Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, October 23, 2019

  • That photo immediately made me think of Ralph S. Mouse.
  • I’m sure fellow Star Wars fans have seen the trailer and I have a theory I’d like to throw out which I’m sure someone else has already mentioned. Rey is a direct descendant, probably, granddaughter of Palpatine. She was kidnapped or taken away so she would not succumb to the Dark Side and submit to his bidding. So, even though she’s not a Skywalker, her story mirrors Luke’s. But I think there’s even a darker side, like maybe Palpatine is actually her father and she’s the product of rape.
  • Maybe everyone does the same thing, but when I open the sealed bag of cereal inside a box, I don’t make a tear or cut it open, I try to burst the seams evenly as if it was never sealed.
  • I can hear Trump now, “I consider it a privilege to be impeached, I really do.”
  • I’m thankful the Texas Baptist Men help with disaster relief, but it amazes me the amount of press and camera time they get from CBS11 during these events. It’s like no other organization are offering any help or deserves to be filmed. As I’ve said before, they have a great PR person or have a connection with the station.
  • Parent: My son was given Xanax by fellow first-grader
  • Good Day Sacramento features reporter fired after damaging auto show cars on-air – This Sacramento-based features reporter had the hair-brained idea to manhandle classic cars on camera, even jumping on the hood of an exhibition vehicle.
  • Haunting Footage Of A Hastily-Abandoned US Military Base In Syria – The vacuum left by the US military’s withdrawal in northern Syria is in full display at an abandoned base near Manbij.
  • Robots aren’t taking warehouse employees’ jobs, they’re making their work harder – A new report says that automation won’t wipe out warehouse jobs in the short term but it may make them worse.
  • Marvel is joining forces with SiriusXM and Pandora to launch a series of superhero-based podcasts in 2020
  • Adam West once worked with the Three Stooges
  • This right here is the future of firework shows, although instead of an airplane performing acrobatic maneuvers shooting lasers, smoke, and fireworks, it will be multiple drones.
Posted in Personal | 3 Comments

Bag of Randomness for Tuesday, October 22, 2019

  • Sunday was the last day of the State Fair of Texas and somehow I was talked into taking the family. While I attended the fair two other times, I never really experienced the fair. My first two visits coincided with a musical and concert and just a sampling of the fair atmosphere. This was my first “real” fair experience and it was just the hell and fun I thought it would be. I really didn’t realize just how large the fair is but it gets a bit repetitive after a while with the same old games and food booths.
  • Traffic was horrible and I refused to park anywhere but on fair grounds. All the houses and private properties surrounding Fair Park offer parking, a lot of them on front lawns. I’ve heard too many stories of people getting swindled, towed, or broken into. But hey, the weather was great. And, my goodness, crowded, very, very crowded.
  • As a teacher, WifeGeeding receives free admission and students receive free tickets, so I was the only one who had to make a purchase. But, when we got to the gate, we found out the kids’ tickets were only good Monday – Friday. The gate attendant was very cool and simply let them in with a smile. I will say, just about every employee of the State Fair of Texas was exceptionally kind. It was a little surprising, but maybe it was because it was the last day and they were in a good mood.
  • I’ve mentioned many times how I don’t do well in crowds and loud noise and have an example. I was getting hungry and maybe slightly dehydrated so I stood in line to get food and a drink. One of the larger rides was directly behind me and loud repetitive techno music was playing. I placed my order without a problem but when it came time to count my coupons, currency, in this case, I simply couldn’t do it. I placed the coupons on the counter and tried to count but I had a mental block. It’s odd because the coupons were untorn and in sheets and very easy to count, 20 coupons per sheet. I need to give the attendant 35 craved to some sort of pressure. Sheepishly, I told her I don’t do well in crowds and can’t concentrate enough to count. She gave me one of those, “It’s okay, surgar” looks and counted my coupons for me. After I retained my whits I was able to determine how many tickets I actually had at the moment and thankful she didn’t take advantage of me.
  • For some reason, I found several cardboard cutouts of Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.
  • This car in the parking lot looked like it came from the set of The Walking Dead.
  • I donate blood regularly and did so on Saturday morning. Yesterday, my phone rings and I can see it’s Carter BloodCare calling. They have never called me after a donation before, so I answered with apprehension thinking my bloodwork indicated something bad. All they wanted to do was thank me for my donation. Sheesh, send me an email next time or don’t thank me at all.
  • We’ve all seen the OU wagon overturn, but I’m still shocked not one member of the RUF/NEKS immediately decided to check on the state and well-being of the female passenger. It was obviously their immediate concern was the wagon itself.
  • DaughterGeeding’s teacher was inside the Oval Office this weekend, some sort of connection of a friend of a friend who works for VP Pence.
  • Somewhere in Alabama is a very untroubled person named Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III.
  • Student Hacked Into School District System To Gain Competitive Advantage In Water Gun Fight, Officials Say
  • Photographing the Afterlives and Second Acts of America’s Movie Palaces

  • View post on imgur.com

Posted in Personal | 3 Comments

Bag of Randomness for Friday, October 18, 2019

  • That photo President Trump recently tweeted of his meeting with Speaker Pelosi captivated me. It’s worth looking at a high-resolution version to check out some of the details. Look around at all the faces in the room, compare them individually and then the entire right side and the entire left side. Look at the general’s face and body language, controlled, measured, resolute and nonpartisan. Notice how almost everyone on the right is looking down as if they are in discomfort, then observe those around Pelosi who appear engaged and attentive. At first, I didn’t notice Trump’s facial expression and how he is sitting a little further back from the table than everyone else. I also think it’s interesting how we talk about left vs right politics and in this very case that’s exactly what we have, though not everyone on the left are Democrats. For instance, Liz Cheney is sitting on the left. This leads to another aspect, of the 18 or so people at the table, all are white and only two are female. Thankfully there was some civility, everyone was using a coaster. The Secretary of Defense (Mark Esper) is sitting to Trump’s left, depending on how you look at it, his glass of water is either half full or half empty.
  • The most shocking thing coming out of the White House yesterday was the president’s kind and thoughtful tweet about the passing of Congressman Elijah Cummings.
  • I was hired at Fidelity Investments 20 years ago today, it was my first “big time” job out of college. The date has stuck with me because during orientation it was strongly suggested to remember your hire date as you will need it to fill out any employee-related form for the entirety of your Fidelity tenure.
  • “Who you are is not who you are doomed to be.”
  • “Cluckingham Palace,” the 18,327-square-foot Bo Pilgrim estate in Pittsburg, Texas is for sale. It’s much nicer  and extravagant than I expected. His commercials cracked me up as a kid. And, as you might expect:
    • There are chickens and roosters everywhere, from the kitchen tiles to the laundry room wet hanging rod. They were in the carpets, the filigrees, chiseled into the elaborate ceiling molding trim.
  • Have you ever wanted to be as fit as a Starfleet officer? If so, I have an upcoming fitness guide for you – Star Trek: Body by Starfleet A Fitness Guide. Get a better idea of the regimen with this video.
  • On the third of October, it was reported Energy Secretary Rick Perry was expected to announce his resignation by the end of November. Perry’s office denied it and proclaimed, “One day the media will be right.” Yesterday it was announced he will indeed be resigning before the end of the year.
  • Congratulations on Bob and Dan broadcasting 5,000 shows together.
  • As if Dallas doesn’t have to deal with the stigma of a presidential assassination and conspiracy theories already:

  • Maybe they could have put them in a big pile with a “Free Chairs” sign above it for the exiting crowd.

 

Posted in Personal | 6 Comments