News Of The Week Roundup -- Week 8, 2021

Happy end of February!

This past week felt super long to me. Up until yesterday, the weather was cold and my cabin fever hit a new all-time-high. Today is is warmish but pouring rain, so a mixed bag I guess. As always, there was a lot of diverse news stories and here are some highlights:

Tiger Woods was in a bad car accident in California. He flipped his car, hurt his legs and most certainly will not be playing at The Masters this year. In fact, he is looking at a long and probably painful recovery period.

“I expect Tiger to be rehabilitating from 8 - 12 months, but could be back much sooner if he doesn’t need additional surgery. If the healing process goes as planned, we will see Tiger back on the course.”@sportsdocmatt provides insight on Tiger Woods' leg injuries ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SjUovZDRMe

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) February 27, 2021

Donald Trump's tax returns - millions of pages of them - were turned over to the New York district attorney. It will be interesting to see what information the documents include.

JUST IN: Tax records that Trump tried to keep secret for years are now in the hands of the New York district attorney after the US Supreme Court denied the former President's last-ditch effort to keep them private https://t.co/8NMdeBFSmQ

— CNN (@CNN) February 25, 2021

President Joe Biden bombed Syria in a retaliatory attack against Iranian-backed militias. The President has to protect American citizens of course, but the constant aggression in the Middle East is way beyond old and I am far from the first person to think this - and the sentiment is pretty consistent across the entire American political spectrum of regular folks. Maybe we could stop bombing folks and just spend some of that money here at home?

The strike in Syria exemplifies why Congress must take action to repeal the 2001 and 2002 AUMF. No single person should have the power to authorize military force.

The era of forever wars must end. https://t.co/nvPQQ6T0cc

— Barbara Lee (@BLeeForCongress) February 27, 2021

Soon you will be able to buy your Reese's Cups in an organic version... and there will be plant-based options soon. I am a vegetarian and have been since 1994 or so, but even I think the idea of plant-based chocolates is a little crazy. I mean, I'm not vegan, so I eat all sorts of chocolates. I was vegan for a time in my early 20s and my hair fell out pretty bad, so I went back to consuming milk and cheese and eggs. I know other people swear by veganism and I wish them well. It just didn't work out for me. I will say I do enjoy some plant-based food options, especially the Impossible breakfast sandwich at Starbucks. Delicious (but calorie dense)!

Hershey says it's "the first mass chocolate brand to offer an organic option," and even some plant-based products could be on the way. https://t.co/LT9AGuNZiG

— Food & Wine (@foodandwine) February 27, 2021

Not breaking news: streaming continues to grow in popularity and now accounts for more than 80% of earned revenue from music sales. I mean, this is just common sense. It is hard to buy physical media these days and most people don't want the hassle. Folks would rather compromise sound quality for convenience and just have songs on their phone to listen at will. Honestly, I have turned into one of those people, too.

Streaming accounted for 83% of recorded music revenue, with subscriptions, social and fitness app use on the rise https://t.co/gTSSn1twRv

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 27, 2021

And I leave you with this - from the "no shit, sherlock" column:

50 years of tax cuts for the rich failed to trickle down, economics study says https://t.co/qaR1u5FYnV

— carolynryan (@carolynryan) February 28, 2021

Revisionist History?

There are 21 days until spring and here in southern Ohio, we are having a beautiful and unseasonably warm day. I went for a run outside in the sun and I felt happier than I have the past three weeks. The dark and cold of winter are really getting to me.

I opened the windows for the first time this year and my cat was able to jump in the sill of one for the first time ever in his life. He is mesmerized by the fresh air and being "almost" outside.

During my run, I listened to SiriusXM Rockbar. I have been listening to that station quite a lot lately. While running, Korn came on, which was unfortunate. It was "Freak On A Leash" if you were wondering. That is bad enough, but yesterday, "A.D.I.D.A.S." came on while I was working. I stopped what I was doing, sat and listened for a minute, and decided that the track must be the most immature song ever recorded by adults. I say this as a person who once owned the album Life Is Peachy and I have seen the band in concert, too. The thing is, the band never plays the song live anymore because singer Brian Welch refuses to do so. He is a born-again Christian now and does not approve of the song's lyrics or meaning. The track was a breakthrough hit for the band, and it is still played on the radio a decent amount.

This is sort of a sticky wicket, isn't it? The band earns money when the song is played on the radio or licensed by companies for commercial use, but has basically disavowed it. Is this an ethical gray area for bands? I suppose it is never possible to completely divorce oneself from personal history - the band recorded the song and people love it - but in the modern adaptation of Korn, the song doesn't really "exist." This is basically no different than the way Motley Crue treats the 1994 self-titled release. That album is full of some of the band's best work, but for all intents and purposes, the songs don't "exist" in the current (and original) Motley lineup.

This is the sort of stuff I ponder while working and running. Mildly interesting (to me, at least) and yet nothing I can really talk about to anyone, except here.

New Music Playlist: February 2021

It is hard to believe that February is almost over, but that means two things: we are closer to spring (22 days!) and a playlist of new music is here!

February saw a considerable amount of new releases. This month's playlist features Todd La Torre, Joel Hoekstra's 13, Alice Cooper and Whitesnake. Have a listen and let me know what you think of these song selections:

'Beavis and Butt-head' To Return In Movie Form

It's all happening. The new streaming service Paramount+ (well, sort of new. It is absorbing CBS All Access) announced a slew of upcoming shows. Among them, a revival of Beavis and Butt-head in a brand new movie. Two new season's of the classic cartoon will come to Comedy Central as well.

Paramount+ is also reviving Frasier, one of my all-time favorite shows. So far, only Kelsey Grammer is signed on for the production, which makes me nervous. No Niles = no classic Frasier. The show ended 17 years ago, which is mind bending to me. It does not feel that long!

Heavy Metal-Loving Cartoon Characters 'Beavis And Butt-Head' To Return In New Original Film For PARAMOUNT+ https://t.co/FtmNGWBepG pic.twitter.com/N3CIRccfUi

— BLABBERMOUTH.NET (@BLABBERMOUTHNET) February 25, 2021

'Set Fire to the Rain' -- No Resolve Cover

A band called No Resolve recently covered the Adele mega hit "Set Fire to the Rain."

No Resolve has been around for a few years and were signed in 2020. Eric heard this cover while listening to Octane and texted me about it. He thinks it is pretty good and wanted me to share it here to get your opinions. No Resolve is a modern rock band - not glam - hence the Octane love. Let me know your thoughts on them and this cover:

Trade Request

Here's an odd post for the day, but I figured it was worth a shot: does anyone have an authentic Mid-Century Modern "atomic cat" figurine around by chance? I have some really nice vintage 80s guitar magazines - complete with tabs - that are just ready for a trade. One vintage swap for another!

Here's an example of what an "atomic cat" typically looks like - and they come in ceramic or teak wood. As someone who rarely brings knick-knacks home (minimalist!), this is a big deal for me. I need this little cat for my master bath renovation. I did see an atomic cat reprint that featured a retro record player. That might make a cute backup, but I really want an authentic cat if I can source one!

Retro Atomic Era Mid Century Modern Cool Cat Pair t-Shirthttps://t.co/O1Xik8R93h pic.twitter.com/VA2rPZu3rh

— COZYTSHIRT.COM (@hottrendtshirt) March 13, 2019

For a music topic, Aerosmith has canceled their summer European tour. That sort of seems like foreboding news for concerts, period.

Due to current conditions and for the safety of our fans, the 2021 European Tour has been rescheduled to 2022. Please stay tuned for more information regarding the new dates or contact your point of purchase. All tickets will be valid for new dates. pic.twitter.com/52myo1X7Wh

— Aerosmith (@Aerosmith) February 22, 2021

Contestant Auditions For 'American Idol' By Singing 'Live Wire'

I'm pretty sure Motley Crue has never had to clear a song for the first TV audition rounds of American Idol before last night.

Enter 15 year old Casey Bishop, a cute girl from Florida who claims no performance experience. Bishop affirmed a love of rock music and then said she'd be singing "Live Wire" by Motley Crue for her audition. You could almost see the judges panel collectively cringe. Then Bishop started singing and it was amazing. The completely reworked version of "Live Wire" proves that great songs are timeless and can easily be adapted by equally inventive artists.

Have a watch:

Casey wows the judges with a performance of "Live Wire" by @MotleyCrue & "My Funny Valentine" by Sarah Vaughan!

WATCH: https://t.co/P3OkOx97P0@thecaseybishop | #AmericanIdol pic.twitter.com/gWlH6DxzKf

— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) February 22, 2021