Josh Johnson explores the absurdity of public health crises and corporate reactions in the United States.
KGB Report is published Monday through Thursday, is assembled by an aging human, and contains no intentional A.I. generated material.
(Most) everything you need to know for today:
July 29 is the 210th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 155 days remain until the end of the year. As of this writing, 905 days remain in Trump’s term of office.
Knee-deep in the hoopla:
Trump crashes into reality. Once the midterms are over, Trump could face his worst fear: irrelevance. He will be a lame duck, down to his final two years in office, and at some point will no longer be the nation’s top topic of conversation. As focus shifts to the presidential primaries, Trump risks disappearing from the headlines. Even some of his closest allies don’t know how he’ll react.
(The Atlantic gift article)
Deadly U.S. boat strikes have failed to curb cocaine supply, Pentagon and DEA officials say. The Trump administration’s deadly military strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats have not reduced the amount of cocaine entering the United States, but they’re prompting criminal organizations to develop new strategies and tactics and undermining traditional investigative methods.
(Washington Post gift article)Despite vow, Trump didn’t seek to reverse ruling on birthright citizenship. The administration did not immediately ask for a Supreme Court rehearing, and the 25-day window to file such a motion has now closed. (Washington Post gift article)
ICE arrests surge at airports, opening new front in deportation drive. Federal agents are arresting spouses of Americans, tech workers and others whose visas have expired, including many who have active applications to stay in the country. (New York Times gift article)
Witness says Lincoln Memorial pool was damaged before alleged vandalism. A court filing released on Monday contained that revelation – and in the document, lawyers for Hearn requested access to all grand jury testimony that led to his indictment, pointing to “irregularities” in those proceedings. (The Guardian)
Manic Trump posts shirtless men and rappers in bonkers morning meltdown. As mourners gathered at Capitol Hill to pay their respects to the late Republican senator, the 80-year-old president was at the White House, posting almost 40 times in 40 minutes on his Truth Social platform. (The Daily Beast)
Kentucky governor demands that McConnell prove he is fit to serve or resign. Beshear made the demand in a letter after McConnell’s office said Monday that the 84-year-old senator had not yet been medically cleared to leave the rehabilitation facility where he has been undergoing physical therapy. (AP)
High school teacher arrested for clapping in support of anti-data center activists. “I think we’re all in a state of fear because of what this government’s doing to us.” (Futurism)
Evangelicals are force-feeding sermons to air travelers. In an effort to expand their proselytizing, evangelical Christians have taken to waiting until packed airliners are in flight before bearing witness to unsuspecting fellow travelers.
(Raw Story)
Tough times for humanoid robots:
New York school pauses plan to deploy humanlike AI robot teacher after backlash. A school district in a rural corner of upstate New York is hitting pause on plans to deploy an AI-powered, humanoid robot in the classroom after state education officials, teachers and local residents raised concerns, including the maker’s ties to a company that produces hyper realistic sex bots. (AP)
White House bans foreign humanoid robots in bid to slow China’s tech explosion. The FCC said in a press release that the robots, including mobile two-legged humanoids and four-legged quadrupeds, “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.” (Gizmodo)
Late Night:
Trump mocks Kimmel, Fallon, Colbert with cartoon of comedians begging for money as he ramps up late-night criticism. (New York Post)
The Daily Show: Jordan Klepper dives into Trump getting called a pedophile protector AGAIN while speaking at a General Motors facility in Michigan, why the president decided to pronounce Mexico as "Meheho," the new tariffs on Canada that ruined the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, and how the Trump administration accidentally helped reimagine cocaine trafficking. Plus, Klepper visits a naked protest to find out if Antifa is dressed up as an inflatable frog. (Video)
The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon: Jimmy addresses the latest news, like Trump meeting with Netanyahu and Zelensky, Apple planning to offer $17.99 iPhone leases and 12,000 pounds of bacon getting recalled. (Video)
Late Night with Seth Meyers: Seth addresses President Trump speaking at Senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral and more in his monologue for Tuesday, July 28, before holding a surprise inspection of his writers to review their jokes. (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:
1958 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Quote of the day:
I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can be no doubt that such men do not run.
--Alexis de Tocqueville (Wikipedia link)
(One of 52,674 quotations from the searchable KGB Quotations Database.)
Click here for more Alexis de Tocqueville quotes
Today’s holidays:
International Tiger Day, National Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day, National Chicken Wing Day, National Lasagna Day, National Lipstick Day, and Rain Day.
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On This Day:
2021 – The International Space Station temporarily spun out of control following an engine malfunction of Russian module Nauka.
2015 – The first piece of suspected debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was discovered on Réunion Island.
2010 – An overloaded passenger ferry capsized on the Kasai River in Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in at least 80 deaths.
2005 – Astronomers announced their discovery of the dwarf planet Eris.
1996 – The child protection portion of the Communications Decency Act was struck down by a U.S. federal court as too broad.
1987 – British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and President of France François Mitterrand signed the agreement to build a tunnel under the English Channel (Channel Tunnel).
1983 – “Friday Night Videos” premiered on NBC (Video)
1981 – A worldwide television audience of around 750 million people watched the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
1976 – In New York City, David Berkowitz (a.k.a. the “Son of Sam”) killed one person and seriously wounded another in the first of a series of attacks.
1972 – Gilbert O’Sullivan’s single “Alone Again (Naturally)” peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. (Video)
1967 – Vietnam War: Off the coast of North Vietnam the USS Forrestal caught on fire in the worst U.S. naval disaster since World War II, killing 134.
1967 – The Doors’ single “Light My Fire” peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. (Video)
1965 – Vietnam War: The first 4,000 101st Airborne Division paratroopers arrived in Vietnam, landing at Cam Ranh Bay.
1965 – The Beatles film “Help!” premiered in London. (Video)
1958 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
1957 – Tonight Starring Jack Paar premiered on NBC with Jack Paar beginning the modern day talk show. (Video)
1957 – The International Atomic Energy Agency was established.
1954 – "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first volume of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, was published.
1932 – Great Depression: In Washington, D.C., troops disperse the last of the “Bonus Army“ of World War I veterans using arson, bayonets, sabers, tanks, tear gas, and vomit gas.
1921 – Adolf Hitler became the leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party.
1914 – Kaiser Wilhelm and Czar Nicholas exchange frantic telegrams, trying to avoid WWI.
1910 – The two-day Slocum massacre commenced in Texas, a race riot in which more than 100 African Americans were murdered.
1909 – General Motors bought Cadillac.
1900 – In Italy, King Umberto I of Italy was assassinated by the anarchist Gaetano Bresci.
1899 – The First Hague Convention was signed.
1862 – American Civil War: Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union troops.
(For more comprehensive lists of the day’s historical events, check here, here, and here.)
Some Birthdays:
1982 – Allison Mack, American actress and criminal
1974 – Josh Radnor, American actor and musician
1973 – Stephen Dorff, American actor and producer
1972 – Wil Wheaton, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
1969 – Timothy Omundson, American actor
1966 – Martina McBride, American singer-songwriter and producer
1965 – Dean Haglund, Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter
1963 – Alexandra Paul, American actress and producer
1955 – Dave Stevens, American illustrator (died 2008)
1953 – Patti Scialfa, American musician
1951 – Dean Pitchford, American actor, director, screenwriter, and composer
1949 – Leslie Easterbrook, American actress
1946 – Neal Doughty, American keyboard player, songwriter, and producer
1942 – Tony Sirico, American actor (died 2022)
1941 – David Warner, English actor (died 2022)
1940 – Bernard Lafayette, American civil rights movement activist (died 2026)
1938 – Peter Jennings, Canadian-American journalist and author (died 2005)
1953 – Ken Burns, American director and producer
1953 – Tim Gunn, American television host and actor
1933 – Robert Fuller, American actor and rancher
1933 – Randy Sparks, American folk singer-songwriter and musician (died 2024)
1933 – Lou Albano, Italian-American wrestler, manager, and actor (died 2009)
1924 – Robert Horton, American actor (died 2016)
1924 – Lloyd Bochner, Canadian-American actor (died 2005)
1921 – Richard Egan, American actor (died 1987)
1918 – Don Ingalls, American writer and producer (died 2014)
1914 – Irwin Corey, American actor and activist (died 2017)
1907 – Melvin Belli, American lawyer (died 1996)
1906 – Thelma Todd, American actress and singer (died 1935)
1905 – Dag Hammarskjöld, Swedish economist and diplomat, 2nd Secretary-General of the United Nations, Nobel Prize Laureate (died 1961)
1905 – Clara Bow, American actress (died 1965)
1892 – William Powell, American actor and singer (died 1984)
1885 – Theda Bara, American actress (died 1955)
1883 – Benito Mussolini, Italian fascist revolutionary and politician, 27th Prime Minister of Italy (died 1945)
1878 – Don Marquis, American author, poet, and playwright (died 1937)
1869 – Booth Tarkington, American novelist and dramatist (died 1946)
1805 – Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian and philosopher (died 1859)
1796 – Walter Hunt, inventor (safety pin, sewing machine) (died 1859)
(A more complete list of today’s birthdays.)
Some Deaths:
2007 – Tom Snyder, American journalist and talk show host (born 1936)
1998 – Jerome Robbins, American director, producer, and choreographer (born 1918)
1984 – Fred Waring, American television host and bandleader (born 1900)
1983 – David Niven, English military officer and actor (born 1910)
1983 – Raymond Massey, Canadian-American actor and screenwriter (born 1896)
1982 – Vladimir K. Zworykin, Russian-American engineer, invented the Iconoscope (born 1889)
1982 – Harold Sakata, American wrestler and actor (born 1920)
1979 – Bill Todman, American screenwriter and producer (born 1916)
1974 – Cass Elliot, American singer (born 1941)
1890 – Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter and illustrator (born 1853)
(A more complete list of today’s deaths.)
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