The Daily Dose/October 21, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

CAPSULE BOOK REVIEW: Kalki: A Novel, by Gore Vidal: Years ago, Vidal (1925-2012) said in an interview that he was working on a story that took the character into northern Mexico and seeing that he’d never been to northern Mexico, the story had to stop there. 

Fly In The Ointment: This did not stop Vidal from later writing a book about a time when there were only five people remaining on the planet. 

Up, Up, And Away: The story is narrated by an aviatrix named Teddy (real name Theodora), who is recruited to fly planes for Kalki, a former US soldier in Vietnam, now running a religion in Nepal. He discovers that the US and Russians plan to destroy humanity with new bombs, and he connives an elaborate religious hoax so he can do it first, to save humanity from itself, so he can start in producing the next round of humans. 

Dry, Technical Matter: His plan succeeds, and Kalki, his wife Lakshmi, Teddy, plus two others, a man and a woman who, like Teddy, are incapable of reproducing, are the only humans remaining. Vidal does a pretty good job of noting how the world changes without humans to screw it up, with our only complaint being Teddy is still flying airplanes. Now, it is not unreasonable to presume a pilot can fuel a plane, but it is not reasonable to expect them to maintain it. 

Get Your Official Daily Dose Rating Scale Right Here: 1 – The very best; 2 – Very good; 3- Good; 4 – Average; 5 – A steaming pile. 

Final Rating: 3 – We’ve read a lot of Vidal over the years, and this is nowhere near Creation and Lincoln, which are books we’ve always thought are as good as our species has produced. Nor is it as good as those just a notch below them, books like Julian and The Golden Age. But it is a good read, a novelist taking us on a journey he has plainly thought a lot about, which is what you pay us novelists to do. Kalki contains insights into our human experience few do as well as Vidal, though, honestly, there aren’t as many of them. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow conducts an inspection at the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

So we stuck our nose up haughtily and pretended we were the Commandant of the Marine Corps conducting an inspection…We gave a lot of horizontal edges the white glove treatment, or it would’ve been that had we been wearing white gloves, and in an Upset of the Year candidate, it appears some regular dusting was done…

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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1797 – The USS Constitution is launched in Boston Harbor. It would see its first service the following year, defending US merchant ships during the Quasi-War with France, left active service in 1881, and was designated a museum ship in 1907. Still a commissioned vessel in the US Navy, it is the oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat and is homeported in Boston Harbor. 

1973 – Fred Dryer of the Los Angeles Rams establishes a new NFL record for most safeties in a game in a 24-7 win over the Green Bay Packers. Dryer had two quarterback sacks in the end zone in the third quarter, breaking the record of one, which had been done every time there had been a safety in the past. The mark also tied the team record for safeties in a game, a mark broken by the Rams in 1984 when they had three safeties in a game against the New York Giants. 

In 1967 – Sam and Dave are at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart – for the second of seven consecutive weeks with Soul Man. It was the sixth of seven Top 10 soul singles for Sam Moore and Dave Prater, their second and final #1, and the song also peaked at #2 on the Hot 100. Prater and Isaac Hayes co-wrote the song, and in 1979, a version by the Blues Brothers peaked at #14 on the Hot 100. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

The world is supported by four things: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol VI: The Reformation

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The St Louis Cardinals won their first World Series in 1926, beating the New York Yankees in seven games. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

The Constitution was one of the six original frigates commissioned by the US Navy. What were the others? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/October 20, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things.

The Sunday Bottom 5 will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has the latest from the hotel’s construction project. Today’s Diary. 

We might be wrong about that, but you don’t have to edit Construction Digest to know that if the construction flooring is pulled up, major work is probably over…

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Of course you would.
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Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1818 – The United States and Great Britain sign the Treaty of 1818 which, among other things, establishes the US/Canadian border west of Minnesota at the 49th parallel. An exception is the Northwest Angle in northwest Minnesota which extends north of the 49th parallel and remains in the United States, a border that was set in 1783 because it was then thought that was where the Mississippi River began.  

In 1982 – The St Louis Cardinals win the World Series, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 in Game 7 in St Louis. It was the ninth of eleven World Series titles for the Cardinals and remains the only World Series appearance for the Brewers, who are now in the National League. It was the fourth consecutive World Series title for the National League, their longest such streak, and the last time they would win consecutive World Series until 2010-12. 

In 2001 – Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the fourth of five non-consecutive weeks with I’m Real (Murder Remix). It was the fourth of 17 Top 40 hits for Lopez, her third of ten Top 10 hits, and her second of four #1s. The song peaked at #4 in Great Britain and at #2 on Billboard’s soul chart, was Billboard’s 5th-biggest song of the year, and its 30th-biggest of the decade. It was the third and most recent #1 for Ja Rule.  

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

He was of the opinion that many matters took care of themselves as long as one didn’t stir them up. And he was not often wrong about this.
John Toland
Adolf Hitler

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Neil Young’s Harvest was Billboard’s #1 album of 1972, spending two weeks at #1 and selling the most copies. Chicago’s album Chicago V spent the most weeks at #1, with nine. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

In what year did the St Louis Cardinals first win the World Series? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/October 18, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow observes the first snow on the mountain of the season. Today’s Diary. 

The big news – and it’s huge, tho inevitable – is there was the first snow on the mountain when we left GH…As noted, it’s been a warm fall and it’s pretty late for the first mountain snow…

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Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1386 – Heidelberg University, the oldest university in Germany, holds its first lecture. Permission for the university had been granted by Pope Urban VI the previous year, it was the third university in the Holy Roman Empire, and remains the 15th-oldest university in the world. At the time, Heidelberg was the capital of the Electorate of Palatinate, has been coeducational since 1899, and has had 33 Nobel Prize winners. 

In 1991 – Rhode Island and Maine establish a new NCAA record for the longest game in a 58-55 Rhode Island win in six overtimes. The game had been tied at 21 after four quarters, with the Rams getting a touchdown on their final possession after Maine had scored a field goal on theirs. Research into whose record the teams broke was inconclusive, and the mark is now nine overtimes, when Illinois defeated Penn State 20-17 in 2021. 

In 1974 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive is at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the only week with Not Fragile. It was the first of nine chart albums for the group, their second of three Top 10s and remains their only #1. The album also went #1 in their native Canada, peaked at #12 in Great Britain, and produced two chart singles including the #1 You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

To succeed, they had to be awed by the magnitude of the task and be humbled, not assertive. 

Walter Isaacson
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The Treaty of Paris between the United States and Great Britain ended the American Revolution.  

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

What was Billboard’s #1 album of 1974? – Answer next time!

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Friends, your Daily Dose will return.

Click here to read today’s entry in The Diary of a Nobody. 

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The Daily Dose/October 17, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE: Here’s a problem that wasn’t around years ago: those born boys competing as and with girls. It’s a recent phenomenon because for centuries trans people have been scorned and shunned. Now, they’re more mainstream than ever, and for a while now, trans girls have been competing on girl’s teams. 

Get Your Official Daily Dose Policy Right Here: This is wrong. Those born girls should be permitted to play against girls. They should not be obliged to play against those born boys.

Fly In The Ointment: The latest turbulence in this storm comes from San Jose State University, whose women’s volleyball team has a trans player. Four teams have forfeited matches against them this year, with a fifth one planning to. 

Dry, Technical Matter: Now, we understand that work orders sometimes get mixed up at conception, meaning some who are born one gender really should’ve been born the other gender. It’s the way the world is built, and it has been built since time immemorial. It is appropriate that they are not only tolerated but accepted. It takes all of us to make this planet go.  

Back On Message: Trans supporters say it’s not fair that transitioned girls are not allowed to play on girl’s teams. They have a point. It’s not their fault they weren’t born the girls they really should’ve been born as. A useful solution to this problem is to have a third gender classification, a trans division. This would be ahead of its time, though. Last year, the international swimming governing body showed some foresight by having an open division for trans swimmers, but no one entered. 

The Bottom Line: We appreciate that some born boys should have been born girls, and vice-versa: they should have their own division. We are halfway through the third decade of the 21st century, and it’s time. Those born girls should be allowed to participate only against those also born girls. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow gets his ballot in the mail. Today’s Diary.

This is our fourth time on a general election ballot so the thrill of seeing your name on the ballot for Congress – or the US Senate, for that matter – has faded somewhat, so we didn’t bother opening it…Besides, we generally vote in person anyway…

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Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1781 – The American Revolution effectively ends when the British under General Charles Cornwallis surrenders to US forces commanded by General George Washington following a siege of approximately three weeks at Yorktown. It was the last major land battle of the Revolution, and a surrender document would be signed two days later. Almost 8,000 British were taken prisoner, most of whom were returned to Great Britain, and the Revolution officially ended in May 1784 when both countries exchanged ratified copies of the peace treaty both sides had approved the year before. 

In 1968 – Victor Saneyev of the Soviet Union wins the triple jump at the Mexico City Summer Olympics. Saneyev jumped 57 feet, .5 inches to break the world record, the second time he had set the world record that day and the fifth time the mark had been broken in the two-day competition. Saneyev would defend his title at Munich in 1972 and Montreal in 1976, and win the silver medal in Moscow in 1980. 

In 1942 – Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, and the Modernaires are at #1 on Billboard’s National Best Selling Retail Records chart – the predecessor to every other Billboard chart – for the sixth of seven consecutive weeks with (I’ve Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo. It was Miller’s fourth #1 song of the year and his 15th of 16 #1s on assorted pop charts of the era. Miller was a major in the Army’s Air Forces during World War II when the plane he was on disappeared over the English Channel in December 1944.  

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The last US woman to win the Olympic 100 meters was Gail Devers at Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

What was the name of the peace treaty that ended the American Revolution? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!