self-awareness tests A.I. scientists were forced to move past “Are they self-aware at all?” to “How self-aware are they?” (Video)
MAPA! Trump’s NASA Administrator wants to bring back Pluto as a planet in our solar system. (The Independent)
Scientists experimenting with quantum effect that some fear could cause chain reaction that ends entire universe. What could possibly go wrong? (Futurism)
Late Night:
FCC’s Brendan Carr launches early review of Disney’s ABC TV licenses. The review comes one day after President Trump called for ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to be fired for a joke he made at the expense of first lady Melania Trump last week on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” which is broadcast by Disney’s ABC network. (Wall Street Journal gift article)
The funniest thing about Jimmy Kimmel is how President Donald Trump keeps saving his career. (Washington Post gift article)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Trump visits with King Charles, wants us to pay for ballroom, and did he joke about his own death!? (Video)
Late Night with Seth Meyers: Seth Meyers does his monologue before stepping away from the bleak and depressing news to share a story about a wife-carrying race held in Surrey, England. (Video)
Keep scrolling… lots of interesting stuff in Quote of the Day, Holidays, On This Day, Birthdays, and Deaths. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll learn something new.
History highlight:
1992 – Riots in Los Angeles began, following the acquittal of police officers charged with excessive force in the beating of Rodney King. Over the next three days 63 people are killed and hundreds of buildings are destroyed.
Quote of the Day:
Any man who has the brains to think and the nerve to act for the benefit of the people of the country is considered a radical by those who are content with stagnation and willing to endure disaster.
--William Randolph Hearst (Wikipedia link)
(More William Randolph Hearst quotes from the KGB Quotations Database)
Today’s holidays:
Denim Day, International Dance Day, International Day for the Foundation of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes, International Day of Immunology, International Guide Dog Day, International Noise Awareness Day, National Peace Rose Day, National Rugelach Day, National Shrimp Scampi Day, Stop Food Waste Day, Viral Video Day, We Jump the World Day, World Wish Day, and Zipper Day.
On This Day:
2015 – A baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox set the all-time low attendance mark for Major League Baseball. Zero fans were in attendance for the game, as the stadium was officially closed to the public due to the 2015 Baltimore protests.
2011 – The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place at Westminster Abbey in London.
2004 – The final Oldsmobile was built in Lansing, Michigan, ending 107 years of vehicle production.
2004 – The World War II Memorial in Washington, DC opened.
1997 – The Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 entered into force, outlawing the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons by its signatories.
1996 – The musical “Rent” opened at the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway. (Video)
1992 – Riots in Los Angeles began, following the acquittal of police officers charged with excessive force in the beating of Rodney King. Over the next three days 63 people are killed and hundreds of buildings are destroyed.
1991 – A cyclone struck the Chittagong district of southeastern Bangladesh with winds of around 155 miles per hour (249 km/h), killing at least 138,000 people and leaving as many as ten million homeless.
1986 – The United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise became the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to transit the Suez Canal, navigating from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea to relieve the USS Coral Sea.
1974 – President Nixon announced the release of the Watergate tapes.
1970 – Vietnam War: United States and South Vietnamese forces invaded Cambodia to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail in an attempt to cut off supplies to the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army.
1967 – After refusing induction into the United States Army the previous day, Muhammad Ali was stripped of his boxing title.
1961 – “Wide World of Sports” premiered on ABC. (Video)
1945 – The Dachau concentration camp was liberated by United States troops.
1945 – Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun were married.
1854 – The first HBCU, Lincoln University, was chartered.
1770 – James Cook arrived in Australia at Botany Bay, which he named.
1429 – Joan of Arc arrived to relieve the Siege of Orléans.
(For more comprehensive lists of the day’s historical events, check here, here, and here.)
Some Birthdays:
1983 – Megan Boone, American actress
1978 – Tyler Labine, Canadian actor and comedian
1970 – Uma Thurman, American actress
1958 – Eve Plumb, American actress
1958 – Michelle Pfeiffer, American actress
1957 – Daniel Day-Lewis, British actor
1955 – Kate Mulgrew, American actress (Video)
1955 – Leslie Jordan, American actor, comedian, writer and singer (died 2022)
1954 – Jerry Seinfeld, American comedian, actor and producer
1952 – Nora Dunn, American actress and comedian
1947 – Tommy James, American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer
1945 – Tammi Terrell, American soul singer-songwriter (died 1970) (Video)
1938 – Bernie Madoff, American businessman, financier and convicted felon (died 2021)
1933 – Willie Nelson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer and actor
1933 – Rod McKuen, American singer-songwriter and poet (died 2015)
1923 – Irvin Kershner, American actor, director and producer (died 2010)
1917 – Celeste Holm, American actress and singer (died 2012)
1912 – Richard Carlson, American actor, director, and screenwriter (died 1977)
1909 – Tom Ewell, American actor (died 1994)
1908 – Jack Williamson, American author and academic (died 2006)
1907 – Fred Zinnemann, Austrian-American director and producer (died 1997)
1901 – Hirohito, Japanese emperor (died 1989)
1899 – Duke Ellington, American pianist, composer and bandleader (died 1974)
1863 – William Randolph Hearst, American publisher and politician, founded the Hearst Corporation (died 1951)
(A more complete list of today’s birthdays.)
Some Deaths:
2015 – Jean Nidetch, American businesswoman, co-founded Weight Watchers (born 1923)
2014 – Bob Hoskins, English actor (born 1942)
2014 – Al Feldstein, American author and illustrator (born 1925)
2012 – Roland Moreno. French engineer, invented the smart card (born 1945)
2012 – Joel Goldsmith, American composer and conductor (born 1957)
2008 – Albert Hofmann, Swiss chemist (synthesized LSD) and academic (born 1906)
2006 – John Kenneth Galbraith, Canadian-American economist and diplomat, United States Ambassador to India (born 1908)
1997 – Mike Royko, American journalist and author (born 1932)
1992 – Mae Clarke, American actress (born 1910)
1980 – Alfred Hitchcock, English-American director and producer (born 1899)
1951 – Ludwig Wittgenstein, Austrian-English philosopher and academic (born 1889)
(A more complete list of today’s deaths.)
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