The Daily Dose/August 3, 2019
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
Notes from around our human experience…
BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE THE TRUTH: Our favorite cottage industry nowadays is the fact-checking industry. Though candidate Donald Trump really helped it get its sea legs, politicians for a while now have been rattling off crap from the top of their heads without regard for accuracy. Today, fact-checking is a regular component of America’s day-in, day-out political coverage, from debates to speeches to any other an officeholder or candidate open their mouths.
A Long Time Ago, In An America Far, Far, Away: There was a time when candidates generally made accurate statements when citing facts and figures. Either themselves or, more likely, a junior member of their staff would do some research and if there were mistakes, they were generally made in good faith.
Dry, Technical Matter: That time has passed. Politicians and candidates, refreshingly liberated from accuracy’s pesky obligations, now routinely say whatever’s on the tip of their tongue whether or not it’s even remotely true. President Trump, of course, is the pacesetter here, routinely rattling off statements that are false. Our favorite, and perhaps yours, too, was when he said the moon is part of Mars, which even a smart fifth-grader knows is poppycock.
Running The Numbers: As the 395 candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination have shown, President Trump doesn’t have an exclusive on this, as their debates this week have shown.
They’re doing this, in part, because our media is no longer smart enough to point their errors out. Mostly, though, politicians spew falsehoods because you and me – we the people – continue to tolerate it
The Solution Looks Us In The Mirror Every Morning: Friends, we get the government we deserve. We elect lousy government and we get lousy government. We allow politicians and candidates to spew falsehood, that is what we will continue to get. Guaranteed, every time.
As long as we continue to tolerate this, as long as we continue to listen to them and accept whatever they are choosing to spoonfeed us that day and refuse to hold them accountable, we will continue to be fed falsehoods and outright lies.
Final Answer: Nothing will change until we start demanding better.
Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow is back in the gym. Today’s Diary.
This is still a good workout, of course, but we’ll see if I go back-to-back anymore…That extra five percent makes a difference…I’ve heard more than one coach say that three percent is sometimes the difference between champion and runner-up and my own experience officiating is three percent is usually the difference between the best officials in an association and the merely good.
On the other hand, I’m hardly a champion athlete, just a guy trying to stay strong in his old age, so if I’m able to again I probably will because I’ll tell you what, yours truly is already looking forward to not working out on Saturday…Maybe I’ll get the lawn done.
It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life.
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On This Date
In 1492 – Christopher Columbus, an Italian mariner and explorer, sets sail with three ships from southern Spain on his first expedition to what would turn out to be the New World. Being a white male, of course, he established a precedent by taking some natives captive and enslaving others. Columbus would also visit what is now Cuba, Haiti and the Domincan Republic before returning to Spain early the following year.
In 1852 – America’s first collegiate sporting event is held as Harvard defeats Yale in a rowing race. The second race was held in 1855 and the race has been held more or less continuously since 1864. Even then American college sports was a cesspool, as the event was held in New Hampshire to promote a new resort and both teams featured professionals and other ringers. The race is now held on the Thames River in New London, Connecticut with Yale winning this year’s race, though Harvard leads the series 95-58.
In 1958 – The pre-Hot 100 era of Billboard popular music charts ends, with Hard Headed Woman by Elvis finishing its second and final week at #1 on Billboard’s Best Sellers in Stores chart. All told, 200 songs hit #1 on Billboard’s best sellers chart, which had assorted names since its debut in 1940, a figure that includes double-sided hits and different artists who hit #1 with the same song, but does not include songs that dropped out and then reclaimed the top spot. Billboard’s first Hot 100 chart would be issued the following day, with Poor Little Fool by Rick Nelson at #1.
Quotebook
There is not much sense in setting one’s foot upon the road and not traveling the fullest possible distance.
James Madison
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
The Eagles spent a total of five weeks at #1 with their five #1 songs.
Today’s Stumper
How many voyages did Christopher Columbus make to the New World? – Answer next time!
