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Welcome to the BLUNT Newsletter, your direct access to pop culture that is short and to the point.

CANNABIS

The History of 4/20

The beginnings of the term "420" and its associated date were historically unclear. There were theories suggesting it was a police code for marijuana possession or linked to Bob Dylan's song "Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35," which features the chorus "Everybody must get stoned"—notably, multiplying 12 by 35 equals 420.

The commonly accepted origin story dates back to the 1970s, when a group of friends from San Rafael High School in Marin County, just north of San Francisco, known as "the Waldos," came into the picture. According to lore, one of their friend’s brothers, concerned about being caught for cultivating a cannabis patch in the nearby Point Reyes woods, sketched a map and allowed the teenagers to gather the plants.

The Waldos have preserved postmarked letters and various items from the 1970s that mention "420," now securely stored in a bank vault. When the term was included in the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017, these documents were referenced as some of the earliest known instances of its use.

This Year’s Top 420 Meal Deals

Del Taco: 8 Snack Tacos for $4.20

Popeye’s: The $4.20 Chicken Sandwich deal and Munchies Menu offerings are available again this year through the Popeyes smartphone app or at Popeyes.com for mobile order pickup and delivery.

Smashburger: On April 20, Smashburger is offering 4 Classic Smash Singles fur $20 so you can split the deal with your entourage.

Wingstop: Available April 18-21, 2024, the Flavor Experts are bringing back the Wingstop Hot Box, featuring their newest strain of T.H.C. (The Hot Chili) Rub*. The cooked-to-order Wingstop Hot Box will spark up fans’ taste buds with their choice of the iconic chicken sandwich, 8-piece classic or boneless wings or 3-piece tenders.

Jimmy John’s: The Deliciously Dope Dime Bag comes with everything you need to celebrate: a tasty meal and a rolling tray, all for $10.

Fatburger: All-American burger chain Fatburger has “a blunt approach to 4/20 this year” with the return of its $4.20 Original Fatburger—for one day only on April 20.

Gopuff + Ben & Jerry’s: In celebration of 4/20, Gopuff and Ben & Jerry’s are teaming up to offer customers more of what they love at insanely low prices. The holiday will bring some of the deepest-ever discounts for Ben & Jerry’s on Gopuff– while supplies last: Pints for only $4.20 all day on 4/20 for all Gopuff users. $1 Half Baked pints at 4:20pm on 4/20 for FAM members.

NEWS

Congress is fast-tracking legislation to crack down on TikTok, setting up passage of a law this month.

Mortgage rates have soared above 7%, and March witnessed the most significant monthly decline in home sales in over a year, placing renewed strain on the housing market.

A ‘Devil’ comet about to reach peak visibility. The bright green comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, also known as the “devil” and “mother of dragons,” will reach peak visibility soon.

As the comet approaches the sun, its brightness has been increasing, and it is expected to potentially reach a magnitude of 4.5 by April 21. In astronomy, brightness is assessed using magnitude, where a lower or more negative number signifies higher brightness. For comparison, the full moon glows at a magnitude of -13, while the sun is at -27. It will appear close to the west-north-west horizon in the Northern Hemisphere, and will be best visible right after sunset with a telescope or binoculars.

Columbine High School, 25 years ago today. On April 20, 1999, in Columbine, Colorado, when two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher before taking their own lives. It was a deeply shocking and tragic event that spurred conversations about gun violence, school safety, and mental health support.

Max Azzarello, an investigative researcher, set himself on fire outside of Donald Trump's trial in New York City as a form of protest against what he believes is an impending "apocalyptic fascist world coup" orchestrated by governments and their allies. He has now died.

SPORTS

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark reportedly nears over $20M deal with Nike.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed reports on Saturday that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned drug ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but it accepted the country's findings it was due to substance contamination.

The Boston Celtics are the current favorites to be the 2024 NBA Champions with +170 odds.

POP CULTURE

50 Cent just launched his 956,000 square feet film studio which is now the second biggest black owned production studio in the world.

User Chris Brown's new diss track, "Weakest Link," aimed at Quavo, has stirred a significant reaction online, with fans expressing shock and disbelief over its content. A specific line from the song, "Crazy how when he died, everybody wished it was you instead," has sparked a wave of emotional responses, with numerous fans quoting and referencing it in their social media posts. This event highlights the ongoing interest in celebrity feuds and the impact of music on public sentiment.

Grammy-winning singer and 'American Idol' alum, Mandisa, passed away at her Nashville home on April 18, 2023, at the age of 47.

BUSINESS

Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon is alleged to have created a fictitious company named Big River Services International to monitor competitors like Walmart, eBay, and FedEx.

Tesla is recalling all 3,878 Cybertrucks that it has shipped to date, due to a problem where the accelerator pedal can get stuck, putting drivers at risk of a crash

Google fired over two dozen employees following sit-in protests at its offices in New York and California over its cloud-computing deal with Israel.

That's all for now! We hope you enjoyed this edition of the BLUNT Newsletter. Have a fantastic rest of your day!