Climate and weather

I am pretty sure that every reader of this blog understands the difference between weather and climate.

I say that in the belief that Trump never reads this blog.

Venezuela

Why the heck is the U.S. messing around in Venezuela?  Admittedly it is a poorly run country.  It couldn’t pay federal workers for a month, it has backed out of international accords, it deserts its allies.  Oh wait, that’s the U.S.

Perhaps we are concerned with its lack of democracy.  If so, we better also worry about Poland, Hungary, the Philippines, Egypt, Turkey, etc., etc.

Perhaps we think it is a threat to our security.  No, that would be North Korea with its nuclear weapons, and Trump is having another meeting with the North Koreans.

Perhaps it is because food is scarce.  But we are imposing sanctions to make shortages worse, not sending in relief supplies.

Maybe it is because the U.S. has a long history of interfering in Latin American affairs, and we see no reason to change.

Weather forecasting

When I was a kid weather forecasting was somewhat of a hit or miss science.  In fact, I am reluctant to even call it a science.  It seemed more like a guessing game.  

We knew days ago that it would snow today.  We knew it would start about noon.  We know it will be windy tomorrow, and amazingly cold tomorrow night.  Schools were closed today on the basis of the forecast.  Roads were salted on the basis of the forecast.  Linda cancelled a meeting two days ago, knowing it would be a snowy Tuesday, and it was.

People still complain about the mistakes.  Seven inches instead of the four predicted.  Sleet instead of the rain.  Only a half an inch of rain instead of the inch and a half downpour.  The European model sometimes differs from the American model.  Nonetheless, to anyone 50 or older, the accuracy of weather forecasting is truly amazing.  

Making electricity

Since 2001 natural gas (which isn’t all that natural when it is produced by fracking) has replaced coal as the main source of electricity in the U.S.  Natural gas provides 32% of the electricity; coal is a close second with 30%, down from 51% in 2001.  Nuclear is third, with 20%, and hydroelectric power comes in at 7%.  Wind is 6%, and solar is only 2%.

The production varies considerably from state to state.  For example, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Wyoming get almost all of their electricity from burning coal.  Six states–Washington, Oregon, Idaho, South Dakota, Vermont, and Maine–get most of their electricity from hydro plants.  While Kansas and Iowa still generate most of their electricity from coal, wind power is second and climbing rapidly in both of those states.  In California half of the state’s power is produced by renewables, including solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal.

In Pennsylvania it’s nuclear, then gas, then coal.  Renewables are almost invisible–less than 5%.

The chart is in today’s Times.  It’s a double page spread on pp. A12 and A13.

Presidential candidates

I have backed quite a few losing candidates for President over the last half century.  In 1968 I was a “Clean for Gene” college student.  In 1972 I was out every evening in Alameda campaigning for George McGovern.  In ’76 I was the 10th California Congressional district coordinator for Morris Udall.  In ’80, Jerry Brown.  In ’84, Gary Hart.  In ’88, Dukakis.  I campaigned for Bill Clinton, but lost with Al Gore in ’00 and Kerry in ’04.  With Obama I was on the winning side, but then in ’16 I supported Clinton.  

I am proud of every one of those candidates, whether they won or they lost.  I am convinced I supported the better candidate in every race.

Now at least eight or nine Democrats have announced their bid for the presidency.  It is way too early; I believe we should concentrate on registering voters and electing candidates to local offices.  I do have a favorite, but I am not about to announce who it is.  I am afraid I will jinx her.

Monarch butterflies

Bolinas, in Marin County where I lived for one happy decade, is a location where monarch butterflies stop by on their winter migration.  Volunteers count the butterflies every year at approximately 200 locations, including Bolinas.  Last year the Bolinas volunteers counted 12,360 butterflies; this year 1,256.  

In the 80s there were millions–around 4.5 million is the best estimate.  In the latest count, 28,429.  That may be a number too small to sustain the population.  Monarchs are still not listed under the Endangered Species Act, but that probably won’t happen with an administration that would like to gut that whole act.

When populations decline over time, people don’t notice.  In Silent Spring Rachael Carson wrote about a year with no birds.  That’s not the way it happens.  We will always have crows, house sparrows, and robins.  We will lose warblers, fly catchers, and whippoorwills and nine out of ten people won’t even be aware.

In the meantime, quit using Roundup.  Let milkweeds grow.  Cherish what is left.

Information on the monarchs on Bolinas is from Mary Ellen Hannibal, “Is the Monarch’s End in Sight?” New York Times, (Jan. 26, 2019), p. A19.

The Shutdown ends

President Trump did the right thing today both for the 800,000 government workers affected by the shutdown and for the country.

It would be both unseemly and mean to gloat about his actions.  Only an ass would celebrate his retreat.

On the other hand, HE CAVED!  NANCY PELOSI BEAT HIM LIKE A RENTED MULE!  WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WALL, MR. “ART OF THE DEAL”?  HA, HA, HA.

Dan Meuser responds

I wrote to my new Republican Congressman Dan Meuser in early January, explaining how the whole idea of “the wall” was silly.  Today I received a reply.

I had hoped Meuser might be a reasonable Republican, say on the lines of Congressman Charlie Dent or Sen. Jeff Flake.  No such luck.  He supports Trump’s wall.  There’s a lot of boiler plate about security and drugs, criminals, and gang elements, but bottom line–he supports the wall.

I’m not really surprised.  Just disappointed.

Women in the House

One of Linda’s Christmas presents was a book by Jeanne H.Schmedlen entitled History of Women in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1923-2001.

In the first House to which women were elected, the occupations were teacher, housewife, community volunteer, teacher, and librarian.  (There were eight women elected, but occupations were listed for only five of them.)

In the following session six women were elected: four housewives, a farmer, and one in insurance.  

We elected our first attorney in 1930.  Interestingly, the number of women decreased.  In 32, there were only three (one a Socialist from Berks), and in 40 and 42 no women were elected.  

In the 2001-02 session, we find 28 women.  There are no “housewives,” but we do have college profs, business owners, legislative aides, county officials, a newspaper editor, a minister, and other professional occupations.  

The number women has grown (thought not in numbers comparable to most other states), and I am pleased that women have moved into professional occupations.  On the other hand, it was refreshing that 100 years ago a housewife could be elected to the Pennsylvania House.  That wouldn’t happen today, just like it wouldn’t happen that a blue collar worker could be elected.  They wouldn’t have the money.

The End of "The Forward"

The Forward, a paper that started out as a Yiddish-language daily 121 years ago, announced that this spring it will be a digital publication only.  The paper, known originally as The Jewish Daily Forward, reaches 2 million online readers a month.  The print version has only 16,000 subscribers, and the Yiddish version now has fewer than 1000 subscribers.

My opinion is that the 2 million people reached online really don’t read the paper.  They probably look at a few headlines on their phones.

When the Morning Call asked me if I wanted a digital subscription, I said absolutely not.  When I read a newspaper, I want to read a NEWSPAPER.  If you think you are informed watching MSNBC and reading some headlines on your phone, I challenge you to a current events quiz.  The loser buys the winner a six-pack of Coronas.

"Mother" takes an offensive job

Vice President Pence calls his wife “Mother.”  And no, I am not about to make a joke involving Pence and his wife having sex.  I don’t even want to think about that.

What I am concerned about is that Pence said that criticism of his wife’s new job was “offensive.”  She is working as a part-time teacher at Immanuel Christian School in Virginia.  The school requires applicants to agree that marriage can only be between a man and a woman.  

The school may also deny admission or kick out a student who engages in activities that conflict with a “biblical lifestyle.”  I would have thought that would mean rejecting refugees, but it actually means stuff about sex.

I find anyone who takes a job at a school like that to be extremely offensive.

Abortion on demand

I’m watching a show on Netflix called “Sex Education.”  It’s a British import, the main characters are high school kids, and there is an amazing amount of sexual content.  I shut my eyes during those scenes.

In Episode 3 a smart young woman who lives alone in a mobile home finds out she is pregnant.  On American TV she would briefly think about an abortion, then decide to keep the baby, and we would end the episode with a baby crying, followed by the mother holding the baby.  But, as I said, this is British TV.  The young woman goes to a clinic, has an abortion, and walks home with her friend with no regrets.  

Doyle Heffley takes a reasonable stand

If you are a long-time reader of this blog, you are expecting something snarky or sarcastic.  I regularly excoriate my state Representative Doyle Heffley for any number of wrong-headed positions and votes.  Two days ago, however, he attended an open house at the Trachsville Firehouse held to discuss over-crowding at Beltzville State Park, and he took a very reasonable stand.  

In a Times News article yesterday, Rep. Heffley noted that local residents were not unanimous in support of a fee to enter the park (I was one of the locals opposed to a fee) and said he was glad a study group from Penn State was examining the issue.  He said he was anxious to see what the study group recommended.  I appreciate that.

Note:  I know I get more hits on these posts when Trump is in the title.  I know that every day he does stuff that deserves comment, if just to correct the lies.  Nonetheless, I think he is covered way too much.  He isn’t worth it.    I’ll still write about him, but I’m trying to cut back. 

He's grate!

My friend Bill sent along an interesting photo.  Some guy had a "Dump Trump" bumper sticker inside his back window.  An obviously  annoyed Trumpist wrote in the condensation on the window above the sticker:  "Fuck you.  He's grate!"

Of all the U.S. Presidents...

this one is the....   Now you can start listing.

least likely to read a newspaper.

least truthful.

most greedy.

least informed.

least respectful of women.

You can probably list thirty or forty more, but today, after saying Speaker Pelosi, the next person in line to be president after Pence, could not use a military plane to fly to Afghanistan, you surely must add:

most petty.  

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is located in one of the more remote areas of the United States, in Southwest Texas along the Rio Grande.  The Park is featured in the latest issue of Texas Highways, a magazine we subscribe to because Linda gets homesick.  

It is an absolutely beautiful park.  Many of the photos are in black and white, and it has that classic Western look, with high canyon cliffs, towering mountains, and the river far below.  

I tried to picture a wall running through the area, and it makes me sick to think about it.

Banjo Town

My friend René, owner of a world-famous establishment in New York City known as the Harlem Flophouse, and musician in the wonderful band “The Goddess Lakshmi,” has just released a YouTube video of “Banjo Town.”  

Below is the information you need to access the film.  That’s my Farmall René is driving.

Special sneak preview of Banjo Town short film. Unreleased. 

https://youtu.be/kfqBwzJS5fg

René Calvo

The Goddess Lakshmi

www.thegoddesslakshmi.org

Guns on a plane

No, it’s not a sequel to “Snakes on a Plane.”  Earlier this month a passenger with a gun boarded a plane to Japan.  He was probably one of those people who routinely carry guns and just forgot he had it.  He wasn’t a terrorist; in fact he later notified the flight crew.  According to TSA officials, dozens of guns are confiscated every month, including many not only loaded, but with a bullet in the chamber.

Luckily the TSA officers were able to confiscate the guy’s water bottle.  [OK, that last sentence is bogus; just me trying to be funny.]

I can’t say too much about a guy who forgets he had a gun.  I was in line in Sacramento when I realized I had my pocket knife.  The TSA guy said I could run back and try to put it in my suitcase, but I was not about to get out of line and probably miss my flight, so it was confiscated.  The blade was at least an inch and a half long.

Joshua Trees

They grow only in the desert, and they are relatively fragile.  Global warming has already reduced their range.  I’ve seen them in Joshua Tree National Park in California, where the rangers do their best to protect them from misguided tourists.

Except now with the government shutdown, the rangers are not there.  This has given people an opportunity to go into the park and destroy or cut down some of the trees.

Attorney Samuel Snipes

Some obituaries make me regret that I haven’t done more with my life.  Yesterday I read one for Samuel Snipes, a lawyer who represented the first black family to move into the all-white development of Levittown, Pennsylvania.  The builder of Levittown had refused to sell to blacks.  He said it was a business decision. 

Attorney Snipes handled the closing on the home purchase.  When the family arrived in 1957 there were weeks of harassment and even cross burnings.  Screaming spitting protesters gathered outside the home.  The unrest lasted for weeks.  

In one incident Mr. Snipes stood outside of the house and by himself faced down a mob of hundreds until the police arrived.  

Mr. Snipes previously had worked for the UN after WWII helping to relocate refugees.  Later as a solicitor for Falls Township, he stopped the development of  nuclear power plant on an island on the Delaware River across from William Penn’s home.

What an amazing life.

You can read the full obit in “Samuel Snipes, 99 Lawyer For White Town’s First Blacks,” New York Times, (11 Jan. 2019), p. B-1.

Stupid old people

In a study of 3,500 Facebook users in the run-up to the 2016 Presidential election, a team found that users 65 and older posted seven times as many articles from fake news websites as adults 29 and younger.  

What is wrong with old people?  The authors theorized that seniors came to age before computers were ubiquitous, so they may lack digital media literacy.  Another possibility is that aging reduces the mental ability to discern fact from fiction.

[See Niraj Chokshi, “Older, Yes, but Wiser?  Seniors Share More Fake News,” New York Times, (11 Jan. 2109), p. B-3].

Luckily there are a few seniors who are so set in their ways that they refuse to join Facebook.  Did I say that right?  You have to join, right?  Those old people never forward fake news.  They read reputable newspapers, and when people forward them crap, a few of them have learned how to delete stuff.

Thanking Trump

A few nights ago the President’s re-election campaign put an ad on CNN urging people to thank the President.  So I did.  

Here’s how you do it.  Go to whitehouse.gov.  A propaganda filled message appears.  The current one said Congress MUST pass a bill on immigration.  Obviously the President thinks he is Joe Stalin.  In this country the Congress does not dance to the President’s tune.

Anyway, go to the very bottom.  There’s an envelope.  Click on the envelope, and a form comes up to email Trump.  

Here’s what I sent:

Dear President Trump,

     I understand you would like to be thanked.  So thank you for being the funniest president ever.  The hair, the sniffing, the tall tales, the inarticulate speech–just amazing.  Every day I find myself laughing at your antics.  You are so much more funny than Bozo the Clown.  Are you related?

     Sincerely,

     Roy Christman

P.S.:  I am sure I am legal, but I can’t find my papers.  They must be here somewhere.  I’ll keep looking.  Hasta la vista.

Here is the amazing thing.  I already received a thank you for the message.  They will look into it.  ICE agents will probably be knocking at my door tomorrow.

SNAP

Linda’s grandmother, a New Deal Democrat, said that Republicans couldn’t enjoy a meal unless they knew that someone somewhere was going hungry.  Her cynicism was justified, given the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP.

Last month Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue said he was disappointed that the farm bill did not add restrictions to food stamps recipients.  He was concerned that some hungry recipients might not “deserve” to receive food stamps.

Secretary Purdue said he would use his regulatory powers to introduce more restrictions.  

See Katie Rogers and Catie Edmondson, “Agriculture Secretary Moves to Restrict Food Stamps,” New York Times, (Dec. 21, 201`8), p. A18.

"The Wall"

Our daughter Rachael suggested a way to end the government shutdown and make Trump happy.  The Democrats write a 5.6 billion dollar line item into the budget for "The Wall."  Then Congress wraps up 63 million copies of Pink Floyd's "The Wall," a great album by most measures.  Trump could pass them out at MAGA rallies.

This idea, which she had published in the Chico newspaper, strikes me as a great idea.  Plus, I love that album.

Letter to Congressman Meuser

Last November we were not part of the "Blue Wave;" the 9th Congressional district of Pennsylvania voted in a rich Republican who hadn't even lived in the district.  I decided I should break him in, so I sent him the following letter.

Dear Congressman Meuser:

The latest issue of Lancaster Farming (Jan. 6, 2019, p. A29) contained an article entitled “Extreme Heat Increasing in Both Summer and Winter” and discussed the impact on Pennsylvania agriculture.

In the meantime our president is demanding a wall.

The Chinese have now landed a rover on the far side of the moon and plan to launch their own space station.

In the meantime our president is demanding a wall.

In my congressional district, which you represent, our roads and bridges are in desperate need of repair.

In the meantime, our president is demanding a wall.

This is beyond stupid, moving into the realm of silly.  It is time for Congress to reign in this man who has so little understanding of the national interest, the Constitution, or American values.

Sincerely,

Roy Christman

The Eagles Win!

I always feel sorry for the kicker when the game comes down to the last seconds, he kicks, and the ball goes wide.  Tonight it was even worse for the Bears’ kicker; the ball hit the upright, then the cross bar, and could have bounced either way.  It bounced toward the field, giving the Eagles the win.  

I do feel sorry for the Bears’ kicker, but not too sorry.  As they say in Russia, Toughski shitski, Chicago Bears.

Fly Eagles Fly.

Heffley to cut property tax

Yeah, right.  

A few days ago the new Pennsylvania legislature was seated, and our representative, Doyle Heffley, said he would work to eliminate property tax.  He says that every time he runs for office.  He was in office when the Republicans controlled the state House, the state Senate, and the Governor’s office.  They did NOT eliminate the property tax.  

What a shell game.

On the other hand, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will hear a case on school funding in 2020.   They will look at whether poor districts, like Panther Valley, are not receiving their fair share of state funding to the detriment of their students.  If the Justices are objective, they will throw out the whole system of school funding in this state.  Obviously the Republican state legislature is incapable of action.

Smartphones

More than three-fourths of Americans own a smartphone.  In 2018 those 253 million Americans spent an average of $1,380 and 1,460 hours on their smartphones and other mobile devices.  That’s 91 waking days.

You would need approximately 700 hours to become proficient in a foreign language.  With the time spent looking at your phone, you could learn French and Hindi in a year.

Dropping smart phone use would give citizens enough time and money to visit their local and state representatives three times a week for a year to lobby for reform.

Then there’s the sex.  If you give up smartphones for a year, you would have time to make love about 16,000 times.  (This assumes that your loving making sessions, like most Americans, lasts an average of 5.4 minutes, not counting foreplay.)

I am indebted to an article by Paul Greenberg, “In Search of Lost Screen Time,” New York Times, (Jan. 1, 2019), p. A19.  Greenberg lists many other advantages to getting rid of your phone, including health benefits, reading, and recreation.  

As you probably guessed, I don’t own a smartphone

A connected world?

In 1945 President Roosevelt rejected isolationism and “America First.”  Here is what Roosevelt said:

     We have learned that we cannot live alone, at peace; that our own well-being is dependent on the well-being of other nations far away.  We have learned that we must live as men, not as ostriches, nor as dogs in the manger.  We have learned to be citizens of the world, members of the human community.  We have learned the simple truth, as Emerson said, that “The only way to have a friend is to be one.”

That belief, however imperfectly carried out, guided American policy approximately the last 75 years.  Now we are embarked on a new policy, full of distrust and anger.  I don’t believe it will work.

Ultima Thule

The New Horizons spacecraft sent back information on a small outer space object named Ultima Thule.  Ultima Thule (pronounced TOO-lee) means “beyond the borders of the known world.”  The data took six hours at the speed of light to travel 4.1 billion miles.  

This is hard to comprehend.  It is also difficult to comprehend how scientists can accomplish such amazing feats in a world full of the kind of stupidity we see around us every day.  How can humans be so smart and so dumb at the same time?  

2020

I must tell you that I’m more than a little annoyed with the focus on the 2020 presidential race.  In 2019 we have municipal races on the ballot in Pennsylvania and in many other states.  

Who are the people who fix potholes in your streets?  Who are the people who collect your garbage, fight your fires, maintain your county parks, run your schools?  

The level of government that affects your day-to-day life is likely your local officials.  Let’s not worry about Elizabeth Warren or Sherrod Brown just yet.  We have some township and borough and county and school district offices to win.  Organize and work on those.