The Daily Dose/March 12, 2020
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience…
IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL: Damn.
The coronavirus and its attendant illness COVID-19 certainly appear to be running away with Virus/Illness of the Year honors. Countries are restricting travel with some in lockdown altogether. Sporting events worldwide are being played in empty facilities or being postponed and, as usual for us humans, there is no shortage of information out there that will tell you what you want to hear, though this item is trying its darndest not to do that.
Every Cloud Has An Adam Silver Lining: The NBA announced Wednesday night it was suspending the remainder of its regular season which is actually good news. The average NBA game is relatively meaningless and we’ve long felt the NBA could routinely abandon one-fifth of its regular-season schedule without complete disruption of the natural order.
NBC Sick As A Peacock: While the upcoming Tokyo Olympics haven’t been canceled or postponed – yet – the NCAA announced Wednesday their basketball tournaments would be played in empty arenas and the Ivy League said it wasn’t even bothering anymore, it canceled its entire spring sports season.
You Make The Call: Prudence, or insanity? We’re not doctors and, thankfully, we’ve never been obliged to play one on TV, but we still think we’re overreacting a bit for an illness that is affecting a small part of the population and has a death rate of less than 4%.
OTOH: Can you really be too careful? The virus is spreading and people are dying. Though China has advised the infection rate in their country is going down, the virus has now been reported in 114 countries and the death toll has passed 4,600.
Dry, Technical Matter: So take precautions. And while we appreciate everyone buying sanitizers and whatnot, but we remain baffled by the toilet paper hoarding.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody: As if more was required, Sparrow receives further proof the government sometimes does not know what it is doing. Today’s Diary.
Mr H said the letter advised his claim was being denied because – and I am not making this up – because he was still in the service!!!…Again, I am not making that up: the VA thought this 60-something-year-old man was still in the Army…The official wording was he “had not completed his active duty commitment” despite the fact he had done so 40 years ago…
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On This Date
Great moments in us.
In 1933 – After a week in office, President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) addresses the nation on radio, the first of his fireside chats as president. (FDR had previously conducted similar radio addresses as governor of New York.) FDR spoke about the bank holiday he had ordered on March 6 and which was due to end the following day. FDR spoke for 13 minutes and 42 seconds and all told delivered 30 fireside chats while president, through June 1944.
In 1974 – Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins becomes the first NHL player to score 100 or more points in five consecutive seasons in a 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Orr had a third period assist and finished the season with 122 points. Orr would extend the record to six seasons in 1974-75, a mark that would later be tied by Mike Bossy and his now held by Wayne Gretzky (13).
In 1966 – Buck Owens is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the fourth of seven consecutive weeks with Waitin’ in Your Welfare Line. It was the ninth of 15 consecutive #1 country songs for Owens, then a country chart record, and his ninth of 20 #1 records overall. The song also peaked at #57 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Quotebook
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
…power, like taxes, succeeds best when it is invisible and indirect. – Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, Vol I: Our Oriental Heritage
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
It’s not who you know, but what you know.
Two members of the group Badfinger, Pete Ham and Tom Evans, wrote the song Without You.
Today’s Stumper
Cheaper than Trivia Night at the bar.
Who holds Billboard’s country chart record for most consecutive #1 singles? – Answer next time!
