The Daily Dose/June 18, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
CAPSULE BOOK REVIEW: A History of the English-Speaking Peoples by Winston Churchill, the abridged, single-volume edition: Most historians are hampered by the fact they weren’t there, but few offer the perspective of someone who has been in the arena like Churchill, who served his country as everything from soldier to prime minister.
Dry, Technical Matter: An interesting contrast is with two other favorite historians, Will Durant and David McCullough. Durant was also a philosopher while McCullough was an academic, a professional historian and all three have insights the others do not. For example, Churchill, perhaps because he never lived an average life, does not fuss too much over how the average person lived like Durant does. And while Churchill offers a compelling, interesting narrative, some may not find it as accessible as McCullough. Like McCullouh, though, Churchill does a good job of focusing on one or two prime players in a given era.
Dry, Technical Matter II: The book starts with Caesar’s invasion of Britain in 55 BC and goes through the end of the Second Boer War in 1902. We would not have objected to Sir Winston continuing his history to include what he had for breakfast the morning of the book’s publication.
Fly In The Ointment: No historian meets with universal acclaim, and so it is with Churchill. A fellow British prime minister said of the book that a better title would be “Things in History That Interested Me.” Fair enough. The Industrial Revolution and some other things are given short shrift, but overall, Churchill did his work well.
USA! USA!: Americans will enjoy his treatment of our founding, the Revolution, and the Civil War, though he glosses over the surrender at Appomattox.
Get Your Official Daily Dose Rankings Right Here: 1 – The very best; 2 – Very good; 3 – Good; 4 – Average; 5 – A steaming pile.
Final Ranking/The Bottom Line: 2. This book did a good job of confirming an opinion we formed while reading a book on European history: that her history is mainly people – and then nations – fighting and then reforming before fighting again. So it is here: the English speaking peoples spend an awful lot of time at war. Specific fans of history will appreciate the book, as will serious general readers.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has a great day in the sack. Today’s Diary.
Recall the past two sleep sessions – both PM cold medicine induced – had not been great and our goal heading into today’s sleep session was to get a good, non-chemically induced rest…Mission accomplished…
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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it.
In 1983 – Sally Ride becomes the first American woman to fly in space, serving as a mission specialist on board Challenger. Ride would fly onboard Challenger the following year and later served on the Rogers Commission, which investigated Challenger’s 1986 explosion. Like virtually every other space feat – except landing humans on the moon, of course – the Soviets did this first, sending Valentia Tereshkova into space in 1963.
In 1989 – Fred Herd of Scotland wins the US Open, shooting a final round 84 to beat fellow Scotsman Alex Smith by seven strokes. It remains the only major title for Herd and was the first 72-hole US Open, the three previous tournaments consisting of either 54 or 36 holes. The USGA required Herd, a known drinker, to leave a deposit for the trophy out of fear he would pawn it for drinking money.
In 1977 – Fleetwood Mac is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the only week with Dreams. It was the fifth of 18 Top 40 hits for the group, their second of nine Top 10s, and remains their only #1 song. The song also peaked at #6 in Great Britain and was Billboard’s 39th-biggest song of the year. Stevie Nicks said she wrote the song in about ten minutes and that initially the band wasn’t all that enthused about recording the song.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
The first thing you felt was that there was a man who spoke honestly about how he felt and was not trying to put something across…(he) made things understandable for the foggiest brain and went to the core of things.
John Toland
Adolf Hitler
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
Glenn Miller is tied with Guy Lombardo and Tommy Dorsey for most #1s on the Your Hit Parade with ten. Dorsey’s total includes two #1s as co-leader of the Dorsey Brothers.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What American woman has spent the most time in space? – Answer next time!
