Saturday, August 31, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: AUGUST 25-31, 2013

*TODAY IS INDEPENDENCE DAY FOR MALAYSIA AND TRINIDAD/TOBAGO.
*THIS IS THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
*This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the Fred Basset comic strip and the 35th anniversary of the Garfield comic strip.

Amongst events happening around the world this past week...
*The situation in Syria has escalated to the point where chemical attacks within the Ghouta region have killed hundreds of people and the United Nations' Security Council is considering intervention. Russia has evacuated its citizens from the region. The United Kingdom and Germany have already declined active participation in whatever physical action(s) is taken while the United States is considering a "no boots on the ground" approach.
*Scientists have confirmed the existence of a canyon under the Greenland ice sheet.
*The University of (Monrovia) Liberia has reported that all 25,000 initial applicants for the 2013-14 school year have failed the entrance exam!
*Irish poet and 1995 Literature Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney has passed away.
*Civil unrest continues in Iraq, Egypt, and Afghanistan.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
*Allegedly, according to some sources, absolutely NO Republican on the federal level attended any of the ceremonies commemorating the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior's famous "I have a dream..." speech this past Wednesday. GOP representatives have neither confirmed or commented on this situation.
*Nidal Malik Hasan has been sentenced to death for the deaths of the 13 victims from the Fort Hood shooting in 2009.
*Soldier Robert Bales has received a life sentence for his role in the 2012 Kandahar massacre.


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: AUGUST 31, 2013

Welcome to the Labor Day weekend edition of The Puzzle Corner. We'll try not to strain your brain too hard.


MISQUOTED?
This is the debut of a BRAND NEW GAME! A famous quote is repeated below, or is it?
All you have to do is say whether or not the quote is accurate. Ready?

From the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind:
"We are ready on the dark side of the moon. Play the five notes."

BEFORE AND AFTER
We haven't played this is quite a while, but the rules remain the same.
Two separate things have been combined to create a new item. Can you figure out what it is, based upon the clue below?

Celebrations of life on a daytime soap opera?

We'll reveal all next weekend. Meanwhile, let's take a look inside THE ANSWERS BOX and reveal the results from our Linda Ronstadt quiz from the August 24, 2013 Puzzle Corner.

01. Linda Ronstadt started her career as the lead singer for a group. What was the title of their very first
album? The Stone Poneys (1967)
02. What was the title of their very first single? Sweet Summer Blue and Gold (1967)
03. What song did Michael Nesmith of The Monkees write for her to sing? Different Drum, although technically the song was originally accredited to the alias Michael Blessing, since Nesmith was still under contract with the people behind The Monkees at the time.
04. What was the title of her very first solo album? Hand Sown, Home Grown (1969) her self titled album wasn't released until 1971.
05. What was the title of her very first solo single? The Long Way Around (1969)
06. Who considered Ronstadt's version of Blue Bayou the best rendition he had ever heard? The song's writer and original performer Roy Orbison.
07. What was Ronstadt's first collaboration with another recording artist? (HINT: Nobody from Questions 1-3 are involved.) James Ingram on the 1986 single "Somewhere, Out There" from the movie An American Tail.
08. What two entertainers did Ronstadt team up with to form the Trio? Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton
09. What was Ronstadt's first solo album to be ranked #1? Heart Like A Wheel (1974)
10. What was Ronstadt's first solo single to be ranked #1? You're No Good (1975)

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

LET'S KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE!

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EDITORIAL

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior's famous "I have a dream..." speech at the end of the March on Washington.

I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

But while Dr. King was addressing the needs of a specific group at the time, there are others who have yet to fully experience the dream for themselves.

Through no fault of their own, circumstances have caused hatred to focus upon and detest their country of origin, their religious beliefs, or perhaps their personal choices when pursuing a life mate.

While there is way too much going on in the world today for one simple editorial to change things, the words of the 1960s still ring true today.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men (and women) are created equal.


THINK ABOUT IT!

The above was an editorial of The Free Choice E-zine.
Lee Houston, Junior
Editor-In-Chief
28 August, 2013

Sunday, August 25, 2013

SUNDAY FUNNIES: LET'S EAT!

Belgosian Dark Chocolate is no laughing matter!
Hello everybody! Waxy Dragon here!
Jokes have been made about a lot of stuff over the years, and one of my favorite subjects is food.
So without any further delay, here are some yummy jokes to wet your taste buds!

Why do they put so many holes in Swiss cheese when it's Limburger cheese that needs the air vents?

A waffle is just a pancake with a no skid tread.

If it isn't a grape or a fruit, then just what is a grapefruit?

Wife: Do you feel like a second cup of coffee with your breakfast?
Image via Google, artist(s) unknown
Husband: Why? Do I look like one?

Q. Why did the track star eat out a lot?
A: He loved fast food.

Customer: What kind of cake is that?
Waiter: Marble cake. Would you like a slice?
Customer: No, I'll just take it for granite.

Q: Why did the customer refuse his alphabet soup?
A: It was trying to spell dirty words.

The waiter bragged, "Here's your oyster soup, sir and I wish you good luck. Sometimes you find a pearl within an oyster."
The customer looked at the cheap serving of oyster soup before him and said, "I'd be happy just to find an oyster in this stuff!"

Q: What state has the bigger grapefruit: Florida or California?
A: Does it matter? The grapefruit isn't there for a vacation.
The late, great George Carlin!

All these jokes are making me hungry. But before I go, let me close with a classic routine from George Carlin.

"Where is the blue food? Green is lime, yellow is lemon, orange is orange, red is cherry, but what is blue? There is no blue! Blueberries aren't blue. Where is the blue food?"

And on that note. Good night folks. Don't forget to tip your wait staff and please be back here next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!-wd.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: AUGUST 18-24, 2013

AUGUST 28 MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON, D.C. AND DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JUNIOR'S FAMOUS "I HAVE A DREAM..." SPEECH.

Amongst events that have happened around the world this past week...
*The Fukushima nuclear disaster area has been declared a Level 3.
*Same gender marriages are now legal in New Zealand.
*Civil unrest continues in Iraq, Egypt, and Syria.


WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
*Former soldier Chelsea(?) Bradley Manning has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for releasing classified information to Wikileaks.
*Former Army Sgt. Robert Bales has been sentenced to life without parole for killing 16 Afghan civilians in March 2012.
*Former Army Major Nidal Malik Hassan has been convicted on multiple murder counts in the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.
*Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has announced he will retire from his position sometime within the year.
*NASA has announced it will reactivate the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to search for asteroids at risk of colliding with Earth.
*Author Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty, Mr. Majestyk) passed away, following complications after a stroke.

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: AUGUST 24, 2013

Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Hello everyone.
Earlier this week, entertainer Linda Ronstadt announced that she is fighting Parkinson's disease, and that it
has already taken her singing voice; thus prematurely ending her singing career.
In her honor, we present this brief Linda Ronstadt quiz.

01. Linda Ronstadt started her career as the lead singer for a group. What was the title of their very first album?
02. What was the title of their very first single?
03. What song did Michael Nesmith of The Monkees write for her to sing?
04. What was the title of her very first solo album?
05. What was the title of her very first solo single?
06. Who considered Ronstadt's version of Blue Bayou the best rendition he had ever heard?
07. What was Ronstadt's first collaboration with another recording artist? (HINT: Nobody from Questions 1-3 are involved.)
08. What two entertainers did Ronstadt team up with to form the Trio?
09. What was Ronstadt's first solo album to be ranked #1?
10. What was Ronstadt's first solo single to be ranked #1?

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from our August 17, 2013 Puzzle Corner.

TRIVIA TIME
What is the official name of the book series that includes the volumes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords?

While many people answered A Game of Thrones, that is actually the title of the HBO adaptation and the very first book.

The OFFICIAL title of the book series is: A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE.

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

PRESSURE       =  Contents under pressure.
            contents

Monday, August 19, 2013

COMPANION DRAGON TALES BEGINS!

Hello everybody! Waxy Dragon here to tell you some very exciting news!
Us dragons now have our own book series!

THE FIRST BOOK! AVAILABLE NOW!
It all starts in Companion Dragons Tales, Volume One: A FAMILIAR NAME!

Cover Art by Heidi Black

Here we meet Nancy Bittergreen, a busy author who is also a friendly/good witch. She regularly travels to wondrous other worlds brought to life by magical writing. But the trips aren't always easy, so Nancy needs help.

Nancy decides she needs a familiar, and of course the best ones are dragons. But her new friend is in suspended animation (asleep), with no instruction book.

Unfortunately, there are also some evil people who think all magical creatures either need to be controlled or eliminated. (Boo! Hiss! Bad villains! Bad!)

It becomes a race against time as Nancy has to figure out her future helper's true name before dawn, or else he will permanently turn to stone, while the bad guy tries to steal her new companion dragon in hopes of making sure he never helps anyone ever again!

Us dragons live in a world both great and scary.

On one hand, unicorns and mermaids co-exist with ghosts in paintings and other fantastic stuff, and no one thinks twice about a horse and buggy being parked next to an alien spaceship at the Chocolate Bar.

Yet there are also bad writers with their own helpers trying to take over everything so their stories are the only ones ever told, no matter how lousy they are. And the heroes can't let the bad guys win, now can we?

The new dragon, hard at work on his next adventure!
Logos created by Sean E. Ali
A FAMILIAR NAME is also the first in a new line of books from Pro Se Press called Young Pulp.

Like the name says, young readers can have all the action and adventure their parents expect in a book today, but in stories that the whole family can read and enjoy together.

While Nancy A. Hansen wrote A FAMILIAR NAME, the Companion Dragons universe was co-created by her, Roger Stegman, and Lee Houston, Junior.


A FAMILIAR NAME is currently available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords in both print or e-book formats.

And the Companion Dragons have our own blog too, at http://magicdragonverse.blogspot.com/

Future books will not only feature the writing of Hansen, Stegman, and Houston; but I can also tell you that in time, there will be other dragons in the series too!

So come join the fun today!
You'll be glad you did!-wd.





Sunday, August 18, 2013

SUNDAY FUNNIES: THE GENERIC JOKE

A natural blonde
Hello everybody! Autumn the Puppy here!
There are all kinds of jokes in the world besides the obvious duo of funny and not funny.
There are one-liners, story jokes, monologues... you get the idea.
But one group of jokes that (depending upon the subject) is receiving mixed reviews nowadays is the ridicule joke, where one specific type of person or group is made to look bad during the course of the gags.
Blondes, Aggies, ethnic communities, and a whole bunch of others; whether they are legitimate targets or not, have been the butt of jokes long before even my great-grandmother was sired.

So today, what I am going to do is present a bunch of jokes that originally targeted blondes for their source of humor in such a way that no one will take offense in this oversensitive world of political correctness we find ourselves in today.
Ready?

Two people who had never been to Florida before longed to see Disneyland. They were driving down the freeway when they saw a road sign that said "Disneyland Left".
Sad and disappointed, they turned around and started making their way back home.

A police officer pulled a driver over for speeding and asked for a driver's license.
"Why? Don't you have one?" asked the speeder.
"Yes, but I want to see yours," replied the police officer.
"I wish you folks would get your act together," said the driver. "A police officer took away my license last week and now you want to see it?"

Out for a nice walk, a person comes to a stream.
Wanting to get across, the pedestrian shouted, "How do I get to the opposite side of this stream?"
The person there looked around for a bit, and then shouted back, "You already are!"

A patient rushed into the doctor's office complaining that wherever they touched their body, it hurt.
The doctor wanted proof, so the patient started proving the claim.
"That's impossible. Your finger must be broken," realized the doctor.
"It is? That's a relief. Thanks doctor," said the patient, before turning around and leaving.

A group of people were playing Trivia Pursuit. The category was Science and Nature, and the question was, "If you are in a vacuum and somebody calls your name, can you hear them?"
The contestant thought about it for a moment and then replied, "That depends. Is the vacuum off or on?"

A person bought two new dogs and was showing them off to their neighbor.
When the neighbor asked what the dog's names were, the proud new owner said "Timex and Rolex."
"Why did you name your dogs that?" asked the neighbor.
"They're watch dogs."

Now then, maybe the above are not as funny as the originals, but no majority or minority was harmed in the telling of these jokes and a splendid time was had by all.
Or was it?
In any event, have a great week folks and please be back here next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!-AtP.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: AUGUST 11-17, 2013

TODAY IS INDONESIA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Amongst events happening around the world this past week...
*The International Olympics Committee has announced that they will punish any athlete who shows support for Russian LGBT rights during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
*Egypt is in the midst of a coup d'etat that ousted the fledgling government established after that country's 2011 revolution.
*North and South Korea have reached an agreement to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Region.
*The Smithsonian has confirmed the existence of the olinguito (a member of the raccoon family) in forests of Columbia and Ecuador.
*The existence of footage of the previously unseen Kawahiva Tribe in the Amazon rain forest of Brazil has been confirmed.
*Civil unrest continues in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
*The Republican party has announced NBC and CNN will NOT have access to the GOP Convention in
2016 because both networks refused to give into the Republicans' demands to scuttle their respective plans concerning Hillary Clinton documentaries because it would give the former First Lady/Secretary of State too much pre-primaries exposure. The ironic part? Mrs. Clinton has yet to officially announce whether or not she will seek the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2016.
*Mob boss Whitey Bulger was convicted of racketeering charges.
*The existence of the infamous "Area 51" has been officially confirmed by the United States government. However, it has (allegedly) only been used to test military equipment, with no mention of aliens.
*The US Department of Justice has filed an anti-trust suit to stop the impending merger of US Airways and American Airlines.
*Jason Dufner won the 2013 PGA Championship.

THANKS TO OUR LOYAL READERS, THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE HAS ENJOYED OVER 1000 PAGES VIEWS FOR THE 12TH STRAIGHT MONTH IN A ROW!

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: AUGUST 17, 2013

New weekend, new puzzles. Ready?

TRIVIA TIME
What is the official name of the book series that includes the volumes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords?

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

PRESSURE   
    contents

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results of the August 10, 2013 Puzzle Corner.


THE FIFTY-FIFTY CHANCE
Yes or no: Is effluvia a good thing?
Answer: NO! Because effluvia is a formal term for noxious vapors!

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
Out of the letters in the word SUMMER, you can form the following words:

Emu(s), Mum(s), Muse, Rum(s), Ruse, Sum, Use, (and) User.
Other words besides the 11 listed above might be possible.

Monday, August 12, 2013

BASEBALL CLEANING HOUSE, SAY NO TO DRUGS!

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EDITORIAL.

Now, before we begin, let me make one point perfectly clear.
I LOVE BASEBALL!
I follow and watch the game(s) as much as humanly possible from the first pitch of preseason to the last out of the World Series every year.
There have been good and bad moments throughout each season, but by far the worst (in my humble opinion) is when a player will intentionally take something that is not only illegal in hopes of "improving" their game, but they do so willingly, despite the fact it could also produce life threatening health risks in the future.

Although most sports have dealt with drug situations at one time or another; Major League Baseball has been cracking down on human growth hormone, performance enhancing drugs, and other illegal substance uses. I for one applaud their efforts. There is still a long way to go to make sure the game is totally clean, but at least MLB is trying.

One of the more major scandals of late involves a company called Biogenesis, who is no longer in business. A lengthy investigation has resulted in plenty of suspensions.
Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, and Yasmani Grandal all sat out 50 games during the 2012 season.

As this was posted, the following players are all within the first week of a current 50 game suspension:
Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers
Everth Cabrera of the San Diego Padres
Jhonny Perlata of the Detroit Tigers
Antonio Bastardo of the Philadelphia Phillies
Francisco Cervelli and Fernando Martinez of the New York Yankees
Jordany Valdespin and Cesar Puello of the New York Mets
and Sergio Escalona of the Houston Astros.
Pitchers Fauntino de los Santos and Jordan Norberto are also facing 50 game suspensions, but are not currently active with any team.
Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers is facing a 65 game suspension because he also somehow (details are unknown) violated baseball's collective bargaining agreement in the process.

All these players willingly started their suspensions and, depending upon contracts and the feelings of their respective teams, will probably be playing again next year. Hopefully they have learned their lesson and will play clean from now on.

However, one guilty player is absent from this list.
Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees was sentenced to a 211 game suspension because besides being found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs and somehow violating baseball's collective trade agreement (details unknown), Rodriguez might have, or at least was suspected of, introduced other players (his fellow Yankees?) to the Biogenesis firm.
211 games would of had him sitting out at least the rest of the 2013 season and all of 2014, but Rodriguez is eligible to play while appealing his suspension.

While he is well within his legal rights to do so, why is Alex Rodriguez the only player appealing his sentence? The suspension being upheld later would have him sitting out not only all of the 2014 season (162 regular season games), but the beginning of 2015 until 211 games have passed.
I am not saying that Rodriguez is innocent, but Major League Baseball must have had some serious evidence against him to issue such a stiff sentence, compared to the others involved.

Sadly, this far from baseball's first drug scandal.
Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were both suspected of using in 1998, at least by fans, when they competed against each other to break Roger Maris' then record of 61 home runs in a single season.
McGwire later confessed to using performance enhancing drugs at the time, but the one(s?) he took were not officially declared illegal by Major League Baseball at the time, so presumably would not have shown up on any drug test.
Barry Bonds later not only broke McGwire's new single season record, but also broke Hank Aaron's career home run record.
Since "accomplishing" (quotes mine) both feats, Bonds has been investigated for using performance enhancing drugs himself, but so far has only been found guilt of committing perjury to a federal grand jury. It should be noted that Barry Bonds has not been an active player since the beginning of 2008, when he could not obtain a position on any team with the accusations unanswered.

The Free Choice E-zine's (and my own personal) position on this matter is this:

ANY PLAYER IN ANY SPORT FOUND GUILTY OF USING DRUGS SHOULD BE STRIPPED OF ANY AND ALL RECORDS "EARNED" WHILE TAKING THE ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES!

What this means for Major League Baseball is that the career home run record (pending the results of further investigation) should revert back to Hank Aaron and that the single season home run record would revert back to Mark McGwire, although since he confessed his guilt, Roger Maris is a strong contender.

There are too many instances of putting people upon pedestals only to watch them fall.
Children who later become budding athletes look up to their idols for inspiration.
Any athlete who uses illegal performance enhancing substances, regardless of the sport, should face the same consequences a non-athlete would, including possible jail time too (if applicable)!

Lee Houston, Junior
Editor-In-Chief of The Free Choice E-zine
August 12, 2013

THE ABOVE WAS AN EDITORIAL.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

SUNDAY FUNNIES: WHAT EVERYONE WANTS BUT ONLY A FEW HAVE (money)

Money CAN'T buy me love!
Hello everybody. Ms. Waxy Dragon here.
Today, let's talk about something near and dear to everyone's hearts, or at least their wallets.
Money.
Now let's face it, whether you're a "have" or "have not", you're always wanting more for some reason or another, whether it's to pay bills or buy a new Rolls Royce because the old one is dirty.
And being a kid, let alone a baby dragon, without any money isn't fun either.
If not for parents, you wouldn't be able to get a toy, the latest comic book(s), dark chocolate...
Okay, better get my mind off my stomach and back to work.
Seriously, money, or the lack thereof, is no joking matter; but I'm certainly going to try.

A man went into a bank and asked to see the man who arranged the loans.
"I'm sorry, sir," said the cashier, "The loan arranger is out to lunch."
"Can I speak to Tonto then?"

Q. Did you hear about the goldfish that went bankrupt?
A. Now he's a bronze fish!

There's one good thing about being poor. It's inexpensive.

Thief: "Your money or your life."
Victim: "Take my life, I need my money for my old age."

Now, piggies do not keep their money in piggy banks, but do fish use a river bank?

Did you hear about the family who was evicted from their tree house? The bank says they didn't pay their mortgage, but the family says it's a mix-up because they recently switched branches. 
Well now, that would leave them out on a limb, wouldn't it?

The forger liked to brag that he was making big money, but if he makes it too large, it won't fit in his wallet!

Now, this topic might seem out of character for me, but while us kids may not totally understand everything that is happening in the world today, we are aware that something is going on.
Just remember, in the end, it isn't how big your wallet is, or how much you have in the bank, it's what's in your heart that matters most.
Little kids and baby dragons know this from practically the day after we're old enough to start talking; and this is a lesson that grown ups need to learn and remember.

LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND!





Be nice to yourselves and everyone around you.
And please be back here next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!-wd, with some help from the e-i-c

Video courtesy of You Tube.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: AUGUST 4-10, 2013

Amongst events happening around the world this past week...
*United States President Barack Obama has confirmed that he will attend the upcoming G-20 summit representing America, despite recent differences with Russia over Edward Snowden and other matters.
*There are reports of successful drone attacks upon suspected Al Qaeda bases.
*Robert Mugabe has been re-elected President of Zimbabwe.
*Although his health has not reached the point where he can be released from a South African hospital, Nelson Mendela's condition is improving.
*Peter Capaldi has been announced as the 12th actor to portray the title role of Doctor Who. He will take over from 11th actor Matt Smith at the end of the 2013 Christmas movie, and begin the new season of the series, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, in 2014.
*Civil unrest continues in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
*Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.com, has agreed to buy the Washington Post newspaper for $250 million US Dollars.
*Of all the players recently suspended by Major League Baseball over the Biogenesis performance enhancing drugs scandal, only Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees is contesting his sentence, and will continue to play until the appeal process is concluded. The Free Choice E-zine will have a more in depth report on this subject Monday, August 12, 2013.
*Stan Lynde, the cartoonist who created the comic strips Rick O'Shay and Latigo, has lost his battle with cancer.

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.

PUZZLE CORNER: AUGUST 10, 2013


It's that time again. Sharpen your wits and lets keep our minds active with a few enigmas.

THE FIFTY-FIFTY CHANCE
This is just like a regular Trivia Time question, but there are only two possible answers, hence the even odds of getting it right. Ready?

Is effluvia a good thing?

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
For better or worse, we haven't played this in a while, so I'll go easy on you, this time.

How many words can you make out of SUMMER?
Hint: there are a few!

We'll reveal all next time. But for now, let's take a peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX and reveal the results from the August 3, 2013 Puzzle Corner.

TRIVIA TIME
Although not officially recognized on the calendar, what are "the dog days of summer"?
NOTE: Although the Southern Hemisphere has theirs at a different time than the Northern Hemisphere of Earth, the name and the question are still applicable.

The dog days are usually the hottest part of the season, and the name is derived from Sirius, the dog star; who the ancient Romans once believed was responsible for the oppressive heat.

COMMON BONDS
The items in each subset below have something in common. Do you know what it is?
01. {Austin Trevor, Peter Ustinov, Albert Finney, Tony Randall}
All these actors have portrayed consulting investigator Hercule Poirot
02. {Margaret Rutherford, Angela Lansbury, Helen Hayes, Joan Hickson}
All these actresses have portrayed the inquisitive spinster Miss Marple
03. {The answers to Groups 1 and 2}
Both characters were created by Dame Agatha Christie

Sunday, August 4, 2013

SUNDAY FUNNIES: THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Woof!
Hello Everybody. Autumn the Puppy here.
In the Northern Hemisphere, we are currently in the middle of what is known as the Dog Days of Summer.
Now personally, I love warm weather to a point.
I don't want it so hot that I have to stay in the shade with my water bowl all the time and be able to cook my meals on the sidewalk.
That's hot!
But in any event, when thinking about what I could do for this week's column, I thought about all the dogs I've sniffed before, and decided to repost some of those past images for your enjoyment once more.

You try wearing glasses with a pug nose!

This fellow on the right was having trouble keeping his sun goggles on, and considering that us canines don't have arms in the traditional sense of the word, found another way to readjust them.
Tastes delicious. How much are you making?








Full face or profile, sir?
                                                           





Meanwhile, the puppy on the left decided to lend a paw and help his mistress cook up some yummy, homemade dog treats.







This fellow on the right, like any dog, is curious about anything and everything all the time. When the picture was taken, he was interested in the camera itself. While one lick proved it didn't taste good, he soon figured out which end was his good side.


"Next!"




This little guy on the left lives in a penthouse apartment with his owners. The photo was original taken on New Year's Eve, hence the funny pose.
Don't worry, us canines hate alcohol and never touch the stuff ourselves.



                                                                                                                                       

Unfortunately, that's about all the space we have for now, so I'll let my friend on the right wave bye to everyone as I ask you to have a great week and please be back here next weekend for more Sunday Funnies.-AtP.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JULY 28-AUGUST 3, 2013

Not actual size ;-)
TODAY IS NIGER'S INDEPENDENCE DAY AND VENEZUELA'S FLAG DAY.

Amongst events happening around the world this past week... 
*World travelers have been warned that the remains of Al Qaeda could be reforming and planning new terrorist attacks.
*Israel and Palestine will soon resume peace negotiations.
*Alleged NSA traitor Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum (1 year) in Russia.
*The new Lavasoa dwarf lemur primate has been discovered in Madagascar.
*Mamnoon Hussain is the new President of Pakistan.
*Hun Sen has been elected Prime Minister of Cambodia.
*Whoever (no pun intended) will be cast as the next Doctor Who will be announced during a live telecast at 7pm London time Sunday night.
*India is making plans to create the new state of Telangana within that country.
*Vietnam is considering the possibility of legalizing same gender marriages within that country.
*Civil unrest continues in Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Nigeria, and Afghanistan.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
*Although acquitted on charges of aiding and abetting the enemy, Bradley Manning was found guilty on 5 counts of theft and espionage for giving classified information to WikiLeaks.
*JP Morgan Chase has agreed to pay $410 million US dollars in fines for manipulating the energy markets of California and the Midwest.
*Minnesota and Rhode Island are now allowing same-gender marriages.
*Actor Michael Ansara (Broken Arrow, Law of the Plainsman, etc) has passed away at age 91. Amongst his accomplishments is being one of the few performers to portray the same character on multiple Star Trek series.

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: AUGUST 3, 2013

Hey Puzzle Lovers! Guess what time it is?

TRIVIA TIME
Although not officially recognized on the calendar, what are "the dog days of summer"?
NOTE: Although the Southern Hemisphere has theirs at a different time than the Northern Hemisphere of Earth, the name and the question are still applicable.

COMMON BONDS
The items in each subset below have something in common. Do you know what it is?
01. {Austin Trevor, Peter Ustinov, Albert Finney, Tony Randall}
02. {Margaret Rutherford, Angela Lansbury, Helen Hayes, Joan Hickson}
03. {The answers to Groups 1 and 2}

We'll reveal all next weekend. Meanwhile, let's peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the July 27, 2013 Puzzle Corner.

REBUS
Image circulating on Facebook, artist(s) unknown






The image on the left is a pictorial representation of The Beatles' classic: Lucy in the Sky, with Diamonds.

TRIVIA TIME
Although many people believe that the inspiration for Lucy in the Sky, with Diamonds comes from the main initials of the song title (LSD), songwriter John Lennon always said that the inspiration was a drawing his (then young) son Sean Lennon created and gave him. Either way, it is a great song and highly representative of the mid-to-late 1960s.