Famous First Words: And now for something completely different... Monty Python
It is International Ninja Day. My ninja disguise is fat-old-lady. Î If you cross a hippie and a ninja you get peace and quiet.
Be a warrior when it comes to delivering on your ambitions. And a saint when it comes to treating people with respect, modeling generosity, and showing up with outright love. --Robin S Sharma
..........Please allow me to introduce myself.........Rolling Stones …..Sympathy For The Devil
There is a power in public opinion in this country – and I thank God for it: for it is the most honest and best of all powers – which will not tolerate an incompetent or unworthy man to hold in his weak or wicked hands the lives and fortunes of his fellow-citizens. --Martin Van Buren
It is a bright, cold (37°F) Friday morning. The sky is smeared with white clouds, or perhaps they are decaying jet trails. There is a southerly wind that reminds one that it is a cold morning. But birds and other wildlife are out and about checking the peanut bowl and eating a few sunflower seeds. Calls of the crow and the blue jay are heard; but a softer background of bird chirps can be heard also. Patches of snow scatter the yard where the grass is still very green. I am indoors eating a blueberry turnover and sniffing the jasmine incense. The doctor told me I was doing okay and should come back in 3 months and I am delighted to be part of life today.
Hope your weekend is full of delightful surprises, ePistle-ninjas
First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: The problem with the gene pool is that there's no lifeguard. --Submitted by INRITH
I'm on a strict Ninja Diet. I eat in stealth mode. Î If you mess up at ninja-church the nun chucks you out.
Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need. --Khalil Gibran
..........But never in this sweet short life have I felt like this before.........Rolling Stones …..No Expectations
Trivia Questions: The Venus I probe began orbiting Venus in 1978. What have we learned?
How long is a day on Venus?
How long is a year on Venus?
What is the mean temperature on Venus?
In which direction does Venus spin: clockwise or counterclockwise?
Why is it named after the goddess Venus?
Big Hello: Isänme - Tatar https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm
Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Today I ate all the remaining Halloween candy while reheating my Thanksgiving leftovers and listening to Christmas music. I have reached the trifecta of holiday Nirvana. --Submitted by Laughing Librarian
Image of the Week: Crow with Peanuts ~~The other crow flew away or it would have been Attempted Murder With Peanuts.
I didn't understand Michelangelo's jokes but the rest of the turtles thought it was shell-arious. Î Ninja turtles make terrible co-workers. They're always destroying the Shredder.
Make space in your life for the things that matter, for family and friends, love and generosity, fun and joy. Without this, you will burn out in mid-career and wonder where your life went. --Jonathan Sacks
..........There's a pain where there once was a heart.........Rolling Stones …..Dear Doctor
Moonbeam: Love shall be our token; love be yours and love be mine. --Christina Rossetti
Blasphemy of the Week: Jesus Heals Demon-Possessed Man By Taking Away His Smartphone. --Submitted by Wittenburg Door
Coffee Joke of the Week: Birds get their morning coffee at NestCafe.
Distant Cousin of Blasphemy of the Week: I don't have an advent calendar so I'm just opening cupboard doors and eating whatever's in there. --Submitted by MMS
Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I run like the winded. --Submitted by Club42
Homeoffice Ninja: A master of looking busy in an online meeting while secretly watching cat videos. Î A ninja with red hair is called a ginja.
Those values that I think relate to gumbo diplomacy are generosity, hospitality, its kindness...all of that. --Linda Thomas-Greenfield
..........I'll break big in New Orleans.........Rolling Stones …..Parachute Woman
1) It takes Venus longer to rotate once on its axis than to complete one orbit around the sun. It takes 243 Earth days to make one Venus day. It's the longest day in the solar system.
Almanac: It is Friday, December 5, 25. The moon was full (Cold) yesterday (12/4) and is in Gemini. The United Nations has declared this International Volunteer Day for Economic & Social Development and World Soil Day (FAO). Today is AFL-CIO Day, Bathtub Party Day, Columbian International Day of the Reef, International Ninja Day, Krampusnacht, National Repeal Day, and Sachertorte Day. Because it is the first Friday in December it is also Bartender Appreciation Day, Faux Fur Friday, and National Salesperson Day.
Among those born on this day were Scarlotti (1666), Germiniani (1687), Martin Van Buren (1782), Christina Rossetti (1830), George Custer (1839), John Bridge (1844), Fritz Lang (1890), Sonny Boy Williamson (1899), Otto Preminger (1905), Abraham Polonsky (1910), Carl "Kansas" Fields (1915), Simone Gallimard (1817), Little Richard (1932), Joan Didion (1934), Calvin Trillin (1935), Andy Kim (1946), Jim Messina (1947), and Margaret Cho (1968).
On December fifth Euridice by Caccini premiered (1602), Christie's held their first auction (1766), Phi Beta Kappa became the US's first scholastic fraternity (1776), Washington was re-elected (1798), Jefferson was re-elected (1804), Requiem by Berlioz prmiered (1837), the first electric car went 15 miles between charges (1893), the first football uniforms with numerals were worn (UofPA, 1908), Einstein was granted a US visa (1932), the first commercial hydroponics plant opened (1935), the National Council of Negro Women formed (1935), Angel Street premiered (1941), the Committee on Civil Rights was created by Executive Order (1946), Dragnet premiered (1951), the Matchmaker premiered (1956), Beggar's Banquet by the Rolling Stones was released (1968), the final episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus aired (1974), OJ rushed for 203 yards (1976), and Venus I began orbiting Venus (1978).
Night Sky, 12/5: Iapetus, a moon of Saturn reaches superior conjunction with Saturn. Observers will see the 11th-magnitude moon south of the planet. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/sky-at-a-glance/
Fraternal Picture of the Week: Art Appreciation in Downtown Seattle ~~The statue is Ivar Feeding The Gulls. ~~This may be apocryphal but I have heard Ivar had a "no one should ever go hungry" mantra after his mother was starved to death by a celebrity "diet specialist", which led him to open Ivar's clam chowder on the waterfront, and he would hand out leftover food every day - even to the seagulls. --ay of wa
This Week: Saturday, December 6 – Bike Shop Day & Mitten Tree Day & International Day to End Femicide
Sunday, December 7 – International Civil Aviation day & Pearl Harbor Day & National Slime Day
Night Sky, 12/7: Jupiter can be seen in conjunction with the moon. And the Puppid-Velids meteor shower is active from December 1 to December 15, 2025, with its peak activity around December 7. This minor shower is best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, where it can produce up to 10 meteors per hour.
Monday, December 8 – Green Monday & National Day Of Lard & Toilet Paper Appreciation Day
Tuesday, December 9 – International Anti-Corruption Day & World Techno Day & Weary Willie Day
Wednesday, December 10 – Dewey Decimal Day & International Animal Rights Day & Jane Addams Day & Nobel Prize Day
Night Sky, 12/10: Sunrise: 7:30 am Sunset: 4:59 pm Moonrise: 11:31 pm (12/10) Moonset: 12:28 pm The moon reaches its last quarter.
Thursday, December 11 – Kaleidoscope Day & National Stretching Day & UNICEF Birthday
A lot of ninja jokes have the same punchline. Favorite drink: Fruit Punch Make a ninja laugh: Punchline. Î How many ninjas does it take...hey, where did that light bulb come from?
True generosity is too frequently eaten up by prosperity and riches. --Ellen G White
..........But when it comes to the nitty-gritty.........Rolling Stones …..Jigsaw Puzzle
2) A year on Venus is equal to 225 earth days.
Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Starting sentences in the lower case is a protest against capitalism. --Submitted by Laughing Librarian
Moonbeam: To make an omelette, you need not only those broken eggs but someone “oppressed” to beat them: every revolutionist is presumed to understand that, and also every woman, which either does or does not make 51 percent of the population of the United States a potentially revolutionary class. --Joan Didion
Fun Fact of the Week: The Krampus (German: [ˈkʁampʊs]) is a horned anthropomorphic figure who, in the Central and Eastern Alpine folkloric tradition, is said to accompany Saint Nicholas on visits to children during the night of 5 December (Krampusnacht; "Krampus Night"), immediately before the Feast of St. Nicholas on 6 December. In this tradition, Saint Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with small gifts, while Krampus punishes badly behaved ones with birch rods.
Audio of the Week: Sonny Boy Williamson Bring It On Home https://youtu.be/eQCBdGXsJnA
The government should not be guided by Temporary Excitement, but by Sober Second Thought. --Martin Van Buren
It takes generosity to discover the whole through others. If you realize you are only a violin, you can open yourself up to the world by playing your role in the concert. --Jacques Yves Cousteau
When I went to Japan on vacation, I didn't see a single ninja. Impressive. Î Nancy Ninja was so paranoid she couldn't trust anyone. She always had a sneaking suspicion.
..........Hey, think the time is right for a palace revolution.........Rolling Stones …..Street Fighting Man
3) The mean temperature on Venus is 462°C / 863°F. This is because of the high concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which works to produce an intense greenhouse effect. Heat is trapped in the atmosphere like a blanket. This makes Venus hotter than Mercury.
Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: If women are bad at parking, it's only because we are constantly lied to about what 8 inches is. --Submitted by RHOZ
Weird Word of the Week: Testerical: /tes*ter*iu*cal/ adjective The male for hysterical. Loud. Dramatic. Wrong. --Denielle Burdick
Dragons of the Week:
Wacky Uses for Common Products: Extend the life of freshly cut flowers. Add one-quarter teaspoon (twenty drops) of Clorox bleach to each quart of water used in your vase. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/clorox4.html
Too many have dispensed with generosity in order to practice charity. --Albert Camus
I've decided to become a ninja. I took the first step and bought some sneakers. Î Surprise parties for ninjas are called mass funerals.
...........Took all he had and started down the road.........Rolling Stones …..Prodigal Son
4) Almost all planets in the Solar System spin anti-clockwise on their axis and orbit the sun in an anti-clockwise direction. Venus also orbits the Sun anti-clockwise but spins clockwise on its axis.
Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Don't Make The Same Mistakes Twice...Say no to reincarnation. --Reformed Buddhists --Submitted by Philosophy Matters
Science Fiction Convention of the Week: Cajun Con (8-7. Gonzales, LA) A Gumbo of Pop Culture https://www.cajunconla.com/
Mystery of the Week: Has anyone ever found out what the knights in white sat in?
Spark of Joy of the Week: Woody Guthrie singing “Old Man Trump” a song about the president's father and his struggle to disobey NYC's fair housing laws. https://woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Old_Man_Trump.htm ~~See Peace of History below
Every minute of every hour of every day you are making the world, just as you are making yourself, and you might as well do it with generosity and kindness and style. --Rebecca Solnit
At Christmas Neil Ninja becomes the Ninjabread man. Î My cat just started studying ninja ways. She tried to sneak up on me but accidentally knocked over the lamp.
..........If she's so wild, then she can join in too.........Rolling Stones …..Stray Cat Blues
5) It is thought that Venus was named after the beautiful Roman goddess (Greek Aphrodite) due to its bright, shining appearance in the sky. Of the 5 planets known to ancient astronomers, Venus would have been the brightest.
Protest Sign of the Week: Give Me Ribberty Or Give me Death (Picture of a cute frog)
Better Protest Sign of the Week: Looking 4 Dr Who Accepts Concepts-Of-A-Plan Health Insurance
Best Protest Sign of the Week: Seize The “Beans” Of Production (Starbucks Strike Picket Line)
Quote of the Week: We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love and then we return home. --Australian Aboriginal Proverb
Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: It is unfair that Greedy McGolfy* gets to sleep through his presidency and we don't. --Andy Borowitz *One of Jimmy Kimmel's 78 Hilarious Nicknames
Today's Peace of History: December 5, 1957: New York became the first city to legislate against racial or religious discrimination in housing (Fair Housing Practices Law).
The opposite of corporate greed is personal generosity. Government policies that enable the former and prevent the latter are both worthy of protest. --Cynthia Dill
Typed “ninja” into a thesaurus. It said: ninjas cannot be found”. Well played, ninjas, well played. Î My WiFi is faster than a ninja on Red Bull.
..........We get buses everywhere.........Rolling Stones …..Factory Girl
Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, December 5, 2025: Sneaky ePistle . Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.
Moonbeam: The newest victims of the nation's foreclosure crisis are pets, which is extremely distressing to me. --Margaret Cho
Cost of War:
As of 12/04/25 State Department Costs: $281,200,637,877
As of 11/27/25 State Department Costs: $280,656,067,730
As of 12/04/25 Homeland Security: $1,217,149,032,217
As of 11/27/25 Homeland Security: $1,216,557,630,841
As of 12/04/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,344,526,225,376
As of 11/27/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,343,005,455,857
As of 12/04/25 Military Costs: $3,180,529,289,840
As of 11/27/25 Military Costs: $3,179,374,234,424
As of 12/04/25 Veterans Care: $4,617,114,895,992
As of 11/27/25 Veterans Care: $4,605,586,484,229
As of 11/27/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,625,185,351,746
As of 12/04/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,640,522,362,781
https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/
In a government whose distinguishing characteristic should be a diffusion and equalization of its benefits and burdens, the advantages to the individual will be augmented at the expense of the community at large. --Martin Van Buren
Famous Last Words: There are not enough Indians in the world to defeat the Seventh Cavalry. --General George Armstrong Custer
..........Spare a thought for the stay-at-home voter.........Rolling Stones …..Salt Of The Earth
Generosity has built America. When we fail to invest in children, we have to pay the cost. --Bob Keeshan
So, I went to a ninja parade. It was a complete rip off. I didn't see a damned thing, but I kept finding candy in my pockets. Î Ninjas deal with fear by giving it to others.
May Peace shield your heart
And Joy protect your soul
prairie mama
christine
Last Laugh:
