Not So Breaking News

A commenter mentioned and the Update is reporting that we've got a fatality at 920 and 114 in Bridgeport. The lady was headed east on 920.

As busy as that intersection is, I don't recall many wrecks there over the years.

Mother's Day And Violence

I've earlier praised the greatness of Gmail but it has one creepy function. Some very subtle ads appear on the side of the page but there is no question some type of computer program scans your emails for keywords and then tries to guess the relevant subject matter for the ads.

A moment ago, these ads popped up on the side.

Thursday Morning Random Thoughts

- Channel 4's Clarice Tinsley, in reporting on the storm in Collin County, said at 10:03 p.m. last night, "One resident estimated the winds at 60 miles per hour." Really? That's your source? "One resident?"
- I gave 30 hours of my life to the audiobook, "The Fountainhead." I'm in the process of formulating a very angry and hot sports opinion about it.
- I still don't care about the Dallas Stars. The Rangers have won 7 of their last 10. And it is 114 days until the first college football Saturday.
- I don't know how Mike Synder and Jane McGarry of Channel 5 have jobs.
- The Cowboys are allowing HBO's "Hard Knocks" back in their training camp this summer. Good times. NFL Films puts out a lot of junk, but that show is pretty good.
- I think almost all of us never do anything significant with our lives.
- I wasn't the only one thinking the San Diego State drug bust was silly.
- Running for president would be a beating of biblical proportions.
- Have you ever watched one of the DFW infomercials for a car dealership on one of the Spanish channels? Talk about scantily clad women.
- I loved "Speed Racer" as a kid, but that new movie looks a little odd.
- Tony Romo tried to pull a "Tin Cup" and qualify for the U.S. Open golf tournament but, as is history in football, he didn't get past the first round. (That observation, and some that are pretty funny, are in the comments section of this story in the DMN.)
- June Cleaver has been voted "Favorite TV Mom" in the history of ever. My vote for hottest TV mom would go to Laura Petrie.
- Boring news: Russia's new president Dmitry Medvedev is sworn in. Interesting news: They actually have a ceremony where they hand him a briefcase containing the nuclear codes. (Saw it on Today Show.)

Tornado/Emergency Sirens Going Off . . .

. . . in Decatur at 4:51 p.m. If that's a test, it's bad timing.

It's Tough Carrying The World's Burdens On Our Shoulders

Individuals with conservative ideologies are happier than liberal-leaners, and new research pinpoints the reason: Conservatives rationalize social and economic inequalities.

Preach on, bruther.

My Crack Weather Staff Is On The Situation

And a prediction of 90 degrees on Saturday?

Email From Yesterday

Hey Barry, I was just at Wal-Mart in Decatur about an hour ago and I saw an old lady and man standing with a sign that read "trade for gas" the lady was holding the sign and the man had a teddy bear. Have you heard anyone else say anything about this? Send your newsteam out to cover the situation!

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

- The person in the brown shirt in the background reminds me of "Pat" from the old Saturday Night Live skit.
- Did ya see the pics of the administration building on fire from Our Lady Of The Lake in San Antonio? What a beautiful building. When I was a kid, I remember getting junk make from that school.
- The War on Drugs claimed the careers of 76 students at San Diego State yesterday. I'm sure they would have been nothing more than junkies in the alley had not our government come to the rescue.
- They even gave it a cool name: "Operation Sudden Fall." Makes me feel better.
- "According to a 2007 study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, nearly half of the nation's 5.4 million full-time college students abuse drugs or alcohol at least once a month."
- In other news, former drug addict Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers leads the majors in RBIs.
- "Sorry I Missed Your Party is a blog that scours Flickr and finds amusing photos from random people’s parties."
- Everyone tells me this morning that Obama will be the Democratic nominee after yesterday's elections. Where do I get my bumper sticker?
- Campaign sign in Weatherford: "Vote McLaughlin -- A Man Who Stands for Christ and the People."
- An Elisha Cuthbert, "Hey, now."
- I predict storms today for Bridgeport at 11:15, Decatur at 11:24, and Slidell at 11:33.
-

In Honor Of The Bad Weather

Wreck

Bad wreck at 114 exit off northbound 287 in Rhome.

Barry (from mobile)

Edit: And those were some dark clouds driving into Rhome:

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

- Did you see the hallway scene in the Tarrant County Courthouse after the "fake rape" lady was sentenced to five years in the hoosegow? (Crazy case: She's boinking a guy in his car when her husband arrives. She yells "rape!" Husband shoots and kills the guy. Husband doesn't get charged, but she gets prosecuted for "recklessly" causing the guy's death.) Her kids were crying and screaming in the hallway. Understandably so. That, my friends, was some tension.
- And the prosecutor, who just happen to be black like the defendant, implied that the victim's family also wasn't happy with the five year sentence. This is one where everyone walks away frustrated and unsatisfied.
- And I shouldn't have watched that before I went to bed: I had the most vivid dream of being sentenced to one year in the State Jail. They made me a trustee, but I was going crazy by day 2.
- The new Super Logo doesn't have a six shooter in it, but does have the very odd words "North Texas" at the top. Go Mean Green!!!
- The Myanmar cyclone death count is up to 15,000. How does that happen? Safe to say They don't get Pete Delkus in Myanmar. Edit: 50,000?
- I don't know why anyone would want to be a County Commissioner or a School Board member.
- CBS has announced that the price for a thirty second Super Bowl ad next year will be $3 million
- In the Valley of Elah is great. And the final scene of hoisting the flag spoke volumes regarding the current Administration.
- When I was a kid at Bridgeport Jr. High, our U.S. flag on the outside pole was actually flown upside down by mistake one morning. And a motorist came in to correct the error. Word spread like wildfire.
- And I liked this refreshing bit from the "Extras" section of the Elah DVD. Tommie Lee Jones: "The director liked my character in the beginning of the movie more than I did." Interviewer: "What do you think now?" Jones: "(Puzzled.) What I think doesn't matter. My job is to play the role the way the director tells me to."
- Yeah, I actually add to this list when I get to work.

I'm Turning Into The Update For A Moment

Ok, I don't want to be a community bulletin board but I promised I'd post the following (and it's for a good cause): I was wondering if you would be willing to publicize our upcoming blood drive! It’s a two-part drive, with one half on Tuesday, May 20th from 4-8 pm and the other half on Thursday, May 22nd from 8am-noon. The drive is through the Red Cross and will be held in the DHS practice gym. Those that donate on Tuesday will be given a free ticket to the DHS powder puff football game right around the corner that same night! We need at least 100 units to win a $1,000 prize. The money will be used as a scholarship in Shane Eichthaler’s name and given to a member of his graduating class. Contact Emily Arnold at Decatur High School if interested.

A Little Shock Value

It's the "Montana Meth Project" - whatever that is. See more here (site is a little tricked up - they area all on the left hand side. And some are pretty darn shocking.)

Edit: And then some wise guy has to trick 'em up for college football fans. Good times.

Left Over "Spin" Material

The Messenger had a story last week on one the hybrid vehicles that staff members ran around in for a week or so. This paragraph jumped out at me. Not sure if people buying them are that concerned with the cost of gasoline.

Made Me Laugh

I don't know anything about soccer other than it's played by little kids in front of parents who woke up at 6:00 a.m. so they could watch said youngsters. But in some country far, far away the game is played by adults for fun. Which gives rise to this clip. I think a penalty kick is involved (which we Americans would refer to as a "free shot.") But I didn't know you could kick the rebound if given the opportunity - an opportunity that is very inadvisable.

Lawyer Tension

This won't interest most of you without an interest in the legal profession: You do not want to appear at oral argument on an appellate case and have the following happen to you in the court's written opinion: Link. PDF file. Go straight to page 14. (Or check out this for a more explanation.)

And Another

But I'm really worried about this one: She turned herself in after some over-the-clothes fondling fearing that it would only become worse.

Alleged Victim: 16-year-old student in the English as a Second Language program.

Verdict: Jail time for being stupid for blowing the whistle on herself . . . .Oh, wait . . . it's Cinco De Mayo. Motion for New Trial granted. Probation imposed.

Next case.

Country Music Entry

I was in Dillard's looking for ties (which isn't near as fun as it should be) and I heard some song over the speakers with the lyrics "when the stars go blueeeeeeeeeeeee." I looked it up when I got home and bought it. I've got the Tim McGraw version but I'm not sure the one I heard in the store was that, uh, country.

And later I somehow got stuck listening to Brooks & Dunn's "God Must Be Busy." I'm not sure I understood it. With the exception of a line randomly thrown in about a kidnapped girl being found, it didn't seem very God and Country like.