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HERE’S THE BLAST!

Reading Time: 7 minutes 25 seconds

There is something wonderful in seeing a wrong-headed majority assailed by truth.

— John Kenneth Galbraith

THE CONSERVATIVE CALENDAR

Forecast from the KIVA Weather Station: Mostly sunny. High 93F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.

Today is Friday, June 25th, the 176th day of 2021. There are 189 days left in the year. It is Day of the Seafarer, Color TV Day, Take Your Dog to Work Day, National Food Truck Day, National Catfish Day, and Global Beatles Day.

This Day in History

In 1788, Virginia became the tenth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 1876, the Battle of the Little Bighorn began.

In 1910, Congress passed the Mann Act, which prohibited interstate transport of women or girls for “immoral purposes.” The law’s ambiguous language would be used to selectively prosecute people for years to come.

In 1947, Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl was published.

In 1950, the Korean War began.

In 1997, the National Hockey League approved expansion franchises for Nashville, Atlanta, Columbus, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

This Day in Music History

In 1967, 200 million people saw The Beatles perform “All You Need Is Love,” live via satellite, as part of the TV global link-up “Our World.” Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Graham Nash, and Keith Moon provided backing vocals.

In 1969, The Hollies recorded “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”

In 1970, Chicago released “25 or 6 to 4” from Chicago II.

In 1977, Marvin Gaye went to No. 1 on the singles chart with “Got To Give It Up.”

In 1988, Hillel Slovak, a founding member of Red Hot Chili Peppers, died from a heroin overdose.

In 2009, Michael Jackson died from cardiac arrest as a result of an overdose of the general anesthetic propofol. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and served two years in prison.

Today’s Birthdays

Singer-songwriter Carly Simon is 76. Comedian Jimmie Walker is 74. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo is 55. Actress Linda Cardellini is 46.

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TOP 10 LINKS: NEWS, COMMENTARY, RESEARCH, AUDIO, AND VIDEO

1. APD officers bash department in YouTube series

2. Seal used by DOT before Crest Road crashes was stopped by one other state

3. Former CYFD employees claim they were fired after raising ethical concerns

4. Boom in Native American oil drilling complicates Biden climate push

5. ‘Huge victory’: Judge names members of Fulton election board in lawsuit; ballot audit will proceed

6. WATCH: Dr. Paul Joins Newsmax to Discuss Vaccines

7. LISTEN: The Evidence on Post‐​COVID Employment Hesitancy

8. How Paranoia Became Political

9. There’s No Way Kamala Harris Visits This Child Detention Camp At The Border

10. GOP is being fooled by this infrastructure ‘deal’

MAINSTREAM LOCAL/STATE NEWS BRIEFINGS

(Bolded for your attention / analyses)

NBCUniversal celebrates opening of New Mexico studio

ALBUQUERQUE — Executives with NBCUniversal are celebrating the opening of the company’s new production facility in New Mexico. They were joined at a ribbon-cutting event by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. NBCUniversal had announced in 2019 that it would build the state-of-the-art television and film studio in a warehouse district just north of downtown Albuquerque as part of a plan to expand its footprint in New Mexico. The company also has committed to $500 million in direct production spending over 10 years. Netflix also is expanding its operations in Albuquerque.

New Mexico officials seek hazardous designation for PFAS

ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is among those calling on the U.S. government to list so-called “forever chemicals" as hazardous waste under federal law. The governor filed her petition with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It follows recent congressional testimony given by New Mexico Environment Secretary James Kenney in which he made the same request. New Mexico is locked in a legal battle with the U.S. Air Force over contamination by the chemicals at two bases in the state. Officials say designating the chemicals as hazardous waste would set a clear regulatory path for New Mexico and other states that are dealing with similar contamination.

MAINSTREAM U.S. NEWS BRIEFINGS

(Bolded for your attention / analyses)

US to keep about 650 troops in Afghanistan after withdrawal

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials tell The Associated Press that about 650 U.S. troops are expected to be kept in Afghanistan to provide security for the American diplomatic presence after the Pentagon completes its military withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks. Several hundred additional American forces, however, will remain at the Kabul airport until September to assist Turkish troops providing security. Officials say that will be a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led force is in place. Airport security is seen as required for a continued international diplomatic presence in Kabul.

Affidavit: FBI feared Pennsylvania would seize fabled gold

An FBI agent applied for a federal warrant in 2018 to seize a cache of gold that he said had been “stolen during the Civil War” while en route to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, and was “now concealed in an underground cave” in northwestern Pennsylvania. That’s according to court documents unsealed Thursday. The FBI had long refused to confirm why exactly it went digging on state-owned land in Elk County in March 2018. Federal authorities say the dig came up empty. The FBI said in the newly released court documents that it feared the state of Pennsylvania would claim the gold for itself, setting up a costly legal battle.

Britney Spears’ public support may not mean much in court

LOS ANGELES — Britney Spears’ powerful plea to a judge to end the conservatorship that has controlled her life since 2008 brought sympathy and outrage from fans, famous supporters and even casual observers who say she deserves independence. Yet lawyers who deal in such matters say the speech itself may not have helped her in the legal process. Attorney David Glass says Spears didn’t do herself any favors, appearing to demonstrate signs of mental trouble including very fast speech and leaping between ideas during the talk. Judge Brenda Penny gave no indication of her response, other than to call Spears’ words “courageous.”

Songwriter Diane Warren saves escaped cow from slaughter

LOS ANGELES — Songwriter Diane Warren has stepped in to save a cow that eluded capture for more than a day after a herd escaped from a Southern California slaughterhouse and stampeded through a suburb. The Grammy winner contacted the city to arrange to have the cow sent to a sanctuary. Pico Rivera City Manager Steve Carmona says the transfer is dependent on a state agriculture health check. The cow became a celebrity as it vanished in the nation’s most populous county until it was spotted in a park. It was among 40 that escaped from a Pico Rivera slaughterhouse Tuesday evening and stampeded through a neighborhood.

Kentucky to allow college athletes to earn off likeness

FRANKFORT — Gov. Andy Beshear has signed an executive order allowing college athletes in Kentucky to make money through the use of their name, image or likeness. That includes players on the nationally renowned Kentucky and Louisville men’s basketball teams. The Democratic governor said he took the action as a matter of fairness for college athletes. He says it will spare Kentucky’s colleges from being at a competitive disadvantage with rivals in other states that will have laws enabling athletes to profit off their name, image or likeness. Beshear said his executive order takes effect July 1, when similar legislation passed in several other states will become law.

MAINSTREAM GLOBAL NEWS BRIEFINGS

(Bolded for your attention / analyses)

4 more suspects held in Mexico border attack that killed 19

MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities have arrested four more suspects in the weekend shootings in the northern Mexico border city of Reynosa that killed 19 people, 15 of whom appeared to be innocent bystanders. Another suspect was detained earlier after being wounded during Saturday’s gun attacks. Prosecutors in the border state of Tamaulipas said that the latest arrests came during the raids that also freed 18 kidnap victims, four of who are believed to be U.S. citizens. The raids targeted the “Scorpions” and “Cyclones” factions of the Gulf Cartel. The Scorpions were once a specialized security force for cartel leaders.

UN urges Israel to halt building of settlements immediately

The United Nations is accusing Israel of flagrantly violating international law by expanding settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, saying settlements are illegal and urging the country’s new government to halt their enlargement immediately. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland reported on implementation of a 2016 Security Council resolution that declared settlements have “no legal validity.” Wennesland says he is “deeply troubled” by Israel’s approval of a plan to add 540 housing units to the Har Homa settlement in east Jerusalem and new settlement outposts. He says they are “illegal also under Israeli law.” Israel disputes its settlements are illegal.

EU members bordering Russia reject plan to meet with Putin

BRUSSELS — European Union countries bordering Russia have rejected a Franco-German plan to resume official meetings with President Vladimir Putin. Lithuania’s president likens the idea to trying to talk a bear out of stealing honey. He says: “We have to deal with Russia, but being very cautious about the real intentions of Putin’s regime.” The issue was on the agenda of an EU summit. The 27-nation bloc is deeply divided in its approach to Moscow. Russia is the EU’s biggest natural gas supplier, and plays a key role in several international conflicts and strategic issues. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says sanctions are not enough, and that the EU should engage Putin directly. But for now, the Franco-German plan is dead.

Greek priest charged over acid attack on 7 senior bishops

ATHENS — A defrocked Greek Orthodox priest has been charged with multiple counts of causing grievous bodily harm over an acid attack that injured seven senior bishops and three other people. The 37-year-old Greek man was led to court in lay clothing, handcuffs, and under a heavily armed police escort. The attack occurred after the suspect was formally removed from the clergy for alleged misconduct. It was condemned by Greece’s government, President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I who is based in Istanbul, Turkey.

Philippine democracy scion, ex-leader Benigno Aquino dies

MANILA — Former President Benigno Aquino III is being remembered as as kind soul and defender of good governance in the Philippines. The son of pro-democracy icons who helped topple dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Aquino built his own image as an incorruptible politician who battled poverty and frowned over excesses by the country’s elites. He died at 61 of kidney failure. Condolences poured in from politicians, the dominant Catholic church and others. Aquino's presidency from 2010 to 2016 was marked by territorial disputes with China and some progress against corruption and poverty. The rise of his successor, the brash Rodrigo Duterte, was a reality check on some of Aquino's unmet expectations.

‘ROCK OF TALK’ QUESTIONS OF THE DAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY (PLEASE ANSWER IN COMMENTS)

1. Why do we pretend that college athletes in major sports are “students”?

2. Ever taken your dog to work?

3. Is Vladimir Putin an enemy of America?

4. Are you comfortable with your tax dollars being given to Hollywood?

5. Do animals have “rights”?

6. Is the Albuquerque Police Department hopelessly broken?

7. Ever eaten any catfish?

8. Are food trucks unfair competition to restaurants?

9. Beatles or Stones?

10. Do you follow the NHL?

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