Bag of Randomness
Monday, July 27, 2026

I got stung by a wasp this weekend. That hasn’t happened in about 40 years. It happened while trying to find a nest, which was situated behind the flap of a cardboard box. The sting hurt more, and the pain lasted longer than expected. As a kid, I remember treating those by applying wet baking soda on the area.

Also, avoid buying Hot Shot Wasp and Hornet Killer. Rarely have I ever been so disappointed by a purchase.

 

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to attend at least one of the San Diego Comic-Cons.

An example of what it’s like to jobhunt in today’s world.

Something smells fishy.

Pentagon quietly updates how it categorizes Iran war casualties

The Pentagon has updated its public-facing casualty database after abruptly revising its Iran war casualty figures last week, when it reduced the number of U.S. troops listed as killed in Operation Epic Fury from 18 to 14 and removed dozens of wounded service members from that tally.

The Defense Department now appears to be tracking casualties in its Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) under a new category labeled Overseas Operations rather than Operation Epic Fury, the namesake previously used for the Iran campaign – in effect restarting its accounting of dead and wounded in the war.

It’s unclear how defense officials are defining “overseas operations” and whether that’s exclusively counting Iran war dead and wounded.

While watching History’s World War II with Tom Hanks, I saw a locomotive being lifted by a crane. Since trains are so darn large and heavy, I honestly didn’t think it was possible.

Have you ever read a book or watched something and wondered what the characters’ journey looked like?

ReadingMaps.com

For example, here’s Captain Ahab’s pursuit of Moby Dick. As you can see, the maps are interactive.

So Sly was not wearing a tucked-in T-shirt; instead, he was wearing a bodysuit.

It’s Looking Like the Cybertruck Is the Biggest Flop in Automotive History

Swiss town to fine those who don’t wash up dog pee – Walkers will be expected to carry a bottle of water as well as waste bags, and to use it to dilute urine left in public places. First-time offenders will receive a warning; repeat offenders will face a fine of CHF 100.

 

 

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness
Monday, July 27, 2026

Bag of Randomness
Friday, July 24, 2026

So far, I guess it’s been the summer of soccer, large animal attacks, and food illness.

Nearly 1.6M eggs recalled in Texas and nearby states over possible salmonella contamination – If you bought eggs recently at Kroger, Brookshire’s or other stores, it’s worth checking the carton code

Here’s the direct link to the recall on the FDA’s website.

Dallas is lucky to have one of only 25 IMAX theaters in the U.S. (41 worldwide) that project “Real IMAX,” true 70mm IMAX film in an expansive 1.43: aspect ratio. You’ll hear film snobs refer to all other IMAX versions as “Liemax” since they display a 1.90:1 aspect ratio. Dallas’s “Real IMAX” is the Cinemark on Webb Chapel and LBJ.

And you won’t be seeing any new “Real IMAX” theaters anytime soon. That’s mainly because IMAX hasn’t made any new 70mm projectors and screen in about 50 years, per the CEO. That’s how I want to watch Christopher Nolan’s version of The Odyssey. I thought I’d be smart and wait a week, thinking tickets would be easier to purchase. Nope. Seats are booked up for weeks, and people are driving and flying in from other states.

What a summer for DFW bringing in visitors. First the World Cup, now The Odyssey.

I had an interesting job interview that a recruiter set up with a government contracting firm, stating my security clearance was a big plus. They mainly asked questions that I expected regarding project management support and IT business analysis, which is my background. However, the recruiter never directly answer what government agency this contract was for, and I was a bit surprised the interviewer never mentioned it until I asked at the very end. As you’ve probably have guessed, the agency was ICE. I felt a bit snookered.

Ted Lasso Season four premieres on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. That’s good news, I guess, but it messes up one of my favorite series finale Easter eggs.

Jason Sudeikis’s uncle was the late George Wendt, who we all know as “Norm” on my favorite sitcom of all time, Cheers. Die-hard Cheers fans like myself remember that during the last seconds of the series finale, “Sam” straightens a photo of Geronimo as he closes the bar. That was to honor late castmate Nicholas Colasanto, who played “Coach.” The photo was considered a bit of a dressing-room good-luck charm for the actor, and after his death, it was hung on the set and can be seen in every episode going forward.

Well, in what was Ted Lasso’s series finale, in the last few minutes, you see “Mae” at the Crown & Anchor pub straighten the same photo of Geronimo, connecting the two shows and giving Sudeikis a way to honor his famous uncle.

I might just name a future dog “Norm.”

I recently reconnected with an old college friend whom I’ve always admired and full of character. We had dinner last night, and it was the first time we’ve seen each other in over 20 years. After I provided an untidy update of sorts, she told me to remember I’ve always been her friend and that I’m not alone. That meant the world to me, especially as I look back and consider all the Christ-following folks with whom I thought I had genuine friendships who abruptly stopped communicating with me since the winter of 2021.

Some folks are very critical of this and even mock it, but if women can go to gyms like Curves that only allow women, what’s wrong with this? And this is coming from someone who tends to be very critical of Evangelicals.

BaptistNews.com – Men-only gyms seek to protect Christian men from lust

The cables or wiring system is an interesting take. It’s not as cool as a SpaceX landing, but perhaps this is the easier solution?

Video showing up close the historic first Long March 10B booster recovery. With the booster returning under powered flight, before being caught by the Pathfinder recovery barge’s cable capture system, ready for refurbishment and reuse.

[image or embed]

— China Space Watch (@chinaspace.bsky.social) July 21, 2026 at 10:20 AM

I’m delightfully happy to see St. Vincent ranked so high.

A west Houston woman’s pole dancing ended in disaster after the pole hit a fire sprinkler and flooded her and a neighbor’s apartment.

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness
Friday, July 24, 2026

Bag of Randomness
Monday, July 20, 2026

I’m not much of a soccer fan, but the World Cup Final was enjoyable. Argentina’s goalie was superb, despite the loss.

I may have gotten over my big complaint that the game is nothing more than near misses, but I’m still bugged by how overly dramatic players are when it comes to contact and guessing at how much time is left in a match despite having the technology to rectify that obvious problem.

As for halftime, I’ve never been a fan of a show starting from the cavernous inside of a stadium. Those bits always look prerecorded, and I’m told it’s a way to divert attention from the field, giving the crew an extra minute or two of setup time. But hey, anytime the Muppets are involved, it’s a win. And the Ted Lasso bit was a nice touch, despite it introducing a slow-paced Justin Bieber song, which made things less exciting.

How “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes went from a modest indie rock hit to a melody chanted in stadiums across the globe. It all started in 2003, with a group of Belgian soccer fans at a pub in Italy.

BoyGeeding came home from church camp on Friday. On Sunday, his youth pastor tested positive for COVID.

Alabama news:

Attorney accused of trying to poison her husband again

Nothing like having violent diarrhea on your honeymoon. That’s one way to totally let your guard down.

Newlywed’s honeymoon disrupted by emergency room visit after contracting cyclospora parasite

“Our vows said in sickness and in health, so we’re just getting an early start on that,” Pleuss said.

Shaq takes custom Chevrolet Impala watercraft on Lake Ray Hubbard

Chili’s goes ‘old school’ with retro remodel debuting in Dallas – Red booths and classic tiled tables are officially making a comeback. Chili’s is using four Dallas test spots to launch a massive nationwide nostalgic refresh.

Admiral Brad Cooper has a lot of ribbons.

Men sue hospital after DNA tests showed they were switched at birth 38 years ago

Is this a good idea considering their recent track record?

FAA says Boeing can resume self-certifying its jets as airworthy

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has an all-star cast, so it would be easy to overlook Samantha Morton, but she has an interesting story.

In 2006, a piece of the ceiling in her new home broke off, hit her on the head, caused her to have a stroke, and she had to relearn how to walk and talk.

Her performance as Circe is getting rave reviews.

 

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness
Monday, July 20, 2026

Bag of Randomness
Friday, July 17, 2026

You don’t really see presidents address the nation sitting behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office anymore. Biden and Bush did it, but Trump and Obama preferred to stand. An address to the nation during prime time from behind the Resolute Desk feels more important and distinguished.

The midterms will take place on Tuesday, November  3, 2026. Prepare yourselves for Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Trump is going to throw a fit, and the integrity of our elections will be thrown into question. It will be a sad day for America. I continue to find it strange that he keeps complaining about the 2020 election, considering he was the acting president at the time.

ABC and NBC chose not to air President Trump’s address to the nation, which really says something about this administration’s propaganda. There’s no surprise that David Ellison’s CBS chose to run it. After his speech, CBS News chose to interview a senator who called them out on it.

As you’ve heard, Texas has a hog problem.

North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis’ neckwear caught my attention yesterday.

Here’s the story of his fashion statement:

Now that the World Cup is wrapping up, I’m sure we’re going to see an influx of notable violent ICE raids.

Notably, ICE has been hiring so quickly that they’re getting people on the force before their background checks are even complete.

ICE went on a hiring spree. Sterling credentials were not required, AP investigation finds

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to make testosterone therapy available to the military. I actually don’t have a problem with it. My doctor’s office actually offers it to women to help with energy levels, muscle strength, mood, and sexual desire. So, I’m curious if it will also be available to the women in our military and how many will take advantage of it.

The House of Representatives passed legislation to make daylight saving time permanent, and many folks are hoping the Senate will give it the thumbs-up. But some folks are really against the measure: Why Orthodox Jews are opposing the new daylight saving bill in Congress

While jobhunting yesterday, one listing caught my attention. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a job that cared about your SAT scores.

So, what happens to all the grass used at the World Cup venues? A bit of everything.

When Joe Flacco won the Super Bowl MVP, he was awarded a new Corvette. He still has it, though it’s been sitting in the garage for a long time. But, as his wife states, it’s like a trophy and parting with it would feel odd.

Damn, Joe Rogan had to break down common decency for the current Vice-President of the United States. I don’t listen to Rogan, so I’m not a fan, but I appreciate him for not backing off.

It’s not like the President ever accepted a jumbo jet as a gift or anything.

ProPublica: FCC Officials Took Pricey Gifts From Paramount as the Company Needed Approval for Billion-Dollar Deals

Former ‘Teacher of the Year,’ assistant principal arrested on child sex charges

A former Mississippi educator is in custody after police say she had sexual relations with a student. Olivia Marie Smith has been charged with sexual battery and enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes.

Smith previously worked as a teacher at Ocean Springs Middle School, where she won “Teacher of the Year” in 2022, and was most recently assistant principal at Oak Park Elementary.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey comes out this weekend. I really never understood why it took Odysseus 10 years to make this three-hour trip.

I’m sure most of y’all are aware of how large IMAX film is, but this clip from a Dallas Cinemark is a great visual of what it takes just to watch the film. The film is so large, Nolan could only film for three minutes at a time before having to replace the reel.

 

 

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on Bag of Randomness
Friday, July 17, 2026