Famous First Words: Who knows what evil lurks... The Shadow (radio show 1932-1354)
Netflix is cracking down on password sharing. Their plan is to limit password sharing only to family members who live in your household... This is gonna be a huge blow to nick cannon. ++ if you told me we were going to last longer than blockbuster, i would have sooner believed i would be working at blockbuster in 20 years. --Jimmy Kimmel
There are two ways of attaining an important end, force and perseverance; the silent power of the latter grows irresistible with time. --Sophie Swetchine
..........Hoping to take you away.........The Beatles …..Magical Mystery Tour
From the first day to this, sheer greed was the driving spirit of civilization. --Friederich Engels
It is a bright and shiny Friday morning. The sun is finally up and spotlighting everything from blades of grass (still green) to rooftops. It is quiet; no birds singing, no cars revving their motors, no children laughing. There is no wind to move the tree branches so even the willow is still. It's as if the night was so silent it carried past dawn to midmorning. Puck was out briefly and is now sleeping under my desk. I have not seen the cat this morning; she must have her own agenda today. The dishwasher is full to the brim of clean plates and pans and the house is still clean from its pre-Christmas treatment. All this and writing to you makes it a great day.
Hope your weekend is fun and your year is the best yet, revelers.
First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: May all your devices charge with the same cable. --Earthy Herbs
Old Year Joke of the Week: 2025: The year that stopped making cents. --Ali Lesher
I read the other day that... The planet is facing a shortage of sand... Which means we'll soon have nothing to stick our heads in. ++ My daughter, Jane, refuses to eat anything. She's three years old. It's hollywood. She's concerned about her weight. --Jimmy Kimmel
Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. --Newt Gingrich
..........Please, don't be long..........The Beatles …..Blue Jay Way
Trivia Questions: Today is the 148th anniversary of the “first” Socialist Labor Party Convention .
Where was the convention held?
What name change was enacted?
Who was included in the membership?
The most significant action concerned electoral politics; what was it?
What publication came out of the convention?
Big Hello: Elo – Tetum (a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in East and West Timor.) https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm
Old Year Joke of the Week: Vermont protest sign of the year: VANCE SKIS IN JEANS
Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: So many people inspired me to be nothing like them. --Hippie Love
Image of the Week: Twin squirrels eating peanuts and sunflower seeds ~~This week I had a ruby throated house finch. But I didn't get a picture.
Seasonal Quote of the Week: In our perfect ways, in the ways we are beautiful, in the ways we are human -- we are here. Happy New Year's. Let's make it ours. --Beyoncé
This was the highest rated super bowl... Tubi scored a record 13.6 million viewers... Which beat their previous record by 13.6 million viewers, ++ I spend a lot of time online and do you know what the most dangerous neighborhood in the country is right now? The comment section on every webpage. --Jimmy Kimmel
Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other. --Walter Elliot
..........You say, “Why”? And I say, “I don't know”.........The Beatles …..Hello, Goodbye
Moonbeam: Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms. --Thomas Gray
Blasphemy of the Week: Unbeknownst to most theologians there was a fourth wiseman, who was turned away for bringing fruitcake. --Submitted by MMS
Coffee Joke of the Week: Every cup of coffee in December tastes like it's sprinkled with a little bit of holiday magic. Or desperation. Same thing. --Coffee
Old Year Joke of the Week: Donald Trump changed his name to Tonald Drump. Now his name doesn't appear anywhere in the Epstein files.
Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Music is just wiggling air and color is just wiggling light. --Submitted by MMS
Snow disrupted the winter Olympics. It's like water interrupting a swim meet. It doesn't make any sense. ++ I made fun of OJ. A thousand times. He hasn't tried to kill me once. --Jimmy Kimmel
Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained. --Marie Curie
..........The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still.........The Beatles …..Foot Of The Hill
1) The National Convention of the Workingmen's Party of the United States, assembled in Newark, New Jersey on December 26, 1877.
Almanac: It is Friday, December 26, 2025. The moon enters its first quarter tomorrow (12/27) and is in Pisces. Today is Boxing Day, National Candy Cane Day, and National Thank You Note Day.
Among those born on this day were Thomas Gray (1716), Juan Lovera (1778), Wilhelm Volkmar (1812), Martinus Nijhoff (1826), Mendelssohn (1855), Friedrich Engel (1861), Henry Miller (1891), Mao Tse-tung (1893), Gregory Rimsky-Korsakov (1901), Richard Widmark (1914), Steve Allen (1921), Alan King (1927), and Ozzie Smith (1954).
On December twenty-sixth the pilgrims arrived at Plymouth (1620), the Treaty of Southern Netherlands was signed (1748), the Erie Canal opened (1825), wood-pulp paper was introduced (1854), the percolator was patented (1854), the first Socialist Labor Party of North American convention was held (1877), the US nationalized the railroads for WWI (1917), My Sister Eileen premiered on Broadway (1940), Churchill became PM (1941), Glass Menagerie premiered (1944), The last episode of The Shadow aired on radio (1954), and Magical Mystery Tour aired (BBC, 1967).
Night Sky, 12/26: Waxing crescent Moon near Saturn in the early evening, brilliant Jupiter rising in the east, and the last chance to catch the tail end of the kappa Velids meteor shower in the predawn hours
Fraternal Picture of the Week: Could be dance class or exercise class or some arcane Seattle ritual.
This Week: Saturday, December 27 – Howdy Doody Day & International Day for Epidemic Preparedness, and Visit The Zoo Day
Sunday, December 28 – Endangered Species Act Day & Pledge of Allegiance Day & Short Films Day
Night Sky, 12/28: The moon moves eastward towards the Pleiades star cluster. You might catch a faint trace of the 31/ATLAS Comet in the predawn sky with a good telescope.
Monday, December 29 – YMCA Day (the organization not the song) & Tick Tock Day
Tuesday, December 30 – Bacon Day & Falling Needles Family Fest Day
Night Sky, 12/30: Sunrise: 7:39 am Sunset: 5:08 pm (9 hours and 29 minutes of daylight) Moonrise: 3:28 am Moonset: 1:28 pm
Wednesday, December 31 – Hogmanay & Universal Hour of Peace Day & World Healing Day
Night Sky, 12/31 : The moon closes the year beside the Seven Sisters, a quiet farewell written in starlight.
Thursday, January 1 - First Foot Day & Mummer's Parade & World Day of Peace
On a Yankee player pouring a cup of ale down his teammate's pants: that's what's known as an Irish bidet. ++ On the rash of supermoons we've had lately: this is the kind of thing we used to be interested in before we had instagram. --Jimmy Kimmel
By perseverance the snail reached the ark. --Charles Spurgeon
..........that was a hit before your mother was born.........The Beatles …..Your Mother Should Know
2) The convention officially changed the name of the WPUS to the "Socialist Labor Party.
Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: The only thing standing between me and greatness is me. --Submitted by Club42
Moonbeam: The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough is love. --Henry Miller
Old Year Joke of the Week: A new report says that Elon Musk takes 20 pills a day. My 93 year old friend calls that amateur hour.
Fun Fact of the Week: 1.7 billion candy canes are made annually, mostly in December. There are bacon, mac & cheese, and even ketchup flavored candy canes. Christmas just got a whole lot weirder. https://mcphee.com/collections/candy-canes
Video of the Week: Steve Allen: Sports Roundup (1:46)
Personal Note of the Week: I have long had a sense that Christmas/Solstice should be a time of quiet reflection not a loud celebration. The older I get the more I feel that way.
Some laws of state aimed at curbing crime are even more criminal. --Friederich Engels
'Tis known by the name of perseverance in a good cause, and of obstinacy in a bad one. --Laurence Sterne
The IRS currently has 15,000 employees responsible for handling more than 240 million calls... The current wait time to speak with a representative is 27 years ++ Coronavirus. as you know, was started by Netflix to get people to watch more of their television. --Jimmy Kimmel
..........And nothing to get hung about.........The Beatles …..Strawberry Fields Forever
3) The gathering was attended by representatives of 29 sections: 17 German, 7 English, 3 Bohemian [Czech], 1 French, and 1 women's. The report of the National Executive Committee claimed a membership for the organization of about 7,000 in good standing, spread across 72 sections.
Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Honestly, I don't want a brand new year. I want a gently used one. ...Maybe a 2013 ...I'd even take a 1995 if it's still in decent condition. https://www.facebook.com/imnotrightinthehead
Old Year Joke of the Week: Panama? Greenland? Why aren't we planning to invade countries with good wine? I mean, why else did we appoint a Defense Secretary with a drinking problem?
Weird Word of the Week: Filipendulous – suspended by or strung upon a thread https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/beautiful-useless-obscure-words
Dragon of the Week: No comment
Wacky Uses for Common Products: Clean bloodstains from clothes. Saturate the bloodstain with Coca-Cola, let sit for five minutes, and then launder as usual. Coke removes blood from clothing – even dried blood that has gone through the washing machine and dryer. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/cocacola.html
Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th. --Julie Andrews
On the Q-anon theory of dead Kennedy's resurrecting: if you're gonna believe that a band is the dead Kennedys in disguise, wouldn't you assume that band was the Dead Kennedys, or is that too obvious? ++ It's hard to tell when it's Halloween in Hollywood. We have crazy people walking around in costumes every night here. --Jimmy Kimmel
...........I am the egg man.........The Beatles …..I Am The Walrus
4) The convention removed the prohibition against electoral participation. Some of the group's anti-electoral Marxists left the organization in the aftermath of this gathering, forming the International Labor Union (ILU).
Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Your future doctor is using ChatGPT to pass medical school. You better start eating healthier! --Submitted by Laughing Librarian
Old Year Joke of the Week: The Orange Ogre is, in fact, doing something about gun violence. He wants to do away with schools. No schools, no school shootings.
Science Fiction Convention of the Week: Akeome Con 2025 (27-28, Minnetonka, MN) adults-only, immersive experience... https://akeomecon.com/
Peace Quote of the Week: The devil is the author of all war. --Justin Martyr --Submitted by The Celtic Christian Tradition
Spark of Joy of the Week: The Silent Monks “sing” The Hallelujah Chorus. (3:40) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRhjWdr-LAA
If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius. --Joseph Addison
On women dating younger men: we call this 'the Reverse Dicaprio. ++ On Jay Leno's retirement: I’m not going to lie: I feel like a huge chin has been lifted off of my shoulders. --Jimmy Kimmel
..........How does it feel to be one of the beautiful people.........The Beatles …..Baby You're A Rich Man
5) In 1878, the SLP established the New Yorker Volkszeitung, a publication which ultimately proved to be one of the longest lived in the history of American radical publishing.
Protest Sign of the Week: Orange: The New Black Stain On America's Moral Compass.
Quote of the Week: Physical matter is music solidified. --Pythagoras
Old Year Joke of the Week: McDonald's is reporting a 3% decline in revenue in the first quarter, mainly because of the Yabba Dabba Doofus being on one of those weight-loss drugs.
Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: A reverse Hanukkah miracle. I had an 8 day supply of donuts that lasted 1 day. --Michael Dickson
Today's Peace of History: December 26, 1971: Two dozen members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War "liberated" the Statue of Liberty with a sit-in to protest resumed U.S. aerial bombings in Vietnam. They flew an inverted U.S. flag from the crown as a signal of distress.
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. --John Quincy Adams
On computer holiday cards: I want something I can take out of the envelope, look at, ask my wife 'who are these kids?' Never figure it out between us and then throw it in the garbage. ++ On dining out with children: it turns out the only bad thing about mother's day is having children. --Jimmy Kimmel
..........There beneath the blue suburban skies I sit and meanwhile, back.........The Beatles …..Penny Lane ~~The first 9 songs today are from the Magical Mystery Tour Album. There was a 10th song, Flying, which is an instrumental.
Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, December 26, 2025: Jimmy's ePistle . Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.
Moonbeam: A summary of every Jewish holiday: They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat. --Alan King
Old Year Joke of the Week: Laughter may not actually be the best medicine, but according to RFK Jr it is more effective than the measles vaccine.
Final Old Year Joke of the Week: If 2025 were a drink it would probably be colonoscopy prep.
Cost of War:
As of 12/25/25 State Department Costs: $282,903,955,387
As of 12/18/25 State Department Costs: $282,365,859,671
As of 12/25/25 Homeland Security: $1,218,999,203,600
As of 12/18/25 Homeland Security: $1,218,414,677,411
As of 12/25/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,349,283,761,430
As of 12/18/25 Interest on War Debt: $1,347,780,685,731
As of 12/25/25 Military Costs: $3,184,141,458,478
As of 12/18/25 Military Costs: $3,183,000,227,865
As of 12/25/25 Veterans Care: $4,653,177,494,231
As of 12/18/25 Veterans Care: $4,641,783,448,346
As of 12/25/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,688,507,503,721
As of 12/18/25 Total Cost of Wars: $10,673,346,267,140
https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/
Freedom is the recognition of necessity. --Friederich Engels
Observation of the Week: The public mantra at the moment seems to be “why isn't he gone yet (one way or another)? The answer is simple...We haven't learned what it is we need to learn yet. {By the way, I always think that the lesson to be learned is PAY ATTENTION! } The lesson may not be political; it may be totally different.
Famous Last Words: O, it's grand. We'll have a swell time here. --My Sister Eileen
….......I sat on the rug biding my time.........The Beatles …..Norwegian Wood
Perseverance doesn't always mean winning and losing. Perseverance means showing up and rising to the occasion and performing. --Micahel Chiesa
The most powerful man in the world and the richest man in the world — each with their own missiles — are throwing haymakers at each other like Real Housewives on the girls’ trip. This could get dangerously out of control. But thankfully, a cooler head has stepped in to calm things down. Kanye tweeted, 'Bros, please, nooooo! [Hug emoji] We love you both so much.' --Stephen Colbert 6/6/25
May Peace shade your days
And Joy fill your nights
prairie mama
christine
Last Laugh:
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