The Daily Dose/Friday, July 16, 2021
The Daily Dose/July 16, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
THERE YOU GO READIN’ AGAIN: Another headline caught our eye, this one in The New York Times:
Tesla Says Autopilot Makes Its Cars Safer. Crash Victims Say It Kills.
Dry, Technical Matter: Tesla is developing cars that can drive themselves, using proprietary software called Autopilot and it is facing numerous lawsuits because its Autopilot vehicles have hit other cars and killed people, instead of avoiding cars and center dividers and other obstacles to safe driving.
Oopsies: The accidents have not only killed bystanders and passengers in other cars, but Tesla drivers as well, drivers who were in the cars when the autopilot system was unable to detect hazards.
Get Your Official Daily Dose Policy Right Here: Tesla says Autopilot makes driving safer, but if a driver still needs to pay attention, what’s the point? To tell a driver their car can drive itself is inviting tragedy, an invitation tragedy is accepting more and more.
More Official Daily Dose Policy: Sure, yay for the technology and go ahead and pat yourself on the back and say look what I did, not bad. But, honestly, coming up with Autopilot is somewhat akin to being Henry VII or on the crew of Apollo 10 nice, but, you know, big wow. A moving vehicle will always need human attention.
The Bottom Line: Man will always move forward but – as driverless vehicles are showing – sometimes in spite of ourselves. A generation from now Autopilot could be standard equipment and we’ll still have to keep our hands on the wheel and feet ready to accelerate or brake.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow’s weekly umpiring assignment is a modest fiasco. Today’s Diary.
And don’t think the positions of the bases – and the portable pitcher’s mound – were arrived with any degree of precision, either…They were reckoned by walking them off and there was some modest hilarity because no one except for ol’ Sparrow knew the distance from home plate to second base was 127 feet, 3 and ⅜ inches and good luck walking that off exactly.
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On This Date
The long march to today.
In 1969 – Man’s greatest adventure – Apollo 11 – lifts off from Cape Canaveral, on Florida’s east coast. Commanded by Neil Armstrong and also manned by Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, Apollo 11 would land on the moon on July 20 and return to Earth on July 24. It was man’s third voyage to the moon. The previous December Apollo 8 had reached and orbited the moon and in May Apollo 10 had done everything except land, with their lunar module coming within nine miles of the lunar surface.
In 1961 – Mike Boston of the United States establishes a new long jump world record at a meet in Moscow. Boston jumped 27 feet, 1.5 inches to break the record of 26 feet, 11.25 inches he had set in May. It was the third of five times Boston would set the long jump record, and he remains the only person to break his own record twice. Boston’s record stood until 1962, was obliterated by Bob Beamon in 1968 and the mark is now held by American Mike Powell, who jumped 29 feet, 4.25 inches in 1991.
In 1949 – Paul Williams is at #1 on Billboard’s Juke Box Race Records chart – one of several predecessors to today’s soul chart – for the 14th and final non-consecutive week with The Huckle-Buck. It was the fifth of eight soul chart singles for Williams and remains his only #1 song. The song had first hit #1 in March and was the fourth song to spend at least 14 weeks at #1 on the soul jukebox chart. Though Williams’ chart success faded after The Huckle-Buck, he remained a popular concert draw and session musician into the 1960s.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Artists fall in love, of course, but love isn’t their primary gift. They love…the use of their genius.
Saul Bellow
Ravelstein
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
Twelve Americans have won a total of 14 Olympic decathlon gold medals. Ashton Eaton (2016, 2012) and Bob Mathias (1952, 1948) did it twice.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
How long did Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stay on the moon? – Answer next time!
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The Daily Dose/Thursday, July 15, 2021
The Daily Dose/July 15, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
PLAY BALL: Tuesday’s major league All-Star Game generally didn’t interest us any more than it did anyone else, however, the fact Los Angeles Angels pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani was the first player ever to start as both a pitcher and a hitter was as moderately interesting as it was historic.
Ohtani even drew comparisons to Babe Ruth – who was an outstanding pitcher before he started hitting home runs – though this really isn’t fair to Ohtani because Ruth never did both for a complete season like Ohtani has done since starting his professional career in Japan in 2013.
Dry, Technical Matter: Ruth was one hell of a pitcher, too, and his name can still be found in the pitching section of the major league record book, the only player who holds major league batting and pitching records. Ruth is tied with Ron Guidry for the American League record for most shutouts by a lefthander in a season (9) and most innings pitched in a World Series game (14).
For The Record: Shotani had a rather modest night Tuesday. He pitched a 1-2-3 first inning and went 0-for-2 as the DH, the rules for the game sensibly changed so Shotani could stay in the game as DH after his inning on the mound.
Running The Numbers: The game drew a TV audience of roughly 8.1 million viewers – about as many Nebraska football fans who tune in to a pre-season special on the incoming crop of long snappers – and was the lowest-rated All-Star Game ever.
The Bottom Line: Shotani is only 27 and has some prime years remaining and if he stays healthy the Ruth comparisons might not end. What will hold baseball fan(s) spellbound, however, is seeing how Angels manage to combine the talents of Shotani and Mike Trout to continue not making the playoffs.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has a poignant moment with a guest. Today’s Diary.
It turned out he was mistaking the access code sticker with the other stuff written on the key packet…He pointed to them:
– What are these???
I chuckled to myself because it was rather adorable.
– Oh, sir, that’s your reward club point balance…And that’s your room number.Let me tell you something, that was more than adorable, that was downright poignant because look, ol’ Sparrow’s 55 and, based on current brain activity, it might not be too much longer before that starts happening to me.
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It’s easy reading on any device.
Columns, books, shopping lists, click here to get in on the laughs.
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———
On This Date
The long march to today.
In 1838 – Ralph Waldo Emerson delivers what History refers to as the Divinity School Address to the graduating class of Harvard Divinity School, in addition to local ministers and school professors. A Harvard Divinity School graduate himself, Emerson stated that following one’s moral intuition is better than following religious doctrine and it is not required to believe in the miracles of Jesus. It was a very radical speech for the time, with Emerson surprised at the almost universally negative response it received.
In 1912 – Jim Thorpe of the United States wins the first Olympic decathlon title at the Stockholm Summer Games. Thorpe placed in the top four of all ten events, won four of them and led the overall standings after winning the third event, the shot put. Thorpe was stripped of his medal the following year for accepting expense money to play baseball, however, in 1982 the IOC reinstated the medal. Earlier in the Games, Thorpe had won the pentathlon, a medal that was also rescinded and reinstated.
In 1972 – Luther Ingram is at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Best Selling Soul Singles chart – for the second of three consecutive weeks with (If Loving You is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right. The song also peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 and remain’s Ingram’s biggest hit on both charts. In 1979 a version by Barbara Mandrell went to #1 on Billboard’s country chart, making the song one of the few to hit #1 on both the soul and country charts.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
One is constrained to respect the perfection of this world.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Address to Harvard Divinity School
7/15/1838
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
Ethiopia has won the most Olympic marathon gold medals, with six. Four by men and two by women.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
How many Americans have won the Olympic decathlon title? – Answer next time!
Go Gaylon! Visit Gaylon on Facebook here.
The Daily Dose/Wednesday, July 14, 2021
The Daily Dose/July 14, 2021
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 nails – nails! – the wake-up call greeting. Today’s Diary.
It’s a shame we can’t save the wake-up call greeting I recorded this morning and use it forever and ever because it was that good…Hell, it would have caused Casey Kasem himself to achieve and maintain a state of arousal…
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Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device.
Columns, books, shopping lists, click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.
———
On This Date
The long march to today.
In 1798 – The Sedition Act of 1798 – designed to limit criticism of the government – is signed by President John Adams. The Federalists that got the bill passed said the Act strengthened national security during a war with France, while critics said it was merely a way to squash opposition. The Act expired three years later, though the Alien Enemies Act, since amended, remains US law, allowing the government to detain and deport citizens of countries America is at war with.
In 1912 – Ken McArthur of South Africa establishes new world record in the marathon at the Stockholm Summer Games. McArthur ran the race in 2 hours 36 minutes and 54.8 seconds to beat the old record by almost 25 minutes. The race was 40.2 kilometers, 91 feet short of 25 miles, the marathon’s distance not becoming standardized at 26.2 miles until 1921. The world record is now 2 hours, 1 minute and 39 seconds by Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, set in 2018 in Berlin.
In 1962 – Claude King is at #1 in Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot C&W Sides chart – for the third of nine consecutive weeks with Wolverton Mountain. It was the third of six country Top 10s for King and remains his only #1 song. The song also peaked at #6 on the Hot 100 and was written by Merle Kilgore, who based it on an uncle who lived on a similarly named mountain in Arkansas.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
They might be able to learn humility at the thought of time’s long duration…
Gore Vidal
Creation
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The last meeting of the Confederation Congress of the United States was on March 2, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City. Authorized by the Articles of Confederation, it would be replaced by the First United States Congress on March 4, the effective date of the new United States Constitution.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What nationality has won the most Olympic marathon gold medals? – Answer next time!
Go Gaylon! Visit Gaylon on Facebook here.
The Daily Dose/Tuesday, July 13, 2021
The Daily Dose/July 13, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT: The headline was only moderately interesting:
Could Gen Z Free the World From Email?
We hadn’t given the matter much thought, but we clicked on it anyway. It talked about how kids in the workplace nowadays prefer almost anything – carrier pigeon, graffiti, old-style ransom notes – to email nowadays. So much so, that it is actually causing no small amount of anxiety in these precious snowflake’s lives.
Dry, Technical Matter: Although we have to be honest, we don’t email too much, either, at least personally, messaging on Facebook having replaced email as the preferred method of personal communication with yours truly.
I’m Sure There’s A Point Around Here Somewhere: The story noted that for those under 30, sharing on Google docs, plus Zoom and iMessaging, among other methors, are preferred to email nowadays.
LOL: A lot of this article was boring – sort of like this item – but our favorite part was when one kid said “the most stressful thing” was checking to see if his boss emailed him.
Ten Hut: All right Gen Zers, listen up: the boss will always be a stressor. It’s what they do, it’s how the workplace is built, especially with the bad ones. Because if it’s not email it will be some other way and it might be particularly irksome if your boss is trying to communicate with you regarding you Gen Zers adorable, collective trait of being late for pretty much every goddamn thing. There is going to come a time when you’re going to have to man/chick up and take it.
The Bottom Line: So if email isn’t allowed into your safe space, OK, more power to you. Feel free to revolutionize workplace communications because your generation is going to be expected to do that anyway. Just be sure to email me my login information.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow survives a yapping guest. Today’s Diary.
About midnight a lady from Texas arrived who had just made her reservation…She was one of those yapping sorts who can talk for extended periods of time without saying anything at al, but with Sparrow guidance (SG), we manage to get thru the check-in process in less than 20 minutes and then she asks about the fire north of here which was funny because she made it sound like it was a tourist attraction, like Disneyland or Mount Rushmore.
Well, word had obviously reached bum-fuck Texas that ol’ Sparrow is the new fire information clearinghouse for western America…Hell, I don’t know…Based on her tone I thought she was looking to set up camping chairs and make a day of it and maybe I knew where tickets were being sold at…I told her, honestly, that I knew very little about it, tho there would be some soot on her car in the morning.
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Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device.
Columns, books, shopping lists, click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.
———
On This Date
The long march to today.
In 1787 – The Confederation Congress of the United States passes the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, an attempt to organize land acquired from Great Britain following the Revolution. The ordinance covered lands bordered by the Great Lakes and what is now Canada to the north, the Ohio River to the south, the Mississippi River to the west and Pennsylvania to the east and also addressed the admission of new states. The territory had belonged to Great Britain, following their defeat of France in the Seven Years’ War that ended in 1763.
In 1896 – Ed Delahanty of the Philadelphia Phillies ties the major league record for most home runs in a game in a 9-8 loss to the Chicago Cubs, then known as the Colts. Delahanty hit four home runs to tie the mark established by Bobby Lowe in 1894 and the mark has been tied 16 times since, most recently by J.D. Martinez of Arizona in 2017. It was the first of two times a member of the Phillies would hit four home runs in a game against the Cubs, with Mike Schmidt doing it in 1976.
In 2019 – Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus are at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the 14th of a record 19 consecutive weeks with Old Town Road. The song was also in its 14th of a record 20 consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart and the song made Cyrus only the third act besides Elvis and the Everly Brothers to hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 plus its soul and country charts. It was the tenth song in Hot 100 history to spend at least 14 weeks at #1 and the records for weeks at #1 still stand on both charts.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Fighting against destiny seemed impossible for the moment.
Jules Verne
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The major league record for most sacrifice bunts in an inning is two, done by Al Benton, a pitcher with the Detroit Tigers. He did it in the third inning of an August 6, 1941 win over the Cleveland Indians and the Tigers got eleven runs in the inning. Benton is also known as the only pitcher to have faced both Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
When and where was the last meeting of the Confederation Congress? – Answer next time!
Go Gaylon! Visit Gaylon on Facebook here.
The Daily Dose/Monday, July 12, 2021
The Daily Dose/July 12, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
THIS JUST IN…WELL, NOT REALLY: From time to time this feature has provided information on the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He was assassinated in October 2018 after having the nerve to enter the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, where he was met by Saudi agents and executed. You don’t have to be Mr Conspiracy Theory to conclude it was done on orders from the Saudi Royal Family, meaning Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Dry, Technical Matter: Surprising no one, Khashoggi is still dead. The crown prince bravely took responsibility for the assassination because “it happened under my watch” but otherwise said nothing else.
Did We Call It Or What: In one column we said some minor Saudi prince would likely be offered up in a show trial, and we weren’t too far off the mark. The Saudis have actually conducted trials in the matter, trying a total of eleven people, with five convicted and sentenced to death (sentences rescinded after pardoning from Khashoggi’s children), three were sentenced to prison while three were released, though research into whether this was before trial or after acquittal was inconclusive.
Fly In The Ointment: Few in the international community took the trials seriously. The members of the diplomatic corps and Khashoggi’s family that were allowed to attend were sworn to secrecy, oaths that have been kept so far because would you blab after what happened to Jamal Khashoggi?
From The Asia Minor Desk: Turkey, the country where the assassination occurred, is trying 26 Saudis in the matter, however, the defendants haven’t shown up for their trial yet, and no one is expecting them to.
The Bottom Line: Mankind has been putting up with atrocities such as this for centuries and there is no reason to stop now, not when there is money to be made. The US has bravely declined to show any spine whatsoever in the matter and the crown prince’s brother even visited Washington earlier this month, an event that was not heralded by the lapdogs in the US media. You and me – we the people – collectively yawned, too. We deserve better than this, but we are not demanding it, so it will not stop.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – A guest hangs up on Sparrow. Today’s Diary.
Ol’ Sparrow was declining late checkouts left and right this morning, including one a little after six from 209…Her tone was breezy and superficial and it was plain she was lying when she said she had been talking with “some guy” at check-in about a late departure but they had “gotten talking about something else” before anything was firmed up.
Oooh, I’m thinking, this is a good one…I’ve been declining late checkout request for decades and hadn’t heard this one yet…I was firm, tho, trotting out the usual line about being unable to offer a late checkout this morning…She did everything but weep but eventually, she recognized when the tablets were coming down from Mount Sinai and actually hung up on me.
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Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device.
Columns, books, shopping lists, click here to get in on the laughs.
4Ever & Ever ($8.99) and monthly ($2.99) plans available.
———
On This Date
The long march to today.
In 1962 – The Rolling Stones play their first concert, at the Marquee Club in London. They would first hit the US charts in 1964 and to date have had 41 Top 40 hits on the Hot 100 including seven #1s, their last Miss You in 1978, and have also had ten #1 albums. The Stones have had eight number songs and eleven #1 albums on the British charts. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are the only original members still with the band, though drummer Charlie Watts joined in 1963.
In 1970 – The Detroit Tigers tie the major league record for most sacrifice bunts in an inning in a 7-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader. The Tigers got sacrifice bunts from Ike Brown, Cesar Guitierrez and Mickey Lolich, with the Orioles contributing errors on the final two. The Tigers tied the record established by the Cleveland Indians in 1949 and later tied by the Chicago Cubs (1962) and the Philadelphia Phillies (1967) and the mark has been tied several times since.
In 1980 – The SOS Band is at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Hot Soul Singles chart – for the second of five consecutive weeks with Take Your Time (Do It Right) [Part 1]. The song also peaked at #`1 on Billboard’s disco chart, at #3 on the Hot 100 and at #51 in Great Britain. It was the first chart single for the group and their first of six Top 10 hits on the soul chart and remains their only Top 40 pop hit.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
The glue of rapport and trust that holds men together during difficult times was being poured and starting to set.
David J Peck
Or Perish in the Attempt: Wilderness Medicine in the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The two players who have won four Olympic tennis medals without winning a gold medal are Gunnar Setterwall of Sweden and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Which player holds the major league record for most sacrifice bunts in an inning? – Answer next time!
Go Gaylon! Visit Gaylon on Facebook here.