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The Daily Dose/April 11, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
LET’S REVIEW, SHALL WE?: Yesterday in this space, we talked about how it was time for the presidency of Donald Trump to come to an end. It is past time, actually. From tariffs that are nothing more than another tax on us, to the war in Iran that was not declared by Congress and that saw us bomb schoolgirls, America is at her lowest point since slavery.
Dry, Technical Matter: Honestly, though, a Trump presidency should never have happened in the first place. His blather and witlessness have been on display since he first announced for the GOP nomination in 2015, but neither the media nor we voters let ignorance get in the way.
Ladies And Gentlemen Of The Jury: We don’t think you can argue with this statement:
There was a time when America – both her media and her voters – would’ve dismissed Donald Trump from consideration.
A media paced by Walter Cronkite and Woodward and Bernstein – not to mention any one of a dozen other journalists of the era – would’ve had Trump out of the race by the weekend. His idiocy would not have been tolerated. The American electorate would have dismissed him, too.
USA! USA! In 2015 though, Trump found a media that treated his witlessness as real news, and he was escorted straight to the nomination. Trump found a base, too, in an America that remains a partisan, fractured, and bickering mess. Everyone ignored the fact Trump is a man of no moral or intellectual substance, and he was escorted straight through to the primaries, the nomination, and the White House. Twice, America chose to appease a bully rather than say no.
The Bottom Line: A hundred years from now all new people – including Americans if there are any left – will look back and see a country that was bitterly divided, with a right wing open to the lies and blather that Trump offered. They’ll see an America softened by 70 years of TV and fast food, and an America that now prefers appeasement to accomplishment. We can change that, but it is going to take you and me – we the people – to reject the status quo and demand something better this Election Day.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is happy to do a patrol after sitting most of the night. Today’s Diary.
Now, ol’ Sparrow takes a back seat to nobody – NOBODY – in either sitting or lying down, but even we found a leg-stretching useful…
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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 1945 – US troops liberate the Buchenwald concentration camp in central Germany. The Nazis had established the camp in 1937 and took prisoners from both Europe and the Soviet Union. Over eight years, the camp saw over 56,000 deaths out of approximately 280,000 prisoners. The camp had been discovered by a joint British-US group that was searching for a German physicist when they noticed a strong stench and eventually came across barbed wire and piles of corpses.
In 2001 – The Australian men’s soccer team establishes a new world record for the largest margin of victory in an international soccer match in a 31-0 win over American Samoa in a World Cup qualifying match. The 31 goals broke the record of 22 goals they had established two days earlier in a win over Tonga. Archie Thompson established a world record with 13 goals scored. Due to passport issues, only one regular team member played, while members of their Under-20 team were unavailable because of high school exams.
In 1970 – The Beatles are at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two consecutive weeks with Let It Be. The song also went to #1 in eleven other countries, including Norway, Hungary, and France, peaked at #2 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 9th-biggest song of the year. It was the 19th of a Hot 100 record 20 #1 songs for the group. The song was written by Paul McCartney, and the mother Mary referred to is own mother, Mary, and not the Virgin Mary.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
What is man but his passion?
Robert Penn Warren
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
The Titanic was built at the Harland and Wolff shipbuilding company in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What country won the 2002 World Cup?
The Daily Dose/April 10, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
ELECT THE CLOWN, WATCH THE CIRCUS: Nothing Donald Trump says or does is a surprise. His recent diatribes have been shocking. They’ve been embarrassing. They’ve been dangerous. But they’re not surprising.
Stop Us If You’ve Heard This Before: Donald Trump is a selfish, ignorant liar, a man of zero moral or intellectual substance. He acts accordingly, and we are being governed accordingly. His behavior now is disturbing, and he is even less fit now to be president than at any time previously, which is saying a lot, because his witlessness disqualifies him from the presidency.
Dry, Technical Matter: We’ve been through this before. Back when Nixon was lying his way through Watergate, even his staunchest supporters in Congress could see he could no longer govern effectively. Eventually, he lost so much support that he was obliged to resign.
USA! USA! President Trump, of course, has no such problems because Congress – and the media, too – continue to appease and enable him. Nobody has ever been willing to call a spade a spade where Donald Trump is concerned: no one dares to say he is an ignorant, witless liar, and his supporters bend over backward to appease him. Since Day 1, they have allowed Trump to bully and overpower his way to what he wants, regardless of a policy’s merit.
The Bottom Line: The time has come for Donald Trump to end his presidency. There are a variety of options, none of which are likely to happen immediately. He will not resign. The vice president and Cabinet will not invoke the 25th Amendment, which allows for the president to be declared disabled. The House will not impeach him. The only hope is electing a House and Senate amenable to impeachment and removal on Election Day.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is back in the gym. Today’s Diary.
…we got our first forms in in a couple of days…Recall Tuesday nite we couldn’t be bothered to do anything more strenuous than go out for pizza, and Wednesday was tai chi, and it was great to get back to three sets of forms and weights.
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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 1912 – The RMS Titanic gets underway from Southampton, England, on its maiden voyage en route to New York City. The ship carried a crew of approximately 885, and 1,317 people had booked passage, though the exact figure isn’t known due to cancellations and those who left the ship at early stops. The Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sunk on April 14, with a figure of 1,500 deaths accepted by most sources.
In 1896 – Thomas Burke of the US wins the Olympic 100-meter gold medal at the Athens Summer Games. Burke won in 12.0 seconds, defeating Fritz Hofmann of Germany by .2 seconds. Earlier in the Games, Burke had won the 400 meters, and he remains the only person to win gold in each event at any Olympics, much less the same one.
In 1993 – Snow is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the fifth of seven consecutive weeks with Informer. The song went to #1 in 13 other countries – including Finland and Norway – peaked at #2 in Great Britain, at #10 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and was their 10th-biggest song of the year. It was the first of three Top 40 hits for Snow, and remains his only Top 10 hit. The song is based on Snow being charged with two counts of attempted murder. He would later be acquitted of lesser charges.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
A cosmos without known cause or fate is an intellectual prison; we long to believe that the great drama has a just author and a noble end.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol VI: The Reformation
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
The first ancient Olympic Games are traditionally dated 776 BC in Olympia, Greece. It consisted of a single, 192-meter foot race.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Where was the Titanic built? – Answer next time!
Friends, there were the dreaded Technical Difficulties, so The Daily Dose will return.
You’re lucky to get The Diary of a Nobody, frankly. Click here for entries from the past two days.
Thank you for reading,
The Daily Dose/April 7, 2026
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 toes the line. Today’s Diary.
Of course, he wants to be let into the pool area for a soak…Those keeping score at home, of course, know the answer to this: NOOOOOOOO; there is no after-hours hot tub access on Sparrow’s watch…
———
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.
Editor’s Note: Due to time constraints, these entries have run before.
In 1449 – Felix V renounces his claim to the papacy, ending his reign as antipope and acknowledging the primacy of Pope Nicholas V. Felix, also known as Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy, had been elected by the Council of Florence in 1439 during the papacy of Pope Eugene IV due to a dispute that is, thankfully, beyond the scope of this feature. Felix V remains the last of the antipopes, a phenomenon that had first surfaced with Natalius late in the second century.
In 1896 – Robert Garrett of the United States wins the shot put at the first modern Olympiad, the Athens Summer Olympics. Garrett threw the shot 36 feet, 9.7 inches to beat a field that included two Americans, two Greeks, two Germans and one Dane. The day before Garrett had won the discus, becoming the first of two men two win both events at the game Games. (Bob Hauser, US, Paris, 1924.) Garrett also won silver medals in the high jump and long jump and in 1900 at Paris took bronze medals in the shot put and standing triple jump.
In 1990 – Taylor Dayne is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with Love Will Lead You Back. It was the sixth of seven Top 10 hits for Dayne – all consecutive – her sixth of nine Top 40 hits and remains her only #1 song. The song also peaked at #2 in Canada, at #69 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 28th-biggest song of the year. Dayne’s last appearance on a Billboard chart came in 2011 when Floor on Fire peaked at #7 on the dance chart.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
The secret of happiness is action, the exercise of energy in a way suited to a man’s nature and circumstances.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol II: The Story of Greece
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
The US presidential nominees in the 1844 election were James K Polk (Democrat) and Henry Clay (Whig).
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
When and where were the first ancient Olympic Games? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/April 6, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
PLAY BALL: The Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system, which allows teams to challenge a ball-or-strike call by the home plate umpire, debuted in Major League Baseball this season. It’s as unforgiving as it is precise, with calls sometimes overturned by millimeters or fractions of inches.
FunFact: Some think this reflects poorly on umpires. It’s not a good look, obviously, but it’s useful to remember the ABS system has a strike zone that is different than the strike zone listed in the rule book, which is what umpires have been calling for years.
We’re In For Some Dry, Technical Matter, Aren’t We?: The rulebook strike zone is the area over the plate from the batter’s knees to a midpoint between his belt and his shoulders when the batter is preparing to swing at a pitch. It is a strike if any part of the ball passes through any part of the strike zone.
Please Pass The Dry, Technical Matter: The ABS zone is measured as a percentage of the batter’s height: the lower end is 27% of a batter’s height, and the upper boundary is 53.5% of a batter’s height. More importantly, the pitch isn’t measured until it passes the middle of the plate, which is 8.5 inches from home plate’s front edge. This is completely whack if you ask us, because the entire front half of the plate is eliminated from ABS strike zone.
The Bottom Line: We humans are adaptable creatures and, soon enough, everyone will adjust to the ABS zone. Especially umpires, who certainly do not like being overturned, sometimes multiple times a game/inning. Probably well before the All-Star break, after they’ve gotten a few plates under their belts, they will know what ABS does and does not consider a strike and will adjust their lives accordingly. Then we can all move on to whining about other things.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow counts an awful lot of coins. Today’s Diary.
…why there was such an influx of change may never be known, becasue Sparrow Investigations certainly won’t be looking into it.
———
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 1841 – President John Tyler – who had assumed office two days earlier when President William Henry Harrison died – take the presidential oath in a Washington, D.C. hotel room. Tyler had thought this redundant because he had taken the oath as vice president, but he wanted to remove all doubt about whether he was president or acting president. Tyler immediately annoyed his Cabinet and then the Whig Party and would not be nominated for a full term in 1844.
In 1987 – Sugar Ray Leonard wins the WBC world middleweight title with a split decision victory over Marvelous Marvin Hagler at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Both fighters earned 115-113 scores, while Leonard won the fight with a 118-110 win on the third scorecard, a score that was largely derided. Hagler retained his IBF middleweight title when the IBF declined to sanction the bout, while the WBO stripped Hagler of their title because he did not fight the mandatory challenger. Leonard was also the WBA and WBC welterweight champion.
In 1991 – Gloria Estefan is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second and final consecutive week with Coming Out of the Dark. It was the third of eleven Top 10 hits for Estefan and her third and final #1, figures which include hits with the Miami Sound Machine. The song also went #1 in Canada, peaked at #25 in Great Britain, at #60 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and was Billboard’s 34th-biggest song of the year.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Not, of course, that she knew everything, but what woman was ever stopped by a want of information?
John LeCarre
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
The longest suspension bridge in the US is the Verrezzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City, at 4,260 feet.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Who were the nominees for president in the 1844 US presidential election? – Answer next time!
