Bag of Randomness

Norway has certainly caught my attention.

 

President Trump is hearing it from both sides, and the general public, about how bad his deal with Iran is. Heck, even Senator Bill Cassidy said, “Reagan is rolling over in his grave.”

But here’s the funny part. Cassidy forgets about Iran-Contra and the Arms for Hostages affair, when Reagan literally sold weapons directly to Iran despite an arms embargo.

Trump signed the treaty with Iran at Versailles. We all know that the 1919 treaty signed there didn’t work out so well. But I suppose there was a symbolic reason Trump was at Versailles, as he’s the acting POTUS on our nation’s 250th birthday. Yup, get ready for a fun piece of trivia.

In 1783, the palace was the site of the signing of the last two of the three treaties of the Peace of Paris (1783), which ended the American Revolutionary War.

In the year 1946, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Trump were born. Yup, all in the same year. Bush on July 6. Clinton on Aug 19. And Trump, on June 14.

Biden was born in 1942. So, I guess if they all lived in the same neighborhood and Biden was a high school senior, those fellas would either be freshmen or in the eighth grade.

As for Barack Obama, who had a big day yesterday with the opening of his Presidential Center (Library), he was born on August 4, 1961.

I spotted at least three tan suits at the event. First was Obama Foundation board Member Marty Nesbitt, who gave a short speech.

So did Isiah Thomas, Stephen Colbert, and David Letterman.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama gave an eloquent speech honoring her husband’s work and character. How special it must be to be loved like that. It made the former president tear up.

Obama’s intro music for campaigns and conventions was U2’s City of Blinding Lights. Bono and the Edge (and Jacknife Lee on piano) played a version of it at the event. In another nice gesture, especially after the former first lady was insulted by a fight at the UFC event last weekend, Bono changed some of the lyrics to honor her. He also added another tweak to honor the other former presidents in attendance (remember Bono visiting W’s ranch?).

Bono started riffing toward the end of the song, singing about performing in front of “46, 42 and 43,” a reference to Presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, who were all in attendance for the opening. He then added “44 and family” for the Obamas, whose daughters, Malia Obama and Sasha Obama, were also there.

Bono ended the song by singing “Michelle ma belle,” the lyric from The Beatles song “Michelle.” 

Here’s the clip.

This is a nice photo of former President George W. Bush and Michelle Obama; it almost looks like they are dancing. But it appears she was gifted some Altoids.

 

It’s always nice to see former presidents and their spouses get together for something other than a funeral.

During Obama’s speech, he praised both Mitt Romney and the late John McCain. I noticed Cindy McCain was in the audience. That just seemed nice. She actually suffered a mild stroke in October while in Rome, Italy.

Some of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool liner appears to be falling apart – The “American flag blue” coating appears to be peeling away in some sections.

So, how exactly is President Trump going to “fix” this mess? Is he going to blame that Oklahoma company he chose for doing shoddy work? Remember, he specifically chose this company and didn’t allow any other companies to bid. Is he going to make that company fix it for free because they didn’t do it right? Will the blame go to the paint/epoxy company? I wouldn’t doubt that he would blame China or another country, claiming they made the paint/epoxy.

Former Dallas Mavericks head coach Don Nelson is 86 years old and has decided to move from Maui to Frisco, TX. And he says he loves being back in the Metroplex. He said Maui is a great place to live, but not a great place to die. I’m shocked that anyone with so much wealth would want to move from paradise to North Texas. Not to mention, the man has a strong affinity for weed.

He and his son were being interviewed by The Hardline on The TICKET. They are focusing on NBA Europe in a partnership with Luka.

As all of you are well aware, it took the Knicks 53 years to win a championship. If we apply that to the Dallas Cowboys, our next Super Bowl win will be in 2049.

I always thought it was odd that Texas didn’t have closed primaries. I was also surprised that Texas’ open primary system has been in use since the early 90s.

Full Article

Movies and TV shows casting in Dallas

Here’s a sampling:

  • Investigation Discovery Texas Ranger Documentary Series
    • Roles:— Justin (lead, male, 18-24)
      Roles pay up to: $150, 10 hours of work
  • ‘Psychomachia’- Project type: feature film
    Casting various parts for our latest Christian independent film, based on the poem by Christian Roman poet Prudentius, a gritty, adrenaline-pumping rock musical about seven Virtues who do battle against seven Vices for the salvation of one man’s soul; a kind of Christian variation of KPop Demon Hunters. You Connection is a Christian nonprofit company in Dallas, Texas, producing film and theatre.

    • Numerous Roles (supporting, 10-80)
      Roles pay up to: $1,200
  • ‘Glass Cannon’ – Series
    Casting actors who can get real and deep for characters in a life story about a young MMA prodigy rising to the top at the expense of his own livelihood, “Glass Cannon.”

    • Roles:— Justin (lead, male, 18-24)
      Roles paying up to $200
  • ‘Sugar Daddy Blues’ – Scripted Reality Series
    Synopsis: A wildly wealthy, completely ordinary tech-support infrastructure mogul uses his fortune to find companionship through sugar-dating apps, only to find himself trapped in a never-ending cycle of disastrous, high-maintenance dates with hyper-niche internet subculture archetypes who want everything except a normal relationship.

    • Roles:— Bunny(lead, female, 18-29); Sage(lead, female, 18-29); Roxy (lead, female, 18-29)
      est 40 hours of work

 

Bob Odenkirk Brings Saul Goodman Back After ‘Better Call Saul’ for PSA Celebrating America 250

 

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Bag of Randomness
Monday, June 15, 2026

I watched Steven Spielberg’s newest movie, Disclosure Day, yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. At 79 years old, there’s no telling how many movies he’ll direct, especially when it comes to science fiction. His last science fiction film was 2018’s Ready Player One. Also, he was able to get his musical score compadre, 94-year-old John Williams, to come out of retirement to make this his final score of his legendary and iconic career. (Variety: ‘Disclosure Day’: John Williams Recorded Two Hours of Music Over a Six Month Period for his 30th Collaboration with Steven Spielberg (Exclusive). However, the famed director said he has talked to him about scoring his 31st movie. But as for Spielberg, I think we’ll be lucky to get three or four more films from him as the director.

From the previews and commercials, I was a bit skeptical about what Emily Blunt would bring, but after understanding the context and complexity of her character, I think this was the best performance of her career. I also thought the cinematography was great and will end up winning an Academy Award.

Colman Domingo’s performance stood out, and as good as Colin Firth is, his performance annoyed me a bit.

If you are an X-Files fan like me, you’ll certainly appreciate this film. You’ll also appreciate this film if you are a fellow die-hard U2 fan, as Bono’s daughter, Eve Hewson, has a prominent role.

I remember this guy’s show being on ESPN in the morning before SportsCenter became a thing. As fit as he was, 71 surprises me.

Gilad Janklowicz, famed ‘Bodies in Motion’ host and fitness pioneer, died suddenly at 71, with no cause of death released.

  • ‘Bodies in Motion’ aired nearly 600 episodes over 42 years, first on ESPN from 1985 to 1996 before moving to other networks including Fox Sports and FitTV.

Local World Cup Tidbits:

It’s pretty amazing how much the Dutch and Dallas have embraced each other. Kinda interesting to see all this enthusiasm for a game in the Cowboys’ home stadium, yet Cowboys fans have never been this enthusiastic for their home team.

FIFA found a way to address the blinding sunlight at the Cowboys’ home stadium.

There are certain things I absolutely admire about the Japanese culture.

It doesn’t even matter if they are in a wheelchair.

What a pleasant surprise to see a former number one overall NFL draft pick join in as he follows the Japanese team.

And at least one Cowboys cheerleader is rooting for Japan.

One thing I’m a little tired of is seeing all the reactions of foreigners visiting Buc-ees for the first time.

Solar generates more energy than coal in US for 1st time: In May 2026, solar supplied 12.8% of U.S. electricity, while coal supplied 12.2%, according to an analysis of official monthly and preliminary hourly generation data.

When I first saw the headlines for this, I thought it had to be fake. And there’s footage; thankfully, all I’ve seen has the final part blurred.

Woman, 21, Plummets 131 Feet to Her Death After Bungee Jump Staff Allegedly Forgot to Attach Bungee Cord

When horrific events like these happen, I often think about the workers who are responsible for retrieving the body and the cleanup. I’m sure there’s a certain amount they get used to, but I’m sure there’s a whole lot they will never get used to.

Dallas Cowboys fans have long been frustrated with Jerry Jones as the General Manager because, instead of focusing on football like any normal general manager, he’s preoccupied with non-football matters like real estate, oil and natural gas, and other business ventures unrelated to building a better roster or supporting the coaching staff. He’s done nothing but make the Cowboys mediocre.

President Trump, likewise, doesn’t focus on presidential matters and gets preoccupied with paving over the Rose Garden, tearing down the East Wing and building a massive and over-budgeted ballroom, revamping the Kennedy Center, hosting the Kennedy Center Honors, painting the reflecting pond (that’s now covered with alae), building a Triumphal Arch, hosting a tacky UFC match on the grounds of the White House, and that’s just what I can come up with off the top of my head.

As Jerry Jones has done nothing but make the Cowboys a mediocre franchise, Trump is doing the same to our beloved country, and that’s indisputable.

What do most Americans think of that tacky UFC event at the White House?

A recent survey from Reuters/Ipsos showed many Americans were also apprehensive of what has been dubbed “UFC 250,” with only 16 percent calling it appropriate to host such an event at the White House.

A federal court ordered that Trump’s name be removed from the Kennedy Center by the end of the day Friday. They complied, albeit hours late and in the most cowardly way, and I feel sorry for the workers who had to work at that odd time.

Around 2 a.m., crews began constructing scaffolding around the signage site, according to live footage of the process. The workers later dropped a covering over the site, blocking a view of the removal process.

The scaffolding with a tarp remains after the removal of the lettering early this morning from the facade of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, following a federal judge’s order to remove U.S. President Donald Trump’s name from the institution, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 13, 2026. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno

But several folks snapped a pic through an opening on the side.

Resurrecting such a gigantic tarp at odd hours may be the perfect metaphor for an administration that lacks transparency and is full of cover-ups. Sadly, as of last night, the giant tarp was still up.

And I haven’t even mentioned the literal circus at the White House this weekend.

Speaking of recent circus-related politics.

And I bet some minimum wage worker had to clean it up.

I’m not sure what was up with ABC’s coverage of the Knicks’ win in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, which gave them their first championship in over 50 years. After the final buzzer, they followed Wemby and several San Antonio players to their locker room rather than focusing on the winning team celebrating on the court. That’s just a weird decision. Heck, if they were so intent on how the losing team reacted, they could have done a picture-in-picture thing and kept the focus on the champions. In case you are wondering, all the Spurs players seemed composed; it was nothing special.

Yes, the City of Arlington did indeed try to woo the Stars.

Listen.

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness
Monday, June 15, 2026

Bag of Randomness
Friday, June 12, 2026

It’s well known that our country will celebrate its 250th birthday this summer, the semiquincentennial, and that’s why you see this logo quite often.

If you’re interested, here’s an article about the logo. But just for kicks, I was wondering what the logo would look like if they used Roman numerals like the NFL typically does for the Super Bowl. Well, if we went that route, instead of seeing the numerical 250, you’d see CCL, and that’s just not visually appealing. And CCC isn’t appealing for the 300th, either.

If you are looking for ways to celebrate, Sam’s is selling these for $199.75.

DogGeedingII had a check-up yesterday. The vet said his heart sounded much better and that his heart medication seems to be helping.

The Knicks’ historic comeback victory in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals is a win for all of us who put things off until the last minute.

For the last few months, I’ll sleep for two or three hours, wake up, and just can’t go back to sleep.

I’m not sure why I’m seeing Reha Seehorn and the cast of Pluribus make so many media appearances lately. The second season is nowhere near finished. In a 45-minute chat/interview with Bryan Cranston, she stated she’s been with her partner, realtor Graham Larson, for 13 years and has been engaged for 11 of those years.

For those of us who grew up when ESPN’s SportsCenter was at its peak, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this series Rich Eisen has been doing. Episode one is with Dan Patrick, and the second is with Chris Berman. It’s some great stuff.

Alice Cooper thanks Arizona man who found his credit card at a gas station

The Guardian: What would Jesus drink? Welcome to the age of Christian energy beverages – Drink brands such as Yahweh and Praise Energy say they’re raising awareness for Christianity – but are they just treating Jesus like an uncopyrighted Mickey Mouse?

I’m reminded of a line from the U2 song If God Would Send His Angles, “Jesus never let me down / You know Jesus used to show me the score / Then they put Jesus in show business / Now it’s hard to get in the door.”

In other Christian-related news: 42 lost pages of the New Testament manuscript discovered

Today, give yourself the most simple and doable of tasks: just don’t make stuff worse.

For some reason, I decided to start riding my bike again, and had a decent streak going. I really overdid it yesterday and had to take a day off. For the heck of it, I looked up my activity on my Google Fit app.

President Trump’s pick to fill the Director of National Intelligence position, Bill Pulte, has no known background in intelligence. He would be overseeing the nation’s 18 spy agencies. The 38-year-old also has no military or foreign policy experience.

It’s just a dumb (and even dangerous) idea, even if it’s only for the interim, to put someone with zero professional experience, education, or work history in the intelligence community, the military, or the national security sector.

And here I thought the dumbest nomination a president has made in my lifetime was George W. Bush’s choice of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court.

People are spotting these Tesla Robotaxis all over Dallas, especially the Medical District, and the reviews have been somewhat positive. Inside, they are roomier than a Waymo. However, I have read several reports of them making errors. The current introductory pricing in the Metroplex follows a formula of a $3.25 base fare plus $1.00 per mile, according to their website.

I enjoy watching these restoration videos. The work they do really is amazing. The paper they work with is so delicate, especially when they wet it. And I had no idea you could get rid of the yellowing of white plastic.

 

 

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Friday, June 12, 2026

Bag of Randomness
Monday, June 8, 2026

My WordPress stats state this is my 22,778th post using their platform. Of course, I’ve also used other platforms to publish this blog, but 22,778 is nothing to sneeze at. I mean, let’s say it took me, on average, ten minutes to write a post. That means I’ve spent 3,796 hours and 20 minutes. Which, if you ask, seems low to me.

I’ve been watching and really enjoying Apple TV’s horror-comedy Widows Bay with the great Matthew Rhys, probably best known for his role on The Americans. However, during the first two episodes, I couldn’t help but think the lead role was written specifically for Jason Bateman. Another of the main characters is played by the under-appreciated Stephen Root. It’s a funny mixture of Parks and Rec, Jaws, The Shining, and Twin Peaks.

Fun Fact: The series is created by Katie Dippold, a former writer for Parks and Recreation. Dippold actually submitted the original, much lighter draft of the Widow’s Bay pilot as her writing sample to get hired on Parks and Rec in 2009. There are certain elements of the show that have a real Pawnee, Indiana feel.

If you’re a fan of the series, then you’ll appreciate this Google Easter Egg when you search for the show.

Here’s a teaser trailer for the series if you’re interested.

Several articles I read yesterday about the weekend box office used the word “creepypasta.” That’s a new one for me.

Norway’s team photo for the World Cup is pretty badass.

Paywall: Inside the making of Norway’s ‘Viking’ photo for World Cup

I have a feeling the screwworm is going to dominate Texas news over the next several months. I hope I’m wrong.

Well, if you get fired from the most prestigious news magazine, the best thing you can do is have an hour-long uninterrupted interview with the Paper of Record.

What I took away from the interview was that integrity and character still matter.  And I couldn’t help but think of my favorite poem If while watching this interview.

Meanwhile, President Trump walked out of an interview because he can’t take any pressure to be held accountable for making up stories, and that he’s the epitome of being a coward. Compare and contrast that with how composed Pelley answered any question that contradicted his actions. He chose courage over cowardice.

Men accused of stealing nearly $600,000 worth of electricity near Charlotte Motor Speedway

San Carlos Lake in Arizona has closed after all of the fish have died

According to the San Carlos Recreation and Wildlife Department, drought conditions and water released from the dam led to the deaths of all the fish.

The fish carcasses pose health and safety risks to people who enter the water or try to fish.

 

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Monday, June 8, 2026