The Daily Dose/March 9, 2022
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 drives a fellow vet to a doctor’s appointment. Today’s Diary. 

I’m hardly your go-to guy here, but even I know “renal failure” ain’t Prognosis of the Year…

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———

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

In 1959 – The Barbie doll debuts at the American International Toy Fair in New York City. It was invented by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, who was inspired by her daughter playing with paper dolls and Barbie was modeled after a German fashion doll named Bild Lilli. The Ken doll first appeared in 1961 and to date over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide. Ken and Barbie parted in 2004, but got back together in 2011. 

In 1975 – Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins establishes a new NHL record for most goals in a season by a defenseman in a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Flames. Orr had one goal, giving him 38 on the season breaking the record of 37 he had done twice before. Orr would finish the season with 46 goals, a record that stood until Paul Coffey of the Edmonton Oilers had 48 in 1985-86. 

In 1985 – REO Speedwagon is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with Can’t Fight This Feeling. It was the eighth Top 40 hit for the group, their fourth and final Top 10 hit, and their second and final #1 (Keep On Loving You, one week, 1981). The song also went to #1 in Canada, peaked at #89 on Billboard’s soul chart, and was Billboard’s 13th-biggest song of the year. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

History and our own conscience will judge us harshly if we do not now make every effort to test our hopes by action.
John F Kennedy

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The first song in the Hot 100 Era to be both the number one pop and number one soul song for a calendar year was Tossin’ and Turnin’ by Bobby Lewis in 1961. 

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

Who holds the NHL record for most goals in a game by a defenseman? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/March 8, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

WE’RE IN FOR SOME DRY TECHNICAL MATTER, AREN’T WE?: Almost as much fun as doing the research that goes into certain aspects of your Daily Dose is telling you about it. 

Here We Go: The inspiration for our latest round of exciting research was today’s Billboard chart history entry for our popular On This Date segment, which reports that on this date in 2003 50 Cent was at #1 on the Hot 100 for the first of nine consecutive weeks with In da Club. 

If Dry, Technical Matter Is Inevitable…: The usual research turned up the usual tidbits you either love or completely despise – there is no middle ground, we’ve found – about the song: other countries the song went to #1 in, some brief chart history for 50 Cent, plus the fact that In da Club was the #1 song for the year on both the Hot 100 and Billboard’s soul chart. 

Oh Yeah: (We realize “soul chart” is a bit of an anachronism and that hip-hop would probably be more appropriate, so sue us. We are still working under a special dispensation in this regard from St Casey Kasem himself.)

In The Wheelhouse: A song that is both the biggest pop and soul song of the year? Oh, baby, regular readers of this crap know a tidbit like this is right up our alley. Hell, we were surprised we hadn’t thought of this before and soon enough we were looking into when else, if ever, this had happened before. 

FunFact: As it turned out, this was the fourth time in the Hot 100 era it had happened – more than we would’ve thought – and it also happened in 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2020. 

The Bottom Line: The research was fun, and not really that hard because once you got to the 20th century you could automatically dismiss some year-end #1 pop songs…For example, songs by Olivia Newton-John, Wilson Philipps, and the Bangles didn’t demand soul chart consultation and we were pleased to have been able to add to your collective general fund of knowledge. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow shoots some baskets after his workout. Today’s Diary. 

We still aren’t any good at shooting baskets, but we are getting better and even made consecutive free throws for the first time since the Reagan Administration. 

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Click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.

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 2014 – Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, service from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, disappears. The flight took off at 12:41 am local time with the last communication from the crew coming 38 minutes into the flight. Civilian radar lost contact over the Gulf of Thailand while military radar later had it traveling southeast, back over Malaysia and over the Gulf of Malacca before losing contact at 2:22 am. A communications satellite lost contact with the plane at 8:11 am and though some wreckage was later found, the cause of the disappearance still isn’t known. 

In 1900 – The National League drops four teams, dropping from twelve teams to eight. Gone are the Cleveland Spiders, Baltimore Orioles, Louisville Colonels, and the Washington Senators, leaving teams in Chicago, New York, Brooklyn, Boston, St Louis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. Cleveland, Baltimore, and Washington would get American League teams the following year, while Louisville has had minor league teams since. 

In 2003 – 50 Cent is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first of nine consecutive weeks with In da Club. It was the second chart single for 50 Cent and his first of four #1 songs. The song went to #1 in eight other countries, including Croatia and Switzerland, peaked at #3 in Great Britain, and was in its fourth of eight consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart. In da Club was Billboard’s #1 pop and soul song for 2003, the fourth song to accomplish the feat and the first since I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston 1993 and When Doves Cry by Prince in 1984. It has been accomplished four times since.

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

To do nothing…is an immense spiritual labor.
Gore Vidal
Creation

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Elisha Gray, instrumental in the development of the telephone – is considered the father of the synthesizer, holding over 70 patents for the instrument. 

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

What was the first song in the Hot 100 era that was the #1 pop and soul song for a calendar year? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/March 7, 2022
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 buys some more lottery tickets. Today’s Diary. 

Recall we parlayed a $15 gratuity at the hotel into $200 and whittled that down to $80 or so which was successfully parlayed into $8…You’d think we’d get the point here, but we haven’t and there were this morning with sufficient winnings and some loose dollar bills we had lying around The Shire to buy eight more quick picks…

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Click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.

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 – Alexander Graham Bell receives US patent #174465 for the telephone. Bell had filed his patent application on Feb 14, a little after Elisha Gray had filed a patent caveat – a notice of an intent to file a patent application – and claims that Bell had stolen Gray’s idea were not upheld in court. The first telephone call was made three days later when Bell called his assistant Thomas Watson at Bell’s Boston laboratory. 

In 1930 – Georgetown High School of Chicago defeats Homer High School 1-0, the only point coming on a free throw in the first quarter. After getting the ball back, Georgetown started stalling, which was uncontested by Homer until late in the game. It was the third and final 1-0 high school boys’ basketball game on record and the national high school girl’s basketball record book does list the lowest-scoring games. 

In 1992 – Mr. Big is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second of three consecutive weeks with To Be With You. The song went to #1 in eleven other countries including Australia, Denmark, and Norway, peaked at #3 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 12th-biggest song of the year. It was the first chart single for the group, their first of three Top 40 hits, and remains their only #1. The song was not intended to be released as a single but became a hit after a radio station in Lincoln, Nebraska started playing it. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…corruption of morals and character by the progress of knowledge and art is almost a law of history.
Will and Ariel Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. X: Rousseau and Revolution

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The chief justice of the United States at the time of the Dred Scott decision was Roger Taney, who served from 1836-1864. 

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

What musical instrument is Elisha Gray considered the father of? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/March 6, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things.

Leading Off will return. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is still considering travel options for his spring vacation. Today’s Diary. 

Then, just for funsies, we thought why not fly out of Sparrow Regional???…

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Click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.

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 1857 – The US Supreme Court issues what History refers to as the Dred Scott decision, ruling 7-2 that slaves are not US citizens and have no constitutional rights. The case was brought by a slave named Dred Scot, whose master had taken him from Missouri to northern territory where slavery was prohibited, with Scott suing for freedom upon return to Missouri. Scott and his family were freed later in the year and Scott died of tuberculosis in 1858.

In 1976 – Wilfred Benitez of Puerto Rico because the youngest world boxing champion in history, winning the WBA light welterweight title with a 15-round split decision over Antonio Cervantes of Colombia in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Benitez was 17 and remains the youngest title holder ever. Benitez would later win the welterweight and light middleweight titles while Cervantes would later regain the light welterweight title. 

In 1961 – The Miracles featuring Smokey Robinson is at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Hot R&B Sides chart – for the eighth and final consecutive week with Shop Around. It was the second soul hit for the group and their first of four soul #1s and the song also peaked at #2 on the Hot 100. A version by the Captain and Tennille peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 in 1976. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…and what is still grander and more wonderful, going back into himself, there to study man and to know his own nature, his duties, and his end.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The last author to have their work placed on the Catholic Church’s Index of Forbidden Books was Simone de Beauvoir (The Mandarins; 1954)

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

Who was the chief justice of the United States at the time of the Dred Scott decision? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/March 5, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things.

1. Alex Murdaugh – Convicted of murder despite a botched investigation that produced zero physical evidence against him – much less murder weapons…Still though, you lied regularly and are an admitted druggie and thief and you didn’t have to be Joe Friday to conclude you were the lead suspect. 

2. Antoine Davis – Pete Maravich heirs sleeping soundly again as University of Detroit Mercy basketball player comes within four points of breaking all-time collegiate major-division scoring record, which isn’t too bad…Season over for Titans, as 14-19 record unlikely to get them into even the Team Manager’s Association postseason tournament. 

3. USA! USA! – 3-hole staple back, still a shooting gallery, still living on the extreme fringes, still far closer to the oblivion that awaits it than the respect and prosperity it once had…Sunday Bottom 5 pollsters remain “pretty sure” US has until this half-century is out to do something before Russia uses Ukraine as staging point for US invasion. 

4. Lunar Standard Time – European nations – with nothing better to occupy their time right now – propose a single time zone for the moon…Currently, lunar time is determined by whatever country is operating there, and the idea actually makes some sense, as does the idea of Martian Standard Time…Or would make sense if us humans were actually sending people to the moon and Mars, which we’re not…Don’t get us started. 

5. Euthanasia In Belgium – Assisted dying law extends to any competent person who wants it, including recent death of woman on 16th anniversary of her slashing throats of her five kids…  Assisted death legal in some states for terminally ill, but Sunday Bottom 5 pollsters look around and see strong arguments for legalizing it for everyone. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

Q: Is it Read Free Sunday at The Diary?
A: Indeed it is.

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has a new duty at the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

…once we get it down it really shouldn’t take more than ten minutes or so, but when you have a job in no small measure because of the lack of work involved, you tend to whine about new duties.

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Click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.

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 1616 – The Catholic Church places On The Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres by Nicolaus Copernicus on their Index of Forbidden Books. The book had been published in 1543 in Nuremberg and puts the sun at the center of the universe with the planets revolving around it, known as the heliocentric theory, which differed from Catholic teaching, which had the Earth at the center of the universe. The book was dropped from the index in 1835 and the Index was abolished in 1966.

In 1996 – The Dallas Mavericks establish a new NBA record for most 3-point shots in a game in a 127-117 win over the New Jersey Nets. Dallas attempted 49 3-point field goals, making 18, research into whose record they broke was inconclusive, and the record is now 70, by the Houston Rockets in January 2019. Also in the game, George McCloud of the Mavericks tied the NBA record for most 3-point attempts by a player with 20, a record now held by Klay Thompson of Golden State (24, October 2018). 

In 1994 – Celine Dion is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the fourth and final consecutive week with The Power of Love. The song also went to #1 in Australia and Dion’s native Canada, and peaked at #4 in Great Britain. It was the eighth Top 40 hit for Dion and her first of four #1s. In 1986 a version by Jennifer Rush, who co-wrote the song, peaked at #57 and in 1985 a version by Air Supply peaked at #68. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Lose trust in democracy and democracy dies. Lose trust in capitalism and it fails too. The progress of humanity depends upon trust.
Penny Mordaunt
Leader, UK House of Commons

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The last American to win the ladies’ singles Olympic figure skating gold medal was Sarah Hughes at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. 

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

Who was the last author to have works placed on the Catholic Church’s Index of Forbidden Books? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!