Of Batman, spies, censorship, earth-moving, god-botherers and a Dame

RIP, Val Kilmer, gorgeous star of "Top Gun" and "Batman Forever".

Another snippets post today, dear reader:

• Spy news: Compact spy cameras, microdots in a talcum powder tin, a briefcase abandoned by Soviet spy Guy Burgess as he fled the UK, and a desiccated 110-year-old lemon that played a pivotal role in WWI are all on show in a new exhibition MI5: Official Secrets at the National Archives, opening this weekend. I wonder if they have any of James Bond's gadgets on display?
• Philistines news: Paris may be scented by centuries of coffee and Gauloise aromas, but the Paris Metro has banned a poster advertising a new David Hockney exhibition because he happens to be holding a cigarette! "L'Etat nounou", vraiment! ["Nanny State", indeed! in English]

• Never complain about potholes again news: Britain's 'wonkiest road' that was so badly damaged by a landslip during "Storm Eunice" in 2022 it was being used as a makeshift skate park has finally reopened after £5million was spent on repairs.
• False miracles news: Zealots in a church in Indiana who thought red marks on a communion wafer were some kind of miracle have been told it was actually just bacteria from being handled by dirty hands. Hallelujah!
• And finally: Among a slew of birthdays that includes Sir Alec Guinness, Marvin Gaye, Emperor Charlemagne of the Franks, Michael Fassbender, Emmylou Harris, "Adrian Mole" creator Sue Townsend, Paul Gambaccini, Casanova, Buddy Ebsen, Hans Christian Andersen, Serge Gainsbourg, Émile Zola, Linford Christie (who is 65!), Keren Woodward of Bananarama, Pedro Pascal (50) and - erm - Dr. Demento...

  ...it is the 85th birthday today of darling Dame Penelope Keith, star of The Good Life, To the Manor Born, and so much more besides - including her guest appearances on the Morecambe and Wise Show! All hail...

And the weather? The glorious Spring sunshine continues (even if the wind's a little chilly at times)!

Got to be a joker, he just do what he please

Now you see it, now you don't...?

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce we announce that the Abbey Road crossing is set to be removed for the foreseeable future - a decision beyond our control. We remain hopeful it can be reversed and will return in the future.” So went the press release from Abbey Road Studios, announcing the removal of the Zebra crossing that featured in that iconic Beatles LP cover.

All is not as it seems, however. Yes - it's April Fool's Day again!

Here's a round-up of some of the bizarre lengths some PR people will go in an attempt to prank the public and, of course, gain their brand some publicity in the process...

Erm - a drinkable Subway meatball marinara sub roll, anyone?

...or how about Branston baked beans lip-gloss?

Personal stylists for your pets, courtesy of John Lewis department stores?

Birds Eye's "Potato Waffholes" - a new product containing the missing leftovers from the holes in their potato waffles?

...or how about a BabyBel waxed sleeping bag?

Did you get fooled by any of them?

No, me neither.

Se non mi baci non vivo più

Weekends fly by so quickly...

Still, the weather forecast looks fabulous for the whole of this week and the evenings are getting lighter now the clocks have gone forward, so there's some cheer in that, at least - despite being in work.

We at Dolores Delargo Towers are still enjoying the peerless Mina - see my tribute here - so what better way to start, on this Tacky Music Monday, than with another kooky number from her long back catalogue?!

Mina - Renato

Dig those hepcats, baby!

Have a good week, dear reader.

Won't somebody help me chase these shadows away?

RIP, the lovely Richard Chamberlain (31st March 1934 - 29th March 2025)

We may have lost an hour in bed today - but British Summer Time is here! Yay!

I have made the most of the beautiful, warm sunshine today, and tackled another couple of huge pots - a phlox and a geranium [yes, we do have a lot of each], split up and repotted, all the while accompanied by the chilled-out sounds of Radio 2 - and trying to drown out the demon children next door who, to add insult to injury, now have a small, yappy dog to keep them hyped-up and screaming. I am going to thank their parents profusely next time I see them...

Speaking of "chilled-out", how about another faboo choon from our "house band" Postmodern Jukebox? That'll do nicely for "Sunday Music"!

Postmodern Jukebox ft. Lauren De Marco - Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) [ABBA Peggy Lee style cover]

Wonderful, as ever.

Yékéké nimo yé ké yé ké

Just got in after a faboo day with Mother, sister, brother-in-law, and Madam Acarti too.

To round off a jolly day, how about some jolly music?

Mr Mory Kante would have been 75 years old today, and his biggest hit (and another longtime fave of mine) fits the bill just nicely, methinks:

Mory Kanté - Yé ké yé ké

I love it!!

Boy, oh, boy, have I got news for you

The sun is shining, the blossom is blossoming, the birds are twatting tweeting in the trees, Mother's in town tomorrow for Mothers' Day, and the clocks go forward on Sunday - a good weekend afoot, methinks!

Let's get in the mood for a proper party in the company of two very talented ladies, that bassline, and probably the classiest Disco song of them all...

A Taste Of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie

Thank Disco It's Friday, indeed!

Have a great weekend, folks...

Of totty, old luvvies, Bea Arthur, an egg thief and MOR

Many happy returns of the day to the very gorgeous Michael York! Any excuse just to gaze at this photo again.

Another snippets post today, dear reader...

• Marvel geek news: Dear old Serena McKellen and Patrick Stewart are among the cavalcade of stars announced to appear in the next MCU blockbuster Doomsday, scheduled for release next year! It took more than five hours of livestreaming to announce the whole cast - longer than the film itself, no doubt!
• Trump vs The Golden Girls news? A page on the US Department of Defence website dedicated to Bea Arthur's military career before she became famous was deleted as part of the fascist purge of DEI content! "No offence, pussy cat!" "None taken, you cancerous little prune!"
• Sickly confectionery crime news: A man who stole £220.50 worth of Cadbury Crème Eggs from a Peterborough petrol station has been banned from Cambridgeshire for three months. Lucky they didn't just make him eat them all. Then he'd be sorry!
• The gays in Spain stay mainly on the plain news: Apparently, there has been a marked rise in the numbers of gay people moving from the USA to Spain, to Madrid in particular. ¡Olé!
• Tariffs news: Threats to impose tariffs on imports of British cars to 'Merka? Ha! We only have one truly British car manufacturer left!
• Impending apocalypse news: There's a rogue planet on the loose in the universe! Apparently.
• And finally: Sharing a birthday with Mr York (above), as well as the saintly Sarah Vaughan, David Janssen, former PM Jim Callaghan, Quentin Tarantino, Fergie of Black Eyed Peas and - erm - Mirah-fucking-Carey, Miss Sally Carr is 80 today! Who? I hear you ask... Here she is, with her band's greatest hit:

Middle of the Road - Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

As I said the first time I ever posted it: "They just don't make songs like this anymore!"

And the weather? Gorgeous Spring sunshine (and cherry blossoms and daffs everywhere)!