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February 9, 2026

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are you ready?

(in education, research, preparedness, advice)

Readiness quiz. A fun way to assess how ready you are for an emergency. Supply chains are fragile. The grid is vulnerable. When disaster strikes, you're on your own. Take the quick quiz to get your Ready Score and discover your family' ... read more

great homeschooling option

(in education, school, homeschooling)

This podcast interviews the creators of a homeschooling option that seems really terrific and very inexpensive called Firefly. They also mention how people can create classes on any subject to teach children and get paid for it. So if you ... read more

chatgpt reliability

(in education, tech, ai)

As a joke (and to point out how ChatGPT is frequently USELESS, I asked about the projection of silver for the next year (FYI, it already passed $100)Silver Price Outlook for the Next Year (2026)Base Case Projection (Most Likely)$40-$60 per ... read more

how to survive the big freeze

(in life, weather, advice)

Great ideas and tips. Watch on BitchuteIt reminds me of the Amish home I was invited into last week when it was about 25. It was very nice and toasty. As you know, they use their big iron sto ... read more

how to spot fake silver coins

(in education, research, money, coins)

Silver Nearing $100 Is Fueling Counterfeits. Here's How to Spot Fake Coins. But even more fake silver is paper silver ETFs. At least you get some interesting metal in a fake coin. ... read more

interesting tools and tips for entrepreneurs

(in life, employment, entrepreneurship)

Interesting tools and tips for entrepreneurs. This might inspire someone:Reinvent Yourself to PROSPER in 2026 and Beyond ... read more

how tattoos affect your immune system

(in education, health)

I've always suspected that they're unhealthy, long-term. Humans have been tattooing their skin for thousands of years, and the practice has grown in popularity across the world in recent decades. However, tattoos don't come without risks ... read more

anybody can easily grow potatoes

(in life, health, food, gardening)

Here's an article that tells how to do it in leaves or cardboard: selfsufficientprojects/how-to-grow-potatoes-in-only-leavesReceived: 2025-12-23We h ... read more

finding your footing after life takes an unexpected turn

(in life, health, mental, advice)

Major life changes affect everyone. Whether it's a career shift, a move to a new place, the end of a relationship, a health diagnosis, or becoming a parent, these moments disrupt routines and challenge identity. This article explores prac ... read more

the "greatest" names of modern-day personal tech

(in culture, tech, computers)

Bill: Seems like whenever people mention the greatest names of modern-day personal tech, they mention Steve Jobs (not Wozniack), Bill Gates (not Balmer), maybe Hewlett, Packard and Linus Torvalds, etc. No one mentions the founders of Wo ... read more

the new core subject: teaching digital literacy in today's schools

(in education, tech, computers)

In an age where students learn, communicate, and create through screens, developing digital literacy has become as foundational as reading and writing. Schools across the world are redesigning curricula to help middle and high school stude ... read more

copilot ai 2026 world cup prediction full bracket

(in culture, sports, soccer, world-cup)

2026 World Cup Prediction: Full Bracket ... read more

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external news feeds
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the lies get so tedious
Human existence itself, actually. It's one version of reality versus another. The solution is to create a better reality.

what if nato died?
The world would rejoice.

ex-fifa prez backs call to 'stay away' from wc
The ridiculously high prices are already accomplishing that.

establishing relationships in your new locale, by sarasue
Good article.

jd vance: the new trump doctrine is "f*ck you!"
Classy, as always.

if trump succeeds at acquiring greenland, will he stop there?
No, he wants all of North America, and Bibi wants the entire Middle East.

court confirms trudeaus emergencies act invocation against freedom convoy was illegal
Conveniently, too little too late.

satire: nfl announces each quarter of playoff game will be broadcast on different streaming service
It is getting harder and harder to be a sports fan.

"you know they march every fbi member into the holocaust museum?"
I'm sure they march them into the Holodomor, Nakba and Armenian holocaust museums, too. Oh, wait...

danish pm warns us attack on greenland would destroy nato
You say that like it's a bad thing.

under trump's madness, insanity has consumed this country
Trump is just one of many insane misleaders on both sides of the aisle.

us imposes visa bans on key figures involved in global censorship pressure
...unless these censors are anti-Palestine and pro-Israel.

a victory for informed consent: cdc panel reverses decades-old newborn vaccine policy
So far, it looks like RFK Jr is the only good thing about this Trump administration.

"stop antisemitism" founder says antisemites will be hunted down and destroyed "for the rest of your life"
She can start with the world's worst anti-Semites, the Israeli government and military.

uk arrests 33 people a day for social media posts
I'll probably be arrested for this website if I ever visit.

the controversial call that may ultimately knock baltimore out of the playoffs
He had the ball in his hands for two steps. Horrible call.

adams sets semifinals goal for usmnt after draw
That's my hope, and that's what Copilot AI predicts.

how mls keeps getting better beyond messi's magic -- but no one seems to care
No one seems to care because it's all behind a paywall.

us institute of peace renamed after president trump
I thought this was satire, but apparently not.

trump announces invasion of venezuela to come
Such a pinhead.

rfk jr plans overhaul of child vaccine schedule: report
This is long overdue. Childhood vaccinations have gotten ridiculous.

trump invites netanyahu to his fifth white house meeting
Netanyahu is the one calling the shots, so it only makes sense.

One name, five books, a singular journey...
by William Arthur Holmes

Temporary Insanity, Operation Detour, Dobie's Dilemma, Lottery President and Another Way have been stitched together as an episodic saga starring Dobie Pokorny.

Yes, Benny, Alex, and Dub have new names. To those who loved them: thank you. This isn’t a rewrite; it’s a reframing. Each book still stands on its own.

The man, the myth, the legend? In his own mind, absolutely. Follow Dobie’s misadventures through bad breakups; cult and anti‑cult entanglements in L.A.; hit men and hit women across Southeast Asia; an unexpected lottery win and presidential run back home, complete with the by‑now expected assassination attempts; a manifesto, more assassination attempts, an alien or hallucination (depending on who you ask), confrontation with the powers-that-be, and true love at last.

random older posts

first doctor's visit in years

(in culture, writing, blog, health from 2022)

Yesterday, I had my first doctor's appointment in several years. Hey, I've been healthy. Shocking, I know. There was a sign on the outside door saying masks required, and a sign on the interior door saying the same thing. The receptionis ... read more

my writer's platform

(in culture, writing, books from 2013)

WilliamArthurHolmes is my writer's platform, with a page showing where you can buy, preview and/or review all of my books. Or, just look bel ... read more

2019 most dangerous u.s. cities

(in life, travel, usa, crime from 2019)

This article is dated December 2018, and it's based on 2017 data, but whatever. :) ... read more

usb turntable

(in culture, music, tech from 2018)

I'm buying one of these: USB turntable. I've been wanting to co ... read more

thanks to the fda, you really have no idea what's in your food

(in life, health, food, safety from 2011)

It's been stuck this way since the early 1990s, when the FDA hired former Monsanto lawyer Michael Taylor to write the regulations, or lack thereof. ... read more

california, what a trip

(in life, travel, usa, california from 2000) by carla

Before we left, I took Austin to his Grandma Joy's house. We had a good visit and he took to her immediately. I left him on Friday morning and drove back to Nashville. I was supposed to get my ear drums cut open for the plane ride becaus ... read more

what crickets eat

(in family, holmes, elizabeth, insects from 2011)

After catching a cricket and putting it into her bug cage (yes, she has a bug cage), my six-year-old daughter Elizabeth asked, Can you ... um ... look on the Internet and see what crickets eat?I just laughed and said, Yes, I can actual ... read more

satire: brother steve missing

(in family, holmes, humor from 2025)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- My brother Steve went missing. Our brother Doug sounded the alarm via email after not hearing from him for several days. I assumed that knock on the door and brief struggle that Steve's wife was afraid of had fi ... read more

employees surprise hardworking 13-year-old with new lawnmower

(in life, money, employment from 2020)

A Lowe's home improvement store in Tennessee surprised a hardworking 13-year-old with a brand new lawnmower after his mower broke down. Read, listen or watch the rest here at ... read more

Amazon Movers & Shakers

CULTURE

airline cabin announcements

(in culture, humor, jokes, airlines from 2001) by joker

All too rarely, airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:

1. On a Southwest flight 245 (SW has no assig ... read more

the ppp is letting our small restaurants and businesses die

(in culture, food, restaurants, politics from 2020)

"The PPP was supposed to save our small restaurants and businesses. But where's the money?...

: ... read more

mangled english

(in culture, humor, language, english from 2020)

This is pretty new, from the new newsletter in 1992, when the Soviet Union still existed, but it's still funnyHow English is Being Used in Different Parts of the World ... read more

if a man speaks in the forest

(in culture, humor, jokes from 2017) by joker

If a man speaks in the forest and his wife is not there to hear it, is he still wrong?" ... read more

all quotes

(in culture, quotes from 2020)

"When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad; and that is my religion. -- Abraham Lincoln"

"We now live in a nation where doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy ... read more

FAMILY

a few pictures

(in family, adoption, holmes from 2007)

Finally, some pictures of Elizabeth. They're not even the latest, but it should hold you over if you've never seen her before.

our portuguese table

(in family, genealogy, holmes from 2019)

My brother Doug talking about Portuguese genealogy on their January 22, 2019 podcast.

In today ... read more

my own genealogy

(in family, genealogy, holmes from 2020)

Got my genealogy DNA test results back. I have bits from all over the world:

1% E.Central Africa

1% Native American (Chile)

5% Middle Eastern

91% Europe (Portuguese, Flemish, German, Hungarian, Slovak)

beet salad

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2007)

The time stamp on these blog posts are in US Central Time, not Russia time. It's 6 ... read more

summary of our russian adoption experience

(in family, adoption, holmes from 2008)

To sum it all up: We love our daughter. Elizabeth is a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent little girl. We thank Russia for giving her to us. Otherwise, we did not enjoy Russia.

In their defense, we weren't there under normal circumstan ... read more

went for a walk

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2007)

... in the freezing cold, we were THAT bored. I'm starting to hate this place. There's ... read more

and the judge says

(in family, adoption, holmes, travel from 2007) by tara

She's ours!

It's official! Elizabeth is ours. The court hearing went very smooth. It took about an hour and a half. There was a judge, prosecutor, a rep from the Child protective services, and the Minister of Education. They had a ... read more

LIFE

embracing nature's wisdom: designing for harmony, not control

(in life, health, environment, tech from 2025) by copilot

Prompted and edited by Bill.

For centuries, human innovation has often been framed as a battle against nature--conquering the elements, bending the environment to our will, and engineering solutions that impose control. But what if, ... read more

new washer delivered today

(in life, home-garden, appliances from 2013)

The new washer was delivered today. I let them take the new one away even though we'd just bought it (used) a week ago. That's right, it lasted just one week. Oh well, we didn't really need that $200 (after tax and delivery), any ... read more

make the most of your yard by planning an edible landscape

(in life, health, food, home-garden from 2022)

(Natural News) A home garden is a must-have for any prepper. Even if you live in a small house or apartment, you can grow vegetables and herbs on a window sill or in containers like pots or buckets. With some planning, you can al ... read more

wild lettuce to help pain

(in life, health, food, treatment from 2017)

This looks very familiar in my yard. Go here for more info: lettuce

"I ... read more

denied again

(in life, health, insurance from 2013)

This is the second "denial" in as many days. Yesterday it was the life insurance company. Today, I got one of those job application denial emails:

"Thank you for your interest in our [recent] opening. We have had a ... read more

holmes family newsletter vol 5 no 3

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1993)

A Face in the Crowd

Vol. 5, No. 3, May 25, 1993

Eleanor Gets License

After taking the DMV driving test every year since the age of 16, Eleanor has finally passed and been given her drivers license!

"It just go ... read more

holmes family newsletter vol 4 no 6

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1992)

The Barking Dog ... read more

holmes family newsletter vol 5 no 5

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1993)

the rabblerouser Vol. 5, No. 5, August 8, 1993

Bill moving to Nashville

Bill is moving to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue his boyhood dream of being a country sing ... read more

holmes family newsletter vol 6 no 4

(in family, holmes, newsletter from 1994)

Fish Stories Best when lightly buttered, with just a pinch of lemon.

Vol. 6 No. 4

June 28, 1994 Tiffany wins awards

Tiffany and her horse, Rocky, of Tracy, CA, competed in a local horse show a couple of months ... read more

holmes family newsletter vol 4 no 4