Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Arizona has an odd death penalty phase for their capital murder trials: A witness just gets to stand up and address the jury without being questioned or cross-examined. Jodi Arias did it yesterday. And, boy, was it odd. She asked for life in prison instead of death with all the emotion of a corporate power point presentation.
• Odd breaking news: "A man killed by an FBI agent Wednesday morning in Orlando was friends with the Boston bombing suspects, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel." The FBI doesn't get involved in a lot of shootings, do they? 
• I flew by the radio version of the Mike Huckabee Show on Monday and there was a guest host who was taking calls on the very, very tired topic of the use of the term "African-American." One caller said, "I read less than 3% of those people have even been to Africa, and I bet 85% of them couldn't find it on a map."  He was not rebuked. And the GOP wonders why it has a problem. 
• We get a new refrigerator tomorrow that has a water/ice dispenser in the door -- something I've never owned in my life. 
• Re: The Athletic Director shakeup in Paradise ISD. Something seems extremely out of sorts but I can't get a handle on it. (And I'm sorry that I can't post all the comments but some contain factual assertions that are pushing it.)
• Note to Family Pup: If you don't stop standing on my back at 4:30 a.m. and licking my ear because you want your belly rubbed, we're gonna have a talk. 
• How in the world did the Norman Transcript get the death count so wrong yesterday -- the headline said at least 91 were dead. Obviously, we have a "cover-up", a "lie", and an attempt to "deceive the American people." Or it could just be a mistake based upon bad information. 
• But how in the world did "only" 24 people die in that thing? 
• I don't know why there seemed to be a huge argument last night on Twitter between people I follow on the pronunciation of ".gif".  Some say with a long G and some say you pronounce it like "jiff." I've always pronounced it like the latter which is apparently how the inventor pronounced it as well. 
• The odds of there being a news report about a post-disaster community "coming together" or being "resilient"? 100%.
• Schools letting out school early yesterday or parents picking up their kids early was bizarre. The fact a tornado hit two school in Oklahoma does not mean that tornadoes are attracted to schools. 
• If the purpose of a strike is to annoy another person (to call attention to your concern), the hunger strike seems to have the concept backwards.
• Picture of the Tea Party protests of the IRS in Fort Worth yesterday. 
• From the Update: "The CSCOPE lesson plans had been criticized by many for teaching 'anti-American' and 'anti-Christian' values . . . ."  Define "many".
• I never thought I would think much again about Fuzzy Zoeller and friend chicken, but Sergio Garcia brought it all back to the forefront yesterday. 
• The Rangers lost last night 1-0 with Yu Darvish on the mound. Is there anything sillier than a pitcher's won/loss record? Darvish gets a loss for a performance we would beg for in every single game. 

Above The Fold

The Video Behind The Iconic Photograph

I posted the pic yesterday, and today it seems to have become "the photo" which will always be associated with the Moore tornado.  The video behind it doesn't show that moment, but the couple does make an appearance as they look for (presumably) their remaining child at the 1:20 mark.

But what a gut wrenching video.  You feel for the kids, the parents, and the teachers.

Tell Me This Video Labeled "Pete updating the newsroom on today's weather potential" Is Staged . . .

 . . . with interns who are forced to be in his audience while the camera was rolling.

"Help Us!"

If not, Delkus walking down the hallway would be the equivalent of the boss from Office Space coming at you.

Just Issued

I normally wouldn't post a "watch" but, good grief, how can you not worry about it today.

#4 and #5 of the list of U.S. deadliest tornadoes happened on consecutive days in nearby states. (Although I'm guessing that was the same line that moved from Mississippi and then to Florida.)  List.

Edit:  I feel for the people of Cleburne, but they are really closing schools early? (Thanks, Mrs. LL).

We will post a list of schools closing early as we contact them. It is confirmed for Cleburne, Alvarado and Rio Vista at this time.
— Cle. Times-Review (@ctrnews) May 21, 2013

Edit:  Now here come the Catholics!!

With 'potentially dangerous weather' on the way, Catholic Diocese of Dallas to dismiss 28 elementary schools at noon share.d-news.co/og8GE1H
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) May 21, 2013

IRS Email To Employees

TO ALL EMPLOYEES IN ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA, & TEXAS

On Tuesday, May 21, demonstration are possible at a number of IRS offices across the country.  While all of these demonstrations are expected to be peaceful, please know that local physical security offices are working jointly with federal and local law enforcement and will increase security presence as a precautionary measure to ensure that taxpayers and the IRS business operations are not affected.

For employees who will be reporting to IRS facilities, please note that many of the demonstrations are scheduled for noon, which may make entering and exiting the facilities around that time inconvenient.  If you will be in or around an IRS facility on May 21, please remember:

- As always, please be respectful of demonstrators

- Avoid wearing your work ID outside the office

- Be aware of your surroundings

- Select alternative routes as appropriate

- Review your local Occupant Emergency Plans

I got tipped off to this by a faithful reader but hadn't heard anything about it. A quick search revealed that the Tea Party is behind it. 

Good Grief. What An Error.

MORE: Oklahoma medical examiner says some tornado victims counted twice, toll revised down to 24: apne.ws/191dAaP -DC
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 21, 2013

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Everyone keeps saying the Oklahoma tornado was a "mile wide" or "two miles wide". It was not even close, right? It was devastating but that path of destruction looks to be a quarter-mile wide tops. 
• It takes a back seat to the loss of human life, but over 100 horses were killed at the Orr Family Farm.
• True?: WBAP said that those in Moore, OK who had a safe room would register the GPS coordinates of its location within the house with the city that way rescue workers would know exactly where the front door of the room was if the house was in rubble. I question that. 
• Lady finds dog in rubble during post-tornado interview.
• When we had out-of-state friends stay with us a couple of years ago, they freaked out when they saw news of a "tornado warning".  We forget how much that is part of our culture. 
• But you couldn't help but look at sky late yesterday without having a little bit of anxiety overcome you. 
• I promise on CNN last night the anchor asked the on-air-meteorologist what the chances were of Moore being hit by another tornado today. (Just so you know, she replied that she didn't think they would see one the same size.)
• There were a couple of fantastic underground storm shelters in my neighborhood growing up. But I'm not sure if they were built for protection from the storms or from Russian bombs.
• Pete Delkus has already gone crazy this morning: "Damaging wind (60-80 mph+), large hail (golf ball – baseball size) and tornadoes are possible this afternoon and evening."  He gets an "out" by using the word "possible" I guess. 
• A faithful reader named "Ty" emailed me to say Bridgeport approved artificial turf for the football stadium last night. I don't know it it is true. If it is, you heard it here first. If not, blame Ty. 
• Tony Romo had a "cyst" removed from his back and will miss workouts for the next three weeks?
• Boyd's only Greg Williams wrote yesterday about being abused as a child and then almost killing the guy with a rock. A pretty chilling title, too: "A Boy's Life." 
• CSCOPE lesson plans are dead. I think this means our kids will no longer be converted to Islam. 
• I don't think there is anyone more pompous on Twitter than former Morning News reporter Jean Jacques Taylor. And it makes me insane that he constantly tweets he'll be "spittin' truth" on the radio.

How Bad Is This Going To Be?

I was thinking earlier that this tornado seems as close to the Wichita Falls one in 1979 as I'd ever seen. I looked it up and learned it killed 42 people back then. This one will be much, much worse.

Paradise ISD Chaos

Hearing there is a shake-up in the athletic department. Anyone?

Unrelated but still chaotic: Crazy tornadoes being streamed live in Oklahoma right now. Looks like a ton of damage has already been done. Edit: This is horrible. Edit: That live stream cut to the local news at 4:00 and they rolled with their pre-planned news. They didn't even mention the destruction which had just taken place. Amazing.

A school . . .

Byron Nelson Crowd Taking You Into Monday Evening

Gallery.

Supreme Court News; Prayer Before Government Meetings

Link.

Kind of like cheerleaders with Bible verses on banners?

Just Finished Up This Graphic

Please Rise For Our National Anthem

But, for what it is worth, she lives in Saskatoon.

I Don't Know Who Miguel Is, But He Almost Killed A Girl Last Night

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Miguel's leap over the audience was one of the most exciting moments of Sunday's Billboard Music Awards. Unless you were the fan he accidentally landed on.

The Adorn singer's right leg caught a woman as he came down, knocking her against the stage. More.

And the big chick gets the hug?

?

I'm not sure I understand Dallas Comic Con this weekend.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I finally watched the 8 mm home movie I found at my parents house and converted to DVD. Let's just say that when Mrs. LL came in the room, unaware that I had watched it, she said, "Are you OK?"  It was a wonderful two minute journey back into 1959 early 1957. I can't wait to process the rest of them. 
• Incredible condo fire in Dallas this morning. (And look at all the firefighters lined up as the body of one of their brethren is about to be removed.) Edit: People keep saying the link is screwed up but I don't see it. 
• Our refrigerator is on its last legs. The freezer is producing ice on the sides like Antarctica and the regular portion is keeping food at a degree that can only be described as lukewarm.  But I'm not sure I've ever seen the kids so giddy when I told them that The Mom can "knock herself out" when she goes shopping for another one. 
• I got in trouble for changing the channel off of college softball this weekend. 
• I do have a belief of buying extremely high quality on something that is is used constantly (i.e mattress, air conditioning, refrigerator, television). Everything else, let's go cheap.
• Britney Griner was quoted by ESPN The Magazine as saying she was told to keep her sexuality secret by coach Kim Mulkey.  Now Baylor is taking heat for its student manual which basically says "don't be a gay" or specifically, "It is thus expected that Baylor students will not participate in advocacy groups which promote understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching." I knew this was coming. I could have sworn I posted something about three years ago about a female player leaving the team about that issue. 
• Kid-In-The-House this weekend: "Mom says you think you are going to die in the next ten years." I wish I had had a camera on my face at that moment. 
• Yahoo! is buying Tumblr for $1.1 billion. The dumbest company in the world? Here's a list of all of their high priced acquisitions -- led by lottery winning Mark Cuban with the stupid money of $7.6 billion.
• Oklahoma State is limiting where their young quarterback can transfer to after he announced he was going to leave school. A coach can go anywhere at the drop of a but they are going to restrict where the kid can go? Sorriness. 
• A very good article in the Messenger this weekend said that the Tarrant County Water Board would stop releasing water from Lake Bridgeport into Eagle Mountain lake in early July. Even if they are telling the truth (doubtful), it'll be ugly by that time. 

I'm Applying For A Job As The President's PR Guy

You cannot allow that visual to happen. You just can't.

(But for those who have seen the pictures of Bush, Reagan, and the Queen holding their own umbrella, you might want to tap the brakes.)