News Of The Week Roundup: Week 51, 2021

I hope everyone had a nice holiday yesterday and happy Kwanzaa to those who celebrate! A short news roundup today, simply because I didn't follow many stories last week. I was just too busy with work and getting ready for Christmas.

Today marks the start of Kwanzaa, also spelled Kwanza (with one 'a' at the end). The celebration lasts until January 1. https://t.co/AyApeN5H9h

— CNN (@CNN) December 26, 2021

Some breaking news today - Desmond Tutu has died. He was a pioneer in the fight against apartheid. The world will miss him.

Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle against the system of white domination known as apartheid, died Dec. 26 in Cape Town. He was 90. https://t.co/cLUCGeA1Ir

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 26, 2021

For the first time in two decades, no troops were deployed during Christmas because of war in Afghanistan. Thanks Biden. Thanks Trump.

Re-upping this work of deployed Marine Corps ingenuity. For the first time in 20 years, no deployed US troops marking Christmas in Afghanistan. https://t.co/C7P2hXln1D

— Hope Hodge Seck (@HopeSeck) December 24, 2021

The U.S. economy grew more than expected in the third quarter.

New: US economy expanded at an annualized rate of 2.3% between July and September - a slightly faster pace than the 2.1% previously reported.

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) December 22, 2021

Cases of COVID-19 Omicron are exploding across the world. When you go into an indoor public place, wear a mask, but choose a better one than handmade cloth. Get an n95 or kn95.

Holiday travel is happening, despite Omicron. If you want to travel responsibly, here are some strategies you can follow. https://t.co/ph95Sln9W8 pic.twitter.com/xQ2Ls5YtWe

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 26, 2021

Daily Covid cases have now exceeded all previous waves in UK and EU.

The contagiousness of Omicron. pic.twitter.com/K5pFEB8Zxw

— Vincent Rajkumar (@VincentRK) December 26, 2021

And I leave you with this - shut up and take my money!

AEROSMITH: 'On Tour: 1973-1985' Book Now Available https://t.co/U2lMR36jGH pic.twitter.com/Ms0LiekZaS

— BLABBERMOUTH.NET (@BLABBERMOUTHNET) December 23, 2021

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 49, 2021

We're rounding the corner to the end of the year. This past week had lots of crazy news. The saddest news has to be the horrible tornado outbreak overnight Friday into Saturday. December tornadoes are rare but they do happen. Of course, tornadoes don't usually cross into four states, causing mass destruction everywhere. Mayfield, Kentucky took the brunt of the devastation. This video shows the town just leveled:

This pretty much sums it up in :19. #Mayfield #MayfieldTornado #KyWx #WX pic.twitter.com/IcPL4XGtPS

— WxChasing- Brandon Clement (@bclemms) December 11, 2021

Latest info from NWS Paducah regarding the #Mayfield Tornado. It is at least an EF-3 with a width of 3/4 of a mile. Because it appears this may be higher end tornado (EF-4 or EF-5), they are sending experts and engineers Monday to help with the survey.https://t.co/rwPT6HyYAN pic.twitter.com/dychqBfN1v

— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) December 12, 2021

"I know we've lost more than 80 Kentuckians. That number is going to exceed more than 100. This is the deadliest tornado event we've ever had," says Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on the tornado aftermath. https://t.co/wVBWOeoDSG #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/OgEjXrnejm

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) December 12, 2021

Some nut set fire to the Fox News Christmas tree. Fox anchors freaked out and were a little over the top about it (the tree is not a symbol of freedom or Hanukkah) but the act of arson still sucks!

A 50-foot-tall Christmas tree outside the Fox News headquarters in New York City went up in flames. One man has been arrested, the police said. https://t.co/dYeIAvMA5A

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 8, 2021

The COVID-19 Omicron variant is spreading fast and will become the dominant variant in Europe as soon as this coming week. Get your booster if you haven't already.

Britain will accelerate its coronavirus vaccine booster program to counter the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. “No one should be in any doubt: There is a tidal wave of Omicron coming.” https://t.co/55Q74VRZpD

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 12, 2021

BREAKING: UK raises COVID-19 Alert Level from 3 to 4, citing Omicron threat

— BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) December 12, 2021

Israel issues travel ban for UK, Belgium, and Denmark due to Omicron, meaning citizens are not allowed to travel there

— BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) December 12, 2021

Sleep is one of the most important components of overall health. If you don't prioritize sleep, I suggest you make changes to do so. If I don't get enough sleep, I have trouble focusing on work, running well and am just irritable. Good sleep makes me function better overall and hate people less. Extra points if you can get your cat to sleep at the foot of the bed with you too!

Insufficient sleep can have widespread damaging effects on physical and mental health, including increased risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and Type 2 diabetes, a growing body of evidence suggests. https://t.co/gMgY0ZK3oE

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 12, 2021

In the "turnabout's fair play" column, this from California:

SCOTUS is letting private citizens in Texas sue to stop abortion?!

If that's the precedent then we'll let Californians sue those who put ghost guns and assault weapons on our streets.

If TX can ban abortion and endanger lives, CA can ban deadly weapons of war and save lives. https://t.co/N5Iur9PEUZ

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) December 12, 2021

California Gov. @GavinNewsom says he intends to use the creative method behind the Texas anti-abortion law, which the conservative-dominated US Supreme Court has declined to block, to pursue new laws cracking down on the manufacture, distribution and sale of assault weapons. pic.twitter.com/nTMW3VuvKj

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) December 12, 2021

And I leave you with this:

Anti-Jacketers Rally Outside Burlington Coat Factory To Protest Liberal Cold Weather Conspiracy https://t.co/HynC8dA2iQ pic.twitter.com/PwPXybjwdl

— The Onion (@TheOnion) December 8, 2021

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 48, 2021

Some breaking news today: Bob Dole has died. The 98 year old former Republican Senator lead a long life with a pretty big political career. He was the 1996 Republican presidential nominee.

Bob Dole was a man to be admired by Americans. He had an unerring sense of integrity and honor. May God bless him, and may our nation draw upon his legacy of decency, dignity, good humor, and patriotism for all time.

— President Biden (@POTUS) December 5, 2021

Senator Bob Dole was a war hero, a political leader, and a statesman—with a career and demeanor harkening back to a day when members of the Greatest Generation abided by a certain code, putting country over party. Our thoughts are with Elizabeth and the Dole family.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 5, 2021

BREAKING: Former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole died Sunday morning in his sleep, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation said. He was 98. https://t.co/n0e4scQGFp pic.twitter.com/YPiNcuIysF

— ABC News (@ABC) December 5, 2021

Here's some fresh hell: just what the world needs. More Russian warmongering.

JUST IN: U.S. warns of possible Russian invasion of Ukraine with 175,000 troops as soon as January https://t.co/iCsuorpfpZ

— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 4, 2021

The Omicron COVID-19 variant continues to spread. It's been positively identified in most U.S. states at this point and other major western nations, so it's pretty safe to assume it's everywhere with any significant population by now. Big group events still seem to lead to many infections. Who knew?

Minnesota man with Omicron met about 35 friends at Anime NYC and about half of them have since tested positive for COVID - WaPo

— BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) December 4, 2021

Omicron possibly more infectious because it shares genetic code with common cold coronavirus, study says https://t.co/nWyTJQ3Sow

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 4, 2021

Another school shooting in America, this time in Michigan. Ethan Crumbley allegedly killed four classmates and injured others. He surrendered alive and is now in jail. His parents bought him a gun, despite calls from Ethan's school about troubling behavior. Then the parents fled and caused a manhunt and they are in jail too. Such a sad and odd story.

BREAKING: A Michigan teenager was charged with murder, terrorism and other charges for a shooting that killed four fellow students and injured others at Oxford High School, about 30 miles north of Detroit. Ethan Crumbley, 15, is charged as an adult. https://t.co/ZjOdIzUuZ7

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 1, 2021

Breaking: Accused Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, have each been charged with four counts of homicide involuntary manslaughter.

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) December 3, 2021

I leave you this - and note His Royal Highness is absolutely correct here:

Prince William says AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' is his favourite Monday morning track to help him "get back into the grind of the week". So, what's yours? We'd love you to email today@bbc.co.uk and let us know which song, and why... https://t.co/P6CBqWFdGi

— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) December 5, 2021

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 46, 2021

Boy howdy it felt like a long week. Maybe because the holiday season is coming or that most of my coworkers were out of the office. At any rate, it was just... long. The weekend has been pretty boring and today I've had a crazy bad headache/earache combo, so that's always fun.

Axl Rose lost his sweet kitty this week. Dexter was 14 according to a photo posted on Twitter. I think Axl was a little surprised at the outpouring of support. It seems that no matter how divided people are, everyone can come together over the shared love of pets. Losing them is the worst.

pic.twitter.com/Xnz3ehqKuy

— Axl Rose (@axlrose) November 17, 2021

Thank you to everyone for all the kind words n’ support w/Dexy’s passing, it means a lot. N’ thank you to all the animal lovers who shared their stories of losing a friend/family member. Good friends r hard to find n’ we’re all lucky when we find them (or they find us!)🐾👑

— Axl Rose (@axlrose) November 20, 2021

The Kyle Rittenhouse trial came to an end and he was acquitted as most people expected. My husband watched the entire trial on Court TV. He finds trials fascinating and they typically bore me to tears. Regardless of the verdict, Rittenhouse still killed two people and maimed a third. Maybe people should pump the breaks on lauding him a hero and offering him fancy congressional internships? This is sort of an interesting take on the whole situation. I never thought of this until I saw it pass by my Twitter feed:

Am I the only person who wants every woman who is in prison for killing her abuser and/or rapist in self-defense released based on the #KyleRittenhouse verdict?

— Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) November 21, 2021

This article from Scientific American is fascinating. It points out that many COVID-19 sufferers have early symptoms that impact the eyes and ears.

More than 10 percent of people who get COVID develop some type of eye or ear symptom, and they can persist for a long time. The first signs of illness might include irritated eyes, hearing problems or balance issues. https://t.co/arcZPjV1Da

— Scientific American (@sciam) November 21, 2021

People are traveling in the highest numbers since the pandemic began - just in time for Thanksgiving.

2.2 million people went through airport security in the U.S. on Friday, the highest since the pandemic began - TSA

— BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) November 20, 2021

Protests in Europe over new vaccine mandates and lockdown measures, too:

Belgian riot policemen disperse protesters as clashes erupt during a demonstration against COVID-19 measures. https://t.co/ymJ6Y55kNV pic.twitter.com/XoW9UqOeun

— ABC News (@ABC) November 21, 2021

The House passed the Build Back Better act - it now goes to the Senate to be passed around for a zillion months. The act is one of Joe Biden's signature pieces of legislation.

.@SpeakerPelosi: "The Build Back Better Bill is passed."

The House of Representatives passes President Biden's Social Spending Plan. The bill goes now to the U.S. Senate. pic.twitter.com/zxTxPCPz70

— CSPAN (@cspan) November 19, 2021

and 90 percent of chattering class said Biden could never get this done.

— Jennifer 'pro-voting' Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) November 19, 2021

One of my bucket list items is to go on a hot air balloon ride. Here's an interesting article about the first such balloon.

The first crewed hot air balloon flight was completed #OTD in 1783. But the promise of ballooning had some issues: Maintaining altitude was difficult. Impossible to steer & vulnerable to strong winds. Open flames and fabric were a bad combination. https://t.co/cJD3eShQ4w

— JSTOR Daily (@JSTOR_Daily) November 21, 2021

And I leave you with this on football Sunday:

Self-Conscious NFL Referee Practices Raising Both Arms In Front Of Bathroom Mirror Before Game https://t.co/Sm4Kian5Vr pic.twitter.com/lHxeXx8pJ2

— The Onion (@TheOnion) November 21, 2021

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 45, 2021

Another week down, another week of big news.

Another person has died as a result of the Travis Scott - Astroworld concert stampede. The death total stands at nine.

22-year old Texas A&M University senior
Bharti Shahani has died after her injuries sustained at Astroworld, according to the family attorney.
9th death. pic.twitter.com/fx8TQESI6m

— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) November 11, 2021

Lawsuits against Travis Scott are mounting.

The plaintiff are seeking over $1 million each from rappers Travis Scott and Drake the rapper, as well as 11 other entities connected to the event.https://t.co/fX9otsFdyy

— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) November 13, 2021

Britney Spears is officially freed from her abusive conservatorship!

Breaking: Britney Spears’ conservatorship is over, an L.A. judge ruled today, ending a court-imposed oversight that has controlled her money and personal life for nearly 14 years. https://t.co/HI12v5fKpG

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 12, 2021

After leveling off for awhile, COVID-19 cases in America are on the rise again. Things are bad in Europe as the region goes through yet another wave. Lockdowns are happening again in many places, including Austria. Gene Simmons has some thoughts:

Gene Simmons rips anti-vaxxers: "If you're willing to walk among us unvaccinated, you are an enemy" https://t.co/R2XUUFP0hH pic.twitter.com/33h8i2h3C4

— The Hill (@thehill) November 11, 2021

U.S. COVID update: Daily cases rise for 7 days in a row

- New cases: 45,791
- Average: 81,447 (+2,167)
- In hospital: 45,810 (+94)
- In ICU: 11,670 (+38)
- New deaths: 453
- Average: 1,159 (+14)

More data: https://t.co/YDZSbYO7l7

— BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) November 14, 2021

The situation at the border between Poland and Belarus is a powder-keg. Unreal scenes of immigration and desperate families trapped. 

Belarus has launched a hybrid war on Poland and Europe, using migrants as weapons. In response, Poland has created not just a humanitarian crisis but moral, legal, and administrative chaos. https://t.co/ipuA1w4tyv

— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) November 13, 2021

Steve Bannon was indicted by a federal grand jury for contempt of Congress. The charges are from the congressional inquiry into the January 6th insurrection. This one is a big deal and something to watch.

DOJ: Stephen K. Bannon Indicted for Contempt of Congress pic.twitter.com/9Cse0gL5PV

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 12, 2021

This is horrific - a California fertility clinic mixed up embryos and women carried the wrong babies, gave birth, breastfed them, bonded... and then found out they had the wrong child. Now, one couple is suing the clinic.

Daphna and Alexander Cardinale are the latest alleged victims of an IVF mixup. The couple say they were ‘devastated’ to learn the baby they had given birth to was not theirs—and that their own child was being raised by strangers. https://t.co/5xrfh7EIKf

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) November 8, 2021

Sorry the country - well, world - was ruined by the opioid crisis. Apparently we have to protect our rich overlords. The historic lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson was thrown out by an Oklahoma judge.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has overturned a $465 million opioid ruling against Johnson & Johnson. It's another blow to a legal argument that governments across the U.S. are using in trying to hold the drug industry accountable for the opioid epidemic. https://t.co/Xgfasxzv0L

— The Associated Press (@AP) November 10, 2021

Speaker of the House aside, this is the most over-the-top, extravagant, expensive wedding (or event) I think I've ever read about. There is a photo gallery with 100 pictures. I have no idea who any of the people are, including the bride and groom, but good grief! I love fashion, so I was drawn to the story to look at pictures of the clothes people wore. Ivy Getty's gown is pretty impressive but that headpiece is ghastly. No offense to Galliano.

Nancy Pelosi officiated, Earth Wind & Fire performed, and Anya Taylor-Joy led the dance floor at Ivy Getty's over-the-top wedding in San Francisco https://t.co/xBZUJyztYY pic.twitter.com/AgTFmeTHXW

— Vogue Runway (@VogueRunway) November 8, 2021

And I leave you with this: 'Squid Game' (Netflix) is one of the best shows I've watched in years. I do not read much fiction anymore, but when I do it is mostly dystopian, so no surprise I really enjoyed this Korean series. Definitely watch - but it is not kid friendly at all.

More Netflix viewers watched dubbed versions of the South Korean drama “Squid Game” than subtitled versions. We met one of the show’s English-language voice actors to see how dubbing foreign content is fueling the streaming giant’s growth. https://t.co/Sx0bcyQf3o

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) November 13, 2021

Squid Game to return for season two, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk says https://t.co/yVH6Oc5B5t

— The Guardian (@guardian) November 10, 2021

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 43, 2021

Happy Halloween! It seemed like another busy week of news, but I feel like I'm living Groundhog Day again. Both Eric and I could not keep track of what day it was all last week. We both took Friday off after feeling just... fried. Working a lot coupled with an endless home improvement project and the changing season meaning cold and rainy weather has just left the both of us feeling blah. I also have had some really terrible insomnia, which is pretty rare for me. I can typically sleep like a champ but I swear I've been up all hours the past few days. Eventually that starts to make you feel nuts.

The FRIENDS reunion a few months ago was a big deal for me. James Michael Tyler played Central Perk manager Gunther on the show. Tyler participated in the reunion but was not on set with the rest of the cast. It came out later that he was suffering from cancer and pretty sick. He died a few days ago.

James Michael Tyler, best known for playing Gunther on "Friends," has died. He was 59.https://t.co/HoH18PerAK

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) October 24, 2021

Some kook decided to assault an American Airlines flight attendant. The employee suffered a broken nose and now the FBI is investigating. I swear I have no desire to fly right now - or anytime soon. For me to say that is a big deal. I am someone who actively collects airline miles and points. I typically take a few vacations each year and I always fly. I just do not have the appetite for it right now.

JUST IN: American Airlines says a coast-to-coast flight just diverted to Denver after a passenger *physically assaulted* a flight attendant. Police met flight 976 at the gate, then "removed and apprehended the passenger."

— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) October 28, 2021

JUST IN: A source familiar with the details of the American Airlines flight attendant assault tells me “the attack was unprovoked.” The passenger went to the back of the plane and punched the flight attendant twice in the face and broke her nose.

— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) October 28, 2021

The company Facebook is rebranding as Meta but the social network will still be "Facebook." I swear, the memes write themselves sometimes.

Breaking News: Facebook will change its corporate name to Meta, with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp remaining under the Meta umbrella. With his company under fire for a host of issues, Mark Zuckerberg said the change was part of a bet on the "metaverse." https://t.co/lFQmkKerMf

— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 28, 2021

Climate change is still a thing... and only getting worse. The amount of extreme weather events this year alone is pretty sobering. Some photos:

Climate change in 2021 has reshaped life on Earth. @AP photos show the changed landscapes and devastation deadly floods, fires, heat waves and storms have caused in communities worldwide. https://t.co/xG15QarLDN

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 30, 2021

The pandemic is still a thing, too. COVID-19 keeps claiming lives, although new daily cases are finally dropping in America.

BREAKING: Deaths from COVID-19 pandemic reach 5 million

— BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) October 30, 2021

U.S. COVID update:

- New cases: 90,296
- Average: 72,070 (+220)
- In hospital: 48,567 (-525)
- In ICU: 13,297 (-131)
- New deaths: 2,061
- Average: (-21)

More data: https://t.co/YDZSbYO7l7

— BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) October 30, 2021

And I leave you with this breaking news: the upcoming KISS residency in Las Vegas is now canceled. Apparently tickets sales just were not good. Something was definitely off because you know Gene Simmons never turns down money.

KISS's Las Vegas Residency Has Been Canceled https://t.co/3pJtdHAfr9 pic.twitter.com/rVfPeH8oC8

— BLABBERMOUTH.NET (@BLABBERMOUTHNET) October 30, 2021

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 41, 2021

So I thought, "Oh, this must be some of that fake news." I checked several news sources and it is sadly real: some Rhode Island Subway restaurant employee walked on food, placed cold cuts on a toilet seat and more... to gain social media followers. The guy was fired and $200 deducted from his last paycheck for damages but big deal. He should be prosecuted.

Subway worker seen WALKING on food and putting cold cuts on the toilet RIM https://t.co/ads3hcLxXi

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) October 16, 2021

This is just good basic information for everyone. Have some things ready in case of disaster:

Do you know where your flashlight is? How about a map? Disasters can strike without warning, so having emergency supplies is important. https://t.co/hPtMxBOpAL

— Big Think (@bigthink) October 12, 2021

This is horrific: a British MP named David Amess was stabbed to death while meeting constituents last week. Apparently, the stabbing was terrorism.

Conservative MP Sir David Amess dies after being stabbed at his constituency surgery in Essex, UK https://t.co/cTmjMXkGr4

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) October 15, 2021

"Our hearts are shattered" - the family of Essex MP Sir David Amess call on people to "set aside hatred" https://t.co/R4GH8SyJRL

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) October 17, 2021

Heartbreaking to hear that Sir David Amess has died. He gave his voice for cats and I thank him for his service. pic.twitter.com/gjjOW0CZEb

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) October 15, 2021

In COVID-19 news... the vaccine is still saving lives. Imagine that!

NEW: Unvaccinated adults face an 11 times higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than fully vaccinated adults, according to new CDC data

— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) October 15, 2021

COVID cases are dropping in the U.S. which is great news! Seems that cases are on the rise again in the UK. Russia is currently facing a bad wave, too.

U.S. COVID update: Daily cases continue to drop for nearly a month

- New cases: 36,979
- Average: 84,130 (-874)
- In hospital: 57,962 (-1,044)
- In ICU: 15,865 (-218)
- New deaths: 573
- Average: 1,583 (+3)

More data: https://t.co/YDZSbYO7l7

— BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) October 17, 2021

Former President Bill Clinton was released from the hospital today. He spent much of the week in a California ICU for a sepsis infection. The sepsis came from a UTI.

Statement from Dr. Alpesh N. Amin, Chair, Department of Medicine and Executive Director, Hospital Medicine at UC Irvine Health, who has been overseeing the team of doctors treating President Clinton pic.twitter.com/n3mJHesjfC

— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) October 17, 2021

A U.S. Capitol Police Officer is now charged with obstruction for his role in the deadly insurrection on January 6, 2021. The federal investigation into the attack is now the largest in U.S. history.

New:

U.S. Capitol Police Office Michael Angelo Riley, who spent more than 25 years with USCP, has been charged with obstruction of justice in connection with Jan. 6. pic.twitter.com/BOr2z8Wy7N

— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) October 15, 2021

And I leave you with this: a recommendation to listen to the Maintenance Phase podcast. I cannot express how much I love this show and the hosts Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes. Smart, fresh and debunking junk wellness science every episode.

Well this is extremely fun and flattering! Huge thanks to @vulture for this lovely writeup.

I'm still blown away that so many of you all listen, share, and find value in the show. Thank you so much for all of it. It's such a treat to make for you all.https://t.co/fvr5PSJq0g

— Aubrey Gordon (she/her/hers) (@yrfatfriend) October 8, 2021