The Daily Dose/February 11, 2021
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience.
AND YOU WONDER WHY YOU DON’T GET INVITED TO MORE PARTIES: I’ll tell you what, getting older is generally a pretty good gig. One, we have no choice in the matter, so it’s best to get along in these circumstances and, two, the years offer wisdom and context if you let them. Plus, if you get your rest, drink your water, take some exercise and eat fairly well, you generally enjoy decent health.
But boy, celebrating the 50th anniversary of a personal experience for the first time sort of made us feel old. The occasion was what History refers to as the Sylmar Quake, which happened on February 9, 1971, 50 years ago. It was pretty big, registering 6.4 on the Richter scale.
Dry, Technical Matter: We were five and living with mom and dad at the time and, as we recall, we slept through it, with Mom having to wake me up so we could go stand under a doorway, an established earthquake safety technique of the era, though we don’t think we’d do it now. Later, there was an aftershock and mom decided we were all doomed and took us outside, which was considered risking it because things could fall on you.
Can We Get To The Point Here?: The date, February 9, has always stuck with us, but we’ve never been certain of the year, fixing it as either 1971 or 1972. After establishing it happened in 1971 it actually took us an hour or so to realize this past Tuesday was the 50th anniversary, making this the first experience we’ve had celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Dry, Technical Matter: We also remember the first moon landing in 1969, but we don’t count that because it wasn’t a personal experience, merely something that happened that we saw on TV.
The Bottom Line: The mind can be funny, easily remembering things from long ago while forgetting to put two and two together and reckon it’s the 50th anniversary of something. All right. Nature giveth and sometimes she taketh away. At least it’s not likely we’ll have to worry about being around for the 100th anniversary.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow does some whining. Today’s Diary.
Proof that ol’ Sparrow will whine about absolutely anything – as if more proof was required – can be found in the fact yours truly was whining – pretty loudly – about the local convenience stores being out of my fave microwavable cheeseburgers…
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On This Date
The long march to today.
In 1953 – President Dwight Eisenhower denies all clemency appeals for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who had been condemned following their 1951 conviction for spying for the Soviet Union. Eisenhower cited “the deliberate betrayal of an entire nation” and the Rosenbergs were executed in June at Sing Sing Prison in New York. Though some thought the Rosenbergs victims of Cold War paranoia, Soviet cables decoded after its fall showed their involvement.
In 1982 – Moses Malone of the Houston Rockets establishes a new NBA record for most offensive rebounds in a game in a 117-100 win over the Seattle SuperSonics. Malone had 21 offensive rebounds to break the record of 19 he had established on February 9, 1979. Malone played 20 seasons in the NBA and still holds the record for career offensive rebounds with 6,731.
In 1984 – Culture Club is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second of three consecutive weeks with Karma Chameleon. It was the eighth of ten Top 40 hits for the group, their eighth and final Top 10 song and remains their only #1 hit. The song went to #1 in 14 other countries including Australia, Norway and their native Great Britain, peaked at #67 on Billboard’s soul chart and was its 10th biggest song of the year.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
It’s easy to be independent when you’ve got money. But to be independent when you haven’t got a thing- that is the Lord’s test.
Mahalia Jackson
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
Besides Al Dexter the other two acts credited with being at #1 on Billboard’s first country chart with versions of Pistol Packin’ Mama on January 8, 1944 were Bing Crosby & The Andrew Sisters and Don Baxter.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What was Culture Club’s biggest hit on Billboard’s soul chart? – Answer next time!
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