Im seeing a whole bunch of tribalism on our planet. I am thinking we are regressing in many ways, as the world spins and wobbles out of control, the Tribalism that is in our DNA, to me, becomes apparent…
What is tribalism?
After reading quite a bit I am leaning toward thinking tribalism is part of what we are as humans. We are tribal in nature and nurture. This is from my reading: “We often scorn tribalism, seeing it as a primitive relic of who we once were. When, in fact, tribalism is a fundamental aspect of human identity. If you’ve ever been at a game with thousands of others cheering for a team or against another team, you’ve been experiencing tribalism.”
Haiti is a good example. Lets do some research:
Did you know:
In the midst of the French Revolution, enslaved persons, maroons, and free people of color launched the Haitian Revolution (1791–1804), led by a former slave and general of the French Army, Toussaint Louverture. Napoleon’s forces were defeated by Louverture’s successor, Jean-Jacques Dessalines (later Emperor Jacques I), who declared Haiti’s sovereignty on 1 January 1804, leading to a massacre of the French. The country became the first independent nation of Latin America and the Caribbean, the second republic in the Americas, the first country in the Americas to eliminate slavery, and only country established by a slave revolt.President Jean-Pierre Boyer attempted to expand Haitian influence over the eastern part of Hispaniola, which eventually led to the Haitian–Dominican Wars. Haiti recognized Dominican independence in 1867, following their declaration in 1844. Haiti’s first century of independence was characterized by political instability, ostracism by the international community, and payment of a crippling debt to France. Political volatility and foreign economic influence prompted the US to occupy the country between 1915 and 1934. François ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier took power in 1957, ushering in a long period of autocratic rule continued by his son, Jean-Claude ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier, that lasted until 1986; the period was characterized by state-sanctioned violence against the opposition and civilians, corruption, and economic stagnation. After 1986, Haiti established a relatively more democratic political system.
Happy place by the looks of it…
And more…
Haiti is a founding member of the United Nations, Organization of American States (OAS), Association of Caribbean States, and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. In addition to CARICOM, it is a member of the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. Historically poor and politically unstable, Haiti has the lowest Human Development Index in the Americas, as well as widespread slavery. The country endured a 2004 coup d’état, which prompted U.N. intervention, as well as a catastrophic earthquake in 2010 that killed over 250,000 people and a cholera outbreak. With its deteriorating economic situation, Haiti has experienced a socioeconomic and political crisis marked by riots and protests, widespread hunger, and increased gang activity. As of February 2023, Haiti has no remaining elected government officials and has been described as a failed state.
quote unquote… Haiti has no remaining elected government…
So we fall into Tribalism.
Im reading about the “history of cannibalism in Haiti”. I did not know Haiti has/ had a history of cannibalism, and am kinda shocked that such it a reality…
I find this:
Secte Rouge
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Secte Rouge, also called the Cochon Gris or the Vinbrindingue, is or was a secret society in Haiti, which Zora Neale Hurston described in her 1938 book Tell My Horse.[1] Hurston’s sources of information were lore related by Haitians, as well as a few earlier books.
Overview She described them as a fearsome group of cannibals who performed rites distinct from vodoo practiced by many Haitians. According to Huston, Secte Rouge used counterfeit vodou ceremonies to hide their presence, and moreover that many of the practices abhorred by outsiders and attributed to vodou were actually committed by Secte Rouge (e.g., the robbery or desecration of graves).[2] Hurston provided descriptions of Secte Rouge ceremonies to the gods Maitre Carrefour (Lord of the Cross Roads) and Baron Cimetière, a deity involved with graveyards.
The Secte Rouge was held to have originated among slaves captured in the Mondongue region, now part of the Central African Republic, said to have practiced cannibalism in their homeland.[3] Their behavior was held in check by slavery during the 1700s when France ruled the island, but with the Haitian Revolution and independence in 1804 the Secte Rouge were unleashed. The tenure of President Fabre Geffrard (1859-1867) was said to have been the peak years of the Secte Rouge. Anecdotes include stories of a midwife near who murdered newborn infants specifically to consume their flesh, and human fingernails being discovered in food sold as pig’s feet.
Hurston relates a conversation with an unidentified “high official of the Guarde d’Haiti” who said that police keep suspected Secte Rouge members under surveillance, hoping to gather evidence or observe criminal activity.[4] The Secte Rouge members kept a strict code of secrecy.[5]
Two earlier works are cited as containing references to the Secte Rouge: Description topographique, physique, civile, politique et historique de la partie francaise de l’isle Saint-Domingue (Tome Premier) (1796) by Médéric Louis Élie Moreau de Saint-Méry and Life in a Haitian Valley (1937) by Melville J. Herskovits.
Interesting.
In my reading I cam across a most interesting piece… I’ll share it here and highly encourage you to read it…
Weather changing on this side of the planet. We can notice the shift from summer to autumn. The mornings are heading toward those chilly, drab, 8ams when the sun hasn’t broken over the ridge. After the summer we have had, winter is appealing. But we do tend to forget the badder side of winters.
Migratory birds are migrating. Its still quite warm. The clip below is more for the sound of the birds in the trees than the visuals…
Changing Seasons
Bizzy as can be, too bizzy for a retired olFart.
Lets see what I have to talk about…
I am paying more attention, closer attention to the echo chambers that abound.
I was talking with my 18yrold grandson, Mendoza, about it all… The fact that different “parties”, peoples, classes, sects, clubs, fraternities, sororities… there is a specific echo to each and everyone.
Mendoza attended a birthday celebration on a friend’s super yacht. These friends are all from the ‘Boarding School Old Boy” club he belongs to. It’s a cool group and you only belong if you belong, meaning you get into by having spent too long in the system that is “Grammar Boarding School” Australia.
The school M attended, Toowoomba Grammar, was founded in 1875. Established originally as a non-religious affiliated place for the boys from the big rural, farming families. Its is a boys only school. Many of the kids he went to school with come from long lines of “Grammar Boys”. Their dads and grandads and great grandads all attended. Tradition is strong with country folks.
And when a young friend turns 19, and his grandaddy throws a party for him on his yacht, it’s an “Old Boy” reunion. Which is cool as hell… an ex-Governor General, famous athletes, current and past political players, leaders of business, all meet and reminisce and tell their stories to the next regeneration of Old boys.
We were laughing a bit, because I said some thing like, bet the food was good… which took us to the discussion that even though you gots heaps and heaps of money, you may not have class… M told me these folks like simple, plain food. Lots of fried food with heaps of salt and tomato sauce. They drink standard basic beer. I asked jokingly, “no big platters of raw fish and wasabi, and bottles of Dom”? Which is pretty funny knowing the situation.
I asked about politics, what they talk about… and of course the answer is they are all conservative. They like their big V8 engines. Guns are good. Trans is the gearbox under your “ute”.
M is in his 1st year of University and tells of a 3day lecture he had to take before he could start his studies. The 3day, $600 course was on pronouns, and their correct use. He had to take the course before he could be admitted to studies. It is a story the Old Boys really like.
Have a good Blood Sport PPV happening today. Blood sport be guud.
Politically I see a lot of tension all over the place… Bullshit and rhetoric only lasts so long… eventually the juicy steak sandwich being sold turns out to be bologna. Stale, old, mouldy bologna.
Im impressed by how much bullshit, spin, rhetoric and just plan old fashioned lying I see and hear.
Albanese here in Aus is slipping, failing, falling. The leadership offered by the Incumbent Party has no policy I can see. They react to polls and statistics. We go from “prices for electricity will go down”, to “The War in Ukraine is to Blame for there high prices”. From “Israel is our best ally”, to “Jews in Sydney should stay indoors for their own safety”. We spend a year and millions of $$s on the “Voice Referendum”. Touted as the vehicle by which we shall expunge racism from our Nation… the Voice gets a resounding “NO” vote, and all of the sudden everyone who voted NO is a racist. Teen-aged crime is out of control… armed kids, legally children, are killing folks in violent attacks, robberies, and hit and runs.
Says a lot for the Nation’s social policies, me thinks.
We had old and slow Prez Biden stand in front of the world and rant and rave for over an hour. Im impressed he managed to do it at all. But, listening to the echos from different chambers, Prez Joe either did “amazingly well, was an inspiration”, or “was sad and embarrassing, giving a campaign speech and not a State of The Union speech”.
My centrist thoughts are simple : It is all rhetoric…
But dangerous… Prez Joe called the poor folks seeking safety in the USA “Illegal Immigrants”… According to some, Pez B should have said “undocumented”.
Which leads me to an echo from another source …
The farce of it all is quite funny, in a sad, sad way…
I was caught by something in Prez Joe said … “The Unions built the Middle Class”… here’s the quote:
The middle class built the country, and unions built the middle class. (Applause.) I say to the American people: When America gets knocked down, we get back up.
Im kinda confused by this and have been mulling it over in my mind… Unions = collective bargaining. The Unions did indeed change industry by standing up for the worker, sometimes. The Robber Barons were not always warm and fuzzy. The Unions had/ have a time and place, but have indeed damaged society by often being too militant. One of the reasons the Auto-industry is moving out of Aus and USA is in search of cheap labour. The Unions are too powerful to profit.
In my life time the Union worker was often better off than the nonUnion worker. I do not come from a Union worker background. But I have watched it all play out in my life time… Union workers got benefits like medical, sick days, etc. But they cost more. I built houses in Iowa, non labour, for $3.50ph. Union jobs paid over $7.00ph. You could go to California or Minnesota (in my day) and work Union, or stay in Iowa and make less.
The Unions no doubt did a lot of good. But why then are we applauding the fact that millions of unskilled, uneducated “workers” are being “imported”?
My answer is simple: The illegal migrant gig is part of a plan to destroy the Unions. To bring in cheap, needy labourers that will replace the old Union stalwarts, that are the middle class… ??? … I am confused.
And my confusion appears to shared with Pez Joe. He touts the Unions but opens the boarders in an attempt to dilute the Union’s influence… ??? … I am confused.
That might be a definition of sorts for the word “rhetoric”… Praising the entity you are aiming to bring down?
I am behind, have started a post v3.0 but neglected it, so I’ll start new…
Bizzy, bizzy:
Breeding my great brood bitches, so the males get to be in the kennel… working on a couple cool sticks, and sorting out a couple of my favourite vintage bikes… bizzy times…
Sika and RedBig baby RedStraightening a piece of lovely AcaciaNMs very nice stick, soon to be doneX75 Hurricane… sexiest bike known to manTubby… a rare, rare beastOl skool fun n games
My old riding buddy, Big G, came by this morn and we rode a short distance down the road, a nice, fun, curvy road, to have breakfast.
It’s been ages since I hopped on 2wheelz. Dunno why? Other than my chronically buggered left leg. Covid, meters of rain, shitty roads, more traffic, shitty drivers…. But thats all another story…
So, my very favourite bike… The Joker…
The Joker
Got to stretch her legs today. What a machine.
Took me a few Ks to get my legsgs used to the stirrups. My neck is not used to the weight of the helmet… gotta get back in shape.
Out of character for me, I know, but I want to have a bit of a rant. Ive been getting rather annoyed of late…
Folks tend to think reposting a meme or a picture or such is something that has weight, offers sense or clarification in an intellectual discussion.
I respect original thought, personal introspection and articulate discussion… Tell me about you, what you think, how you feel about any topic. I like to read. I prefer intelligent language and creative use of words. But I’ll settle for simple language. Im more interested in what you think than how you say it, though how you say it is important. My centrist position almost ensures I agree with very few, that I subscribe to no single school of thought, political ideal or sexual preference. I like debate, passionate debate, honest, open, real, and at times violent debate. Bring it on, lets play, work up a sweat dissecting and devouring and destroying ideas, ideals and more…
I fancy myself as a word-smith and encourage all and everyone to write, write, write.
These all but meaningless “cute” phrases, often with an equally cute but meaningless picture, simply can not impress me. It is not discussion and in many ways tells me that there is little knowledgable discussion available.
I discuss the idea that we live in echo chambers. Much of what we say, repeat, retweet, is nothing more than an echo of the chamber(s) we live in.
Here’s a good example… This is a picture I took during one of the many riots in Honiara. This one resulted in the burning of China Town (again). There is a lot happening herein, and we know, instinctively, that it’s not good, but we do not really have a clue of what, when, where, why, how. Its just a picture.
I’ll add a caption:
Zionist laughing while Gaza burns
Now let me change it a bit:
Palestinian laughing while burning kibbutz
Same picture, change the words and change the emotion.
I can carry on:
White Nationalist at lynching
And:
BLM street party
You get my drift… I dont need to belabour this point, though I could, but my point has been made…
All this tweet and retweet BS is 98% meaningless bullshit. I say 98% because I laugh at some. Some are indeed entertaining. And clever.
For my money I want to know what people think, not where they get their entertainment. I want thoughtful words and commentary on your personal view of the world, no matter what your view is. I am more interested in what you think to be offended or dismayed by what you have to say.
Most folks are terribly afraid of offending others, talking out of the accepted terms of reference, going against the grain. Ridicule can hurt. But if your thoughts, ideas and positions are not challenged… well hell, that int no fun.
One friend of mine went a number of years intentionally writing a FB post every day. She made a conscious effort to “have something to say” every single day for a long line of days. She later turned her posts into a book. I have one somewhere. I’ll Chase it down, but, belabouring my point, I enjoyed and looked forward to hearing what my friend had to say, everyday. It was a positive, no matter what she said.
The air is cool, the breeze crisp. Then it changes and the humidity comes back, and I start sweating again. Great climate! I certainly do not want it COLD.
I write about what I call the echo chamber(s) of life… our associations and affiliations are part of who we are, a big part of what defines us. Each of us have multiple chambers of interaction. And most definitely, in this modern connected world of ours, we gather a huge amount of our news/ newz/ information/ conditioning (what ever you want to call it) from our circles of association; our church, our close family, our friends, our work place, etc, etc.
It is terribly difficult, within such echo chambers, to raise too many questions, correct possible errors in reasoning, without causing offence.
I tend to piss most folks off…
I have a bad habit of being empirical of mind and nature.
I am an Empiricist, I think…
empiricist /ɛmˈpɪrɪsɪst/ PHILOSOPHY noun a person who supports the theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses. “most scientists are empiricists by nature”
relating to or characteristic of the theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses. “his radically empiricist view of science as a direct engagement with the world”
But really, for me, what it means is that I question everything.
And with the World’s libraries on-line, well hell, question away…
So, what is the 180 of being an Empiricist … Rationalism is the opposite and is known as deductive reasoning. It is based on a very specific format which, if followed, and if the information is accurate, will have a 100% accurate conclusion. Rationalism is theory based and can begin with the conclusion from empiricism.
Makes me wonder if I am either, or a combination of both? Deduction is part of the logical process. But if I know or understand something empirically, I dont have to apply deductive reasoning.
And, in my opinion, most of the echo in most of the chambers is nothing more than Rhetoric…
rhetoric /ˈrɛtərɪk/ noun the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques. “he is using a common figure of rhetoric, hyperbole”
Rhetoric that has been consumed and reverberated about the echo chamber(s).
Being a centrist is hard. No one agrees with me.
Most everyone has decided to join a team. To buy one bagel over another. FordvHolden, YankeesvDodgers, MarronvBlue… And I know I shall have folks come back and disagree. And I welcome that… I’m not being rude…
I dont have a team… I do not think any one political affiliation is better than the other. LabourvLiberal, DemvRepub, WhigvTorry… each side of “the isle” is there for their own, similar reason… to stay there.
The first, most important task of any elected official is to ensure tenure and duration. The first, most important task of any appointed official is to ensure tenure and duration.
Say no more.
My personal experience is such, and it’ll take a bit to make me think one side has something better than the other. But I am listening. I am always and all ways listening…
In relation to the real life drama, struggles, strife in what we call “The Middle East”…
My main question is “whom do we blame”… We appear to be spending our time looking to Blame Some One, rather than figure shit out. Whom do we blame for it all…
The Soldier (from either or any side) carrying out orders, is nothing more than a pawn.
As is the “military” on either side. These guys just do what they are told. Of course it is oft times with too much fervour. Atrocities do happen.
Do we blame the National Leaders? All of whom are worth millions.
Or the World Wide Aid mongers that squander megabucks? The leaders of these Aide Mobs also are worth millions.
Aid is big business.
War is big business.
Whom do you believe?
Whom do you trust?
Lets blame the Colonial Fore-Fathers that lied and cheated and deceived and left such mess that today, 100years later, we’re stuck fighting over who is right and who is wrong.
Or the Colonial powers that changed the Middle East’s demographics… Let’s start with the Ancient Egyptians. They started it all. And Moses and his brother Aaron… they were kinda power hungry. They enjoyed war. The Assyrians or the Hittites? Both of whom conquered, dispossessed and enslaved entire civilisations. Lets blame, BLAME, all of the thousands of faceless perpetrators over these past 4-5 thousand years… sure makes sense to me!
Whom do we blame?
If you say No One, (and everyone) you may just be an Empiricist too.
Maybe we should just start talking to each other, rather than argue whom is the worse, the evilest, the ONE to Blame.
Im working on another walking stick for an old friend…
As I watch the world turn, the NewZ spinn, the rain fall, and the grass grow…
As wars continue. As foolishness pervades. As ineptitude rulez.
I am confused. Watching numerous, many, too many folks, near and dear, who have chosen to believe one spinn doctor over another. They all, on either side or the spectrum of any discussion, they all spinn. We know this but, we still inevitably, sadly, believe one questionable stance over another. Why not challenge both sides of all discussions all the time?
And I do understand. I do get “it”… We all live in an echo chamber. Our work place, our social affiliations, our drinking and party circuit(s)… all are filled with noise, opinions, conjecture, newz, information, echos of the future and the past, plenty of spinn, but seldom do these “chambers” echo facts.
And, in defence of those whom I slag, facts are really hard to come by.
Busy folks aint got time for facts. They stand on the reverberations of the “word” they share within their associations. They echo the sounds from the chamber(s) they dwell in. And, we all know, it is debate and contention that fosters growth and awareness.
To listen to the same old music is fine, but there is a lot out there that might broaden your horizon.
To not challenge one’s ideas, position, or view point leads to stagnation.
Or so I believe.
I am confused by the cries of genocide against the Palestinians, the outrage against the zionist monster, the listing of atrocities true and false… While all the time, all these long weeks, a large number of captive humans are held “somewhere”, by someone/ something that is claiming exemption from the heinous acts being perpetrated.
I often think “too much”. I always read “too much” (if such is possible). I always say too much.
I dont think I’ll “wise-up” any time soon.
Once again, here in my little valley, we are behind in the grass-growing realm. In season, we need to mow 10hours a week to be “in control”.
Definitely not “in control”… in three seperate incidents, today, I stuck the knuckle on each, I do have two; I stuck the knuckle on each index finger into my industrial sander, suffering yeehaww, “that really hurt”, dammitt wounds. I know, shoulda had my gloves on.
I put them on after the third injury. But I am grateful…
Getting done by a saw, any saw is bad. Getting stung by a drill, or (eeeeeee) a router, is big-time bad. But a sander, even an industrial type, burns and thankfully cauterises the skin. Much less blood than from a cut or gouge or a hole being drilled into your flesh.
So with wounded fingers I put the component parts together for the first time. I’m making it for the “Hang’n Judge of Gizo”. He is a long fellow. This stick is several inches longer than any walking stick I have made to date.
first time all the parts are together… looks good so far… a long way to go
In many ways I perversely enjoy the circle-jerk that is Davos. Or more pertinently: The Davos Economic Forum”. But, first off, what is this “Economic Forum”?
From the link below… Davos – carries a bit of a stereotype. Housed in the snowy peaks of the Swiss Alps, the conference has a reputation for being an Old-Boys Club complete with drinking, dancing, and debauchery. In reality, the event has evolved into a multi-faceted summit that touches on human rights almost as much as it does economics.
A Global list of who’s-who attends and, as above, “touches on human rights almost as much as it does economics”… which, colour me sceptical, I believe may be misrepresented, or perhaps exaggerated?
Like the United Nations and its high level meetings, Davos is a crime scene, sanctioned and supported by anyone that wants to be a who’s-who.
I like that the programme tables discussion, that for me is still questionable, as fact. Here is a good example: Day 1, 1pm we have the opportunity to discuss “decarbonising emerging markets”. All is assumed that emerging markets must be decrabonsied. No ability to discuss or contest the first assumption. Noting too that Climate-Criminal, John Kerry, is one of the speakers.
The sceptic in me can easily become angry when I see sanctimonious folks with money having such a fun, fun time… without ME!
Hookers n hottubs and booze and drugs and food and hookers n hot tubs and… sure, where can I sign up? Forget the sanctimonious justification of the debauch… Just bring on the weeklong party… Pick Me! Pick Me!
Im still waiting for my nomination to the Top-Job at the UN…
Its all a big circle jerk, and I too am a jerk, paying attention to it.
Sunday morning here. I am moving slow. In recovery mode.
Recovering from what? You may ask…
Family! …
Son, Don, and his family have been visiting for a month. His 3girlies are noisy (NOISY). They are full of energy, constantly demanding, and a whole hell of a lot of fun. Son, Paul, and his family live nearby. His 2girlies increase the decibels by 4000%. It has been a long, noisy, fun filled month.
And I am exhausted. We were up at 4am yesterday to get everyone to the airport in time for their 830am flight. I did very little yesterday, after getting back home mid-morning, but sleep, sit, watch, read, and sit and sleep some more. I am lucky this morn, I get Blood Sports from 7am – 1pm. So aircons on, wrapped in a blanket, I shall write, watch, snooze, and recover. Got a lot to do tomorrow.
First UFC event for 2024, thus far, has been quite decent. It is nice to get Sunday-Blood-Sport happening again. Some folks watch basketball, some watch soccer, some gridiron… I like watching folks beat the ever living shit outta each other. I am a bone fide barbarian filled with blood lust and violence. No apologies.
Recent newz has been bland at best. I think we are getting immune to the truths, the horrors, the viciousness behind all the newz.
I am perplexed as to why the current leadership of the western alliances is so full of shit and confusion. The protagonists are acting like confused fools. The antagonists are running amuck.
An old word, “amuck”… adverb. wildly; without self-control.
Might be a bad choice of words in that it appears to me that the Iran-Proxy system we are watching is pretty well controlled. I think they have a great game-plan… cry the victim, play the poor-me card, hide behind your children then proclaim horror when the children are killed.
It is working. Working very well. the newz is falling for it all, the victimhood, the poor me, the evil them…
And we have the 2024 US election cycle heating up in frigid Iowa.
The cycle will dominate the year, fill the newz with rhetoric and lies.
My current favourite is “The Border is Secure”…
I cant find a credible number for 2023 illegal entries. There are daily and weekly and monthly numbers but I am too tired to sift through it all. Not today anyway. but I see that estimates for 2023 alone range from 6million to 8million illegal immigrants being “released” into the USA.
Lets just think about that… I’ll use 350,000,000 (three hundred and fifty million) as my base number for US population. If we use the 6million illegals number we do the simple numeric work and 350m divided by 6m = +/-2% of population entering in 2023.
2% is a big deal, in my mind.
Forget about the money the US is spend on this fiasco. Forget about the social and civil implications.
Think about the future… if 1% of the 6million illegals = 60,000, and if only 1% of the illegals are “bad-actors” nefarious of mind, evil of heart…
We just released 60,000/50 = 1,200 bad-actors into each State in the Union.
Thanks for that!
I am very pleased that I am not stuck in the USofA. I have, and do exercise well my options. I have acquired 3passports. That’s 3options I have, if need be. I must say, admit, I am quite content here in the land of Aus. Most folks have limited options available.
Was just talking with my son about him buying a house in Iowa, where he went to High School. Letting his children experience the USA/ Iowa for themselves. There is much appealing therein. I have always and all ways claimed that Iowa is a great place to “be from”.
The Iowa of my memory, and of my son’s memory, is not the Iowa of today. Cant be. And thats OK. Its not a good enough reason to not think about an Iowa plan. Noting there is probably a better plan available.
There is something attractive about a “little house on the prairie”. Riding to school in a big yellow bus. Living with snow in January and oppressive heat in August. The familiar is attractive.
New Year’s resolution stuff “ain’t my bag”, as we used to stay.
With that said, I have thought that I should be better organised, more premeditated with my blogging. Why? For no real reason other than my blog is my diary, my memory, my story. And I do believe life is a collection of stories. And all that is collected; sea shells, dogs, knives, motorcycles, guns, children, dogs, spoons, bells, dogs, glass figurines, cars, children, did I say dogs….
All that is collected, cherished, chosen should be shared and smiled upon.
So, week one of 2024 is all done. 51 more and we’ll be at another New Year.
Again and again, Infinitum.
Today offers a very, very nice, sunny, cool morn. 813am and I’ve been busy, doing stuff, puttering about.
I have commented that sunrise here in QLD, in summer, is 5am, the morning’s glow starts at 4am, the happy bird noises starts at 3am… My mornings start very early.
And thats the good news…
We have had heaps of rain in the past week. Over 300mm/ 12inches. The little stream got up and flooded. Our new road-to-the-back-40 survived its first test very well.
The new swimming hole needs work, but is going to be just what the engineer ordered.
And we have gotten a shit-load of mowing done. Always and all ways mowing to do…
Evidence:
It’s been on the cards a long time, over 2 years… the rebuild of the crossing to the “back-40”, which got washed out well over 24 months ago. Finally “started” it right before Cmas. Idea is to put in the culverts, then dig a swimming hole down stream. Not complete but… Very happy with stage 1…
Then the floods came… I was concerned that our work would be un-done…
Of course the new road becomes a dam, the hydrostatic forces build up and, if all not coool, the dam washes out… The main reason for the dam “going” is that it gets clogged up with debris, making the dam more efficient, increasing the hydrostatic pressures, causing problems… It looks like this…
Though clogged up, all and everything worked well enough, this time. The water found its path, the crossing held very well. The clean up was not fun… It took me a big, dirty, muddy morning to dig all the debris out. A couple trees, a heap of grass that turns into a woven barrier, logs old n young…
First dip in the swimming holes was a complete success…
Here is an ancient piece of root from a long gone tree… dead and buried and forgotten eons ago… excavated by the flood, deposited in my culvert… it was a bitch to dig out… weights about 100lbs, and will make a couple of killer sticks…
You can see its size once in my workshop…
I have a couple sticks on the go… And, very, very cool; the old wood chosen for this next bit of whittling, for shaping and sanding is defying me…
This wood is soooo dense and hard I am struggling to cut it. The cut you see above was done with a big “sabre-saw”. And that one cut cost me one new blade. The blade is rooted after 1 cut. But oooh, what a couple sticks we shall make. I willl get my chainsaws out, with well sharpened rip-chains… and go to work.
It shall be fun.
Mowing is a never ending story…
I think we have well over 20 acres “tamed”. We just opened another old paddock up for mowing. We have more old fences to drag out, and more to tame. its is a never ending story…
It do look extreme but its 100% practical… all the cover. I call it “armour”.
Where I am, central Queensland, it’s a clear, crisp, sparkling morning. 712am, 23c/ 72f outside. It was chilly over night. Still chilly this morn. Stormy weather yesterday. Overcast, blustery, not hot at all. A good load of rain fell. Cleared the air. Scrubbed the atmosphere. If this is “summer”, I’ll sure take it.
So 2023 is all but done…
What a year its been… So many changes. So many material changes to the fabric of our society. Not all happened in the past year. The cumulative effects of past choices and polices build up, take effect. Like aging, you dont notice it early on, the knee lagging behind, the hip grinding, the lower back feeling rusty… Society, global society, is being effected long term by many factors…
Covid changed our society. The effects of the regulations and restrictions and lock downs are, to me, very evident. The omissions in learning and education are very noticeable. The “stay home” policy has resulted in many industries failing utterly to run business as usual. Then I hear folks say stuff about “getting back to normal”… Ive never known what “normal” is.
Of course the numerous “wars” taking place loom large in all and everything. From family and friends being directly effected, to the price of fuel rising, the effects of combat, strife, and suffering is felt by all.
Lets see where, on our globe, the wars are…
Damn, the better question is “where on the globe are there not any wars?”.
Let’s see, let’s see… looking for a few positives to end my 2023 writings…
Damn! Im trying, trying hard… positives… on the horizon…
Mendoza’s new best-buddy, Sika, is settling in pretty well. I think he’s a keeper. And a very lucky pup…
Also, in 2023 I successfully finished and shipped off 3x walking sticks. I have been whittling sticks for a number of years. I send them to friends in need. Friends that are aging and need a 3rd leg. My sticks are both orthopaedic aids as well as weapons. After sending one to my buddy, RW (friends since the 5th grade) he recommended I add a “flex-tip”. And I did and it was a game changer. The flex-tip is spring loaded and has great grip. All my future sticks shall get a flex-tip.
My next stick is two… The Hanging Judge of Gizo shall get both a “t” grip, gentleman’s style stick, plus a thuggish shillelagh. Suits The Judge…
A lot of dense, hard wood here to work with. More than enough for a two sticks.
You can see that such a large hunk of wood requires a huge amount of whittling to become a stick. I dont say I make or carve or create a stick. I whittle a stick… A couple examples of finished products…
Another year crawls to a close. Complete, finished, over and done… January 2024 is a New Year. December 2023 soon to be a memory. Little time left of 2023. Like the cmas ornaments and decorations, ready to pack up, put in a box, tape closed, and put away until “required” next time”.
We always look forward to, hope of a “next time”.
I often ruminate on the base needs of mankind, the need to “manage time”. To control, stall, stay the inevitable. The insidious, creeping-crawling passing of time.
I am convinced it is a genetic “THING”. Something deep and old within ourselves. A whisper of a voice, a murmur of a clock ticking, a rumour of time passing. Our heart beats, counting the measure of life.
The internal clock ticks and measures and pushes and leads. None can withstand the ticking. None living. Only the dead are immune to the 1,2,3 of the heart beating. Counting. Measuring.
For the male of the species it is a prodding to prove himself, to prove his strength, to prove ability to protect and provide. Social and cultural norms and mores dictate that proof is violence, ability, and trophies.
What is proof? The felling of a wild adversary. The eating of the first-kill, the drying of the pelt, then wearing the head-dress that proclaims the male as a MAN.
For the female of the species it is a prodding to prove herself, to prove her fertility, to prove her worth. Social and cultural norms and mores dictate that proof is regeneration of the species.
What is proof? The birthing of offspring. The care for and understanding and providing for of the progeny. The rearing of such, teaching, instructing, training. It is the brood at her feet, instructed and reared to maturity that proclaims the female as a Woman.
And as years move, gain momentum, lengthen and wither. As the delicate skin of the maiden becomes the dry wrinkles of the ancient. As the hearty ability, the muscled limbs of the youth becomes the infirmed gait of the aged.
Once admired, coveted, the smooth skin, the muscled frame, youthful and full of life. Ready to create life, take on life, challenge life. Now dry and slow. Only the babes lay their cheeks to the old withered cheeks’. Only the dutiful and respectful assist the old frail movements.
Their season has come and gone,. Their time passing swiftly. After years of slow passing, time gains momentum. Instead of counting in years and decades, it is days weeks, even hours and minutes.
Mankind has a tenacious grasp on life. Too, a fear of the end. A fear of the unknown. A fear of “what comes next”.
Those content with life find it easier to pass. Those less selfish with life struggle less to release their grasp. While some, many, struggle and fight to the last possible breath. Hold on even as the spark fades
Which indeed is the norm. To be selfish with life, to struggle against, resist the inevitable.
It is in our DNA, in our life long lessens, all our learning. We are genetically designed to fight to survive. To serve our species by surviving, procreating, passing on our genetic memories to the next generation. Our replacements.
On July 18, 64 C.E., a fire started in Rome. When the fire was extinguished six days later, more than 70% of the city was in ruins.
On December 28, 2023 M.E., a fire had been burning in the US for almost 2 years. With 6million illegal immigrants entering the country through 2023, the nation was in ruins.
Going to be a blistering hot day. I think Summer is finally here. At least for the next few days.
Ive bragged about the climate here. Bragged about the benign temps. As I complained about the floods and storms and winds.
Had a tree go down the other day…
A nice Acacia. Gong to be a bunch of good sticks in there. I’ll cut it all up and put it in storage for a few years. Dry it up then turn it into something cool, and useful.
Put a couple of neat, dense, iron hard old lumps of timber on my table yesterday… Ive got 2x sticks to make for my old friend, colleague and drinking buddy, The Hanging Judge of Gizo. I asked him if I make a standard “t” handle stick like a gentleman would use, or a shillelagh style stick like a thug would use. His answer was “yes please”. So he gets two.
These are hard, ancient, and shall be reasonably difficult to work. And the end result will be stunning.
What we see here is the remnant of an ancient tree. The floods eroded it out of its tomb. Now I get to whittle and wok and sand and shape.
These old, excavated hunks of hard wood are cool because they have been reduced to their bare core. All sap wood and soft wood that would rot and deteriorate is long gone. All that remains is hard, dense, condensed timber.
I see a couple amazing sticks here-in.
If you look closely you’ll see how the softer heart of the tree is long gone. This means I will need to cut thinner strips of wood and laminate them back into the shape I want. First though I will clean things up, start turning the whole thing into a composite by pouring a bunch of epoxy into and on the piece. I’ll zip tie all the loose bits tight, wrap and tape, mix and pour. Fill the voids with epoxy. Then cut it up and glue it all back together. Laminated sticks are insanely strong. The Judge is going to love both his sticks.
I have been saying lately “wood not war”.
I ordered a brand, the kind you heat and burn into. For my future sticks. It’ll state “whittled by mike”. Suggested recently by DB. Shoulda done this ages ago. I apologise to the folks Ive previously made unsigned sticks for.
Mendoza has a new friend… meet Seker.
All boys need a dog of their own. All dogs need a boy that is their own.
Like a post-apocalyptic sunrise, The Day After is slow and tired and a bit wobbly. Unsure, uneasy, even afraid.
The front room is trashed. The once beautiful tree now appears to have been mugged by a gang of San Fran street people. Wrappings, debris, and some presents, presents not for immediate play and destruction, litter the room.
The house smells of cinnamon and ham.
Its 840am. It is hot outside. 82f/ 28c. The sun is bright. The skies are blue. The wind is brisk and warm. It’s going to heat up soon. Going to push the mercury up. I think I’ll stay in with the aircon. Might even stay in my pyjamas all day.
As a grand-daddy (in my house I am a “Papa”) I very much enjoy the wild, frantic fun that unwrapping 1,289 gifts in less than 10minutes brings. Its is a race, a battle, a war… And, I do know what I am speaking of here… little girls cause more trouble grief tears noise and confusion that little boys. Boys just break stuff. Girls scream and holler and cry as they break stuff.
The 2yrold was wide-eyed and hyper. the 2x 7yrolds bouncing off the walls and ceilings. The 2x 9yrolds making noises and confusion commensurate with their size. It was like the cartoon of the Tasmanian devil. A moving tornado of destruction spinning around the room. I sat in a chair, smiling, watching.
I made the “usual” Cmas breakfast of cinnamon rolls. I started midday – the day before – in order to allow my flour to rise and be fluffy and rich. I knead and rise 3 full times. I like to allow the dough to be the best it can be. I had cut and put the rolls in their pans in the eve. At 4am I popped them in the oven. Everyone wakes to that glorious smell of fresh baked goodness…
The house we live in is good for old granddaddies, Papas like me. The downstairs is big, the walls are concrete, the TV fixed to the wall, the floor carpeted, and I can chase the little ones down stairs, close the door and keep the noise from encroaching into my upstairs living area. I also growl and bark when they get too close. Doesn’t do much good though.
We had a family meeting to discuss what and where. Our’s is a family with a Family Business.
I started the biz in 1987.
After the better part of 40years we’re still going good, have expanded in a couple fields, have a bunch of things going on – all the time – thus an annual meeting is good, needed, required. Im pleased and proud my 2nd generation is doing so, so good.
As a kid growing up in a big family I learned early on that Cmas was not about presents. And thats OK but… BUT… presents are good.
The day before Christmas and all through the house, everyone was sniffling, and coughing, sick with the flu…
So it’s 834am and Im preparing for all n everything and everyone at once… when they get here.
The flu-bug has grabbed everyone. Varying degrees and varying levels of flu-eyness. Someone said “maybe its Covid”… my response was “isn’t Covid the flu?”.
It’s funny that a single word “covid” can supposedly mean sooo much. From lock downs and threats of a lonely death and countries and states closed, cities darkened, people living locked-in, afraid, fearful, longing to see family and friend that were similarly locked down… To… yea, covid is just the flu.
I always called covid the Kung-Flu. I got in trouble a couple times for spreading false info. But, now, after a couple years, we learn that I was right. Though they “THEY” will never fess-up, it did come out of the Wuhan lab where the studies therein were funded by the US… and get this… because the research on “gain of function” was too dangerous to carry out in the US.
Thanks a bunch Obama, Fauci and Co.
Looking forward, into a bright, new, glittering future… well, in the US…
We get 6million+ new emigrants in 2023, a State called CA that legalises criminal behaviour and taxes law abiding citizens into leaving, and a NY City Mayor that blames the border crisis on the TX Governor.
Here in Aus… we get a jet setting PM that spends .001% of GDP on travel, two – count them- TWO State Premiers resign because they have doing “such a great job”, and the globe’s primary store of land locked energy being traded away so we can “go green”… noting energy prices have doubled in recent years. And I just bought a new, bigger genset for then next power-outage…
In the Solos… Our dear, great, all seeing leader (he is turning Chinese) has postponed the last election so he could host the Pacific Mini Olympics, has (with the help of friends) made use of millions of dollars for personal enrichment, while (I hear) many, many of the service providers to the Games will not get paid what they are owed. Word is the budget is shot. No moa saleni. Sore hola, boko!
So, with all the good news out of the way allow me to discuss the darker, sadder side of things…
The indigenous people of the “Middle East”, The Palestinians, have been attacked and killed in the thousands, by their loathsome and terrible neighbours, The Zionists.
The poor Palestinians have been quietly leading their lives as nomads and shepherds and loving family members since the dawn of time. Never causing a problem, always humble and respectful. Their dearly departed prophet and 20th century leader, Yasser Arafat (much loved and adored by all), established the path of enlightened resistance and peaceful struggle. In his footsteps they walk…
His efforts have been trampled upon by the vile Zionists… Zionists who rape, plunder, murder, enslave and worse…
Oh, what’s that… OK, you sure… Hmmm… Ive got it wrong? Other way around…
How can that be? I heard it all on CNN!
Closer to home… Premier Xi supposedly told Saintly Uncle Joe that he was indeed going to “unify” China. What that means is he grabs Taiwan by force. Just what we need! Another expansionist war.
We have kinda forgotten about Ukraine. Not much in the bluez anymore. The atrocities of the Zionist Colonials and Trump on trial is better cover than Russia v Ukraine.
Yes, shall we note that that despicable undemocratic, would be tyrant DJTrump is getting his just-desserts… after being terrible and red for too long, he shall go down. The system shall mobilise all its resources so he, the evil red guy, cannot ever again threaten our US democracy.
Even at the risk of bringing the US democracy down, even by forgetting the rules and ethics of it all, the status quo of evil red guy must die is worth what ever to costs.
Oh, again, CNN is wrong? No, cant be… What, the US legal system, as driven by saintly Uncle Joe, is being used like a secret police force? Targeting individuals and groups for being too smart, too wise, too democratic… hmmm, damn! I hate being wrong!
So I’ll ignore the facts and merrily move on.
Red guy bad, Saintly Uncle Joe and Fauci good.
So where are we, really?
Normally I can be found, this time of year on a mower…
A few months back a rather distant neighbour rang, asked if Id seen “a red cow”.
And I had. A smallish “Drought Master”. A good looking beast.
Was hanging around, following the herd of another neighbour. But was skittish to the point of being wild.
My first response to a stray cow on my property is always, and all ways, to secure it. Get it in a fenced area. Keep it secure. Figure out what is what after.
This one was too skittish to get close to. I tried herding it. Bribing it with nice green hay. It ran off, as swift as a deer.
Time passes.
I name the cow “Ruby”. Ruby has run off the property. Is well fed. Well watered. Looks great.
Ruby joins the herd of deer. The deer (two herds of deer) call this valley home.
My distant neighbour isn’t fussed about his missing cow…
I dont bother myself with the wild deer, so the wild cow, that identifies as a deer, receives the same respect.
I’m going to sing the praises of the weather where I live, here in Aus, on what is known as “The Sunshine Coast”. North of Brisbane, subtropical, and probably as good of a climate as I have ever experienced. Between the droughts and the floods and the hail and the fires… between it all, the blistering hot days to the mild n chilly morns, we have the best climate I know…
Ruminating as the World Spins…
I am perplexed by much. Confused by what I hear. Frightened by what I see. I need help to figger things out. Is it all as fucked up as I perceive? I sure as shit hope not!
In the world of politics, I fear that rhetoric is replacing policy. Or maybe, maybe, rhetoric HAS replaced policy. I dont see debates on policy anymore. Both sides say the same thing, from a different perspective. I see very little honest debate, and way too much BS name calling. Mud slinging.
World wide I see words and ideas and back-room deals getting weaker, stupider, less meaningful. From infrastructure to education to public safety to national security to… you get the idea. I do feel that rhetoric is replacing policy. Solid, long term, well thought out policy and planning may well be gone. But words, hallow, meaningless words fill the air…
Memes, bumper stickers, slogans… become policy… and it kinda frightens me…
A mindless mob frightens me…
“Defund The Police” is not policy. Lowering requirements in The Military or in Schools, is not policy. Opening the borders, flooding the US with homeless folks is not policy. Paying for the care and upkeep of said homeless folks is not policy. It is all rhetoric. Political ideas. Political rhetoric.
Has the entire population, world wide, been dumbed-down so severely that we have lost our knowledge of right and wrong. Our sense of history. Why we are, where we are, and who brought us to where we are? Or is history being rewritten? Instead of a “melting pot” we get division by skin colour, ethnicity, claimed gender, and more… Drugs are illegal, so we build injection rooms, hand out free needles. Damn!
I say DAMN!
Words n promises replace well planned outcomes.
History is filled with war, strife, starvation, confusion, pain, agony; and recovery from all, again and again. It was never “a good life”. An easy life.
“Life Ain’t Fair”, is what I have been taught.
I come from a long line of emigrants. A long line of peasants. A long line of down-trodden. They did not leave “where they were from” and move to “somewhere else” because they had a choice. It was because of war, strive, starvation, pestilence…. “Home” was not liveable any more, so they had to move, for what ever reason. My ancestors that emigrated to the US were refugees too. Not colonials.
Consider the Irish… they colonised the world as refugees.
And in the places all these folks, over all the ages, emigrated to, they found people already there. Everywhere always had someone who claimed the place as their own. All folks “came from somewhere”, looking for “something better”, displacing those who had come before them.
And became the indigenous peoples of that place.
So, the new folks arrive and there is conflict. There is always and all ways conflict.
He with the best weapons wins. Writes the history.
One of my sorta favourite “dumb-shit” ideas is this: “The Noble Savage”. So the myth goes…
Before the perfectly harmonious lifestyles of the numerous “indigenous” peoples of the world were disrupted and polluted by “white-men”, “colonials” – before the noble savage was converted, perverted by “white-men”, “colonials”… everything was great. Idyllic. Peaceful.
What a CROCK-O-SHIT! Aboriginal societies were and are harsh, ruthless, violent and hungry. If you were not part of the tribe you got killed and probably eaten. I do speak from a little bit of history or experience… my wife’s people are an old language group from a very isolated part of an isolated island group. Her maternal grandfather, Kapakesa, was a feared warrior, a taker of heads, an eater of flesh. He had many wives. My mother in law, Flory, was his daughter.
I spent a-bunch-a years sitting with the old men, smoking greasy black tobacco and drinking sweet, sweet tea. Listening through the haze and smoke and darkness. They’d recited their oral histories. The oral tradition was alive, still, then.
We’d sit around a kerosene lamp, roll long, thick, greasy smokes, and listen to Boaz, or one of the other elders, recite his oral history. Boaz, my father in law, would tell his tales, spin his magic, almost every night. I listened night after night, for a number of years. Always enthralled by his precision and faithfulness to “The Story”. And amazed by the viciousness and brutality of his history. It was all very very violent and brutal.
Boaz was born around 1900. “First Contact” between aboriginal peoples on the north coast of Choiseul and the “Men From Ships” – bose vaka , in local language – was 1910. Boaz was born into a Stone Age culture with over 20,000 years of history. His oral tradition covered 13 generations. Before the oral tradition, we find myth and legends.
When we buried Boaz, we buried his oral tradition with him. His tales of wars and rape and murder and betrayal. His knowledge of the past, his deep, deep knowledge of his history. His sons and daughters do not possess the oral tradition.
Their links to, handles on the past are lost. They have some of the history, but their knowledge is incomplete, faulty, flawed. Its nothing new…
I like the story of Fiji being “Colonised”… The Paramount Chief of the time, the Tui Viti, was getting his arse kicked by all sides… The Tongans and the iKiribati bikers-on-boats were raping and pillaging the north and west coast lines. Internal tribal wars raged. it was hard to be Tui Viti, it was costly… Times were changing, weapons were changing, travel was changing, people were coming from afar. They had guns. Fijians normally used clubs. Club v Gun was not cool. Guns cost money…
So the Tui Viti, RatuSeru Epenisa Cakobau, petitioned the UK to colonise Fiji, to protect Fijians from outsiders, and insiders too. Basically he wanted his position of advantage to be protected. In 1852 this request was declined. Nope, no colonising at that time. The UK refused to be evil, nasty, colonisers. Go figure.
Then in 1871, a deal was stuck. Fiji voluntarily became a Colony of Great Britain. And the Tui Viti kept his job. (and his head)
Synopsis: The Colonisation of Fiji was and inside-job.
Dont teach that is school, do they?
Still ruminating as the World Spins…
I remain perplexed by much. Confused by what I hear. Frightened by what I see. I still need help to figger things out. It do look fucked up!
November 24th, a Friday here in Aus. If I was in the US0fA it’d be Thanksgiving Thursday.
Here, in the land of Aus it’s a drizzlly, overcast, chilly morning.
I am ruminating, again, on the “Green” world we supposedly live in, are moving toward. Of course, nothing new, but my take on it all is that “green is not green”. It is a marketing ploy that has been doing pretty good at convincing the world that slight of a green hand = wealth distribution.
Or such is my semi-literate take on it all… I’m not saying I definitely know the Global Warming gig is a scam. I am saying that I remain unconvinced, on many levels, that we have this all sorted, under control, and the $$ being invested is wisely spent.
I am on this topic due to a visit from an old friend. My dear Kiwi friend spent time as a volunteer on Vella la Vella. We met on the MV Iu Mi Nao in 1984. I checked but cannot find a decent pict of the old, clapped out ferry, that was old and clapped out when it arrived in the Solomons in the 1970s. I am certain all my faithful readers that experienced the Iu Mi Nao hold fond memories of the “30 hour cruise” that was the weekly Honiara to Gizo run.
When we met, my Kiwi friend and I were both young, green, learning, full of useless education, and totally “liberal”. We shared views and points of view… we both married “island babes”, loved boats and the ocean and being on and in the briny-blue. We have been friends since we met.
One of the rare people that visited while living at Gracie’s village on the very remote, north side of Choiseul, we did a multi-day crossing between North Choiseul and Liapari… in a “fibro-canoe”, loaded to the gills, powered by a 9.9hp OBM. We crossed a lot of water in a small, under powered vessel. We were both lucky, stupid, ignorant, and on that trip very lucky… did I say lucky?
So after a few decades he stops by for a visit. And the fun (fun?) began… My dear old friend decided I needed to be converted into the green-new-world. The Green New World of electric vehicles, solar power, no fossil fuels, zero carbon emissions, higher cost of living. I am told to “think of your grandchildren, what sort of world are you going to leave them?” I needed to read periodicals such as The Economist, The Guardian, The NY Times. Like a proselytiser, preaching the gospel of green, I needed my demons released, converted, defeated.
After dinner, day 1, as I voiced my unconvinced position, I was offered “IRREFUTABLE FACTS” that Global Warming was killing the planet”. CO2 was the devil. Climate Change was a big problem, was real, man-made, immediate, and reversible IF…
The next day when I asked for the irrefutable facts I was told to “look them up yourself”.
Ok, brakes on, old friendships intact, respect given and taken but… when someone first says they “have the facts”, then tell me to “look them up myself”, I stop taking it all seriously. I listened politely (over 3days), always read (try to read) what ever is suggested, and have fun simply playing the devils advocate. We’re not going to solve anything or agree on much so why get yer knickers in a twist? Have fun. Might even learn something new…
Allow me to articulate the discussion(s) without emotion – er, well, with as little emotion as possible.
I start with the premise as purported/ preached by the advocates and acolytes of the green-dream…
1) The Globe is warming.
2) Global warming is man-made, that is to say the harm, the damage, the warming is anthropogenic.
3) The anthropogenic actions causing the Global warming are emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere.
4) The CO2 emitted is due to the burning of carbon based fuels such as coal, gasoline, diesel, natural gas, wood, peat, or other “fossil fuels”.
5) IF we cease the burning of said fuels, we can reverse the trends of death and destruction and doom.
6) IF we do not reverse the trends of burning said fuels, we shall all perish. Very soon.
Ok, so the future is bleak. Mankind has been shitting in its own nest too long, and IF we dont change our ways the end is coming, predictable, close at hand.
The task at hand is to forsake the fuels that have taken mankind from darkness, the fuels that were the foundation of the industrial revolution, the urbanisation of the world, the creation of mass travel… Cease all carbon based fuel burning and we shall survive, thrive, exist… Its called “Net ZERO”.
As near as I can tell, that’s the main “WORD” of the Green gospel.
Where do I stand in relation to it all?
As a centrist I claim I look at all sides of all debates. And my several years of “study”on this topic leaves me unconvinced that the Pro-Green arguments hold much water. Mainly because the ire predictions have mostly been full of BS. For me, the problem has not been adequately identified, is there even a real problem? As well, no cost effective and viable solution has been tabled. No replacement to Fossil Fuels has been established. Decades of discussion on hydrogen power cells, massive batteries, magic wands… nothing to convince me… YET… it is always “yet”… and IF… IF…
So I read, research, think, listen, watch…
My research methods are simple: First and foremost I disregard, dispose of any info I consider to be blatantly sensationalistic… things like: “We all Die in 7years IF we don’t change now”…. Recently we saw: “Donald Trump poses the biggest danger to the world in 2024”
from 2014: Apocalypse Now: The World Will Definitely End In 7 YearsThe World Is Going To End Within 7 Years, Says Newspaper That Often Predicts ApocalypseRyan Barrell— The Huffington Post UK 26/11/2014 11:51am GMT
There are more headlines like these. Left and Right. Sensational, impossible to refute or prove. Rhetorical headlines that do not inform, do not education. Intended to frighten the population, to scare and herd the bovines and sheep.
And because I grabbed one from 2014, I’ll check and see what the cost of the Green-Deal so far has been…
Damn, I cant get a reliable number. My searches send me to propagandistic sites and reports that explain how good we are doing, using nice graphs and charts, showing progress, aiming for those elusive “net zero” results. I find nothing that can give me a sense of how much has been spent. A quantum, a value, a number. Either it’s not available or, perhaps has been conveniently misplaced?
How much has the NET ZERO target cost thus far? What will the total cost be?
It is undoubtedly in the Billions. Maybe even in the trillions?
Because these numbers, the numeric information supporting the Green-Dream is so elusive, I remain unconvinced.
I happen to have some old files at hand, let me see what is costing…
In March 2019 power here cost: *general use cost = .255/kWh *supply charge = .99/pday * solar metering charge = .07/pday * feed-in credit = .106/kWh
In November 2023 power here cost *general use cost = .320430/kWh *supply charge = .1.339910/pday * solar metering charge = .085260/pday * feed-in credit = ..0500/kWh
Here is what I see over 4+years:
2019
2023
change +/-
value of change
general use
0.255
0.32043
30%
0.06543
supply charge
0.99
1.33991
35%
0.34991
metering charge
0.07
0.08526
20%
0.01526
feed in credit
0.106
0.05
50%
0.056
What I glean from this is that costs are going up. The consumer is paying more for the Green future. Base rate is up. Feed-in credit down. Dreaming Green thus far appears to be a negative for the consumer.
I need to point out, confess that for bean-counting reasons I have used domestic PV systems for many years. Decades even. I know when a PV system is a cost saver, and when it is not. The reason I have invested in PV here in Aus is because it is heavily subsidised.
So, being unconvinced that a) we have defined the problem, or b) we have established a solution, I cannot think that spending mega-bucks does much but cost everyone more, on every thing.
Has the $$ spent on this green-dream changed anything? CO2 emissions, as near as I can tell, will never be ZERO. Not with coal use skyrocketing in China and India … these two countries represent over 60% of all global coal use. Australia represents only 1.5% of global consumption. Does Aus pushing for net ZERO do anything at all, globally? The rhetoric does not make sense to me. I remain unconvinced…
The Native Iowan 
thoughts and opinions