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 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

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

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 40, 2021

This week, I'm looking back on important stories, but also some that might be considered odd or topics that are out of the mainstream.

There are positive signs the Delta strain of the current COVID-19 surge in waning in America. Still, way too many remain unvaccinated. This includes members of the military. This is concerning for a few reasons, notwithstanding that service members are now getting infected and dying from COVID at alarming rates.

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops have not yet complied with vaccine mandate as deadlines near https://t.co/ltpFiciYiJ

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 10, 2021

Let's just call it rape and be done with it, but good on California for making "stealthing" officially illegal. Every state should do this, too.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Thursday outlawing "stealthing," the nonconsensual removal of a condom during intercourse.

The move makes California the first state to ban the act.https://t.co/xgklocK5HU

— Axios (@axios) October 8, 2021

At one time, traveling - especially flying - was find of fun. Now it just feels like a miserable experience every time. Heck, that even applies to waiting in lounges and going first class (use credit card points, people!) Apparently Southwest is having another major system meltdown, canceling hordes of flights all weekend and stranding people across the country. When cancellations reach into the thousands, it usually takes days to sort out and get everyone where they need to be. You have my sympathy if you were flying Southwest this weekend.

NEW: Southwest Airlines has canceled *another* 1,000 flights—more than a quarter of its Sunday schedule—per FlightAware.

It’s the second straight day of major issues. Southwest said yesterday it was working “to recover our operation.”

— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) October 10, 2021

Bobby Flay is leaving Food Network. I am not a Food Network devotee and I try my best to avoid cooking anything that would be considered a complicated meal. Still, this is a big deal for a whole host of business reasons, including product endorsements and ratings.

Superstar chef Bobby Flay and Food Network are set to part ways after a 27-year run that has made the restaurateur and businessman one of the country’s most recognizable culinary figures. https://t.co/pkpieJFEqg pic.twitter.com/LutdBrjJuS

— Variety (@Variety) October 7, 2021

I watched CATS on a Royal Caribbean cruise, once. Well, I made it to intermission. The stage production was not good. I can't even imagine what the movie was like. Apparently CATS creator Andrew Lloyd Weber hated the movie so much... he had to get a therapy dog to cope!

Andrew Lloyd Weber, composer of the original Cats musical, says the 2019 film remake made him so emotionally distraught he bought a therapy dog. https://t.co/SnkbQf6Q5g

— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 8, 2021

Andrew Lloyd Webber asked an airline for approval to take his therapy dog on a flight because he’s “emotionally damaged.”

When the airline asked for proof that he needed the dog, he replied, “Yes, just see what Hollywood did to my musical #Cats.” https://t.co/kb6m3MKU3t pic.twitter.com/kG6CpSNmkp

— Variety (@Variety) October 6, 2021

This is cool as hell. My household watches Ohio State Football, so I'm well aware of just how awesome of the OSU marching band is... after all, they are known as the Best Damn Band In The Land for a reason! The band played tribute to RUSH yesterday and the result was just epic.

RUSH Members Are Left 'Speechless' By Ohio State Marching Band Tribute https://t.co/51WpbBZh8V pic.twitter.com/pDXxGvpohC

— BLABBERMOUTH.NET (@BLABBERMOUTHNET) October 9, 2021

And I leave you with this: immense New England fall beauty.

FALL FOLIAGE: Stunning drone footage shows autumnal colors in full effect in New Hampshire. https://t.co/204S661WTD pic.twitter.com/MDWnq3R2NF

— ABC News (@ABC) October 10, 2021

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 39, 2021

I can't believe it is October. I've spent the entire weekend organizing and decluttering. Eric is working on redoing the drywall in the garage which meant everything had to come out of there anyway, so it was a great time to get rid of some stuff. It is always amazing to me how much "stuff" a person accumulates. Eric and I are not collectors. I rarely if ever buy physical media anymore, the odd hardcover book an exception that I know I will want to revisit several times. All my music is digital. I stream shows and haven't bought a DVD in I don't know how long. Eric has a fetish for tools and I have one for bags. He has too many tools - like, it is absurd how many he owns. Plus he keeps what he calls "aggregates" in case he needs for future projects. What are "aggregates" you ask? Think pieces parts and bits of wire, plastic pipe, PEX, tile, glue, wire, wood, whatever. We got rid of a lot of that and I am thankful. I use my local Buy Nothing group on Facebook to give away things that still have life to keep items out of landfills. Truly the best use of Facebook.

As for news, the week was all about the infrastructure bill on Capitol Hill. The government was funded so we didn't "shutdown" in America, which is always good. The infrastructure bill will pass by the end of the month. The question is really just how big it will be and what will it include.

Politico-Morning Consult poll:

56% of Americans support the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Just 27% oppose.

57% believe the $1 trillion price tag for the bill is either the right amount or too *little* to spend.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 28, 2021

New: As she looms over Biden’s agenda, pro-Sinema mailers are distributed in Arizona touting her infrastructure bill.

“Independent. Straight Talk. Bipartisan.” “Just like John McCain.”

A glimpse into the senator’s unique political identity at home.https://t.co/FhpSWtfb5v pic.twitter.com/IWVNp4FToT

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 3, 2021

Booker sides with Democratic progressives in fight over infrastructure bill https://t.co/JD4Hiqln1F pic.twitter.com/PiTQffQGax

— NJ.com Politics (@NJ_Politics) October 3, 2021

Also, any infrastructure bill passed will not close churches in America. Just FYI.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) claims that the infrastructure bills are a Democratic plot to take over America with socialism in one vote. Blackburn also claimed, "They want government control of your kids," and infrastructure bills will close churches. pic.twitter.com/bh57V2X2Bv

— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) October 3, 2021

Friday kicked off the official Walt Disney World 50th anniversary celebration. The celebration will actually last 18 months and features special programming and merchandise in all four Disney parks. I saw some crowd photos from Friday and all the people gave me the heebee jeebees.

Florida's Walt Disney World celebrates its 50th anniversary with new rides and a light show pic.twitter.com/IzQlspZKGh

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 1, 2021

This wasn't at night... we're talking around 6 a.m. - people were flocking to the main gate of The Magic Kingdom because they wanted exclusive merchandise. Bonkers.

The gates to Magic Kingdom have opened and guests are pouring in for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World! pic.twitter.com/smdNu7PFxg

— WDW News Today (@WDWNT) October 1, 2021

COVID-19 cases remain frustratingly high in America (see post above for crowds). Still, the pandemic is showing signs of easing, at least in the U.S. Perhaps by Christmas time, things will be more stable and less dangerous - with Delta starting to die off. Experts are hoping to vaccinate large swaths of the world as soon as possible. Without doing so, this pandemic will never end.

World leaders aim to vaccinate 70% of the global population by next September, yet experts say many doses in rich countries risk going unused https://t.co/lB2n4EVDIp

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 2, 2021

A grim milestone for America:

CNN: On Friday, the United States passed 700,000 deaths from Covid-19, 108 days after it reached 600,000 Covid-19 deaths.

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 2, 2021

The Feds are still looking for Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of murdered van life blogger Gabby Petito. Laundrie is wanted on a financial crimes warrant of using a debit card that wasn't his while traveling home to Florida from out west where he was the last to see Gabby alive. Many want more serious charges for him. That won't matter if he stays in the wind.

Why hasn’t Brian Laundrie been charged with a more serious crime?
“I think it’s coming.” – Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg says.
He also explains why the full autopsy report hasn’t been released.
And what would it take for Brian’s parents to be charged? pic.twitter.com/d67uQ6xR8N

— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) October 2, 2021

The Super Bowl halftime show announcement has people buzzing! I have to admit, I am excited for this. 90s hip hop, rejoice!

Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Mary J. Blige Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre will perform at the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show. https://t.co/srZpYevZpc pic.twitter.com/FPIWcbHYPJ

— Variety (@Variety) September 30, 2021

And I leave you with this:

pic.twitter.com/yhjHONqsue

— WholesomeMemes (@WholesomeMeme) October 1, 2021