THURSDAY 18th DECEMBER 2014 06:30 GMT

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE

TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE and FAN PAGE

1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (18th December 1944)
On the Russian Front...
Soviet 2nd Ukrainian Front is attacking north of Budapest
Soviet 3rd Ukrainian Front is attacking south of Budapest

On the Western Front...
Battle of the Bulge: 
German 5th Panzer Army attacks US 1st Army around St Vith, Houffalize, and Bastogne, German 6th Panzer Army around Krinkelt, Malmedy, Stavelot, and Stoumont
The Luftwaffe mounts more than 500 sorties in support of ground offensive

US 3rd Army captures Dillingen and Nieder Gailbach
US 7th Army fights its way into Budenthal 
US 9th Army captures Wurm and Muellendorf 

US vessel Steel Traveller sunk by mine in Scheldt Estuary

In the English Channel...
British vessel Silverlaurel sunk by U-486
U-1209 runs into Wolf Rock off Cornwall and sinks

Washington DC...
The Supreme Court rules in two cases that while the exclusion and internment program is constitutional, internment of loyal citizens is illegal in US law

In the Pacific...
USN 3rd Fleet, retiring from operations in the Philippines in order to replenish, is struck by a typhoon. 3 destroyers are sunk and 150 carrier aircraft are blown overboard their carriers.

US 6th Army captures Valencia and its airfield on Leyte Island
IJN midget sub Ha-76 unsuccessfully attacks USN warships and shipping off Mindoro Island

Burma...
British 15th Corps advances around Seinnyinbya in the Arakan  
RN Task Force 64 with destroyers Napier and Nepal and supporting warships bombard Japanese positions along the Arakan coast in support of 15th Corps operations 

Today's Air Raids...
Baltic Sea minelaying by RAF Bomber Command
Antwerp, Belgium by 14 V-2 rockets
Cologne, Koblenz, Kaiserlautern, Mainz and targets of opportunity in Germany by US 8th Air Force
Blechhammer and Odertal, Germany by US 15th Air Force 
Graz, Vienna and military targets in Austria by US 15th Air Force
Nuremberg, Munster and Gotenhafen, Germany by RAF Bomber Command
At Gotenhafen, a training ship, 7 transports, a torpedo boat, a depot ship and U-262 are sunk
Auschwitz, Poland by US 15th Air Force
Moravska-Ostrava, Czechosloviakia by US 15th Air Force 
Sopron, Hungary by US 15th Air Force
Po Valley, Italy by US 12th Air Force
Mindanao Island Borneo and Ceram Island by US FEAF 
Nagoya, Japan by US 20th Air Force - an offshore sub-chaser is sunk, but 4 of 73 B-29 Bombers are shot down     
Indochina military targets by US 14th Air Force fighters
Hankow, China by US 20th Air Force
Hankow, Wuchang, Hochih, Nanning, Mengmao, Siaokan and Kunlong, China by US 14th Air Force
Wetlet, Saye, Hinlong and Wingkang bridges and Nanwghkio Anisakan, Hsumhsai, and Nawnghkio airfields, Burma by US 10th Air Force
Wanling, Burma by US 10th Air Force

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Ironing
Me Time
Client follow-up
Online promotional work
Son Time
Quality Missus Time


Twitter Followers = 1,847 (no change)
Non-followed Tweeps unfollowing =0
Unfollowers Eliminated = 0
New Followers followed back = 0
Spammers not followed back = 0
 
3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
It's very much a time to savour the moment, for both character and True Self. Peace of mind and gratitude are the underlying experiences of the moment. I have a clear purpose which I am fulfilling, plentiful abundance, recognition and enjoyment.

A lot of this is actually due to surrendering rather than gaining control. I have accepted the permanence of challenges, the total uncertainty of outcomes, and the volatility of circumstances. I have learned the discipline of Grounding, being rooted in the present moment, and focus on purpose and gratitude. 

I have learned to accept that you have never "made it" and that you cannot hold on to anything. This has freed up my consciousness to simply enjoy the journey.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you making a difference your way?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Showers, often heavy, throughout
A strong to moderate southwesterly will swing westerly in the evening
Max Temp = 12 degC
Min Temp = 7 degC
Sunrise at 08:21
Sunset at 15:46

Weathertrack: Britain is in a corridor of westerly airflow between a cold depression to the north and warm high pressure to the south. Weather fronts traveling along this airflow will bring heavy rain.
Air Pressure: 1001 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
My ex-wife and I were happy for 29 years. Then we met! :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Russell Howard's Good News - Scrabble 

8. TRIVIA
An AOL survey showed that 40% of women view an appropriate time frame to wait for sex as being one to three months, while 35% of men think the third date is fine.

9. ZEN WISDOM
Ideal love is fostered only between two sincere, mature and independent people. Real love is not two people clinging to each other; it can only be fostered between two strong people secure in their individuality.