The Daily Dose/July 12, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
THIS JUST IN…WELL, NOT REALLY: From time to time this feature has provided information on the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He was assassinated in October 2018 after having the nerve to enter the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, where he was met by Saudi agents and executed. You don’t have to be Mr Conspiracy Theory to conclude it was done on orders from the Saudi Royal Family, meaning Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Dry, Technical Matter: Surprising no one, Khashoggi is still dead. The crown prince bravely took responsibility for the assassination because “it happened under my watch” but otherwise said nothing else.
Did We Call It Or What: In one column we said some minor Saudi prince would likely be offered up in a show trial, and we weren’t too far off the mark. The Saudis have actually conducted trials in the matter, trying a total of eleven people, with five convicted and sentenced to death (sentences rescinded after pardoning from Khashoggi’s children), three were sentenced to prison while three were released, though research into whether this was before trial or after acquittal was inconclusive.
Fly In The Ointment: Few in the international community took the trials seriously. The members of the diplomatic corps and Khashoggi’s family that were allowed to attend were sworn to secrecy, oaths that have been kept so far because would you blab after what happened to Jamal Khashoggi?
From The Asia Minor Desk: Turkey, the country where the assassination occurred, is trying 26 Saudis in the matter, however, the defendants haven’t shown up for their trial yet, and no one is expecting them to.
The Bottom Line: Mankind has been putting up with atrocities such as this for centuries and there is no reason to stop now, not when there is money to be made. The US has bravely declined to show any spine whatsoever in the matter and the crown prince’s brother even visited Washington earlier this month, an event that was not heralded by the lapdogs in the US media. You and me – we the people – collectively yawned, too. We deserve better than this, but we are not demanding it, so it will not stop.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – A guest hangs up on Sparrow. Today’s Diary.
Ol’ Sparrow was declining late checkouts left and right this morning, including one a little after six from 209…Her tone was breezy and superficial and it was plain she was lying when she said she had been talking with “some guy” at check-in about a late departure but they had “gotten talking about something else” before anything was firmed up.
Oooh, I’m thinking, this is a good one…I’ve been declining late checkout request for decades and hadn’t heard this one yet…I was firm, tho, trotting out the usual line about being unable to offer a late checkout this morning…She did everything but weep but eventually, she recognized when the tablets were coming down from Mount Sinai and actually hung up on me.
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On This Date
The long march to today.
In 1962 – The Rolling Stones play their first concert, at the Marquee Club in London. They would first hit the US charts in 1964 and to date have had 41 Top 40 hits on the Hot 100 including seven #1s, their last Miss You in 1978, and have also had ten #1 albums. The Stones have had eight number songs and eleven #1 albums on the British charts. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are the only original members still with the band, though drummer Charlie Watts joined in 1963.
In 1970 – The Detroit Tigers tie the major league record for most sacrifice bunts in an inning in a 7-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader. The Tigers got sacrifice bunts from Ike Brown, Cesar Guitierrez and Mickey Lolich, with the Orioles contributing errors on the final two. The Tigers tied the record established by the Cleveland Indians in 1949 and later tied by the Chicago Cubs (1962) and the Philadelphia Phillies (1967) and the mark has been tied several times since.
In 1980 – The SOS Band is at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Hot Soul Singles chart – for the second of five consecutive weeks with Take Your Time (Do It Right) [Part 1]. The song also peaked at #`1 on Billboard’s disco chart, at #3 on the Hot 100 and at #51 in Great Britain. It was the first chart single for the group and their first of six Top 10 hits on the soul chart and remains their only Top 40 pop hit.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
The glue of rapport and trust that holds men together during difficult times was being poured and starting to set.
David J Peck
Or Perish in the Attempt: Wilderness Medicine in the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The two players who have won four Olympic tennis medals without winning a gold medal are Gunnar Setterwall of Sweden and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Which player holds the major league record for most sacrifice bunts in an inning? – Answer next time!
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