The Daily Dose/Monday, November 1, 2021
The Daily Dose/November 1, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
Leading Off is in time out while we work on (another) project.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – At the gym, Sparrow talks to His Holiness. Today’s Diary.
I talked to the Sunday Yapper!!!…I am not, could not, would not, make that up.
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———
On This Date
The long march to today.
In 996 – The word Austria appears in a document for the first time, when Holy Roman Emperor Otto III deeds a small portion in what is now central Austria to the bishop of Freising. The land would be incorporated into Austria in 1803, Austria would merge with Hungary in 1867 and was a part of assorted jurisdictions until the formation of the Second Republic after World War II.
In 1946 – The NBA – then known as the Basketball Association of America – plays its first game, with the New York Knicks defeating the Toronto Huskies 68-66 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Ed Sadowski of Toronto led all scorers with 18 points and Leo Gottlieb led the Knicks with 14 points. The Philadelphia Warriors won the first association’s title and the Knicks and the Boston Celtics remain the only original teams still in the same city in the league.
In 1969 – Elvis Presley is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the only week with Suspicious Minds. The song also went to #1 in four other countries, including Belgium, and peaked at #2 in Great Britain. It was the 18th and final #1 song for Elvis and his first since Good Luck Charm in 1962. In 1971 a version by Dee Dee Warwick – sister of Dionne and cousin of Whitney Houston – peaked at #80 on the Hot 100
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Democracy had fallen by Plato’s formula: liberty had become license, and chaos begged an end to liberty.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. III: Caesar to Christ
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The Drifters had 34 hits on a Billboard pop chart between 1955-76, including 16 Top 40 hits and five Top 10 hits.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
How many #1 songs did Elvis have on Billboard’s country and soul charts? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/Sunday, October 31, 2021
The Daily Dose/October 31, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy™
The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things.
1. Complete Games – Only 50 of them in the big leagues in 2021, as no team had more than three (3) and ten (10) teams didn’t have any at all…It’s been six (6) years since MLB has had at least 100 in a season, 40 years since there were at least 500 and 106 years since there’s been at least 2,000…Saynora to a lost art.
2. World Series Ratings – Good news: Ratings for Game 1 World Series were up significantly from last year’s opener with 10.8 million viewers…Bad news: this was more than enough to make it the second-least watch WS opener ever…Memo to ML office: the average NFL game has roughly 17.3 million viewers.
3. Donald Trump – The 3-hole staple…The former president remains a lying sexual predator who believes 1) the moon is part of Mars; 2) that the Revolution was won by the securing of British airports and 3) – and SB5 pollsters had forgotten this one – that Colorado borders Mexico…A question for Trump supporters: which one of these elements continues to earn your support???…Liar???…Sexual predator???…Dolt???
4. ESPN – Hey guys, SB5 pollsters “pretty sure” your “confirming” a story after somebody beat you to it isn’t really news, so stop reporting it as if it were…Your confirmation adds nothing to anything whatsoever.
5. President Joe Biden Fact Check – While still utterly lacking the falsehood street cred of President Trump – a man who made Nixon look like he was giving sworn testimony – Biden unable to get facts straight on vital issue of train miles traveled as vice president…Click here for the latest from AP.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
Read Freee Sunday (RFS) at The Diary will return.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow talks about employee evaluations. Today’s Diary.
…there is really only one criterion for grading your nite auditor: do they show up on time every nite???…If the answer to that question is yes, end of evaluation; you sign the form and move on to the next hapless employee because you are getting a good nite’s sleep every nite because you don’t have to worry about whether or not your nite auditor is coming in…
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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
The long march to today.
In 1913 – The Lincoln Highway, the first highway across the United States, is dedicated at various sites on the route. Originally the highway was 3,389 miles long, though as segments were improved it would shorten by 240 miles. Though it has been superseded over the years, first by US Route 66 and then the Interstate system, the Lincoln Highway still exists, running from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco. Over the years, the highway has passed through more than 700 cities, towns and villages in the US.
In 1908 – The London Summer Olympics come to a close with 2,008 athletes from 22 nations taking part, with Great Britain winning the most gold medals with 56. The Games also marked the fixing of the marathon distance at 26 miles, 385 yards to accommodate starting at Windsor Castle and finishing in front of King Edward VII at White City Stadium. The Games began in April and at 6 months and 4 days remain the longest games in modern Olympic history. The games had originally been scheduled for Rome, but the 1906 eruption of Mt Vesuvius made the Games financially unfeasible for the Italians.
In 1960 – The Drifters are at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the second of three non-consecutive weeks with Save the Last Dance For Me. The song was also in its only week at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart and also went to #1 in New Zealand and South Africa, peaked at #2 in Great Britain and remains their only #1 song. In 1984 a version of the song by Dolly Parton peaked at #4 on Billboard’s country chart, making Save the Last Dance For Me one of the few songs to chart on all three of Billboard’s major singles charts.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
…peacemakers were often more cursed than blessed…compromise always infuriates those who believe in the exclusive justice of their own cause.
David Schoenbrun
Triumph in Paris: The Exploits of Benjamin Franklin
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The NFL record for most penalty yards in a game is 212, by the Tennessee Titans on October 10, 1999.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
How many hits on a Billboard pop chart did the Drifters have? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/Saturday, October 30, 2021
The Daily Dose/October 30, 2021
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 frets over a chick. Today’s Diary.
Two, what if she doesn’t show up???…Three, what if she does???.
———
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
The long march to today.
In 1806 – Prussian forces numbering 5,300 men and commanded by General Friedrich Romberg surrender Stettin, Prussia – now Szczecin, Poland – to a French force of roughly 800 men. This despite the fact Romberg had adequate supplies to survive a siege and Romberg was later sentenced to prison for giving up Stettin without a fight, though he died a couple of months before his sentence was to begin. History refers to the incident as the Capitulation of Stettin, part of the War of the Fourth Coalition, which ended in July 1807 with a French victory.
In 2016 – The Oakland Raiders establish a new NFL record for most penalties in a game in a 30-24 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Raiders were penalized 23 times, breaking the record of 22 done three times previously, most recently by the San Francisco 49ers in 1988, and their total of 200 penalty yards remains the third-highest total in NFL history. 2016 would be the 18th and most recent time the Raiders would lead the NFL in penalties, also an NFL record.
In 1982 – John Cougar – now known as John Mellencamp – is at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the eighth of nine consecutive weeks with American Fool. The album yielded three Top 40 hits, including the #1 Jack and Diane and the #2 Hurt So Good, was the first of ten Top 10 albums for Cougar/Mellencamp and remains his only #1. Due to when it was released it was not one of Billboard’s 100 biggest albums of the year and was its 32nd-biggest of 1983
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
…the State Department was one of the most tranquil, even somnolent, of government ministries…where, barring the rare excitement of the odd Indian war, a man could sleep his way through the life of an administration, or get a book written.
Gore Vidal
Empire
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The NBA record for most field goals in a quarter is 9, by Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, in the 3rd-quarter of a January 23, 2015 game.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Who holds the NFL record for most penalty yards in a game? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/Friday, October 29, 2021
The Daily Dose/October 29, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.
CAPSULE CALZONE REVIEW: Gino’s Italian Pizzeria and Grill, Craig, Colorado: One of the things we have significant street cred in is melted cheese and assorted, sometimes numerous, pork products baked in folded pizza dough. Strombolis, calzones, it doesn’t matter, we’ve had a lot of them over the years.
Yay!: And we’ve had some really good ones, too: the stromboli at the old Italian joint at the legendary North Las Vegas casino Jerry’s Nugget was created by providence on the seventh day and the one at the (tragically) now-closed Wolfe’s just down the street from us wasn’t too far behind.
Broad, Historical Context: We’ve actually had the stromboli here before, but that was a while ago, and evidently we weren’t desperate for material because we can’t find a review of it here.
Dry, Technical Matter: As usual, we custom ordered one: the usual cheeses plus bacon, pepperoni and sausage. Why people bother with vegetables – or anything else, really – has always escaped us and don’t bother us with a side of that infernal marinara sauce, either. And if you’re the waitress, don’t waste our time by coming back to the goddamned table to announce it comes with onions. If we were desirous of the included onions we would have asked for the included onions. Go, scoot and get the order in so we can start eating in the shortest possible time.
The Daily Dose Rating Scale: 1 – The very best | 2 – Very good | 3 – Good | 4- Average | 5 – Utterly without merit.
Final Ranking: 3: We’re pretty tough graders here at your Daily Dose, so a Good rating indicates something has significant merit, and so it is with Gino’s calzone. It would have gotten Very Good marks had it been stuffed with even more pork products or been even bigger, but we quibble. It was a fine meal. Dad would have said it wasn’t too bad, a high compliment from a reserved Midwesterner.
The Bottom Line: It probably wouldn’t medal stand at the Calzone Olympics, but it’s typical of the quality stuff found in small and medium-sized towns around the country. The burgers here – and breaded french fries – are good, too.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has the latest MPG figures for the new ride. Today’s Diary.
This, of course, is a lousy figure, a full six or so MPG less than the all-time high from a couple of months ago…Right now, two factors are being blamed: 1) the fact the gas treatment was put in last time when the tank was full and, 2) the snow tires being put on last week.
The problem with the snow tires is that there isn’t snow on the ground…When there is, gas mileage is normal, but when the roads are good, it tends to hamper your gas mileage, probably because they’re a tad softer and are gripping the road more…We’ll see if when you add gas treatment is a factor because yours truly put it in before filling up today.
———
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
The long march to today.
In 1901 – Jane Toppan, a nurse, is arrested on suspicion of murdering the Davis family in Amherst, Massachusetts. Toppan had come under suspicion after a toxicology report showed one of the victims had been poisoned. After arrest, Toppan admitted to murdering as many as 100 people, adding she got an erotic thrill from it, sometimes fondling and laying with her victims as they were dying. Despite her pleas of sanity, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity and died in a state mental hospital in 1938.
In 2018 – Klay Thompson of the Gold State Warriors establishes a new NBA record for most 3-point field goals in a game and ties the record for most in a half in a 149-124 win over the Chicago Bulls. Thompson had 14 3-pointers, ten of them in the first half, to break the single-game mark of 13 established by Stephen Curry of the Warriors in November 2016 and tie the single-half record established by Chandler Parsons of the Houston Rockets in January 2014. Thompson finished with 52 points and both records still stand.
In 1977 – The Kendalls are at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the fourth and final consecutive week with Heaven is Just a Sin Away. It was the first Top 40 country hit for the father/daughter duo and their first of three #1 songs. The song also went #1 country in Canada, peaked at #63 on the Hot 100 for their only pop hit and won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
There’s no use denying fear – It’s how you handle it that counts.
Caryl Chessman
May 2, 1960
Moments before dying in California’s gas chamber
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The song that took the most weeks to reach #1 in a single chart run on the Billboard Hot 100 is With Arms Wide Open by Creed, which took 27 weeks to reach #1 in 2000.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Who holds the NBA record for most 3-point field goals in a quarter? – Answer next time!