Bag of Randomness for Thursday, August 3, 2017

  • Scaramucci to hold online event Friday

    • Following his departure from the White House after less than 11 days as communications director, Scaramucci will be hosting an online event on Friday where he will address the American people directly. Scaramucci said this daytime event — which will be broadcast on various live platforms with help from former Fox News co-president Bill Shine — will give him the opportunity to reach and communicate with the President’s base.

  • A few tidbits from my book. Presidents Nixon and Ford were born in 1913, the same year the modern zipper was invented. Nixon introduced Ford as his replacement for Spiro Agnew in much the same way President Trump announced his Supreme Court pick.
  • Nixon thought upgrading the White House’s uniform guards uniforms was a good idea, but it didn’t last long. Those uniforms ended up being worn by the Southern Utah State marching band.
  • Slowly but surely, Hope Hicks is being brought into the spotlight whether she welcomes it or not – Golf.com – The story behind our Trump golf story (and a certain explosive quote)

    • MICHAEL BAMBERGER: I got a call the other day…it was kind of a hectic day and I got an email on my phone that said, “‘Call me. It’s urgent.’ Blah, blah, blah.” I read it quickly and it said [from] Hicks. Well, I figured it was [NBC broadcaster] Dan Hicks. I figured he must have been mentioned in the story. There must have been some sort of problem, so I called back and got a young woman’s voice. I said, “Oh, hi. It’s Michael Bamberger. Is your dad around?” I was confused, because I thought I was calling Dan Hicks. Ms. Hicks said, “No, you haven’t called Dan Hicks. You’ve called Hope Hicks,” who is one of President Trump’s longtime advisors and spokespeople. Anyway, she was calling to complain about two words in the story that are getting a lot of attention where Donald Trump is quoted as saying “The White House is a real dump.” Ms. Hicks told me that that was a “lie and that Sports Illustrated is not in the business of publishing lies.”

    • ALAN SHIPNUCK: Yeah, I had a conversation with Ms. Hicks as well, which was quite enlightening — the confrontational and rude tone of the phone call. They definitely don’t waste any time trying to be charming or friendly, these people in the White House communications department. She tried the same line on me, “That’s a lie and needs to be retracted.” I explained to her: It’s not a lie. The president said this in front of eight or nine members and staffers at [Trump] Bedminster. It was his first visit to the club after he had been residing in the White House. It was a moment of candor.
    • And this should sum up the over-reaction of the “White House is a dump” quote.
      • Trump has a sense of humor; he’s got a sort of wise-guy, New York sense of humor. He doesn’t really think the White House is a dump. The White house is not a dump. He’s comparing it to the gilded greatness of Bedminster, which is his idea of beauty. He’s sort of trying to be funny, but whether he’s trying to be funny or not, he’s the President of the United States and people have such passionate feelings about the White House and the presidency.
  • The Wall Street Journal – Millennials Unearth an Amazing Hack to Get Free TV: the Antenna – Cord-cutters accustomed to watching shows online are often shocked that $20 ‘rabbit ears’ pluck signals from the air; is this legal?
  • Little Girl’s Tearful Meeting With Gal Gadot Shows Why ‘Wonder Woman’ Matters

    • In the footage, Gadot reaches across the table and takes the girl’s hand. “There’s no reason to cry, all right,” Gadot said. “Here we are together.”  One of Gadot’s “Justice League” co-stars joined in. “You’re a warrior,” said Ezra Miller, who plays the Flash in an upcoming film. “Your ability to cry is what makes you such a warrior. Come join the Justice League whenever you get ready.”

       

Posted in Personal | 3 Comments

Woody Harrelson as LBJ

In a few of the scenes, Harrelson doesn’t seem to capture LBJ’s physical stature, he looks too short. The essence is there, but something’s a bit off.

Bryan Cranston did a great LBJ, but I didn’t like the material he had to work with.

Posted in Political | 1 Comment

Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, August 2, 2017

  • My father would have turned 94 today. Well, I suppose he still turns 94 today, but he’s a dead 94. In 1985 we flew to Hawaii for his birthday, it was my first flight. I remember when we first entered the hotel room, turned on the television, and the news was covering the plane crash of Delta 191 at DFW.
  • Based upon a recommendation I decided to give Taco Casa a try, which I always felt had a Los Pollos Hermanos vibe. I walked in the same time as another gentleman and sat in a booth behind him. He answered his phone and talked to someone for less than a minute and hung up. He then left the table leaving behind a large drink and four wrapped tacos. I sat there for about 15-20 minutes and he never returned.
  • Back update:
    • If you’ve been keeping track, I’ve had three steroid epidurals, been going to physical therapy, and have been on pain medication. My pain is mainly related to the narrowing of space between my L4-L5 vertebrates. The space between them should be closer to 24 mm and mine is around 6mm. You can also add in herniation and arthritis. Sheesh, I’m only 41 and I sound old.
    • I visited my orthopedic on Friday and he’s now advising spinal fusion surgery. Funny thing, on Friday, I was over my deductible because it was still July. However, as of yesterday, August has begun and my health plan starts over and so does my deductible.
    • In case you are wondering, Tiger Woods’ fusion was at L5-S1, just one lower than what I’d be getting.
    • I asked if disk replacement (instead of a spinal fusion) was an option for me. It’s not because my degeneration would cause more stress on the adjacent vertebrates.
    • I asked if I could forgo surgery and just focus on pain management, like continued PT and medication. He said the issue isn’t so much my ability to tolerate the pain, but the nerve damage which could be permanent. I don’t feel like he was trying to scare me, but he stated the nerve damage most likely would lead to loss of bladder control and feeling in my lower extremities.
    • He encouraged me to get a second opinion, so I’m on the hunting for another. Without doing any research, the first place that pops in my mind is where Tiger went. He could have gone anywhere in the world but chose the Texas Back Institute. So at least I know they can treat half-Asians.
    • Circling back to my health plan and deductible starting over . . . even though my employer has chosen it to renew at the start of August, my flexible spending account aligns with the calendar year. I’ve already spent all the funds in it for this year but it will have a full balance when January hits. So it makes financial sense for me to get the procedure done in January. While I’m glad I’m not rushing into this decision and will be getting a second and probably a third opinion, I’m uncomfortable my health decisions are tied to timing and financing.
  • Joey Gallow may have hit the perfect home run in all of Texas Rangers history.
  • School named for Vince Lombardi cancels football because it can’t find coaches
  • Channeling my inner Magnum P.I.
Posted in Personal | 8 Comments