Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Do as I say, not as I vote and other eye-catching headlines

After spending more than 21 straight hours in the U.S. Senate railing against funding Obamacare, Senator Ted Cruz voted for a measure that would restore funding for the Affordable Healthcare Act in a temporary spending measure.  Oh, he voted for the procedural bill that will allow the funding to be restored and then once restored he will vote against it. 

If Hollywood's decisions about casting were to be announced over a public address system for the masses, the announcer would have said "substituting for the late James Gandolfini in the upcoming HBO miniseries "Criminal Justice", Robert DeNiro."

Save a life, lose your job.  That's what a plumber in New York City is claiming after his employer fired him in the aftermath of his having fashioned a makeshift tourniquet to save the life of a tourist whose leg had been severed by a cabdriver experiencing "road-rage".

Employees of Flushing Township in Michigan need to get their chit-chat done before or after work because the man in charge there has banned talk on any topic other than work, during working hours.

If you hear a story about a 12 year old signing a letter of intent to play basketball for a university, believe it.  It's true.  Trey Crouch was signed by Xavier University.  Not so much because he is a young prodigy on the hardwood floor, but because he is battling a rare neurodegenerative disease.

The daughter of Amanda Berry, fathered by her kidnapper/rapist, Ariel Castro, will have her name removed from all public records in an effort to protect her privacy.

A man found dead in his car had just searched Google for information on symptoms he may have been experiencing before his death.  Police believe he died of natural causes.

Did the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints really excommunicate a man because he started dressing as a woman to go to church, in protest because women aren't supposed to wear pants to church services?  Appears so.

The U.S. Army wants you, as long as you don't have tattoos visible below the elbows or knees, and above the neckline.  Soldiers who have such tattoos will be allowed to stay in the Army, but must remove visible tattoos that are racist, sexist or extremist.  The policy is under consideration, but informed sources say it will be approved.

The next installment in the "Fast and Furious" franchise will have a new "big name" on the marquee.  Kurt Russell has signed a deal for a major role in the film.

Richard Gere and his wife Carey Lowell are splitting up and plan to divorce.  No word on who will get custody of any gerbils they might own.

The Obama Administration is tying its efforts to allow the IRS to regulate paid tax preparers to an 1884 law regulating those who represented people filing claims against the government for dead horses.  You can write your own "beating a dead horse" joke.

Hillary Clinton hasn't formally announced her candidacy for the 2016 but the website www.readyforhillary.com and a Super PAC with the same name that's raised over $1.25 million already seem to indicate she's definitely leaning in that direction.

Lamar Odom spoke out in defense of the Kardashian clan after a verbal attack on them by his father, Joe Odom, and the speculation over why his wife removed "Odom" from her name on Instagram continues to rage.