Monday, April 28, 2014

HOW TO HELP YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS!



Presented as a Public Service Message by The Free Choice E-zine.

"WOLF HUNT" DEBUTS IN ONCE UPON A SIXGUN!

Cover art by Kathryn Frizzell
We here at The Free Choice E-zine are proud to announce that our esteemed Editor-In-Chief has recently had a new short story published!

What if a real life, historical person from the wild, wild west met a fairy tale character?

The answer to that question is ONCE UPON A SIXGUN, the latest anthology release from Pro Se Press.

Within its pages, you will discover "Allan Pinkerton and The Problem At Gruff Springs" by Nikki Nelson-Hicks, while Mark Gelineau and Joseph King team up to offer Bluebeard "A Little Southern Hospitality".

But the lead story is "Wolf Hunt", where Sheriff William 'Bat' Masterson meets Little Red Riding Hood to take on wolves of both the four and two legged variety!

"Until I got the galley PDF to proofread my submission before publication, I had absolutely no idea my story would appear in that covet position," admitted Lee. "To say I am both honored and surprised are serious understatements."


Us TFCE staffers are proud of our boss too, although we had to take a good long look at the beautiful cover by Kathryn Frizzell before we figured out that Lee's story did not get the cover too. If you look to the wolf's left, you will see three "little" pigs about to witness the showdown, and there are no swine in his tale.

"This is a great anthology and I'm sure the other contributors had as much fun writing their tales as I did mine," added Lee.

ONCE UPON A SIXGUN is available in both print and e-formats from Pro Se Press via Amazon dot com.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

SUNDAY FUNNIES: I DIDN'T KNOW THAT! (DID YOU KNOW 2)

Digging up fun facts
Hello Everybody. Autumn the Puppy here!

Several weeks ago, I posted a column of "Did You Know" images I dug up from the Internet.

Well, that column generated enough reader interest that I decided to post this sequel.
Ready?



I could say something about the issue of quality versus quantity, and the fact that I honestly don't remember the last time there was ever a recall or consumer warning notice about Rolls Royces.
But regardless of which car it is, I know two things for sure.
01. My owners will not let me drive despite the fact I have my (dog) license. And...
02. The only time I'm ever in a vehicle is to go to the vet!








Ah, to sleep. Perchance to dream. The mind's at rest and free of the troubles and stress of the day.

Now, whenever you get a great idea overnight, all you have to do is remember to write it down when you wake up in the morning!











Well, since I've never been there myself, I'll have to take their word for it.

But if any of our readership in Zimbabwe can confirm this...

















Then again, us dogs are always hungry.
Wish we got something better to eat than dog food.
Steak would be great.








On that note, have a great week everybody and please be back here next weekend for more Sunday Funnies.--AtP.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: APRIL 20-26, 2014

APRIL 26 IS WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DAY AND
OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL FEAST DAY FOR ROMAN CATHOLICS

AMONGST EVENTS HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...
*230+ women have been reported missing after a mass kidnapping in Borno State, Nigeria!
*Sadly, while there appears to be no hope of discovering survivors at this point, the search continues for missing Malaysia Airline Flight 370.
*South Korean emergency services are dealing with a terrible ferry accident that claimed 150 victims, with many more passengers still unaccounted for.
*The Ukraine/Crimea/Russia conflict continues, with accusations that Russia might have secretly promoted the unrest long before Crimea decided to separate from the Ukraine.
Rubin Carter, Circa 2011
*Former middleweight boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter sadly has lost his final
bout with prostate cancer. His wrongful conviction for murder in 1966 inspired a Bob Dylan song in 1975 and a 1996 movie. He was released and cleared after 20 years in prison, then continued fighting for the wrongly convicted until his passing.
*Lewis Hamilton won the 2014 Chinese Grand Prix.
*The United Nations is investigating rumors of chemical weapons being used again in Syria, while civil unrest continues in Iran, Iraq, South Sudan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...

*The Republican controlled House of Representatives will only consider the Paul Ryan budget mentioned during the April 6-12, 2014 Week In Review, and has yet to even discuss the issues of illegal aliens or jobs; except their own, with the November elections on the horizon.
*Meb Keflezighi and Rita Jeptoo were the first man and woman, respectively, to complete the 2014 Boston (Massachusetts) Marathon, and thankfully, there was no violence at this year's event.
*NASA ended the LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere And Dust Environment Explorer) mission by intentionally crashing the satellite into the moon.
*Unsold, excess copies of the infamous Atari 2600 game E.T.: The Extraterrestrial and other titles, were discovered in a New Mexico landfill, thus confirming the urban myth.




THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS READERSHIP FOR GRANTING US 3000+ PAGE VIEWS FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE MONTH!


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: APRIL 26, 2014

Hello Puzzle Lovers! Guess what time it is?

BEFORE AND AFTER
It's been a while for this one, but two separate items have at least one word in common and can be combined to create something new.
Based upon the clue below, do you know what it is?

A Jane Fonda movie directed by Chris Columbus?

TRIVIA TIME
What requires "a little bit of rhythm and a lot of soul"?

We'll reveal all next weekend, but now, let's peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results of our EASTER EGG-SPRESSIONS QUIZ from the April 19, 2014 Puzzle Corner.

01. To urge into action = Egg on
02. Brianiac = Egg head
03. Fail = Lay an egg
04. Embarassment = Egg on one's face
05. Tread carefully = To walk on egg shells
06. Dependent upon just one thing? = Don't put all your eggs in one basket
07. Savings = Nest egg
08. Overcome shyness = Come out of your shell

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

EARTH DAY 2014


There are new scientific discoveries every year,
including the existence of new planets by astronomers.

Yet, especially considering the current state of travelling through outer space, reaching one of those other worlds is only a beautiful dream at present.

Earth is the only habitable planet everyone currently
on its surface will ever know.

The above statement will hold true for many generations in the future.

It is up to each and every one of us to take care of the world we live on, not only for ourselves, but for our descendants as well.

Because it will be a very long time before we can go anywhere else.

And even then, how well will we take care of the next planet?

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

Sunday, April 20, 2014

HOPPY EASTER (2014)

Greetings All.
You're old pal E.B., the Easter Bunny here to share a few minutes and laughs with everyone now that I have my deliveries done for the year.

I've been told that your regular hostesses, Autumn the Puppy and Waxy Dragon, have the holiday off to be with their families.
If you had to work today, unless you're in the military, law enforcement, fire prevention, or medical industries; shame on your employers!

Now it's time to kick back, relax, put your feet up and let your hare down as I tell a few yolks, I mean: jokes.

A magician called a bald man onto the stage. "I am going to make a rabbit appear on top your head. Alakazam! A rabbit is now on your head."
The man felt around on top his head and there was nothing.
"Go ahead and keep feeling around," said the magician. "Soon you will feel a little hare."

What do you call a cow on Easter?
Whatever you call it the rest of the year!

What did the chicken say when it laid a square egg?
Ouch!

All dressed up in their Sunday best
What do you get if you cross a flea with a rabbit?
A bug's bunny!

What are four hundred rabbits hopping backwards?
A receding hare line.

What did the evil chicken lay?
Deviled eggs.

Where do tough chickens come from?
Hard boiled eggs.

If a rooster climbs to the top of a barn roof and lays an egg and the barn is facing east and the wind is blowing north, which way will the egg roll?
Does it matter? Roosters don't lay eggs!

Why did the rabbit cross the road?
To get to the hopping mall.

How do rabbits fly?
By hareplane.

What is the bunny motto?
"Don't worry, be hoppy."


Did you know carrots are good for the eyes?

After all, you've never seen a rabbit wearing glasses, have you?

What is a rabbit's favorite dance style?
Hip-hop.

Where do rabbits go after their wedding?
On their bunnymoon.


Well, that's it for this year folks. It's been fun.
As usual, I'm gonna hop home, kick back, relax, hang out with my peeps, and take a well deserved carrot break.

See you in 2015.--e.b.

The Sunday Funnies will return next weekend.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: APRIL 13-19, 2014

HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!

APRIL 22 IS EARTH DAY!


AMONGST EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...
*Sadly, the death toll from the current West Africa Ebola outbreak currently stands at 120+ confirmed victims.
*Algerian voters have elected incumbent President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to a fourth term.
*The Parliament of Malta has elected to recognize both same gender marriages and same gender couples adopting.
*An internal study conducted by their government reveals that one-fifth of Chinese soil is contaminated.
*The Guardian of Great Britain and The Washington Post of America are sharing the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for their stories on the National Security Agency of America, based on leaks from Edward Snowden.
*The Supreme Court of India has decided to officially recognize transgender as a third gender, alongside the traditional male and female.
*Scientists believe a new moon is forming on the outer edge of Saturn's "A" ring!
*Civil unrest continues in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.

THE LATEST ON THE ONGOING UKRAINE/CRIMEA/RUSSIA SITUATION...
*While the participants enjoy a brief Easter peace truce; Ukraine authorities, with official government backing, have announced they are taking  "anti-terrorist" action against pro-Russian separatist protesters.
*The separatists have since retaliated, creating even higher tensions in the region.
*Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted to sending military forces into Crimea to protect Russian assets there BEFORE the succession vote.
*Someone is trying to convince Jewish people in Donetsk that they have to "register their presence".

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
*A judge has ruled that the finances of Detroit, Michigan will continue to be
monitored even after the city emerges from bankruptcy protection.
*Kepler-186f has been determined by NASA to be the first (known) Earth-size exoplanet orbiting within a star's "habitable zone".
*The Michael's arts and crafts supply chain has made public that they were an victim of last year's identity theft spree too, with over 3 million customers affected.
*Bubba Watson won the 2014 US Masters tournament of professional golf.


THANKS TO OUR LOYAL READERSHIP, THE STREAK* CONTINUES AS THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE HAS RECEIVED 2000+ PAGE VIEWS FOR THE 8TH STRAIGHT MONTH!

And this is our 1250th Blogger Post too!

*Since September 2013

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: APRIL 19, 2014

HOPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!
To celebrate, we have a special quiz for you!
Every answer to the clues below, while something Easter related, is also an everyday phrase or
eggs-pression.
Ready?

01. To urge into action
02. Brianiac
03. Fail
04. Embarassment
05. Tread carefully
06. Dependent upon just one thing?
07. Savings
08. Overcome shyness

We'll reveal all next weekend. Meanwhile, let's peek inside THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the April 12, 2014 Puzzle Corner.

COMMON BONDS
While everybody within the subsets below are the scoreboard designation for specific baseball teams, each group also has something else in common.
Do you know what it is?
01. {LAD, OAK, PIT, SEA} All are also normal words
02. {ARI, MIA, TEX} All are also people's (nick)names
03. {DET, MIN} Both are also abbreviations of real words: detective and minimum, respectively.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
How many new words can you spell out of the letters in BASEBALL?
There's more than you think.


A, abs, able, ale(s), all, as
Babe(s), bale(s) ball(s), base, be, bell(s)
Ebb(s)
Lab(s), label(s), lea(s)
Sable, sale, sea, seal, sell

More than the 30 listed above might be possible.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

SUNDAY FUNNIES: JOKES SURPLUS (random jokes)

Hello Everybody! Waxy Dragon here!

I've got so many jokes backlogged in inventory, I'm giving them away for free!

Want some?

Well, here they are!
Okay. I caught it. Now what?


Why is Cinderella so bad at basketball?
Because she runs away from the ball and her coach is a pumpkin!

I went to the pet shop and asked if they had any cats cheap. The clerk said all their cats go "Meow."

What never runs in but always runs out?
Time!

Why do hens lay eggs?
Because union rules won't let them lay bricks.

Peacefully Defying Authority
Why aren't noses 12 inches long?
Then they would be a foot.

If your nose was a foot, how would it smell?
Horrible!

Did you hear about the abusive chef?
He whipped the cream, beat the eggs, and battered the fish.

Did you hear the joke about the bed?
Never mind. It hasn't been made yet.









And on that note, have a great week everybody and please be back here next weekend for our Easter Eggstravaganza Edition of The Sunday Funnies!--wd.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: APRIL 6-12, 2014

APRIL 13TH MARKS THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS ROLE PLAYING GAME.

AMERICAN INCOME TAXES ARE DUE BY 11:59:59 pm APRIL 15TH! 

AMONGST EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED
AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...
A NEW PHOTO OF EARTH!
*Some versions of the OpenSSL Computer Protocols have developed a critical bug that has been designated Heartbleed.
*Ireland's President Michael D. Higgins has made the first ever Irish Head of State visit to the United Kingdom.
*Viktor Orban has been re-elected Prime Minister of Hungary.
*Astronomers have discovered a moon orbiting an exoplanet!
*Civil unrest continues in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Syria.

IN THE UKRAINE/CRIMEA...
*Citizens of Donetsk in the Ukraine favoring Russia have allegedly ceded from the Ukraine, establishing the Donetsk People's Republic independent of Kiev.
*Although accused of stirring separatist feelings, Russia warns Ukraine that any use of force in Donetsk would lead to civil war.
*The Council of Europe has suspended Russia's voting rights until the Ukraine/Crimea situation is resolved.
*Montenegro, Norway, Iceland, and Albania have agreed to enforce the European Union's sanctions against Russia.

RECALLS!
*The Ford Motor Company has recalled over 435,000 vehicles, citing rust and seat issues.
*Toyota is planning to recall over 6.5 MILLION vehicles due to steering faults!
*Microsoft has announced that it is no longer supporting or updating Windows XP.

PASSING PARADE...
*Actor Mickey Rooney has taken his final bow.
*A. N. R. Robinson, former Prime Minister and President of Trinidad/Tobago who participated in the establishment of the International Criminal Court has left us.
*Wrestler James Brian Hellwig, aka The Ultimate Warrior, has passed away.
*Jim Flaherty, Canada's last Minister of Finance has passed away.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
*After filibustering to prevent a vote on a measure that would have given equal pay to women if passed, Congressional Republicans approved the latest Paul Ryan budget proposal, which drastically cut social programs in favor of giving the "savings" to the military. The measure has since been defeated.
*Sadly, a student went on a stabbing spree at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, Pennsylvania. His trial is pending in an adult court.
*The death toll in the Oso, Washington mudslide stands at 36, but 10 people are still unaccounted for.
*Bank of America has agreed to pay $727 million to customers because of deceptive marketing practices and unfair billing and another $45 million in penalties to the federal government.
*President Barack Obama has nominated Sylvia Mathews Burwell to replace resigning Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
*Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, KISS, Linda Rondstadt, Nirvana, and Cat Stevens have been inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
*The University of Connecticut Men's and Women's College Basketball teams have won their respective titles in the 2014 NCAA Championship series.
*Stephen Colbert has been named as David Letterman's successor when he retires from CBS' The Late Show in 2015. No word on what will replace The Colbert Report on Comedy Central when that happens.



THANKS TO OUR LOYAL READERSHIP, THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE STREAK OF 1000+ MONTHLY PAGE VIEWS (BEGAN SEPTEMBER 2011) CONTINUES!




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: APRIL 12, 2014

The 2014 Major League Baseball season is well underway here in the United States, so let's play ball with some new enigmas!

COMMON BONDS
While everybody within the subset below is the scoreboard designation for specific baseball teams, each group also has something else in common.
Do you know what it is?
01. {LAD, OAK, PIT, SEA}
02. {ARI, MIA, TEX}
03. {DET, MIN}

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
How many new words can you spell out of the letters in BASEBALL?
There's more than you think.

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's open THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the April 5, 2014 Puzzle Corner.

Hall and Oates
FAMOUS FIRSTS
The musical duo's first names are Daryl Hall and John Oates.

TRIVIA TIME
Trivia Time picture from April 5, 2014









The unique relationship between the two items pictured on the left is that you could stick a pencil (or pen) through one of the cassette sprockets to take up any slack in the tape.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

SUNDAY FUNNIES: CELEBRITIES BEING HUMAN

Hello Everybody! Autumn the Puppy here!

More celebrity quotes this weekend, but on a specific topic: being human.

No matter how much fame and fortune one achieves in life, in the end, they are still as human as the day they were born.



Emerson, in 1857
Clinton, circa 2012
“Enthusiasm is the Mother of Effort, and without it, nothing
great was ever achieved.”>poet Ralph Waldo Emerson
“It takes a village to raise a child.”
Possibly African Proverb frequently used by Hillary Clinton

Well, Necessity is supposed to be the Mother of Invention. So, how many mothers are involved, and where's the father in all of this?


Meyers, 2013
“I don't love acting... I'm just doing it because it keeps me off the streets and out of jail.”>actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Hey, at least he's honest.

Hanks, circa 2009
“Being a celebrity bears certain responsibilities. I don't cause
riots, but I do cause confusion. People freeze when they spot me.”>Tom Hanks
I guess it does. We put our idols on pedestals, and then seem totally shocked when they falter.



Costello, circa 2012
“I'm not even sure what I want, but that's not the point. It's that I want it now.”>Elvis Costello
For better or worse, that's a part of being human too.

Goldberg, circa 2008
“When you are kind to someone in trouble, you hope they'll remember and be kind to someone else.” >Whoopi Goldberg
There is ALWAYS hope!

And on that note, have a great week everybody and please be back here again next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!--AtP.

All celebrity images courtesy of Wikipedia



Saturday, April 5, 2014

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: MARCH 30-APRIL 5, 2014

TODAY IS THE FEAST DAY FOR SAINT VINCENT FERRER.
CAR ENTHUSIASTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE CELEBRATING
THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORD MUSTANG.
COMIC BOOK FANS ARE CELEBRATING
THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF BATMAN.

AMONGST EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...
*There are currently 95 confirmed dead in the West Africa Ebola outbreak!
*The Tungurahua volcano of Ecuador has exploded twice this past week!
*Despite reported violence, Afghanistan has held their first democratic election. Formal announcement of the results is pending.
*Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won reelection as Prime Minister of Turkey.
Saturn
*North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire during a recent border dispute at sea.
*The International Court of Justice has ruled that since Japan's current whale hunting is not for scientific research, it must be stopped immediately.
*The Sunflower Student Movement continues in Taiwan, despite governmental efforts to see it end.
*Investigations into the Garda phone tapping scandal continue in Ireland.
*Scientists have discovered evidence that leads them to believe that Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, has liquid water beneath its frozen surface!
*Civil unrest continues in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.

IN THE UKRAINE/CRIMEA...
*With Crimea officially annexed by Russia, the Ukraine is concerned over a military build up along their borders.
*NATO has suspended "all practical civilian and military cooperation" with Russia.
*McDonalds has suspended operations at all their stores within Crimea.

IN FRANCE...
*Anne Hidalgo will soon take office as the first female mayor of Paris.
*Manuel Valls has been named France's new Prime Minister.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
*Republican Paul Ryan proposed a new federal budget this week that would severely slash social aid programs, including the repeal of Obama Care, while passing the "savings" to increased military spending.
*The US Supreme Court's decision in the case of McCutcheon versus The Federal Election Committee has eliminated the donation limitations one can make to a political campaign within a two year period. Many analysts now fear the strong possibility of elections being "bought"!
*Tyson Foods has recalled over 75,000 pounds of chicken nuggets, sold mostly through Sam's Club outlets.
*Chrysler has recalled over 87,000 Jeep and Dodge SUVs because of brake issues.
*The 2014 Major League Baseball season is now underway.
*David Letterman has announced his impending retirement when his current contract to host The Late Show ends in 2015. Speculation has already started running rampant on who his successor will be.

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: APRIL 5, 2014

It's the first weekend of a new month, and puzzle fans know what that means!

Hall & Oates, circa 2008
FAMOUS FIRSTS
Everyone knows of the musical duo Hall and Oates.
But do you know what their FIRST names are?

TRIVIA TIME
First, look at the picture below.

Trivia Time Question




The question is: do you know what the unique relationship between these two objects was?

We'll reveal all next weekend.
But for now, let's open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results of the March 29, 2014 Puzzle Corner!



COMMON BONDS
The items in each subset below have something in common.
Do you know what it is?

01. {Coffee, tea}
And yes, we know they are both beverages.

But both can also be served Hot or Cold!
02. {Bullwinkle Moose, Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Homer Simpson}
And yes, we know they are all cartoon characters.

But everyone also shares the same middle name: Jay!

WHO AM I?
Based upon the clue below, can you identify the specific person?

According to her theme song:
♪ She knows her Proverbs, A to Z; and knows the good they bring
But when she has to follow them, well that's another thing! ♫


Our mystery person is: Little Audrey from Harvey Comics and Cartoons!




Here she is, from 1954's The Seapreme Court, by Famous
(formerly the Fleischer) Studios. Video courtesy of YouTube.