A Mouse Fell from White House Ceiling onto a Reporter

File this one under fact being stranger than fiction. On Oct. 1, a mouse fell from a hole in a White House ceiling onto a reporter (and he shared the video online at https://buff.ly/30MiUhh).

“A mouse literally fell out of the ceiling in our White House booth and landed on my lap,” NBC News White House Correspondent Peter Alexander tweeted.

He and his colleagues soon shared video of the mouse in the corner of the NBC workspace that’s part of the press briefing area adjacent to the West Wing.

As People.com noted, “The White House, some 200 years old, has all of the character and problems of a house its age. Dead mice have previously been seen in the press work area, PEOPLE understands, and journalists there have been warned about mice when the temperatures outside plummet and they look indoors for warmth. (Over the summer, parts of the property flooded from heavy rains.)”

White house: ©andorina Liza | AdobeStock; mouse: ©Natasha | AdobeStock

California Restaurant Dares To Put ‘Rodent’ in its Name

For most restaurateurs, when it comes to naming their establishment the traditional route is to use terms that have alliteration or perhaps sound appetizing. Restaurateur Davin Waite did just the opposite. He named his popular restaurant Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub.

While the name may not make one’s mouth water, it does capture people’s attention. In fact, the eatery was one of the subjects in “Name of Groans: The Search for the Most Truly Awful Restaurant Name in America,” a 2017 feature that appeared on the popular restaurant industry website Eater.com.

Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub faced off against another quirky fish-centric restaurant — A-Fish-o-na-do — in round one of the competition. Here’s how Eater.com described the matchup.

“It’s a bold restaurateur who deliberately puts the word ‘rodent’ in the name of his or her restaurant. And yet the grossest thing in the name of Wrench & Rodent is the monstrous portmanteau (portmonstrosity?) ‘Seabasstropub.’ It’s a gastropub? That serves... sea bass? Maybe only sea bass? Hmm. But all I want to know is: Would a true A-Fish-o-na-do actually call themselves that? Winner: A-Fish-o-na-do.”

While Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub “lost” that competition, the company is winning over patrons. According to its website, Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub “prides itself on offering locally and responsibly sourced ingredients while taking special care to minimize waste. Menu options range from rolls and nigiri to elaborate sashimi plates and an unconventional omakase.”

It’s proven to be a popular formula. Yelp reviewers have given the restaurant 4.7 out of 5 stars. Here is how one Yelper described their dining experience. “The food here is INSANE! Exciting menu, freshest fish I can imagine and VERY reasonable prices. Our service was phenomenal, extremely friendly staff and the semi punk/alt vibe made for a fun atmosphere.” — Brad Harbison

Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub has a quirky name, but a stellar reputation.

Bees Swarm Airplane — and have to be Removed with Water Cannons

On the morning of Sept.15, Air India flight 743 from Kolkata to Agartala was delayed by two and a half hours after a swarm of honeybees clamped themselves onto the window of the flight deck, CNN reported.

The swarm took up residence on the left-hand window panes, obstructing the pilots’ vision.

Windscreen wipers failed to remove the bees. The swarm was only cleared when the airport fire crew was recruited to use water cannons. The plane had already been delayed 90 minutes due to a technical fault, before the bee attack added an extra hour delay.

The flight to Agartala, in northeast India, takes just 60 minutes.
November 2019
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