The Daily Dose/February 14, 2025
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience.
YAWN…HERE WE GO AGAIN: You know, we would’ve liked to have been surprised when we saw the headline announcing the State Department would be buying $400 million of those ugly Tesla Cybertrucks from Assistant President Elon Musk’s company.
We weren’t, however, and you probably weren’t either. It’s too bad we weren’t surprised, but governments have been passing out contracts to friends and family since Roman emperors passed out highway contracts to brothers and cousins.
Extra, Extra, Read All About It: The plans were later scrapped as both American media and citizens finally raised enough of a ruckus about one of Trump’s witless actions for the government to withdraw the plans.
Dry, Technical Matter: Exactly why the US State Department – charged with presiding over US foreign relations and policy – requires armored electric vehicles wasn’t immediately clear. Exactly why anyone needs one could result in a rather dull discussion.
We Elected This: This was another example of President Trump’s ignorance, thinking he could overpower everyone and ramrod a $400 million contract for his BFF through. It was ignorant to think it would not become public. It was not ignorant of him, though, to think it wouldn’t be accepted. America, from her citizens to her media, to her Congress, have more less stood by and consented to this nonsense and it was not unreasonable to believe we’d accept this.
The Bottom Line: This wasn’t the first idiocy that Trump has tried to steamroll over us and it won’t be the last. We elected pettiness, vindictiveness, and ignorance, and Trump and company are delivering on that mandate. It’s good to see America, however, stand up and protest enough that the Witlessness of the Day is rescinded.
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow sees someone he knows at the ER. Today’s Diary.
One thing we’ve wondered since we started here was how long it would take to see someone we knew report to the ER…The answer was almost seven months…
———
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 1130 – Cardinals of the Catholic Church, meeting in Rome, elect two popes, Innocent II and, shortly thereafter, Anacletus II. Innocent had been elected by several cardinals shortly after the death of Honorius II, but many cardinals did not support Innocent. Anacletus had control of Rome, forcing Innocent to sail for Pisa before ending up in France. The Catholic Church regards Innocent as pope and Anacletus as antipope.
In 1971 – Richard Petty wins the Daytona 500 with an average speed of 144.462 mph by ten seconds of Buddy Baker. It was the third of a record seven Daytona 500 titles for Petty and was the only 2nd-place finish for Baker to go along with four titles. Petty earned $45,450 for the win, about $375,000 in today’s money and later in the season won the inaugural Winston Cup title.
In 1953 – Theresa Brewer us at #1 in Billboard’s Best Sellers in Stores Chart – a predecessor to the Hot 100 – for the first of five consecutive weeks with Till I Waltz With You Again. It was the sixth of 27 Top 40 hits for Brewer was her second and final #1 song in a chart career that spanned from 1949-73. The song was also at #1 on Billboard’s Most Played by Jockeys and Most Played in Jukeboxes charts.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Voltaire’s politics stemmed partly from a suspicion that many people would be incapable of digesting education even if it were offered them.
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol. X: Rousseau and Revolution
Answer To The Last Trivia Questions
Knowledge is power.
Bruno Richard Hauptman was born in Germany.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
What driver had the longest span between their first and second Daytona 500 victory? – Answer next time!
