Below is everything (newest at top) with "culture OR " in its title or subcategories. For a strict listing (matching all categories and subcats), click hereWORLD CUP 2026 TV SCHEDULEfrom 2026 in ( culture / sports / soccer / world-cup )Go here for a list of upcoming games and times: World Cup schedule... read more ADOPT A BOOMERfrom 2026 in ( culture / humor / politics )An independent journalist named Shannon Joy talks to Jeff Berwick about her idea to adopt a boomer. It's pretty funny but also serious. She mentions the Donald Trump cult which is at a whole other level, especially with boomers. She's located in the Finger Lakes area of upstate New York. Watch at 1.25 or 1.5 speed without any problems. ... read more A LINE FROM MACBETH FITS TRUMP TO A Tfrom 2026 in ( culture / writing / poetry / politics )Everything that comes out of Donald J. Trump's mouth is ... a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.... read more LEADING FROM THE REAR: HOW HERD INSTINCT SHAPES KENTUCKY DERBY CLOSERSfrom 2026 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / triple-crown )I remember my sister telling me how a dominant mare leads her herd from behind, not from in front. Being a lifelong fan of horse racing, it got me wondering how that mindset might apply to horse racing. I asked Copilot, and here is the result... Prompted and edited by Bill Every spring, as the Kentucky Derby field loads into the gate, the same d... read more AUTO REPAIR AND OTHER STUFFfrom 2026 in ( culture / writing / blog / repair )I took my wife's car to Honest-1 Auto Repair in Spring Hill today. A warning light has been saying 'oil change required' for a few months now, but she doesn't drive much. Works from home. Once the odometer finally reached the mileage suggested on the last oil change sticker, though, I scheduled an appointment for 8 AM today. I got b... read more AN AMAZING LIFEfrom 2026 in ( culture / writing / blog )It's been a while since I let you in on the details of my personal life. And I know -- or have to assume because I live such an amazing life -- that you live vicariously through me. Joking! First, I put our Boston terrier, Cleo, in the car. She always sprints to the door to the garage when she knows she's going for a ride, leaving our Yor... read more LINKS TO ENTIRE DOBIE POKORNY SAGAfrom 2026 in ( culture / writing / novels )Here are the links to all five eBooks: Temporary Insanity, Operation Detour, Dobie's Dilemma, Lottery President and Another Way. And I've now got the printed versions listed on there, too. Go to DobiePokorny.com for those same links as well as each one's blurb/synopsis, along with links to every episode available here on Substack.... read more THE GREATEST NAMES OF MODERN-DAY PERSONAL TECHfrom 2025 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 Paul Allen), maybe Hewlett, Packard and Linus Torvalds, etc. No one mentions the founders of Word Perfect and Novell (once separate, then combined, then separate again). And I'd say the Word ... read more HARNESS RACING RETURNS TO CALIFORNIA IN 2026from 2025 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Prompted and edited by Bill.The California Horse Racing Board's approval of dates at Fresno for Watch and Wager harness racing marks a significant step forward for the sport in the state: Barn area dates: November 4, 2026 -- May 11, 2027 Racing days: December 12, 2026 -- May 1, 2027 Location: Fresno, California This allocation means Califor... read more MUNDANE-IN-CHAOS: WHY TRIVIALITY WINS BIG LAUGHSfrom 2025 in ( culture / writing / humor / advice )Prompted and edited by Bill. How a can of Cheez Whiz became comedy geniusand how to use that rhythm in your own writing. The Blues Brothers' Cheez Whiz Masterclass In The Blues Brothers, after a madness-fueled chase, the old man calmly asks, 'Did you remember to get my Cheez Whiz?' It's perfect. The scene is all adrenalinesir... read more IT'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS JOURNEY: FRANKIE DETTORI'S FINAL RACE WILL BE CHILE'S EL DERBYfrom 2025 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Dettori aims to ride in several prestigious races in South America before ending his career in the final leg of the Chilean Triple Crown. See Frankie Dettori's final race... read more COMPLETE LIST OF EMOJISfrom 2025 in ( culture / tech / internet / icons )For the most comprehensive and official reference, check out the Unicode Consortium's Full Emoji List It includes: Every emoji character and sequence Their Unicode code points Sample images from major platforms (Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.) Descriptions and keywords for each emoji If you want a broader catalog that includes all Unicode sym... read more ALL-IN-ONE LIST OF SPORTS RESULTSfrom 2025 in ( culture / sports / winners / list )Year/Season, Event, Winner, Runner-Up, Result/Time 2025, Kentucky Derby, SovereigntySovereignty (Junior Alvarado), JournalismJournalism, 2:02.31 2025, Royal Ascot Gold Cup, Trawlerman (William Buick), Illinois, 4:15.02 2025, UEFA Champions League, Paris Saint-GermainParis Saint-Germain, Inter MilanInter Milan, 5--0 2025, Preaknes... read more SPAM: I AM WRITING TO YOU TODAY UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES OF EXTREME URGENCYfrom 2025 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )It's been a while since I've received a funny enough spam/junk email, but here it is: Dear Contact Us, I am writing to you today under circumstances of extreme urgency. My name is Dennis somebody, a resident of Hurlock, Maryland, and I am formally requesting an emergency loan in the amount of $800,000. This substantial loan is critically ... read more KRISTEN WILL EDIT YOUR REEL OR SHORTfrom 2025 in ( culture / arts-crafts / tech )About this gig: Melrose Edits is based in Los Angeles. We can edit your social media clip in a very short turnaround time. Our samples can be found on multiple Instagram and Youtube profiles. Outsource your work and focus on what you're good at! Let us do your editing for you - and quickly. Check it out at Kristen's Fiverr Platform: Insta... read more THE ART OF GAMBIARRA: A PORTUGUESE LEGACY OF INGENUITYfrom 2025 in ( culture / european / portuguese / invention )Prompted and edited by Bill. In the fabric of Portuguese heritage, there's a thread that doesn't always make the history books but lives on in daily life, duct tape, and last-minute fixes: the art of gambiarra. It's a cultural hallmark -- a proud display of making things work when resources are scarce and instructions are optional. Gamb... read more THE 2025 BELMONT STAKES: JOURNALISM VS. SOVEREIGNTY IN A THRILLING REMATCHfrom 2025 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / triple-crown )Prompted and edited by Bill. Horse racing fans are in for a spectacular showdown this Saturday as Journalism, Sovereignty, and Baeza face off once again in the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes. With the Kentucky Derby winner (Sovereignty) and Preakness Stakes champion (Journalism) both in the field, the race promises fierce competition and a bat... read more KENTUCKY DERBY 2025 IS TODAYfrom 2025 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )The Kentucky Derby is today! I know I'm excited. Are you excited?! I like the following horses (jockey, trainer) in the following order: 8 Journalism (Umberto Rispoli, Mike McCarthy); 21 Baeza (Flavien Prat, John Shirreffs); 18 Sovereignty (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott); 7 Luxor Cafe (Joao Moreira, Noriyuki Hori). Here's the complete list of ... read more A FREE LIBRARY OF CLASSIC BOOKS & NOVELSfrom 2025 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Here's the link: AmericanLiterature.com 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Abigail Adams and Her Times Absalom's Hair A Child's History of England A Christmas Carol A Comic History of the United States A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court A Country Doctor Active Service Adam Bede A Daughter of Jehu A Daughter of the Snows A Doll... read more HOW TO COPY A MUSIC CD TO YOUR PHONEfrom 2025 in ( culture / music / tech )Question: Is there a way to put a CD onto my phone so I can play them from my phone in my car through the radio? Answer: You would have to put your CD into a PC, have the PC convert those songs to files on its hard drive (C:) somewhere, then connect your phone to that PC and copy them from the PC to the phone. The exact steps depend on which operat... read more HAPPY PI DAYfrom 2025 in ( culture / humor / holidays )Of course, in Europe, Pi Day is 31-Apr, which never comes, so it's not such a big deal. Pi Day PiDay.org Wikipedia Pi Day Reminds me of a meme I saw where Trump was signing an executive order to Make February Great Again by adding three more days to the month. ... read more PRO MICROPHONE HAND-MADE IN THE USAfrom 2025 in ( culture / online / audio / tech )Got this spam that I thought others might actually find interesting/useful... My name is Phil Routh, and I work with TzAudioe.com, reaching out to introduce our team. Our company is one of the distributors of TZ Audios LLC. ...we've just launched a Talent Moment Project, so we'd love to invite you to join us. Could our support in locating a... read more WHICH GENERATION AM I?from 2025 in ( culture / research / people / generations )I found this interesting...Where were you when the space shuttle Challenger exploded?The answer to that question is just one example of how generations identify with a shared experience. Baby boomers may have watched from a break room at the office or heard about it on the radio. Many Generation X kids sat in a classroom and watched live on televi... read more NERDY STUFF, TRAILER HITCHES AND SMALL TOWN MAYORSfrom 2024 in ( culture / writing / blog / family )It's been an interesting past several days. 1) My new 2-terabyte external drive went bad after I'd moved all of my music, pictures and videos to it from other drives; 2) Tara needed my help printing a PDF document, which is always exciting; 3) she also needed help at her mother's house to clean out/organize the garage; and 4) Elizabeth ... read more GOING FOR A RIDEfrom 2024 in ( culture / writing / travel / usa )I went for one of my weekend drives. I almost said Sunday drive, but it was a Saturday. Anyway, I brought our dog Cleo with me this time. I never used to, but nowadays I take her almost everywhere because she and our newly adopted Yorkshire terrier, Lily, don't like each other. I'd been online just prior, looking at nearby houses on the mar... read more BRIEF EXPLANATION ABOUT SYRIAfrom 2024 in ( culture / education / politics )Watch on Bitchute And if you want to dig deeper, he points out many more things, including easy links to follow. As usual, James Corbett gives a detailed yet brief summary of the various factors that make the fall of Syria an important world event Very worthwhile to watch and learn. It involves oil, Zionist dreams for Greater Israel and more.... read more OLD POSTS, REVISITEDfrom 2024 in ( culture / writing / blog / travel )FYI, I've been taking travel posts from this site, cleaning them up/updating them as needed, and posting them at williamarthurholmes.substack.com.... read more 2024 BREEDERS CUP A WEEK AWAYfrom 2024 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / breeders-cup )Just one more week until this year's Breeders' Cup, this time at Del Mar. They rotate its location every year. Last year it was at Santa Anita, but has also been held at Keeneland, Churchill Downs, even Monmouth, Belmont, Lone Star, Aqueduct and Canada's Woodbine. I'm sure they'd like to spread it out to even more venues, but... read more DUBAI IS BUILDING THE WORLD'S TALLEST RESIDENTIAL CLOCK TOWERfrom 2024 in ( culture / cities / buildings / residential )Another random spammer sent me this, but it was interesting, so I cleaned it up and published it. Dubai is set to add another towering figure to its skyline. The Aeternitas Tower, officially unveiled at a launch event last week, will be the world's tallest residential clock tower at a staggering 450 meters (1,476 feet) tall, more than four time... read more REIGNING CHAMPIONS OF MAJOR U.S. SPORTSfrom 2024 in ( culture / sports / winners )... as of June 21, 2026Kentucky Derby: Golden TempoMLB: L.A. DodgersMLS: Inter MiamiNBA: New York KnicksNFL: Seattle SeahawksNHL: Carolina HurricanesAll-in-One List Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup Classic Winners... read more GREAT QUOTE RE THE GREATER GOODfrom 2024 in ( culture / quotes )From the writers of the TV show, Nikita, from 2010-2013. Yes, I've been watching. A guilty pleasure. 'First, I protect the people I love, then I worry about the greater good.' From this episode, or the one before or after.... read more CAT FLU VIRUSfrom 2024 in ( culture / humor / covid )Watch on Bitchute Holy sh-t. If you have cats, watch out for this one. The Simpsons reported it years ago. Watch the last couple minutes of this video. Maybe you have seen it before. Hilarious. On Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 06:53:30 PM PDT, someone wrote: The real 'Disease X' is what got Biden selected without protests of election fraud.... read more HILARIOUS NEW PARODY SONGfrom 2024 in ( culture / humor / politics / music )Watch the entire video, not just the preview, here I posted it in lots of FB forums and didn't get automatic rejection It's being frantically censored. See if you can guess why. On Monday, May 20, 2024 at 05:01:05 PM PDT:... read more SOME OF MY FAVORITE ACTORSfrom 2024 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / people / entertainers )... plus a few I have a picture of for other articles, so I included them. It's not my fault the women (other than Mrs. Doubtfire) are all beautiful... read more GOOD HEAVY METAL TRUTH SONGfrom 2024 in ( culture / music / rock / politics )Someone shared this with me. Pretty good. Here's the Deal... read more PHOTOS: ESCALATORS AND STAIRSfrom 2024 in ( culture / photography / wallpaper )You read that right. There's just something fascinating about them, at least in the hands of these photographers.... read more THE KENTUCKY DERBY: A GATEWAY TO IMMORTALITYfrom 2024 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Prompted and edited by Bill.The Kentucky Derby, often referred to as The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports, is not just a race; it's a tradition steeped in history. Since its inception in 1875, the Derby has become the first jewel in the coveted Triple Crown of horse racing, a feat achieved by only a select few of the finest thoroughbreds. ... read more WISDOM IS DEFINED BY WHAT YOU FOCUS ONfrom 2024 in ( culture / quotes / advice )Focus on the title. :)... read more WRITING MANTRASfrom 2024 in ( culture / writing / advice )No, not how to write a mantra. I mean here are a couple of mantras to keep in mind: 1) Most stories are about having something, losing it, and finding it again; 2) Just explain (clearly and concisely) WHAT HAPPENED, and keep it RELATABLE and INTERESTING.... read more LISTS: COMMON OR FAMOUS NAMES, ETCfrom 2024 in ( culture / lists / names / given )I was making a list of names (including titles, states and countries) for a vbScript I'm working on. The list grew to its current size, and I thought I should share it. My gift to mankind, if you will. :) I'm sure I left out plenty, so please add to the list through the Comments section, below.aaronabeabigailabrahamadeleadolfadrianadrian... read more UTOPIA, A SHORT FILM FROM 2019from 2024 in ( culture / film / civics )I haven't watched it yet, but I actually like the social credit score idea, in theory. The problem, as usual, is that it won't be run honestly. The elites will maintain their ill-gotten status at the top. Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2024 3:51 AM Utopia -- 2019 short film Worth a watch. Created in Australia before the scamdemic, before most... read more LIFE IS MEANT TO BE ENJOYEDfrom 2024 in ( culture / quotes / philosophy / religion )Life on Earth is essentially a struggle between those who believe it is meant to be enjoyed, like a dance with many partners, and those who think it is a never-ending competition to be controlled and dominated.... read more OUR 25TH YEARfrom 2024 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )Can you believe we've been online since 1999!?!? Even more unbelievable, we STILL have almost no audience! Truly amazing. Shouting into the void for a quarter century. Quite impressive, no? Anyone reading this can honestly say they're special! Please leave a comment and let us know what you think of us. Check out this for some historical... read more ANOTHER NIGHT WALKING THE DOGfrom 2023 in ( culture / humor / blog / animals )It was just another night out walking our Boston terrier, Cleo. Or so I thought. I put my boots on instead of the usual sneakers because of the recent rain. I like to keep both pairs tied but loose enough to slip on. Still, I have to wedge them on, using my fingers as a shoehorn. I should probably just buy an actual shoehorn... or a pair of these I... read more PUGS DRIVING CARSfrom 2023 in ( culture / humor / pets / dogs )I stumbled upon these new photos and couldn't resist writing this. They were such GREAT dogs. First, it was Joey. Then Chandler said, Me too, Dad! Daisy, though, always the sensible one, said, Those boys are crazy! and she stayed home to play with her favorite toy, Lambie, as any sensible dog would do. ... read more DIARY: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2023from 2023 in ( culture / writing / blog / chores )Today started, as usual, with feeding Cleo, our Boston terrier, and leaving the back door open. It was cool out but not too cold, and I prop the door open, weather permitting, so she can let herself out. With the back door and storm door being mostly glass, installing a pet door would be difficult if not impossible for my limited skills. I then ... read more BRAKES ARE IMPORTANTfrom 2023 in ( culture / writing / blog )I emailed this to my siblings, and the following conversation ensued... On Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 03:22:31 PM PST: Stumbled across this great old photo of our dog Stein attacking a strange man in the back yard of the Edison house Sent: Tuesday, November 7, 2023 3:33 PM yes, my attempt to make my '39 Chevy look more interesting by being ... read more STEVE ZUWALAfrom 2023 in ( culture / music / country / site )This gentleman visited our site, so I thought I'd mention his, here: stevezuwala.comAnd now, after listening to his samples, it's eery how much this guy sounds like my recently-departed brother, Don! You can listen to or buy the latter's songs here.... read more THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF MOVING TO NASHVILLEfrom 2023 in ( culture / writing / blog / nashville )Tomorrow, August 26, will be my 30th anniversary of having moved from Los Angeles to Nashville. : Nashville, or Bust for the newsletter write-up on the trip upon arrival. Here's my route, on Google Maps. Above or to the side, is the woman anxiously awaiting my arrival in Nashville... not. At bottom-right is the condo I eventually moved into -- ... read more WHY IS THE U.S. WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM HATED?from 2023 in ( culture / sports / soccer / women )
For me, it's because they have no class or sportsmenship.'According to many, the team's players have distinguished themselves as prima donnas who feel entitled...'... read more A BROTHER DEPARTSfrom 2023 in ( culture / writing / poetry / obituaries )Always a trailblazer, the first of us to go. Now after the fireworks, he's gone. Here is his obituary... read more #1 COUNTRY SONG? (CATCHY AND TRUE)from 2023 in ( culture / music / country / protest )Trump Truth via Melody Metrics Here's the song I just heard about it today. YouTube has been falsely reducing the views, so it has broken the million views mark many different times, according to the artist. It reached the top of iTunes as of mid-March, and the artist was interviewed on this show which I found interesting:... read more STILL MORE ADVICE FOR WRITERSfrom 2023 in ( culture / writing / advice )I came across this video last night and thought, Yes! Thank you! This guy (and Lee Child) share my disagreement with the saying, Show, Don't Tell. As Child puts it, You tell a story. You don't show a story. That saying might apply to visual story-telling such as film and TV, not so much the written word.Anyway, here's the link to ... read more THE LAZY PUG CAFEfrom 2023 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )The Lazy Pug CafeThe Lazy Pug Caf was a dilapidated new farmhouse abandoned years ago. A massive, ancient oak tree, Ol' Lightnin', lurked out back while the house itself served as a sad but charming reminder of days gone by. Locals were grateful someone was finally bringing the new girl back to life. Come meet pugs Daisy, Chandler and Joey... read more ABBOTT AND COSTELLO BUY A COMPUTERfrom 2023 in ( culture / humor / jokes / computers )This is an old joke, so some of the program names might not be familiar.If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their famous sketch Who's on First? might have turned out something like this:COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTTABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in ... read more VISITED A FAMILY MEMBER TODAYfrom 2023 in ( culture / writing / blog / health )I visited a struggling family member today. He still has trouble walking. Has to hold onto things as he goes. Trouble seeing, too. You never know what he can see or not see in front of him. At least he was much less scary/out-of-it today. His ex-wife later told me the doctors had changed his meds, which helped tremendously. For those who don't ... read more CHATGPT ANSWER TO QUESTION ABOUT KENTUCKY DERBYfrom 2023 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / tech )Me: Who is the most likely winner of the upcoming Kentucky Derby?ChatGPT: At this time, it is difficult to predict the most likely winner of the upcoming Kentucky Derby as the race has not yet taken place.You don't say! Thanks for nothing! It can predict stocks but not horses?... read more WAYS TO TURN DOWN UNWANTED MENfrom 2023 in ( culture / humor / jokes / men-women )He: Can I buy you a drink?She: Actually I'd rather have the money.He: I'm a photographer. I've been looking for a face like yours.She: I'm a plastic surgeon. I've been looking for a face like yours.He: Hi. Didn't we go on a date once? Or was it twice?She: Must've been once. I never make the same mistake twice.He: How did... read more WE ARE LIKE RAINDROPSfrom 2022 in ( culture / quotes / philosophy / religion )We are like raindrops. We start out as a collection of molecules in the clouds. When we get too heavy, we fall to the ground as glorious, individual raindrops, only to hit the ground and return to the collection as a puddle, lake or ocean. That, in a nutshell, is human existence. -- your humble editor... read more GET OUT OF THE CARfrom 2022 in ( culture / humor )...because this had me in tears, laughing. I guess it's a true story.Click on the image to the right.... read more COUNTRY STAR JOHN RICH BYPASSES WOKE LABELS, RELEASES SONG ON TRUTH SOCIAL, RUMBLE, AND SOARS TO NO. 1from 2022 in ( culture / music / country / politics )Really great story about music and what Nashville has become.: john rich bypasses woke labels... read more JOHN RICH BYPASSES WOKE LABELSfrom 2022 in ( culture / music / country / protest )John Rich Bypasses Woke Labels Really great story about music and what Nashville has become.... read more #1 SONGfrom 2022 in ( culture / music )john-rich-bypasses-woke-labels Really great story about music and what Nashville has become.... read more RANDY BACHMAN REUNITED WITH STOLEN GUITAR... 46 YEARS ONfrom 2022 in ( culture / music / guitar )A happy guitar story!'With that guitar, I wrote many million-selling songs... it was like my magical guitar. And then when it's suddenly gone, the magic is gone.': https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/02/i-was-crying-rock-legend-randy-bachman-reunited-with-stolen-guitar-45-years-on?s09... read more PEOPLE WHO STILL SUPPORT BIDEN BE LIKEfrom 2022 in ( culture / humor / politics )Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2022 6:27 AM What We DON'T Want You To Know! - News Update Awaken with JP For my next video I confront a loyal Uncle Joe supporter to discuss gas prices, food shortages, and inflation -- all the while a big, black goat gets a bit overly friendly. Don't worry, no animals were harmed while making this video. (Though ... read more WHEN IS ARBOR DAY?from 2022 in ( culture / holidays / environment / trees )Yes, I know today (6/19/2022) is both Father's Day and Juneteenth, but I wanted to know when Arbor Day was. You know, add it to my calendar. Welp, as it turns out, that's not such a simple question. Here's the response I got when I asked the good people at ArborDay.org: I think on a website devoted to any particular holiday, first and ... read more PREPPER RECIPES: HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS ACORN PANCAKESfrom 2022 in ( culture / food / recipes / prepper )(Natural News) As a prepper, you may already know that foraging is a useful skill to have, especially if you're always looking for more ways to add to your food supply when SHTF. Knowing how to forage is a good way to save money on food expenses.... read more FIRST DOCTOR'S VISIT IN YEARSfrom 2022 in ( culture / writing / blog / health )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 receptionist was wearing a mask. I introduced myself. She asked if I needed a mask. I said sure, she gave me one, and... read more KENTUCKY DERBY 2022from 2022 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / triple-crown )Who You Got-The First Saturday in May is this weekend. Place your bets! I like 3, 12, 13, 6, in that order, but will probably hedge my bets (no pun intended) and play that as a four-way exacta box so it doesn't matter which order they finish.Post - Horse - Trainer - Jockey - Morning Line Odds1 - Mo Donegal - Todd Pletcher - Irad Ortiz, Jr. - 10... read more ELON MUSK FLOODED WITH REQUESTS TO BUY FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN AND YOUTUBE TO RETURN FREE SPEECH TO THOSE PLATFORMSfrom 2022 in ( culture / humor / internet / social )If you came here looking for an actual article, you'll be disappointed. The title has more words than the article, or did until I wrote this sentence. This is a joke, though I wouldn't be surprised to hear this is actually happening. Elon never calls just to chat anymore, though, so I don't know.... read more ANOTHER WAY: BEYOND THE STATUS QUOfrom 2022 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Anti-corporate crusader Dobie Pokorny wants to save the world from corporate titans like Colonel Charonne. The latter and his henchmen are determined to stop him. On Dobie's speaking truth to power tour, he meets and falls in love with Kaylie while enduring attacks at every turn. She is out of his league, and he ... read more INSPIRATION FOR MY NOVELS AND NOVELLASfrom 2022 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )I just put this together and thought I'd share it on this blog in addition to my writing platform. Lottery PresidentWanted to state my political opinion and point of view. And what better way than to follow a candidate for president? Operation DetourTo show what various intelligence agencies, and bad people in general, do to the innocent. Put... read more YOU HAVE A DONATION FROM CLAY TOUSEYfrom 2022 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )They try hard on this one to look legitimate, but the fact remains that nobody shares their money with strangers unless it's a charity.This notification memo has been sent to you three times without a response from you and this will be the last time and I do hope you receive it. I am Clay Tousey am 69, I live at Ponte Vedra Beach.June 5th 2021 ... read more A COUPLE OF FREEBIES HEREfrom 2022 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )My latest attempt at monetization on BuyMeACoffee.com... until they cancel me for being politically incorrect. To start things off, here's my first published work, and my most-recently published. Work sounds pretentious, I know. They're just a couple of novellas. See Temporary Insanity and The Lazy Pug Cafe.... read more THE PROBLEM WITH THE WORLDfrom 2022 in ( culture / people )The problem with the world is that truly stupid people -- with access and control over critical information -- are the ones running things.You don't have to be particularly intelligent to rule. In fact, it probably gets in the way. You simply need control of key infrastructure and information, then guard those two ruthlessly.The ability to look... read more PORTFOLIO MANAGER FROM STOCKHOLM, SWEDENfrom 2022 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )My name is doesn't matter, a portfolio manager from Stockholm, Sweden and a custodian of the Late David Holmes certificate of deposit (CD) valued fortune. here we go I sent you an initial email without a reply, Just curious if you received the email I sent ... on a matter concerning the death of David, your relative. a very common firstnam... read more HAPPY 2/22/22 TUESDAYfrom 2022 in ( culture / humor / calendar )A day like today has GOT to be special! Make it a good one!... read more THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO QUESTION AUTHORITYfrom 2021 in ( culture / people / politics / freedom )Remember that old bumper sticker, QUESTION AUTHORITY? Well, there has NEVER been a better time than NOW for that frame of mind. These past two years it has been AUTHORITIES and EXPERTS versus FREEDOM OF CHOICE and COMMON SENSE. THE GROUP versus THE INDIVIDUAL. The 66.6% versus the 33.3%. Okay, that last one might be a bit of a stretch, but it... read more SELL YOUR ALBUMS AND CDSfrom 2021 in ( culture / music / media / shopping )They've probably had this for years, but I just discovered that you can sell your music albums and CDs on Discogs.com, which I thought was pretty cool. Here's a sample link, though it obviously doesn't have to be this album: discogs.comYou might also like All-Time Favorite Songs, Current Favorite Songs or Favorite Lines from Songs... read more PEOPLE EVERYWHERE CONFUSE WHAT THEY READ IN NEWSPAPERS WITH NEWSfrom 2021 in ( culture / quotes / news )People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news. -- AJ Liebling, The New Yorker journalist from 1935 to 1963... read more ELEMENTS OF A STORYfrom 2021 in ( culture / writing / advice )They say... What are the main ELEMENTS OF A STORY? Setting; Character; Plot; Conflict; Theme; Point-of-view; Tone; Style;And I know they're not saying which one should come before the next, but I would put Character first, then Conflict, Tone, Point-of-View, Theme. Plot, Style and Setting come last. : Elements of a StoryNew Rules for Writers... read more MINNESOTA VIKINGS FAN STILL, DOUG?from 2021 in ( culture / sports / politics )I still watch international soccer, but have to turn it off when I see that no fans are allowed into the stands; or, worse, when they have fake crowd noise. That one kills me. So fake, both of which were worst in England. But I think that was only last year. All of the 'leisure' industries (sports, entertainment, travel) seem to be the wors... read more FAVORITE LINES FROM SONGS/LYRICSfrom 2021 in ( culture / music / lyrics / quotes )Obviously a work in progress but, here goes... in no particular order. Lyrics verified on azlyrics.com. PLEASE add your own by leaving a comment below! You gave me nothing, now it's all I got. from One by U2 If you're sleeping, are you dreaming? If you're dreaming, are you dreaming of me? from Calling You by Blue OctoberUsed-to-... read more WHITE HOUSE, CDC AND W.H.O. ARE HEREBY BANNEDfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / covid / politics )In accordance with the White House's wishes, we are banning all misinformation from the worst offenders (the White House, CDC and WHO) from this website/platform. They have lost all credibility. I guess we should add justthenews.com&utmmediumfeed&external-news-aggregatorsFacebook, Twitter and YouTube to that list. Thank you for the suggest... read more A NOVEL LOCATION OF PACK WORKER, ETCfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )Spam number 1Salute,A novel location of Pack Worker of our package association was unblocked. Our business offers a vast fee and training bundle to make you as a teammate of our team's expanding 'n' favorably influential fellowship.We unearthed yours data by means of the CareerBuilder online space and think that thine attainments possib... read more THE DELTA VARIANTfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / covid )Remember back in 2020 when the entire world got an early April Fools joke with health officials giving the seasonal flu a new name, covid-19? And then those silly boys and girls in media began their fear and panic campaign? Almost everyone fell for it! Yeah, good times. Well, our wacky misleaders have done it again and renamed hay fever... wait for... read more WALLPAPER BACKGROUNDSfrom 2021 in ( culture / photography / wallpaper )Images collected over the years.If you are the photographer/owner and want your photo removed (or redirected), just let us know.... read more VACANCIES AVAILABLEfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )A global leader with a yahoo address? I don't think so. Supposedly from Kayla Smith but address is iran.retailer? And it was not sent to me but to bonabsad@. Starting to look like randomly-generated AI names, don't you think?Our company, a global leader in the acquisition of specialty financial services and machinery has opening for the ... read more A DILEMMA WE ALL NOW FACEfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / covid / vaccines )With all of these offers of free stuff coming out of Corporate America to encourage everyone to get this unnecessary (for 99% of us) and unwise covid vaccination, it presents us all with a dilemma: A free order of fries (or joint here and here) versus the possible adverse effects of this medical experiment. Tough call!See also This Vaccine... read more ACTIVIST RECORDED AMERICAN TV 24 HOURS A DAY FOR 30+ YEARS TO PROTECT THE TRUTHfrom 2021 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / research / documentaries )The media's version of the truth, anyway. Activist Marion Stokes was so concerned about American broadcast networks disposing archives, as well as the influence that television was having... ... read more I DARE YOU TO NOT LOVE THIS SONG AND LYRICSfrom 2021 in ( culture / music / protest )Meet Your Strawman (Article) Common Law In 10 Minute COMMON LAW: Learn Common Law With Knowledge Is Power (Work your way through tabs at the top of page) Lon Protest This Saturday 15th May -- Let's Get Even More People There Than Last Time https://www.bitchute.com/video/OUuSbbx68Xrc/Wish I could be there. Also wish Americans would do this.Of co... read more BUSINESS PROPOSAL, FILE NO 180/86from 2021 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )Ah, yes, the good ol' Nigerian prince (with a Hungarian email address, for some reason) scam, just looking for somewhere to park my money! First of all, their numbering system is messed up. File number 180 out of 86? Anyway...Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Federal capital territory Office. Dear FriendIt is with trust a... read more ELECTRIC BICYCLE SUPPLIER FROM CHINAfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )How did they know we sell bicycles!? It's not mentioned anywhere on the site. Sure, we can sell you a bike by creating a link to a local bike shop and let them do the rest, if you want? Anyway, here's the latest very important random email:Hi There,Good day!This is natalie from China, Yes, Natalie is a very common name in China I find tha... read more HACKERS HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR DEVICEfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )One of our favorite scams! Our comments are interspersed in brackets and look like this.Hello there. Let me introduce myself first -- Seems very polite! I am a professional programmer, who specializes in hacking during my free time. as most of us doThis time you were unlucky to become my next victim and I have just hacked the Operating System... read more THE LATEST CREATIVE SAFETY SHOESfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )I'm starting to think this 163.com domain is not legit!Dear Sir,Lucky day to you! We ARE feeling lucky now that we've received this email!We are a professional shoes manufacturer, focused on this area for 10 years. We service a good quality shoes with best price and fashionable designs and timely delivery to the customer. If you want to k... read more SUMPTUOUS OPPORTUNITY IS PROMPTLY UNCOVEREDfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / internet / spam )I am so excited! Sounds sumptuous!Received this email the other day from Iris Holets at mrtito88.. I'm sure that is an actual person and address. People don't lie about these things, but I'm concerned. They're asking homemakers to be package managers. What exactly does that mean? In-home prostitution? Middleman for drugs and exp... read more NOW, THIS IS A TRUE SPORTS HEROfrom 2021 in ( culture / sports / baseball / hero )A line drive foul ball hits a four year old boy in the head at Fenway. Jim Rice, realizing in a flash that it would take EMTs too long to arrive and cut through the crowd, sprang from the dugout and scooped up the boy. He laid the boy gently on the dugout floor, where the Red Sox medical team began to treat him...From August 8, 1982 Go to Jim Ric... read more INGREDIENTS OF A NOVELfrom 2021 in ( culture / writing / advice )VARIOUS WRITERS' RULES Write a draft. Then let it rest. -- Stephen King;Read a lot. -- King;Never use a long word when a short one will do. -- George Orwell;Never use the passive voice when you can use the active voice. -- Orwell;Know and understand your audience. -- Pierre Berton;Recycle and read the good stuff before you write. -- Berton;Hono... read more STRUGGLING FISHERMAN FINDS RARE PEARL WORTH $330,000 WHILE SEARCHING FOR FOODfrom 2021 in ( culture / people / money )A struggling fisherman from an impoverished village in Thailand's Nakhon Si Thammarat province made an incredible discovery on the beach. 37-year new Hatchai Niyomdecha happened to be walking along the... ... read more THOSE WHO TELL THE STORIES RULE SOCIETYfrom 2021 in ( culture / quotes / stories / writing )'Those who tell the stories rule society.' -- Plato Or, maybe it was the Native American Proverb... 'Those who tell stories rule the world.' It might be more accurately stated as Those whose stories are heard/read rule the world. Some of us are fairly invisible out here. :)... read more RANDOM BOOK REVIEWSfrom 2021 in ( culture / writing / books / reviews )From Lionel, January 2013: I just finished reading The Walking Drum by Louis L'Amour, a historical novel. Best book I've ever read. From Doug: Dad, I'm still finishing the David Baldacci book, First Family, and then have his Hour Game to read, but with that recommendation, I'd like you to save it for me. someone wrote: I just rea... read more NO SERVICEfrom 2021 in ( culture / humor / phones )No Service. That's what my phone said when I arrived at the restaurant to pick up my teenage daughter. I couldn't text her to say I'd arrived. I would have to do the unthinkable: Get out of the car, physically walk in, and risk human interaction. Worst of all, one of her co-workers might see me! The horror! The shame! I had no choice.... read more QUOTES BY CARL JUNG TO HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND YOURSELFfrom 2021 in ( culture / quotes / philosophy )One of the things I love about Carl Jung is the fact that he was a deep philosophical thinker who examined all aspects of the self when writing about the human experience. As you will see in the quotes below, Jung was clear on the notion that we are spiritual...He said... Indeed, it is becoming ever more obvious that it is not famine, not earthq... read more VARIOUS BEGINNINGS TO THE TWILIGHT ZONEfrom 2021 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )In honor of the year 2020 -- the year of unprecedented I never thought I'd see the day... sort of stuff -- we bring you...Somebody's collection of the various beginnings to the new TV show, The Twilight Zone. All Openings (1959 -- 2002)... read more YOU CANNOT SIMPLY BUILD YOUR OWN FREE-SPEECH VERSION OF TWITTERfrom 2021 in ( culture / tech / internet / social )To build an alternate social media website with a dissenting moderation policy, you must first invent the universe. Good luck.: theamericanconservative.com... read more NOW IT (NFL) GETS GOODfrom 2021 in ( culture / sports )The post-season is better than the regular season in any sport, and the NFL is no different. Check out this page and you will see the match-ups for this coming weekend (Jan. 9/10, 2021). I predict two out of three home teams (Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks) will win on Saturday, and the same on Sunday. Washington is the home team only because t... read more COLONEL CHARONNE QUOTES (FROM ANOTHER WAY: BEYOND THE STATUS QUO)from 2020 in ( culture / quotes / books / novels )'You're that Commie, Pokorny! I should shoot you where you stand!Pokorny's still out there selling that tripe and it needs to stop. Now! I want him gone! You know what I'm saying? -- Colonel Charonne from Another Way: Beyond the Status Quo... read more SEMMY QUOTES (FROM ANOTHER WAY: BEYOND THE STATUS QUO)from 2020 in ( culture / quotes / books / novels )Don't be scared when you feel you are about to die. You're not frightened when you wake up in the morning, are you? Pretty much the same thing. 'Life is but a dream!'We are from beyond the Pleiades, in the eighth dimension...when we're not slumming it down here in the third and fourth dimensions.This section of the Milky Wa... read more OL' LIGHTNIN' QUOTES (FROM THE LAZY PUG CAFE)from 2020 in ( culture / quotes / books / novels )It's not a tree's purpose in life to stand around being picturesque. Not this tree, at least. Maybe that weeping willow up front, or my old friends ruthlessly cut down in their prime when this place was built, but a mighty oak like me, a real tree's purpose is to... uh... is to... um... what was I saying? Oh yeah, a tree's purpose ... read more NYC RESTAURANTS TO BAN CUOMO FROM DININGfrom 2020 in ( culture / food / restaurants / politics )Serves him right! No pun intended.Struggling restaurant owners city-wide are permanently banning New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo from setting foot into their establishments. Effective immediately... : Cuomo banned See also: The PPP Is Letting Our Small Restaurants And Businesses Die -- Does Science Justify Closing Bars And Restaurants? No. -... read more ON THE SUBJECT OF BIDETSfrom 2020 in ( culture / humor / home-garden )Hilarious conversation I came across on thegatewaypundit.com in the comment section of an article...No toilet paper for you!I have a bidet. Best investment eva!How do you dry your crack?It has a built in blow (heated) dryer.Holy moly! I'm slumming it with my basic bidet!And a heated seat... I know I'm rubbing it in.... read more GOOD NEWS FOR CHURCH-GOERSfrom 2020 in ( culture / people / religion )The ruling comes after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn sued the Democratic governor of New York over his executive actions restricting church attendance earlier this month. In their 5-4 decision, the majority struck down the regulations since they cannot be viewed as neutral because they single out houses of worship for especially hars... read more THE QUEST FOR A FACEBOOK REPLACEMENT CONTINUESfrom 2020 in ( culture / tech / internet / social )I keep joining these other social networking sites, only to be disappointed. The main problem is they insist I upload my contact list, which I refuse to do. You're welcome. :) Maybe this one -- Parler -- will work out. UPDATE: Not so much!Here are a few other places you might find me currently (or soon): Flote -- Instagram (owned by Facebook)... read more ORDERING A PIZZA IN THE NEAR FUTURE (LIKE, MAYBE NEXT MONTH)from 2020 in ( culture / humor / movies-tv-video )A man learns how tough it is to order a pizza in the not-too-distant future.: How to order a Pizza in the FutureUPDATE: Even better, here's the original from 2006: Ordering Pizza in the Future... read more PSYCHOPATHS AMONG USfrom 2020 in ( culture / people / politics / mental )Politicians are more likely than people in the general population to be sociopaths. I think you would find no expert in the field of sociopathy/psychopathy/antisocial personality disorder who would dispute that a small minority of human beings literally have no conscience -- but it does explain a great many things, shamelessly deceitful politica... read more NORWEGIAN OFFICIAL APOLOGIZES FOR MAKING 2020 AN HOUR LONGERfrom 2020 in ( culture / humor )Oct. 21 (UPI) -- The Norwegian official responsible for Daylight Saving Time in the country apologized for adding an additional hour to what has already been a very demanding year....: upi.com/OddNews... read more CURRENT FAVORITE SONGSfrom 2020 in ( culture / music )Current favorite songs, in alphabetical order. The songs are not current, but their status as favorite is. music-notes-feef555e67f4e3377697627a2d1bbdba-336x336.webpA Thousand Years -- Christina Perri American Girl -- Tom Petty Baby Hold On -- Dixie Chicks Bad -- U2 Boys of Summer -- Don Henley Breathe (2 AM) -- Anna Nalick I could surren... read more ONE OF MY FAVORITE TWAIN QUOTESfrom 2020 in ( culture / quotes )If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed. -- Mark Twain... read more HARNESS RACING LEGEND, BILLY DIRECTfrom 2020 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / harness-racing )I just learned that a harness racing legend, Billy Direct, was born near where I live. I just thought that was pretty cool. See Billy Direct. It says his time was 1:44 but in fact it was 1:55. I don't know if it's a typo on that website or the marker itself, but I emailed the Tennessee Historical Commission notifying them of the correc... read more WATCHDEEPFAKE DONALD TRUMP ON HIS FIRST DAY WORKING AT RTfrom 2020 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / humor )Making news not faking news: Watch Deepfake Donald Trump on his first day working at RT...: rt.com/news/501369-donald-trump-rt-deep-fake/... read more FREEWRITE, THE DEVICE FOR DISTRACTION-FREE WRITINGfrom 2020 in ( culture / writing / tech )Article about it here, and the manufacturer's website here. And one of their founders has an interesting article here on choosing between Kickstarter or IndieGoGo for your crowd-funding needs.... read more THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNIST PROPAGANDAfrom 2020 in ( culture / quotes / conspiracies )'The purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, not to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better.When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all ... read more BRAND SUICIDE OR SAVVY PR MOVE? CEO OF FOOD GIANT GOYA PRAISES TRUMPfrom 2020 in ( culture / tech / internet / social )After the CEO of Hispanic food megabrand Goya spoke at the White House, demands to cancel the popular brand on social media have arisen, met by equally furious pushback from the corporation's defenders....: goya-hispanic-food-trump-cancel/... read more MY MOST RECENT EBOOKSfrom 2020 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Two of my ebooks are available free of charge all month (July) at Smashwords. The links are at the bottom of that page. I've already sold five copies since yesterday as opposed to five copies over the past year. I guess the price is finally right. :) Another Way: Beyond the Status Quo blurb: A politically-incorrect manifesto. Anti-corporate ... read more CASSETTE TAPE CONVERTED TO MP3from 2020 in ( culture / music / tech )Cool! I am getting one of these. I am including an affiliate link here. This sounds like a scam post, but I really am going to buy this! :)UPDATE: Piece of crap. Do NOT waste your time or money. There is a constant hum in the background of my sample recorded songs (side 1 of End of the Innocence, FYI). The FF and REW buttons are switched, so it too... read more EMISSIONS TESTfrom 2020 in ( culture / humor / transportation / auto )A mostly one-way text conversation (click image(s) below) I had with my wife yesterday while she worked and I tried to get her car emissions-tested. I was laughing at my own situation after a while, wondering what could possibly go wrong next. I never did get it tested because I really did have to leave and get gas. The day was not all bad, though.... read more BELMONT STAKES TO BE RUN FIRST IN TRIPLE CROWN THIS YEARfrom 2020 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / triple-crown )Horse racing fans will not be denied the Triple Crown this year, even though the order of races will be different. Instead of having the Kentucky Derby, which will take place on Sept. 5, kick off the Triple Crown schedule, the series will begin on Saturday with the 2020 Belmont Stakes. This year's race is shorter than usual, as it will be 1-1/... read more MOVIES AND TV SHOWS FILMED IN BUDAPESTfrom 2020 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / europe / hungary )I was researching this for my next possible novel, and thought other, better novelists might find it useful:Love and DeathEtoileMusic BoxHowling V: The RebirthThe Cremaster CycleGloomy SundayAu PairIn the BeginningAn American RhapsodyLast RunDinotopiaPerlasca Un eroe ItalianoI SpyUnderworld8mm 2MunichHellboy 2: The Golden ArmyTransporter 3The Boy i... read more MORE ADVICE FOR WRITERSfrom 2020 in ( culture / writing / advice )People read fiction seeking clarity -- in the payoff at the end of the book -- so, one of the worst things a writer can do is to create confusion. People also read fiction for a taste of something better than their own reality. So, keep it clear and concise and, most importantly, interesting... without getting too implausible. It doesn't have t... read more THOUGHTS ON WRITINGfrom 2020 in ( culture / writing / advice )Louis L'Amour once said he could write while sitting in the middle of the freeway. That didn't impress me at the time, but now it does.Not one, but two dogs threw up behind me as I wrote. Was that a commentary on my writing? Wouldn't be the first time.As I told these guys in the job interview, If you're wondering where I expect to ... read more THE PPP IS LETTING OUR SMALL RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES DIEfrom 2020 in ( culture / food / restaurants / politics )The PPP was supposed to save our small restaurants and businesses. But where's the money?...: news.See also: The PPP Is Letting Our Small Restaurants And Businesses Die -- Does Science Justify Closing Bars And Restaurants? No. -- NYC Restaurants To Ban Cuomo From Dining... read more MANGLED ENGLISHfrom 2020 in ( culture / humor / language / english )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 WorldIN A TOKYO HOTEL: Is forbitten to steal hotel towels please. If you are not person to do such thing please not to read notis.IN A BUCHAREST HOTEL LOBBY: The lift is being fixed fo... read more BANDANNA FASHIONfrom 2020 in ( culture / humor / covid / fashion )Nobody bats an eye now when I walk into a bank or store with a bandanna wrapped across my face. Of course, the gun is still a sure giveaway.... read more THE LAZY PUG CAFE, A NOVELfrom 2020 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )My latest short story, based on our real life pugs Daisy, Chandler and Joey, the latter of whom is the only one still alive and barking. See www.amazon.com/dp/B085XM6QW8The Lazy Pug Cafe was a dilapidated new two-story farmhouse abandoned years ago, lately serving as a sad but charming reminder of days gone by. With its beautiful new weeping willow... read more MUSIC BY A NEPHEW (AND FRIENDS)from 2020 in ( culture / music / reggae )Thomas and friends, a.k.a. OneSol, are on Facebook, YouTube, BandMix, ReverbNation, and iTunes... somewhere. See also: linktr.ee/onesol Cali Reggae Surf Rock Jam Band. Reggae influenced rock music you can vibe with. Conscious lyrics laid over solid beats paired with funky bass lines. Keys drop sweet bubble that sets the mood for guitar riffs and... read more MUSIC BY A BROTHERfrom 2020 in ( culture / music / country )Music by one of my brothers:'Til the Morning ComesOld GloryYou might also like All-Time Favorite Songs, Current Favorite Songs or Favorite Lines from Songs... read more REVIEW MY BOOKSfrom 2020 in ( culture / writing / books / reviews )If you've read any of my novels, please give them a review on Amazon (click the book's image, below or on the right, then click the Write a Customer Review button on its Amazon page, to the left), on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you bought it. Thanks!Leaving a review on iBooks is not easy. Here's instructions if you&... read more BEST FICTION OF 2019from 2020 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )The Testaments by Margaret Atwood... wins this year's Best Fiction award for her long-anticipated sequel to the dystopian classic The Handmaid's Tale. The book picks up the story 15 years after handmaid Offred's ambiguous fate in the theocratic nation of Gilead and continues the saga's dark contemporary resonance. In fact, Atwood... read more NO ANNOYING PROMPTSfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )Aren't you glad we don't have any of those annoying pop-up ads asking you to join our newsletter? Ironic, isn't it, given that we are an online newsletter?Please support this website, should you be so inclined: buy one of my novels/novellas; buy me a (virtual) cup of coffee here or here; or, click one of the ads sprinkled throughout t... read more BEST AND WORST SELF-PUBLISHING SITESfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / advice )This is a good site showing who to trust (or not) when it comes to self-publishing: Self-Publishing Services Rated by the Alliance of Independent Authors New Rules for Writers -- Your Novel Blueprint -- Advice for Writing -- Writers Need Followers? -- Good Article About Storytelling -- Best and Worst Self-Publishing Sites -- Thoughts on Writing -- ... read more USMNT FAN-PREFERRED ROSTERfrom 2019 in ( culture / sports / soccer )Who do you want playing right now for the US Men's national soccer team (assuming everyone's available) for a hypothetical must-win game? VOTE HERE I like this lineup, here.... read more MOST POPULAR SITE ON THE INTERNETfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )This site is the 12,157,539th most popular website in the world, according to silktide.com! Wow! We have hit the big time. Look at that Popularity and Social Interest score! Woohoo! All zeroes, baby!Please support this website, should you be so inclined: buy one of my novels/novellas; buy me a (virtual) cup of coffee here or here; or, click o... read more SUPPORT THIS SITEfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )...should you be so inclined:Buy one of my books at Amazon or SmashWords, or here; buy me a (virtual) cup of coffee here or here; or, click one of the ads sprinkled throughout the site.Thanks!Now you can Donate with Bitcoin!... read more HOW TO SUPPORT THIS WEBSITEfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )Please support this website, should you be so inclined: buy one of my novels/novellas; buy me a (virtual) cup of coffee here or here; or, click one of the ads sprinkled throughout the site.Thanks!Now you can Donate with Bitcoin!... read more HISTORY OF FRIENDSNEWS.COMfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )FYI for those researching insignificant corners of the web: Wayback MachinePlease support this website, should you be so inclined: buy one of my novels/novellas; buy me a (virtual) cup of coffee here or here; or, click one of the ads sprinkled throughout the site.Thanks!Now you can Donate with Bitcoin!... read more ALL OF MY BOOKSfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / books / novels ): Novels/NovellasFeatured book deals on SmashwordsAnother Way: Beyond the Status QuoLottery PresidentOperation DetourLast Train OutThe Lazy Pug Cafe... read more KNOTS BY ANNA NALICKfrom 2019 in ( culture / music )Wow, great vocals. My current favorite Here it is at Watch on YouTube.Maybe one of these links (here or here) will work for you if you have Amazon Prime.You might also like All-Time Favorite Songs, Current Favorite Songs or Favorite Lines from Songs... read more RESTROOM DIFFICULTYfrom 2019 in ( culture / humor / employment )Don't you hate it when you're at work?The end.Wait, no, that's not the end. You're at work -- on the bottom floor, because that's where the snack machine is -- and you decide to use the restroom. The cleaning lady is in there, with her cart blocking the door. So, you take the stairs back to your floor, the sixth, because you hav... read more LEAVING ZAZZLEfrom 2019 in ( culture / arts-crafts )Here's my goodbye letter to Zazzle. Yes, it's awfully bitter and conspiracy theory-ish, but I was upset. :) Your new policy sucks, big time. And when I tried to create something new before the deadline after which they start charging monthly fees, it was so freaking difficult to post it for sale, I gave up. I'm sure you did that ... read more WHERE YOU BELONGfrom 2019 in ( culture / people / geography / usa )I've been in middle Tennessee the past 25 years, grew up in northern California, spent most of my 20s in L.A., but according to this site I should move to New England. They say... You would fit in well in New England due to your no-nonsense personality and preservation of tradition. New England is the birthplace of America, where history is i... read more GOOD ALBUMfrom 2019 in ( culture / music / pop )Dido's latest (here) is pretty good, FYI, if you generally like her music.You might also like All-Time Favorite Songs, Current Favorite Songs or Favorite Lines from Songs... read more DIY ARTS AND CRAFTSfrom 2019 in ( culture / arts-crafts )If you've ever felt the need to do it yourself when it came to one of your crafty/artsy ideas, you might try CafePress and make something exactly as you want it.Yes, we'll get a small commission.... read more THE RAINBOW ENDS IN SACRAMENTOfrom 2019 in ( culture / photography / humor / sports )The rainbow really does end in Sacramento! My nephew Milan has captured proof. :) This was taken at their minor league team, Sacramento Rivercats, stadium where Milan works. Speaking of Sacramento, here's a list of famous people from there (because we know you were wondering):William Arthur Holmes (not famous, actually)Chris Hayes (co-writer wi... read more OPERATION DETOURfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Riva, a beautiful young black ops agent on her first assignment, tries to turn Alex into her own asset just to prove she can. When he loses both his job and his girlfriend, she thinks he's putty in her hands. When he decides to go out with a bang, she's afraid she's overplayed her hand. Here's the first half of it in PDF format,... read more TEMPORARY INSANITYfrom 2019 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Long before winning the lottery and running for president, Benny was living in L.A. working as a temporary word processor (typist). For his latest assignment, he thought he was taking just another temp job. He didn't anticipate Venelia and the Dynamos. The what?Click here for more. Or, in this case, the whole thing, free! :)Go to Another peek a... read more CRAFTS BY FRIENDSNEWS MEMBERS PAGEfrom 2019 in ( culture / arts-crafts )Jana's Palickovanie art... read more MOVIES-TV PAGEfrom 2019 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )Good quasi-clay-mation videoGreat first video from several years ago by my niece here.Indian flick with subtitlesSo, I'm selecting a movie to watch on Netflix. I see Holiday A Soldier Is Never Off Duty. It's Indian, with subtitles, but it's in the category of Action/Adventure. The blurb says Capt. Bakshi sets out to stop a net... re... read more FRIENDS OF HUMANITYfrom 2019 in ( culture / people / internet )The Friends of Humanity website. Don't know anything about it, but I like the sound of it. :) Friends of Humanity is active in the defense of human rights, education, health care, and environmental protection. Our projects are currently underway in Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America.The .ch TLD at the end of the URL/address stands for S... read more WHAT IS SATURNALIA?from 2018 in ( culture / holidays / christmas )At no time in the history of the early Christian church was it ever thought that the birth of Christ took place on 25 December. In fact, Jesus' birthday was not celebrated at all until the mid-4th century. Oh, and the lighting of candles during Christmas Eve services? Another Roman tradition, celebrating Sol Invictus. The 12th century Syrian b... read more COUPLE OF GOOD ONESfrom 2018 in ( culture / humor / jokes )OK, three good ones.... read more HOW TO MOVE A BOOK STOREfrom 2018 in ( culture / writing / books )A rent increase forced the owners of October Books to move locations in Southampton. They used a crowd funding campaign and loans to buy a former bank location about 500 feet down the street for $400,000.Cool! Human-chain-helps-British-book-store-move-down-the-street... read more TAKING THE STAIRSfrom 2018 in ( culture / humor )Don't you hate it when you're taking the stairs, looking down because it's a struggle, you think you've reached your floor only to look up and see you've got two more to go? Working on the third floor is rough!... read more BEST THRILLERS OF ALL-TIMEfrom 2018 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )According to the Telegraph, anyway. An interesting list. Several if not most of these were that author's first published novel. I've actually read half of these, though it's been years. I should read them again.The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon (1959)The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy (1984)Killing Floor by Lee Child (1997... read more WORDS TO LIVE BYfrom 2018 in ( culture / quotes / advice )Stay loose, keep moving, stay true to yourself... always. -- your humble editor.... read more NOVELS AND NOVELLASfrom 2018 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Did I mention I've written a few novels/novellas?Another Way: Beyond the Status QuoA politically-incorrect manifesto. Anti-corporate crusader Dobie Pokorny wants to save the world. His new boss, Colonel Charonne, wants to stop him. On his truth tour, Dobie meets and falls in love with Kaylie while enduring attacks at every turn. Can they out... read more USB TURNTABLEfrom 2018 in ( culture / music / tech )I'm buying one of these: USB turntable. I've been wanting to convert my new vinyl records to MP3 for quite a while now. I hope it works!UPDATE: I wish I'd read this first: cnet.com/news/usb-turntables-worst-ever-audio-product/You might also like All-Time Favorite Songs, Current Favorite Songs or Favorite Lines from Songs... read more GOOD QUASI-CLAYMATION VIDEOfrom 2017 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )Great first video by my niece (from several years ago when she was just a kid) here Ellie's Adventures.She's all grown up now, and her current YouTube channel is here.... read more ORDERING A SANDWICHfrom 2017 in ( culture / food / restaurants )Man behind the counter: What kind of meat?Me: Tuna.Man: Ham?Me: If by ham you mean tuna, then yes.... read more CATS DISRESPECTING PUGSfrom 2017 in ( culture / humor / animals / pets )So, I'm lying on the bed with the pug Joey between my legs. No, that's not a figure of speech. I'm referring to an actual dog between my calves. Anyway, the cat (Sunny) comes up, thinks about jumping across my legs to the other side, then decides to just step on me, then step on Joey, to the other side of the bed. #CatsDisrespectingPug... read more LESSON ON TAXESfrom 2017 in ( culture / quotes / humor )The best way to teach your kids about taxes is by eating 30% of their ice cream. -- Bill Murray... read more NATALIA HOLMES PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOSfrom 2017 in ( culture / photography )travel photography and videography on YouTube, InstaGram and Pinterest.... read more NOVELLAS AND NOVELSfrom 2017 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Free novellaTemporary InsanityLong before winning the lottery and running for president, Benny was living in L.A. working as a temporary word processor (glorified typist). For his latest assignment, he thought he was taking just another temp job. He didn't anticipate Venelia and the Dynamos. The what?Free (to members) novelsIt would be amazin... read more INDIAN FLICK WITH SUBTITLESfrom 2017 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )I'm selecting a movie to watch on Netflix. I see Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty. It's Indian, with subtitles, but in the category of Action/Adventure. The blurb says Capt. Bakshi sets out to stop a network of terrorist sleeper cells! I give it a shot. Not crazy about subtitles, but I like foreign locales. Twenty minutes into it, i... read more NETFLIX SUBGENRESfrom 2017 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )How to find those hard-to-find movies and TV shows on Netflix:Netflix secret codes: how to browse hidden films and TV showsUPDATE: Not sure this works.... read more PLASTIC GIRLfrom 2017 in ( culture / people / women )It was horrible! I was at Walmart again, but that's not the worst part. There was a teenage/early-20's girl with boobs out to here, wearing the most form-fitting outfit you ever saw. I tried to ignore her because she REALLY wanted to be looked at, and I always try to disappoint people like that. Even my 12-year-old daughter shook her head, ... read more HOTDOG FROM REGGIO'Sfrom 2017 in ( culture / food / restaurants / chicago )Just had a hotdog from Reggio's at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. I'm told that's a real Chicago style dog. It was good!... read more WIFE'S JETTAfrom 2017 in ( culture / humor / maintenance / auto )Driving wife's Jetta while my car gets serviced. I called it a piece of $h! while I tried to climb out. Its door hit me in the forehead during the struggle.So, I guess we're even.... read more IF A MAN SPEAKS IN THE FORESTfrom 2017 in ( culture / humor / jokes )If a man speaks in the forest and his wife is not there to hear it, is he still wrong?... read more PUTTING WORDS IN MARK TWAIN'S MOUTHfrom 2017 in ( culture / quotes )Nice list: Putting Words in Mark Twain's MouthI wonder if any of these are on that list... read more ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREAT ROCK ERA LYRICISTSfrom 2017 in ( culture / music / lyrics )Listening to Don Henley this morning. He is one of the all-time great lyricists/poets. Just thought I'd say so. Then Don McLean came on, so... ?? Of course, they can both be among the greatest, but Henley is probably THE greatest.And then there's my brother Don (known professionally as Aaron Holmes), who is a pretty good lyricist. So, maybe... read more ACTION FILMS ON NETFLIXfrom 2017 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / humor )Almost half of all action films on Netflix have a variation of this description: He thought he was retired, but has to do One. Last. Job!... read more FACEBOOK CREEPS ME OUTfrom 2017 in ( culture / tech / internet / social )Note: I am no longer on Twitter or Facebook, but here's what I've managed to salvage from back then.Every time Facebook shows me one of those notices saying something like Hey there, we've been going through all of your posts and thought you might like to share this compilation, I feel like I'm being approached by some creepy guy ... read more MY ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TEAMfrom 2017 in ( culture / sports / soccer )Trying to decide which English Premier League team I should consider my team. Very important. Leaning toward either Liverpool FC (because I always liked the Beatles) or Plymouth Argyle Football Club (because my first car was a Plymouth, and I always liked the idea of Argyle socks but was never brave enough to wear them). Anyway, these two are pla... read more WRITERS NEED FOLLOWERS?from 2016 in ( culture / writing / advice )Publishers and writing gurus preach that writers need followers. The problem is that emotionally-stable people don't want followers. They want friends, compatriots, people who listen, not followers. Especially zombie followers. They're the worst! :)But seriously, I don't trust anyone who actively seeks followers.New Rules for Writers ... read more IS THERE A DECENT SERIES AVAILABLE ONLINE?from 2016 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )Is there a single, decent series available online that isn't depraved; you know, doesn't involve zombies or some sort of depressing, apocalyptic, loser view of the world? Just wondering. Thanks.UPDATE: ... and three years later, we have an answer! See something goodUPDATE: Just thought I would list these here: JustWatch -- apparently useful... read more LAST TRAIN OUTfrom 2016 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Clay and his adopted daughter, Jenna, look forward to their upcoming homeland tour to Russia. His intentions are pure. Hers, not so much. When she goes missing, his worst fears are realized. She is not the innocent little girl he thought she was. Not even close. Their only hope now is to catch the Last Train Out. All of My NovelsAnother Way: Be... read more CAN YOU SAY AWKWARD?from 2015 in ( culture / humor / family )So, I'm walking back from feeding the neighbor's dog while they're on vacation. I see my wife and daughter in the car up ahead, just about to turn onto our street. I'm looking at them. They're looking at me. They're still about a hundred yards away, so I'm actually not entirely sure. To be silly, I pretend to hide behind... read more RECENT TWEETSfrom 2015 in ( culture / writing / tweets )I remember when I didn't know what a tweet was, other than the sound a bird makes. It wasn't so long ago, either. Below is just a random list of tweets. Pathetic, I know, but I felt the need to put something new on the site. Anyway... Saturday, July 20, 2013: Picked more blackberries this evening, just before dark, before it started rai... read more ADDICTED TO CEREALfrom 2015 in ( culture / humor / food )Bill: I think I'm addicted to cereal. Tara: Addicted? Bill: Yeah. I'm gonna hit the street looking for my latest fix. Tara: And by street you mean Aisle 3 at Kroger, right? Bill: Right.... read more NO MORE PENALTY SHOOTOUTSfrom 2015 in ( culture / sports / soccer )I'm a huge soccer fan, but absolutely hate penalty shootouts. That is no way to decide a game. The winning team needs to be determined by playing the game, not through penalty kicks.That's like deciding an American football game by having five or six players from each team line up and kick field goals at the end of the game, or deciding a b... read more AMERICAN PHAROAH VS. SECRETARIAT, WHO WOULD WIN?from 2015 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Interesting!The 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah ran the sixth-fastest Belmont Stakes ever, but if he was racing against Secretariat's record time in 1973, he would have been a distant second. Watch the two races side-by-side. Source: American Pharoah vs. Secretariat: Who Would Win? width300 alignright ... read more ALL-TIME FAVORITE SONGSfrom 2015 in ( culture / music / favorites )Or, what I'd want on my MP3 player if stuck on a deserted island (with rechargeable batteries and a solar-powered battery charger). A bunch of songs have been left off simply because they've been played to death. Some songs are on here only because I like (try) to sing along, or maybe it has a killer riff/refrain/sequence but the rest of th... read more THE ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY (2015)from 2015 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / triple-crown )The 20 three-year-olds to make the starting gate in the Kentucky Derby are determined by the Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of races leading up to the Derby where contenders can earn points. Follow the leaderboard to see who will make the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. Source: The Road to the Kentucky DerbyIt's that time of... read more MY NOVELSfrom 2015 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )WilliamArthurHolmes.comGo to Another peek at my booksAnother Way: Beyond the Status QuoLottery PresidentOperation DetourLast Train OutThe Lazy Pug Cafe... read more PHOTOGRAPHY PAGEfrom 2014 in ( culture / photography )Some interesting photography-related links here Leo Hohmann Photography Wallpapers collected over the years. If you are the photographer/owner and want your photo removed, just let us know. PexelsPixabayDreamstimeGetty Images... read more NUTTY GRAIN AND OAT BARSfrom 2014 in ( culture / food / recipes )I need to try this. Too bad I hate cooking so much. I eat way too many snacks at work, but at least these are healthy. The snack machine and I have had a falling out (it no longer recognizes my shopper's card), so now's a good time to try thisWe can't stress it enough: Pack the mixture as tightly as possible into the loaf pan. This i... read more PARENTS CODE OF ETHICSfrom 2014 in ( culture / humor / sports )Signing my daughter up for softball, I had to laugh at this (stripped down) Parents Code of Ethics:I will encourage good sportsmanshipI will place the emotional and physical well-being of my child ahead of my personal desire to win.I will remember that the game is for the youth -- not adults.I guess they got sick of parents yelling and screaming an... read more WORLD CUP 2014from 2014 in ( culture / sports / soccer )I love World Cup soccer (football/futbol to most of the world), so life is good now with all the games on. I'm ticked at ABC/ESPN for limiting all USA games to ESPN, which I can't see because we don't subscribe to cable TV. Of course, they do that to force people like me to subscribe, which I won't do. If I could get just a one-mo... read more TAKE THIS QUIZfrom 2014 in ( culture / people )From somewhere on the Internet ...Name the five wealthiest people in the world.Name the last five Heisman Trophy winners.Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor or actress.Name the last decade's worth of World Se... read more REQUIEM FOR A PIGEONfrom 2014 in ( culture / writing / poetry / pigeons )by Bill We witnessed a pigeon's demiseRight here on the dock o' the BayThere was nothing we could doNothing we could sayIt just wasn't the pigeon's day We tried mouth-to-beakAnd the Heimlich techniqueBut the pigeon had croakedDid you know pigeons float?Well, this one sure did today! ... read more CALIFORNIA CHROME, A HORSE OF A UNITING COLORfrom 2014 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Here's hoping he wins! The race is tomorrow, Saturday, late afternoon Eastern time, usually on NBC. They have a 77-year-old trainer who thought his big-time days were over, and a jockey who grew up afraid of horses. They pulled California Chrome's name out of Coburn's cowboy hat. If not for the luck of the draw the horse could have been... read more ADVICE FOR WRITINGfrom 2014 in ( culture / writing / advice )A writer's narrative perspective (their voice, or, how they come across to their reader) must be: This is me talking to you. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. It's not: This is me 100 years ago speaking in a classical voice. It's not: Speaking as if from professor to student or from adult to child. It's not: This is me ... read more HOLLYWOOD PARK, WHAT A RUN IT HADfrom 2013 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Today (December 22, 2013) is the last day of racing at Hollywood Park before it's torn down. It's sad, but that part of town has been the 'hood for several decades now, so it's no surprise no one wanted to go there. I worked there once, briefly, with the harness horses. It was back in the 80's, and it was not during a race mee... read more TWEETS PAGEfrom 2013 in ( culture / writing / tweets )Note: I am no longer on Twitter or Facebook, but here's what I've managed to salvage from back then.My Twitter feed: by @TheBillHolmesSome of my better tweets, according to me ...Never work FOR someone else, work WITH them.I do some of my best work when I'm supposed to be doing something else.Elizabeth this AM: Dad, can you get my othe... read more MY TWITTER POSTSfrom 2013 in ( culture / tech / internet / social )Note: I am no longer on Twitter or Facebook, but here's what I've managed to salvage from back then.... read more MUCHO MACHO MAN GROOVES TO HIS SONGfrom 2013 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Breeder's Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man grooves to his song. It was apparently removed, probably due to copyright issues, but here's the horse winning that race, anyway!UPDATE:2013 Breeders' Cup Classic -- Mucho Macho Man -- 3:15... read more THIS IS DEEPfrom 2013 in ( culture / humor / internet )I just had to share this comment someone left here on FriendsNews.com. Read it, absorb it, digest it, lather, rinse and repeat it. Then let me know what the %$# it means! Here it is:I comprehend that is genuinely uninteresting and you're merely skipping to the next comment, nonetheless i basically preferred to toss a sizable several many than... read more GOOD STARTfrom 2013 in ( culture / sports / football )The NFL got off to a good start today (2013-09-10), the first real games of the season. Both of my teams, the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers, won! The Titans were a surprise over the Steelers. The Niners won as expected even though they were playing the Packers. Normally, I'd be rooting for the Packers, but not against either of th... read more MOVIE NIGHTfrom 2013 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )My wife and I have been celebrating our twelfth wedding anniversary this weekend. The actual day was the 22nd (so mark your calendars for next year's gifts). :) With our daughter on a sleepover at a friend's house last night, Tara and I went to see the movie The Butler. It has the director's name in the title, but I'm not going to h... read more TRAVERS STAKES (2013)from 2013 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Several big name horses in it this year:Verrazano, Haskell winnerPalace Malice, Belmont and Jim Dandy winnerOrb, Kentucky Derby winnerAnd here's a listing of ALL the races at Saratoga. The Travers is Race 12.... read more COURT TO FEDS: EXPLAIN MARINE'S FACEBOOK POSTINGS ARRESTfrom 2013 in ( culture / tech / internet / social )Brandon Raub's case exposes the seedy underbelly of a governmental system that continues to target military veterans for expressing their discontent over America's rapid transition to a police state, said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute.: Court to feds: Explain Marine's Facebook-postings arrest.... read more LOST A FRIENDfrom 2013 in ( culture / humor / internet / social )No, not that kind of lost (knock on wood).But, don't you hate it when you're walking along talking to someone, it's crowded, you hear a muffled scream but think nothing of it, only to realize several blocks down the street that your friend is no longer walking beside you? You've been talking to a homeless person for the past ten m... read more DINNER AND A SHOWfrom 2013 in ( culture / food / restaurants )After stopping at Tara's sister's house in Smyrna to pick up a newly-refurbished Kindle Fire her husband had put together for her, we had dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant, Mi Tierra. Now Chago's Elizabeth was dying for refried beans! Whatever. She's eight. Mi Tierra is usually good, and it was again tonight. What was differ... read more HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR CO-WORKER IS A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITYfrom 2013 in ( culture / humor / politics )Essentially, pretend the Soviets won the Cold War and then conquered the United States -- that's how the government is operating.: How to know if your coworker is a threat to national security... read more LIES LIES LIESfrom 2013 in ( culture / music / conspiracies )Lyrics from a Frank Zappa song: 'You will obey me while I lead youAnd eat the garbage that I feed youUntil the day that we don't need youDon't go for help... no one will heed youYour mind is totally controlledIt has been stuffed into my moldAnd you will do as you are toldUntil the rights to you are sold' 'Also, if you have any... read more STARTED A NEW STORY TODAYfrom 2013 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )I started writing a new story today. Can't say much about it except that it's pretty much sci-fi, though it might wander into religion and politics. So, yeah, it should offend just about everyone. Then I took a break and started cleaning. Did a load of dishes. Vacuumed and cleaned the office carpet because not one, but two dogs threw up beh... read more CRACKING UP OVER LOTTERY PRESIDENTfrom 2013 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )Here's one of my brothers reading my book, Lottery President. He seems to be enjoying it. I swear I didn't pay him to do this. New book out! Here's my Amazon Author's Page, where you can find both the paperback and Kindle versions of Lottery President and Operation Detour of your own. :)The Kindle books are available through Kindle ... read more LOTTERY PRESIDENTfrom 2013 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )For most people, winning $300 million in the lottery would be enough. They would buy a big house, travel the world and retire. Not Benny. He decided to take the money and run ... for President. The house he had in mind was the White House. He didn't want to travel the world so much as save it ... from politicians. Retire? I'll retire when... read more GETTING USED TO HAVING NO TVfrom 2013 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )I'm slowly but surely getting used to having no TV in the house. It's been about a week now. I still get all the local news headlines by following those channels through Facebook. And the only thing I ever watched on Roku -- with what little time our daughter allowed us to watch anything other than her shows -- were the MLS soccer highlight... read more GUEST POSTINGfrom 2013 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )I've been following and listening to Jeff Goins's TribeWriters program, and he says an important aspect to successful blogging (at least as far as getting noticed) is to guest post on other people's blogs. Jeff is a great resource, by the way. So, if you want to post something on my blog, please let me know (by clicking the link to th... read more NO MORE TVfrom 2013 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )We've turned off, unplugged and hidden the TVs from ourselves! The plan is to keep it that way throughout the summer. We'll see how long it lasts. :) Something tells me we'll be cheating by watching more stuff on our computers. Still, I expect us all to be just a little bit smarter because of it. :)... read more I AM NOW A PUBLISHED AUTHORfrom 2013 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )It's SELF-published, but still ... It's called Lottery President.Hopefully, it's at least slightly entertaining. Tell a friend!Here's one of my brothers reading it. He seems to be enjoying it. I swear I didn't pay him to do this. Here's a link to all of my booksAsk me a question on Good ReadsGo to Another peek at my booksA... read more CINCO DE MAYOfrom 2013 in ( culture / food / restaurants / holidays )It was Cinco De Mayo, so we tried Moe's Southwest Grill. After ten minutes with very little movement (the line was so long), we left. Next we tried Las Palmas, a very good local chain. Same problem there. We didn't even bother standing in line. Now we're at Taco Bell. No lines! ... and apparently, no service, either. After placing our o... read more BLOG CONTENTfrom 2013 in ( culture / writing / blog / internet )I'm as guilty as anyone about trying to add content to my blog just for the sake of content (because search engines look for and rate highly based on how fresh your blog's content is). But someone whose blog/newsletter I subscribe to has stooped to simply stating the obvious, maybe phrasing it differently, just to have an interesting to... read more ROAD TO THE TRIPLE CROWN (2013)from 2013 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing / triple-crown )The Triple Crown 2013 -- ESPN. I always try and follow these preludes to the Kentucky Derby so that I have at least an educated guess on Derby Day.... read more THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITYfrom 2013 in ( culture / holidays / christmas )This is the Christmas story as told through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, Wikipedia, Google Maps, GMail, Foursquare, Amazon... ad infinitum. See YouTube -- THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY.And, for a miniseries on the subject, go to: The Bible: The Epic Miniseries... read more WHICH WEBSITE WOULD YOU CHOOSE?from 2013 in ( culture / people / internet )If you were on a deserted island with an Internet connection and a pug, but could only access ONE website, which site would it be?(BTW, the pug is irrelevant, I just like pugs!)Facebook -- 3 votesGoogle -- 2 votesKindle -- 1 votesTwitter -- 1 votesYour webmail -- 1 votesOther -- 1 votesPinterest -- 0 votesWikipedia -- 0 votesYour own blog -- 0 vote... read more MY WRITER'S PLATFORMfrom 2013 in ( culture / writing / books )WilliamArthurHolmes.com is my writer's platform, with a page showing where you can buy, preview and/or review all of my books. Or, just look below... Where to buy, preview or review my books ANOTHER WAY: Beyond the Status Quo Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Good Reads, Kobo, Scribd... read more FOOLING THEMSELVESfrom 2012 in ( culture / writing / blog / politics )The elites are adept at fooling themselves and others into thinking they know best. The superiority they bestow upon themselves is a convenient justification for keeping us commoners in the dark, and themselves in power.... read more A COUPLE OF BOOKS/NOVELLAS ON KINDLEfrom 2012 in ( culture / writing / books / novels )I've published a couple of books/novellas on Kindle recently: Lottery President is a political thriller; and Operation Detour is a darkly comedic adventure (or, the first half of it here, free). Please tell a friend, so maybe I can do this for a living instead of working for one soul-sucking corporation after another. :)You don't need a... read more SOME FACEBOOK USERS DISLIKE BEING USED IN ONLINE ADVERTISINGfrom 2012 in ( culture / tech / internet / social )Some Facebook users 'dislike' being used in online advertising.: online advertising for Mitt Romney... read more ON THE SUBJECT OF TYRANTSfrom 2012 in ( culture / quotes / politics )When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty, and there is nothing more to fear from them, then he is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader. -- Plato... read more HOW HUBBARD AND RAND GOT THEIR IDEASfrom 2012 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / humor )According to this video, this must be how it happened.Rand, in bed with Hubbard: We can take the most wealthy, privileged, powerful people and get them to talk like they're the poor, persecuted minority!Hubbard: That's almost too evil. ... read more QUOTE OF THE DAY (7/14/2012)from 2012 in ( culture / quotes )The War on Terror is a product. It doesn't exist to keep us safe. On the contrary, it exists to keep us in a state of fear. -- Liberty Underground News Service... read more QUOTE OF THE DAY (6/25/2012)from 2012 in ( culture / quotes / politics )To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize. -- VoltaireGood quote, but apparently not spoken by Voltaire. : answers./question/index?qid 120826085842AAwFmIv... read more OUR FIRST EVER ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANTfrom 2012 in ( culture / food / restaurants )With Elizabeth taken for the night by her wonderful Auntie, Tara and I took the opportunity last night to use a Groupon and go to an Ethiopian restaurant, Mesob. It was our first time trying Ethiopian food. The appetizer, sambusa, was very good. When the entree arrived, the injera bread on its own plate looked like napkins. Picking up one of thes... read more PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ IN MOSCOWfrom 2012 in ( culture / dance-stage )Sparrow Hills, Moscow: Puttin' on the Ritz in Moscow... read more PART 1 HUNGRY FOR CHANGEfrom 2012 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / politics )This inspiring film has the power to transform your health! -- Anthony Robbins, World Renowned Peak Performance Expert. : Hungry For Change -- Part 1.... read more ESCAPE FROM ZIP TIESfrom 2011 in ( culture / people / advice / crime )If you're ever unlawfully detained, this might be good to know:from the rear -- escape from zip ties in front -- escape... read more GREED IS NOT A VIRTUEfrom 2011 in ( culture / people / money )Great article. By capitalism's perverse moral logic, if a person sells toxic assets by knowingly misrepresenting them as sound, the fault lies not with the misrepresentation of the seller, but rather with the lack of due diligence on the part of the overly-trusting borrower.: Greed is Not a Virtue, by David Korten -- Agenda for a New Economy.... read more FREE MONTY PYTHON VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE LEAD TO 23,000% SALES INCREASEfrom 2011 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )Free Monty Python Videos on YouTube Lead to 23,000% DVD Sale Increase. We're letting you see absolutely everything for free. So there! But we want something in return. None of your driveling, mindless comments. Instead, we want you to click on the links, buy our movies & TV shows and soften our pain and disgust at being ripped off all these y... read more RULES FOR WRITERSfrom 2011 in ( culture / writing / advice )Anis Shivani: New Rules For Writers: Ignore Publicity, Shun Crowds, Refuse Recognition And MoreThese rules totally go against every prescription for writing success you'll hear as a young new writer from all quarters: the conformity-driven MFA system, the publishing industry's hype-machine, successful writers who act either like prima ... read more FOX SHOOTS HUNTER IN BELARUSfrom 2011 in ( culture / sports / hunting )Hooray for the fox!A wounded fox shot its would-be killer in Belarus by pulling the trigger on the hunter's gun as the pair scuffled after the man tried to finish the animal off with the butt of the rifle ...: Fox shoots hunter in Belarus... read more HAPPY NEW YEARfrom 2011 in ( culture / holidays )New Year Countdown Singapore, New Year Celebrations Kick Off Worldwide.... read more SOLD ANOTHER BUMPER STICKERfrom 2010 in ( culture / humor )Man, that's three this year. At a dollar apiece, I'm gonna be rich! :) UPDATE: That was at Zazzle, but now I recommend CafePress.... read more GREETING CARDS BY NATALIA HOLMESfrom 2010 in ( culture / arts-crafts )Greeting Cards by , my niece.NOTE: She no longer does this.... read more HOOKING UP THE TELEVISIONfrom 2010 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )When I wasn't working on computers this weekend, I was trying to get the new used television working in the bedroom. Prior to even having a new used TV, I was thinking about finally breaking down and getting a digital converter box for our existing analog just so we could watch broadcast TV in bed occasionally. For the past few months, that... read more DOORMATS WITH A DIFFERENCEfrom 2010 in ( culture / humor / jokes )A few doormats for your consideration...... read more ZENYATTA LOSTfrom 2010 in ( culture / sports / horse-racing )Zenyatta lost by half a head!This is the Breeder's Cup Classic I'm talking about. I thought she was hurt or something the way she ran dead last, 20 lengths behind. Then she came out of nowhere and would have won with two more strides, but it was too late. It figures the horse who beat her is named Blame.... read more GIANTS WINfrom 2010 in ( culture / sports )For the first time in my lifetime, the S.F. Giants have won the World Series!And they did it on my birthday!Adding to my joy was seeing George W. Bush in the background, clearly unhappy.... read more ALL-TIME BEST MOVIE LINESfrom 2010 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / quotes )I thought it'd be fun to come up with a list of the all-time best movie lines. Use the comments section below comments open again for your suggestions. Try and do it from memory. Don't worry about getting it exactly right. Here's what comes to my mind:We'll always have Paris -- Rick in CasablancaLouie, I think this is the begin... read more WINE REVIEWfrom 2010 in ( culture / food )Yes, we do it all here at FriendsNews! If I said to you Bohemian Highway, California Merlot 2007, what would you think? Crap? Just this side of Thunderbird? Well, you'd be wrong. At the amazingly low price of $6 for the small bottle, it's just as good as the Woodbridge California Merlot at twice the price. I've never had French wine, ... read more NEW TV ANTENNAfrom 2010 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / tech )Got the new tv antenna via UPS last night. That super saver/slow boat shipping from Amazon was not very slow, after all! So, today I'll be installing it. Just wanted to mention that in case I'm killed in the process.You'll at least know what happened to me. It says right on the packaging in several places Watch for wires! You can ... read more MY FIRST BUMPER STICKER SALEfrom 2010 in ( culture / humor )I just got an email saying I've made my first bumper sticker sale! They bought three, actually. At 33 cents commission per item, at this rate, one sale per year, I'll be rich in no time!UPDATE: That was at Zazzle, but now I recommend CafePress.... read more QUOTE OF THE DAY (6/21/2010)from 2010 in ( culture / quotes / economy )Watching Titanic the part where the ship is sinking is like watching the U.S. economy, where the rich conspire to sink as many of the poor as they possibly can. -- (yes, I thought this one up myself!)... read more NEIGHBORLY CONFRONTATIONfrom 2010 in ( culture / people / confrontation )I had a run-in yesterday with the neighbor formerly known as ahole motorcycle guy. I had just gotten back from a customer's office when I get a knock on the door. It's motorcycle guy saying Can we talk a minute? I know you've got a problem with me. About a year ago I had gotten in his face about him riding his motorcycle (a dirt... read more DECENT BREAKFAST PLACE?from 2010 in ( culture / food / restaurants / breakfast )Calling all breakfast eaters: Does anyone know of a decent place for breakfast near Nashville's (BNA) airport? My sister is passing through town next weekend and wants to have breakfast with Elizabeth (everyone else is secondary). We have a short time frame (2 or 3 hours) for breakfast before her flight leaves. The only breakfast places near th... read more QUOTE OF THE DAY (4/6/2010)from 2010 in ( culture / quotes )For life to work well for most people today, the universe has chosen an unlucky few for whom nothing works at all. :) Try and keep that in mind as you go through your day. --... read more SCREENPLAY SUBMITTEDfrom 2010 in ( culture / writing / screenplays )I submitted a screenplay to Scriptapalooza today. See scriptapalooza.com. The first deadline is Friday the 5th. The real deadline is April 15. I think first prize is $10,000, but the main thing is that real Hollywood industry people read all the scripts, so even if I don't win the contest, I might still have my screenplay optioned or bought and... read more MY FAMILY MEMBERS' BOOKSfrom 2010 in ( culture / writing / books / family )Scared to Life ...and Loving It!: One Man's Journey With Prostate Cancerby Kenneth J. SouzaMy Lifeby Lionel Joseph HolmesHis autobiography, with pictures.Portuguese Pioneers of the Sacramento Areaby Lionel Holmes and Joseph D'AllessandroTales of the Portuguese Pioneers of the Sacramento area. Many old picturesFor Control of Ozby steveNote... read more HAPPY GROUNDHOG'S DAYfrom 2010 in ( culture / holidays / employment )It's been almost five months now since I was laid off. It doesn't seem that long, actually. What've I been doing since then? Collecting unemployment checks and doing freelance consulting, helping people with their computer problems and questions. Check out computersavior.com for info on the latter. I'm also trying to make money thro... read more THAWING OUTfrom 2010 in ( culture / writing / blog / weather )Hopefully. It snowed a good 5-6 inches Friday in and around Nashville. It wasn't good snowman/snowball snow, though. Not in our neighborhood, anyway. It was too crusty because of the freezing rain that came after. It made for great sledding, though, which Elizabeth and I spent several hours doing over the past few days. The pugs hate the snow. ... read more MP3 PLAYER FOR MY CARfrom 2010 in ( culture / music / tech / auto )I am now the proud owner of this very cool device. Thanks to Heather and Brady for the suggestion!You might also like All-Time Favorite Songs, Current Favorite Songs or Favorite Lines from Songs... read more NEWLY DISCOVERED RADIO STATIONfrom 2009 in ( culture / music / radio )I just got my car back from the shop. $1500. Ouch!On the way home, though, I turned on the radio. All my preset stations were gone. Right. Whenever they reset the onboard computer, it resets my radio station presets. Kinda weird that it would, actually. Doesn't the radio have its own memory separate from the car's computer? Apparently not... read more A DAY WITHOUT MY CARfrom 2009 in ( culture / humor / transportation / auto )I'm just testing this Windows Live Writer software. UPDATE: There's now a newer, open-source version here. It was a dark and stormy night ... No, it was an unusually cold day ... yeah, that's it ... for the first week of December when I was forced to go without my beloved -- well, maybe not beloved, but much appreciated -- car. It... read more GOT A HAIRCUTfrom 2009 in ( culture / appearance / grooming )Got a haircut today. Finally! What little I have left -- after all the stress at work and the stress of the recent back pain -- was getting pretty long and goofy-looking unless it was wet and slicked back. Anyway, I was sitting there in my chair getting my hair cut by the same middle aged woman who cut it last time. I had my head down as I usually ... read more CHRISTMAS (2008)from 2009 in ( culture / holidays / christmas )It took five months, but here it is:Christmas 2008... read more OUR FIRST OUTSIDE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, EVERfrom 2008 in ( culture / holidays / christmas )That's it. No story. Here's the link: Our first outside Christmas lights... read more HAPPY HALLOWEENfrom 2008 in ( culture / holidays / halloween )Or, as they piously call it around here, Fall Festival, because Halloween is the work of Satan, you know. :)We just returned from trick-or-treating, which Elizabeth absolutely loved. She kept saying, Halloween is so much fun! And now we're all recovering from the hike around the neighborhood. Well, that plus our activities earlier today. Fo... read more FOOD FOR THOUGHTfrom 2008 in ( culture / quotes / employment )The corporation is a true Frankenstein's monster, an artificial person run amok, responsible only to its own soulless self. -- William Dugger For more, go to dreamslaughter: Food For Thought.... read more OLD MUSIC, NEWLY UPLOADEDfrom 2008 in ( culture / music / piano )Here's some piano music I've composed over the years, mostly from the late 80s and early 90s. I rarely play nowadays. None of the compositions (if you can call them that) had names until just now. And none of it is very professionally played or recorded, but it's all I could do! Still, all rights reserved by me. Feel free to download an... read more HOLDING THE SUNfrom 2008 in ( culture / photography )For more, go to holding the sun pictures, but here's a few to hold you over...... read more SLOVAK ART, PALICKOVANIEfrom 2008 in ( culture / arts-crafts )Slovak art by JanaIn the Slovak language, this textile art is called palickovanie (Pronounced: PALL-eech-ko-vah-nyeh)See also https:///sk-gift.html... read more RADIO PAGEfrom 2008 in ( culture / music / radio )Online Radio stationsRevolution935 -- Beat FM -- Blip.fm -- Pandora -- Margaritaville -- Last.fm -- Live365.com -- Shoutcast -- SpotifySatellite from Don (ca. 2010) As broadcast radio continues to drive itself into self-extinction with their worship of mediocrity (the new American disease), there's a new type of radio called satellite radio. Y... read more POETRY BY FRIENDSNEWS MEMBERS PAGEfrom 2008 in ( culture / writing / poetry )A Prince in DisguiseA Saga of SevenHatsPeople you'll be missing and whyTHE RUN... read more STAGE PAGEfrom 2008 in ( culture / dance-stage / plays )A couple of places in middle Tennessee where you might catch a stage playThe Thomas HouseChaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre... read more PEOPLE YOU'LL BE MISSING AND WHYfrom 2008 in ( culture / writing / poetry )The time has come for you to move on,but I'm sure you'll be missing us while you are gone;No more conversation with boss Catherine to really make you think,You'll miss your adventures with supervisor Stella who is always in the pink;The daily reports from Lala about her bodily functions will cease,And without you here, Rose's... read more A PRINCE IN DISGUISEfrom 2008 in ( culture / writing / poetry )by JeannieWe met on the race track in '72I couldn't resist his eyes, so blueWe soon fell in love and started a lifeIn '76 he made me his wifeA teacher, leader, rebel and yesA son, brother, father, the bestBoss man, biker, hero and moreLoving, caring, cheerful, no boreHe meant what he saidHe said what he meantHe made new friendsEverywher... read more A SAGA OF SEVENfrom 2008 in ( culture / writing / poetry )This is a story in the style called rap that'll surely encourage an afternoon nap of a family of seven, their kids and their wives and something regarding their travels and lives. Now first there was Greg, a Brooklyn-born lad; and then it was Lucy that Mom and Dad had. She was born at Sing Sing (no, not in the jail). They left the U.S., fo... read more BOOKS PAGEfrom 2008 in ( culture / writing / books )The Lazy Pug Cafe The Lazy Pug Cafe -- As recently as a few months ago, the Lazy Pug Caf was nothing more than a dilapidated new two-story farmhouse. Set back just forty yards from the road -- closer than most out in the country -- it had a beautiful new weeping willow in front and a massive ancient oak tree out back. Abandoned years ago, the ne... read more ALL ABOUT MOVIES AND TVfrom 2008 in ( culture / movies-tv-video )Check out IMDB featured content for the latest TV episodes, popular clips, and trailers. Free documentaries! Great website!Others here: Top Documentary Films and Documentary Heaven... read more MUSIC PAGEfrom 2008 in ( culture / music )Five apps that should make middlemen nervousBandCampBandMixReverbNationMusic -- Radio Old Music, Newly Uploaded Mr. Happy's 18th Annual Unusual Christmas Music Podcast Newly Discovered Radio Station New MP3 Player for My Car Lies Lies Lies All-Time Favorite Songs One of the All-Time Great Rock Era Lyricists USB Turntable Good Album Mongolian Th... read more FASHION PAGEfrom 2008 in ( culture / fashion )We'll probably have something fashion-related to talk about... someday.... read more SPORTS PAGEfrom 2008 in ( culture / sports )SoccerBleacher Report -- SoccerESPNFCFIFAFootball.comGoal.comMLS SoccerSoccer NewsSporting News -- SoccerUS Soccer.comUS Soccer PlayersHorse RacingBreeders CupHorse Racing on YahooBelmont StakesPreakness StakesKentucky DerbyDRF: Derby WatchFirst Saturday in May movieMLBNBANFLNHL... read more MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES AND FOOD ARTICLESfrom 2008 in ( culture / food / recipes )Miscellaneous Recipes and Food Articles... read more THE LEGEND OF CONANfrom 2005 in ( culture / writing / poetry )(Irish Traditional)Once there was a kittenConan was his nameHe grew to nearly 20 poundsBut a kitten he remainedHe grew to be ferociousFeared throughout the landHush, my child and you shall hearThe legend of ConanA harder working kittenThe world has never seenHe'd guard the yard from front to backAnd everywhere betweenIn the dead of nighttimeOr ... read more CYCLING IN IOWAfrom 2005 in ( culture / sports / cycling )It's over, for me, anyway. I rode two days in and that was enough. As I expected, it was nice to ride with 10,000 other cyclists and the party-like attitude of the riders and the people in the towns was really nice. The problem was that it took place in Iowa. I was glad that when I rode, it was overcast, had head winds, and occasional rains. Ot... read more BILL AND TARA'S EXCELLENT ADVENTUREfrom 2000 in ( culture / movies-tv-video / transportation )It started out as an innocent attempt at dinner and a movie on a Saturday night. It turned into... Tara's nightmare!We had dinner at Schlotzsky's, each of us ordering one of their 8 personal pizzas. Tara got her usual barbecue chicken. I tried something new: the so-called Thai chicken pizza. It was okay, but there was nothing particul... read more A GIRL NAMED LUCYfrom 1998 in ( culture / writing / poetry )from 1990This is a story 'bout a girl named LucyOtherwise known as The Rappin' WatusiShe lays down a beat that gets your toes tappin'If your toes get tired, let your fingers do the snappin'She says Hey buddy, don't you be no squareIf you can't find a partner, use a wooden chairOkay, so you've heard those words bef... read more A DAY AT THE RACESfrom 1998 in ( culture / writing / stories / horse-racing )from 1994 The first Saturday in May. What does this date mean to you? Probably nothing, except that Spring has arrived, unless you live in California where it's been Spring for two months at least -- real Spring, not calendar Spring. Ask any horse racing buff, though, and they'll tell you the first Saturday in May is the day of the Kentuc... read more |
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