Daily Dirt for July 13, 2021

by Steve Eighinger

Three thoughts. One day. What a country! All of this in Vol. 5:

1. If you woke up today feeling there was nothing to be thankful for, consider what we were facing a year ago today:

A. We were knee-deep in a pandemic that had cost many of us jobs, friends, relatives and created an incredible — and unwanted — feeling of uncertainty about the future. 

B. Most Americans gathered, as families, around the nightly newscasts that provided us with the daily updates dealing with COVID-19. Most of those updates, if you remember, were often unpleasant.

C. Civil unrest, the worst in many major cities since the turbulent 1960s, was seen coast to coast.

D. The major outlet for many Americans, sports at just about every level (as both participants and spectators), were completely shut down.Sure, things aren’t necessarily great these days — obviously, problems remain — but compared to a year ago at this time it’s much easier to open your eyes in the morning and begin tackling the day ahead.

2. Americans consume an average of 22 pounds of chocolate per year, according to the eatthis.com website. Our favorite choices of chocolate-based confections are:

1. Hershey’s.

2. Reese’s.

3. Snickers.

4. Kit Kat.

5. Twix.

6. Three Musketeers.

7. Milky Way.

8. Almond Joy.

9. Dove.

10. Ghiardelli.

3. I was looking up some of the early musical guests on the first season of “Saturday Night Live” in 1975. How about this for an impressive list?

A. Simon and Garfunkel

B. ABBA.

C. Carly Simon.

D. Gordon Lightfoot.

F. John Sebastian.

Some of the guest hosts that year included: Kris Kristofferson, Raquel Welch, Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin and George Carlin. SNL was such a great show, truly must-see TV. What the heck has happened over the years?