The Native Iowan

A cool, overcast Sunday here. Rains predicted. Things are soggy.

It rained 15mm/ 1/2inch over night.

I woke sore and unhappy… must have slept wrong and my dudd’d rib is very noticeable. Breakfast was a Panadol tab and coffee.

It’s a perfect Sunday for Blood-Sports… Looks like the next several hours offer a succession of UFC contests. Just what the Doktor ordered.

I may sit here and snooze and watch the blood sports all day.

Also, this is Bathurst 1000 weekend. For non Aussies, The Bathurst 1000 is the equivalent of the Indy 500. Bathurst is an iconic race track. I have driven many of the Iconic tracks in this land, but never managed to get to Bathurst. It’s always a very good show.

So plenty to occupy an aching old fart on an overcast Sunday.

I smile.

Have been thinking about “Satire Singularity”… the point where satire, fact, newz, humour, and fiction are no longer distinguishable. I really enjoy the “BEE” for their ability to create “Fake News You Can Trust”… https://babylonbee.com/news/categories/politics?gclid=CjwKCAiAwKyNBhBfEiwA_mrUMufaY2xuUe4ieMsl4QlNciufvYmJhaV45mezS-V9F8AFMHZIN-RyyRoCyjkQAvD_BwE

I find this all telling in a world where so much general bullshit is purveyed about as “newz”.

Two big, muscled, light heavyweights are beating the hell outta each other. Gotta love blood sports…

I was caught-out by this…

It was put up on the newz, and it took me a bit of time to a) realise it was not satire, and b) that is really should have been… no B.S., the main stream newz was touting Biden’s ability to bring the fuel prices down so quickly, so sharply… but look again… though the line is long and the drop looks precipitous, the reality is this shows a 2cent per gallon drop, over one single week, 7 days. 2cpl on 3.40 per gallon price is something like one half of a percentage point. Wooopdy-fucking-dooo… a real newz maker, eh?

Can you say “propaganda”?

Just as a matter of comparison… a year ago a gallon of fuel in the US sold for around $2.00 perG.

Satirical Singularity at its finest.

Two light weight ladies are throwing kicks and punches. Round 1 and its pretty even. All on the feet, lots of strikes being thrown. A good round.

I have been involved in martial arts, in blood sports, all my life. I coached and managed the very successful Solomon Islands Olympic Wresting team through the 90s. Most of my bodily ailments and long term injuries come from “the gym”, from training. It’s only been in the last few years, after shoulder surgery, and a general geriatric pain filled existence, that I have given up routine training. Instead I have taken up farming. Farming keeps me active and healthy.

Did my annual checkup with the G.P. recently. Did all the tests. It’s so much easier in this modern world. You go give blood and they can tell pretty much everything needed to diagnose any ‘conditions”. Gone are the days of stripping down, putting on one of those drafty, tie in the back robes. Gone is the finger up the butt…

My lab report came back good. Positive. No issues to deal with. Come back in 12 months., thank you. In the land of oz that cost me $75 bucks. Very reasonable in my mind.

Socialised medicine does have many benefits.

Got a couple welterweight guys banging in the octagon… an old, experienced war horse v a young up and comer. First round is good. Looks like the young guy is taking a lot of punishment. Taking a whole bunch of leg kicks .

I did a very short stint training Muay Thai. First day in training we all paired off and took turns kicking each other in the shin. It fucking hurt. I took it, finished the training session, and never went back for a 2nd lesson.

I originally trained Tae Kwon Do. Grew up around wrestling. If you’re from Iowa, you absorb wrestling without ever going into a mat-room.

These Muay Thai type of kicks and punches were not something I ever learned. Of course, in the modern world of Cage-Fighting, Muay Thai is very important. Also known as “the art of the eight limbs”, or basically, Anything Goes kinda boxing… hands, knees, feet, elbows… thats 8 weapons.

UFC basically brings it all together. All the martial arts… boxing, kicking, grappling, submissions, all of it…

It’s called mixed martial arts for a reason.

A couple light weights are kicking the living shit outta each other. Ended in a 1st round TKO. Good bout.

And the beat goez on.

Smiles all around.

More later…