SATURDAY 22nd FEBRUARY 2014 06:20 GMT

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE NOW!! - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

FOR MORE BITE-SIZED WISDOM, CHECK OUT MY TUMBLR PAGE

FOR PERSONAL ISSUES, OR TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, WHY NOT CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (22nd February 1944)
On the Russian Front...
Soviet 1st Shock Army and 54th Army capture Dno
Soviet 8th Guards Army and 37th Army capture Krivoi Rog

In the English Channel...
Kriegsmarine S-boats S-94 and S-128 sink in an accidental collision while unsuccessfully attacking a British coastal convoy overnight  

In Greece...
British commandos and Greek partisans derail a German troop train 

In the Mediterranean...
German vessel Lisa is sunk by Allied aircraft off Crete
US vessels George Cleeve and Skene Ogden are heavily damaged by U-969 and subsequently written off  

In the Pacific...
Japanese vessel Yamashiro Maru is sunk by USN submarine Gato  
IJN gunboat Fukuyama Maru sunk by USN submarine Tang 

Operation Catchpole: US 22nd Marine Regiment lands against strong resistance on Parry Island, but the Japanese force is small and soon overwhelmed. The island is secured by nightfall.

Warships of USN Task Group 39.4 bombard Kavieng on New Ireland and attck offshore shipping off New Ireland and New Hanover. Five cargo ships and two sub-chasers are sunk.

Japanese vessel Teiko Maru is sunk by USN submarine Puffer 

USN submarine Ray conducts minelaying operations off Saigon, French Indochina - one mine sinks Vichy French vessel Francis Garnier

In Burma...
In the Arakan, Japanese Sakurai column, running out of food and ammunition and therefore time, attack the Sinzweya Admin Box 

In the Indian Ocean...
U-510 sinks British vessel San Alvaro and US vessel E.G. Seubert, and damages Norwegian vessel Erling Brovig beyond repair
British vessel British Chivalry is sunk by IJN submarine I-37 

Today's Air Raids..
Bernburg, Halberstadt, and Aschersleben and targets of opportunity by US 8th Air Force
Regensburg and targets of opportunity by US 15th Air Force
Germany military targets by RAF Bomber Command
The Luftwaffe shoot down 49 bombers but lose 69 fighters
Netherlands and Northern France fighter patrols by RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force
Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands by US 9th Air Force
London by the Luftwaffe
Mille Atoll by US 7th Air Force
Marianas Islands by Carrier-based aircraft of USN Task Force 58, attacking Tinian, Rota, Guam and Saipan, claiming two Japanese cargo ships and 160 aircraft destroyed
Madang, New Guinea by US 5th Air Force
Rabaul and military targets, New Britain, by US 13th Air Force and US AirSols, claiming 2 guardboats and two cargo ships sunk
Burma military targets by US 10th Air Force

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Me Time
Shift 2 of the Weekend Job
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 1,712 (down 1)
Nonfollowed eliminated = 1
@1st_Commentary
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
New followers = 0 

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
With incompetent manager away at the Weekend Job and Son away and sleeping over at home, a smooth steady day and evening ensued with lots of me time - I exploited the opportunity presented by Daughter ringing Missus for a long evening chat, and Missus interest in the rugby followed by the news, to sneak upstairs and enjoy my taste for online Gothic culture. 

Further morning me time opportunities in the morning and an easy-going Weekend Job shift present themselves today! However, the week's indulgences and lack of exercise had an impact on my waistline, and my work trousers felt the pinch. A less calorific and more active week or two ahead should redress the balance.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you alert for all the opportunities that will present themselves today?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry with clear spells during the day
Some light showers in the early evening will soon pass and it will be dry and cloudy thereafter
A moderate south-westerly will blow throughout
Max Temp = 7 degC
Min Temp = 4 degC
Sunrise at 07:12
Sunset at 17:30

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realise I should have been more specific.  : D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY! 
Reginald D Hunter on Women Drivers and the virtues of the British and "f*ck you" movies 

8. TRIVIA
Many popular phrases, including one fell swoop, vanish into thin air, play fast and loose, be in a pickle, foul play, tower of strength, flesh and blood, be cruel to be kind, and with bated breath were all invented by Shakespeare.

9. ZEN WISDOM
Only when we learn to channel the energy we direct toward winning over others into winning over ourselves can we begin to develop our humanity.