Friends, if you’re ready to stop fitting into the slots others have assigned you, then you’re ready for The Life 101 Project.
The Life 101 Project: Start summiting your mountains today.
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The Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/479zxeeh
https://thelife101project.com/
The Daily Dose/July 20, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
“WE COPY YOU DOWN, EAGLE”: Regular readers of this crap know one of the items that we tend to mention every year – either here or in On This Date or, as likely as not, both places – is the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
“Houston…Tranquility Base Here…The Eagle Has Landed.”: Today is the 57th anniversary of Apollo 11’s landing on the Moon and mankind’s first steps on another celestial body. No matter what we humans accomplish over the centuries, the events of July 1969 will always stand as a landmark human achievement.
“That’s One Small Step…”: We’ve long thought this was our species’ finest hour, a line of demarcation separating everything that came before from everything that followed. The invention of gunpowder, the birth of Christ, and the Beatles also fit that description, as well as some others, perhaps, but the list of such days is very short.
“Apollo 11, Apollo 11…This Is Hornet, Hornet, Over.”: It was the culmination of a long national effort, one that began in 1961, when President John F. Kennedy called for Americans to land on the moon and return safely to Earth before “this decade is out”.
USA! USA! America could use a great national effort now. We don’t have one unless you consider partisan bickering a national effort, and we are so far removed from our national path that we haven’t done anything great since Apollo 17 left the Moon in 1972. We have been at war every day since 1989, and we’ve twice elected Donald Trump – an ignorant liar and a man of zero moral or intellectual substance – president.
More USA! USA!: We are a fractured and bickering mess, all of us circling our own individual wagons now, with citizens unable to take “no” for an answer or even handle an opposing viewpoint without escalation to DefCon 1. We no longer listen, we merely wait for a break in a conversation so we can issue our own opinions.
The Bottom Line: We are in our seventh decade of TV and fast food as focal points of American life, and we are paying the price. We are well entertained and well fed, and not much interested in anything that gets in the way of that. We are no longer willing – and perhaps unable – to do anything hard. This is our loss, because this country and this planet are better places when America is on a mission and has a point to make.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow turns down some KFC. Today’s Diary.
Now, after five or six hours, it’s reasonable to throw it out, but it’s not particularly edible after five or six hours, and we’ve already eaten besides…So a lot of food went to waste…
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Of course you would.
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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.
Editor’s Note: Due to time constraints, these entries have run previously.
In 1969 – Human beings walk on another celestial body for the first time when Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon for two-and-a-half hours while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the command module. Apollo 11 was the third mission to reach the moon; in May, Apollo 10 had done everything but land, and in December Apollo 8 orbited the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin spent two-and-a-half hours walking on the lunar surface and were the first of twelve humans to walk on somewhere other than Earth.
In 1984 – Uwe Hohn of East Germany establishes a new world record in the javelin at a meet in East Berlin. Hohn threw 343 feet, 9.75 inches to break the record of 327 feet, 1.92 inches set by American Tom Petranoff in 1983. Hohn’s record lasted until 1986 when track and field officials moved the javelin’s center of gravity forward four centimeters, and the current record is 323 feet, 1.1 inches, done by Jan Zelezny of the Czech Republic in 1996.
In 1959 – Johnny Horton is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Sides chart – for the tenth and final consecutive week with The Battle of New Orleans. The song also went #1 pop in Australia and Canada, peaked at #16 in Great Britain, had earlier spent six weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, was Billboard’s #1 song of the year, and ranked 37th on Billboard’s 60th-anniversary Hot 100 in 2018. It was the first of two country #1 songs for Horton and remains his only pop #1.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
We choose to go to the moon in this decade, and do other things, not because they are easy but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.
John F Kennedy
9/12/62
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
Rome was founded in 753 BC.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Who was the last human to walk on the Moon? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/July 19, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
The Sunday Bottom 5
A ranking of some things.
1. Donald Trump – Thursday’s speech another triumph of idiocy, but what were we expecting???…Trump is an ignorant liar, a man of zero moral or intellectual substance, and we are being governed accordingly…Despite Trump’s blather, American elections are fair…Trump’s two (2) wins were fair, and so was his loss.
2. World Cup – It worked!!!…FIFA’s plan to gouge everyone – host cities, fans, networks – worked like a charm, as quality of play, even with 48 teams was high, with five (5) of the 16 lowest-ranked teams making bracket play…FIFA changing rules because of a call from Donald Trump is still disturbing, but it’s a post-integrity world now, with people content to be merely entertained.
3. Gaylon For Congress…Vote Early, Vote Often – The 3-hole staple…Here’s what Gaylon discussed this week at the campaign: 1) wages won’t rise until Walmart unionizes; 2) low union membership bad for workers and the economy; 3) it is time to end the minimum wage…While no one projecting winners yet, Gaylon starting to put together gracious, inevitable victory speech.
Editor’s Note: Gaylon is the Libertarian Party’s nominee for the US House from Colorado’s 2nd District. Click here to contribute to the campaign.
4. World At War – With US/Iran, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Gaza all headlining on world stage, our planet is about the most violent it’s been since our two (2) world wars…US/Iran remains stupid, Russia/Ukraine remains cruel, Israel/Gaza remains a genocide.
5. Donald Trump Fact Check – Click here for the latest Donald Trump lies and inaccuracies, these concerning election fraud…Courtesy of the AP.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow troubleshoots a phone problem. Today’s Diary.
The phones were accepting incoming calls…You hit the speaker button, and it worked, so you do not have to be Alexander Graham Bell to strongly suspect the problem is with the handset…
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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 64 – The Great Fire of Rome begins, in merchant shops surrounding the Circus Maximus chariot stadium. The fire burned for six days before being brought under control, when it reignited and burned for three more days, ultimately destroying three-quarters of the city. Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the fire, which led to their persecution.
In 1910 – Cy Young of the Cleveland Naps becomes the first major league pitcher to win 500 games in a 5-2, 11-inning win over the Washington Senators in the second game of a doubleheader. Young’s career began in 1890 with the Cleveland Spiders of the National League, and his first win came on August 9 vs Cincinnati. Young would retire in 1911 with a career record of 511-315, both major league records that still stand, and he remains the only pitcher with 500 wins.
In 1997 – Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 are at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the sixth of eleven consecutive weeks with I’ll Be Missing You. The song went to #1 in 15 other countries, including Denmark, Norway, and Great Britain, was in its sixth of eight weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, was Billboard’s 3rd-biggest song of the year, and its 10th-biggest of the decade. It was the third of five #1s for Puff Daddy, and remains the only #1 for Evans and 112. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and honors Notorious B.I.G., who had been murdered the previous March.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
There I stood at the gate of God…drunk but unafraid.
Don Marquis
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
The longest major league game to end in a 0-0 tie is 19 innings, between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers, called because of darkness, on Sept 11, 1946.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
When was Rome founded? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/July 18, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
Leading Off has the day off.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow and Colby go chasing bears. Today’s Diary.
My general policy is to stay away from bears; the circumstances in which we are paid to deal with them will seldom arise…On the other hand, my general policy is to provide backup when asked…
———
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.
Editor’s Note: Due to time constraints, these entries ran in 2022
In 1984 – James Huberty opens fire at a McDonald’s restaurant in San Ysidro, California, on the Mexican border, south of San Diego, killing 20 and injuring 19. It was the deadliest mass shooting in American history at the time, though it only ranks as the eighth now.The incident began a little before 4 pm and ended at 5:17 pm when Huberty was shot by a police sniper.
In 1891 – The longest scoreless game in the history of professional baseball is played when the Fargo Red Stockings and Grand Forks Black Stockings of the Red River Valley League play to a 25-inning, 0-0 tie in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota. Pitchers William Gibbs of Grand Forks and George Raymer of Fargo both pitched complete games, though neither got credit for a shutout because neither team won. The game took 4 hours and 10 minutes, was the second game of a doubleheader, and was only called because both teams needed to catch a train.
In 1986 – Genesis is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with Invisible Touch. It was the 13th of 17 chart singles for the group, their second of seven Top 10 hits, and remains their only #1 song. The song also peaked at #15 in their native Great Britain, went to #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart, and was Billboard’s 54th-biggest song of the year. The song was written by the group, and co-produced by the group and Hugh Padgham.
Some Philosophy Crap
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 Questions
Knowledge is power.
Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King have won the most combined Wimbledon titles with 20 each. Laurence Doherty is the man with the most combined titles, 13.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What was the longest major league game to end in a 0-0 tie? – Answer next time!
The Daily Dose/July 17, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
CAPSULE BOOK REVIEW: Creation, by Gore Vidal: One of reading’s great prizes is rereading old favorites. Every re-read is an opportunity to delve deeper into what the writer was trying to tell you that you weren’t smart enough to get the first (or second or third) time around, and that’s why you’re turning the same pages again.
Dry, Technical Matter: So it is with Creation. We’ve been keeping a quotebook of sayings we want to remember for going on 40 years, and on its seventh or eighth reading Creation is still producing new thoughts for our consideration: things we missed the first and following times around, because we are not the same reader we were years ago.
Shorthand Me: Creation is a historical novel covering roughly the 6th-5th centuries BC. The protagonist is the fictional Cyrus Spitama, a Greek-Persian diplomat who serves Great King Darius and, among other things, travels to India and China, where he meets, among others, Buddha, Lao Tzu, and Confucius. Spitama’s goal is to find how life on Earth began and, despite being the grandson of Zoroaster – the strongest of religious back then – and talking with some of humanity’s great minds, he never does find out.
A Differing Opinion: Not everyone is as thrilled with this book as we are. One malcontent reviewer called it “meandering” and a collection of “incidents, anecdotes, artifacts, and rituals”. What’s funny is that this is not entirely false. Vidal’s research into the customs and mores of the people and the times is – as always – extraordinary, and he wants to show us what he found out. Aspects some find fault with, we’ve always found contributed to an informative and entertaining book.
Get Your Official Daily Dose Rating Scale Right Here: 1- The very best; 2- Very good; 3- Good; 4- OK; 5- A steaming pile.
Final Rating: 1: Gore Vidal is one of the great historical novelists our species has produced, and our subjective opinion notwithstanding, Creation remains a landmark in human letters. It is Vidal coming to terms with his, and our, existence, why we’re here, and how we got here. This is what you pay us writers to do. He didn’t come any closer to finding out than anybody else has, but Creation is well worth any thoughtful person’s time.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow doesn’t understand anything. Today’s Diary.
His briefing, however incomprehensible it was, gave us the chance to look authoritative without actually knowing what in the hell was going on, something yours truly excels at…
———
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 1955 – Disneyland opens in Anaheim for media, invited guests, and a live TV audience. Walt Disney had been intrigued by amusement parks since the 1930s, and his initial plan was to build one next to the Disney studios in Burbank before settling on Anaheim in 1953. The earliest plans for what was then referred to as Mickey Mouse Park are dated 1948, and Disneyland remains the only theme park designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Due to a plumber’s strike, Disney was obliged to choose working toilets over drinking fountains.
In 2017 – Roger Federer of Switzerland establishes a new record for most men’s Wimbledon singles titles won, defeating Maric Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. It was the eighth and final Wimbledon title for Federer, breaking the record of seven done twice, by Pete Sampras and William Renshaw and the record still stands. It was the 19th of 20 major titles for Federer and remains the only Wimbledon final for Cilic, who also won the 2014 US Open.
In 1978 – Andy Gibb is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the fifth of seven consecutive weeks with Shadow Dancing. It was the third chart single for Gibb, his third of six Top 10 hits, and his third and final #1. The song also went to #1 in Canada and Brazil, peaked at #42 in Great Britain, at #11 on Billboard’s soul chart, and was Billboard’s #1 song of the year. Gibb became the first solo act to have his first three chart singles go to #1, a record now held by Mariah Carey with five.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
If the splitter of hairs has a sharp enough knife, the fact of life itself can be chopped into nothing.
Gore Vidal
Creation
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s is the only major league pitcher to lose a 9-inning no-hitter, to the Cincinnati Reds in 1964. In 1967, Steve Barber and Stu Miller did the same thing for the Baltimore Orioles.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
Which male and female have won the most combined Wimbledon titles? – Answer next time!
It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life…
Thursday, July 17
The Night At GHSD
Colby and ol’ Sparrow were busy tonite at the General Hospital Security Department (GHSD)…Leading off was Facilities farting around with the backup electrical system…Facilities Chief Eli (FCE) was there and we ran into him while on our first patrol and he described what was going on in excruciating detail…We are not Mr Electricity, and almost immediately we were showing Eli a palm; we had some zero clue what he was talking about…We asked him to big-picture us and he laffed and said anything plugged into a red outlet would be affected…In a hospital, this is a lot of things – vital things – in case the main power went tits up, and no small amount of coordination was called for…Eli said the whole process shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes, and privately he confided it shouldn’t take even five minutes…As it turned out, the whole process took three.
Friends, The Daily Dose is NOT on hiatus. It will be back soonest.
Click here to read The Diary of a Nobody.
Regards,
