The Daily Dose/January 31, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

USA! USA!: Lost in the cacophony of President Trump’s executive order barrage is this bigger-picture thought: 

America is facing its biggest internal threat since the Civil War. 

Get Out Your History Books: Back then, the enemy was ignorance. 

Back To The Future: Today, the enemy remains ignorance. 

Dry, Technical Matter: In the 19th century, ignorance convinced people that keeping fellow humans in bondage was right. Today, it is ignorance that sold people the idea that Donald Trump is qualified to lead our country. 

A House Divided…: There was a time when slavery – now universally condemned – had its defenders, including a vice president of the United States, John Calhoun, who called slavery “a good…a positive good”. 

A House Still Divided: Now, the president of the United States is a convicted felon, a lying, ignorant sexual predator who believes the moon is part of Mars and that the US must possess Greenland. He is ignorance personified and now, because we’ve twice elected him president, America is ignorance personified. 

This Just In: We’ve always felt there was a time when both the US media and citizenry would’ve rejected Trump and ignorance of this magnitude. That time has passed, though and the media embraced Trump. Nevermind he blathered witlessness off the top of his head; Trump meant ratings and clicks, so the media heralded how he was changing the narrative so, instead of dismissing him, they escorted him directly into the primaries, the nomination, and the White House. 

The Bottom Line: Abraham Lincoln once said America could never be defeated from without, only from within. It’s happening now. We are a country that is not only believing the lies Donald Trump tells us, but we are also beleiving the lies we are telling ourselves. We deserve better than this, but we didn’t elect better than this. We elected lies and ignorance; we deserve everything we get the next four years. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

Today’s Diary entry is on the house. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has a leisurely night at the hospital. Today’s Diary. 

In fact, we got so much done when we wandered into the security office (SO) at 0630 we only half-jokingly told Asher that it would be nice to be able to relax and do some security work for the last four hours of the shift…

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

In 1606 – Guy Fawkes and three others are executed for treason for a planned revolt by English Catholics to kill King James I and blow up the House of Lords. The attack had been planned for the Nov 5 state opening of Parliament, but an anonymous letter to a member of Parliament betrayed the plotters and Fawkes, and others, were arrested at the House of Lords, Fawkes guarding a stash of gunpowder. History refers to the incident as the Gunpowder Plot and to this day a ceremonial inspection for gunpowder is conducted before the opening of Parliament. 

In 1901 – The Winnipeg Victorias of the Manitoba Hockey Association (MHA) win the Stanley Cup with a 2-1 overtime win over the Montreal Shamrocks of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) in Montreal to sweep the series in two games. It was the second of three Stanly Cup wins for the Victorias and remains the only Cup loss for the Shamrocks to go with two wins. Winnipeg would lose the Cup following a challenge by the Montreal Hockey Club the following year, with the challenge era ending after the 1913-14 season. 

Editor’s Note: this item first appeared in 2019.
In 1976 – Earth Wind and Fire is at #1 on Billboard’s soul chart – then known as the Hot Soul Singles chart – for the second of two non-consecutive weeks with Sing a Song. The song was the groups second of eight #1s on the soul chart and it also peaked at #5 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Earth Wind and Fire had a total of 19 Top 10 singles on the soul chart between 1974 and 1988

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence – that petty fears and petty pleasures are but the shadow of reality.
Henry David Thoreau
Walden

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Rich Girl was the first #1 song on the Hot 100 for Daryl Hall and John Oates. It spent two weeks at #1 in 1977. 

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

Who was the first team not from Montreal or Winnipeg to win the Stanley Cup? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/January 30, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

Leading Off will return. It’s OK, nothing is going on, anyway.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow is a maniac in the gym. Today’s Diary. 

We’d start with our usual medicine ball twists then 30 reps with the battle ropes and then we’d run (jog) around the basketball court before doing 60 seconds on the spin bike at 60-65 RPMs…Even with the final weight sets being 15-rep failure instead of ten, it was still a hell of a workout…

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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 1968 – In the Vietnam War, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops launch the Tet Offensive against South Vietnamese and US/allied troops in South Vietnam. The offensive was conducted in three phases through September and resulted in a US/South Vietnamese tactical victory, though the North claimed a strategic and political victory. Death totals on both sides are disputed.  

In 1982 – Wilfredo Benitez of Puerto Rico defends his WBC superwelterweight title with a 15-round unanimous decision over Roberto Duran of Panama in Las Vegas. It was the second and final defense of the title for Benitez, who would lose the title to Thomas Hearns in December. Duran would later win the super welterweight and middleweight titles, which followed world welterweight and lightweight titles. 

In 1982 – Daryl Hall and John Oates are at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and soul chart – then known as the Hot Soul singles chart – for the only week with I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do). The song also went #8 pop in Great Britain and was Billboard’s 15th-biggest song of the year. It was the eleventh of 27 Top 40 hits for the duo, their seventh of 16 Top 10 hits and their fourth of six #1 pop hits and remains their only #1 soul hit. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

She’d often observed that people generally lived up to whatever expectations they had of themselves.
Emily Brightwell
The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries 

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Three teams have lost the only Super Bowl they ever played in: the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, the Tennessee Titans, and the Arizona Cardinals. 

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

What was the first #1 song on the Hot 100 for Hall and Oates? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/January 27, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

USA! USA!: The flurry of executive orders signed by President Trump in his first days in office has been enormous. It brings up a couple of thoughts. 

One, what the hell is Congress doing? Many of these measures either revoke laws already passed by Congress or are matters Congress should act on. We can also quibble about whether or not we agree with them. 

Dry, Technical Matter: What you cannot argue with is their legality. The Constitution is very clear on the matter, giving the president full executive power and mandating that he faithfully execute US law, though some of Trump’s orders countermand and do not execute US law. 

Now Hear This: Executive orders are almost as old as the presidency itself, with President George Washington issuing the first one within a few weeks of taking office in 1789. 

Get Your Official Daily Dose Policy Right Here: Still, though, executive fiat is not the way this country is meant to be governed: it is not the purpose of the American government to use executive orders to force-feed specific policies and doctrines down everybody’s throat.  

Fly In The Ointment: Executive orders must be in accordance with both the Constitution and established federal law. Some of Trump’s are not, and the courts are already involved. America may well spend the next four years in court, making us even more hamstrung than our partisan, fractured, and bickering country already is. 

The Bottom Line: We deserve better than this, but we didn’t elect better than this. We elected lies, ignorance, and incompetence, even though we knew better. We deserve everything we get in the next four years. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

It’s Read Free Fortnight at The Diary.

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow goes out to eat. Today’s Diary. 

Our first stop was the Mexican joint where the big news was a whole new crew was there…

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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 2009 – Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is removed from office following conviction in his trial by the Illinois Senate. The Illinois Assembly had impeached Blagojevich in December following a federal indictment on charges stemming from favors solicited while filling a vacant US Senate seat. Blagojevich would later serve eight years in federal prison after conviction on 17 charges and he remains the only Illinois governor to be impeached and removed from office. He was the fifth US governor so removed. 

In 1995 – The San Francisco 49ers win the Super Bowl, defeating the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Miami. It was the fifth and most recent Super Bowl title for the 49ers and remains the only Super Bowl appearance for the Chargers. It was the seventh of a record eleven Super Bowls hosted by Miami and remains the only Super Bowl where the teams played their home games in the same state. The combined ten combined touchdowns remain a Super Bowl record. 

In 2011 – Britney Spears is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the only week with Hold It Against Me. It was the 20th of 24 Top 40 hits for Spears, her tenth of twelve Top 10 hits, and was her fourth and most recent #1 song. The song also went to #1 in five other countries, including Denmark and Finland, peaked at #6 in Great Britain, and was Billboard’s 60th-biggest song of the year. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

The longest way must have its close, – the gloomiest night will wear on to a morning.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Construction on the Panama Canal began in 1881, by the French. This attempt failed in 1889. Construction by the US began in 1904. 

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

How many teams lost the only Super Bowl they have played in? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/January 27, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.

CAPSULE BOOK REVIEW: Paul Revere’s Ride by David Hacket Fischer: One of the treasures of reading is finding out things you didn’t know before on subjects you a little bit about. We are moderately well-read on the Revolution and were pleased to learn many things we hadn’t known before.

Dry, Technical Matter: Paul Revere was an American patriot from Boston who actively supported the American cause by helping organize intelligence and alarm systems that warned patriots of British troop movements. A silversmith by trade, he was 40 at the start of the Revolution and lived 83 useful years. His place in American folklore for midnight ride is both well-earned and a tad exaggerated. 

The British Are Coming: For example, we learned Revere was not the only one riding that night, and he never said “The British are coming”. 

The British Are Already Here: Our favorite tidbit we found concerned Revere getting caught and interrogated by the British while on his midnight ride. Revere was riding with two others when they ran into a British patrol. The other two escaped, but Revere didn’t and likely survived for two reasons: one, he was unarmed, and, two, he told the truth. This included details of the British operation field commanders didn’t even know and was later released, more as a practical matter than anything. 

Fly In The Ointment: Fans of detailed analyses of orders of battle and whatnot will thrill at the in-depth accounts of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Those who, like us, prefer a more big-picture aspect may see their eyes glaze over at times. 

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: 2: Thoroughly and brilliantly researched and personably written, Fischer did his work very well. Everyone from general readers to history buffs to Revolution scholars will enjoy it, and everyone will enjoy getting to know the Americans and British who attended the start of the American Revolution. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has the latest Morning Coffee Service news. Today’s Diary. 

The big news – and it is HUGE – is there are now three – three!!! – water pots for Morning Coffee Service…I am not making that up…

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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 1855 – The American continent is crossed for the first time when the Panama Railway runs between Colon on the Atlantic coast to Panama City on the Pacific coast. The railroad ties were laid initially on pine crossties, which quickly rotted in the jungle and were replaced with a harder wood known as lignum vitae. First-class fare was $25, a bit more than $900 in today’s money, while second-class passage was $10. 

In 1988 – Michael Adams of the Denver Nuggets begins a streak of an NBA-record 88 games with one 3-point basket in a 122-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Adams had three 3-pointers to begin a streak that would not end until Jan 23, 1989. Dana Barros broke the record with 89 in 1995-96 and the record is now 268 consecutive games by Stephen Curry from December 2018 through December 2023. 

In 1978 – The soundtrack from Saturday Night Fever by various artists is at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for the second of 24 consecutive weeks. The album produced eight chart singles and four #1s. The album went to #1 in numerous other countries including Sweden, Norway, and Great Britain, produced eight chart singles and four #1s, and was Billboard’s #1 album of 1978 and its 27-biggest of 1979.  

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…she was saved by the native shrewdness that goes hand in hand with personal ambition.
Ursula Curtiss
Letter of Intent

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

The only explorers to die in space were Soviet cosmonauts Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov, and Viktor Patsayev, who died when their Soyuz 11 capsule depressurized before reentry. 

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

When did construction on the Panama Canal begin? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/January 26, 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 tolerates some blabbing at the hotel. Today’s Diary. 

Boy, Madam Blab was in rare form tonite…She blabbed so much she made the Gabby Chat Vortex (GCV) – itself a credible standard for measuring yappiness – seem like a mausoleum…

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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 1967 – What would later be called Apollo 1 catches fire and kills all three astronauts during a cabin fire during a launch test at Cape Kennedy, Florida. Killed were commander Gus Grissom, plus pilots Roger Chaffee and Ed White. The cause of the fire was an electrical malfunction that rapidly spread due to combustible materials and high-pressure pure oxygen in the cabin. The mission had been scheduled to lift off on Feb 21, and manned Apollo missions were grounded until October the following year. 

In 1991 – The New York Giants win Super Bowl XXV, defeating the Buffalo Bills 20-19 in Tampa. It was the second of four Super Bowl titles for the Giants and their sixth of eight NFL titles. For the Bills, it was the first of four consecutive Super Bowl losses, an NFL record that still stands. It remains the only Super Bowl decided by one point and was the first of two Super Bowls with zero turnovers (SB XXXIV, St. Louis/Tennessee).

In 1962 – Joey Dee & the Starlighters are at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of three consecutive weeks with Peppermint Twist. It was the first of five Top 40 hits for the group, their first of two Top 10s, and remains their only #1 song. The song also peaked at #33 in Great Britain, at #38 on Billboard’s soul chart, and was Billboard’s 25th-biggest song of the year.

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

The cat does not negotiate with the mouse.
Robert K Massie
Peter the Great

Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.

Italy has hosted the Olympics three times: Winter Games in 1956 and 2006, and the Summer Games in 1960. They will host the Winter Games again in 2026. 

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

Who are the only space explorers to die in space? – Answer next time!

Share Gaylon! Go!