The Daily Dose/January 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 finds a lost and found item he’s never seen before. Today’s Diary. 

We were surprised, because when you’ve knocked around assorted hotels in various roles as long as we have you would think there wouldn’t be further surprises…

———

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 1899 – The US claims Wake Island in the South Pacific, after years of visits by US and European ships. Japan occupied the island during World War II and today it is adminitered by the US Air Force. The Marshall Islands, a former US possession, also claim Wake Island, though since defense of the Marshall Islands is the responsibility of the US, it is not anticipated they will go to war over it. 

In 1937 – Patty Berg of the US wins the Titleholders Cup by three strokes over Dorothy Kirby of the US at Augusta Country Club in Augusta, Georgia. Berg shot a final round 73 to make up an eight-stroke deficit in the third and final round. It was the first of a record 15 major titles for Berg, who won a total of seven Titleholders Cups, seven Western Opens and a US Open. Berg served in the Marine Corps Reserve in World War II and was elected to golf’s Hall of Fame in 1951.

In 1987 – Gregory Abbott is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with Shake You Down. The song also went to #1 in New Zealand and Spain, peaked at #6 in Great Britain, spent two weeks at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart, and was Billbord’s 3rd-biggest song of the year. It was the second chart single for Abbott and remains his only Top 40 pop hit. Abbott also wrote and produced the song. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

This species could have been so great, and now everybody just wants a new Salad Shooter or sneakers with lights in them. This is what we’ve settled for.
George Carlin

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Yesterday’s trivia question is withdrawn. We found a variety of answers and were unable to establish which one was correct. 

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

When was the first women’s golf major played? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/January 16, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

The Daily Dose will return. Promise.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow’s sleep week is off to a great start. Today’s Diary. 

11.0 hours for the day and 21.0 hours for the week, both unheard of Monday totals.

———

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.

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/January 15, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

HERE WE GO AGAIN: In America’s never-ending quest to execute people, Alabama has received the go-ahead to execute Kenneth Eugene Smith by putting a mask over his face and gassing him to death. The process is called nitrogen hypoxia and has never been used to execute a human in the US. 

Dry, Technical Matter: The inmate dies when they exhale carbon dioxide without replenishing oxygen. Smith was condemned for a 1988 murder-for-hire. That conviction was overturned and he was convicted again in 1996. 

I’m Outta Here: Smith, also, is one of the few condemned men to walk out of a death chamber alive. In November 2022 he was on the gurney for a lethal injection, which was called off when no one could find a vein. 

Not The Verdict He Was Hoping For: On Friday the Alabama Supreme Court turned his appeal that trying to kill him a second time constituted violated the 8th Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Earlier in the week a federal court had turned down his appeal. 

The Bottom Line: We are against the death penalty here at your Daily Dose, on the theory that innocent people have been executed and this is enough to shut the entire system down. Smith’s guilt has never been an issue, but we still favor locking him up and throwing away the key because you and me – we the people – deserve better than a state going off half-cocked to kill someone. Life in prison without parole takes killers off the street and saves millions of dollars. All the death penalty is good for is revenge, and we should be better than that. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is obliged to wait for a snow plower to do his work. Today’s Diary. 

…so we started the car and went back into the lobby to wait for Mr Plower to finish his work…This had the added benefit of warming the inside of the car, plus melting the ice off the windshield.

———

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 1777 – What is now the US state of Vermont declares itself an independent republic, taking the name New Connecticutt. A convention   in order to free itself from claims from New Hampshire and New York. A convention was held in Windsor, a constitution was later drawn up at a tavern and on June 2 the name of the republic was changed to Vermont. The republic never received diplomatic recognition and was admitted to the Union as the 14th state in 1791. 

In 1984 – Martina Navratilova’s record 54-match winning streak comes to an end, with 76-, 3-6, 6-4 loss to Hana Mandlikova in the finals of the Virginia Slims of California tournament in Oakland. Navratilova then went on to break her record with a 74-match winning streak, which included wins in the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, and ended in the semifinals of the Auatralian Open with a loss to Helena Sukova. 

In 1972 – Don McLean is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of four consecutive weeks with American Pie. It was the first of six Top 40 hits for McLean, his first of three Top 10 hits and remains his only #1 song. The song also went to #1 in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, peaked at #2 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s third biggest song of the year. In 2000, a version by Madonna peaked at #29 on the Hot 100. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

The mass never comes up to the standard of its best member, but on the contrary, degrades itself to a level with the lowest.
Henry David Thoreau
Lecture at Concord Lyceum
4/11/1838

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Billboard’s #1 song for 2012 was Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye featuring Kimbra, which spent eight weeks at #1. 

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

Which tennis player holds the men’s record for the longest winning streak? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/January 14, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things.

1. World War III – Coming soon to a theater of operations near you…Though wars in Ukraine, Middle East, will be strong supporting characters, the road to nuclear annihilation will be paced by America’s constant meddling in places where it does no good…Despite constant armed action since 1988, US Congress hasn’t declared war since World War II, despite this being mandated in Constitution. 

2. USA! USA! – Sunday Bottom 5 pollsters “pretty sure” we will not have a peaceful world until we have a peaceful America and this won’t happen until the US starts giving other nations the dignity of conducting their affairs without the benefit of US interference…US Congress hasn’t declared since World War II, despite this being mandated in Constitution. 

3. Mass Shootings – The 3-hole staple…A rather slow week, with only three mass shootings between Saturday, Jan 6 and Friday, Jan 12, well below the 2023 average of 1.8 mass shootings – defined as a shooting with at least four (4) wounded – per day…One (1) death and twelve (12) wounded also well below average. 

4. Donald Trump – Still a liar…Still an admitted sexual predator…Still an ignoramus who believes the moon is part of Mars…And that the Revolution was won by the securing of British airports….Still with blood on his hands from an inept coronavirus response…Still with four arrests under his belt…Still the prohibitive favorite for the GOP presidential nomination…A hundred years from now, all new people will look back and wonder why we didn’t demand better. 

5. Fake News – Click here to see what some wizards amongst us were believing this week. Courtesy of the AP.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

Yay for Read Free Sunday (RFS) at The Diary.

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is busy at the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

This goes against everything we stand for, of course, but we spend enuff time not busting hump here that you really can’t whine about it, altho that certainly doesn’t stop us from doing so…

———

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 1943 – The Casablanca Conference, a meeting between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, begins in Casablanca, Morocco. Russian dictator Josef Stalin declined to attend and the conference produced, among other things, the Allied demand for unconditional surrender from the Axis powers. Despite Washington, DC being a bit north of Casablanca, the distance directly across the Atlantic Ocean at that latitude was so great that FDR flew south to Brazil and then east to Gambia, before heading north to Morocco. 

In 1988 – Denis Potvin of the New York Islanders becomes the first NHL defenseman to score 300 goals in an 8-5 win over the Quebec Nordiques. Potivin would retire at the end of the season witb 310 goals and had held the record for most goals by a defenseman since his 271st goal broke Bobby Orr’s mark. The record is now held by Ray Borque, who had 410 goals from 1979-2001. 

In 2012 – LMFAO is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second and final week with Sexy and I Know It. It awas the third and final Top 40 hit for the group and their second and final #1 song. The song also went to #1 in six other countries, including Israel and Russia, peaked at #5 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 57th-biggest hit of 2011 and their 13th-biggest of 2012. The duo consists of uncle and nephew RedFoo and SkyBlu, who are the son and grandson of Motown Records founder Barry Gordy. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

All they ask of God is a kind of spiritual minimum wage and in return they are ready to give up the sweets of life – which God also made, let me remind you.
Robertson Davies
The Lyre of Orpheus

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Billboard combined their mono and stereo album charts on August 17, 1963 with the Top LPs chart. It became the Billboard 200 in 1992. 

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

What was Billboard’s #1 song of 2012? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/January 13, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

SHOCKER!: NASA announced this week that America’s return to the moon is delayed. Again. Now, plans are to fly a manned mission to the moon in 2025, with humans landing on it in 2026. It’s hardly the first delay and we would not die from shock if it isn’t the last. 

Dry, Technical Matter: The Artemis program was authorized on December 11, 2017. In the 2,224 days since then, there has been exactly one Artemis flight, in November 2022. In the 2,224 days since President Kennedy told Congress “let’s go to the moon” on May 25, 1961, NASA – starting from scratch – put 16 Mercury and Gemini missions into space and the first manned Apollo mission was right around the corner. They put man on the moon in 2,978 days.  

And You Wonder Why You Don’t Get Invited To More Parties: 2,978 days from the authorization of Artemis passess on March 11, 2026. Our guess here is that America won’t return to the moon before this decade is out. Any hopes of putting humans on Mars – which we could’ve done in the 1980s had we wanted to – before this half-decade is out are probably dashed

FunFact: Artemis is named after the twin sister of Apollo. 

USA! USA!: As long as we’re whining, we also get a kick out of stories that mention any sort of race to the moon. People, there is no race! There was once, in the 1960s, with the Soviet Union, and we won it. All other countries are fighting for second place. For those determined for there to be a race, let’s see who can be the first country to bring an American flag back from the lunar surface. 

The Bottom Line: These delays are not good. The sheer length of time it is taking to get back to the moon is not good. A once-proud, once-great country is dying. Doubt that at your peril.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow weighs in. Today’s Diary. 

We were surprised…We knew we’d be down some, but more than five pounds was very nice to see…

———

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 1998 – Alfredo Ormando, a 39-year-old gay, Italian writer, sets himself on fire in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Pope John Paul II was speaking nearby and Ormand self-immolated to protest Roman Catholic teachings on homosexuality, which condemns same-sex sexual activity and does not recognize same sex marriages. Ormando was taken to a hospital with burns over 90% of his body and died ten days later. 

In 2020 – The LSU Tigers win the College Football Playoff national championship, defeating the Clemson Tigers 42-25 at the Superdome in New Orleans. It was the fourth and most recent national title for LSU and was the second and most recent national runner-up finish for Clemson, to go with three national titles. LSU had defeated Oklahoma 63-28 in one semifinal, while Clemson had defeated Ohio State 29-23 in the other. 

In 1962 – Elvis Presley is at #1 on Billboard’s Top LPs/Mono chart – a forerunner of today’s Billboard 200 – for the fourth of 19 consecutive weeks with Blue Hawaii, the soundtrack to the movie of the same name. It was the sixth of eight #1 albums for Presley and produced the #2 hit Can’t Help Falling In Love. The album also went to #1 in Great Britain and spent four weeks at #1 on Billboard’s stereo album chart. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

“What is the most wonderful thing in the world?” asks Yama of Yudishthira; and Yudishthira replies: “Man after man dies; seeing this, men still move about as if they were immortal.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol I: Our Oriental Heritage

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The NCAA all-division record for most team national championships won by a coach in one sport is 29, by Jim Steen, coach of Divsion III Kenyon College’s men’s swimming and diving teams from 1980-2010. He is also tied for second on the list with 21 while coaching the women’s swimming and diving team. 

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

In what year did Billboard combine their mono and stereo LP charts? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!