Weekly Winners and Sunday's Surprise Book Giveaway

 

Navy Aviator and WWII Ace
Lieutenant Edward O'Hare


February 20 proved to be a productive date in history:

1472 – Orkney and Shetland are pawned by Norway to Scotland in lieu of a dowry for Margaret of Denmark.

1547 – Edward VI of England is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.

1792 – The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by President George Washington.

1901 – The legislature of Hawaii Territory convenes for the first time.

1913 – King O'Malley drives in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra (capital of Australia).

1942 – Lieutenant Edward O'Hare becomes America's first World War II flying ace.*

Canadian announcer Alex Trebeck, Ken Jennings,
Watson, and Brad Rutter

*  Last week, Jeopardy featured a special contest between its two biggest money winners, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, and IBM's Watson.   Watson was quick to respond to most of the straight forward questions, but the Final Jeopardy question stumped him - the US city where its largest airport is named for a World War II hero and its other airport is named for a World War II battle.   The answer is Chicago - O'Hare International named for WWII Ace Lieutenant O'Hare and Midway is named for Battle of Midway.

Ken and Brad answered Chicago.

Watson answered Toronto with ????, noting that the computer took a guess.  Still, Watson was the final winner.  Enough with trivia, we have winners here at SOS Aloha!

Sunday, February 13:  GIFT OF LOVE - an anthology edited by Lori Foster
- Jodi

Authors of GIFT OF LOVE

Sunday, February 13:  Valentine's Treasures

- Judy

Monday, February 14:  Scottish Gift Pack in honor of Ann Stephens' HER SCOTTISH GROOM
- Alba

Tuesday, February 15:  Kaylea Cross' ABSOLUTION **
- Chey

Wednesday, February 16:  Maria Geraci's three books:  BUNCO BABES TELL ALL, BUNCO BABES GONE WILD, and THE BOYFRIEND OF THE MONTH CLUB.
- Susan

Thursday, February 17:  Hollywood souvenir in honor of Jill James' TEMPTING ADAM
- Mariska (will be mailed from RT in LA @ April 10)

Friday, February 18:  Rebecca Zanetti's FATED
- Donna S

We had new readers this week.  If you did not win, let me emphasize that I will send Aloha treats (Hawaiian fruit tea and Pearl Harbor maps) to anyone who requests it via sos.america@yahoo.com.

Canada's Flags in Ottawa

** I originally listed Kaylea Cross as celebrating Canada's Flag Day on February 15 ... which we didn't even celebrate!  So please let me correct that for our Canadian friends!  From Canadian Heritage:

February 15 was declared National Flag of Canada Day in 1996. It marks the day in 1965 when our red and white maple leaf flag was first raised over Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and indeed, hundreds of communities across Canada. Red and white were designated as Canada's official colours in 1921 by His Majesty King George V. This is a perfect opportunity to celebrate our flag and what it stands for: a Dominion that is the envy of the world.

I have twice interacted with Canadian military families - when I worked for NATO AWACS in Geilenkirchen, Germany and when my husband worked for a NATO command in Brunssum, Netherlands (remarkably 10 minutes apart from each other).   The Canadians - the other North Americans - wore flag pins because they were proud of their country's peacekeeping efforts.  When I traveled with other Americans for a Nile Cruise in December 2004, we also wore Canadian pins.  Since we were English speaking, we wanted any distrustful Egyptians to think of us as the peacekeeping Canadians, not the "war mongering" Americans.

Tomorrow, Americans celebrate Washington's Birthday (official title) aka Presidents' Day (common name).  It is a federal holiday, but not everyone has the day off.  Some of you can curl up and read a book .... others will be keeping our economy rolling.   In honor of those who are working, Sunday's Surprise Book Giveaway is .... Lucy Kellaways' IN OFFICE HOURS.   Mary Gramlich, The Reading Reviewer, posted a review on her blog 

There is no free ride in life but this book takes you on an interesting trip.

Lucy Kellaway writes for the England's Financial Times, which provided the best bio I could find:

Lucy Kellaway is an Associate Editor and management columnist of the FT. For the past 15 years her weekly Monday column has poked fun at management fads and jargon and celebrated the ups and downs of office life.

In her 25 years at the FT, Lucy has been energy correspondent, Brussels correspondent, a Lex writer, and an interviewer of business people and celebrities for the Lunch with the FT series and the FT Weekend. Prizes include Columnist of the Year in the British Press Awards 2006, Industrial Society WorkWord Award (twice), Best Commentator, Business Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 and the Wincott Young Financial Journalist Award. Her first book, Sense and Nonsense in the Office, was published by FT Prentice Hall in 1999. Martin Lukes: Who Moved My BlackBerry(TM) (2005) and In Office Hours (2010) were published by Penguin.

Born in London in 1959, Lucy graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

Oxford University

To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about Jeopardy, Canada Flag Day, Washington's Birthday, and what goes on in your office. 

2. This giveaway is open to US residents only. Comments are open through Saturday, February 26, 10 pm in Hawaii to enter the giveaway.

3. If you are a new to SOS Aloha (US or international), I would like to share Aloha with you. Send your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com for a Hawaiian treat!

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

I suppose our Sunday Surprise Book Giveaway is no longer a surprise ... except that you (or I) don't know the title until Sunday!   As most of you know, Mary Gramlich reviews for several publishing houses.  She  donates her review copies for me to giveaway on SOS Aloha.  When possible, I contact the author for an interview to accompany the giveaway.  When that's not possible, the book becomes a candidate for Sunday's Surprise Book Giveaway.  For a preview of the books that will be coming to SOS Aloha, check out her blog.