Glenn Frey is gone. Michigan’s governor doesn’t want to go. And El Chapo isn’t going anywhere. It’s Tuesday, and here are the five things you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
FLINT WATER CRISIS
A cold splash in the face: Is that water or Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s political career circling the drain? The drinking water situation in Flint has been handled so badly, it’s been dubbed “Katrina II.” “It’s a disaster,” Snyder readily admits. He says he’s going to fix it, but dozens of protesters met outside his house yesterday and said, “Nah, don’t bother. Just quit already.” Snyder’s sure to bring up Flint’s water today during his State of the State address at the state capitol. And he’ll also address Detroit schools, which is a whole other mess.
GLENN FREY
People don’t run out of dreams/ People just run out of time: More than 40 years ago, he breezed in with a “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” He left us this week with a “Heartache Tonight.” Eagles founding member Glenn Frey, who helped pioneer Southern California’s country-rock sound, died from complications from intestinal issues yesterday. If America had its own Lennon-McCartney, it was Glenn Frey and band mate Don Henley. Together they penned some of the Eagles’ biggest hits: “Best of My Love,” Lyin’ Eyes,” and “Hotel California.”
TENNIS MATCH FIXING
Tennis racket: The Australian Open — big time tennis’ Grand Slam kickoff — has begun. Guess what? No one cares, not when rumors of match fixing swirls through the courts. BuzzFeed and the BBC (now that’s an odd couple) say match fixing is rampant in the sport, includes grand slam winners and can be traced back to the gambling operations of Russian and Italian crime syndicates. Tennis’ powers-that-be say the allegations are foul. Game, set, tatch.
EL CHAPO
Extreme Makeover – Prison Edition: Twice! Twice, El Chapo’s embarrassed Mexico with his Houdini-like hijinks. They’ll be damned if he does it a third time. Security in the prison where Joaquin Guzman’s being held – the same one he slipped away from, btw — has been pumped up: 400 new cameras (with 600 more on the way), new motion sensors, increased visitor restrictions. He’s constantly moved from cell to cell, and – in case he wants to do a little tunnel-digging – prison floors are now reinforced with three-quarter-inch steel rods.
CHINA ECONOMY
The dragon dives: The growth in China’s economy last year was at a quarter-century low, we found out this morning. Why do we care? Because China’s been the engine driving the world’s economic fortunes. As it tanks, the world markets are headed south too. If you haven’t paid attention to Wall Street’s woes in 2016, just check your 401(k). On second thought, don’t – unless you have a strong stomach.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
Quote of the day: “”Thank you to all of the straight white guys who dominated movies and TV so hard and for so long that stories about anyone else seem kind of fresh and original now” Alan Yang, accepting the best comedy series prize Sunday night at the Critics’ Choice Awards for “Master of None,” the Netflix show about the life of an aspiring Indian-American actor he co-created with Aziz Ansari.
When you just have money to throw away
Anthropologie is selling a trash can for $100. But, hey, it is hand made.
Today in facepalm
Somebody thought it was a swell idea to model a video game off the 2014 Pakistan military school attack that left 145 ‘ dead, most of them kids. Thankfully, the Internet beat some sense into them.
Intergalactic planetary
Ever woke up and said, “I wish I could see five planets together in the sky this morning?” For the first time since 2005, you can.
Nutty news
Want to act out on a South Korean plane? Be prepared to suffer under the weight of the country’s new “anti-nut rage” law.
Nuttier news
You might want to skip the cashews at Trader Joe’s for awhile. They’re being recalled because of salmonella fears.
AND FINALLY …
Oh, say can you sing
Watch this cop nail the national anthem at a basketball game after the original singer gets stuck in a snowstorm.