The Native Iowan

I watch the world as it is changing/ morphing from a frightened world of weinies, to a calmer, more “adult” frame of mind. I note that, world wide, the tone of the rhetoric has shifted. I think the planet is preparing for the Second Coming of DJT. I feel, see, more optimism now, than I have seen/ heard, in a long time.

I note that all fronts where conflict has been the status quo, there is a shifting gears. Preparing to start respecting the USofA again, maybe? Preparing to have an Adult In The Room, again.

Love him, hate him, despise him… DJT sure as shit aint a weinie.

I need to say, with a huge amount of affection, to all my die-hard, DNC supporting, never Trumper friends and family: You need to begin the process of re-conditioning. You need to cease being frightened, shake-off the shroud of fear and victimhood you have been sold, have been wearing like a thorny-crown. The shroud you freely picked up, and have worn, martyr-like, for so many years.

You need to open your mind and listen to voices other than those you have been used to listening to, conditioned to trust. You have been lied to for ages, years, decades, months, days, hours… for far too long you have been accepting falsehoods. You have been repeating slogans that make no sense. You have been allowing those that are The Elites to poison your minds, souls and bodies. You have been herded like sheep to slaughter.

Today, where are your elected, chosen, preferred officials? Where is Joe Biden? Where is Kamala Harris. Where is Pelosi and Schumer and Shift and the rest of the DNC Elite that you have been cheering on? Where are the Clintons and Obamas? Where is the squad with their anger, antiAmericanism, and antifeminist?

Enough is enough. It’s time to cease being blind to the facts. The facts that your selected and preferred and elected representatives feed you. Noting pretty much all of them consider you stupid, easily duped.

Enough is enough. Time to pull your never-Trump heads out of your collective and singular assholes… But, but, BUT… DJT is a felon. His closest cohorts are all evil and dark and women hating rapists and vile humans….

At least this is what you hear, day in and day out, from your echo chambers… Turn the toxic dialogue off. Take a deep breath take a walk. Go talk to the guy next door that has a Trump/Vance sign in his lawn…

I say enough division.

And, if you are part of the 40% of the population that is still banging the Never-Trump drum… it is too late to re-do the election. Ive said it before…

IF you can’t grab a paddle to help move things forward, if you cant lend a hand, pitch in, contribute more than bile and vindictiveness… SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Enough is enough.

I saw this and found it very entertaining…

DJT is a Master Troll…

Smiles all around

More later

The count down has started. The end is coming. THE END IS COMNINGGG…

2024 on its down hill run.

It is a Non-Blood-Sport Sunday. No cage fights to be had today.

So I sit and ponder, watch the overcast day. Put meaningless drivel on the TV… Blood Sport is not meaningless… A day of good blood sport if quite meaningful.

Hot and Humid is the forecast for quite some time. We have had weeks and weeks of rain, and expect more weeks and weeks of rain. And I thought Aus was a dry place!

This calendar year my Valley has received no less than 4meters/ 13feet of precipitation. I think I may need to grow gills.

The following represents the last 3 weeks of rainfall… close to 400mm/14inches. And this is the start of the “Wet Season”. The past several months were supposedly the dry season. Damn!

So I sit, watch the world through my windows, in my air-conditioned house, with my dogs watching the world too, helping me, keeping me safe, letting me know when someone drives up the lane or when a stray dinosaur comes over the hill.

The new sperm-bank is doing well…

He started life with the name “Sandy”, as decided by 4yrold Andromeda. It has changed to “Dandy”, it suits him.

More later

It is all ways and always sad when a Furry-Friend passes.

Sika died from tick bite last eve…

Fuck ticks.

Ticks Sux.

Dawgs are good.

All Ways Sad…

more later

As is my want, I listen to, read, research and study diverse goings-on… politics around the world, scientific works, social trends, space, time, humour, drama… all, worldwide, interests me.

Ive been sitting on my arse a lot lately. Last week was Dr visits, this week was surgery and recovery. A lot of sitting, a lot of waiting. A lot of reading.

I check out numerous websites, left and right and moderate. I get quite a few “check this out” links sent to me. I try (try hard) to read most things sent my way. Some just are not palatable. Some make me feel dumb. Some open doors to new sources of info. New ways of thinking or articulating.

I’m quite surprised at the tenacity of the “Legacy Media”. They are sounding shrill-ly stooopid.

I like the fact that some folks, at the top of the media world, see the facts as they are … They’ve been peddling fear, telling lies, unrest and division.

And that it Aint Coool…

Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com › business › story › latimes-lay…

23 Jan 2024 — The L.A. Times began laying off 115 newsroom employees on Tuesday. Owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong said the cuts were necessary to trim heavy …

Daily Mailhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk › news › article-14073063

2 days ago — CNN is planning to wield the axe on some of its high-paid staff after dismal election ratings that cap off a disastrous period for the cable …

I see it in simple terms… Kamala Harris was the ultimate “Diversity Hire”. I dont need to reiterate how and why, but she was not “hired” for her abilities. As VP, or as Candidate, after Joe got knifed in the back.

Kamala was “there” for what she was, not how good she was.

Kamala is the Definition of Diversity Hire, me thinks…

Similar to the proposed Constitutional Changes, here in Aus, known as “The Voice Vote” … On 14 October 2023, Australians voted in a referendum about whether to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. It was the first referendum of the 21st century.

60% of the electorate voted against the Voice proposal. I wrote about it here:

https://nativeiowan.com/2023/10/17/2023-v10-the-answer-is-no/

And still, to this day, there are folks angry and upset and mentally ill over it all. Some folks still believe that 60% of the electorate have shit for brains.

Just like the USofA, today… the majority cast their votes in one direction, and the minority believes the majority has shit for brains.

I believe that much of what we have been experiencing is a product of “Woke”.

“Political Correctness” in my day.

You cant say what you really think because you will be attacked. Cancelled… I call it Diminished… Your stock will crash, you’ll lose your “friends”, your status, your station in life, even your job… if you say what you think…

So conform. Or get kicked to the curb.

Boys in Girl’s sports… aint that nice…

Poor, homeless people shitting on the sidewalk… aint that nice…

Teacher’s and Administrators getting huge bonuses as school kids become illiterate… aint that nice…

I could go on…

So, riddle me this… If DJT is Evil, a Hitler, a Fascist, and all the rest… Why is Joe so damn happy?

Did Joe just tell Trump that he didn’t vote for Kamala?

Or did Joe shit his pants?

Its one of those smiles…

But it dont make much sense… If Joe looks so damn happy, and Kamala told us everything will be ok… they must have been lying. LYING I say!

They were lying…

And it galls voters and supporters to admit it. It galls 45% of the electorate to admit they’ve been sold a false bill of goods. It galls the Legacy Media into a frenzied tail spin…

No, Joe has not been cranking and wanking all this time. No, Kamala is not what she says, none of it is bone fide. Hollywood-magic and an arch-villain was supposed to be enough for a superficial, marketable story.

But…. Dont look behind the curtain. Please dont look behind the curtain.

Oh SHIT!!! They Looked Behind The Curtain…

It’s all about suspension of disbelief. And it’s necessary to have a villain to scare folks into behaving. And…

For my money, DudleyDooRight

aint suppose to smoke the peace pipe with Dick dastardly

And… IF they were lying about Joe and Kamala and the economy and everything else… what have they been telling us that is true?

Very little is my assumption.

I am paying attention to DJT’s cabinet appointments, watching as some folks melt down and others are euphoric.

Interesting times.

more later

smiles

Friday morn in my valley. We had a cracker of a storm last eve. Dropped 50mm/2inches of rain in maybe an hour. Wind blew. A bit of hail fell.

As the hail started I rushed to check on the cars. Thats when I noticed Mendoza had left the windows in the truck down.

Today is going to be cool and calm (so the weather people predict). No blazing sun and high temps like the last few days. Means the soaked seats in the truck won’t dry quickly.

And I get to sit with the house open, absorb the soft fresh scrubbed air, and listen to the bird life whistle and sing merrily. The rain and wind shakes up the valley, and there is plenty of good food available.

Very nice morning thus far…

My dogs suffer a bit when the rains turn into a deluge… There simply aint enough dry spots in the yard. Not with horizontal rains bucketing down… Not enough dry spots. Nothing can remain dry in that much driving rain.

I’ll go out soon and pick up all the big pieces of carpet (now wet) that line the kennels. Tidy up. Dry things out.

Not a lot I can do when it rains like this. The dogs have the ability to curl up in dry kennels, but they dont. The kennels are small, the dogs prefer to be able to see what is going on. They are not fussed by the rain. Lighting and thunder does not frighten these animals. And, gratefully it’s not cold out. If it were cold I’d have big piles of straw in the kennels so they can curl up and stay dry n warm. Summer means I use carpets instead of straw.

My half wild Maremma, Bella, sleeps out in the open, rain or shine. She has a thick white coat (she is a beautiful dog) and unless I lock her in a kennel, she’s to be found, lying on the ground in a position where she can survey her domain. Her mother, Penny, was almost completely wild. She never had a bath, never groomed. Only once in her life was she put on a lead, and that wasn’t a good time. She almost killed herself (and me) struggling, being held. A beautiful amazing dog bred and raised on a sheep farm, her entire life was in the fields. She pretty much fed herself on birds and rabbits and hares. Ive tainted Bella by softening her instincts, domesticating her quite a bit. But these days dogs cant roam and be free without someone complaining. And I dont have livestock anymore.

Maremma’s need a herd or a flock to bond with. I know cattle farmers, sheep farmers, camel herders, and chicken pluckers that swear by their Maremma… No maremma means the wild dogs and dingos get cheap meals. A maremma or two (I once had 4 here) ensure an unmolested herd.

A while back, one of my neighbours was complaining about the wild dog problem. He was loosing too many chickens. For some reason he didn’t like or understand dogs. All he needed was a good maremma and his problems would be solved.

And these dogs are simply drop dead gorgeous…

Speaking of birds… My doofus dick-wearing sperm-bank, Sika, has been catching birds. He’s very quick and can leap very high. High enough to snatch a bird out of the mulberry tree. I have seen him grab two bird this week. A show-winning Cane Corso, I rescued him from castration, gave him a job in my kennels. He’s a very cool dude…

So I sit… supposedly need to take 2weeks off to let my new eye settle in. Damn! 2weeks is a long time to sit on my arse. Too long.

My new eye is GREAT! cant wait to see again through both my eyes. Why’d I wait soooo long?

I’m told I cant get anything in my eye… dust, debris, detritus… No mowing, no wood work, no vroom-fun…

So I sit…

Last week I put the final coat of resin on a new, composite stick Ive been playing with for quite some time… Took me ages to find this stick’s true inner self…

The core is made from ancient hard wood, dug from the ground, exposed by the floods. The exterior is Acacia from tree that blew down last year. The hardwood makes it stable, strong. The soft wood makes it light. I used a burled knot in the Acacia and whittled a shillelagh, a knobkerrie style stick. A bit of whipping in strategic places, lots of epoxy resin and its an all but unbreakable, very flexible, very light, very cool stick.

Ive got a nice piece of old split-rail about 3m/10foot long I want to trim and size. It’s dirty work. So won’t do it this week, or next…

Wood not War…

more later

big smiles

We are a a number of days post 2024 US presidential.

How’s everyone feeling?

As a centrist I receive no quarter. I think Trump sux and I’m branded a loony leftist. I think Harris sux and I’m branded an evil MAN. I say I remain unconvinced that GlowBall warming is an immediate existential threat and I become a “Deny-er”. I talk about Emigration and tell experiences as a 2time emigrant – through legal processes- and I become a racist (of some sorts). I listen to folks cry the “what if I get raped” and cant get an abortion slogans, and I quickly find that not only am I a woman-hater but: If you’re around 6 weeks pregnant or less, it is legal for you to get an abortion in Iowa. If you are under the age of 18, you must notify a parent or legal guardian to get an abortion in Iowa. If notifying a parent or guardian is not an option for you, you can seek a judicial bypass. No, Virginia, abortions will not be banned by the Federal Government. But may be banned by your State.

I think a lot of this boils down to “what are your issues?”. And, as with abortion, what state you live in.

You might be interested/ concerned about the effectiveness of our school system. A very worthy concern… or illegal immigration, or boys in girls sports, or elder rights, or … or …

There are many worthy issues.

And, as I have written many times, I believe a priority list of issues is useful. And, importantly, not everyone will agree on the priority list. For instance: as mentioned above: Iowa has abortion laws suitable to cover the cries of “what if”… rape, incest, I need help sort’a situation. Other states may wish to discuss for themselves.

A side note: and I know I’ll get blasted for this… I am of the opinion that old-folks in black robes should not tell me what n where with my body. I see abortion less as a national “thing” and much more a personal thing, where State by State codification makes much more sense. I think much of the federal level controls/ laws would be more sensible if handled on the personal/ state level.

Emigration is a good discussion which very much is a Federal/ State issue…

The National boarders are the responsibility of the Federal Government. Each State must control their own boarders, noting that any boarder that is International, will have US Boarder officials in charge, supported by State officials.

Thats the way it used to be.

So, here in my valley, it’s Wednesday morning. I had my eye operated on Monday. Had a foggy old lens replaced and man O man… can I seen clearly now, the haze is gone! Damn. Suppose to take 2weeks for the whole healing process but DAMN! Did I say DAMN?

Ive spent a number of hours in the Doctor’s offices lately and have done a bit of note taking. I’ll make a list of thoughts Ive written down…

1. TRUMP is unfit, a felon, HITLER…

What’s the argument? I said a long time ago DJT was terribly flawed. But US Democracy made a very clear choice. Flawed as he is, DJT is the choice. 

Of course it’s not the end of the world as we know it. DoomsDay is always right arund the corner. Always.

It’s a fucked system like no other… called US Democracy. Interesting stuff. Glad I can view it from the out side. 

2) Melting down Kamala voters leads to angst and insults…

Indeed, spin and insults win the day… every time… DJT won because he got more votes, and no, 58% of the electorate does not have shit for brains.

I believe the DNC made a lot of mistakes. They cheated and expected the electorate to agree with their malfeasance.

I personally think the DNC should have yelled “Trump is Hitler” more, louder.

Sure is a great campaign pitch. 

So, no melt down on my side. My world is good and not tarnished by the fact that DJT got elected.  My world would not be tarnished IF Harris had been elected. I’m not that fragile.

I am dumfounded that soooo many of my old, respected compatriots are doing the snow-flake-dance. I am dumbfounded.

I said all along I found both candidates terribly flawed. Too flawed for my vote.

I think (like most Australians) that politics in the US is fucked up. Too much of a soap opera.

I hope we all can disagree, trade insults (you are a closet Trumpeter) and still move on. I respect disagreement. I have no bill of goods to sell.

I see too many folks melting down, trying to take anyone they can grab with them.

I jokingly told my Loony-Left Friends in CA I’d be there “for Tgiving” …. They reacted predictably. 

3) A couple fun one’s I’ll chase for facts but…

I like the idea the DNC wants to turf Sotamayor out to ensure liberal safe seat on the SC. I feel the DNC is preparing for a 12year RNC run.  

I like the idea that folks believe the stars that studded Kamala’s campaign did all for love and ethical politics but… I find that…

The Harris campaign paid $1 million to Winfrey’s company on October 15, after a star-studded town hall that Winfrey hosted for the vice president in September.

The article I read was filled with holes but it stated some 20mil was spent on the stars’ support. Great ethical politics, eh? I’ll research more and return to this.

And, noting very firmly, Kamala+Tim spent 1billion… a lot of people got very wealthy off of this con-game.

I very much like the idea that is being tossed about to a) get Joe to resign so b) Kamala can be 1st female prez and also, very humorously, so Kamala doesn’t has to go through the shame of verifying the election in January. The election she lost after blowing 1billiion in a few short months. 

There is a big question of “where did all the money go”? Some folks got grossly rich exercising their democratic ethics. 

I LOOOOVVVEEE that the DNC splitting into “tribal” factions blaming each and everyone… Maher is calling Obama and his team “Brats”. Nacy is trying to remain pertinent (a very hard role to play), Bernie is making more sense than anyone (is he DNC?) saying the DNC forgot about the working people.

And… may favourite…. Folks are saying that “If you voted for Trump” dont talk to me, dont come to thanksgiving, leave me alone, I’m too fragile to talk to you… More snow flakes melting, trying to get everyone’s feet wet?

I’ll do some writing and expand on all points… 

And the beat goes on, with The Trumpeter leading the march.

Smiiles

More later

Saturday 9 November, 826am. Been an interesting and, for me, very busy week.

Of course, the US Election is the newz, the bluez…

The main question I have is, “Where are the fire works?”, where is the “wild in the streets”, the unrest, the emotion, the anarchy? We were told that IF DJT won there would be hell to pay. Hitler back in power and the Brown Shirts are going to herd all those who are not Trumpters into cages, camps, detention and, eeeeeee, worse…. DJT is a Nazi. He will do Nazi things to those he dont like… run, now, quickly…. RUNNNN!!!!!!!

I personally think we have heard a collective sigh of relief that Kamala and Tim and the DNC Elites are NOT moving into the big house. Enough liberal looniness!

Seriously… where is the predicted/ hoped for violent response to the fascist mob DJT leads? Where are the Kamala-Tim supporters that were going to show us all how passionate they are, how fervently they believe their rhetoric…

Nope, a total no-show, a non-event, a cancelled event… while Kamala cried all night long and left her supporters standing, waiting. While she played the fragile babe routine, the FireWorks simply didn’t happen. There was no spark. The spark is gone. Dead.

I actually feel a sense a relief, a happiness from the Kamala-Tim team. They were/ are imposters and I’m sure will be happy to take the costumes off and go home.

While DJT is preparing to knock some sense into the Swamp. He’s got some formidable helpers. Its should be worth watching.

Fact is that DJT won by a majority, some say a land slide… so for a change, for the first time in a long time the USofA is unified… Damn! Unified under DJT… Double Damn…

58% of the votes cast were for DJT.

AND… the electorate gave DJT the House and the Senate as well. I’d call that a mandate.

Not sure if 58% is a “blue wave”, but from a democratic process point of view the Voice of the People has been heard saying…. “… give me that old time religion”…

https://youtu.be/w7pniJ0N-HE?si=jvDsqT–q1Wq7b_n

I like that song…

In all seriousness, after having thought about this for a couple days, I am the opinion that it boils down to one word that has more than one meaning…

“Liberal”

Liberal means different things to different people… In my way of thinking I see “Liberal” used to mean a mindset, an attitude… a love of liberty for one and all. I am liberal and don’t give a tinker’s damn what kind of motorcycle you ride, whom you sleep with, what you do on your own. Nope, I’m not prejudiced at all. I do my thing, you do your thing, we are liberal enough, enlightened enough to meet in the middle.

I also see “liberal” to mean being free with the public cheque book (check book for you yanks). Everyone must have equity to be equal and we’ll make everyone equal through the public treasury. We’ll take $$$ from those who have acquired wealth and give, by way of social programs, to those who have less, need more. Or need a sex change while in prison, or assistance illegally entering the US, or a few billion to piss away on green hydrogen, or…

I believe that this past election cycle was more about liberal v liberal than anything else.

The Leftist attitude of crippling the population through foolish social programs is more than not the factor that swung folks away from the DNC and to DJT. Look to CA for an example. What are the trends we see now, after this past election. I see a conservative swing on the WestCoast. Time to stop shitting on the sidewalks…

Also, the total unawareness (or disregard) of the DNC of their electorate has taken its toll. The DNC took too many people, too many groups for granted. And paid the price. They expected many divergent groups to vote for them, to be good poodles and do as told, for the good of all, for the good of the country, for the Liberals being liberal with your $$.

It didn’t happen.

The DNC did great with the Trans, LGBTZYA groups. Did great with the self proclaimed “childless cat folks”. But the main stream working class folks, male, female, black, white, brown, young and old voters didn’t get the memo. Didn’t feel the vibe. And voted for DJT.

Damn…

Back to that old time religion… Its good enough for me.

More later

Smiles

520pm local time, 220am ET USA…

Voting for the big-Job has been called by what I see. DJT has 277 eVotes, KH= 226.

Race called.

From what I see. I note that my US-news-feeds are behind. The race has not been called according to them.

Damn! What’s next? Does the USofA descend into Dante’s 5th-circle-of-hell?

Fifth Circle: Anger
Dante tells us that the wrathful and angry souls of this circle spend eternity waging battle on the River of Styx. If playing pirates forever sounds like your idea of a good time, then the fifth circle can’t be too bad. Be prepared to hoist the Jolly Roger and go to war against that one guy in line who yelled at your favorite barista, and the road rage-possessed driver who very nearly rear-ended you last week.

OK, so as I watch, as the night critters sing their dusk-songs, as nice breeze cools the baked and warm earth (It has been hot today), As my dogs doze… Trump takes the stage… And keeps it short… Acts a bit humble, damn… where are the fire works, the brown-shirts and buses to lock the opposition up…

I sya “DAMN”

lets see where this goes…..

much more to come

Thursday eve this side of the globe. We’re being thrashed by thunder storms. Power has gone off.

Itz Lightz Out.

These kinda storms are in my vernacular a “Willis” storm. In reference to my old storm chasing compadre, W.E.

This is the kinda weather W.E. thrives on. Wild, smelly, powerful weather. A sailors storm. A sailor happy to be on land as this kinda storm runs you down…

I had to rush out shirtless to get my truck out of the hail and into the shed. I got battered by hail getting to the truck, sat in the shed deafened by the sound of the hail drumming the tiny roof, then walked back to the house in a light rain, with a magnificent rainbow close enough to touch, exhilarated and happy. All within 10minutes.

What a world!

The day was quite mild. Not very hot and nicely breezy. The clouds were building up, then late afternoon the squalls started. A number of heavy, quick little storms, racing across the surface. Followed by a calm, then a heavy squall, a storm that carried hail. In 45 minutes we went from nice day to hail on the ground, and1inch/25mm of rainfall.

Followed by a glorious clear sky and gentle breeze and… a killer rainbow…

That was less than 2 hours ago. Now it’s a torrential deluge complete with good thunder and great lightning. A proper storm.

Power went off a while ago. No big deal in my book…

I live in low light by choice and every eve light candles around the house. I turn lights on as per need, but prefer low light. I have a couple of ol-skool “Fever Hand” kerosene lamps if need be. They are nice outside.

I buy candles in bulk. I like fire. Power off, no need to worry or rush, light a candle.

So power off aint a big deal… not unless you want to heat water or cook (the stove is electric) or use water (we live on tank water and rely on a pump) or watch TV or use the sauna or… My computer and phone have good charges. We can crank for quite a while.

And it’ll be bed time soon…

The average Gringo can’t live without power. I think its to scary for the average bear in the woods. The dark. The quiet.

Being a Solomon Islander I’m use to it. And very much like the quiet that comes with no electricity.

Light can be annoying. I claim that light is noisy. I claim that I was taught to see in the dark by my wolf, Nuke.

Nuke and I shared time and space over 40 years ago. He a young wolf and I a young human. We learned to survive in the mordern world symbiotically. I helped him be civilised and he helped me be wild.

It’s a long story. Here’s part of it… https://nativeiowan.com/2021/02/25/2021-v2-dawgtales/

But tonight the timing is just right. Power can be off. I can complete my day without any more electrical power than I have available in a couple devices. I’m fed and watered. It has been a good, productive day. I got a good blog-piece out of it. And got the thrill and youthful pleasure of being in an intense storm.

More fun than getting bucked off the Segway…

Funny thing is that we’ll go to bed, powerless, content and happy, then about 2am the juice will come back on and the lights and TV and such will pop back on, scare us and make the dogs bark.

And the beat goez on…

Smiles

I’m watching an old flick…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treasure_of_the_Sierra_Madre_(film)

I know it well and am going to watch it closely… a lot to miss in this flick….

A lot to miss – everywhere, in life, everywhere…

It’s a great flick. Worth the time…

I am thinking this will be the last post for this month. Not many days left… this month… this year… until the USofA election…

We just went through a State election here in QLD.

Elections here are much, much more low key than in the US. In the States it is as though the electioneering never ends. Its a constant cycle of campaigning, or so it do appear. I find it quite wearisome.

Here we saw the pendulum swing. The liberal party, Labor, has been in power for a decade. Ample time to “do something”… make a change for the positive… ??? But, like other lands where liberal policies are implemented, we end up with a situation where a lot, much, much is not cool, not good, not bueno. Namely, specifically the “Youth Crime” situation. And the housing/ homeless situation, and the lack of infrastructure development, the running inflation, cost of living… The list is long.

Like Liberals are prone to do, we have been seeing cheque-book problem solving. But, when does throwing $$ at a problem solve the problem?

Youth Crime is a good topic… There are towns, cities that are terrorised by unruly, uncontrolled young folks wreaking havoc. Townsville, Mt Isa, Alice Springs, Goondiwindi, Gold Coast, etc, etc… Some suburbs of major cities are out of control to the point where folks are afraid to go out after dark. Or open their door. It’s not a good situation, made worse by the Liberal Policies such as releasing young offenders to reoffend, again and again.

The conservative party, The Liberal National Party, has come back into power. Let’s see if anything changes. I shan’t hold my breath.

I am compelled to comment, again, on this foolish meme that is meant to make folks in the USofA feel short changed…

I am the first guy to admit I am aging. That I need medical attention a whole lot more than I used to. And, as a card carrying member of the Australian Club I receive “universal health care” in the form of a plastic card. Medicare is part of the socialise system here, but… big BUT… It dont guarantee everything, or even much at all…

Sure, better than nothing at all, Medicare ensures attention when needed but not always free of charge. Medicare covers somethings but not all. Though medicare may cover all or part of your breast implant it might not cover your dental. To get the real benefit of the socialised universal health care offered in Aus you need to buy insurance.

I have really good insurance that costs me thousands of $s.

So, like I say, I’m getting old. Have been wearing glasses for quite some time. Recently, in the last couple years, my eyes have been failing me. I have been warned about cataracts for ages and now, as I fight to see and admit the old grey mare just aint what’s she used to be… my friendly and very good optometrist, Rebecca, has referred me to a specialist.

When I saw Rebecca Saturday, after. a heap of testing she says I’ll need to go to the next stage and look at getting my cataracts removed. She gave me what I felt was a pat-spiel saying, ” There 2 ways to do this… the public path or the private path. The public path will cost very little but will take at least 2 years. The wait list is long. The private path means pay to play.”

My insurance is good so I said I’d go the private path.

I called the referred Doctor’s office Monday, had a chat, gave them my numbers and info and have an appointment this coming week.

It will cost, but I’ll get my 20/20 vision (with glasses ) back – hopefully.

Gotta love Universal Health Care.

Smiles

More meaningless and misleading dumb shit memes…

I received this from a very dear old compadre… DB, affectionately known as “Dancing Bear”, sent me this stating… “Interesting numbers. Of course, you will be skeptical, as usual,”…

DB and I have been together for almost 50years and he do know my sceptical and cynical nature well…

On the face of this we quickly are led to assume St. Biden of Delaware is an economic genius and a social wizard! He achieved greater growth, productivity and prosperity in his 4 years than any single president to date… what a man! What a Super Man!

But, no, Johhny, thats not really factual…

Again I rely on those pesky and inconvenient truths/ facts that are buried in numeric confusion and statistical hokus-pokus…

I’m looking here… https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/USA/united-states/gdp-gross-domestic-product

Year	GDP	Per Capita	Growth
2023	$27,360.94B	$81,695	2.54%
2022	$25,744.11B	$77,247	1.94%
2021	$23,594.03B	$71,056	5.80%
2020	$21,322.95B	$64,317	-2.21%
2019	$21,521.40B	$65,548	2.47%
2018	$20,656.52B	$63,201	2.97%
2017	$19,612.10B	$60,322	2.46%
2016	$18,804.91B	$58,207	1.82%
2015	$18,295.02B	$57,040	2.95%
2014	$17,608.14B	$55,304	2.52%
2013	$16,880.68B	$53,410	2.12%
2012	$16,253.97B	$51,784	2.29%
2011	$15,599.73B	$50,066	1.56%
2010	$15,048.97B	$48,651	2.70%
2009	$14,478.07B	$47,195	-2.58%
2008	$14,769.86B	$48,570	0.11%
2007	$14,474.23B	$48,050	2.00%
2006	$13,815.58B	$46,302	2.78%
2005	$13,039.20B	$44,123	3.48%
2004	$12,217.20B	$41,725	3.85%
2003	$11,456.45B	$39,490	2.80%
2002	$10,929.11B	$37,998	1.70%
2001	$10,581.93B	$37,134	0.96%
2000	$10,250.95B	$36,330	4.08%

St. Biden of The Delaware has had 4years in office and, from above, we can see that 1st) he is touted at having 5.7% annual “real;” GDP growth. and 2nd) The chart I found on line states annual GDP between 2020-2023 = 2.01%. I guess the 2.01% is not the “REAL” growth… what is real GDP growth?

What is the real GDP growth?

The real GDP growth rate is a more useful measure than the nominal GDP growth rate because it considers the effect of inflation on economic data. The real economic growth rate is a “constant dollar” figure, avoiding the distortion from periods of extreme inflation or deflation to give a more consistent measure.

Haaa… statistical smoke and mirrors, me thinks, but we’ll run with it… Noting well there are lies, damn lies and statistics…

Adjusting the results for various externals may be useful but it is also misleading. And potentially nefarious.

Now, compare to the DJT era, where we see annual growth of 2.43%. But is it “REAL” I’ll wave my magic wand over it and say the magic words and, dunno, in a world where magic and stats rulez, one can never tell what is and what is not real… I do believe in magic. But severely distrust statistics where I cant dismantle the numbers.

Returning to our chart showing 23 years of GDP results: We get an annual average of 2.22% growth in GDP. Rain and shine. DNCv RNC… 2.22 is the average. With or without magic.

I personally shall conclude that an average annual growth of 2% is expected, hail or snow, baring any mishaps or events (such as Covid) that shut things down… Noting well (above) that 2020, the tail end of the Covid era, saw a -2.21 growth, representing a contraction in production. A contraction that was followed by a 5.8% jump in 2021, which to me would appear natural…

My conclusion here, noting the propagandistic nature of this meme, is that 2.% is average and this type of meaningless and misleading BS will be used year after year after year to proclaim each successive prez a genius and a saviour.

Smiles

More later

Again, I am stuck, amazed how dumb these memes are getting… Allow me…

1. No, I dont remember when Republicans were “paid off” as referenced. Please enlighten me. Give me more info and a reference I can check. Without such all we have are words. Meaningless words.
2. The word “exactly” has a definition, and meaning, and as used here its foolish, wrong. Sorry, NO, It is not exactly the same. Far from it.
3. I do remember when modern medical procedure had the idea that smoking tobacco was ok, even good for you… Back when pretty much everyone smoked…

And that is exactly the same as… nothing, nothing is exactly the same as dumbshit bullshit like this.

Got some mowing to do.

More later

A couple things on my mind this morning, Friday – the last Friday on the 10th month…

I am watching as the USofA election stumbles toward the finish line. I’m watching as voting starts, as the noisy, noisy, noisy rhetoric begins to dry up, like paint on a clap board house, its dries slowly, is laid very thick, may look dry on the surface but, no, its still wet n gooey.

One things that strikes me is the blatant admission by the Democrat Party that intelligence and ability is not a requirement to be their presidential candidate.

By dumping sleepy Uncle Joe, and injecting Heels-Up Harris, they are being very honest, they are telling us that The DNC Machine will run the Oval Office. That the body in the seat is only a puppet, a front man, a face to present to the public, an image to market and exploit.

I have said previously that I do not like Hillary Clinton at all. I believe to this day that the Clinton Machine should Locked up for numerous, numerous, numerous crimes both large and small. Hillary and her Machine broke all the rules, played all the fools games, were blatantly corrupt and subsequently lost the 2016 election.

But, importantly, Hillary Clinton was indeed qualified for the office she pursued. She had the experience, the ability and the backbone. Or so I believe.

Policies and politics aside, Hillary had “made her bones” as an international politician.

Heels-up Kamala Harris does not have the ability, the skills, the backbone, the brain power… not al all. Not even a little bit.

The pat-line within all of this is… “name one thing Kamala has done that makes YOU think she is qualified for the Oval Office”… hmmmm, hmmm… give me a minute… nope, cant think of a single thing Ms Harris has done that distinctly qualifies her to be President of the USA.

She is lying about her past; being a prosecutor, being a legislator, being a leader, being middle class, being moderate, being sensible. Working at McDonalds… No, Ms Kamala Harris is not qualified.

At all.

I have written about my past life as a US-non-voting Citizen. I have articulated my thoughts and experiences which has led me to firmly believe that my very Valuable Democratic Vote is too valuable to be cast for Bozo The Clown. And since 1976 (my first year qualifying to vote) I have withheld my vote. I have been waiting ever since for a candidate, right or left, red or blue or green, that IS NOT Bozo The Clown. I’m still waiting.

I do understand that many folks see DJTrump as the only option. I get it. The choice between the disintegration of the USofA (as I know it) AND a more conservative, measured approach is reasonable, understandable.

BUT… I believe that both of the main parties in the USofA two-party-system could have, should have fielded better candidates.

By. the way… When I was young there was a pro Rassler named Kamala…

More later

As the political arena in the USofA becomes a boiling cauldron, and foolish, meaningless memes bounce about the inter-verse, I thought I pop a few bubbles with some pointy facts…

I start here…

1st off, I dont think there is any such thing as Universal Health care. I believe that this is referring to a misunderstanding of countries that offer “socialised medical” benefits.

I am a citizen of 2countries, Australia and Solomon Islands, that offer socialised medical benefits. The fact is both offer services and benefits miles away from universal health care.

I think this meme is trick to make folks in the USofA think they are not getting what others receive. It’s suppose to make folks jealous, unhappy, even mad. Lets all complain about being short-changed, under-served…

But the fact is that the USofA spends more on health care than anyone. Anyone…

The USofA spends almost twice as much “per citizen” for medical purposes than any other Nation.

The folks in the USofA aint getting less than all the others. Nope. The Folks in the USofA is being ripped off.

The USofA is spending megabucks of tax dollars on health and medical benefits. The USofA has, reportedly, the best medical system in the world, so why is this meme even meaningful?

So what’s the problem?

I’d say the internal system(s) that manage and control the megabucks worth of benefits is corrupt. Corrupt and wasteful.

Corrupt and wasteful with public funds.

The system isn’t broken, it is greedy. Insatiable. Corrupted.

Nice Monday morn here. Got work to do.

More later

An overcast, breezy, blanket worthy morning here in my valley. Yesterday was very hot, aircon’s were on most of the day. Today is nice, light, gentle.

I am moving slow… Came off the Segway the other day and landed on my head. And broke my glasses…

The Segway is an interesting beast in that it’s two wheels holding up the platform you stand on, via gyroscopic controls. So long as the machine is on and the gyroscopes are doing their merry gyroscopic duties, the platform you stand on remains horizontal, stable. The computer knows when life is cool and gives you a smiley face on the Info-Key. Once you make the little guy on the screen unhappy and his smile goes to a frown, beware! The gyros may shut off with little notification. You’ll hear a small beep-beep sound of alarm, then the whole circus thats holding you upright says adios. It shuts down. And the machine stops being cool…

and you relearn that Gravity Never Sleeps.

I was not going fast. (which is indeed deadly, coming off at speed hurts bad)

I upset the gods of gyros and went down over the handlebars and onto my head. The bump above my right eye tells me I went down forward and sideways. My glasses are broken at the right bow. I must have stuck my head with the glasses into the ground with enough force to rip the bow out of the glass.

I know that coming off the Segway is not good and what instincts my aged body still possesses must have helped… I remember hearing the evil little beep-beep, being tossed off then rolling and getting to my feet pretty quickly. Within a second or two. It do happen quickly.

Have a bruise on my left ribcage where I probably hit the handlebars. My neck is sore. No doubt have a low level concussion.

Not bad for an old fart, eh?

What’s the most common thing one hears before the death of a Hemmer-Hillbilly? “Watch this!”

What’s the 2nd most common thing one hears before the death of a Hemmer-Hillbilly? “I can do that too!”

Yesterday Paul and all his girls came over for breakfast with a serve of vroom. 7 and 9 yr old Nova and G.G. took the older girls for rides. Nova is a terror and scared the shit out of Leloa. Kande liked the vroom and eventually took the 250 Raptor out, and rolled it… Now these little quad-bikes are dangerous… dangerous fast and dangerously unstable. They roll very easy. And thats what Kande found out.

She was hooting along pretty quick for 1st gear only. Her first time on such a machine so Paul got her rolling with the throttle being her only control. She had yet to learn brakes or gears so, hell yes, a good time to roll the machine.

I saw her take a corner but dump the front right wheel over small embankment. Both machine and rider cartwheeled through the air. I saw a boot and the helmet fly off the rider. I watched as the quad bounced on and over her. Very much like a cartoon…

I arrived in time to see the panic fading from her eyes. She was assessing herself and finding nothing majorly wrong, The adrenaline was dumping, the fear slowly replaced by a humorous embarrassment. And a rush. A rush of “gee, dancing on the razor’s edge is fun”…

Leloa was complaining about not having a camera during the “good stuff”.

And the beat goes on… The Dawgs are happy.

More later

An overcast morning here. Light rains have been falling. More rains predicted… it’s floods or drought here in QLD.

Ive mentioned, complained, winged, and tied about the rains this calendar year. Part of my valley is still too wet to work. I was down by the pond last week and got stuck with the 4×4 buggy. The water-table is simply too high. The drains still have standing water in them. And we’re now in the transition from the wet season to the wetter season.

Some good news… only 5months late, we have achieved electrical upgrade here on the farm…

500kVA is huge. I’m surprised they have a pole-mounted unit so big.

Originally scheduled for May, we put the applications in 12 months ago, received approvals in February. Originally we had hoped to have the power sorted and the new facility built about the same time… boy did I get that way, way wrong!

As well, this past week…

Dont look like much but we’ve broken-dirt on the new build site.

Progress is guud…

As this day matures the temps are dropping and the weather is turning decidedly wintery. I wrap tighter in my granny-blanket. Contemplate closing a few windows. Watch the blood sports on the tube… a very nice morning to hunker down.

Life is guuud…

More later

Another gorgeous spring morn in my valley. Almost 7am and the sun is on the valley floor. Its is a very nice, pleasing morning. The day is going to be hot. Summer is coming…

We are heading quickly towards those 4am sunrises I do enjoy so, so much… Years back, visiting QLD, I marvelled at the very noisy sunrises. Like Aussie’s in general, the birds-life here is often quite large and very often quite noisy. Very boisterous. Boisterous is a good word. Being an Aussie is very, very guud…

Elections season(s) loom large on the globe. We have a State election here in QLD this month. Of course the USofA has its big, every 4years-election coming in a month.

Aus is much more sedate about its elections. Here there is less, much less constant rhetoric and electioneering. And, here in AUS it is compulsory to vote. Yep, in a democratic land it is illegal to not vote. You shall be fined for not voting.

Very democratic in my mind…

Gracie and I do postal voting. And, yes, an ID is required.

Years back I always thought the elections were about who had control of the $$. The communal purse-strings. I now see the election is to decide who has control of the POWER, noting how much $$ is spent to get into power. The amount of $$ being spent is ridiculous. Shameful. Sinful. So the main goal has to be power, The Power!

I find it telling, important to note, imperative in many ways to watch, see, understand how the USA incumbent administration is treating the recently ravaged areas hit by Hurricane Helene. its gives us an example of who these folks running the show are. And it aint a pretty picture…

Helene cut a swath through what is very much “Red territory”…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_states_and_blue_states#:~:text=Starting%20with%20the%202000%20United,presidential%20and%20other%20statewide%20elections

So why should the “Blue Elite” waste their time in Red-Country?

Even though citizens are very much suffering. They shall be additionally punished by the Liberal Elite for being conservative.

A joke (sorta) from years past… Why are Cuban refugees sent back to Cuba, and Mexican refugees let in? Because Cubans vote Republican…

I wrote about the fact that traditionally conservative areas in the US are being punished for their belief in God, Guns, and Family… https://nativeiowan.com/2024/03/22/2024-v3-lets-dilute-the-middle-classes/

I was reminded of something St. Barack said a number of years ago… “You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

It makes me think of the Electoral College and how clever the Founding-Fathers of the US Constitution were. They knew that the urbanised elites would trample and politically enslave the rural constituencies, if they could. Years back I made a study of the Electoral College, originally not a supporter, I came to understand how important it is to the rural god fearing, gun owning, family oriented “yokels” that are a part of the democracy of the USofA. Here is some of my words… https://nativeiowan.com/2012/12/18/the-us-of-as-electoral-system-for-dumbassesv1-0/

I have the MLB playoffs on the tube… Mets v Phillies… I do not really watch baseball anymore. Dont know any of the players, but it strikes my fancy to see the Mets in the playoffs. Go Mets…

Big UFC on today. I like blood-sports. A big day of blood-sport always guuud.

My dogs are making noise. The wind chimes make happy sounds… time to get moving…

More later

Today is the First of the Tenth. The beginning of the third quarter of 2024, the beginning of the last quarter of the year. My, time sure flies when you’re having fun.

It’s a chilly, bright, clear-sky morning. A light breeze tickles the leaves on the olive tree out side the kitchen. The valley is many colours of green. Verdant, thick, happy greens of every imaginable hue.

Green is a good colour.

Did you Know: Green is known to have therapeutic and positive effects, such as aiding recovery from surgery and reducing mood disturbances and perceived exertion. Its calming presence can alleviate stress and promote a sense of well-being.

Green enhances a sense of security associated with environments that satisfy basic needs like food, water, and shelter, green evokes a sense of security and abundance. It is often linked to the idea of a safe haven where one can find sustenance and protection.

Green’s calming effects are utilized in areas where people wait before appearing on television shows, helping them relax, focus, and reduce anxiety. This practice is based on the belief that green surroundings can create a serene and focused atmosphere.

Green enhances positive cognitive outcomes, such as improved memory, problem-solving, and positive thinking. For example, studies have shown that people are more likely to remember positive words written in green, and words associated with success are often linked to this color. This suggests that green can stimulate mental clarity and creativity.

Thats nice to know.

I do recall the walls at the Mental Hospital I worked at in the 1970s had green walls.

More later

It’s a Friday, the last Friday in September. The calendar and the seasons turning a page. Here, we are heading to summer. Up North its the reverse, winter on it’s way. The leaves are turning, the days shortening. Sunrise for me is now about 6am. Within a month or so it’ll be 4am. I’m preparing for the 4am sunrise and the cacophony of birdlife waking me up too, too early.

My valley is happy. A light rainfall started very early and lasted all morning. Only now, 1030am, the sun peeping from behind the clouds. The dogs have been sedate. Happy to lie in their beds and enjoy the cool, slow morning. Just like me… Ive been sitting, wrapped up in my granny-blanket since about 5am.

A slow, soft quiet day…

My big old house is empty. Gracie has gone to the city for a weekend with friends. Gigi and Nova were picked up by their parents yesterday. After almost 2weeks of noise and confusion and mess, I get to sit quiet, soft and quiet.

The girls had 2weeks off from school and came out to enjoy the freedom of both the farm, and the old folks. Nova is 6/7, Gigi is 9/18. Both are way too smart and way too quick to show you how smart they are. I do raise good, smart pups… here we have Nia with Gigi…

On days like this I spend a lot of time watching and listening and reading and writing…

I see a big-arsed Cat4 storm running through the Gulf and onto the Florida panhandle… my old bud, Dr RW, I do hope you keep your head down. A Cat4 weather event is no joke… winds over 130mph, pushing a huge storm surge and carrying heaps of rain… the little dot, the eye of the storm, tells us how tight and heavy this system is. Hang on… Pucker Time!!!

I see that the mental illness of the USofA is alive and well… I think back to the 1970s when I was a key-carrying strong-arm at the Mental Institute outside of Independence, Iowa… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_State_Hospital

The Independence State Hospital was built in 1873 as the second asylum in the state of Iowa. It is located in Independence, Iowa. The original plan for patients was to relieve crowding from the hospital at Mount Pleasant and to hold alcoholics, geriatrics, drug addicts, mentally ill, and the criminally insane. It was built under the Kirkbride Plan. The hospital’s many names have included: The Independence Lunatic Asylum, The Independence State Asylum, The Independence Asylum for the Insane, The Iowa State Hospital for the Insane, and The Independence Mental Health Institute. There is also a labyrinth of tunnels which connect every building. Like most asylums of its time, it has had a gruesome and dark history. Remnants of this are the graveyard, hydrotherapy tubs, and lobotomy equipment.

I know the place well, having spent many hours prowling the dark, sometimes abandoned rooms and suites in the huge, sprawling facility, with its labyrinth tunnels. You talk about scary-shit… I’ve got some great stories. I worked there in 1976. My father worked there as a Therapist. I spent much of my young life hanging with my dad at the MHI, Mental Health Institute. I knew it quite well.

Most of the facility had been shut down by my time. I think there were upwards to a thousand patients, in the day. When I was there I dont think there were more than 200. The hallways and tunnels were filled with energies.

I worked 2nd-shift, 4-12. I was in high school and would get out early so I could go to work. Many of my hours at work were spent watching the patients sleep, and writing nurses notes. And… prowling the huge facility.

My job was as a “Psych-Aid”, meant I was there to assist the Psych-Nurses and Doctors.

It was a cool place to work, spend time. One key opened every door in the facility. I had 2keys… one to open and close doors, 1 to use on the “humane-restraints” that were used to tie folks down. It was an interesting job, an interesting place.

As an Aid I would get sent to different wards and on various errands where Id be free to dawdle and treasure hunt… I’d dig through closed wings and wards, searching for cool stuff… a set of great old apothecary scales… an amazing old clock… a surgical suite with cool, cool old tools and such… An amazing place. I wish I could get the keys and go back for another look.

On a good day it was an easy job. Mainly just keeping the patients calm and quiet. Only a couple wards were operating in my day… The geriatric ward was male and female. The intake wards, male and female, the chronic wards, male and female, the juvenile wards male and female. There was a seperate Childs facility but I never work there. Mostly it was a job of maintaining a copacetic quiet (not always easy) and herding the patients to the cafeteria, or to some activity.

On a bad day there would be fights and drama and trouble. I eventually got injured retraining a guy who had slit his wrists in the parking lot. I couldn’t “hurt” the patient, hit him or fight back, so as the guy was bleeding all over and kicking the shit out of me, I had to get my belt off and hog-tie his legs, and eventually get a choke hold on him. He was an ex-Nam vet with an “AirBorne” tattoo, and was a tough cookie.

One time I was taken by surprise… walked onto the admissions ward just as a guy went off… We (Hal Rowe and I) got him restrained and the nurse had us put him on a trolley and we were told to take him to the ECT theatre… Electro Convulsive Therapy…. it’s scary shit to be involved in… wrapping the guy in sheets and holding him down, careful not to touch the metal table, as the Dr pushed a million volts through his cranium. He bucked a foot or more off the table. I struggled not to puke and cry and run away. Disturbing shit.

And the work carried out at the facility for these past 150years has done little to alleviate the mass mental malfunctions I see in the US society… its sad, stupid, silly…

I think of the Phillipines… every election cycle there is mass hysteria. Folks working in Manila usually leave during election season. Like locals in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, you leave to avoid the insanity…

Time to be active.

More later

For those of you who know my tribe, have played and cried and had hell-raising fun with us, know how hard I work to ensure my pups, 2 and 4 legged, are Badd Asses…

It is by design, not by accident…

Our newest addition to the pack of hell raising Hounds is Andre, Angelo and Ashley’s 5month old… who got his first taste of Hemmer-Hillbilly fun…

I think Angelo was scared shitless, noting he has always been known as “driving miss daisy” when it comes to being Fast on Wheelz….

Hapi Granny times…

More later