Bag of Randomness
Monday, May 18, 2026

It’s the last week of the school year for my kids.

One of the better college graduation traditions.

I bet he’ll be invested in the new Christopher Nolan movie out this summer.

Shaquille O’Neal has earned his second master’s degree

 

A man ordered 240 swimming noodles from Walmart, and they decided to ship them to him in 240 individual boxes (YouTube).

Southwest Airlines lays off about 75 employees amid restructuring

I loved working for this company, but I only did so as a contractor. If you are familiar with the company culture, they had enormous pride in never laying off employees. From my understanding, there was even a no-layoff policy.

Random Star Trek trivia since I’m on a bit of a Star Trek kick:

  • Leonard Nimoy directed an episode of TJ Hooker, which I’m sure you recall starred William Shatner.
  • Edward James Olmos was offered the part of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation before Sir Patrick Stewart. He turned it down because it wouldn’t have given him the flexibility to take on other projects.

I’ve just started watching Picard. In the first episode, he said something that stuck with me, “The Pyramids were a symbol of colossal vanity.” I never really thought about it, but he’s right. I’ve also noticed on dating apps that it’s almost a requirement for women to post a photo of themselves with the pyramids in the background. I see it so much, it really annoys me. So, if the pyramids are a symbol of colossal vanity, then taking a picture with them is twice the vanity.

This was trending on X on Saturday.

I’m still bewildered that voters would put someone in office or serve as Speaker of the House who hasn’t had a checking account since 2016.

Texans say AI boom sounds like a ‘washing machine’ that never turns off – As Texas races to become the largest data center market in the world, another side effect of the boom is beginning to draw scrutiny: relentless noise pollution.

Pennsylvania police officer overdoses on fentanyl while destroying drugs in the evidence room

An Aliquippa police officer overdosed while handling narcotics from the department’s evidence room, the Beaver County district attorney said. The officer collapsed in a patrol car and it took Narcan and CPR to save him.

LinkedIn user hides AI prompt injection in bio to force recruitment spam to be sent in Olde English prose — bots also manipulated to address user as ‘My Lord’

A lifeline or ‘dystopian’?: Schools open parking lots for homeless students and families – As family homelessness hits record highs, a few school districts are beginning to offer parking lots as safe sites for students and their families to sleep at night. Some families prefer the option over emergency shelters

The model is now spreading beyond California. In Ohio, the Cincinnati school district later this spring will open its first safe parking lot for families at a downtown elementary school. The teachers union for Fayette County Public Schools, in neighboring Kentucky, has asked its school board to follow Cincinnati’s lead.

So they are literally butthole surfers?

This Fish Hitches Rides in Manta Rays’ ‘Buttholes,’ According to New Research

Speaking of the band, The Butthole Surfers, I’m sure most of my local readers are aware that the frontman is the son of Mr. Peppermint.

A scorekeeper’s nightmare.

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Monday, May 18, 2026

Bag of Randomness
Friday, May 15, 2026

Wow, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s cold open poking fun at the CBS Evening News was a shot across the bow. Of course, there’s beef with his show getting canned, despite being number one in the ratings, but I’m sure some of this is because of how the network also canned his good friend, John Dickerson, the previous host of the Evening News.

And yes, that was the same broadcast that ended in a medical emergency.

David Letterman was Colbert’s guest last night. Dave revived one of his old bits by throwing stuff off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater, but it was with Colbert’s studio furniture. That’s why you see them sitting in the audience in this photo. Gosh, I’m going to miss that show. I’ve watched it almost daily since Dave started in on my birthday in 1993.

So many locals are ticked off at this. It’s almost like the day when Big Tex went up in flames.

‘This feels personal’: Beloved Dallas whale wall mural painted over for World Cup display

Second Defending Texas High School Baseball Champ Removed From Postseason – Centerville joins Grapevine as reigning champions forced to forfeit out of playoffs for rules violation.

Austin has 1 million residents for the first time, slips to 12th-largest city in U.S.

The city briefly ranked among the top 10 before being passed last year by Jacksonville, Fla. The latest figures show both cities have since been eclipsed by Fort Worth. The Census Bureau’s population estimates put Austin at 1,002,632 residents as of July 1, behind Jacksonville at 1,017,689 and Fort Worth at 1,028,117.

Only 18 Texas youth camps fully licensed weeks before summer, but many can still legally operate

Personally, I’m surprised I don’t see Camp Copass in Denton on the list. It’s the only camp I’ve attended and worked for.

Emails show FBI Director Kash Patel’s Hawaii trip included ‘VIP snorkel’ at a Pearl Harbor memorial

California explores buses traveling up to 140 mph on freeways

The concept envisions connecting locations such as Sacramento, the Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego through dedicated freeway lanes, transit hubs and long-distance express bus service.

“Long-distance travel by bus could become an attractive and affordable way to go between California metropolitan areas,” said Ryan Snyder of Caltrans.

Researchers are also examining international examples, including South Australia’s Adelaide O-Bahn busway system and the Netherlands’ Superbus prototype, as part of the study into what could work in California.

NFL schedule release with some great pop-cultural comedy.

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Friday, May 15, 2026

Bag of Randomness

The final sketch on SNL mentioned Whataburger. Surely, that’s a first. Here’s the sketch, he says it at the 55-second mark.

Armchair Political Pundit Thought:

When a runoff between Texas AG Ken Paxton and Senator John Cornyn became official for Cornyn’s current Senate seat, President Trump said he would make one of the men bow out, but that never happened. When Trump removed U.S. AG Pam Bondi from her post, I thought that was an easy fix to the problem, and Trump would replace her with Paxton. I’m surprised that didn’t happen, as it seemed like an easy fix to this little predicament. Perhaps the offer was made to Paxton, but he turned it down as he covets the Senate job more; however, I’d say there’s more power and influence as an AG even if he only serves out the rest of Trump’s term.

I should have understood this long ago, but I learned in Sunday school that just about all the church reformers never intended to start a new church; they were just trying to reform “the church,” but things just sort of took off from there, mostly by the actions not of the reformers, but those they influenced.

Sometimes I am amazed at how naive I can be when it comes to the meaning of songs. For instance, the Hall and Oats classic Maneater has nothing to do with a woman.

Heck, I think I was in my mid- to late twenties when I learned what Olivia Newton-John’s “Let’s Get Physical ” wasn’t about: working out. I still can’t believe all the elementary school teachers used that song in skits and performances for their young students. Granted, all references went over the children’s heads, but surely parents must have had some interesting thoughts.

Here’s an interesting fact about Dr. Jane Goodall’s death. She was working on a document late into the night during a speaking tour, until 10:30 PM, just hours before her death in Los Angeles. Her assistant, noticing an email update while in bed, began editing it because she thought Jane was too busy to manage it herself. Goodall was found deceased the next day at approximately 8:30 AM.

MAGA Supporters Are Fuming After Email Confirms They Will Never Get Their $500 Trump Phones or Deposits Back

Dallas’ new Halperin Park, similar to Klyde Warren Park, opened this weekend. I like this feature.

A lot of folks have pointed out that the company painting the This is the website of the firm the Trump administration hired to paint the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has a very outdated website.

An email from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles warning White House staff about leaks, is leaked

Small Georgia town reinstates police officers and department 2 days after the mayor fired them all – The jobs of the chief and about 10 officers were terminated as of Wednesday morning. Exact reasons haven’t been shared publicly.

I’ve actually been revisiting the first season of Knight Rider and several documentaries about the show. When you consider the show was filmed without CGI or special effects, and that all the stunts were real and practical, it was an impressive feat. All that to say, this story caught my eye.

Illinois’ Volo Auto Museum baffled as KITT replica receives NYC speeding ticket

Sobering photo.

A funeral has been held in Louisiana for eight children who were killed in a mass shooting last month.

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— The Associated Press (@apnews.com) May 9, 2026 at 10:00 PM

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Bag of Randomness
Friday, May 8, 2026

Man, I just can’t shake this upper respiratory infection. Getting sick at 50 feels a lot different from when I was ten.

I’m not sure how she found this old shirt, but I was delighted to see my daughter honoring her namesake and the scholarship I’m honored to serve on with my closest friends.

George W. Bush resigned as the Governor of Texas on December 21, 2000. So, over the last 25 years, Texas has had only two other governors: Rick Perry and Greg Abbott. Apparently, Texas voters think there’s nothing wrong with that. Yet many Texas Republicans I know fervently support term limits.

Assuming I didn’t fall for a doctored image, the Pope likes Nikes.

Southwest Airlines has a cool new plane,  Independence One, to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday.

  • Red, white, and blue paint scheme with 1776 written in giant quill script
  • The key phrase, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” from the Declaration of Independence and the three inalienable rights endowed to all humans 
  • Thirteen stars on the fuselage denoting the thirteen original colonies
  • Circle of stars on each engine cowling reflecting the original Betsy Ross flag
  • Special “1776” tail number
  • America250 nose and winglet decal

A type of TV show they don’t make anymore is the wandering stranger. You know, a guy comes to town, then leaves. Examples include Kung Fu, The Incredible Hulk, Knight Rider, and Highway to Heaven.

Growing up, I didn’t think very highly of Ted Turner. But when he announced he was going to give away a billion dollars in 1997, back when “billion” wasn’t thrown around like it is today, I started to have a change of heart.

“Nudity is Unity” is a heck of a phrase to preach the Gospel.

Christian missionary hailed as ‘holiest man alive’ pleads guilty to abusing boys in Texas –
Daniel Savala, who preached for decades in an Assemblies of God-run college ministry, was sentenced to 30 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

Campaign staffers tell NPR they make ‘thousands’ betting on their own candidates

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Friday, May 8, 2026