THE WEEK IN REVIEW: MAY 7-13, 2017

MAY IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

MOTHERS’ DAY IS SUNDAY, MAY 14.
MAY 13 IS THE 410TH ANNIVERSARY OF JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA BEING SETTLED.
MAY 16 MARKS THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF STAR WARS, EPISODE 2: ATTACK OF THE CLONES.
MAY 17 MARKS THE 225TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE BEING ESTABLISHED.
MAY 19 MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN OUTER SPACE” ACCORD BEING SIGNED.
MAY 20 MARKS THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHARLES LINDBERGH BEGINNING HIS HISTORIC TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.
MAY 20 MARKS THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMELIA EARHART MAKING THE FIRST TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT FOR A WOMAN.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…

*An International Cyber attack using the "Wanna Cry" Ransom Ware was launched against multiple sites Friday, May 12 and was still continuing into Saturday, May 13. The program demands payment in Bit Coins and threatens to erase all your data unless the ransom is paid.
*Moon Jae-in has been elected the new President of South Korea.
*Brazil has informed the World Health Organization that their Zika Virus state of emergency is over.

FROM FRANCE...
*Emmanuel Macron has been elected the new President of France.
*Water parks and aquariums in France can no longer breed killer whales or dolphins in captivity, and must expand the containment facilities for their existing occupants within 3 years.

THE TERRORIST REPORT…
*The Iraqi Army has announced it will soon liberate Mosul, Iraq from ISIL forces.
*Otherwise, bombs are still the terrorists’ weapon of choice against innocent civilian and military targets.

PASSING PARADE…
*Film maker Yoshimitsu Banno (Godzilla versus Hedorah, Throne of Blood) is no longer with us.
*Actor Curt Lowens (The Hindenburg, Angels and Demons) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actor Michael Parks (The original Twin Peaks, Kill Bill) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
*President Trump has fired FBI Director James Comey. While the President has stated his “reasons”, many are speculating the action is because Comey would not end the investigations into possible ties between Trump and Russia. (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*Yet, while the President maintains his innocence regarding Russia, actions have consequences, especially when you upset the FBI. (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*But while Donald Trump was surprised at the reaction to Comey's firing, his poll numbers are now even lower than before, let alone the average American's opinion of him has seriously changed. (There are 3 separate links in this item.)
*Is President Trump "skirting" election rules to promote his own agenda???
*Will anyone actually benefit if the Visa rules are officially changed???
MEANWHILE...
*Heather Wilson has finally been confirmed by the Senate as President Trump’s Secretary of the Air Force.
*Despite environmental concerns, Trump will soon allow a new mining project in Alaska.
*The latest obstacle in President Trump's border wall plan: land owners.
*Is the President reversing himself concerning financial support of African American Universities???
*While we know how he feels about former President Obama, how is President Trump’s disagreement with Stephen Colbert going??? (There are 2 separate links in this item.)
*But is Donald Trump actually unfit to be President??? One person's opinion here.

ELSEWHERE…
*Did the Republican Party defraud supporters???
*New Orleans, Louisiana is removing all of its Confederate/Civil War memorials.
*Will YOU adopt Lana the Labrador???

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: MAY 13, 2017

FUN FACT
Did you know when water freezes, it expands by 9%?

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

A seasonal romance.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
We’re going to do something a bit different this time. We’re looking for a specific 6 letter word, and the clues below will help you figure out the letters in that word. Put the letters to your answers in the right order, and you have the mystery word. Ready?

An article.
A bug.
Not him.

What do they spell?

We’ll reveal all next weekend, but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the May 6, 2017 Puzzle Corner.

COMMON BONDS
The items within each subset below have something in common. Do you know what it is?
01. {Chuck Berry, Charlotte Bronte} = Both have the initials C.B.
02. {Jerry Sienfeld, John Sebastian} = Both have the initials J.S.
Sneaky, weren’t we?

FAMOUS FIRSTS
As much as we either laugh or complain about them, when did the first television commercial air?
July 1, 1941. It was an ad for Bolivia Watches.

SUNDAY FUNNIES: LIFE OBSERVED (misc. jokes)

Hello Everybody! Autumn the Puppy here!
Well, the weather is finally starting to get warmer, so I'm able to sit outside my doghouse more and watch the world go by.
Doing so, I've been able to make some more observations about life, the universe, and everything; besides the fact that 6 x 9 does not equal 42.

For example...

A recent study showed that women who carry a little extra weight live longer than men who mention it.

Why do humans hate it when they see an old person and then realize that they went to school together?

I will be the first to admit that I have yet to figure out babies.
They're short, bald, not potty trained nor good with words; yet women go crazy over them.
Then again, you could say the same thing about me in my younger days.

If people should be with someone who makes them happy, then why are relationships so seriously complicated?

Eau de Pepe

It seems to me that skunks get a bad rap.
Let's face facts folks.
The skunk didn't ask to smell worst than year old, unwashed gym socks.
Skunks don't go around comparing themselves to unfavorable humans. After all, when was the last time you heard one skunk yell angrily at another "You dirty human!"
Like penguins, they're stuck waiting for invitations to fancy gatherings because all they have is formal attire.
I guess it's all a question of how you stop and look at things.

And on that note ♫, have a great week everybody, and please be back next weekend to join me and Waxy Dragon for our annual Mother's Day salute on the Sunday Funnies!—AtP.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: APRIL 30-MAY 6, 2017

MAY IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

MAY 6 IS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY (ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES?)

MAY 6 IS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HINDENBURG DISASTER.

MAY 12 IS THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF GOOFY’S DEBUT IN “MICKEY’S REVUE”.

MAY 13 IS THE 410TH ANNIVERSARY OF JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA BEING SETTLED.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*While North Korea is preparing for another “missile test”, they claim it is the United States who wants a nuclear war.
*Venezuela is drafting a new constitution.
*Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo is facing impeachment charges for criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs policy of allowing civilians to shoot and kill even suspected users, dealers, and manufacturers.
*Puerto Rico has filed for government bankruptcy protection.
*Prince Philip has announced that he will officially retire from performing royal duties sometime this August, 2017.
*The Vatican/Holy See and Myanmar have officially established diplomatic relations.
*The first pack of New Guinea highland wild dogs in over 4 decades has been confirmed by scientists.
*Mark Selby won the 2017 World Snooker Championship of professional pool.




THE TERRORIST REPORT…
*Bombs are still the terrorists’ weapon of choice against innocent civilian and military targets.

PASSING PARADE…
*The innocent person killed when someone opened fire on a pool party in San Diego, California.
*The innocent person killed during the knife attack at the University of Texas.
*Actor Moray Watson (The Quatermass Experiment, The Darling Buds of May) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actress Daliah Lavi (Catlow, the original Casino Royale) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Actor Victor Lanoux (Cousin, Cousine) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Actress Rosemary Frankau (Terry and June) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Actress Beryl Te Wiata (Xena: Warrior Princess) has taken her last bow on life's stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…

*President Trump actually considers the United States Constitution “archaic” and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus thinks the First Amendment (Freedom of Speech, etc) should be “adjusted”!
*Congress managed to pass a Federal budget to keep the government operating until the end of the current fiscal year September 30, 2017. But President Trump would have preferred to shut everything down in hopes of “fixing things”.
*While the House of Representatives have successfully agreed to replace “Obama Care” with the latest edition of “Trump Care” (which many disagree with), the Senate seems to be in no hurry to consider the idea.
*Does President Trump's new executive order protect religion or give it more discrimination power???
*President Trump is officially ending former First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let Girls Learn" program.
*While many actually support President Trump’s position against recreational marijuana, it appears that he is against medical marijuana too.
MEANWHILE...
*Senators Ben Cardin and Marco Rubio have filed a bill hoping to restrict arms sales to the Philippine National Police over its drug war policies.
*Thanks to Congress, it may soon become more difficult for some employees to earn and collect overtime pay.
*Not everyone agrees with President Trump's praise and support of dictators.
*President Trump is pondering whether or not the government should continue helping to financially support historic African American colleges and universities.
Whether it gets passed and actually becomes law remains to be seen, 200 Congress officials have gathered to file a Federal LGBTQ Bill of Rights.
*Can the Federal Food and Drug Administration regulate what television employees have access to while on duty???
*Nobody knows why President Trump has fired White House Chief Usher Angella Reid.
*Desiree Fairooz was found guilty of disorderly conduct and sentenced after laughing at Jeff Sessions during his Senate confirmation hearing.
*And of course, President Trump is still unhappy with his media coverage, especially in the renewed battle against "Obama Care".
ELSEWHERE…

*Can Delta (or any airline) actually arrest someone if they don't give up their seat on an overbooked flight???
*Will Texas soon be enacting stricter or more discriminatory rules concerning who can adopt a child???
*Does a funeral home have the right to refuse service to the deceased???
*Plans have been announced for former President Barack Obama to have his own Presidential Library in Chicago, Illinois.
*The 2017 Kentucky Derby was won by "Always Dreaming".


THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS LOYAL READERSHIP FOR GIVING US 2,412 PAGE VIEWS IN APRIL 2017.

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: MAY 6, 2017

FUN FACT
Pearls dissolve in vinegar!

COMMON BONDS
The items within each subset below have something in common. Do you know what it is?
01. {Chuck Berry, Charlotte Bronte}
02. {Jerry Sienfeld, John Sebastian}

FAMOUS FIRSTS
As much as we either laugh or complain about them, when did the first television commercial air?

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

TRIVIA TIME
Which two countries of South America have absolutely NO sea coast?
Bolivia and Paraguay.

THE 50/50 CHANCE
Just like a regular TRIVIA TIME question, except there are only two possible choices, hence the even odds of getting it right. Ready?
TRUE OR FALSE: Zero degrees Celsius is colder than Zero degrees Fahrenheit.
FALSE! They are both the same.

CINCO DE MAYO: 2017 EDITION

The following is an editorial.

Today celebrates the 1862 Battle of Puebla, a(n unexpected) key victory of Mexican forces against the French, who were occupying parts of that nation at the time.

May 5, or Cinco de Mayo if you prefer, is more widely known around the world as a celebration of Mexican history, heritage, and pride.

We sincerely hope that the misguided opinions of some do not taint the celebrations or are mistaken as reflections of the whole, and that EVERYONE celebrates responsibility.

The above was an editorial.

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU: 2017 EDITION

It's THAT time of year again!

May the 4th, May Fourth, May the Fourth (Force) be with you, is the day Star Wars fans have chosen (pun unintended???)  to celebrate the science fiction series.

Although the official 40th anniversary of the FIRST Star Wars movie, Episode 4: A New Hope, won't be until May 25th, to join that celebration, here are some appropriate Star Wars themed jokes.


HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THE MOVIE PLOTS TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE...
As if, by this point in time there's someone over the age of 10 who hasn't seen them all except the one that hasn't been released yet...
04. A New Hope: Deadbeat Dad confronts son and daughter he hasn't seen in years. Not a pleasant family reunion.
05. The Empire Strikes Back: Deadbeat Dad tries to get son to take over family business while talking frog convinces son to kill dad.
06. Return of the Jedi: Good guys win for now, but considering this movie was originally released in 1984, it was a LONG wait till the story continued!
01.–03. The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, (and) Revenge of the Sith:
If you love backstory, great. Otherwise, considering you know the set up at the beginning of A New Hope, wait for Episode 7.
07. The Force Awakens: It's 2015 and Finally! Kind of repeats A New Hope in some respects, but look how old the original cast is because we had to wait so long! Guess the Force seriously needed that nap.
Side Movie A, Rogue One: If you want to see how the Rebels actually got the plans for the Death Star, as mentioned in A New Hope...
08. The Last Jedi: Not coming out until this Christmas movie season, but is it truly the end of the Force??? Sadly, it's Carrie Fisher's last movie as Princess Leia... *sigh*

What is the favorite vehicle of Jedi Masters?
Toy Yodas.

If you are dating a girl who does not like Star Wars puns, then you are looking for love in Alderaan places.

Two Storm Troupers part company when suddenly one fires upon the other.
"Why did you do that?" the first Storm Trouper asks, thankful to still be alive.
The second Storm Trouper replies, "I just wanted you to know that I would always miss you."

Is BB hungry?
No. BB-8.

May the Farce/Force be with you!