The Daily Dose/March 4, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

OH HELL, LET’S DO IT LATER: Last week Idaho tried to execute Thomas Creech, who had spent over 40 years on death row after killing a fellow inmate. At the time, Creech was serving multiple life sentences for murdering others. 

Fly In The Ointment: Creech was wheeled into the death chamber for his 10:00 am lethal injection and the appropriate IV needles were inserted. Death chamber personnel, however, were unable to find a suitable vein anywhere, either because there wasn’t a vein where they were expecting one, or the available one was unsatisfactory. After an hour of futility, the execution was called off and Creech’s death warrant expired at midnight. 

Get Your Official Daily Dose/Gaylon For Congress Policy Right Here: We are against the death penalty because America has executed innocent people. To believe otherwise is folly, and anyone who tries to tell you differently is either 1) lying to you, 2) lying to themselves, or, as likely as not both. 

Oh Yeah: Now, guilt isn’t an issue here. No one, much less Creech, is heralding his innocence. Still though, everyone involved is entitled to better than a botched execution. 

Dry, Technical Matter: Exactly what is going to happen to Creech isn’t clear. We’re not lawyers here, thank god, nor have we ever played one on TV, but it seems to us that trying to execute someone a second time after the state failed in the first attempt, constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

Also, Idaho hasn’t commented on who made up the death chamber team, so it isn’t known of the problem was with Creech himself or if the those trying to find a vein were incompetent. 

FunFact: Execution by firing squad is also a thing in Idaho, though the state doesn’t have a facility for carrying it out 

The Bottom Line: The death penalty is a fiasco in an America loaded with them. We deserve better than a country that executes innocent people and a country that can’t even carry out an execution. The death penalty must be abolished. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has some problems with the snowblower. Today’s Diary. 

The problem is we’re not entirely sure what the choke does…

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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1957 – The S&P 500 stock index is introduced, replacing the S&P 90. The first S&P (for Standard and Poor’s) stock index was published in 1923, and today its listed companies account for about 80% of the market capitalization of US public companies. The S&P 500 closed at 5,137.08 this past Friday, up 40.81, an all-time high. 

In 1968 – Joe Frazier defeats Buster Mathis for the vacant world heavyweight boxing title at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Frazier won on an 11th-round TKO and he would later win the WBC and WBA titles, belts he would hold until losing to George Foreman in 1973.  In 1964, Mathis had defeated Frazier for a spot on the Olympic team, but Mathis injured his hand. He was replaced by Frazier, who won the gold medal. 

In 2017 – Ed Sheeran is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first of twelve non-consecutive weeks with Shape of You. The song went to #1 in 34 other countries – including Slovakia, Norway, and Great Britain – peaked at #42 on Billbord’s soul chart, and was Billboard’s #1 song of the year, its 3rd-biggest of the decade, and its 10th-biggest ever in a 2021 survey. It was the first of two #1s for Sheeran. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

One who takes for granted the basest motives in one’s fellow men and in oneself…has never gone wrong, not in our time – and it is in our time that one must live, must prosper or perish.
Ernst Weiss
Georg Letham Physician and Murderer

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The NHL record for most 60-goal seasons in a career is five, done twice, by Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky. 

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

When did Joe Frazier last fight for the world heavyweight boxing title? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose called off today. It will return.

Click here to read today’s entry in The Diary of a Nobody. It’s on the house today.

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The Daily Dose/March 2, 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 is under-employed again. Today’s Diary. 

And that was that, a wrap on Sparrow: The VSO years…We didn’t have a whole lot of personal stuff to take home – a cardigan, some spare shoes, some assorted incidentals, tho we did forget to file the February VSO report like we said we would…

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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 1877 – A commission appointed for the purpose declares Republican Rutherford B Hayes the winner of the 1876 presidential election over Democrat Samuel J Tilden. Tilden had won the popular vote by one percentage point but bickering in Congress had prevented either candidate from winning the Electoral College. Congress set up the commission of 15 men, with Democrats ultimately agreeing to Hayes’ election if Reconstruction was abandoned and federal troops withdrawn from the South. 

In 1966 – Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks becomes the first NHL player to score 50 goals in a season twice in a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Hull scored in the third period to match the feat he had first accomplished in the 1961-62 season. Hull would retire in 1980 with five 50-goal seasons and the record is now 14, done twice, by Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky. 

In 1985 – Wham! Featuring George Michael is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the third and final consecutive week with Careless Whisper. It was the fourth of eight Top 40 hits for the duo, their third of six Top 10 hits, and their second of three #1 songs. The song went to #1 in nine other countries, including Italy and Great Britain, peaked at #8 on Billboard’s soul chart, and was Billboard’s #1 song of the year. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

I was educated in good schools – but life was my best teacher.
Ernst Weiss
Georg Letham Physician and Murderer

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Two Pacific Hockey Association teams won the Stanley Cup: the Vancouver Millionaires in 1915 and the Seattle Metropolitans in 1917. 

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

Who holds the NHL record for most 60-goal seasons in a career? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/March 1, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

Leading Off will return. Promise.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has a busy day off. Today’s Diary. 

In fact, it was a day off only in the sense we didn’t clock in anywhere….We were busy the whole way and weren’t able to call it a day until – horror of horrors – mid-afternoon…

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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. 

Editor’s Note: due to time constraints, today’s items are from last year. 

In 1781 – The Articles of Confederation – the first governing document of the US since declaring independence from Great Britain in 1989 – takes effect. The Second Continental Congress had sent the Articles to the states in 1777, with unanimous approval being required for ratification. The Articles had been drawn up by a committee of 13, one representative from each state, and the Constitution would replace the Articles in 1989. 

In 1919 – Newsy Lalonde of the Montreal Canadiens establishes a new NHL playoff record for most goals scored in a game in a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators in Game 3 of the NHL Finals. Lalonde broke the record of three that had been done five times previously and the mark has been tied four times since. The Canadiens would defeat the Senators in five games and faced the PCHA champion Seattle Metropolitans for the Stanley Cup, a series that was canceled after five games due to the Spanish flu epidemic. 

In 1969 – Sly & the Family Stone is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the third of four consecutive weeks with Everyday People. The song also peaked at #36 in Great Britain, was in its second and final week at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart, and was Billboard’s 5th-biggest song of the year. It was the second of ten Top 40 hits for the group, their second of five Top 10 songs, and their first of three pop and soul #1s. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Is it so difficult to look existence in the eye, to see its true face?
Ernst Weiss
Georg Letham Physician and Murderer

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The first song to move into the #1 spot on a Billboard pop chart on Feb 29, was To Be With You by Mr. Big, which went to #1 on the Hot 100 on Saturday, February 29, 1992. 

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

How many Pacific Coast Hockey Association teams won the Stanley Cup? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/February 29, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

30 DAYS HATH SEPTEMBER…: It’s Leap Day today, the every fourth year appearance (generally) of February 29. 

Dry, Technical Matter: Leap years are necessary because the 365 days mandated by civil calendars do not accurately reflect the exact time it takes the earth to revolve around the sun. Our calendars have 365 days. However, it actually takes Earth 365 days, 6 hours, and 9 minutes to orbit the Earth. This has been evident to smarty-pants who probably didn’t get a lot of dates since time immemorial, and the first Leap Day was instituted by Julius Caesar in 46 BC/BCE. 

Really Dry, Technical Matter: Leap years are observed in every year evenly divisible by four. Unless the year is evenly divisible by 100. Then it isn’t a leap year. Unless the year is evenly divisible by 400, then it is a leap year. For example, 1900 was not a leap year, but 2000 was.  

Oh, Jesus H: Actually, before Leap Days, there were Leap Months. Ancient Roman calendars had years of 355 days and an extra month was occasionally inserted to get the calendar back in synch with lunar and solar cycles. 

This Whole Column Is Dry, Technical Matter, Isn’t It?: Without leap years, the calendar would eventually get so out of whack that summer would begin in December. In fact, this was a major reason for the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century. The Julian calendar was slightly off in its reckoning of the length of a year, and the March equinox was occurring earlier and earlier. 

The Bottom Line: Usually, this segment is used to take a side on whatever issue we happen to have been talking about…However, Leap Year isn’t really a classic pro/con issue, its existence generally approved by even the most stalwart of pagans. If it’s your birthday, enjoy being able to celebrate it on the actual date you were born. If you’re a salaried employee, enjoy working for free today. If you enjoy dry, technical, matter as much we do, revel in today because it will be four years before you can again. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow’s time as VSO is winding down. Today’s Diary. 

It wasn’t clear if he was actually diagnosed with anything or if it was merely a list of things to be on the lookout for, but the sheet will sort that all out, and we made an appointment – our last one of the VSO Era – for Friday morning…

———

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 1712 – February 29 will be followed by February 30 in Sweden. It came about because Sweden had decided to ease into switching from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar over several years by omitting leap days between 1700 and 1740. War disrupted this, Sweden restored the Julian calendar in 1712, with an extra leap day added after February 29, and this remains the only time February 30 has been used in a calendar. Sweden adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1753. 

In 1948 – Lawson Little of the US wins the St Petersburg Open by three strokes over Bobby Locke of South Africa. It was the eighth and final PGA Tour victory for Little in a career that saw him win three majors: the 1940 US Open and the 1934 and 1935 British and US Amateur tournaments and Little remains the only player to win both titles in the same year more than once. This remains the last PGA Tour victory on February 29. 

In 2000 – Roddy Ricch is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the seventh of eleven consecutive weeks with The Box. It was the 18th of 44 chart singles for Ricch, his fourth of eight Top 40 hits, and remains his only #1 song. The song also went to #1 in seven other countries, including Latvia and Greece, peaked at #2 in Great Britain, and was in its eighth of twelve consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart. It remains the last song to be at #1 on Saturday, February 29, the day when Billboard begins its chart week. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

If you are acquainted with the principle, what do you care for a myriad of instances and applications?
Henry David Thoreau
Walden

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers hold the NHL record for most goals in a season with 446. They broke the record 424 they had established the season before. 

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

What was the first song to ascend to the #1 spot on a Billboard pop chart on February 29? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!