Wednesday, May 29, 2013

NANCY HANSEN INTERVIEWED!

While I have bragged about my own humble writing efforts here, we cannot forget The Free Choice E-zine's resident poetess Nancy Hansen. While sadly, she has been too busy with her other writing efforts to supply us with any fresh poems lately, by no means has her writing efforts been idle.

In promotion of her latest release PROPHECY'S GAMBIT (part two of the Greenwood trilogy that began with FORTUNE'S PAWN), Nancy  has just had a rather detailed interview by Mark Bousquet posted on the Atomic Anxiety website that can be read here:

http://atomicanxiety.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/atomic-interview-11-talking-prophecys-gambit-with-nancy-hansen/


Nancy has been building a rich fantasy world in the lands of Terra Luminus between the aforementioned books, along with TALES OF THE VAGABOND BARDS and THE HUNTRESS OF GREENWOOD; with each volume being complete unto itself, so it is not necessary to read all the previous works to enjoy the latest release; although you will be missing out on quite an adventure and some great reading if you don't.



And I do know that within that realm, she is working on both another independent anthology and the conclusion of the trilogy in what she laughingly calls her "spare" time. All the Terra Luminus books are available from Pro Se Press, while Nancy has branched out into other works with stories in SINBAD: THE NEW VOYAGES from Airship 27, MONSTER EARTH from Mechanoid Press, and the Pulp Obscura collection: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SENORITA SCORPION, also from Pro Se.



A GUEST POST ON DYNAMIC RAM

Like I said before, usually I am the last person to toot my own horn, but not only is HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: THE AUDIO BOOK doing well for Dynamic Ram Audio, but engineer Chris Barnes asked me to write a guest post for their blog revealing the back story of Hugh's creation.

You can read the article here: http://thedynamicram.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/lee-houston-jnr-guest-blog.html


and, as previously mentioned, everyone can listen to the Hugh Monn trailer here:
 http://soundcloud.com/chris-barnes-37/hugh-monn-private-detective

Read and narrated by voice actor Pete Milan, the audio book, along with an excerpt from the production, can be found on Amazon.com here http://tinyurl.com/bdx6lmm!   


Meanwhile Hugh's second book, and his first full length novel, "CATCH A RISING STAR" will be released soon from Pro Se Press in both print and E-formats.

Monday, May 27, 2013

MEMORIAL DAY 2013

REMEMBERING THOSE NO LONGER WITH US
While other countries have their own versions of the event, today is MEMORIAL DAY here in the United States.

Originally this day was created to honor the soldiers (regardless of their gender or personal preferences) who gave their lives to protect this country and its citizens from all of America's enemies over the years, both foreign and domestic.

Since September 11, 2001;  the observance has officially and rightly been expanded to include all police, firefighters, and emergency personnel. People also prepared to sacrifice themselves when necessary to save others.

While enjoying the warm spring weather on picnics, various sporting events, or lured by the enticement of retailers to shop, please stop and remember those who help others without pause or consideration of their own safety.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES: PONDERING MY WAY THROUGH A COLUMN

REMEMBER THOSE NO LONGER HERE!

Hello Everybody. The Free Choice E-zine's Editor-In-Chief Lee Houston, Junior with you this weekend because Autumn the Puppy and Waxy Dragon are off celebrating Memorial Day with their respective families.

Now in the past, both Waxy and Autumn have shared with you their thoughts and observances about trying to figure out why life and other things are the way they are. So being a Human male over 50, compared to the youth and species that the ladies are, I thought you would like to hear things from a different perspective.

Besides, it helps to fill up a column. Ready?

*There are two kinds of pedestrians in life. The safe, who follow all the rules and cross intersections only when and where they are supposed to, and the stupid, who don't. It is the latter you really have to watch out for! Then again, if stupidity was illegal, the world's jails would really be overflowing!

*If you know about the birds and the bees, then you must also realize that technically life is a sexually transmitted. Granted, some cases are better than others, but no matter what the quality of yours is, it still beats the alternative, because the only differences between a rut and the grave are the depth and time length.

*If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then the manufacturers seriously need to rename baby oil!

*Have you ever stopped and noticed that in this age of modern electronic marvels like cell phones and camcorders, there are far less UFO sightings and reports than there used to be?

*If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, then why is there a song about it?

*Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the container?

*In the 1960s, some people took illegal drugs to make the world more interesting. Now some people take prescribed drugs to make the world more "normal".

*When you have had enough of other people saying what is wrong with you and the world, take a lesson from the weather. It never listens to criticism.

And on that note, I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend, and please be back here next weekend for more Sunday Funnies, when one of our more professional comediennes will be back on duty.--lh,jr.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: MAY 19-25, 2013

This is the Memorial Day weekend in the United States, where we pause to remember those who gave their lives protecting the freedoms of others.

Amongst events that have happened around the world this past week...
*CITIZENS OF MONTREAL, CANADA ARE BEING URGED TO BOIL THEIR WATER BEFORE USE AFTER SEDIMENT HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY.
*Sweden has suffered several days of internal turmoil; with many thinking they are a result of peoples feelings over unemployment levels, the current standards of education, and the current state of the police force.
*The African Union celebrated its 50th anniversary this week.
*Although a final vote has yet to be taken on the subject, the House of Commons has voted in favor of allowing same gender marriages in England and Wales.
*Author Lydia Davis has been awarded the 2013 Man Booker prize for literature.
*In the World Table Tennis Championship, Zhang Jike won the Men's singles and Li Xiaoxia won the Women's singles.
*Civil unrest continues in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and Syria.

IN NORTH KOREA:
*Swearing it is only protecting its borders, North Korea captured a Chinese fishing boat and is holding it for ransom. In light of this, a special envoy has been dispatched to China in hopes of easing the strained relations between the two countries.
*Meanwhile, North Korea confirmed a bird flu outbreak, with the death of over 160,000 ducks in Pyongyang.
*North Korea has also conducted more short range missile tests, keeping its neighbors on alert.


WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
*While thankfully not causing too many deaths, a tornado has devastated the town of Moore, Oklahoma; practically wiping the location out of existence.
*The United States Senate is closer to presenting an immigration reform bill that will eventually grant full citizenship to millions of illegally present, but otherwise law biding citizens.
*While the Boy Scouts of America has changed its guidelines to start accepting gay scouts, the organization will not allow gay scout leaders.
*Taylor Swift won eight awards, including Best Artist and Best Album at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards.
*Microsoft has announced the impending release of the new X-Box 1.

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: MAY 25, 2013

The Memorial Day weekend is upon us. As we pause to remember the veterans who sacrificed their lives protecting their respective countries so that others might live in freedom, let us keep our wits sharp with a couple of enigmas.

TRIVIA TIME
Today we know the holiday as Memorial Day. But what was this event originally known as?



REBUS
Something familiar is represented by the image below. Do you know what it is?

 L
 O
 A
 D

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX and reveal the results from the May 18, 2013 Puzzle Corner.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
We tried something a bit different this time. We presented a series of clues, indicating specific words.
Each subsequent clue was the previous answer plus one letter, rearranged to form the new word indicated in the next clue.
In essence, you built a new word every step of the way.


01. Door opener? = D (a lot of people said "key", which, while a natural assumption, throws off the whole puzzle)
02. Proof of self (the answer to question 1 + 1 letter, rearranged) = ID
03. Expel (the answer to question 2 + 1 letter, rearranged) = RID
04. Peel (the answer to question 3 + 1 letter, rearranged) = RIND
05. Eatery (the answer to question 4 + 1 letter, rearranged) = DINER
06. Fire necessity (the answer to question 5 + 1 letter, rearranged) = TINDER
07. Hard copy format (the answer to question 6 + 1 letter, rearranged) = PRINTED

08. Dauntless (the answer to question 7 + 1 letter, rearranged) = INTREPID

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE NOW AN AUDIO BOOK!

David L. Russell's fantastic art with new cover copy
I am usually the last to toot my own horn, but it's time to strike up the band.

There are several milestones any writer hopes to achieve within their life and career, and thanks to the folks at Dynamic Ram Audio and Pro Se Productions, I have just reached another one.

The first book I ever had published, let alone the first installment within the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE series, has just been released on audio!

Read and narrated by voice actor Pete Milan with engineering by Chris Barnes, this audio file is a complete and unabridged presentation of all eight stories that appeared in the first Hugh Monn book in a seven and a half hour production that can be played on your Kindle, Iphone, Ipad, Android, etc.

“Pete Milan,” says Tommy Hancock, partner and Editor In Chief of Pro Se Press and the publisher's new Voice of Pro Se imprint, “channels the voice of Lee Houston’s Hugh Monn perfectly. The Voice of Pro Se debut release, Hugh sounds like a 1950s type detective, but plies his trade in a futuristic setting. In just the same way Lee blended those two things seamlessly together, Pete’s take on the stories has the nearly hard boiled edge you’d expect from a great PI tale, but there’s also that flexibility a good science fiction tale demands of a narrator. Hands down, the team of Milan and Houston make HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE an audio book must have.


"I am a major fan of Audio Fiction, from old time radio shows to modern day audio drama and especially audio books. And our first trip into the medium was a great experience and to have Chris Barnes, our engineer the first time around and the man behind Dynamic Ram Audio Productions now, on board for this debut as well as what is coming, it just couldn’t be any better.”

Everyone can listen to the Hugh Monn trailer here:
 http://soundcloud.com/chris-barnes-37/hugh-monn-private-detective

The audio book, along with an excerpt from the production, can be found at Amazon.com here
at http://tinyurl.com/bdx6lmm!



Another great Russell cover

And of course, don't forget that the next book in the HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE series will be coming out soon as Hugh is hired as a security consultant when actress Ruby Kwartz comes to the island nation of Galveston 2 to record a new vid. But what was supposed to be an easy assignment turns deadly when Hugh discovers that everyone around Ruby has a hidden agenda, and someone wants to make sure this production will be her last.

So I hope everyone is looking forward to CATCH A RISING STAR, which is not only Hugh's latest caper, but is also his first full novel length adventure.




Sunday, May 19, 2013

SUNDAY FUNNIES: GOING TO THE VET

"You want to put the thermometer WHERE?"
Hello Everybody. Autumn the Puppy here.
Despite the technical difficulties Blogger has been having in the last 48 hours or so, the Sunday Funnies are still posted on time, more or less.

The Free Choice E-zine staff can still access the site, but we're unable to see the end results right now, so hopefully I don't make any embarrassing faux-paws.

But all these problems, coupled with the fact that I just went to the vet recently for my yearly check up inspired me to look for some medical related humor.

So without further adieu...
*Nowadays there seems to be a pill for everything. To keep you regular. To keep your nose from running. Of course if your nose is running, you better catch it before it escapes.
Anyway, there's a pill for this, a pill for that, a pill for the other. Thanks to all the great advances in medical science, people are leaving better corpses when they shuffle off this mortal coil for whatever lies beyond.

*But have you taken a look at some of those ads they run on TV? The commercials take longer disclaiming
He has a boo-boo. But where's Yogi?
the side effects than they do bragging about how great the medicine is.

*If I understand the concept right, there's even a pill for reptile dysfunction. Of course if your reptile is dysfunctional, maybe you should take it to the vet before you go see Alice.
Remember, this is a family oriented blog. Think about that last one for a moment.
If you still haven't gotten it, try remembering the commercials. Yet why would a married couple want to bathe together at the same time, yet use separate tubs?

*As Humans age, the five stages of life seem to be youth, adult hood, middle age, "Geez, you still look terrific," and "You're still alive?"

*Everyone should see their doctor at least once a year. Then again, the Republicans in the United States Congress just failed at their 37th!  attempt to repeal Obama Care, so maybe they should visit theirs more often.

And on that note, that's all the time and space I have for this weekend. You've been a great audience ladies and germs. Hope everyone has a great week, and please be back here next weekend for more Sunday Funnies. Blogger should have all the bugs worked out of the system by then.--AtP.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: MAY 12-18, 2013

Our apologies for the late posting, but Blogger has been experiencing technical difficulties.

Amongst events that have happened around the world this past week...
*In their latest round of saber rattling, North Korea launched 3 missiles that all landed in the Sea of Japan. What the actual purpose of such a "test" was remains unknown.
*Iran swears that they only want nuclear facilities for peaceful energy use and have no plans for nuclear weapons.
*The crew of Expedition 35 have safely returned to Earth from the International Space Station.
*President Thein Sein of Myanmar will soon make that country's first official visit to the United States in over 50 years.
*New evidence indicates that the glaciers atop Mount Everest might be melting.
*The Bank of England has announced they feel that the United Kingdom's inflation will fall faster than originally predicted.
*Brazil has decided to legalize same gender marriage.
*Water found in a Canadian mine is believed to be 2.6 BILLION years old!
*Civil unrest continues in Syria and Afghanistan.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
*Citing first amendment rights and wanting to protect sources, the Associated Press is concerned about the Justice Department seizing records in regards to their coverage of a May 2012 story about the CIA stopping a potential terrorist plot before it could be enacted.
*The Internal Revenue Service has admitted to targeting conservative groups (the Tea Party, etc) for "special scrutiny" on its own initiative, without any orders or prior knowledge of the Obama administration. Acting commissioner Steven Miller has since resigned.
*Meanwhile, Republicans have been up in arms about the "targeting", are attempting to make an issue out of the 2012 attack on America's diplomatic mission in Benghazi (some political pundits believe this is an attempt to discredit former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in case she makes a bid for the Presidency in 2016), and failed for the 37th time to repeal Obama Care.
*Minnesota has decided to legalize same gender marriages.
*NASA's Kepler Telescope has experienced a hardware problem that might end its planet hunting observations of outer space.
*Barbara Walters has announced that she will retire from active television at the end of May 2014.
*Oxbow won the Preakness Stakes horse race while Orb, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, came in fourth, thus there will not be a Triple Crown winner 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: MAY 18, 2013

Our apologies folks. Blogger has been experiencing technical difficulties over the last couple of days, thus we have been unable to post on our own e-zine, until now.

Another weekend is upon us, so let's get right to the puzzles.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
We're trying something a bit different this time. There will be a series of clues, indicating specific words.
Each subsequent clue is the previous answer plus one letter, rearranged to form the new word indicated in the next clue.
In essence, you are building a word every step of the way. Ready?

01. Door opener?
02. Proof of self (the answer to question 1 + 1 letter, rearranged)
03. Expel (the answer to question 2 + 1 letter, rearranged)
04. Peel (the answer to question 3 + 1 letter, rearranged)
05. Eatery (the answer to question 4 + 1 letter, rearranged)
06. Fire necessity (the answer to question 5 + 1 letter, rearranged)
07. Hard copy format (the answer to question 6 + 1 letter, rearranged)
08. Dauntless (the answer to question 7 + 1 letter, rearranged)

We'll reveal all next weekend. In the meantime, let's open THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results to the May 11, 2013 Puzzle Corner.

TRIVIA TIME: RAY HARRYHAUSEN
The special effects master called his unique brand of stop motion animation Dynavision.

TRIVIA TIME: DAN ADKINS
Dan started his artistic career working for Wally Wood at Tower Comics, doing Thunder Agents features.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

SUNDAY FUNNIES: HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! (Things a Mother would NOT say)

Mommy hatched me!
Mother licked me clean after birth!
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY EVERYBODY!
You lucky stiffs have both Ms. Waxy Dragon (left) AND Autumn the Puppy here with you today as we celebrate MOTHERS DAY!

Our Mothers are great ladies!
Of course that is a prerequisite for the job, which goes without saying.
There are plenty of things Mothers do and say, and sometimes us children actually listen to them.
But have you ever thought about the things no Mother in their right mind would ever say?
Like:

"Now that you've entered junior high school, you're old enough for unchaperoned dates."

"Your father and I are going away for the weekend. Hope you have a nice party while we're gone."

"You want to skip school and play hooky today? Great! I'll go grab my coat and we can hang out together!"

"You failed history? Well, who needs to know all that boring old stuff anyway."

"Just leave all your dirty clothes on the floor in your room. Sooner or later they'll be smelly enough to walk to the washer on their own."

"Here's my credit card and the keys to the car. Go out and have a good time."

______________________________________________________________

Well, we think you get the idea. Mothers may say things at times us children do not agree with, but let's face it. Our Mothers are great and do love us. And of course we love them!



image courtesy of Google

Saturday, May 11, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: MAY 5-11, 2013

TOMORROW IS MOTHERS' DAY.

Amongst events happening around the world this past week...
*While there is no new saber rattling to report at the moment, the United Nations is looking into new allegations of human rights violations in North Korea.
*Astronauts on board the International Space Station had to stop an ammonia coolant leak.
*Despite terrorist threats, elections in Pakistan were held as scheduled. No word on the results at press time.
*Civil unrest continues in Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia.


WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
*The state of Delaware now allows same gender marriage.
*The body of the man who died while trying to escape arrest for his part in the Boston Marathon bombing of April 15th has been laid to rest in an unmarked grave.
*Internet sales might soon become taxable transactions.
*Solar Impulse, a prototype solar powered plane, has completed its first test flight, from San Francisco, California to Phoenix, Arizona without using one drop of fuel. Provided all goes well on its remaining test flights, a larger, more commercial size prototype is planned for operational testing by 2015.
*Microsoft acknowledges "issues" with its new Windows 8 operating system and plans to release an amended version soon.
*Stop motion animation expert Ray Harryhausen (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans, etc.) has passed away.
*Comic book artist Dan Adkins has left us.

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: MAY 11, 2013

This weekend, the Puzzle Corner pauses to remember some notable members of Humanity that have passed away this past week.

TRIVIA TIME: RAY HARRYHAUSEN
Special effects master Ray Harryhausen, known for many memorable moments in movies like The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts, etc; is sadly no longer with us. What did he call his unique version of stop-motion animation, as seen in the video clip below from Jason and the Argonauts? (video courtesy of YouTube via Google)





TRIVIA TIME: DAN ADKINS
Dan Adkins was a famous comic book penciler and inker whose career started in what is known as the Silver Age of Comics (the 1960s). For who did Adkins first work for as an artist?

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the May 4th, 2013 Puzzle Corner, where we celebrated both Free Comic Book and Star Wars Day.

TRIVIA TIME
May 4, 2013 was FREE COMIC BOOK DAY at participating outlets around the world, a celebration of the genre.
Comic books originally started out just reprinting newspaper comic strips until they began creating their own material. Do you know who the very first ORIGINAL comic book hero is?


ANSWER: Many people e-mailed us at FreeChoiceEzine@gmail.com and claimed this question was too easy, since everyone knows the first superhero is Superman.
While that is true, and the Man of Steel is approaching his 75th anniversary, based upon the June 1938 cover date of his first appearance in Action Comics #1; the question asked "Who was the first original HERO", so the CORRECT ANSWER IS DOCTOR OCCULT. Appearing in New Fun Comics #6, cover dated October 1935, this makes him five years older than Superman, although he was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who also originated Superman.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
May 4th is also a red letter day for fans of both puns and the Star Wars franchise, so don't be surprised if someone says "May the Fourth (force) be with you" today.
Do you know how many other words you can make out of the letters in STAR WARS?


ANSWER: Granted, there weren't as many as one might suspect, but you can still form:
A, art(s), at, aw
Rat(s), raw
Sat, saw, Stars (star doesn't count because it was part of the original phrase), straw(s)
Tar(s)
War (wars doesn't count because it was part of the original phrase, and) wart(s).
If more than the 18 listed above are possible, please let us know.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

CINCO DE MAYO/MAY 5, 2013

Hello friends!
Today some of us celebrate May 5. The day of the battle of Puebla.
Back in 1862, the Mexican Army defeat the oppressing French forces of the time to protect their country.
While this is not Mexico's actual Independence Day (that's actually September 16), it is a celebration of that country's heritage and pride.
So enjoy the party and please CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLY.





Hola Amigos!
Algunos de nosotros celebran hoy el 5 de Mayo. El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla.

Detrás en 1862, la derrota mexicana del ejército las fuerzas francesas de opresión de la época de proteger su país.
Mientras que éste no es Mexico' Día de la Independencia real de s (that' s realmente el 16 de septiembre), es una celebración de eso country' herencia y orgullo de s.
Disfrute tan del partido y CELEBRE por favor RESPONSIBLY.

SUNDAY FUNNIES: E-MAIL FOR THE FEMALE

Autumn the Puppy
Hello Everybody! Autumn the Puppy here!
Now anybody can send e-mail to the Free Choice E-zine at FreeChoiceEzine@gmail.com ; and depending upon the comment, we will act or react accordingly.
Recently I realized I had amassed enough missives to make a column, so let me get right to the files and answer a few inquiries.

Dear Autumn:
I'm always hearing comments about the status quo, but just what is it?
(signed) Confused in California.
Dear Confused:
Basically, status quo is Latin for the mess we're in.

Dear Autumn:
Do you agree with the philosophy of Bacon?
(signed) 2B.
Dear B:
It must be crisp and as ungreasy as possible.

Dear Autumn:
What is the difference between ammonia and pneumonia?
(signed) Concerned Student
Dear Student:
Ammonia comes in bottles and smells awful, although it does do a good job of cleaning floors.
Pneumonia occurs in chests from leaving a cold untreated for too long. Yet I still haven't figured out which method is better: feed a fever and starve a cold, or starve a fever and feed a cold.
Either way, eat healthy and take care of yourself!

"Nevermore?"
Dear Autumn:
What can you tell me about Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven? Was the bird real or a figment of the central character's imagination?  
(signed) Mad about literature
Dear Mad:
I'm avid reader myself, so yes I have read The Raven. My answer to your question is: DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK KID!

Dear Autumn:
What is jeopardy?
(signed) Lost my dictionary
Dear Lost:
Jeopardy is a wonderful game show in syndication. Although I wish someone would revive Concentration and Password too.

Dear Autumn:
Have you ever read Toltoi's "Goodbye"?
(signed) e-reader battery dies on long flights
Dear E:
First off, try a regular book. They never need recharging, and as for Toltoi, I didn't know he was leaving!

And on that note, that's all the time we have for this weekend. Have a great and please be back here next weekend when Waxy Dragon and I celebrate Mother's Day on the Sunday Funnies!-AtP.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: APRIL 28-MAY 4, 2013

TODAY IS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY AT PARTICIPATING OUTLETS AROUND THE WORLD.
TODAY IS ALSO MAY 4, SO DON'T BE SURPRISED IF A STAR WARS FAN SAYS "MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU."
TOMORROW IS CINCO DE MAYO (THE FIFTH OF MAY).

Amongst events happening around the world this past week...
*While all is quite on the saber rattling front at the moment, North Korea has charged an American prisoner with "hostile acts against the regime" and charged him to 15 years at hard labor. The prisoner continues to maintain his innocence while the United States pleads for amnesty.
*With Queen Beatrix planning to step down, Prince Willem-Alexander has become King of the Netherlands.
*Civil unrest continues in Afghanistan and Syria.

FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
*Three friends of the surviving Boston Marathon bomber have been arrested on obstruction of justices charges trying to "protect their friend". There is no evidence at this time that they were actually involved in the despicable act.
*Despite their "victory" when Congress failed to enact stronger background checks, the National Rifle Association is saying the fight is far from over. Amongst recent statements defending their position include believing that Boston, Massachusetts was vulnerable to the Marathon Bombing because not enough citizens were armed, and that no member of the NRA will willingly give up their firearms unless they're deceased.
*Harvard scientists have unveiled "RoboBee", the smallest flying robotic creature (to date) with a wingspan of a mere inch and a half/3 centimeters.
*The Herschel Space Observatory has shut down after running out of liquid helium coolant.
*Rhode Island has become the tenth member of the United States to make same gender marriages legal.
*"Orb" the horse has won the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of horse racing's annual Triple Crown contest.

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: MAY 4, 2013

Lot of ground to cover this weekend. So let's get right to it!

TRIVIA TIME
Today, May 4, 2013; is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY at participating outlets around the world, a celebration of the genre.
Comic books originally started out just reprinting newspaper comic strips until they began creating their own material. Do you know who the very first ORIGINAL comic book hero is?

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
May 4th is also a red letter day for fans of both puns and the Star Wars franchise, so don't be surprised if someone says "May the Fourth (force) be with you" today.
Do you know how many other words you can make out of the letters in STAR WARS?

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX, and discover the results of the April 27, 2013 Puzzle Corner.

THE FIFTY-FIFTY CHANCE
Just like a regular Trivia Time question, only there are two possible answers.
True or False: There really is/was a Sherwood Forest?

ANSWER: True. But Sherwood Forest originally covered over 200 square miles, and what little remains in England is a mere shadow of its former glory.

TRIVIA TIME
In a past Puzzle Corner, we asked what is the best possible score in the average game of solitaire. Now, do you know what the average score in such a game is?

ANSWER: 645, because it's a rare event to make it through the deck without having the computer reshuffle the cards, for each time it does subtracts 100 points from your score.