Backstairs at the Monte Carlo/October 13
The Daily Dose/Friday, June 26
Daily Dose/June 26, 2020
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
Leading Off continues to enjoy some time off.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
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The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow whines about his neighbor’s yard.
In other news from the Lawn Desk, my neighbors haven’t mowed all season…I am not making that up…Recall, the parcel immediately adjacent to The Shire has an abandoned home and garage and it was sold to some guy who eventually is going to put a weed store on it and he’s not bothering to tend to his lawn…The old owner would hire some guy with a tractor to come cut it every few weeks, but we’re not even getting that…Of course, it looks like crap, but yours truly has zero control over it and there is the benefit of making The Shire look like a royal palace by comparison.
Backstairs at the Monte Carlo: Lee shows up an hour early.
That’s typical Lee, showing up early. Bored sitting around the house he thought “What can I do to help?” because with Lee it’s all about the crew and before you could say “482” Junior anointed Lee Mary 1 and Russ was moved to the hotel.
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On This Date
History’s long march to today.
In 1918 – In World War I, the Battle of Belleau Wood in northern France ends as elements of the United States Marine Corps commanded by Major Maurice Shearer clears a forest of the German Army. The battle halted a German advance that had begun on June 1 and resulted in an Allied victory. US forces suffered 1,800 deaths and German casualties were never determined. Allied units in the battle also consisted of French and British troops.
In 1970 – Frank Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles ties the major league record by hitting two grand slams in one game in a 12-2 win over the Washington Senators. Robinson connected in consecutive at-bats in the fifth and sixth innings, homering off of Joe Coleman and Joe Grzenda. Robinson was the seventh major leaguer to accomplish the feat and the mark has been equaled six times since.
In 1971 – Jerry Reed is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the second of five consecutive weeks with When You’re Hot You’re Hot. It was Reed’s ninth Top 40 country hit and the first of his three #1 country songs (Lord, Mr Ford, one week, 1973; She Got The Gold Mine (I Got the Shaft), two weeks, 1982). The song also peaked at #9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and was Billboard’s fifth-biggest country song of the year. The song was written by Reed and produced by Chet Akins and the title refers to a string of good luck during an illegal craps game.
Quotebook
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
…there was the powerful impulse of vanity, a motivation which has never had its due recognition in historical works. – William E. Woodward, The Way Our People Lived
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
It’s not who you know, but what you know.
Nine different teams have won the NBA title in the 21st century: San Antonio (4 titles), Los Angeles Lakers (3), Golden State (3), Miami (3) and Dallas, Detroit, Boston, Cleveland and Toronto have won one each.
Today’s Stumper
Cheaper than Trivia Night at the bar.
What was Jerry Reed’s biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100? – Answer next time!
Backstairs at the Monte Carlo/October 7
The Daily Dose/Thursday, June 25, 2020
Daily Dose/June 25, 2020
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
Leading Off is on vacation and will return. Promise. There’s really nothing going on right now anyway.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
Friends, Read Free Week/Fortnight/Trimester ends today. Tomorrow your faves will require a subscription so click on the button to get 4EVer & Ever access to both these features for just $2.99. At the end of the month, the price goes up to $5.99. (Current subscribers, of course, do nothing. You’re already in.)
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow has the latest gas mileage figures for the new ride. Today’s Diary.
Yeah, bay-bee, hat’s what ol’ Sparrow is talking about…Now, this is not pushing 40 mpg like we were for the three weeks prior to my mpg-killing trip to the big city earlier this month, but it is still a whole lot better than the pukey 35.003 we got at our last fill-up.
I knew we’d do better, too…There was no doubt…The Average MPG on the new ride’s information display was safely above 40 mpg the whole way and the odometer was at 439 miles since the last fill-up…And there is still hope for, one day, reaching the 40 mpg mark.
Backstairs at the Monte Carlo: Gaylon works outside for the first time.
Early on Guy and I rolled on a call. Dispatch yelped for an outside unit to roll to valet pick up where a drunk was picking up his car. We got there after he had pulled out but we ID the car as it is heading out and Guy pulls in behind it. I’m behind Guy and we’re both flashing our yellow lights, the Adam-12 factor is on High, and – in a move that would’ve had Reid and Malloy sporting wood from here to Reno – I pull up alongside the suspect, while he’s moving, and told him to pull over and when he complied I expertly pulled in ahead of him.
On This Date
History’s long march to today
In 1960 – William Martin and Bernon Mitchell, both cryptographers with the National Security Agency, leave on vacation for Mexico en route to defecting to the Soviet Union. After arrival in Mexico, the two traveled to Cuba before sailing for the Soviet Union on a Soviet freighter. Reportedly both ended up regretting their decision and Martin died in Tijuana in 1987, Mitchell in the Soviet Union in 2001. The two had known each other in the Navy and had joined the NSA together in 1957.
In 1999 – The San Antonio Spurs win the NBA title defeating the New York Knicks 78-77 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. It was the first NBA title for the Spurs and the first NBA title by a former member of the ABA. The Spurs have since won NBA titles in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014 and this remains the latest date an NBA game has ever been played. Tim Duncan of the Spurs averaged 27.4 points per game and was named the MVP of the series.
In 1969 – Henry Mancini is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two consecutive weeks with The Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet. The song spent 14 weeks on the chart, eight weeks in the Top 10, moved into the #1 position after two weeks in the runner-up spot and was Billboard’s 15th biggest song of the year. It was Mancini’s eleventh of 15 chart singles and remains his only Top 10 and #1 hit.
Quotebook
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Science is composed of errors, but errors it is right to make, for they lead step by step to the truth. – Jules Verne, Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
It’s not who you know, but what you know.
Without You by Harry Nilsson won the 1973 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.
Today’s Stumper
Cheaper than Trivia Night at the bar.
How many teams have won the NBA title this century? – Answer next time!
The Diary of a Nobody/June 24
Meet Sparrow, an average man passing an average life…
Wednesday, June 24
I suppose I should lighten up about the bell being rung before I favor anyone with my presence at the front desk, but tonight it didn’t happen…It is, however, pleasing to report that after his initial grunt generated nothing, the guest rang the bell fairly hard, too…Some would get snitty at this, but not ol’ Sparrow: it was good to see the bell rung with authority, frankly…Enuff of the milquetoasts groaning in futile attempts to get my attention.
Backstairs at the Monte Carlo/October 4 & 6
Friends,
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Thank you for reading. If you enjoy reading this half as much as we enjoy producing it, you enjoy it an awful lot.
Gaylon
October 4
Spent an uneventful night pulling some OT at Eddie – 1 last night. The weather is starting to change and I was dressed for the cooler temperatures. I got a loaner long sleeve shirt from Wardrobe and I also went full Under Armour, wearing both my Cold Gear tights and my brand new white Cold Gear mock turtleneck, which really cuts a commanding presence under the uniform shirt. It was a bit of overkill since it was only cool and not cold, but what the hell.
The Daily Dose/Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Daily Dose/June 24, 2020
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
The very best of the very worst of the week that was.
Leading Off will return.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
Friends, Read Free Fortnight is winding down. Click on the button to get 4Ever and Ever access to The Diary of a Nobody and Backstairs at the Monte Carlo for only $2.99. The offer ends Thursday – and new subscribers are entered into a drawing for an autographed, hardcover of Backstairs at the Monte Carlo – so for the love of all that is sacred, act now.
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow is peeved when someones summons him by saying “yo”. Today’s Diary.
Dude, don’t “yo” me…I am not your home slice and I wanted to go out and attack him with my pocket knife, but that would be a violation of company policy, I think, so eventually I wandered out and he had some sundry items to buy…His girlfriend’s debit card was trotted out again for payment and I thought he must be a hell of a lay to get a broad to pay his expenses for him.
Backstairs at the Monte Carlo: Gaylon is named Employee of the Month. He was surprised, too.
I am not making that up! The lover of 10-10’s and founder of the Foot on the Desk Percentage was named MCSD’s Graveyard Employee of the Month!
Now, that’s a pretty specific group, and if it were any narrower everyone in the department would get a prize every month, but the award is a $40 comp to the coffee shop, so everyone can blow me.
On This Date
History’s long march to today
In 1880 – O Canada, now Canada’s national anthem, is performed for the first time at Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebration in Quebec City. The tune was composed by Calixa Lavallee and French lyrics were added five years later. The song was used with God Save the King/Queen and The Maple Leaf Forever as unofficial national anthems until 1980 when it became Canada’s official national anthem.
In 2013 – The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup defeating the Boston Bruins 3-2 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Boston. The Blackhawks tied the game with 1:16 left in the third period and scored the game-winner with 59 seconds remaining. It was the fifth Stanley Cup title for Chicago, their first since 2010 and they would win the Cup again in 2015. Chicago right winger Patrick Kane was voted the MVP of the playoffs.
In 1972 – Sammy Davis, Jr is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the third and final week with The Candy Man. It was the 18th chart single for Davis since debuting with Hey There in 1954, his eighth Top 40 hit, his second and final Top 10 hit and remains his only #1 song. The song spent 21 weeks on the chart, including 16 weeks in the Top 40 and seven weeks in the Top Ten, was Billboard’s fifth-biggest song of the year. The song earned Davis a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, in 1973.
Quotebook
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Marriage, the last refuge of men unable to fend for themselves. – Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
It’s not who you know, but what you know.
Donna Summer’s only #1 song in Great Britain was I Feel Love which spent four weeks at #1 in 1977.
Today’s Stumper
Cheaper than Trivia Night at the bar.
What song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, in 1973? – Answer next time!
The Diary of a Nobody/June 23
Meet Sparrow, an average man passing an average life…
Tuesday, June 23
Good gravy, I was bothered early on at the hotel as nobody wanted to leave me alone…They all said let’s go see what’s shaking with Sparrow…Arrivals, walk-ins, even an online reservation made just before midnight, you name it.
The first came right after I reported for duty and Q had, conveniently, fled…He had a reservation and check-in was a snap…Then a tall guy walks in requesting a room, letting it be known he didn’t want to spend a goddamn fortune, either…