It’s Beginning To Look…

…like a snowless Xmas. Light rain all afternoon.

I’m proud of the Colorado Supreme Court. I think the counter argument—that  the “the people should decide” not the court—doesn’t hold water.

In the first place, no reasonable person who looks at January 6 and the events leading up to it can deny that Trump’s intent was insurrection. Plain and simple, insurrection was attempted.

The “let the people decide at the ballot box” argument doesn’t work. It might work if we had a functioning electoral system, but with ‘Citizens United’, gerrymandering, voter suppression, the Electoral College, relentless right wing media propaganda, etc. the people’s voice can be subverted. Trump has never won the popular vote.

Across all places and all times, human societies have been susceptible to authoritarianism and autocracy. With all the forces that can work against it, Democracy tends to be “a candle in the dark,” to borrow from Carl Sagan.The strongest defense of it seems to be a solid legal structure, such as the U.S. Constitution, which strives to codify a society of laws, not men.

One of the prime purposes of the U.S. Constitution, in my opinion, was to protect the new country from the authoritarianism/theocracy that had dominated most societies in the past. It was based on Enlightenment principles—natural law, reason, justice, a separation of church and state.

But it wasn’t perfect. When writing a document for the ages it’s difficult to anticipate all circumstances (such as X and Fox). The document was also flawed by being written in a time that accepted slavery, and by compromises such as the Electoral College.

Still, it (with amendments) was/is a remarkable attempt to build a solid foundation for Democracy. And it's reasonable to accept the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision as a Constitutional attempt to preserve democracy..

Finally, the argument that sustaining the Colorado decision would result in political violence is really just an acceptance of terrorism. No place for that in a democratic society.

Dark Skies

But, happy solstice, and tomorrow the light begins its return.

These things I ponder as the kettle sings, and the good oak burns to red coals on white ashes. Those ashes, come spring, I will return to the orchard at the foot of the sandhill. They will come back to me again, perhaps as red apples, or perhaps as a spirit of enterprise in some fat October squirrel, who, for reasons
unknown to himself, is bent on planting acorns. —Aldo Leopold

Sunny Day, Short Day

Sunrise (here at latitude 42.834 N) was at 7:22 this morning. Sunset was at 4:23, which made for a day of 9 hours and one minute. Tomorrow, being the solstice, we lose that minute. (But then things turn around.)
A day is somewhat shorter up in Kagawong (latitude 46 N, or roughly 180 nautical miles closer to the pole. (N.B. Above the arctic circle the sun does not show its face until March. But there’s lots more sunlight this time of year way down yonder, in Texas.)
And, speaking of nautical miles, it helps to remember that one minute of latitude equals one nautical mile, and that one nautical mile equals 1.15 statute miles. Therefore, as a result of calculation, Kaqawong is 207 car miles north of W-H2O (and quite a bit to the east). (Driving there form here puts about 750 regular miles on the odometer.)

Feeder Report

Busy day at the feeder.

The feeder has been busy, in spite of the relatively mild winter so far. I could easily refill it twice a day, if I was generous, but that would go through an awful lot of seed. Instead, I’ve taken to filling once, in the late afternoon. That gives cardinals, doves and other late comers a chance. Our sparrows seem most active in the morning.

A large and convivial group of sparrows this is too. They seem to have come to the conclusion that this place is the perfect place. They shelter and roost in the yew at the front of the house and make the short hop over the roof to the feeder whenever feeling peckish. In late afternoon they gather back in the yew for conversation—with lots of things to discuss apparently. Although they jam the feeder and push and jostle each other, it seems that everyone gets enough to eat, and after lunch everyone gets to express an opinion or two.

Feeder was strangely quiet this morning—perhaps a hawk about the neighborhood.

High Pressure

No, not more Christmas shopping, because that’s all done, but…

The old Fort water tower

…a high reading on the barometer, actually 30.52 inches of mercury, which is a strange way to say that a lot of atmosphere is piled up above us. What it means in terms or weather is cloudless skies, no wind, and the chance for warmer temps—in other words perfect day for a bike ride. I’m guessing that today may be the last of the season; most likely it’s time to move the e-bike to the basement where the battery won’t be bothered by intense cold (assuming we have any anymore).

Mount Horeb

No, not the place where Moses got the tablets…

…but the attractive little town (heavily Norwegian) in the beautiful landscape of the eastern driftless area. We seem to make an annual pilgrimage to the Duluth trading store in town, although we never really buy much of anything. The Viking Bar and Grill a few doors down has a great burger, however.

We did find a few Xmas items in Madison, on the way home, luckily.

Beautiful, mid-October-like weather.