Sharks Attack 2 Florida Women In Bahamas

Above, yours truly on a jet ski at Great Stirrup Cay.

Last August, a friend and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. While there, we went on a jet ski excursion in Grand Stirrup Cay, a private island owned by Norwegian Cruise Line.

This was the first time I have jet skied on ocean waters. The jet skis we used were more powerful than the ones at Lake Havasu, most likely for dealing with ocean waves. I held back on speed as I didn't want to be pitched off the jet ski due to an errant wave. Plus, I wasn't out to impress anybody. My friend did get thrown off his jet ski due to a wave.

As I am not that strong a swimmer, even with a life vest, I didn't want to fight ocean waves to get back on the jet ski. That was one consideration. The other: sharks. Jet skiing on a lake is one thing, doing so on the ocean is quite another since there are predatory critters in the ocean. 

Two Florida women were attacked by sharks last week in the Bahamas. 

MSN reported:

ORLANDO, Fla. - What was meant to be a carefree weekend getaway turned into a harrowing ordeal for two young women from Melbourne, Florida, after they were attacked by bull sharks while vacationing in Bimini Bay, Bahamas.

Summer Layman and Rileigh Decker were enjoying a boat trip when they decided to jump into the water Friday evening, unaware that bull sharks were nearby.

Moments after entering the water, a friend on the boat spotted the sharks and shouted a warning.

"We were holding hands the entire time — we never let go of each other," said Layman, who survived the attack along with Decker. Layman sustained severe injuries to her foot, while Decker suffered devastating leg injuries.

To read more, go here. 

19 Trips to Take In Your 60's

Above, the end of U.S. Highway 1 in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following doesn't apply to me anymore as I am two years out of my 60s. It is a list of 19 trips to take while one is in their 60s.

The suggestions range from cruises, balloon rides, train rides, ancient Egypt and others at Newsbreak.

They start off with:

While health and finances may present some concerns, the majority of people hope to spend plenty of time traveling in their 60s. There are many destinations and experiences out there for people of all budgets and levels of fitness. Even if you aren’t fully retired yet, there are options for shorter trips too. Let’s take a look at some of the best trips you can take in your 60s.

To read more, go here. 

10 Best Cruise Lines for Seniors and Retirees

Above, a singer with an entertainment group flashes me a peace sign aboard
a Royal Caribbean ship en route to Havana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is at retirement age-plus, the following is for you.

It is a list of ten best cruise lines for seniors and retirees by Nasdaq.com. Here, they describe what ship features and attractions that are best suited for the older generation.

Of the list of ten cruise lines, I have been aboard one of them, Royal Caribbean. That was a cruise to Key West, Florida and Havana, Cuba in 2019.

They begin with:

New adventures await you after retirement. And what better way to explore the world than on a luxurious cruise? Providing comfort, convenience, and life-enriching experiences for seniors, cruising offers a variety of options tailored to their needs and interests.

Let’s examine the top ten cruise lines for seniors to discover what makes them unique and why they might be the perfect fit for your next vacation.

To peruse the list of cruise lines and what they have to offer seniors and retirees, go here. 

Superman No. 183 80-Page Giant (1966)

 

Seeing this cover posted at a Curt Swan Facebook page yesterday certainly brought back memories.

The comic book was Superman number 183, an 80-Page Giant (they used to be called Annuals) with a cover date of January 1966. The cover (with reproductions of classic covers) was by Curt Swan and George Klein. Cover price: $.25.

It probably hit the newsstands a couple of months before (around November 1965). I got this comic at a liquor store on Normandie Ave. near 105th Street in Los Angeles when my dad and I went there one night. I think he bought it for me.

This comic contained several Golden Age Superman stores circa the 1940s. It was the first time I had ever read a Golden Age Superman story. I've read many more since then.

LiveAuctioneers estimated value of this issue was $400-$600 in near-mint condition. It sold for $600.

I still have it in my collection.

DOGE To Look At Fort Knox?

Above, Ken Adam's Fort Knox set in Goldfinger. Eon Productions/Danjaq photo.

With DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) beginning their work, led by Elon Musk, there are several government agencies that are targets for their audits. They started with USAID with interesting results.

It is said that the IRS may be audited soon. 

One place that should be audited, at least according to Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, is Fort Knox, where the U.S. gold depository is located. How much gold is there is a secret. Even the interior of Fort Knox is a secret. The Fort Knox set in Goldfinger came from set designer Ken Adam's imagination.

A couple of years ago, I blogged an article on Fort Knox with the title, "Does Fort Knox Still Have Gold?" It is probably a safe guess that it does, but the question remains, how much?

The Federalist blog posted an article, "Elon Musk to audit Fort Knox Gold?" It would be interesting to find out how much gold is there and, also, who owns it. 

Considering that gold's current COMEX spot price is around $2,913/toz, it would be a good idea to audit Fort Knox to see just how much gold is there.

News From New Mexico Shooting Sports Association

 

As we near the half-way point of the 2025 New Mexico Legislative Session, here is a recap of last week and what to expect this week. The most notable event was the inclusion of the "weapon conversion device" ban into the omnibus crime bill, HB8. Several bills were combined into the new bill in the House Judiciary Committee. The new committee substitute bill was then quickly sent to the floor and passed on a vote of 48-20 with several Republicans voting for the bill. Below is the modified language that passed the house. "Unlawful possession of a weapon conversion device consists of a person knowingly having in that person's possession an unlawfully obtained weapon conversion device or knowingly transporting an unlawfully obtained weapon conversion device... "weapon conversion device" means a part or combination of parts designed and intended to convert a semiautomatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon." The bill now heads to the Senate, the committee assignments have yet to be announced. HB12, the red-flag gun confiscation expansion bill was left out of HB8, despite some lobbying to include it from the bill's sponsors. That bill has been awaiting action by the House Floor for over a week now. It is possible that it could be brought up for a vote any day, so it is imperative to continue to keep up the pressure against the bill. The gun control bills introduced on the Senate side have yet to be brought up in their first respective committees. SB255, expanding the criminalization of private firearms transfers is sitting in the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee. SB279, the semiautomatic rifle and magazine ban, as well as SB244, making a crime for a minor to possess a firearm, are both awaiting a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB318, which could allow activists to sue gun stores in New Mexico out of existence, is in the Senate Tax, Business & Transporation Committee. We will send an alert when these bills are scheduled for a committee hearing. HB202, the gun safe tax credit bill is schedule for a hearing in the House Taxation and Revenue Committee tomorrow on Monday February 17. As we approach the critical half-way point of the session, the pace of bills moving through committees will pick up. Be on the lookout for more frequent updates, and please make sure you are sharing our updates with everyone who could be impacted by potential legislation in Santa Fe.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week, we have Yvonne Elliman with her 1977 number one hit, "If I Can't Have You" that was written by the Bee Gees.  Her version appeared in the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

From Wikipedia: 

Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who performed for four years in the first cast of the stage musical Jesus Christ Superstar. She scored a number of hits in the 1970s and achieved a US No. 1 hit with "If I Can't Have You". The song also reached No. 9 on the Adult Contemporary chart and number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. Her cover of Barbara Lewis's "Hello Stranger" went to No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and "Love Me" was No. 5; at the time she had 3 top 10 singles. After a long hiatus in the 1980s and 1990s, during which time she left music to be with her family, she made a comeback album as a singer-songwriter in 2004.

Power Certainly Helps

Above, the front yard on February 7, 2024. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was nice to be able to wake up to having power to the house after two straight days of power outages. Both outages were due to downed power lines. 

After getting up this morning, I fired up the heater to take the morning chill out. It sure beats sitting in a cold house covered in blankets and waiting for the power to come on. 

The temperature is currently 21° outside. 

I may have to invest in either a wood-burning or pellet-burning stove for future winters. I have a propane heating system, but that relies on electricity to fire it up. 

This week brought two days of rain and snow. The snow total was around two inches altogether. Even though it is meager compared to past year's, at least the ground looks saturated. It sure is a fall cry compared to last winter. We're definitely in a drought.

This has been a dry winter, so far. Even Flagstaff, Arizona hasn't seen much snow this season. Until this past week, Flagstaff saw only just 5.9 inches since Oct. 1. Jamestown, New Mexico is at roughly the same elevation as Flagstaff. 

Our next chance for rain/snow is on Tuesday (30% chance). 

DOGE Cancelled Items

 

US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all which have been cancelled:
- $10M for "Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision"
- $9.7M for UC Berkeley to develop "a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise driven skills"
- $2.3M for "strengthening…

— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 15, 2025

Power Outage 2

Above, in the den earlier this morning under candlelight.

For the second night in a row, we had a power outage. This time, it lasted 12 hours.

It started around 8:00 PM last night and the power only came on about a half hour ago. The power company only found the cause around 6:30 this morning.

Since 3:30, I stayed in the den under blankets with my cat Sierra. I am lucky to have a propane stove and was able to light it with a match to heat up coffee in a pan. Good thing I made a pot last evening. 

After the power came on, I fired up the heater to around 80° to take the chill out. 

By the way, it snowed a little overnight. We have about a half inch of snow on the ground.

Snow Finally Arrived

We've been hoping for a snowstorm for some time, now it has finally arrived.

It looks like I won't be going to Jerry's Cafe for dinner today.

This was taken a few minutes ago:

 

CA Illegal Aliens Healthcare Billions More Than Known

 

CRITICAL CONDITION: A California budget official disclosed that taxpayers in the Democrat-led state are spending billions more on healthcare for undocumented immigrants than previously known. https://t.co/ZnZpzkSKSP pic.twitter.com/61Cmkc7hbf

— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) February 14, 2025

Raining Now

Above, the deck furniture this morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The storm has arrived.

Right now, we aren't getting any snow, but it is raining. This'll help with the parched plantlife outside. The outside temperature is 40°.

According to the National Weather Service, Jamestown's weather for today and Saturday is:

 Today

Rain before noon, then rain and snow. High near 41. West wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tonight

Snow before 8pm, then snow showers likely, mainly between 8pm and 11pm. Low around 24. West wind 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Saturday

Scattered snow showers. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 39. West wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west after midnight.

A Late Christmas Present

Last Christmas, I received a gift card from my ex-roomie for Bass Pro Shops or Cabela's. I hadn't seen anything I wanted up until now.

It was four boxes (100 rounds) of Winchester AA Target Load Shotshells with Ammo Can for $44.99. 

Since my ammo box is at full capacity, the ammo can will come in handy. It arrived yesterday. 

In the same order, I also got some Hornady .30-30 Winchester cartridges. 

Here's the ammo can:

And, inside:

I thought it was a good deal as each box of shells usually sell for $10-15. This makes the ammo can essentially free.

For ordering, go here.

94 Years of "Dracula" (1931)

Above, Bela Lugosi (left) and his co-stars in a publicity photo. Photo by Universal Pictures.

Today in motion picture history.

On Valentine's Day in 1931, Universal Pictures' Dracula starring Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, Dwight Frye, David Manners and Edward Van Sloan was released. It was the first purely supernatural movie and started the monster/horror cycle at Universal.

From Wikipedia:

Dracula is a 1931 American pre-Code supernatural horror film directed and co-produced by Tod Browning from a screenplay written by Garrett Fort and starring Bela Lugosi in the title role. It is based on the 1924 stage play Dracula by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, which in turn is adapted from the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. Lugosi portrays Count Dracula, a vampire who emigrates from Transylvania to England and preys upon the blood of living victims, including a young man's fiancée.

Produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, Dracula is the first sound film adaptation of the Stoker novel. Several actors were considered to portray the title character, but Lugosi, who had previously played the role on Broadway, eventually got the part. The film was partially shot on sets at Universal Studios Lot in California, which were reused at night for the filming of a concurrently produced Spanish-language adaptation of the same name, also produced by Universal.

Dracula was a commercial and critical success upon release, and led to several sequels and spin-offs. It has had a notable influence on popular culture, and Lugosi's portrayal of Dracula established the character as a cultural icon, as well as the archetypal vampire in later works of fiction. In 2000, the film was selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." 

Incredible as it seems, the 1931 Dracula has been around for 94 years.

Power Outage

Above, the den by candlelight.

Early this morning, I woke up at 1:30 and noticed that there was no power going to my bedside clock.

I got up and checked and found that we had a power outage. I checked my phone for the Jamestown Facebook group page and saw that the outage was community-wide. 

From what was posted, the outage started about an hour before.

I stayed up a bit and lit a couple of candles. So, for a while, the house was like the Old House in Dark Shadows. Barnabas Collins had no electricity installed at the Old House and he just relied on candles. 

Since the heater relied on electricity and it was cold, I went back to bed and got up about 45 minutes ago. I managed to heat up some coffee on the stove (with matches) and poured a cup. About 15 minutes later, the power came back on. 

From what the electric company told others in the community, the outage was due to downed lines and that a crew was headed out for the repairs. 

Vacation Planning #2

No sooner than I posted about getting vacation planning materials from the state of Wyoming, I received an official visitor guide from the historical town of Deadwood, South Dakota.

I had been to Deadwood once before, around 1990. I don't remember too much about it except for Mount Moriah Cemetery, where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried.

Here's the guide's cover:

Senate Confirms RFK Jr. As HHS Secretary

The U.S. Senate has voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the secretary of the Dept. of Health and Human Services.

Townhall reported:

On Thursday, the Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The Senate voted 51-48. As of right now, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has not voted. Kennedy has surpassed the threshold.

Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell voted against confirming RFK Jr. He was the only Republican who did so.

To read more, go here.

NSSF Hails Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act

The National Shooting Sports Association (NSSF) hails the introduction of H.R. 1181 that protects the privacy of firearms purchases.

The NSSF posted:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, hails the introduction of H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.V.), which would ban the use of a firearm retailer-specific Merchant Category Code (MCC). The legislation would protect the Second Amendment privacy of firearm and ammunition purchasers from financial service and payment card providers compiling purchase history that has already proven to be exploited by the federal government for political purposes.

Rep. Moore is joined by Congressmen Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and 23 additional co-sponsors.

To read more, go here. 

Vacation Planning

Since I am planning to take a vacation camping trip to Wyoming and South Dakota this summer, I have started to gather materials from those states' travel bureaus.

The first ones to arrive were from Wyoming. The consist of a 2025 Official Travel Guide and an official state highway map (image below).

I already know where I want to go and what to see. They include Cody, Wyoming, Little Bighorn Battlefield, Devil's Tower and the Black Hills of South Dakota. I've been to some of these places before, but decades ago (around 30 years ago). 

Affording Hawaii In 2025

Above, a view of Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Pretty much everything costs much more thanks to the rampant inflation we're enduring.

That also includes travel. Travel to Hawaii has skyrocketed during the past several years. People are wondering if it is too expensive.

Travel to Hawaii is more expensive, but there are ways to cutting costs. That is the topic of an article in Beat of Hawaii. 

They begin it with:

Hawaii’s soaring travel costs have left many wondering if a vacation to the islands can ever be within reach. Between rising airfare, astronomical hotel rates overall, activities, and everyday expenses, the perception is that Hawaii has become too expensive except for the wealthy. But with the right strategies, a trip to paradise can still be affordable—even in 2025. Here’s how.

To read more, go here. 

Lost 1915 Lincoln Movie Found

Above, the Gutzon Borglum bust of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Tomb. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many films produced during the silent era have either deteriorated awayt due to their nitrate content or just lost. One notable movie considered lost is London After Midnight (1927) starring Lon Chaney. 

A 1915 silent film on Abraham Lincoln, starring Francis Ford, the brother of director John Ford, was also considered lost. But, fortunately, has recently been found.

MSN reported:

NEW YORK — A 1915 movie about the life of Abraham Lincoln, previously thought lost forever, was found on Long Island.

“The Heart of Lincoln,” released by Universal, is a silent film about American life during the Civil War. It was directed by and stars Francis Ford — the brother of legendary director John Ford — as the 16th president.

The film was discovered by intern Dan Martin at Lauro’s Historic Films Archive in Greenport while he was going through boxes of material donated to the archive.

The 65-minute movie had previously been listed by the Library of Congress as one of 7,000 silent films thought to be lost forever. Many silent films were lost because they were printed on highly volatile nitrate film stock, according to Newsday.

Film archivist Eliot Kissileff told NBC New York that he was able to digitize the 16-millimeter print.

“I guess it was just lucky the cans were sealed and had not decayed,” Kissilef told the station.

To read more, go here. 

Coal Lincoln Bust

Last week, when I went into Gallup with Larry Lucier to have the new tire mounted for the Jeep, Larry saw a vendor selling bags of coal across the street from the tire dealer. He bought one.

At the time, I mentioned that I have a piece of coal carved into a bust of President Abraham Lincoln. I bought it in 2016 at a gift shop near the Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois, the site of Lincoln's Tomb.

As today is Lincoln's Birthday, here's a photo of the coal Lincoln bust:

 

Abe's Day

Above, Abraham Lincoln depicted in a display at the Abraham Lincoln
 Presidential Museum in Springfield, Illinois. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today is Lincoln's Birthday.

This is the day that the birth of the 16th president, President Abraham Lincoln, is commemorated. Some states still recognize it as a holiday, while others just observe Presidents' Day.

According to Wikipedia:

Lincoln's Birthday is a public holiday in some U.S. states, observed on the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth on February 12, 1809, in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, California, Missouri, and New York observe the holiday.

In many other states, Lincoln's birthday is not celebrated separately, as a stand-alone holiday. Instead, Lincoln's birthday is combined with a celebration of President George Washington's birthday (also in February) and celebrated either along with the Federal holiday of Washington's Birthday or as Presidents' Day on the third Monday in February.

History

The earliest known observance of Lincoln's birthday occurred in Buffalo, New York, in either 1873 or 1874. Julius Francis (d. 1881), a Buffalo druggist, made it his life's mission to honor the slain president. He repeatedly petitioned Congress to establish Lincoln's birthday as a legal holiday.

Above, the Lincoln Family at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In many areas, the Republican Party commemorates Lincoln's Birthday with Lincoln Day Dinners as Lincoln was the first Republican president. 

Rain, Snow Moves Into New Mexico Tuesday and Friday

Above, following a 2018 storm. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Our next chance for snow (or even rain) comes this week starting tomorrow.

But the next major storm may hit our region (Gallup/Jamestown) on Thursday.

According to KRQE:

Our next winter storm system will begin moving into western New Mexico late Thursday and bring widespread chances for mostly valley rain and mountain snow through Saturday morning. Travel impacts outside of the mountains look to stay minor for now, but that could change with the timing of the storm. Another 6″+ of snow may be possible in the northern mountains with locally higher amounts. There will also be a good chance for rain in the Albuquerque Metro Friday.

I hope it does. We sure do need it.

To read more, go here. 

Essential RV Tips For Seniors

Above, Mitch Geriminsky and yours truly about to have lunch at Grand Teton National Park.

For seniors, there are basically two choices in life.

The first is to just sit at home in a rocking chair and waste away. The second is to be active and do things as well as traveling. For myself, having reached "geezerhood" already, I prefer the latter. 

One way of staying active is to travel in an RV. RV Travel has posted some "essential" RVing tips for seniors by Cheri Sicard that includes a video.

It begins with:

In the video below, Mike and Jennifer Wendland, two full-time senior RVers from RV Lifestyle, share their most essential senior RV tips. Mike and Jen firmly believe that with proper preparation, seniors can live their best lives ever in an RV. They believe this because they themselves are living proof.

To read more and see the video, go here. 

Hitachi VHS Karaoke With Godzilla

 Hitachi VHS Karaoke

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week, we delve into soft rock territory with Climax with their 1971-1972 hit, "Precious and Few".

From Wikipedia:

Climax was an American band formed in 1970 in Los Angeles, California, most noted for their 1971-1972 hit song "Precious and Few", which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and No. 1 on Cashbox magazine's Top 100 singles chart. This disc sold over one million copies and was certified gold by the RIAA on February 21, 1972.