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Newsletter 139
23/11/16

Life is Not Fair

"Phumlany running with a stick
The cat rears back
As he hits and hits
A brief moment of opportunity
Run for you life
Run JV
You are free
You are free
The jaws of the tiger"

From the song
In the Jaws of the Tiger

Hello Friends

In the helicopter crash in Luangwa in 1995, the pilot was Rob Parsons. Only his incredible flying skills, saved the lives of Karin Slater, William Sibuya, Elmon  Mhlongo  and myself. 

When the paramedics arrived, Rob insisted they take him last even though he was the  worst hurt.  

After a botched operation, Rob Parsons died. 

The hero of the accident who had saved our lives, was gone and we were left alive. This is hardly fair. 

In 2012 when attacked by Tiger Corbett, two brave ladies, Julie Brown and Julieanne  Reid, rushed to help me, risking their lives in the process. 

However it was Phumlany Mchunu who had the presence of mind to realize he would need a weapon to get me out of the jaws of the tiger. Armed only with a stick, Phumlany took Corbett  head on. He hit him 3 times before Corbett released me. There is no question that Phumlany Mchunu saved my life that day.

On Saturday night thugs robbed Phumlany Mchunu and shot him dead in Johannesburg. This is hardly fair.

A more gentle, kinder, courageous human being, one could not hope to meet. 

My friend, my hero, my life brother, Phumlany Mchunu is gone. 

Rest in peace life brother, rest in peace. 

Love and Light
JV

I am devastated by the loss of my dear friend and life brother, Phumlany Mchunu. His life has been cruelly snatched away far too soon. Here is my last goodbye to Phumlany, and a message to his family...(follow YouTube link): https://youtu.be/ZSN9vrPJXOM

I have established a fund to help pay for Phumlany's young son's education. If you would like to contribute donate to:

Seven Falls Trading (Pty) Ltd
First National Bank
A/C 62094732693
Branch code 250655
Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ
IBAN: 230932 62094732693

Tread lightly on the Earth
JV


Response to my Trump Card newsletter

JV

I always enjoy your letters and insights.  And most of the time I agree with what you write.  But this time the Watson letter really set me off.  In particular, the line "My point is that Donald Trump simply is no worse and no better than all the rest of these so called leaders whose agenda is to serve the corporations and to enrich themselves."

I think that fundamentally misses the mark.  I think you can certainly criticize leaders like Obama or Trudeau for not moving as quickly or aggressively as we might like.  But to say that there's no difference between Trump and Obama on this front is simply nuts.  Consider just one case: the Keystone pipeline.  Obama killed it.  Now the builder is putting together a new proposal to submit to the Trump administration with the expectation that Trump will approve it.  And you go from people like the Koch brothers not having a viable means of getting the tar sands oil to market to them having a very feasible means to do so.

I suspect that a Clinton administration would have followed up on the Obama administration's efforts to sue Exxon for lying about the impact of oil on the climate - which they knew about 30 years ago but publicly denied - while the Trump administration I expect to drop that effort.

The Paris agreement was perhaps not what Watson might have wanted, but getting a wide range of countries to buy into taking concrete efforts to reduce global warming was a major step forward, going beyond platitudes and beginning to get countries including China and the U.S. to take affirmative steps towards progress.  Were the actions as large as Watson - or you or I - would like?  No.  But this step was a major step forward.  One fundamental problem has been that all countries have been pointing fingers at everyone else saying "why should I do anything when XXX isn't doing their fair share?"  This response is natural when dealing with fair use of "the commons" and overcoming that objection was a major advance, even if the commitments weren't as large as we might like.

Will Trump renege on the U.S. commitment?  I don't know, and I certainly hope he doesn't.  But with Trump the question is open to doubt and it wouldn't have been with Clinton.  And if the U.S. pulls out, will other countries - especially China - hold fast?  Again, I don't know but I'm not optimistic.

Voices like Captain Watson's are important, in particular as they push the Overton Window in the direction of climate action activism.  But there has to be some recognition about what is feasible.  If you say "shut all coal power plants" or "you can't burn charcoal" you're simply not going to make any progress.  You need an agenda that includes alternatives.  Leaders don't need to take their shoe off and bang on the table; leaders don't need to bluster about strength or their commitment to a cause.  They need to have a plan about how to implement change and how to generate a coalition that will put that change into action.  Leaders will have a long term view and they will play the long game.  Obama is a leader. Putin, much as I dislike and distrust him, is also a leader although I don't like where he is leading.  Trump a leader?  Color me skeptical.

Hope all is well, and I look forward to a return visit to Tiger Canyons.

Rich


Happy birthday Tina Turner

I would like to wish Tina a happy birthday for the 26th of November. Please watch YouTube  on 26th November for a musical tribute to Tina Turner.

 

Tread lightly on the Earth

[email protected]
Copyright 2007 @jvbigcats  All rights reserved


Newsletters


Newsletters 162
23/07/18
Raising 200

Newsletters 161
22/05/18
Reach for 200

Newsletters 160
06/05/18
The Power of the Photograph

Newsletter 159
14/04/18
Predator Aggression

Newsletters 158
19/02/18
Open letter to Cyril Ramaphosa

Newsletter 157
14/02/18
SCI bans canned lion hunting

Newsletters 156
26/01/18
Tibo produces white cubs

Newsletters 155
13/11/17
The Indian Connection

Newsletters 154
28/10/17
Desertification

Newsletter 153
20/10/17
Supermarket Shopper vs. Hunter Gatherer

Newsletter 152
14/10/17
JV's response to Elayna Kinley letter

Newsletters 151
29/09/17
Running on empty

Newsletter 150
14/09/17
The Survivor

Newsletters 149
05/09/17
In pursuit of Alan Root

Newsletters 148
09/08/17
Open letter re schools plus Panna cubs

Newsletters 147
17/07/17
It's Finished

Newsletters 146
31/05/17
Hunters

Newsletter 145
20/05/17
King Corbett

Newsletter 144
08/05/17
Hunting versus Non Hunting

Newsletter 143
14/03/17
If it Pays, it Stays

Newsletters 142
14/02/17
Best Photographs at
Tiger Canyons

Newsletters 141
16/01/17
Lady Hunters

Newsletter 140
10/12/16
Londolozi and Love

Newsletter 139
23/11/16
Life is Not Fair

Newsletter 138
17/11/16
The Trump Card

Newsletter 137
22/10/16
Most Admired People on the Planet

Newsletters 136
13/10/16
Captive vs Wild

Newsletter 135
08/10/16
To trade  or not To Trade

Newsletter 134
08/08/16
A Defining Moment

Newsletter 133
08/07/16
I Have Lost A Friend

Newsletter 132
13/05/16
The World is Changing

Newsletter 131
08/04/16
Icon Cats

Newsletter 130
31/03/16
Sylvester the Lion

Newsletter 129
22/03/16
An Open Letter to Head United Nations

Newsletter 128
15/03/16
An Open Letter to Carte Blanche

Newsletter 127
28/11/15
Satellite Tracking

Newsletter 126
12/11/15
Lightning strikes 3 times

Newsletter 125
28/10/15
The Break Out

Newsletter 124
05/10/15
Bad Tigers

Newsletter 123
01/10/15
Tiger Boy's Journey

Newsletter 122
13/09/15
Give it a Name

Newsletter 121
10/09/15
Driven Hunts

Newsletter 120
01/09/15
Creative Conservation

Newsletter 119
12/08/15
Sariska from birth till death

Newsletter 118
11/08/15
Real Hunters

Newsletter 117
07/08/15
An Open Letter to the President: Operation Wild Lion

Newsletter 116
03/08/15
An Open Letter to Theo Bronkhorst

Newsletter 115
28/07/15
Cruel Nations

Newsletter 114
08/07/15
Subspecies or no subspecies

Newsletter 113
11/06/15
Tigers Moving Forward

Newsletter 112
13/04/15
Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Newsletter 111
26/03/15
Don't Shoot the Messenger

Newsletter 110
22/03/15
The Hunters

Newsletter 109
09/03/15
Gaia or God?

Newsletter 108
26/02/15
The Healing Power of Cats

Newsletter 107
18/02/15
Goddess Gaia

Newsletter 106
03/02/15
Ambassador Cats

Newsletter 105
24/01/15
Blondes have more fun

Invitation
09/01/15
Gaining ground for tigers

Newsletter 103
14/12/14
Tibo's Dilemma

Newsletter 102
05/12/14
Wilderness Man

Newsletter 101
25/11/14
Sariska fathers cubs with white Tigress Tibo

Newsletter 100
20/11/14
Cheetah Survival

Newsletter 99
30/09/14
Extract from JV's speech on Corbett's Freedom Day

Newsletter 98
15/08/14
The Power of the Picture

Newsletter 97
18/07/14
Tiger Corbett's Release

Newsletter 96
11/07/14
Corbett's Journey

Newsletter 95
18/06/14
Bush School: Where are they now?

Newsletter 94
12/05/14
Open letter to Jani Allen: Oscar Pistorius

Newsletter 93
07/05/14
John Varty interview with Sizie Modise

Newsletter 92
20/04/14
Marion's Big Cat Safari

Newsletter 91
24/02/14
Full energy flow

Newsletter 90
10/02/14
Investing in wild tigers

Newsletter 89
05/02/14
Where are the Champions?

Newsletter 88
27/01/14
Managing the Genes

Newsletter 87
16/01/14
Capture the Moment

Newsletter 86
07/12/13
The Princess Diana of Tigers - Julie:
 Sept 1999 - 5 Des 2013

Newsletter 85
26/11/13
The Communicators

Newsletter 84
26/11/13
A Letter to All Conservationists in SA 
Sparked by the whole Melissa Bachman Debacle
by Maxine Gaines

Newsletter 83
16/11/13
Tell me what happened

Newsletter 82
04/11/13
Profit is the Name of Your Game

Newsletter 81
30/10/13

Big Cat Cub Safari


Newsletter 80
18/10/13
In the Jaws of the Tiger

Newsletter 79
11/10/13
Open letter to Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa about rhino crisis

Newsletter 78
06/10/13
Open letter to Min of Defense, South Africa about rhino crisis

Newsletter 77
30/09/13
Digital Photography

Newsletter 76
06/09/13
Zoochosis

Newsletter 75
20/07/13
Rhino Horn Trade - Response

Newsletter 74
09/07/13
Raw Power

Newsletter 73
02/07/13
The Evolution of the Tracker

Newsletter 72
02/07/13
An Open Letter to the Honourable Edna Molewa, Minister of Water Affairs and Environmental Affairs

Newsletter 71
06/06/13
Using flash or spotlight on cats at night

Newsletter 70
14/05/13
Mirror mirror on the wall, who has the best eyesight of them all?

Newsletter 69
12/04/13
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fastest of them all?

Newsletter 68
25/03/13
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the best fighter of them all?

Newsletters 67
07/03/13
Wild Cheetah return to the Free State after 100 years

Newsletter 66
28/02/13
Seeking the genes

Newsletters 65
06/02/13
Corbett's Journey

Newsletters 64
22/01/13
In Search of a Mate

Newsletters 63
11/01/13
Rumble in the Jungle

Newsletters 62
30/10/12
Voronin Big Cat Safari Breaks All Records

Newsletters 61
09/12/12
A Journey to Nowhere

Newsletter 60
03/10/12
The John Hume Approach

Newsletter 59
28/09/12
Response to Rhino Horn Auction

Newsletters 58
24/09/12
A Letter to John Hume, SA biggest Rhino Breeder

Newsletters 57
05/09/12
Newsletters 56
01/08/12
Indian Government -
the wrong decision

Newsletter 55
11/07/12
What price must beauty pay?

Newsletter 54
21/04/12
Corbett's Freedom

Newsletter 53
15/04/12
Lethal injection or Freedom

Newsletters 52
04/04/12
The anatomy of an aggressive tiger

Newsletters 51
14/02/12
Majestic, breathtaking pictures

Newsletters 50
04/11/11
Tigress Calendar

Newsletters 49
19/11/11

Let your pictures do the talking

Newsletters 48
26/09/11

Rhino Wars

Newsletters 47
06/09/11
A Letter to the President

Newsletters 46
08/08/11
The Body Parts Scam

Newsletters 45
11/07/11
Tiger Subspecies

Newsletters 43
01/05/11
Your future and the Tiger

Newsletter 42
08/05/11
Talk to Me

Newsletter 41
26/01/11
Gaian Reminder

Newsletter 40
18/11/10
Ron's Journey

Newsletter 39
20/10/10
"Descreprimate"

Newsletter 38
06/09/10
Beauty comes at a price

Newsletter 37
18/08/10

The Light Has Gone Out


Newsletter 36
08/07/10
The Beautiful Game

Newsletter 35
05/07/10
The Ethics of
Tiger Green Hunting

Newsletter 34
21/06/10
Tiger Hunt

Newsletter 33
26/05/10
The Year of the Tiger

Newsletter 32
11/02/10

Riding the Tiger


Newsletter 31
24/01/10

Runti's Journey


Newsletter 30
12/01/10

To intervene or not to intervene -
that is the question...

Newsletter 29
07/12/09

Lion - Tiger - Human Communication


Newsletter 28
12/11/09

Emotional humans, emotional cats


Newsletter 27
03/11/09

Julie gives birth to 5 tiger cubs


Newsletter 26
24/09/09

International Tiger Day


Newsletter 25
17/08/09

To all Photographers


Newsletter 24
16/07/09

A Shot in Anger


Newsletter 22
24/04/09


Newsletter 21
24/03/09


Newsletter 19
14/01/09

Tiger Birth
at Tiger Canyons


Newsletter 16
10/10/08

Tiger Courting


Newsletter 11
29/01/08

Privatizing the Tiger


Newsletter 9
27/10/07

Newsletter 8
28/09/07

Newsletter 7
14/09/07

Water Cats


Newsletter 6
14/08/07

Tiger Intelligence


Newsletter 5
16/05/07

Tiger language
Tiger Boma


Newsletter 3
09/03/07

Interspecies communication


Newsletter 2
06/02/07

Cub relocation


Londolozi
Newsletters

Death of a Legend
17/08/09


Newsletter 20
10/02/09

Newsletter 15
17/08/08

Painted Wolves


Newsletter 13
11/04/08

Response to Elephant Trust
by Daryl Balfour


Newsletter 12
09/04/08

Elephant Trust