MONDAY, SEPT. 4, 2023

Burning Man Washes Out, Trapping 70,000

Up to 70,000 people were trapped at the Burning Man psychedelic arts festival on Sunday, hemmed in by heavy rains and deep mud and unable to get back out of the flooded desert location.

Authorities are investigating at least one death at the festival this weekend while asking the attendees to shelter in place until conditions clear. More rain was expected for Sunday.

A few people managed to escape, including comedian Chris Rock and DJ Diplo, who hitchhiked a ride in the back of a pickup truck after walking for miles. (See Video)

Back-to-School Spending Hits Record High

Back-to-school spending for clothing and supplies is set to hit a record high of over $135 billion in 2023, with shopping running longer and later into the season.

The National Retail Federation estimates that families with grade-school children will spend an average of $890 per household, up about 2.5% from last year, mainly from inflation.

In a sign of the times, retailers say one of the most popular items this year is see-through backpacks that enable students to move through school security checkpoints more easily.

Jimmy Buffett Dies at 76

Jimmy Buffett, the enormously popular singer and entrepreneur, died at age 76 of skin cancer, having built a legacy of easygoing songs and an entertainment empire that catered to his devoted “Parrothead” followers.

Buffett first came to fame as the singer/songwriter of such Caribbean-flavored hits as “Margaritaville,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitude,” music that deeply touched millions of fans.

Later in life, he transformed the Margaritaville theme into restaurants, resorts, clothing, and footwear brands, among other products. Though Buffett’s brand was about the easygoing sailing life, he’s reported to have died a billionaire.

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➤ Meanwhile, a Florida judge told the state legislature to draw a new redistricting map, throwing out the one pushed by Gov. DeSantis. The judge said the plan violated the state constitution by diminishing the clout of Black voters. (More)

➤ Nikki Haley revived her call for term limits and mental competency tests for older politicians, pointing to Sen. Mitch McConnell, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi as examples. (More)

➤ A federal appeals court allowed a lawsuit to continue against the Food and Drug Administration over its lobbying efforts to stop the use of ivermectin in Covid cases. The lawsuit claims the FDA exceeded its authority. (More)

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➤ The Oregon Ducks’ mascot did 546 pushups Saturday, thanks to the Duck’s record-breaking 81-7 blowout of Portland State. Poor Puddles was tuckered at the end. (See Video)

➤ The unstoppable Max Verstappen took home a record 10th Formula One victory in a row this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, giving his Red Bull team its 15th victory in a row, another Formula One record. (More)

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Market Report   Previous Week

➤ UK chip designer Arm has targeted the value of its much-awaited IPO at between $50 billion-$55 billion ahead of investor meetings next week. Arm begins trading on the Nasdaq on Sept. 14. (More)

➤ Disney channels ESPN, ABC, FX, and others were cut this weekend from Charter Communications cable systems in a dispute over cable fees. The move left nearly 15 million subscribers in the dark. (More)

➤ Buc-ees, the gigantic travel center beloved by its fans, continues to expand to new locations. Coming locations include Springfield, MO., Johnston, CO., and Ocala, FL., among others. (See Full List)

➤ India launched a new mission Saturday to study the sun just weeks after its successful landing on the moon. Nearly 1 million people watched the launch on a dedicated website. (More)

➤ Scientists have built an AI tool that can predict the smell of a molecule based solely on its structure. The breakthrough is potentially invaluable for chemists in the food and fragrance industries. (More) 

➤ Netflix has a schedule of original premieres (and old favorite movies) upcoming this week and through September. (See Lineup Here)

➤ For amateur stargazers, the night sky offers new treats every evening as the world turns. Here’s this week’s sky at a glance. (See Nightly Highlights)

➤ The first movie co-production between Israel and Iran was filmed in secret to prevent interference by Tehran, according to the directors of the thriller, “Tatami.” The film premiered this weekend at the Venice Film Festival. (More)

➤ People Magazine has announced its ten finalists for World’s Cutest Rescue Dog, and the voting is now open. (See The Finalists)

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Yes
No

Friday’s Results:

Do you watch your local TV nightly news?

Yes: 30%
No: 70%

Today’s Trivia

Who was the first U.S. president born west of the Mississippi?