Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, April 4, 2018

  • In the fall, DaughterGeeding’s class wrote letters to President Trump. Yesterday, they got a small package in the mail from the White House. It included a signed letter from the President, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, a copy of the Bill of Rights, and red and white “Make America Great Again” rubber wristbands for everyone in the class.
  • Okay, that last item wasn’t included. I totally made that up.
  • DaughterGeeding was in amazement that President Trump actually signed the letter. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that’s not his actual signature. It would have been too much, considering two days earlier she found out the Easter Bunner isn’t real.
  • Okay, I made that Easter Bunny thing up. She actually never believed in the Easter Bunny, at least I don’t think she ever did.
  • I mentioned way back when that DaughterGeeding isn’t a fan of President Trump ever since the “No More Oreos” speech, and later, other things. Since she was so impressed with his signed letter, I asked her if she was now a fan of the president. She told me no, that she could appreciate the letter and respect his leadership role but still didn’t have to like the guy.
  • It is believed that Harry S. Truman was the first president to make use of the autopen. Also, the “S” in Truman’s name doesn’t stand for anything other than just the letter. There’s some proper grammar debate as to whether or not a period should be included after the “S” when referring to the former president’s full name. Since Truman included it in his signature, most editors agree it should be included in an official capacity. As for why his parents gave him that initial for his middle name, he said it was a compromise between the names of his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young.
  • I’ve never watched Footloose, the original or the remake.
  • GIF – This dog seems like he heard a funny joke.
  • Why would a band named “Alabama” sing a song about how to play and Texas and that a fiddle must be included?
  • I don’t like how Dr. Green advertises his lawn care service.
  • CBS News recently interviewed MLK’s children. Two things stood out:
    • MLK III said, “We’ve sort of dumbed down Dad to some degree.” It was neatly strange to hear someone refer to such an iconic figure simply as “Dad”.
    • If you watch the video and see her eyes, you just swell up with sorrow for her:
      • “What I vividly remember is the day of the funeral,” Bernice said. “I’m sitting right on the corner here at Ebenezer, I’m in my mother’s lap, and mom said he couldn’t speak to me, but a child knows the dad’s voice and if you look at the film I’m looking around like this, like where is he? So I remember that to this day, in this sanctuary.” 
  • One thing which always stood out to me about that iconic MLK assassination photo, both his feet were under the railing. Here are other pictures from that night, the most macabre would be the man cleaning up King’s blood and saving some in a jar.
  • Early morning evening April four
    Shot rings out in the Memphis sky 
    Free at last, they took your life 
    They could not take your pride…
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Bag of Randomness for Monday, April 2, 2018

  • I was talking to WifeGeeding how I’d like to build a walk-in shower but it’s on feasible with how our bathroom is designed. DaughterGeeding asked us to describe what a walk-in shower looks like and an hour later surprised with her version of one.
  • As you may recall, WifeGeeding’s father took our kids fishing when they visited him during spring break. When they left, he decided he wanted to buy them fishing poles and related gear. He’s old school, no smartphone, not texting, no email address, heck, no internet. So, we’re not expecting a thing from Amazon from him. However, he went to several stores and compared several items and took notes. He then called his daughter and told her exactly what fishing stuff to buy (Zebco fishing rod, tackle box, etc) and he’d sent her a check in the mail. The fishing stuff was an Easter present from him to them.
  • In the Eighties when G.I. Joe was huge, my friends and I used tackle boxes to store and carry our action figures around. Each figure fit perfect in each slot and the larger section on the bottom could carry some small vehicles. They were perfect, but I wonder if kids in other parts used a tackle box for G.I. Joes.
  • Just an observation, not judgment, but I never knew of the Book of Common Prayer until it was used at a non-denominational church I used to attend. I understand how ritual can take become repeatedly boring and substance can drip away, but I find those prayers beautiful. It wasn’t until I visited the Methodist church WifeGeeding’s parents attend that I experienced the pastor saying something and the congregation verbally replying back. My church does that. Our pastor starts the service by saying, “Christ be with you.” The congregation will reply back, “And also with you.” He then says, “Let us worship, God” and the choir/band kicks in. I like it.
  • My pastor will be retiring sometime next year, he’s in his sixties. I’ve often thought of doing a BagOfNothing podcast interviewing certain people significant in my life. He would be an interesting guest. There’s a ton of stuff I’d like to ask him, and I’d do what I can to avoid run of the mill questions. “The Church” has changed a lot in his lifetime, so has his denomination and the actual building itself. He’s the founding pastor of our church. Heck, the world has changed a lot. I’m sure his perspective of the world and certain things have evolved. I’d like to know if he’s pieced together or thought much of his last sermon he will deliver as leader of our church. I love having an “older” pastor. Maybe because it’s because I no longer have living parents and he fills a parental role. He’s a literal elder statesman for me. It’s weird getting older and having pastors younger than you.
  • I always thought my first podcast guest would be that former district attorney running a blog out of Wise County, and that being our first ever time to ever see to speak to one another. But I have a feeling we’ll never meet unless it’s a chance encounter.
  • It took me a while to figure out why everyone in DFW was tweeting about Kate Upton being spotted in several places in the area this weekend. The Rangers opened up against the Astros and her husband was pitching.
  • No matter the sport, if you win the championship, you deserve to have your first game of the season be a home game.
  • How Bootleg Fast Food Conquered Iran – Mash Donalds, Sheak Shack, and Pizza Hat are very popular.
  • New York district judge apologizes, admits he’s serial underwear stealer
  • Iowa man wins legal battle to say hometown stinks
  • The detailed analysis of these two Connect Four box covers is quite amazing.
  • “Bad” is one of my favorite U2 songs. Eddie Vedder recently covered it at a performance but footage of it keeps getting taken down. Here’s a snippet. He also covered John Lennon’s “Imagine”.
  • The city of Coppell had a special Easter egg hunt for children who are sensitive to a lot of stimuli. Basically, the hunt didn’t have music blaring and was toned down a lot.
  • The White House released a photo of the spring intern class, there’s not a lot of diversity.
  • Baylor paid Art Briles $15.1 million after ouster
    • Baylor University paid former football coach Art Briles $15.1 million and former president Kenneth Starr $4.5 million after they were forced out in the wake of the university’s sexual assault scandal in 2016, according to federal tax forms recently filed by the school.
  • ‘If it’s Christian it should be better’: Liberty University opens ‘luxurious’ gun range
  • Iowa man wins legal battle to say hometown stinks
  • This story is over a year old, but the picture comparison is powerful. It’s a bit crazy so many kids had stomach aches from Easter candy yesterday and others simply need water.
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Bag of Randomness for Thursday, March 29, 2018

  • Many people know that William Howard Taft as a one-term president and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. But here’s an interesting fact, during his one term, he appointed six justices to the Supreme Court. Taft also started the sports tradition of being the first president to throw out the baseball at a season opener (Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics in 1910). Taft was also the first president to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and his wife, Helen Herron Taft, was the first first lady interred in the cemetery.
  • Male or female, I always critique the wardrobe, makeup, and hair of news reporters and anchors.
  • I’m no expert when it comes to North Korea, but I have a theory on why their leader visited China. China is the only country which buys North Korean exports and their only ally. The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, whose government removed term limits for, basically forced or demanded Kim Jong Un for a come to Jesus meeting. China’s patience with North Korea is growing thin. China really gets nothing out of their relationship, and as unpredictable as Trump can be, China wants to make sure Un stays behaved.
  • I made a post yesterday about Frank S. Page, president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee, resigning due to a ‘morally inappropriate’ relationship. He received the Master of Divinity degree and earned his Ph.D. in Christian ethics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. To my surprise, there has been very little coverage about this in the news.
  • John Krasinski thinks The Office should come back for a Christmas special
  • Flordia news – Jury botches form, clerk mistakenly announces death sentence
  • North Carolina ends shackling of inmates during childbirth – A new policy will remove wrist restraints once an inmate is in labor and the use of leg or waist restraints will now also be prevented
  • BBC – A man in the UK has caught the world’s “worst-ever” case of super-gonorrhoea
  • I really enjoyed the season premiere of ‘The Americans’ last night. WifeGeeding likes to refer to the show as ‘The Russians’.
  • The Yankees serve beer with players’ faces designed in the beer foam.
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