The Daily Dose/Friday, February 7, 2025
The Daily Dose/February 7, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT: The line in the New York Times about how President Trump arrived at his plan for the US to take ownership of Gaza said it all:
There was little beyond an idea inside the president’s head.
Fly In The Ointment: The plan he read at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised everyone, including Netanyahu. It had not been discussed or reviewed by anyone anywhere, either in the White House, the State Department, or the Pentagon.
Dry, Technical Matter: The plan, which calls for the US to occupy Gaza and for Palestinians to be relocated, has been meet with almost universal derision. With reason, too, because – like President Trump – it is vacuous and inane, not deserving of consideration by any thinking person.
Stop Us If You’ve Heard This Before: President Trump is not a thoughtful man; in fact, he is a man of zero intellectual substance. The Gaza plan is as witless as his plans for wanting the US to buy Greenland, wanting to take back the Panama Canal, and his saying Canada should become America’s 51st state.
The Bottom Line: We elected this nonsense. We’ve known for nine years that Trump was a blatherskite, but we don’t care. We have no idea why Americans and their media have given Trump’s idiocy a free pass, but a hundred years from all new people – including Americans, if there are any left – will be wondering why we did.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow deals with a disgruntled patient at the hospital. Today’s Diary.
The last thing this situation needs is a confrontational security officer and we’ve learned over the years the best way to handle these sorts is to be pleasant, calm, and respectful…
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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 1984 – Man makes their first untethered spacewalk when US astronauts Bruce McCandless and Robert Stewart spend 5 hours and 55 minutes outside the space shuttle Challenger. McCandless got as far as 322 feet from Challenger, and on Feb 9 the pair made a 6 hour, 17 minute spacewalk. Challenger had lifted off on Feb 3 and would land on the 11th.
In 2023 – Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers establishes a new NBA record for most career points in a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Los Angeles. James needed 36 points to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 38,387 and scored 38, and his record still stands. James is still active and to date he has 41,557 points and is averaging 27.0 points per game.
In 1970 – Shocking Blue is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the only week with Venus. It was the second of three chart singles for the group and remains their only Top 40 hit.The song went to #1 in 13 other countries including Brazil and France, peaked at #8 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 33rd-biggest song of the year. A version by Bananarama went to #1 in 1986, making it the fourth of nine songs to go to #1 by different acts.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished.
Miguel de Cervantes
Don Quixote
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
Phil Spector, Cynthia Weil, and Barry Mann wrote You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What are the most points Lebron James has scored in an NBA game? – Answer next time!
The Diary of a Nobody/February 6
It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life…
Thursday, February 6
In what must be considered an upset, Crotchety Old Phil (COP) was rather pleasant tonite when we reported for duty at the General Hospital Security Department (GHSD)…Actually, he was out of the office when we got there, but he was pleasant when he got back.
The Daily Dose/Thursday, February 6, 2025
The Daily Dose/February 6, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
Leading Off will return. Promise.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has some big news. Today’s Diary.
I am not making that up…But, like when we had to put the cat down, we wish we were.
———
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.
Editor’s Note: due to time constraints, these entries first appeared in 2020.
In 1778 – The United States of America is recognized as an independent republic for the first in two treaties signed in Paris with France. The Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce were meant to annoy and help defeat the British in the American Revolution. The treaties came about after the Americans won the Battle of Saratoga, which also caused the French to turn down British overtures for peace. Amity is a somewhat archaic word meaning a friendly relationship.
In 1973 – Defenseman Connie Madigan, 38, of the St Louis Blues becomes the oldest rookie in NHL history, making his debut in a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Madigan would play in 20 of St Louis’ remaining 26 regular-season games and in all five playoff games, mustering three assists and 29 penalty minutes in his 31 games. Madigan had begun his professional career in 1958 with the Spokane Spokes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and would return to the WHL for his final two professional seasons.
In 1965 – The Righteous Brothers are at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first of two consecutive weeks with You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’. It was the first Top 40 hit for the group, their first of six Top 10 hits, and the first of two #1 songs. The song also went to #1 in Canada and Great Britain and was Billboard’s 5th biggest song of the year. The song charted four other times in Great Britain between 1969 and 1991, including two more Top 10 appearances.
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 Questions
Knowledge is power.
The lunar module for Apollo 11 landed the farthest away from its intended target at 22,500 feet, a bit more than 4.25 miles.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Who wrote You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/Wednesday, February 5, 2025
The Daily Dose/February 3, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF AMERICA: The takeover of the American government continues, as President Trump’s prize toady Elon Musk continues to lay waste to whichever government agency happens to be in his crosshairs. Neither the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) nor Musk’s position at the head of it has been authorized by Congress. Neither DOGE nor Musk have any legal standing.
Dry, Technical Matter: This doesn’t bother President Trump, of course. Why should it? He believes the moon is part of Mars. The only reason we are not living under a Trump dictatorship right now is that while Trump is supremely ignorant, he is not evil.
Stop Us If You’ve Heard This Before: This is not the way America is meant to be governed. The president’s constitutional mandate is to see America’s laws are faithfully executed. He is not doing that; he is ignoring and circumventing both the Constitution and established federal law. These are, of course, impeachable offenses, something Trump is intimately familiar with.
We The People: There is, of course, no shortage of wastes, frauds, and abuses in our government, but no one knows if Hurricane Musk is doing anything of substance or merely pawing at air. We strongly suspect that anyone who tries to tell you no damage is being done is either deluding themselves, trying to delude you or, as likely as not, both.
The Bottom Line: We elected this. We’ve known Trump is a lying, ignorant, sexual predator for years, but we elected him anyway. And you and me – we the people – are accepting the destruction of our country. We deserve everything we get, including someone coming in to govern us when we can no longer govern ourselves.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has a good day in the sack. Today’s Diary.
7.5 hours for the day and 22.0 hours for the week, both solid 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.
———
On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it.
In 1971 – Apollo 14 – commanded by Alan Shephard, with Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell – lands on the moon, mankind’s third manned lunar landing. Though delayed by five hours due to a communications problem, Shepard and Mitchell later made two moonwalks totaling 9 hours and 22 minutes, and the crew returned to Earth on February 9. The lunar module landed closest to its intended target than any other Apollo mission, landing 55 feet north and 165 feet east away.
In 1960 – Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics establishes a new NBA record for most rebounds in a game in a 124-100 win over the Syracuse Nationals. Russell had 51 rebounds, breaking the record of 49 he had established in November 1957, and the record is now 55 by Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors, done the following November. The Nationals are now the Philadelphia 76ers.
In 1972 – Al Green is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with Let’s Stay Together. The song also peaked at #7 in Gret Britain, was in its fifth of nine consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart, and was Billboard’s 11th-biggest pop song of the year and its #1 soul song. It was the second of 14 Top 40 hits for Green, his first of eight Top 10 hits, remains his only #1 pop hit and was his first of six soul #1s.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
You must know the sea, and know that you know it, and not forget that it was made to be sailed over.
Captain Joshua Slocum
Sailing Alone Around the World
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
John Adams was inaugurated vice president on April 21, 1789.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Which lunar module landed the farthest away from its intended target? – Answer next time!
The Diary of a Nobody/February 4
It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life…
Tuesday, February 4
Here is the Coke order (CO) for the week…Considering we’re not as busy as last year, it’s about all we can expect…The Dasani order lags, and already we’re expecting it to be unsatisfactory…We know you are, too:
The Daily Dose/Tuesday, February 4, 2025
The Daily Dose/February 3, 2025
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 is greeted with an open alarm panel door. Today’s Diary.
The alarm panel door in the back office server room was open when we reported for duty at the hotel tonite…This is never good because, of course, there is no reason to have the alarm panel door open if an alarm hasn’t going off…
———
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 1789 – The Electoral College meets for the first time in New York City and elects George Washington president of the United States. Under the system then effect, each elector voted for two candidates, with there be no differentiating between votes for president and vice president. Washington was named on all 69 ballots, with John Adams coming in second with 34 electoral votes, with ten others receiving at least one electoral vote. The 1st US Congress would certify the election on April 6, and Washington was inaugurated on April 30.
In 2007 – The Indianapolis Colts win the Super Bowl, defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Miami. It was the second and most recent Super Bowl win for the Colts and remains the only Super Bowl loss for the Bears, to go along with one title. It was the first Super Bowl since the first one where neither team was seeking their first title, and remains the only Super Bowl win for an AFC South team.
In 1989 – Sheriff is at #1 on the Billboard Hot for the only week with When I’m With You. It remains the only hit song for the group and the only reason they are not considered an ultimate one-hit wonder – an act whose only chart single goes to #1 – is the song had first been released in 1983, peaking at #61 on the Hot 100 and at 38 in their native Canada. Keyboardist Arnold Lanni wrote the song as a present for his girlfriend because he was too broke to buy her a present.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
And slowly I thought “OK, now it’s impossible. That’s sure. So let’s start working.”
Philippe Petit
On the prospect of walking across the Twin Towers on a tightrope.
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
Both Austria and Poland have appeared in 13 Olympic ice hockey tournaments without winning a medal.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
When was John Adams inaugurated vice president? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/Monday, February 3, 2025
The Daily Dose/February 3, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
HERE WE GO AGAIN: We elected pettiness, vindictiveness, and ignorance, so it’s hardly the Upset of the Year that President Trump has shown these qualities since his presidency resumed on Jan 20.
Dry, Technical Matter: President Trump’s latest tariffs are all of these things. They are going to cause inflation, retribution, bad will, and general havoc. They are senseless. They are not, of course, a surprise, because President Trump has been talking senselessness since he announced his candidacy nine years ago.
Whew…At Least There’s That: At least Trump is not spreading that gobbledygook he spread during his first term about tariffs causing foreign countries to write checks to the US treasury. Even he knows that’s false. Here’s how the tariffs will work, and you do not have to be Adam Smith to understand it.
Econ 101: Let’s say you own Company A. Or, better yet, let’s say you buy widgets from Company A, widgets that are imported from Canada. The tariff will add 25% to the cost of the widget for Company A, a tax that Company A will pay to the US treasury, not Canada. This is merely another business expense for Company A and they will pass it on to us consumers. This means we will be paying more for our widgets, making the tariff merely another tax on us.
Get Your Official Daily Dose Policy Right Here: We’re taxed enough. The tariffs are a barrier to the free trade that should be the hallmark of our American economy. It will wreak havoc on economies the world over, and you and me – we the people – will be stuck paying the bill.
The Bottom Line: We elected this, so we have nobody to blame but ourselves. We knew nonsense like this would happen, and we elected it anyway. Now, midterm elections are next year and there are only 1,447 days remaining in this administration, but that isn’t doing us any good in our battle with today’s witlessness. The American Century is long over and if we’re not paying attention to our democracy, the American Experiment will be over soon enough, too.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has three instances of big news to report. Today’s Diary.
The big news is we are shaving our head again…
———
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 1961 – Man lands on – as opposed to crashing into – the lunar surface for the first time when the Soviet Union’s Luna 9 lands around the lunar equator on what be the far left side looking from Earth. The spacecraft transmitted man’s first pictures and video from another heavenly bodyand Luna 9 utilized an airbag to land, and touched down at a speed of 14 mph. The first pictures were released by scientists at an English observatory, who pirated the signals. Contact with Luna 9 was lost on Feb 6 when its batteries died.
In 1924 – Canada wins the Olympic ice hockey gold medal, defeating the US 6-1 in the final game of the final round. It was second of a record nine Olympic hockey gold medals for Canada and was the second of a record eight silver medals for the US, to go along with two titles. Great Britain earned the bronze medal. Ice hockey had first been contested at the Olympics at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Games.
In 1968 – The Lemon Pipers are at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with Green Tambourine. It was the first of three chart singles for the group and remains their only Top 40 hit. The song also peaked at #7 in Great Britain and was Billboard’s 47th-biggest song of the year. The band formed in Oxford, Ohio in 1966 and disbanded in 1969.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Everyman achieved his own greatness by reaching out beyond himself, and so it is with nations…Only when a nation means something to itself can it mean something to others.
Werner Von Braun
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
Paul Coffey of the Edmonton Oilers holds the NHL record for most goals in a season by a defenseman with 48 in 1985-86.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What countries have participated in the most Olympics without winning an ice hockey medal? – Answer next time!