Here’s The Things You’ll Want To See Hear and Know Today.
The Big Picture
If you found yourself checking work email this weekend, it might not be your boss’s fault . . . it might be YOURS. According to one expert, the reason we check our smartphones when we’re off is, quote, “many of us have an exaggerated sense of our own importance.” So we feel like we HAVE to check in on work when we’re on vacation.
A kid in Oregon was arrested on Thursday night with a room full of homemade bombs and a detailed plan to blow up his high school. His name is Grant Acord, and he’s from a town called Albany. Police got a tip that Grant had showed someone a bomb, and talked about attacking the school. So they went to his mother’s house, and found pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails and NAPALM BOMBS hidden under the floor in his bedroom. (He also had floor plans of the school, and a checklist he was working through in preparation for the attack. He’s in custody and they’re making plans to charge him as an adult.)
A guy on an Alaska Airlines flight tried to open an emergency door yesterday morning, while the plane was still in the air. The plane was about to land in Portland, Oregon, when the guy started making weird comments and pulling on the door handle. The other passengers took him down, and tied him up with shoelaces until they were on the ground. (If this was supposed to be a terrorist attack, it might be one of the dumbest ever. There’s no possible way to put passengers in danger by pulling on an emergency door. The doors can only be pulled into the plane, not pushed out. And the air pressure inside the plane is so much greater than it is outside, that no one could ever do that while the plane is airborne.)
Tony Kanaan won the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. It was his first win there, though he’s come in second, third, fourth, and fifth in other years. Carlos Munoz and Ryan Hunter-Reay finished out the top three. (It was a chaotic day. 14 cars led at different times, and there were 68 lead changes. Both numbers are race records. Tony said he got a little bit lucky in the race. A late yellow flag came out when he was in the lead, and the race finished under caution . . . meaning that no one could pass him before he crossed the finish line.)
Kevin Harvick won the Coca-Cola 600 yesterday. He pulled ahead in the last 11 laps and beat Kasey Kahne to the finish line by a second and a half. (Kurt Busch ran third. In the middle of the race a TV camera cable snapped, and caused ten injuries in the crowd. A few cars also got damaged when they drove across it. The charity Kevin mentions is Folds of Honor, which provides scholarships to children of soldiers injured or killed while serving.)
Democrats haven’t had any good news in a while. Thankfully for them, there’s this: DONALD TRUMP is considering another presidential run in 2016.
One of Trump’s people says that $1 million has been put aside to research Trump’s standing in each state, and figure out who he’d need to win over in order to be successful.
During a recent speech, Trump said, quote, “I’d be happy if PRESIDENT OBAMA did a great job. I’m a Republican, but before anything, I love this country. I would love to see somebody come in who is going to be great.”
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie met up with Snooki, JWoww, and Deena from “Jersey Shore” after a TV appearance the other day. It was kind of awkward. He’s been on record saying he doesn’t like the show. Apparently he doesn’t like the stars either. (They shook hands and kept it cordial, but it was kind of obvious Christie didn’t want to be there. He walked away as soon as introductions went around.)
Showbizzy Newz
MICHAEL “SUGAR BEAR” THOMPSON from “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” ended up in the hospital on Friday after passing out. A post on Honey Boo Boo’s Facebook page says he’s undergoing tests and remains in good spirits. But they still don’t know what’s wrong with him. And to make matters worse, somebody ran over and killed Honey Boo Boo’s dog while they were at the hospital.
There were reports all over the Internet Friday that “Rocky Horror Picture Show” star TIM CURRY had suffered a major stroke Thursday night. But it turns out he actually suffered the stroke LAST JULY.
It’s not clear how this could have happened without anyone knowing it until now, but Tim’s rep says, quote, “He’s doing great . . . He absolutely can speak and is recovering at this time and in great humor.” Curry is 67.
Q Country Closeup
BLAKE SHELTON’S tornado relief show “Healing in the Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert” is airing tomorrow night on NBC . . . and performers include Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan and Rascal Flatts. Also, Carrie is donating an additional $1 million to the Red Cross recovery fund.
Carrie Underwood joined The Rolling Stones onstage in Toronto on Saturday to do “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll”. And it was a pretty big deal for her. (After the show she Tweeted, “I just sang with the @RollingStones! Holy cow! I walked off stage and said, ‘What just happened?’ Still can’t believe it!”)
Dierks Bentley has a new album on the way this fall. Today his new song “Bourbon in Kentucky” will be streaming on his website. Yesterday he had a short preview clip online at RollingStone.com. (He says he hasn’t ever heard anything like this song before. It’s a tribute to his father, who passed away last year.)
The Backside of the News
On Sunday morning, in Pennsylvania, police found a 22-year-old woman who was NAKED in public, on all fours, pulling up grass. When they finally got her to tell them what she was doing, she told them she was impersonating Adam and Eve. She and a friend both seemed HIGH and were arrested for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
Police in south Florida are warning men to beware of a gang of women who are preying on rich guys. The women flirt with rich guys at bars, get the guys to take them home . . . then drug them and rob them. In 13 robberies, the women have stolen more than $300,000 in cash, watches, iPads, and other expensive stuff.
Last Thursday, two guys tried to rob a Burger King in California. While they were getting cash, one employee noticed their getaway car was empty and idling outside . . . so he snuck out and drove the getaway car away. When the robbers got outside and found the car missing, they started running. But the cops quickly caught up with them and arrested them.
Randoms
Season Four of “Arrested Development” hit Netflix over the weekend. All 15 episodes were unleashed at once, which is the new model that Netflix has been using for its “original” series. Regardless of how good the show is, the jury is still out over whether or not it’s best to consume it all at once.
There’s a good recap here.
We recently heard that there’s a movie in the works about HILLARY CLINTON back in the 1970s. And now, there’s word that Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Amanda Seyfried, and Jessica Chastain are in the running for the part.
A man in Kyoto, Japan just reached an incredible milestone. He’s the LAST MAN ALIVE who was born in the 19th century. He was born in April of 1897, which makes him 116 . . . and the oldest person alive. His two secrets for a long life are: Eating small portions, and spending a lot of time in bed. There are also 10 women born in the 1800s who are still alive.
