The Daily Dose/December 14, 2018
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
In The News
The recent meeting between President Donald Trump, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was hardly surprising, but it was illustrative.
It was not surprising in that it was contentious and unconstructive: there was no reason to expect anything else. Trump was in his usual mood to be a petulant first-grader, hardly the Upset of the Year, we’ve known this is his preferred behavior as long as he’s been in the public eye. We elected him anyway. Trump offers no other options for those dealing with him, continuing to disregard norms for decency, decorum and protocol.
All it really did was illustrate the fact that nothing of substance is going to get done for the next two years. All we are going to get is government as partisan, fractured and bickering as it’s been in the past. We are going to conclude our third consecutive decade at war. Our annual budget deficit and cumulative national debt will continue to be a burden and both these elements will destroy us, probably before this half-century is out. Our country and our government will continue to be a mutual reflection of each other: contentious and divisive. We are working our way towards a time that will make the ’60s look harmonious by comparison and we may well end up the most divided we’ve been since the Civil War.
We can blame incumbents, the media and the lobbyists only so much. To find the real source of our partisan, fractured and bickering government we need to look no farther than the mirror: the fault is ours.
We had an opportunity to do something about it in the recent midterms, but we took a flier on doing anything of substance, re-electing 91 percent of incumbents to the House and 84 percent to the Senate. These numbers are actually a bit less than in years past, but they hardly herald a mandate for change.
We are getting substandard government because we continue to tolerate it. When we choose not to tolerate it any longer, we will demand better. Until then, nothing will change. Us humans tend to resist change and stick with the familiar, even when the familiar is not serving us well and so it is here. Nothing is going to change until you and me – we the people – are willing to take some chances and make some changes at the ballot box.
Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow and The Wife spend an enjoyable day off together, teaming up to clean the kitchen, enjoy a walk together and share a healthy dinner.
Per protocol, I was assigned the task of vacuuming, about the only thing around the house I am good at.
I take this duty seriously, mainly to ensure I am not, as a punitive measure, assigned other duties…
On This Date
In 1911 – Norwegian Roald Amundsen and a team of four others become the first humans to reach the South Pole. They had left their base camp on October 19 and on December 8 passed the 88 degrees, 23-minute latitude mark established by Earnest Shackleton in 1909, previously the farthest south humans had traveled. After arrival, the expedition spent their time determining their exact position and, using Amundsen’s calculations, it was later determined that the expedition had come within 2,500 yards of the actual South Pole, probably not too bad considering the era and the circumstances.
In 1988 – The Miami Heat win their first game in franchise history – after 17 straight losses – 89-88 over the Los Angeles Clippers. Their 0-17 start had established the mark for the worst start to a season in NBA history. The record was tied by the 1998-99 Clippers and the 2014-15 Philadelphia 76ers and the record is now 18, done twice, by the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets and the 2015-16 76ers. The Heat would finish the season with a 15-67 record.
In 1974 – Carl Douglas is at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the second and final week with Kung Fu Fighting. The song was intended to be the B side of a single and was recorded at the end of the recording session in two takes in ten minutes. Kung Fu Fighting also went to #1 on the Billboard’s soul chart and in twelve other countries, including Canada and Great Britain. It remains Douglas’ only Top 40 hit in the United States.
Quotebook
Victory awaits him who has everything in order—luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.
Roald Amundsen
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Elvis Presley had 17 #1 songs on Billboard’s country (11) and soul (6) charts. Of these, five went to #1 on both these and the Billboard pop chart: Don’t Be Cruel, Hound Dog, All Shook Up, (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear and Jailhouse Rock.
Today’s Stumper
What other team began play in the NBA in 1988? –Answer next time!
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