Bits & Bytes

DAILY PRAYER: Come, Holy Spirit. Fill our minds and our hearts. Enkindle in them the fires of Your wisdom and Your love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

ANGRIER THAN EVER: CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lXkgZNZASaQ to hear Nick Freitas make an excellent point.

ARCTIC FROST: Articles of impeachment have been brought against Chief DC circuit judge James Boasberg for signing off on secret surveillance of Republicans.

BBC: CLICK https://x.com/Telegraph/status/1985420805816135745 [2:12] to hear what this UK-government-sponsored television station did to mislead viewers.

ELECTIONS: Democrats won big yesterday. Californians approved a partisan redistricting measure, which could result in as many as five additional Democrat seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Sherrill beat Ciattarelli for governor of New Jersey. Spanberger beat Earle-Sears for governor of Virginia. And New Yuck City will have its first Muslim Socialist mayor.

In better news, Texans approved Proposition 15, which amends the state constitution to enshrine parents’ right “to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing” and the responsibility “to nurture and protect the parent’s child.” Texans also passed a ballot measure that disallows noncitizens from voting in all statewide elections, including local races.

EVERYDAY HEROES: A couple saved the life of a young girl whose rollercoaster seat restraints failed during the first hill. The “Mamba” at the Worlds of Fun park in Kansas City travels up to 75mph.

MASSACHUSETTS: [2:38] – Unbelievable.

PRAYER for OUR NATION: Dear Lord, Expose every hidden deed of darkness and uproot systems of greed and manipulation. Raise leaders who will walk in integrity and uphold what is right. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

RIP: Dick Cheney, the 46th vice president of the United States, passed away on November 3. He was 84. May God have mercy on his soul.

SECRET SANTA: [6:01] – Grab a tissue.

SHUTDOWN: [5:32] – Where else in the world can employees shut down a business because THEY haven’t done their jobs?!

SPYGATE: [13:35] – Thomas Speciale confronted former CIA Director Brennan regarding the fake Steele dossier and the Russia Collusion hoax twice at a conference on October 30 at Hayden Center at George Mason University. Brennan responded angrily.

TDS: CLICK https://x.com/DailyCaller/status/1985510440659468314 [:25] to hear Nancy Pelosi explain why she believes Donald Trump is “a vile creature, the worst thing on the face of the earth.” Among other things, “he has abolished the House of Representatives.” Meanwhile, Harrison Ford says, “I don’t know of a greater criminal in history.”

GRAMMY NOTES: I am offended! All my life, I have believed ladybugs were harmless. Turns out, some of them, especially the Asian Harlequin ladybugs, will bite humans if they’re hungry. It’s usually just a little annoying, unless you’re allergic. But sheesh. Plus, ALL of the ones in the pictures above are Asian Harlequin ladybugs! I mean … seriously?!

SHORTS:

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WjgqVWTCUBs to see “the ghost walk.” Amazing!

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0GhnAt4torQ to see a wonderful old television ad.

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Bits & Bytes

DAILY PRAYER: Dear Lord, May You be on our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

BIOPHILIA: [17:18] – Fascinating applications of psychological research to architecture and interior design. Several of the things she mentions explain why one of my favorite things is to sit on our deck and watch the leaves on our big basswood tree flutter in the breeze.

BREAST CANCER: Breast cancer accounts for almost a third of all new cancers among women in the United States every year. A huge new study entitled “Hormonal Contraceptive Formulations and Breast Cancer Risk in Adolescents and Premenopausal Women” has just been published in JAMA Oncology. Researchers who examined data from more than two million women from 2006 to 2019 found that thos who used hormonal contraceptives (i.e., birth control pills, implants, injections, and intrauterine systems) were at higher risk of developing breast cancer. They also found there was a “statistically significant greater risk” from progestin-only contraceptives as compared to combined formulations.

DEMOCRATS: Damani Bryant Felder posted these from his in box. Based on this small sample, it appears the most racist Democrats are white.

EVERYDAY HEROES: “I parked my car in an outdoor lot. I forgot to roll up my window, because my mind, as always, must’ve been on other things. I came back a long time later — many, many, many days later. Look what a perfect stranger had done for me, in my absence.”

FOOD STAMPS: The Trump administration has announced that food stamps will be partially funded using all $5 billion of the contingency fund the USDA has on hand. It costs about $9 billion to fully fund SNAP each month. There is a lot of really negative stuff about SNAP beneficiaries on the ‘net right now. I’d much prefer to see these sneering types put their energies into praying, donating to food pantries, and voting for representatives who will use our tax dollars responsibly. After Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, my husband was put out of work for a year. I am disabled and we had 3 young children. He did anything and everything he could to find work, but while he looked, we all NEEDED to eat.

PRAYER for OUR NATION: Dear Lord, Please sweeten the hearts and minds of all Americans. Fill us with both generosity and gratitude. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

SECRET SANTA: [7:51] – A local Secret Santa is giving $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season. Every day, from now until the end of the year, the East Idaho News elves will be delivering gifts from Secret Santa and we’ll be sharing the surprise videos here.

SCOTT ADAMS: The cartoonist famous for “Dilbert” has metastasized prostate cancer. He was approved for a new drug, but something went wrong with the scheduling. He reached out to President Trump, who got him an appointment for yesterday.

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All Souls Day

DAILY PRAYER: Dear Jesus, Deliver the souls from Purgatory and admit them to Your sweet embrace. Amen.

ALL SOULS DAY: [9:43] – God showed St. Gertrude the Great what happens every year on November 2.

AUTOPEN: [8:40] – Whoa.

BORDER: Federal law forbids using Medicaid funds for illegal aliens. California spent $1.3 billion. Illinois spent $29 million. Oregon spent $5.4 million, the District of Columbia and Washington state spent $2 million each. And Colorado spent $1.5 million.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME: It’s “fall back” day. We’re back on Standard.

DEATH THREAT: Tyler Avalos (29) of Minnesota has been arrested for publishing a threat on TikTok saying he wanted AG Pam Bondi “dead or alive” but “preferably dead.” According to court documents, he offered $45,000 to get the deed done and included a picture of Bondi with a sniper-scope red dot on her forehead.

DOGE: Over the past week, agencies eliminated 103 wasteful contracts, saving We the Taxpayers $103 million. These included a $13.4M VA consulting contract for “coaching support and dashboard services”, a $43k State Dept. educational training contract for “crucial influence and getting things done courses”, and a $44k State Dept. educational training contract for “crucial conversations and power of habit courses.”

MILITARY: [7:42] – My personal contact in the military says this situation is due to years of poorly managed defense spending. Rather than changing manning requirements, the military has long been using external contractors who cost twice as much. “Those contracted positions need to be transitioned to either service member or federal civilian. But that manning takes time.”

NIGERIA: Yesterday, President Trump said, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.” He also said he will designate Nigeria a “country of concern” under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act.

OBAMA: CLICK https://x.com/WesternLensman/status/1984348309150941670 [:26] to hear Michelle bitch about not getting “the grace” that other First Ladies got.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: CLICK https://rumble.com/v70xzts-liberals-are-melting-down-over-this-comedy-gold.html [1:37] to hear a news anchor make a really good point.

PRAYER for OUR NATION: Dear Lord, Remember the poor souls in Purgatory who once lived in our great nation and have mercy on them. Be not harsh in Your judgment, but send angels to escort them to a place of refreshment. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

SNAP: On October 31, two federal judges said the U.S. Department of Agriculture is legally required to use emergency funds to pay out food stamps benefits during the government shutdown. The USDA says its emergency funds are not even half of what is needed to cover one month of SNAP benefits. The government’s lawyers say the law only allows the funds to be used to supplement a funded program that falls short. With the government shut down, SNAP is not a funded program.

SHORTS:

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2-Zj0SocKm8 to see J.D.’s Halloween costume.

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pj-KFloSvhs to see a clever way to paint a fence.

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All Saints Day

DAILY PRAYER: Dear God, on this All Saints Day, we thank You for the countless saints who have lived faithfully in Your name. May we be inspired by their holy lives and imitate their virtues of humility, courage, and compassion. Strengthen us to walk the narrow path they chose, always placing our trust in You. Help us honor their legacy not only in word but in action. May their witness spur us on to greater holiness in our own journey. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen. Alleluia!

1A: Some high schools allow seniors to book a private parking space, which they can paint with a design of their choice. In two cases, Christian students – Sabrina Steffans and Sophia Schumaker – had their designs rejected because they were religious. In both cases, First Liberty Institute sent letters to the schools, explaining that their policies were a blatant violation of First Amendment rights. In both cases, the schools changed their policies.

CALIFORNIA: “Firefighters mopping up a small brush fire that authorities say reignited as the Palisades fire five days later were ordered to leave the original burn scene even though they complained the ground was still smoldering and rocks remained hot to the touch.”

CATHOLIC: CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aiq_JBdAiBs to hear how one mystic says she saw our gifts being taken the altar at Mass.

DEI: [5:43] – On October 28,Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard delivered remarks at The Heritage Foundation before the premier showing of documentary premiere Call Sign: Courage, the Matt Lohmeier Story.

FBI: “The FBI stopped a potential terrorist attack in Michigan before it could unfold. Thanks to swift action and coordination with our partners, a violent plot tied to international terrorism was disrupted. This is what defending the homeland looks like — vigilance saves lives.” – Director Kash Patel

IMMIGRATION: President Trump has decreased the number of refugees allow in by 94% with preference given to a group that has been historically ignored.

KAMALA: CLICK https://x.com/EricAbbenante/status/1822019438029279323 [;45] to hear three separate times when she said young people are stupid. CLICK https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1984240675349541209 [2:10] to hear her explain this week that she thinks we should let them vote, because they are uneducated and hyped up on climate hysteria.

KJP: CLICK https://x.com/GOPoversight/status/1984368782710591539 to hear again from Biden’s Liar in Chief. – Speaking of cheap fakes, remember when CBS deceptively edited Kamala’s terrible answer to help her presidential campaign? CLICK https://x.com/DGrayTexas45/status/1984385174881399275 to remember when SecTrans BootyJudge pretended he rode a bike to work. CLICK https://x.com/DGrayTexas45/status/1965552936999649759 to remember how many jobs reports had to be revised downward.

PRAYER for OUR NATION: Heavenly Father, May the saints of America intercede for us, that we will have the strength and grace to always choose Your will. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

RACISM IN AMERICA: CLICK https://x.com/TONYxTWO/status/1983699437437308972 [3:17] to hear a liberal white woman explain why she vandalized a Charlie Kirk memorial sign. Then, CLICK https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1983560409107026353 [1:28] to see an example of “racist s***.”

SHUTDOWN: [6:52] – How about if, when Congress fails to meet its budget deadlines, a CR automatically kicks in and nobody in Congress is allowed to go home until they DO THEIR JOBS?! Where else do employees get to close down their employers’ businesses because THEY didn’t do their jobs?!?!

SUDAN: CLICK https://x.com/EYakoby/status/1983939886584377676 [:19] to see Sudanest Islamists show off all the 2,000+ civilians they had just killed.

UK: King Charles has begun the process of stripping his brother, Prince Andrew, of his “prince” title and evicting him from the Royal Lodge in Windsor.

VIRGINIA: CLICK https://x.com/greg_price11/status/1984260298988233210 [:25] to hear Democrat gubernatorial candidate Spanberger say she would absolutely not work with Trump on job creation.

GRAMMY NOTES: Bootz chose to be a hazmat zombie hunter this year. LOL

SHORTS:

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VlyTh19_S_c to learn how to make “Halloween Chili.”

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3shXyczmYes to see “Woody-Wolf” blaze through the agility course.

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Bits & Bytes

DAILY PRAYER: Dear Lord, Grant each of us restful sleeps and peaceful deaths. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

ART OF THE DEAL: Last May, fighting flared briefly between India and Pakistan. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said he kept the tensions from escalating to war by threatening both nations with 250% tariffs.

This week, he negotiated $490 billion in investment commitments with Japan, then went to South Korea where he finalized a $350 billion trade deal.

AUTOPEN: CLICK https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1983730199402574255 [:18] to see a clip from April 2022. Who exactly was really in charge during the so-called Biden administration?

BASKETBALL: CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CwsekFoxznw to hear fake news which was disappointingly passed on by someone whose posts I usually like.

Shortly after taking office, President Obama had the South Lawn tennis court (built in the 1950s under Eisenhower) repurposed by adding basketball lines over the tennis lines and purchasing removable hoops. There was no new construction, demolition, or “tearing up the lawn” and the facility could easily be switched between basketball and tennis.

While no official figures were released, the likely cost of converting the White House’s existing outdoor tennis court into a dual-use basketball/tennis court in 2009 was between $17,000 and $200,000. The project was paid for by private donations, not with taxpayer moneys.

It is worth noting that, unlike Obama, who never disclosed the basketball court donors, Trump has been fully transparent about where the ballroom money is coming from.

BIDEN: Mike Donilon, a longtime aide to former President Joe Biden, told the House Oversight Committee that he was promised a $4 million bonus if Biden won reelection in 2024. That was on top of his $4 million salary. Kinda sounds like 8 million reasons to cover up Biden’s physical and mental disabilities.

CALIFORNIA: On Tuesday, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said he was pulling an additional $160 million in federal funding from California over the state issuing commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to illegal immigrants.

CATHOLIC: CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BdF9YJcM0M4 to hear an astonishing fact about Jesus’ DNA.

KAMALA: CLICK https://x.com/saras76/status/1983979537127076015 [:24] to hear a clip from her appearance on “The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart” on Thursday.

MEDIA: At least six senior Trump-administration political appointees have moved their families to Washington-area military housing, where they can be shielded from harassment and violence from the tolerance left. The leftist magazine, The Atlantic, predictably couched this situation as Trump’s fault and a strain on military housing.

MIRACLE IN HIROSHIMA: [7:45] – Fr Columba tells the astonishing true story of eight Jesuit priests who were the only survivors from within nuclear blast zone at Hiroshima. They were uninjured after the blast and never developed radiation sickness. CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YGk-4QljUIU to hear another one. I need a tissue!

OPEN BORDERS: CLICK https://rumble.com/v70yxsa-jd-vance-breaks-down-the-case-against-mass-immigration-better-than-any-repu.html [3:13]to hear J.D. Vance explain the impact of Biden’s policies contributed to the nation’s housing problems.

PRAYER for OUR NATION: Dear Lord, Please change the hearts and minds of enough Democrats so the shut down ends and SNAP benefits get issued. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

S&G: Glamour UK released its 2025 Women of the Year issue on Wednesday. All of the nine “women” on the cover are biological males. Author J.K. Rowling says it tells “girls that men are better women than they are.”

SHUTDOWN: CLICK https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/1983902017798951136 [:39] to hear Rep. Janelle Bynum talk nonsense.

VIRGINIA: Barack Obama and the NAACP are hypocritically pimping for the WHITE candidate for governor. Clearly, it is not and never has been about race.

SHORTS:

CLICK https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPpZNK6CY_V/ for a quick visual of why we need to wait on God’s timing.

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7ELRzD9oG4o to hear the impact of accepting Jesus on a blue-haired, face-tattooed sinner. It has me wondering if all the extreme body mods we see so often on far left activists are motivated by demonic self-loathing.

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Halloween Costumes

CLICK https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=777746035149777 to see how to make a roller coaster costume.

CLICK https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1142932721141838 to see how to make a garbage man costume.

CLICK https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1413489839729285 to see the father of triplets make them into a Whack-a-Mole game.

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FuQvKbJsxd4 to see how to make a reluctant bride costume.

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qSGnFPw7cHU to see a very confused, but HAPPY dog.

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fPrCcz_O_4Q to see the costume kitty did not want to retire.

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/l2e0LkBVA6w to see Dude Dad build the coolest prop ever!

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vRQ9xy89YXc to see a kid with a great heart.

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Bits & Bytes

DAILY PRAYER: Dear Lord, Please protect those who live in the path of Hurricane Melissa. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

ARCTIC FROST: On Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee released nearly 200 pages of internal emails showing the FBI targeted more than 150 Republicans in key battleground states during the 2020 election cycle. “Arctic Frost investigators utilized FBI field offices from across the country to conduct its investigation,” raising serious questions concerning whether the Democrat-led DOJ plotted with state prosecutors to bring criminal charges against Trump supporters.

BIDEN: The House Oversight Committee’s 93-page report say they found “no record demonstrating President Biden himself made all of the executive decisions attributed to him.” They have accused White House officials of a cover-up, declared that clemency actions signed with President Biden’s autopen are invalid, and officially requested that Attorney General Pam Bondi investigate and “address the legal consequences.”

CLICK https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1983572560257142917 [:35] to hear Whoopi Goldberg condemn the investigation, because Biden is “no longer in office.”

BORDER: DHS reports that, as of October 27, more than 527,000 illegal aliens have been forcibly deported, while another 1.6 million have voluntarily self-deported. The government is currently offering illegal immigrants $1,000 and free flights to self-deport back to their home nations. This gives them a chance to come back legally. Those arrested and deported won’t be able to return to the United States.

CBS: [16:31] – There’s a new sheriff in town.

CLIMATE HOAX: Tech billionaire Bill Gates has long been an enthusiastic climate activist. But his message to the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Brazil, which begins on Nov. 10, says he now believes the biggest problems the world faces are poverty and disease, not rising temperatures.

DRUG WARS: SecDef Hegseth has announced that, on October 28, we blew up four drug boats in the Eastern Pacific. A total of 14 narco-terrorists were killed in international waters with no U.S. forces harmed. Mexican SAR authorities took responsibility for the one survivor.

“The Department has spent over TWO DECADES defending other homelands. Now, we’re defending our own. These narco-terrorists have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will be treated the same. We will track them, we will network them, and then, we will hunt and kill them.”

CLICK https://x.com/SecWar/status/1983164355999883548 [:28] to see the video.

GROKIPEDIA: It’s nice to have an alternative to the left-wing bias at Wikipedia, but it’ll be a while for X’s new site to catch up on content.

HAMAS: According to the peace deal, Hamas had until October 13to return the remains of all the hostages who died in their custody. As of October 28, they still had not complied, so Netanyahu ordered military strikes. Check out the Hot Air story linked below entitled “NY Times: Everything Israel Said About Hamas Faking the Discovery of a Body is True.”

JAPAN: U.S. President Donald Trump met with Japan’s new (and first female) Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Oct. 27 for bilateral talks on security, trade, and other issues. They signed an agreement saying they were committed to strengthening economic security and promoting economic growth for both nations.

PRAYER for OUR NATION: Heavenly Father, bless the Body of Christ in our nation. May the Church arise in holiness, love, and boldness. Let Your people be a shining light in dark places and a voice of truth and hope. Strengthen pastors, evangelists, and missionaries. Let revival sweep through the land, turning hearts to You. May Your Spirit empower believers to walk in love, unity, and obedience. May the Church be a force of change and healing in every community. Amen.

SICKOS: It makes me really sad to see people mocking Charlie Kirk’s murder. Sad for them, I mean, cuz, you know, Judgment.

SHUTDOWN: The losers are losing. ABC, CNN, and now CNBC have all blamed Democrats.

CLICK https://x.com/SenateGOP/status/1983170005320773642 [:09] to hear Democrat Sen. Chris Coons call forcing people to suffer by shutting off SNAP “leverage” for his party to get what they want. He ignores the fact that the fight is in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to keep the government open. Republicans currently hold 53 seats. Not 60. The latest vote on passing the clean CR failed 54 to 45.

CLICK https://x.com/tomselliott/status/1983240328090919324 [:29] to hear Democrat Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse say the same thing. He accuses Republicans of not being “reasonable.” Republicans just want to keep the government open while they finish next year’s budget. Democrats are demanding that all the savings we achieved in the “Big Beautiful Bill” be eliminated. They remind me of a toddler who threatens to hold his breath until he dies if he doesn’t get what he wants.

VAXXX: A new peer-reviewed paper from Taipei Medical University has reported that 91 percent of Moderna mRNA-1273 recipients developed cardiovascular side effects during the observation period—within one week of receiving the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine.

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AI Chatbots and Our Kids and Grandkids

[2:42] – I had no idea what a “chatbot” was, so I asked Grok, “How do kids get involved with chatbots?” Silly me. Grok is a chatbot. In fact, I have already had my “whoa” moment with Grokkie, whose chatty style suckered me into interacting with it as if it were another human on the ‘net. After I caught myself calling it “he”, saying “please” and “thank you” and feeling like I needed to explain why I wanted to know something, I stopped using it for a few days. It is a helpful tool; I used it extensively to put together my Lying Liars blogs. But it is a MACHINE that was programmed by people whose beliefs and agendas may not be compatible with my own. Point being … the information below isn’t just for your kids and grandkids!

Below are the tips and resources Grok pulled up to help us use AI safely and effectively. The graphics are screenshots from the MIT article linked at the bottom.

Safe and Fun Ways for Kids to Get Involved with Chatbots

Chatbots are AI-powered conversational tools. Some examples are Grok and ChatGPT. Kid-friendly versions can spark curiosity, boost creativity, and teach problem-solving, but they can also sometimes give inaccurate info, perpetuate biases, or lead to over-reliance if unsupervised.

Always involve parents or guardians, use age-appropriate platforms, and start with short sessions (10-15 minutes). Aim for educational or playful use, not endless chatting. Below, I’ll outline practical ways kids (roughly ages 8-14) can engage, based on expert-recommended activities from educators and tech organizations.

1. Start with Simple Interactions (Ages 8-10)

  • Play Games and Ask Questions: Treat the chatbot like a trivia buddy. Ask for jokes, riddles, or “20 Questions” (e.g., “Guess what animal I’m thinking of”). This builds critical thinking by spotting when the bot gets things wrong. Kid-safe platforms like Grok (on x.com or apps) or Google Bard have built-in games; avoid open-ended “companions” like Character.AI, which recently banned under-18s due to safety risks.
  • Storytelling Sessions: Prompt the bot for story starters (e.g., “Write a short adventure about a kid inventor”). Kids can add their own twists, fostering imagination. Tools like AI Dungeon offer moderated versions for this.
  • Tip: Sit side-by-side with an adult to discuss responses(e.g., “Why do you think the bot said that?”)

2. Educational Chats for Learning (Ages 10-12)

  • Homework Helpers: Use chatbots for brainstorming, not copying answers. Ask “Explain photosynthesis like I’m 10” or “Give me three fun facts about dinosaurs.” This encourages research skills and fact-checking. Apps like SchoolAI let teachers create custom bots for subjects like science experiments or history quizzes.
  • Language Practice: Chat in another language (e.g., “Teach me basic Spanish greetings”) or role-play scenarios like ordering food. This simulates real conversations without pressure.
  • Reading Buddies: Bots can “discuss” books to build interest—e.g., “What would happen next in this story?” Studies show this boosts situational interest in reading. sciencedirect.com
  • Tip: Set rules like “Always check facts with a book or trusted site,” and use platforms with parental controls (e.g., Microsoft Edge’s Bing Chat).

3. Hands-On Creation (Ages 12+)

  • Build Your Own Bot: No advanced coding needed! Use free tools like Scratch (from MIT) to make a simple chatbot that answers questions on a topic like space or pets. Tutorials guide kids through “if-then” logic. Platforms like Code.org or Tynker offer drag-and-drop AI projects, like a guessing game bot.
  • Real-World Projects: Design a bot for school events (e.g., fundraiser orders) or environmental tips (e.g., “How can I reduce plastic waste?”). This teaches ethics, like considering user needs and AI limits.
  • Advanced Fun: Experiment with text-to-speech in Scratch to make talking bots, or join online challenges from sites like Create & Learn.
  • Tip: Start small—focus on mechanics first, then add personality. Share creations with family for feedback.

Essential Safety Rules for Parents

  • Supervise Always: Monitor chats to avoid sensitive topics; bots can mimic empathy but aren’t therapists.
  • Teach Critical Thinking: Discuss biases (e.g., “Why might the bot overlook certain cultures?”) and ethics (don’t use for homework cheating).
  • Limit Time & Avoid Companions: Stick to 20-30 minutes/day. Recent laws and bans (e.g., on Character.AI) highlight risks of emotional dependency.
  • Privacy First: Use incognito modes or kid accounts; never share personal info.

Recommended Kid-Friendly Platforms

PlatformBest ForAge RangeSafety Notes
Grok (xAI)Games, questions, creative prompts10+Free with quotas; fun, witty responses; parental oversight via apps.
ScratchBuilding simple bots8-14Free, visual coding; no open internet access.
Code.orgAI challenges & games8-12Curriculum-aligned; teacher resources.
TynkerCoding bots & stories7-14Paid tiers, but free trials; filters harmful content.
SchoolAIClassroom bots10+Teacher-monitored; custom prompts.

SOURCES:

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Lying Liars

On December 5, 2023, during a Fox News town hall event hosted by Sean Hannity in Des Moines, Iowa, Donald Trump responded to accusations that he would abuse power and seek retribution against political opponents if reelected.

Trump said he would not be a dictator, then added, “except for day one.” On that day, he vowed to “close the border” and pursue “drilling, drilling, drilling” for oil and gas. But, “after that, I’m not a dictator.

Democrats pounced.

On July 12 and July 20, 2024, Joe Biden said Trump “wants to be a dictator.”

On June 27, 2024, Kamala Harris said that Trump had vowed to be a “dictator on day one.”

On July 4, 2024, Joe Biden said Trump would “take out his opponents, take bribes, and lead a coup”, thus becoming “the dictator that he promised to be on day one.”

On September 10, 2024, Kamala Harris repeated the claim that Trump had vowed to be a “dictator on day one.”

On October 19, 2024, Kamala Harris repeated the claim that Trump had vowed to be a “dictator on day one.”

On October 28, 2024, Kamala Harris repeated the claim that Trump had vowed to be a “dictator on day one.”

On 29, 2024, Kamala Harris repeated the claim that Trump had vowed to be a “dictator on day one.”

On December 4, 2024, the DNC reminded followers that Trump had pledged to be a “dictator on day one.”

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Bits & Bytes

DAILY PRAYER: Dear Lord, Keep us ever mindful of the small decisions we make and grant us the graces we need to choose the ones that bring us closer to You. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

APPROVALS: It doesn’t get much better than this.

DELAWARE: Jeff Balk, who was elected chair of the Sussex County Democratic Party in March, has been pressured to step down after it was learned he had spent seven years in a Missouri prison in the late 1980s for having paid young boys for sex. Some said he has paid his debt to society and is now a model citizen. Others suggest pedophiles can’t be trusted.

FULWILER: CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0C7r_uNB_JU and join us in praying for this family.

HISTORY: In the brutal winter of 1846-1847, the Donner Party became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains, battling starvation and freezing temperatures. While the paid rescuers each chose to take one survivor to safety, Stark refused to leave anyone behind. His story wasn’t widely recorded in early Donner Party accounts, and only surfaced later through survivor recollections and local histories. Unlike more prominent figures in the rescue efforts, Stark didn’t seek recognition, and his name rarely appears in textbooks or dramatizations of the tragedy.

LYING LIARS: Trump never said this.

PRAY FOR OUR NATION: Dear Lord, Please smack some Democrats upside their heads and get this shutdown ended before people start going hungry. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

TRANS: In the UK, a transgender TikToker has been found guilty of four counts of sexual abuse, including domestic violence, rape, strangulation, and threatening his victim with a knife. Jordan “Jennifer” O’Brien, a father of four, has been remanded to custody ahead of sentencing.

GRAMMY NOTES: I saw this post on Facebook from a cousin in Idaho literally minutes after seeing a similar one by my cleaning lady about her oven!

SHORTS:

CLICK https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6vJS3pHWU18 to see Bud’s big surprise.

CLICK https://www.facebook.com/reel/1310191930348856 for another golden goldie clip.

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