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VA Backtracks on V-J Day Photo Ban

VA Backtracks on V-J Day Photo Ban

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
March 06, 2024

Good morning and happy Wednesday! Government data says close to 30M people nationwide believe they have a substance abuse issue. But many are concerned seeking treatment could force them to abandon their pets. Pawsitive Recovery, a Colorado-based group, works to find foster homes for the animals so their owners can get the help they need and then be reunited to continue their recovery. The group hopes to go national soon. Have a great day.

In Today’s Brief

Liberty U: Pays historic fine
Cuba: Unprecedented UN ask
Trump: Dominant night on Super Tuesday
Markets: Rough day before Powell speaks
Simona Halep: Doping ban reduced

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Memo mayhem

The Department of Veteran Affairs has rescinded an agency ban on the famous Times Square kiss photo at the end of World War II.

What happened: An internal memo by an assistant undersecretary last week instructed the removal of the iconic 1945 V-J Day photo of a sailor kissing a woman from all VA facilities. The memo said the kiss was not consensual, making the image inconsistent with VA policy toward sexual harassment and assault.
The backtrack: VA Secretary Denis McDonough tweeted the photo would not be banned after the memo generated backlash on social media. The memo was authentic, but McDonough did not order it and never signed off on its release. The White House also said the photo will not be banned.
The background: The sailor believed to be in the Alfred Eisenstaedt photo, George Mendonsa, did not know Greta Friedman, who claimed to be the woman he kissed. Friedman said in an interview that he randomly grabbed and kissed her during the celebration; the two made public appearances together before their deaths.

2) Cookies and committees

President Joe Biden has launched a new effort to lower consumer prices, and a Sesame Street character is tangentially involved.

What happened: The White House has launched a multi-agency task force led by the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission. The objective is to stop "unfair and illegal" corporate pricing.
Cookie Monster? Yes, Cookie Monster. The Muppet "tweeted" a complaint about shrinkflation -- when companies sell less of a product for the same price -- causing his favorite snacks to be smaller. The White House and other politicians interacted with the social media post and Biden referenced it yesterday.
Big picture: Biden argued corporate pricing has held consumers back from seeing the impacts of cooler inflation. He desperately needs voters to agree with his economic perspective as he seeks re-election.

3) A college try

Dartmouth University's men's basketball players became the first college sports team to unionize yesterday.

What happened: The program voted by a 13-2 margin to join a local SEIU chapter already representing workers on the Ivy League school's campus in New Hampshire. The vote happened after an NRLB regional official ruled the players are school employees.
Next steps: Dartmouth has appealed the initial decision to the full NRLB; it could also file an objection to the election. Dartmouth claims the players are students, not employees, and unionization could force it to leave the Ivy League and NCAA.
Big picture: The eventual outcome could change the already-shifting college sports landscape forever. The NRLB is also hearing a complaint arguing USC football and basketball players should also be declared employees of the NCAA and the school's conference.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

Liberty University in Virginia will pay a $14M fine for failing to disclose campus crime data, including incidents of sexual assault. It is the largest fine ever levied by the Department of Justice under the Clery Act (More)
A San Diego man faces the first-ever charges for smuggling greenhouse gases into the U.S. Michael Hart allegedly brought air conditioning and refrigeration compounds over the Mexican border and sold them for profit, violating federal law (More)
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was hit with a dozen new conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges. Menendez is accused of participating in a long-term bribery scheme to advance the interests of Egypt and Qatar (More)

World News

Cuba has requested assistance from the United Nations' food program as the island nation grapples with shortages. It is the first time the communist government has ever officially asked for international help (More)
President Biden said a pre-Ramadan ceasefire in the Gaza war is in Hamas' hands. Israel has boycotted recent negotiations, but has reportedly agreed to a deal (More)
Hungary will oppose outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's candidacy for NATO Secretary General. Rutte has the support of the U.S., UK, Germany and France, but faces Eastern European skeptics (More)

Campaign News

Former President Donald Trump dominated the Super Tuesday GOP primaries last night. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley scored an upset win in Vermont (More)
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will not seek a second term. Sinema was elected as a Democrat in 2018 and became an independent in 2022; the seat is critical in the race for control of the chamber (More)
California Rep. Adam Schiff and former MLB star Steve Garvey advanced in the state’s top-2 Senate primary. Schiff, a Democrat, will be a heavy favorite in the fall (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed down again yesterday. The Dow Jones was down over 400 points and the Nasdaq lost over 250 (Dow -1.04%, Nasdaq -1.65%, S&P 500 -1.02%).
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will testify before the House today. Markets will be looking for more clarity on when interest rate cuts may occur; Powell meets with the Senate tomorrow (More)
An environmental group claimed responsibility for a fire at Tesla's factory in Germany. Operations have halted at the electric vehicle manufacturer’s Berlin location due to the suspected arson (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Former world No. 1 tennis player Simona Halep's four-year doping suspension was reduced to nine months. The past U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion can return to competition immediately (More)
Disgraced former WWE chairman Vince McMahon sold over $400M of his TKO stock. McMahon still owns about 9% of the company, which runs the professional wrestling circuit and UFC (More)
Arch Manning will not have his likeness in EA Sports' upcoming college football video game. The Texas backup quarterback and nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning reportedly did not opt-in (More)

Quick Hitters

Fun Stuff: Facebook and Instagram were down yesterday. The outages sparked conspiracy theories and a whole bunch of jokes.
Be Safe: General Motors has now recalled over 800K pickup trucks after revising its initial recall. The trucks' tailgates could open while driving, increasing the risk of crashes and road hazards.
Take Note: Should you shower at night or in the morning? A doctor breaks down the pros and cons right here.
Go Deep: Victor Lussig sold Paris' Eiffel Tower twice. This sounds impressive, but it was actually just two of many scams perpetrated by a legendary con artist.
Life Hack: Restaurant reservations can be tricky. Here are some tips on how to make, change and cancel them.
OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes”

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