Archiving a few leftover photos from our Spring in Florida

Posted By on April 30, 2025

Barge Ship

While walking the Atlantic shoreline, Brenda and I often watched ships and tugs towing barges offshore pass by. We took note of the unique ones like the SS United States and more recently a specialized Express Marine hybrid barge with its companion tug. It was interesting enough to dig a little deeper.

Tug _ Barge _ Express Marine photo

Express Marine, Inc., a family-owned marine transportation company based in Camden, New Jersey, operates a hybrid barge system paired with an offshore tug as part of its extensive fleet. This hybrid barge, designed for both inland and offshore towing, is equipped with an integrated pinning system to enhance operational efficiency and cargo delivery rates. Capable of transporting dry bulk and liquid cargos, the barge ranges in capacity from 5,000 to 24,000 tons, supported by advanced tugs featuring flanking rudders and Z-drives for superior maneuverability. This setup allows Express Marine to provide reliable, state-of-the-art transportation solutions along the East Coast, meeting diverse customer needs with a focus on safety and modern navigation technology.

LINK

Also towards the end of our time in Florida, we started to see a few more Porcupine Fish or Puffer Fish. Thankfully they are easy to spot and not step on (we are in bare feet), but for a small fish, they do contain a poison that we would rather not have to deal with: “Almost all puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, which makes them foul-tasting and often lethal. Tetrodotoxin is deadly, up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. One puffer fish has enough toxin to kill 30 adult humans; no known antidote exists. Only one species is immune to the puffer fish’s toxin, sharks.”  (LINK)

Puffer Fish Back Puffer Fish Belly

Video below break

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An Editorial: A Call for Smaller Government and Fiscal Restraint

Posted By on April 29, 2025

Although TheHustings.news editor didn’t ask me to write anything this week (previous requests), I decided to work on something over the weekend  that has been bothering me. The HustingsAs a long time advocate for shrinking our Federal government (as a conservative, small government Republican) and focused on the “spending problem” Congress has had for decades —which is a bipartisan problem— there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference coming from the current Trump administration or the current Republican controlled Congress. I do appreciate the few voices Elon Musk Grokthat still harp on fiscal restraint (including my current Ohio Rep Warren Davidson who efficiency uses social media to interact regularly with me — thank you). Our only hope seemed to be the Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) headed up by Elon Musk (soon to depart)but unfortunately I’m sensing their efforts are slowing down and also being thwarted by the spenders who don’t want to give up the pork. ☹️ 

Of course writing this isn’t going to help, but it is cathartic for me (Warning: It is longer than usual).

A Call for Smaller Government and Fiscal Restraint

In 2010, Republican lawmakers rallied around a clear message: “We don’t have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem.” This sentiment, voiced prominently by figures like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Representative Eric Cantor, underscored a commitment to addressing the federal deficit through spending cuts rather than tax increases. Fast forward to 2025, and this principle remains as relevant as ever, yet the challenges facing Congress, the Trump administration, and the federal budget have grown more complex. With a national debt exceeding $36 trillion and annual deficits projected to remain above $1.8 trillion, the need for smaller government and disciplined fiscal policy is urgent. The current political landscape demands a renewed focus on reducing federal spending, streamlining government operations, and prioritizing economic stability over unchecked expansion.

The federal government’s growth has been relentless. In fiscal year 2022, federal spending reached $6.3 trillion, a level that dwarfs pre-COVID budgets of $4.4 trillion. This escalation, driven by emergency measures during the pandemic, has not receded. Instead, it has been cemented as a new baseline, with Congress passing massive omnibus bills, like the $1.7 trillion package in 2022, that bundle spending without sufficient scrutiny. The Trump administration, now in its second term, has an opportunity to break this cycle. President Trump’s recent calls to avoid government shutdowns while coordinating with House Republicans to craft a continuing resolution (CR) signal a willingness to address spending, but the details matter. A CR that merely extends current funding levels without meaningful cuts perpetuates the problem.

Smaller government is not just a slogan; it’s a necessity. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and his team, has already identified areas of waste, such as $51 million in cuts to the U.S. African Development Foundation and $580 million in eliminated Pentagon programs. These are steps in the right direction, but they scratch the surface of a budget that allocates $892.5 billion for discretionary defense spending and $708 billion for non-defense discretionary programs in 2025 alone. Mandatory spending, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, continues to drive the lion’s share of the budget, yet Congress remains hesitant to tackle these politically sensitive entitlements—a hesitation that echoes the challenges faced by the 2010 deficit commission.

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Music Monday: “If Not For You” and the Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Olivia Newton John connection

Posted By on April 28, 2025

If Not for You” is a song by Olivia Newton-John that was released as a single in March 1971 and became her first hit single, peaking at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart and number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US … Olivia Newton-Johnand is today’s Music Monday song.Side A

The song was also the title track of her debut album, “If Not for You,” released in November 1971. This album features mostly songs previously recorded by contemporary artists of the 1960s and early 1970s, showcasing Newton-John’s first works with her long-time musical partner, John Farrar.
 

  Olivia Newton-John – “If Not For You” | 1971

The song was originally written by Bob Dylan and recorded by George Harrison on his album “All Things Must Pass,” and Newton-John’s version uses Harrison’s arrangement of the song.
 

  George Harrison – “If Not For You” | 1970

George Harrison M If Not For You George Harrison - All Things Must Pass

George Harrison in 1974
Harrison standing before crowd of photographers in Los Angeles, Calif., 1974

Archive: Stumbled on a knot tying illustration of a loop hitch

Posted By on April 27, 2025

It has been a while since including an illustration, drawing or video of a useful knot. Here’s one that I’ve probably tried in the past, but I’m unsure if the name is a loop hitch or not, but have used different versions of it … especially to tie down or cinch a load

Loop Hitch

Got lost on a WordPress website from the UK: Aviation Trails

Posted By on April 26, 2025

While Internet searching some World War II aviation history earlier this week, I stumbled across an interesting aviation website from the UK.

The blog AviationTrails caught me off guard, but after reading post after post, I realized just how much military history was archive on this blog. It is worthwhile bookmarking and I might find myself reading it more. Thanks Andy – also on X.com as LaingHome!

Aviation Trails photo

Tech Friday: A Linux server snapshot and WordPress 6.8 update

Posted By on April 25, 2025

Wordpress 6.8 CecilWordpress 6.8

Today’s Tech Friday post is a full Linux server backup, a snapshot and finally an update that includes one that brings WordPress to 6.8. Nobody really cares until something doesn’t work … including me! 

WordPress 6.8 is code named “Cecil” … in keeping with jazz music pioneers, this one Cecil Taylor

Cecil Taylor in 2002

Cecil Taylor was an American jazz musician and composer, renowned as one of the leading free-jazz pianists. He was born on March 25, 1929, in New York City and began playing piano at the age of six, under his mother’s encouragement. Taylor’s musical style was characterized by a furious attack on the piano, using the entire range of the instrument to create a unique musical language that inspired other musicians. He studied at the New York College of Music and Boston’s New England Conservatory, and his work was influenced by 20th-century classical composers, as well as jazz musicians like Lennie Tristano, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Horace Silver.

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Wall Street Rallies as Tech Soars, Alphabet Shines After Hours

Posted By on April 24, 2025

​U.S. markets closed on a high note today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumping over 500 points to 40,093 and the Nasdaq surging nearly 3% to 17,166, marking the third consecutive day of gains. Investor optimism was fueled by positive developments in U.S.-China trade talks and robust corporate earnings reports. The S&P 500 also edged higher, reflecting broad-based market strength.​

Indices at market close 4/24/2025

After the closing bell, Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) reported impressive first-quarter 2025 earnings, surpassing Wall Street expectations. The company announced a 12% year-over-year increase in revenue, totaling $90.2 billion, and a net income of $34.5 billion, equating to $2.81 per share. These results were driven by a 10% rise in Search revenue to $50.7 billion and a 28% increase in Google Cloud revenue to $12.3 billion. Alphabet also declared a 5% dividend increase to $0.21 per share and authorized a $70 billion stock buyback program. In after-hours trading, Alphabet’s stock rose more than 4%, reflecting investor confidence in the company’s performance and strategic direction. 

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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