To be read as a direct continuation of; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2024/11/ugh-i-dont-want-to-become-protein.html
Of course Foxes are not the only wild animals I regularly encounter. There are also the Cats.
When they're in their main territory their Humans may think of them as beloved pets. However, let me assure you, when they are in my compound the Cats are convinced they're wild animals! All battling each other for the title of Boss Cat. An honorific title bestowed in the original Chinese; "貓老大" It's important to always remember that the Chinese word for; "Cat" is; "Maow (貓)."
I like to think that many thousands of years ago a Chinese went up to a Cat and asked; "What are you?" To which the Cat replied; "Maow" and the Chinese went; "Fair enough."
The original, native language of Britain is Gaelic or Celtic. The Celtic word for; "River" is; "Avon." So when the Romans arrived in Britain and started writing down the names of things, in Latin, they kept pointing to rivers and asking the locals; "What's that called?" To which the natives replied; "Avon." As a result Britain still has around 56 million River Avons.
Likewise the name; "Coleen" as in; "Coleen Rooney" is just the Celtic word for; "Girl." When they arrived in Britain the Romans often heard the locals shout; "Come here girl!" and assumed; "Girl" must be an individual's name. Through that mistake Coleen has become a name in its own right.
Chinese is a complex, tonal language. So the fact that the Chinese word for; "Cat" is; "Maow" only furthers to strengthen another of my 100% true, totally scientific theories(!) That Cats don't meaow when they communicate with each other.
Meaowing is an entirely separate language they've invented to command their Human servants. So when Cats do meaow they mimic the rhythmic and tonal patterns of their owners. Meaning that when Cats meaow while battling each other they're actually summoning or invoking the threat of their human servants. The feline equivalent of that school yard taunt; "My Dad can beat up your Dad!"
Just as there will always be Pigeons. Just as there will always be Rats. There will always be a 貓老大. As Hobbes observed in Leviathan the order of succession may be messy. However the title never goes unfilled.
When I first arrived in the compound the 貓老大 was our family pet. Who, like the character in Animal Control, was actually named; "Victoria." A stray/feral Cat collected from the vast surplus at Victoria Railway Station. Eventually Victoria got old and died so we got a new family pet named; "Gismo." Which we came to believe derived from the ancient Celtic; "He of the Devil."
I've said that you're an absolute monster if you cause a Puppy or Kitten to be torn from their mother at too young an age. I have to confess that we probably did take Gismo from his mother at slightly too young an age.
As a result he imprinted and bonded with us as if we were his family. We never quite worked out whether he thought we were very large, hairless Cats or whether he was a very small, furry Human. However he was convinced we were all definitely blood relatives, rather than separate species. As my Paternal Grandmother used to say. He could do everything expect talk.
He of the Devil's reign as 貓老大 was long and sadistic. As I've said one of the problems with removing the Foxes is that they'd no longer be able to keep the Rat population under control. Typically domestic Cats won't hunt and kill Rats. Normally only feral Cats are hungry and mean enough to hunt Rats. Even then they'll only do it in groups.
That wasn't true of He of the Devil though. He would happily hunt Rats for fun. Proudly lining up his kills half a dozen at a time. But then he did end up having a small role in that "Captain Marvel" movie. The reason why Director Fury has to wear an eye patch now.
Eventually though Gismo got old and died. As I am now, I was still hoping to eliminate the threat to my Paternal Grandmother from the UK Labour Party and the Bishop of Whitgift then get back to my life. So I didn't think it was right to take on the responsibility of another Cat. Particularly given how the UK Labour Party and the Bishop of Whitgift treat Humans. Meaning that the title of 貓老大 fell to one of the neighbouring Cats.
How the current 貓老大 won the title from that 貓老大 is almost a parable in Aspiration versus Ability.
As I've said my compound is pretty massive by the standards of a Mega-City. So it shares borders with lots of poor people houses. At the bottom of one of those gardens is the large shed which sits atop of the Fox Den. At the bottom of the garden next to it there is a tree which is very popular with the Birds. At the bottom of the garden next to that there is another, smaller, shed.
Did I forget to mention? Not only does my compound have a house just to do laundry in. My compound also has its own pub. The; "Black Lion." It's got its own name, with ornate sign and never closed during the Pandemic. It was built by my Paternal Grandfather who didn't drink alcohol. Presumably with the money the British Royal Navy gave him on his official discharge from the Royal Marines, in lieu of the Rum rations he never claimed.
Anyway, the Black Lion sort of borders the three gardens with the two sheds and the tree. So if you're a wild animal, with no interest in manmade boundaries, then these three roofs surround the tree. The roof of the small shed was the favoured perch of the previous 貓老大.
When he was a boisterous teenager the current 貓老大 became fixated on the Birds in the tree. He decided that before he could climb the tree to kill the Birds he'd first have to dethrone the existing 貓老大, to get access from the roof. Once he became 貓老大 he was finally able to climb the tree to kill the Birds. At which point he discovered that Birds fight back! In large groups and in three dimensions.
貓老大 never did get to kill any of the Birds. Yet he still clings onto the aspiration. One of his favourite thrones is a ledge above the door of my garage. For where he can keep watch over all of his territory. Including the tree with the Birds he still dreams of being able to catch.
That ledge is only a couple of centimetres taller than I am. I'm often standing by it while I'm smoking a cigarette or something. The ledge is black while 貓老大 is also, mostly, black. So I often don't notice he's up there. Until I look up and am startled by a massive Cat face peering at me, a few centimetres away from my own head. A game I'm pretty sure he enjoys.
In watching the Cats and Foxes interact I think I've spotted a flaw in Hobbes' observation in Leviathan. I've noticed something of a Social Contract emerge between the Foxes and Cats. Helping them both elevate themselves above the State of Nature. You can almost imagine them meeting up one day and having the following conversation;
Fox: "Blimey. This having to kill every animal before it kills you is a bit exhausting, innit."
Cat: "You're telling me. Have you noticed I'm here on my own?!"
Fox: "So you're not going to force us off this territory then."
Cat: "I wouldn't think so. My main territory is inside a house. Where it's warm, dry and soft, all of the time."
Fox: "Good for you(!) Now, you're not going to try and steal our food, are you."
Cat: "Well, that depends. Unless it's the best food, then probably not. Did I forget to mention? In my territory I've trained servants to bring me food, whenever I like."
Fox: "Sweeet! Shall we not bother with all this trying to kill each other first then."
Cat: "Seems sensible."
So under the terms of this Social Contract if an outside Fox attempts to invade the territory the Foxes must attack and kill them. Or at least chase them until they run away. Likewise if an outside Cat tries to invade the territory 貓老大 must attack and kill them. However Foxes and Cats can go about their respective business in the same territory, at the same time. Nobody needs to attack one another. Foxes and Cats, they do not fight!
The old 貓老大, He of the Devil, even managed to take things a step further. As he was starting to get a little too elderly to defend the title of 貓老大 and the vast territory which came with it we noticed he started insisting in being fed outside. He would then leave half of his food uneaten.
We couldn't work out why he was doing this. Until one day an outside Cat mounted an invasion. At which point the Foxes sprung into action to help in defeat the invader. He'd managed to negotiate a defence pact with the Foxes! Even by the standards of my other family pet Cats there was something a little bit different about him.
In the Spring of 2023, around the time this current generation of Foxes were born, suddenly a lot of my neighbours decided they wanted to get new Kittens as pets.
Obviously there are as many different reasons for this as there are Kittens. However it did make me feel as though they'd been some sort of big neighbourhood meeting I wasn't invited to. Or that all of my neighbours are massive Taylor Swift fans and were inspired by their hero to get little Olivia Bensons of their own.
Of course neither of those theories are true. However both are a lot more fun than sitting here in silence!
Whatever the reasons this meant that where there used to be 貓老大 and the occasional challenger there were now, suddenly, like, 10 young Cats all exploring my compound!
The current 貓老大 is now getting a bit old himself. So much prefers to rule over his main, indoor, territory. He seems happy to let the youngsters pass through his kingdom at ground level. Provided they continue to respect him as 貓老大 and don't attempt to venture into the most prized part of the territory. The rooftops which surround the all important tree.
Some of these youngsters have seemed unaware of the Social Contract - Foxes and Cats, they never fight. When that does happen 貓老大 does seem to see it as his duty to come down from his throne and educate the miscreant contract breaker.
Which rather makes the current 貓老大 the all powerful Sovereign in Hobbes' Leviathan. I certainly don't remember old He of the Devil ever being so benevolent.
At around 18:05 on 9/12/24 (UK date) I wouldn't have opened a new post just for 4 pages.
Edited at around 17:40 on 11/12/24 (UK date) to copy and paste;
If you own a pet or spent any amount of time around anyone who does own a pet. Or watched any sort of sporting event, particularly Olympic Equestrian events. You'd know that the behaviours and personality traits of one animal can easily be used as euphemisms for the behaviours and personality traits of another animal. Such as a Human.
In fact I'm pretty sure I've just described all of art and poetry there. Nature being used as a metaphor for the Human condition. Particularly if there were a sort of competition of music and poetry with an actual rule; whatever you want to say has to be in the form of a metaphor.
That was actually the joke back in 2021 when I found Miley Cyrus being firmly shoved in my direction. In an effort to get us talking directly I took to frequently changing the password on my Instagram account. The objective wasn't to keep our communications secret. So much as educating and entertaining a select but still quite large audience
In the months leading up to the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics/Para-Olympics I took to educating that audience about Cavalletti Horse training. The joke being that Miley Cyrus and the CIA are the silly young horse, still so unstable on its feet. Whether we'd be able to teach it the most basic of steps. Specifically I was educating people in the method of Cavalletti Horse training devised by Reiner Klimke. Who won Gold in Men's Dressage at the 1964 Olympics. The last time that the Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan.
During the Olympics/Para-Olympics I took to educating people about the written Japanese language, Kanji. How the number and placing of the strokes in each pictogram's pattern is used as an indexing system. An alternative to an alphabet.
Then in October 2021 bells rang, toys flew from prams! I was locked out of my Instagram account. Before I was able to move onto topics such as Quantum Encryption in Optical Communication Systems.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has four commands. The Southern part of Israel falls under the IDF's Southern Command. The emblem of the IDF's Southern Command is a Fox. Within the IDF's Southern Command the Gaza Strip and the area of Israel which borders it, the Gaza Envelope, is the responsibility of the Gaza Division. The IDF's Gaza Division's emblem is a Fire Fox.
So within the Israel/Palestine Conflict references to Foxes are always a bit loaded. Israel certainly leaned into it with their July 2023; "Operation: Home and Garden" in Jenin. Back when Israel was still interested in finding out who was actually smuggling NATO pattern weapons to the so-called; "Lion's Den" in the Occupied West Bank. Rather than just ranting and raving about Iran.
These references to Foxes picked up a new intensity on October 7th 2023 (7/10/23). When The Muslim Brotherhood's Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) launched its Genocidal attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. A very bad day for all the Foxes of the IDF's Southern Command. A particularly bad day for the Fire Fox Division.
October 7th 2023 was the last Sabbath of Sukkot. The weeklong festival which symbolises the Jews 40 year Exodus from slavery in Egypt and their return to Israel. It culminates with a celebration of G0d's gift of enlightenment to the Jews. In the form of the tablets G0d gave to Moses, which were transcribed onto the scrolls which became the Hebrew Bible. The last Sabbath of Sukkot is Simchat Torah, the Dancing of the Scrolls. When the Biblical scrolls are celebrated with dancing.
As within most countries, within Israeli society there is a bit of a division. Between the Religious who take the religious festivals very seriously and the Secular. Those who still mark the religious festivals but don't take them anywhere near as seriously.
Much of the Western world, and the World more generally, is currently preparing for Christmas. There is almost a sort of Religious Christmas and a Secular Christmas.
For those using the Gregorian Calendar Religious Christmas begins on December 25th. The day before is called; "Christmas Eve." Religious Christmas then lasts for 12 days, until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. While Secular Christmas seems to start immediately after American Thanksgiving in November then ends on December 25th. Thus robbing everyone of 12 days of holiday just when Winter is at its most miserable.
Simchat Torah is one of the festivals where the division between the Religious and the Secular is at its most pronounced. The Religious celebrate by praying, studying the Biblical scrolls and literally dancing around with them. While the Secular, particularly the young, choose to mark the end of the *ahem* 'High Holidays' by having large drug fuelled dance parties. Just like in the time of the First Temple of Jerusalem. That is exactly what was happening at the Nova Music Festival in the Gaza Envelope on October 7th.
Israel has long competed in the Eurovision Song Contest. Back when the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) was still able to stage a Song Contest. It would be easy to say that Israel's participation has long been problematic. However Israel's participation has never been the problem. The problem has always been the Anti-Semitism and, frankly, stupidity of the other European nations.
What we hoped would be the absolute low point came in 2015. In January of that year Al-Qaeda in Yemen/Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) launched a series of attacks against France. Starting with the attack against the Charlie Hebdo Magazine and culminating in a massacre at a, predominately Jewish, kosher supermarket. Sadly this was just a prelude for much worse attacks against France in the weeks leading up to 20th Conference Of Parties (COP20) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The January attacks happened during an Israeli Election Campaign. So incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to France to repatriate the Israeli dead. In doing this he made what some saw as a campaign style speech. In which he urged French Jews to return - "make Aliyah" - to Israel. Where they would be safe.
Also at this time the Israeli Ministry of Tourism were running a campaign across a lot of EBU member nations. Advertising Israel as a destination where you could visit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the same day. The Religious side of Israeli society trying to claim all of Jerusalem as part of Israel.
At that year's Song Contest the Secular side of Israeli society struck back with; "Golden Boy" by Nadav Guedj - a French Jew who'd made Aliyah as a child. The song absolutely roasted Netanyahu as the Golden Boy of Israel who wanted all the World's Jews to come to Israel, so he could show them Tel Aviv. The video in support of the song was an almost direct copy of the tourism advert. However it made clear you can visit Tel Aviv. And only Tel Aviv!
It was an attack on Netanyahu and the Religious side of Israeli society that was so savage and so precise it would stun even non-Israeli Jews. The Eurovision community's response was to loudly boo the devil Jews in protest against the religious extremist Netanyahu and demand the Colonisers return the Golan Heights to their rightful owners. The Peleset of Crete.
You can certainly make the argument that the Eurovision Song Contest is just a silly little game that rich nations play. However if people aren't even going to bother play the game. Then it just becomes utterly pointless.
The Eurovision community suffered a massive overcorrection in 2018. About half an hour before the First Semi-Final the US announced it was moving its Embassy to Jerusalem. A massive victory for the Religious side of Israeli society. The Eurovision community responded by making the Secular side of Israeli society the winners of that year's Song Contest. In the hope of turning the 2019 Song Contest into a yearlong, pro-Secular protest in Israel. Which Israel would have to pay for.
This overcorrection by the Eurovision community helped to deepen divisions between the Religious and Secular sides of Israeli society. Playing a role in triggering Israel's 2018-Present Political Crisis.
In 2021 Martin Österdahl was appointed by the EBU as the Executive Supervisor of the Song Contest. Österdahl's tenure has been disastrous. Although the EBU did succeed in holding a Song Contest in 2021 it was unable to be issue a result. Meaning that it was unable to hold a Song Contest in 2022. The EBU was unable to hold a Song Contest again in 2023, due to the rabid Anti-Semitism and, frankly, stupidity of the other European nations.
Despite Österdahl's disatrous tenure nations still prepare Eurovision entries in the hope of there being a Song Contest. In 2022 Finland prepared the song; "Cha Cha Cha" performed by Käärijä. This took the rather famous Hip-Hop, dare I say; "Black," American song; "Party Up" by DMX and reworked it as a, dare I say; "White," European Techno, Electronic Dance Music (EDM) song.
That would have provided for lots of discussion about Race, Racism and Racial stereotypes. It's not just Anti-Semitism. A lot of Europe, particularly Eastern Europe is still very racist. Some of it is the hardcore racism of the Nazi racial superiority of Adolf Hitler. While some of it is the soft, clumsy racism that comes from never having actually seen a Black person in real life.
It would have also allowed for lots of discussion about, just, music. The differences in tones and textures of different bass notes and rhythm patterns. The Eurovision Song Contest is really the place for hardcore music nerds.
Seen as traditionally Black there is a sub-genre of EDM that often gets overlooked. Drum n' Bass. Which, as the name suggests, is very focused on rhythm patterns.
Jazz Music travelled to the Caribbean where it became Ska Music. In turn Ska Music became Reggae and Ragga Music. Through the introduction of electronic instruments and chemical stimulants like Amphetamines and Cocaine Ragga sped up and grew more aggressive. Becoming; "Jungle."
Then Jungle music was adopted by ridiculously privileged middle-class and tame White boys. Essentially American Frat Boys. Who turned it into a much more soulless and intellectual exercise; Drum n' Bass.
Drum n' Bass music has got to have one of the strangest cultures of all forms of music. The people who create the music seem deeply offended by the fact that anyone would want to listen to the music they've created. Let alone pay them money in exchange for listening to the music they've created. So even the names, let alone recordings, of the songs are treated as closely guarded secrets. Like that joints worth of low quality Marijuana they've got, it's a status symbol. Proving what tough little gangsters they all are, so much badder than everyone else.
One Drum n' Bass act which has gone in a different direction is Chase & Status. They actually release songs and have them played on radio. Often in exchange for money! Over the Summer of 2023 they put out the song; "Baddadan" which really mocked the yappy little dog Drum n' Bass culture.
I had no conscious knowledge that the October 7th Genocide was going to take place. To the extent that I really leaned into the Secular celebration of Simchat Torah. Having my own little party exploring the history of Jungle and Drum n' Bass dance music. We all always hold out hope that the EBU will be able to get it together and hold another Eurovision Song Contest. Next year, in Geneva.
To make matters worse a few weeks before I'd been to visit my Mothers. Which really means going to visit and ride my Mother's Horse. I think that's what prompted a lot of those bells to ring and toys to fly from prams. The Olympics trying to best me on matters Equestrian. I was only doing Cavalletti as a bit of fun. If I was trying to show off I would have gone for Equine Physiology!
While there I got chatting to a woman who keeps her Horse at the same yard as my Mother. She's a Paramedic and that weekend was going to provide emergency medical services at a Drum n' Bass music festival. So we quickly bonded over a 10 minute discussion about how Drum n' Bass fans are just the worst! Perhaps revealing a side of me my Mother didn't know existed.
Obviously getting really drunk and having an all night dance party is not the sort of thing you do if you've got even an inkling that you're about to go to war at dawn.
When dawn arrived and I discovered I was at war. Some of my musical choices then seemed to be in astonishingly bad taste. Even for me.
If you were trying to express the start of the October 7th Genocide in musical form you'd probably end up with something pretty close to; "Digital" by Goldie Ft. KRS One.
At one point I even used a song by the act Firefox. The published title of that song is; "Bonanza Kid" as in the famous US TV Western; "Bonanza."
However the song contains elements of traditional Aboriginal Australian sounds/music. Such as the so-called; "Bush Telegraph." So you could easily mistake the title for that famous Australian exclamation; "Bonza!" Even the title of a song is a closely guarded secret. Good luck trying to find out whether Firefox is a man or a woman, let alone their real name.
To make matters worse it even samples the song; "Girl You Move Me" by Cane and Able. Named after the prohibition in the Hebrew Bible on Collective Punishment.
So eerie was the playlist I shared in the hours leading up to the October 7th Genocide. I did start to wonder whether I had picked up on the warning signs of an impending attack. On some deep, subconscious level. Only for them to come bubbling to the surface in the least helpful way imaginable.
Although I've yet to meet the firefight that's improved by such deep metaphysical ponderings.
At around 18:05 on 11/12/24 (UK date) there's still so much to go.
Edited at around 17:25 on 12/12/24 (UK date) to tidy all of the above and copy & paste;
In June 2019 I was banned from Twitter. At the time I made it clear that there was no catastrophe, real or manufactured, that would see me return to the platform. They would have to apologise and pay their bill in full. Rather making you wonder what the CIA thought it was going to achieve with the Great American Bell Ringing of October 2021.
At the time that I was banned from Twitter the most obvious catastrophe which could emerge was that the Army of Conquest would break out of the; "Sudetenland" in North-West Syria. Advance down the M5 Highway to Damascus and overthrow the government of Syria.
The Army of Conquest (Jaish al-Fatah/JAF) is a coalition of Islamist terror forces. The driving force behind the Army of Conquest is the nation state of Turkey. So a very large part of the coalition is the United Turkmen Army (UTA). They are the paramilitary wing of the Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkish Prime Minister/President/Emperor Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Due to what can only be an error of Autocorrect the name of the United Turkmen Army (UTA) often appears on screens as; "Syrian National Army (SNA)."
The Army of Conquest has long been protected within Syrian territory by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). Both in the Sudetenland area and the; "Afrin Canton" area to its North, which has been fully Colonised as a Turkish Province since June 2018.
One of the largest factions within the Army of Conquest is the Movement for the Liberation of the (Islamic) Levant (Harakat Tahrir al-Sham/HTS). They are the Al-Qaeda of Osama bin Laden using a different name.
"Al-Qaeda" is Arabic for; "The Base." They were always intended not so much as a terror group themselves as a support network for other terrorist groups. A previous name used by Tahrir al-Sham was; "The Support Front (Jabhat al-Nusra)." Until even their most ardent supporters could no longer deny that; "The Support Front" is just; "The Base."
Regardless what name it is using today Al-Qaeda was founded as a support front for the Turkistan Islamist Party (TiP). Another ethnically Turkish Islamist terror group, originally from China, which followed Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan to Syria.
A smaller but particularly vile group within the Army of Conquest coalition is the Army of Islam (Jaish al-Islam). They committed Genocide against the Druze religious group in the Golan Heights in 2015. They attempted to commit a further Genocide of the Druze population in the Winter of 2017 but were stopped by the Syrian Military.
As part of their attempted Genocide of the Kurdish ethnic group in Afrin Canton and the Sudetenland the Army of Islam routinely used Chemical Weapons. In April 2018 the Army of Islam used Turkish supplied Sarin in a Chemical Weapons attack against the civilian population of Douma. A town in the East Ghouta suburb of Damascus which was under their occupation at the time.
The US, UK and France then decided to reward the Army of Islam and Turkey for their use of Chemical Weapons. Using it as a pretext to conduct airstrikes against the Syrian government and military. It is an incident I remember well. It was during the US/UK/France Kamikaze mission that generation of Fox Kits first emerged from their Den into the Fox Nursery. It's as if the Universe had decided;
"Damn! They've actually gone and done something that dumb! Clearly you need to be bathed in a Puddle of Puppies! To help wash away some of the stress such stupidity causes."
Perhaps one of the most high profile groups created by the Muslim Brotherhood to Colonise Syria is the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh). Although another Autocorrect error often sees that acronym appear on screens as; "ISIS." As if a rogue Artificial Intelligence (AI) is still trying to convince us the word; "Levant" means; "Syria." It doesn't.
ISIL developed a reputation for releasing gruesome execution videos. In 2015 the Army of Islam released their own propaganda video in which they gruesomely executed 12 members of ISIL. In the eyes of the Army of Islam ISIL is guilty of the crime being too moderate in their efforts to Ethnically Cleanse the Islamic Levant.
Although they had the freedom to operate in both countries. Al-Qaeda was never able to establish itself as the rulers of either Afghanistan or Yemen. So the scale of the catastrophe of allowing Al-Qaeda to establish itself as the rulers of a nation state on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea should be obvious to all. Particularly if you're American, French or British.
Honestly. I was expecting that catastrophe to come to pass sooner, rather than later. It's testament to what a geopolitical disaster it would be that a broad, global coalition was prepared to resist it for so long. Despite all the provocations. I guess some people must have much higher tolerance for childish tantrums than I do.
Facing the epic dawn comedown. Discovering the October 7th Genocide was underway. I did pause and debate whether it constituted a crisis grave enough for me to return to Twitter. It turns out that Twitter bans and Quantumly Encrypted Optical Communication Systems are in rather different leagues.
In the end I decided against it. As me being seen to go back on my word would only, dramatically, add to the noise and chaos. The payoff in terms of information I'd receive in return would likely to be very limited.
All you can really do in situations like that is take care of your sector as quietly and efficiently as possible. In order to allow everyone else to quietly and efficiently take care of their sectors. Then just hope everyone is capable of taking care of their sectors.
Admittedly my sector wasn't particularly difficult to take care of. All I really needed to do was carry on as is everything was normal. So get some laundry done, go to the shops to get lunch and a newspaper. Have lunch then go back to bed. Although calmly going back to sleep is not the easiest thing when the adrenaline is pumping. It's hardly know as the; "Fight, Flight or Take a Fecking Nap Response(!)"
The other problem I had was that I was still quite drunk. I'd been drinking pretty steadily for the 12 hours up until dawn. The Human body simply can't process that much alcohol in just 4 hours.
As I was standing outside the laundry house trying to figure out the best way to navigate the shops. Without falling flat on my face or otherwise tipping people off to just how drunk I still was. The wildlife of my compound produced yet another brilliant moment. As a fresh faced young Kitten came wandering up to me.
Normally when Cats venture into my compound they think of themselves as the Lions and Tigers they see on TV. Bravely patrolling their territory, stalking their prey across the vast Savannah. Obviously this is no time for affection! Non-Consensual touching is about the most offensive thing any Human could ever attempt!
This Kitten was very different though. As she wandered up to me she almost affected the sweetest, most naive voice as she seemed to say;
"Wow! This is all new. Wow! You're new too. Hi, I'm a Cat. I'm new! I've just discovered this new thing called; "Stroking." Have you heard of it, would you like to give it a try?"
And I was like; "Yes! F*ck yes!" I don't think there's been a moment in my life where I've wanted to sit calmly stroking a Cat more. This being the sort of situation that swearing was invented for.
After about 10 minutes I decided that I really needed to carry on with my day as normal. So I went inside to get my wallet and keys etc. When I came back out this Kitten was still sitting there. As if to say; "Hi, I've been waiting for you. Would you like to try more stroking?"
So after sitting there for another 10 minutes calmly stroking a Cat I decided I really, really needed to get on with my day. So got up and walked off. At which point the Kitten followed me. After a couple of streets I had to sit her down and give her the break-up talk. Along the lines of;
"I've really enjoyed our time together but now we must part. It's not you and it's not me. So you can come back and visit whenever you like."
The most surprising bit is that this wasn't one of the 10 or so Kittens that had started exploring my compound over the Summer. I'd never seen her before and I've never seen her since. Although one of the Kittens that does regularly visit does know a couple of Cats that live up the road, Boss Cats of their own territory. Apparently they know where she lives. Although I think all of us agree that she's more of an indoor Cat.
The start of the October 7th Genocide triggered two immediate strategic objectives which needed to be achieved.
The first of these was stopping other actors in the region joining the fray on the side of Hamas. This was actually incredibly easy to achieve. All other actors in the region are already very familiar with the Genocide, Sexual Violence and other Inhumane Acts of other Muslim Brotherhood affiliates. So no-one needed to look on Social Media to see what was going on. Certainly no-one needed to wait until the United Nations (UN) could no longer deny what was going on. We all already knew what was going on.
The second immediate objective was to stop the UN from ordering Israel to unconditionally surrender to Hamas. This was a lot more difficult to achieve. The UN has long sponsored Muslim Brotherhood affiliates in their Crimes Against Humanity. Which, under actual International Law, makes the UN as an institution and as individuals criminally responsible for those Crimes Against Humanity.
With the UN not being at all bothered about Muslim Brotherhood affiliates committing Genocide, Sexual Violence and other Inhumane Acts against Arab Muslims they certainly weren't going to be concerned with them being committed against Israeli Jews. I do sometimes wonder if they'd ever even object to Genocide, Sexual Violence and other Inhumane Acts being inflicted on them, personally.
With those two immediate objectives achieved there then began a bit of a waiting game. Time for the Foxes of the IDF's Southern Command to marshal its ground forces. Then go into the Gaza Strip and do what all war-fighters knew needed to happen next. The only thing that could happen next under the actual Laws of War.
It was during this time the Foxes of my compound provided another moment of priceless entertainment.
At around 18:10 on 12/12/24 (UK date) we're all now going to have to make way for the madness.
Edited at around 17:15 on 16/12/24 (UK date) to copy & paste;
One Sunday during that tense wait I decided to sit outside and have a beer, enjoying the last of the Autumn sunshine. As I stepped outside I saw all four Foxes curled up asleep. Spaced out in almost military formation across the patch of grass which, at that point, could only be designated; "The Gaza Strip." From the air it does rather look like the Gaza Strip. Only upside down and where the Gaza Strip bulges out around Khan Younis this patch of grass narrows by the Black Lion.
When the Foxes are curled up like this I've long taken to referring to them as; "Landmines!" Foxes can see in the dark. However they don't seem to understand that Humans can't. So I've often been out at night and discovered I've stepped in something. From the way it leaps up to around my knees in a fury of noise and sharp bits I realise I've stepped on a Fox.
The scientific reason for why the Foxes were out in this sort of military formation is that the weather was starting to turn cold again. These Foxes were born in late February that year so had only really known Spring and Summer. This was their first ever experience of colder weather. Soil retains heat better than stone and at that time of day the sun was shining directly on the Gaza Strip.
This sort of situation really sums up my relationship with the Foxes. When they're sleeping in the sun and I appear ears will suddenly prick up and snouts will be raised as their whole bodies tense. Waiting to find out whether they're about to be attacked.
At which point I normally reassure them by saying; "Are you out here enjoying the sun?" "I'm out here enjoying the sun." "There seems to be enough of it for both of us."
We then all settle back down again to enjoy the sun. However on this occasion we were rudely interrupted by an intruder, an outside Fox!
I'm far from an expert on Foxes. However I have to say that while still clearly a Fox this intruder didn't look much like any Fox I'd seen before. While fully grown it was much smaller with a sort of squat, muscular appearance. Its ears were smaller and pointer and its snout was much shorter. Giving the impression of a much flatter face. If I'm being honest it looked like things had all gone a bit 'Billy Ray.' Undesirable genetic traits being amplified by generations of inbreeding.
This Fox's coat was in really poor condition, gray and lifeless rather than full and brown. Its eyes were also red and bloodshot. It was clearly sick and about to die. The Fox also seemed to know that it was very sick and was about to die. It was just looking for a quiet, comfortable place to lay down and let the inevitable happen.
While I'm still far from an expert of Fox health. After a bit of research I now think one possibility is that it had Parvovirus. Which although having a very different cause has a similar effect to Leukaemia in Humans. It attacks the Blood cells resulting in anaemia, weight loss and secondary, opportunistic, infections.
Another possibility is Distemper. Similar to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in Humans this starts by attacking the respiratory system before attacking the gastrointestinal tract causing weight loss before moving onto attack the brain and nervous system. Resulting in nuerological impairments like a loss of things like motor skills.
It certainly wasn't Rabies. If it was Rabies then we would all have definitely heard about it by now. It would have been the first wild case of Rabies on the island of Britain since 1922.
Normally when there is an intruder all of the local Foxes spring into action to attack and kill it. Or, at the very least, chase it until it runs away. On this occasion though the Foxes seemed to know that this intruder was very sick and about to die. They also seemed to know that they could catch whatever was killing this Fox. So they wouldn't go near it.
I do worry about interfering with the lives of the Foxes too much. If another Fox invades their territory then that is their problem to solve. Eventually though I decided that this particular intruder was annoying me. That was entirely separate from any annoyance it might be causing any Fox. Allowing me to chase it away from my territory.
At first this Fox didn't even attempt to run away. As if it was hoping I'd follow through on my threat to kill it. Finally putting it out of its misery.
With the intruder being sent off to find another hill to go die on the Foxes and I all settled back down to enjoy the sun. Only for us to be interrupted by another intruder! One of the boisterous, now teenage, Cats. Looking to explore the territory and battle for the title of 貓老大.
This particular Cat does very much remind me of a previous 貓老大, old He of the Devil. They are both grey Bengal Cats. Named after the Bengal area of Asia - Bangladesh and Eastern India - Bengal Cats are the result of an attempt to produce tamer Asian Leopard Cats by cross-breeding them with, various, domestic Cats. Asian Leopard Cats are Wild Cats from the same family as Cheetahs, Pumas and Lynxes. So of all the breeds of pet Cats Bengals are the ones closest to Lions and Tigers.
Just to confuse matters further the 10 or so Cats that suddenly started appearing in 2023 include another grey Bengal. A female who has very different in personality from this male. Although it can be a bit difficult at first to tell which Bengal and which personality you're about to be confronted with. I do sometimes wonder whether they're siblings, brought by two unconnected Humans from the same breeder. Although they don't seem to like each other.
It's another way in which this male Bengal reminds of old He of the Devil. He seems to be very violence orientated.
So on this particular Sunday he decided to not only ignore the longstanding Social Contract between Foxes and Cats. He set about trying to drive all of the Foxes from the territory he'd decided belonged to him and him alone.
When threatened a Fox's first instinct is to retreat. I say that if an outside Fox tries to mount an invasion the local Foxes must attack and kill it. In reality they normally just chase it as it retreats. You often get the impression the Fox doing the chasing is deliberately pacing themselves. So as long as the intruder keeps running and leaves the territory they won't actually have to catch up with it.
Not knowing this the boisterous Bengal thought it was brilliant! Whenever he'd charge towards a Fox the Fox would run away. Conclusive proof that he is the scariest, most dangerous predator to ever stalk the Earth!
After being chased around their territory of a good hour the Foxes eventually got fed up with this game. So started to stand their ground. With the Foxes no longer running away this Cat was suddenly faced with the dilemma of what he'd do if he actually caught up with and had to fight one of the Foxes. So he stopped chasing them. Then when the Foxes started to, slowly, advance on him it was, suddenly, his turn to retreat.
Eventually the Cat had retreated all the way back to one particular corner of the territory. I'm tempted to say the Foxes had him surrounded in this corner. However they very deliberately only had him surrounded on three sides. On the fourth side was the fence which separates my compound from another of the neighbouring poor people houses. This particular section of fence is an area of longstanding compromise between myself and multiple generations of Foxes.
Having no concept of, let alone respect for, manmade boundaries the Foxes go wherever they like. When they jump on wooden fences they tend to make quite a lot of noise, banging into the fence and causing it to shake. There's something about a succession of violent home invasion style robberies which makes you quite sensitive to sudden, loud noises. Like fences being scaled. Also the Foxes quite quickly get bored of having to jump over fences. So just smash holes in them.
Many generations ago the Foxes removed two, roughly 10cm, vertical wooden slats from this section of fence. The area where they did that is right by a bush. So the fence is still structurally sound and unless you go looking for it you can't see the gap. I decided to just leave it like that. The Foxes get to move freely between the different areas of their territory while I don't have to put up with the extra noise and more broken fences.
So rather than attacking this boisterous Bengal the Foxes had more sort of gently escorted him towards the agreed exit point. As they had him surrounded on three sides, waiting for him to take the hint, you could almost hear the Foxes talking amongst themselves;
"He does know that there are four of us, right?"
"Yeah. He seems to."
"And he does know that any one of us could really easily kill him?"
"Yep. He seems to have worked that out too."
"So what's he still doing?!"
"Beats me."
Since then every time either 貓老大 or I have seen this Cat squaring up to the Foxes we have felt the need to tell him off and remind him of the longstanding Social Contract - Foxes and Cats they do not fight. Entirely for his benefit. Although a Fox's first instinct is to retreat any animal will fight back when cornered. Even a Mouse will fight back against a Cat. Sometimes the Mouse will even win! Even a small scratch to a large nose is all that's needed to make your escape.
As he's grown more educated this Bengal not only seems to have accepted the Social Contract. He also seems to have befriended the Foxes.
If you've ever had the experience of two or more Kittens growing up in your home at the same time. Then you will be more than familiar with Mad Wall-of-Death Hour! It seems imprinted in every Kitten's DNA that they must chase each other around the house for a designated hour each day. Reaching such speeds the Centripetal Force they generate exceeds the Force of Gravity. Allowing them to run along the walls like a Daredevil in a travelling Circus.
It seems that Fox Kits also enjoy Mad Wall-of-Death Hour. As they've become friends the Foxes have been letting this Cat join in with their Mad Wall-of-Death Hour. There have been a number of times when I've seen the Cat chasing the Foxes and told him off. Only for the Cat and the Foxes to scowl at me for spoiling their mutual fun.
It's another way this Bengal reminds me of old He of the Devil. When they were both fighting the hair on their tails and along their spine stands all the way up. In this giant; "Poof!" display which makes them seem much bigger than they are. It's a big clue to the fact that this Cat and the Foxes are friends now that as they chase each other there is no Poof!
Around 18:10 on 16/12/24 (UK date) I'll have to try and finish this tomorrow.
Edited at around 16:25 on 17/12/24 (UK date) to finally tidy all of the above and copy & paste;
Needless to say this Bengal has emerged as the leading contender to take the title of 貓老大. He's even been able to access the all important tree!
This is was an episode which was already in progress when I joined it. However it looks as though 貓老大 had tried to chase the Bengal, stopping him from infiltrating the rooftops. Only to realise what the Bengal was trying to do. Then decided to sit back and watch.
The Bengal then proceeded to climb the all important tree. He managed to climb higher than 貓老大 ever did. However he then learned a lesson that so many young Cats before him have learned. Birds fight back! They do so in large numbers and from multiple directions.
The Bengal then learnt that it's much harder to climb down a tree than it is to climb up a tree. Particularly when you're being attacked by Birds. With the Bengal finding himself a bit stuck this allowed the Birds the time to call out to all the other Birds. Who came from far and wide to join in the attack.
My compound isn't that far from the stadium of a football club nicknamed; "The Eagles." They have an actual Eagle as a mascot which they also use to scare Pigeons away from the stadium. This Bengal was stuck for so long I was starting to wonder whether that big Bird of Prey would have time to answer the call and come to decisively end his quest to become 貓老大.
In the end though the Bengal fell out of the tree. Suffering nothing more than a severely bruised ego. Much to the entertainment of 貓老大.
For the next couple of weeks it was very easy to tell where this Bengal was in the neighbourhood. All of the Birds near him would call out. They were doing this to warn all the other Birds of the location of the predator. However I like to think that some of the Birds took on something of a mocking tone. Reminding the Bengal of his humiliating defeat.
The mockery of the Birds did cause the Bengal to shrink from his desire to become 貓老大 for a little while. However he once again tried to infiltrate the rooftops. Only to be challenged by 貓老大. At which point the Bengal discovered that 貓老大 has a partner in crime. Presumably a sibling who is 貓老大 of the front part of their shared, main territory. So this Bengal suddenly found himself in a battle with not one but two Cats. Who although older and a bit slower are much more experienced.
Since then the Bengal seems to have decided to respect the authority of 貓老大 and stick to the agreement that allows the youngsters to pass through the kingdom at ground level. Although I did see him just this morning. He stopped to look at me and then to stare at the favourite throne on top of the garage. As if to say; "TELL THEM! Let them all know! One day it will be mine!!!!"
I don't know what your assumed knowledge of the parenting styles of different species of wild animal is. However I think it's well known that once baby Birds are able to fend for themselves they're expected to leave their parent's nest.
It's become something used in everyday conversation. When a Human's adult children move out of their parent's home they're said to have; "Flown the nest." When all of Human parent's children have left home they're said to be; "Empty Nesters." Rather like "Phil" and "Claire" at the end of that other light American sitcom; "Modern Family."
Swans are actually extremely violent in the way they force their children to leave home. Despite being celebrated for their beauty, poise and grace Swans are actually extremely violent in most things they do. The lesson being that unless you're prepared to snap its neck with your bare hands, don't ever get into an argument with a Swan. That's the level of violence a Swan will come at you with.
Foxes do things differently. When the parents think their children are old enough to fend for themselves it is the parents who leave the family home. Although they do periodically come back, to check on how their darling offspring are doing.
Over the Summer of 2023 the Daddy Fox returned for a week or so. With a clear mission to teach his children how to break through wooden fences. Specifically the fence which multiple generations of Foxes and I have agreed already has an agreed Fox access route in it.
The young Foxes were clearly unimpressed with their father's efforts to teach them. Seeming to sit there watching him complaining; "There's no point though Dad! There's already a gap in this fence. We're only going to make the big god angry!"
And the Father was like; "I don't care! This is an important life lesson! You will learn it, whether you like it or not!!!!"
It did remind me of a frustrated Human father trying to get his nerdy and artsy kids interested in sports.
This Autumn though it seems Daddy's Back! Permanently.
Something which has led to some tension. Daddy Fox has obviously not spent as much time in my company as I've spent in the company of his children. So doesn't understand the agreement we have. That as long as they don't try crossing through any magical portals and we all stay about a metre away from each other. I'm no danger. I'm perfectly happy to let them go about their Fox lives in peace. Plus I think he's a little bit jealous that his children think of me, rather than him, as the big god.
So while we are slowly working through it. When Daddy Fox first arrived he felt the need to establish that he was the Alpha of the territory. Squaring up to me and baring his teeth. Which both I and his children found hilarious. Not only do I have opposable thumbs they're attached to hands which can be folded up into fists. Either of which is far bigger than his whole head. Basically, I've punched a Fox full in the face before! I will not hesitate to do it again.
Perhaps in a desire to establish a territory where he is the Alpha, or just a desire to have an even bigger territory. Daddy Fox now seems to have led his children off on a mission to expand the territory. Establishing a new outpost or Den on its fringes. With two of his three children being daughters this does create a slight worry that things are going to go a bit Billy Ray again.
Work on this new Den began in the late Summer. As with every expansion it was signified by late night noises of Foxes fighting. Along with Fox access points being established, through the destruction of parts of wooden structures.
Obviously if any of the wooden structures being destroyed were within my compound then I'd have to repair them. So I was quite keen to stop the Foxes before they destroyed them. If it was my neighbour's property being destroyed I was also prepared to stop the Foxes.
However looking out all this noise was happening so far away from my compound I can't actually see where it was coming from. Even when looking from an elevated position. If I had to guess though then it seems the new outpost is to the West, the large sheds a couple of gardens over.
It was around this time that the wildlife in my compound received a new contestant. In the form of A Grey Squirrel.
Many generations of Foxes ago. Back when the current 貓老大 was still battling for the title. I witnessed all three Cats and all of the Foxes decide to work together to hunt and kill a Squirrel who'd ventured into the shared territory. A Squirrel that only just managed to escape with its life. They are much faster and better climbers than either Foxes or Cats.
So normally Squirrels have the good sense to avoid my compound. If they find they have to navigate it to get from one place to another then they do so at speed. Across the tops of high fences.
Not this Squirrel though. This has got to be the World's bravest, balliest Squirrel. Not only doesn't he avoid my compound, when he explores it he doesn't scurry or run. He strolls and saunters. Even across ground level. Where all the Foxes and Cats are allowed to prowl.
One day I even found him sprawled out, bathing himself, right in the middle of the compound. With his testicles proudly on display, for the whole World to see. Something else which seems to be a universal truth, shared amongst all mammals.
Although I did stop seeing him from late October onwards. Making me wonder whether he'd found something better to do. Or whether his luck had finally run out.
However he did make an appearance just last week. Although as the Cats have got older and wiser he does seem more keen to stick to the top of high fences.
18:30 on 17/12/24 (UK date).
