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February 18, 2026      breaking   add your own add your own news!  search

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foods named after cultures... but not really

(in life, health, food, language)

Prompted and edited by Bill. Food history is basically a scrapbook of misunderstandings, stereotypes, and Europeans projecting their fantasies onto other cultures. Let's walk through a few of the most interesting examples. Here are some of ... read more

inflation-real-wages.webp 5000 years of wages in one giant timeline

(in life, money, employment)

Interesting. Key Takeaways:In ancient times, wages were paid daily. Over time, payday shifted with technology, laws, and scale. Biweekly pay dominates today, yet timing gaps still create pressure. Earned Wage Access gives e ... read more

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

feed external news feeds
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america's enemies, who's on the list?
I'm guessing it's anyone who disagrees with Israel... on anything.

the lies get so tedious
Human existence itself is 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 trudeau's 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.



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  

lies-clipart.webp we are ruled by huge corporate monopolies

(in life, money, employment from 2010)

We are ruled by huge corporate monopolies that replicate the political and economic power, on a vastly expanded scale, of the new trading companies of the 17th and 18th centuries. Walmart's gross annual revenue of $250 billion is greater ... read more

lost a friend

(in culture, humor, internet, social from 2013)

No, not that kind of lost (knock on wood). But, don't you hate it when you're walking along talking to someone, it's crowded, you hear a muffled scream but think nothing of it, only to realize several blocks down the street that your frie ... 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

money-clipart.webp jon ashley on the corporate prosecution registry

(in life, money, employment, crime from 2020)

The Justice Department regularly announces corporate crime settlements with deferred and non prosecution agreements. Sometimes they make the agreements public, sometimes they dont. And over the years, corporate crime defense attorneys ha ... read more

nutty-grain-and-oat-bars.webp nutty grain and oat bars

(in culture, food, recipes from 2014)

I need to try this. Too bad I hate cooking so much. I eat way too many ... read more

mowing-lawn-clipart.webp employees surprise hardworking 13-year-old with new lawnmower

(in life, money, employment from 2020)

A Lowe's home improvement store in Tennessee surprised a hardworking 13-year-old with a brand new lawnmower after his mower broke down. Read, listen or watch the rest here at ... read more

safety-clipart.webp safety first

(in life, health, safety, home-garden from 2010)

Always wear your safety glasses when mowing the lawn or weed-eating. I didn't today (though I do half the time), and I got hit in the eye with a rock that was launched by the mower blade, bounced off the side of the house, and hit me in th ... 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

3rd-birthday-candles.webp birthday party (2008)

(in family, holmes, elizabeth, birthdays from 2008)

Well, Elizabeth's birthday party is this Saturday. She'll be 3, and it'll be her first real party. It'll be outside at a covered table next to a playground in a nearby park. I can't tell you here on the Internet exactly where this park ... read more


Amazon Movers & Shakers

culture.webp CULTURE

groucho-clipart.webp joke images

(in culture, humor, jokes from 2019) by joker

WARNING: Not necessarily for kids (or the squeamish).

Animals

All Joke Images ... read more

netflix.webp action films on netflix

(in culture, movies-tv-video, humor from 2017)

Almost half of all action films on Netflix have a variation of this description:

"He thought he was retired, but has to do "One. Last. Job!" ... read more

lazy-pug-cafe-cover.webp ol' lightnin' quotes (from the lazy pug cafe)

(in culture, quotes, books, novels from 2020)

"It's not a tree's purpose in life to stand around being picturesque. Not this tree, at least. Maybe that weeping willow up front, or my new friends ruthlessly cut down in their prime when this place was built, but a migh ... read more

trump-shouting.webp deepfake donald trump on his first day working at rt

(in culture, movies-tv-video, humor from 2020)

"Making news not faking news: Watch Deepfake Donald Trump on his first day working at RT...

: ... read more

meme-dont-like-spam.webp portfolio manager from stockholm, sweden

(in culture, humor, internet, spam from 2022)

My name is [doesn't matter], a portfolio manager ... read more

family-clipart.webp FAMILY

taras-favorites.webp tara's favorites

(in family, holmes, tara from 2008)

Tara's got a new blog! It's called Tara's Favorites, available at tarasfaves.com or ... read more

astrakhan-baby-home-staff.webp russian adoption consultant

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

I've taken a job here as a Russian adoption consultant. The hours are long, and the pay is in barter, but you gotta do what you gotta do, seein' as how I can't leave the country. :)

But seriously, the ... read more

bill-and-tara-before-court.webp picture of us before court

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

...from ... read more

steve-kristen-dad.webp dad's 94th birthday, part 3

(in family, holmes, lionel, birthdays from 2013)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Old Sacramento

Onc ... read more

dna-clipart-2.webp my own genealogy

(in family, genealogy, holmes from 2020)

Got my genealogy DNA test results back. I have bits from all over the world:

  • 1% E.Central Africa
  • 1% Native American (Chile)
  • 5% Middle Eastern
  • 91% Europe (Portuguese, Flemish, German, Hungarian, Slovak)
  • ... read more

    monkey-joe-thumbs-up-with-card.webp monkey joe's again

    (in family, holmes, elizabeth from 2011)

    This could get expensive coming here on a regular basis at $9-$10 every time, but Tara had a coupon that made it half price. We're at the new one in Brentwood/Cool Springs. Much be ... read more

    el-bij-ev-dad-stev.webp dad's 94th birthday, part 2

    (in family, holmes, lionel, birthdays from 2013)

    Part 1, ... read more

    life-clipart.webp LIFE

    harmony-haven-horses-rosie.webp harmony haven (10/24/2010)

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

    We spent the better part of Friday here at Harmony Haven Therapeutic Riding & Horse Rescue in ... read more

    elderberry-plant.webp 52 plants in the wild you can eat

    (in life, health, food, plants from 2014)

    You should NEVER eat unripe elderberries. That caution aside, this is good to know if you're ever starving or just have the munchies while wandering through your bac ... read more

    animated-globetrotter.gif eastern canada

    (in life, travel, canada, blog from 1989)

    Roving reporter returns from East

    (September, 1989) -- Bill returned from his trip to eastern Canada a few weeks back. He was supposed to seek out and capture "Wild Man" Doug. Remember? Well, he's back. Bill, ... read more

    wood-carving-river-city-saloon.webp visiting old sacramento

    (in life, travel, usa, california from 2018)

    Observations while walking around Old Sacramento with Elizabeth:

    Jul 14, 2018 2:38pm

  • As I sat ... read more

    signs-ugly-children.webp beauty bias at work

    (in life, money, employment, beauty from 2010)

    "In her provocative new book, The Beauty Bias: The Injustice of Appearance in Law and Life, Stanford law professor Deborah Rhode argues that workers deserve legal protection against appearance-based discrimination u ... read more

  • family newsletter NEWSLETTER

    holmes family newsletter vol 3 no 4

    (in family, holmes, newsletter from 1991)

    the Evening Star Post-Tribune Dispatch (we couldn't decide on a name) Vol. 3, No. 4, June 4, 1991 Bikers ride to Yosemite

    On Mother's Day, John, Jeannie, Don and Diane (collectively known as "He ... read more

    lizard-clipart.webp holmes family newsletter vol 4 no 8

    (in family, holmes, newsletter from 1992)

    The Leaping Lizard Vol. 4, No. 8, October 20, 1992 EDITOR'S NOTE ...

    After Grandma's ... read more

    holmes family newsletter vol 3 no 3

    (in family, holmes, newsletter from 1991)

    and
    now...
    THE NEWS Vol. 3, No. 3 (yes, only "No. 3")

    April 26, 1991 Doug returns from Hungary

    On March 21, Doug left Sacrament ... 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

    holmes family newsletter vol 1 no 7

    (in family, holmes, newsletter from 1989)

    The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 7, October 5, 1989

    [Let's face it, these things are going to just keep coming.] Steve arrested ... read more

    holmes family newsletter vol 2 no 1

    (in family, holmes, newsletter from 1990)

    HARD COPY Vol. 2, No. 1
    "Hard-Hitting Journalism"
    January 3, 1990
    [formerly known as The Holmes Family Newsletter] Predictions for 1990

  • Elvis Presley will still be dead.
  • Vice-Preside ... read more

  •  

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