Sunday, January 29, 2023

SUNDAY FUNNIES: CANINE COMEDY

Hello Everybody! Koda Canine here!
Not much of a day outside weather wise where I'm at.
Hope you either have it better than I do or are somewhere nice, warm and safe as well.
For me, can't get more comfy than within the arms of one of my peoples, but that's besides the point.
Let's talk about my favorite subject: ME.

I'm a mixed breed, which just means there's more of me to love than you first thought. 😉
My favorite musical act is THREE DOG NIGHT. ♫Howl does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala?♫
And after eating, sleeping and cuddling with my people, my favorite thing to do is tell jokes.
Want to hear some? Well, you've come to the right place.

If pizzas are made round and cut into triangles🍕 to eat, why do they come in square boxes?

What does a subatomic duck🦆 say?
Quark!

Knowledge is knowing that tomatoes🍅🍅 are a fruit and not a vegetable.
Wisdom is knowing not to put tomatoes in a fruit salad.

Is Shredded Cheese the key to Grateness?

If your boomerang doesn't come back, did you treat it right?

Where would you find an elephant?🐘
Wherever you lost it.

If a pickle🥒 falls on the floor, you just have to dill with it.

So on that note♫, have a great week!
Take care.
STAY SAFE! 😷
And please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!KC, still looking for the Sunshine🌞, band or otherwise. 😉

Saturday, January 28, 2023

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 22-28, 2023: 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

JANUARY 28 MARKS THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF
LEGOS BEING PATENTED PRIOR TO THEIR DEBUT.
JANUARY 29 IS PUZZLE DAY.
JANUARY 31 IS NATIONAL GORILLA🦍 SUIT DAY IN THE US,
THANKS TO MAD MAGAZINE’S DON MARTIN.
(See the ELSEWHERE section for more details.)
FEBRUARY IS HEART💓 HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
FEBRUARY IS AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN THE U.S.
SADLY, FEBRUARY 1 IS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE COLUMBIA SPACE SHUTTLE DISASTER. (See below for more details.)
FEBRUARY 2 IS GROUNDHOG’S DAY.
FEBRUARY 4 IS THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF
WALT DISNEY’S SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS.
2023 MARKS THE 210TH ANNIVERSARY OF
JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.
THE HAPPY COLOR APP CELEBRATES ITS 5TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.

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 January 28, 2023.
*The global M(onkey) Pox status, as of January 28, 2023.
*The Green Comet is coming! Literally once in a multi-generation phenomenon. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Sadly, February 1 is the 20th anniversary of the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster. The craft was destroyed returning to Earth; losing Commander Rick Husband, pilot William McCool, payload commander Michael Anderson, engineer Kalpana Chawla; and astronauts David Brown, Laurel Clark, and Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli in space.

*Russia isn’t happy the tanks are coming, but continues its missile barrages. (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…🌐
*What, if anything, is going on with the Earth’s core??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*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…
*Guitarist Anthony “Top” Topham (The Yard Birds) has passed away.
*Psychologist/TV Producer Lloyd Morrisett (co-creator of Sesame Street) is no longer with us.
*Actor Lance Kerwin (Salem’s Lot, James at 15/16, more) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Keyboardist Dean Daughtry (The Classics IV, Atlantic Rhythm Section) is no longer with us.
*Current professional football🏈 player Jesse Lemonier has passed away.
*Former Major League Baseball⚾ pitcher Gary Peters is no longer with us.
*Screen Writer/Film Producer Gregory Allen Howard (Remember the Titans, Ali, more) has passed away.
*Actress Sylvia Syms (The Queen, The Saint, Thatcher, much more) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
CAPITAL CHAOS: JANUARY 6, 2021>AFTERMATH
*Two cases, five more convictions. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
THE PAPERS CAPER…
POLITICALLY…
*Different opinions. Comparing the White House and Trump on the Lunar New Year shooting January 22. (There are 3/THREE separate links in this item.)
*Opinion: The next target???
THE SUPREME COURT REPORT…
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
😷THE US VERSUS COVID-19…
😷THE US VERSUS M(ONKEY) POX…
*The state of your state, M(onkey) Pox wise.
IT’S FACT CHECK TIME!
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS…
*“It’s not a ‘fair’ tax.”—Senator Jon Tester.
ELSEWHERE…

*The nominees for the 2023 Golden Raspberries, celebrating the worst in last year’s movies, have been announced. The 2023 Oscar nominees for the best will be revealed in February.
*January 31 is the 60th anniversary of Don Martin first suggesting National Gorilla🦍 Suit Day in Mad magazine. It didn’t become a “holiday” until 1976.
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…
*There is just something special about puppies. (There are 3/THREE separate links in this item.)

THE PUZZLE CORNER: JANUARY 28, 2023

 😎FUN FACT
Tomorrow, January 29, is Puzzle Day! Let’s celebrate a little early with these enigmas.

SUPER SECONDS BRAND NEW GAME!
After the FAMOUS FIRSTS, what comes next?
After the Crossword Puzzle, what is the second most popular ongoing newspaper puzzle?

FAMOUS FIRSTS🥇
What was the first musical act to make a several city tour of mainland China?

We’ll reveal all next weekend but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX📦 and discover the results from the January 21, 2023 Puzzle Corner.

REBUS
Something familiar is represented in the image below. Do you know what it is?

SAN FRAN💗ISCO
♫I Left My Heart, In San Francisco♫, made famous by Tony Bennett.

TRIVIA TIME⌚
Who appeared in the most episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series?
Leonard Nimoy as Mister Spock, since he was also in the very first pilot “The Cage”, which was split into the two part episode “The Menagerie”. William Shatner as Captain Kirk didn’t appear until the second pilot “Where No One Has Gone Before”, although he was in the new footage of “The Menagerie”.

Sunday, January 22, 2023

SUNDAY FUNNIES: PIPER STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HUMANS!

 Hello Everybody! Piper D. Katt here!
Now, I like to think of myself as an easy going cat.
Of course that describes about 99.99% of the basic feline population, but you get the idea.
The other day one of my people got all upset over some bad news they heard.
The CBS Network decided to cancel NCIS: Los Angeles!
Between all the football games, other sports like college basketball's March Madness and all the different specials they air, does anything survive on CBS Sunday nights besides 60 Minutes?

I can understand my humans being unhappy about this to a point. I like what's on television too.
At least from the purr-spective that the more it's on, the warmer the set is for me to lay upon during the cold winter months.
Granted, my two legged family having one less show to watch means they'll be out of the living room sooner at night.
Which means I'll get to sleep sooner.
Not that I don't sleep enough as it is, as far as cat health is concerned.
ANYWAY...

Don't get me wrong. I love humans. Especially the ones who take care of me.
Yet where they go for hours on end during the day before they come home for dinner is beyond me.
Being an indoor cat, the scenery only changes when I go from one room to another or switch to looking out a different window.
But I am EXTREMELY grateful that at least once a week one of them comes home with more cat food and kitty litter.
After all, that litter box isn't going to empty, clean and refill itself. 😼
Now if only one of them would teach me how to work the can opener...
Astro Cat!

Yet humans can be a funny lot at times.
They throw on extra clothes and complain about being cold during the winter, then turn around and start wearing a lot less while complaining about being hot in the summer.
Try having only the furry outfit you were born with and having to wear that your whole life folks!

I don't know whether or not this is true because I'm not that old, but I've heard that in the early days of the great Space Race, humans sent dogs and even monkeys into outer space to make sure the equipment was safe for them to use!
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
Now what I want to know is this.
When humans did realize that the equipment was safe, why didn't they send a cat out to conquer the stars?
After all, if the moon really was made of green cheese, we cats would have made it mouse free for you humans to land upon safely. 😸

Don't get me wrong. I love being pampered as much as the next cat, but sometimes it does have its drawbacks.
The only time they ever let me in the car is when they take me to the Vet.
You know, the person with the sick idea of where a thermometer should go in relation to a cat's body.
I have to sit in this little cage while they have a roomy seat as we travel.
Why can't I have the seat and they ride in the cage?
Then again, I don't think they make a pet cage that large.
Besides, even if I did get to sit in a seat, I have no idea how to drive one of those four wheel contraptions.

Humans.
Every cat should have at least one.
And on that note♫
Take care.
STAY SAFE!😷
And please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!—PDK.

Saturday, January 21, 2023

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 15-21, 2023: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS


WE NEED MORE
GUN RESPONSIBILITY!

BULLYING HAS TO STOP!

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

JANUARY 22 IS PENGUIN🐧 APPRECIATION DAY.
JANUARY 23 IS SQUIRREL APPRECIATION DAY.
JANUARY 26 IS AUSTRALIA DAY &
INDIA'S REPUBLIC DAY.
JANUARY 27 IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE VIETNAM WAR’S OFFICIAL END.
JANUARY 28 MARKS THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF
LEGOS BEING PATENTED PRIOR TO THEIR DEBUT.
JANUARY 29 IS PUZZLE 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 January 21, 2023.
*The global M(onkey) Pox status, as of January 21, 2023.
*Jacinda Arden is stepping down as Chris Hipkins will become the new Prime Minister of New Zealand. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Peace accords were signed January 27, 1973 to officially end the Vietnam War.

*The Ukraine is receiving additional help from Sweden and Canada. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Meanwhile, Russia is claiming more victories. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Opinion: Tanks???

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.
*David Crosby (The Byrds; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) is no longer with us.
*Actress Gina Lollobrigida (a decades long career) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Film producer Edward R. Pressman (Wall Street, Bad Lands, more) has passed away
*Former professional baseball⚾ players Bert Pena and Ted Savage are no longer with us. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Actress Sandra Seacat (Under the Banner of Heaven, Night Moves, more) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Major League Baseball⚾ Hall of Fame player Frank Thomas is no longer with us.
*Artist David Sutherland (much work for The Beano magazine) has passed away.
*Actor Tim Barlow (Doctor Who, Les Miserables, more) has taken his last bow on life's stage.

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…
*“They’re cool keepsakes.”Trump on documents. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
POLITICALLY…
*Will the Republicans not pay America’s bills??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
THE SUPREME COURT REPORT…
*So who did leak word of the impending overturn of Roe V. Wade??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*January 22 is the 50th anniversary of the Court ruling on Roe V. Wade, although we all know what happened to it in 2022.
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
😷THE US VERSUS COVID-19…
😷THE US VERSUS M(ONKEY) POX…
*The state of your state, M(onkey) Pox wise.
IT’S FACT CHECK TIME!
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS…
*Kevin McCarthy and committee assignments. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
ELSEWHERE…

*Trump owes Hillary Clinton legal fees. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…
*January 21 is National Hug Day. Hug someone you care about.
*January 23 is the 80th anniversary of Casablanca’s formal US debut. It’s world premiere was November 26, 1942.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: JANUARY 21, 2023

 😎FUN FACT
It is estimated that 63 objects the size of Earth could fit into the area Uranus encompasses.

REBUS
Something familiar is represented in the image below. Do you know what it is?

SAN FRAN💗ISCO

TRIVIA TIME⌚
Who appeared in the most episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series?

We’ll reveal all next weekend but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX📦 and discover the results from the January 14, 2023 Puzzle Corner.

NUMBER PLEASE
Get ready! We ask the question, but the answer is just a number.
How many answers need questions in a normal game of Jeopardy?
61. At five questions per six categories, 30 in both the first and Double Jeopardy rounds plus the Final Jeopardy challenge at the end of the game. 5 x 6 = 30 x 2 = 60 +1 = 61.

BEFORE AND AFTER
Two separate items share at least one word, and so can be combined to create something new. Based upon the clue below, do you know what the new thing is?
Wolf fighters’ snacks = Three Little Pigs In A Blanket.

Monday, January 16, 2023

DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR DAY 2023

 The following is an editorial.


While I have posted several memorial articles on behalf of The Free Choice E-zine, I cannot help thinking that in these troubled times we need a voice of reason like Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior possessed now more than ever.

I HAVE A DREAM THAT MY FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN WILL ONE DAY LIVE IN A NATION WHERE THEY WILL NOT BE JUDGED BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BUT BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER.

Hatred and bigotry seem to lead the "hit parade" in regards to man's inhumanity towards his fellow human beings of late.
Voter suppression, class separation, women's rights being suppressed, war and rumors of war...

DARKNESS CANNOT DRIVE OUT DARKNESS. ONLY LIGHT CAN DO THAT.
HATE CANNOT DRIVE OUT HATE. ONLY LOVE CAN DO THAT.

When will it end?

THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

Hopefully peacefully within our respective life times.

YOU ONLY NEED A HEART FULL OF GRACE AND A SOUL GENERATED BY LOVE.


CREDITS
Doctor Martin Luther King Junior in QUOTES.

Lee Houston, Junior
Editor-In-Chief The Free Choice Ezine
16 January, 2023.


The above was an editorial.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

SUNDAY FUNNIES: DOG GONE IT!

 Hello Everybody! Koda Canine here!

I know sometimes life can be ruff rough, but it sure beats the alternative.
All the gray skies, along with the gloomy weather, certainly doesn't put anyone—let alone us dogs—in the best of moods at times.
With the Winter Doldrums, it's danged if you do, bored if you don’t.
But thankfully winter doesn't last forever.
Spring, let alone Summer, are just around the corner!
So let's pass the time with some jokes.
Ready?

Someone told me it takes five sheep🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑 to make a sweater.
I didn’t know they could knit.

I hate to admit it, but dogs would never make good spies.
First tummy rub we received while on what's supposed to be a secret mission and we'd blab everything!

All those who believe in telepathy, raise my paws.

Did you know bologna is just hot dog patties?
I'll eat them either way.

If you can't find your dog(s) but know they're still in the house, just open your refrigerator!
They'll be right behind you before you know it.

♫There's no business like snow business...♫
Especially if you've got the only snow plow service in town!

Don’t let the ugly in others kill the beauty in you.
So on that note♫, have a great week!
Take care.
STAY SAFE! 😷
And please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!KC.

Saturday, January 14, 2023

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 8-14, 2023: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 
WE NEED
MORE GUN RESPONSIBILITY!

BULLYING HAS TO STOP!

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

JANUARY 15 IS WORLD RELIGION DAY.
JANUARY 16 IS DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JUNIOR DAY
IN THE UNITED STATES.
JANUARY 16 IS APPRECIATE A DRAGON🐉 DAY FOR FANTASY FANS.
JANUARY 18 IS THE 245TH ANNIVERSARY OF
CAPTAIN JAMES COOK DISCOVERING THE SANDWICH/HAWAII ISLANDS.
JANUARY 22 IS PENGUIN🐧 APPRECIATION DAY.
THE LONDON UNDERGROUND IS CELEBRATING
ITS 160TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.

AM😷NGST EVENTS AROUND THE W🌍RLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*Although Canada, Australia, Greece, the United States, England and Italy require proof of having no COVID before entering, China has reopened its borders. (There are 7/SEVEN separate links in this item.)
*Yet apparently no one from Japan or South Korea will be visiting China any time soon. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*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 January 14, 2023.
*The global M(onkey) Pox status, as of January 14, 2023.



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…
*Actor Adam Rich (Eight Is Enough, Dungeons and Dragons, more) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actress Carole Cook (The Incredible Mister Limpet, 16 Candles, and decades more) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Former professional football🏈 player Charles White is no longer with us.
*Actor Ben Masters (All That Jazz, Passions, more) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Former professional baseball⚾ player Lee Tinsley is no longer with us.
*Stuntman Robbie Knievel, son of Evel Knievel, has passed away.
*Robbie Bachman, drummer for Bachman-Turner Overdrive, is no longer with us.
*Journalist/historian Paul Johnson (several non-fiction novels) has passed away.
*Singer/songwriter Lisa Marie Presley (daughter of Elvis) is no longer with us.
*Guitarist Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds, his own group) has passed away.
*Actor Michael Levin (Ryan’s Hope, As The World Turns, other TV and stage work) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.

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
*Opinion: The next coup???
POLITICALLY…
THE SUPREME COURT REPORT…
*January 22 is the 50th anniversary of the Court ruling on Roe V. Wade, although we all know what happened to it in 2022.
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
😷THE US VERSUS COVID-19…
😷THE US VERSUS M(ONKEY) POX…
*The state of your state, M(onkey) Pox wise.
IT’S FACT CHECK TIME!
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS…
*Now that there is a Speaker of the House, the first order of business… (There are 3/THREE separate links in this item.)
*House Republicans want to defund the Internal Revenue Service???
*Opinion: George Santos should leave Congress. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*“You can’t use my music.”—Dr. Dre to Marjorie Taylor Greene.
*January 14, 1784 is when Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, thus officially ending the Revolutionary War against Great Britain.
ELSEWHERE…
*January 15 marks the 80th anniversary of construction being finished on the Pentagon.
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…