Bag of Randomness for Friday, March 29, 2024

  • Seriously, we couldn’t even get the banner unraveling right? They only had five months to work on it. It unraveled awkwardly and slowly, hung crooked and wrinkled because it wasn’t stretched out, and our stupid governor insisted he throw out the first pitch.
  • For the longest time, I’ve wanted to post a video or tweet at the top of a blog post and have it center justified, but I could never figure it out. Sure, it does sound simple to do. There was countless trial and error. But thanks to AI, it took less than five seconds.
  • This video of a college graduate complaining about how hard it is to find a job is making the rounds. Yes, that’s a college graduate and not a 12-year-old like she looks (and acts) like. Reality is hitting her, and it’s hitting hard. I’m a little sympathetic and will give her some slack because I was once like her when I got out of college, but not to this level. Granted, she left a lot of context out, such as what she got her degrees and one certificate in. I have more thoughts below for those of you who choose to watch it.

    • In case you are wondering, she attended Rider University, a private university in Lawrence Township, New Jersey. The school she earned her certificate was West Chester University.
    • How exactly is she more qualified? If she were an accounting major and did an internship for an accounting firm, I’d be more sympathetic. But I have a feeling she thinks getting a piece of paper that shows you went to college makes her more qualified and elite than everyone already in the workforce.
    • All Bart did was be generous to her, and she’s basically making fun of him as if she wasted her time speaking to him.
    • A mentor needs to tell her to take an entry-level job at a firm in an industry where she wants to work. Do the job well, be reliable, help the company profit, and you will advance quickly. I would also add she needs to have the attitude that the job is not beneath her. That was a mistake I made. I accepted an entry-level job just to get my foot in the door. But I made a mistake by focusing more on getting the next job or planning ahead than focusing on the job I was hired for and excelling in that one first.
    • Making this video is only going to make her less hireable.
    • Let’s work on some interviewing skills.
    • It may take her a while to understand it’s not what you know but who you know.
    • We all have had our moments. I wish her the best and hope she learns a lot in this season of her life. I also wouldn’t doubt if the video was fake.
  • Idiot – Michigan GOP lawmaker falsely labels March Madness athletes ‘illegal invaders’On social media, Rep. Matt Maddock said buses near a Detroit airport had been “loaded up with illegal invaders.” The airport later said the buses were “transporting the basketball teams and their respective staffs.”
    https://twitter.com/Spawn_03/status/1773343663231250687
  • Language warning.

  • It has indeed. The mid-range jumper is gone. No one drives to the lane, which shows a lack of defense. Defense today is little more than a hand in the face.
  • Yesterday was the first day of district play and DaughterGeeding hot her first hit of the season. Here she is about to get thrown out at second.
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Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, March 27, 2024

  • I need to give y’all an update on my mental/emotional and spiritual health. But for now, I want to pass on my physical health (other than my triglyceride count) is the best it’s been for at least the past two years. For the majority of last year, I had to rely on using a cane or a walker to get around. Seriously, that’s not hyperbole. Now, I’ve settled into a pleasant morning routine. After letting the dogs out, I drink a cup of generic grocery store brand’s lightly roasted morning coffee as I check my daily news and social websites. After that, I feel the need to do some light stretching and exercising. I never thought I’d get to the point again in life that I felt so good I wanted to exercise that it wasn’t toil but a desire. When I no longer really notice the chronic physical pain that has plagued me, my mood is boosted, and so is my energy level. I do small things like laugh at my own jokes, dance, play hide-go-seek with the dogs, and do my best to enjoy my wife with the current cards that are dealt to me.
  • I still haven’t started on my taxes, which I usually finish in early January or late February.
  • The TelegraphThe triumphant USA is now producing more oil and gas than any nation ever has.We and our friends have no need to truckle to the Kremlin or Saudi Arabia
  • A distant cousin of mine lost her mother a handful of months ago. Yesterday evening, while at the grocery store, I found a shirt with a sloth on it. She loves sloths, so I took a selfie with it and sent it to my cousin, just to let her know I was thinking of her, her mother, and the rest of her family on that oceanfront property in Arizona and, while I may no longer have hair, I’m still haven’t forgotten about the time she got gum stuck in my hair when we were kids.
  • I asked my Google assistant what I thought was a straightforward question, “Who is the best player in the NBA?” She said she didn’t understand, I repeat myself and get the same answer, and even tried to rephrase it a few different ways, like, “Who is the best basketball player in the world?” No luck. I asked because I heard someone say it was Nikola Jokic. I don’t follow the NBA closely but I surely didn’t think it would be a lanky white guy. It turns out I’m wrong, and I found several different sources that back up the claim Jokic is the best player in the world right now. Luka is fourth, so two white men are in the top five. Dallas actually has three of the top 100 players, for what that’s worth.
  • Elementary teacher on leave in response to school newsletter item calling for students to dress as ‘slaves and hobos’ for jazz event
    • Perhaps the person I trust most in life lives in Spokane, Washington, where this happened. So, I keep an open ear on all things Spokane. Racism in that area seems to make national news. You may recall the story of the president of their local NAACP chapter presented herself as black despite being born to two white parents.
    • This seems so obvious not to do that I’m led to think it was purposely done to promote an organization or cause. Turning Point USA does stuff related to this, but more so on college campuses. I’ll have to keep an eye on this.
    • This happened at an elementary school named after Woodrow Wilson, perhaps the most racist U.S. President ever. I’m often amazed at how truth can be stranger than fiction.
  • Trump is selling ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles for $59.99 as he faces mounting legal bills
    • It’s not surprising. I’m wondering what took him so long. Surely, he didn’t have the patience to wait until Holy Week. And included inside are copies of several of our nation’s most important documents like the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Most of his folks treat those docs as if they are scripture anways.
    • Who was the first president to do something similar? Thomas Jefferson. He edited his own version, which took out the miracles or anything mystical. The most complete form Jefferson produced was inherited by his grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, and was acquired in 1895 by the National Museum in Washington. The book was later published as a lithographic reproduction by an act of the United States Congress in 1904. Beginning in 1904 and continuing every other year until the 1950s, new members of Congress were given a copy of the Jefferson Bible. Until the practice first stopped, copies were provided by the Government Printing Office. A private organization, the Libertarian Press, revived the practice in 1997. In January 2013, the American Humanist Association published an edition of the Jefferson Bible, distributing a free copy to every member of Congress and President Barack Obama. A Jefferson Bible For the Twenty-First Century adds samples of passages that Jefferson chose to omit, as well as examples of the “best” and “worst” from the Hebrew Bible, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, the Buddhist Sūtras, and the Book of Mormon. Check it out online and examine the old pages here.
    • Trump, who became the presumptive Republican nominee earlier this month, released a video on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday urging his supporters to buy the “God Bless the USA Bible,” which is inspired by country singer Lee Greenwood’s patriotic ballad. Trump takes the stage to the song at each of his rallies and has appeared with Greenwood at events. “Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless the USA Bible,” Trump wrote, directing his supporters to a website selling the book for $59.99.
      https://twitter.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1772664772577603971
  • I spent 90 minutes trying to find (confirm) the name(s) and/or email(s) of a small-town high school counselor(s), and it was NOWHERE to be found. It was one of those things where you ask yourself, “Surely, their names or contact info can’t be that hard to find,” and continue to search and search even though you know you could contact someone else about it. Really, I just wanted an email address. That made me curious and I wondered how difficult it would be to find the names and contact info for the Perin-Whitt and Mineral Wells High School counselors. Each search result took less than two seconds. Eventually, I caved and went to bed. In the morning, I called the high school in hopes I would finally find what I was looking for. A very friendly woman answered and asked for the contact information of the counselor in charge of scholarships. She seemed confused and clarified, “So you just want to talk to her?” As I inhaled to take a breath to reply, she must have handed the phone to the person right next to her who introduced herself as the high school counselor. Right after introducing myself, she said, “Yeah, I know you,” and then asked me questions. It was like a Bugs Bunny role-reversal moment. There’s a lesson in there to be learned somewhere.
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Bag of Randomness for Tuesday, March 26, 2024

  • If you think my writing style has changed or looks dramatically better, it’s only because of some new AI writing tools I’ve been playing with. Maybe this is an example of working smarter and not harder. Hopefully, I’m learning something as I see why the AI tool is modifying my writing to be clearer and grammatically correct. But at the same time, I want to keep my voice or writing style unique.
    • Well, that last sentence makes me want to share a few writing-related stories. I hate saying I was a poor test taker because I’m afraid it comes across as an excuse, but my SAT scores were low. When I registered for classes at HSU (they will accept anyone, I tell ya), the advisor boldly told me I had to enroll in an uncredited English course before I could take any credited English classes. My new friend Daniel, who also had to take the class, would call it Dumb English. “Hey Keith, I also have to take Dumb English.” That gave me a good laugh and a fun memory.
    • I walked into Dumb English and was given a writing assignment that had to be turned in at the end of class. If we finished early, we were asked to stay so the instructor could provide feedback. I sat down, watched the instructor read my paper, and saw the occasional brow go up. She had this puzzled look on her face. I didn’t curse back then, so my internal monologue said, “Oh crap!” She called me to her desk and asked why did I enroll in the class because, with what I just turned in, I shouldn’t be in there. I explained what happened when I registered for courses with the advisor, and she said, “Tell you what. If you write one more paper like this, you’re out of this class. You can go ahead and leave, but complete this new writing assignment and drop it off at my office before noon tomorrow.” I left class, looked for potential girlfriends on my way back to my dorm, and completed the writing assignment. The paper was put on her desk before the end of the workday. The next morning, I received a phone call asking me to go to the registrar’s office. They told me I was no longer in Dumb English (my words, not theirs), and I had to select a credited English course to attend. Only the dreaded 8:00 AM classes were available for me, who has never been a morning person. Hmmm. I just realized something as I wrote that. I often focus on the little things, maybe even make a mountain out of a molehill, that go wrong instead of all that goes well.
    • The following morning, at the ungodly hour of 8:00 AM, I’m in Mrs. Pepper’s class. No matter how hard I tried all semester, I could never get an A on any paper I wrote for her class. It didn’t matter how many times I had friends look over it or take it by the folks in the English Lab. The best I could do, and I’m serious, was a B++. She said that paper wasn’t written well enough to be an A-, but it was better than a B+, and it was the first time she ever gave a paper a B++. I think that translated to an 89.48 grade-wise. She also labeled my writing as “too folksy.” That’s one reason I hated and still hate English: it’s too subjective. Let me correct that; it’s subjective. Give me math where there is a very specific answer, one that I can work backward or use an alternative means to verify it’s correct. Wasn’t Mark Twain “folksy” yet considered one of the greatest writers?
    • You’d think I’d be done with Mrs. Pepper, but those who really know me can totally see this coming. I was so determined to prove to her I could write a paper worthy of an A that I chose to take one of her classes for my final English credit. I feared that woman would retire before I could claim victory. And did I ever get that A? You bet I didn’t. It was a hard and expensive lesson I learned. I don’t always have to prove myself to others.
    • One other story about Mrs. Pepper. She started class by reading from the newspaper. Recently, there was a terrible plane crash, and she read the transcript of the pilot and co-pilot’s last words before their peril*.

      She followed that up, saying, “One man’s last words was a curse word.  The other man’s last words were, ‘Oh, God.’ Would you rather your family and the entire world know your last words were a cry to God or an expletive? Live a life so pure that won’t be an option.” Hey, I chose to school at a small Baptist university. I knew what I was getting myself into, and that’s what I wanted back then. Along with an A.
  • I’ve never seen the movie – Kevin Bacon says he’ll attend ‘Footloose’ high school’s final prom
    • Bacon announced this week to a gym full of students from Utah’s Payson High School, where his iconic movie “Footloose” was filmed that he will be making an appearance at the school’s final prom.
  • Maybe I’m wrong, but I think a majority of Republicans dislike MTJ. She wants the new Speaker to be ousted. If that happens, I say they nominate her for the position. Of course, she’ll accept. Then, after several weeks of poor performance, they can oust her. But I doubt any of that would happen due to her party’s small majority in the House. But hey, sometimes it’s fun to think about certain scenarios.
  • I don’t have much sympathy for billionaires. But sometimes people attack them for not building more wealth. I say, compare that to your own life. Is your goal in life to increase wealth or feel fulfilled? I’d say most of us, especially those who have been through major life events, will choose the latter. True or not, some folks attack Trump by claiming he hasn’t increased his wealth when you compare what he received from his father to today’s dollar. As much as I don’t like the man, he didn’t just stay home and play video games. He had fun in real estate and other ventures and was able to employ people who were able to provide for their families. When he takes his last breath, I bet he will feel he lived a fulfilled life. Isn’t that what we all want? Now, if you want to brag about something you are great at and evidence proves otherwise, the attacks are warranted. But in the end, it doesn’t matter what others think.
  • Here’s something else from 1994.

*Yes, I specifically used “peril” because I thought it sounded folksy. Fuck you, Mrs. Pepper! And, of course, that’s not her real name. Don’t be offended; lighten up.

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Bag of Randomness for Monday, March 25, 2024

  • I spotted a white Tesla Cybertruck on my way to Whataburger in Lewisville. The public was told they would only be available in stainless steel, so they have either changed their minds or people are buying a new vehicle and then having it painted. I guess if you have the money, you can do whatever you want. I’m guessing this fella was pulled over for having no plates.
    Update: I should get with the times. A friend told me that they are more than likely wrapped. Now, I need to research the benefits of wrapping a car vs. painting one. At one time I thought the wrapping material was easy to remove, but I think some research led me to believe it’s tougher than one would imagine.
  • I saw this tidbit on CBS Sunday Morning:
    • In 1948, President Harry Truman complained about a “Do-Nothing” Congress. Still, in two years, that Congress passed more than 900 pieces of legislation. 
    • The nation’s current 118th Congress passed only 27 bills in its first year, making it on track to be the least productive Congress since the Great Depression.
  • These talkshow hosts once called Trump a bully and an idiot. Now, they’re his biggest defenders
  • Yes, the Texas power grid will be impacted by the April 8 eclipseERCOT managers have an 11-day plan to get the state ready for the eclipse on April 8.
  • https://twitter.com/tiff4mahogany/status/1771537913353818427
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