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!

The Daily Dose/January 12, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

HUT, HUT HIKE: Nick Saban announced his retirement as head football coach at Alabama this week. His seven national championships are a record for a modern-era coach and you do not have to be one of the Four Horsemen to know that kind of sustained excellence – in any era and in any sport – doesn’t grow on trees.  

Dry, Technical, Matter: While his career didn’t have a fairy tale, national championship ending, his last season produced his twelfth conference championship – a figure that includes an SEC title with LSU and a MAC title with Toledo – and a berth in the CFP national semifinals, where they lost to Michigan. 

It will, of course, be interesting, to see who replaces him. Even more interesting to see will be the success he has because History has shown following all-time greats is not easy. 

Here We Go: We did some research into this, our list of all-time great, retired college coaches consisting of John Wooden (UCLA basketball), Red Deadeaux (USC baseball), Bear Bryant (Alabama football), Pat Summit (Tennessee women’s basketball), and Dan Gable (Iowa wrestling). 

Running The Numbers: Of these illustrious programs, only Iowa has come close to replicating the success of their legendary coach, having won seven national titles since Gable’s retirement in 1995 after 15 national championships. Of the others, UCLA and USC have each won one national title, Alabama managed one between the Bryant and Saban eras, while Tennesse has yet to return to the Final Four. 

The Bottom Line: Our reckoning is the Son of Man would have a tough time making a go of it replacing Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide’s recent success has been so great that there will probably be a very short honeymoon for whoever is hired. And between transfers and NIL, not to mention whatever future changes invariably come down the pike, the new coach will have to have skills unheard of when Saban was hired. Good luck. Both History and current times will ensure you need no small measure of it. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow stared down the prospect of a clean house. Today’s Diary. 

The big news is we finally heard from that housekeeper who came by a couple of weeks ago to get acquainted and scope out exactly what in the hell awaited her…

———

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. 

Due to time constraints, today’s entries also ran in 2020.

In 1962 – The United States begins major combat operations in Vietnam, conducting Operation Chopper. 82 US Army helicopters transported 1,000 South Vietnamese paratroopers to a battle 10 miles west of Saigon.  They defeated North Vietnamese Army troops, captured a radio transmitter and suffered no casualties. The US would not leave Vietnam until April 1975. 

1946 & 2016 – The Rams NFL team is permitted to move to Los Angeles in both of these years. In 1946 the Cleveland Rams were given permission to move to LA and in 2016 the St Louis Rams were given permission to move back to LA, as were the San Diego Chargers. The Rams had played in St Louis from 1995-2015, while the Chargers had left LA for San Diego in 1962. 

In 1974 – The Steve Miller Band is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with The Joker. It was the first Top 40 hit for the band, their first of five Top 10 hits and the first of three #1 songs. In 1992, after being used in a Levis commercial, the song went to #1 in Great Britain, Holland, Ireland and New Zealand. The 16 years remains a record for the longest gap between hitting #1 in the US and then in Great Britain. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

[Charles V] was not mentally keen, except in judging men – which is half the battle…
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol VI: The Reformation

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Billboard’s #1 soul song of 1975 was Fight the Power (Part 1) by the Isley Brothers. 

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

Who holds the NCAA all-division record for most NCAA team national championships won by a coach in one sport? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/January 11, 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 gets a voicemail from a blatherskite. Today’s Diary. 

We didn’t really want to call him back without a mental health professional standing by, and got off easy by leaving a message that, fortunately, wasn’t returned…

———

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 1759 – The first life insurance company in America is formed in Philadelphia, the Corporation for Relief of Poor and Distressed Presbyterian Ministers and of the Poor and Distressed Widows and Children of the Presbyterian Ministers. It traces its origins to an even earlier Presbyterian charity and had written 21 policies by the early 1760s and even loaned the Continental Congress 5,000 pounds during the Revolution. The company was acquired by Nationwide in 2002 and today is part of the Unum Group.

In 1970 – The Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl IV, defeating the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. It was the first of three Super Bowl titles for the Chiefs and the first of four Super Bowl losses for the Vikings. The game marked the final game played by the American Football League, as they merged with the NFL the following season and was the first of three Super Bowls played at Tulane Stadium.

In 1975 – Carl Douglas is at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Hot Soul Singles chart – for the only week with Kung Fu Fighting. It was the first of two soul hits for Douglas and earlier the song had spent two weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 and also went #1 pop in ten other countries, including South Africa and Great Britain. Like some #1 songs, it was originally meant to be the B side of a single.

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…every man is an irritatingly complex contradiction, unique except when part of a crowd.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol VI: The Reformation

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The Cincinnati Bengals are 3-1 in the AFC Championship Game.  

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

What was Billboard’s biggest soul song of 1975? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!