Sunday, January 28, 2018

SUNDAY FUNNIES: RAINY DAY HUMOR (misc. jokes)

Hello Everybody! Waxy Dragon here!
Not sure about things where you are, but it's rainy and miserable where I'm at today, so I'm stuck inside with "Bubblehead" (the human who thinks he's responsible for my well being) making me clean my room.
Of course, if he really was responsible for my well being, he'd give me plenty of Dark Belgosian Chocolate to eat and let me go watch TV while he cleaned this mess himself!

Waxy's special joke file
Anyway, since I am stuck doing this, I've been finding a lot of jokes I haven't used yet, and decided to share some of them with you. Ready?


Do SNAP, CRACKLE, and POP have a twitter account?
I could go for some Rice Krispies Tweets right now.

The best angle to approach any problem is from the try angle.

100 years ago, everybody owned a horse and only the rich had cars. Today, everybody owns a car and only the rich own a horse. This really shows how the stables have turned.

Waxy's Cousin Trey
I just heard that my cousin Trey has become a freak.
Grandma says he grew two more feet!

It wouldn't be a winter holiday without a turkey, a fruit cake, and mixed nuts. But enough about my family.

"Truthfully? I have no comment at the moment," said no politician ever, unless it was to avoid incriminating themselves.

When asked what my New Year's resolution was, I checked my computer monitor and said "1024 x 768, as usual."

19 and 20 got into a fight. 21.

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



A FRIENDLY REMINDER...
Waxy Dragon's literary debut was in Finding Waxy by Roger "Bubblehead" Stegman and Nancy A. Hansen, available from Amazon.

Other books in the Companion Dragon series (to date) are A Familiar Name and Copper's Choice; with more volumes planned for the future.




Saturday, January 27, 2018

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 21-27, 2018

JANUARY 27 MARKS THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE VIETNAM PEACE ACCORDS BEING SIGNED.
JANUARY 28 MARKS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF LEGOS BEING CREATED.
JANUARY 30 MARKS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE LONE RANGER’S RADIO DEBUT.
FEBRUARY IS BOTH NATIONAL HEART HEALTH MONTH
AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*Can United States President Donald Trump increase American business abroad???
*The United States has (temporarily?) closed its embassy in Haiti.
*United States President Donald Trump hopes Palestine and Israel will have more peace talks.
*Who stole the e-money in Japan???
*For those keeping track of the world’s Doomsday Clock and not the current Superman mini-series at DC Comics, it is now (allegedly) two minutes until “midnight”.
*Depending upon your viewing location, January 31 will feature a “super blue blood moon eclipse”!
*We lost the Space Shuttle Columbia crew 15 years ago on February 1, 2003.
*Apparently, there will be no winner in the 2018 Google Lunar X competition.

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…
*Blues musician Preston Shannon (“Beale Street Boogaloo”, “Midnight in Memphis”) has passed away.
*Country singer/actress Lari White (“That’s My Baby”, Cast Away) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Legendary author Ursula K. LeGuin (credits too numerous to mention) is no longer with us.
*Cartoonist Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey, Hi & Lois) has passed away.
*The victims of a suicide bomber who attacked a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan January 27.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
*Can President Trump increase American business abroad???
*The United States has (temporarily?) closed its embassy in Haiti.
*President Trump hopes Palestine and Israel will have more peace talks.
*Donald Trump is scheduled to give the President’s annual State of the Union address Tuesday night, January 30.
*Trump wants James F. Reilly to lead the U.S. Geological Survey.
*Whatever happened to First Lady Melania Trump wanting to address the issue of cyber bullying???
*Apparently, Donald Trump doesn’t like solar energy either!
MEANWHILE…
*The 2018 Federal Shutdown is temporarily suspended as Congress has passed a stop gap budget, with new tax cuts, until February 8, 2018. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Jerome Powell is the new chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank.
*Does the Republican Party secretly have a “Whites Only” agenda??? One man’s opinion here.
*Steve Wynn has resigned as the Republican Party’s fiance chairman.
ELSEWHERE…
*The way things are going, even on a local bus, better have proof of citizenship handy!!!
*Are Hispanic voters safe in Texas???
*The 2018 Women’s March was held at various locations across the United States. Here’s hoping something positive comes out of these events.
*The FCC may be trying to get rid of net neutrality, but you still will have to provide fair service in Montana!!!
*The state of Florida is hoping to stay on Daylight Saving Time permanently!
*While Neil Diamond, Queen, Tina Turner, Emmylou Harris, and Louis Jordan will all be receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards during the 2018 Grammy Awards January 28; both Diamond and Elton John have announced their retirement from active touring, although for different reasons. (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*LeBron James has now scored over 30,000 points in regular season professional basketball.
*Former gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar has been severely sentenced after being found guilty of several counts of sexually molesting young athletes under his “care”.
*The 2018 inductees into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame have been announced.
*The nominees for both the 2018 Razzies (celebrating the worst) and the 2018 Oscars (celebrating the best) in movies have been announced. But is The Shape of Water guilty of plagiarism??? (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*The 2018 “Super Bowl” will feature the National Football Conference’s Philadelphia Eagles versus the American Football Conference’s New England Patriots in prime time Sunday, February 4.

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: JANUARY 27, 2018

😎FUN FACT
Handshakes originated to prove that you were unarmed/weaponless!

AKA, Also Known As
The “Egyptian Cobra” is more commonly referred to as what snake?

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: Temperature changes can affect liquids AND gases.

We’ll reveal all next weekend, but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the January 20, 2018 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?

An alleged “classic” that’s actually beyond its prime.
Moldy Oldie.

TRIVIA TIME
According to Sue Grafton, what is Kinsey Milhone’s favorite meal?
A peanut butter and pickle sandwich.

Both the author and her creation shall be missed, for Grafton sadly lost her battle against cancer in December 2017 and her estate will not allow any continuation of the series nor adaptations in any media beyond reprints.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

SUNDAY FUNNIES: ANIMAL ANTICS (animal jokes)

Hello Everybody! Autumn the Puppy here!
As you can see, I'm staying nice and warm this winter with my family inside their people house, which also means I've had to bide my time and wait my turn at the computer. Usually when everyone's asleep and unaware that I even know how to turn the computer on, let alone use it.😉
After all, how do you think I keep up with my Sunday Funnies responsibilities, let alone surf the net to begin with?

Anyway, I've recently dug up some interesting animal facts that I'd like to share with you, and of course: my comments are in italics afterwards.
These are actual, TRUE facts folks! NOT any of that political "fake news" b.s.

An ostrich kick can kill a lion!😯
Now, stop and think about this for a moment folks. The ostrich kick may be strong enough to actually kill the lion, but do you really think the lion is going to sit still and let the ostrich kill it?
That poor lion would go down in history as a laughing stock to the rest of the felines!
"Hey, Fred. Did you hear Roy died?"
"No. How'd it happen? Poachers?"
"No. An ostrich killed him!"
Those lions would be laughing louder than a pack of hyenas after that!

NOT actual size.
A blue whale can consume as many calories in a single mouthful as an average person consumes in roughly 180 days.
Now, I have absolutely no doubt about this whatsoever.
But when was the eating contest to verify this fact held? That is one event I would have loved to attend.

Research shows that many birds have the ability to spontaneously adjust their color so they never go grey with age.
I'm sure a lot of people are envious about this. After all, just think about all the money they would have saved not needing to go to the beauty parlor if they had that ability!

"I caught a mouse!"
Dogs may be able to tell time with their noses. Every hour could smell a little different depending on the wind currents and new odors.
See? Us canines ARE a lot smarter than a lot of people think we are!

"Maybe, but you can't catch mice!" declared the cute little kitten.
"We can too," replied Autumn.
"Oh yeah? What kind of dog are you?" asked the kitten.
"A golden retriever," said Autumn proudly.
"Have you ever retrieved any gold?"
"My owners keep hoping I will, but that's stuff heavy and VERY well guarded by those who already have it. Besides, I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a kennel for stealing."

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

Saturday, January 20, 2018

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 14-20, 2018

JANUARY 22 IS PENGUIN AWARENESS DAY.
JANUARY 23 MARKS THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROE VS. WADE DECISION.
JANUARY 23 IS ALSO SQUIRREL APPRECIATION DAY.
JANUARY 27 MARKS THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE VIETNAM PEACE ACCORDS BEING SIGNED.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas isn’t happy with American President Donald Trump’s attempts at Middle East Peace.
*Will Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte successfully shut down the Rappler newspaper there??? Other journalists and the general public are certainly against it. (There are 4 separate links in this item.)
*The Mayon Volcano has blown its top in the Philippines.
*In hopes of promoting further peaceful discussions between the two countries, North and South Korean athletes will march together during the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics.
*A more positive use for drones!


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…
*Director/screenwriter Hugh Wilson (WKRP In Cincinnati, Police Academy) has passed away.
*We have lost professional hockey players Max Labovitch (New York Rangers) and Cecil Hoekstra (Montreal Canadiens) this past week.
*Gospel musician Edwin Hawkins (“Oh Happy Day”) is no longer with us.
*Film producer Allison Shearmur (Star Wars: Rogue 1, The Hunger Games) has passed away.
*Musician Jim Rodford (The Kinks, The Zombies) is no longer with us.
*Actress Dorothy Malone (Peyton Place, Basic Instinct) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
*Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas isn’t happy with President Trump’s attempts at Middle East Peace.
*President Trump claims the Democrats don’t want to save the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
*Is Donald Trump guilty of sexual harassment too???
*Steve Bannon is allegedly prepared to speak to Robert Mueller. But considering the White House doesn’t want him talking about his time there, what will Bannon say??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*The future of the ATF under Trump???
*The (public) results of Donald Trump’s physical.
*Trump appointee Carl Higbie has resigned.
*He claims not to like it, but should Trump give out “awards” for fake news???
*One news source's review of President Trump's first year in office.
*After all the bragging about his victory and inauguration, what happened to the leftover funds???
MEANWHILE…
*Congress is now working overtime to try to create a budget and rescind the Federal Shutdown they failed to prevent before the January 19 deadline. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
ELSEWHERE…
*It wasn’t a test, a drill, nor an actual threat. So what happened in Hawaii???
*Is Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis right in his opinion about fighting terrorism today???
*Unhappy with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, most of the National Parks Service Review Board has resigned in protest.
*Are you ready for “New California”???

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: JANUARY 20, 2018

😎FUN FACT
Eggs contain every (known) Vitamin except C.

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

An alleged “classic” that’s actually beyond its prime.

TRIVIA TIME
According to Sue Grafton, what is Kinsey Milhone’s favorite meal?

We’ll reveal all next weekend, but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the January 13, 2018 Puzzle Corner.

TRIVIA TIME
January 18 marks the 240th anniversary of Captain Cook discovering the Sandwich Islands.
But what has happened to them since then?
We know them today better as the Hawaiian Islands.

QUOTE THIS! (NEW GAME!)
In this puzzle, all you have to do is identify the source of a given quote. Ready?

“Is this Heaven?”
“No. Iowa.”
The above exchange was repeated a couple of times during the movie Field of Dreams.

Monday, January 15, 2018

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JUNIOR DAY: 2018

The following is an editorial.

To say that there is a lot going on in the world right now is a serious understatement.
On this, the holiday honoring one of the better men of the human race, let us pause to recall some of his words and how they reflect upon not only the situations when he initially said them, but their applications upon the present and the future as well...

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

...I still have a dream. A dream deeply rooted in the American dream. That one day this nation will rise up and live up to its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident. That ALL men are created equal!'

The above was an editorial.

Sunday, January 14, 2018

SUNDAY FUNNIES: WINGING IT! (misc. jokes)

Happy 2018!
Hello Everybody!
Waxy Dragon here winging in the new year, and have I got some great jokes to tell, so let's get right to it!

Have you heard the joke about the bed?
I'd be surprised if you did. It hasn't been made yet.

What's green and has four wheels?
A lizard on roller skates.

When is a door NOT a door?
When it's ajar. 😉

Why did the man have peanut butter in his car?
He was looking for the traffic jam.

"Just grin and bear it honey."
What did the parent buffalo say when its kid left the herd?
Bison.

Now why don't scarecrows win any awards?
After all, they're outstanding in their field.

Making dad jokes if you're not a father (or a comedian) is a faux pa.
"There's no cheating! You're lion!"

What do zombie vegetarians eat?
"Grrraaaiiinnnsss!"

Why do they avoid playing games in the jungle?
Too many cheetahs.

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

Saturday, January 13, 2018

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 7-13, 2018

JANUARY 15 HONORS DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JUNIOR.
JANUARY 18 IS THE 240TH ANNIVERSARY OF
CAPTAIN COOK DISCOVERING THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*Pfizer has decided to stop researching how to treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson diseases!
*Were protests in Iran meant to accomplish something else???
*North and South Korea have agreed to try to lessen military tensions between the two countries, while the North WILL participate in the Winter Olympics the South is hosting next month.
*Relations between Haiti and the United States are not good right now.
*President Trump has since canceled his impending diplomatic trip to Great Britain. Yet can London's Mayor be held responsible for the decision??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*The “blue” moon at the end of this month will also highlight a lunar eclipse!

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…
*Actor Donnelly Rhodes (Soap, 2003 version of Battlestar Galactica) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*TV writer David Fisher (Doctor Who, Crown Court) has passed away.
*Guitarist Eddie Clark (Motor Head) is no longer with us.
*Actress Bella Emberg (The Benny Hill Show, History of the World: Part 1) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Legendary Sports Announcer Keith Jackson has passed away.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
*Relations between Haiti and the United States are not good right now.
*President Trump has since canceled his impending diplomatic trip to Great Britain.Yet can London's Mayor be held responsible for the decision??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*A Federal judge has used President Trump’s own Tweets to defend the Deferred Action against Childhood Arrivals Act to keep it from being phased out. For now.
*The Trump Administration has sided with Republican Governor Rick Scott to prevent offshore oil and gas drilling on the Florida Coast.
*Despite growing concerning about his mental status, President Trump’s impending annual physical will NOT include a psychiatric evaluation.
*Donald Trump's latest Tweeter opinions.
MEANWHILE…
*Congress will be returning to work after the Martin Luther King, Junior holiday Monday, and still needs to make an official budget for 2018.
ELSEWHERE…
*Steve Bannon is no longer executive chairman of Breitbart News.
*Why is Walmart suddenly closing some Sam’s Warehouse stores??? The move was later revealed as part of a plan to increase employee wages to $11 per hour. Although the objective and how they're achieving it seem to contradict each other. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Should there be MORE automation in the fast food industry???
*Immigration officials conducted a massive raid of various 7-11 convenience stores across the country, netting the apprehension of 21 potential illegal aliens.
*Because April 15 is a Sunday this year, American income taxes won’t be due until April 17th!
*At the 2018 Golden Globes, was the big winner actually Oprah Winfrey??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)

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: JANUARY 13, 2018

😎FUN FACT
The song ♫Pennsylvania 6-5000♫ by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra is based upon an actual phone number still in service!
Dialing it properly will contact the Pennsylvania Hotel in New York City.

TRIVIA TIME
January 18 marks the 240th anniversary of Captain Cook discovering the Sandwich Islands.
But what has happened to them since then?

QUOTE THIS! (NEW GAME!)
In this puzzle, all you have to do is identify the source of a given quote. Ready?
“Is this Heaven?”
“No. Iowa.”

We’ll reveal all next weekend, but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the January 6, 2018 Puzzle Corner.

COMMON BONDS
The items in each subset have something in common.
Do you know what it is?
01. {Doonesbury, Stone Soup, Fox Trot} and yes, we know they are all comic strips.
= Each of these strips are currently Sunday only, with the rest of the week reprints.
02. {catch, save} = your breath.

AKA: Also Known As
What building material is technically baked earth?
Terracotta.

Sunday, January 7, 2018

SUNDAY FUNNIES: NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS?

Hello Everybody!
Despite the recent blizzard, Autumn the Puppy here with the first Sunday Funnies for 2018!

Now, last weekend was the changeover from 2017. There are a few out there who seriously think that New Year's Day might just be a holiday created by the calendar companies who don't want you reusing last year's calendar.
Think about it. Except for Leap Years, all you have to do is move every date one space to the right on the previous year's calendar.
Then again, the holidays would need adjusting too, especially the ones that don't fall on a specific date each year; so maybe that theory should go the way of the dodo bird.

Anyway, since a lot of people think New Year's is a life changing event, one thing most of them do is make New Year's Resolutions, which are promises they make about how they're going to improve things either personally and/or professionally.

Of course, a lot of those promises don't even make it through the first week of the new year, but the fact is that they tried, so that should count for something.

For example: all those people who say they are going to get in shape who later give up and claim they're already in shape.
After all, round is a shape, more or less.

Anyway, the point is that a New Year's Resolution is usually something that goes in one year and out the other.

Then again, there are some people who claim their New Year's Resolution is to stop hanging out with people who ask them about their New Year's Resolutions.
The way I see it, if you keep your resolutions to yourself, then there is not only no exterior pressure to maintain them, there is also no exterior criticism if you fail to do so.

Of course, an egotist would claim their New Year's Resolution is to be less awesome (if that was at all possible for them) since that is really the only thing they (allegedly) do in excess.

Others hope their lot in life improves, like saying "Dear Luck, .....can we be friends in 2018. Please?"
OR: "All I want for 2018 is a FAT bank account and a THIN body. Please don't mix it up like you did last year."

My New Year's Resolution is to be more optimistic by looking at my food dish as half-full, at least
until I finish eating.
But seriously, what I really want to accomplish this year is to rediscover the difference between wants and needs. May I have all I need and want only what I have.

In 2018, may your neighbors respect you, troubles neglect you, angels protect you, and heaven accept you.
May all your troubles last as long as your New Year resolutions.
Keep the smile, leave the tear. Hold the laugh, leave the pain. Think of joy, forget the fear.
Be joyous, cause its a New Year.

Of course, if none of the above helps, remember that you can attempt to reset your resolutions on January 14th (Orthodox New Year) and February 16th (Chinese New Year).
After that, you're on your own.

In any event, take care, have a good week, and please be back here again next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!—AtP.

Saturday, January 6, 2018

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: DECEMBER 31, 2017-JANUARY 6, 2018

JANUARY 11 MARKS THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ESTABLISHING THE AMERICAN LEAGUE’S DESIGNATED HITTER RULE.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*The United Nations says the world should be on red alert!
*Is peace between the United States and Palestine growing unstable???
*Claiming disapproval of that country’s anti-terrorist actions, the Trump Administration may start withholding security aid from Pakistan.
*A LOT of new laws have come into effect since the first of the year.
*You can no longer access Telegram and Instagram in Iran.
*Will Turkey be joining the European Union???
*Despite the opinions of some world leaders, Twitter will not block them from using its service.
*But did the first grader have the right answer???

CONCERNING NORTH KOREA…
*“My button’s bigger!”
*Did North Korea once accidentally bomb itself???
*Will impeding talks between North and South Korea result in something positive???

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…
*Former professional hockey player Jim Wiste is no longer with us.
*Actor/writer/director Frank Buxton (What’s Up Tiger Lily?, Happy Days) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actor Harry Landers (Ben Casey) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Comedian Jerry Van Dyke (My Mother the Car, Coach) and brother of Dick has taken his last bow on life’s stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
*“My button’s bigger!”
*Is peace between the United States and Palestine growing unstable???
*Claiming disapproval of that country’s anti-terrorist actions, the Trump Administration may start withholding security aid from Pakistan.
*President Trump recently expressed his opinions on current events, but does he really want all his “political opponents jailed”??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*There's no doubt Donald Trump doesn't like the new novel about himself and his administration.
*Trump has dissolved his “Voter Fraud Commission”, but might establish something else in its place before the 2020 Presidential election.
*National Security Agency director Admiral Mike Rogers plans to retire this spring.
MEANWHILE…
*Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch has announced he will not seek re-election, making 2018 hislast year in Congress.
*Although Congress is still on Winter Vacation, the Republican Party isn’t happy about a dossier on Donald Trump.
*When they return, what's more important: a balanced budget or the first phase of Trump's border wall???
ELSEWHERE…
*The recent blizzard wasn’t much fun for the Atlantic seaboard.
*Sears/K-mart has announced the closing of 100 more retail stores.
*Despite a recent health scare, Alex Trebek is alive and well and will resume his Jeopardy! hosting duties soon.
*But did the first grader have the right answer???


WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR LOYAL READERSHIP FOR CLOSING OUT 2017 BY GRANTING US 1,623 PAGE VIEWS IN DECEMBER.

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: JANUARY 6, 2018

😎FUN FACT
Welcome to the first Puzzle Corner of 2018!

COMMON BONDS
The items in each subset have something in common.
Do you know what it is?
01. {Doonesbury, Stone Soup, Fox Trot} and yes, we know they are all comic strips.
02. {catch, save}

AKA: Also Known As
What building material is technically baked earth?

We’ll reveal all next weekend, but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the December 29, 2017 Puzzle Corner.

To end 2017, we had a quiz about unique television episode titles, where all you have to do was identify the series, based upon the clue below.

01. While never shown onscreen, the first two seasons of this police procedural always featured field reports from “Log #—”, before switching to regular titles for the remainder of the series.
Adam-12.
02. As they appeared onscreen, each episode of this series was about “The Night of—”, although a lot of the adventures took place during the day too.
The Wild, Wild West.
03. While never shown onscreen, the episode titles during Seasons 13-17 of this series had the same number of characters as their respective season, not counting punctuation and spaces between words.
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.
04. As presented onscreen, each episode of this series was about “The (fill-in-the-blank) Affair”.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
05. Although never presented onscreen, each episode title of this series began “The One—”.
Friends.

Monday, January 1, 2018

LOOKING AHEAD: 2018


Another new year is upon us, and as others tend to look back over 2017, The Free Choice E-zine prefers to look ahead at some of what 2018 has in store for us.

January begins with not one, but TWO full moons this month!
The “blue moon”, as this phenomenon is known, happens on January 2 and 31 this year; with the next occurrence not being until the summer of 2021.
A lot of new laws take effect today, while the United Nations believes the world should be on red alert! (There are 2 separate links in that last sentence.)

Meanwhile, Great Britain is still preparing to leave the European Union.
The investigation into whether or not Russia interfered with America’s 2016 Presidential elections continues.
February will see the Winter Olympics take place in PyeongChang, South Korea; followed by the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in March.
This Spring will mark the 115th anniversary of the Tour de France, and the new season of Doctor Who will feature a WOMAN in the title role for the first time as Jodie Whittaker becomes the thirteenth version of the Time Lord from Gallifrey.

And of course, November is highlighted in America by the crucial 2018 mid-term elections, whose results will indicate either voters still believe in the Republican Party or Democratic victories are a result of the continued actions of the Trump Administration and a Republican controlled Congress.

Historically, American President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law 155 years ago today, while January 1 is also the 75th anniversary of Donald Duck’s only Oscar winning cartoon (Der Furher’s Face) premiering in theaters.

Other milestone’s taking place this year include...
240TH ANNIVERSARY (1778)
Captain Cook discovering Sandwich Islands/Hawaii. (January 18)

230TH ANNIVERSARY (1788)
The other 12 original colonies became the United States of America over the course of this year. Delaware started the proceedings the previous December.

190TH ANNIVERSARY (1828)
Noah Webster published his first dictionary (April 14)

130TH ANNIVERSARY (1878)
Thomas Edison patented the phonograph (February 19)

95TH ANNIVERSARY (1923)
Time magazine debuted (March 3)

90TH ANNIVERSARY (1928)
Mickey and Minnie Mouse debuted in Plane Crazy (May 15), while July 29 will honor the pair starring in Steamboat Willie, the first sound/talking cartoon.

85TH ANNIVERSARY (1933)
The Lone Ranger’s radio debut (January 30)
Blondie married Dagwood on February 17.
The original King Kong debuted in theaters on March 2.

75TH ANNIVERSARY (1943)
Droopy Dog debuted as "Dumb Hounded" hit theaters on March 20th.

65TH ANNIVERSARY (1953)
Elizabeth the second will celebrate being crowned Queen of England June 2.

55TH ANNIVERSARY (1963)
The Beatles released their first record ("Please Please Me") on March 22.
August 28 is the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech.
As a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the “Hot Line” is established between the White House and the Kremlin on August 30.
The United States lost President John F. Kennedy on November 22, while the BBC premiered Doctor Who the next night.

45TH ANNIVERSARY (1973)
Major League Baseball established Designated Hitter rule for the American League. (January11)
Vietnam Peace Accords were signed on January 27.

Also, The Free Choice E-zine will be celebrating our 2000 and 2100th posts this year😁, just based on the strength of our regular features: The Puzzle Corner (games) and The Week In Review (news) on Saturdays; and The Sunday Funnies (humor) the next day.

So, any way you look at it, there’s another interesting year ahead.
Join us, won’t you?