WEDNESDAY 17th DECEMBER 2014 08:40 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 (17th 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: 
The Luftwaffe mounts more than 650 sorties in support of the ground offensive
US 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division, 7th Armored Division and 30th Infantry Division are rushed into the area to oppose the German offensive
German 6th Panzer Army attacks US 1st Army around Malmedy
German 5th Panzer Army attacks US 1st Army around St Vith, isolating two regiments of 106th Infantry Division in the Schnee Eifel, and advancing toward Wiltz
Troops of German 1st SS Panzer Division murder more than 100 US POWs at Malmedy 

US 7th Army attacking around Fort Schiesseck and Fort Simershof
French 1st Army captures Keintzheim

Yugoslavia...
RN destroyers Eggesford and Lauderdale bombard Bar

Italy...
British 8th Army attacks around Faenza and Tebano 

In the Atlantic...
U-400 is sunk by RN frigate Nyasaland 

In the Pacific...
US 6th Army attacks around Limon, Valencia, and Tambuco on Leyte Island 
USAAF Major Richard Bong, America's leading air ace, scores his 40th victory

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

Today's Air Raids...
Saak, Salzburg, Villach, and Wels, Austria by US 15th Air Force
Blechhammer, Odertal, and military targets in Southern Germany by US 15th Air Force
Duisburg, Ulm, Munich, Hanau and Munster, Germany by RAF Bomber Command
Antwerp, Belgium by three V-2 rockets
Moravska-Ostrava, Czechoslovakia by US 15th Air Force
Po Valley and Brenner Pass, Italy by US 12th Air Force
Boeroe Island and Ceram Island by US FEAF
Airfields on Negros Island, Jolo Island, and Mindanao Island by US FEAF
Iwo Jima by US 7th Air Force
Cam Ranh Bay, Indochina by US 7th Air Force
Wan Pa-Hsa Rail Bridge, Burma by US 14th Air Force   
Japanese positions, transportation targets, and supply depots around Namhkam, Kyaikthin, Kinu, Tigyaing, Tagaung, Pang-hsao, Kyaukme, Manai, Kutkai, Man-ugon, Hpa-ye and Man Namman, Burma by US 10th Air Force 

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Shopping
Client prep
Me Time/Meditation Making supper
Client sessions
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 1,847 (up 3)
Non-followed Tweeps unfollowing =0
Unfollowers Eliminated = 0
New Followers followed back = 3
@hummour @TrueFactsDeals @WestHamApp
Spammers not followed back = 0
 
3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
Getting my own duvet was a brilliant move! I should have done it years ago! What a fabulous night's sleep! The cats liked it too - they both slept with me! It's only now that I realize how tussling with Missus for the big duvet was disrupting my sleep. With that, an upsurge in clients and a host of electronic goodies, life has suddenly become even more comfortable.

Of course all this good stuff is especially appreciated because with everything I have, I know what it's like not to have it! I cannot deny that it's only by the experience of darkness that I know light and appreciate it.

The principle benefit of all this comfort is not simply reveling in it but liberating my focus to simply BE - to liberate this character from its self-destructive default and in doing so help and inspire others to do the same. The purpose of this character is clear - to make a difference, particularly in the passing on of wisdom

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
What is the purpose of YOUR life

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry, cloudy and mild throughout
A moderate westerly or south-westerly wind will blow throughout
Max Temp = 10 degC
Min Temp = 9 degC
Sunrise at 08:20
Sunset at 15:46

Weathertrack: Britain will be in a corridor of westerly airflow between a cold depression to the north and warm high pressure to the south. Weather fronts travelling along this airflow will bring occasional rain.

Air Pressure: 998 millibars and rising slightly

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
The first time I got a universal remote, I thought "This changes everything" :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY! 
Russell Howard's Good News - Henry the Vacuum Cleaner

8. TRIVIA
Swiftlet nests are made from strands of saliva from the male swiftlet bird. Swiftlet nests collected from Thai caves can fetch more than $900 per pound. It is one of the world’s most coveted and expensive food items.

9. ZEN WISDOM
The courage not to bow to pressure, the courage to stand alone, the courage to maintain one’s determination, the courage to look deep into one’s heart and confront one’s own cowardice and arrogance, the courage to challenge difficulties—those who possess this kind of courage are true victors.