Above The Fold

Taking You Into The Weekend

Youtube description:

Zach Sobiech is 17 years old and diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that takes the lives of a large percent of its childhood victims. Given only months to live, Zach turned to music to say goodbye. His song "Clouds" spread, and soon, Zach's message was heard across the country. We wanted to help Zach spread his message, and bring awareness to increase support for finding a cure. So, we asked our friends to help out...they did.

To download "clouds" and support Zach's Osteosarcoma fund: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/clo...

To support the Zach Sobiech osteosarcoma fund and help find a cure for childhood cancer visit: http://www.childrenscancer.org/zach

Director/Producer: Justin Baldoni
Producer: Ahmed Kolacek
Associate Producer: Fouad Elgohari
Editor: Nick Pezzillo

With:
Brian Cranston
Sarah Silverman
Ashley Tisdale
Colbie Caillat
Chris Pratt
Anna Faris
Jason Mraz
Sara Bareilles
Andy Grammer
Jenna Fischer
Angela Kinsey
Jenna Elfman
Jack McBrayer
Lumineers
Jason Derulo
The Mowgli's
Rachel Bilson
Kina Grannis
Passenger
Creed Bratton
Tyler Hilton
Mark Duplass
Josh Gad
Jason Wade
Paul McDonald
Ed Helms
Phillip Phillips
Justin Young
Alyssa Shouse

Wow: Breaking News

This West, Texas EMS volunteer just got arrested on "federal charges of possession of a destructive device." I don't know if that is related to the West explosion. If it is, it's an insane story.

Story on him after the event here.

Infographic: Highest Paid Public Employee For Each State

Source.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Bangladesh update: Death toll over 1,000 but with one lady found alive.  (Photo of her on stretcher.)
• The State Department is removing plans for 3D printable gun from the Internet? (1) If true, that's disturbing, and (2) Wouldn't that kind of be like a celebrity trying to remove an embarrassing photo from the Internet? It just isn't possible.
• The Texas House passed a law dealing with unauthorized drone use last night (it'll die in the Senate.) I didn't realize that was a problem.
• The woman caught in the viral photo the other day flipping off an NBA player has been identified as a four time married socialite who might have killed her hedge fund husband.  A very long article on the death begins:  "The hedge-funder Seth Tobias was found dead in his pool. His hard-partying wife has been accused of his murder by her Internet psychic, who also says the hedge-funder was having an affair with a male stripper named Tiger. And it just gets more sordid from there." Do tell.
• That Duncanville kid who did the rant against his teacher? (1) Mark Davis thinks it might have been pre-planned, and he might not be wrong. That camera was incredibly still while he was being filmed. (2) What's up with that kid's hair? (3) And it was the teacher, and not the kid, who got suspended?
• Charles Ramsey, the viral hero of the Cleveland kidnapped girls, was tainted a little bit when it was revealed by a Cleveland TV station that he had a criminal history. But get this: The TV station later apologized and took the story down saying, "While the story was factually sound, the timing of it and publication of such information was not in good taste . . . ." You've got to be kidding. That's the state of journalism these days? 
• The WBAP crew were trying to name the original MTV Jays this morning and one of them (not Hal Jay), said "Nina Hartley" instead of "Nina Blackwood."
• There's some commentor who calls me an "ambulance chaser." I'm 100% sure he has no idea what that term means. 
• I was in a courthouse side room by myself yesterday when a total stranger just walked in out of the blue  and began weeping uncontrollably -- and I do mean weeping - as he tried to explain to me the trouble he was in. I have no idea why he chose me to talk to. I felt like a dad trying to console a broken-hearted child. 
• Crazy alleged case of "parking lot rage" at the Decatur High School per the Update this morning. The kid  has some defenders on his Facebook page. Edit: I can see the Facebook page and I'm not on his Friends list, but others say it's closed. Probably Facebook security settings (some have it set to allow it open to "friends of friends")

Ted Cruz Goes To Washington. Turns Into Bad Comedian.

About President Obama's visit to Texas today... twitter.com/SenTedCruz/sta…
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) May 9, 2013

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• C.J. Wilson can now brag about his new supermodel fiance. (Yep, that's her  in the link.)
• "Judge rules Kountze cheerleaders may display signs with Bible verses on them."  Hey, that was the local district judge who made that ruling -- he's no political fool. An appellate court down the way will set him straight. (In the future, you want the cheerleader supervisors to allow the girls to display a verse from the Koran?)
• Bangladesh death toll: 948. 
• I didn't post a lot of comments about the Decatur School Board race yesterday because it just seemed like two people trying to flood the comments section. 
• Sports: (1) North Texas will play at the University of Tennessee in 2015.  (2) TCU will do a home and home with Minnesota in 2014 and 2015 but get this: TCU will pay Minnesota $500,000 for breaking a previous contract with South Dakota State to do this deal and pay Minnesota $400,000 to come to Fort Worth. 
• Man, those two brothers of the Cleveland kidnapper got thrown under the bus on the first day. Yesterday, a prosecutor said there was "no evidence" they were involved. 
• And that Cleveland case, eventually, will become relevant in the debate about the "rape and incest" exception that some Pro-Life folks advocate. 
• Did you see the kid in the Duncanville classroom go on a rant against his teacher? He needs a teacher in the area of Respect, and I'm shocked by the amount of support the kid is getting online. 
• I'm not saying its not newsworthy, but the story on the front page of the Messenger about the Bridgeport football player was kind of out of character for them. 
• I'm not sure I've ever seen a photo go so viral so quickly as the one from the NBA game last night which has been labeled: "Most Miami Lady Ever Flips Joakim Noah The Bird." 
• After yesterday, I think we've seen the last stand of Benghazi story. No bombshells were revealed. 
• President Obama will fly to Austin today an Gov. Perry will meet him on the tarmac. That last time that happened, Perry embarrassed himself by trying to hand the President a letter. I bet Perry has learned his lesson. 

And Another: Cedar Hill

Link. And it looks like she went to Abilene Christian.

We Have A Verdict In The Jodi Arias Case. Place Your Bets.

But it won't be announced until 3:30 p.m. CST because that court does nothing fast.

Edit: Guilty. I think I heard first degree murder. That will make her death penalty eligible. That phase begins tomorrow.

Whoa: Lunch Time Fire In Downtown Dallas

BREAKING: Fire at building being renovated into new downtown Dallas hotel is at three alarms twitter.com/FOX4/status/33…
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) May 8, 2013

Greatest Moment In The History Of Kiss Cam or Was It Staged?

Nancy Grace and Ashleigh Banfield Hold Split-Screen Interview in Same Parking Lot

Some eagle eye work there.  More.

It's not the most exciting story of the day, but it's a pretty good snapshot of the state of journalism today. Kind of like when any of the local TV news stations throw it to a reporter "in the news room."

Above The Fold

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Now the home air-conditioner is on the blink. My first thought isn't "I'm going to be uncomfortable tonight" but instead involves dollar signs. 
• The UIL went 100% on the offensive after the relay-team-disqualified-for-religious-gesture incident issuing this press release which had this quote from the offending kid: "I do not feel my religious rights or freedoms were violated." Greg Abbott, what say you? 
• Bangladesh death update: Over 800.
• "Looking Past Sex Scandal, South Carolina Returns Ex-Governor to Congress."  I don't think it was a matter of forgiveness, I think it was a matter of people not caring. 
• A Toronto pitcher almost got killed by a line drive last night. 
• It's Benghazi Day in Congress. And there will be nothing new.
• From the Update: "The Wise Soil and Water Conservation District was honored as the Outstanding Conservation District last night at the Area V Conservation Awards Banquet in Stephenville." They ought to give out awards for having to sit through something called the Area V Conservation Awards Banquet.
• I caught a little bit of a CNN interview with Amanda Knox last night. The interviewer was really challenging her on how propensity to take a long pause before each answer. And then she took a long pause before she answered him. "I'm a writer," she said. 
• The 14 Year Old In The House has become the 15 Year Old In The House. Time moves shockingly fast. 
• Mark Cuban writes about saving umbilical cord blood. Once again, trying to demonstrate he's the smartest man in the room. 
• When I was in my 20s I didn't believe in the Stockholm Syndrome. I absolutely believe in the concept now.
• I've heard a lot of people saying the kidnappers in Ohio should receive the death penalty. If all they did was commit a horrendous kidnapping, that can't happen. (Although there is some evidence of a possible murder beginning to surface.)

A Different Kind Of Pick Me Up

From Youtube on May 6, 2013: Matt Kemp is such a great person. He came over after the game and made one of my best friends night :) he's fighting a tough battle and this was sucha great gift by Matt Kemp ! I'll never forget this.

That's the only description we've got. 

Hey, I dog professional athletes all the time. But here's an act of kindness that wasn't done for the cameras. 

Wise County and The Internet -- Not Getting Along

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• The story of the three young girls kidnapped about a decade ago but discovered yesterday in Cleveland is beyond bizarre.
• And the Internet is about to make neighbor Charles Ramsey a star. “I knew something was wrong when a little, pretty white girl ran into a black man’s arms. Something is wrong here. Dead giveaway.”
• Hey, instead of telling me to go look somebody up in the "public record", why don't you do it and send me the link. Ain't nobody got time for that.
• Bangladesh death toll from the building collapse is now over 700.
• I saw Adam Carolla on Fox News last night. When did he become a curmudgeon?
• And Fox News has become the Benghazi Channel. 
• I'm not sure what is more disturbing: Waking up before midnight to find Mrs. LL gone or the fact that the 14 Year Old In The House was up to tell me that she had to run to Walmart for emergency school supplies. 
• From the email bag: "Don't know if its post worthy, but one of my videos made it on the Outdoor Channel and is going to be on tonight at 10:30pm (towards end of segment) - Marc & Todd's Crazy Clips.  They even displayed my web address on the video. All details at www.The HuntingGame.us The video is a prank of an exploding Goat... Sounds bad, but the goat was already dead!"
• My Internet in Decatur is really messed up this morning. 
• That 14 year old that ran off with the twenty-something but was located in Mexico was on the news last night explaining the situation. The ol' "I feared for my life" bit doesn't seem plausible in this case. 
• The Senate passed legislation regarding the collection of sales tax on Internet sales. For the life of me, I've never understood the "$0.00" on the sales tax line during a web purchase. 

Feel His Pain

"Two Chips" / An Animated Short from Adam Patch on Vimeo.

If there's ever been a PSA for not drinking and joking, it's this video Adam Patch's wife got a little too tipsy one night and turned, like most do, into a stand-up comedian. Her subject of choice? Tortilla-chip bullying. 

Fort Worth Has A Drive In Theater?

Link.

Get Me This Baby Duck Who Is Falling Asleep!

Gun Rights Advocate vs. The Police. Who Ya Got?

I've mentioned it before, Texas has bizarre guns laws. You can carry an AR-15 down the street. Nothing illegal about it.

Background from this incident in Temple, Texas.

Holy Moly

Man, this is violent. (Traffic stop begins around 1:00 )

The terrifying moment that a crazed Ohio driver unleashed 37 rounds from an AK-47 was caught on a police cruiser’s dashboard camera. But whatever caused 42-year-old James Gilkerson to spray bullets at cops during a March 10 traffic stop remains a mystery, Middlefield police said Friday. Gilkerson was killed during the exchange of gunfire. More.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I've never been in a Costco, but one is coming at 287 and I-35.
• My blinker won't automatically shut off once I make a turn. That's a beating. 
• Another twenty-something with a teenager over the weekend, but this one prompts an Amber Alert. 
• The mother of Mrs. LL's ex-husband died over the weekend. Despite my fears, she never met me without having open arms and a smile. Gem of a lady. 
• It's really my first experience with kids around and the concept of death. I'm learning more than I'm teaching. 
• I think Mrs. LL is obsessed with The Good Wife. From what I've seen, it's a toned down Ally McBeal. And, like most lawyer shows, a case goes from initial meeting to trial in a blink of an eye.
• My point of the Joel Osteen post below was that I question his cause and effect analysis. 
• The guy whose legs being blows away which was famously captured by a photographer opened a hockey game this weekend.
• Greg Williams' blog is more scorched earth than I thought it would be.  
• The Bangladesh death count from the building collapse is now at 622.
• I've watched Caddyshack a million times but it still makes me laugh. (It was on one of the cable channels this weekend.)
• The Family Cat loves making a bee line for the bathroom whenever the door is open. She likes to sit in the sink. So goofy. 
• The clouds yesterday afternoon were like the opening of The Simpsons. 
• From the You've-Got-To-Be-Kidding-Me Department: .The founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, Nancy Brinker, "made $684,717 in fiscal 2012, a 64 percent jump from her $417,000 salary from" the year before. The next time you think about paying an entry fee for one of those races, remember that. 

Random Observation About Joel Osteen

From a moment ago after  I turned on the television:


After a couple of examples of thanking God for every day things . . . "Driving into to work. Thanking Him for a safe trip. That's acknowledging God. Before you go into a restaurant, under your breath, 'God help us to have a good dinner and bless this time together'. When God sees you showing your dependency on him like that -- relying on Him in your everyday life -- that's what will cause Him to make your life easier."

Citation needed?