FriendsNews header

February 19, 2026      breaking   add your own add your own news!  search

  latest local posts

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 Ballmer meant to say Paul Allen), maybe Hewlett, Packard and Linus Torvalds, etc. No one me ... read more

feed external news feeds
click here for more

america's enemies, who's on the list?
Probably 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  

gold-coins.webp buying gold or silver in kentucky

(in life, money, precious-metals, legal from 2025) by copilot

Prompted and edited by Bill. When buying gold or silver online in Kentucky, there is no specific state law requiring ID for such purchases. However, here's how it typically plays out: Dealer Policies Vary Most reputab ... read more

thumbs-up-clipart.webp signs of a stroke

(in life, health, advice, recovery from 2017)

STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters... S. T. R. A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally . He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, dia ... read more

animated-surgeon.webp i go in for a biopsy of my prostate today

(in life, health, doctors from 2008)

It's on my doctor's advice because of my high PSA count in my blood test. That's supposedly an indicator of possible prostate cancer, but I doubt it. They said it only means that 10-15% of the time. No matter what they find, I intend to ... read more

holding-the-sun-3.webp holding the sun

(in culture, photography from 2008)

For more, go to holding the sun pictures, but here's a few to hold you over: ... read more

animated-environment-clipart.webp embracing nature's wisdom: designing for harmony, not control

(in life, health, environment, tech from 2025) by copilot

Prompted and edited by Bill. For centuries, human innovation has often been framed as a battle against nature--conquering the elements, bending the environment to our will, and engineering solutions that impose control. But what if, instea ... read more

ballroom-dance-for-couples.webp life is meant to be enjoyed

(in culture, quotes, philosophy, religion from 2024)

Life on Earth is essentially a struggle between those who believe it is meant to be enjoyed, like a dance with many partners, and those who think it is a never-ending competition to be controlled and dominated. ... read more

barrel-toxic-waste.webp the real reason wheat is toxic

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

Standard wheat harvest protocol in the US is to drench the wheat fields with Roundup several days before the combine harvesters work through the fields because withered, dead wheat plants are less taxing on the farm equipment and allows fo ... read more

horse-in-hat.webp leaving your mark

(in life, help, charity, animals from 2008) by jeannie

We welcome all the visitors and students to our center, Harmony Haven. Our mission statement: We rescue and rehabilitate horses so they can rescue and rehabilitate the people who need them most. It's a ... read more

animated-environment.gif maybe cashiers need to wear gloves

(in life, health, shopping from 2010)

Maybe their customers should wear gloves, too. Via ... read more


Amazon Movers & Shakers

culture.webp CULTURE

blue-skies-boot.webp this clever & controversial artwork will help you think deeper about society

(in culture, arts-crafts from 2020)

"Art Should Comfort The Disturbed And Disturb The Comfortable..."

: ... read more

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

(in culture, quotes, advice from 2024)

Focus on the title. :) ... read more

e-minnie-mouse.webp happy halloween

(in culture, holidays, halloween from 2008)

Or, as they piously call it around here, Fall Festival, because Halloween is "the work of Satan," you know. :)

We just returned from trick-or-treating, which Elizabeth absolutely loved. She kept saying, "Halloween is so much fun!" And now ... read more

tv-clipart.gif 10 tv series with conscious themes if you're looking for something good

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

"As the Founding Director of the Tribeca Film Festival, former Head of Content for GAIAMTV (Gaia), and now Founder and CEO of Conscious Good..."

Read the rest at ... read more

hubbard-rand.webp how hubbard and rand got their ideas

(in culture, movies-tv-video, humor from 2012) by joker

According to this video, this must be how it happened.

Rand, in bed with Hubbard: "We ... read more

family-clipart.webp FAMILY

astrakhan-grocery-store.webp pictures of our life in astrakhan

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

Tonight is our last night in Astrakhan. So, I thought I'd post some pictures of where we've been living for the past 19 days.

We've had many battles over clothing. She thinks I put too much clothes on her. In the hotel room, s ... read more

e-haircut-front.webp elizabeth cut off all her hair

(in family, holmes, elizabeth from 2009)

In the twenty minutes that Tara and I left Elizabeth alone, she found some (child-safe) scissors and cut off all her hair. At first I thought it was just wet. Then I realized she'd cut it all off. I laughed and said I was just glad she h ... read more

joey-on-lap.webp keep your dog safe from dognapping

(in family, pets, dogs, advice from 2021) by becky simmonds

"If you're anything like us here at Breed Advisor, we simply can't imagine life without our four-legged family members. That's why we were horrified to learn that approximately 2 million canines are dognapped each yea ... read more

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 she's warming up to us

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

We had her laughing, smiling and giggling today. I pushed her around on the three-wheeler, the ... read more

preparation for our first trip to russia

(in family, adoption, holmes from 2007)

Tuesday morning. Everyone's still asleep except for me, the pug Joey and the cat Sunny. In preparation for our trip, I'm trying to reacquaint myself with the digital ca ... read more

astrakhan-grocery-store.webp back in astrakhan

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

We made it to Astrakhan, but I've lost my immigration form that goes with the passport and visa. It's just a little sheet that they have you fill out on the airplane before you land. If I'd known it was so important, I would have ... read more

life-clipart.webp LIFE

essential-oils.webp essential oil uses

(in life, health, treatment from 2019)

Here's an interesting (and hopefully useful) article someone sent us. ... read more

auto-repair-clipart.webp auto repair and maintenance estimates

(in life, help, maintenance, auto from 2012)

We hear this is a good website to estimate how much a car repair should cost.

: Auto Repair and Maintenance Estimates ~ Auto Shop a ... read more

bird-warbler.webp bird in the house

(in life, animals, wildlife, birds from 2010)

Woke up this morning to a bird in the kitchen. I had a hunch the cat Sunny had brought something inside because, while still half asleep, I heard her banging around ou ... read more

girl-on-laptop.webp becoming a young entrepreneur: tips for teenage girls

(in life, employment, entrepreneurship, advice from 2023) by spencer gray

Image via Pexels. Unpaid promotional links herein.by Spencer Gray

Entre ... read more

tnsplogo.webp tennessee safari park

(in life, animals, wildlife, rescue from 2019)

Drove past this place a month ago on my way to New Madrid (jus ... read more

family newsletter NEWSLETTER

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

billyclub-clipart.webp holmes family newsletter vol 2 no 4

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1990)

Billy Club

News That Hits You Over The Head

Vol. 2, No. 4, February 26, 1990

Coyote has puppies!

Lucy's dog, Coyote, had four "little shepherdy things" on Friday, the 23rd. Yeah, only four. "But they' ... read more

holmes family newsletter vol 2 no 7

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1990)

the NEWS Vol. 2, No. 7, May 1, 1990 ... 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

    leaky-faucet-clipart.webp holmes family newsletter vol 4 no 1

    (in family, holmes, newsletter from 1992)

    The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 1, January 4, 1992

    "Everything you've ever wanted to know about anything." Diane has surgery

    On December 3, Diane of Hayward, CA had back surgery done ... read more

    judge-spitting-clipart.webp holmes family newsletter vol 6 no 6

    (in family, holmes, newsletter from 1994)

    Coyote BreathVol. 6 No. 6, October 26, 1994 Don rides to Denver ... read more

  •  

    © 1999-2026 · Original content may be copied and used ONLY under the Fair Use Doctrine. All other rights reserved.
    about · sitemap · Contact Us or DONATE · privacy · substack
    We use affiliate links, which earn a tiny (infinitesimal) commission if you make a purchase after clicking it.
    host = dreamhost · our IP = 67.205.28.165 · your IP = 216.73.216.97 · search