ePistle Orates

Famous First Words: An Act to establish a Constitution... Constitution of South Australia (1855-6)

Happy Freedom Of Speech Day! I had a great joke about freedom of speech, but the government stole it. /\ Freedom of speech means you can say what you think without thinking.

It is only in sorrow that bad weather masters us; in joy we face the storm and defy it. --Amelia Barr

..........Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.........Billie Holiday …..Strange Fruit c. 1940 ~~All of today's songs have been banned by somebody at some time.

All ... shall be restor'd ... Honour, Renown, Liberty of Conscience, Rights and Privileges, which they enjoy'd before the above said Disorders. --From the The Treaty of Westphalia

It is a rainy Friday morning. The sun is not due up for another half hour and there is no natural light shining outside my window. If I put my face to the glass I can see by the ghostly street lamp on someone else's street. I see a child's playground damp, empty, and sad looking. It is the sound of the rain that fills the senses; plinking on the chimney, plunking on the patio table, thudding against the concrete. Puck stayed out only long enough and still came in quite wet. Veronica did go out at all. I brewed coffee and listened to the drops beating rhythm to a melody in my head. When I turn to look out expecting the lazy sun to begin its job, all I see is a reflection of Mary Coral's iris painting floating in the dark. I am tempted to take to my recliner and let the tap tap tap put me back to sleep, but I have appointments and errands and I really want to write to you. So, I raise my cup of decaf to you, enjoy the morning, friends – whatever it is bringing you.

Hope your weekend pops like a Champagne cork, Champagne of Friends.

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Billionaires create wealth the way ticks create blood. --Music for Deep Meditation

How dare you respond to my freedom of speech with your freedom of speech. \/ Free speech isn't cheap.

Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough. --Emily Dickinson

..........We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot..........The Everly Brothers …..Wake Up Little Susie. c.1957

Trivia Questions: Happy Champagne Day!

1. How fast does a Champagne cork travel when it's popped?

2. What is the greatest distance a Champagne cork has traveled?

3. How many bubbles does a standard bottle of Champagne (75cl) contain?

4. How many bottles of Champagne are produced each year?

5. Champagne: More bubbly in a flute or in a coupe?

Big Hello: Caлam – Tabassaran (Northeast Caucasian language spoken in Dagestan) https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: You know what's not cool, Bobby? Telling people to be themselves and then hating them for being themselves. --Hank Hill

Image of the Week: You have the right to remain silent. But I recommend that you don't. --CJ Brune

Advice of the Week: To improve your posture, pretend you are shooting lasers out of your nipples and trying to shoot people in the head.

Freeze ICE Cream! Not Speech! /\ Too many people confuse “freedom of speech” with “saying stupid shit”. --*uckology

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. --Greg Anderson

..........He was sittin' in the witness stand.........Chuck Berry …..Brown Eyed Handsome Man c. 1957

Moonbeam: I have often endeavored to view the circulation of the blood in terrestrial animals, but with success, by reason that no parts of their bodies w3ere sufficiently transparent. --Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

Blasphemy of the Week: So, what are you now? Believer? Agnostic? Atheist? Or what? I'm belief-fluid.

Coffee Joke of the Week: When you italicize the word Coffee you get Espresso.

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: You know what doesn't cause autism? Releasing the Epstein files. --Gavin Newsom

Without Freedom of Speech how would we know who the idiots are? \/ The right to speak freely does not include the right to be taken seriously, and it certainly doesn't include the obligation that others must supply you with a platform.

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. --Leo Buscaglia

..........Why don't you all just f-f-ade away.........The Who …..My Generation c. 1965

1) A Champagne cork can reach 23.6 miles/hour. This is due to the Champagne being under a lot of pressure, which pushes the cork out when the wire cage is removed.

Almanac: It is Friday, October 24, 2025. The moon was new last Tuesday (10/21) and is in Sagittarius. Today is United Nations Day aka Dia de las Naciones Unidas, Food Day, Recycle Your Mercury, Thermostat Day, and World Development Information Day. Because it is the 4th Friday it is also Champagne Day.

Among those born on this day were Antony van Leeuwenhoek (1632), Moss Hart (1904), Y.A. Tittle (1926), David Nelson (1936), Bill Wyman (1936), and Kevin Kline (1947).

On October twenty fourth the Hevelius' Mundane Era began (3963 BCE), the 30 years war ended in the Peace of Westphalia (1648), South Australia adopted its constitution (1856), the first transcontinental telegram was sent (1861), the George Washington bridge opened (1931), the 40 hour work week went into effect (1940), the U.N. charter became effective (1945), Zambia became independent (1964), Steffi Graf played her first pro tennis match (1984), and Rev. Jim Bakker was sentenced to 50 years for fraud (1989).

Night Sky, 10/24: Sunrise 7:40 am, Sunset 6:30 pm … Moonrise 10:53 am, Moonset 7:59 pm

Fraternal Picture of the Week: Mauve Haired Max and Joyful Protester Ollie

  

This Week: Saturday, October 25 – American Frog Day & International Artists Day & Sourest Day

Sunday, October 26 - Mother-in-Law Day & Mule Day & Howl At The Moon Night

Night Sky, 10/26: The Perseus Double Cluster (NGC 869 and NGC 884) will be well placed for viewing shortly after sunset.

Monday, October 27 – Black Cat Day & Cranky Co-workers Day & National Civics Day

Night Sky, 10/27: The thick, waxing crescent moon passes below and near touches the star Tau Sagittarii during twilight.

Tuesday, October 28 – International Animation Day & National Internal Medicine Day & National First Responders Day

Wednesday, October 29 – National Cat Day & National Hermit Day & Snowmobile Day

Night Sky, 10/29: The first quarter half-moon stands high in the southern sky at sunset.

Thursday, October 30 – National Uplift Someone Day & Speak Up For Service Day & Mischief Night aka Devil's Night

If you are going to use free speech to tell other people they can't speak freely, we're all gonna have a bad time. --South Park /\ A lot of people who say they want “free speech” actually just want to be the one in charge of which speech is free. --Hank Green

If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment. --Carlos Santana

..........Makin' love in the green grass.........Van Morrison …..Brown Eyed Girl c. 1967

2) The longest recorded Champagne cork flight is about 177 feet. The record was set by Emeritus Heinrich Medicus in 1988 at the Woodbury Vineyards, NY.

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: What's the difference between Jim Jones and Donald Trump? Donald Trump would charge you for the Kool-Aid. --Trump is Evil

Moonbeam: Nothing makes an actor feel freer and more inventive and more creative than being trusted. --Kevin Kline

Fun Fact of the Week: The first transcontinental telegraph message was sent 10/24/1861 from Chief Justice Stephen J Field in San Francisco to president Abraham Lincoln in Washington, DC. The telegram mimicked Morse's first telegraph message, “What hath God wrought?”

Video of the Week: Geroge Carlin's 7 Words You Can Never Say on TV (:47)

As soon as the Treaty of Peace shall be sign'd and seal'd by the Plenipotentiarys and Ambassadors, all Hostilitys shall cease. --From the Treaty of Westphalia

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. --Richard Bach

Sure, there is freedom of speech. What there isn't is freedom after speech. \/ Exercising their right to freedom of speech, witches gathered in DC chanting “Brooms are for riding, not cleaning!” They are calling for sweeping reforms.

..........The old maternity dress I've got is going in the garbage.........Loretta Lynn …..The Pill c. 1975

3) According to scientist Bill Lembeck, there are approximately 9,800,000 bubbles in a glass of Champagne and 49 million in one bottle.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Dear Louvre Thieves: How fast do you think you could get the Epstein Files?

Weird Word of the Week: Vellichor: The strange wistfulness of used bookstores. https://www.thedictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/word/vellichor

Dragon of the Week: I was disappointed in what was being called “dragon” at the No Kings Demonstrations. They actually looked more like teenaged Teletubbies. So here's a beautiful lamp.

Funniest Dragon Thing I Read of the Week: My dragons may not be in a row, but at least they're having fun. Your dragons probably want to shoot fire at your booty for making them line up like that. --Crazy Dragon Lady

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Clean slippery moss and algae from brick or stone paths. Mix three-quarters cup Clorox Bleach in one gallon water in a bucket, and wearing rubber gloves, scrub the area to remove the moss and algae and help prevent regrowth. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/clorox2.html

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. --Buddha

Advertisers: All the free speech money can buy. /\ Citizens United bought the Supreme Court to make sure their free speech was worth more than your free speech.

...........Live together in perfect harmony.........Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder …..Ebony And Ivory c. 1985

4) 300 million bottles of Champagne are produced every year. Around 180 million are exported.

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I finally found the silver lining...it's my hair.

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: SpaceCon San Antonio (24-26, San Antonio, TX) Three days of POP CULTURE that's out of this world. https://www.spaceconsa.com/

FYI of the Week: Hey! Hallowe'en is right around the corner...  DON'T BUY NESTLE TREAT  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 Candy Corn : Red Vines. NOT unionized: Brach's and Mar's

Spark of Joy of the Week: Toddler Power

My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. --Russell M Nelson

How bizarre, Disney making a Business Decision and it is NOT a Free Speech issue! \/ The problem with freedom of speech and humor is that jokes don't get cancelled, they get remembered.

..........Well I was there and I saw what you did.........Phil Collins …..In The Air Tonight c. 1991

5) The flute is the best glass to use if you want to enjoy the full effect of Champagne's bubbles. This is because the long,narrow shape helps to preserve the bubbles and keep them from escaping.

Protest Sign of the Week: Agent Orange Is Toxic

Better Protest Sign of the Week: Eggs Are So Expensive Because All The Chickens Are In Congress.

Even Better Protest Sign of the Week: I Have E-Books With More Spine Than The GOP

Best Protest Sign of the Week: Honk If You're NOT In The Epstein Files

Quote of the Week: People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. --Søren Kierkegaard

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I tried to be a morning person, but mornings filed a restraining order. --Submitted by Club42

Today's Peace of History: October 24, 1940: The 40-hour workweek went into effect under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, requiring employers to pay overtime and restricting the use of child labor. Decades of labor agitation and a considerable number of lives made this change possible. ~~My father was a union worker and he campaigned for the 40 hour week. At his first real job he worked from 8 am until midnight.

I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy. --Rabindranath Tagore

Free speech means the right to shout “theater” in a crowded fire. --Abbie Hoffman /\ One of the problems with defending free speech is you often have to defend people that you find to be outrageous and unpleasant and disgusting. --Salman Rusdie.

..........You might end up in Ethiopia.........M.I.A. …..Born Free c. 2010

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, October 24, 2025: ePistle orates. Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: I'm always shy in front of an audience, so I'm always at the back, in the shadows, just doing it. I don't like the front, the adulation. --Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones, Rhythm Kings)

Cost of War:

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

As of 10/16/25 State Department Costs: $277,328,789,118

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

As of 10/16/25 Homeland Security: $1,212,943,378,066

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

As of 10/16/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,333,711,645,293

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

As of 10/16/25 Military Costs: $3,172,318,159,076

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

As of 10/16/25 Veterans Care: $4,535,137,266,715

As of 10/23/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,546,46a,445,659

As of 10/16/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,531,440,993,146

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

Troops and Armys of all those who are making War in the Empire, shall be disbanded and discharg'd. --From the Treaty of Westphalia

Famous Last Words: ...one thousand nine hundred and forty-five. --The United Nations Charter

….......I will not forgive your evil.........Pussy Riot …..Putin's Ashes c. 2022

Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. --Joseph Campbell

Just because you're offended doesn't mean you're right. /\ Now Leaving Designated Free Speech Zone

May Peace be your microphone

And Joy be your amplifier

prairie mama

christine

Last Laugh:

ePistle marinara

 Famous First Words: Willy! --Linda Loman Death Of A Salesman by Arthur Miller

Today is National Pasta Day! Pasta La Vista! {} Do they serve Holy Macaroni in Vatican City? {} They never let Ravioli sit at the cool table because she was so square.

.........Then peace will guide the planets.........Fifth Dimension …..Aquarius ~~Today's songs are from the musical, Hair -–Galt MacDermot

If absolute truth belongs to anyone in this world, it certainly does not belong to the man or party that claims to possess it. --Albert Camus

It is a beautiful Friday morning. The sky is clear blue with smears of white clouds that frolic in a temperature of 67°F ...nearly perfect in every way. Puck is still asleep under my bed. Veronica is outside convinced that she is hidden in a small but growing sunflower plant. There is no birdsong when the cat is prowling or not well hidden by a youthful sunflower plant. I hear crows and barking dogs in the distance. A wind (9 mpr, from the southwest) moves the still green leaves of the willow and the still yellowing leaves of the unnamed tree. Grass is green, flowers still bloom in smaller and smaller patches. I sip my decaf and rub my bare feet across the carpet. Veronica returns and wanders towards the living room. I take my morning pills and complete the last task before the joy of writing to you. Ah, autumn in Lawrence, who can resist it?

Keep calm and pasta on, ePistlers

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Mindfulness is the opposite of an out-of-body experience. You might say it's an in-body experience.

I spent my entire life savings on pasta. It was worth every penne. {} This noodle was once a piece of dough...in a pasta life.

..........Rama Rama Hare Hare.........The Fugs …..Hare Krishna

Trivia Questions: Happy Black Poets Day!

1. Do you know the name of the very first African American poet to release a book of poems in the US (1773)?

2. Pre-colonial African poetry is tricky because of the oral tradition. Do you know what these poets are called?

3. How many black US Poet Laureates can you name? There have been 5.

4. What poet and/or what poem was read at Bill Clinton's first inauguration?

5. What poet and/or what poem was read at Joe Biden's inauguration?

Big Hello: Grüezi – Swiss German https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Biologists Announce: There is absolutely nothing we can learn from clams. https://www.facebook.com/TheOnion

Mild Rant of the Week: My favorite black poet is Langston Hughes. He grew up in Lawrence so he's dear to lots of folks around here. My favorite Hughes poem is also my favorite peace poem. Give Us Our Peace

Advise of the Week: Everyone loves fried chicken. Don't ever make it. Ever. Buy it from a place that makes good fried chicken. --Nora Ephron

You're one in a gnocchilion. {} Can I make my own beefaroni by feeding spaghetti to my cow?

..........You twinkle above us, we twinkle below..........Oliver …..Good Morning, Starshine

Moonbeam: God is our father, but even more is God our mother. --Pope John Paul I

Blasphemy of the Week: Conquer evil by your gentle kindness, and make blood thirsty zealots wonder at your goodness. Allow those who treasure punishment to be put to shame by your compassion, and engage those who hate you with irritating humility. --St Isaac of Syria

Coffee Joke of the Week: I bought a new coffee maker. It tells jokes while you're waiting for your coffee. It's called the BrewHaHa.

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I was at a sports bar the other day and saw there was a show called “The G Spot”. My first thought was, “Don't they want men to be able to FIND this show???” --Submitted by dr of oh

I prefer my pasta puns fresh and cheesy. {} Does Bowtie pasta ever feel overdressed?

..........LSD...LBJ...FBI...CIA..........Cast of Hair …..LBJ

1) Philllis Wheatley had her work published, titled Poems on Various Subjects in 1773. it was published when she was around 20 years old. Poems

Almanac: It is Friday, October 17, 2025. The moon will be new on Tuesday (10/21) and is in Virgo. The United Nations has declared this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. It is also Black Poetry Day, Mulligan Day, National Edge Day, National Pasta Day, National Playing Card Collectors Day, National Nomophobia Awareness Day, Mammography Day, Pay Back A Friend Day, Wear Something Gaudy Day, and World Geothermal Energy Day.

Among those born on this day were Jupiter Hammon (1711), William "Candy" Cummings (1848), Spring Byington (1886), Irene Ryan (1903), Nathanael West (1903), Jean Arthur (1905), Pope John Paul I (1912), Arthur Miller (1915), Rita Hayworth (1919), Montgomery Clift (1920), Tom Poston (1921), Evel Knievel (1938), Gary Puckett (1942), Michael McKean (1947), Margot Kidder (1948), Mae Jemison (1957), and Eminem (1972).

On October seventeenth Bessemer patented his steelmaking process (1855), the Luxembourg Constitution became effective (1868), Yugoslavia proclaimed itself a republic (1918), Einstein arrived in the USA (1933), Albert Camus won the Nobel Prize in Literature (1957), and Hair debutted (1967).

Night Sky, 10/17: The E-Geminid meteor shower: chance of seeing meteors whenever the Gemini constellation is above the horizon. Tonight – early tomorrow. https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20251018_10_100

Fraternal Picture of the Week: Real Magic

This Week: Saturday, October 18 – Bridge Day & Newspaper Comic Strip Appreciation Day & Sweetest Day

Sunday, October 19 – Evaluate Your Life Day & World Statistics Day & World Toy Camera Day

Night Sky, 10/19: This week, Jupiter rises around midnight. Look for Jupiter in the east around 2 am. It will reach opposition on January 10, 2026. As we continue towards this date, Jupiter will continue to rise earlier each week.

Monday, October 20 – Diwali & International Chef's Day & Lung Health Day

Night Sky, 10/20: Comet Lemmon has or is about to become visible without binoculars. It gets brighter as the month goes along. Keep in mind, comets are notoriously unpredictable. https://earthsky.org/space/comet-lemmon-best-comet-of-2025-finder-maps/

Tuesday, October 21 – Reptile Awareness Day & National Witch Hazel Day

Night Sky, 10/21: New moon in Libra at 3:42 pm

Wednesday, October 22 – International Stuttering Awareness Day & Make A Dog's Day Day & Smart Is Cool Day

Thursday, October 23 – Disabled Women's Equal Pay Day & National Mole Day & TV Talk Show Host Day

Night Sky, 10/23: Sunrise 7:39 am Sunset 6:31 pm Moonrise 9:52 am Moonset 7:21 pm

Good friends should stick together like unrinsed spaghetti. {} My pasta themed opera was a huge sauce-cess.

..........I got my hair, I got my head, I got my brains.........Nina Simone …..I Got Life

2) Griot (grē-,ō): any of a class of musician-entertainers of western Africa whose performances include tribal histories and genealogies. Janice Curtis Greene as Harriet Tubman Greene is the official Griot of Maryland

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Myth: ICE agents lack proper training. Fact: Most have been racists their whole life. --The Onion

Moonbeam: Some of the most fun people I know are scientists. --Mae Jemison

Fun Fact of the Week: Wear Something Gaudy Day is celebrated as an homage to Larry Dallas, a character in Three's Company who wore clothes with fantastic patterns and clashing colors.

Video of the Week: Irene Ryan (Grannie on the Beverly Hillbillies) in a 1937 video called the Big Courtship. https://youtu.be/Mh-_vWq0REg (16:51)

Don't walk in front of me...I may not follow. Don't walk behind me...I may not lead. Walk beside me...just be my friend. --Albert Camus

Pasta jokes will have you laughing until you're alfredo. {} My partner and I bonded over liking the same pasta shapes.

..........Chocolate flavored love.........Bea Authur …..Black Boys

3) US Black Poet Laureates: Robert Hayden (1976-78), Gwendolyn Brooks (1985-86), Rita Dove (1993-95), Natasha Trethewey (2012-14), and Tracy K Smith (2017-19).

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: The Pterodactyl family named their nestlings Pthomas, Pterrence, and Ptiffany. --Submitted by ScienceHumor

Weird Word of the Week: Mellifluous: A sound that is sweet and smooth. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mellifluous

Dragons of the Week:

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Fight Fusarium blight on a lawn. To combat Fusarium blight (reddish-brown spots that turn yellow as the grass dies), mix one ounce Clorox Bleach, two ounces Jet-Dry (with citrus vinegar), and four gallons of water in a bucket. Fill a pump spray bottle or a hose-end sprayer with the liquid and – wearing goggles, a mask, rubber gloves, long pants, and a long sleeved shirt – spray the spots when the nighttime temperature remains in the mid-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Reapply once a month. Consider adding a one-half-layer of compost to the lawn (or spraying with compost tea) to increase the beneficial microorganisms in the soil. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/clorox2.html

Life is full of pastabilitiers. {} You can't make everyone happy...but you can make everyone pasta.

...........Hair like Chinese silk.........Donna Summer …..White Boys

4) At Bill Clinton's first inauguration, Maya Angelou read her poem: On The Pulse Of Morning. She was the second poet to read a poem at an inauguration plus the first Black person and the first woman.

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I just ordered a Life Alert bracelet, so if I get a life, I'll be notified immediately.

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: ValleyCon 2025 (17-19, Fargo, ND) Unleash your inner beast https://valleycon.com/

FYI of the Week: Hey! Hallowe'en is right around the corner... 🚫 DON'T BUY NESTLE TREATS 🚫 Nestle steals water from First Nations. 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 Candy Corn : Red Vines NOT unionized: Brach's and Mar's

Spark of Joy of the Week: Ode to the Portland Frog by Shane Ford: From the mist of the moss and the grey Oregon rain... Read it all

Ravi Ravioli went to the doctor because he always felt stuffed. {} I understand the wildlife in Antarctica prefers penguin pasta.

..........Let it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees..........The Cowsills …..Hair

5) At Joe Biden's inauguration, Amanda Gorman read her poem: The Hill We Climb. She was 22 years old at the time.

Protest Sign of the Week: RFK JR – Industrial Strength Dumb

Better Protest Sign of the Week

DEADHEADS FOR DEMOCRACY 

 “This darkness got to give”

Quote of the Week: The most threatening thing I’ve seen yet was the naked bicyclers in Portland who were protesting ICE down there. I mean, it’s getting really ugly. --Speaker of the House Mike Johnson

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: With great power comes great electricity bills.

Today's Peace of History: October 17, every year: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was designated by the United Nations in 1992. It began in 1987 when 100,000 people gathered in Paris and declared poverty a violation of human rights.

When lobsters cook pasta they only use a pinch of salt. {} A scientist took her dog to help with an experiment on pasta. He was a labranoodle.

..........Join the holy orgy Kama Sutra.........Original Broadway Cast …..Sodomy

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, October 17, 2025: ePistle marinara. Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: Anybody can jump a motorcycle. The trouble begins when you try to land it. --Evel Kneivel

Cost of War:

As of 10/16/25 State Department Costs: $277,328,789,118

As of 10/09/25 State Department Costs: $276,776,111,298

As of 10/16/25 Homeland Security: $1,212,943,378,066

As of 10/09/25 Homeland Security: $1,212,343,099,184

As of 10/16/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,333,711,645,293

As of 10/09/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,332,168,145,348

As of 10/16/25 Military Costs: $3,172,318,159,076

As of 10/09/25 Military Costs: $3,171,146,304,371

As of 10/16/25 Veterans Care: $4,535,137,266,715

As of 10/09/25 Veterans Care: $4,523,437,604,602

As of 10/16/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,531,440,993,146

As of 10/09/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,515,873,819,315

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

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your every existence is an act of rebellion. --Albert Camus

Famous Last Words: We're free! We're free! --Linda Loman Death of a Salesman by Authur Miller

..........Psychedelic urchin.........Donna Summers …..Donna

No pasta-bilities left behind. {} This too shall pasta. {} The pesto's yet to come

May Peace sooth your mind

And Joy calm your spirit

prairie mama

christine

Last Laugh:

ePistle on the go

Famous First Words: Dell'invito … (You were invited...) Verdi's La traviata

How do you keep a Baptist from drinking all your beer on a fishing trip? Invite two of them. >< If you want children to behave on a road trip, take a bag of candy. Anytime they misbehave, throw a piece of candy out the window.

The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members. --Coretta Scott King

..........Heaven opens its portals to me.........Ben Vereen …..With A Song In My Heart

If the Republicans will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them. --Adlai Stevenson I

It is a beautiful Friday morning. The sky is filled with huge fluffy white clouds lit from above and from the sides. With no wind the trees stand stately and still against the billowing white. A lovely view altogether. 64°F temperature gives the air a very slight hint of cool autumn hiding right behind the corner. Puck and Veronica have been out and returned. Puck is sleeping under my desk, Veronica is who knows where doing who knows what. I am sipping doctored coffee and watching the sun spread its light down from the clouds to the green willow branches and into the tree whose name I do not know but which has a few yellow leaves sprinkled on its limbs. And all motionless like a ghost yard or “the living art” on Mars. (Reference to Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein) May the beauty that surrounds us seep into our lives and into our souls to make the world even more beautiful.

Hope your weekend takes you down the road to happiness, travelers.

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I'm not sure which I've lived through more: raptures or government shutdowns. --Submitted by Wittenburg Door

General Update of the Week: Recovery from my fall is nearly complete. This morning I had no pain when I woke up. But I ended up taking a pain pill. Think I'll skip my night one and see how that goes. Jeff's celebration of life was small but fun with lots of donuts and some coffee. His case worker stopped by and told some great stories about how he used to look up resources and copy them and hand them out to the Bert Nash workers. And how very charming he could be – which is very true. So it was a good time, but we are still planning on spreading his ashes on his great grandmother's grave which is where we spread his mother's ashes.

We visited a street where the house numbers were 64K, 128K,513K, and 1MB. It was a trip down Memory Lane. >< Jane took her kittens on a field trip to the Meowseum.

We must become bigger than we have been: more courageous, greater in spirit, larger in outlook. We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations but to our neighbors within the human community. --Haile Selassie

..........Stop me when I'm passing by.........Van Halen with David Lee Roth …..Ice Cream Man

Trivia Questions: Happy World Egg Day!

1. Guess how many people can have breakfast on an ostrich egg?

2. What determines the color of chicken eggs?

3. How many eggs do Americans consume annually?

4. What is the easiest test for egg freshness?

5. What is the white stuff that you see floating in an egg now and then?

Big Hello: God dag – Swedish https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Tattoos: Because adulting is hard and I deserve stickers

Image of the Week: Portland, Oregon's response to the ICE invasion.

Excess of the Week: The world's most expensive car is the 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto at $604,363. 2: 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish at $427,700 3: 2025 Rolls-Royce Cullinan at $405,000)

Sammy Snail invited Sally Snail to go on a road trip with him. When she found out he was going all the way to the end of the leaf, she agreed. >< It doesn't matter how old you are, buying snacks for a road trip should always look like an unsupervised 9 year-old was given $100.

What I try to tell young people is that if you come together with a mission, and it's grounded with love and a sense of community, you can make the impossible possible. --John Lewis

..........Going places I've never been.........Willie Nelson …..On The Road Again

Moonbeam: The throne is not a gift; it is a responsibility. --Isabella II

Blasphemy of the Week: In reality, there are as many religions as there are individuals. --Mahatma Gandhi

Coffee Joke of the Week: 2 astronauts are chilling on the space station when one turns to the other and says, “I can't find any milk for my coffee.” The second replies. “In space no one can, here use cream”.

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Why does it feel like the only thing genuinely safe in America is the damn Epstein files?

If you take acid at a track meet, is it a field trip? >< The best part of a road trip isn't arriving at your destination; it's fast food along the way.

A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. --Henrik Ibsen

..........I sing, trailers for sale or rent..........Roger Miller …..King Of The Road

1) An ostrich egg can serve about 24 for breakfast. The yolk of any egg is a single cell. The yolk of the ostrich egg is probably the largest cell nature manufactures (currently, that is).

Almanac: It is Friday, October 10, 2025. The moon enters its first quarter on Monday (10/13) and is in Gemini. Today is International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction, International Newspaper Carrier Day, National Handbag Day, Naval Academy Day, World Day Against the Death Penalty, World Egg Day, World Homeless Day, World Mental Health Day, and World Porridge Day.

Among those born on this day were Henry Cavendish (1731), Giuseppe Verdi (1813), Isabella II (1830), Helen Hayes (1900), Thelonious Monk (1918), James Clavell (1924), Adlai Stevenson III (1930), Harold Pinter (1930), Ben Vereen (1946), David Lee Roth (1955), and Mario Lopez (1973).

On October tenth the first European community settled in Oklahoma (1802), the US Naval Academy opened (1845), Neptune's moon, Triton, was discovered (1846), the American Chess Association formed (1857), the billiard ball was patented (1865), the Tuxedo was born (1886), the first home synthetic detergent went on sale (1933), Chiang Kai-shek became president of China (1943), Liz Taylor re-married Richard Burton (1975), and Panama assumed control of the Canal (1979).

Night Sky, 10/10: The Draconid Meteor Shower https://spaceandtelescope.com/draconid-meteor-shower-2025/

Fraternal Picture of the Week: The boys, various cousins and the other Grandma (or maybe great grandmother) at the beach.

Worst Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Jalapeńo skipped archery today because he didn't habanero.

This Week: Saturday, October 11 – Costume Swap Day & International African Penguin Awareness Day

Sunday, October 12 – Clergy Appreciation Day & National Farmer's Day & Free Thought Day

Night Sky, 10/12: The Swan Comet (R2) swings into view in the northern evening sky and will remain visible until the end of October. https://www.planetary.org/articles/how-to-spot-comet-swan

Monday, October 13 – English Language Day & National Chess Day & Read For The Record Day

Night Sky,10/13: The moon in Cancer enters its last quarter at 1:13 pm CDT. It forms a conjunction with Jupiter.

Tuesday, October 14 – Be Bald And Be Free Day & Spider-Man Day & World Standards Day

Wednesday, October 15 – Global Handwashing Day & National Fossil Day & National Grouch Day

Night Sky, 10/15: Venus continues to be the “Morning Star” in the east before dawn, lower in the sky but still bright.

Thursday, October 16 – Dictionary Day & National Feral Cat Day & Global Cat Day & Spirit Day

It's not a real road trip unless you get lost at least once.>< The devil took a road trip with Gabriel. They took Route 666 all the way from Chicago to Oklahoma.

In the deaf community, there is exactly that – a community. It's like nothing I see in the hearing world. It's old fashioned, I guess, and beautiful. --Rachel Shenton

..........Those windshield wipers slappin' out a tempo.........Eddie Rabbitt …..Drivin' My Life Away

2) Egg color is strictly a function of breed. You can tell what color egg a chicken will lay by looking at the color of her earlobe. Hens with white ears produce white eggs, hens with red ears produce brown eggs, and hens with bluish-green ears produce bluish-green eggs.

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: New evidence suggests that ancient Egyptians only ever visited the pyramids when friends were in from out of town. --Submitted by ScienceHumor

Moonbeam: I believe in the power of diplomacy over conflict. --Isavella II (Maria Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias)

Fun Fact of the Week: It is National Handbag Day. The most expensive bag in the world is worth $34.5 million. The name is “1001 Diamond Purse” and was made by the House of Mouawad's. Image

Video of the Week: Ben Vereen singing and dancing “Bye Bye Blackbird” with Bob Fosse's choreography. https://youtu.be/ed9zQQO5BAs

The first principle of a free society is an untrammeled flow of words in an open forum. --Adlai Stevenson I

In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it. --Marianne Williamson

An easy way to add 45 minutes to your road trip is to let the children choose the snacks when you stop for gas. >< One of my tests for true love is what snacks you buy for a road trip.

..........Your typical city involved in a typical daydream.........Grateful Dead …..Truckin'

3) Americans consume an average of 281 eggs each year which keeps about 285 million hens busy day and night.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I'm not saying I'm old, but in banana years, I'm bread.

Weird Word of the Week: Limerence: the state of being infatuated or obsessed with someone or something. https://word-lists.com/word-lists/100-rare-words-with-beautiful-meanings/ ~~Why isn't a group of jellyfish called a jam?

Dragon of the Week:

Wacky uses for common products: Repel insects. Before going outside, fill a bathtub with warm water, add two capfuls of clorox bleach, and soak in the solution for fifteen minutes (without getting the chlorinated water in your eyes.) https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/clorox3.html

Humanity is our ultimate community, and everyone plays a crucial role. --Yehuda Berg

I thought I might get rid of my depression with a road trip. Turns out I was just weeping the nation. >< Annie from Australia took a road trip through Great Britain. She called it,”returning to the scene of the crime”.

...........And don't ya come back no more, no more.........Ray Charles …..Hit The Road Jack

4) Drop a whole uncooked egg into a salt solution (two tablespoons salt in two cups of water). If very fresh, the egg will be full and heavy and it will sink with the tip to one side. If moderately fresh, it will remain suspended in the middle of the water upright. If it bobs up to the top, it is stale.

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I don't have a fabric stash. I have a textile investment portfolio.

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: ICON: 49.5 – The Half Season (10-11, Iowa City, IA) ...Joe Haldeman and John Scalzi https://tabletop.events/conventions/icon-49.5

Seasonal Quote of the Week: You don't waste October sunshine. Soon the old autumn sun would bed down in cloud blankets, and there would be weeks of gray rain before it finally decided to snow. --Katherine Arden Small Spaces

Spark of Joy of the Week: Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense dancing. --William James

The work of community, love, reconciliation, restoration is the work we cannot leave up to politicians. This is the work we are all called to do. --Shane Claiborne

I didn't realize how bad my driving was until my navigation system told me, “In 400 feet, do a slight right, stop, and let me out. >< A guy on a long road trip walks into a bar with a roll of tarmac under his arm. He orders two beers, “One for me and one for the road”.

..........That rode us all the way to New Orleans.........Janis Joplin …..Me And Bobby McGee

5) The whitish, twisted material seen near the raw egg yolk is thick albumen. It is part of a layer of dense egg white surrounding the egg yolk. It helps keep the yolk centered in the egg. It is especially prominent in fresh, high-quality eggs.

Protest Sign of the Week: You Can't Sharpie Over The Constitution

Better Protest Sign of the Week: Portland Isn't A War Zone. It's A Bookstore With A City Around It.

Quote of the Week: You don't have to be something to do something. --Gavin Newsom

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Yo mama's so old, she pre-ordered the Bible. --Submitted by Wittenburg Door

Today's Peace of History: October 10, 1963: The Limited Test Ban Treaty—banning nuclear tests in the oceans, in the atmosphere, and in outer space—went into effect. The nuclear powers of the time—the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union—had signed the treaty earlier in the year.

The most perfect political community is one in which the middle class is in control, and outnumbers both of the other classes. --Aristotle

Bennie Bee always planned road trips by the gas stations along the highway. He could only use the BP stations. >< I peed on a bush in Texas during a road trip. Now the secret service is looking for me.

..........When I jumped out on that road..........Van Halen with David Lee Roth …..Runnin' With The Devil

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, October 10, 2025: ePistle on the go. Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: Education is the foundation of a prosperous society. --Isabella II

Cost of War:

As of 10/09/25 State Department Costs: $276,776,111,298

As of 10/02/25 State Department Costs: $275,201,629,518

As of 10/09/25 Homeland Security: $1,212,343,099,184

As of 10/02/25 Homeland Security: $1,211,719,049,337

As of 10/09/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,332,168,145,348

As of 10/02/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,330,563,388,123

As of 10/09/25 Military Costs: $3,171,146,304,371

As of 10/02/25 Military Costs: $3,169,927,861,773

As of 10/09/25 Veterans Care: $4,523,437,604,602

As of 10/02/25 Veterans Care: $4,511,273,625,607

As of 10/09/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,515,873,819,315

As of 10/02/25 Total Cost of Wars:$10,499,687,508,762

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

Nature is indifferent to the survival of the human species, including Americans. --Adlai Stevenson I

Famous Last Words: Oh, joy! (Oh gioia!) Verdi La traviata

..........Till love and mercy are spread throughout the land.........Ben Vereen …..I'll Keep My Light In My Window

I am not a hoodlum. I'm a community organizer. --Bobby Seale

What did Endive say to Iceberg as they started on their road trip? Lettuce travel. >< I heard “Hotel California” 6 times during my cross country road trip. You can change the station any time you like, but the song just never leaves. >< On our road trip to Portland, my car dropped acid and had an auto body experience.

May Peace navigate

And Joy provide the music

prairie mama

christine

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