Author | Lightnews

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 14h

So if his seafaring is behind him, shouldn't he be facing inland?

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 14h

"I'll have some H2O."
"I'll have some H2O2."

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 14h

If you want to see the full 128 question test bank:

www.uscis.gov/sites/defaul...

www.uscis.gov

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 14h

Sharpshin Hawks are such cute little birds. Apparently about the same length as a Sharpie pen. 🪶🦉#birds

www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2025/10/24/s...

Sharpie with a Sharpie | Outside My Window

www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 1d

As anyone who is paying attention can tell you, all Israel needs to do is wait a week or so and Trump will flip his opinion the other way. The US federal government has become a rudderless ship. No one can trust it. No one should trust it.

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 1d

[3] Volunteers are part-time and have been accustomed to being in bed until the sun comes up and home for supper and the evening. They are really good for filling in for spikes, but not a good fix for long-term staffing issues. 4/4

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 1d

[2] If volunteers temporarily but successfully replace paid staff for some amount of time, the powers that be who want to cut funding will definitely use that to argue "See?! They don't need money! Volunteers can do it!"
3/

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 1d

But you need the trucks to move it to the landfill. The truck to slurp human waste out of pit toilets cannot be replaced by hand labor. 2/

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 1d

As a state park volunteer who has been active during staffing crises, I see a few problems with this.

[1] Classified staff are the ones with the keys to the Big Powertools. It is fairly easy to get volunteers to move discrete bits of trash to a central collection point. 1/

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 3d

White stuff in the middle is called "re", of course.

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 3d

More like "The Kid Who Would Be King".

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 3d

So the Boomer version of this problem is songs with drug references.

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 4d

Video of deer eating a baby bird is maybe even worser news.

Pro Tip for bird mamas: Always build your nest above the browse line.

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 4d

Friendly fire isn't.

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 4d

15 - Only you can prevent friendly fire.

- The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries

www.upi.com/Top_News/US/...

Artillery shell detonates over California highway, striking patrol car - UPI.com

An artillery shell fired during a Marine Corps demonstration on Saturday detonated prematurely over California's Interstate 5, striking a California Highway Patrol vehicle with debris, authorities sai...

www.upi.com

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 7d

This works best with goods that are high-value, low-volume.

Easier when the goods in question are illegal at only one end of the trip. (Un)load legally there. Only have the perilous part at one end. 3/3

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 7d

On the gripping claw, locals who make daily trips to deep water are more common and don't draw as much scrutiny. So a common solution is to load fishing boats with contraband, go to fishing grounds, and tranship to the long-haul smuggling vessels. (Or the reverse, depending on direction of trade.)

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 7d

Based on my readings of various fictional accounts of smuggling.... Long-haul ships have problems getting to the shore. They tend to be moderately large and not being locals tend to stand out. This draws unwelcome attention from the local Guarda costa. 1/3

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 7d

Oooooo! Need to come up with an Advent calendar with a different nut or collection of seeds behind each door.

Now how to keep the little guys from opening every door on November 30....

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 7d

Starbucks is in the business of selling milk and milk-like liquids. Most of them are mixed with burnt coffee flavorings.

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 8d

Or ride your bike dragging one foot to scoop up leaves in the gutter. The game is to see how many you can accumulate before your bike clogs up and you crash to a halt.

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 8d

Samurai wasp (Trissolcus japonicus) - The Stinkbug predator that snuck in and is attacking brown marmorated stink bug egg.🪲

www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2025/10/16/s...

Stinkbug Predator Travels to Find Prey | Outside My Window

www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org

Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 11d

Now I have an ear worm from a series of ubiquitous Chicago radio ads. Multiple times a day they would sing: HUdson 3 2 seven hundred

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 11d

When life gives you lemons, make a pop-up farm stand.

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Nik Hughes @oldgreytroll.bsky.social · 11d

Has their back = stab! stab! stabbity stab!

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