Five stories that have North Texas talking: an Austinite will swim across the Pacific in the name of science; open carry yields financial benefits; Dallas-based songwriter makes his debut; and more.

Having a “midlife crisis” renders several stereotypes — trading in the family van for a convertible, restoring hairlines to their former border or simply seeking spontaneity or adventure. Estately decided to challenge the stereotypes with a bit of science and search engine data. The blog completed a study of 25 major metropolitan areas in the United States, following five categories and averaging the results:

Google searches for hair loss treatment Craigslist ads by men seeking younger women Recent motorcycle purchases by men aged 35-55 Rates of divorce lawyers to marriage counselors Percentage of area cars for sale that are convertibles

After that process, results showed not only that the DFW area ranks in the Top 10 in four out of five categories, but also the male population searches online for “low testosterone” more than any other metro area. See the full Top 10 and read more about the methodology.

A 48-year-old French-born Austinite wants to be the first person to swim across the Pacific Ocean. 5,500 miles. Crazy? Well, he’s already completed the Atlantic. Ben Lecomte will begin his free swim (sans kickboard) off a Tokyo beach toward San Francisco any day now. He’s not just doing it as a test of will, though. He will be investigating the environmental conditions of the Pacific, KERA News’ Lauren Silverman reported: “He will also collect data on himself, including how his heart holds up for eight hours of freestyle every single day. This data will go to cardiologist Benjamin Levine for research. Follow Lecomte’s journey: The Longest Swim. [KERA News]





Fort Worth’s Stock Show holster sales reveal positive financial result of open carry. In a story from the Star-Telegram, the owner of DeSoto-based Huckleberry Gun Leather cited a 40 percent sales increase over last year’s show. “The Stock Show allows patrons to open carry in certain areas and signs are posted where they are not allowed, such as the livestock barns when youth shows are being held.” The leather goods store owner said although sales are up on holsters, not many people were carrying, and he wasn’t a fan of the law, personally. Read more thoughts from Stock Show attendees. [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]





Two friends from Plano East High School were found dead within hours of each other over the weekend. The deaths of two 17-year-old girls on Saturday night and early Sunday morning are being investigated as suicides. The Dallas Morning News reported: “It’s not clear if the deaths…are related or if there is any reason to believe so, police said. Investigators are speaking with relatives to determine any relationship between the deaths.” Read more. [The Dallas Morning News]