Friends, the columns are taking two or three days off. We’ve got a project working.

Cordially,

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The Daily Dose/February 17, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF AMERICA: It’s happening. The descent of the United States of America – long freedom’s bellwether – into a dictatorship has begun. 

Dry, Technical Matter: Let’s review the signs: President Trump increasingly embracing Russia. President Trump spewing nonsense about how he can break the law if he is saving the country. Vice President Vance all but signing up for a far right-wing German political party. The hiring of Cabinet members whose sole qualification is blind loyalty to the president. 

For Want Of A Nail, A Country Was Lost: People who should know better – you, me, every member of Congress, and the media – are standing by and taking it. Nobody is saying no to a man whose sole goal is to force his ideology down America’s throat, regardless of its merits, lawfulness, or constitutionality. We are letting President Trump do whatever he wants because sane people like us are saying nothing while insanity triumphs. 

Ladies And Gentlemen Of The Jury: When are we going to start saying no, when he cancels next year’s mid-term elections? Or when he refuses to leave the White House when his term expires? You remember the fuss he made when America had the temerity to elect someone else in 2020? He’s already committed treason once, he will find it easy to do it again. Besides, he’s a convicted felon now; he will find it easy. 

The Bottom Line: Next year is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. You and me – we the people – have some work to do if it’s going to mean anything. 100 years from now all new people may well look back on the fall of America and note she fell with the express permission of her citizens. We knew Donald Trump was a witless, lying, convicted felon, and we elected him anyway. We deserve everything we get.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow reports morning coffee service at the hotel is in crisis. Today’s Dairy. 

Morning Coffee Service (MCS) is struggling right now: we are out of both coffee AND hazelnut creamer…

———

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Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1862 – Union forces under Brigadier General Ulysses S Grant capture Fort Donelson in northern Tennessee. The victory opened up the Cumberland River for further Union invasions of the South and made Grant a household name in the North. The battle had begun on Feb 11th and saw 2,691 Union and 13,846 Confederate deaths. Confederate troops were commanded by Brigadier General John Floyd, who before the war had served as governor of Virginia and as US Secretary of War. 

In 1980 – Eric Heiden of the US wins the 5,000 meter speed skating gold medal at Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Heiden’s time was 7 minutes, 2.29 seconds, an Olympic record and was the second of five speed skating gold medals for Heident in Lake Placid. It was the first time gold medals at all five distances (500, 1,000, 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 meters) had been one at a single Games and Heiden remains the only Olympian to win gold medals at all five distances in a career. 

In 1974 – Johnny Rodriguez is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the only week with That’s The Way Love Goes. It was the fourth of 19 Top 10 country hits for Rodriguez and was his third of six #1s. The song was written by Lefty Frizzell, who declined to release it as a single, and in 1984 a version by Merle Haggard went #1 country. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

There is not one of them who, if he chanced to discover the difference between falsehood and truth, would not prefer his own lie to the truth which another had discovered.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. X: Rousseau and Revolution

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Jeffrey Dahmer served in the US Army from January 1979 until March 1981, a time that was during his killing spree. He was honorably discharged.

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

Who is the only man to win three consecutive Olympic 5,000-meter speed skating gold medals? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/February 16, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things.

The Sunday Bottom 5 will return. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow’s gym membership has expired. Today’s Diary. 

…the dumb broad manning the desk said it didn’t come due until March…All right…We thought differently, but she was looking right at the goddamned fucking screen, so the benefit of the doubt was immediately issued. 

———

Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1862 – Union forces under Brigadier General Ulysses S Grant capture Fort Donelson in northern Tennessee. The victory opened up the Cumberland River for further Union invasions of the South and made Grant a household name in the North. The battle had begun on Feb 11th and saw 2,691 Union and 13,846 Confederate deaths. Confederate troops were commanded by Brigadier General John Floyd, who before the war had served as governor of Virginia and as US Secretary of War. 

In 1980 – Eric Heiden of the US wins the 5,000 meter speed skating gold medal at Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Heiden’s time was 7 minutes, 2.29 seconds, an Olympic record and was the second of five speed skating gold medals for Heident in Lake Placid. It was the first time gold medals at all five distances (500, 1,000, 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 meters) had been one at a single Games and Heiden remains the only Olympian to win gold medals at all five distances in a career. 

In 1974 – Johnny Rodriguez is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the only week with That’s The Way Love Goes. It was the fourth of 19 Top 10 country hits for Rodriguez and was his third of six #1s. The song was written by Lefty Frizzell, who declined to release it as a single, and in 1984 a version by  Merle Haggard went #1 country. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

There is not one of them who, if he chanced to discover the difference between falsehood and truth, would not prefer his own lie to the truth which another had discovered.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. X: Rousseau and Revolution

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Jeffrey Dahmer served in the US Army from January 1979 until March 1981, a time that was during his killing spree. He was honorably discharged.

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

Who is the only man to win three consecutive Olympic 5,000-meter speed skating gold medals? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!

The Daily Dose/February 15, 2025
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 and Connie share a laugh at the hospital. Today’s Diary. 

Then, as she is wheeling herself back to the desk, she looks at me suspiciously and wonders aloud – and this was really funny – about how she must take great care not to chew too loudly or else f*cking Sparrow might notify the media…

———

Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1992 – Mass murderer Jeffrey Dahmer is sentenced to 15 life terms by a judge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dahmer had pled guilty by insanity earlier, and a trial had determined that he had been sane at the time of the murders. Dahmer was later extradited to Ohio where he pled guilty to another murder, and was beaten to death in a Wisconsin prison in November 1994. 

In 1936 – Great Britain wins the ice hockey gold medal at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Winter Games in a 0-0 tie with the United States in the final game of the final round of pool play. Canada took the silver medal, and the US earned the bronze medal. It remains the only ice hockey gold medal for the British, who last participated in Olympic hockey in 1948. It was the first of four silver medals for Canada and remains the only bronze medal finish for the Americans. 

In 1986 – Sade is at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the first of two consecutive weeks with Promise. The album also went to #1 in five other countries, including Finland and Great Britain, peaked at #4 on Billboard’s Jazz Albums chart, was in its third of eleven weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Soul Albums chart, and was the magazine’s 8th-biggest album of the year. It was the first of two #1 albums for the group and produced two chart singles, including the Top 10 hit The Sweetest Taboo.  

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…for when manners decay the nation decays with them.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. I: Our Oriental Heritage

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr had ten years between his first and second Daytona 500 victories, at ten years. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

What branch of the service did Jeffrey Dahmer serve in? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/February 14, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

YAWN…HERE WE GO AGAIN: You know, we would’ve liked to have been surprised when we saw the headline announcing the State Department would be buying $400 million of those ugly Tesla Cybertrucks from Assistant President Elon Musk’s company. 

We weren’t, however, and you probably weren’t either. It’s too bad we weren’t surprised, but governments have been passing out contracts to friends and family since Roman emperors passed out highway contracts to brothers and cousins. 

Extra, Extra, Read All About It: The plans were later scrapped as both American media and citizens finally raised enough of a ruckus about one of Trump’s witless actions for the government to withdraw the plans. 

Dry, Technical Matter: Exactly why the US State Department – charged with presiding over US foreign relations and policy – requires armored electric vehicles wasn’t immediately clear. Exactly why anyone needs one could result in a rather dull discussion. 

We Elected This: This was another example of President Trump’s ignorance, thinking he could overpower everyone and ramrod a $400 million contract for his BFF through. It was ignorant to think it would not become public. It was not ignorant of him, though, to think it wouldn’t be accepted. America, from her citizens to her media, to her Congress, have more less stood by and consented to this nonsense and it was not unreasonable to believe we’d accept this.   

The Bottom Line: This wasn’t the first idiocy that Trump has tried to steamroll over us and it won’t be the last. We elected pettiness, vindictiveness, and ignorance, and Trump and company are delivering on that mandate. It’s good to see America, however, stand up and protest enough that the Witlessness of the Day is rescinded.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow sees someone he knows at the ER. Today’s Diary. 

One thing we’ve wondered since we started here was how long it would take to see someone we knew report to the ER…The answer was almost seven months…

———

Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1130 – Cardinals of the Catholic Church, meeting in Rome, elect two popes, Innocent II and, shortly thereafter, Anacletus II. Innocent had been elected by several cardinals shortly after the death of Honorius II, but many cardinals did not support Innocent. Anacletus had control of Rome, forcing Innocent to sail for Pisa before ending up in France. The Catholic Church regards Innocent as pope and Anacletus as antipope. 

In 1971 – Richard Petty wins the Daytona 500 with an average speed of 144.462 mph by ten seconds of Buddy Baker. It was the third of a record seven Daytona 500 titles for Petty and was the only 2nd-place finish for Baker to go along with four titles. Petty earned $45,450 for the win, about $375,000 in today’s money and later in the season won the inaugural Winston Cup title. 

In 1953 – Theresa Brewer us at #1 in Billboard’s Best Sellers in Stores Chart – a predecessor to the Hot 100 – for the first of five consecutive weeks with Till I Waltz With You Again. It was the sixth of 27 Top 40 hits for Brewer was her second and final #1 song in a chart career that spanned from 1949-73. The song was also at #1 on Billboard’s Most Played by Jockeys and Most Played in Jukeboxes charts. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Voltaire’s politics stemmed partly from a suspicion that many people would be incapable of digesting education even if it were offered them.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. X: Rousseau and Revolution

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Bruno Richard Hauptman was born in Germany. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

What driver had the longest span between their first and second Daytona 500 victory? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/February 13, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

THE DAY IN TRUMP: President Trump’s blitzkrieg on our government continues with attacks Wednesday on both a free press and the courts. 

Extra, Extra Read All About It: The White House barred the Associated Press from an Oval Office event because the AP has the temerity to continue to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as such and not as the Trump-mandated Gulf of America. 

Oh Yeah: Then the White House press office declared that the courts are the problem and are the ones causing a constitutional crisis, and not Trump’’s executive orders, some of which are in violation of the Constitution and established federal law.  

Stop Us If You’ve Heard This Before: The purpose of a presidential executive order is to help him administer established federal law. There is no legal basis for an executive order to establish new policy and courts are right to step in when this is tried. 

LOL: How do these people keep a straight face? The idea of keeping the Associated Press from an Oval Office function for any reason is ludicrous. To keep them out for not complying with Trump’s witless renaming of the Gulf of Mexico is intolerable. To start pestering the courts because they aren’t marching in step is the first step to trying to eliminate them. 

The Bottom Line: We elected this. We elected, pettiness, vindictiveness, and ignorance so lets not act all shocked when that’s what we’re getting. Trump’s complete disregard for anything other than his own ignorant worldview is as in character as it is dangerous. The next four years of bluster, ignorance, and blather may well spell the end of the American experiment if we don’t start paying attention. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow stops reading a book midway through. Today’s Diary. 

This book, however, is boring…We have no idea why, either: we’ve been reading dull biographies of this sort for decades – hell, we write this – and the subject and the era are right up ol’ Sparrow’s alley…

———

Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1935 – Bruno Hauptman is convicted of kidnapping and murdering the baby of Charles and Anne Lindbergh by a jury in Flemington, New Jersey. Charles Linbergh, Jr. was 20 months old when he was kidnapped from the family home in March 1932 and his body was found on May 12. Hauptman came under suspicion after spending some of the ransom money, part of which was found in his garage. Hauptman was executed the following May. 

In 2022 – The Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Los Angeles. It was the second Super Bowl title for the franchise and their first while in Los Angeles, and was the third Super Bowl loss for the Bengals. Both teams were the fourth seed in their conference, marking the first time the game had been played without one team being seeded at least third. The Rams became the second team to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium, following Tampa Bay the year before.  

In 1982 – Eddie Rabbit is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the only week with Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight. The song also went #4 country in Canada, peaked at #15 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and was their 45th-biggest country song of the year. It was the tenth of 16 #1 country songs for Rabbit, who died at age 56 of lung cancer.

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

Almost nothing great has ever been done in the world except by the genius and firmness of a single man combating the prejudices of the multitudes.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. X: Rousseau and Revolution

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Besides Sonja Henie, the other woman to win consecutive Olympic figure skating gold medals is Katarina Witt in 1984 and 1988. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

Where was Bruno Hauptman born? – Answer next time!

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