Sunday, January 12, 2025

SUNDAY FUNNIES: CATTY CELEBRITY CITINGS (January 2025)

Hello Everybody! Piper D. Katt here!
It may be the start of a new year but I'm beginning my 2025 Sunday Funnies hosting duties with another edition of CATTY CELEBRITY CITINGS!😸
As usual, a real (public) quote from a real celebrity will be followed by a witty reply from yours truly.
Ready?

"Clothes make a man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." ~~ Famous Author Mark Twain.
Does that apply in Nudist Colonies too? And what about pets? Us Animals wear no clothing yet we have a whole lot of influence over people, whether they know it or not.😼

"If anything you dream is fiction, and anything you accomplish is possible through science, then the whole history of mankind is nothing but science fiction." ~~ Famous Author Ray Bradbury.
But then, who's asleep and who's awake? And do the sleepers snore?

"Opera is when a Tenor and a Soprano fall in love, but a Baritone tries to stop them." ~~ Playwright George Bernard Shaw. 
Really? I purrsonally haven't heard an opera I like yet, but I keep scratching my head wondering why people complain about us cats singing after listening to some of those.

"Before putting someone in their place, make sure you are in yours." ~~ Author Morgan Richard Olivier.
Or like Ben Franklin said, "Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who couldn’t hear the music." ~~ Famous Philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche.
Some people are said to march to the beat of a different drummer.
Meow? I have a whole orchestra accompanying me!
Or in Shakespeare's words: To thy known self be true.

So on that note♫, take care.
STAY SAFE!
Have a great week and please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!PDK.

Saturday, January 11, 2025

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 5-11, 2025: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 
WEAR A MASK😷 WHEN NECESSARY
& BEWARE ANY VERSION OF

JANUARY 11 IS MILK🥛 DAY.
JANUARY 12 IS PHARMACIST DAY.
JANUARY 13 IS RUBBER DUCKY DAY, thanks to Sesame Street.
JANUARY 15 IS SNOW❄❅❆ DAY.
JANUARY 16 IS APPRECIATE A DRAGON🐉 DAY for fantasy fans.
JANUARY 18 IS WORLD SNOWMAN⛄ DAY.
JANUARY 19 IS POPCORN🍿 DAY.
JANUARY 20 IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR DAY IN THE UNITED STATES
AND WORLD CHEESE DAY.
2025 MARKS THE 105TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE THREE COLOR/FOUR WAY TRAFFIC LIGHT.🚦

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE W🌍RLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*As soon as a successor is chosen, Justin Trudeau is stepping down as Prime Minister of Canada, but Donald Trump had nothing to do with it. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*As cases begin to be diagnosed, BE AWARE OF HMPV!  (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*The COVID state of the world, as of January 11, 2025.
*The MPOX state of the world, as of January 11, 2025.
*Venezuela’s President starts a third term with new political problems. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)

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 through arrest and trial.

🌐THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHRONICLES…
*Wildfires ravage Southern California, USA. (There are 5/FIVE separate links in this item.)
ALSO...
*January 15 is Snow❄❅❆ Day.
*January 18 is World Snowman⛄ Day, but how do you build one in a warm climate?
*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.

🌌SPACE NEWS...

😢PASSING PARADE…
*The innocent lives lost to war.  
*Barry D. Kramer, former professional basketball🏀 player who became a legal judge, has passed away.
*Peter Yarrow of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary is no longer with us.
*Sam(uel) Moore of Sam and Dave (♫Soul Man♫, ♫Hold On! I’m Coming!♫, much more) has passed away.
*Former professional ice hockey🏒 players Dwight Foster and Al MacNeil have passed away. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Former World Series winner⚾ Felix Mantilla is no longer with us.
*Former professional baseball⚾ player Bob Veale has passed away.
*Comedic actor Bill Byrge (the Ernest franchise) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Popular European voice over artist Benoît Allemane (always redubbed Morgan Freeman along with lots of Disney and video game characters in French) is no longer with us.
*Actor Keller Fornes (Country Rescue) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.
*Former professional baseball⚾ pitcher Brian Matusz is no longer with us.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…

WE NEED MORE
GUN RESPONSIBILITY
NOW!

ALL INEQUALITY HAS TO STOP!

BAN BOOK BANS!

POLITICALLY
*The National Memorial Service for former President Jimmy Carter was held January 9 in Washington DC. While his mortal remains were transported back to Georgia for formal burial, American flags will remain at half staff until January 29 when the National Mourning Period ends. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*South Carolina and the Native Village of Kwigillingok will receive Federal Disaster Assistance. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*President Biden was scheduled to make one last diplomatic trip abroad before leaving office, but canceled due to the California Wildfires. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Biden versus Trump: The Final Days.
*January 15 is the 155th anniversary of Thomas Nast creating the Donkey as the Democratic Party symbol.
THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION…
*The Italian Prime Minister met with Trump January 4. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*While over 17,000 doctors don’t want him in that position, is Robert F. Kennedy Junior, Trump’s hopeful to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for a measles outbreak??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Trump is now threatening Denmark with tariffs and might seize Greenland and the Panama Canal by force, “if necessary”. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Trump may also want to “annex” Canada, but would any states go north???
*A quick look at the current legal troubles of Vince McMahon, husband of Trump’s Secretary of Education nominee Linda McMahon. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Donald Trump is scheduled to be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States January 20.
*Speculation: Could Trump end NATO???
THE SUPREME COURT REPORT…
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
*January 20 is the 105th anniversary of the American Civil Liberties Union.
IT’S FACT CHECK TIME!
*Fact checking Donald Trump’s claims about the wildfires in California. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS…
*Speculation: How Congress might approach the Trump agenda. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
TRUMP’S TRIAL(S)…
The New York Hush Money Case…
*Trump tried to get his sentencing blocked before it was even announced. When a lower court wouldn’t, his lawyers went before the Supreme Court. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*While the Court said they couldn't act until the sentence was actually announced, did Trump privately talk to Justice Samuel Alito first???
*The actual sentence??? While “Unconditional Discharge” does mean no jail time or fines, it also keeps the 34 Guilty Convictions on record, officially making Donald Trump a known felon. And since the trial was a New York State matter, President Trump can’t pardon himself. (There are 4/FOUR separate links in this item.)
Other Court Proceedings…
*Will the public ever get to see Jack Smith’s final reports on his investigations into the Missing Documents and January 6, 2021 riot??? Smith did file his reports with current Attorney General Merrick Garland, who plans to release the riot volume to Congress. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
ELSEWHERE…
*As Rudy Giuliani’s legal woes continue… (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…

THE PUZZLE CORNER: JANUARY 11, 2025

 😎FUN FACT
The Python Computer Language was named after Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

NUMBER PLEASE
Get ready! We ask the question, but the answer is just a number.
Out of the original Twilight Zone, how many episodes did series creator Rod Serling write?

TRIVIA TIME
How did Orville and Wilbur Wright decide who would make the historic airplane test flight at Kitty Hawk?

We’ll reveal all next weekend but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX📦 and discover the results from the January 4, 2025 Puzzle Corner.

FAMOUS FIRST NAMES
Some famous television characters are only known by one name, yet do have a rarely mentioned first name. Can you say what the first name of each one listed below is? To help, we’ve listed the actor/actress involved.
01. MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson or Lucas Till) = Angus, only mentioned once during Anderson’s series. Acknowledged early but seldom used during the Till revival.
02. “Punky” Brewster (Soleil Moon Frye) = Penelope, but preferred “Punky” because she hated her given/birth name.
03. Deputy Marshall McCloud (Dennis Weaver) = Sam. Mentioned irregularly, even by the title character.
04. Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk) = Frank. Never said aloud. Only seen rarely whenever the character had to show his ID.

THE 50/50 CHANCE
Just like a regular TRIVIA TIME question except there are only two possible answers, hence the even odds of getting it right. Ready?
TRUE or FALSE: Being made decades apart, Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 epic 2001: A Space Odyssey and the 1984 sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact featured totally different casts.
FALSE! From the original movie, Kier Dullea reprised the role of Astronaut Dave Bowman while Douglas Rain once again voiced the reactivated HAL 9000 in 2010.

Sunday, January 5, 2025

SUNDAY FUNNIES: WEEKEND PUPDATE: JANUARY 2025

 AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR WEEKEND PUPDATE
WITH YOUR HOST KODA CANINE.

Hello Everybody!
Koda Canine here and you’re there.

Our top🎩 story: 
Authorities report a suspect wearing only boxers led them on a brief chase before being arrested.

Reports are coming in that Chuck Norris has destroyed the Periodic Table because he only recognizes the Element of Surprise.

Did you know that Frankie Avalon started out his showbiz career as a tightrope walker?
And he did it without Annette.

Although they say it has nothing to do with Donald Trump’s latest unsolicited offer to buy their country, Greenland has announced they are increasing their national security.
Image via Facebook.

Looks like someone there is also a Calvin and Hobbes fan.😉

And now, a word from our sponsor.
Before doing so, be sure to ask your doctor if taking unsolicited medical advice from commercials is right for you.

As we return, I’ve just been handed ground breaking news!
A hole was dug to plant a bone🦴, but the canine excavator🐕 won’t say where it is.
Dang it, and I’m hungry.

It takes three sheep🐑🐑🐑 to make a wool sweater.
Gee. I didn’t know they could knit.

Turning to sports, here’s the current scores as professional football’s🏈 regular season comes towards an end as the playoffs approach.
35-14. 27-8 and in a game just now getting underway: 0-0.

Scientists want to combine the DNA from a possum, a billy goat and a manatee but they’re still trying to figure out the resulting possibility if they do.

And finally: 
If we got rid of all the margarine, would the world be a butter place?

On that note♫, take care.
STAY SAFE!
Have a great week and please be back next weekend for more Sunday Funnies.
For Weekend Pupdate, I’m Koda Canine.

Saturday, January 4, 2025

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: DECEMBER 29, 2024-JANUARY 4, 2025: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 
WEAR A MASK😷 WHEN NECESSARY
& BEWARE ANY VERSION OF

JANUARY 4 IS WORLD BRAILLE DAY, SPAGHETTI🍝 DAY & HYPNOTISM DAY.
JANUARY 5 IS BIRD DAY🐦, CELEBRATING OUR FINE FEATHERED FRIENDS.
JANUARY 6 IS CUDDLE DAY.
JANUARY 7 IS OLD ROCK(S) DAY AND BOBBLE HEAD DAY.
JANUARY 8 IS BUBBLE BATH DAY.
JANUARY 10 IS HOUSEPLANT🪴 APPRECIATION DAY.
JANUARY 11 IS MILK DAY.
JANUARY 12 IS PHARMACIST DAY.
JANUARY 13 IS RUBBER DUCKY DAY, thanks to Sesame Street.
2025 IS THE 105TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BABY RUTH CANDY BAR
AND THE GOOD HUMOR ICE CREAM BAR.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE 🌍ORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*The COVID state of the world, as of January 4, 2025.
*The MPOX state of the world, as of January 4, 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 through arrest and trial.

🌐THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHRONICLES…
*January 5 is Bird Day🐦, celebrating our fine feathered friends.
*January 10 is Houseplant🪴 Appreciation Day.
*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.

🌌SPACE NEWS...

😢PASSING PARADE…
*The life lost when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of the Las Vegas, Nevada USA Trump Hotel New Year’s Day.
*Jimmy Carter, former Governor of Georgia and 39th President of the United States, 2002 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and a great human being is no longer with us.
*Harry Chandler, a Pearl Harbor survivor, is no longer with us.
*Tomiko Itooka, the world's oldest known human at the moment, has passed away.
*Actress Linda Lavin (Alice, much stage and television productions) has taken her last bow on life’s stage.
*Musician, songwriter and producer Don Nix (a fifty year career from 1958-2008) has passed away.
*Athlete turned coach Doctor Ralph Mann is no longer with us.
*Actor John Capodice (Seinfeld, Ace Venture: Pet Detective, lots more) has taken his last bow on life's stage.
*Writer, producer, director and voice actress Britt Allcroft, who developed Thomas the Tank Engine for television, has passed away.
*Wayne Osmond of the Osmond Family is no longer with us.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
WE NEED MORE
GUN RESPONSIBILITY
NOW!

ALL INEQUALITY HAS TO STOP!

BAN BOOK BANS!

POLITICALLY…
*Was the Treasury Department hacked??? (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*President Biden established chains of command within the Departments of  Home Land Security, Justice, Management and Budget, Agriculture and the Treasury. (There are 5/FIVE separate links in this item.)
*The Republican Response to the New Orleans Tragedy. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*January 1 was the 105th Anniversary of the 18th Amendment, initiating Prohibition.
THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION…
*Trump’s pending “Border Czar” admitted he lied. There is no connection between events in New Orleans and Las Vegas.
*Trump doesn’t want the flags at half staff during his Inauguration despite the fact they will stay down until the National Period of Mourning for Jimmy Carter ends January 28.
THE SUPREME COURT REPORT…
SOCIAL (IN)JUSTICE…
*Why an Editorial Cartoonist quit over an unpublished submission. (There are 2/TWO separate links in this item.)
*Who blew up a Tesla Cyber Truck outside the Las Vegas Trump Hotel New Year’s Day??? (There are 3/THREE separate links in this item.)
IT’S FACT CHECK TIME!
😷THE US VERSUS COVID…
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS…
TRUMP’S TRIAL(S)…
ELSEWHERE…
😀AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS…


THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE
WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS LOYAL READERSHIP FOR GRANTING US 153,749 PAGE VIEWS IN DECEMBER 2024.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: JANUARY 4, 2024

 😎FUN FACT
At least half of all New Year’s Resolutions get abandoned by the second Friday of January.

FAMOUS FIRST NAMES
Some famous television characters are only known by one name, yet do have a rarely mentioned first name. Can you say what the first name of each one listed below is? To help, we’ve listed the actor/actress involved.
01. MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson or Lucas Till)
02. “Punky” Brewster (Soleil Moon Frye)
03. Deputy Marshall McCloud (Dennis Weaver)
04. Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk)

THE 50/50 CHANCE
Just like a regular TRIVIA TIME question except there are only two possible answers, hence the even odds of getting it right. Ready?
TRUE or FALSE: Being made decades apart, Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 epic 2001: A Space Odyssey and the 1984 sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact featured totally different casts.

We’ll reveal all next weekend but for now, let’s open up THE ANSWERS BOX📦 and discover the results from the December 28, 2024 Puzzle Corner.

TRIVIA TIME⌚
A small group of Christmas specials have aired on commercial television every year since their respective debuts. Can you name them? HINT: They all debuted in the 1960s.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer🦌 since 1964, Doctor Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas since 1966 and Frosty The Snowman⛄ since 1969.
A Charlie Brown Christmas🎄 was in contention from 1965-2021 before the entire Peanuts video library went exclusively to Apple+.

THE LETTER SHUFFLE
How many new words can you make out of the letters in NEW YEAR?
A, an, any, are, aye
Ear, earn, ewe, eye
Nay, nee, near
Ran, raw, ray, renew
War, ware, warn, way, wean, wear, weary, were, wren
Yarn, yaw, yawn, yea, yearn

New and Year don’t count because they were part of the original phrase. Other words than the 30 listed above might be possible.