ePistle dEfined

 Famous First Words: A violent raid by a Northern band... Headline 10/16/1859 Civil War News ~~Reporting John Brown's raid on the Harper's Ferry arsenal

Happy Dictionary Day! I was so bored that I memorized 6 pages of my dictionary. I learned next to nothing. / I found the worst page in the entire dictionary. What I saw was disgraceful, disgusting, dishonest, and disingenuous.

..........Sometime the light's all shinin' on me............Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..Truckin

Social justice cannot be attained by violence. Violence kills what it intends to create. --Pope John Paul II

It is a nippy (40°F) Friday morning. The sky is covered with billowy lumps of cloud masking the ambient blue and the rising sun. There is no breeze to brush the cheek or insist on the cold. Not even the willow branches can work up much movement. A few leaves that I see out of my back window are turning golden but green is still dominant. Bruno is dragging a large blanket or piece of tar paper across his lawn, apparently in order to fashion a giant bed. Puck is under my feet munching treats with little crunching noises. In another room Jeff's tv is going on about dinosaurs and where they might have come from.(Must be the discovery channel. I discovered that I don't care where they came from.) When I went to the kitchen to brew coffee there were muffins, blueberry and apple cinnamon; they make the room smell of fall. So now I'm settled at my computer, eating blueberries and drinking sweetened decaf and writing to you. What a beautiful day, and it's early yet.

Hope your weekend lives up to its definition, ePistliers

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: How much should you spend on a bottle of wine? I don't know...half an hour. --Submitted by llr of ks

After a long, hard day I came home to find that someone had torn the first and last pages from my dictionary. It just went from bad to worse. / A library patron told all her problems to a boxed set of a dictionary, a thesaurus, and an atlas. The dictionary said, “I know what you mean.” The thesaurus replied, “I feel the same way.” And the atlas added, “I see where you're coming from.”

..........Set out running but I'll take my time...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..Friend of the Devil

Trivia Questions: Happy Birthday, Disney, Inc!

^ What do you know about Walt's Kansas City Connection?

^^ Any idea what the mouse's name was before it became Mickey's?

^^^ Know what Walt's first California business was?

^^^^ What was the studio's first full length movie?

^^^^^ How many feature length films did Disney release in 2019?

Big Hello: Prannam – Bhojpuri (India) https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: My conspiracy theory is that time travel IS real & someone keeps trying to fix 2020 by changing something but every time they do, they unwittingly make it worse. --Submitted by INRITH

Fake Library Statistic of the Week: Librarians realize they're getting older when they no longer recognize any celebrities on the American Library Association's READ posters. https://www.facebook.com/FakeLibStats/?fref=ts

I've lost my dictionary. You can look upstairs? . No, I can't look up anything. / Once you've finished reading the dictionary, every other book is just a remix.

..........It's a buck dancer's choice, my friend...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..Uncle John's Band

Moonbeam: The truth is rarely pure and never simple. --Oscar Wilde

Naturally Occurring Mandala of the Week: The Cosmos Flower – the other official flower of October

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I like music because it's the only invisible art form. --Sean Lennon

Week of the Week: Teen Read Week (11-17) –I've never met a boy who ;smells like pine??? Where do YA book characters find these boys??? Are they actually just trees. / Why does YA fantasy hate soft characters. Why's everyone an assassin. Where are the chefs?

Sondheim wrote a failed musical about a dictionary and a thesaurus. I'm sorry I never saw it, I love a play on words. / I once swallowed a whole dictionary. It gave me thesaurus throat I've ever had.

..........Rolling the the rushes down by the riverside...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..Sugar Magnolia

^ The Disney family moved to KC when Walt was 9. They lived at 3028 Bellefontaine. After WWI, he worked as an artist for an advertising agency and in 1920 began an animated film business (1127 E 31st St). He left KC for LA in 1923 when his animation company went bankrupt.

Almanac: It is Friday, October 16, 2020. The moon is new tonight and is in Libra. The UN has declared this World Food Day [FAO] (A/RES/35/70). It is National Feral Cat Day, Department Store Day, and Dictionary Day (Webster's Birthday). In Jamaica it is National Heroes Day for the 7 heroes of Jamaica.

Among those born on this day were Albercht von Haller (1708), Noah Webster (1758), Arnold Bucklin (1827), James Ten Eyck (1851), Oscar Wilde (1854), Austen Chamberlain (1863), David Ben-Gurion (1886), Eugene O'Neill (1888), William O. Douglas (1898), Goose Goslin (1900), Angela Lansbury (1925), Gunter Grass 91927), Charles Golson (1931), Henry Lewis (1932), Suzanne Somers (1946), Bob Weir (1947), and Tim Robbins (1958).

On October sixteenth the Council of Vienne opened (1311), the first modern hotel in the US opened (Boston, 1829), the effectiveness of ether was demonstrated (1946), Avery College was established (1849), John Brown raided Harper's Ferry (1859), the first hotel with indoor plumbing opened (1869), ~~This is my definition of modern hotel, by the way-- Sanger opened the first birth control clinic (Brooklyn, 1916), Disney Corporation was founded (1923), Benjamin Davis Sr. became first black general in the army (1940), the Chicago subway opened (1943), William J. Brennan Jr. Was sworn in as Supreme Court Justice (1956), Elizabeth II married Prince Philip (1957), China became the fifth nuclear power (1964), Soyuz 6 returned to Earth (1969), Anwar Sadat succeeded Gamal Nasser as president of Egypt (1970), John Paul II was elected supreme pontiff (1978), Halley's comet came back (1982), and Baby Jessica was rescued from a well shaft (1987).

Night Sky, 10/16: Jupiter's Great Red Spot should transit Jupiter's central meridian around 9:22 pm EDT. An hour later, at 10:23 pm EDT, Jupiter's moon Io reappears from eclipse out of Jupiter's shadow just east of the planet — very close to Callisto, with Europa and Ganymede farther out. A small telescope will show Io swelling into view over the course of a couple minutes, turning Callisto into an imitation double star. New Moon (exact at 3:31 p.m. EDT). http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/sky-at-a-glance/

Max Picture of the Week: Max and Mom and the Big Red Frog

This Week: Saturday, October 17 - American Frog Day & Sloth International Day & Sweetest Day

Sunday, October 18 – National Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day & World Toy Camera Day

Night Sky, 10/18: Cassiopeia stands high in the northeast these evenings, a flattened W standing on end. The third segment of the W, counting down from the top, points almost straight down. Extend that segment twice as far down as its own length, and you're at the Double Cluster in Perseus. This pair of star-swarms is dimly apparent to the unaided eye in a dark sky (use averted vision), and it's visible from almost anywhere with binoculars. It's lovely in telescopes.

Monday, October 19 – National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day & Evaluate Your Life Day

Tuesday, October 20 – Pay Back A Friend Day & World Statistics Day

Night Sky, 10/20: Orionids Meteor Shower peak. Average 10-20 falling stars per hour. Usually the greatest numbers are a few hours before dawn.

Wednesday, October 21 – BRA Day USA & Reptile Awareness Day & Thank Your Cleaner Day

Thursday, October 22 – National Nut Day & Smart is Cool Day

I'm tearing out pages from the dictionary. I'm up to mischief. / Webster's Dictionary recently changed the spelling of Aquarius to Ahquarius. This is the donning of the 'h' of Ahquarius.

..........got two good eyes and still don't see...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..Casey Jones

^^ Disney came up with the idea of a mouse character named Mortimer while on a train headed to California, drawing up a few simple drawings. The mouse was later renamed Mickey Mouse (Disney's wife, Lillian, disliked the sound of 'Mortimer Mouse') and starred in several Disney produced films.

'Nother Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Someone broke in and stole all our lamps. I should be upset, but actually, I'm delighted. --Submitted by ma of va

Moonbeam: Nature never jests. --Albercht von Haller

Late Night Snacks of the Week: But listen, listen, all jokes aside, thoughts and prayers to that fly’s family. It’s gotta quarantine for two weeks now. --Stephen Colbert / The nation’s top generals and the guy who carries the nuclear football are all quarantining now. And you might think that this is the perfect opportunity to invade America because the Pentagon is going to have to coordinate America’s defense over Zoom, but actually, given how infectious America is right now, good luck convincing your soldiers to attack. Basically, right now, America is that free mattress that you find on the curb, --Trevor Noah / ...and visibly gasping for air like he’s been guarding LeBron James all night. --Seth Meyers

Ollie's Very Own Picture of the Week: Ollie asleep under the pumpkin.

Not So Late Night Snacks of the Week: I was sent - and this is an exclusive - I was sent a transcript of Mike Pence's internal monologue while that fly was on his head. And I just want to read a short portion of it, if I can. Let them see what kind of a person I am. I'm not even going to swat that fly. --Mo Rocca Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me 10/9/20

Learning to think rigorously, so as to act rightly and to serve humanity better. --Pope John Paul II

What do you call a dictionary on drugs? High definition / When it can't live without drugs it becomes an addictionary.

..........But the cards were all the same...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..Dire Wolf

^^^ On December 16, 1923 brothers Walt and Roy O. Disney founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio.

Worthless Fact of the Week: You are 10 times more likely to get bitten by a New Yorker than by a shark. Brings a whole new meaning to the ‘’Brooklyn Rage’’ trope. Not that sharks are not dangerous, but New Yorkers, man, New Yorkers…

Wicked Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: None of this is going to end until we stop making things out of cauliflower.

Weird Word of the Week: Nurdles - small plastic pieces about the size of a lentil. They make nearly all of our plastic products but billions of them accidentally end up in the ocean and can harm marine life. They also wash up on our shores.

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Marinate meats. Combine your food and marinade ingredients in a Ziploc Storage Bag and refrigerate. http://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/ziploc.html

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Silly Putty implies the existence of serious putty. --Submitted by INRITH

I tore a page out of my dictionary to use as a coaster. My dictionary had an existential breakdown because it couldn't find the meaning of life. / As Arthur was leaving the classroom his teacher asked, “where are you going so circumspect?” “Well, I was going to the bathroom,” he replied, “but now I'm going to look for a dictionary.

...........Come on in when it's raining, go on out when it's gone...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..High Time

^^^^ Taking three years to complete Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, premiered in December 1937 and by 1939 became the highest-grossing film of that time.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: What do you do to “observe” Columbus Day? Get lost in a grocery store looking for spices? --Mary H Johnson --Submitted by sb of ar

Science Fiction Joke of the Week: Confucius once said that a bear could not fart at the North Pole without causing a big wind in Chicago. -- Philip Jose Farmer

Actual Science Joke of the Week: If I could explain it to the average person, it wouldn't have been worth the Nobel Prize. --Richard Feynman

Mild Mannered Curse of the Week: May your spoon always slip and sink under the hot soup you eat.

Who says sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me? People who haven't been hit by Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. / I got a tattoo of a dictionary on my bicep because I wanted to add definition to my arm.

..........Please don't dominate the rap, Jack...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..New Speedway Boogie

^^^^^ There are sources that say 2019 saw the release of 19 full length movies, but my list only came up with 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Walt_Disney_Pictures_films

Recreating Famous Painting With Anything You Can Find of the Week:

https://twistedsifter.com/2020/04/people-stuck-at-home-are-recreating-famous-paintings-and-its-awesome/

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Just because I can't sing, doesn't mean I won't sing. --Submitted by sw of ks

Today's Peace of History, October 16, 1901: President Theodore Roosevelt invited Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute and the most prominent African American of his time, to a meeting in the White House. The meeting went long and the president asked Washington to stay for dinner, the first black person ever to do so.

Geese flying south and thrown dictionaries are both flying information. / Words in the dictionary were fighting. Honest said, “My H is silent”. Tsunami said, “M y T is silent.” Island said, “My S is silent.” Queue said, “Hold my beer.”

..........Let your tracks be lost in the dark and snow...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..Till The Morning Comes

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle October 16, 2020, ePistle Defined. Wâki Ijiwebis-I (Algonquin for Peace), Wackines, & Words Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ . Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. 2511 Morningside Dr. Lawrence, KS 66047

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Today I tested positive for Sickofthisshit-20. There's no cure and I may or may not be contagious. --Submitted by #RHOZ

Moonbeam: The right to be let alone is indeed the beginning of all freedom. --William O Douglas

Cost of War:

As of 10/15/20 Military Costs of War since 2001: $3,070,351,752,730.

As of 10/8/20 Military Costs of War since 2001: $3,068,388,978,360.

As of 10/15/20 Homeland Security Costs since 2001: $995,957,560,042.

As of 10/8/20 Homeland Security Costs since 2001: $994,623,654,533.

As of 10/15/20 Interest on War Debt since 2001: $801,718,155,791.

As of 10/8/20 Interest on War Debt since 2001: $800,041,253,046.

As of 10/15/20 Veterans Care since 2001: $337,845,047,516.

As of 10/8/20 Veterans Care since 2001: $337,463,935,462.

As of 10/15/20 Total Cost of Wars since 2001: $5,205,873,273,496.

As of 10/8/20 Total Cost of Wars since 2001: $5,200,518,656,294.

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

I plead with you – never ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid. --Pope John Paul II

Famous Last Words: This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. Either it goes or I do. --Oscar Wilde

..........Perhaps they're better left unsung...........Bob Weir /Grateful Dead …..Ripple

If I hit you with a dictionary, is it physical or verbal abuse? / I found an Urban Dictionary online but couldn't find the Rural Dictionary. / Never argue with a dictionary, it always has the last word.

May Peace define your nights

And Joy expound your days

prairie mama

christine

Last Laugh: