The Daily Dose/May 6, 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 goes out to lunch. Today’s Diary. 

…yours truly is pleased to report the new cook now recognizes me and knows my usual order…He looked at me and said “chorizo” and I pursed my lips and nodded contentedly, tho the order still has to be noted for the oaf working the register. 

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It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
History’s long march.  

In 1834 – James Gordon Bennett, Sr. publishes the first edition of the New York Herald in New York City. The paper merged with the New York Tribune in 1924, with the new paper publishing until 1966. It remains known for, among other things, pioneering the “extra” edition – during a sensational 1836 murder trial – and in 1874 running a hoax about animals getting loose at the Central Park Zoo. Herald Square in New York City, at the intersection of Broadway, 6th Avenue, and 34th Street is named after the paper. 

In 1895 – Halma, ridden by James “Soup” Perkins, wins the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, running the 1 ½ miles in 2 minutes, 37.5 seconds. The winning purse was $2,970, about $101,000 in today’s money and the field of four horses is the second-smallest field in Derby history. It was the only Derby win for Perkins and remains the last Kentucky Derby run at 1 ½ miles. The Derby was shortened to 1 ¼ miles the following year, the distance run today. 

In 1978 – Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams are at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Hot Soul Singles chart – for the fourth and final consecutive week with Too Much, Too Little, Too Late. It remains the only #1 soul song for Mathis and was the first of three #1 soul songs for Williams. The song also peaked at #3 in Great Britain and in June spent one week at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, the second and final #1 song for Mathis and the first of two #1s for Williams. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

I could excuse a man who was afraid of an uplifted fist, but if one habitually manifests fear at the utterance of a sincere thought, I must think that his life is a kind of nightmare continued into broad daylight.
Henry David Thoreau

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Billboard’s biggest country hit of 1956 was Crazy Arms by Ray Price, which spent 20 weeks at #1 on their country Most Played by Disc Jockeys chart. 

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

What horse was the longest shot to win the Kentucky Derby? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/May 5, 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 big news from the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

There’s big news on the Morning Coffee Service (MCS) front is there is a new flavor of creamer!!!

I am not making that up….

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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 1865 – The government of the Confederate State of America is dissolved after Confederate President Jefferson Davis holds his last cabinet meeting in Washington, Georgia. Davis would be captured by US forces on May 10 and would be held for two years before being released on bail, though he remained under indictment until a general amnesty granted by President Johnson in 1868. The last land battle of the Civil War was fought on May 19 in Texas and the final Confederate element, the CSS Shenandoah surrendered in Liverpool, England in November. 

In 1904 – Cy Young of the Boston Americans pitches the third perfect game in major league history in a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Athletics. The perfect game was part of a then-major league record streak of 45 consecutive scoreless innings and a still-standing mark of 24 consecutive hitless innings. It was the first American League perfect game, the first of the 20th century, and the first at the 60-foot, 6-inch distance. The first two major league perfect games had been in the National League, both in 1880. 

In 1956 – Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley is at #1 for the eighth of 17 consecutive weeks on Billboard’s country Best Sellers in Stores chart. The song also peaked at #2 in Great Britain, at #5 on Billboard’s soul chart, was in its third of eight consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s pop Best Sellers in Stores chart, and was Billboard’s biggest pop hit of the year.  The song was the second of seven #1 country hits for Elvis and his first of 18 #1 pop hits. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only. Money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul.
Henry David Thoreau
Walden

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805-94) was the Frenchman who was the developer of the Suez Canal and the leader of the failed French efforts to build the Panama Cana. 

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

What was Billboard’s biggest country hit of 1956? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/May 4, 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 – There are currently three different brands of creamer offered at morning coffee service. Today’s Diary. 

Of course, the three brands conveniently come in three different sizes, meaning getting them to display attractively in the rack is, it should go without saying, a challenge well beyond even my modest skills, and my efforts came out looking somewhat haphazard. 

———

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 1904 – The United States acquires the rights to build the Panama Canal. France had begun work in 1881 but had stopped in 1899 due to financial issues tied to engineering and worker mortality problems. Panama had been part of Colombia until 1903, when US intervention led to independence, though Colombia did not officially recognize Panama until 1925 when the US bought them off. The US spent about $500 million on the project – about $13.5 billion in today’s money – and the canal was completed and saw its first commercial traffic in 1914. The canal has belonged to Panama since 1999. 

In 1963 – Bob Shaw and the Milwaukee Braves establish new major league records for most balks in a game in a 7-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Shaw committed five balks, all in the first five innings, and was ejected in the 5th by home plate umpire Al Barlick. In the 8th-inning Denny Lemaster balked, making the Braves the first and still only team to commit six balks in a game. Shaw’s three balks in the third inning tied the existing player and team major league records and all four marks still stand. 

In 1974 – Grand Funk Railroad is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first of two consecutive weeks with The Loco-Motion. It was the 11th chart single for the group, their sixth of nine Top 40 hits, and was their second and final #1 song. In 1962 a version by Little Eva had hit #1 on the Hot 100, making the song the second of nine songs to go to #1 by different artists, and in 1988 a version by Kylie Minogue peaked at #3 on the Hot 100. The song also went to #1 in Canada and was Billboard’s 5th-biggest song of the year. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

They couldn’t understand it and they could…They had their food and water right there, but what was that open space?
Charles Bukowski
Post Office
Regards birds facing an open door to their cage. 

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Eddie Arcaro rode and Ben Jones trained Citation to their second Triple Crown win in 1948. 

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

The gentleman who led France’s efforts to build the Panama Canal was also the one who spearheaded efforts to build the Suez Canal. Who is this man? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/May 3, 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 grinds out another night at the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

Ol’ Sparrow was faced with a tuff judgment call on whether or not to empty the shredder bin tonite…

———

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 1979 – The United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher, wins the general election, earning 339 seats in Parliament to 269 for the Labour Party and eleven for the Liberal Party. The following day, Thatcher would take office as a prime minister, the United Kingdom’s first female prime minister, serving until 1990, the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. The previous general election in the United Kingdom had been in 1974 when Labour had won 319 seats. 

In 1941 – Whirlaway, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, wins the Kentucky Derby in a race record 2 minutes, 1 ⅖ seconds. It was the second of five Kentucky Derby wins for Arcaro and the second of six wins for trainer Ben Jones. Whirlaway would later win the Preakness and Belmont stakes to claim the Triple Crown, the first of two Triple Crown wins for Arcaro and Jones. The race record is now 1 minute 59.40 seconds, by Secretariat in 1973. 

In 2003 – Darryl Worley is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart – for the fifth of seven weeks with Have You Forgotten, a song about the 9/11 attacks that stirred significant debate in a variety of circles. It was the sixth of twelve Top 40 country hits for Worley, his second of four Top 10 hits, and was his second of three #1 country songs. The song also peaked at #22 on the Hot 100 and was Billboard’s 12th-biggest country song of the year. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…it is not possible to rebel against the fact of nature…There is nothing but the always-so.
Gore Vidal
Creation

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Rickey Henderson led the American League in stolen bases twelve times during his career. 

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

Which horse did Eddie Arcaro ride and Ben Jones train to earn their second Triple Crown? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/May 1, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things.

The Sunday Bottom 5 will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow calls it a day after six terms as Legion district commander. Today’s Diary. 

…what’s almost interesting is the fact this was the first time in ages ol’ Sparrow actually had to conduct a proper election, and the first time he was obliged to hold elections for commander…I looked at Adjutant Stanko and said, not completely factitiously, 

“So, what, we take nominations now, right…”

———

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 1840 – The world’s first adhesive postage stamp is issued in Great Britain. Known as the Penny Black, it featured the profile of Queen Victoria and cost one penny. Previously, postage in Britain had generally been paid by the recipient, the amount determined by the number of pages and the distance traveled. The Penny Black allowed up to a half-ounce of mail to be sent any distance. It was only in circulation a year because those zany Brits found a way to erase the cancellation mark and re-use the stamp. 

In 1991 – Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics establishes a new major league record for most career stolen bases in a 7-4 win over the New York Yankees. Henderson’s 4th-inning steal of third base gave him 939 for his career, breaking the record established by Lou Brock from 1961-79. Henderson retired in 2003 with 1,406 steals, a record that still stands. 

In 1982 – Vangelis is at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the third of four consecutive weeks with Chariots of Fire. The album was the soundtrack to the movie of the same name and produced one chart single, Chariots of Fire, which would go to #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. It was the first of two chart albums for Vangelis, remains his only #1 album, and the single won the Academy Award for Best Original Score. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

For Adams, the American Revolution was about opportunity: the opportunity for the people to govern themselves and the opportunity for an individual to achieve whatever his merit could earn.
John Ferling
Setting the World Ablaze: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and the American Revolution 

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The major league record for most runs scored in a game by two players is 12, by King Kelley (6) and Ezra Sutton (6) of the Boston Beaneaters in a 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Alleghenys on Aug 27, 1887.

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

How many times did Rickey Henderson lead the American League in stolen bases? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!