Sunday, November 27, 2022

SUNDAY FUNNIES: COMEDY SPOTLIGHT: VICTOR BORGE

 Hello Everybody! The Free Choice E-zine's Editor-In-Chief Lee Houston, Junior here today since Piper D. Katt and Koda Canine have the Thanksgiving holiday weekend off.

Now my fill-in efforts have been hit or miss in the past, so I decided to let someone else be funny instead as we turn the Comedy Spotlight on the late Victor Borge (1909-2000).
Photo via Google


A child prodigy ("I wish to thank my parents for making this all possible and my children for making it necessary."), Victor quickly became an accomplished pianist who used the instrument regularly in his act. ("I only know two pieces. One is 'Clair de Lune' and the other one isn't.")

While already established and touring Europe, Borge fled to America at the onset of World War 2 because of the Axis position on Jews. He learned English by watching movies and soon restarted his career in radio before returning to live performances and even television. ("If I have caused just one person to wipe away a tear of laughter, that is my reward.")

Borge is also famous for originating the classic Phonetic Punctuation routine, reading text passages aloud while assigning each punctuation mark a specific sound effect. This routine was performed regularly throughout the rest of his life, including appearances on Sesame Street, The Electric Company and other television shows.

But as they say, seeing is believing...


Of course one brief film clip does not do the man justice, but there are plenty of DVDs and YouTube clips to view.

In any event he loved to entertain people because, as Borge himself said: "Humor is something that thrives between man's aspirations and his limitations. There is more logic in humor than in anything else. Because, you see, humor is truth."

So on that note♫
Take care.
STAY SAFE!😷
And please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!—lh,jr.

REFERENCES
Brainyquote.com
Google
Wikipedia
YouTube

Saturday, November 26, 2022

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER 20-26, 2022: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS


WE NEED MORE
GUN RESPONSIBILITY!

BULLYING HAS TO STOP!

BAN BOOK BANNINGS AND BURNINGS!
GET VACCINATED, WEAR YOUR MASK😷
& BEWARE ANY VERSION OF

NOVEMBER 26 IS INDIA’S CONSTITUTION DAY.
NOVEMBER 26 WOULD HAVE BEEN CHARLES SCHULZ’S 100TH BIRTHDAY.
NOVEMBER 29 IS ALBANIA'S LIBERATION DAY.
NOVEMBER 29 IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF
PONG, THE FIRST ARCADE GAME.
DECEMBER 1 IS WORLD AIDS AWARENESS DAY. 🎗

AM😷NGST EVENTS AROUND THE W🌍RLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*While COVID and its variants continue to be a global problem, thankfully the vaccination battles continue too. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*The COVID state of the world, as of November 26, 2022.
*The global Monkey Pox status, as of November 26, 2022.
*Unfortunately Somali’s civil war continues. (There are 2/TWO 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.

THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHRONICLES…🌐
*FYI: There are coastal areas that accept used Christmas Trees🎄 to help rebuild sand dunes along the beach. Check with yours to see if this program is available in your area.
*FYI: Some zoos accept used Christmas Trees🎄 to help feed their animals. Check with yours to see if this program is available in your area.

😢PASSING PARADE…
*The innocent lives lost during the Russian invasion of the Ukraine.
*Martial Arts Expert turned actor Jason David Frank (the Power Rangers franchise) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actress Nicki Aycox (Supernatural, other TV shows) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Actress Kymberly Herrin (Ghost Busters 1, Romancing the Stone, much more) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Actor Mickey Kuhn (Gone With The Wind, Broken Arrow, more) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Movie producer Gray Frederickson (Godfather Part 2, Apocalypse Now, more) is no longer with us.
*Voice actor Kiyoyuki Yanada (much anime over a decades long career) has passed away.
*Comic book artist Vic Carrabotta (Atlas before it became Marvel, others) is no longer with us.
*The multi-talented Wilko Johnson (guitarist, song writer, actor) has passed away.
*Singer/actress Irene Cara (Flash Dance, Fame, more) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
CAPITAL CHAOS: JANUARY 6, 2021>AFTERMATH
POLITICALLY…
THE SUPREME COURT REPORT…
*But despite having appointed three of its members, the Court did order Trump to hand over his tax returns to a Congressional Investigation Committee, which didn’t make the former President happy. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
😷THE US VERSUS COVID-19…
😷THE US VERSUS MONKEY POX…
*The state of your state, Monkey Pox wise.
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS…

ELSEWHERE…
*Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene may be allowed back on Twitter, but Alex Jones isn’t. (There are 3/THREE separate links in this item.)
*Sadly, unless PBS or some other network manages to strike a deal, Apple TV’s exclusive rights to A Charlie Brown Christmas ends that beloved special’s holiday airing streak, leaving the Chuck Jones animated version of Doctor Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Frosty the Snowman ⛄and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer 🦌as the remaining three who have aired continuously every holiday season since their debuts.
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…
*Comic strips are noting what would have been Charles Schulz (creator of Peanuts) 100th birthday today, including Lynn Johnston briefly coming out of retirement to provide a new For Better or For Worse!

THE PUZZLE CORNER: NOVEMBER 26, 2022

😎 FUN FACT
Being traditionalists, The Free Choice E-zine will not be posting holiday themed puzzles until next weekend when it’s actually December.

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

TRIVIA TIME⌚
November 26, 2022 would have been Charles Schulz’s 100th birthday. What was his original proposed name for the Peanuts comic strip?

We’ll reveal all next weekend but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX📜 and discover the results from the November 19, 2022 Puzzle Corner.

COMMON BONDS
The items in each subset below have something in common. Do you know what it is?
01. {The Running Man, Predator} and yes we know they’re movies = both featured Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura.
02. {Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Led Zepplin} and yes we know they’re rock groups = all contributed to financing production of Monty Python and the Holy Grail!

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
How many new words can you make out of the letters in THANKSGIVING?
A, aging, ah, akin, an, angst, as, at,
Gag(s), gain(s), giant(s), gas, gat(s) <old 1930's slang for guns>, gig(s), gin(s), gist, git(s) <Hillbilly slang for scram/get>, giving
Hag(s), haggis <a Scottish delicacy>, hang(s), has, hat(s), having, hi <short form of "hello">, hiking, hint(s), hit(s)
I, ink(s), in(s), inn(s), is, it, its
Kin, king(s), kit(s), knight(s), knit(s)
Nag(s), nigh, night(s)
Sag, saint, sank, sat, saving, shag <a type of carpeting>, sight, sighting, sign, signing, sink, sinking, sin, shin, shining, sit, skin, skit, snag, snit, stag, staging, stain, staining, stank, sting, stinging, stink, stinking
Tag(s), tan(s), tank(s), than, thank(s), thin(s), thing(s), think(s), this, tin, vain, vat(s), visit, Viking(s), (AND) vista.
Other words besides the 117 above might be possible. But IV (the medical term) didn’t count because it’s an abbreviation. The Roman numerals II and IV are debatable, but the cuss word for human waste was not listed since this is a family oriented E-zine.

OUR APOLOGIES

 Attempting to get online Thursday morning to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, The Free Choice E-zine discovered to our dismay that we were just one of many local users in our rural community without Internet Service.

Because of the holiday, the Providing Company was unable to dispatch a repair crew until Friday morning, but service wasn't restored until late Friday night.

Thus we were unable to comment on Thanksgiving November 24 or analyze whether or not "Black Friday" is still valid November 25.

In any event, we are obviously back online now and posts will resume momentarily with this week's editions of The Puzzle Corner and The Week In Review.

Hope those that celebrated had a good Thanksgiving.

Lee Houston, Junior
Editor-In-Chief: The Free Choice E-zine.

Sunday, November 20, 2022

SUNDAY FUNNIES: SLEEPING DOGS AND OTHER STUFF

Yawn.
I mean, HELLO EVERYBODY!
Koda Canine here!
As you can see by the candid phot someone took with their cellphone (and I'll deal with them later) it isn't much of a day where I'm at.
Barely in the 30s with an expected low tonight in the teens and a steady but strong wind right now.
Is it any wonder I'm just stretching out on the couch in my new dog jacket trying to stay warm and snuggly while attempting to catch 40 winks.
Think I only managed about 27 but anyway...

You're here for jokes and I'm here to tell them.
Don't you like how that works out?
Now then...

What do they call ice carvings when they melt?
I have no idea.
Then again, I don't think any of the outdoor displays have to worry about that before the end of the year at the earliest.

Except for missing all the holidays, I always thought bears🐻🧸🐻 had the right idea about winter.
SLEEP THROUGH IT!

You know it's cold outside when even the criminals stay home!

What's huge, gray, and can put people to sleep?
A hypno-potamus. 🦛

Did you hear about the criminal who stole a calendar?
He got six months.

Do people run around their beds to catch up on their sleep?

Why was the snowman⛄ going through the carrots🥕🥕 in the produce department?
He was picking his nose.

If you accidentally sleep on your Smart Phone, do you download a nap? 😉

What kind of ball doesn't bounce?
A snowball!

Have you heard the joke about the bed?
It hasn't been made yet because I'm still in it.

And on that note♫, our esteemed Editor-In-Chief will be hosting next weekend while Piper D. Katt and I enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend off here in the United States.
So take care.
STAY SAFE! 😷
And please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!KC.

Saturday, November 19, 2022

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER 13-19, 2022: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 
WE NEED MORE
GUN RESPONSIBILITY!

BULLYING HAS TO STOP!

BAN BOOK BANNINGS AND BURNINGS!

GET VACCINATED, WEAR YOUR MASK😷
& BEWARE ANY VERSION OF

NOVEMBER 19 MALI CELEBRATES LIBERATION DAY AND
THE UNITED NATIONS OBSERVES WORLD TOILET DAY.
NOVEMBER 21 IS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF
TWEETY BIRD’S DEBUT IN A TALE OF TWO KITTIES.
NOVEMBER 24 IS THANKSGIVING IN AMERICA.
NOVEMBER 29 IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PONG, THE FIRST ARCADE GAME.

AM😷NGST EVENTS AROUND THE W🌍RLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*While COVID and its variants continue to be a global problem, thankfully the vaccination battles continue too. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*The COVID state of the world, as of November 19, 2022.
*The global Monkey Pox status, as of November 19, 2022.
*Great Britain’s fighting inflation while Russia has entered a recession. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*November 20 marks the 75th anniversary of then Princess Elizabeth marrying Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, in ceremony broadcast world wide.

*Did Russian missiles hit the wrong target??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*But Russia is still bombing the Ukraine, who is desperately trying to stabilize their energy grid. (There are 2/TWO 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.

THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHRONICLES…🌐

😢PASSING PARADE…
*The innocent lives lost during the Russian invasion of the Ukraine.
*Former Cricketer turned Renaissance Man (acting, writing, much more) David English has passed away.
*Broadcast journalist Jim Bohannon (Larry King, America In The Morning, his own show) is no longer with us.
*Actor John Aniston (Days of Our Lives, much more television) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actor Robert Clary (Hogan’s Heroes, A New Kind of Love, various soap operas, more) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Author Marcus Sedgwick (Flood Land, The Dark Horse, the Raven Mysteries, more) is no longer with us.
*Composer Ned Rorem (Miss Julie, Air Music, more) has passed away.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
THE BORDER WALL-KIDS-IMMIGRATION ISSUES…
*Former President Trump declared a “national emergency” to build his border wall, separating families upon apprehension. President Joseph Biden nullified the emergency, but other matters pertaining to these issues still have to be dealt with.
NOTE: While we are doing our best to provide coverage, the above is a serious ongoing issue. Especially since no one has yet to fully discuss the health and safety of all the detainees as well as the various costs under Donald Trump of separating families and who is truly responsible for the deaths of FIVE detainees (known to date), let alone if anyone might actually be making a profit from this situation.
CAPITAL CHAOS: JANUARY 6, 2021>AFTERMATH
THE PAPERS CAPER...
*Trump also wants Republicans to “fight” the Department of Justice on his behalf, after they have opened their own investigation into both January 6, 2021 AND “The Papers Caper”. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
POLITICALLY…
*President Biden represented America at the recent G20 Summit. (See Above)
*Trump has officially announced his 2024 Presidential campaign, but why??? (There are 3/THREE separate links in this item.)
*Trump may not make the ballot in Rhode Island, but he's back on Twitter! (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
THE SUPREME COURT REPORT…
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
😷THE US VERSUS COVID-19…
😷THE US VERSUS MONKEY POX…
*The state of your state, Monkey Pox wise.
IT’S FACT CHECK TIME!
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS…
*Even with the Georgia runoff pending, Democrats have won the Senate. But are the Republicans cheating in the Peach State??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*The final results as of November 19, 2022; pending the Georgia Senate runoff race. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Despite a serious challenge, Mitch McConnell will be the Republicans’ lead Senator in 2023 as Trump versus McConnell continues. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*NOTE: With the impending changes come January 2023, Nancy Pelosi will no longer be Speaker of the House. Her Republican replacement is pending and the Democrats have yet to announce who their Senate Majority Leader will be.
*Is there unrest among the Republicans??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
ELSEWHERE…
*Does nobody want to work for Elon Musk owned Twitter??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…

THE PUZZLE CORNER: NOVEMBER 19, 2022

 😎FUN FACT
Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster actually has a first name! It’s Sid.

COMMON BONDS
The items in each subset below have something in common. Do you know what it is?
01. {The Running Man, Predator} and yes we know they’re movies.
02. {Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Led Zepplin} and yes we know they’re rock groups.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
How many new words can you make out of the letters in THANKSGIVING?🦃

We’ll reveal all next weekend but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX📦 and discover the results from the November 12, 2022 Puzzle Corner.

FILL IN THE BLANKS
All you have to do is what the title says, literally fill in the blanks to acquire the answer. The given letters are all shown, none of those are missing. Ready?
Classic series: HAPPY DAYS (Italicized letters were given.)

TRIVIA TIME
What is Petrichor?
The formal name for that lingering earthy smell after it rains.

Sunday, November 13, 2022

SUNDAY FUNNIES: FALL FUNNIES

 Hello Everybody! Piper D. Katt here.

Now, if anyone can explain weather to me, please do so!
Yesterday it was nice and warm in the 70s where I live.
Today it's miserable and rainy and barely in the 40s with the weather forecaster not predicting it getting any higher for the rest of this week as well as each night's low being below freezing.
It seems to me like we totally skipped Fall and went straight to Winter.
But that still doesn't stop me from telling the Fall jokes I have. Ready?

How do you mend a broken pumpkin?
With a pumpkin patch!

If money really did grow on trees, what would be everyone’s favorite season?
Fall.

Why do birds fly south in the Fall?
Because it’s too far to walk.
Here's hoping the airlines don't lose their luggage. 😼

What’s the best thing to put into a pumpkin pie?
Your teeth.

What do you get when you drop a pumpkin?
Squash.

Why did Humpty Dumpty have a great fall?
To make up for his miserable summer.

What has ears but can’t hear a thing?
A cornfield.
What reads and lives in an apple?🍎
A bookworm.

What did one leaf🍂 say to another?
I’m falling for you.

What is a tree’s least favorite month?
Sep-Timber!

What did the little tree say to the big tree?
Leaf me alone.

What kind of coat goes on wet?
A coat of paint.

What runs around a farm but doesn’t move?
A fence.

Why do trees hate tests?
Because they get stumped by the questions.

Why did the scarecrow win a medal?🥇
He was outstanding in his field.

How do trees get onto the internet?
Easy, they just LOG in.

So on that note♫ have a great week everybody.
Hope you stay warm and dry whether you are.
STAY SAFE!😷
And please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!PDK.

Saturday, November 12, 2022

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER 6-12, 2022: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 
WE NEED MORE
GUN RESPONSIBILITY!

BULLYING HAS TO STOP!

BAN BOOK BANNINGS AND BURNINGS!

GET VACCINATED, WEAR YOUR MASK😷
& BEWARE ANY VERSION OF

NOVEMBER 14 IS WORLD DIABETES AWARENESS DAY.

AM😷NGST EVENTS AROUND THE W🌍RLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*While COVID and its variants continue to be a global problem, thankfully the vaccination battles continue too. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*The COVID state of the world, as of November 12, 2022.
*The global Monkey Pox status, as of November 12, 2022.
*Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t going to the upcoming G20 Summit. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Is Elon Musk considering new rules for Twitter??? He has taken new action. (There are 3/THREE separate links in this item.)
*November 20 marks the 75th anniversary of then Princess Elizabeth marrying Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, in ceremony broadcast world wide.


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.

THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHRONICLES…🌐

😢PASSING PARADE…
*The innocent lives lost during the Russian invasion of the Ukraine.
*Rapper Hurricane G(loria Rodriguez) (♫Somebody Else♫, more) has passed away.
*Singer/song writer Aaron Carter (♫Crush On You♫, ♫Leave It Up To Me♫, more) is no longer with us.
*Former professional hockey🏒 player Peter McNab (Buffalo Sabers, Boston Bruins) has passed away.
*Comic book artist Kevin O’Neill (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Marshall Law, more) is no longer with us.
*Comic book artist Carlos Pacheco (DC, Image, Marvel) has passed away.
*Actor Tom Owen (Last of the Summer Wine, Upstairs Downstairs, much more) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actor Kevin Conroy (the voice of Batman for decades, Chain of Desire, much more) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Watermelon🍉 smashing comedian (Leo Anthony) Gallagher (Junior) is no longer with us.
*Actress Susan Tolsky (Here Come The Brides, Pretty Maids All In A Row, more) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Rab Noakes of Stealers Wheel (♫Stuck In The Middle With You♫, more) has passed away.
*Guitarist Keith Levene (The Clash, Public Image Limited) is no longer with us.
*Actor Sven-Bertil Taube (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Eagle Has Landed, more) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
ELECTION NEWS…
ELECTION RESULTS…
*As of November 12, “control” of Congress is still unknown. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*The abortion issue was on some state ballots. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*The undecided House of Representatives status, as of November 12, 2022.
*News/results from South Dakota, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida, Arizona, Oklahoma, Michigan, Colorado, Texas and the rest of the country. (There are 10/TEN separate links in this item.)
*The GOP versus Trump, post elections.
*Opinion: The biggest loser??? Donald Trump, who apparently is blaming his wife Melania for at least Pennsylvania. (There are 3/THREE separate links in this item)
*Is Trump versus Ron DeSantis on the horizon??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
THE BORDER WALL-KIDS-IMMIGRATION ISSUES…
*Former President Trump declared a “national emergency” to build his border wall, separating families upon apprehension. President Joseph Biden nullified the emergency, but other matters pertaining to these issues still have to be dealt with.
NOTE: While we are doing our best to provide coverage, the above is a serious ongoing issue. Especially since no one has yet to fully discuss the health and safety of all the detainees as well as the various costs under Donald Trump of separating families and who is truly responsible for the deaths of FIVE detainees (known to date), let alone if anyone might actually be making a profit from this situation.
CAPITAL CHAOS: JANUARY 6, 2021>AFTERMATH
THE PAPERS CAPER...
POLITICALLY… ELECTION NEWS ABOVE
*President Biden’s post election thoughts. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
THE SUPREME COURT REPORT…
*The abortion issue was on some state ballots. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
😷THE US VERSUS COVID-19…
😷THE US VERSUS MONKEY POX…
*The state of your state, Monkey Pox wise.
IT’S FACT CHECK TIME!
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS…
*“Paul Pelosi should have been more careful.”Marjorie Taylor Greene, who won her reelection race. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
ELSEWHERE…
*Is Elon Musk considering new rules for Twitter??? He has taken new action. (There are 3/THREE separate links i n this item.)
*The American League Houston Astros beat the National League’s Philadelphia Phillies to win the 2022 World Series of Major League Baseball.⚾
*Sadly, November 13 marks the 45th anniversary of Al Capp’s Lil Abner ending.
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…
*November 13 is the 95th anniversary of the Holland Tunnel opening to allow traffic between New York and New Jersey.
*November 13 also marks the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedication ceremony in Washington, DC.
*November 16 marks the 115th anniversary of Oklahoma joining the United States.