The Daily Dose/Wednesday, March 30, 2022
The Daily Dose/March 30, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.
Leading Off will return. We’re working on a couple of projects right now.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is starting to think about spring. Today’s Diary.
Which reminds me the lawnmower still needs to be fixed…Recall last year ol’ Sparrow went to use it and BOOM the pull cord stuck…Needless to say, yours truly is unable to effect this probably simple repair himself, so what will probably happen is we’ll put an on Faceplant and see if anyone responds…Still unknown is whether I’ll do the lawn myself this season, hire it out like we’ve done in the past, or do a combination of both.
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———
On This Date
History’s long march.
In 1867 – The United States agrees to purchase the territory of Alaska from the Russian Empire for $7.2 million, about $133 million or 37 cents/acre in today’s money. Russians had arrived in Alaska in 1732 but feared being unable to defend Alaska from invasion. Originally organized as a department, Alaska became a territory in 1912 and a state in 1959. The formal transfer would come in October when the United States Senate ratified the treaty.
In 1991 – The Northern Michigan Wildcats defeat the Boston University Terriers 8-7 in three overtimes to win the NCAA Division I Hockey title at the St Paul (MN) Civic Center. The Wildcats tied the NCAA title game record by overcoming a 3-goal deficit to win and the game remains the second-longest title game in NCAA history (Bowling Green 5, Minnesota-Duluth 4, 4OT, 1984.) It remains the only title for Northern Michigan and was the sixth of eleven title game appearances for BU (five titles).
– Editor’s Note: In NCAA hockey, overtime periods are ten minutes long.
In 1974 – Tanya Tucker is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country singles chart – for the only week with Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone). The song also went #7 country in Canada and peaked at #46 on Billboard’s Hot 100. It was the third of ten #1 country songs for Tucker and was her fourth of eight pop hits. The song was written by David Allen Coe.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
If you’re headed for the top, the pleasure of going by stairway will outlast that of a fast elevator ride.
Dr. David Myers
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The Billboard 200 record for most weeks at #1 by a debut album is 15, by Business as Usual by Men at Work.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Which team has won the most NCAA Division I hockey championships? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/Tuesday, March 29, 2022
The Daily Dose/March 29, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.
Leading Off will return. We’re working on a couple of projects right now.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow takes a wait-and-see attitude with some guys doing shots in the lobby. Today’s Diary.
The years have taught me, tho, not to go looking for trouble, so I made it a point to be friendly…When I favored the world with my appearance at the front desk, one guy asked who was that relieving Amy and yours truly smiled, flashed the peace sign, and announced my name was Sparrow.
Then – to establish some friendly credentials – I went over to the table, twice declined an offer of a shot of the drain cleaner they were drinking, chatted a bit, and advised if they needed anything ol’ Sparrow was here to be of service to them…
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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
History’s long march.
In 1961 – The 23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution takes effect after being ratified by Kansas and Ohio. The amendment provides for electoral votes for the District of Columbia, with the district receiving the same number as if it were a state, though not more than the number of the least populous state. Congress had sent the amendment to the several states in June 1960; it was rejected by Arkansas while nine states, all in the South, took no action on it.
In 1941 – The Wisconsin Badgers win the NCAA basketball title, defeating the Washington State Cougars 39-34 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. The tournament featured eight teams, with Wisconsin beating Pittsburgh in the East Regional played in Madison, while Washington State won the West Regional after beating Arkansas in Kansas City. It remains the only title for the Badgers and the only championship game appearance for the Cougars.
In 1986 – Whitney Houston is at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the fourth of 14 non-consecutive weeks with Whitney Houston. It was the first chart album for Houston and her first of four #1 albums, a figure which includes the soundtrack to the movie The Bodyguard. The album produced four chart singles, including the #1s Saving All My Love For You, How Will I Know, and The Greatest Love of All. It was the first debut album and the first album by a female solo artist to produce three #1 songs.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
I realize that is aiming high, but I think it is not a very satisfying accomplishment for me to aim at a more modest goal and achieve it.
Woody Allen
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The 14th Dalai Lama assumed his position on February 14, 1940, when he was four years old.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Whitney Houston’s debut album’s 14 weeks at #1 is the second-most by a debut album in the history of the Billboard 200. Which debut album spent more weeks at #1? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/Monday, March 28, 2022
The Daily Dose/March 28, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.
Leading Off will return. We’re working on a couple of projects right now.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is pretty useless at the hotel. Today’s Diary.
Then a guy about my age comes to the front desk with his son and asks if there is a pharmacy open…The kid’s nose is really red…Sigh, no there isn’t, every place that could possibly have eye or nose drops is closed and won’t open until 0600…And while the sundry stand does have some medical stuff, it’s more for the trots or a cold and not particularly useful here…This really wasn’t my fault, of course, and there was little I could do, but I felt useless anyway.
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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
History’s long march.
In 1959 – The Chinese government dissolves the government of Tibet. China had invaded Tibet in 1950 and Tibetan rebels and the Chinese army had been at war since 1956. Earlier in the month, the Tibetan leader, the 14th Dalai Lama, had fled into exile, reaching India where he remains in exile, on March 30. The Dalai Lama, born Lhamo Thondup and now 86, remains in exile, and Tibet is considered by most everyone but Tibetans to be part of China.
In 1950 – The City College of New York (CCNY) Beavers win the NCAA basketball title, defeating the Bradley Braves 71-68 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Earlier in the tournament, CCNY had defeated North Carolina State for the East Region title while Bradley had defeated Baylor for the West Regional title. It remains the only title for the Beavers and was the first of two championship game appearances for the Braves (1954). Earlier, the Beavers had won the NIT title and remain the only team to win both in the same season.
In 1953 – Ruth Brown is at #1 on Billboard’s Best Sellers soul chart – a predecessor to today’s soul chart – for the second of four consecutive weeks with (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean. It was the third of five soul chart #1s for Brown in a chart career that ran from 1949-59. Brown reportedly didn’t like the song initially and recorded it only after persuasion from the song’s writers. In 1962 the song recharted, peaking at #99 on the Hot 100.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
It is no discredit to our species that in all ages its curiosity has outrun its wisdom…
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol I: Our Oriental Heritage
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The US Navy’s second-oldest commissioned vessel is the USS Pueblo, commissioned in 1945 and currently serving as a museum ship in North Korea after its capture in 1968. The second-oldest vessel actually deployed is the USS Blue Ridge, an amphibious command ship, commissioned in 1970.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
When did the current Dalai Lama assume his position? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/Sunday, March 27, 2022
The Daily Dose/March 27, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
The Sunday Bottom 5 7
A ranking of some things.
1. Russian Invasion Of Ukraine – Russian dictator Vladimir Putin getting rave reviews for strong Donald Trump impression as lies offered as justification for invasion of Ukraine getting more and more laughs from world…Or would get laughs if invasion wasn’t utterly unjustified, savage, and tragic, not unlike US invasion of Iraq.
2. Vladimir Putin – Some in international community already gathering evidence for war crimes tribunal, though SB5 pollsters “strongly suspect” it will be several years before Putin actually led before firing squad.
3. Donald Trump – You know, folks, would you tolerate an acquaintance who always lied to you, grabbed your wife and daughter by the pussy, and who was dumb enough to believe Colorado bordered Mexico???…We wouldn’t, either, so why do you tolerate this in a presidential candidate???…Which one of these elements continues to earn your support???
4. MLB – Get out the circus tent, guys…Not only is designated runner returning for extra innings in 2022, but MLB – in effort to keep Shohei Ohtani in game as long as possible – passed special rule to allow pitchers to remain in game as DH after leaving the mound.
5. NCAA Tournament Officiating – There’s no shortage of whining this year, though SB5 pollsters do point out that two-thirds of new high school officials don’t make it to Year 3, which means the gene pool for major-college officiating has shrunk by two-thirds over the years, meaning there are fewer and fewer good officials out there.
6. College Basketball – SB5 pollsters recently took in their first collegiate game in years and noticed the absence of several past basketball stalwarts: namely low-post play, full-court press, mid-range jumpers, defense, (at least as taught at John Wooden Basketball Camp), decent passing, offensive rebounding, fast breaks…All anyone wants to do now is dunk and shoot threes.
7. Tennessee Titans – NFL team fires opening salvo in quest to have government(s) pay for new stadium, noting upgrades would cost as much as new facility, at least according to their study…SB5 pollsters “pretty sure” they’re not only ones wondering why stadium was built on the cheap and in need of significant overhaul after only two decades.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow whines about only getting twelve hours of sleep. Today’s Diary.
Yours truly would like to proclaim himself completely recovered from having been up for 42 strait hours earlier in the week, but he’s not…I was yawning within a few minutes of getting up and this continued until getting some coffee consumed…Still tho, 12 hours down is 12 hours down and is a huge step forward in getting back to normal.
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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
History’s long march.
In 1794 – President George Washington signs the Naval Act of 1794 which, among other things, authorized the first six frigates of the present-day US Navy. Progress was slow and costs exceeded initial estimates, establishing a naval tradition followed to this day. The first frigates were delivered in 1797 and Constitution remains in commissioned naval service, moored at the Boston Navy Yard, and remains the oldest commissioned warship in the world still afloat.
In 1939 – The Oregon Ducks, then known as the Webfoots, win the first NCAA basketball championship, defeating Ohio State 46-33 at Northwestern University north of Chicago. The eight-team tournament had begun with regionals held in San Francisco and Philadelphia, with Oregon defeating Oklahoma and Ohio State beating Villanova. It remains the only title game for Oregon and was the first of five title game appearances for the Buckeyes, who won their only championship in 1960.
In 1982 – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the second of seven consecutive weeks with I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll. The song went to #1 in six other countries, including South Africa and The Netherlands, peaked at #4 in Great Britain, was Billboard’s third-biggest song of the year, and ranked 72nd on its 60th Anniversary Hot 100 in 2018. It was the first of nine chart singles for the group, their first of three Top 10 hits and remains their only #1 song.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
[I will] turn from war to peace and politics. If, that is, I get through all right. I think myself I shall…Let us laugh at fate. It might please her.
Winston Churchill
Letter to mother, 1897
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
Hall and Oates’ biggest song on Billboard’s soul chart was I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do), which spent one week at #1 in January 1982.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What is the US Navy’s second-oldest commissioned ship? – Answer next time!
The Diary of a Nobody/March 26
It’s Read Free Sunday (RFS) so, please, enjoy today’s entry with Sparrow’s compliments.
It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life…
Saturday, March 26
Shortly after taking over a workingman calls looking for rates for Monday nite…Well, the system has a variety to choose from $190, plus tax, for losers who are not rewards club members to $166 for members, to $29.99 for hot babes…The guy sounds like a regular guy, so I offer $165, plus tax, for a room with one king bed…He considers the matter and it’s plain he doesn’t think it’s too bad…He asks what kind of availability there was because there are still some details to work out and I say availability’s pretty solid…From his standpoint; we have a couple of dozen rooms available.
The Daily Dose/Saturday, March 26, 2022
The Daily Dose/March 26, 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 has mixed results in the gym. Today’s Diary.
Weights were good…Not great, but solid…Cardio blew chunks; the elliptical was tedious, even at the lowest possible level, the one just above standing still…It was so lousy yours truly retired to a treadmill for some walking and that was hardly at a dead sprint, either…The soak was a triumph.
———
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
History’s long march.
In 1997 – San Diego County Sheriff’s Department deputies find 39 dead bodies, all mass suicide victims, at a home in northern San Diego County. The dead were members of a cult known as Heaven’s Gate and died in three groups between March 22 and 26. The deaths were designed to coincide with the closest point of approach of the Hale-Bopp comet, which was believed to have a spacecraft following it which would transport their souls to heaven. Their website is still active, though it does not appear to have been updated since before the suicides.
In 1979 – The Michigan State Spartans defeat the Indiana State Sycamores 75-64 to win the NCAA Division I basketball title at the Special Events Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. It was the first of two NCAA titles for the Spartans (2000) and remains the title game appearance for the Sycamores. It was the last Final Four played on an on-campus arena, the only one to feature 40 teams, the first where three officials were used, and with 40 million viewers remains the most-watched college basketball game ever.
In 1977 – Daryl Hall and John Oates area at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two consecutive weeks with Rich Girl. It was the fourth of 34 Top 40 hits for the group, their third of 16 Top 10 songs, and their first of six #1 hits. The song also peaked at #64 on Billboard’s soul chart and was their 23rd-biggest song of the year. The song was written by Hall, who based it on man his girlfriend knew. The gender was later changed because “rich girl” sounded better than “rich guy”.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Pass, then, through this little space of time conformably to nature and end thy journeys in content…
Marcus Aurelius
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
Billboard’s biggest song of 1989 was Look Away by Chicago, which spent two weeks at #1, 16 weeks in the Top 40, and 24 weeks on the Hot 100.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What was Hall and Oates; biggest hit on Billboard’s soul chart? – Answer next time!