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CURRENT AFFAIRS

Yesterday I declared nothing much was happening around the world worthy of my time.  Today, okay, that was a gross minimization of the reality.  The world population will reach 8 billion in just about a year.  All kinds of things are occurring.  

For example, what about the shock that none of the defendants (whittled down to worst four) were convicted of the planned kidnap, trial and possible murder of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer!  Why?

  • Overly aggressive FBI informants.
  • Michigan law since 1931 provides for a mandatory life sentence for conspiracy to commit murder.
  • Perhaps a plot is not a conspiracy, but whatever, the defense did well.  Apparently this is indeed a free country and you can say almost anything you want.
  • The far right has stoked potential violence to a new normal.

How ballsy of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson walking around the ruins of Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  Wait a minute, isn't he about to be ditched because of the partygate scandal?  There have long been regular headlines about Johnson's demise, going back to How long will Boris Johnson be Prime Minister of UK? in the 24 July 2019 issue of Metro.  Well, betting polls now say only a one in four chance of that happening.  Why?  The Russian invasion of Ukraine today gets all the attention.  Being in that war-torn environment only further seals his longevity.  His next challenge will be how well his Tories do in local elections next month.

Jennifer Lopez is getting close to reaching Liz Taylor prominence, who was married eight times, twice to Richard Burton.
About Lopez, few remember that she got a late start in this game when she at 28 first got married to Ojani Noa, a restaurateur.   He gave her a $100,000 pear-shaped diamond ring.  Got divorced the following year.

In 2001 she married her backup dancer Cris Judd, receiving an emerald-cut diamond ring said to have a six-figure worth.  Relationship lasted only nine months.

Then came her first engagement to Ben Affleck in 2002, after meeting on the set of Gigli (Rotten Tomatoes 6/13...said to be one of the worst movie ever made).   This one came with a 6.1 carat pink diamond ring.
A short affair, where they became Bennifer.  During this period Marc Anthony was married to Miss Universe Dayanara Torres.  In that subsequent turmoil Lopez married Anthony in 2004, getting an 8.5 carat blue diamond costing $4 million.  Fraternal twins came, Max and Emme.
You ask, who is he?  Only the top selling tropical salsa music artist of all time and three-time Emmy winner.  His top hit is said to be Y Hubo Alguien.  

About Affleck, in the interim he was married to Jennifer Garner from 2005 to 2018, having three children.  He also won two Oscars

Big Democratic party contributor.  Rumors included he running for the Senate from Virginia, or Massachusetts.
After it was over with Anthony, she got engaged to former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.  He gave her a 16-carat emerald-cut diamond worth $1.8 million.  After two postponed marriage dates, they split in 2021 as friends.
In February 49-year old Ben sent 52-year old Jennifer a Valentine's Day video.  Last week Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck became engaged again.  This one resulted in a green diamond, 8.5 carats on a silver band with white diamonds on the side.  Could be worth as much as $10 million.  However, in 2016 the Aurora Green (left), only weighing 5.07 carats, sold for $16.8 million.
About the Salt Lake home I featured last week, there is a buyer and the process is in escrow.  However, these sometimes don't go through, so if you still want to bid, watch this Hawaii News Now feature.
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