Your  Daily Dose is enjoying a day off. It will return.

Click here to read today’s entry in The Diary of a Nobody. 

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/June 20, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

 Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

GET OUT YOUR ERRATUM SLIPS: On Saturday, May 25, in this space, we noted that Post Malone had become the fifth act in the Hot 100 era to have hit #1 on Billboard’s pop, soul, and country charts when his latest hit, with Morgan Wallen, was at #1 on both pop and country charts. It was Malone’s first country #1. 

Yay: Our glee was total, too, because the item was dated Today, meaning we nailed the accomplishment the day it happened because new Billboard charts come out on Saturday. We were pleased with ourselves and happy for our valued reader(s). 

Fly In The Ointment: We were wrong though, because it turns out Malone was the sixth person to have turned the trick.

We Are Not Making This Up: The fifth person was – and, again, we are not making this up – Beyonce – Beyonce!!! She had already accumulated nine pop and ten soul #1s, and earlier this year her song Texas Hold ‘Em spent ten consecutive weeks at #1 on the country chart. So she was the fifth, joining the Everly Brothers, Elvis, Ray Charles, and – of all people – Billy Ray Cyrus and preceding Malone. 

Warm, Personal Remembrance: Ages ago, while working security in Las Vegas, we happened to meet Beyonce while supervising her security detail. Nice girl, though she was always behind schedule. 

In Other News: We listened to this song and it’s pretty good. If Reba or Tanya – or any one of a dozen of country’s great lady voices – had done it, it would’ve done well, too, and perhaps have even become a standard. 

The Bottom Line: Completely whiffing on one of our favorite pieces of chart history stung. We don’t work in the Billboard PR office, but we keep tabs on the charts in a manner that would cause Casey Kasem to achieve and maintain a state of arousal and we missed this. We should’ve thought of it, too, frankly, the instant we saw a pic of Beyonce in a cowboy hat. But for reasons that may never be clear, we never put two and two together. Apologies are issued. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow pays a bill in person. Today’s Diary. 

…and, odd for the third decade of the 21st century, they do not offer a link so you can pay online…You’re expected to send a 19th-century check or kick it Middle Ages and come by and pay it in person.

———

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 1782 – The Congress of the Confederation adopts the Great Seal of the United States. The seal authenticates certain government documents, like treaty ratifications, ambassador appointments, and warrants. The current seal was made in 1903, is kept at the State Department, and is used between 2,000 and 3,000 times a year. The seal has a reverse side, consisting of a 13-step pyramid with an eye above it, that is never used as a seal. 

In 1960 – Floyd Patterson becomes the first person to regain the world heavyweight title, defeating Ingemar Johannson of Sweden with a 5th-round knockout at the Polo Grounds in New York City. Patterson had lost the title to Johannson the year before and would beat him in another rematch the following year. Patterson would lose the title to Sonny Liston in 1962 and these remain the only world title fights for Johannson.  

In 1970 – The Beatles are at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second and final consecutive week with The Long and Winding Road. The song also went to #1 in Canada, was not released as a single in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 41st-biggest song of the year. It was the group’s 20th and final #1 song, a Hot 100 record that still stands. The song only spent ten weeks on the Hot 100, all in the Top 40, including six weeks in the Top 10, and jumped to the #1 spot from #10. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

When their turn in the spotlight of History came, these people challenged the accepted thinking of their day.
David J Peck
Or Perish in the Attempt: Wilderness Medicine in the Lewis & Clark Expedition

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The largest margin of victory in the Belmont States was 31 lengths by Secretariat in 1973. 

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

How many weeks did the Beatles spend at #1 on the Hot 100? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/June 19, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

 Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

Leading Off will return tomorrow. Promise.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow turns the heater on at The Shire. Today’s Diary. 

It was chilly today and when turned in, with the windows open, the temperature inside the cabin was only 61°…It wasn’t going to get a whole hell of a lot warmer outside, so we shut the windows and turned on the heater…It fired right up, and we set the thermostat to 68°…

———

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 1865 – US Army troops led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger informs slaves in Galveston, Texas they are free. The Emancipation Proclamation had freed slaves in the rebel states two years earlier, but Texas officials neglected to inform their slaves. The day is now celebrated as Juneteenth, with celebrations starting in Texas the following year and spreading throughout the South. Slavery in the US officially ended in the United States the following December when the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution abolished it in Kentucky and Rhode Island. 

In 1867 – The first Belmont Stakes is run, with Ruthless defeating De Courcey by a head at Jerome Park Racetrack, then in Westchester County, now part of the Bronx. The winning jockey was Gilbert W Patrick and the winning purse was $1,850, about $31,000 in today’s money. Jerome Park was the first of five sites of the Belmont, followed by Morris Park, Belmont Park, Aqueduct, and this year at Saratoga. 

In 1993 – Janet Jackson is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the sixth of eight consecutive weeks with That’s the Way Love Goes. The song went to #1 in four other countries, peaked at #2 in Great Britain, earlier spent four weeks at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart, was their 4th-biggest song of the year, their 17th-biggest of the decade, and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. It remains the most weeks spent at #1 for a song by any member of the Jackson family and was her sixth of ten #1s.

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Why are you doing this?/I want to./Is that all?/I should think that that was everything.
Gore Vidal
Empire

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The American, man or woman, with the most time in outer space is Peggy Whitson with 665 days. 

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

What was the largest margin of victory in the Belmont Stakes? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/June 18, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

 Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

CAPSULE BOOK REVIEW: A History of the English-Speaking Peoples by Winston Churchill, the abridged, single-volume edition: Most historians are hampered by the fact they weren’t there, but few offer the perspective of  someone who has been in the arena like Churchill, who served his country as everything from soldier to prime minister. 

Dry, Technical Matter: An interesting contrast is with two other favorite historians, Will Durant and David McCullough. Durant was also a philosopher while McCullough was an academic, a professional historian and all three have insights the others do not. For example, Churchill, perhaps because he never lived an average life, does not fuss too much over how the average person lived like Durant does. And while Churchill offers a compelling, interesting narrative, some may not find it as accessible as McCullough. Like McCullouh, though, Churchill does a good job of focusing on one or two prime players in a given era.  

Dry, Technical Matter II: The book starts with Caesar’s invasion of Britain in 55 BC  and goes through the end of the Second Boer War in 1902. We would not have objected to Sir Winston continuing his history to include what he had for breakfast the morning of the book’s publication. 

Fly In The Ointment: No historian meets with universal acclaim, and so it is with Churchill. A fellow British prime minister said of the book that a better title would be “Things in History That Interested Me.” Fair enough. The Industrial Revolution and some other things are given short shrift, but overall, Churchill did his work well. 

USA! USA!: Americans will enjoy his treatment of our founding, the Revolution, and the Civil War, though he glosses over the surrender at Appomattox. 

Get Your Official Daily Dose Rankings Right Here: 1 – The very best; 2 – Very good; 3 – Good; 4 – Average; 5 – A steaming pile.

Final Ranking/The Bottom Line: 2. This book did a good job of confirming an opinion we formed while reading a book on European history: that her history is mainly people – and then nations – fighting and then reforming before fighting again. So it is here: the English speaking peoples spend an awful lot of time at war. Specific fans of history will appreciate the book, as will serious general readers.  

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has a great day in the sack. Today’s Diary. 

Recall the past two sleep sessions – both PM cold medicine induced – had not been great and our goal heading into today’s sleep session was to get a good, non-chemically induced rest…Mission accomplished…

———

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 1983 – Sally Ride becomes the first American woman to fly in space, serving as a mission specialist on board Challenger. Ride would fly onboard Challenger the following year and later served on the Rogers Commission, which investigated Challenger’s 1986 explosion. Like virtually every other space feat – except landing humans on the moon, of course – the Soviets did this first, sending Valentia Tereshkova into space in 1963.  

In 1989 – Fred Herd of Scotland wins the US Open, shooting a final round 84 to beat fellow Scotsman Alex Smith by seven strokes. It remains the only major title for Herd and was the first 72-hole US Open, the three previous tournaments consisting of either 54 or 36 holes. The USGA required Herd, a known drinker, to leave a deposit for the trophy out of fear he would pawn it for drinking money. 

In 1977 – Fleetwood Mac is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the only week with Dreams. It was the fifth of 18 Top 40 hits for the group, their second of nine Top 10s, and remains their only #1 song. The song also peaked at #6 in Great Britain and was Billboard’s 39th-biggest song of the year. Stevie Nicks said she wrote the song in about ten minutes and that initially the band wasn’t all that enthused about recording the song. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

The first thing you felt was that there was a man who spoke honestly about how he felt and was not trying to put something across…(he) made things understandable for the foggiest brain and went to the core of things.
John Toland
Adolf Hitler

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Glenn Miller is tied with Guy Lombardo and Tommy Dorsey for most #1s on the Your Hit Parade with ten. Dorsey’s total includes two #1s as co-leader of the Dorsey Brothers. 

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

What American woman has spent the most time in space? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/June 17, 2024
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 endures a language barrier. Today’s Diary. 

Evidently, tho, “I cannot help in any respect” translates to “I’d be happy to help you” in Tagalog or whatever the hell her native language is…

———

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 1631 – Empress Consort Mumtaz Mahal, 37, wife of Emperor Shah Jahan, dies of postpartum bleeding after delivering the couple’s 14th child…Later in the year, Jahan commissioned her mausoleum, construction began the following year, and today the building is known as the Taj Majal. Construction was completed in 1653 and involved approximately 1,000 elephants. Jahan died in 1658. 

In 1915 – Zip Zabel of the Chicago Cubs establishes the major league record for most innings pitched in a game by a relief pitcher in a 4-3, 19-inning win over the Brooklyn Robins. Zabel pitched 18-and-a-third innings, research into whose record he broke was inconclusive, and the record still stands. The game was tied 2-2 after nine innings and each team scored a run in the 15th. 

In 1939 – Glenn Miller is at #1 on the Your Hit Parade chart – America’s first chronicler of charted music – for the first of four consecutive weeks with Wishing (Will Make It So). It was the first of ten #1s on Your Hit Parade for Miller, tied for the record for the chart. The song, performed by a group of children, appeared in the film Love Affair, and was written by Buddy DeSylva, who earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. Miller later had six #1s on Billboard’s Best Sellers In Stores Chart, beginning in 1940. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Carpentier did it again!, a second time, and this was the blow perfected by a lifetime of training…it rocked Dempsey to his heels, but it broke Carpentier’s hand. His best was not enough.
Heywood Braun

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

John Dopson was the winning pitcher in the game where Jeff Reardon got his 342nd save.

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

Who is Glenn Miller tied with for most #1s on the Your Hit Parade chart? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!