The Diary of a Nobody/January 3

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The Daily Dose/Wednesday, January 3, 2024

The Daily Dose/January 3, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

Leading Off will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow’s (still) stalking a gal at the gym. Today’s Diary. 

Not that we keep tabs on her arrival times – we’re not stalkers – tho you didn’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to notice she generally favored the gym with her presence around 1700…Not today…In fact, we had written off seeing her when she showed up at 1733…

Friends, the NFL Bottom Ten will run on Thursday. 

———

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———

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

In 1870 – Construction begins on the Brooklyn Bridge, which would span the East River and connect Brooklyn and Manhattan, then separate cities. The first tasks were constructing two caissons at each end on which the suspension towers would be built. A temporary wire was put up in August 1876 with a worker traveling the span in a chair, marking the first time the bridge was used for a crossing. The bridge opened on May 24, 1883. 

In 1931 – Nels Stewart of the Montreal Maroons establishes a new NHL record for the fastest two goals in a 5-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Stewart scored four seconds apart in the third period, breaking the record of eight seconds established by Cy Denneny of the Ottawa Senators in December 1926. The record was tied by Deron Quint of the Winnipeg Jets in December 1995 and still stands. 

In 2015 – Taylor Swift is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for sixth of seven consecutive weeks with Blank Space. The song went to #1 in six other countries, including Iceland and South Africa, peaked at #4 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 7th-biggest song of the year. It was the 14th of 49 Top 10 hits for Swift – mark good for second all-time behind Drake (76) – and her second of eleven #1s

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…but I thought of an older, a newer, and purer wine, of a more glorious vintage, which they had not got, and could not buy.
Henry David Thoreau
Walden

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The NCAA all-division record for most points in a basketball game is 346 in a Division III game between Greenville (200) and Fontbonne (146) in February 2019. 

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

What is the NHL record for the fastest two goals by a team? – Answer next time!

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The Diary of a Nobody/January 2

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The Daily Dose/Tuesday, January 2, 2024

The Daily Dose/January 2, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

Leading Off will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow’s holiday isn’t all that great. Today’s Diary. 

There wasn’t the veterans service office (VSO) today, but we’d’ve rather gone because boy, this was a lousy day off…

———

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 533 – Pope John II is elected. Born Mercurius in Rome around 475, John is the first pope to choose a new papal name upon elevation to the papacy. History says this was because John deemed it inappropriate for a pope to be named after the pagan god Mercury. John II served until 535 and the the last pope to use his baptismal name was Marcellus II in 1555. 

In 1985 – The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels and the Utah State Aggies establish a new NCAA record for most points in a game in a 142-140, triple overtime UNLV win. The teams broke the record of 275 when UNLV defeated Hawaii-Hilo 164-111 in 1976 and the record is now 331 points by Loyola Marymount (181) and US International in January 1985. 

In 1988 – The soundtrack to the movie Dirty Dancing by various artists is at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the eighth of 18 non-consecutive weeks. The album went to #1 in six other countries, including New Zealand and Switzerland, peaked at #4 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 2nd-biggest album of the year. The album produced four chart singles, including the #1 (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

If you know what you are doing
You will do what is necessary and stop there.
Lao Tzu
The Tao Te Ching, #30

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The first #1 team to play in the Rose Bowl was Ohio State, which beat #17 USC in 20-7 in 1955. 

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

Who holds the NCAA all-division record for most points scored in a basketball game? – Answer next time!

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The Diary of a Nobody/January 1

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The Daily Dose/Monday, January 1, 2024

The Daily Dose/January 1, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

Leading Off will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow reports there are new toothbrushes at the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

They’re quality, name-brand brushes, the kind you’d pay a few bucks for at the store and we’re giving them away for nothing…They replace those cheap, nameless ones we got from a company that deals in cheap hotel amenities, the type that fall apart after the first brushing…

———

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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 1776 – A United States flag is hoisted for the first time, by General George Washington at Prospect Hill in Somerville, Massachusetts. The flag featured 13 alternating red and white stripes with a Union Jack in the canton. Known as the Grand Union Flag, it had flown occasionally in the Colonies before Independence had been declared the previous July 2. History neglected to record who designed the Grand Union Flag. 

In 1919 – The Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets defeat the Mare Island Marines 17-0 in the 5th Rose Bowl at Tournament Park in Pasadena. The MVP of the game was George Halas of Great Lakes, who would later play in the major leagues and NFL, and who would later own the Chicago Bears. It was the second and final year military teams played in the Rose Bowl due to college team being depleted because of World War I. The year before Mare Island and defeated the Army’s Camp Lewis 19-7 and Tournament Park is now an athletic field at Caltech. 

In 1972 – Charley Pride is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the fifth and final consecutive week with Kiss An Angel Good Morning. It was the 15th of 50 Top country hits for Pride and was his 8th of 30 #1s. The song also went #1 country in Canada and would later peak at #21 on the Hot 100, his biggest pop hit. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

This is the moment of embarking
All auspicious signs are in place
Deng Ming-Dao
365 Tao

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The NBA record for free throws attempted in an overtime game is 160 by the Anderson Packers and the Syracuse Nationals in a five-overtime game on November 24, 1949. This is also the longest game in NBA history. 

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

Which was the first #1-ranked team to play in the Rose Bowl? – Answer next time!

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The Diary of a Nobody/December 31, 2023

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The Daily Dose/Sunday, December 31, 2023

The Daily Dose/December 31, 2023
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

Editor’s Note: Today’s Leading Off segment features our usual New Year’s Eve column. It’s rewritten somewhat every year to keep it fresh, but rest assured it’s as dull as ever. 

2020 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024: ON IT!: As you read this the planet has been ringing in the new year for several hours already, having started at 3 am Mountain Standard Time (MST) almost due south of Hawaii with festivities in the Christmas Islands and Kiribati, despite the fact these places should be east of the International Date Line and amongst the last to leave the old year.

Dry, Technical Matter: 15 minutes later the Chatham Islands celebrated and at 6 am MST New Year celebrations began in much of Australia.

And You Wonder Why You Don’t Get Invited To More (Any) Parties: The International Date Line is an imaginary line of demarcation more or less at 180 degrees longitude, directly opposite the Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude). It veers east and west though, to accommodate assorted international borders.

And You Wonder Why You Don’t Get Invited To More (Any) Parties II: Time and how its kept – not to mention civil lines of demarcation – have always thrilled us (a lot) more than they probably should, so when the New Year starts around the world tends to interest us. 

Dry, Technical Matter II: Kiribati changed its position vis-a-vis the International Date Line in the 1990s after it acquired territory that caused it to straddle the International Date Line. So, in accordance with international convention, it moved the dateline east so it was completely west of it, placing it in the first group of jurisdictions to mark the New Year.

Yay For More Dry, Technical Matter: The International Date Line is so jury-rigged Samoa is one of the first to ring in a New Year while American Samoa, a mere 100 or miles to the east of Samoa, is the last inhabited place on the planet to ring in 2024. 

Oh, Jesus H: Both Baker Island and Howland Island, uninhabited US possessions near the equator, are the last places to enter a New Year, doing so Sunday morning at 5 am Mountain Standard Time.

Please Pass The Dry, Technical Matter: Due to the bastardizing of the International Date Line, it now takes 26 hours for a planet theoretically divided into 24 time zones to have everyone ring in the New Year.

Please Pass The Dry, Technical Matter II: Technically, if you’re at the South Pole you can ring in 2024 whenever the hell you want. There are 24 time zones there because all of them converge at Amundson-Scott Station, but because virtually all access to the South Pole is from New Zealand, they keep New Zealand time.

The Bottom Line: As long as New Year’s Eve remains the last day of the year, we will continue to trot this column out. Thank you for reading. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow provides further proof he will whine about anything. Today’s Diary. 

…we are whining about having overslept today (see Sleep Log below).

———

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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 1992 – The country of Czechoslovakia is dissolved becoming the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The split was spurred by the overthrow of the Communists in 1989 and the split was so peaceful History sometimes refers to it as the Velvet Divorce. Czechoslovakia had formed at the end of World War I when Austria-Hungary dissolved with the collapse of the Habsburg Monarchy.

In 1954 – The Fort Wayne Pistons and the Minneapolis Lakers establish a new NBA record for most free throws attempted in a regulation game in a 103-91 Lakers victory. The teams combined to shoot 127 free throws, to break the record of 119 established by the Lakers and the Boston Celtics on November 24 and the record still stands. The teams combined for 74 personal fouls and made 52 free throws (44%). 

In 1977 – The Bee Gees are at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the second of three consecutive weeks with How Deep Is Your Love. The song went to #1 in five other countries, including Brazil and Finland, peaked at #3 in Great Britain, was Billboard’s 6th-biggest song of 1978, and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Group. It was the fourth of nine #1 songs for the group and spent 33 weeks on the Hot 100, including 17 weeks in the Top 10 and nine weeks in the Top 3

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

When the hour of the great man has struck he rises to leadership; but before his time has come he is hampered in all that he attempts.
Lao Tzu

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Margaret Court has won the most women’s Australian Open singles titles with eleven between 1960 and 1973.

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

Which teams hold the NBA record for most free throws attempted in an overtime game? – Answer next time!

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The Diary of a Nobody/December 30

Yay for Read Free Sunday at The Diary.

It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life…

Saturday, December 30
The big news at the hotel is the economies at the hotel appear to have been extended from sundry stand items to office supplies…We have been barely scraping by with paper clips for a while now and today the Assistant Front Desk Manager (AFDM) reported that not only were we down to what was left in the paper clip dispensers, but that he wasn’t allowed to order more!!!.

Continue reading

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The Daily Dose/Saturday, December 30, 2023

The Daily Dose/December 30, 2023
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

Leading Off will return. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary is free today. 

The Diary of a NobodySparrow has the latest concerning his new coffee machine. Today’s Diary. 

Even more big news is we found another filter for the water purifier on the kitchen tap, so we installed it (the old one ran out months ago) and used that for coffee this morning and boy or boy, let me tell you, it’s as if we’d been using yak piss…The taste was noticeably better with filtered water, another Coffee Bonus (CB)…

———

Click here to get 4Ever & Ever access for only $8.99 and avoid the January 1 increase to a whopping $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 2006 – Former President of Iraq Saddam Hussein is executed at a joint Iraq/US base in Baghdad. Hussein had been arrested in Dece,ber 2003 and been convicted by an Iraqi special tribunal for the 1982 massacre of 148 Iraqi Shi’ites. Hussein was led to the gallows by several masked executioners and Hussein was jeered by – and he sparred with – some there to see him die. Three co-defendants would be executed in January. 

In 1977 – Evonne Goolagong-Cawley wins the Australian Open defeating Helen Gourlay Cawley (both Australian; no relation) 6-3, 6-0. It was the fourth and final Australian Open title for Goolagong-Cawley and her fifth of six Grand Slam singles title and the second and final Grand Slam runner-up finish for Gourlay-Cawley (no titles). The pair shared the doubles title with Mona Schallau Guerrant and Kerry Melville Reid when the final was rained out. 

In 1950 – Patti Page is at #1 on Billboard’s Best Sellers in Stores chart – a predecessor to the Hot 100 – for the first of nine consecutive weeks with the Tennessee Waltz. It was the third of 22 Top ten songs for Page and her second of four #1s in a chart career that spanned from 1948 until 1982. The song also went to #2 on Billboard’s country chart and was originally scheduled to be the B side of a Christmas record. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

{This} whole book…has been written under the influence of a kind of religious awe produced in the author’s mind by the view of that irresistible revolution which has advanced for centuries in spite of every obstacle and which is still advancing in the midst of the ruins it has caused.
Alexis De Tocqueville
Democracy In America

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Madonna has had 13 #1 songs in Great Britain.

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

What woman has won the most Australian Open singles titles? – Answer next time!

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