Tweets of the week: Jason Collins, Jamestown and a rasta banana
For the week ending 3 May, here's a look at the news making waves in America, all in 140 character or less.
1. Jason Collins' coming out [article] is an illustration of how far we've come, and its comments section is a reminder of how far we have left to go.
TV personality Dave Holmes (@DaveHolmes). Pro basketball player Jason Collins penned an article for Sports Illustrated this week declaring he was gay. In doing so, he became the first active male player in a major US team sport to come out of the closet.
2. Obama mangles "al-Shabab," calling it "al-Shahab." This guy is the worst secret Muslim ever.
3. Obama says this is just "the first round" on gun control, but he can't have many rounds left since he's against high capacity.
Humour columnist Frank J Fleming (@IMAO). Despite losing a crucial gun control vote last month to eliminate loopholes in background checks, the president says the fight is not over.
4. I get Pope Benedict moving back home. This job market sucks.
5. "Throw something in a dumpster for me" is like "Hold my beer and watch this" - nothing good is going to come from it.
The internet humorist known as @pourmecoffee. This week, three new suspects were arrested with connection to the Boston marathon bombings. The men, college friends of bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, are accused of obstructing justice after they threw away evidence that linked Tsarnaev to the case.
6. I relate to that guy who spent his life savings trying to win a stuffed Rasta Banana more than I care to admit.
Musician Karen Kilgariff (@karenkilgariff). This week a New Hampshire man, who was actually trying to win an Xbox, spent $2,600 (£1,670) trying to win a carnival game. He returned the next day to complain and was given a refund of $600, as well as a giant stuffed banana with dreadlocks.
7. Some gnawing questions about Jamestown settlers appear to be settled
8. Man, all anyone in Arizona can talk about is the Daily Beast/Howard Kurtz intrigue! Ha ha, kidding, no one outside DC gives a crap.
Slate writer Dave Weigel (@daveweigel). Media critic Kurtz parted ways with the Daily Beast this week after one of his columns had to be retracted. The change was big news in New York and Washington DC media circles.
9. If I'm gonna fight a Sherpa, it's sure as hell going to be at sea level.
Twitter user Jamie Rhonheimer (@JRhonheimer) recognises the unfair advantage one might have fighting a Nepalese mountain guide on his home turf. Nevertheless, two European climbers attempting to scale Mt Everest got into a brawl with Sherpas this week at 7,470m (24,500ft).
10. Monthly jobs report always makes me wish more of my past disappointments were subject to later upward revision
Television critic James Poniewozik (@poniewozik). On Friday the US posted better than expected jobs numbers for April, and the low March numbers were revised to show more growth than previously thought.
Some tweets have been edited for clarity or style