Saturday, September 12, 2026

THE PUZZLE CORNER: SEPTEMBER 12, 2026

 😎FUN FACT
The Monkees (September 12) and the original TV version of Mission: Impossible (September 17) both celebrate their 60th anniversaries this year, so it’s time for some themed enigmas.

THE MONKEES, circa 1986
SUPER SECONDS🥈
After the FAMOUS FIRSTS, what comes next?
The Monkees’ first big hit was ♫Last Train To Clarksville♫. What was their next?

TRIVIA TIME⌚
What was the address of the Monkees’ pad (residence)?

AKA, ALSO KNOWN AS
Lalo Schifrin is famous for composing the Mission: Impossible theme, among other works. But what did he originally name the theme?

WHO AM I?
Can you identify the person (real or fictitious) based upon the clue below?
I first led the Impossible: Mission Force before Peter Graves took over as Jim Phelps.

We’ll reveal all next weekend but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX 📦and discover the results from the September 5, 2026 Puzzle Corner as we celebrated Star Trek Day and the original series’ 60th anniversary.

FAMOUS FIRSTS
🥇
Which was the first USS Enterprise that could separate its saucer section from the rest of the ship?
USS Enterprise, NCC 1701 PRIME!
According to the original 1976 Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual, the very first Enterprise had that capability, but it could only be done in an extreme emergency because it required a Starbase to reunite the two halves. But that feature wasn’t visually shown by any ship until Picard’s NCC 1701-D.

NUMBER PLEASE
Get ready! We ask the question, but the answer is just a number.
How many different Star Trek series have there been, as of September 2026?
12/TWELVE! The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Short Treks, Lower Decks, Prodigy, Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy.
Star Trek: Scouts is technically a YouTube channel exclusive and doesn’t count unless Paramount says otherwise.

TRIVIA TIME⌚
Two Star Trek: Voyager performers had cameos in the Star Trek: First Contact movie. One was blatantly obvious and the other wasn’t. Can you name them both?
While Robert Picardo reprised his role as the Emergency Medical Hologram for one scene, Ethan Phillips portrayed a maitre’d instead of Neelix in another.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
How many new words can you form out of the letters in STAR TREK?
A, are, ark(s), art(s), as, aster {type of flower}, at, ate
Ear(s), eat(s), err(s)
Rare, rat(s), rate(s), rater(s), reak(s) {correct spelling of an old word meaning tricks}, rear(s), rest
Sake, sat, sate, sea, sear, seat, set, skate, skater, stake, staker, stare, starer, stark, start, state, steak
Take(s), taker(s), tart(s), taste, taster, tar(s), tare(s), tea(s), tear(s), test, {and} treat(s).
STAR and TREK don’t count because they were the original words but others than the 65 listed above might be possible.

Friday, September 11, 2026

THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

 THE FOLLOWING IS AN EDITORIAL.

It is hard to believe that 25/TWENTY-FIVE years have passed since the cowardly terrorist attacks on American soil that are now collectively known as 9-11.
Time has lessened the pain, but the memories remain.

I remember my clock radio alarm going off around ten that morning because, being on the night shift at work at the time, I didn't have to be on duty until one pm that afternoon.

But instead of the music or even a commercial break I'd come to expect, the airwaves were full of nothing but the terrible news reports originating from New York City.
The television reports were no better, especially when the Twin Towers collapsed.

There was a surreal quiet in the air for days while all flights were canceled.
Some aspect of the crisis remained at the top of everyone's news reports for weeks on end.
That fateful night when NBC's Saturday Night Live finally aired its first actual brand new episode of the season seemed like a breath of fresh air to America. Declaring that, despite everything the country had been through, we would recover and move on.

Yet the aftermath took months to deal with, and some of the (health) consequences are still being felt today by all the rescue workers and other citizens in and around the affected areas.
The buildings were replaced with new structures.
The lost ones memorialized.
But like in any major disaster, the memories still linger.

It has become an annual tradition here at The Free Choice E-zine to post the poem below to remember the innocent lives lost and the brave men and women who gave all to not only help those they could, but to assist America and the world to move on.


THEY DID NOT DIE IN VAIN
A poem by Nancy A. Hansen


All humanity sighed
As souls left the earth
Lives taken swiftly
Unjustly so
They died not in vain
For tears and remorse
Wash clean the blood
On the crumpled edifices
Of steel and concrete
That makes civilization grand

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

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

I wept with them
The ones who died
The living left behind
The shattered hopes and dreams
Like the rubble in the streets
Made us all stop and think
That could be me!
I watched stunned
And vowed as did others
We will overcome this
We are one people
We are humane and caring
This cannot be!
September 11, 2001

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

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

And amid all the rubble
The twisted beams of steel and concrete
The dust and the fires
September 11, 2015
Papers fluttered to earth
A poignant reminder
We once lived and worked here
Do not forget us
We live on in your hearts
Forevermore
We did not die in vain
If the world becomes a better place
Because we once showed you
How to care about your brethren
And to value all you have
No matter how small it is
Or how rude and humble
Life is a gift!


THE ABOVE WAS AN EDITORIAL.

Sunday, September 6, 2026

SUNDAY FUNNIES: LABOR DAY LAUGHS (misc. jokes)

Hello Everybody!
The Free Choice E-zine's Editor-In-Chief Lee Houston, Junior with you today since your regular hosts Piper D. Katt and Koda Canine have the Labor Day holiday off here in the United States.

It's also Labour Day in Canada, but regardless of how you spell or celebrate the holiday, it's kind of ironic that some of the people this event is supposed to honor have to work.
I can understand those in law enforcement, fire fighting, the medical profession and everyone helping to protect their country's freedoms being on duty. But the rest?

In any event, I've been gathering some appropriately themed jokes for my guest appearance here today, so it's time to have some fun. Ready?

I once worked in a sweater factory.
It was a tight knit community.

The company manufacturing yardsticks are not going to make them any longer.

I just don't understand modern technology.
Facial recognition software can pick a person out of a crowd, but the vending machine at work can't recognize a dollar bill with a bent corner.

It is September already?
I'm still mentally in April with a February To-Do list.
Memory of years past


Interviewer: "We need someone who can do the job of six men."
Woman: "Oh, so it is just a part time position?"

They call it “Man Hours” because a woman would have it done in 30 minutes.

Boss: "Can't you pay attention?"
Me: "I can't. My salary is so low, I can't pay anything."

I wish my wallet came with free refills.

My wallet is like an onion.🧅
I open it and it makes me cry.

♫I owe, I owe. So off to work I go.♫

I blinked on Friday. Now it's Monday.
What kind of sorcery is this?

People wait all day for quitting time.
All week for their day(s) off.
All summer for winter, all winter for summer. And all life for happiness.
Don't let the pursuit of tomorrow diminish the joy of today. 

So on that note♫, take care.
STAY SAFE!
Have a great week and please be back next weekend when Piper and Koda return for their annual Back To School salute on The Sunday Funnies.—lh,jr.
All links were active at the time of posting.

Saturday, September 5, 2026

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: AUGUST 30-SEPTEMBER 5, 2026: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 

ELBOWS UP CANADA!

WEAR A MASK😷 WHEN NECESSARY
& BEWARE ANY VERSION OF

SEPTEMBER IS DEAF AWARENESS MONTH & MUSHROOM🍄 MONTH.
SEPTEMBER 5 IS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CHARITY.
SEPTEMBER 6 IS READ A BOOK📖 DAY AND HUMMINGBIRD DAY.
SEPTEMBER 7 IS BRAZIL’S INDEPENDENCE DAY.
SEPTEMBER 8 IS STAR TREK DAY AND THE FRANCHISE’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY.
SEPTEMBER 9 IS SUDOKU DAY.
SEPTEMBER 11 IS CATALONIA’S NATIONAL DAY.
FOR THOSE OBSERVING, ROSH HASHANAH
BEGINS AT SUNDOWN SEPTEMBER 11.
SEPTEMBER 12 IS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MONKEES.
SEPTEMBER 12 IS WORLD DOLPHIN🐬 DAY AND VIDEO GAME DAY.
SEPTEMBER 15-OCTOBER 15 IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
SEPTEMBER 16 IS PLAY DOH DAY.
SEPTEMBER 17 IS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE ORIGINAL MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE W🌍RLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*The reported COVID state of the world, as of September 5, 2026. But why has there been no data from the United States since January 21, 2025???

IN THE MIDDLE EAST…
*Concerning Israel, Palestine, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Gaza Strip and more. (There are 4/FOUR 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, preferably through arrest and trial.

🌐THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHRONICLES…
HELPING THE PLANET
*September is Mushroom🍄 Month.
*September 6 is Hummingbird Day.
*September 12 is World Dolphin🐬 Day.
The new telescope

🌌SPACE NEWS...

😢PASSING PARADE…
*The innocent lives lost to war.
*Woman’s rights advocate Gloria Steinem is no longer with us.
*Poet Robin Morgan (noted for her Sisterhood anthologies) has passed away.
*Bank of America Vice President Erin Piacenti was killed September 1.
*Former Nobel Prize winner Ada Yonath has passed away.
*Former professional football🏈 player turned coach Jerry Stovall is no longer with us.
*Former professional football🏈 player turned coach Kippy Brown has passed away.
*Actor Richard O’Sullivan (noted for Man About The House, Robin’s Nest and Dick Turpin) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…


SEPTEMBER 7 IS LABOR DAY.

 (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)

SEPTEMBER 17 IS AMERICA’S CONSTITUTION DAY.

WE NEED MORE
GUN RESPONSIBILITY
NOW!

ALL INEQUALITY HAS TO STOP!

BAN BOOK BANS!

POLITICALLY…
ON FOREIGN ISSUES…
SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
*Opinion: JD Vance on the War, circa August 31 and September 3. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
THE TRUMP TARIFF TURMOIL AND THE ECONOMY…
FACT BASED OPINION
*Analysis: Why are children going hungry???
*Analysis: Why wages are lower in "right to work" states. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Analysis: Among other perks, billionaires get tax breaks for private jets!
HISTORICAL FACT VIA FACEBOOK
ON DOMESTIC ISSUES...
*The Trump/Republican regime apparently fully supports AI, including military applications.
*Speculation: Does Trump's preliminary September 11 plans include attempting to take advantage of the event again??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
FACT BASED OPINION
THE 2026 MID-TERM ELECTIONS…
*Trump still wants his "Save America Act" to become law. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Apparently Trump wants all Republican candidates to win in November, but won't financially support their campaigns. "It's MY money!" claims Trump. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Analysis: Trump's War versus the mid-term elections. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Analysis: WHAT illegal voters???
FACT!

*NOTE: With the 2026 mid-term elections drawing near, the Trump/Republican regime is trying to make sure the Republican Party maintains control of the House of Representatives and the Senate to continue their agenda.
*FRIENDLY REMINDER: The individual states are responsible for their elections, NOT the Federal Government.
SAVE THE TREES!
THE BALLROOM BLITZ...
FACT BASED OPINION
ALSO…

FACTUAL NEWS


THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN SITUATION…
*NOTE: Any possible crimes happened BEFORE his first Presidential campaign so as a potential
civilian suspect, Donald Trump is NOT covered by the Supreme Court’s Presidential Immunity Ruling in The Jeffrey Epstein Situation.


FACT!
MEDICAL NEWS…
*Except for emergency cases and administrative duties, the Court is in recess until the first Monday of October 2026.
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
*The Judge has declared a mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial concerning the deaths of her 3/THREE children.
FACT BASED OPINION
✅IT’S FACT CHECK TIME!
*JD Vance on the US Iran War, circa August 31 and September 3. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
FACT BASED OPINION

*The House of Representatives is briefly back in session and is now suspending work earlier than planned while the Senate doesn't return to work until September 14. (There are 2/TWO separate links in
this item.)
FACTS
ELSEWHERE…
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…


THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS LOYAL READERSHIP FOR GRANTING US 212,959 PAGE VIEWS IN AUGUST 2026.

ALL MEMES COURTESY OF FACEBOOK.
OTHER IMAGES VIA PUBLIC DOMAIN SOURCES.