Bag of Randomness

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  • It almost feels like it was yesterday when I was enamored with the news coverage of Desert Storm and hearing the eerie loss of communication with Bob Simon of CBS News and their New York headquarters.  I’ve searched for the segment on YouTube with no luck, but it’s forever ingrained in my memory.  I tried to imagine what it must be like for a reporter to be held as a prisoner in Iraq, and then when he was released and back in New York, I thought it was so cool of CBS to treat him to one of those old-fashioned straight razor shaves to get rid of his war beard.  From that moment I’ve followed Simon’s career.  He was up there in years, though he seemed to have plenty left in the tank, and had a very full and blessed life, but the news of him dying in a car crash stopped me down.
  • Tidbit about Bob Simon when he was a prisoner in Iraq: When he was captured by the Iraqi military during the first gulf war, CBS put together an obituary for Simon, and gave it to him when he returned.
  • CBS broke into regular programing to announce Simon’s death.  Scott Pelley seemed like he had a hard time keeping it together.  I bet all the crew is like family over there, especially when you consider Simon’s daughter is a producer for ’60 Minutes’.
  • Unlike Brian Williams, Bob Simon’s war ordeal wasn’t embellished.  Speaking of Williams, they pulled his name yesterday.  So instead of “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams” it was just “NBC Nightly News”.  The end is nigh.
  • The third season of ‘House of Cards’ isn’t supposed to be released on Netflix until Friday, February 27, but due to a “glitch” ten episodes were available yesterday.  I’ve become so suspicious of things now I really don’t know if that “glitch” was done on purpose to hype things up.  But I do like Netflix’s tweet about the incident, “This is Washington. There’s always a leak. All 13 episodes will launch February 27.”
  • I’m finishing the plane crash section of my cadaver book and it references a Delta crash at DFW, but it doesn’t mentioned if it’s the one in Aug 1985 or Aug 1988.  Kinda sad you have to reference which Delta crash in August.  The book does state that the crash should have been very survivable – a lot of people were killed by fire, clamoring towards the emergency exits and eventually blocking them.  I’ll always remember the 1985 crash.  It was my my father’s birthday and my first flight, on Delta actually.  We landed in Hawaii and turned on the television in our hotel only to find out there was a crash at our home airport.
  • I’m amazed at how much Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle has lightening up over the years.  He’s attended a Mavs fan’s funeral, does commercials wishing the Cowboys best of luck in the playoffs, and after being teased about his table tennis skills, challenged TICKET employee Mike Sirois to a match and then turned it into a fund raising event which will benefit a charity of Siriois’ choice.  When he first got here, there’s no way he’d take time out of his schedule during the season to play table tennis.
  • Bill Belichick certainly wasn’t a curmudgeon on Letterman last night.  I don’t think the guy has smiled so much in one setting, he really seemed to relish it, even making sure to greet Paul when he walked out.
  • After retirement, Belichick should be the White House Press Secretary with the way he answers questions.
  • Buzzfeed – A Mom Let Her Toddler Style Her For A Week And The Results Are Crazy Adorable
  • LA Health Department Not Delighted By Supermarket Selling Whole Dead Raccoons
  • The Navy is taking the public’s suggestions for a new slogan.
  • ‘Saturday Night Live’: All 141 Cast Members Ranked – In last place is Robert Downey Jr, and I’m sure anyone who’s a remote fan of SNL can guess who’s numero uno.
  • Lawmaker wants to make Bible official book of Tennessee
  • “People love hearing how right they are.”
Posted in Personal | 6 Comments

Bag of Randomness

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  • Yesterday afternoon I noticed taped beside every door at GeedingManor were paper square cutouts.  Curious, I asked DaughterGeeding why she did such a thing, and she said, “Oh, wait a second, stay right there.” and ran off.  She returned with a credit card size piece of paper with what is suppose to be my profile and told me this was my security card, just like the ones her teachers have at school which are used to unlock doors.
  • Brian Williams will be suspended without pay for six months which means ‘ABC World News’ will be taking over the top spot in the ratings, which already happened on Monday.  This could not happen at a worst time for NBC News as the ratings period just started.  I don’t see NBC News settling for second place and giving ABC News any momentum, so I still expect Williams to be gone – it’s all about the mighty dollar and this credibility can’t be relied on.  I also read that Williams is lawyering up, coworkers are tired of his embellishments, and he’s on Tom Brokaw’s s-list, so I’m certain he’ll go the way of David Gregory and Ann Curry.  Oh, and Conan.
  • Where will Williams end up?  CNN.  The current president of CNN is Jeff Zucker, who was the former president and CEO of NBC Universal.
  • It seems so weird to have Comedy Central with no Stewart or Colbert.  Come on, Jon, you couldn’t wait to leave until after the next presidential election?  There seems to be a lot of online support to have Amy Poehler fill his seat, which would be interesting.  I wouldn’t be surprised if we never saw Stewart do anything in the spotlight again.
  • 2015 looks like it’s gonna be a tough year for me as both Letterman and Stewart are stepping away this year.  What’s next, U2 gonna break up?  Speaking of U2, I finally heard a song from the new album on the radio last night – “Every Breaking Wave”.
  • Speaking of Letterman, Bill Belichick will be on Dave’s show tonight which is a bit of a surprise for me.  There’s no doubt Dave will tease him about deflate-gate.  Last night Chris Elliot was a guest, and he seemed emotionally sincere thanking Dave for starting his career and all he’s done for him.  Elliot also looks super healthy.
  • Watch Jon Stewart’s very first Daily Show episode
  • I always had a thing for Gwen Stafani but she looks different as of late, like in a bad way, as if she had a facelift.  Hopefully it’s just a change in makeup.
  • I knew that In-N-Out drink cups had John 3:16 printed on the inside bottom, but it wasn’t until drinking one of their milkshakes yesterday that I noticed those cups have Proverbs 3:5.  A little more research tells me their wrappers even have verses.  Man, I don’t think I’ve touched the book of Nahum since a Bible course in college.
  • When church and Sports Center collide (YouTube)
  • As Google abandons its past, Internet archivists step in to save our collective memory
  • NY Mag – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Isn’t Just in Your Head
  • Apple comes in second – The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies
  • I didn’t know Blue Bell ice cream has been in space – The Rich and Flavorful History of Chocolate in Space
  • The Smithsonian sent out a tweet about repairing the original model of the Enterprise and Shatner gets cutsy.  That model is a lot larger than I imagined.
  • Until yesterday, I had no idea Henry Ford was awarded the Grand Cross of the German Eagle, the highest medal Nazi Germany could bestow on a foreigner.
  •  ‘The future is not a gift. It is an achievement.’
Posted in Personal | 5 Comments