The Daily Dose/February 11, 2020
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience…
DRY, TECHNICAL MATTER: Further evidence that the Earth is warming faster than we should probably feel comfortable with came last Friday when the highest temperature ever in Antarctica, 64.9F, was recorded at Esperanza Base, an Argentinian research station on the northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula
FYI: Esperanza Station is about 650 miles southeast of the southern tip of South America, which is a continent immediately south of North America, where the United States is located.
Let’s Hear It For Dry, Technical Matter: The new record is 1.5 degrees warmer than the old record, established only five years ago. This is a fairly substantial increase, especially for an area that is often frozen. a scenario that has people smarter than us worried because the rate of warming in Antarctica is higher than the global average and glaciers are disappearing.
FunFact: The highest temperature ever recorded at the South Pole is 9.9 degrees, on Dec 25, 2011.
Not-So-FunFact: A complete melting of the Antarctic ice pack would see sea levels around the world rise approximately ten feet.
More Dry, Technical Matter: Esperanza Station is only one of two permanent settlements on Antarctica. It was settled by Argentina in 1953, a few years before a treaty banning all national claims on the continent was signed. The other settlement is a Chilean settlement on some islands a bit north of Esperanza.
Uh, Is There A Point To This Item?: No, not really. We found it interesting and thought you might, too.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow goes to the ER. Today’s Diary.
I decided to do something about my earwax buildup after the VSO…
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On This Date
Great moments in us.
In 1937 – What History refers to as the Flint Sit Down Strike ends at a General Motors (GM) plant in Flint, Michigan, with GM recognizing the United Auto Workers (UAW). The strike started on Dec 30, and also resulted in a 5% pay raise for GM workers, the first contract between the UAW and an automaker. The UAW had a peak membership of 1.53 million in 1979 and today represents about 390,000 working members and more than 600,000 retirees.
In 1973 – The Philadelphia 76ers establish a new NBA record for most consecutive losses, losing their 20th straight game in a 108-90 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The 76ers broke the record of 19 they had established earlier in the season, a streak which dated back to the previous season. This record has been broken several times since and is again held by Philadelphia, who lost 28 straight games over the course of two seasons, from march 2015 until December 2015.
In 1967 – Are You Lonely For Me by Freddie Scott is at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Hot Rhythm and Blues Singles chart – for the first of four consecutive weeks. The song was the second of seven Top 40 hits on the soul chart for Scott and the song also peaked at #39 on the Hot 100. It remains Scott’s only appearance at #1 on any Billboard chart. After his chart career ended, Scott wrote advertising jingles and did some acting while continuing to perform. Scott died in 2007 at age 74.
Quotebook
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
I loved…above all the sense the author himself was having a wonderful time, writing something he thoroughly enjoyed. – Louis L’Amour, Education of a Wandering Man
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
It’s not who you know, but what you know.
The NCAA Division I team that has played the most games is the Kansas Jayhawks, who have played 3,156 games. The Washington State Cougars are second with 3,144.
Today’s Stumper
Cheaper than Trivia Night at the bar.
What song spent the most weeks at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart in 1967? – Answer next time!
