The television series Castle, though firmly set in New York City, was filmed in Los Angeles.

The Archies (a cartoon musical group created for a television show) had a huge hit with the song "Sugar Sugar," which was originally offered to The Monkees (a human musical group created for a television show).

From my GPS while driving in Las Vegas: "At the light, turn right on Mel Torme Way and then turn left onto Sammy Davis Junior Avenue."

Somehow, the word horrified ought to have something to do with prostitutes.

The hashtag symbol (#) is called an octothorpe.

The King of Hearts is the only king in the deck without a mustache.

A single strand of spaghetti is called a spaghetto.

Crows hold funerals and gather together to mourn the passing of dead crows. Kind of ironic, considering that a group of crows is called a murder.

Reindeer eyes turn blue in winter for better low-light vision.

        

Marco SansPolo (MSP), the relatively tiny, rat-like creature that passes for a dog in the Roth Haus, got uncharacteristically active the other day. He went all "My Ancestors Were Wolves!" on a pair of baby bunnies in our back yard.

One bunny was rendered bloody, immobile, and breathing in shallow gasps, leaving me the inglorious task of putting him out of his misery. The second seemed not so much injured as just frozen in fear.

When I bent down to give Bunny Number Two a closer look, she scampered away and, perhaps thinking it was a tunnel to a land devoid of giant bloggers, ran into an empty flower pot that was resting on its side. It was a small flower pot, but the rabbit kept working her legs as if still running away, even though her head was firmly pressed against the bottom of the flower pot.

That's when the single egg that hadn't been found by the grandkids on Easter popped out of the pot.

Beloved and I tried to be sad for the plight of the bunnies, but we couldn't stop laughing for a good two minutes.

        

Sam Cooke fiddled with the lyrics of the Herb Alpert/Lou Adler song, "Wonderful World,"  and created a huge hit.

He also admitted to being far from the sharpest pencil in the box:

I mean...instead of "Wonderful World," shouldn't it be titled "Imma Dunce"?

And having admitted all this ignorance, why would a young woman believe he has the insight and forethought to be able to say:

Then again, according to Rolling Stone, "Before it came out, Cooke liked to sing it for women he met, telling them he'd made it up on the spot just for them."

Maybe he's not as stupid as he's making himself out to be.

        

Real Headlines. Fake News.

U.S.Unexpectedly Loses 92,000 Jobs
In a press release, a spokesperson for the Labor Department said, "I put them right here and only turned my head away for a second!"

Millions Across Western Cuba Wake Up Without Power
Secretary of the Interior, Manuel Jose Hernandez: "¡Estoy tan cansado! ¡No tengo energía!"

Big Ten's Loaded Heavyweight Division Tests Gophers' Hopke
Minnesota freshman, Koy Hopke: "It will take everything I've got, but I'm gonna annihilate those fat drunks."

Massive Boom Heard from Ohio to Kentucky
Wow. That far, eh?

Maduro Asks Judge to Toss Drug Case
"Just throw it into the van there."

Man Accused of Killing Florida Woman with Hammer Faces Deportation
And yet, M.C. Hammer is still at large.

US and Iran Exchange Fire in Strait of Hormuz, Endangering Ceasefire
Um . . . pretty sure that firing at each other does more than just endanger the ceasefire, doesn't it? (Unless the fire they exchanged was sharing a match to light their cigars)

Bus and Pickup Truck Turn into House in South Minneapolis
A nearby man, dressed in a black suit with a cape and a tophat, is quoted as saying, "Presto Chango!"

Bill to Make Grooming a Crime Heading to Minnesota Senate Floor
Apparently, the state has had QUITE enough of all this hair-cutting and nail-trimming going on.

        

All it would take is a single typo to completely change some of the greatest musical acts of all time.

Would anybody pay money to hear:

• The Why  -  ♫♪ "He's a pinball philosopher, there has to be a reason..."
• Talking Herds  -  If cows could speak
• Curtis Mayfiend  -  The first African-American punk star
• Nine Inch Sails  -  Industrial rock played on tiny boats
• James Tailor  -  ♫♪ "Oh, I've seen shirts, and I've seen pants..."
• Guns 'n Hoses  -  Like Village People, only everyone is either a cop or a firefighter
• Toe Petty  -  Music for those with a foot fetish
• Slack Sabbath  -  A band of non-practicing Jews
• Blue Öyster Colt  -  ♫♪ "Don't rear at the mollusk"

• Smashing Bumpkins  -  The soundtrack for tractor demolition derbies
• Earth Wino & Fire  -  There's one in every trio
• R2  -  Known for "These Still Aren't the Droids That You're Looking For"

• The Toasters  -  ♫♪ "Why's everybody always butterin' me?"
• Brood Sweat & Tears  -  Proving that chickens DO perspire and cry
• Pears Jam  -  Music to preserve fruit by
• The Beach Toys  -  Actually, this doesn't change things all that much
• Eaglet  -  ♫♪ "Welcome to the Preschool California..."
• The Polite  -  With their big hit, "If It's Not Too Much Trouble, Could You Please Stand Further Away From Me?"