On President Obama's current visit to Israel, his official limousine, known as "The Beast", appears to have run head-on into Murphy's Law. According to reports, the diesel-powered car was mistakenly filled with gasoline, and is not currently able to be driven. Obama was not in the limo when the malfunction occurred.
No, but the actor playing Satan in the miniseries The Bible seems to have some resemblance to the president. Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, the married couple who are the show's producers, flatly deny any any intention of making a political statement. Let's keep in mind that the actor's on-screen appearance is likely to some extent to be the result of makeup. Still, Moroccan actor Mehdi Ouzaani does appear to look somewhat like Barry, but if you ask me, a few years older. Read the story at the New York Post, the Independent, MSNBC and the Daily Beast, and judge for yourself.
Resuming last month's theme of songs that are less well known that they might deserve, this first one is Trinity by Fleetwood Mac. Written and sung by Danny Kirwan, played in concert in 1971, and then recorded during the sessions for their 1972 album Bare Trees, it was for some reason left off the album. It would eventually be included 25 Years: The Chain, a compilation released in 1992. From John Lennon's 1971 album Imagine, Crippled Inside features a dobro and a honky tonk piano. Recorded during the 1960's and later appearing in a commercial for Hewlett-Packard is Picture Book by the Kinks. Moving up to the 1980's, this is TV Dinners by ZZ Top, consisting of Billy Gibbons (guitar & vocals), Dusty Hill (bass & vocals) and Frank Beard (drums). On this one, Gibbons sings the lead vocal and Hill plays keyboards.
Also from the 1980's is Men Without Shame by Phantom, Rocker and Slick, consisting of Slim Jim Phantom (drums), Lee Rocker (bass & vocals) and Earl Slick (guitar). Phantom (real name James McDonnell) and Rocker (real name Leon Drucker) had previously been in the Stray Cats with guitarist-singer Brian Setzer. Slick (real name Frank Madeloni) had previously recorded or performed with David Bowie and the above-mentioned John Lennon.
A jerk wearing a purple shirt first poked around the street performer's mustache, hat, ears and ribs. He then gave him a wet willie, and rubbed his hand in the performer's face, after which he received his just desserts.
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires has been chosen by his fellow Cardinals to become Pope, and has taken the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi. He is the first Pope born in the Americas, the first Jesuit Pope, and the third consecutive Pope to be born outside of Italy. Even so, he has strong connections to Italy, being the son of immigrants from the area around Turin. He was chosen on the third ballot, one fewer than his immediate predecessor, the now-retired Pope Benedict XVI.
Earlier during the day, the Sistine Chapel's chimney, through which white or black smoke is emitted, white smoke indicating a decisive ballot, was visited by a seagull. This resulted in the creation of severalTwitteraccounts.
From MSN News, a "mysterious website" has allegedly hacked and leaked personal information about a variety of well-known people, including the current First Lady.
From Judicial Watch, the president has named the first "African American education czar", and given him the task of reducing "resegregation". (via Weasel Zippers)
From Quartz, a Chinese provincial government is investigating Coca Cola for illegal mapping.
And from Crashdaily, some sequesterial satire. (What would be the adjective corresponding to the verb or noun "sequester"? "Sequestrial"? "Sequesteral"? "Sequestrian"?)
Today, New York state Supreme Court judge Milton Tingling has halted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's ban on serving large size "sugary drinks", which would mainly include sodas, in restaurants and some other establishments. Under the ban, which would have taken effect tomorrow, the largest available size would be 16 ounces. In his opinion, Judge Tingling wrote that the "loopholes in this rule effectively defeat the stated purpose of the rule."
Having moved away from New York state a long time ago, I don't know much about its Constitution, and the power that it gives state courts to rule on laws passed by cities and towns. But for the time being, score one against the nanny state.
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