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

Comments

[Jack T. Ripper]

Rittenhouse IS a HERO!

[London]

Very Ted Lasso that last NFL referee story. I've one episode left in season 2, realizing my kid's Tmobile account gets free AppleTV for a year.

[Jack T. Ripper]

Hopefully the Build Back Broke Bill Dies on the Senate Floor. That thing is Stuffed With way too much Pork! Stay Strong 💪🏼 Cinema snd Manchin!

[Jack T. Ripper]

One of my clients had Tourettes Syndrome up until the age 16. She is now 43. Two days after getting the jab her Tourettes is back and she is completely destroyed. Unrelated???? She doesn’t feel that way. It’s very sad.

[Steve]

Rittenhouse will become a very rich man for the ringer everyone put him thru.

[Jack T. Ripper]

@ Steve…. He deserves every penny. Hopefully he sues biden for defamation of Character. You would have thought the corrupt media would have learned with Nicholaus Sandmann.

[Mike]

I do not live in the USA, which may explain how I have a different view on the Rittenhouse thing...

I see an entitled little a$$wipe who wanted to play tough guy and got in over his head. Had no business being there, and should have been sentenced to manslaughter x3 at the least; but I guess they take care of their own in Wisconsin.

Why would anyone call him a hero? Who did he save??? 3 people are dead, they didn't get their big fancy trial and opportunity to cry like a little girl in front of the jury.

I agree that the kid does indeed have some things coming to him, I just don't necessarily think it will be a big payday... Karma doesn't work that way.

[Jack T. Ripper]

@ Mike… Let me clear up a few things for you, since you do not live In The United States. Obviously didn’t watch even a second of the trial. You say Rittenhouse is entitled? False! Lower income working divorced family. He had no business being there? Kenosha is 15 minutes from his home. Hie worked in Kenosha, his Father lived in Kenosha and owners of the car dealership asked him to help protect their property. The night before a car dealership two blocks over was burned to the ground as Police had the stand down order from the Mayor. 2?of The three Rioters also did not live in Kenosha.Rittenhouse did not bring a weapon across state lines and by Wisconsin law he was within his rights to have the rifle. Unlike Grosskreutz who was a convicted felon ( burglary assault illegal weapon possession) . He raised his weapon on video at Rittenhouses head. He is lucky he only lost his arm. 1 shot 1 Arm. Huber.. a convicted felon ( assault, domestic abuse, false imprisonment, illegal weapon) chased Rittenhouse hitting him over the head with a skateboard . 1 shot = Dead! Rosenbaum a convicted pedophile who raped 5 boys ages 5-11 ( a beautiful soul ) beat Rittenhouse and attempted to take his weapon. 1 shot = Dead. Rittenhouse is on video rendering first aid cleaning graffiti and putting out fires that the rioters were setting. He was there to protect his community while others were there to destroy it. He is a hero for removing two disgusting humans from from the planet. The country is a safer place because of him. The media and even the President told lies and defamed his character. He has a huge payday coming, and we’ll deserved. Next time do some research before spouting out stuff you have NO KNOWLEDGE OF. It will ensure you don’t say things that make you sound uninformed.

[fletch]

@Mike ...Let me be clearer.

Jack T. Ripper has gotten all of his talking points from the likes of Tucker Carlson. Trust me, as a citizen of the United States of America, I'm just as befuddled as you. This isn't the Country I was taught to love and believe in.

After 4 years and Biden's election, I started to believe that a page was turning. Then January 6th, then (everything in between) and now this.

If there's a positive to come after this verdict, is that Trump's Federal judges are sentencing those deplorable insurrectionists to jail time and asking them, "What's wrong with you?"

[Mike]

Hi Jack,

Thanks for the lengthy response. I will address a few things you touched on, using paragraph breaks for legibility.

I mentioned not living in the USA, and having a different perspective, because I'm not involved in the "my side vs your side" dynamic which seems to pre-delegate a point of view on alot of these issues in recent years. I do not feel the obligation to call someone "hero" or "traitor" based on what "my side" is broadcasting.

I do not believe that having a sense of entitlement is inherently associated with one's financial standing or social class.

I did say that he had no business being there, not because of the geographical proximity of his home to the incident. I say this because he put himself into a situation he was not equipped to manage. He isn't the police, riot control, or military. He was just one more troublemaker in a volatile and confusing environment.

Did he fear for his safety at the time of these murders? Sure I will buy that. But again, he had no business being there, and only contributed to that chaos. We don't get to hear about weather or not the victims feared for THEIR safety first, seeing this kid waving around an assault rifle.

The victims may or may not have been "disgusting humans", either way it's not for Kyle Rittenhouse to decide who is the enemy of America, and it is not up to Kyle Rittenhouse to serve as judge jury and executioner.

You know what else Rittenhouse is on video doing? Punching a girl. Many would call him a "disgusting human" for this action. But that is a completely different incident form this case and not directly relevant to his shooting 3 people. See how that works?

Finally, I would argue that the country is not a safer place because of him. If anything, it sends the message that vigilantism comes with no consequence, as long as you are wearing red-white-and-blue crocs.

All in all, it's a crappy situation, and one that is evidently causing more division in an already polarized world. But I will stand behind my assessment that this is no hero, he didn't save anything.

[fletch]

I stole thee above and have a masters from bryn mawr

go figure

[Jack T. Ripper]

@Fletch… Lol. I watched the whole trial. Didn’t watch the Tucker Carlson special. Defending those 3 pieces of 💩 is all I need to know about you. No worries guy, Biden is such a disaster 2022 is going to be beautiful and 2024 will be your nightmare.

[Jack T. Ripper]

@Mike…. The Left keeps pushing to defund the police. The result more people will be defending themselves and more instances like this will continue to happen. Any time someone kills a Savage who raped 5 little boys, I will being calling him a HERO!

[fletch]

@Jack T. Ripper

After every second amendment supreme court case. It's been well established that if you're no longer in danger, the 2nd amendment no longer applies. Kyle Rittenhouse's first murder was a gun shot through that vile specimen's hip, rendering him immobile. Second shot, hit the pavement and ricochets into his leg. Third shot grazes his scalp.

Kyle Rittenhouse's fourth shot, HIS KILL SHOT, penetrates his heart.

I thought Kid Rock knew the difference.

[Jack T. Ripper]

fletch… you are right about 1 thing though, this isn’t the Country I fought for and Love. I in know way condone the violence on Jan 6. Although I don’t refer to it as an insurrection. Those people still deserve due process. They shouldn’t be held without bail. Especially when for a year and half people were posting Bail for the Burning Looting and Murdering. This is not how the Constitution works.

[Him]

Yikes. I knew it when I decided to click. I knew it!!!

Keep on keeping on, all you mighty pundits. HIm is taking a knee (or a bow, or whatever) on this one. Geesh.

And, Mike, to be fair, if you bait the hook . . . even if I think your POV fits with a lot of people who aren't on that hook, so to speak.