The Daily Dose/April 8, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
HEY, WHERE’D THE SUN GO???: As you may have heard, there is a solar eclipse visible in the US today, with totality cutting a long swath from southern Texas to Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
A Warm, Personal Remembrance: We went through no small amount of trouble to see totality in 2017. It was worth the trip, and if you have an opportunity to catch some totality today, by all means, go and do it: it’s a few unforgettable seconds in a lifetime with billions of them.
Here Comes The Dry, Technical Matter: Though eclipses are predicted with precision now, that hasn’t always been the case. You may find it surprising to learn, however, that the first predicted eclipse came in 585 BC, a time when us humans weren’t entirely certain what caused solar eclipses in the first place. It was predicted by a Greek philosopher named Thales, a zany who probably didn’t get invited to many parties.
Oh Jesus H: The first recorded solar eclipse was chronicled on tablets found in what is now Syria, though it isn’t clear whether it happened in May 1375 BC or March 1223 BC.
This Whole Item Is Dry, Technical Matter, Isn’t It?: Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, which happens about every six months, a period dullards refer to as “eclipse season”. However, because the moon’s orbit is neither a perfect circle and is tilted a few degrees with respect to Earth’s orbit besides, a shadow doesn’t always hit Earth.
See You At The Next One: The next total eclipse will occur in August 2026, with totality in northern Europe and the Arctic. The next one with totality visible somewhere in the Lower 48 will not happen until 2044.
The Bottom Line: Watching the moon completely block out the sun is rather poignant, one of the few experiences on this planet that does not change: today’s eclipse is exactly the same as the one billions of years ago and the same as it will be billions of years from now. If that doesn’t make you feel small and inconsequential for a small while, it should. It’s a feeling as rare as it is good.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has some fun with a guest desperate for a room. Today’s Diary.
Oh, you’re in a bind???…That’s $200 more…
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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it.
In 2002 – Astronaut Jerry Ross, a former Air Force colonel, because the first American to fly into space seven times when the space shuttle Atlantis takes off from the Kennedy Space Center. Ross broke the record of six that had been established by John Young and Franklin Chin-Diaz, the record still stands, with Chin-Diaz later tying it. Ross had first flown into space – on Atlantis – in 1985, retired in 2012, and spent a total of 58 days in space.
In 1974 – Henry Aaron of the Atlanta Braves establishes a new major league record for most career home runs in a 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was Aaron’s 715th career home run breaking the record of 714 established by Babe Ruth from 1914-35. Aaron retired in 1976 with 755 home runs and the record is now held by Barry Bonds with 762. Aaron had hit his first home run on April 23, 1954 for the Milwaukee Braves.
In 1989 – Keith Whitley is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the first of two consecutive weeks with I’m No Stranger to the Rain. It was the ninth of 15 Top 40 country hits for Whitley, his sixth of eleven Top 10s, and was his third of five #1s, all consecutive. The song also went #1 country in Canada and was Billboard’s 7th-biggest country song of the year. Whitely would die a month later, at age 34, from alcohol poisoning.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
There’s no need to struggle against yourself
Deng Ming-Dao
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
Jack Nicklaus won his sixth and final Masters in 1986.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What pitcher gave up Henry Aaron’s 715th home run? – Answer next time!
