The Daily Dose/July 19, 2022
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
THERE YOU GO READIN’ AGAIN: The report by an investigative committee of the Texas House of Representatives on the Uvalde school shooting is out and there are elements of it almost as sad as the tragedy itself.
Oh, Jesus H: The first was the fact that if someone had taken charge and the police had done something, it’s likely, though not certain, that far fewer people would’ve died. But they waited. Almost 400 officers waited an hour.
Oh Yeah: This line was also sad:
…the report amounts to the fullest account to date of one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history.
USA! USA! One of the worst. Not the worst, one of the worst. This is sad because this means there has been at least one other school shooting in this country where more than 19 children – plus two adults and the shooter – have been murdered.
For The Record: In fact, there have been two school shootings with higher death tolls: Sandy Hook in 2012 (28 dead) and Virginia Tech in 2007 (33 dead.).
Dry, Technical Matter: We have mass shootings – in schools, Navy yards, doctor’s offices, you name it – for two reasons. One is because America has violent citizens and she has violent citizens because she has a violent government. Two, the weapons that can slaughter large numbers of people quickly and efficiently are not too difficult to obtain. When these two elements are removed, America will go a long way to reducing mass shootings to the point where they are actually news and not merely a noting of the location and death toll.
The Bottom Line: A hundred years from now, when there are all new people on this planet looking back on the collapse of the US of A, they will look back and wonder why America permitted the wholesale slaughter of her citizens as we have since “going postal” worked its way into the American vernacular in the 1980s. They will wonder why we stood by and did nothing and we will not be able to provide a reason why.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has another hotel first. Today’s Diary.
…we’ve been working hotels a long time and we’ve answered our share of noise complaints, numbers padded by working hotel security in Sin City, but mark well the date, July 18, 2022, because this was the first time we can recall fielding a noise complaint for whistling.
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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it.
In 1969 – US Senator Ted Kennedy crashes the car he is driving into a tidal pond on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts, killing his passenger Mary Jo Kopechne. The two had left a party together and Kennedy later claimed he had gotten lost before his car skidded off a bridge. Kennedy swam free and says he tried to rescue Kopechne but ended up walking back to the party and eventually swimming back to his hotel. Kennedy later received a two-month suspended sentence for leaving the scene of the accident.
In 1920 – Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees establishes a new major league record for most home runs in a season in an 8-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Ruth had two home runs, giving him 31 on the year and his fourth-inning home run off of Dickie Kerr broke the record of 29 he had established last year. Ruth would finish the season with 54 home runs, would hit 59 the following season and 60 in 1927, a mark that stood until Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961 and the record is now 73, done by Barry Bonds in 2001.
In 1980 – Mickey Gilley is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the only week with True Love Ways. It was his 17th of 35 Top 10 hits for Gilley and his eighth of 17 and first of six consecutive #1s. The song also went #1 country in Canada, peaked at #66 on the Hot 100, and in 1965 a version by Peter and Gordon peaked at #14 on the Hot 100 and at #2 in Great Britain. Gilley died this past May at the age of 86.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
I delight to come to my bearings…not to live in this restless, nervous, bustling, trivial Nineteenth Century, but stand or sit thoughtfully as it goes by.
Henry David Thoreau
Walden
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
Genesis has not had a #1 song in their native Great Britain. Their biggest hit was Mama, which peaked at #4 in 1983. It also peaked at #73 on the Hot 100.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What pitcher gave up the most home runs to Babe Ruth? – Answer next time!
