The Native Iowan

A grey, chilled Sunday morn. A blood sport Sunday, so we’re happy. The rains have stopped. We ended the Month of May with about 200mm of precipitation. A good result after April’s 400+mm.

The ground is soggy.

I am still reading nonsensical memes online about the lying, conniving, evil, corrupt nature of DJTrump and his administration.

I’ll start here…

I very much like the idea that an octogenarian, socialist-millionaire schools us about oligarchy…

Bernie Sanders’ net worth: How much money does the ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ Senator have?
While he rages against billionaires, the outspoken Democratic Socialist and political icon is actually a part of “the 1%.” https://www.thestreet.com/lifestyle/bernie-sanders-net-worth-14678955

“The Bern” has been in elected office since 1981. His net worth is in the Millions. He did a back-room deal with the Clintons/ The DNC in 2016 to allow Hillary to run. Bernie had a lot of support and could have split the ticket. He accepted a seat at the High-Table in exchange for his support of the Clinton ticket.

Bernie became part of the DNC Oligarchy at that time…

Lets recall the 2016 election: Named the “dirtiest election in history”, we saw a long list of corrupt practices taking place within the DNC back-office…

This Writer Ranked American History’s Dirtiest Elections. Here’s What He Says About 2016 https://time.com/4554784/dirtiest-elections-american-history-2016/

Was the Democratic primary rigged? Democrats made a big mistake in the 2016 primary.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/14/16640082/donna-brazile-warren-bernie-sanders-democratic-primary-rigged

So now, in 2024, The Bern is out preaching to the masses. He and MsAOC are publicising, marketing the DNC platform. Yet after the mega-buck, by private jet campaign, I remain no smarter in regards to what they are selling… I know they think we are fools for NOT believing the Biden/ Harris rhetoric. I know they think we are idiots for wanting a stable constitutional administration.

Sure, sure… The Biden Administration was great, did amazing things, saw growth and development across all classes of society…. NOT!

We knew the Emperor had no clothes…. While the sycophant Legacy News Channels waved their pompoms and preached to us idiots how wrong we are for not seeing the growth and gains and successes that were never there. Brought to us by a “sharp, decisive, intense, probing” Joe Biden.

Even as the elites in the DNC community start to sell their “tell-all” books, confirming that they lied and cheated and prevaricated and acted very undemocratically, they continue to scream “Trump bad, Trump evil, Trump lies, Trump steals”…

Of course, being honest with ourselves, the DNC is headless, rudderless, aimless… Their rhetoric is rising and rising and rising. They appear to have nothing more to offer than bile and negativity.

Lets talk “cause and effect”… I believe the DNC has perverted, twisted, and lied so much for so long that they have fudged their energetic future for the foreseeable future. You cant live and breath negativity without becoming negative. I dont see much positive coming from the DNC/ left-leaning side of things.

Social engineering is not what we elect our leaders for. It do appear as though this is all they have to offer…

We cease to educate our children, then, as they become illiterate, we change the rules to claim they have achieved literacy… In 2021, Oregon dropped the state’s “Assessment of Essential Skills” graduation requirement due to Senate Bill 744. This requirement, which mandated students pass a standardized test demonstrating proficiency in basic skills, was initially suspended for the classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024. The suspension was later extended through the graduation of the Class of 2027, with a further extension through the Class of 2028. 

We support perverts claiming they are not pedophiles but rather “child attracted persons”… Pedophile, Child Lover, or Minor-Attracted Person? Attitudes Toward Labels Among People Who are Sexually Attracted to Children… https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9663395/

We invite perverts into our classrooms. I know, I’m being harsh but… BUT… “DRAG” is a sexual thing. Cross dressing is a sexual thing. Explain to me how anything blatantly, and intent-fully sexual belongs in a child’s classroom…

I’m waiting. Change my view point…

Are drag queens appropriate for children? That depends on the show. As a general-case statement, no, they’re not appropriate for kids. Drag shows, typically, are a niche variation of burlesque. And while burlesque is quite entertaining for adults…that’s what makes in inappropriate for children.

Here is the other side of the story… https://theconversation.com/5-things-to-know-about-drag-queen-story-time-206547

This tells us we need to educate our children about “gender fluidity”. I ask why… Why does any child need to be educated about anything sexual. They are children and shall learn soon enough about things sexual… Boys have a penis and girls have vagina. Enough for any prepubescent kid, me thinks.

Or should we discuss intercourse with a child? Vaginal and-or anal intercourse… any sexual act… should we be discussing such with a child, and if so why? What are we aiming to educate the child for? I can’t see why are we “preparing” these young kids for anything sex related. I call it GROOMING, to introduce sex and sexuality to children.

I call it GROOMING and I dont like it.

Shall we talk about the mutilation of children? I dont get it at all. Why, how could anyone advocate that a youngster should seek self multination? I see nothing but mental illness.

Again, why are we even discussing sex with a child if we are not intending a reuslt, if we are not GROOMING… By all means, an adult can make their own decisions… Decide to be a leader in society, or decide to be a drunk, a drug addict. You are an adult and as sad as your decision may be, it’s yours and I support you. Go cut your junk off. See if a sex-change really really makes you happy. I’m cool with that

But not so with children?

Are not the children being infected with the metal illness of the adult, when and wherever an adult counsels a child to undergo a sex change?

I hear the cries… Homophobe, antiTrans, Boomer, Old While Guy… Conservative!… And you are wrong. Im not anti anything. I’m very much a live-and-let-live kinda a guy.

But leave your hands off the children!!!!

A dick in a dress is not a chick… Nope, never will be, never has been. A dick has no place in a girls bathroom. Sorry for being so old fashioned…

My old friend, Dave, started cross dressing in Iowa in the mid 70s. I thought he was brave, amazing even… to follow his heart and put on makeup, and dress fluffy-life… In Iowa, in the 70s… took a lot of courage. Booby, Debbie, Diane, and others from my past were openly gay in the 70s. One guy I knew had 2 wives under the same roof.

Alternative lifestyles are not new, not unacceptable. I am not a prude.

Just leave the children alone.

The DNC has made a big push to be the guardians of the 20% issues… the issues that only 20% of the electorate care about. Screw the middle class. Dont worry about the male portion of the electorate. Dont worry about the church going voters, or the old fashioned conservative types that prefer their children to be literate… Nope, dont need them…

Scott Jennings, a former President George W. Bush staffer, also a CNN senior political commentator, says Democrats are accused of currently following the dumbest strategy in politics. That is, Democrats are taking the 20% side of every 80/20 issue in America. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/columnists/paul-w-smith/2025/02/09/paul-w-smith-dems-are-taking-the-20-side-of-most-issues-in-america/78325414007/

So, lets be honest…

This TDS bullshit where justifying any action, because Trump is EVIL, needs to stop, needs to be called what it really is… Metal Illness. Capital M, capital I.

We now see that a large percentage of those infected with TDS believe violence is acceptable, appropriate…

A new report from our group, the Network Contagion Research Institute, provides answers. Our research, based on nationally representative surveys and analyses of online activity, demonstrates the existence of online subcultures that support the murder of public figures like Trump and Musk. This “assassination culture,” incubated on social media, has migrated from the margins of public life into the mainstream.https://www.city-journal.org/article/progressives-political-violence-donald-trump-assassination-attempt

The DNC Heros of the day are sick folks that believe murder is acceptable.

What does this tell us about out the state of the DNC?

Lets be honest….

More later

Smiles all around

Damn the month has plashed past. Damn, damn… damn!

Did I say damn?

A chilly, drizzly, grey Saturday here in my valley.

My ears are cold, I should go get a wooly cap.

Achievements this past May… My bitches are breeding. Finished and posted off 2 sticks to WE and his bride MsE. More snake skins in the shed. Only about 100mm of rain fall… been a kinda. dry month…

My month in pictures…

Smiles

More later

I am sitting in my big chilly house on a chilly Saturday morning ruminating upon the blewz, the newz of the past week. My mind goes in several directions noting this past week offered us more mindless violence, with the expected insane affirmations from the loony liberal left side of the spectrum… yea right, the cold blooded gunning down of a young jewish couple in DC was, as I heard reported, “The greatest antZionist statement”.

Mind boggling.

The level of angst and uncontrolled emotions in the USofA, worldwide, is at a fevered pitch. I feel, see, hear the fear that people have.

I believe it’s The Fear Of The Trolls sorta thing. A fear unfounded and unreal but still forcing young Mike to run with all his might over a bridge… To lie in bed, worrying over tomorrow, and the Troll under the bridge.

When I was a kid I believed that there was something malevolent under bridges and in drains. My child’s mind called them “trolls”. Pictured them a loathsome, flesh eating, vile beasts. I couldn’t cross a bridge without breaking into a sweat. Could not go near a big drain for fear of the Troll.

Today I know a troll to be something different…
… “a troll is a person who says and does deliberately offensive or provocative things, or who antagonises others to create disruption, profit and amusement for themselves”.

1st: Real or perceived, Fear is real.

2nd: Once you figure your Fear out, come to terms with your Fear, its no longer a “thing”.

So why are we afraid of The Trolls?

Not all are malevolent. Some are just playful. Most die in the light of day. Like a good rumour, when you shine a light on it, well it just aint that frightening anymore.

But when the lights are dim and the shadows are long… it do all get scary pretty quick.

I consider DJTrump to be a master Troll. He has the ability to make people lose sleep over him. To very much make people hysterical, insensible. I have written about folks near and dear to me who lose control of their intellect when DJTrump’s name is mentioned… I mentioned a dear old friend who, just recently called me for a chat. I like and welcome old friends calling me. I routinely spend a couple hours a week having long talks about nothing.

So my buddy rings and in the very early part of the conversation says “… YOUR guy Trump in the US is sure fucking things up…”.

I answer by asking if the past 4years under Biden were better, and if so, how were they better?

“No, No, No… no politics please…” is the reply I get. We talk for over an hour and every so often he says something about the US/Trump, and when I try to rebut, offer my opinion, I get the “no politics” by-line.

So I delve deeper. Patiently lie in wait, like the Troll… When my buddy (a life long conservationist/ activist) goes into the glow-ball warming dance act, starts discussing the end of the world as we know it “soon”, I double down. I note the fact that the big Green Hydrogen thing here in Aus was a massive scam where mega-bucks of public funds got divvied up by crooks in green’s clothing. And after over a decade of waste and misuse of public funds, we are no closer to an alternative to the nasty, deadly CO2 fuels that keep the lights on.

World wide I perceive the Glow-Ball warming scam losing its heat.

My buddy and I share a rather prominent old friend from those long ago “pre Phd” days… our mutual buddy is a modern day GLOW-BALL WARMING guru. He jets around the world. Is some sort of ambassador for the Greens. Goes to Davos, makes mega bucks, and in my mind is corrupt as sin. I believe he sold out. Plain n simple. He accepts payment for purveying a party line. Kind’a makes him a prostitute in my books.

Our mutual friend has not spoken to me for a long time, we lost touch with each other a long time ago, but my buddy on the phone is still close with our highflying, world saving old friend, and does not like me disagreeing with him when he says “he’s doing a great job, is a great guy”… I can only almost agree on half of that statement.

So I troll a bit deeper…

But I cant go too deep. My buddy on the phone is fragile, has his limitations. He has well deserved reputation for getting angry. I dont want that. Its not a discussion if we get angry. So I probe gently… compassionately.

I speak of what I read and understand. I offered one of my articles to clarify a point (he didn’t look at it) and we carry on.

I learn that there is very little foundation for my buddy’s fears, he is speaking of his fears of something unseen, but he clings to them like a life raft in a storm. I can’t help him, troll him too much.

Or such is my opinion.

I could be completely delusional. Often am…

And the beat goes on…

More later

Ruminating on this fine Sunday afternoon. The sun is shining, the dogs are being lazy, the air is chilly. No rain for maybe 30hours. Gotta be some kind of record!

Have had family hanging around. Making noise, Being a nuisance. Filling the place with laughter… Sorry, no tears this weekend. We’ll try harder next time…

I’m going to have a good-rant about the folks out there that are so constipated on TrumpDerangementSyndrome that they cease making real sense. Those folks, we all know some, that cant say “Trump” without spitting, and sputtering, and frothing at the mouth.

I started this by thinking I’d write about 3 near-and-dears, but I thought of a 4th…

#4: FUCKINGDUMFUCKERSTUMBLEBUMBDISHITRICHBOYPERVERTEDNAZI… I have just exposed too much. If you know my friend, what I just wrote will make perfect sense to you.

#3: I dont watch the news, I dont pay attention, the news makes you stupid, I don’t even own a TV, dont have time for all the nonsense, did you hear what Trump did, the new jet will belong to him, Trump and Musk are stealing all OUR money, Trump is deporting US citizens…

#2: Trump is evil, Trump is Satan, Trump is evil, Trump is Satan, Trump is evil, Trump is Satan, Trump is evil, Trump is Satan, Trump is evil, Trump is Satan, Trump is evil, Trump is Satan, Trump is evil, Trump is Satan…

#1: You see what fucking Trump is doing? No one to pick veggies and collect eggs, so everything is going to be more costly. And those fucking tariffs, how can we live without cheap Chinese goods? Trump plays golf everyday, he’s spending a billion dollars on parade, I’d rather spend money on Sesame Street…

Each of these individuals resist or blatantly refuse to discuss anything, ANYTHING, that may be contrary to their delusion.

When gently confronted with facts, yes those pesky facts that always get in the way of a good delusion, #1 yelled at me “Idontwannatalkaboutthat”. #4 refused to engage when I asked a) if the Biden era was better, and b) if an extra 20million illegal aliens was a positive. #3 laughs almost gleefully when describing how fucked up and chaotic the world will be after “Trump has his way”.

Very sad. And I remain perplexed how smart, engaged folks can so quickly slip into derangement on certain topics.

My past week:

Wood, not war…

more later

It is late in the year 1980. Northern Iowa is cold, dry, not frozen yet. My teenaged brother and our young nephew are out in the back yard playing football.

My brother, I always called him The Rooster, is 16/17, our nephew, Andy, is 8, maybe 9.

Andy decided he wanted to take on both of us, him against the uncles. Andy has always been a tough, determined sorta kid.

So we are out in the yard, the midget vs 2big-guys. And the midget is trying hard. He’s picking the ball up and running straight into us. We let him break away, run a bit, then we’d trip him, pick him up and drill him, we are playing rough. We always play rough.

A song out on the airwaves at that time had a refrain, “another one bites the dust”… Bump, bump, bump, bump, another one bites the dust…

Rooster and I were laughing and joking and singing, “another one bites the dust”, each time young Andy got hit, slammed, banged, dropped.

Andy was getting mad. Crying a bit. Angry and frustrated. He kept coming on, and on. He is a determined sorta guy.

The ground is cold, we’re getting kinda dirty.

Andy, remember he’s just a little kid, has snot running down his top lip.

Rooster tells him to do a farmer nose blow… block one nostril and blow the slime out of the other one. Classic move the kid doesn’t know. So Rooster shows him.

The kid follows suit, blows and blows and blows until he has several inches of slime hanging from his nose, he’s bent over a bit, and unsure what comes next.

What now, the kid asks… Rooster says “shake your head…

Mom’s are great things. They always tend to arrive, show up, appear just as they are either really needed, or just when you’re doing things that will make them very angry..

Andy’s mom, our sister, walked out the back door just as Andy follows Rooster’s instructions and shakes his head.

The viscous thread of snot that was hanging from Andy’s nose wraps itself neatly around his head. I’m roaring with laughter, thinking I wont get in too much trouble, I didn’t do anything… why would I get in trouble…

Well hell… Our elder sister, Andy’s mother, was none too impressed.

Bump bump bump bump another one bites the dust….

Smiles

more later

My mother was a huge fan of “All Star” Wrestling, “Pro” Wrestling, WWF/ WWE…

How many of the stars pictured below can you name?

Mom was fanatical… had her favorites, her despised. The white-hats, the heels… Knew all about them…

In the way-back days of the 60s and B-W television, I was weaned on it all, on the local TV stations broadcasting from Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Ronny Etcheson, Danny Little Bear, the Viking, Bob Brown, the British Bull Dog. Andre the Giant came to town a couple times a year.

There was a group of us kids that were very much “into” The Rassling scene.

Every once in a long while, one of our dads would take us to “the city”, Waterloo or Cedar Rapids, to see a live show. I have seen Andre more than once, and patted him on his sweaty back a time or two.

Why am I thinking about, writing about Pro Wrestling, I hear you ask…

My mother never ever ever ever ever believed the wrestling she watched, the rassling she watched, was not 100% “real”. Even after some Stars wrote books, told all, even after TV grew and we got cable and reality shows, Mom never believed IT WAS NOT true and factual. She’d argue you into submission.

Even when we spoke openly, discussed facts like “a 300pound man jumping from a 4foot height, landing on another man’s sternum would crush the chest, drive the sternum through the spine”, and make a huge mess…

Mom never bought it. Ever…

We (the large extended family) made fun of mom and her die-hard belief in Rassling… A good present for her would be an Andre action figure. Jake-the-Snake Roberts was her most favourite. She had a few actions figure that were “Her’s”. She even had a mask she’d gotten somewhere. She’d put it on and make growling sounds and make us laugh.

My brother once bought mom ringside seats to see Jake, and his snake. It made her very happy and gave her something to talk about for a year or more.

I now see that my Mother’s inability to NOT see the truth about ProRassling, as a mental illness. A self delusion, a self inflicted wound of sorts, refusing to see the reality, preferring instead to see her chosen reality. I’ll call it a ProRassling derangement. She was delusional when it came to rassliing…

So many folks I know, so many folks close to me, dear to me, so, so many folks all round are suffering from a mental affliction called “Trump Derangement Syndrome”.

Seriously, sadly… It’s not healthy.

Mom believing that rassling was real did no harm. Not so with the TDS afflicted…

All the nasty never never ever Trump memes are insidious, infectious, dangerous. You are carrying a message from the dark side of mass derangement. It aint healthy…

We listen to millionaire socialists that rail against the rich, but are happy to be dining at the high-table. We believe the talking-heads that lie to us daily. We sit back as our elected officials convince us Trump is evil and bad… as they stick their hands in your pockets.

Even after the majority who voted said they wanted Trump over the DNC, even after Trump takes office and the world does not end, Whoopee Goldberg is not arrested, Social Security still going… we carry on with the toxic rhetoric.

Kinda scary… so many smart folks delusional. By choice.

more later

smiles

730am Sunday this side of the planet. It’s chilly out. I am wrapped in a granny-blanket, with a thick wool sweater on. The day is muted, dull, grey, dreary, damp… A fine drizzly mist is falling straight down. No breeze interrupts gravity’s influence.

Gracie feeds a couple resident kookaburras, but today she’s unwilling to got out. The birds sit on the balcony looking forlorn.

The deer feed within a stone-throw from where I sit.

The dogs are curled up in their beds.

I talk to people around the world, very old friends, family, newer acquaintances. Those that know me know I like to talk. I dont think there is a topic that is off limits. Everyone has an interest. Everyone has a topic they luv to chew on. Motorcycles, fishing, fast cars, big tits, guns, airplanes, rockets, robots… Just a few topics chewed on with friends…

I was busy this past week catching up with old friends for the wrong reason… I shall explain:

I like FaceBook for the simple reason that it has kept me in touch with soooo many folks from past lives, past times. We may not interact much, but a number of old friends are in touch because of FB. We know what each other are doing, where we are, how we are. Just last week a birthday reminder popped up for my dear, dear, and dead friend, Mary Pat Lawlor.

2024 v4.01 Ode to M.P. Lawlor

MP, as she was known, passed a bit over a year ago. When here husband, Joe, contacted me with he sad news, I turned to my keyboard and told my MP tale.

Joe commented then that she had almost made her “next” birthday.

So this past week, MP’s bday reminder pops up and three old friends send MP birthday greetings.

I guess they dont know, haven’t heard of MP’s passing.

So I pass the news, and get a lovely chance to communicate with these old friends. A sad reason to be interacting, indeed, but a worthy and good reason.

Life’s rich pageant marches on…

Just had a 3hour talk with my longest serving “friend”… RW and I met in 5thgrade, St Johns Elementary School, Independence, Iowa. A number of years ago I got a FB message saying “is that you”. We would not be in contact if not for FB.

We dont talk often, but when we do it is very a much “catch up”. I’ll am happy n high from the talk. Very good to catch up, to be back on the same cloud.

Thanks, RW.

Life is guuud

More later

Chilly morn on the farm. Winter is coming…

My thoughts this morning are going in an interesting direction…

Bernie Saunders:

Bern’s bio gives us:
– Mayor of Burlington, Vermont (1981–1989)
– U.S. House of Representatives (1991–2007)
– U.S. Senate (2007–present)

So…

May I – ask a couple questions and make a couple comments:

Comments:
– Bern is a career politician. Holding elected office since 1981, thats over 40 years, as an elected functionary.
– Bern is a sworn Socialist.
– Bern is a registered Independent that runs under the Democrat Banner.
– Bern has gone unnoticed for most of his career, coming to prominence as The Democrat Party diminished in meaningfulness.

Questions:
– What is a Socialist? Socialism is a broad political and economic ideology that advocates for social ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, typically by the state or government. It’s based on the idea that shared ownership leads to a more equitable and just society. 

Intentionally keeping this uncharacteristically short…

None of us ever heard about The Bern before he almost beat Hillary for there DNC nomination in 2016.

In my opinion a deal was cut then that gave Bern more of the limelight, more acceptability by the DNC elite. Bern was basically given a seat at the table.

And now, as the DNC founders, as the DNC Elite lose their credibility… enter Bernie…

Sure… “a living wage”, free medical, free education, free day care for children, free jobs with the government… All sounds great… All sounds like socialism to me.

Last question:
– Do you really think government control of everything – Socialism – is a great idea?

I am amazed how much the world has changed in my life time.

Used to be opposed to Communists… Now we pay them to fly around the country preaching to us about our bad habits.

I just listened to Bernie justify flying around the place in private jets… What a wanker!

more later

Exchanging words with a good friend. We see eye-to-eye seldom, when it comes to politics.

He recently sent me this saying: Take the time to watch this please!

So I watch…

Discussions with my old friend:

Your suggested utube link: Not sure what that was other than 26 minutes of mud slinging. I do not know who Senator Murphy is. His opinions, even if backed up by visuals, are opinions, predictions. “The sky is falling” is all I hear… checked and see him be another career politician from a liberal state: Christopher Scott Murphy is an American lawyer, author, and politician serving as the junior United States senator from the state of Connecticut since 2013.

Not an endorsement in my world…

Of course he has no love for Trump. His gravey train has been hijacked. I’d think he’s frightened for his past dealings that may well be doge’d.

All DC rats, right or left, are looking over their shoulders…

When you have a side you will be always and all ways looking for affirmation that your side, your choice, is right, true, good, worthy. This drawn out prophecy from the Liberal Left of course finds an audience.  

It does not resonate with me. I dont have a team when it comes to politics. I kinda like to think Im on the team of common sense. And they are all stoooopid, right left up down, in one way or another. 

And when I say this, you will quickly start to say that it’s “because I like Trump”, but that is not true. 

We dont have to be disrespectful to have a political discussion. At least not with me. I like hearing your thoughts and view points. I value them. But far too often it becomes too tense, too stressful, too argumentative. Debate and discussion is not argument. No one is right. No one wins when everyone is losing. Only time will tell where we are, how well this administration performs its duties. I say firmly that the past Admin under Biden was sad, pathetic and kleptocratic.

Id like to give Trump a chance to see if he can make some positive gains. Thats the system. You win the vote you call the shots. I’m not going to live with my knickers in a knot complaining about the way the last election turned out…

Labor just won a majority here. I think Labor and the Albo mob are dangerous. Like classic liberals they are being very liberal with the public purse. The aim of course is to line their pockets. 

Every never-Trump person I know, I ask this simple question… Was Biden better? The Biden we now know was shittign his pants for the past 4 years? The Biden everyone n their poodle was claiming was sharp, better than ever? Was that better? Did the USofA come out better than before Biden? 

The echo chamber is on high volume. Lots of screaming and gnashing of teeth. 

Smiles your way

A chilly, damp Sunday morning here. Have Blood Sport happening today. The broadcast comes to us from Des Moines, Iowa. Some very good bouts coming.

Sun is shining. Dogs are happy. Coffee smells great… what could go wrong?

Today, too, is the day-after Federal election time here in Aus. It was very anti-climactic from my point of view…

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) well and truly routed their opposition. The Liberal National Party (LNP) got soundly rejected, to the point where the party head, Peter Dutton, lost his own seat.

Labor has a large majority, does not need help forming government. It appears to be the case where the LNP was rejected north, south, east and west.

I dont have an answer per how this all came about, noting well the campaign ran by Dutton and the LNP was pretty shallow. As was Labor’s campaigning. Their campaigning in my mind was nothing more than a long competition of which party could promise more.

I heard very little practical problem solving during the campaign. I heard very little articulation of the social, economic and global problems being faced by Australia.

I do believe the Australian Electorate is asleep. Sound asleep. Or simply not interested in the BS that is politics. Or too busy simply working, paying for their lives. Which is very sad.

Both Labor and the Liberals are lacking in vision and forward planning.

Like all 2Party systems, there is a siamese twin syndrome where whatever one says the other has to raise the ante. Both parties are locked in step with the other. I have heard little articulation of the real “problems” facing Australia. I have heard a lot of “20milliion for child care”, “100million for first home owners”, “freeeee moneeey if you voooteee for meeeeee”…

I have discussed the difference, as I see it, between being liberal and conservative… Liberals (here in Aus) are liberal with the public purse. They give money away, waste money, are frivolous with the money. The Public Money.

As near as I can tell, all the Parties here in Aus are very liberal. I have not seen or really dont know of a government here that has been truly conservative with the public purse.

Description: This image shows the current number of members in the House of Representatives from each party: Labor Party – 77 members. Liberal Party – 53 members. Minor parties – 6 members. Independents – 13 members

Time will tell but I have been saying that such Liberal tendencies can only lead one direction…

Bankruptcy.

I believe that Australia has fallen prey to the “green dream”, the “nut zero” BS that turns a very wealthy land into a debtors prison. Australians have been living too large for too long. I fear we just gave the Nanny-State a big shot in the arm. Taxes and power and fuel and groceries and, well everything, are going to get more expensive.

Lets see what happens next.

More later

Federal Election today.

I have written (a lot) about the democratic system here in Aus, vs the democratic system of the USA, and the system of the Solomon Islands. There are numerous differences.

My favourite variance is the fact that it is illegal to NOT v vote here in Aus. “…under federal electoral law, it is compulsory for all eligible Australian citizens to enrol and vote in federal elections, by-elections and referendums.” https://www.aec.gov.au/faqs/

Gracie and I voted early.

I’ll let the results come in…

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-03/federal-election-2025-live-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton/105245936

More commentary to come.

Smiles

A long time ago on a distant planet…

DisneyLand Bday party… Andy, Ange, Connie and Gracie n I… with Alec, Ava and Mendoza.

The Old Dawg looks happy (he has his hearing aids turned off) and Granny is ecstatic… and drunk…

Good memories… happy birthday Mom….

more later

Updating an old post here… https://nativeiowan.com/2012/12/18/the-us-of-as-electoral-system-for-dumbassesv1-0/

This morning I have been in a conversation with a good, smart, well read, old compadre. We were talking for about an hour yesterday. My dear old friend suffers severe Trump Derangement Syndrome. I fear it may be terminal with him.

Most of our conversation was a laundry list of complaints about “Fucking Trump”, “fucking idiots in Congress”, “fucking useless electoral system”, and more… on and on. A long and drawn out verbal diarrhea session where all the ills and all the wrongs and all that is bad and uncool is because of… Trump, fucking Trump, the fucking system, the fucking secretaries, the fucking system…

Of course there is little introspection, critical thought given to much that isn’t a slogan or a bumper sticker or a meme… I could almost hear the sad, loser liberal media in his words.

I very much enjoy conversations like this. I like listening to what folks think. I like trying to understand their angst. I often end up working as a therapist. There is so much anger and aggression and misinformation. I like being the centrist. Because I dont like Trump and I dont like the other side I dont have a position to defend. I can talk about his position, working to discuss and direct and research the foundational facts, required, aiming to help alleviate the misinformation and mental illness that is part and parcel of TDS…

Like the US Electoral College. My friend simply does not understand it. Historical or contextually.

According to my friend California should be allowed to decide who is in charge. They have the largest economy, the largest population, pay the most taxes in the US so…

He points to the system where Congressional districts are defined by population yet each state is only given 2 Senatorial seats. California should have 52 congressmen and 52 Senators. Wyoming should only get 1 of each. According to my friend.

I sent couple visuals to help our conversation…

From a blue v red perspective, from a DNC v RNC perspective, this shows the 2024 electoral college results. Without the electoral college the heavily populated, heavily liberal, very elite coastal states would forever control the highest offices.

Here we can see congressional districts and electoral college votes per state…

I like this visual because it shows us the changes afoot… six states lost population/ congressional seats. six states gained population/ congressional seats.

So I end up with my electoral system for dumbasses v2.0.

Without the forethoughtful and original thought process of the founding framers of the US system I believe the elite would rule us all.

And the day continues in its soft, cozy, comfortable manner.

Smiles all around

more later

Still early, still chilly, still wrapped in a granny-blanket waiting for blood sports to start. It is a calm and sunny morning. After all the rain the sun feels good.

With April passing and May arriving we should -SHOULD- be heading into some dry weather. Could use some dry weather.

Here is recorded rainfall for April:

ALL up, I count in excess of 400mm/ 16inches/ almost half a meter of wet… in the last 27 days…

I was talking to a good friend living in Adelaide, South Australia… he said hey have not had 10mm/ half an inch of rain since late last year. Which is worse? Drought or flood?

My neighbour came to talk yesterday. He recently installed a new septic system. He’s a do-it yourself kinda guy, borrowed my tractor to back fill the hole. Yesterday he said the plastic tank he’d installed had “popped out of the ground”. The tank being pretty much empty, the heavy rains of the last couple days filled the hole with water, and the tank floated up and out. He has a big hassle to contend with. Thats the problem with do-it yourself.

A side note: I have seen tanks buried in the ground float up and out. I have seen a cement swimming pool pop out. Never a positive.

Being “rural”, living “country” one must learn to be rather self sufficient. You cant always choose to put things off. A water-line leak, a fence down, live stock, weeds, pests, snakes and rodents all turn a do-it-yourself guy into a farmer. My neighbour is new at farming but he’s got all the skills required to be a good one.

Speaking of snakes… I have posted this but it is worthy of a monthly round up…

I am cleaning in my much neglected workshop. This shop is my “dirty” shop where I cut and work wood. Maintain and store machines and tools. Stack and store all the paints and herbicides and insecticides a farmer needs. I have spools of fencing wire, ropes, plumbing fittings, cables, cords and fence posts galore. Piles of old wood I’ve harvested from the floods. Barrels and buckets and tables and benches… all covered in a thick detritus of dust, rat shit, toad turds, and snake skins.

I found a small skin on the floor just a couple weeks ago. Nothing really new. Every once in a while I’ll hear/ find a snake behind a pile of plywood or under a neglected tarp. Most common is that the snakes run n hide and stay away, if you make enough noise. Or such is the theory…

I have yet to really come face to face with a poisonous snake.

… Cleaning a corner of my shed that has not been cleaned for quite some time… I have a small table set up where all my chargers and batteries live. I’ve been pushing stuff under and around the table for a long time… a couple unused wheels, a incomplete steel table, a couple spools of stainless cable, a pile of rope…

I am down on a knee, fishing stuff out from under the table, when I see it…

I jumped and screamed…. eeeee…. before I realised what I was looking at…

Life is good when you know your old heart can take such a jolt.

And the beat goes on…

More later

Another wet, wet, wet day/ night… Ive not yet gone outside to check the rain gauge. I am guessing when I say we got the better part of 70mm/ 3inch in the last 24hours. Things are wet.

Im still happily wrapped up in a granny-blanket. I’ll wait a bit before I get moving, active, productive. No sunshine today. I’ll head to my workshop and carve on my sticks… Wood, not War…

I see things, as I wander and read, that make me scratch my head in wonder… I wonder why folks dont turn their brains on, use their mental capacity to be aware, to puzzle simple things out…

This post got my attention:

I very much understand the misguided intent behind the words. It does not have to be factual, make sense or even add up, if we’re attacking the nasty orange devil man.

I “saw” this without really thinking about it, giving it much thought, but my dyslexic mind fixated on the numbers… My mind knows that 3million divided by 10thousand is 3hundred… 3,000,000 / 10,000 =300. I dont have to think about it, I do mental arithmetic and by simply dropping the zeros the answer of “300” pops up without much thought power. I can see the answer without framing the equation. I am dyslexic.

So, a smart, worthy, experienced old friend posts this meme… the meme states that “1 golf trip for 1 old man” can feed over 10,000 elderly, in need citizens… and no one does the math. That simple. We just go along with something utterly and blatantly wrong. Because we dont turn our brains on? Because we have been dumbed-down? Maybe we forgot where the on-switch is? If we believe that $300.00 can feed a person for a year.

Saddens me greatly.

I have one old and dear friend from my childhood that suffers from Alzheimer’s. We talk about our shared past. He says I help him not lose all his memories. This guy is Phd level genius. A magnificent musician. He does amazing things developing bionic prosthetics. But he has little memory. It is hard, sad, trying to be so, so smart, and not remember your wife.

My point: This intentional dumbing down, accepting stupid bullshit, reposting and propagating the sheer ignorance of it all… Its sadder than my old buddy that has an organic reason for his mental losses.

Thats my rant for the day.

Time to be active.

More later

But this aint the USofA. Voting here is very well organised, and yes, you need an ID. It’s easy, they know who you are, once you are on the list. Technically it’s illegal to NOT vote here In Australia. You fail to vote you get fined 55bucks. They do know who you are here in Aus.

I know a number of people that have forgotten or neglected to register to vote. They dont appear to suffer from their law breaking.

When I became an Aussie citizen I was given a pretty impressive info pack that led me through the labyrinth of services, registrations, benefits and more. I have a Medicare card. The medical benefits are worthy. I have a senior citizen card that gets me discounts on my car insurance, but little else than cheap hair cuts and discount coffee.

For folks that are of a mono-democratic mindset, here in Aus we have a parliamentary system within a preferential voting system. Nothing like the USA or the Solomons. Both run a “first past the post” electoral system. He with the mostest votes at the end of counting wins… no matter that a single constituency with only 5000 electors, running 10 nominees can elect a “winner” with only 501/ 10+% of the vote.

Here in Aus you must “preference” your votes… 1 for your favourite, 2 for the next choice, and so on… my constituency had 8 candidates. I had to number each.

If my #1vote does not get enough votes in the first counting, my preference #2vote gets my vote… and so on, until a winner emerges with a clear majority.

And such it is…

I am casting my vote early and by mail:

Last thought: I simply do not understand why the USA does not adopt a clear, transparent and functional electoral system.

More later

I grew up Catholic. Very Catholic. Easter, Easter Sunday, and the extra goodies, only came after the 40days of Lent. Good Catholics took pride in not-doing-with during Lent… not doing with sweets, or dessert. or movies on Saturdays. Lent for a kid raised Catholic was kinda bleak.

Easter was good, worth looking forward to, but before Easter, being Catholic, we had all sorts of time consuming and self deprecating customs… The Stations Of The Cross… who remembers that one. How many times can you say the Rosary in a single day? It was called “Holy Week” and we said the rosary a whole bunch before Easter Sunday. We “did” the stations of the cross a lot during Holy Week.

Who remembers? https://www.catholic.org/prayers/station.php

The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ’s last day on Earth as a man. The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station. At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ’s last day. Specific prayers are recited, then the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are complete. The Stations of the Cross are commonly found in churches as a series of 14 small icons or images. They can also appear in church yards arranged along paths. The stations are most commonly prayed during Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially on Good Friday, the day of the year upon which the events actually occurred.

I am sitting in golden sunshine. The air is cool. Calmness pervades. My sperm-bank, Dandy, snoozes by the door. A scent of a breeze from the north. Wind chimes waiver silently. My bitches all snooze in their kennels, waiting feeding-time.

I revel in my memory, remembering is good…

Easter, being the end of Lent, would mean a grand feast, after Easter-Mass. There’d be a Priest or two, A couple or three Nuns, friends and Family. Mom would have been cooking and fix’n for days. The table laden with fresh, good “Vittles”. Lots of good Mom’s-home-made sweets. My favourite was the greek sugar cookies, kourabietes… https://souvlakiforthesoul.com/koulouria/

My mom was raised Orthodox, so we got both Catholic and Greek Easters. Both were good.

Remembering is Guuuud

more later

I’m watching the planet. Viewing the globe through my rose colored glasses. Ruminating upon matters big and small… and I must admit to being a bit confused, perplexed, bewildered…

A young Democrat operative, David Hogg, has come out and stated the DNC needs to get rid of their moderate members. An old DNC dog, James Carville, weighed in… calling Hogg a “contemptible little twerp”. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/david-hogg-james-carville-lawsuit-b2735217.html

Here is a run down of the DNC Admin: https://democrats.org/leadership-dnc/

Here’s a leftist take on the situation: https://www.newsweek.com/democratic-civil-war-david-hogg-incumbent-primaries-2060649

The civil war in the Democratic Party ratcheted up another notch as a group founded by Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg said it plans to spend millions to unseat Democratic incumbents it believes aren’t pushing back hard enough on President Donald Trump.

Here’s a quick review of the DNC and the factions therein… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factions_in_the_Democratic_Party_(United_States)

So, what is young MR Hogg saying?

I hear him saying that the old farts gotta go. That the moderates gotta go. That the DNC has to move to the left, become more progressive, more militant… ??? …

This is pretty worthy: https://www.axios.com/2025/04/18/house-democrats-david-hogg-primary-dnc

Interesting take aways:

* Democrats’ anger boiled over in private this week, with several venting that Hogg is putting his own interests above those of the party.
* “I think this is a mistake,” said a second House Democrat who spoke anonymously. “Now, are people pissed? … I don’t know a single person who is happy about it.”
* A third told Axios it “seems inappropriate for a DNC vice chair to threaten sitting Dems.”
* A fourth said they are “totally dumbfounded” that “instead of focusing on [winning], we’re focusing inward in a circular firing squad.”
* Yes, but: Some lawmakers, particularly progressives, are defending his plan, arguing that the party needs an effective core in order to appeal to voters.
* “He makes some good points. We do have some ranking members who should step aside,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.),
* McGovern, the ranking member of the House Rules Committee, added that Democrats also “have some long term members who are terrific.”
* A fifth House Democrat who spoke anonymously said Democrats “should have the most effective members right now. Competition is not a bad thing,” though they argued age shouldn’t be the only criteria.

AOC and Bernie are flying around in a private jet, lecturing people about socialism… I wonder if they are paying attention?

Yep, I think I agree with Newsweek… I see a DNC Civil War brewing.

More later

Following my “perplexed” post I received comments from respected friends commenting per “Trump’s trashing of the share markets”.

It’s a worthy discussion. One I’ll look at herein, BUT…. BUUUTTTT… my “perplexed” post dealt specifically with the “hands off” protests. I was/ am perplexed per what was being “protested”. I have a friend who posted over 50 picts of signs and banners from the protest he attended on the West Coast. I dont think there is a single issue, subject, topic that was not covered. Nor was there a single explicative, swear word that wasn’t proudly brandished about.

Remembering that the protests, as I am told, were beautiful…

So, leaving the protests, I shall discuss the stock markets…

In 2016 the stock market(s) caught a chill…

What happened in 2016 finance? Several events impacted the world economy in 2016. World markets witnessed a crash after China’s steep fall in stock markets in January 2016. An increasingly interconnecting world makes countries vulnerable to events in others.26 Dec 2016

At that time I had a fair amount of my wealth invested in a “portfolio”. The market(s) started coughing in late 2015. By January 2016 I’d lost 5% of my portfolio. It took me a couple weeks to get my “brokers” to give me my money back. To de-invest. It was a mess. When you want to invest they love you. When you say “I’m done” they dont want to hear from you. Or talk to you.

Here’s an email from that time…

Nicole, Just checking in and adding a bit more info…
Balance at 23 October 2015 = 2137526.49, balance as of today = 2086339.94. Not pretty. Will feel better once I get this slide stopped.

Funny thing about this account… It took ages to get my $2mil original investment returned. My 2mil had grown up to 2.15mil but when liquidated I got less than 2.05mil. About a year later I received a credit of $50,000 from the fund management firm. They’d short changed me. The regulators eventually caught it and fined them. Forced them to pay me out.

So, The Trump trashing of the markets… Its not pretty: How many trillions has the stock market lost?The sell-off that began on Thursday has intensified, wiping trillions of dollars from global share prices, after US president Donald Trump announced new tariffs. Bloomberg have calculated that around $9.5tn (£7.39tn) has been wiped off global share prices since the US announced new trade levies.

Sounds terrible. And I dont want to down play anyone’s losses. Losses are indeed real… But, in 2015 when I started “losing” money, I knew I’d only invested $2mil in my portfolio. My value had increased over a number of years to around $2.15mil. I’d increased my wealth by about 7%. Then I lost about 5% of what I’d made. When I cashed my portfolio out I accepted a decrease of my “return on investment”. I was penalised, charged extra, raped, noting I never really ever lost anything. I got my $2mil back, but instead of a 7% ROI, I got maybe 3%. Maybe.

If I had left my investment alone, the increases between 2016 and 2025 would have seen me thinking I was clever, happy that I’d made such wise investments.

The long and the short: I didnt lose a dime. But I’d wasted time and wasn’t happy and decided there and then that I’d stay clear of the share market and invest my wealth, my future in tangibles, brick and mortar, LAND!

And I did.

I still do.

So, acknowledging that the crashing of the share market is terrible, huge, important… I am only indirectly affected. I’m not smart enough to play the share markets.

For those folks that are involved in the market(s)… The old rule of thumb is “ride hit out”. Most folks won’t lose anything from their principle. Stick it out, trends show us the markets will come back.

The other rule of thumb is “buy while prices are low”. If you are an investor, the market is running a fire sale.

Wishing every one all the best in these confusing times.

More later

Ive been driving a lot today. Thinking a lot. Listening to the half hourly news…

I decided I needed help to figure out what is what in the USofA. I watched the recent anger, the recent protests, the recent angst. What I see confuses me a whole bunch.

So I decided to ask for some help, some advice. I asked two people I know well, respect a lot and who had each attended one of the many “protests” held over the week end. It was titled/ advertised as the “hands off” protest. The following is what I sent…

Hey there… need some help if I may…

As an outsider looking in, I am confused by what I see in the USA. 

I understand the polarised nature of the US society… sadly most of the world is split along a 50/50 line. No matter what the question, 50% say yea, 50% say nay. Influences and preferences sway left and right.

Ive lived “overseas” since January 1981. I now hold 3 passports. I have only ever voted in one country, Australia. It’s illegal not to vote here.

So, I’m not the most political creature, but I am a long time commentator. And a very conservative businessman. I started a business in the Solomons in the 80s, my son and daughter run it today. I have a business here in Australia. I am well versed on taxes, liabilities, trade, commercial finance, etc, etc. As a businessman I have never seen a “good” elected administration. They all suck in some way, shape, form, they all mismanage the public purse. 

I claim to be a centrist… I think both (all) sides of the political spectrum to be corrupt, self serving, unfaithful, cant respect any of them. New politicians may have a modicum of self respect, but they lose it shortly after taking office. Too much temptation. Too much corruption. 

I use Australia as an example of bad governance, bad decision making… in the name of “Green”, manufacturing has been shipped off these shores to Asia and beyond. Aus is resource rich but is phasing out coal, something they export heaps of. Phasing out natural gas, another thing they export heaps of. And ore… no smelting/ value adding of resources done on these shores, anymore. No oil is refined here anymore. Minimum wage is something like 20$s an hour. Rent is around 3500$ per month for an average house. A Macdonalds burger is 20bucks. Its is a very expensive country to call home.

I have not been back to the USA since 2019. 

So I am wondering what and why the protests. 

I get it… Trump is a despicable human… or such I believe. I get it. He is impossible to “like”. I have an articulate reason why I believe Trump aint respectable. I know why I dont like him. 

But why the protests… is it for shutting down USAID? Cancelling all things DEI? Taking boys from girls locker rooms? Claiming that there are only 2 sexes.

Are his policies unacceptable? I dont know. I dont live there. In my opinion the USA is in a mess. I’d like to think the last election has led us to where we are. I’d like to think supporting the system is the best first choice.

I feel/ fear the emotion I perceive in the USA to be very close to hysteria. I do not get the violence and civil dismantling taking place. Ive lived through civil wars and huge amounts of civil unrest… and do know it aint cool.

So, I need some help and I see you were at a protest. 

What are your take aways? Why did all this happen? 

In my past I too attended a protest that was really a riot spiced with looting plus a few murders thrown in…

Hope all is well with you. 

Come visit Australia

Smiles

Mike

I cant publish what my friends said. I cant/ won’t quote them. But I will summarise what I gained from the experience, from the interaction…

I found that emotion is the driving force. I failed to gain any articulate clarity as to why or how, but I got consensus that it was “BEAUTIFUL”. My old buddy, living on the West Coast, said it was… “…beautiful, like the old days, man…”. My close female friend in the midwest too said it was “…beautiful, nice, friendly…”.

I didn’t get to understand why they each wanted to join the protests, what they individually were protesting. An inherent distrust “of The Man” is a shared theme with my old buddy, but I didn’t get much of a reason why…. “dismantling the system” was mentioned, but I remain uncertain what system we speak of. I heard an articulated fear that the loss of the Dept of Education would be bad, but a quick discussion on the past 50year decline of standards fosters agreement that change is needed. Is it a bad thing that each state now gets to mange their own education-system? Give it a chance.

The deportation theme is a hot potato. Both agree that legal immigration is good, and the recent mass-migration of illegals has not improved their lives…. BUT… both have BUTssss….

The LGbtxzy+Tranz theme is a distraction. Live and let live is easy, but dicks in the girls locker room aint cool. Each of my friends agree with that. Both have children.

Billionaires running the country… nothing new, agreed. We all agree that the Elites are the puppet masters. My contention has always been that both DNC and RNC politicians/ operatives work for the same people.

So it boils down to personalities. Not polices. Or such is my take away… and it was beautiful…

more later