Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, November 29, 2023

  • I’d pee my pants if I recognized him at a restaurant – Harrison Ford really loves Fort Worth restaurants
    • Ford has been coming to Fort Worth regularly for years to update his helicopter pilot training at Bell Helicopter. He seems to enjoy fine-dining establishments, casual taco trucks and high-end cocktail lounges.
  • The song Imagine was sung at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral yesterday. What an odd choice for such a devout Christian. The first line is, “Imagine there’s no heaven.”
  • I saw the wound doctor yesterday, and he gave me some news. I wasn’t looking for. The short of it is I have to wear one of those wound vacs again.
  • While playing Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out I discovered or realized the saying “Saved by the bell” referred to a boxer who was about to be defeated and would be “saved if the bell” that marked the end of a round rang out.
  • A week from today I’ll be in Las Vegas to see U2 at the Sphere. I sure hope I’m strong and healthy enough to enjoy it. I haven’t traveled, even a road trip, all this year. All my vacation days have been used as paid time off sick days. In other words, I haven’t been away for a long time, and I could probably use it.
  • I wonder what the critic really thinks about the new/updated Australian film – Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman play two of the worst characters ever
  • I’ve wondered about this all my life.

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Bag of Randomness for Tuesday, November 28, 2023

  • This Sports Illustrated story is wild. What a fall from grace. I’m surprised this story hasn’t gotten more attention.In short, they bought AI-generated headshots and created fake writer profiles so they could publish AI-generated content and make it look real.

    They then deleted the content when asked about it.

    Sports Illustrated Published Articles by Fake, AI-Generated Writers – We asked them about it — and they deleted everything.

  • All the living First Ladies will attend Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service: Jill Biden, Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush. President Biden, and 4 of the 5 living former presidents will be attending Roslyn Carter’s funeral services. I’m sure we all can guess the one president who won’t be there.
  • Authentic – Merriam-Webster’s 2023 word of the year is the real deal
    • The online dictionary says there has been a high volume of searches for the word’s definition for several years, but 2023 saw a “substantial increase,” thanks to “stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media.”
    • The reason so many look it up is because “authentic” has several meanings, according to the announcement on the dictionary’s website, including “not false or imitation” and “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.”
  • What is no-fault divorce, and why do some conservatives want to get rid of it?
    • Right-wing commentators like Steven Crowder and Matt Walsh have ramped up complaints in recent months that it is too easy for people — specifically women — to get divorces. All states currently have some version of a no-fault divorce law, but Republicans in Texas and Nebraska list the dissolution or restriction of no-fault divorce in their state party political platforms.
      • Yet, “No-fault divorce was first legalized in California in 1969 by then-Governor Ronald Reagan, who would eventually become the first US president who had been divorced (Former President Donald Trump was the second.) “
  • Volkswagen’s original brand is “no longer competitive,” the company’s brand chief warned Monday, owing to high costs and low productivity.

  • The last part of the clip makes it look like a new parade.

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness for Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Bag of Randomness for Monday, November 27, 2023

  • Until that photo, I’d never seen Jimmy Johnson and Tom Landry in one together. Granted, they aren’t posing with each other or anything. I’m sure this photo was taken during Landry’s induction into the Ring of Honor.
  • Out of all my Thanksgivings, this year was the worst of them all. And if that’s the case, then I still have things pretty good. But, you know, I like to playfully find things to gripe about. I mentioned last week it was the first in which I wouldn’t have a chance to physically be with any family members. Well, my Thanksgiving dinner didn’t include any turkey, mashed potatoes, or gravy – staples I love and think should be part of every Thanksgiving feast. Also, two of my sides had cinnamon in them, and I’m not a fan of that spice. Oddly, I only like artificial cinnamon, like the kind that’s in candy and gum, like Big Red. Despite all that, it was nice to be amongst friends, and I didn’t lose the true meaning of the holiday.
  • I touched base with my friend Tony I wrote about last week. It was also his first Thanksgiving not physically being around any family.
  • This should be the last week I have to visit the wound-care doctor.
  • Thankfully I’m no longer in pain and no longer have to take certain medication I would rather not take. Pain only happens when I get up from sitting or lying down. It occurs at the midpoint of getting up. There’s no pain when I sleep, but I find the pain getting up is much worse, almost excruciating, when I lay on my side instead of my back.
  • The Cowboys looked good, but they need to have a win against a solid opponent to show they are legit. The Longhorns also looked good, but have beat at least one very solid opponent. That school in Waco lost and I think is not bowl-eligible, just like the Aggies. The youngest female I know in my family used to detest that school. So, it was a surprise when I learned she wore school spirit apparel when her mother forced her to attend homecoming activities.
  • Jerry Jones was at the Texas Longhorns game to support his grandson on the team, who is a senior this year. I’m almost positive he few there, but there’s a part of me that thinks he loaded everyone up on his luxury bus.
  • Dallas Cowboy DaRon Bland now holds the NFL record for most pick-6s in a single season with 5. What doesn’t get mentioned is that this is only his second year, he’s a 5th-round pick from Fresno State, and was the 22nd CB drafted. Praise him and the coaching staff, but don’t overlook the Cowboys scouting department, VP of Player Personnel Will McClay, and, well, I guess the GM, whoever that is.
  • The Cowboys Thanksgiving game had a massive audience with 41.438 million viewers. It was the most-watched program on any network since Super Bowl LVII and the third-most-watched NFL regular season game ever. Some credit needs to go to Dolly (there’s no need to put her last name, you know who the heck she is).
  • The three 2024 presidential debates will be held next year on Sept. 16, Oct. 1, and Oct. 9. The first will take place at Texas State University in San Marcos, a first for them. I’m happy they will get some national exposure.
  • Here’s a 1995 Texas Monthly article in which the daughter of Lee Harvey Oswald was interviewed at the restaurant where she worked. Two paragraphs stood out:
    • Old Life magazine photographs used to hang on the walls, including one of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald. “I don’t think anybody I worked with ever thought twice about it,” Rachel Oswald said. “You see that image everywhere; it’s easy to take it for granted. But it was still depressing, seeing my father shot every time I came to work.”
    • “You know, it’s interesting if you think about it,” Rachel said, lighting a cigarette. “Probably the only other people in America who have to routinely see film images of their father being killed are the children of President Kennedy.” She blew a long stream of smoke toward the ceiling. “Kinda strange, huh?”
  • Texas Has the Fewest Personal Freedoms
    • Texas was found to be the state with the fewest personal freedoms, according to the Cato Institute’s new Freedom Index. The index is a yearly measure of both economic and personal freedoms at the state level. The methodology looks at issues from taxation to debt, as well as eminent domain laws, occupational licensing, drug policy and educational choice.
  • Luka had an incredible pass that went in between Lebon James’ leg.
    https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1727543267456074044
  • And some people wonder why the fans of the Philadelphia Iggles get a bad rap.

  • My Republican readers can overlook this bullet, but I want my readers who are Democrats to read something from Captain Sulu.
Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness for Monday, November 27, 2023

Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, November 22, 2023

  • I really, really enjoyed watching David Letterman on The Late Show the other night. I’m just not in the right mental model to express myself properly right now.
  • I’m usually a big Thanksgiving Day kinda person. It will be very different this year, and quite an adjustment for me. It will be the first time that I don’t physically see or be able to touch a family member. Sure, the kids may call, or I might call them. But it’s just weird to think that is how small my family is. And, it’s one reason why I do what I can to be with them. Also, I’m usually the one inviting people who don’t have anywhere to go to our Thanksgiving feast just to make sure they aren’t alone and are fed on Thanksgiving. But this year, just so I will not be alone, I kinda invited myself to Thanksgiving dinner being hosted by someone in my church small group. That’s humbling. The thing is, I know for certain there are certain people rooting for and celebrating this.
  • I recall talking to my father about being alone on Thanksgiving and Christmas. He muttered something about how he spent many of those alone when he was in the Army. Well, if Dad could do it, so can I.
  • Certain things have happened in my life in which I feel like I have been convicted and punished. but never told what law I broke or what crime I committed.
  • Office Space fans will appreciate this. I was at a doctor’s appointment in Las Colinas yesterday, and the office staff had a red stapler.
  • To answer one of my doctor’s questions early in my appointment, I mentioned my divorce and living life as a single father with children in their young teens. The doctor stopped what he was doing and shared about his divorce and the challenge of being a single father. For the next 30 minutes, all we did was console one another. This kind of stuff happens more than you’d think and in the oddest of places. Men who don’t know each other will end up hugging because they know the pain and struggle. It’s like being part of a secret fraternity.
  • Netflix is doing a special on Jerry Jones, which I’m sure was a motivating factor in letting Jimmy Johnson into the Ring of Honor. You have to generate buzz.
  • Credit card nightmare: $7,112 charged for a $7.54 Subway sandwich
    • Conner reportedly tried to speak with the location manager, but they refused, and she was also given a denial from her credit card carrier when she disputed the charge. There is no word from Subway’s corporate offices on the matter.
  • If only we can get Kathleen Kennedy to retire – ‘Star Wars’ Vet Dave Filoni Named Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer – The ‘Ahsoka’ creator will help guide development of future projects at the Disney-owned studio.
  • Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio Team for New ‘Karate Kid’ Movie
  • Over 900 firearms traded in for H-E-B gift cards at San Antonio gun exchange event
  • High school golfer Happy Gilmore (no, really) officially signs with Ball State – His real first name is Landon, but he started going by “Happy” as a nickname when he was about 6 and started playing in golf tournaments.
  • From black gold to green power: Texas, weirdly, is leading America’s clean energy future
  • A Satanic Abortion Clinic Named After The Mother Of Supreme Court Justice Alito Is Open in New Mexico –  The group made it clear why this isn’t a troll but is, in fact, an accredited ‘religious medical services arm’

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, November 22, 2023