Friday, December 31, 2010

NEW YEAR'S EVE 2010

As another year comes to a close, many people will be out and about tonight celebrating.
The Free Choice E-zine hopes all involved parties responsibly so that 2011 can begin as bright and shiny as possible.

AN INTERESTING WAY TO CELEBRATE

While many television stations will be running marathons and specials tonight to attract the attention of those staying home on New Year's Eve, BBC America has found a most interesting and unique way to celebrate the passage of time.
Tonight they will be counting down towards the New Year with a Doctor Who marathon, ending at midnight with the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) regenerating into the current/Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith.

2010 turning into 2011.
Get it?

If interested, check local listings for times and channels.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

IN MEMORIUM 2010

As another year draws to a close, while best and worst of everything lists are compiled by others, The Free Choice E-zine continues it annual tradition of pausing to briefly look back and remember those that are sadly no longer with us.
While unfortunately we cannot post the whole list; amongst our family, friends, and loved ones; as well as those within law enforcement, medical/emergency services, and the military who lost their lives helping and/or protecting others during 2010, we have also lost...

ACTORS
Tom Bosley: Happy Days, The Father Dowling Mysteries
Maury Chaykin: Dances With Wolves, My Cousin Vinny
Gary Coleman, Different Strokes
Robert Culp: Demon With A Glass Hand; I, Spy; Greatest American Hero
Tony Curtis: Some Like It Hot, Spartacus
John Forsythe: Bachelor Father, Charlie’s Angels, Dynasty
David Froman: The Edge Of Night, Mattlock
Buddy Gorman: Bowery Boys/Dead End Kids
Peter Graves, Mission: Impossible, Airplane! Biography narrator
Dennis Hopper, Easy Rider, Speed
Andrew Koeing, Growing Pains
Steve Landesberg: Barney Miller, Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Art Linkletter, Kids Say The Darnest Things
James MacArthur: original Hawaii 5-0, Swiss Family Robinson
Kevin McCarthy: Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Twilight Zone: The Movie
Leslie Nielsen: Forbidden Planet, Airplane! Police Squad/The Naked Gun movie series
Fess Parker, Davey Crocket
Meinhardt Raab, The Munchkin Coroner in The Wizard Of Oz
Pernell Roberts: Bonanza, Trapper John MD
Virgilio Teixeria: Return of the Seven, Fall of the Roman Empire
James Wall: Stage Manager, Mr. Baxter on Captain Kangaroo

ACTRESSES
Barbara Billingsley, Leave It To Beaver
Dixie Carter, Designing Women
Ina Clare, EastEnders
Jill Clayburgh: Silver Streak, Semi-Tough, Bridesmaids
Lena Horne: Stormy Weather, The Wiz
Rue McClanahan, The Golden Girls
Shirley Mills, The Grapes Of Wrath
Patricia Neal, Hud
Ingrid Pitt: Vampire Lovers, Countess Dracula
Denise Borino-Quinn, The Sopranos
Lynne Redgrave: Tom Jones, Of God and Monsters
Zelda Rubenstein, Poltergeist
Gloria Stuart: The Invisible Man, Titanic
Helen Wagner, As The World Turns
Gloria Winters: The Life of Riley, Sky King
Lorene Yarnell of Shields and Yarnell

ATHLETES/SPORTS
Sparky Anderson, American baseball player/manager
Bennie Briscoe, boxer
Walt Dropo, American baseball
Eric Hill, cricket
Bill Jones, International football/soccer
Ken Lehman, American baseball
George Steinbrenner, owner of New York Yankees American baseball team
Artie Wilson, American baseball

CREATIVE PERSONNEL
Aron Abrams, producer: Everybody Hates Chris, King of the Hill
Alex Anderson, animator who did character designs for most of Jay Ward’s characters (Rocky and Bullwinkle, etc.)
Peter Andry, record producer
Douglas Argent, TV producer (Fawlty Towers)
Stephen J. Cannell: The Rockford Files, A-Team, Greatest American Hero
Art Clokey, creator of Gumby and Davey and Goliath
Leo Cullum, cartoonist for The New Yorker
Jimmy Dean: country music singer, actor, business man
Blake Edwards, movies including The Pink Panther series and Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Mike Esposito, comic book artist/inker
Frank Frazetta, artist/painter
Dick Giordano, comic book artist/inker
Dino De Laurentiis, film producer: Barbarella, Scorpio, Red Dragon/Hannibal Rising
Irvin Kershner, director: The Empire Strikes Back, Never Say Never Again
Carl Macek, anime adaptor/producer: Robotech, Captain Harlock for America
Jim Marshall, noted photographer
Peter O’Donnell, creator/writer: Modesty Blaise
Robert B. Parker, author: Spenser, Jesse Stone, Sunny Randall, Virgil Cole
Harvey Pekar, American Splendor
Arthur Penn, director: Bonnie and Clyde
Aaron Ruben, TV producer: The Andy Griffith Show, Sanford and Son
J. D. Salinger, author: The Catcher In The Rye
Furio Scarpelli, screenwriter: Casanova 70, Il Postino
Erich Segal, author: Love Story, Yellow Submarine screenplay
William Self, TV producer: Batman, Lost In Space, Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea
Takeshi Shudo, creator of Pokemon
Joseph Stein, playwright: Fiddler On The Roof, Zorba
Allen Swift, voice actor: Simon Bar Sinister, Riff Raff, Diver Dan
Janine Pommy Vega, poet
Al Williamson, comic book artist
David L. Wolper, producer: North and South, Roots, The Thornbirds

ENTERTAINERS
Fred Foy, radio and television announcer (The Lone Ranger)
Mitch Miller, bandleader
Charlie O’Donnell, radio and television announcer (Wheel of Fortune)
Charles Reynolds, magician
Agathe Von Trapp, of the Von Trapp family, whose life story was the basis for The Sound of Music

HISTORIC
Geraldine Doyle, inspiration for Rosie the Riveter from World War II
Walter Hauessermann, rocket scientist
Nestor Kirchner, President of Argentina 2003-2007
James F. Neal, Watergate prosecutor
Paul the Octopus, accurate results predictor of 2010 World Cup
Thomas C. Peebles, isolated and identified measles virus
Kermit Tyler, a pilot who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor

MUSICIANS
Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) rocker
Slim Bryant, country singer/songwriter
Bus Byok, fiddler
Larry Dale, blues singer/guitarist
Doug Fieder of The Knack
Eddie Fisher, crooner
Marvin Isley of The Isley Brothers
Ted Kowalski of The Diamonds
Billy Maddox, drummer
Jack Parnell, drummer
Trudy Pitts: jazz organist, pianist, and vocalist
John Sekula, guitarist
Mississippi Slim (Walter Horn, Junior) blues singer
Carl Smith, country singer/songwriter
Billy Taylor, jazz pianist and composer
Bernard Wilson, singer with Harry Melvin and the Blue Notes
Tom Winslow, folk artist
Ali 'Ollie' Woodson of The Temptations

NOTE: All categories and the names within them are alphabetical.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

HAPPY KWANZAA

For those of our readership who observe the week long festival honoring the principles of life that begins today: HAPPY KWANZAA!

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES: DECEMBER 26, 2010

Hello Everybody. Ms. Waxy Dragon and Autumn the Puppy both have the holiday weekend off to share with their respective families.
So I'm afraid it's just you and me: Lee Houston, Junior, Editor-In-Chief of The Free Choice E-zine.
But that doesn't mean you will go completely joke less today. Both Autumn and Waxy left me some gags to relate to you.
Hope I don't mess this up.
Anyway...

What do you call the fear of getting stuck while sliding down a chimney?
Santa Claus-trophbia.

What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas time?
Sandy Claws.
Why does Santa Claus go down the chimney on Christmas Eve?
Because it soots him.

What can you give away and still keep?
A cold.

Why do giraffes get Christmas gifts every year?
Because they are such good animals that they'll stick their necks out for anyone.

Why did the elf push his bed into the fireplace?
He wanted to sleep like a log.

What did the briefcase salesman say to all his customers?
Valise Navidad!

What do elves learn in school?
The Elf-abet!

Why does Scrooge love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
Because every buck is dear to him.

What do you call a bunch of grandmasters of chess bragging about their games in a hotel lobby?
Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.

How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas?
Fleece Navidad!

Aw geez, I was worried about messing those up?
But before we go, on behalf of the entire Free Choice staff, I would like to thank all our readers for their continued patronage to this website.
Whatever aspect of this time of year you celebrate, may it be the best it's ever been and we look forward to serving you now and in the years to come.
So we'll see you next weekend for the start of a new year and more Sunday Funnies!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

For those amongst our readership who celebrate today, The Free Choice E-zine wishes you and yours the Merriest of Christmases!

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: DECEMBER 19-25, 2010

As some of us pause to celebrate Christmas, let's take a brief look at some of the events that have occurred around the globe this past week.

*President Barack Obama has signed into law the United States' repeal of its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy from the Clinton Administration. Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Bidden theorizes that some day same-gender marriages might become totally accepted by society, while pundits and critics believe there will be new issues and challenges on the horizon of same sex couples' rights because of the repeal.
*Toyota has agreed to pay the United States over $32 million US dollars because of its (mis?)handling of car recalls this past year. Over 10 MILLION vehicles were recalled between 14(!) separate events.
*On the WikiLeaks front: The United Nations is looking into allegations that the United States is torturing one of their own soldiers to determine if he leaked classified material to the website.
*Nigeria has withdrawn all corruption charges against Halliburton and Dick Cheney after the company agreed to a $250 Million U.S. dollar out of court settlement.
*North Korea is allegedly prepared to wage a 'sacred' (nuclear?) war against South Korea.
*Larry Palmer better not pack his bags for Venezuela just yet. Because of disagreements over his opinions of their military, that country has vowed to deport him if he is named the United States new ambassador.
*It may be a double royal wedding next Spring as the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips has announced her engagement to Mike Tindall.
*Initial reports of the data from the 2010 United States Census show that America's population was 308,745,538 as of April 1 of this year.

For more news at any time, either scroll down to our IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen, or visit any other reputable news source.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: DECEMBER 25, 2010

We hope all our Free Choice E-zine readers who choose to celebrate today are having the Merriest Christmas they possibly can.
And for your puzzle enjoyment, here is a little quiz featuring all those beloved holiday classics produced by the Rankin-Bass studio.

Can you match the Narrating Host to their special?
Note: Since not every narrator was actually a character within the story, some of them either appeared as "themselves" or did not actually appear on screen at all. And the possibilities in both lists are presented alphabetically.

THE NARRATORS            THE SPECIALS
a. Fred Astaire                        01. Frosty The Snowman (1969)
b. Shirley Booth                      02. Frosty Returns (1992)
c. Jimmy Durante                    03. Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976)
d. Greer Garson                     04. The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
e. Andy Griffith                       05. Jack Frost (1979)
f. Buddy Hackett                    06. Nestor, The Long Earred Christmas Donkey (1977)
g. Burl Ives                             07. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
h. Roger Miller                        08. Rudolph's Shining New Year (1976)
i. Red Skelton                         09. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1970)
j. Jonathan Winters                 10. The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974)

We'll unwrap and open THE ANSWERS BOX to reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's see what the results were from the December 18 Puzzle Corner.

COMMON BONDS
01. Frosty The Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer were both first recorded by Gene Autry.
02. Eartha Kitt and Madonna have both recorded Santa Baby, although personally I think Ms. Kitt purred it better.

REBUS

NOEL. Because alas, no matter how festively decorated our tree looks there is NO L.

Friday, December 24, 2010

YES VIRIGINA, EVEN TODAY...

"Is there a Santa Claus?"
Although the story is more commonly recounted during the Christmas season, the famous response of then New York Sun editor Francis Pharcellus Church to eight year old Virginia O'Hanlon's historic inquiry first appeared in the September 21, 1897 edition of that newspaper; whereupon Mister Church categorically stated beyond all doubt that there is indeed a Santa Claus.
The question has since gone on to be presented and pondered in other media, including various adaptations of the Virginia story and the tale known as Miracle on 34th Street.
The Free Choice E-zine concurs with Mister Church's original response, but would like to humbly add the following addendum for more modern times:

While much has happened in the world and to our understanding of it since that more simpler time of little Virginia's original inquiry, Mister Church's perception of skepticism is still as accurate today as it was then.
It is sadly all too easy to lose that sense of wonder and awe any Human being initially possesses upon their birth. Those are very precious commodities that are quick to disappear as we grow older if we are not careful.
The belief in anything is a question of faith, and although that is an enigmatic subject mostly associated with religions, it is by no means restricted to them alone.
It is faith, as much as love, gravity, etc.; that makes the world go round.
But there are so many different religions in the world, each with their own beliefs and followers, and while some share similar perspectives on many issues, all believe that theirs is the "one" way.
Yet theological debates come and go. Sone religions have gone as far as to change their tenets and edit their respective tomes from time to time. Wars and terrorism have even been conducted in 'holy' causes.
So isn't it interesting that the concept of Santa Claus transcends global boundaries and cultures?
Father Christmas, Pere Noel, Christkind, Juelmanden...
There are as many different names for him as there are countries upon this world we all share that express the same belief in him.
But this is by no means a suggestion that a belief in Santa Claus should replace any religion.
Santa Claus first and foremost should always represent the ideals of peace and good will to the masses during this time of year, no matter how much commercialism some try to add on. There have been too many attempts to "cash in" on this icon, which risks diluting the intended message.
And it is within those lofty beliefs of peace and good will, along with love and hope, that each and every one of us should strive to achieve and pass on not just today, but always, to better this world so that our children, and the generations yet to come, can be.
THAT is why Santa Claus has existed in the past, does exist today, and will still exist tomorrow.

As you spend this holiday with your family and loved ones dear readers, remember that it is not what you receive, but that which you already have in your hearts that makes the season truly special.
After all, there is no age limit to believing...

An Editorial by Lee Houston, Junior; Editor-In-Chief of The Free Choice E-zine.

Monday, December 20, 2010

(BELATED) SUNDAY FUNNIES: DECEMBER 20, 2010

Hello Everybody. Ms Waxy Dragon here.
My apologies for posting this week's Sunday Funnies on Monday, but my flight back from the North Pole this weekend took longer than I thought it would.
Boy, are my wings tired!
I had to stop several times along the way to rest and get de-iced.
A good hot mug of cocoa always did the job.
How Santa Claus manages to travel the whole world in just one night in a sleigh full of toys with nine (counting Rudolph) reindeer is beyond me.
Now granted, he works with the setting sun, going from east to west to buy himself some time, but still...
THAT is a long trip!
Just think, it took Phineas Fogg 80 days to do it according to Jules Verne, and that guy wasn't even stopping at every house delivering presents to all the good boys and girls around the globe either.
But why did I go to the North Pole, you ask?
Because Santa Claus thinks I've been a BAD little dragon, but I haven't!
Over the past year, a rainbow colored dragon has been raiding a lot of chocolate factories, but it wasn't this rainbow colored dragon.
Besides, I don't know how all those empty chocolate wrappers wound up in my trash cans. HONEST!
So I flew up to the North Pole, under my own power I might add, which is quite an accomplishment for a baby dragon; and pleaded my case before the jolly big guy in the red suit himself.
I hope he believed me. I believe in him.
Of course some of those chocolate factories are really mad about their goodies getting stolen.
Especially the ones that make Belgosian dark.
Hmmm.... choc-o-late....
Oh, excuse me. Anyway, come Christmas morning, I might wind up being like the kid who got batteries for Christmas with a note that said "Toy not included".
But I met Mrs. Claus while I was up there. Did you know her first name is Mary?
What? You haven't heard of Mary Christmas?
Well, that is her maiden name.
Anyway, me and Mary got along real good. I hope she puts a good word in to her husband for me. I'd hate to wind up with coal in my stocking this year. Considering where it comes from, that lump might be some long lost ancestor of mine I didn't know about!
While I was there, I also got to attend the Snowball. It was a lovely dance. Or at least all the snow people there tell me it usually is. For some reason they got mad whenever I tried to turn up the heat in auditorium.
But now I'm back and like all the other children around the world hoping that Santa visits me Christmas Eve.
Yet I know that even if I don't get any presents this year, he will still have to stop by.
I left one of my mittens at the North Pole and he has to return it.

I hope everyone has the merriest of holidays, and hopefully the next Sunday Funnies will be on time.
Take care everyone.-wd.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: DECEMBER 12-18, 2010

Amongst the events that have happened around the world this past week:

*South Korea has postponed its latest scheduled military exercises after North Korea threatened a "nuclear" response if they were conducted.
*A tax bill of compromises has been passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law with mixed reviews from both supporters and critics alike.
*The widow of suspected Bernard Madoff accomplice Jeffry Picower has returned over $7 BILLION (U.S. Dollars) to be refunded to the victims of that infamous ponzi scheme.
*Legal action has been initiated by the Obama administration in hopes of making back some of the governmental expenditures from clean up efforts of the British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
*In the WikiLeaks saga: Bank of America will no longer be handling any financial matters for the organization while Julian Assange is out on bail pending trial and in house arrest pending trial on two counts of alleged rape.
*After passing both houses of the United States Congress, a bill to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy started during the Clinton Administration will be going to President Barack Obama for approval.
*While no actual sales figures will be released until after the holidays, retailers are concerned about the growing trends that consumers are not only passing up on big ticket purchases for more practical items as Christmas presents, but they are preferring to buy only what they can afford using cash instead of credit.
*Time magazine has declared Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg its 2010 Person of the Year.

IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:
*Larry King retired his CNN nightly talk show this week. Piers Morgan will begin hosting a new program in that time slot starting this January.
*On the holiday special front, this is the tenth anniversary of Grandma Got Runned Over By A Reindeer, despite the fact that the song has been with us since 1979; and the 40th anniversary of the Rankin-Bass special Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

For more news at any time, just scroll down to our IN OTHER NEWS feature or visit any reputable news source.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: DECEMBER 18, 2010

We're still celebrating the Christmas season with some more specially themed puzzles.

COMMON BONDS
Each subset has something in common. Do you know what it is? Hint: Think Music!
01. {Frosty The Snowman, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer}
02. {Eartha Kitt, Madonna}

REBUS
Something familiar is represented in the image to the left. Do you know what it is?

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX, and discover the results of our FAMOUS FIRSTS' CAROL QUIZ. And remember, we were looking for the tunes first appearance this time, not who sang it first. Ready?
01. White Christmas actually first appeared in the 1942 movie Holiday Inn with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas first appeared in the 1944 movie Meet Me In Saint Louis with Judy Garland.
03. Silver Bells first appeared in the 1951 movie The Lemon Drop Kid with Bob Hope.
04. We Need A Little Christmas was first declared in the Broadway musical Mame! featuring Anglea Landsbury in the title role.
05. Christmas Time Is Here was the opening musical number in A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES: DECEMBER 12, 2010

Hello Everybody! Autumn the Puppy here.
It was supposed to be Ms. Waxy Dragon's turn this week, but she said something about having to fly to the North Pole to convince Santa Claus that she really has been a good dragon, despite all the reports about raiding chocolate factories and other things that she isn't supposed to do.
So while unfortunately I'm not as prepared as I would like to be, let's see what I can dig up this weekend.

It's been raining like crazy all day. I've been cooped up in the regular people house all day, apparently driving all the humans crazy because I have nothing to do. Well, since they won't let me behind the steering wheel of their cars, this dog license I have must allow me to drive something.

Are slugs just snails with a housing problem?

Should a math book seek counseling because it has a lot of problems?

A witness, tired of trying to testify, turned to the judge and said, "I swore to tell the truth. The whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Yet every time I open my mouth one of those lawyers objects!"

Why do sharks avoid eating lawyers? Out of professional courtesy.

Is a dogwood tree's bark really worse than it's bite?

Well, I just looked out the window and discovered that it's been raining so much, my dog house just set sail! I better go catch it before it floats away.
Luckily I can swim.
After all, I certainly can dog paddle.
In any event, I hope everyone has a much nicer, or at least drier week than I am, and we'll be back next weekend with more Sunday Funnies! -AtP.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

NEWS THAT MAKES YOU THINK: JOHN LENNON

AN EDITORIAL.

From time to time, events happen that need more space than what can be originally allotted upon this website, hence taking a closer look at some of them here.

*JOHN LENNON: 1940-1980
What can be said here that hasn't been elsewhere?
That the world lost a good man that fateful night of December 8, 1980 is obvious.
That his loss to his family, friends, and the music world is immeasurable.
In many ways, Lennon was a voice of a generation and a voice that spanned generations.
One can only wonder what his opinions would have been on some of the more key historic events since his passing, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the War on Terror.
What compositions and other creative endeavors he might have undertaken in those years since will sadly never be known.
His assassin, who shall remain nameless, is still in prison. Although repeated denied parole, he will eventually have completed his sentence and be released.
One can only wonder what the world will be like for him upon that day. The rest of the populace knows what it's like for us.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: DECEMBER 5-11, 2010

Amongst the events that have happened around the globe this past week...

*President Barack Obama is trying to work with Congress to establish a tax package everyone can agree with., but attempts to compromise with Republicans angers his fellow Democrats, and trying to address their concerns makes the Republicans unhappy.
*A decision by the United Kingdom's Parliament to increase university tuitions has sparked some serious reactions from students, including some local rioting.
*The WikiLeak saga continues, including: the website being forced offline again, its founding head Julian Assange being arrested on suspicion of rape, and an attempt to seize the organization's financial assets as some government agencies seek to take legal action against the website. Meanwhile, another group only known as "Anonymous" has been coming to WikiLeak's defense in various instances even as classified documents continue to be made public around the world.
*Former Vice-President of the United States Dick Cheney was officially charged by a Nigerian court in regards to a bribery scam when he was an executive at Halliburton.
*Mark Madoff, son of convicted investment banker Bernard Madoff, was found dead in his New York City apartment Saturday. While suicide is suspect, authorities are currently investigating.
*Attorney Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former Presidential candidate John Edwards, has lost her battle with cancer.

IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:
*Singer Aretha Franklin is fighting pancreatic cancer.
*This month marks the 45th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas, and sadly, the 30th anniversary of the world losing John Lennon.

For more news at any time, feel free to scroll down to the IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen or check any reputable news source.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: DECEMBER 11, 2010

Our Christmas season celebration continues with some more holiday themed fun.

FAMOUS FIRSTS>The Christmas Song Edition
Below is a list of some famous holiday songs. We are not asking for who sang them first, but where they first appeared.
01. White Christmas
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
03. Silver Bells
04. We Need A Little Christmas
05. Christmas Time Is Here

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's open THE ANSWERS BOX and see the results from December 4's Puzzle Corner.

REBUS
Peace on Earth

TRIVIA TIME
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was first created as a Christmas mascot for the now defunct Montgomery Wards department store chain, but "the most famous reindeer of all" has since taken his place amongst the canon of the season.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES: DECEMBER 5, 2010

Hello Everybody! Autumn the Puppy here, and look at what I've dug up for you fine folks this weekend.
I thought I'd share some more funny photos with everyone. You can click any image for a closer look.
First up: Now I'm sure everyone has heard of Pegasus, the flying horse, but did you ever hear about this?
What is it?
Glad you asked!
This is actually a picture of a gazelle being chased by a goose, but given the photographer's camera angle and the position of the subjects at the time, it actually looks like the gazelle has wings!  Of course everyone knows that the ONLY animal that flies without wings are Santa's reindeer.

Now for our next contestant.
Everyone wants to obey the law, or at least most of us do, and part of that is heeding traffic signs.
But in this situation, WHICH of the two signs on the same post are you supposed to heed?
Then again, my owners would love to be wherever this photo was taken, because look at what the price of gasoline was way back when!

Unfortunately, it is far from the first time something like this has happened on the road, although you always hope it will be the last.
Yet this must have been one too many for whoever is in charge of the emergency message board.

That's all for this weekend folks! Have a great week, stay warm!
And be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!
Atp.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

NEWS THAT MAKES YOU THINK: DECEMBER 4, 2010

AN EDITORIAL.

The following is the latest installment of an occasional feature that takes a closer look at some of the things that have happened around the world this past week when necessary.

*Presented without comment: there is a very interesting article here http://yearinreview.yahoo.com/2010/blog/8246/most-expensive-votes/ about the money some candidates spent in the last election versus the actual results.

*Meanwhile, the state of California is struggling to overcome a serious (Six BILLION dollars!) budget deficit, yet it continues to buy/lease transportation for its legislature!

The Free Choice E-zine's comment:
Most people have to provide/find their own transportation to work and are happy just to get an assigned parking space! At best we consider ourselves lucky to find a parking space close to the building on bad weather days.
Obviously they should cancel the program and sell the vehicles immediately. Such actions won't totally resolve their budget crisis, but it won't hurt the problem either.
You can read more about this here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101203/ap_on_re_us/us_california_legislative_vehicles

*The outgoing Congress is currently arguing over whether or not to extend tax credits. The Republicans swear that unless the Bush Administration cuts to the rich are extended, they will take no action on anything, which risks not only any other business before Congress between now and January 2011, but would end the current tax cuts to the middle class December 31 if they are not extended.
Now obviously the Republicans do not speak for everybody, especially this group: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20101119/ts_yblog_theticket/millionaires-to-obama-tax-us

The Free Choice E-zine's comment:

BRAVO!

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2010

Amongst some of the events that have happened around the world this past week:

*European Union financial ministers have been overseeing Ireland's economic recovery. While various loans/funds have been made available to avoid any immediate problems, a long term solution is still being sought.
*North Korea threatened 'all out war' if South Korea continues joint military exercises with the United States, including the possibility of using nuclear weapons. Meanwhile South Korea is still protesting the North's recent actions, including the bombing of the inhabited Yeonpyeong Island. Representative from Japan and South Korea will meet in Washington DC to discuss the matter.
*Despite being attacked by a computer hacker and warned it will be endangering lives by doing so, WikiLeaks has released more 'classified/secret' documents. Amongst the leaked material: China allegedly considers North Korea a 'spoiled child' and acknowledges reunification efforts of the two sides under South Korean rule are 'gaining ground'; a previously unknown friendship between the prime ministers of Italy and Russia; and United States diplomats were allegedly ordered to spy during their various assignments if such actions could be safely conducted. Meanwhile, fallout from these new releases include Amazon cutting off all customer access to WikiLeaks, the website having to switch servers due to 'cyberwarfare', and a look into possible legal action against the organization.
*Nissan has started selling "The Leaf", its first mass market electric car.

IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS...
*Actor Leslie Nielsen (Forbidden Planet, Airplane! The Naked Gun) has passed away at age 84.
*Director Irvin Kershner passed away at age 87.

For more news at any time, just scroll down to the IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen or access any reputable news source.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: DECEMBER 4, 2010

The month of December 2010 finds us with four Saturdays, including Christmas Day. So I thought we would use the space this month to celebrate the holidays and hopefully find the true spirit of the season, instead of the preciou$ one the retail industry is always searching for.

To wit:

REBUS
Something most everybody wants is represented by the image below. Do you know what it is?

PEACE
EARTH

TRIVIA TIME
This holiday icon has overcome his origins as a shill for a now defunct department store chain and taken his place amongst the stories and fables of holiday canon. Do you know who it is?

We'll have the answers for you next weekend. But for now, let's peek into THE ANSWERS BOX and see the results from our TV SHOW INTRO QUIZ from last weekend.

01. "You unlock this door with the key of imagination." Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone.
02. "He awoke to find himself trapped in the past." Quantum Leap.
03. "But in that darkness, fate moves its huge hand." Believe it or not, that line is from the first season opening to The Fugitive with David Jansen.
04. "We travel through time to help history along." Voyagers!, a good science-fiction series that unfortunately only lasted the 1982-83 TV season.
05. "To seek out new life and new civilizations." Star Trek, whether it be The Original Series, The Animated Series, or The Next Generation. The other series (to date): Enterprise, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine did not use the classic intro.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

HANUKKAH 2010

For those amongst our readership who celebrate the Festival of Lights, The Free Choice E-zine wishes you and yours a HAPPY HANUKKAH!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

MASKED GUN MYSTERY # 2 NOW AVAILABLE

Okay, I freely admit that it's shameless plug time once again.
The second issue of Pro Se Productions' Masked Gun Mystery is now available at both the company's own website (http://www.proseproductions.com/) or the printer's (http://www.lulu.com/).

Look at that great cover by noted comic book artist Norm Breyfogle!

And inside are more pulse pounding pulp style detective, crime fiction, and noir stories than you can shake a stick at!

*"The Compassion Play", An Aloha McCoy Story by Ken Janssens
*"Clean Up in Aisle Six" by Aaron Smith
*"The Scarlet Courtesan of Sovereign City" by Derrick Ferguson
*"Staying Dead", a Tale of Virgil by C. William Russette
*"The Gray Ghost and the Lighthouse Murders" by Bill Craig
*"Imprints" by Joshua Allen
*"Crime of the Arts: Part 2," by Erwin K. Roberts (Robert E. Kennedy)
*"On The Edge of A Hero", the debut of The Rapier by Don Thomas
*The latest chapter asking "What Is The Fate of Gary Wooten?" by Fuller Bumpers and John Palmer IV
*This issue also previews: "The Rook, volume 6 - The Scorched God" by Masked Gun Mystery's editor Barry Reese, AND
*"Shortages", the latest Hugh Monn, Private Detective mystery by yours truly.

Hope you like everyone's hard work on this issue and all Pro Se Productions.

Monday, November 29, 2010

CYBER MONDAY 2010

Today is the retail industry's self created day of hype in counterpart to the ominous "Black Friday" for those who prefer the comfort of shopping at home and avoid the inconvenience of getting up in the middle of the night to find 'bargains'.
Depending upon the web site and its server, you may experience some delays trying to complete your transaction(s).
Whether these events are working out to the retail industry's advantage remain to be seen. No numbers from this year's Black Friday have yet to be released as this post is created, and cyber-shopping has been steadily increasing for years now despite the self manufactured desire.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES: NOVEMBER 28, 2010

Hello Everybody! Ms. Waxy Dragon here, and boy am I stuffed.
I definitely overate (again) on Thanksgiving.
Usually I just overindulge in rich dark Bulgosian chocolate. But it was nice to be able to sit down with all my dragon friends and just hang out for a while this past Thursday.
Of course my eating habits are nothing compared to theirs! There are a couple of turkey farms that are VERY thankful that Thanksgiving only comes once a year.
But I think this does prove my point. Not all dragons think Humans are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. Of course the bigger ones in the dragon clan that do feel that way about Humans always complain about having difficulties getting their prey out of those suits of armor. After all, have you ever tried to eat canned food when it was still in the can? We're dragons, not goats.
Anyway, since technically we're at the end of the holiday weekend, I thought I'd share some Thanksgiving themed jokes with you.

What do turkeys say in outer space?
"Hubble, Hubble, Hubble."

Why did the Pilgrims want to set sail in the spring?
Because April showers bring may flowers.
And of course, if April showers bring may flowers, what do may flowers bring?
Pilgrims.

How do turkeys travel?
Bird class. Although they have wings, turkeys can't fly!
"Really? I swear, as God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!" Arthur Carlson, Station Manager, WKRP In Cincinnatti.

Is it true you can't take a turkey out in public because they use such fowl language?

Why do a Pilgrim's pants fall down?
Because for some reason they wear their belt buckles on their hats!

What did the mother turkey say to her naughty son?
"If your father could see you now, he'd turn over in his gravy!"

What kind of music do Pilgrims like?
Plymoth Rock.

What would be the best instrument for a turkey to play?
The drums, because he has the sticks for it. Drumsticks, get it?

Well, unfortunately we've reached the end of another Sunday Funnies.
Oh, now you applaud!
But before I go, just how do you dispose of the leftovers properly?
I mean, I've got more turkey in my refrigerator right now than I'll be able to eat between now and Christmas!
These birds are going to haunt me for weeks!
I don't have to worry about turkey ghosts, do I?
Please tell me there is no such thing as a poultrygeist.
Does anyone know the number of a good exorcist? Or at least Colonel Saunders recipe line?

Take care everyone. Have a good week and we'll be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies.-wd.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER 21-27, 2010

Amongst events happening around the globe this past week:

*Tom DeLay, former Republican House of Representatives Majority Leader, was convicted this past week of money laundering and conspiracy to launder money, but plans to appeal the court decision.
*The World is keeping an eye on North Korea. First they unveiled a new uranium enrichment facility. Then a military "exercise" resulted in firing live missiles at South Korea's inhabited Yeonpyeong Island, killing at least two civilians. South Korea has since suspended humanitarian flood aid to North Korea while beefing up its border patrols, and the United States Navy has moved ships into the area for a previously scheduled exercise with the South Korean Navy.
*Quantas Airlines is returning its fleet of Airbus A380 planes to service after declaring them safe. The fleet was previously pulled from use after an accident involving one of the planes.
*Prince William and Kate Middleton are scheduled to tie the knot Friday April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey.

IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS...
*The King Features Syndicate (Bettle Bailey, Dennis the Menace, Mutts, Zits, Popeye, Blondie, etc.) celebrated its 95th anniversary this month.
*Since their long awaited debut on ITunes just this past week, the Beatles' Hey Jude has become the most downloaded track from their library.
*After the successful movement to get Betty White a shot at hosting Saturday Night Live!, a gig for which she won an Emmy this year, there are now (separate) groups actively seeking similar opportunities for legendary comedian Carol Burnett (which I completely understand and support) and the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street.

For more news at any time, feel free to scroll down to the IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen or visit any other reputable news source.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: NOVEMBER 27, 2010

Another weekend is upon us, and you know what that means puzzle fans! But between Thanksgiving and the pressure to "Buy, BUY, BUY!" coming from retailers, I thought it best to take it a little easy on everyone this go around.
So can you name the TV show these famous opening lines came from?

01. "You unlock this door with the key of imagination."
02. "He awoke to find himself trapped in the past."
03. "But in that darkness, fate moves its huge hand."
04. "We travel through time to help history along."
05. "To seek out new life and new civilizations."

Tune in next weekend and find out if you're right. Meanwhile, let's peek into THE ANSWERS BOX and see the results from November 20's Puzzle Corner.

TRIVIA TIME
According to the song (and I played the track on the Songs You Know By Heart CD THREE times to confirm this), Jimmy Buffet is "not too particular, not too precise" but a Cheeseburger in Paradise includes: bun, "a huge hunk of meat" cooked medium rare, onion slice, lettuce, tomatoes, mustard AND Heinz 57 sauce; served with french fried potatoes, a kosher dill pickle, and a cold draft beer.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
From the letters in the word THANKSGIVING, one can spell: a, ah, an, as, at, gain(s), giant(s), gait, gas, giving, gnat(s), hag(s), has, hat(s), having, Hi (and acceptable short form of Hello), his, hit(s), I, in, inn(s), is, isn't (the contraction of is not), it, its, it's (short for it is), king(s), kin, kit(s), knight(s), knit(s), nay, night(s), sag, saint, sat, sin, sink, sit, sink, tan(s), tank(s), than, thank(s), thin(s), think(s), this, 'Tis, vain, AND visit.
Other words besides the 67 listed above might be possible.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

"BLACK FRIDAY" 2010

An Editorial.

The Friday after Thanksgiving each year is the start of the Christmas shopping season. Many years past, there was no such thing as "Black Friday", so named because a lot of stores open so early that the sun has not even begun to rise in the East.
I can even remember a time when THE earliest a store ever opened was 7 am. Now one chain is scheduled to open at 10pm Thanksgiving night. Establishments that already do business around the clock are scheduled to begin their sales at midnight Friday morning;with the earliest I personally have heard of any other retail establishment opening for business being THREE AM Friday morning!
Folks, I don't know about you, but I seriously thing this concept is getting a bit out of hand!

In any event, to those either brave or foolish enough to go out before the sunrise, I wish you a safe journey.
To those whose employers have them work on this Black Friday, you have my sympathy.
To those establishments who hope to cash in on this event, I wish you well, but still think there has to be a better way to earn an honest living.

And as for myself, I will be nestled all snug in my bed while everyone hunts bargains and the unknowns in the night they do dread.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2010

To all our readership who celebrate this time together, either despite or because of all the trimmings and trappings associated with the holiday: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

And now, a poem for the day by Victoria Pagac...

Time For Thanks Giving
Leaves fallen on the ground everywhere
Tables set with their best silverware
Parades matching down streets
Football on the TV as the family eats
Pies in the oven and turkeys filled with stuffing
Its time for Thanksgiving and the family I'll be hugging!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES: NOVEMBER 21, 2010

Hello Everybody! Waxy Dragon here!
Being just a three year old baby dragon, some people think I don't know everything I should about life.
But I do!
I know Thanksgiving is coming up. And while everyone is thinking turkey with all the trimmings along with all the other good things associated with the holiday, let's talk about something that isn't connected with the celebration.
COWS.
Yes, you heard right.
Cows.
Now not to make an udder disgrace out of myself, but I do know that cows are a part of most humans' daily lives between contributing to dairy products and providing good meat.
But have you ever thought about it from the cows' perspective?
I mean, there you are just sitting in a field minding your own business and the next thing you know...

I heard an awful joke that went along the lines of: "Why do they call it PMS? Because the name mad cow disease was taken."
Yet if you were a cow and you knew how your life was going to end, wouldn't you be mad too?
Thankfully, except for a few dumb knights and kings, dragons don't have that problem.
But if anyone ever did try to put me on their dinner menu, I do know some of my older and meaner relations still believe that humans are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
Yet why can't we all just get along?
Cows go to the mooo-vies too.
Cows don't give you any bull.
When they get the hiccups, cows give milkshakes.
You've never heard a cow howling at the moon like some dogs and wolves do. They may try to jump over it, but they never howl at it.
In the end, all I'm asking is that everyone try to take a page out of the cows handbook of life and try to love one an udder.

See you next weekend with more Sunday Funnies!
wd.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER 14-20, 2010

*NATO met this week to discuss the War in Afghanistan and other concerns. Amongst the topics is wondering whether a complete withdrawal in that region is possible by 2014.
*When the new Congress takes session in January, Democrat Nancy Pelosi will become House Minority Leader while Republican John Boehner the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.
*Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced their engagement. Details and an exact date for the wedding are pending.
*MSNBC has now suspended Joe Scarborough for contributing to political campaigns too.
*Facebook has announced that it will soon be able to provide e-mail service to its subscribers, with all e-addresses ending with @facebook.com
*The Better Business Bureau is under investigation for allegedly offering preferential treatment to select members.
*The existence of a planet previously undiscovered has been confirmed. Its current designation is HIP 13044b.

IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS...
*Actor Wesley Snipes will soon be serving a three year prison sentence on his recent tax conviction.
*The remaining Beatles and their legal representatives have finally come to terms with an arrangement to release the entire musical catalog on ITunes, bumping the release of Bruce Springsteen's new album off the musical headlines in some areas.

For more news at any time, just scroll down to the IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: NOVEMBER 20, 2010

Another weekend is amongst us puzzle fans! You know what that means.

TRIVIA TIME
According to his song, what does Jimmy Buffet consider a Cheeseburger In Paradise?

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
The holiday is almost upon us, so how many words can you make out of the letters in THANKSGIVING?

We'll have the results for you next weekend. But now, let's peek into THE ANSWERS BOX for the results of November 13's Puzzle Corner.

FAMOUS FIRSTS
The first person ever to have their picture on a box of Wheaties cereal was "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy" in 1934. Granted he's a fictitious character, but the company was sponsoring his radio program at the time.

LOONEY LYRICS
"Hold me closer Tony Danza" should actually be "Hold me closer Tiny Dancer" by Elton John.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES: NOVEMBER 14, 2010

Hello Everybody. Autumn the Puppy here!
And look what I've dug up for you this weekend!

Now I'm sure everyone is familiar with the concept of "Chia Pets", whereupon you plant grass seeds upon some piece of Terra Cotta statuary and watch it grow to simulate hair or fur on whatever the object is.
But would you believe that Joseph Enterprises, the company behind the Chia line of products and other things has developed a line of "Chia Presidents" within their "I'm Proud To Be An American" line?
IT'S TRUE! You can see for yourself at http://www.chia.com/
In all honesty, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, it's one thing to grow fake fur upon a pretend animal, or even to raise chia grass as fake hair on a small bust of Elmer Fudd, Shrek, or some other bald cartoon character. Yet why the Chia people have never gotten the commercial license for The Joker or some green haired anime characters is beyond me. After all, Bugs Bunny briefly gave Elmer green hair during "The Rabbit of Seville" and if Shrek did have hair, green seems the natural color for it to me.
But to grow that same chia "hair" on either George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, the Statue of Liberty, or current President Barack Obama?
I'm just shaking my head over that one and wondering if my dog collar is too tight.
Well, three of the four subjects represented in the line are in no position to say anything, and who am I to gainsay the President of the United States if he has no opinion on the matter.
Of course the guy does have far more important things to contemplate anyway than a statuette with green "hair".

Meanwhile, a few Sunday Funnies ago were posted some funny signs. Now while they didn't send any images, Free Choice E-zine readers have sent in their recollections of signs past, including:
Posted outside a hotel: "Help! we need Inn-Experienced people."
Inside a music store's entrance: "Bach in a minuet."
On a maternity clothes shop window one September: "We are open Labor Day."
And this one was once in a podiatrist's window: "Time wounds all heels."

Well, I hope everyone had a good chuckle or two while reading this post, and we'll be back next weekend with more Sunday Funnies. Have a great week everybody!-AtP.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER 7-13, 2010

*After seven and a half years in prison, Myanmar pro democracy supporter and Nobel Peace Prize Laurette Aung San Suu Kyi has been released from jail.
*After engine problems that kept the ship adrift at sea without any electrical power, the cruise ship Carnival Splendor has finally made it back to port.
*Unfortunately, the cholera epidemic in Haiti continues, worsened by the recent strike by Hurricane Tomas.
*United States President Barack Obama continues his current foreign relations tour, with a recent visit to Japan.
*From our Connecticut correspondent: While Republican Tom Foley has conceded the Governor's race to Democrat Dan Malloy, state and federal officials are still investigating the incidents that led to the electoral problems to begin with. More on this story as it develops.
*Was a ground to air missile actually launched off the California coast Monday night? That's what authorities are investigating, with no results officially announced at this time.
*In England, Queen Elizabeth II has established a Facebook page, but the "poke" and "befriend" functions have been disabled.
*Retailers are trying to get consumers into a shopping mood prematurely with "early bird specials" and "pre-Black Friday" sales, although the Christmas shopping season does not officially start until the Friday after Thanksgiving.

IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS...
*Noted film producer Dino De Laurentiis passed away at age 91.
*Conan O'Brien has started hosting his new late night talk show on the TBS cable network, and so far is allegedly beating Jay Leno in the ratings game.

For more news at any time, just scroll down to our IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: NOVEMBER 13, 2010

Okay enigma fans. I think I took it too easy on you folks last weekend, so let's see how well you do with these new puzzles.

FAMOUS FIRSTS
Who was the first person to ever appear on a box of Wheaties cereal?

LOONEY LYRICS
Sometimes we mishear things, so what should the following song lyric actually be?

"Hold me closer Tony Danza."

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's peek into THE  ANSWERS BOX for the results of November 6's  Puzzle Corner.

COMPLETE THE LINE
The cat had: "a shot of rye".

COMMON BONDS
The answer to everything is Hoyt Axton. Having recently acquired a CD by the late singer/songwriter, I was just in a mood for some good music while I was creating last weekend's puzzles.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

VETERANS DAY 2010

Once known as Armistice Day, today is the day the United States of America has set aside to pause and honor those within the various branches of our military, both past and present, who have served during times of war and periods of peace.
They are members of the Army, Air Force, and Navy. The Marine Corps who celebrated their 235th anniversary yesterday. The National Guard and Coast Guards, etc.
But there are more than the ones who serve America.
Those within England, France, Spain, South America, and so many more countries than I have the room to list here, who have done their duty for both their respective countries and the world.
If you have the opportunity to do so, thank a veteran, whether they are currently active in the service or not.
Thank them for the freedoms and liberty you enjoy today, and the ones your children and future generations will enjoy tomorrow.

A public service message of The Free Choice E-zine.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

DID YOU FALL BACK TODAY?

Hey everyone! Your favorite baby dragon Waxy here!

For those who had to:
Did you remember to set your clocks back one hour before you went to bed last night?
If not, guess you were pretty early to wherever you went this morning.
Daylight Savings Time ended last night, so everyone in the United States is now back on Standard Time.
Not sure what you did with the extra time, but I slept for part of it and am saving the rest to eat lots of chocolate later!
Of course being a baby dragon, my lifestyle is not for everyone, but I hope you had a great day anyway.

Take care!-wd.

A public service message of The Free Choice E-zine.

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES: NOVEMBER 7, 2010

Hello Everyone. Autumn the Puppy here, and look what I've dug up for you this weekend.

LET'S HAVE FUN WITH GOOGLE MAPS!

Now before we begin, this program and any global positioning service are serious and valuable tools to prevent people from getting lost, but then again, a computer (program) is only as good as the person who wrote it.
Of course us dogs never get lost. We have an excellent sense of smell and direction. We might not always come when you call, but at least us canines are not lost.

While checking out the Google Maps program for an obedience school project, I accidentally put in Japan as 'Point A' and China as 'Point B', instead of looking for the individual maps.
Anyway, as curious as I am, I went ahead and pushed the 'Get Directions' button. The program did its duty and soon appeared a detailed set of instructions in regards to how to traverse between the two spots.
BUT (and you knew there had to be one) as I read the results, I was amazed by Step 43, and this is a direct quote: 43. Jet ski across Pacific Ocean, 782 km.

Can you believe it?
At first I thought this was a fluke, so I tried it again with a similar request.
The directions between Honolulu, Hawaii and Anchorage, Alaska had this as Step 12: Kayak across the Pacific Ocean to Washington State, 2756 miles.

Kayak? I guess the jet ski was busy going between Japan and China.
At least they didn't suggest swimming. I mean, I can out swim anyone doing the dog paddle, but even I would get tired eventually.
But how come the instructions didn't have me kayaking to Alaska directly?

Anyway, totally abandoning my research for some brief fun, a while later turned up the same Step 12 attempting to traverse between Honolulu, Hawaii and Galveston, Texas.
Well, at least it was not suggested to kayak through the Panama Canal, or worse: around the tip of South America!
But I was still going to Washington State. Wouldn't it have been more prudent to kayak to someplace in California?
And the jet ski was probably still somewhere between Japan and China.

Oh well.
I did try it with other locations, but the funny steps didn't happen again.
Two land points only gets you pretty strict road directions, and some requests result in just an announcement that no directions are available.
However the glitch, if that's what it is, in Google Maps will NOT do planets!
Trying to get directions between Earth and Mars only netted me a route between Earth, Texas and Mars, Pennsylvania.
And here I was hoping to be the first extraterrestial astro-mutt.

Yet even though I've only found the three listed above so far, there might be others.
If you locate one, please let me know courtesy of leehoustonjr@gmail.com and just put something along the lines of Autumn's Trippy Map in the subject line.
Otherwise, we'll see you next weekend for more Sunday Funnies.
Have a great week everybody and don't get lost! - AtP.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 6, 2010

For those living in the affected areas, Daylight Savings Time ends tonight. Don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour before going to bed.

*Hurricane Tomas ravaged the Caribbean, but now seems to be headed out into the wilds of the Atlantic Ocean, where it will only be a hazard to navigation from this point on.
*After the recent explosives discovery, air freight has been temporarily banned from leaving Yemen, while International authorities are now trying to track down the source of package bombs mailed from Greece.
*MSNBC Anchor Keith Olbermann has been suspended (indefinitely?) for contributing to political campaigns when on air personalities must remain neutral.
*Mount Merapi in Indonesia underwent a second eruption even as survivors from the first event were cautiously returning to their homes.
*In hopes of improving American exports and foreign relations, United States President Barack Obama has embarked upon a goodwill tour of Asia.

ELECTION RESULTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
*The United States' 2010 mid-term elections only put the Republican Party in the majority position of the House of Representatives come the 2011 session.
*Dilma Rousself is set to become the first female president of Brazil.
*Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed is the new Prime Minister of Somalia.

IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS...
*Actress Jill Clayburgh passed away this week.
*Charlie O'Donnell, long time announcer for Wheel of Fortune and other programs, is no longer with us.
*Conan O'Brien begins his much anticipated new talk show on the TBS cable network this coming Monday night.

IN SPORTS:
*The National League San Francisco Giants won their first World Series since 1954 by defeating the American League Texas Rangers.

For more news at any time, just scroll down to the IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: NOVEMBER 6, 2010

Hello Everyone. Fall seems to be settling in, so let's stay warm with a couple of enigmas.

COMPLETE THE LINE
Can you complete the lyric from the 1979 hit Della and The Dealer?
"The dealer had a knife, the dog had a gun, and the cat had..." what?

COMMON BONDS
The following groups have something in common, do you know what it is?
01. (Joy To The World, Greenback Dollar)
02. (This week's Puzzle Corner)

Personally, I think I'm being a little easy on everyone if you sing with me and find the key; but all will be revealed next weekend. For now, let's peek into THE ANSWERS BOX and find out who's who from our HALLOWEEN QUIZ last weekend's Puzzle Corner.

01. His biggest fan always expects him on Halloween night, but has yet to see him.
H.) The Great Pumpkin of Peanuts fame. Poor Linus.
02. He never drinks 'vine'.
F.) Dracula, quoting a classic line from the original movie with Bela Lugosi.
03. Despite his appearance, he's friendly.
C.) Casper, the friendly ghost.
04. One has to wonder just how well he can play hockey.
L.) Jason, from the Friday the 13th horror movie franchise.
05. A multi-faceted being.
G.) The Frankenstein Monster, which is the correct name for the creature.
06. Every monster is hoping she doesn't have stake for dinner.
B.) Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.
07. A human named after him loved music.
Q.) The Wolfman, and a nod to pioneering Rock and Roll DJ Wolfman Jack.
08. Despite the broom, she doesn't do housework.
O.) Witch, with a hint to her alleged transportation.
09. Despite the name, he's not vampiric.
A.) Batman, the DC Comics' super-hero.
10. He may love Christmas, but Halloween is his night!
I.) The Grinch, and a hint to his Doctor Seuss stories: How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Halloween is Grinch Night!
11. He tried to steal Christmas too.
K.) Jack Skellington, in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
12. Everyone allegedly goes to him for advice, but he's never had his own talk show.
P.) The Witch Doctor, based on a line from the David Seville (aka Ross Bagdasarian) song.
13. No one would know he's there, even in a crowded room.
J.) The Invisible Man
14. This monster might be all wet and a social wallflower at parties.
E.)Creature from the Black Lagoon.
15. Always wants to play rap music.
M.) The Mummy.
16. The Tally Man.
D.) Count Von Count, from Sesame Street.

Friday, November 5, 2010

MOST OF THE ELECTION RESULTS

EDITORIAL ANALYSIS

Well, there is still one major race that still hasn't been determined (see below*), but otherwise here is the basic results of the 2010 Mid-term elections.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Come January 2011, the new balance will be
239 Republicans
185 Democrats
011 Independent/Third Party Candidates

This deeply saddens The Free Choice E-zine because one of the first things a Republican spokesman said the new House would try to accomplish is the repeal of the Health Care Reform Act that was passed earlier this year.

Our question: WHY?

There are millions of Americans within the United States that for one reason or another do not have any health care insurance! A situation that the Health Care Reform Act addresses and rectifies within the years to come.
Hopefully by next spring the new Representatives will realize that they are in error on this matter.
Otherwise, come the 2012 elections, most of the 2011 impending electees will be looking for new positions outside public office.


IN THE SENATE:
Come January 2011, the new balance will be:
52 Democrats
46 Republicans
02 Independents/Third Parties

Or in other words, probably "business as usual" with the two major parties constantly arguing and it being a minor miracle if anything ever gets accomplished.

WHEN ARE THE TWO SIDES GOING TO REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED THEM INTO OFFICE?
Granted, one side is not as bad about that as the other, but still...

But the increasing number of Independent/Third Party electees should also be noted. There might just come the day when there are enough people within this group to affect the outcome of things within Congress.

*MEANWHILE, IN CONNECTICUT...

As of Friday afternoon as this is posted, there is still no official declaration of a winner in that state's Governor race.
At last report, Democrat Dan Malloy was allegedly ahead of Republican Tom Foley, but the margin varies depending upon the source.
Representatives for Foley have said they question the results and will (legally) challenge any declaration of Malloy as the winner.
How did this come about?
*A few small towns like Chaplin, Connecticut had their regular polling places changed within mere days of the election, causing some confusion as to where to actually go vote.
*Some polling places within Hartford ALMOST ran out of ballots, while Bridgeport, Connecticut DID run out of ballots, causing a frantic rush to be granted permission for xeroxed copies to be used and polling places in that city to be allowed to stay open longer than originally scheduled.
Of course whether the ballots were copied, let alone counted, accurately remains to be seen.

And some people thought Florida's 2000 "Hanging Chad" situation was a mess!

But The Free Choice E-zine DOES have a correspondent within the New England area, and will be reporting upon this more as the situation develops and the facts can be confirmed.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

THE ELECTION RESULTS? NOT YET

Although The Free Choice E-zine hoped to present the 2010 mid-term election results by now, alas between recounts, challenges, and questions that have arisen within a few of the races across the country.
Projections and the results thus far indicate that while the Republicans have become the majority party within the House of Representatives in comparison to the number of Democratic and Independent members, the Democrats look like they have maintained a majority in the Senate.

So we will take a final look at things when every race becomes official.

MEANWHILE, a few of the oddities across the country include:
*The city of Bridgeport, Connecticut underestimating voter turn out and not printing enough ballots, thus running out of the official form HOURS before the polls closed in the Nutmeg state. Voting officials had to get permission to use xerox copies and extend the voting hours in that area.
*Some smaller towns report their polling places being changed just mere days before the actual election, thus causing some confusion in voters wondering where they were supposed to go.

BUT THE STRANGEST NEWS ITEM OF ALL THUS FAR...
Incumbent Democrat Jenny Oropeza won reelection to maintain her position as a senator in California's state government by a 58% percent margin against her Republican challenger's 36% of ballots cast, despite the fact that Ms. Oropeza passed away two weeks ago from a blood clot that arose during her battle with cancer!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

IT'S ELECTION DAY! GO VOTE!

GO VOTE!
The time for debate is over.
GO VOTE!
NOW is the time to express your feelings and opinions.
GO VOTE!
In Congress, the ENTIRE House of Representatives and 30 Senatorial seats are on the ballots.
GO VOTE!
Over 30 states will be deciding upon their governors and numerous other local candidates.
GO VOTE!
It is not only your choice, but your inalienable right!
GO VOTE!
Just remember: the person who does not exercise their right today cannot complain about the results tomorrow. So CHOOSE WISELY and
GO VOTE!

A public service message of The Free Choice E-zine.

Monday, November 1, 2010

POLITICAL POINTERS FOR THE VEXED VOTER: A RECAP

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EDITORIAL.

For those eligible to vote within the United States of America, tomorrow is an important election within your living history, with the whole world watching to see what we think.
The 2010 midterm elections, so named because they fall within the middle of a President's current term in office, are being closely observed and analyzed from every conceivable angle as pundits wonder if President Barack Obama and the Democrats will still have the majority in Congress come 2011, since it is generally believed that these election results will "accurately" reflect the current position of the country.
Similar situations are taking place within a lot of the individual state governments as well.
Therefore, The Free Choice E-zine has been presenting a series of advice posts to hopefully create a more informed voter going to the polls November 2.

06. THE SUMMARY

Although there are some Third Party candidates (Libertarian, Tea Party, etc.) involved in a few of the state elections, what it basically comes down to once again is the Democrats versus the Republicans.
When one looks objectively at the last two years since President Obama took office, you can truly say that the Democratic party has made an honest effort to address and try to fix the problems that arose during the eight years of the George W. Bush administration and a Republican controlled Congress.
Whether or not you agree with the proposed solutions is another matter, but at least attempts have been made!

So in its most simplistic terms, what it comes down to is this:

Do you want someone in office who will actually make an honest attempt to try and fix things, or would you prefer someone in office who just wants to live in the past?

Tomorrow, the decision is YOURS!

CHOOSE WISELY!

AND NOW, FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE MISSED THE PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS IN THIS SERIES...

01. WHICH SIDE IS CORRECT?

The Republicans are saying all kinds of things in regards to current events and the alleged (in)actions of certain people and their party. Of course the Democrats are taking a similar approach in some races, but the GOP is definitely the more vocal of the two.

Now The Free Choice E-zine unfortunately does not have the time nor the resources to examine every individual situation. But we can offer some free advice.

If you think nothing seems to be getting done by the incumbents and are considering the "oust the bums" approach, ask yourself this:

Is there genuinely no progress on a specific issue because there is true disagreement about how your (local, state, or national) government should proceed on the matter? OR
Is there no progress because one side/party is intentionally stonewalling/stalling/filibustering/delaying things to make the other side look bad and themselves appear to be good?

02. DEMOCRATS VERSUS REPUBLICANS

Without getting into a long, dragged out history lesson, basically there are two different political parties with opposing views on almost everything, supporting their respective slate of candidates across the United States within the upcoming elections November 2, 2010.
The Democrats are hoping to maintain the majority within the House of Representatives and regain it within the Senate. The official breakdown there at the moment is 48 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and one Independent.
The Republicans are hoping to regain the majority within both divisions of Congress, something they have not held since the days of the George W. Bush administration.
The final decision, of course, will be the voters.

There are also various fledgling third parties, such as the Libertarians, the Green Party, and the newborn Tea Party; but those have yet to establish themselves as well as the main two.

Some people prefer to vote by party instead of selecting individual candidates, yet some candidates are trying to avoid the "stigma" of being affiliated with one specific party and are not listing their party affiliation in their campaign ads.
Whether you decide to vote by party or will choose who you think is the best candidate for each position, when trying to decide who to vote for, The Free Choice E-zine humbly suggests asking yourself this:

Ignoring all the rhetoric, mud slinging, and campaigning, WHICH side has actually done WHAT in hopes to benefit you more and not themselves?

Granted, the above only works with incumbents or past office holders. But you can usually foresee a candidate's future in office by their past actions.

03. SHOULD A CANDIDATE HAVE MILITARY EXPERIENCE?

Regardless of what office they were running for, it was unheard of for most candidates not to have some military experience until the 1970s, when Selective Service replaced the draft in the United States.
Even now, there are some candidates who have volunteered to serve their country and are now considering that service as an asset towards their qualifications to hold whatever elected post they are seeking.
While such service can be considered beneficial under the right circumstances, by the same token, those running for office who have not served should not have that lack of service held against them.

In the end, regardless of the candidate and the position, ask yourself this:

Setting aside the military question, just what ARE a potential candidate's qualifications and are they the best one to receive your vote come Election Day?


04. JUST WHO ARE ALL THESE ADVERTISERS?

Every candidate advertises through the various media outlets available, and the respective parties also run additional supportive ads via such groups as the Democratic Congressional Committee, the Republican Congressional Committee, the Democratic Governors Association, the Republican Governors Association; etc.

But there are also a lot of ads from other groups such as "The Concerned Citizens Committee", "The Congressional Business Committee", "The Associated Action Network", etc.

So who are these people?

While it varies between the individual states and issues, unfortunately most of these Third Party Advertisers (not to be confused with the legitimate Third Parties such as the Libertarians and the Tea Party groups) are nothing more than lobbyists and special interests groups running advertising in hopes of clouding an issue to get the candidate they actually support elected.

Whether or not an ad is telling the truth is something that you the voter must figure out, but you don't have to go it alone.
There are places on the Internet such as http://www.snopes.com/ , http://www.time.com/ , and other reputable websites and news sources that specialize in confirming the truth over the rhetoric/mudslinging, and lies.
If you have doubts, look up the answer for yourself!

REMEMBER: The people running the ads are trying to get you interested in a specific position or opinion. It might not be the wrong position/opinion, but YOU are the only one who can decide if it's the right one for you!

05. ARE THE CANDIDATES' ADS TELLING THE TRUTH?

Unfortunately, this is a question far easier to ask than to answer.
This must be judged on a case by case basis.
For example:
There are a lot of ads right now citing "facts" about the Health Care Reform Act that passed earlier this year in an attempt to lure voters away from the incumbent Congressional candidate who might have either worked on and/or voted for the measure and thus this allegedly makes them a bad representative of the people.

HOWEVER...

It should be pointed out that in a lot of cases, the so called "facts" are actually from EARLIER editions of the bill and NOT the final version that was presented before President Barack Obama for his consideration.
After all, THERE WERE several alternate takes on the matter between both the House of Representatives and the Senate before the two sides got together to create a unified document.

So if you have any doubts about a candidate's "facts", you can go to http://www.snopes.com/ , http://www.time.com/ , or any reputable news source.

The above is the last in a series presented under the belief that a more informed voter is a wiser voter.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

Hello Everyone! Autumn the Puppy here!
Tonight is Halloween!
While Waxy Dragon was able to dig up more jokes for this week's Sunday Funnies in the post below than me, I would like to take a couple of minutes to share a few other tidbits with you. A canine friend of mine and his companions can been seen in today's Google logo! Meanwhile...

*Did you know that today marks the 60th anniversary of kids Trick or Treating for UNICEF?
While going out and about hoping to acquire Halloween candy, some children have also been collecting money for the United Nations (International) Childrens' Emergency Fund since 1950. A worthy cause if ever there was one.

And while all the costumed revellers are out and about tonight, I hope all you adults keep a wary eye out for the little ones so they can not only enjoy tonight safely, but are able to look forward to tomorrow and all the days afterwards.

Take care and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
AtP.

A Public Service Message of The Free Choice E-zine.