Bag of Randomness for Monday, April 9, 2018

  • Random memory – Ashtrays in car door handles. They were always fun to fidget with, flip open and close when you were a bored child.
  • You hear about sanctions in the news a lot. One thing I’d wish our government or news organizations would do is detail what exactly those sanctions are and how it’s supposed to make an impact on the offending country. Offhand, sanctions sound weak and too generalized a term.
  • I really enjoy watching David Letterman’s Netflix show and caught the latest released episode with Jay-Z. To be honest, I really don’t much about the guy other than his rough upbringing and being married to Beyonce. I often remark how Dave does a lot of reflecting on his own life and how he’s changed and matured, that there is an appreciation and sense of regret about a lot of things. I sensed a lot of that with Jay-Z.  Jay-Z also has an adorable laugh.
  • The Masters is on a lot of people’s radar but it’s nowhere on mine. There’s a pretentious about it that turns me off.
  • Something else that isn’t on my radar, motorsports.
  • I watched HBO’s Paterno on Saturday night and tweeted a thought about it. Someone I don’t know or follows me crotchetily replied. It’s always tempting to reply back with venom but sometimes it’s best just to do nothing at all. However, I did look at his Twitter account to get an idea who he was. You could tell he was a Penn State and Joe Paterno fan. Another thing I noticed, he did a lot of cut and pasting. The exact thing he tweeted to me was tweeted at least thirty times to other people in a span of fewer than ten minutes.
  • A young version of Scooby Doo.
  • Liberty U’s Falwell ‘censors’ student newspaper coverage of event organized by critics
  • If I come across something online I want to know more about, specifically a word, I highlight it by double-clicking on it and then use a right-click and choose the search Google option. You can do the same thing by highlighting the word and dragging it to the tab area.
  • Such a sad, sad story in Canada – Ten players on the Humboldt Broncos team, aged between 16 and 21, died when their team bus collided with a semi-trailer in Saskatchewan.
  • Watch the latest trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story
    • My expectations are low but I’m hopeful. Either way, I’m sure I’m going to be entertained.
    • I think I saw a female Wookie, Mrs. Chewie? Maybe it’s his sister or daughter.
    • I like that Chewie gets really rough.
    • The actor who plays Solo needed to work on Harrison Ford’s speech pattern and mannerism more. River Phoenix did a good job of it in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. But I feel like Donald Glover does a good job of being a younger Billie Dee Williams, he’s got the charisma.
    • It doesn’t have the “old school” feel like Rogue One did and that’s a mistake.
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Bag of Randomness for Friday, April 6, 2018

  • I ate at the In-N-Out at The Colony yesterday and spotted that spinning metal period on top of their roof. For those of you smarter than me, can you tell me what the heck that contraption is?
  • I visited the doctor yesterday to get the results of the MRI I had on my knee. Basically, I got some stuff going on behind the kneecap which will require minor surgery after my back heals up. The doctor strongly suggested I get an exercise bike and wrote me a prescription, which would save me from paying any tax. I got a kick out of the instructions on the script.
  • I got something in the mail from my health insurance company about the request I made about them not paying the “Out of Network” price for the internist who visited before my surgery. You may recall that I did my best to find all “In Network” options before the surgery. Fortunately, they agreed to pay the “Out of Network” price, which will save me about a thousand dollars. Part of me thinks these companies first try to charge the “Out of Network” price hoping patients don’t inquire and simply pay up.
  • The first left-handed ceremonial pitch on Opening Day was thrown by President Harry Truman in 1946. However, in 1950, President Truman made a right-handed and then a left-handed ceremonial pitch to start the season. He was ambidextrous.
  • I still prefer Donald Trump as President than Ted Cruz.
  • Tiger Woods (a BagOfNothing Half-Asian Hall of Fame member) on his back and comeback which gives me hope:
    • “I thought prior to the fusion surgery that that’s pretty much it. I’ll have a nice, comfortable and great life, but I’ll never be able to swing the club like I used to speed‑wise — just there’s no way (after) lower back fusion. But for some reason, I don’t have any pain. Yes, I’m much tighter, but I don’t have any pain. And I’ve had to really work on the strength. For some reason, it’s come back. I wish I could tell you, I wish I knew, but all of a sudden, I have this pop and my body and my speed’s back.”
  • An interesting story out of Azle about a man who was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Last year he groped a 12-year-old girl, and later that night called 911 to turn himself in. I don’t know if his act was a cry for help or mercy out of guilt or he was scared the girl was going to report it.
  • Something I really never put together regarding the civil rights movement, they were encouraged to march in nice clothing – During the civil rights era, the “Sunday Best” look was de rigueur at nonviolent protests. Appearing polished and put-together brought a serious undertone to the proceedings and demanded that the activists be taken seriously as citizens.
  • Not exactly cutthroat – Amazon greenlights Lorena Bobbitt documentary series – 
    Jordan Peele is on board to produce.
  • Bear Bryant’s Great Grandson Paul Tyson Commits to Alabama
  • I imagine this will go to court – An Illinois town just banned assault weapons. The penalty if you keep one? Up to $1,000 a day
  • I’ve noticed CNN.com has been tricking up the titles of their articles to make them more eye-catching or sensational.
  • If you are familiar with Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller, then this will probably surprise you – Texas agriculture chief Sid Miller asks Trump officials for more foreign workers
  • This Texas school that inspired “Friday Night Lights” is overcrowded amid oil boom. One class has 63 kids.
  • The New York Times – ‘It Has to Be Perfect’: Putting Out a Yearbook After the Parkland Shooting
  • Today’s attempt at humor:
    • I asked my girlfriend to describe me in 5 words.She said I’m mature, I’m moral, I’m pure, I’m polite, and I’m perfect.Then she added that I also had a fundamental lack of understanding about apostrophes and spaces.
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