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

'Metal Edge' Magazine Returns

Metal Edge was always my favorite music magazine as a teenager. The mag was filled with photos and short bits about our favorite bands plus longer features too. It ceased printed publication many years ago - now the magazine is coming back in online form. It may go to print again in the future. Metal Edge also has an online store now. The first offering is a limited edition Motley Crue record (see below).

New Music Playlist - October 2021

Happy Halloween weekend, my friends! There is no better time to share the entire new Ice Nine Kills album Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2 than now. The entire album will be our new music playlist feature for the month.

Welcome to Horrorwood came out a couple weeks ago and it is definitely making waves in the metalcore world. Just check out the promo pics the band shared on social media earlier from a Metal Hammer cover story. Very fun stuff, just in time for the spooky season. The album is already in steady rotation for my (mostly) daily runs. I'm still building back my fitness after the broken shoulder debacle and heavy music helps me move my feet faster.

'The River Is Rising' - New Slash Track

What do you think of the new Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators track "The River Is Rising?" The song is on the upcoming album 4. The band announced a winter tour recently but there are no Ohio dates.

I think "The River Is Rising" is a strong effort - great solo! I think 4 is going to be a rocker for sure!

A Look At 'Me Wise Magic'

"Me Wise Magic" happens to be one of my favorite Van Halen songs (yes, I am serious). It is completely different from most other tracks by them... or any other rock band, really. I always thought it was very inventive yet kept that guitar tapping and tone Eddie Van Halen made famous... and those soaring Michael Anthony backing vocals!

The track is extra special because it is one of the last featuring the original lineup. It was also a number one hit for six weeks in 1996. There was never an official video for the song because the Roth-era reunion was too short. Still, I am thankful we got this track! I saw this post on Facebook and I thought it was too good not to share. I try to spend less than ten minutes per day on Facebook. I quickly scan music pages I like, check my messages and look at requests in my Buy Nothing Group. Then I bust out of that hellscape!

Here's the full text if you don't want to jump to Facebook to read it all (which I get, believe me):

25 years ago today, Van Halen sent a little Zen headed your way! “Me WISE MAGIC” became the band's 13th No. 1 Billboard Mainstream Rock Track, maintaining the # 1 position for 6 weeks during the autumn of 1996. It was the first of two highly anticipated tracks recorded by the band with its original lead vocalist and songwriter, David Lee Roth. Together with the other new song on the compilation album, "Can't Get This Stuff No More", it's the last song recorded by the original line-up. The lyrics were written in the first person. They present a series of questions and statements about self-awareness, religious belief and superstitions - alternating between the points of view of God and a human being. Eddie Van Halen said about the song, "I thought it was majestic; it takes you on a roller coaster because there are so many changes. I nicknamed it "The Three Faces of Shamus," because there is that first low part, the high part, and then the chorus. All three have completely different vibes going on."

So W.A.S.P. Is Going On Tour

W.A.S.P. is a band I've never seen live. They were supposed to play Rocklahoma in 2007 but canceled the appearance.

W.A.S.P. is going on tour to celebrate its 40th anniversary and the shows will begin in Italy, weave through Europe and eventually hit the United States. All the dates are at the link below. Of course, this isn't exactly W.A.S.P. It's more like the Blackie Lawless show, but that is a different post.

W.A.S.P. announce 40 Years Live World Tour 2022 https://t.co/ZiFJlTi673#waspnation #wasp #blackielawless #hardrock #heavymetal #80smetal #wildchild #thelastcommand #theheadlesschild #thecrimsonidol #golgotha https://t.co/ZiFJlTi673

— W.A.S.P. Nation (@WASPOfficial) October 26, 2021

Dragonforce Goes Glam For A Minute

Dragonforce is not a Glam band... but they are in their new video for the song "Strangers." The song is on the album Extreme Power Metal. This isn't a mockery or a tongue-in-cheek look at Glam. Instead, this is an appreciation for the music - especially the guitarists - of our favorite era.

I have to say, the video is cute and the song isn't half bad either. Enjoy!

Is this the best @DragonForce look yet?
See the brand new music video https://t.co/VYuAeejnfE
🤣🤣🤣
Limited NEW merch on https://t.co/tPLjZISkvE pic.twitter.com/xJZ69st17W

— DragonForce (@DragonForce) October 25, 2021