The Daily Dose/September 23, 2018
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
In The News
The Vatican and China have announced a provisional agreement reconciling a very long dispute over who appoints bishops in China. The countries have not had diplomatic relations since China severed them in 1951 and there are currently two Catholic Churches in China, the one approved by the government and an underground one that answers to the Vatican.
Under terms of the agreement, Pope Francis agrees (rather incredibly it seems, though this can hardly be the first time a pope has done business with dictators) to recognize seven bishops appointed by China. This will put the official Chinese Catholic Church in full communion, as they like to say, with the Vatican. It’s actually a pretty practical move by Pope Francis, about as good a deal as he could expect to get. On the other hand, boy oh boy, Communists have appointed bishops to the Catholic Church, which cannot, is not, going over well with some in the church.
A Vatican official described the agreement as “reciprocal rapprochement”, which appears to be code for “caving in to whatever Communists want” because while the agreement gives the pope future veto authority over Communist-appointed bishops, it says nothing about his being able to appoint bishops to the church he heads. The status of bishops in China that had been appointed by the pope does not appear to have been addressed, either.
Today at the Site
Sparrow has more chaos at the hotel to announce on The Diary of a Nobody, as he faces the harrowing prospect of also morning and afternoon shifts, in addition to his treasured graveyard shifts. Also, he turned on the heater in the lobby for the first time this season.
This is nonsense, of course…Without me, it’s Assistant GM Puja the five days I’m not there, 19 of 21 shifts a week, hours slaves would have dismissed out of hand.
Another quote from the fine Alexander Hamilton biography by John C Miller is featured on The Thought for the Day. Today’s quote concerns aiming high and straining nerves to reach a goal.
…his life seemed to prove that the valorous were the favorites of fortune.
On This Date
In 1806 – The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the US Army Corps of Discovery, returns to St Louis, 863 days after they had left. Like all great explorers, they found what was there, describing in great detail the plants and animals and Indians they discovered. They did not find a water route to the Pacific Ocean, but they did find a trail from the end of the Missouri River to the Columbia River, which took them to the ocean.
In 1908 – The New York Giants and the Chicago Cubs, battling for the National League (NL) pennant, tie 1-1 when the Giants game-winning run is disallowed by the umpires because Giants first baseman Fred Merkle did not touch second base on a base hit that had scored a run. Merkle had been on first base and was required to touch second. The two teams would end the season tied for the NL lead, and the Cubs won the makeup game to win the pennant. History refers to the incident as Merkle’s Boner, which meant something different back then.
In 1972 – Mac Davis has the #1 song on Billboard’s Hot 100 with Baby, Don’t Get Hooked On Me. The song would spend three weeks at #1 and also went to #1 in Australia and on Canada’s country chart, while peaking at #26 on Billboard’s country chart. It remains Davis’ only #1 song anywhere.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Cy Young broke both the major league career wins and losses record that had been established by Pud Galvin. Young’s 366th win (1903) and 311th loss (1911) established the new records.
Today’s Stumper
How many members of the Corps of Discovery died on the Lewis and Clark expedition? – Answer next time!
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