Incredible

Wow!!!

West, Texas Is Known For Something More Than Kolaches Tonight

Fertilizer plant explosion.

President Not Pleased With Gun Control Vote Rejecting Expanded Background Checks

"This was a pretty shameful day for Washington. But this effort isn’t over." #Obama
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 17, 2013

BREAKING: Obama says gun lobby and its allies 'willfully lied' about background check bill
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 17, 2013

This Could Impact Texas

Texas, by statute, allows the government to take a person's blood without a search warrant in these situations after a DWI arrest:

The Supreme Court this morning now possibly calls that statute into question. But for some crazy reason the State in this morning's case didn't argue that there were "exigent circumstances" but instead tried to convince the Court that a blood draw should be legal in every case. Even the right wingers (except J. Thomas) weren't buying that.

Edit: Some agencies are already making policy changes to get a warrant and not rely upon Texas' "mandatory blood draw" law.

Might Be Close

And here is the collection of images that the Internet group 4chan has composed.

Edit: By 1:00 p.m., we have confusion . . .

Viral Photo Of The Bomber? Who Knows If This Is Real.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• I was right: Sheriff Joe was in full Publicity Mode within 24 hours of the "bomb" being sent to him last week.  Fox News provided him a forum. 
• I don't know much about Alex Jones other than he's a nut. Yesterday, there was a video clip of The Family Guy on his website which, along with voice over commentary, purported that the show had a segment about bombs being exploded at the Boston Marathon by the main character via a cellphone The only problem was that the cartoon was seriously doctored. They are trying to backtrack now. 
• None of the runners on the course in the Boston Marathon were seriously injured, were they? 
• The 80 year old man in the minor accident in Decatur yesterday is on the front second page of the Messenger. Near the back, his picture is also featured as he was honored on Sunday for his volunteering on the Decatur High School football sideline crew. 
• Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the "threat of the Obama Administration" is "far more dangerous than what the leader of North Korea threatened." Heaven help us. 
• My first memories of Pat Summerall is hist hosting of a one hour NFL highlights show on Saturday afternoons, This Week In Pro Football, with Tom Brookshier. It was the only place to get those highlights (other than about five minutes at halftime with Howard Cosell on Monday Night Football.)
• Sumerall caught a little bit of flak 10 years ago when he got a liver transplant after years of battling alcoholism. It gave rise to the ethical question of whether he should get priority for the transplant over someone suffering from liver disease via natural causes.
• The Ticket's morning show is in Alpine, Texas this morning. They sound really excited about that place. 
• Did Google satellite view catch a guy dragging a body into a small lake near Amsterdam?
• Arrested this morning but we don't know why yet: The wife of the Justice of the Peace in Kaufman (the JP is the subject of speculation in the DA's death). Edit: Some reports are now saying it is on capital murder charges. Oh, my. 
• For everyone saying the "main stream media" is ignoring the trial of abortion doctor Dr. Kermit Gosnell, I don't know what you're talking about. I see multiple stories about it every day. 
• I'll get off Dennis Prager one day (I promise), but on Monday he introduced Ann Coulter as one of "the greatest thinkers of our time" and then defended her "joke" about the desired death of the daughter of Sen. John McCain. (If “Republican senators need to have a member of their families killed for them to support the Democrats’ gun proposals” they should “start with Meghan McCain.”) 

Channel 8 Is On It

Link.

Above The Fold

Lots Of Pop Culture Death

Yesterday:

Leave It To Beaver's Lumpy Rutherford

Today:

I Wouldn't Go To DFW Airport This Afternoon If I Were You

A "computer glitch" with the reservation system as American Airlines shut down nationwide until late this afternoon.  And it looks like things just got worse.

I Don't Think The Decatur Livestock Market Is A Fan Of The President

Link.

Thanks, emailer.

Cheesy?

Couldn't you just write a check? In private? Without publicity?

New Video From A Runner

That would stop you in your tracks. So jolting.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• If you haven't seen the photo of the marathon participant in the wheel chair with a missing lower leg, I don't know whether to tell you to look it up (to understand the nature of the tragedy) or to avoid it (because it is heartbreaking.)
• Fox 4's Clarice Tinsley said on the 9:00 p.m. broadcast last night that there were "five" unexploded devices  discovered in Boston. Where did she get that figure?
• And speaking of making things up, how in the world does the New York Post get away with announcing 12 were dead?
• And what's up with this "Saudi National" who was a vague "person of interest." Wasn't there similar speculation after Oklahoma City? Do we not learn?
• There were widespread reports after the bombing that the authorities had taken down the cell phone service to prevent a possible remote bomb activation. Others are now saying the system went down simply because it was overloaded with calls.
• Within an hour after the explosions I sent a text to Thomas Aaberg who had ran the race. I appreciated the miracle of technology as a transmission came back from the depths of Boston during the chaos which read, "Yes, a little scared but in my hotel room." 
• I've ran in eleven half-marathons. Not once did I think about a bomb. 
• Lots of folks throw out the "what's the big deal" mantra pointing out that more people died yesterday in drunk driving crashes, gun violence, or cancer than because of the bombing.  That mindset is amazing to me. If you don't understand the shocking nature of a bomb on a U.S. street, no one will be able to explain it to you. 
• April is a crazy month for America. Yesterday's Boston Marathon. Columbine High School. Oklahoma City and the Virginia Tech shooting. 
• Changing gears here, yesterday Greg "The Hammer" Williams, Richie Whitt, and Sybil Summers were fired from 105.3 The Fan.  I could see Williams getting the axe because of missing work laterly, but I didn't see the other firings coming. And CBS Radio is a little callous as they began Williams' termination letter with "Dear Greggo:". 
• Local radio, TV, and print is a brutal business. 
• I saw an emergency vehicle going down 287 this morning. At least I think it was. Despite having the traditional red and blue emergency lights on the hood, it looked more like a pickup with a camper on the back. Anyone?
• What's that huge building being built at the Tarrant County line on the east side of 287 at Avondale/Haslet road across from the Saginaw cutoff? Grocery store or a school?
• Big oops from the Update: "CORRECTION – The substitute in Saturday’s story, 'Substitute dismissed after gym attack,' was misidentified. Billy Garvin, 44, of Bridgeport was not involved in the incident. The substitute teacher under investigation is Billy Garvin Sr., 66, of Bowie. The Messenger deeply regrets the error."

Incredible

This is a New York Post headline. Everyone else is saying two dead.




Another video here and here.

It looks like this is where the explosion was . . .

Wise County Attorney Thomas Aaberg

He's fine, by the way. I exchanged texts with him. But now it sounds like they've shut down Logan Airport and cell phone service.