The Native Iowan

The sun shines, the air is cold, the wind is sharp.

Feral deer graze in the back paddock. After studying these creatures for a while I’ve decided they are Rusa deer, not Red Deer… https://www.austdeer.com.au/rusa-deerhttps://www.austdeer.com.au/rusa-deer

Just having a conversation with my neighbour about the deer. There are a lot of folks out there that would love to come and shoot one. I am told they are very good eating. Some hunters think that the killing of feral deer is a good thing. The deer do carry ticks and parasites, in season, and they can cause problems if you’re getting deer (and kangaroos) in your paddocks with your cattle.

But I do not have cattle any more. I am not concerned about the tick season/ situation. And I find the deer to be a pleasing visual.

But I am not open to letting folks come shoot here.

Biggest issue is that hunters want to come, kill, bleed and gut the animal, and go away. Take the best parts. Leaving the offal.

This of course attracts other unwanted feral critters. Namely wild dogs.

Though I do not have a problem with wild dogs… I have two big Maremma Guard dogs that keep all intruders away… But wild dogs are a problem in this area. I do not want to attract them.

One guy I know, Mitch, is a keen hunter. Goes out west and shoots a fair bit. Mainly killing feral pigs and kangaroos that are considered vermin/ pests. They shoot and simply leave the carcass. Not shooting for meat. Just shooting to shoot, and kill.

Now my buddy Mitch has a property to the west of here. He has deer as well. And does not shoot them. For the same reason I dont shoot or allow shooting. But I know he, and others, would love to come shoot the deer here. Funny how that works.

This past week has been rather interesting, in a news/ politics sorta way…

In George Orwell’s “Homage to Catalonia”, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9646.Homage_to_Catalonia , he wrote of life in the trenches of the Spanish Civil War. One story tells of the famous American, Ernest Hemingway, showing up and, as a reporter, touring the front lines. He recounts how Hemingway got to fire a couple rounds from an artillery piece. Firing across the “Front” into the Fascist Spanish lines. And how, after Hemingway left, returned to his hotel and typewriter in Barcelona, the fascists hammered the hell out of the “rebels” in retaliation.

So we have Speaker, Pelosi, doing a trip to Taiwan. She did such against the advice of the Foreign Office, and under strict warning from the Chinese.

So she goes and scores some huge personal political points. Has huge exposure. Heaps of press… and then she flies home, a self proclaimed hero.

Today the Chinese have emabargo’d Taiwan. Shut it off from the world. Are staging “war games” within the 200KM economic zone.

Taiwan will take a bit of a whooping for The Pelosi trip.

I know Taiwan pretty well. Have done numerous trips, done a lot of business, made lots of good friends in Taiwan. I know the Taiwanese to be tough, tough folks. I know they will resist the Chinese aim of formal acquisition of Taiwan. I know China is making a huge effort to fulfil their goal of unification.

Why did Pelosi go to Taiwan? To show solidarity with Taiwan, to support their democratic aims, to make a statement? To gain press?

If she wanted to “do something” positive, perhaps she should have vocally said more that was positive. As it is she simply said she supports “the status quo”. Which I fear is not terribly meaningful.

The status quo is not very positive.

Why not pursue a “Two China” agenda? Like the Two Korea situation.

Today’s news from Taiwan: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/index

Does not sound very good.

And the beat goes on…

I think of a couple old friends of mine that are going through health issues… TWD, battling cancer, letting the medicos cut and operate and remove, so he can survive. DokCF, undergoing chemo for a lymphoma. DokRW, living with Alzheimers, still so young, but bereft of memories. I send positive and healing vibes their way.

Smiles all around.

Hug those nearest.