The Daily Dose/November 25, 2019
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience…

Friends, Leading Off will return. 

Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow has his first MPG estimate for the new ride, but he isn’t entirely sure he believes it. Today’s Diary. 

The first fill-up of the new ride is in the books, after work before heading over to the retailer to see The Wife…The yellow gas pump lite had come on almost the second I pulled out of The Sire, so it was at the yellow lite point plus 26 miles…It took 11.7 gallons and cost $41…So, 11.7 gallons in a 13.2-gallon tank and the lite comes on with two gallons left, meaning I went 26 miles on half a gallon of gas which means I am getting 52 miles per gallon which is insane, so something must be wrong…I reset the trip mileage button, so we’ll be able to get an accurate MPG figure at the next fill-up. 

It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life.

Click here to get in on the laffs: Sparrow, The Bottom Ten, the funniest books you’ve ever read. We offer 4Ever and Ever access, or cheapskates can purchase books and columns individually. 

On This Date
In 1992 – The Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia votes to dissolve the country into two separate republics, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, effective January 1, 1993. Today both nations retain democratically-elected governments, though the Czechs still retain a measure of state control. Slovakia has a homeownership rate of 90.3%, the third-highest in the world. Czechoslovakia had come into existence in 1918, after declaring its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 

In 1951 – Moe Roberts, 45, a former NHL goalie and the assistant trainer for the Chicago Blackhawks, establishes a new NHL record becoming the oldest player to appear in an NHL game in a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Roberts replaced goalie Harry Lumley for the third period and did not allow a goal. On Dec. 8, 1925, Roberts, then 19, had become the youngest player in NHL history, appearing for the Boston Bruins in a 3-2 win over the Montreal Maroons. Though both of Roberts’ age records have since been broken, he remains the oldest goalie to play in an NHL game. 

In 1967 – Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for its only week. It was the first of two Top 40 hits for the group and remains their only #1 song. The song also went to #1 in Canada and did not chart in Great Britain. Like some other #1 songs, Incense and Peppermints was originally released as the B side of a single, The Birdman of Alkatrash and the group was then known as Thee Sixpence. 

Quotebook
Whatever you saw me do out there, good or bad, was the best I had.
Gordie Howe

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Barry Sanders led the NFL in rushing four times.

Today’s Stumper
Who broke Moe Roberts’ records as the youngest and oldest player in the NHL? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/November 24, 2019
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy

The Sunday Bottom 5
The very best of the very worst of the week that was…

Friends, The Sunday Bottom 5 will return. 

Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow looks with no small amount of scorn upon coupons a local steakhouse brought by the hotel’s front desk. Today’s Diary. 

And the steakhouse isn’t even all that great because it makes you do your own cooking…I am not making that up…I was going to say it’s one of those joints that makes you do your own cooking, but I’d never run into this before…They do good business, tho…Their adverts always show people standing over the grill holding drinks and laughing while their cut of beef turns into a projectilr…I’ve never understood this because one of the reasons you go to a restaurant is because you’re too lazy to cook that night. 

It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life.

Click here to get in on the laffs: Sparrow, The Bottom Ten, the funniest books you’ve ever read. We offer 4Ever and Ever access, or cheapskates can purchase books and columns individually. 

On This Date
In 1917 – Ten people, including nine police officers, are killed when a bomb explodes at a police station in Milwaukee. The bomb had originally been placed in a nearby church and had been delivered to the police building by a concerned citizen. The bomb also killed a civilian who was there to report on some mischief her boyfriend was involved in. The bombers were never caught, and it remained the largest slaughter of police in the US until the 9/11 attacks. 

In 1996 – Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions establishes a new NFL record with his eighth consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season in a 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears. Sanders rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown and would finish the season with 1,553 yards. Sanders would extend the record to ten consecutive seasons, a mark that was later tied by Curis Martin and his now held by Emmitt Smith, who rushed for 1,000 or more yards in eleven consecutive seasons from 1991-2001. 

In 1951 – Cold, Cold, Heart by Tony Bennett is at #1 on Billboard’s Best Sellers in Stores chart – one of several predecessors to the Hot 100 – for the fourth of six consecutive weeks. It was the third chart single for Bennett and his second of three #1s. Earlier, Hank Williams had hit #1 with the song on Billboard’s Most Played by Folk Jockeys chart, one of several country charts published at the time. The song was written by Paul Gilley, who later sold the rights to Williams, which is why Williams is sometimes credited as the writer. 

Quotebook
Perseverance must finish its work…
James 1:4

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
The first Harvard/Yale football game was played on November 13, 1875, a 4-0 Harvard win. 

Today’s Stumper
How many times did Barry Sanders lead the NFL in rushing? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/November 23, 2019
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy

Leading Off
Notes from our human experience…

Friends, we are making some technical adjustments to the site and Leading Off is being given a brief furlough.

Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Mr Technology manages to get music from his player to play in his new ride. 

All right, I tried connecting the old phone via Bluetooth, something I probably should have thought of earlier…This worked, however, the names of the songs and artists don’t display and the only control you have on the screen is moving to another song…If you want to play playlists and whatnot you have to control it from the player which I really want to whine about but there are people living in North Korean prison camps that would love to have this problem…Plus, I remember promising never to whine again after reading in roots about Kunta Kinte being tied up in the hold of a ship lying in his own filth after being captured…I just might look into transferring songs onto a new player, something in step with current technology.

It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life.

Click here to get in on the laffs: Sparrow, The Bottom Ten, the funniest books you’ve ever read. We offer 4Ever and Ever access, or cheapskates can purchase books and columns individually. 

On This Date
In 1992 – The first smartphone, the IBM Simon though then code-named the Angler, debuts at a Las Vegas electronics show. The Simon could send and receive not only texts and emails but faxes as well and generally combined a PDA with a cellphone. The Simon was not available for purchase until the summer of 1994 and sold about 50,000 units and was soon replaced with the flip phone.

In 1968 – Harvard and Yale tie 28-28 in the 85th edition of what is referred to simply as The Game. Yale led 29-13 with inside a minute left when Harvard tied it with two touchdowns and two two-point conversions, which sandwiched an onsides kick recovery. The win inspired a now-famous headline the following day in Harvard’s student newspaper: Harvard Beats Yale 29-29. The 136th edition of The Game will be played today and Yale leads the series 67-60-8. 

In 1974 – Billy Swan is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two consecutive weeks with I Can Help. The song was a huge international hit, going to #1 in 13 other countries including Belgium, Canada and Norway and would later spend two weeks at #1 on Billboard’s country chart. Though Swan had two other Hot 100 hits, and had successful careers as a songwriter and session musician, I Can Help remains his only Top 40 hit. Swan has said he wrote the song in 20 minutes.

Quotebook
We cherish the illusion that vice commands a cunning which virtue cannot rival.
Robert Lacey

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Kenny Rogers has had 21 #1 songs on Billboard’s country chart. 

Today’s Stumper
When was the first Harvard/Yale football game played? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/November 22, 2019
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy

Leading Off
Notes from our human experience…

Friends, we are making some technical adjustments to the site and Leading Off is being given a brief furlough.

Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow, after 17 days with rental/courtesy cars, finally takes possession of his new ride. Today’s Diary. 

The only problem – and this might well have been a deal-breaker had I bothered to check it out beforehand – are the USB and audio plugs on my music player don’t fit!!!…I am not making that up…It fit in the old car, of course, and in the rental, which was the same make, but it didn’t fit in the courtesy car or in the new ride…I have some zero clue why…Well, obviously it’s because the jacks and plugs are different sizes…Duh…But you’d think stuff like this would be standard…On the other hand, standards change and the old phone and cable are, at least, six years old, so maybe I’ll have to upgrade or find some adapters.

It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life.

Click here to get in on the laffs: Sparrow, The Bottom Ten, the funniest books you’ve ever read. We offer 4Ever and Ever access, or cheapskates can purchase books and columns individually. 

On This Date
In 2005 – Angela Merkel becomes the chancellor of Germany, the first woman to hold that office. She was first elected to the Bundestag, the German parliament, in 1990 after a short career as a research scientist. Merkel still serves, sometimes described as the de facto leader of both the European Union and the free world. At 14 years, she is the fourth longest-serving German chancellor. Merkel was born in Hamburg, then in West Germany, and lived for a time in East Germany after her father, a Lutheran minister, accepted a pastorate in a town there. 

In 1956 – The Melbourne Summer Olympics begin, the first Games to be held both in the Southern Hemisphere and outside of Europe and North America. The Games are well known for, among other things, a bloody water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union, who were at war at the time, a match Hungary won 4-0. The Games had actually begun in June, when the equestrian events were held in Stockholm because of Australian quarantine laws. Eight countries boycotted the Melbourne portion of the Games, in protest of three different incidents, though some had participated in Stockholm. 

In 1980 – Lady by Kenny Rogers is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second of six consecutive weeks. It was the 17th Top 40 hit for Rogers and his first of two #1s. The song was also in its only week at #1 on Billboard’s country chart and peaked at #2 in Spain and at #12 in Great Britain. Though Lady spent all six of its weeks at #1 in 1980, due to when it charted it was the third biggest song of 1981. Lady was also the tenth biggest song of the 1980’s and ranked 60th on Billboard’s 60th anniversary Hot 100 last year. 

Quotebook
In the city, people paid to hear other people sing and watch other people feel. Passion has become a spectator sport supported by emotional cripples. Love and suffering were knacks possessed by the talented paid to display their gifts.
Lawrence Sanders
The Third Deadly Sin

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Of the five NBA coaches who have coached in at least 2,000 games, Jerry Sloan has the highest winning percentage at 603. Bill Fitch has the lowest at .460. The others to coach in at least 2,000 NBA games are Lenny Wilkens, Donn Nelson and Larry Brown.

Today’s Stumper
How many #1 songs has Kenny Rogers had on Billboard’s country chart? – Answer next time!

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