The Daily Dose/July 17, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
CAPSULE BOOK REVIEW: Creation, by Gore Vidal: One of reading’s great prizes is rereading old favorites. Every re-read is an opportunity to delve deeper into what the writer was trying to tell you that you weren’t smart enough to get the first (or second or third) time around, and that’s why you’re turning the same pages again.
Dry, Technical Matter: So it is with Creation. We’ve been keeping a quotebook of sayings we want to remember for going on 40 years, and on its seventh or eighth reading Creation is still producing new thoughts for our consideration: things we missed the first and following times around, because we are not the same reader we were years ago.
Shorthand Me: Creation is a historical novel covering roughly the 6th-5th centuries BC. The protagonist is the fictional Cyrus Spitama, a Greek-Persian diplomat who serves Great King Darius and, among other things, travels to India and China, where he meets, among others, Buddha, Lao Tzu, and Confucius. Spitama’s goal is to find how life on Earth began and, despite being the grandson of Zoroaster – the strongest of religious back then – and talking with some of humanity’s great minds, he never does find out.
A Differing Opinion: Not everyone is as thrilled with this book as we are. One malcontent reviewer called it “meandering” and a collection of “incidents, anecdotes, artifacts, and rituals”. What’s funny is that this is not entirely false. Vidal’s research into the customs and mores of the people and the times is – as always – extraordinary, and he wants to show us what he found out. Aspects some find fault with, we’ve always found contributed to an informative and entertaining book.
Get Your Official Daily Dose Rating Scale Right Here: 1- The very best; 2- Very good; 3- Good; 4- OK; 5- A steaming pile.
Final Rating: 1: Gore Vidal is one of the great historical novelists our species has produced, and our subjective opinion notwithstanding, Creation remains a landmark in human letters. It is Vidal coming to terms with his, and our, existence, why we’re here, and how we got here. This is what you pay us writers to do. He didn’t come any closer to finding out than anybody else has, but Creation is well worth any thoughtful person’s time.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow doesn’t understand anything. Today’s Diary.
His briefing, however incomprehensible it was, gave us the chance to look authoritative without actually knowing what in the hell was going on, something yours truly excels at…
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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it.
In 1955 – Disneyland opens in Anaheim for media, invited guests, and a live TV audience. Walt Disney had been intrigued by amusement parks since the 1930s, and his initial plan was to build one next to the Disney studios in Burbank before settling on Anaheim in 1953. The earliest plans for what was then referred to as Mickey Mouse Park are dated 1948, and Disneyland remains the only theme park designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Due to a plumber’s strike, Disney was obliged to choose working toilets over drinking fountains.
In 2017 – Roger Federer of Switzerland establishes a new record for most men’s Wimbledon singles titles won, defeating Maric Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. It was the eighth and final Wimbledon title for Federer, breaking the record of seven done twice, by Pete Sampras and William Renshaw and the record still stands. It was the 19th of 20 major titles for Federer and remains the only Wimbledon final for Cilic, who also won the 2014 US Open.
In 1978 – Andy Gibb is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the fifth of seven consecutive weeks with Shadow Dancing. It was the third chart single for Gibb, his third of six Top 10 hits, and his third and final #1. The song also went to #1 in Canada and Brazil, peaked at #42 in Great Britain, at #11 on Billboard’s soul chart, and was Billboard’s #1 song of the year. Gibb became the first solo act to have his first three chart singles go to #1, a record now held by Mariah Carey with five.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
If the splitter of hairs has a sharp enough knife, the fact of life itself can be chopped into nothing.
Gore Vidal
Creation
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s is the only major league pitcher to lose a 9-inning no-hitter, to the Cincinnati Reds in 1964. In 1967, Steve Barber and Stu Miller did the same thing for the Baltimore Orioles.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Which male and female have won the most combined Wimbledon titles? – Answer next time!
