10/30/23
Good morning! It’s Monday, October 30th.
National Checklist day.
I love a checklist! So satisfying.
And now, the news.
Israel-Hamas War
Let’s start with the Israel-Hamas war where, over the weekend, cellular and internet services in Gaza were cut off late Friday night from a heavy bombardment from Israeli Defense Forces. By Sunday, services had been restored.
Israel’s Prime Minister says the conflict has entered what he calls the “second stage” of the war.
As the death toll surpasses 8,000 people in Gaza, with more than 20,000 injured, the United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today, where the United Arab Emirates will seek a “humanitarian pause” on the fighting.
Meanwhile, over the weekend in Russia, at least ten people were injured, two of which are in critical condition, after a crowd stormed into an airport in Southern Russia, opposing the arrival of a flight from Tel Aviv.
Weekend Shootings
Over the weekend, twelve mass shootings, twelve, took place around the country, leaving 11 people dead and 76 injured.
This includes Texarkana, Texas, where three people were killed and three more were injured; Indianapolis, where ten people between 16 and 22, were injured; Chicago, were 15 were injured; and a crowd near Georgia State University where four people were injured and it’s unknown whether a suspect is in custody.
Shooting in Maine
-via CNN and The New Republic
And because this is America, that’s not the only mass shooting news to cover.
On Friday night, police recovered the body of Robert Card, the man who killed 18 people, and injured 13 others, in a shooting spree that took place Wednesday night, followed by a two-day search for Card.
In September, the Maine National Guard, where Card was a reservist, asked local police to check on him after a solider said they were worried Card would, “snap and commit a mass shooting.”
Questions are now being asked about whether any action was taken to take his guns away from him.
Maine has something called a “yellow flag” law, which means that, before guns can be taken away from someone, law enforcement first has to take a person into custody, and then a medical professional has to evaluate them, before a judge can decide if their guns should be taken away.
Card’s specific case is being looked at, but don’t you worry… the law will not change. No one is thinking about changing gun laws to make things like this just a little bit less common.
Because according to our new, absolutely terrible, House Speaker… “At the end of the day, the problem is the human heart. It’s not guns, it’s not the weapons. At the end of the day, we have to protect the right of the citizens to protect themselves, and that’s the Second Amendment. That’s why our party stands so strongly for that.”
Trump’s Gag Order
-via Washington Post
I’m not gonna do the theme song for it, because this really isn’t anything, but I do have just a quick bit of Trump news – Judge Chutkan, who is overseeing his federal election stealing crimes case, has reinstated his gag order, which was temporarily lifted over First Amendment arguments from Team Trump. He will likely appeal, but even if he does, he is currently bound to the gag order.
Pence Drops Out
-via AP News
In “oh yeah, I forgot about you” news… Mike Pence has dropped out of the presidential race.
Shocking… um… well, him, I’d guess. But that’s probably it.
UAW Strike Update
-via Reuters
On Saturday, the United Auto Workers expanded its strike against GM, after it reached a tentative deal with Stellantis on Saturday and For on Wednesday.
Striking workers won a 25% wage increase over 4 ½ years.
GM’s sticking points include retirement benefits, issues related to temporary workers, and a general misreading of the moment and how we’re all pro-labor and pro-workers.
Matthew Perry
-via NY Times
And of course, this will likely not be new news to you, but I can’t not mention it.
Matthew Perry died over the weekend. He was 54 years old.
He of course played Chandler Bing, aka Miss Chanadler Bong, on Friends. He also played Matt Albie on Studio 60, Murray on Scrubs, Ben on Mr. Sunshine, Joe Quincy on West Wing, Oz in The Whole Nine Yards and The Whole Ten Yards, and Alex on Fools Rush In.
And a bunch of other things too, but those are my favorites.
But, I wanted to read something here that’s going around the internet. It’s a transcript from a podcast he did last year:
“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life but the best thing about me, bar none, is that if an alcoholic or drug addict comes up to me and says, ‘Will you help me?’ I will always say ‘Yes, I know how to do that,'” he said. “‘I will do that for you, even if I can’t always do it for myself.’ So I do that, whenever I can. In groups, or one on one.
“And I created the Perry House in Malibu, a sober-living facility for men. I also wrote my play, The End of Longing, which is a personal message to the world, an exaggerated form of me as a drunk.
“I had something important to say to people like me, and to people who love people like me. When I die, I know people will talk about Friends, Friends, Friends. And I’m glad of that, happy I’ve done some solid work as an actor, as well as given people multiple chances to make fun of my struggles on the world wide web…
But when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if Friends were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people. I know it won’t happen, but it would be nice.”
And I’m glad to see it going around now, and just hope that there are people out there, reading those words, and remembering that help is always available.
And that’s it. That’s the news.
I’m proud of – people who get the help they need. It’s not always easy, but it always matters.
And I’m proud of checklist… because I gotta make a transition here somewhere. I’m a checklist glad. I know everyone isn’t. But I love em.
But more than checklists… because you are also excellent and powerful… I’m proud of you.