Faux Ursine ePistle

Famous First Words: Call me Ishmael. –-Herman Melville Moby Dick

NOTICE: Gmail is refusing to let me imbed pictures in the ePistle today.

I've tried several methods and none work. The pictures are on the website:

https://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/

Today is American Teddy Bear Day. Wow, you work at the teddy bear factory; what do you do there? “Stuff”. <> Tina Teddy Bear got a job in a coal mine. On her first day she grabbed a pick and dug a lot of coal and slept well all night long. The next day, same thing, picked hard all day and slept well all night. Day three when she got to work there were no picks so she asked the foreman who said, “This is the day the teddy bears have their picks nicked.”

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. --Winston Churchill

..........Her heart was young and gay..........Johnny Desmond …..The Last Time I Saw Paris

There is perhaps nothing so bad and so dangerous in life as fear. --Jawaharlal Nehru

It is a bright Friday morning and the sun is rising in a blue, blue sky. The willow tree is soaking it in like a stringy sponge. There is little wind so the 58°F is warm and friendly. Birds flit about enjoying the beauty and the temperature. Jasmine incense sweetens the room and gently reminds me of flower gardens and mystery. But the crows are coming; I can hear them in the distance. Puck has been out and back and is sleeping under my feet. Veronica checked the backyard from the doorway and then disappeared somewhere into the house. I have filled the bird feeder and the peanut bowl and now I'm sitting at my desk drinking decaf and writing to you. Did you know a crow can pick up 3 or 4 peanuts at one time? But only after sitting on the roof and explaining the process first. Have a great day, ePistliers

Hope you can loosen up and lighten up this weekend, bear-cuddlers.

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: If you are experiencing joint pain, you're probably holding the wrong end.

Whenever I go to an event that requires a date, I take my teddy bear. He's my plush one. <> Unwisely, Santa offered a teddy bear to James, unaware he had been mauled by a grizzly earlier this year. --Tim Burton

The secret to happiness is freedom...and the secret to freedom is courage. --Thucydides

..........Adrift in a world of my own..........The Platters …..The Great Pretender

Trivia Questions: Happy National Pickle Day!

1. How long have people been making pickles?

2. Why does NASA include pickles in astronauts' diets?

3. Which ancient civilization used pickles as a symbol of wealth?

4. Where or when did pickles get their nickname “pickles”?

5. What are the health benefits of pickles?

Big Hello: Accaлomy aлeҋқym = Tajik (a variety of Persian spoken in Tajikistan https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Out of all my lies, “I have read and agree to the terms...” is my favorite. --Submitted by Club42

Image of the Week: Taken with my new phone … The crow on my shed ~~The background is the tree-I-haven't-named-yet with the willow tree behind it.

Seasonal Quote of the Week: Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dance on a windy day. --Shira Tamir --Submitted by FNOG

When I told my teddy bear that she was cute, she plushed. <> I kind of miss Donald Trump. He was a little teddy bear to me. --Jeb Bush

Courage is fire and bullying is smoke. --Benjamin Disraeli

..........She'll take the town by storm..........Johnny Desmond …..Miss America

Moonbeam: Our job as Americans and as Republicans is to dislodge the traitors from every place where they've been sent to do their traitorous work. --Joseph R McCarthy

Blasphemy of the Week: I regard the afterlife to be a fairy story for people that are afraid of the dark. --Stephen Hawking --Submitted by MMS

Coffee Joke of the Week: Remember, you are not coffee. You do not have to wake up and make everyone happy. --My Witches

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I tried to cook something from scratch...and ended up summoning a demon. --Submitted by sd of ks

So when I'm in that teddy bear suit, I'm like a creepy, sexy baby. --Miley Cyrus <> It's a beautiful night when you hug your teddy bear as you go to sleep. It's a horror night when your teddy bear hugs you back.

Courage is knowing what not to fear. --Plato

..........Something here inside, cannot be denied..........The Platters …..Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

1) Pickles date back to 2030 BCE when cucumbers from India were pickled in the Tigris Valley. This ancient method of preservation was essential before refrigeration.

Almanac: It is Friday, November 14, 2025. The moon entered its fourth quarter last Wednesday (11/12) and is in Virgo. The United Nations has declared this International Day Against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property. Today is also International Girl's Day, Loosen Up, Lighten Up Day, National American Teddy Bear Day, National Block It Out Day, National Family PJ Day, National Pickle Day, National Seat Belt Day, National Spicy Guacamole Day, Operating Room Nurse Day, National Speakers Association (NSA) Day, and World Diabetes Day.

Among those born on this day were Robert Fulton (1765), Henri Dutrochet (1776), Claude Monet (1840), Jawaharlal Nehru (1889), Mamie Doud Eisenhower (1896), Aaron Copland (1900), Dick Powell (1904), Joseph R. McCarthy (1909), Rosemary DeCamp (1910), Barbara Hutton (1912), Veronica Lake (1919), Johnny Desmond (1920), McLean Stevenson (1929), and Cornell Gunter (Platters, 1938).

On November fourteenth the first professional librarian was hired in the new world (1732), the streetcar debutted (1832), Moby Dick was published (1851), the power plant at Niagara Falls began operation (1896), Kilauea erupted (1959), Apollo 12 was launched (1969), and Micahel Jackson's Black or White video premiered on TV (1991).

Night Sky, 11/14: Vega is the brightest star in the west in the early evening. Its little constellation Lyra extends to its left. Somewhat farther left, about a fist and a half at arm's length from Vega, is 4th-magnitude Albireo, the beak of Cygnus. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/sky-at-a-glance/

Fraternal Picture of the Week: Two boys and a giraffe

This Week: Saturday, November 15 – America Recycles Day & I Love To Write Day & National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

Sunday, November 16 – International Day for Tolerance & National Button Day & Historic Teddy Bear Day

Night Sky, : Leonids Meteor Shower; after midnight until dawn. 10-15 per hour. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower/

Monday, November 17 – Homemade Bread Day & National Butter Day & Take A Hike Day

Tuesday, November 18 – Family Day & Mickey Mouse Day

Night Sky, 11/18: Sunrise: 7:08 am Sunset: 5:05 pm Moonrise: 5:42 am Moonset: 3:54 pm

Wednesday, November 19 – Rocky and Bullwinkle Day & World Toilet Day

Thursday, November 20 – Globally Organized Hug A Runner Day (GOHARD) & Great American Smokeout & Transgender Day of Remembrance

Night Sky, 11/20: The moon will be new at 6:46 pm and is in Sagittarius.

Is teddy bear poop called fleeces? <> My teddy is unbearably cuddly. <> A bear teaches us that if the heart is true, it doesn't matter much if an ear drops off. --Helen Exley

Courage is grace under pressure. --Ernest Hemingway

..........We love to spend our Sundays in the park..........Johnny Desmond …..The Picnic Song

2) NASA includes pickles in astronauts' diets. Their high sodium content helps maintain electrolyte balance during space missions.

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I was asked once,”You're a smart man, why aren't you rich?” I replied, “You're a rich man, why aren't you smart?” --Jacque Fresco

Moonbeam: The American dream of rags to riches is a dream for a reason – it is hard to achieve; were everyone to do it, it wouldn't be a dream but would rather be reality. --Robert Fulton

Fun Facts of the Week: Seat belts save an estimated 15,000 lives in the U.S. each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Over a longer period, from 1975 through 2017, they are estimated to have saved 374,276 lives in the U.S. alone. The modern three-point seat belt, invented by Nils Bohlin in 1959, is credited with saving at least a million lives worldwide.

Video of the Week: Kilauea erupting in 1959 (3:42) https://youtu.be/f1WbeL3haR0

Democracy is good. I say this because other systems are worse. --Jawaharlal Nehru

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? Vincent Van Gogh

My teddy bear just graduated from Harvard Law. Now she's a barrister. <> “What day is it?” asked Pooh. “It's today”, answered Piglet. “My favorite day.” said Pooh. --A A Milne

..........Heavenly shades of night are falling..........The Platters …..Twilight Time

3) In ancient Rome, pickles were considered a luxury item. Only the wealthy could afford to indulge in these preserved treats.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: We're not allowed to call the Higgs Boson the “God Particle” anymore because now there's evidence that it exists. --Submitted by IIWSPIBH

Weird Word of the Week: Mallifuff: a Scottish word that means being utterly devoid of any energy needed to get things done. https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mallifuff

Dragons of the Week:

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Remove nail polish stains from fingernails. Mix four teaspoons of Clorox Bleach and one cup of warm water, and soak nails in the mixture for fifteen minutes. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/clorox3.html

One man with courage is a majority. --Thomas Jefferson

I don't think my parents like me. They put a live teddy bear in my crib. --Woody Allen <> My teddy bear always travels light. She only brings the bear necessities.

...........Stars in the night, blazing their light..........Johnny Desmond …..Old Devil Moon

4) In the 19^th century, pickle was a slang term for a mischievous child. It reflected the tangy and unpredictable nature of pickles.

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Penis Envy implies the existence of six other deadly penis sins. --Submitted by UUHS

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: Atlantis Festival 2025 (15-16, Las Vegas) ..a celebration Beyond Worlds https://atlantisfestlv.com/

Teddy Bear Alert of the Week: This Saturday (11/15) at the KU men's basketball game Toys For Tots will host the Teddy Bear Toss. People in the bleachers throw new teddy bears on the floor. These are gathered up and given to needy children at Christmas. https://www.instagram.com/p/DRAs3ThDxPy/

Advice of the Week: The water ain't gonna clear up until you get the pig out of the creek. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2593621180772599 (The problem with Jon Stewart)

Spark of Joy of the Week: This joke about me wandered onto my facebook page ...Back in college I took English lit. If I had taken English sober it would only have taken four years instead of six.

The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow. --Jim Hightower

I bought a teddy bear for $10 and named it Mohammed. Then I sold it for $20. The moral: Always make a prophet. <> In a world gone bad, a bear – even a bear standing on its head – is a comforting, uncomplicated, dependable hunk of sanity. --Pam Brown

..........For it's true you are my destiny..........The Platters …..Only You

5) Pickles, especially fermented pickles, contain small amounts of vitamins A, C, and K as well as minerals like potassium and calcium. They also contain antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and vitamin C, which can help protect cells from damage. Fermented pickles are a good source of probiotics, beneficial bacteria that can improve gut health and digestion. Pickles are high in sodium, which can help replenish electrolytes lost to sweat or exercise.

Protest Sign of the Week: We Can't Afford Not To Protest

Quote of the Week: If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased. --Katharine Hepburn

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Cavemen who wandered aimlessly were Meanderthals.

Today's Peace of History: November 14, 1903 – The U.S. Women’s Trade Union League was established when it became clear that the AFL had no intention of including women within its ranks.

We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right. --Ronald Reagan

The cell phone has become the adult's transitional object, replacing the toddler's teddy bear for comfort and a sense of belonging. --Margaret Heffernan <> A thief broke into a toy store and stole everything except the teddy bears. When he was caught he told the police that he had constipation and was unable to take a pooh.

..........All my ivory towers tumble from the sky..........Johnny Desmond …..Play Me Heart And Flowers

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, November 14, 2025: Faux Ursine ePistle . Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: Ike runs the country and I turn the pork chops. --Mamie Eisenhower

Cost of War:

As of 11/13/25 State Department Costs: $279,557,889,553

As of 11/06/25 State Department Costs: $278,978,617,193

As of 11/13/25 Homeland Security: $1,215,353,812,75

As of 11/06/25 Homeland Security: $1,214,735,345,751

As of 11/13/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,339,909,903,088

As of 11/06/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,338,319,703,931

As of 11/13/25 Military Costs: $3,177,024,239,250

As of 11/06/25 Military Costs: $3,175,816,938,537

As of 11/13/25 Veterans Care: $4,582,120,852,877

As of 11/06/25 Veterans Care: $4,570,067,517,518

As of 11/13/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,593,958,283,468

As of 11/06/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,577,919,028,857

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

Action in order to be effective must be directed to clearly conceived ends. --Jawaharlal Nehru

Famous Last Words: And I only am escaped alone to tell thee. --Herman Melvile Moby Dick

..........In the rain, in the dark, in the sun..........The Platters …..Ebb Tide

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. --John F Kennedy

How did the teddy bear cross the road? Ewoked. <> The larger office, the corner space, the extra window are the teddy bears and tricycles of adult office life. -Willard Gaylin

May Peace loosen your day

And Joy lighten it

prairie mama

christine

Last Laugh:

Ursine ePistle

Famous First Words: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan... Jordan's Constitution

It's Polar Bear Week. Welcome to the Lake Show with host, Stephen Coldbear. ** Billy was an emotionally unstable animal living in Alaska. That's right, he was a bipolar bear.

Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world. --Dolores Huerta

..........Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone..........Joni Mitchell …..Big Yellow Taxi aka They Paved Paradise

Insurrection is an art, and like all arts has its own laws. --Leon Trotsky

It is a bright sunny Friday morning. The patch of sky that I can see is clear of clouds and clear blue too. 47°F is chilly but not cold and a 5 mph breeze allows the willow branches to rest between dances and gusts. It amazes me that there is still so much green in the world – grass, leaves, flowering plants. Puck and Veronica have had their early outing and are back in, Puck is asleep under my desk and Veronica is keeping watch from my bedroom window. The murder of crows has been by, as well, making lots of noise and eating most of the peanuts. This flock of crows needs a name – The Master Murder, the Midlawrence Murder. (I'll work on it) I am settled in with a cup of decaf, some sandalwood incense, and a mission – to write to you. What a day!

Hope good fortune follows you like dominoes on the fall, bear-ers

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: The war on Christmas cannot end until Christmas stops its illegal occupation of November.

Baby bear: “Mom, are you sure I'm not a black bear or a brown bear?” Mom, “No son, you're a polar bear.” Baby bear: “Was dad a black bear or a grizzly?” Mom, “No your father was a polar bear. Why do you ask?” Baby bear: “Because I'm freezing my butt off here.” ** Polar Bear Blessing: May your coffee be stronger than your toddler.

The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river. --Ross Perot

..........But he could play a guitar just like ringin' a bell..........Johnny Winter …..Johnny B Goode

Trivia Questions: It's Dominoes Day!!!

1. How old is the game of Dominoes aka Dominos?

2. How many pieces are in the standard Dominoes set?

3. What other terms are used for “tile”?

4. Who is the World Champion Domino Player of 2025?

5. Wadda ya figure the most expensive Domino set is worth?

Big Hello: 'la ora na - Tahitian https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: If my calculations are correct, biscuits and Triscuits hint towards a mysterious third food called “monoscuits”. --Submitted by LanguageNerds

Image of the Week:

Advise of the Week: If all the toilets in the house are occupied and you are waiting, try switching off the WiFi.

Never get into a fight with a barefisted polar bear on the ice. When a barefisted bear punches you on the ice, no one can hear you fall. ** The bare minimum for starting a zoo is two pandas, a grizzly, and three polar bears.

I think the importance of doing activist work is precisely because it allows you to give back and to consider yourself not as a single individual who may have achieved whatever but to be a part of an ongoing historical movement. --Angela Davis

..........Oh, won't you stay? We'll put on the day..........Joni Mitchell …..Chelsea Morning

Moonbeam: Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear. --Albert camus

Blasphemy of the Week: “Are they here legally?” is a modern version of “Who is my neighbor?” . --Luke 10:27-35

Coffee Joke of the Week: There's a new coffee shop in town that plays all The Beatles songs all day long. The name is Latte Be

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: If liars' pants really did catch on fire, watching the news would be a lot more fun.

Paula Polar Bear wears that thick coat fur protection. ** There's a polar bear up here in the Yukon that goes around scaring other animals. We call her Winnie the Boo.

I would be an activist but never a politician. As an activist, nobody owns you. --Sinbad

..........I made the southern scene..........Johnny Winter …..Hustled Down In Texas

1) The earliest mention of dominoes is from a Chinese text written in Song dynasty (1232-1298). Modern domino tiles first appeared in Italy during the 18^th century.

Almanac: It is Friday, November 7, 2025. The moon was full (Beaver) last Wednesday (11/5) and is in Gemini. Today is Domino Day, Fountain Pen Day, International Day Against Violence and Bullying at School, Including Cyber Bullying, International Day of Medical Physics, National Bittersweet, Chocolate with Almonds Day, National Medical Science Liaison Awareness & Appreciation Day, and Notary Public Day. Because it is the first Friday in November it is also Love Your Lawyer Day and National Football Jersey Friday.

Among those born on this day were Muhammad ibn Hazm (994), Andrew Dickson White (1832), Leon Trotsky (1879), Chandrasekhara Raman (1888), Dean Jagger (1903), Albert Camus (1913), Billy Graham (1918), Al Hirt (1922), Joan Sutherland (1926), Johnny Rivers (1942), and Joni Mitchell (1943).

On November seventh the third Council of Constantinople opened (680), Lewis and Clark sighted the Pacific Ocean (1805), the London Gazette was founded (1865), the elephant was first used as a Republican Party symbol (Nast, 1874), the first negro earned at PhD (Yale, 1876), Jeannette Rankin became the first woman in the US House (1916), the October Revolution ended when Lenin seized power (1917), Goddard demonstrated the solid fuel rocket (1918), the first black Democratic congressman was elected (IL, 1934), Jordan passed their constitution (1951), Nixon quit politics (1962), Nixon re-elected (1972), Liz Taylor was granted her seventh divorce (1982), and Sugar Ray Leonard KOed Donnie LaLonde (1988).

Night Sky, 11/7: We're now at the time of year when Orion is nicely up in the east-southeast as early as 10 pm. This evening you'll find it lower right of the Moon. And, tonight the Moon shines nearly on the line from bright Capella high overhead to Betelgeuse, Orion's orange shoulder. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-october-30-november-9/

Fraternal Picture of the Week: A game with dad. ~~Notice the stuffed dog who seems to be playing dominoes

This Week: Saturday, November 8 – Abet and Aid Punsters Day & Dunce Day & National STEM/STEAM Day

Sunday, November 9 – Kristallnacht & World Adoption Day & World Freedom Day

Night Sky, 11/9: The waning gibbous Moon rises around 9 pm local standard time. As always, the exact time depends on your location. Jupiter follows it up a half hour later, about 4° to the Moon's lower right. Pollux and Castor are to the Moon's upper left. This foursome forms a ragged diagonal line. Watch the line change shape hour by hour as the Moon moves eastward along its orbit. Later the line will become a smoothly curving arc. The time when this happens this will also depend on your location. Happy 91st birthday, Carl Sagan (November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996).

Monday, November 10 – National Civic Pride Day & World Orphans Day & World Science Day for Peace and Development

Tuesday, November 11 – Armistice Day & Origami Day & Red Lipstick Day

Night Sky, 11/11: Sunrise: 7 am, Sunset: 5:10 pm. Moonrise: 11:47 pm, Moonset 1:36 pm

Wednesday, November 12 – Fancy Rat and Mouse Day & Football Day & World Pneumonia Day

Night Sky, 11/12: There is a Mercury/Moon conjunction. The moon enters its last quarter in Leo. And the Northern Taurid meteor shower spins slow moving, long lasting meteors into the atmosphere. https://www.space.com/taurid-meteor-shower

Thursday, November 13 – Sandwich Day & World Kindness Day

You'll recognize the Russian polar bears right away. They're red. ** When bears sit on the ice too long they get polaroids.

I've become more of a citizen and more of an activist. --David Hogg

.........I felt unfettered and alive..........Joni Mitchell …..Free Man In Paris

2) The traditional domino set contains one unique piece for each possible combination of two ends with zero (blank) to six. It is called the Double Six because the highest domino has six on both ends. That makes 28 pieces.

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Roadside Sobriety tests are getting ridiculous. Last night I had to fold a fitted sheet... --Submitted by Hippy Hour

Moonbeam: Every act of rebellion expresses a nostalgia for innocence and an appeal to the essence of being. --Albert Camus

Video of the Week: Who was Jannette Rankin? A video (2:01) https://www.britannica.com/video/who-was-Jeannette-Rankin/-274428

Fun Fact of the Week: A specific tradition of “Love Your Lawyer Day” is that lawyers (and everyone else) are encouraged to take a day off from lawyer jokes.

The historic ascent of humanity, taken as a whole, may be summarized as a succession of victories of consciousness over blind forces – in nature, in society, in man himself. --Leon Trotsky

Being an activist is about getting things done. It's not about standing around shaking your fist in anger. --Christine Quinn

The polar bears held a conference on global warming and climate change. They concluded that humans are not cool. ** How cool would you be if you made your bed with sheets of ice and blankets of snow?

..........Got the Mona Lisa on his cheek, the Van Gogh on his nose..........Johnny Winter …..Illustrated Man

3) Dominoes are also known as bones, cards, men, and/or pieces.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Gravity is one of the most fundamental forces in the universe, but if you remove it you get gravy.--Submitted by ScienceHumor

Weird Word of the Week: Dicktim: When you act like a dick, then act like a victim of it. --Submitted by The Feral Spiritualists

Dragons of the Week:

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Kill lice on combs and brushes. When treating hair for lice, add two teaspoons of Clorox Bleach to a sink full of water and soak all combs, brushes, barrettes, and hair clips in the solution. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/clorox3.html

I have always believed that we needed to push for change on the outside, through community organizing and advocacy. --Pramila Jayapal

Polar bear fast food – Brrr-grrrs. ** There is a Hibernation Channel, it shows reruns of Channel Zero. ** Lots of polars are supporters of the Right To Arm Bears movement.

...........A prisoner of the white lines on the freeway..........Joni Mitchell …..Coyote

4) Jason Beran is the 2025 Adult Singles World Dominoes Champion and Jimmy Baker and Tobie Dunlap are the 2025 Adult Doubles champions. Maverick French is the Teen Singles division champ and the team of Charl-Ann Skepple and Carol Faye Bynoe are the teen doubles champions.

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Well, well, well, if it isn't the bridge I said I'd cross when I come to it. --Submitted by UUHS

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: Geek Girl Con 2025 (8-9, Seattle WA) Find your Party, Forge your Path https://geekgirlcon.com

Something of Other of the Week: King Charles banished his brother to protect the Royals. Speaker Johnson banished congress to protect pedophiles. --D L Hugley

Spark of Joy of the Week: How cool is this kid?

An activist is one who is actively involved in creating community, whether that is locally in their neighborhood or internationally. It is an admirable quality. --Jasmine Guy

Polar bears weigh just enough to break the ice. ** Patty polar bear moved to Florida and became a solar bear.

..........I like the way you walk, I like the way you talk..........Johnny Winter …..Suzie Q

5) The most expensive domino set is likely Queen Victoria's pearl-encrusted set, which sold for around $365,000 at Sotheby's.

Protest Sign of the Week: So Many Lies, So Little Cardboard

Quote of the Week: Just to be clear, these people aren't illegal anything. They're planning to apply for asylum once they get to the US border. It's not like they're just gonna rush the border like a game of red rover. Instead of sending 5,000 troops to the border, why not send 5,000 judges and lawyers to help them process their applications? --Trevor Noah

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: …but that was my emotional support daylight... --Meg Reid

Today's Peace of History: November 7, 1973: New Jersey became the first state to allow girls to play Little League Baseball.

You can't always measure the effects of activist work; you just have to wish and pray that the message gets through. --Yoko Ono

My three year old got a fleece polar bear for her birthday. At bedtime every night she puts it in the freezer. ** Polar bears vote at the North Poll.

..........It's life's illusions that I recall..........Joni Mitchell …..Both Sides Now

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, November 7, 2025: Ursine ePistle . Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: I would like to be able to love my country and still love justice. --Albert Camus

Cost of War:

As of 11/06/25 State Department Costs: $278,978,617,193

As of 10/30/25 State Department Costs: $278,445,558,697

As of 11/06/25 Homeland Security: $1,214,735,345,751

As of 10/30/25 Homeland Security: $1,214,156,435,701

As of 11/06/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,338,319,703,931

As of 10/30/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,336,830,953,270

As of 11/06/25 Military Costs: $3,175,816,938,537

As of 10/30/25 Military Costs: $3,174,686,867,507

As of 11/06/25 Veterans Care: $4,570,067,517,518

As of 10/30/25 Veterans Care: $4,558,781,983,519

As of 11/06/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,577,919,028,857

As of 10/30/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,562,903,231,758

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

Fascism is nothing but capitalist reaction. --Leon Trotsky

Famous Last Words: May God's grace be with you in all the days ahead. Nixon's Resignation Speech

…......I make my living feeling rotten, but I feel good when I play blues..........Johnny Winter …..World of Contradictions

I and you and everyone else has to be a political activist. --Michael Moore

The life of a polar bear is so Ice-solated. ** Polar bears keep their houses cool with bear conditioning.

May Peace lighten your days

And Joy gladden your nights

prairie mama

christine

Last Laugh:

All Hallowed ePistle

 Famous First Words: O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, alone and palely loitering? John Keats La Belle Dame San Merci

A witch ought never to be frightened in the darkest forest, Granny Weatherwax had always said, because she should be sure in her soul that the most terrifying thing in the forest was her. --Terry Prachett Δ My Jack-o-Lantern is so fat; he's a carved plumpkin.

There's just some magic in truth and honesty and openness. --Frank Ocean

..........On a misbegotten, moonless night..........Don Henley …..Miss Ghost

Politics is the only field in which the more experience you have, the worse you get. --Kinky Friedman

It is a cool (38°F) Halloween Friday. The sky is clear and blue and not at all scary; and the willow tree moves more from bird darting than from wind. Birdsong, however, is absent and the world is nearly silent. Puck has been out, had some breakfast, and is now fast asleep under my desk (and feet). I only saw Veronica when she sat on the kitchen counter to help me make my coffee. Now I'm sipping that coffee, munching a small cinnamon roll, and listening to the dog snore and moan. A stick of sandalwood incense rounds out my sensual stimulation and I sit down to my favorite work – writing to you.

Hope Your weekend is blessed by the Great Pumpkin, mortals.

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Dear Great Pumpkin, Please do something about your evil cousin. Sincerely, Linus

Tarantula blood...scorpion tail...rat intestines...KALE? Δ It's called Spooky Water. It's like normal water but it has boos in it.

Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving. --James E Faust

..........Something evil's lurking in the dark.........Michael Jackson …..Thriller

Trivia Questions:

1. How many pounds of candy corn are produced each year?

2. When did Trick or Treat for UNICEF begin and/or is it still running?

3. Which ancient Roman Goddess is said to be honored on Halloween?

4. Where is the longest commercial haunted house located?

5. What sort of mask does Michael Myers wear in the original Halloween?

Big Hello: Musta? - Tagalog (Philippines) https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Who needs Halloween makeup when you already have the dark eye circles and the half deal look. --Thunder Dungeon

Halloween Treat of the Week: They found water on Mars and immediately left dirty dishes in it. --Submitted by Club42

Image of the Week: Costume of the week

Insult of the Week: He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up. --Paul Keating

Fall and Winter are coming up, it's time for Cold Spells. Δ First Vlad the Vampire drank drunk-blood and so he was stumbling around. Then he thought more blood might help so he bit into the first person he found alone. It was a snowman. Next the snowman began running around time biting everything and everybody. It was a frostbite epidemic.

The greatest truth is honesty, and the greatest falsehood is dishonesty. --Abu Bakr

..........An invisible man sleeping in your bed.........Ray Parker Jr …..Ghostbusters Theme

Moonbeam: I'd much rather wear out than rust out. --Dan Rather

Blasphemy of the Week: What if Jesus was serious?

Coffee Joke of the Week: My morning coffee was so strong it poured its own cream.

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: If someone is hotter than you then you are cooler than them. --Thermodynamics ----Submitted by LanguageNerds

Halloween Treat 2 of the Week: The fact that the Louvre heist didn't take place at dawn, but at the very reasonable hour of 9:30 am, shows that even French jewel thieves have a better work-life balance than us. --thelesliegaar --Submitted by Laughing Librarian

Hag Hannah cast a spell on her roomba. She complained that it was slow and kept bashing into things. Δ My Jack-o-Lantern is so beautiful. I call her gourdgeous.

The high road is always respected. Honesty and integrity are always rewarded. --Scott Hamilton

..........The devil's on his way.........Stevie Wonder …..Superstition

1) 35 million pounds of candy corn is manufactured every year – amounting to about 9 billion pieces.

Almanac: It is Friday, October 31, 2025. The moon reached its first quarter on Wednesday (10/29) and is in Pisces. The United Nations has declared this UNICEF (United Nations International Children Emergency Fund) Day. Today is Halloween aka All Hallows Eve, Beggars' Night, Books for Treats Day, Chucky, The Killer Doll Day, Girl Scout Founder's Day, Magic Day aka National Magic Day, National Caramel Apple Day, National Doorbell Day, National Knock-Knock Jokes Day, Samhain, World Cities Day, and World Savings Day. Because it is the last Friday in October it is also Frankenstein Friday and International Bandanna Day.

Among those born on this day were Jan Vermeer (1632), John Keats (1795), Juliette Gordon Low (1860), Ethel Waters (1896), Dale Evans (1912), Barbara Bel Geddes (1922), Hicks B. Waldron (1923), Dan Rather (1931), Michael Landon (1937), Tom Paxton (1937), David Ogden Stiers (1942), Kinky Friedman (1944), John Candy and Jane Pauley (1950), and Vanilla Ice (1968).

On October thirty-first Luther posted his 95 theses (1517), Nevada became the 36th state (1864), Mussolini became the premier of Italy (1922), Brooklyn ended streetcar service (1956), and Johnson ordered a halt to all naval attacks on North Vietnam (1968).

Night Sky, 10/31: The moon is void of course at 1:15 am and enters Pisces at 7:46 am.

Fraternal Picture of the Week: Farm Fresh Great Grandsons

Halloween Treat 3 of the Week: You're a ghost. I suspected it the minute you came through the door.

This Week: Saturday, November 1 – Bison Day & Dia de Los Muertos & Forgiveness and Happiness Day

Daylight Saving Time Ends – set your clock back one hour

Sunday, November 2 – Zero Tasking Day & Cookie Monster's Birthday & All Souls Day

Night Sky, 11/2: Sunrise: 6:30 am, Sunset: 5:19 pm Moonrise: 3:31 pm, Moonset: 3:11 am

Monday, November 3 – Cliché Day & Public Television Day & Sandwich Day & World Jellyfish Day

Night Sky, 11/3 : Southern Taurid meteor shower shoots about five fireballs per hour tonight

Tuesday, November 4 – Election Day & Use Your Common Sense Day & National Professional Paint Contractors Day

Wednesday, November 5 – Firewood Day & Play Monopoly Day & National Medical Cannabis Day

Night Sky, 11/5: Moon is full at 1:19 am in Taurus.

Thursday, November 6 – Domino Day & International Day of Medical Physics & Love Your Lawyer Day

Wiccan Wanda got a job at the Hex Support Hotline...lots of spelling questions. Δ Ghosts have to wear whatever they were wearing when they died. Those ghosts in sheets either died in bed and got caught in the duvet or died trying to fold a fitted sheet.

All religions try to benefit people, with the same basic message of the need for love and compassion, for justice and honesty, for contentment. --Dalai Lama

..........That it's strange, so strange..........Donovan …..Season Of The Witch

2) Trick of Treat for UNICEF was founded in 1950. Yes, you can still Trick or Treat for UNICEF.

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Here's a thought – people with multiple personalities should donate one of them to people who don't have one.

Halloween Treat 4 of the Week: I told my boss, “I'm coming in on Halloween as a ghost, I'll be there you just won't see me. --The Cantrell Show --Submitted by sb of ks

Moonbeam: Journalists should denounce government by public opinion polls. --Dan Rather

Fun Fact of the Week: A pumpkin is actually a fruit, not a vegetable. Anything that starts from a single flower – as a pumpkin does – is classified botanically as a “simple fruit”.

Video of the Week: Dancing Skeletons (the original 1929 cartoon, 5:31) https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z67ds

The first thing I'll do if elected is demand a recount. --Kinky Friedman

The true measure of life is not length, but honesty. --John Lyly

For your own safety, do not tell a witch that old joke about driving a stick. Δ My dentist neighbor gives our chocolate flavored dental floss at Halloween.

..........ghosts in the sheets.........Beyonce …..Haunted

3) Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees—is honored on Halloween by bobbing for apples.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: In the Cosmic Library, Earth is shelved under Comedy. --Submitted by Club42

Halloween Treat 5 of the Week: Oh, no!!! You're turning into a vampire and I haven't even bitten you yet. That's premature edraculation.

Weird Word of the Week: Ineffable: Something that is beyond words or description, often used to describe a profound experience or feeling. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ineffable ~~Different than unf*able.

Dragon of the Week:

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Kill poison ivy. Spraying full-strength Clorox Bleach on poison ivy kills the plant. Fill a trigger-spray bottle with the liquid and – wearing goggles, a mask, rubber gloves, long pants, and a long sleeved shirt – spray the poison ivy. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/clorox3.html ~~It sounds like it might also kill you, your pets, your offspring, and half the foliage in the county. Think this through.

Your conscience is the measure of the honesty of your selfishness. Listen to it carefully. --Richard Bach

Hexen Hazel opened a garage for witches...repair, respell, restraw. She called it The Broom Closet. Δ Don't let your jack-o-lantern drink. When pumpkins get smashed, they are worthless.

...........And although I know it's strictly taboo..........Frank Sinatra …..Witchcraft

4) The Haunted Cave in Lewisburg, OH is a whopping 3, 564 feet long. It's also located 80 feet underground. https://hauntedcaveatlewisburg.com/

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cackle maniacally and the world backs away from you slowly. --My Witches

Halloween Treat 6 of the Week: That new Japanese restaurant has a zombie who does nothing but stir-fry. You'll recognize him immediately, he's the dead man woking.

Protest Sign of the Week: Viagra Causes Autism

Better Protest Sign of the Week: Make America Constitutional Again

Best Protest Sign of the Week: Pay Us Enough We'll Stop Protesting

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: MileHiCon 57 (10/31-11/2, Aurora, CO) ...authors, artists, speakers... https://milehicon.org/ ~~It being Halloween, I assumed they must have great costume events, this is the gallery: https://milehicon.org/cosplay-gallery/

FYI of the Week: Hey! Hallowe'en is right around the corner... DON'T BUY NESTLE TREATS Nestle steals water from First Nations.

FYI of the Week²: Union Made Candies: Hershey’s Nuggets & Kisses :Kit Kat : Butterfinger : Baby Ruth : Smarties : Jawbreakers : Sour Patch Kids : Tootsie Rolls : York Peppermint Patties : Jolly Ranchers : Bit-O-Honey : Mary Jane Peanut Butter Chews : Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares : Jelly Belly : Red Vines : Hostess : Tastykake : Annebelle's Candy Company : Boyer Candy Co : Roca : Tootsie Roll Industries : See's. NOT unionized: Brach's and Mar's

Spark of Joy of the Week: Put a crystal in your bra, dab on some essential oil, do a hot girl hair flip, and seduce the Universe today, you sexy bish. @sacredspacerevolution --Submitted by The Feral Spiritualists

The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy. --Robert E Lee

Well, it could be my age but that new electric broom is too noisy for me. Δ The president is so orange they're calling him Donald Trumpkin.

..........Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel.........Marty Robbins (Ghost) Riders In The Sky

5) Because the studio had such a small budget for Halloween, they had to use the cheapest mask they could find. It was a $2 William Shatner mask that was spray-painted white. ~~Sorry, it was too funny to pass up.

Dragon of the Week II:

Quote of the Week: The windmills are driving the whales crazy, obviously.” --his MAGAsty ~~from Jimmy Kimmel's 78 nicknames https://lamag.com/politics/read-jimmy-kimmels-78-hilarious-nicknames-for-donald-trump-on-his-78th-birthday/

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Some lady dressed as catwoman is walking around our Halloween party just knocking drinks off tables. --@Grant Tanaka

Today's Peace of History: October 31, 1829: George Henry Evans, an English-born printer and journalist, published the first issue of the Working Man’s Advocate, “edited by a Mechanic” for the “useful and industrious classes” of New York City. Evan covered the Workingmen’s Party (which he helped found) and the early trade union movement.

Empathy is important, openness, honesty, and an understanding for others.. --Niko Kovac

I found a place that sells instant toad urine. But instead of turning the guy into a toad, the spell turned him into a Russian prostitute. Δ Gracie Ghost became a rock star with her haunting tones and wailing tunes.

..........He's the hairy-handed gent who ran amok in Kent.........Warren Zevon …..Werewolves of London

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, October 31, 2025, All Hallowed ePistle. Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: Don't taunt the alligator until after you've crossed the creek. --Dan Rather

Cost of War:

As of 10/30/25 State Department Costs: $278,445,558,697

As of 10/23/25 State Department Costs: $277,861,848,836

As of 10/30/25 Homeland Security: $1,214,156,435,701

As of 10/23/25 Homeland Security: $1,213,522,424,837

As of 10/30/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,336,830,953,270

As of 10/23/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,335,200,653,804

As of 10/30/25 Military Costs: $3,174,686,867,507

As of 10/23/25 Military Costs: $3,173,448,757,763

As of 10/30/25 Veterans Care: $4,558,781,983,519

As of 10/23/25 Veterans Care: $4,546,424,796,814

As of 10/30/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,562,903,231,758

As of 10/23/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,546,462,445,659

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

We've got to clear some of the rooms out of the prisons so we can put the bad guys in there, like the pedophiles and the politicians. --Kinky Friedman

Famous Last Words: Please stay on the line. Godot will be with you shortly...

..........It was a graveyard smash.........Bobby Pickett …..Monster Mash

The elegance of honesty needs no adornment. --Mary Browne

Crone Corrie opened a potions drive-thru. Seems witches from all over town were sick and tired of homemade eye of newt stew. Δ Bewitch ya next week.

May Peace be your trick

And Joy be your treat

prairie mama

christine

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