The Daily Dose/March 31, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience. 

Leading Off will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow does squat. Or doesn’t do squat. Whichever. Today’s Diary. 

This was a great day off, one where we barely left The Shire and didn’t leave the small town at all…

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

In 1492 – Catholic monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon  – both now part of Spain – order the country’s 150,000 Jews and Muslims to convert or face expulsion, an act History refers to as the Alhambra Decree. Muslims had conquered the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century and Jews had inhabited the area since Roman times. The edict was formally revoked in 1968, though Spain had long since guaranteed religious freedom. 

In 1973 – The Philadelphia Flyers tie the NHL record for most goals in a period in a 10-2 win over the New York Islanders. The Flyers scored eight goals in the second period to tie the mark done on four other occasions and tied once more before the Buffalo Sabres scored nine goals in the second period of a March 1981 game, a record that still stands. Islanders goalie Gerry Desjardins gave up six of the goals before being relieved midway through the period.

In 1973 – Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell are at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the third and final consecutive week with Dueling Banjos. It was the only chart album for the duo and research into how many acts have had their only album go to #1 was inconclusive. The self-titled single from the album was used in the movie Deliverance and peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and at #5 on their country chart. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

The American dream is not about money. It is about using your abilities and being the best you can be.
Congressman J.C. Watts
Republican National Convention
8.13.96

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

John Denver had three #1 songs on Billboard’s country chart/ 

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

Who holds the NHL record for most goals given up in a period? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/March 30, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience. 

Leading Off will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – The first signs of spring are in the air. Today’s Diary. 

In fashion news, the big news is the Shire Coat made its seasonal debut tonite, the first time it’s gotten off the coat rack in a couple of years…

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Click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.

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 1842 – Dr Crawford Long performs the first surgery using ether as anesthesia in Jefferson, Georgia. Dr Long removed a neck tumor from James Venable and the ether was administered by having Venable inhale ether from a towel and three years later became the first to use ether during birth. Long kept his findings to himself and the first public demonstration of ether anesthesia was performed by Dr William T. G. Morton in 1846. 

In 1925 – The Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 in game four in Victoria to win the series three games to one. The Cougars had defeated Saskatoon and Calgary in the WCHL playoffs while the Canadiens defeated Toronto in the NHL playoffs and made the finals after Hamilton was suspended when their players went on strike for more money. The Cougars remain the last non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup and were the last team from west of Chicago to do so until Edmonton in 1984. 

In 1974 – John Denver is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the only week with Sunshine On My Shoulders. It was Denver’s fourth of 15 Top 40 hits and eight Top 10 hits and his first four #1s. The song also went to #1 in Canada and peaked at #42 on Billboard’s country chart. It was from his Greatest Hits album, which was then in its first of two weeks at #1 on Billboard’s album chart. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished.
Cervantes
Don Quixote

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Stanford was the first private school to win the NCAA basketball tournament, defeating Dartmouth 53-38 in 1942. 

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

How many #1 songs did John Denver have on Billboard’s country chart? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/March 29, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience. 

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY: Be honest: do you read mass shooting articles anymore? We’ll be honest and say we don’t. We did read about the Nashville shooting, but it really wasn’t anything we hadn’t read before, save for the fact the killer was a woman. Usually, it’s a white male. 

#USA! #USA! The usual people are saying the usual things, but there really isn’t much of a 2nd Amendment debate anymore because we Americans have accepted mass shootings. If they collectively bothered us, we would’ve done something about it back when “going postal” first entered our vernacular. 

Dry, Technical Matter: Before we discuss the 2nd Amendment we should probably read it. It is 27 words long and is wonderfully ambiguous:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Fly In The Ointment: Whether the amendment provides bearing arms only for militia service or not isn’t clear. Considering the times and the English laws and customs that influenced the Founding Fathers, our feeling is it is both. 

Ready…Aim…Fire: As a practical matter, the amendment was designed to protect Americans’ right to bear the arms they needed on a daily basis: for hunting, fighting off the Indians whose land we were stealing, for serving in the militia. The Founding Fathers also wanted this right so Americans could defend themselves from invaders and also their government.  

Get Your Official Daily Dose Policy Right Here: The 2nd Amendment was not designed to provide a license for Americans to possess every possible weapon we can produce and we believe the Founding Fathers would be astounded and appalled at what we have allowed the 2nd Amendment to become. 

The Bottom Line: From 1994-2004 the US banned assault weapons and our right to bear arms was not infringed; we could still protect ourselves and go hunting. Now, part of the reason we have regular mass shootings is that a violent nation has produced violent citizens. But the easy availability of weapons designed to slaughter many people is another reason. It is time for a permanent assault weapons ban in America. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has the hotel’s weekly sundry stand order. Today’s Diary. 

This week’s Coke order is the shortest yet and, almost interestingly, didn’t include Coke…Chris also requested the receipt be put in his box, a first. 

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Click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.

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 1971 – US Army Lieutenant William Calley is convicted by a court-martial jury of six officers of premeditated murder in connection with the Mai Lai Massacre of March 1968.  Calley’s original defense was the deaths had been caused by an airstrike, but after testimony implicated him, he said he was following the orders, that his job was “to destroy the enemy”. Calley filed numerous appeals, twice had his conviction overturned and reinstated, and was released from custody, ten days before he was eligible for parole, in September 1975. Now 75, Calley’s last known residence was in Florida. 

In 1976 – The Indiana Hoosiers defeat the Michigan Wolverines 86-68 to win the NCAA basketball championship at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. It was the third of five NCAA titles for the Hoosiers and was the second of six runner-up finishes for Michigan, a record shared with Kansas and North Carolina. The Hoosiers remain the last major-division NCAA team to finish the season undefeated. 

In 1997 – Puff Daddy featuring Mase is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second of six consecutive weeks with Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down. The song also peaked at #19 in Great Britain, also went to #1 on Billboard’s rap and soul charts, and was Billboard’s 5th-biggest song of the year. It was the first of five #1 pop songs for Puff Daddy and was the first of two #1 songs for Mase. Puff Daddy was born Sean Combs in Harlem and is also known as P. Diddy and Diddy. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all His laws.
John Adams
Letter to Thomas Jefferson

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Blondie’s last appearance on a Billboard singles chart was Long Time, which peaked at #5 on Billboard’s dance chart in 2017. 

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

Which was the first private school to win the NCAA basketball tournament? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/March 28, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience. 

ON YOUR MARK…GET SET…DON’T GO: The international governing body for track and field, World Athletics (WA), issued a ruling last week prohibiting transgender women – those born boys who later transitioned to females – from competing in international events, like the World Championships and the Olympics. 

Good for them. Everything about having trans athletes compete with biological girls is unfair. It’s unfair to girls and its unfair to trans athletes. 

Get Your Official Daily Dose Policy Right Here: Biological girls are entitled to compete against others who were born girls. 

You Heartless Bastard: You can’t really argue with that. We realize that Mother Nature sometimes gets the work order screwed up and produces kids who should’ve been born the other gender, however, those born as boys who later transition to girls have an unfair advantage over those born as girls who stay girls. 

Dry, Technical Matter: WA also set stricter standards for competition by what’s known as DSD athletes, who have differences in sexual development. These athletes were legally identified as female at birth but have a medical condition that leads to some male traits, including high levels of testosterone. DSD athletes would be allowed to compete after six months of hormone-suppressing treatment. 

The Bottom Line: The solution to this problem is simple: have governing bodies, from state high school associations to World Athletics, create a third gender. Now, that may sound biologically impossible, however having men, women, and trans divisions will solve the problem. Biological girls will be able to compete against biological girls and trans athletes can compete against trans athletes. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow still hasn’t won the lottery. Today’s Diary. 

We’re not discouraged tho; we still have equal confidence in both the quick pick and our lucky numbers and we’ve still got drawings thru Saturday nite left. 

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Click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.

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 1979 – The Three Mile Island nuclear accident occurs near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Several minor equipment failures that were not handled properly, as well as other factors, resulted in a partial meltdown of the core of Unit 2. The facility’s containment vessel held, though, and only trace amounts of radiation escaped into the atmosphere. Cleanup took eleven years and cost $1 billion and the incident remains the worst accident in the history of American commercial nuclear power.

In 1982 – Louisiana Tech wins the first NCAA women’s basketball title, defeating Cheney State of Pennsylvania 76-62. It was the first of two NCAA titles for Louisiana Tech, who also won one AIAW national title, and remains the only title game appearance for Cheney. Also on this date, Rutgers defeated Texas 83-77 in Philadelphia for the final AIAW national championship. 

In 1981 – Blondie is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first of two consecutive weeks with Rapture. It was the seventh of eight Top 40 hits for the group, their fourth and final Top 10 hit and #1 song. The song also went to #5 in Great Britain, peaked at #33 on Billboard’s soul chart, at #1 on their dance chart, and was Billboard’s 15th-biggest song of the year. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

His mind was made up once and for all upon hundreds of subjects and maybe this was the sign that he had completed his course.
Saul Bellow
Ravelstein

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The first NBA All-Star Game was played at the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. 

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

When was Blondie’s last appearance on a Billboard singles chart? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/March 27, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience. 

Leading Off will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow gets a phone call from the alarm company advising there’s an alarm going off at the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

He advises they’re getting an alarm from Zone 304, however the great regret of his life is that he doesn’t know where Zone 304 is, giving him something in common with me…

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Click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.

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 1975 – Construction begins on the Alaska pipeline, built to move oil from Alaska’s North Slope south to the port at Valdez. The project survived environmental, Native American, and legal challenges and ended up costing $8 billion for 800 miles of pipeline, a terminal, and twelve pump stations. The first oil began flowing in July 1977, the pipeline is 48 inches in diameter, and 32 people died during its construction. 

In 1998 – The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks establish a new NBA record for the highest attendance in an 89-74 Chicago win at the Georgia Dome. The game drew 62,046 fans to break the record of 61,983 by the Boston Celtics at the Detroit Pistons in January 1988, and the record is now 68,623 by the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome this past Jan 13. The unofficial record is 108,713, for the 2010 NBA All-Star at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. 

In 1976 – The Four Seasons are at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the third and final consecutive week with December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night). The song also went to #1 in South Africa, Canada, and Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 4th-biggest song of the year. It was their 13th and final Top 10 hit and was their fifth and final #1 song. The song returned to the Hot 100 in 1994, peaking at #14. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

An Apache admired the virtues he himself needed in the life he led.
Louis L’Amour
The Lonely Men

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Elbridge Gerry served in the Continental Congress, the Congress of the Confederation, the US House, and as vice president under James Madison. He is the only signer of the Declaration of Independence who is buried in Washington, DC. 

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

Where was the first NBA All-Star Game played? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!