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February 4, 2026      breaking   add your own add your own news!  search

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are you ready?

(in education, research, preparedness, advice)

Readiness quiz. A fun way to assess how ready you are for an emergency. Supply chains are fragile. The grid is vulnerable. When disaster strikes, you're on your own. Take the quick quiz to get your Ready Score and discover your family' ... read more

schoolkids-running-down-hall.webp great homeschooling option

(in education, school, homeschooling)

This podcast interviews the creators of a homeschooling option that seems really terrific and very inexpensive called Firefly. They also mention how people can create classes on any subject to teach children and get paid for it. So if you ... read more

chatgpt.webp chatgpt reliability

(in education, tech, ai)

As a joke (and to point out how ChatGPT is frequently USELESS, I asked about the projection of silver for the next year (FYI, it already passed $100)Silver Price Outlook for the Next Year (2026)Base Case Projection (Most Likely)$40-$60 per ... read more

winter-driving.webp how to survive the big freeze

(in life, weather, advice)

Great ideas and tips. Watch on BitchuteIt reminds me of the Amish home I was invited into last week when it was about 25. It was very nice and toasty. As you know, they use their big iron sto ... read more

how to spot fake silver coins

(in education, research, money, coins)

Silver Nearing $100 Is Fueling Counterfeits. Here's How to Spot Fake Coins. But even more fake silver is paper silver ETFs. At least you get some interesting metal in a fake coin. ... read more

focused-female-entrepreneur.webp interesting tools and tips for entrepreneurs

(in life, employment, entrepreneurship)

Interesting tools and tips for entrepreneurs. This might inspire someone:Reinvent Yourself to PROSPER in 2026 and Beyond ... read more

how tattoos affect your immune system

(in education, health)

I've always suspected that they're unhealthy, long-term. Humans have been tattooing their skin for thousands of years, and the practice has grown in popularity across the world in recent decades. However, tattoos don't come without risks ... read more

gardening-filip-urban-unsplash.webp anybody can easily grow potatoes

(in life, health, food, gardening)

Here's an article that tells how to do it in leaves or cardboard: selfsufficientprojects/how-to-grow-potatoes-in-only-leavesReceived: 2025-12-23We h ... read more

finding your footing after life takes an unexpected turn

(in life, health, mental, advice)

Major life changes affect everyone. Whether it's a career shift, a move to a new place, the end of a relationship, a health diagnosis, or becoming a parent, these moments disrupt routines and challenge identity. This article explores prac ... read more

smiling-pc.webp the "greatest" names of modern-day personal tech

(in culture, tech, computers)

Bill: Seems like whenever people mention the greatest names of modern-day personal tech, they mention Steve Jobs (not Wozniack), Bill Gates (not Balmer), maybe Hewlett, Packard and Linus Torvalds, etc. No one mentions the founders of Wo ... read more

schoolkids-running-down-hall.webp the new core subject: teaching digital literacy in today's schools

(in education, tech, computers)

In an age where students learn, communicate, and create through screens, developing digital literacy has become as foundational as reading and writing. Schools across the world are redesigning curricula to help middle and high school stude ... read more

world-cup-trophy.webp copilot ai 2026 world cup prediction full bracket

(in culture, sports, soccer, world-cup)

2026 World Cup Prediction: Full Bracket ... read more

feed external news feeds
click here for more

the lies get so tedious
Human existence itself, actually. It's one version of reality versus another. The solution is to create a better reality.

what if nato died?
The world would rejoice.

ex-fifa prez backs call to 'stay away' from wc
The ridiculously high prices are already accomplishing that.

establishing relationships in your new locale, by sarasue
Good article.

jd vance: the new trump doctrine is "f*ck you!"
Classy, as always.

if trump succeeds at acquiring greenland, will he stop there?
No, he wants all of North America, and Bibi wants the entire Middle East.

court confirms trudeaus emergencies act invocation against freedom convoy was illegal
Conveniently, too little too late.

satire: nfl announces each quarter of playoff game will be broadcast on different streaming service
It is getting harder and harder to be a sports fan.

"you know they march every fbi member into the holocaust museum?"
I'm sure they march them into the Holodomor, Nakba and Armenian holocaust museums, too. Oh, wait...

danish pm warns us attack on greenland would destroy nato
You say that like it's a bad thing.

under trump's madness, insanity has consumed this country
Trump is just one of many insane misleaders on both sides of the aisle.

us imposes visa bans on key figures involved in global censorship pressure
...unless these censors are anti-Palestine and pro-Israel.

a victory for informed consent: cdc panel reverses decades-old newborn vaccine policy
So far, it looks like RFK Jr is the only good thing about this Trump administration.

"stop antisemitism" founder says antisemites will be hunted down and destroyed "for the rest of your life"
She can start with the world's worst anti-Semites, the Israeli government and military.

uk arrests 33 people a day for social media posts
I'll probably be arrested for this website if I ever visit.

the controversial call that may ultimately knock baltimore out of the playoffs
He had the ball in his hands for two steps. Horrible call.

adams sets semifinals goal for usmnt after draw
That's my hope, and that's what Copilot AI predicts.

how mls keeps getting better beyond messi's magic -- but no one seems to care
No one seems to care because it's all behind a paywall.

us institute of peace renamed after president trump
I thought this was satire, but apparently not.

trump announces invasion of venezuela to come
Such a pinhead.

rfk jr plans overhaul of child vaccine schedule: report
This is long overdue. Childhood vaccinations have gotten ridiculous.

trump invites netanyahu to his fifth white house meeting
Netanyahu is the one calling the shots, so it only makes sense.



One name, five books, a singular journey...
by William Arthur Holmes

Temporary Insanity, Operation Detour, Dobie's Dilemma, Lottery President and Another Way have been stitched together as an episodic saga starring Dobie Pokorny.

Yes, Benny, Alex, and Dub have new names. To those who loved them: thank you. This isn’t a rewrite; it’s a reframing. Each book still stands on its own.

The man, the myth, the legend? In his own mind, absolutely. Follow Dobie’s misadventures through bad breakups; cult and anti‑cult entanglements in L.A.; hit men and hit women across Southeast Asia; an unexpected lottery win and presidential run back home, complete with the by‑now expected assassination attempts; a manifesto, more assassination attempts, an alien or hallucination (depending on who you ask), confrontation with the powers-that-be, and true love at last.


random older posts  

religious-scholar-clipart.webp wisdom is defined by what you focus on

(in culture, quotes, advice from 2024)

Focus on the title. :) ... read more

rottweiler-drawing.webp rottweiler tricks

(in family, pets, dogs from 2010)

Here are some videos by my sister's friend who bought a puppy from her: watch?vPTyOqZemOq4 ... read more

resume-clipart-1.webp america's re-shoring of jobs is accelerating

(in life, money, employment from 2013)

Good!Over the past couple of years, we've projected an improvement in U. S. manufacturing competitiveness by 2015 that would help drive an American manufacturing revival. The results of our latest survey make clear that a profound shift ... read more

big-pharma-clipart.webp big pharma in maryland

(in life, health, drugs from 2018)

Josh Mazer is pro-vaccine, but wants vaccines to be based on sound scientific evidence and not to cause more harm than good. He also believes in providing informed consent on the risks/dangers of each vaccine. ... read more

horse-in-hat.webp please donate to harmony haven

(in life, animals, charity, rescue from 2014)

Please DONATE to Harmony Haven Therapeutic Riding Horse Rescue's fundraiser to build better shelter for the winter. Thanks. Please donate ... read more

resume-clipart-1.webp the case for a 25 hour work week

(in life, money, employment from 2013)

Whatever you may think of this theory, there are certainly many who think (including Sheryl Sandberg) the status quo 40/50... Read, listen or watch the rest here: ... read more

record-clipart.webp favorite lines from songs/lyrics

(in culture, music, lyrics, quotes from 2021)

Obviously a work in progress but, here goes... in no particular order. Lyrics verified on azlyrics. PLEASE add your own by leaving a comment below! ... read more

harmony-haven-2010.webp house the horses

(in life, help, charity, animals from 2010)

Please donate by clicking here. Thank you. We are always trying to raise money so we can build a barn for our wonderful horses. Some of the horses are newer and need more shade or storm protectio ... read more

cities-moscow-st-basils.webp nothing much to update about

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2007)

She's just driving us crazy. Luckily, Tara is taking the brunt of it. I had to get out and walk around town in the freezing cold, just for the sake of getting out. I was at least useful, coming back with some groceries. Elizabeth's swee ... read more


Amazon Movers & Shakers

culture.webp CULTURE

radio-clipart.webp radio page

(in culture, music, radio from 2008)

Online Radio stations

Revolution935 -- Beat FM -- ... read more

cinema-movie-camera.webp movies and tv shows filmed in budapest

(in culture, movies-tv-video, europe, hungary from 2020)

I was researching this for my next poss ... read more

jan-22-1972.webp brakes are important

(in culture, writing, blog from 2023)

I emailed this to my siblings, and the following conversation ensued...

On Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 03:22:31 PM PST:

Stumbled across this great new photo of our dog Stein "attacking" a strange man in the back yard ... read more

reading-novel-clipart.webp your novel blueprint

(in culture, writing, advice, novels from 2013)

Good article for writers.

"Writing a novel and building a house are pretty similar when you think about it. For instance, most builders or homeowners spend a lot of time dreaming...

... read more

books-clipart.webp random book reviews

(in culture, writing, books, reviews from 2021)

From Lionel, January 2013: I just finished reading ... read more

family-clipart.webp FAMILY

showercake.webp baby shower

(in family, adoption, holmes from 2008)

Tara's female family and friends threw Elizabeth a baby shower last weekend. I was the only man there. The only reason I went was so that any other men showing up wouldn't be the only man. Oh well. I was able to get a lot on video, a ... read more

cities-moscow-st-basils.webp stay tuned

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2008)

I hope to get the rest of the photos and videos on here, at least in raw form, over the next few days. I think I'm getting over my post traumatic stress disorder from the trip and can now face looking at the video again. :)

Regarding C ... read more

comment-clipart.webp comments welcome

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2007)

I set this blog so that you can now add your comments anonymously without logging in. So, comment away! I was afraid that the requirement for a login was keeping people from participating. Now you can go crazy because you're anonymous. J ... read more

cities-moscow-st-basils.webp what a day

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2007) by tara

Where to begin...

The original plan was for us to go to the Minister of Education and submit our dossier and then formally receive our referral. What really happened:

Galina called the ministry this morning only to find out that they we ... read more

astrakhan-kremlin-3.webp it's a girl, it's a girl

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2007) by tara

Oh My Gosh what a difference 1 day makes! So, we have a beautiful blond-haired, blue-eyed, 2-1/2-year-old girl!

First, the obvious question: "What happened to the 4-year-old boy?" We don't know. After 2 trips to the Minister ... read more

cities-moscow-st-basils.webp riding the metro, part deux

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2007)

All three of us went to Red Square this time. I'm glad Tara was able to see it. Elizabeth was fascinated, too, but probably won't remember a thing.

We then ha ... read more

elizabeth-with-director.webp a few pictures

(in family, adoption, holmes from 2007)

Finally, some pictures of Elizabeth. They're not even the latest, but it should hold you over if you've never seen her before.

... read more

life-clipart.webp LIFE

minnie-mickey-balloons.webp disney heiress nails it

(in life, money, employment from 2019)

We could not agree more. See "Disney heiress calls CEO Bob Iger's $65 million pay package 'insane.' ... read more

unexpected-ways-to-boost-your-mental-health.webp offbeat therapy: unexpected ways to boost your mental health

(in life, health, mental, advice from 2025) by michelle casey

Image via ... read more

vaccination-clipart.webp hpv, a manufactured crisis

(in life, health, vaccines, fraud from 2017)

"The HPV vaccine Gardasil was granted European license in February 2006, followed by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval that same year in June. Gardasil was controversial in the U.S. from the beginning, with vaccine ... read more

china-street-during-covid-shutdown.webp telling our tree stories

(in life, health, environment, trees from 2020)

"In turbulent times, being in nature among the trees can offer a vital sense of calm, solace, and inspiration. Here, we share the stories of people who've devoted their professional lives to eco-advocacy. And this Earth Day, ... read more

turtle-clipart.webp saved a life today

(in life, animals, wildlife, reptiles from 2013)

Probably. You never know about these things. Anyway, I had forgotten to buy cat food and that is what allowed me to be there in time to save a life. Taking my daughter to school this morning, I had to turn south on Nolensville Rd because Old ... read more

family newsletter NEWSLETTER

leaky-faucet-clipart.webp holmes family newsletter vol 4 no 3

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1992)

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 3, March 18, 1992

"More of the same, basically." Doug elected president

With this nation in the throes of its quadrennial tradition of political rhetoric and ... read more

holmes family newsletter vol 4 no 2

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1992)

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 2, February 13, 1992
"The quintessential newsletter."
Warning: May not be suitable for the humor impaired. Elvis lives!

Yes, all your prayers have been answered! "The King ... read more

falling-down-manhole-clipart.webp holmes family newsletter vol 6 no 2

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1994)

Falling Down a Manhole (can be quite painful and should be avoided)Vol. 6, No. 2, March 1, 1994 Michael moves!Michael has moved out of his mother, Lucy's, house. "I ... read more

happy-hairball.webp holmes family newsletter vol 5 no 8

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1993)

The Happy Hairball

(something we keep coughing up)
Volume 5, Number 8 December 20, 1993
Publisher: This guy ->>
Editor: Same guy
Distributor: Brave little delivery boys and girls worldwide
Address: Nashville ... read more

blue-moon.webp holmes family newsletter vol 8 no 1

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1997)

Once in a Blue MoonVol. 8 No. 1, February 1997

A lot has happened since our last newsletter, so let's just jump right in with the "news"... Mike and Evelyn get married Almost two years ago now (June 21, 1995, a ... read more

holmes family newsletter vol 1 no 2

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1989)

The Holmes Family newsletter June 23, 1989 -- Vol. 1, No. 2 -- Since 1989

[Editor's Note: This may be the last issue.] NEWS

Jeannie's dog, Chance, finally had her puppies. Ten of twelve survived, eight of which ... read more

 

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