02/23/24

Good morning! It’s Friday, February 23rd.

National Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day.

Listen – we should all be super nice to hospitality workers. Because it’s nice to be nice, and also because some people are not nice. Not even a little bit. And I know it sucks to have to make up for someone else’s bad behavior but it’s just… it’s nice to be nice.

And now, the news.

AT&T Outages

-via NPR

Let’s start with a story that happened early Thursday morning and effected people all over the country as AT&T’s cell service was disrupted for around 73,000 customers.

Not only did it disrupt things like texting and streaming and getting a head start on Connections, it also brought up concerns over whether people would be able to call 911. Not that they couldn’t call 911, but the concern was that without the server, 911 wouldn’t be able to locate where the call was coming from.

It appears the problem has been solved and the Department of Homeland Security is looking into what happened.

Alexander Smirnov Re-Arrested

-via CNN

Alexander Smirnov, the FBI informant who lied about the Biden connection to Ukraine company Burisma has been re-arrested.

He was originally released on Tuesday with GPS monitering and the surrender of his two passports, but on Thursday he was re-arrested on a new warrant but with the same charges – being a big ol liar. This time, however, it was signed by a federal judge who will oversea the case in California.

If you’re like “hey, that’s weird.” Yeah I know. This is not normal and I’m not a lawyer the reason prosecutors want him to stay behind bars is because he has so many contacts in Russia and lied to his FBI handler repeatedly. He also has access to about $6 million in assets.

He will be able to argue for release again.

First Moon Landing Since 1972

-via CBS News

The Houston-based company Innovative Machines said on Thursday that their Odysseus lander became the first U.S.-built spacecraft to stick a moon landing in more than 50 years when Odysseus touched down at 6:37pm ET.

It’s also the first private company ever to do this. To which I say – good for them and also thank you for not letting Elon get there first.

I don’t know what they’ll do now that it’s there. Look around a little, I guess. But still – great job.

Louisiana Advances Permitless Concealed Carry Bill

-via ABC News

And from the magic of space to the mystery of why on earth…

Louisiana lawmakers got one step closer to allowing the state to pass a permitless concealed carry bill.

So people can just walk around, guns hidden, without a permit.

It would also provide a level of immunity from civil liability when someone used said concealed gun to shoot a person in self-defense.

It passed in the state Senate and now heads to the state House, where the GOP has a two-thirds majority, before getting to the desk of a governor who has already said he’ll sign it.

I don’t get concealed carry. I don’t love the idea of being somewhere where someone has a gun, but if they do, I’d for sure like to be aware.

And then add on to that, that someone could do it without a permit.

That’s just… asking for trouble.

And the state doesn’t exactly need more trouble – in 2021 they had the second-highest number of gun deaths in the country. Is this really supposed to help?

Judge Says Texas School Legally Punished Student

-via AP News

And finally, in – ya didn’t want to wait a week before handing this one down? News…

A judge ruled that a Houston, Texas junior, who hasn’t been able to been in school for the last month because the school says his hair violates the high school dress code, is, in fact, in violation and the school did nothing wrong.

So here’s what’s going on – Darryl George, who is Black, has long hair that he wears in tied and twisted locs on the top of his head.

But the school says that his hair is a violation because, if he were to wear it down, it would fall below his shirt collar, eyebrows or earlobes.

First of all… what in the 1950s dress code is this? What are you, the Disneyland cast member dress code?

And you know this only applies to men (and you also know there’s no way, when people are writing dress code like that, that they’re also thinking about what to do with nonbinary students’ hair).

Anyway, so the dress code is lame.

But there’s also the CROWN Act to contend with. The CROWN Act, which stands for Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair, is meant to prohibit race-based hair discrimination.

But the judge ruled with the school, against the student, because, as he said, the CROWN Act does not say that exemptions for long hair can be made for hairstyles that are protected by the law, including locs.

The family has brought another suit against Governor Abbott, AG Ken Paxton, and the school district. That case is before a federal judge in Galveston.

And again… he wears his hair in tied and twisted locs. The school is punishing him because he doesn’t wear his hair down, but if he did, it would be too long.

To really drive this home, here’s a quote from George to his mother as they left the courthouse: “All because of my hair? I can’t get my education because of my hair?”

And that’s it. That’s the news.

Something about a short week really has me needing the weekend.

I’m proud of hospitality workers. They make things nice!

But more than… oh it’s also banana bread day and we love a good banana bread with a nice slice of butter. But more than that, because you’re a comfort as well… I’m proud of you.