The Daily Dose/September 10, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.

Leading Off will return. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has a pretty good day in the sack. Today’s Diary. 

11.0 hours for the day and 41.5 hours for the week, both solid totals heading into tomorrow’s finale…God bless all of you. 

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

In 1977 – France uses the guillotine – first used in 1792 – for the last time to execute Tunisian Hamida Djandoubi who had been condemned for the kidnapping, torture, and murder of his girlfriend. Djandoubi was offered a last cigarette and a shot of rum before his death, though a request for a second cigarette was denied. It was the last execution in France, which outlawed the practice in 1982, and remains the last execution in Western Europe. 

In 1974 – Lou Brock of the St Louis Cardinals establishes a new major league record for stolen bases in a season in an 8-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Brock stole two bases, giving him 105 on the season to break the record of 104 established by Maury Wills in 1962 and the record is now 130 by Rickey Henderson in 1982. Higher stolen base totals in the 19th century came under rules which credited a stolen base to a runner who took an extra base on a teammate’s base hit. 

In 2011 – Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera are at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first of four non-consecutive weeks with Moves Like Jagger. The song went to #1 in 19 other countries including Venezuela, Norway, and Lebanon, and peaked at #2 in Great Britain. The song spent 49 weeks on the chart, including 21 in the Top 10, and was Billboard’s 9th-biggest song of the year and its 36th-biggest hit of 2012. It was the second of four #1 songs for Maroon 5 and was the fifth and most recent #1 for Aguilera. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

It is not the first steps but the last ones that are most difficult.
Jean-Francois Steiner
Treblinka

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The O’Jays biggest hit on the Hot 100 was Love Train, which spent one week at #1 in 1973. 

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

Who holds the major league record for the fewest stolen bases in a season for a league leader? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/September 9, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.

LONG LIVE THE KING: No one wants to see their mum die, but we had to wonder if King Charles didn’t breathe a sigh of relief when his mum, Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday after 70 years in a job she didn’t apply for but embraced with enviable grace and devotion anyway. After all, Charles was the heir apparent for 70 years, which is a long time to wait for a promotion. 

Truth To Tell: We must be honest and say that half our blood is English and we’ve long been interested in the British royal family, in part because – like the papacy – it represents a long, unbroken line but also because it is still around, long after the British royal family actually stopped ruling.

Dry, Technical, Matter: And we’ve long admired Charles because we’ve long thought he’s done a good job of constructing a useful life in circumstances he had no control over. Because outside of living in palaces, this does not appear to be an enviable life because your life is not your own. You’re born into the family business and you work the family business, whether the family business interests you or not. There’s no running off to write poetry or chasing whatever dreams your heart is commanding you to chase. 

Fly In The Ointment: History has shown that long periods of stability, such as the Elizabethan II Era, can be followed by instability and it would not be a complete surprise to see the Fates spring into action and produce a Year of Three Monarchs for Britons with King William V ascending the throne later this year. There is not, of course, any logical reason to think this because this family tends to live long lives, but blimey, Fate can be a bastard sometimes. 

The Bottom Line: Though they are figureheads now, the British monarchy will last as long as their subjects deem them useful and good for the public morale which, the British being British, may likely be for a long while, so King Charles will probably be able to pass the family business on to his son.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow gets a visitor to The Shire. Today’s Diary. 

At 1130 there’s a knock on the door, the Upset of the Year because no one ever visits The Shire and the cat found it so shocking she left her perch on the ottoman to lead me into the kitchen to investigate…

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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 1948 – The Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea is proclaimed by Kim Il-Sung, who would serve as dictator until his death in 1994. Korea had been liberated from Japan at the end of World War II, with the Soviet Union establishing a military regime in the northern part of the Korean peninsula and a unicameral legislature had been established the month before. Kim established a hereditary dictatorship and today North Korea is governed by his grandson, Kim Jong-un. 

In 1960 – Pakistan wins the Olympic field hockey gold medal, defeating India 1-0 at the Olympic Velodrome in Rome. It was the first of two Olympic field hockey gold medals for Pakistan (Mexico City, 1968) and was the first time in six Olympiads that India had not won the gold, and Spain defeated Great Britain 2-1 for the bronze medal. The best US finish in the sport was a bronze medal at the 1932 Los Angeles Games and women first competed in Olympic field hockey at the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. 

In 1972 – The O’Jays are at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Best Selling Soul Singles chart – for the only week with Back Stabbers. It was the second of 25 Top 10 soul hits for the group, their first of ten #1 soul songs, and the song also peaked at #14 in Great Britain and at #3 on the Hot 100. The song was co-written by Leon Huff and the songwriting team of McFadden and Whitehead. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Whatever you saw me do out there, good or bad, was the best I had.
Gordie Howe

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The woman tennis player who has won the most singles titles in the Open Era is Martina Navratilova with 167.

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

What was the O’Jays biggest hit on the Hot 100? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/September 9, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.

Leading Off will return. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow does some detective work at the hotel. Today’s Diary.

Well, you don’t have to be Joe Friday to figure out the deposit on the third room is for all three rooms, so we transferred the totals from the other two rooms to the room with the deposit…

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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 1966 – The US television series Star Trek debuts on NBC. The show was not highly rated and NBC canceled it after three seasons and 79 episodes, though the show would later find a wide cult following in syndication. Since then, the show has spawned eleven other television series and 13 movies, and numerous books, toys, and games. The show is now known as Star Trek: The Original Series, to differentiate it from spin-offs. 

In 1974 – Jimmy Connors wins the US Open, defeating Australia’s Ken Rosewall 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 at the West Side Tennis Club in New York City. It was the first of five US Open titles for Connors and his third of eight Grand Slam singles titles, and his fourth of ten overall Grand Slam titles. Though the tournament would remain at Forest Hills through 1977, this was the last US Open played on grass. Connors’ 109 career titles remains the men’s record in the Open Era. 

In 1951 – Tony Bennet is at #1 on Billboard’s Best Sellers in Stores chart – a predecessor to the Hot 100 – for the first of eight consecutive weeks with Because of You. It was the fifth chart single for Bennett and his first of four #1 songs. The song spent 31 weeks on the chart, including 23 weeks in the Top 10 and 17 weeks at either #1 or #2. The song also spent ten weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Most Played in Jukeboxes chart and eight weeks at #1 on their Most Played by Jockeys chart. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Perseverance must finish its work…
James 1:4
(New International Version)

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The country duo Brooks and Dunn have 25 hits on the Hot 100. Eight of these hit the Top 40, with their biggest being Ain’t Nothing About You, which spent two weeks at #25 in 2001. 

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

What woman tennis player has won the most singles titles in the Open Era? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/September 7, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.

Leading Off will return. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Some hotel keys are missing when Sparrow reports for duty. Today’s Diary.

Chris, no dummy, asked if we’d (accidentally) taken them home but no, they weren’t on my key ring and we stated that under these circumstances Assistant Front Desk Manager Q was generally the lead the suspect, causing Chris to snap his fingers and nod knowingly because Q had worked today…Q stood falsely, tho logically, accused here because the #2 keys were eventually found in the right cash drawer.

The Bottom Ten/NFL Week 2 – The Interregnum Poll! – The first Bottom Ten trophy of the year – The Jim Hanifan Memorial Medallion – symbolic of NFL preseason ineptitude – is issued, plus there’s the usual witless social critiques America has come to know and love.

A hundred years from now fresh eyes will look back on collapse of America and wonder, among other things, why we did nothing to stop mass shootings and nothing to stop the ignorance of Donald Trump from taking root. 

NASA still trying to build 90-person capsule, so even more token Americans can go to moon. 

Longtime Interregnum Poll #10 entry, Cubs, as usual, already safely out of NL pennant race…B-10 pollsters “ strongly suspect” this entry was funnier back when Cubs hadn’t won World Series in a hundred and ten years.  

———

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 1977 – The US and Panama sign two treaties concerning the Panama Canal in Washington, DC. Known as the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, one transfers control of the canal to Panama at the end of the century while the other permits the US to defend the canal in certain circumstances. The first efforts to build a canal in what would become Panama were by the French in the 19th century, with US efforts beginning in 1903, with the canal opening to commercial traffic in August 1914. 

In 1941 – Bobby Riggs of the US wins the US National Championship, now known as the US Open, defeating Francis Kovacs of the US 8-6, 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2 in New York City. It was the third and final Grand Slam singles title for Riggs, who in 1939 also won Wimbledon and the US National Championship, and this match remains the only Grand Slam final for Kovacs. Riggs served in the Navy in World War II, mostly giving tennis exhibitions at Navy bases in the Pacific. 

In 1991 – Brooks & Dunn are at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart – for the first of two consecutive weeks with Brand New Man. It was the first chart single for the duo and their first of four consecutive and 21 overall #1 songs. The song also went #1 country in Canada and in 1991 a version with Luke Combs peaked at #30 on the country chart. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Heroism is the decision to maintain one’s consideration for others in the face of danger to oneself.
Miss Manners

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Upside Down by Diana Ross debuted in the Top 40 of Billboard’s Hot 100 at #10, up from #49. It was in its fifth week on the chart. 

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

How many Hot 100 hits have Brooks and Dunn had over the years? – Answer next time!

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

Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.

Leading Off will return. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is obliged to call tech support, but his ticket is placed on hold due to a system outage. Today’s Diary. 

To my non-technical mind, it would seem like a system outage would be a great time to dive in on repairs, but what do I know. 

The Bottom Ten/NCAA Week 2 – 2022 will probably go down as the tightest race for the ESPN Cup – symbolic of NCAA Bottom Ten supremacy – ever. 

B-10 pollsters getting misty-eyed as Owls return to B-10 glory, as B-10 fan(s) everywhere recall Temple’s annual B-10 runs in Double Aughts that eventually got them thrown out of Big East Conference. 

Navy hampered by threats of dishonorable discharges if they beat team from Commander-in-Chief’s home state.

Army also hampered by pregame Defense Secretary edict requiring players – to better prepare for future battles against ISIS – to call audibles in Farsi, a language no one understood. 

———

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 1972 – Nine Israeli Olympic athletes taken hostage the day before by Palestinian terrorists, are killed in a botched rescue attempt at a Munich airport. Five of the eight terrorists were killed, as well, and two Israeli athletes had been killed the day before. The Games were put on hold for 34 hours and after a memorial service on the 6th the remaining Israeli athletes left West Germany and other Jewish athletes were placed under guard. 

In 1883 – The Chicago White Stockings – now the Cubs – establish a new major league record for most runs scored in an inning in a 26-6 win over the Detroit Wolverines. The Cubs scored 18 runs in the seventh inning, research into whose record they broke was inconclusive, and the record still stands. White Stocking players also established individual, single-inning records for total bases (8), runs (3), and hits (3) that still stand. The Wolverines were in the National League from 1881-88. 

In 1980 – Diana Ross is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first of four consecutive weeks with Upside Down. The song went to #1 in eight other countries, including South Africa, Australia, and Norway, peaked at #2 in Great Britain, and the song was also in its fourth and final week at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart. It was the fifth of six #1 pop songs as a solo act by Ross, and her third of four #1s on the soul chart. With the Supremes, Ross hit #1 seven times on the soul chart and twelve times on the pop chart. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…history teaches how slight civilization is…poised on the apex of a never-extinct volcano of ignorance.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. I: Our Oriental Heritage

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The other Americans besides Cassius Clay – later known as Muhammad Ali – to win boxing gold medals at the 1960 Rome Olympics were Wilbert McClure (light middleweight) and Eddie Crook, Jr (middleweight). Crook was in the Army at the time and would later earn two purple hearts, a silver star, and two bronze stars in Vietnam. 

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

At what position did Upside Down by Diana Ross debut on the Top 40 of Billboard’s Hot 100? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!