*Mornings Archives

The Daily Dish – Thursday, August 13

August 13, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Diana: The Musical, a highly anticipated stage show about Princess Diana that was supposed to open in March, before New York’s theaters got shut down, will now debut on Netflix.
It’s a first for a Broadway show.
Diana: The Musical will be filmed with no audience at the Longacre Theater and hit the streaming service early next year, before opening May 25, 2021 on Broadway.
Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan, who won a Tony for Memphis, co-wrote the music and lyrics for the show’s original songs.
Variety magazine says Simon Cowell has sold his Beverly Hills home for $25 million. The house has five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a black and white interior, a pool, a cabana, a tanning salon, a gym, two kitchens, a wellness suite with a massage room, a steam room and a retina scan security system.
Ozzy Osbourne tells Rolling Stone that a movie is being made about his life. “From what I understand, it’s about Sharon and I and our relationship. It’s how we met, fell in love, and how we married. She’s my other half. She grew up a lot with me, and I grew up a lot with her. We celebrated 38 years of marriage just recently.”
The NY Post says David Blaine has planned his next live stunt. He plans to float in the air with a bunch of helium balloons. The stunt will take place on his YouTube channel on Monday, August 31st. The stunt is expected to resemble the Pixar movie ”Up”

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Thursday, August 13

August 13, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
Today is:
  • National Prosecco Day
  • National Filet Mignon Day
  • International Left-Handers Day
Some famous lefties: Leonardo da Vinci, Mozart, Presidents Obama, Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Reagan; The Queen of England, Prince Charles and Prince William; Oprah, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Babe Ruth, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Armstrong, Paul McCartney, Bill Gates, Angelina Jolie, Keanu Reeves, Lady Gaga, Tina Fey, Justin Bieber.
The coronavirus is beginning to completely mess up shooting for shows and movies so deeply that some of them aren’t even premiering on time for Fall. Deadline Hollywood says “The Voice” will not premiere on NBC in September as it usually does. ”America Ninja Warrior” will replace the series until it is ready to air.
The Sun newspaper says a blow-up doll shortage is occurring because of the coronavirus. Many of the dolls are made in China where factories have been shut down due to covid-19. Blow up doll orders have spiked by 51% since the start of the pandemic.
Vladimir Putin‘s claim that Russia has the first coronavirus vaccine ready to be administered was met with worldwide skepticism, and Dr. Anthony Fauci certainly isn’t buying it.
The country’s top infectious disease expert is casting doubt on the science and safety of the Russian vaccine and believes they are taking an unnecessary risk. Fauci says he hopes Russia has “actually definitively proven that the vaccine is safe and effective. I seriously doubt that they’ve done that.” He added that the U.S. is working on a number of vaccines and “if we wanted to take the chance of hurting a lot of people or giving them something that doesn’t work, we could start doing this, you know, next week if we wanted to. But that’s not the way it works.” (ABC News)

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Music News – Thursday, August 13

August 13, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
Demi Lovato is staying busy and staying honest, judging by a new song snippet that seems to address her substance abuse relapse.
Demi hit her Instagram Stories on Tuesday to offer up video showing her listening to a few seconds of the tune, featuring the lyrics “I know I made it hard for you/ And I owe my part, I’ll tell the truth/ You said that it’d be over/ If I didn’t get sober/ Sober.”
She captioned the video with the hashtag #D7, leading followers to believe an album is on the way.
The Irish Mirror newspaper says Ed Sheeran is planning to get a special tattoo to mark his baby’s birth. A source tells the newspaper,  “Ed comes from a large Catholic family and he wants to have a house full of kids. He has had five intertwined circles put on his back that look a bit like the Olympic rings. He wants to put a tattoo of a palm print into each circle.”
Seems the R. Kelly case has come back to haunt all of us. The Chicago Sun-Times says three men have been arrested for allegedly bribing R. Kelly’s victims to remain quiet. Each suspect is accused of a separate scheme to bribe, intimidate, and harass Kelly’s alleged victims. One of the men reportedly offered $500,000 to a victim to keep her from cooperating with the government. Another suspect is accused of setting an SUV on fire outside of the home where one of the victims was staying. The Blast claims R. Kelly lied about being broke. Court documents show that the singer received $1.2 million in payments last year. Kelly previously accused prosecutors of going on a “harassing fishing expedition” by sending subpoenas to his bank. The prosecution claims Kelly paid bribes to multiple accusers over a 20-year period to lie about his alleged abuse. Bank records show that he allegedly paid $125,000 for the recovery of videotapes that depicted him abusing a minor.

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Happy Headline from United Federal Credit Union – Wednesday, August 12

August 12, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
Five-year-old Wilbur Coleman of El Paso, Texas, has been working with his mom to create care packages for front line workers and those who are most vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Every morning, Wilbur’s mom heads out to purchase supplies. And then, she and Wilbur spend the day packaging up the supplies.
Wilbur gets the care packages into the hands of those in need by driving his electric toy jeep around the neighborhood to make “special deliveries.”
Wilbur and his mom have been making these deliveries since coronavirus cases started rising back in March, hoping to spread a little kindness each day during these tough times. (KFOX-TV)

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The Daily Dish – Wednesday, August 12

August 12, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Dwayne Johnson did it again. He’s been named the highest-paid actor in Hollywood for the second year in a row.
According to Forbes, The Rock earned  $87.5 million, taking home $23.5 million for his part in the upcoming Netflix original film Red Notice.
He’s followed by Ryan Reynolds ($71.5 million), Mark Wahlberg ($58 million), Ben Affleck ($55 million) and Vin Diesel ($54 million).
Others on the list include Adam Sandler ($41 million), Lin-Manuel Miranda ($45.5 million) and Will Smith ($44.5 million).
Six of the top 10 actors made much of their money from Netflix.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have “secretly” bought a home in Santa Barbara. Page Six says the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been living in the upscale California community, which is also home to Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres, for the past six weeks.
Bill Cosby has filed for a new appeal in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. According to Page Six, his attorney argues that his trial was not fair because it allowed five accusers to give “decades-old” testimony that swayed the jury against him.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is getting a reboot — but a very different one.
Will Smith is teaming up with Morgan Cooper, who created a fake viral YouTube trailer for a dramatic version of the sitcom. The two are shopping Bel-Air now to all the major streaming services.
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Bel-Air has been in the works for more than a year after the 2019 clip went viral and caught Smith’s attention.

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Wednesday, August 12

August 12, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
The most-talked-about trending news of yesterday involved two different spectrums of topics: Politics, and Football. In politics, Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris as his Vice Presidential running-mate. And in Football, the Big 10 and Pac-10 conferences cancelled their football seasons due to concerns over the coronavirus. Locally, Lake Michigan Catholic was the first local school to cancel their Football season.
Have you ever been the subject of a backhanded compliment? Or perhaps gave one and didn’t realize it until later? Al Roker was recently featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show to talk about his new book, You Look So Much Better in Person. But it’s not just a funny book title – it’s a backhanded compliment both he and Kelly get from fans regularly. During the interview Kelly said, “I love the title. Anybody that knows me that sees your book, buys your book, reads your book, is going to laugh because literally the thing said most to me in my life, in my career … is, ‘You look so much better in person.’ I honestly thought it was just me.” (Country Living)
I know it’s mid-August, but since the year has been so bad for most brands and retailers, they’re already preparing for and talking about Christmas. So Chicago Candy company Brach’s is releasing a bag of candy corn with flavors that taste like a Thanksgiving dinner. Each candy corn is a different flavor of the dinner — Green Beans, Roasted Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Ginger Glazed Carrot, Sweet Potato Pie, and Stuffing. (Delish) So if you already hate candy corn for Halloween, you’re sure to hate it for Thanksgiving.
Speaking of the holidays and Halloween candy … You’re going to see Halloween candy in stores much earlier than usual. Candy companies like Hershey have requested that retailers set up their Halloween displays earlier this year in an effort to help with sales — since Trick-or-Treating will likely be cancelled due to COVID concerns. Don’t expect to see fancy packaging this year either. Mondelez, the company behind Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish will focus on family-size packs of their candies because they predict parents will arrange small get-togethers instead of typical Halloween celebrations. Even Hershey announced limited Halloween packaging, choosing to save money and keep their normal packaging due to the uncertainty of the season. (Eater)

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Music News – Wednesday, August 12

August 12, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
This week, Taylor Swift joined rare company. Only 11 music acts have at least six albums top the Billboard charts multiple weeks. Swift has released eight albums. Folklore became the sixth to be number-one for a second week.
Barbra Streisand is the only woman besides Taylor Swift to have at least six albums top the Billboard charts more than once. More recently, Jay Z and Eminem have reached the milestone.
The other acts are from another era entirely: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen and Garth Brooks.
This feat requires career longevity and the increasingly difficult achievement of more than one week topping the charts. For example, country singer Kenny Chesney has only one of his nine chart-toppers to remain there multiple weeks. The hip-hop artist Future has seven number-one album but none of them stayed on top for two weeks. (Billboard)
Ed Sheeran is actively preparing for fatherhood. A child with wife Cherry Seaborn is reportedly due in a matter of weeks.
They kept the pregnancy secret during quarantine. Only this week did a friend leak that Cherry is in the third trimester and due “later this summer.” The source said the lockdown in spring became a “perfect excuse not to be seen out and about.” Cherry is obviously showing, so now they’ve told more friends. Their days are spent prepping the nursery room.
At the end of last year, Ed Sheeran announced on social media how he planned to take an extended break. In hindsight, they must have gotten the results of a home pregnancy test. Ed knew that their first child was on the way. (The Sun, UK)

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Happy Headline of the Day from United Federal Credit Union – Tuesday, August 11

August 11, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
A group of teenagers in Cambria, California, are working to help those struggling during these complicated times by raising thousands of dollars for food, supplies, rent and utilities.
The high school students started with simple fundraising events, such as tamale sales, car washes and dinners with raffles.
But, they’ve taken things to a whole new level this year with big fundraising drives, with some donors pitching in $1,000 each.
They’ve raised tens of thousands of dollars and have been able to help about 70 families.
Their work isn’t done, of course, because there are still plenty of people in need.
These teens plan to continue to help as much as they can, using all the lessons they’ve learned so far to impact even more families moving forward. (The Tribune)

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The Daily Dish – Tuesday, August 11

August 11, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Jason Derulo‘s golf lesson with Will Smith didn’t go as planned.
In a video, the Men in Black star is seen teaching the singer how to swing a golf club — when Jason rears back and appears to knock out Will’s two front teeth.
“Put some ice on that,” Derulo says as Smith grins, showing his missing teeth. Will then grabs his club and seems to take a swing at Jason’s face before the video ends.
It’s unclear if Derulo really knocked out Smith’s teeth or if it was only a joke.
Antonio Banderas turns 60 yesterday and received an unwanted gift.
The Spanish actor tweeted Monday, in Spanish, that he is celebrating his birthday in quarantine today because he tested positive for the coronavirus. He says, “I would like to add that I feel relatively well, just a little more tired than usual and confident in recovering as soon as possible following the medical indications that I hope will allow me to overcome the infectious process that I suffer and that is affecting so many people around the planet.”
Banderas says he plans to spend his birthday reading, writing and resting.
Tiger King Joe Exotic thinks he knows who killed Carole Baskin‘s husband, but the truth is still a mystery. Now the family of Don Lewis is putting up billboards and offering a $100,000 reward for information about the businessman’s disappearance in 1997.
Don’s three daughters, along with attorney John Phillips and family spokesperson Jack Smith, announced on Monday their plan to get more info on what happened to Lewis.
They’ve erected four billboards across Tampa reading, “Who Murdered Don Lewis?” And a cold case group on Facebook was started to hunt for clues, according to TMZ.
The family also plans to sue Baskin — possibly for wrongful death. She denies any wrongdoing in Don’s disappearance. The gossip blog says the $100,000 reward money came from an anonymous donor.
In the Netflix docuseries Tiger King, Joe Exotic often claimed Baskin killed her husband, who co-founded Big Cat Rescue with his wife.

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Tuesday, August 11

August 11, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
Ladies, and drag queens, as you know, high heels have pretty much been gathering dust in closets since the pandemic began. Apparently many women are saying they don’t think they’ll wear them ever again – even when things get back to “normal.” What’s your take?
Are you a creature of habit? Seems most of us are, at least according to a new survey. The survey found that 80% of adults are creatures of habit – eating the same breakfast every day, sleeping on the same side of the bed every night, shopping at the same supermarket, styling their hair the same way, and wearing the same kind of clothes — among other habits.
That said, it seems all this time at home has made many people change things up – or at least realize they need to. 44% of respondents said their routine had to change as a result of the pandemic. 30% said it has encouraged them to change some of their old habits, and more than 25% said lockdown made them realize they had to make changes in their life – both big and small, from changing the way they eat to moving to a new house. (SWNS)
In case you’re interested in taking some weird and cheap risks right now with your food, Cheetos has just launched their very own line of mac and cheese — for less than a dollar a box. There’s a Flamin’ Hot flavor, a standard Bold and Cheesy flavor and Cheesy Jalapeno flavor.
Football fans, there’s been a bit of talk that the Big 10 will potentially cancel the college football season for their conference. And that would likely see other conferences follow suit. But, one good piece of news may come of it if you’re an NFL fan…Brobible.com says NFL games may be played on Saturday instead of Sunday if college football is canceled because of the coronavirus.
Since the Coronavirus pandemic began, some big companies and service providers have been perfectly fine with charging you more or the same amount for their products and services but giving less or substandard customer service to go with it. And as college students try to figure out what the upcoming school year is going to look like, one Yale student is also suing the school for charging full tuition, while not actually being able to be on campus.
Jonathan Michel of Ohio filed the case in federal court, arguing that he shouldn’t have had to pay the full price of tuition for the Spring 2020 semester after everyone had to finish their work off-campus. (New York Post)

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Music News – Tuesday, August 11

August 11, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
Katy Perry gave fans plenty of smiles on the second installment of her #SmileSundays video series — a new single is on its way.
She’ll be dropping a gaming-inspired video for an unnamed song within the next few days, saying, “We used the world of a video game to tell some of our story because it does feel like we’re living in a simulation right now, where we’re all trying to get out of this episode.”
She also previewed two previously-unheard album tracks “Cry About It Later” and “Teary Eyes,” and even got a surprise visit from her fiancé, Orlando Bloom, who popped in to wipe some stray lipstick from Katy’s teeth.
Katy seemed surprised by Orlando crashing her party, since she turned to the camera and said,  “I’m not embarrassed, but it’s like you know when you’re doing something in your room and somebody walks in and it’s like, ‘This is my alone time.'”
There are two more #SmileSundays before Smile is released on August 28th.
Simon Cowell‘s broken back will force him to miss the first live episodes of America’s Got Talent this week — but another American Idol alum will fill in.
Kelly Clarkson made the announcement Monday with a fake AGT memo sent to “All Staff.” It reads, “My friend, Simon Cowell, is doing better now but was in an accident and won’t be able to make Tuesday and Wednesday’s live shows for AGT, but no worries America, someone far wiser, cooler, and hotter is taking his seat!”
Kelly will tape Tuesday and Wednesday’s shows along with Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum.
Simon broke his back this past weekend while riding an electric bike in Malibu. He underwent surgery and is now recovering. His ex-girlfriend, Terri Seymour, says the accident occurred as Simon was showing off to his son and stepson and didn’t realize “how powerful” his new bike was. (Extra)

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The Daily Dish – Monday, August 10

August 10, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
Rachael Ray is safe this morning. Though her vacation home near upstate New York’s Lake Luzerne was “destroyed by fire.”
Photos on social media revealed her home totally engulfed in flames, which soared several stories from the roof. Warren County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Sunday night’s blaze required a response from “12 fire departments.”
The chef’s rep said (quote) “Rachael, her husband and their dog Bella are safe. The house is unfortunately damaged.”
Chef Rachael Ray quarantined in her second home. She taped cooking scenes from the kitchen during the lockdown. The first 911 call arrived around the dinner hour about 7:30 p.m. (New York Post)
Congratulations to Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger who welcomed a baby girl over the weekend.
Katherine’s younger brother Patrick Schwarzenegger confirmed the news to Entertainment Tonight and said that mom and baby are doing well. It’s the first child for Katherine. Chris has a seven-year-old son with ex-wife Anna Faris. The baby is also the first grandchild for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver.
Comedian Louis C.K. has resurfaced at Dave Chappelle’s standup events in Ohio.
Dave’s been hosting a series of shows called “Dave Chappelle & Friends: An Intimate Socially Distanced Affair,” and has been bringing along such pals as Jon Stewart and David Letterman.
In a photo dated August 4th, it was revealed that C.K. was his special guest for two recent shows. On Tuesday, the two were photographed on stage, along with comedians Michelle Wolf and Sarah Silverman in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
It’s the first time C.K. has shared the stage with another prominent comedian since his sex scandal in 2017.
Simon Cowell broke his back Saturday in a electric bike accident.
The America’s Got Talent judge was hospitalized. His rep tells People magazine, “Simon had a fall from his bike on Saturday afternoon whilst testing his new electric bike in the courtyard at his house in Malibu with his family.”
The spokesperson added that “he broke his back in a few places. They operated overnight, the surgery went well, and he is in the hospital recovering.”
Sources tell People the surgery lasted five hours and that Simon “has had to have a number of fusions and metal rod put into his back.”

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Monday, August 10

August 10, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
It’s not often that things shake, rattle and roll in North Carolina and Virginia. A rare magnitude 5.1 earthquake happened yesterday at around 8:07am. “It felt like a big locomotive going by and a big wave coming underneath the bed,” Sparta, NC Mayor Wes Brinegar told CNN. “A big wave coming to lift you. … I’ve lived here my whole life and have never felt anything like that.” The Mayor told USA Today some foundations apparently cracked and books were knocked off shelves.
A new survey has found that 57% of respondents say wearing a mask has made them much more aware of their own bad breath. This, in turn, has led to a lot more teeth brushing, and likely some happier dentists.
You don’t really think of going to Vegas to work … but MGM Resorts is hoping to lure remote workers with their new “Viva Las Office” package. The package includes a room at the Bellagio or ARIA, perks like extended check-in and check-out hours, access to all of the hotels’ amenities, and even your very own “executive assistant.” Prices start at $100 a night for three, four, or five-night stays. (Insider)
So, first Amazon kills malls … and then they move into them? Seems Amazon is in talks with Simon Property Group, the biggest mall owner in the U.S., to turn empty Sears and JC Penny stores into Amazon fulfillment centers. (Market Watch) The nearest Simon mall to us is University Park Mall in Mishawaka.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control, four people have died this year from drinking hand sanitizer, while several others have experienced bad side effects like impaired vision and seizures.
The CDC reminds people that alcohol-based products are supposed to be used to protect you from germs — and “should never be ingested.” (MarketWatch)

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Music News – Monday, August 10

August 10, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
Selena Gomez will deliver some killer laughs when she joins Steve Martin and Martin Short in the dark comedy series Only Murders in the Building.
The series, which is expected to start rolling in early 2021, revolves around three strangers who share an obsession with true crime, then suddenly find themselves wrapped up in a real-life one. Selena will also produce the show, much as she did the far-more-serious 13 Reasons Why (Hollywood Reporter)
The Daily Mirror says Meghan Markle and Adele have been doing Pilates together. A source tells the newspaper, “Meghan and Adele have been having Pilates lessons. They are loving it. The instructor has also been giving lessons to Harry. It’s a great stress-buster.”

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The Daily Dish – Friday, August 7

August 7, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
Are Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Garner Hollywood’s next “It” couple?
The two were spotted by TMZ photographers together on a beach in Malibu, California, along with a little girl who looked to be Bradley’s daughter.
Both of them have split from their partners relatively recently, and they were rumored to be hooking up back when they co-starred on the old action show Alias.
Alyssa Milano may have had the coronavirus after all.
She wrote on Instagram yesterday (Wednesday) that she’s tested positive for antibodies — even though she tested negative for COVID-19 three times in the spring.
Alyssa adds that “our testing system is flawed” and says she plans to donate plasma to help others suffering from the disease.
When it rains it pours. People are coming out of the woodwork to pile on embattled talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. The latest is a man who claims she bullied him when he was only 11 years old by calling him “fat” and “stupid.” Not only that, she “took pleasure” in his distress.
Ben Gravolet claims that Ellen worked for his mother’s recruitment agency when she was about 20. He recalls, (quote) “I would dread going to [my mom’s] office to see her after school or on a day if I was sick and Ellen was there. She would criticize my weight. I would try to do homework in the office, she’d call me stupid, she’d call me fat. She would criticize my clothes.”
The worst thing about it, Gravolet says, was that he was just a kid. (quote) “I was just a boy and this was a grown woman who took pleasure in seeing me become visibly upset. I don’t think there’s any excuse for it. I was a defenseless kid. What could I have told her back?” (Daily Mail)
And Cameron Diaz recently told Goop.com creator and actor Gwyneth Paltrow why she decided to quit Hollywood.
In an interview that was part of In Goop Health: The Sessions, the onetime Charile’s Angels star said, (quote) “I just decided that I wanted different things out of my life. I had gone so hard for so long, working, making films, and it’s such a grind. When you’re making a movie — it’s a perfect excuse — they own you. You’re there for 12 hours a day for months on end and you have no time for anything else.”
Cameron decided to give up film-making in 2014, around the same time she started dating Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden. The couple tied the knot in 2015 and now have a seven-month-old daughter, Raddix. (Perez Hilton)

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Friday, August 7

August 7, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
The President issued a pair of executive orders late Thursday night to shut down the popular Chinese social media platforms TikTok and WeChat within 45 days, over national security concerns.
Since the order doesn’t take effect for 45 days, the door is still open for Microsoft to acquire the popular app. The two companies have reportedly been in talks in recent days.
The President has accused TikTok and WeChat of allowing the Chinese government to collect information on Americans. (The New York Times)
If there is a college football season, the Clemson Tigers are the favorite to win the championship.
The Tigers top USA Today‘s Amway Coaches Poll, taking the number-one spot on 38 of 65 ballots. They return quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a bevy of playmakers around him. Ohio State is at number-two, Alabama at number-three, Georgia at number-four and defending champs LSU at number-five.
As for local favorites, Notre Dame comes in at Number 10, Michigan at 15, and Michigan State failed to make the top 25.
Nintendo is reporting a 428% increase in profits thanks to a gaming boom. Their big hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons has quickly become a favorite of gamers who find themselves home more than normal. While plenty of people are setting jigsaw puzzles and binge-watching TV shows, plenty are also passing the time with Animal Crossing – and other games, of course. (NBC News)
And…Back in the Middle Ages, in the days of the Plague, the Tuscan region of Italy had something called “wine windows.” They were tiny wooden hatches carved into building’s concrete walls where merchants could safely pass wine and other spirits to residents. People just knocked on the small windows and their bottles were filled. Well, thanks to COVID-19, these windows last used in the Middle Ages are back in Italy. According to the Wine Window Association, “During this time, some enterprising Florentine Wine Window owners have turned back the clock and are using their Wine Windows to dispense glasses of wine, cups of coffee, drinks, sandwiches and ice cream — all germ-free, contactless!” (NY Post)

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Music News – Friday, August 7

August 7, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
Lady Gaga just flashed a sign that something big is on the way — a video for her Elton John duet “Sine From Above.”
She shared a snippet from the visual, showing her decked out in futuristic Chromatica gear and writhing to the beat. Elton isn’t seen in the short clip, but he might turn up in the full-length video.
Elton and Gaga have appeared together on numerous occasions and even recorded “Hello, Hello” for the  2011 film Gnomeo & Juliet — a song that never made it to the movie soundtrack.
Selena Gomez used her Animal Crossing villager to talk about what’s going on in the real Selena’s musical life — including a possible collaboration with Taylor Swift.
The villager made a guest appearance on the Animal Talking with Gary Whitta livestream show yesterday (Wednesday), and shared that Selena had begun work on the follow-up to Rare. She went on to discuss her ideas of a duet to add to the project. “I’ve always dreamt of doing a song with Taylor. We both wanted to do that. I’ve known her for 13 or 14 years now [and] It just feels like we’re family… We’ve talked about it for sure.”
Justin Bieber gave his Instagram followers a different kind of candid photo session on Wednesday — taking them behind the scenes at the ceremony where he and his wife Hailey were baptized.
Justin shared a series of photos of the baptism without explaining exactly when it took place. The images show him holding hands with Hailey as a pastor from their Hillsong church submerges them in a lake. The caption reads, “This was one of most special moments of my life. Confessing our love and trust in Jesus publicly with our friends and family.”
The couple actually met for the first time, clear back in 2009, at a Hillsong service.

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Happy Headline from United Federal Credit Union – Thursday, August 6

August 6, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
15-year-old Lorenzo Liberti of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, has been making the most of his summer vacation — by carving wooden American flags to raise money for homeless veterans.
He actually started this project eight months ago, working day and night in his garage to carve pinewood into amazing pieces of art that he sells and donates to help people in need.
But since COVID-19, Lorenzo changed his mission just a bit, turning his attention to honoring medical workers across the country.
It seems Lorenzo isn’t going to quit carving anytime soon, explaining that the day he stops working “is a day that a hero could be forgotten.” (WTSP-TV)

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The Daily Dish – Thursday, August 6

August 6, 2020 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs
The oldest daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West has been described as the “ultimate daddy’s girl.” North West, who turned 7 years old earlier this summer, informed her parents she would prefer to live with Kanye in Wyoming.
An insider supposedly told In Touch Weekly, (quote) “North knows that mommy and daddy are going through things. She shocked Kim by proclaiming she wants to go live with her dad.” (In Touch)
TMZ reports the family is on a retreat in a remote location. The marriage hit the skids last year. Kim has spent weeks trying to convince Kanye to seek professional help for his mental health. He’s tweeted and deleted how he’s tried for a long time to divorce Kim. She’s been trying to hold it all together and this retreat looks to be a last-ditch effort to save the marriage. (TMZ)
An FBI spokesperson explained the reason behind Wednesday’s raid of the home of YouTube personality Jake Paul. They said, (quote) “The FBI is investigating allegations of criminal acts surrounding the incident at Scottsdale Fashion Square in May 2020.”
Federal agents seized several weapons from Jake Paul’s home. One of the large guns was propped against the 23-year-old’s backyard hot tub.
Also on Wednesday, the Scottsdale police got out of the way of federal agents. The Arizona cops dropped misdemeanor charges of trespassing at Fashion Square and unlawful assembly against Jake Paul and a pair of his Team 10 cronies, including former manager Arman Izadi. Federal agents served a search warrant on Izadi’s Las Vegas home. Wednesday morning, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, SWAT and FBI agents were on the scene. (ABC News, Los Angeles)
A competitor on American Ninja Warrior has been arrested on child-sex charges.
Last season’s champion, Drew Dreschel, was picked up by federal agents this morning (Thursday) in Florida. He’s accused of soliciting sex with a then-15-year-old in 2015. He’s been charged with manufacture of child pornography, enticement of a minor to travel for illicit sexual conduct, travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and use of interstate commerce to entice a minor.
Dreschel made a court appearance in Florida before being moved to New Jersey, where he met the girl. He allegedly had sex with her at his gym in Connecticut not long after that meeting. He faces up to life in prison.
NBC has severed ties with Dreschel, saying it was “shocked and disturbed” to hear of the allegations. (USA Today, TMZ)
Seems the split between Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox was not as amicable as initially thought.
On Wednesday, he trolled Megan for posting a shirtless photo of her new boyfriend, Machine Gun Kelly. She captioned the social media post with the message, (quote) “Achingly Beautiful Boy…My heart is yours.”
Brain Austin Green repeated those words in a tweet with a slight tweak: “Achingly beautiful boys…… My heart is yours” with a photo of his four sons. The three youngest with Megan Fox.
She’s reportedly abandoned the family to quarantine with Machine Gun Kelly. (People)
A reboot of the classic adult-oriented cartoon Ren and Stimpy is in the works at Comedy Central.
Sony is working on a sequel reboot of the ’80s sitcom Who’s the Boss. Original stars Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano are on board.

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