The Daily Dose/March 12, 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 rents a room to a couple. Today’s Diary. 

It was funny because they went thru the motions of attempting to act like they’d known each other for longer than two hours…This attempt was as unnecessary as it was unsuccessful because this isn’t our first hotel shift and we know two humans looking to mate when we see them…

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Of course you would.
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It’s easy reading on any device. 

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

In 1088 – Urban II is elected the 159th pope at a meeting of cardinals in Teracina, Italy. Urban, who also reigned over the Papal States, is primarily remembered for what History refers to as The Crusades, a series of Christian conquests, largely in the Muslim world, that he inspired following a 1099 speech at the Council of Clermont. Urban reigned until 1099 when he died in Rome. Urban was opposed by Clement III, who was an antipope from 1080-1100. 

In 1956 – Dick Farley of the Syracuse Nationals establishes a new NBA record for the fastest disqualification in a 97-92 win over the St Louis Hawks in a game played in New Haven, Connecticut. Farley fouled out in five minutes and research into whose record Farley broke was inconclusive. The record is now 2 minutes, 43 seconds, by Bubba Wells of the Dallas Mavericks in December 1997. 

In 2011 – Lady Gaga is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the third of six consecutive weeks with Born This Way. It was the eleventh of 25 Top 40 hits for Lady Gaga, her ninth of 17 Top 10s, and her third of five #1s. The song went to #1 in 22 other countries, including Luxembourg, Israel, and Japan, peaked at #3 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 22nd-biggest song of the year. It was the 1,000th #1 song on the Hot 100. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Every living creature on this earth can do something great.
Minnesota Fats

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Basketball made its first appearance at the Olympics at the 1904 St Louis Games, where it was a demonstration sports. A variety of teams of varying age levels took part in a variety of tournaments. 

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

What was the first #1 song on Billboard’s Hot 100? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/March 10, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things. 

The Sunday Bottom 5 will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Hotel rates can be funny. Today’s Diary. 

He said guests actually LOL’d when he quoted the original rate of $650, plus tax, and that later guests found the new, priced-to-move rate of $575 somewhat funny, too…

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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 1876 – The telephone is used for the first time, when Alexander Graham Bell calls his assistant Thomas Watson who was in another room at Bell’s Boston laboratory. Bell had received his patent for the telephone three days earlier, an application that had been filed in February, the same day, though a bit later, than Elisha Gray had filed an intent to file a patent. The two completed History’s first trans-continental call in 1915, with Bell in New York and Watson in San Francisco.

In 1987 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers becomes the NBA’s all-time leader in personal fouls in a 143-107 win over the Denver Nuggets. Abdul-Jabbar’s first quarter charging foul was the 4,194th of his career, breaking the record established by Elvin Hayes from 1968-84. Abdul-Jabbar would retire in with 4,657, a mark that still stands, and Hayes’ total is now good for ninth on the all-time list. 

1962 – Hey Baby by Bruce Channel (pronounced Shu-nell) is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of three consecutive weeks. The song was Channel’s first chart single, and while he had four other Hot 100 entries, Hey Baby remains his only Top 40 hit. The song also peaked at #2 on Billboard’s soul chart, at #2 in Great Britain, and in 1982 Anne Murray took it to #7 on Billboard’s country chart, making it one of the few songs to hit on all three major Billboard singles charts. Channel disliked touring and later had a successful career as a songwriter.

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

So nigh is grandeur to our dust/So near is God to man/When duty whispers low, Thou must/The youth replies, I can
Emerson
Voluntaries

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The NBA record for fewest wins in a season is six, by the Providence Steam Rollers, who went 6-42 in 1947-48. The record for an 82-game season is nine, by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers. 

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

What NBA player not in the Hall of Fame committed the most personal fouls? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/March 9, 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 leaves the house. Today’s Diary. 

At about 1030 we started getting cabin fever because we’d been in the house pretty much exclusively since Tuesday morning…So we made three trips…

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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 1841 – The US Supreme Court rules in the case of the US vs The Amistad that slaves who revolted and took charge of the ship were free. The Amistad had been captured near Long Island, NY, after the slaves had taken over the ship in 1839. In 1840, a Federal district court had ruled the slaves had acted as free men, but both international and Southern state pressure caused President Millard Fillmore to order an appeal to the Supreme Court. The slaves were later returned to Africa. 

In 1960 – The Boston Celtics extend their NBA record for most wins a season in a 148-128 win over the New York Knicks. It was the 59th win of the season for the Celtics, who earlier had eclipsed the mark of 51 wins by the 1949-50 Syracuse Nationals. The Celtics finished with a 59-16 record and defeated the Philadelphia Warriors in the playoffs before defeating the St Louis Hawks in seven games for the NBA title. The record is now held by the Golden State Warriors, who 73 games in the 2015-16 season. 

In 1974 – Terry Jacks is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second of three consecutive weeks with Seasons in the Sun. It was the first of three chart singles for Jacks and remains his only Top 40 hit. The song went to #1 in 17 other countries – including Israel, Norway, and Great Britain – and was Billboard’s 2nd-biggest song of the year. The song was written in a Tunisian brothel by Belgian Jaques Brel. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Lost in the cacophony of Oprah and O.J. are those classical values that once made a Saturday afternoon track meet so appealing. Of running for the love of competition, of throwing a javelin for applause and an olive wreath. Of sweating for hours on a lonesome track at dusk for the chance of maybe one day hearing the anthem. Of honor and glory and the spirit of victory, not the spoils.
Mark Zeigler
The San Diego Union-Tribune
6/20/95

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution ended slavery in Kentucky, Delaware, and New Jersey. 

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

What is the NBA record for the fewest wins in a season? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

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

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

STOP US IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS BEFORE: For the third consecutive election, Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for president. A hundred years from now, all new people will look back at this and – like some of us now – collectively scratch their heads. 

USA! USA!: They will note how Trump was a man of no political, moral, or intellectual substance. They will note how he was a liar and an ignoramus. They will note how, during his first term, he presided over an incompetent COVID response, incited an insurrection, and was impeached twice. They will note his 91 indictments after leaving office. 

Oh Yeah: They will also note how this was not a detriment to renomination because Trump had every politician’s dream: a media that declined to take him to task and a base that believed everything he said. 

USA! USA! II: You can write off his base. Billionaire blatherskites have held sway over people for ages. You cannot write off his acceptance by the American media, though, because there was a time when an idiot like Trump would’ve been rejected by the press.

Fly In The Ointment: That time, however, has passed. 

Ladies And Gentlemen Of The Jury: Could you imagine an American press paced by Walter Cronkite, Woodward and Bernstein, John Chancellor, and any of a dozen other journalists of the era tolerating Trump? Of course, you couldn’t. They would have had him out of the race by the weekend. 

Back To The Future: Trump, however, meant ratings and clicks, so he was ushered right into the 2016 primaries, where the idiocy didn’t stop. Then his admission that he grabbed women by the pussy proved not to be a hindrance to being elected. An incompetent COVID response and two impeachments merely solidified his greatness amongst his base.

The Bottom Line: Donald Trump, though, is just a symptom of the problem. 

America is in a mess because you and me – we the people – continue to tolerate this. It’s common to blame incumbents, lobbyists, or the media, but on Election Day, we keep accepting what the media and incumbents choose to spoonfeed us, and we have nobody to blame but ourselves. Collectively, we are well-fed and well-entertained, and that’s what matters in America right now. We’re in a post-knowledge America now. We accept lying and idiocy now.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow feeds the cat. A lot. Today’s Diary. 

…the cat has decided that with Daddy home more, there is no reason her yummy/treat issues shouldn’t be upped, and it’s to the point where she is all but demanding a continuous yummy/treat buffet. 

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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 1775 – The first newspaper article in the American colonies calling for the abolition of slavery is published. The article was anonymous, though History would not die from shock if it turned out to have been written by Thomas Paine, and criticized, among other things, those who would use the Bible as a defense of slavery. It didn’t do much good, as slavery would not be abolished in the US until the 13th Amendment was ratified in December 1865.  

In 1945 – Syd Howe of the Detroit Red Wings establishes an NHL record for most career points in a 7-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Howe had a third-period assist, giving him 516 career points, breaking the record established by Nels Stewart from 1925-40. The mark was broken in 1947 by Bill Cowley and is now held by Wayne Gretzky with 2,857.

In 1980 – Queen is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the third of four consecutive weeks with Crazy Little Thing Called Love. The song also went to #1 in Canada, the Netherlands, and Australia, peaked at #2 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 6th-biggest song of the year. It was the fifth of twelve Top 40 hits for the group, their second of four Top 10s, and their first of two #1s. The song last appeared on a Billboard chart in 2018 when it peaked at #18 on the Hot Rock and Alternative Songs chart. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Work is not always required… there is such thing as sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected.
George MacDonald

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The Beatles had 14 #1 albums in Great Britain. 

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

What two states had slavery abolished when the 13th Amendment was ratified? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!