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 44, 2021

Really a lot of big news happened over the past week but I am still most enthralled and enraged by the AstroWorld concert tragedy. Like, after people ran past the barricades and all security was toast - why did the show continue? Why didn't the promoters just insist everyone exit to be screened (or rescreened) before allowing any artist to perform? This would have kept out the unticketed people and reduced crowd numbers.

The horror and helplessness that unfolded at the Astroworld festival was captured in a graphic social media post by a woman who was trapped in the deadly crush, barely escaped, and tried to get help—only to have her pleas to stop the music go ignored. https://t.co/g4YUrxeCMG

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) November 7, 2021

The engineering student mentioned attended the University of Dayton - just like I did for grad school.

Absolutely heartbreaking. A 14-year-old baseball devotee, a high school junior who loved dancing, and an engineering student were among the eight people who died Friday at Travis Scott’s Astroworld music festival in Houston. https://t.co/W1CP9BMDKu

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) November 7, 2021

Astroworld was supposed to be a mind-blowing collection of top stars. No one would be admitted without proof of vaccination or a negative test for covid-19, organizers said. But any effort to control the crowd collapsed soon after the gates opened. https://t.co/8Fe0VRPFXy

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 7, 2021

‘They Weren’t Prepared’: Experts point to missed warning signs at Astroworld https://t.co/B5wlVN9tW8

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) November 7, 2021

It was finally infrastructure week in Washington, D.C. - a bipartisan $1.2T bill will be signed in to law this coming week. Lots of salty people (well, elected folks) and I'm just sitting over here glad that maybe some roads around my house will get fixed so I don't destroy my tires by accidentally hitting a pot hole on the way to Starbucks.

BREAKING: The House has passed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill https://t.co/L3pgsUFBmC

— Axios (@axios) November 6, 2021

Is it a full moon? I kind of agree with Bill Kristol!

So:
1. Infrastructure passed.
2. Employment & wages up.
3. Kids vaccinated & adults boosted.
Shouldn't Democrats make sure we hear a lot about these for rest of this year? If internecine fights about BBB would be distraction--put BBB on back burner.@Sen_JoeManchin @SenatorSinema

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) November 6, 2021

The sexual assault allegations against Marilyn Manson continue. The details in this story are pretty troubling.

Some who worked closely with Marilyn Manson said they never witnessed him behave violently. But others interviewed said that many bandmates, employees and executives ignored or failed to prevent misconduct. (Warning: details in this story are graphic) https://t.co/he4D8PcwiP

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 6, 2021

This could be literally life changing: an experimental drug for ALS may be approved by the FDA:

The maker of a promising drug to treat ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, submitted an application to the FDA for approval https://t.co/uAa8ewm82H

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) November 6, 2021

Here's the COVID-19 pandemic game-changer:

BREAKING: Pfizer says its experimental COVID-19 pill cut hospitalization and death by 90% and will seek authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and international regulators.https://t.co/wDVaLwk9lF

— The Associated Press (@AP) November 5, 2021

And I leave you with this:

I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.

Ms. @EricaRHill even said I’ve been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea!

— Big Bird (@BigBird) November 6, 2021

Time For A Periodic Reminder About Concert Safety

Every so often, I post reminders about concert safety here. Usually these reminders come after tragedy and that is the case today. Last night, eight people were crushed to death at the AstroWorld Festival in Houston, Texas. 50,000 people were at the festival hosted and headlined by Travis Scott.

Apparently people jumped barricades and got into the show for free - adding to an already huge crowd. To say nothing of the ongoing pandemic, 50,000 people in a festival-seating type event is just... a lot. So remember, when you go to concerts like this:

1. Maintain your situational awareness. Watch how people around you are acting. You can tell when people start acting agitated or overly aggressive.

2. If you are a petite woman, consider being anywhere other than the barrier. I say this as a petite woman myself. When I was younger, I would go to the front of shows. Now, you will never see me there if we're talking about a massive crowd situation. Smaller people are more easily crushed, trampled, thrown, shoved or assaulted.

3. Listen to your instincts. You have them for a reason. If you start to feel uneasy, get out of dodge.

4. If you notice people acting some kind of way - or you feel a crowd surge coming - calmly work your way to the side. Quickly assess which side of the stage you are closer to and work that way. Don't work backward. Just shift one way or the other a little at a time.

5. Report overly aggressive behavior to event security.

6. No matter what - if you are at an open-air venue, a shed, an area or a club venue, always take note of the closest exit. Make sure you know how to get out in case of emergency. This doesn't have to be a whole big thing. Just take a look around when you and your friends get to a show, make a mental note and then go have fun.

It's really a shame so many people were killed and hurt at the festival last night. Ultimately security is on the police and the promoter, in this case Live Nation.

pic.twitter.com/ucljeOiMRn

— ASTROWORLD FEST (@astroworldfest) November 6, 2021

Some footage of people blasting through event gates:

As we were arriving to the Astroworld Festival at NRG Park right at 2:00, a stampede burst through the gates. Hundreds of people destroyed the VIP security entrance, bypassing the checkpoint. People were trampled. Some were detained.

(Excuse any language you may hear) pic.twitter.com/d0m2rjqAAk

— Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) November 5, 2021

These guys were at AstroWorld and they talk about having to walk over bodies.

“Packed in like sardines” — that’s how festival goers including these 2 guys in the front row describe last nights tragic event @astroworldfest. They say a wave moved through a crowd of 50K — people pushing to the point where they couldn’t breathe or move. Just awful. @KHOU pic.twitter.com/XGOJLWV41e

— Michelle Choi (@MichelleKHOU) November 6, 2021

And some tidbits on our friends at Live Nation:

THREAD: The morning after Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival ended in a deadly tragedy, OSHA documents reveal the concert's organizers had a lengthy record of safety violations, @GabMoBanks reports.
📷 @mrkmully
➡️ https://t.co/5ui29OJb4x pic.twitter.com/kZPGj8gA04

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) November 6, 2021

Between 2016-2019, @LiveNation and Live Nation Entertainment were cited for 10 OSHA violations and fined for serious violations, including problems that caused a fall at a theater in Connecticut in 2016. https://t.co/5ui29OJb4x

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) November 6, 2021

The company has also faced lawsuits, including one by a concertgoer who broke her leg during a stampede at an outdoor Gwen Stefani concert in North Carolina that same year. https://t.co/5ui29OJb4x

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) November 6, 2021

And this is absolutely wild - two concertgoers attempt to stop the show by alerting a camera operator. He did not respond while in the video clip. He was wearing a walkie-talkie. You can hear the girl say "Someone is dead!"

"Stop the show" and the staff did nothing. This shit is fcking heartbreaking #AstroWorld
pic.twitter.com/nFiqGk65aU

— trey 〽️ (@honest_papi) November 6, 2021