Saturday, September 30, 2017

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2017

SEPTEMBER IS CHILDREN’S CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
ANYTHING THAT DEBUTED IN 1962 CELEBRATES
ITS 55TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.
OCTOBER 2 MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THURGOOD MARSHALL BECOMING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MEMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT.





(The link above IS active.)




AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*North Korea has announced it considers a recent reconnaissance flight by the United States “a declaration of war”.
*Puerto Rico has officially requested federal aide from the United States in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. But who’s to blame for their trouble, and when/if will they get assistance??? (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*Although the referendum was nonbinding, Kurdistan voters would like their Independence from Iraq, although Iraq’s Prime Minister wants the vote results canceled. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Japan will have a general election October 22, 2017, after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved the lower house of Parliament. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Ireland will hold a referendum concerning abortion in Spring 2018.
*Africa’s Great Green Wall is proving to be an ecological success!
*Dubai is encouraging its citizens to switch from petrol to electric automobiles.
*So, what did happen to Gary Paton???
*Saudi Arabia will soon allow women to drive in their country.
*Australia has announced it will form its own space agency.
*Anyone for sologamy???

THE TERRORIST REPORT…
*The Free Choice E-zine does not support terrorism, no matter what the “cause” or alleged “justification”. Thus we will only be posting news items in this section whenever terrorists are brought to justice.

😭PASSING PARADE…
*Author Kit Reed.
*Actor Jan Triska (The Karate Kid Part 3, 2010) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Soul singer Charles Bradley
*Bobby Knutt, Elizabeth Dawn, and Tony Booth of the long running show Coronation Street have all sadly taken their last bows on life’s stage this week.
*Actor Barry Dennen (Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, The Shining) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Playboy founder Hugh Hefner has passed away.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
*The annual open enrollment period (November 1-December 15, 2017) for the Affordable Care Act, aka “Obama Care” is approaching.
*North Korea has announced it considers a recent reconnaissance flight by the United States “a declaration of war”.
*Puerto Rico has officially requested federal aide from the United States in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. But who’s to blame for their trouble, and when/if will they get assistance??? (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has taken it upon herself to rescind all of the previous Obama Administration’s rules concerning rape on college campuses (known as Title IX) because she considers them unfair… to the rapists!
*President Trump has entered the debate over kneeling during the National Anthem at sporting events.
*With the temporary injunction over, the Trump Administration’s travel/immigration ban continues with new countries added to the list; while the Department of Homeland Security has announced it will soon begin collecting social media information on all immigrants, green card holders, and naturalized citizens beginning October 18, 2017. But are immigration authorities rounding up illegals, even in "sanctuary cities"??? (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*President Trump is planning a diplomatic visit to Asia.
*Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price has resigned over controversy concerning his use of private planes.
MEANWHILE…
*Opposition seriously increased on the latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, aka Obama Care, to the point of failure. But now the Blame Game has begun. Or the possible lying. (There are 4 separate links in this item.)
*The latest attempt at a tax plan and what it might mean for you, President Trump and the rest of “the 1%”. (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*Facebook, Twitter, and Google representatives are all scheduled to testify as the investigation into Russia’s possible interference in the 2016 Presidential election continues.
*Does the GOP think the wrong Republican won the recent primary in Alabama???
*Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee has announced he will not seek reelection in 2018.
ELSEWHERE…
*In the aftermath of Hurricane Harveyjust who will pay for all the repair bills in Houston, Texas??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Acting Drug Enforcement Agency Chief Chuck Rosenberg has announced his retirement, effective October 1.
*The United States Marine Corp has its first female officer.
*The University of Louisville, Kentucky’s troubles continue. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)

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

THE PUZZLE CORNER: SEPTEMBER 30, 2017

FUN FACT
All varieties of fish have teeth!

WHAT’S THAT SONG?
A line from a famous song is below. All you have to do is know its name. Ready?

♫I need you more than want you...♫

FAMOUS FIRSTS
The opening line to a book is below. Do you know what the novel is?

It was always the same for her when she arrived to meet the body.

We’ll reveal all next weekend, but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the September 23, 2017 Puzzle Corner.

BEFORE AND AFTER
Two separate things share at least one word in common, so can be combined to form something new. Based upon the clue below, do you know what the new thing is?

Retired baseball player turned mystery writer?

Charles Todd Walker
Charles Todd is famous for writing the Inspector Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford mysteries, while Todd Walker is a retired eleven year veteran of Major League Baseball turned announcer.
While there are other former athletes who turned to writing, this is the combination we were thinking of that fits the BEFORE AND AFTER category.

TRIVIA TIME
Who or what is Cullan Skink?
It’s a variety of fish.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

BANNED BOOK WEEK 2017

The following is an editorial.




September 24-30 is Banned Books Week here in the United States of America, although the problem is far more widespread than just in our country, and requires a lot more attention than just one week.

Books have been banned throughout the world on religious, political, moral, and other reasons as simple as the person who read the book didn't like it.

Believe it or not, every title in the image above was actually banned by some group, county, or state within the United States at one point or another.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions.
BUT NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO FORCE THEIR OPINIONS UPON OTHERS!

If you start reading a book and find something objectionable within it, then you simply don't finish reading it.
If you're the parent of an underage minor, then you do have some right in regards to keeping whatever the book in question is away from your children.

BUT THOSE ARE YOUR ONLY RIGHTS!

It is up to another child's parents to decide what is right or wrong for their children!
Another adult is perfectly capable of deciding whether something is right or wrong for themselves.
After all, you don't want someone else saying what you can and can't read, do you?

The same rules are applicable for movies, television programs, music, etc.

These are YOUR rights people!
Don't let anyone take them away from you!


The above was an editorial.

SUNDAY FUNNIES: LEGAL LAUGHS

"Raise your right paw."
Hello Everybody! Autumn the Puppy here!
In Henry VI, Part II, during Scene 2 of the fourth act, William Shakespeare had Dick the Butcher say, "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.''
Now of course, the character was referring to the unethical ones involved within the play's events.
Like any profession, you have to take the bad ones with the good.
Yet for every Perry Mason or Rafael Barba, there is an attorney not as bright, but they do provide great comedic moments.
I submit the following as proof to the court of laughs...

Attorney: "The youngest son. The 20 year old. How old is he?"
Witness: "Don't you know?"

Attorney: "What's your current marital status?"
Man: "I'm a widower."
Attorney: "Who died?"

Attorney: "Didn't you say the murder victim was shot in the woods?"
Coroner: "No, I said he was shot in the lumbar region."
Of course, the court room scenes of Airplane 2! The Sequel! are quite funny too.

Attorney: "Any theories as to why this isn't a murder trial?"
Witness: "Because I'm still alive."

Attorney: "You were there until you left, correct?"
This one ranks right up there with the Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck routine "This week was next week last week."

And on that note♫, have a great week everybody and we'll see each other again next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!—AtP.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 17-23, 2017

SEPTEMBER IS CHILDREN’S CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
2017 MARKS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF REGULAR SEASON INTERLEAGUE PLAY IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
SEPTEMBER 23 IS NATIONAL DAY IN SAUDI ARABIA.
SEPTEMBER 23 IS ALSO "CELEBRATE BI-SEXUALITY DAY".
SEPTEMBER 24-30 IS BANNED BOOK WEEK.
SEPTEMBER 25 MARKS THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PRINCESS BRIDE MOVIE.
SEPTEMBER 29 MARKS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GIANTS LAST BASEBALL GAME BEFORE MOVING FROM NEW YORK CITY TO SAN FRANCISCO.
SADLY, SEPTEMBER 29 MARKS THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STILL UNRESOLVED TYLENOL POISONING CASE, WHICH SOON LED TO BETTER PRODUCT SEALING.



(There are 2 separate links above.)





AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*Will Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolve Japan’s House of Representatives soon to prepare for a new general election???
*Ownership of Rolling Stone magazine is now available for purchase.
*Uber is apparently out in London, England.
*Since climate change IS real, could another mass extinction be in our future too??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*So, did Neanderthal brains develop slower than those of modern humans or not???
*Believe it or not, a German World War 1 submarine has been discovered!

NORTH KOREA VERSUS…???
*American President Donald Trump made his first appearance before the United Nations this week.
*What he said.
*North Korea’s possible reaction to Trump’s address.
*The US Congress’ initial response to Trump’s speech.
*President Trump has since levied new sanctions against North Korea.
*While China is honoring existing sanctions, what about the recent earthquake in North Korea??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)

THE TERRORIST REPORT…
*The Free Choice E-zine does not support terrorism, no matter what the “cause” or alleged “justification”. Thus we will only be posting news items in this section whenever terrorists are brought to justice.

😭PASSING PARADE…
*Those who lost their lives during the recent earthquakes in Mexico.
*Musician/producer Laudir de Oliveria (Sergio Mendes, Chicago) has passed away.
*World Wrestling Entertainment Icon Bobby “The Brain” Heenan is no longer with us.
*Film producer Kate Guinzburg (One Fine Day, Dangerous Minds) has passed away.
*Former professional football player turned actor Bernie Casey (Revenge of the Nerds, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure) is no longer with us.


HURRICANE JOSE AFTERMATH...
*As clean up and recovery efforts from its destructive journey continue, Jose was last reported as a Tropical Storm, stalled and acting as a Nor'easter off the New England coast. Some fear this may act as a “magnet” to attract Hurricane Maria, but that deadly storm’s course remains to be seen.


WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
*The annual open enrollment period (November 1-December 15, 2017) for the Affordable Care Act, aka “Obama Care” is approaching.
*What happened to the $107 million dollars that President Trump’s Inaugural Committee promised to charity???
*California has filed suit against President Trump’s proposed border wall.
*How Donald Trump might be paying his current legal bills...
MEANWHILE…
*Mitch McConnell is happy that the GOP is trying another attempt at repealing the Affordable Care Act, aka “Obama Care”, but there is opposition to that both in and out of Congress. (There are 4 separate links in this item.)
*What lies within the possible new tax plan???
*Facebook is turning over material into the investigation of potential Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election.

ELSEWHERE…
*California has officially rescheduled their 2020 Presidential primaries for March of that year.
*Is Coca-Cola healthy??? One man’s opinion.
*Amongst the winners of the 69th Prime Time Emmy Awards are Veep (Outstanding Comedy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Outstanding Comedic Actress), The Handmaid’s Tale (Outstanding Drama, Elisabeth Moss for Outstanding Dramatic Actress) and Saturday Night Live (Outstanding Variety-Sketch program, Alec Baldwin for Outstanding Comedic Supporting Actor, Kate McKinnon for Outstanding Comedic Supporting Actress).
*Toys ‘R’ Us has filed for bankruptcy protection as it tries to reorganize.
*What happens when you wear the same dress to a wedding???

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

THE PUZZLE CORNER: SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

FUN FACT
The costumers working on the chain mail for The Lord of the Ring trilogy reportedly rubbed their fingerprints off creating all the armor.

BEFORE AND AFTER
Two separate things share at least one word in common, so can be combined to form something new. Based upon the clue below, do you know what the new thing is?

Former athlete turned mystery writer?

TRIVIA TIME
Who or what is Cullan Skink?

We’ll reveal all next weekend, but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the September 16, 2017 Puzzle Corner.

RHYME TIME
The clue to something is below, but no matter how long your answer is, every word within it must rhyme. Ready?

Mobile train pub?
Bar Car.

AKA: ALSO KNOWN AS
What is “La Giaconda” more commonly known as?
The “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo DaVinci.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE 2017

The following is an editorial.

September 21 has been set aside as The International Day of Peace.
MANY wish that this observance, like peace itself, lasted all year long for all eternity, although the greed and evil of others sadly prevents this from happening.

Maybe someday...😞



The above was an editorial.

Sunday, September 17, 2017

SUNDAY FUNNIES: NEW JOKES FROM DRAGON SCHOOL

I'm supposed to learn more than jokes in school?
Hello Everybody! Waxy Dragon here!
Well, Dragon School is back in session. Why they always spend most of the first day reminding us dragons that people are not crunchy and don't taste good with ketchup, I have no idea.
But one good thing about being back in Dragon School is seeing a lot of my friends again and telling each other all the new jokes we learned over the summer.
So guess what?
It's time to share some of them with you!
Ready?

I saw an ad that said there was a radio for sale, but the volume was stuck on full.
There was no way I could turn that down.
The whole gang's laughing over these jokes!

I stopped understand Math when the Alphabet became involved.
Y should I help Algebra find its X?
The relationship ended, so they should get over it!

The Mime Troupe making their radio debut was nothing worth hearing.

When pressed on the witness stand the tailor, who was a material witness in the law suit, came apart at the seams. Nervous, he unraveled and completely altered his testimony.
The tale he had previously woven was a complete fabrication!

My teacher told me that I should think about my future and dress accordingly.
So why did she get mad when I came to school dressed as Wonder Woman???

Bubblehead's Special Joke File
I was told that regular people go to Pre-kindergarten before attending Kindergarten.
Is Kindergarten THAT hard???

What is a foot long, made of leather, and sounds like a sneeze?
A shoe.

I've still got plenty of new jokes from Dragon School, as well as all the jokes I've been collecting from Bubblehead's Special Joke File all Summer long, but I'm afraid those will have to wait.

Take care everybody, have a good week, and please be back here again next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!—wd.

Saturday, September 16, 2017

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 10-16, 2017

SEPTEMBER IS CHILDREN’S CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
SEPTEMBER MARKS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANYTHING DEBUTING IN 1957, INCLUDING PERRY MASON AND MAVERICK.
SEPTEMBER 18 MARKS THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS CBS STARTED ITS RADIO DAYS AS THE COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM.
SEPTEMBER 18 IS ALSO THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT, UNIFYING ALL OF AMERICA’S MILITARY FORCES.
SEPTEMBER 19 MARKS THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF GEORGE REEVES'
DEBUT IN THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN.
SEPTEMBER 19 IS ALSO THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF SCOTT E. FAHLMAN CREATING THE SMILEY. 😊
SEPTEMBER 19 IS ALSO INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY.
SEPTEMBER 21 IS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE.
SEPTEMBER 22 IS THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX.




AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*Despite newly passed additional sanctionsNorth Korea conducted another "missile test" that has Japan currently on alert. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Halimah Yacob ran unopposed to become the first female President of Singapore.
*What is the current state of the European Union???
*What is the future of politics in Iceland???
*The World Health Organization reports that hunger rates have risen as results of war and climate change.
*Pope Francis has publicly spoken against the administration of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the DACA Act and admitted to not understanding the current motivations of North Korea, as the United Nations has imposed new sanctions against the country for their latest “missile test”. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Are ISIL forces planning to target the Philippines next???
*Were members of an Amazon tribe in Brazil murdered???
*The International Olympics Committee has decided that Paris will host the 2024 Summer Games.
*The Cassini Space Probe has completed its 20 year mission by descending into the "atmosphere" of Saturn.
*For what it’s worth, the “monkey selfie” copyright dispute has been settled.

THE TERRORIST REPORT…
*The Free Choice E-zine does not support terrorism, no matter what the “cause” or alleged “justification”. Thus we will only be posting news items in this section whenever terrorists are brought to justice.

😭PASSING PARADE…
*Those who lost their lives during Hurricanes Irma, Jose, and Katia.
*Legendary comic book writer Len Wein (co-creator of Swamp Thing, Wolverine, and Lucius Fox in Batman) has passed away.
*Actor Terence Harvey (Hollyoaks) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actor Frank Vincent (The Sopranos, Casino) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actor Harry Dean Stanton (Alien, Repo Man) has taken his last bow on life's stage.

HURRICANE HARVEY AFTERMATH…
*Clean up and repair assessments continue.
HURRICANE IRMA AFTERMATH…
*Initial landfall was in Florida as a Category 4. Some say if the storm had landed 20 miles more easterly than it did, things would have been much worse than they are. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*But did forecasters make a mistake???
*There is no estimate on a completion date for restoring power throughout Florida.
*The Marriott Hotel offered a free ride home to anyone stranded in the Caribbean after Hurricane Irma, but only if they were a registered guest of one of the Marriott’s facilities there.
*How long will Barbuda remain uninhabited because of Irma???

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
*The annual open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act, aka “Obama Care” is approaching, despite the fact that there suddenly seems to be hardly any advertising budget to publicize it this year.
*Will California schedule an earlier date for their primaries in 2020???
*Will Donald Trump soon have to release all his past tax returns after all???
MEANWHILE…
*California Governor Jerry Brown has signed into a law a bill protecting any California resident from detention and questioning, regardless of their actual immigration status.
*Can the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act be fixed???
*Apparently the state of Texas doesn’t have to readjust their voting districts after all.
*Will the Trump Administration soon reopen an Arctic Refuge to drilling again???
ELSEWHERE…
*Is a Motel 6 in Arizona guilty of turning suspected guests into immigration authorities???
*Miss North Dakota Cara Mund is the new Miss America for 2018 after more current events questions were asked. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*The Cleveland Indians' winning streak ended at 22 with Friday night's loss against the Kansas City Royals.
*The International Olympics Committee has decided that Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Games.
*Amongst the winners of the 2017 US Open of professional tennis: Rafael Nadal won the Men’s Singles title, Sloane Stephens the Women’s Singles, Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau the Men’s Doubles, and Chan Yung-jan and Martina Hingis the Women’s Doubles.

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

THE PUZZLE CORNER: SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

FUN FACT
The Walt Disney Studio originally wouldn’t hire women to draw animation (they could ink and/or paint, if qualified), but the advent of World War 2 changed that policy.

RHYME TIME
The clue to something is below, but no matter how long your answer is, every word within it must rhyme. Ready?

Mobile train pub?

AKA: ALSO KNOWN AS
What is "La Giaconda" more commonly known as?


We’ll reveal all next weekend, but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the September 9, 2017 Puzzle Corner.


THE 50/50 CHANCE
Just like a regular TRIVIA TIME question, except there are only 2 possible answers, hence the even odds of getting it right. Ready?

TRUE OR FALSE: Throughout the course of its 3 seasons on television, the original Star Trek TV series never won an Emmy.
Sad, but TRUE.

HUH?
We failed to remember something properly. Our misquote is below. Do you know what we were actually trying to recall?

“Hold me closer, Tony Danza.”
We were actually thinking of ♫Hold me closer Tiny Dancer♫, by Elton John.

Monday, September 11, 2017

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

There are those who shall never forget.
There are those who want to forget.
In time, all shall manage to move on.
But today we pause and remember the tragic, senseless attack against humanity that happened 16 years ago today...

THEY DID NOT DIE IN VAIN By Nancy Hansen
All humanity sighed
As souls left the earth
Lives taken swiftly
Unjustly so
They died not in vain
For tears and remorse
Wash clean the blood
New York Skyline, before September 11, 2001
On the crumpled edifices
Of steel and concrete
That makes civilization grand

But buildings do not define us
Within we are human
Warm and alive
Full of stories
Martyrs they became, oh yes
But so much more
Every last one
A living testament
To faith
Hope
Pride
Charity
Accomplishment
And the greatest force on earth
Love

We watched in horror
Over and over again
As the events were replayed
And reactions were given
Stunned looks
Terror in the streets
Angry oaths
Silent sobs
In memorium, late 2001
Open weeping
Our brethren were stoic
Or they cried and pleaded
They were dead heroes or victims
But they were all alive
Just moments before
Without any foreknowledge
Of their place in history
Etched on our minds
Engraved on our hearts
For eternity

I wept with them
The ones who died
The living left behind
The shattered hopes and dreams
Like the rubble in the streets
Made us all stop and think
That could be me!
I watched stunned
And vowed as did others
We will overcome this
We are one people
We are humane and caring
This cannot be!

Who dares challenge that right?
To live free and open lives
To send fear into our hearts
And sorrow of the most profound
For after all is said and done
Nevermore will we trust
With the heart of innocents
That we are safe and protected
In this womb of our building
In this fortress of our sovereignty

Will the swords of justice
Smite down the aggressors
And bring us peace and redress?
Or just a sense of revenge
I do not know
But I do know this
They died not in vain
Who gave their lives for freedom
And to help their fellow man
For as the tragedy struck
And lives hung in the balance
Or were snuffed out
I saw birds rise from the buildings
Sun on their wings
Angels of nature
Reminding me that there is a better place
Where there is no grief or pain
And no thoughts of war
May they live there forever
New York Skyline, today
Those poor wretched souls
Till we join them again

And amid all the rubble
The twisted beams of steel and concrete
The dust and the fires
Papers fluttered to earth
A poignant reminder
We once lived and worked here
Do not forget us
We live on in your hearts
Forevermore
We did not die in vain
If the world becomes a better place
Because we once showed you
How to care about your brethren
And to value all you have
No matter how small it is
Or how rude and humble
Life is a gift

Sunday, September 10, 2017

SUNDAY FUNNIES: BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL 2017

This teacher accepts chewie treats.
Winging it.
Hello Everybody!
Class is now in session!
Today you have both Autumn the Puppy AND Waxy Dragon, bringing you the Sunday Funnies' annual Back To School Special!

That's right Autumn. Traditionally, the new school year didn't start until the day immediately following Labor Day, but now students return to class as early as mid-August!

Of course, parents still celebrate their kids returning to school with 🙌great joy Waxy, and we celebrate on the first Sunday after Labor Day with some great jokes. Ready?

What happened to the baby chicken that misbehaved in school?
It was egg-spelled.

The other day my professor accused me of plagiarism. His words, not mine.

The teacher said, "If a shepherd has 68 sheep and needs help gathering them together, how would you round them up?"
The student replied, "70."

Remember when teachers used to say, "You won't have a calculator everywhere you go."
Well, we showed them.

The rule is I before E, except when you run a Feisty Heist on a Weird Beige Foreign Neighbor. 😉

Who closes the door after the bus driver gets off?
Then again, how did he open the door to get on the bus in the first place???

Every year, some children are shipped off to Mime School, never to be heard from again.

It's a perfect summer day when the sun is shining, the cool breeze is gently blowing, the birds are singing, and the kids are back in school.

At school zones
Heed instructions!
Help to save
Our tax deductions.—Burma Shave

So on that note♫, take care everybody. Drive safely, and please be back here next weekend for more Sunday Funnies.—AtP & wd.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 3-9, 2017

SEPTEMBER IS CHILDREN’S CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
ANYTHING THAT DEBUTED IN 1967 CELEBRATES
ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 IS GRANDPARENTS DAY.
BESIDES THE COWARDLY TERRORIST ATTACK AGAINST HUMANITY THAT DAY, SEPTEMBER 11 ALSO MARKS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF HARLEY QUINN’S DEBUT ON BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES.
SEPTEMBER 12 MARKS THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHOE COMIC STRIP.
SEPTEMBER 14 MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF YVONNE CRAIG’S DEBUT AS BATGIRL ON THE THIRD SEASON PREMIERE OF BATMAN
WITH ADAM WEST AND BURT WARD.




KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON HURRICANE IRMA!

BE ALERT FOR HURRICANE JOSE TOO!

AND HURRICANE KATIA AS WELL!




AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*American President Donald Trump may soon remove the United States from a trade agreement with South Korea, against the advice of his top aides.
*Taiwan Premier Lin Chuan has turned in his resignation. William Lai Ching-te has been named the new Premier.
*Pope Francis is keeping his promise to visit Columbia, South America now that their civil war is over.
*Considering Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's position on even suspected drug dealers and users (allowing civilians to shoot them on sight), his son Paolo is being investigated by the Philippine Senate  in an alleged methamphetamine smuggling scandal.
*Will Catalonia become an independent country???
*Will the Togo Parliament finally set term limits for their President???
*Prince William and his wife Kate are expecting their third child.
*An unexploded, World War 2 era bomb was discovered in Frankfurt, Germany but has since been dealt with.
*Unable to pay its taxes, a bill the business says was created to shut them down, the Cambodia Daily news(paper) has reluctantly folded.
*Although they had to exhume his body to do so, DNA tests have confirmed that a woman who claimed to be Salvador Dali’s daughter isn’t.
*A recently discovered tomb in Egypt is that of a royal goldsmith's.
*JUST WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ALL THE HURRICANES OF LATE???

CONCERNING NORTH KOREA...
*North Korea’s latest “saber rattling” is to claim they have conducted a “perfect” Hydrogen Bomb test. But while South Korea and Russia disagree on the effectiveness of sanctions against North Korea, the joint United States-South Korea missile defense system is almost ready to fully go online. (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*Mexico has expelled North Korea's ambassador to that country because of the continued "tests".
*The Philippines have officially suspended trade relations with North Korea.

THE TERRORIST REPORT…
*The Free Choice E-zine does not support terrorism, no
matter what the “cause” or alleged “justification”. Thus we will only be posting news items in this section whenever terrorists are brought to justice.

😭PASSING PARADE…
*Those who lost their lives during Hurricane Irma.
*Dave Hlubek of Molly Hatchet has passed away.
*Pulitzer Prize winning poet John Ashbery is no longer with us.
*Walter Becker of Steely Dan has passed away.
*Actor Gastone Moschin (The Godfather Part 2) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Earl Lindo of Bob Marley and the Wailers is no longer with us.
*The Tower of Power R&B group has lost member Rick Stevens.
*Country music legend Don Williams has passed away.
*Noted science fiction author Jerry Pournelle is no longer with us.
*Actor Blake Heron (We Were Soldiers, Shiloh) has taken his last bow on life's stage.
*Troy Gentry of the country music group Montgomery Gentry has passed away.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
HURRICANE HARVEY AFTERMATH…
*The latest worries for those recovering: supply shortages, price gouging, and eviction notices.
*In recovery expenses, Harvey is projected to be the second most expensive hurricane, after Katrina, depending upon the outcome of Hurricane Irma.
*The country of Qatar plans to donate $30 million dollars to help Harvey refugees.
*The first known lawsuit, resulting from events of Hurricane Harvey, has been filed.
POLITICALLY…
*President Donald Trump may soon remove the United States from a trade agreement with South Korea, against the advice of his top aides.
*For some reason, Trump has decided to downsize participation in an upcoming Black College Conference.
*The 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals has rejected part of President Trump's arguments concerning his latest travel ban.
*Just what was former President Barack Obama's advice to his successor???
*Does the main objective of the Trump administration seem to be undoing everything former President Obama accomplished during his time in the White House???
MEANWHILE…
*Congress is back in session, following their summer vacation.
*President Trump has decided to start ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act (DACA) within six months. Congress will be allowed to decide its future, if any, but will take executive action if they don’t. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Donald Trump and the White House on why DACA should end vs. the truth.
*As you can imagine, law suits have already been filed in hopes of preventing DACA
from being ended.
*The President and Congress have also reached a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling and keep the country operating until the budget creating deadline of December 15. This also includes providing Hurricane Harvey disaster relief funds. But how do you feel about the Congress people who voted against the measure? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Long time Republican Senator John McCain has spoken out AGAINST voter gerrymandering!
*Republican Representative Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania has announced he will not seek reelection in 2018.
*What might the future for the Democratic Party hold???
ELSEWHERE…
*Need help in Florida during Hurricane Irma? You better not have an outstanding arrest warrant!
*Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has announced plans to change the sexual assault guidelines on college campuses established under President Barack Obama's administration.
*The possibility of Identity Theft is now a concern to Equifax customers.
*The United States Federal Reserve Vice Chair Stanley Fischer has announced him impending retirement earlier than the length of his scheduled term in office.
*The hospital where that nurse had the altercation with the police officer over acquiring a blood sample has changed their policy concerning police interactions.
*The rules will be changing to determine future Miss Americas.
*Tronc, Inc; the owner of The Los Angeles Times and The Chicago Tribune, has purchased The New York Daily News.
*United Technologies plans to acquire parts maker Rockwell Collins.
*Billionaire Tilman Fertitta will acquire ownership of the Houston Rockets of professional basketball.
*A cast reunion for the 50th anniversary of The Carol Burnett Show has been announced!
*A consequence of the Cleveland Indians current winning streak in professional baseball.
*The airline seat you do NOT want!

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