BARONVONBLOGLOG's Blog

Summer vacation is still a week or so away for most North Texas kids. But the SUPER SUMMER FUN starts tommorrow!

The 2007 Mayor's Summer Reading Program kicks off at the Dallas Central Library and at Dallas Public Library's 25 branches where children from 0 to 18 yrs old will sign up to particpate in the program to read, read, read! And on top of that they'll win some really cool prizes based on the number of hours they read or have someone else read to them.  In fact be sure to check out  the list of exciting events (www.dallaslibrary.org) for kids at Dallas neighborhood libraries throughout the summer. And you don't have to live in Dallas to participate.

This morning Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and I teamed up again this year for story time at the central library to start spreading the news about the MSRP. Several dozen kids from DISD schools were there as well as reps of the corporate sponsors and donors who all help make the MSRP a big success!

Last year more than 15,000 children logged more than 380,000 hours reading books.

Let's make it more this year...because READERS ARE LEADERS!!!

So remember....

What: Mayor's Summer Reading Program 2007

Dates: May 19 - July 28, 2007

Where: Register at any Dallas Public Library

Who: Children ages 0 - 18

More info: www.dallaslibrary.org

or send viewers to our website: www.myfoxdfw.com

FOX 4 and MY27 are proud sponsors of the Mayor's Summer Reading Program.

Studies show that summer reading increases a child's ability to perform well in the next school year by expanding their vocabularies and helping them to become better writers. Reading's also proven to stimulate the right side of the brain and opens the mind to new possibilites. Reading can relieve stress and be so much FUN!

NEWS CORPORATION, the parent company of FOX 4, is taking a GREEN stand to combat GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE.

NEWS CORP Chairman, Rubert Murdoch, announced today that it's the company's goal to become CARBON NEUTRAL by the year 2010.

In other words...NEWS CORP is pledging--among other things--

*to invest in RENEWABLE ENERGY ...

*to replace company vehicles with HYBRIDS..

and to offer incentives to employees to buy or lease HYBRIDS.

And I'll bet that if you just take a moment to think about it, you'll take stock of things that you're already doing or could start doing to take care of mother earth.

For instance, instead of taking the elevator all the time, I take the stairs--good for energy conservation and a decent cardio blast for the old bod.

I'm also thinking that we could help out if the last person out of the restroom turned off the lights...

Hmmmm...what do you think? Any ideas/suggestions...maybe that you're practicing on your own or/and that your place of employment is spearheading?

It's time...and the weather's lookin' good! The 35th MAYFEST kicked off today--undeterred by mother nature's windy threat yesterday.

Fort Worth’s oldest family & community festival runs thru Sunday near downtown and the cultural district...on 33 acres in beautiful Trinity Park on the banks of  the river.

FOX 4 and MY 27 are among the proud sponsors of the event this year. And a bunch of us will be out at MAYFEST to meet and greet YOU! (I'll be out there Saturday afternoon.) Be sure to look for our booth. We'll be stocked with lots of cool giveaways and games...plus we'll be signing autographs.

Join us as we celebrate this annual Fort Worth tradition, bringing families and communities together along the Trinity River as we focus on children, arts, music and culture. 

Soooo go ahead and grab your sunglasses, spf, and join us in Fort Worth this weekend...for MAYFEST 2007!

For more information go to www.mayfest.org.

Activites:
Hours of Entertainment!
Over 224 provided by over 135 performing groups on seven stages

Live Jet Ski Shows, Elsie the Borden Cow, interactive Children’s’ Show, Butterfly House ... just to name a few!

NEW! For 2007… 
Battle of the Bands

Acclaimed Children’s Area
sponsored by Tom Thumb

Nightly Laser Spectacle Show
sponsored by Moritz Dealerships

 

Art & Market Area

Non- Profit Organizations
Each year, Mayfest provides reduced-fee rates for non-profit agencies. The agencies use their space to educate the public and increase community awareness.

Sports Area

Riverbank Area and river activities

The Zone teen area

Mayfest Run
10k, 5k and Mayfest Fun Run; Certified course revised in 2006 to run through the park and along the banks of the Trinity River.

Senior Citizens Day

Special Needs Day
The park opens early one day to accommodate over 1,000 mentally and/or physically challenged children, from the Fort Worth Independent School District and other surrounding districts. The children enjoy a private time at Mayfest (no charge).

Ever popular Tree Giveaway, sponsored by BRIT

Approximately 50 food, beer, margarita, wine and coke booths

35th Anniversary Party and Celebration – May 2nd in Trinity Park!

Attractions: 
- The Disc-Connected K9's – World Famous Frisbee Dogs
- Ham Bone Express – Swiftest Swine Off the Line
- Children’s Show and Stilt Walkers
- Elsie the Borden Cow

... and we’re just getting started!

When you give, you gain so much in return. And Educational First Steps (EFS)is just one of the ways I give to help others help themselves to ultimately help even more people--kids in this case. FOX 4 is a proud sponsor.

Checkout this video clip I've posted of the MAVS' Devin Harris, some of the EFS kids and me promoting "HEARTS FOR SMARTS"--an EFS fundraiser.


Right now EFS is in the middle of "HEARTS FOR SMARTS"--one of our biggest fundraiser. And here's how you could help out.
The kids created Valentine's Day cards and t-shirts which are now on sale at area Tom Thumb Supermarkets. You can also donate online at www.educationalfirststeps.org. 100% of the proceeds fund our 2008 expansion program. And with your support we hope to provide vital services for another 29 centers by 2008 to help more than 3,500 at-risk children.

Educational First Steps is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality and availability of early childhood education for disadvantaged Dallas area children between the ages of birth to five. We are an association of professionals and volunteers bound together by a commitment to provide for these children the possibility of a future they would otherwise be denied.

You can see some pics in my blog album of some of the kids and caregivers at AISHA'S Learning Center. EFS helps 400 directors and teachers in its 51 centers through training, weekly onsite mentoring and consulting and scholarships toward courses in child development and education.
learning centers.

I invite you to either reach out to help someone else or if you are already doing so...continue. We all can be humanitarians.

Educational First Steps (www.educationalfirststeps.org)

VIDEO CLIP/DEVIN HARRIS OF THE MAVS AND ME.....
BALANCE...HARMONY...CHARITY...PEACE!
bdj

FOX ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!

NEWSCORP, the parent company of FOX, FOX 4 and Regan books, has canceled the much-publicized O.J. Simpson book "IF I DID IT" and the related television interview describing how he would have killed his ex-wife and her friend. The interview was scheduled to air next Monday and Wednesday, November 27 & 29th on FOX 4 and other FOX stations around the country.

Word came down this afternoon just before 2:30 Dallas time about the cancellation. At this point no word though on the specific reasons why the plug was pulled. Of course outcry and outrage from FOX viewers, advertisers and affiliated T.V. stations across the country had been mounted. Several affiliates had already decided not to air the interview in the name of bad taste.

We're going to have more information on this development on FOX 4 News starting at 5 today. And we are also going to air some of your blog comments on FOX 4 NEWS at 5:30.

What do you think about this change of events?

As you may know Heather Hays and I volunteer with Contact Crisis Line.
CONTACT Crisis Line offers free, 24-hour, immediate and confidential one-on-one telephone crisis prevention and intervention, information and referral, emergency aid, and community education and outreach.
Recently Heather and I emceed a launch event for the '-06-'07 fundraising season. I've posted some pictures from the evening.
Also that night announced how excited CONTACT is to announce the 2007 Spirit of CONTACT event on March 24 will feature David Spade and Dennis Miller. The event will once again take place at the Majestic Theatre promised to be one of the best nights of comedy - and hope - of the year!
This past March we were thrilled to welcome Jay Leno (see photos).
If you'd like to know more about CONTACT Crisis Line or maybe you'd like to volunteer, visit contactdallas.org.

Calling all myfoxdfw bloggers,

Tomorrow's the big day to exercise our right to vote! And I know that on myfoxdfw.com you have no problem expressing your thoughts/opinions on the political issues and candidates appearing on the ballot this Tuesday, November 7th.
I encourage you to vote and to post your comments on myfoxdfw.
I also want to let you know that during our FOX 4 NEWS/myfoxdfw.com election night coverage I will be reporting on some of your NEWS blogs live on FOX 4.

So again don't forget to vote and blog...and be featured in the FOXLIGHT!

Baronvonbloglog

Soooooo, what do you think? Have you seen our new FOX 4 studio set. After about a month of telling you it was coming; and the construction crews working virtually around the clock to put it all together; and our team of anchors and reporters and producers rehearsing the new positions and the new graphics and the new animations and the new monitors and so on...we finally unveiled tonight starting on FOX 4 NEWS @ 9 & 10!! Whew!!:-)
And of course you can still count on us to bring you the news like no other tv station around. Afterall we are YOUR NEWS STATION!!
So let us know what you think...

First of all let me say thanks to those of you who have emailed/vmailed me out of concern for my quick departure on Monday. After about 5 minutes into FOX 4 NEWS @ 5 (ie. Monday, August 28th) one of my producers gave me the proverbial "stage hook." My raspy voice was more of a distraction that anything else. As it turns out my allergies have put my vocal cords under attack! That's according to my doctor whom I saw yesterday. He gave me a shot and put me on a steroid plus nasal spray.
I started to loose my voice on Saturday after a few days of sneezing and coughing and coughing and coughing. Thank you very much, ragweed and pigweed. In fact I sounded like Michael Jackson...no kidding! So I spent the weekend nursing my throat with hot tea with lemon Echinacea, honey, and apple cider vinegar. And actually by Monday I sounded a whole lot better; just not good enough.

Anytime this happens (and thank goodness it doesn't happen that often...anymore)it gives me reason for pause/concern. You may remember about 2 1/2 years ago I had polyps removed from my vocal cords after bouts with severe hoarseness. So far my doctor says I am still polyp free.

So I'm back at work today--working off camera on your "SO U THINK U CAN BLOG" reports for GOOD DAY SATURDAY. Don't forget to tune in. And again many thanks for your concern about my voice.

BTW have your vocal cords ever come under attack by allergens or otherwise to the point of hoarseness? How do/did you treat your situation? How long did the hoarseness hang around?

SO U THINK U CAN BLOG?
WELL, ONE OF YOU BLOGGERS IS ABOUT TO HAVE YOUR MOMENT IN THE FOXLIGHT ON FOX 4'S GOOD DAY SATURDAY.
EVERY WEEK I HIGHLIGHT ONE OF YOUR BLOGS ON T.V...BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE BLOGGING ABOUT...HOW OFTEN YOU'RE BLOGGING...WHAT YOU'VE WRITTEN IN YOUR BLOG BIO...AND ALSO WHAT SORT OF PHOTOS YOU'VE UPLOADED ON YOUR BLOG.
WHO DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE THIS WEEK? AND WHY?

IN ADDITION...THROUGH THE BLOG..EACH WEEK ON GOOD DAY SATURDAY YOU WILL GET TO SEE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ONE OF OUR FOX 4 REPORTERS/ANCHORS--INCLUDING PHOTOS FROM OUR PERSONAL ALBUMS.
WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MOST?

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE TO INCLUDE A SO-U-THINK-U-CAN-BLOG REPORT ON ONE OF THE TOP NEWS STORIES OF THE WEEK...OFTEN BASED ON HOW MANY BLOGS YOU'VE WRITTEN AND COMMENTS POSTED ABOUT A CERTAIN NEWS ITEM.
WHAT'S YOUR CHOICE FOR THIS WEEK?

AND FEEL FREE TO BLOG ME--BARONVONBLOGLOG--TO LET ME KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IN THESE WEEKLY SO U THINK U CAN BLOG REPORTS ON GOOD DAY SATURDAY...AFTERALL WE DON'T CALL IT MYFOXDFW.COM FOR NOTHING!

SO U THINK U CAN BLOG?

We've been down this road before, right? But this time thank goodness for the disruption of the alleged TERROR PLOT out of the U.K. to blow up U.S.-bound planes in mid-flight using explosives disguised as drinks and other common liquid products.
U.S. authorities have now banned the carrying of liquids onto flights..forcing people to unpack their carry-on bags on
the floor in the middle of terminals to remove the prohibited
items...one after the other. Some travelers squeezing makeup, sunscreen and other toiletries into their checked baggage, where liquids were permissible...as the airport security checkpoint line snakes longer and longer and longer. And people without checked bags or those who had already given their luggage to their airline...having to throw out the banned items--things like lotions, lipsticks, drinking water, hair gel, perfume, etc.

(BTW, WHAT'S ALLOWED YOU ASK---Baby formula and medications...which have to be presented for inspection at security checkpoints.)

SO NOW THAT OUR AIRPORT/AIRLINE FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS LIST GETS LONGER..WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE WE OVERREACTING WITH THE BANS? OR ARE THESE RESTRICTIONS IMPERATIVE FOR OUR SAFETY?

Have you caught our new webcast on MYFOXDFW? It's a pretty informal preview of what you can expect to see on FOX 4 NEWS. The webcast is called "BEFORE YOU GO..." It targets North Texas commuters who want to find out what's on tap--including the latest traffic troubles--before they hit the road maybe leaving work/school/etc--on the way home in the afternoon.
The webcast runs on MYFOXDFW M-F from 4pm to 5:30pm. So check it out. Tell me what you think.
Of course today Ron Jackson and I --sporting sunglasses and all--hit the great, hot outdoors to talk about...you guessed it...the hottest day in North Texas so far this year. Whew!!

Car jacking Foiled
An elderly lady did her shopping and upon return found 4 males in her car. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at them at the top of her voice that she knows how to use it and that she will if required... so get out of the car! The 4 men didn't wait around for a second invitation but got out and ran like mad, where upon the lady proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the drivers seat. Small problem: her key wouldn't fit the ignition. Her car was identical and parked four or five spaces further down. She reloaded her bags into her car and drove to the police station. The sergeant that she told the story to nearly tore himself in two with laughter and pointed to the other end of the counter where 4 men were reporting a car jacking by a mad elderly woman.... no charges were filed.

Heard a good joke lately? Let's hear it!

Well, It's not over yet! You still have time to join some 14-thousand kids--up to age 18--and READ! READ! READ! in the Mayor's Summer Reading Program. You can win lots of cool prizes--everything from slurpies to pc's.
All children (whether you live in Dallas or not) may enroll, including those who read by themselves and those who participate by listening.
rgister and report to only one Dallas Public Library location. Record time spent reading or listening on the reading log provided at sign-up. Return reading log to the library where you registered so that hours may be recorded and prizes awarded. The final day to report time is Saturday, July 29, before 4:30 p.m.
raders may choose any reading material, such as books, magazines, audio books, etc. It is the time spent reading or listening that is important, not the number of titles read.
The big kid in me has had soooo much fun this summer encouraging the children to read. I've also had a blast hanging out at the library during the many fun events tied to the Reading Program. And the fun's not over yet!
(FOX 4 IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF THE MAYOR'S SUMMER READING PROGRAM.)

BTW...WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE PROGRAM OR NOT...WHAT ARE YOU READING THIS SUMMER?

SOS!! Just bought a new flat screen tv; and having a problem mounting it on the wall. It turns out the wall studs are spaced in such a fashion that if I were to use a standard wall mount device, the monitor would stick off the side of this wall rather than being centered. So, I'm wondering if any DIY watchers/handy-dandies out there have any suggestions on the best way to mount this monitor despite the studs in the wall.

Baron