During the past week or so we haven’t gotten any new snow, so the tracks have been building up. Sunrise-to-sunset time is about 5 hours, so there is little daylight during which to see (in real time) who’s been passing. Our resident snowshoe hare has been dashing everywhere. We first saw it in the latter half of October—it stuck out so boldly, white against the snow-less landscape, that we could even see it after dark. This species has only recently colonized our neighborhood, probably drawn by the increasingly open woods as aging aspens have fallen. Until now, we have not had one actually spending time in our yard. It seems to love to run on the deck. Of course we call it Thumper.
Author Archives: kwinker
If the Wind Will Not Serve, Take to the Oars
Destitutus ventis, remos adhibe (Latin proverb)
As a nation, we are embarking on—to put it mildly—an unfortunate political experiment. Through the electoral college, and against the popular vote, we have elected a president who is probably the least qualified ever to hold that office. And if that is not enough, the people with whom he surrounds himself are also questionably tethered to the realities of the world the rest of us live in. Some people are saying that the inmates are in charge of the asylum. The problem is that the majority of the rest of us, who clearly did not want to see Trump as president, are locked in here with them. Right now, the most important question to me is how badly will he and his cronies damage our country? And, next in importance, how much will we let them?
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The Last Supper
At least that’s what Rose called it as we planned and made it. We’ve had this jar of canned Mystery Meat since 2002. We rediscovered it a few months ago, and I left it on the counter threatening that we’d cook it up and eat it one day. Because I didn’t get a moose or any other big game this year, that day has finally come.
Rose suggested that we make sure our wills are up to date, and that we leave a note for the coroner to make their job easier. So I began this post.
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What a Colossal Screwup
Well, that didn’t go well. 46.9% of registered voters did not vote. Clinton won the popular vote. Trump is President-elect, thanks to the electoral vote system. We have some big problems ahead. From a scientist’s perspective, these problems start with a President-elect who considers climate change to be a hoax and a VP-elect who doesn’t believe in evolution. Neither view reflects reality. So we have some fights ahead over ground that is scientifically settled, not the best way to spend time. (In climate change the disagreements are over the human role in global warming, not whether it’s occurring. With evolutionary theory, well, it’s as settled as gravitational theory—most are not foolish enough to question its existence.)
While we could have moved forward with a somewhat flawed president, who actually does care about other people, we instead chose (though not the majority) to move forward with someone obviously deeply flawed. Yes, I can hear some of you thinking that Clinton would have been as bad or worse, but the majority of voters disagree with you—and you got to choose the channel we’re all forced to watch. Now we’re just going to have to sit and learn together just how bad it’s going to be. Fear and rage, stoked through propaganda, misinformation, and lies, has caused the country (mostly whites) to elect someone who is going to make the world a worse place for many people. And not just presumed enemies, but many of us that are supposed to be on the same side, fellow citizens, friends, neighbors. I understand the anti-Washington, populist anger that caused this outcome. What I don’t understand is how such a con man fooled so many into thinking that he had their best interests in mind. He doesn’t. A lot of people are going to get royally shafted—on purpose—by this incoming administration and the changes it makes in this country, policy-wise and socially. Few will deserve it. We will all need to step up and be a force for good.
Thai Red Salmon Chowder
This is a great light chowder, with rich flavor. It cooks up very fast.
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