The Daily Dose/March 24, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience. 

HERE WE GO AGAIN: It’s not a bulletin to read in the On This Date segment that research into a particular matter was “inconclusive”. This means either we weren’t able to do all the required research or that we could and the desired knowledge couldn’t be found.

Dry, Technical Matter: Inconclusive research reared its ugly head yesterday when we noted that yesterday in 1946 Frank Carle and his Orchestra, with his daughter Marjorie Hughes singing, was at #1 on Billboard’s Best Sellers in Stores chart with Oh! What It Seemed To Be. 

Fly In The Ointment: That same research showed that Frank Sinatra had a version of the song at #1 on the Most Played by Disc Jockeys chart. This source, however, wasn’t able to tell us where Frank’s version was on the Best Sellers chart, but we have a source that could and a check showed that Sinatra’s version was at #2 and you do not have to be Casey Kasem to know that two versions of the same song at #1 and #2 is a rarity. 

Uh, Can We Pick This Up A Little Bit?: How rare, though? It might well have happened before because different charted versions of the same song were fairly common back then, so we dove in. Unfortunately, our research was stopped about two-thirds of the way through due to technical constraints. 

The Bottom Line: But even if our research hadn’t been stopped, it would still have been inconclusive because this was an era when Billboard published more than one chart each week. For this week in 1946, for example, there was not only the Best Sellers and the Most Played by Jockeys charts, but also the Most Played in Jukeboxes chart. For any research to have any authority, these charts would have to be consulted as well, research that probably would have challenged even our glee at research of this sort. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow makes a meatloaf. Today’s Diary. 

The result was something that was neither too good nor too bad, which is a pretty good working definition of bachelor cooking. 

———

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 1199 – King Richard I of England is wounded by a crossbow projectile during battle in France, which leads to his death on April 6. Richard had ascended the throne in 1789, after the death of his father, Henry II, and Richard was succeeded by his brother, John. Some accounts give the date as March 26, History sometimes refers to Richard as Richard the Lionheart, and portions of his body were buried in three different places. 

In 1936 – The Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Maroons establish a new NHL record for the longest game in a 1-0, 6-overtime game in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup semifinals. The winning goal was scored 16 minutes and 30 seconds into the sixth overtime, breaking the record of 4 minutes, 46 seconds of the sixth overtime established when Toronto defeated Boston 1-0 in April 1933 and the record still stands. Detroit won the series 3 games to zero and would later defeat Toronto for the Stanley Cup. 

In 2018 – Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line are at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then and now known as the Hot Country Songs chart – for the 16th of a record 50 consecutive weeks with Meant To Be. The song also peaked at #2 on the Hot 100, was Billboard’s biggest country song of 2018, its 10th-biggest of 2019, and was its #1 country song of the decade. The song was the first #1 country hit for Rexha and the sixth for Florida Georgia Line and the 50 weeks at #1 remains a record for a major Billboard singles chart. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…the only real liberation is education, the only real freedom is intelligence.
Will and Ariel Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol X: Rousseau and Revolution

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

One member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition died during the trip to the Pacific Ocean and back, Army Agt. Charles Floyd, on Aug 20, 1804, apparently from appendicitis.

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

What is the Billboard all-time, all-chart record for most weeks at #1? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/March 23, 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 has the latest news from the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

In other cash drawer news, the right drawer – ol’ Sparrow’s home drawer – had 20 pennies in it!!!…

———

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 1806 – The Lewis and Clark Expedition leaves their winter quarters at Fort Clatsop on the Oregon side of the mouth of the Columbia River, to head back to St Louis. The expedition had set out on May 14, 1804, charged by President Thomas Jefferson to explore western lands acquired in the Louisiana Purchase via the Missouri River. The expedition had reached the Pacific Ocean on Nov 15, 1805, took to winter quarters on Dec 7, and returned to St Louis on Sept 23, 1806, 2 years, 4 months, 10 days, and 8,000 miles after they had left. 

In 1952 – Bill Mosienko of the Chicago Blackhawks establishes a new NHL record for the fastest hat trick in a 7-6 victory over the New York Rangers. Mosienko scored three goals in 21 seconds, breaking the record of 60 seconds established by Jack Darragh of the Ottawa Senators in January 1919 and the record still stands. Mosienko’s first goal came at the 6:09 mark of the third period and Gus Bodnar had assists on all three goals. 

In 1946 – Frankie Carle and his Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes is at #1 on Billboard’s Best Selling Popular Retail Records chart – a predecessor to the Hot 100 – for the second of six consecutive weeks with Oh! What It Seemed to Be. A version by Frank Sinatra was at #2 on the chart – it was also at #1 on the Most Played by Jockeys chart – and research into other instances of different versions of the same song occupying the #1 and #2 spots on the same chart was inconclusive. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Sonny James’ biggest hit on the Hot 100 was Young Love, which spent one week at #2 in 1957. 

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

How many members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, died during their trip? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/March 22, 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 moves some snow. Today’s Diary. 

…early in the season you want everything perfect: the whole driveway cleared, sharp edges on the sides, and 90-degree angles, as if you’re preparing your yard for a photo shoot for Snowblower Monthly…Your attitude, however, changes, and by the second day of spring you’re saying f*ck that noise, all you want is to get rid of the berm and make sure the new ride can get in. 

———

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 1871 – William Woods Holden becomes the first US governor to be impeached and removed from office, after being convicted on six of eight charges by the North Carolina Senate. Holden, a Republican, had been elected in 1868 and had been impeached by a Democratic-controlled senate the year before on charges stemming from his suppression of the KKK. Six other US governors have since been impeached and convicted, the last being Arizona’s Evan Mecham in 1988. 

In 1934 – The first Masters golf tournament begins at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Seventy-two golfers participated, with American Horton Smith leading wire-to-wire to defeat Craig Wood by one stroke. Horton earned $1,500 – about $33,600 in today’s money – for the win, his first of two Masters’ titles and his fourth of six grand slam wins. The tournament had been founded by golf legend Bobby Jones and was formally known as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament for the first five years.

In 1969 – Sonny James is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the third and final consecutive week with Only the Lonely. It was the eleventh of 23 #1 country hits for James and his seventh of sixteen consecutive #1s, a Billboard major singles chart record that still stands and the song also peaked at #98 on the Hot 100. In 1960, a version by Roy Orbison peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 and in 1982  a version by the Motels peaked at #9. 

Editor’s Note: The record for most consecutive #1s does not include #1 streaks by Alabama and Earl Thomas Conley, who had longer streaks snapped by a non-#1 Christmas song and a duet. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

He actually had no long-range program and was willing to trust to luck and fate.
John Toland
Adolf Hitler

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The NHL record for most saves in a playoff game is 85, by Joonas Korpisalo of the Columbus Blue Jackets, in Game 1 of the opening round, a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, on August 11, 2020. 

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

What was Sonny James’ biggest hit on the Hot 100? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/March 21, 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 decides to take this week’s state VSO training remotely. Today’s Diary. 

Plus, we can take Thursday’s session at The Shire, in our jammies, which will allow a smooth transition into Friday’s day off from the VSO.  

———

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 1963 – The Alcatraz Federal penitentiary closes its doors, after 29 years. Alcatraz, also known as the Rock, had opened in 1934, mainly as a prison for those who caused too many problems at other federal prisons. Over the prison’s 29-year history, there were 14 escapes involving 36 prisoners, none of whom lived to report a successful escape, though not all of them were found, either. Previously it was a United States Army prison and the Alcatraz’s longest-serving inmate was Alvin Karpis, who served 26 years and it used to be US Army prison.   

In 1991 – Ron Tugnutt of the Quebec Nordiques – now the Colorado Avalanche – establishes a new NHL regular season record for most saves in a game and Ray Bourque of the Boston Bruins establishes a new NHL record for most shots on goal in a game in a 3-3 tie at the Boston Garden. Tugnutt had 70 saves, breaking the record of 65 established by Mario Lessard of the Los Angeles Kings in 1981. Borque had 19 shots, scoring once, and broke the record pf 16 which had been twice before and both records still stand. The Bruins’ 73 shots on goal also established an NHL record that still stands. 

In 1981 – REO Speedwagon is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with Keep On Loving You.  It was the fifth chart single for the group, their first of four Top 10 hits, and their first of two #1 songs. The song also went Top 10 in eight other countries, peaked at #7 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s tenth biggest song of the year. The band took its name from a vehicle that had been for sale in America in the first half of the 20th century. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

The few, like the many, sometimes stumble in the murk of life’s complexities. Human affairs cannot find perfect matters nor wait for perfect solutions.
I.F. Stone
The Trial of Socrates

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Of the songs that spent time at #1 on the Hot 100 in 1982, five spent at least six weeks at the top: Physical, Centerfold, I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll, Ebony and Ivory, and Eye of the Tiger. Physical spent six weeks at #1 in 1981. 

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

Who holds the NHL record for most saves in a playoff game? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/March 20, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience. 

IT COULDN’T HAPPEN TO NICER PEOPLE: The news was heartwarming: that Donald Trump said he expected to be arrested this week and that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

Brass Tacks: We’re on the record as saying Trump’s only real goal is to draw attention to himself, so he should be in hog heaven because the arrest of a former president of the United States will be about as big news as there is. Trump has already started ranting and raving about this, tho his support is dwindling and maybe an arrest will nail the coffin shut on his public life. We’re not betting on that, though. Our country is partisan and fractured right now that not even the shame of arrest will hinder some supporters.  

From The Mother Land: Putin, of course, has more than the kidnapping of children to answer for, and perhaps the bombing of hospitals and deaths of civilians will be addressed later.  

Dry, Technical Matter: The ICC was established by the Rome Treaty in 1998 and began its work in 2002 and is headquartered in The Hague. Russia does not recognize the ICC nor, for that matter, does the US, which withdrew its signature from the Rome Treaty in 2002. 

For The Love All That Is Sacred: Please, do not confuse it with the International Court of Justice, a UN organ that hears disputes between nations, exciting things like fishing rights mediation and border disputes. 

The Bottom Line: We’d be shocked if either Trump or Putin ever stand trial. Trump will plead to something or another while Putin will never set foot in any place where he could possibly be arrested. Still, tho, both are getting what they deserve. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow gives change to a guest who needs to do some laundry, but finds out she does not need detergent. Today’s Diary. 

“Your employer provides laundry detergent???”

She laffed because my tone was pretty funny, making it sound like providing laundry soap was an extraordinary employer benefit, on par with three months paid leave for dandruff…She nodded solemnly, itself moderately funny.

“Yes, indeedy…Bleach, too…If we want it.” 

———

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 2003 – The US and coalition forces begin an invasion of Iraq. The capital of Baghdad was taken three weeks later and President Bush declared major combat operations over on May 1, though US troops would not leave Iraq until 2011. The war was fought despite war not having been declared by Congress, as mandated in the Constitution. The first US forces to enter Iraq were CIA forces, who arrived in July 2002.  

In 1958 – The La Salle Explorers win the NCAA basketball title, defeating the Bradley Braves 92-76 in Kansas City. It was the first and only national championship for La Salle and was the second and final runner-up finish for Bradley. The Explorers had defeated Penn State in the semifinals while Bradley had defeated Southern California and this was the fourth of nine national championship games played in Kansas City’s Memorial Auditorium. 

In 1982 – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts are at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first of seven consecutive weeks with I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll. The song went to #1 in six other countries, including South Africa and Sweden, peaked at #4 in Great Britain, was Billboard’s 3rd-biggest song of the year, and ranked 72nd on Billboard’s 60th Anniversary Hot 100 in 2018. It was the third of eight Top 40 hits for the group, their second of three Top 10 hits, and remains their only #1 song. It was the first #1 song of the Hot 100 era by a band – as opposed to a singing group – that was led by a woman. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Philosophy does not mean reading books about wisdom, it means training oneself in the practice of wisdom. The essence of the matter is that a man should so mold his life and conduct that his happiness shall depend as little as possible upon external things.
Will and Ariel Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. III: Caesar to Christ

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Billboard’s #1 soul song of 1977 was Float On by the Floaters, which spent six weeks at #1. It also peaked at #2 on the Hot 100. 

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

How many songs that hit #1 in 1982 spent at least six weeks at #1? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!