Bag of Randomness for Thursday, May 9, 2024

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Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, May 8, 2024

  • If you love Dallas sports teams, it’s a great time to be alive. Maybe one day we’ll land a real NFL franchise.
  • I’ve been a proud member of USAA for a long time, but I liked them more when they were smaller and didn’t advertise. They are trying something new, and I have my doubts. What if the pollen is high for the day, and my voice sounds different? But I’m sure they already thought of that.
    • Imagine a world with fewer passwords and verification codes, where your voice becomes the key to effortless access. With Voice ID, your voice is seamlessly analyzed and verified when you call USAA, reducing the verification questions you must answer to access your account. Voice ID uses advanced algorithms to analyze your unique vocal patterns, making it secure and convenient.
  • It has been interesting to watch how Trump has transformed the Republican party. In February, longtime RNC chair Ronna McDaniel was replaced by Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. Adhering to the adage “sex sells,” the RNC has hired a 28-year-old former bikini model as one of its newest spokespeople. Elizabeth Pipko has posed for the pages of Sports Illustrated, Maxim, and Esquire. To be fair, she’s earned degrees from Harvard University Extension School (ALB) and the University of Pennsylvania (MS) and isn’t new to the profession of media and politics.
  • Religion News Service oped – How Trumpism has pushed a fringe charismatic theology into the mainstream – Charismatic Christian prophets have gained new influence since becoming identified with the former president.
  • Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
    • “Deep down I know that this is just the beginning of a new chapter for me, and my hope is that I continue to inspire others to remain steadfast, prioritize your mental health, advocate for yourself and others by using your voice, and never be afraid of what the future holds, even if it feels uncertain,” she wrote on Instagram.
    • Good for her. Again, I’m reminded of my buddy Tony. Last week he was in a court hearing having to testify about his mental health as his ex-spouse is using it as a reason to alienate their children from him. The opposing attorney was trying to use his consistent weekly sessions with his counselor and monthly appointments with his psychiatrist over the last two years as proof he was mentally unstable. Days later, he’s kicking himself for not turning that around when he was on the stand to emphasize he was making his mental health a priority, and she was doing nothing but contributing to the stigma that receiving professional mental health services is something negative. I told the guy we all look back and wish we added something else to a conversation, but the judge basically ruled in his favor and to focus on that and walk forward.
  • In rural Texas, ERs are facing a growing mental health crisis
  • I’ve been following a TwitterX user who created a bracket of Contemporary Christian Music artists from four different eras. The last two artists were Rich Mullins and NF. I had never heard of NF, but I thought it must be shorthand for a band or person’s name. As I followed the tournament, I tried to guess what the NF stood for, and I finally looked it up yesterday. It turns out that’s the artist’s full stage name, NF. He’s a rapper who prefers to go by his initials, but his real name is Nathan Feuerstein.
  • Houston takes crown as city with highest grocery price inflation in the US
    • The USDA found that Houston had the highest rate of inflation, with grocery prices rising by a whopping 7.8 percent in 2023. Second to Houston was Boston, Mass., coming in at 7 percent. As for other Texas cities, only one other metropolis was featured in the price study. The Dallas Fort-Worth area recorded increases of 5.0 percent, just 2.8 percent less than Houston. In contrast, Anchorage, Alaska, a city known for their expensive cost-of-living prices, actually saw prices drop in 2023.
  • Sam’s Club officially rolls out AI receipt checking at Texas stores
    • Sam’s Club has receipt checkers posted at each exit to verify the receipts and items that each shopper bought before they exit the store in order to prevent theft. Now, most customers are able to just leave the store with a new AI scanner that checks their carts and ensures the items have been paid for as they leave.
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Bag of Randomness for Tuesday, May 7, 2024

  • BoyGeeding, who attends a charter school paid for by taxpayer dollars was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. They had a guest speaker, and she said, “Since I was told this is a Christian school,” then paused and looked at the headmaster who nodded with approval, and went on talking about praising, serving, and thanking God. I’m sure everyone that’s a part of the school already felt this way but never acknowledged it, but I it was surprising to me.
  • I like to have something playing in the background when I work. It used to simply be the Ticket, but after all the changes, I needed to find something else. In looking for something, I saw that President Biden was on the Howard Stern Show. That was a bit surprising but Stern has really mellowed out.
  • Waco man suing SpaceX after he says rocket testing damaged his home
  • Forbes ranks two Texas universities as ‘New Ivy’ league caliber schools – Rice University in Houston made Forbes’ “New Private Ivies” list and the University of Texas at Austin made the top 10 list of “Public Ivies” instead of the legacies. 
  • Count the red flags – Wisconsin elementary school teacher, 24, busted for ‘making out’ with 5th-grader — three months before wedding
  • Unlicensed teachers now dominate new teacher hires in rural Texas schools
  • Vladimir Putin cut out the heart of a deer and gave it to former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi
    • “Vladimir showed me a violent nature that I didn’t imagine in such a kind and rational man,” Cicchitto recalled Berlusconi saying after returning from Russia.
    • Putin then went down the slope, holding a knife. He quartered a beast and pulled out his heart. He then had a man from his entourage give Berlusconi a wooden tray on which he placed the bleeding piece of meat, saying it would make an exceptional meal. Berlusconi then hid behind a tree to throw up.
  • Here’s a bear dragging a thirty-foot taperoom coming out of his bottom. – TikTok
  • If that bear video wasn’t enough, here’s one eating ducklins in front of kids who just were taught a lesson on apex preditors – Bear devours ducklings during kid’s birthday party at Seattle zoo
  • If I were to guess the price for a PDF or electronic copy of a transcript from the Denton County Courthouse, I’d say between $15 and $85. I was way off; it’s $455.
  • She can still draw a crowd, and I think this is pretty impressive – Free Madonna concert attracts 1.6 million to Brazil’s Copacabana beach
  • Every now and then, I’ll mention my friend Tony, who is going through a tough custodial battle with his ex-spouse after a surprise and bitter divorce. I met him at a divorce support group and found our cases to be eerily similar. Whatever happens to him usually happens to me three months later. It’s crazy. We both have teenagers and a kid in the sixth grade. His kid reached an impressive milestone last weekend; he/she now has over 1 million YouTube subscribers, and he/she doesn’t even have 50 videos posted.
  • Report: Immigrants Contribute Billions to Dallas Economy – Immigrants accounted for 23.2% of the total population in Dallas and their households earned $10.7 billion in income in 2022, according to a new report.
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Bag of Randomness for Monday, May 6, 2024

 

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  • I took time to verify if the above photo was real and translated correctly. For the most part, yes and yes. Here’s a more direct translation:
    • Final assignment

      No due date

      “Be happy”

      At the time you submit this assignment, I’m afraid I will likely be in heaven.

      Do not rush your report to me. Taking your time is fine. Someday, when we meet face-to-face, please tell me, “I’ve been happy.” I’ll be waiting.

  • Caitlin Clark was in town looking impressive in her debut as a pro breaking some ankles.
  • As innocent as OJ. Here’s an article.
    Hours after his wife Mica apparently committed suicide, pastor John-Paul Miller didn’t tell his congregation, but instead preached the sunday sermon, yucking it up, cracking jokes and calling himself charming and handsome. Then at the very end, he springs it on them in less than a minute, saying she was mentally ill and asking them not to talk about it, but to instead keep giving to the church. Mica’s family has accused the pastor of grooming and abusing her, accusations which Mica herself hinted at, and suggest the fact that she just filed for divorce from him days before is very suspicious.

  • This will take the viewer a little bit to get used to.

  • You’ve either met with him or haven’t met with him.

  • I guess I’ve seen everything when the wheels of a car have television sports highlights on them.

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